My dear friend and morning writing buddy Ofelia Gränd (who I like even more than usual today because she comes with a Shakespeare quote, and I’m a huge Shakespeare fan 😁) is here to talk about her new release, Kisses and Cabins, today. Isn’t that a lovely title? It makes me want to rent a cabin in the woods somewhere, grab my husband’s hand and take him there for some quality kissing, preferably in front of a crackling fireplace. Hmmmm….you’re giving me ideas, now, Ofelia! 😉
Anyway, dear readers, help me make Ofelia feel welcome, please? ❤️
Thank you for allowing me to take over your blog again, Nell. As always, it’s lovely to be here. I’m here to talk about my story Kisses and Cabins, a short, contemporary, friends-to-lovers story.
“O beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”
Shakespeare, Othello
In Renaissance England, it was popular to connect emotions with colours. We still do it. Green is envy or jealousy. If you’re a coward, you may be called yellow. And if someone calls you yellow, you might see red or perhaps it’ll make you blue.
Jealousy is not an emotion – or combination of emotions – I’m comfortable with. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or real life. I’m very rarely jealous, and I find it hard to deal with people who are. At least if they’re the don’t-trust-their-partner kind. I realize it’s, in most cases, a sign of low self-esteem, but I still can’t deal very well.
Therefore you seldom find jealous characters in my stories, unless it’s a growly werewolf who spots someone flirting with his mate, then I might have it, but growly werewolves are growly werewolves.
In Kisses and Cabins, Luke is jealous. And I was about to delete it several times because in my world grown people should be confident enough to not act on jealousy. It’s not a big part of the story, but it’s there. In the end, I kept it, since I figured that while Kace and Luke have been friends for thirty-five years, Luke doesn’t know where he stands when they’re taking their friendship to a romantic relationship.
Excerpt:
“Oh, here he is.”
Kace looked up as Luke appeared in the doorway. Angel grinned, grabbed the tray, and sauntered off with an extra sway to his hips. Kace grinned and shook his head.
“What are you looking at?” The growly tone made Kace frown.
“Angel. We’re joking around.”
Luke huffed and sat on the barstool in the corner.
“Beer?”
Luke scrunched his nose. “No, I think I’m in the mood for something fruity.”
Kace began mixing a Malibu Sunset. It was fruity, and Luke liked rum and coconut. It wasn’t heavy on the coconut, the pineapple juice more prominent. He topped it off with some cherries and placed it in front of Luke.
“I want one of those.” The sultry voice made Kace turn away from Luke and focus on the new guy. When he met his gaze, the man winked.
“A Malibu Sunset?”
“Whatever you can give me, honey.” The man smiled again but widened his eyes as Luke growled. Kace shot him a glare before mixing the drink. “Here you go.” He accepted the payment, noting there wasn’t much tip to speak of.
Angel was back with a new order, greeting Luke, and flirting more than usual with Kace. Kace laughed and shook his head, fixed the order, and blew Angel a kiss when he walked off.
“What are you doing?” Luke’s tone was sharp.
“Working, why?”
“Do you have to flirt to do your job?”
Kace widened his eyes. “We’re just playing. Angel and I would never…” He waved a hand and focused on a new customer. The man wanted a Daiquiri, and the lime was over at the other end of the bar.
Kayla brushed up next to him. “Who’s the Grinch?” She shielded her hands and pointed at Luke.
“Lukas. My best friend.”
“That’s Luke?” She widened her eyes. “I’d always pictured you with someone more easy-going. You’re so… solid and calm, you need someone who doesn’t growl at people, someone social who spices things up a little.”
“You’re saying I’m boring?”
“No, not boring, but…safe.” She sighed. “It sounds boring, but it’s not what I mean. I mean, you’re calm and down to earth, and do what’s expected of you.”
“You’re not making me sound any more exciting, Kayla.” He grimaced, and she laughed.
“I’d marry you any day of the week.”
He grabbed the limes he needed and headed toward his end of the bar. “You’re a dyke. I fear it wouldn’t be a happy union.”
“Oh, I’d forgotten.” She winked.
“You’re flirting with the women too?” Luke spun his almost empty glass on the bar, and Kace frowned.
“What’s up with you? That’s Kayla. She has a girlfriend.” He finished mixing the Daiquiri and gave it to the man, again noting the low tip.
The evening continued much in the same way. Kace was busy, and Luke growled at the customers. When he headed to the restroom, Angel leaned in over the bar and grinned at Kace. “How’s it going?”
Kace shrugged.
“God, I’ve missed Luke. This is the most entertaining night in a long time.”
Kace had also missed Luke, but he wasn’t sure he agreed with this being an entertaining night. Luke was in a foul mood and it bled over on the customers. In the beginning, he hadn’t noticed it much, but some regulars who always ordered from Kace were going to Kayla to place their orders after having been growled at by Luke.
“Oops, here he comes. I better run before he bites my head off.” Angel winked and zig-zagged his way between the customers.
“What did he want?” Luke sat on the barstool again.
“What?”
“Angel. You didn’t give him a drink, why was he by the bar?”
Kace frowned. “What’s going on, Luke? I work with Angel, you know I’ve worked with Angel for years. We talk. I consider him a friend.”
“He flirts with you!”
“It’s a game. And you flirt with me too!” Though he never used to.
“Yeah, me flirting is not a game.”
Blurb:
Kace Channing has been best friends with Luke Holland for thirty-five years. He can’t imagine his world without him. But over the last twelve months, they’ve hardly seen one another. And life without Luke seems empty.
When Luke shows up on Kace’s doorstep, asking for a place to stay, Kace is happy to say yes. But he isn’t prepared for the kiss that follows, or ready to admit he could kiss Luke forever. What they already have is too important.
And when Luke, the least outdoorsy person Kace knows, tells him he’s buying a cabin in the woods, Kace tries to talk him out of it. But Luke’s made up his mind. He says they need it, the two of them.
But won’t kisses and cabins ruin their friendship?
M/M Contemporary: 12,836 words
Buy links:
Kisses and Cabins in the JMS shop (20% off in new release sale)
books2read.com/KissesandCabins
About Ofelia:
Ofelia Gränd is Swedish, which often shines through in her stories. She likes to write about everyday people ending up in not-so-everyday situations, and hopefully also getting out of them. She writes romance, contemporary, paranormal, Sci-Fi and whatever else catches her fancy.
Her books are written for readers who want to take a break from their everyday life for an hour or two.
When Ofelia manages to tear herself from the screen and sneak away from her husband and children, she likes to take walks in the woods…if she’s lucky she finds her way back home again.
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