Excerpt and Giveaway: The Memories of the Heart Blog Tour With Felice Stevens

What do you care about, Micah?” Josh couldn’t help but ask.

“My grandmother,” he promptly answered. “I know now what a shit I’ve been, dumping her away and thinking my money would take care of everything. I was no better than my parents, was I? Giving shelter and food, but nothing else.”

“It’s not too late, though. You’ve changed since that time I first saw you.”

Micah’s unblinking gaze focused on Josh. “Not really. I’ve spent a little more time with her and I have you and your grandmother to thank for that. But if I’m going to go for head of department at the hospital, I won’t be able to see her as much again. I’ll have too many responsibilities.”

And once again, Josh saw how different the two of them were. He’d left all that behind when he left Craig. When they’d won their big case, he’d let Craig do most of the media interviews, since he was the one who loved being on television and getting recognized. Occasionally they’d want Josh to speak and he did so, but only when necessary. Josh preferred to use his minor celebrity status for better causes and spend time at local youth organizations, lecturing at-risk teens on how they too could make something of themselves even if their parents and friends had cut them off for being gay.

Josh had no interest in being the biggest or the best in his field. He’d learned to be satisfied with what he had. Lately though, he thought he’d like to practice again, maybe open a small employment-discrimination law firm.

“Why do you want it then? What will it do for you that you don’t already have?” The money, prestige and power held no allure for Josh. He’d experienced that already and it had brought him nothing but misery.

“Are you kidding? It lets the world know you’re the most successful at what you do. You’re respected by all your peers. You have power and control, the best research opportunities. It’s endless.” Josh might have had four heads the way Micah stared at him.

“But what about you, your life? Don’t you get lonely?”

With the graceful movement of a jungle cat, Micah grabbed Josh around the waist, pulling him close. Their breaths mingled, lips barely touching. “I’m not alone now, am I?”

At those simple words, desire flooded through Josh, spilling thick and rich through his veins like warmed honey. His breath caught in his throat. All the warning signals Josh tried so studiously to pay attention to went out the window when Micah cupped his jaw, smoothing his thumb across Josh’s lips.
The spaciousness of Micah’s living room closed in on Josh, until all that was left in his line of vision was Micah’s dark, hungry gaze. Nerves fluttered beneath Josh’s skin; he struggled for his equilibrium.

“No, you aren’t alone.” Josh could barely choke out the words. He didn’t know when the rules had changed, when he had changed them, but Josh wanted this man. The air pulsed heavy with heat and sex. So long, so long. Josh moaned, his mind a whirlpool of sensation as Micah stroked his face with his beautiful hands. He hadn’t been touched like this in years, not even by Craig who was supposed to have loved him. Was he merely auditioning for another notch on Micah Steinberg’s bedpost? At this point Josh ceased caring and gave in to the need that seized him, pulling Micah’s head down to kiss his mouth.