Tangled Web

M/M Contemporary Romance
ISBN 978-1-60168-126-3
Publisher Aspen Mountain Press

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Fifty-eight year old reticent banker, Kevin Baker works out regularly hoping to spot the man he's become infatuated with, hunky Jake Whittiker. Kevin and Jake both have secrets. Secrets capable of destroying even a remote chance at happiness for the two men as they attempt to escape the meaninglessness of one night stands and brief encounters. Passion and testosterone, lies and omissions, tangled webs brought about by deceit. Untangling the myriad threads and revealing the truth is their only chance, but what will it truly cost?

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Cover for Tangled Web

Excerpt

Kevin Baker sat at his desk in the Third Street Bank and Trust. He nervously, surreptitiously, checked his watch as his secretary droned on with the close of business review of that day's accomplishments.

Four forty-six. Fourteen more minutes. 'Please don't let any last minute drama come busting through that door,' Kevin thought. 'I wanta get to the gym. I gotta see him again.'

The "him" was a six foot something hunk of a bear (as the personals would describe him), who had captivated Kevin's attention at the local gym for the previous three weeks. He didn't come to the gym every day, but came often enough that Kevin was always looking for him, always hoping he would show up.

The hunk was husky and handsome. His head was shaved; he had hoops in both ears and a tattoo of a leopard on his upper left arm. He had blue eyes. Kevin was guessing here. He had never been close enough to make sure. The one time he had been close, opposite sides of a rower they both were heading to use, he had been so flabbergasted he didn't look directly at the man. He was sure he had a salt and pepper Van Dyke. Kevin figured he was in his forties, maybe fifty. That made him feel good as he, Kevin, was fifty-five. Well, okay, fifty-eight, but he looked fifty-five so that was what he put in his personal on the Older For Me web site. He'd had only a few hits to his ad and he figured it was because he had been honest and included the information that he was married. The few guys who had responded were in the same situation as Kevin. But none had turned him on like the guy at the gym.

"Mr. Baker?"

"Yes, Marianne?"

"I said, what do you want me to do about the Johnson application for a small business loan? They have called three times and need..."

"Oh... yes... I'll call them in the morning. I..." he checked his watch again, five o five... " I have an important ... ah ... meeting to get to."

"All Right," she sighed, "but please call them. They're getting on my nerves."

"I will. Don't worry." 'Johnson, Shonson. It's five and I'm outta here,' he thought.

Marianne gathered her notes and walked out of the office. Kevin looked over the papers on his desk one last time and went into his private bathroom to get ready to go.

Reviews

Blondie at Rainbow Reviews said:

4 stars -- WOW!!!!!! for such a short story this was truly an amazing book. The character of Kevin Baker was so well written I could picture him standing in front of me. Jake's character was fleshed out extremely well. I could just see the muscles bulging from under his clothes.

Kassa on Live Journal said:

O'Reilly depicts honest emotions and issues that gay men face, instead of an overly flowery fantasy of two sexy gay men romping to a happy ever after. In addition, it’s not often I’m flat out shocked by a twist in a story and this achieved not only that, but in an entirely believable way.