Lost in Loveland: An Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway with Author K-lee Klein

Welcome to author K-lee Klein, who’s joining us with a little tease from her latest novel, Lost in Loveland, book two in the Welcome to Loveland series, and the chance to win an e-book from her backlist (details below).

Good luck and welcome, K-lee!

Hello. Thank you for stopping by. First of all, I have to say an extra big thanks to Lisa for inviting me to share my new release on The Novel Approach. I’m thrilled to be here today and I’ve brought along an exclusive excerpt from the second book in my Welcome to Loveland series—Lost in Loveland.

Lucky Roberts and Jack Canon met in Lucky’s hometown of Loveland, Colorado in my first self-published book, Lucky in Loveland. Jack is a kindergarten teacher and was fairly new in town when he was suddenly swept into the attentive bubble that was Lucky Roberts. The first book in the series revolved around Valentine’s Day and the first few weeks after Lucky and Jack met.

In Lost in Loveland, Lucky and Jack are getting to know each other better. They’re still in that honeymoon phase of romance, but are both sneaking peeks of the future. My sweet couple will have to contend with family members and flashes of the past that could possibly throw a monkey wrench into their increasing passion for each other. I guess you’ll have to tune-in to see how they muddle their way through complicated situations, insecurity, and unsaid feelings.

For now, here’s an excerpt from Lost in Loveland. I’m also offering a giveaway of an ebook from my backlist to one lucky commenter. Just leave your name, email address, and an answer to the following question – what’s your favorite part of a slow burn romance? I’ll do a random draw on October 5^th. Good luck and I hope you like Jack and Lucky as much as I enjoy writing them.

About the Book

Loveland, Colorado is a special place, a community of creativity and art, with scenic views and majestic mountains. The city brought Lucky and Jack together, but staying that way will take more than cold-air kisses and sweet valentines. 

Jack Canon should be over-the-top happy. He has a job that makes him proud, students who make him laugh, a studio that brings out his creativity, and a man who treats him like he walks on water. But shadows from his past keep coming between him and the joy that should fill his heart. Jack needs to reconcile some bitter loose ends, before he can move forward.

Lucky Roberts is in love—hook, line, and kitchen sink. He wants to shout his feelings to the rooftops and scatter little handmade valentines all over the world. He thinks he’s okay with not being perfect, and knows Jack isn’t perfect either. But when his own past rears its ugly head, Lucky discovers that old habits die hard. Maybe opening his heart to Jack won’t be enough— maybe he just isn’t enough.

Jack and Lucky risk getting caught in limbo between the past and present if they don’t have the strength to share the skeletons in their closets. To move forward together, they have to find the courage to look back…together.

Purchase Links: Amazon || All Romance eBooks

The Excerpt

Lucky wanted to die. He wanted to Die with a capital D and spelled out in flashing neon letters too. D-I-E in lime green and hot pink, shouted to the world as he expired from the worst hangover anyone on planet earth had ever brought upon himself.

And shame. Crippling shame that made Lucky want to curl into a ball as far away from Jack as he could manage in a damn double bed. Of course, if he didn’t get the hell out of it soon, he’d either piss himself or hurl all over the magenta shag carpet. Or both.

Maybe the universe would give him a break. Maybe he’d realize he’d dreamt the whole thing. Maybe Jack would wake up with some sort of selective amnesia—Memory Edits by Lucky. Or maybe Jack would be gentle and calm like the truly beautiful man he was, and decide Lucky had simply suffered enough.

“Goooood morning!” Jack shouted, or it was damn close to a shout. He smacked a loud kiss to Lucky’s cheek then yanked the covers off in one fell swoop, like ripping off a bandaid that wasn’t ready to be removed, like…ohmyfuckingGodwhatareyoudoing?

Lucky gasped when the cold air of morning attacked his warm flesh. He scrabbled to grab the blankets but Jack was quicker and way more coordinated. “Please,” he whimpered like a pig headed for slaughter, his bottom lip popped out in a pout for real this time.

Then Jack was right there, face inches away from Lucky’s, arms framing him on either side of his head. His nakedness warmed Lucky in every area of contact but not even that soothed him like he wanted to be soothed. He tried to focus without going cross-eyed, but that just made his head hurt even more.

“You look like hell, Roberts,” Jack said with a toothy grin that would have put any shark to shame. There was that word again; shame. “I was thinking we could go for a walk, get the blood flowing before we meet the guys for breakfast.”

Jack was evil. He’d turned evil overnight. Lucky’s walking angel had been corrupted. He’d blame Nat because, well, he was Nat. “Need to shower,” he whispered close to Jack’s pretty mouth. “Could get the blood flowing that way. With you, I mean.”

Lucky almost bounced to the floor when Jack vaulted off the mattress, all soft, naked flesh leaving Lucky alone in the cold, frigid bed. His boyfriend cackled very un-Jack-like. “Not on your life. Come on. Get up.”

“But Jack…” Lucky was well aware that he was whining and whimpering like a spoiled child, not to mention freezing to death after Jack so rudely removed the blankets from him and to the floor.

He heard rather than saw Jack move away from him, then the clattering of glass against metal, loud unzipping of something bigger than a fly, and gushing of water into the sink. The tiles in the bathroom echoed each sound so loud Lucky was positive the whole seventh floor could hear. He mumbled, “shhh,” more to himself than anyone else.

Jack was back quickly, hovering over Lucky with a glass in one hand and a medication bottle in the other. Jack’s eyes widened, he jerked his chin, then lifted both hands higher. Lucky obeyed the assumed order with a smothered groan. His brain tried to jackhammer its way out of his skull when he’d finally managed to get vertical but he soldiered on. He immediately pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes.

“Fucking hell.”

“You use that particular word a lot more when you’re drunk.” Jack nudged him with the cold glass and Lucky flinched away. “Take it before I’m tempted to pour it over your head.”

Lucky peered at him through shaky fingers. “Sorry.”

“You overuse that one, too.”

He let Jack push the glass into his hand then waited as he shook two tablets from the bottle. He swallowed them in one go and the water soothed his dry throat, at least until it hit his belly.

“Don’t you dare throw up on me,” Lucky heard Jack say through pulsating ears. “And you said sorry enough last night.”

“Sorry…I mean, okay. Thanks.” He handed the glass back while he gathered the strength and motivation to throw his legs over the side of the mattress. “For the water and pills, I mean.”

Jack smiled gently, the sweetness even reaching his chocolate brown eyes. Perhaps, he wasn’t so evil after all. Lucky knew his angel could never be purposely mean. “I’m serious about the walk.”

Oh shit. “Um, okay. What…what time is it?” Feet finally touching the itchy carpet that Lucky had not puked on, he hung his head in an attempt to stop the top spinning and claws digging through his skull. It didn’t work.

When strong fingers rubbed the ball of his shoulder, he looked up. “It’s eight. Drink some more water.”

At least Jack was touching him. Lucky’s memories of the night before consisted mostly of scattered statements and moments, except the embarrassment. Those particular memories glowed hot and heavy around his heart. Regret was tangled around the whole mess, too. Jesus Murphy, Larry. “Are we going to talk about, you know?”

Jack paused with his T-shirt half-on and half-off. It was distracting and so was the way he swiped the hair out of his eyes. “Yeah. Once your head’s a little clearer.” He smoothed the fabric over his flat abdomen then settled both hands on his hips. “So, you surprisingly undressed yourself last night. Is reversing the process beyond your capabilities this morning?”

Lucky was careful to shake his head only in the tiniest of ways. “Just let me hit the bathroom and I’ll get ready.”

Jack had been adamant that Lucky not shower before their walk, but he figured he could be in and out before Jack was any the wiser. He was sure that he’d never needed a shower so badly before. He knew the water couldn’t wash away the memories and disgust of the night before, but even if it helped a little he had to try.

He scrubbed himself quickly, trying to eliminate the stench of too much alcohol and too many disappointments, and just the entire goddamn night. Lucky would have loved more time to just soak away his woes but he refused to keep Jack waiting. He was out lickety-split, his hair towel dried, teeth brushed, and ready to face Jack again. Of course, getting ready generally involved getting dressed, and Lucky hadn’t possessed the common sense to bring any clothes into the bathroom.

With a frustrated sigh, he opened the door to find Jack reclining on the bed with Lucky’s spare set of clothes dangling in his hands. His smirk was a mile wide and Lucky couldn’t avoid the teasing comments in his eyes.

“You’re enjoying this too much,” Lucky said with a smirk he wasn’t feeling. “And here I thought you were always on my side.” He forced a pout that, in truth, was too real.

“Of course I’m always on your side. Even when you act like a jerk.” Jack patted the tangle of blankets beside him. He hesitated as Jack sucked on his bottom lip. “I think I owe you an apology myself.”

About the Author

K-lee Klein loves guys with long hair and tattoos, and you’ll often find her front and center at her favorite rock concerts. She has bounced around Western Canada all her life, but will always consider the solitude and beauty of the British Columbian mountains home. Her life is blessed as the proud mother of three now-grown but still spoiled kids, the servant of two bossy felines, and the wife of a truly patient husband.

Her writing muse is terribly temperamental, so to keep him close by and in check, she had him inked on her left calf. The gorgeous, long-haired, mostly naked, kneeling angel that resulted is truly a work of art, although he’s still a handful and hopelessly uncontrollable. She writes on his schedule and inspiration.

K-lee tends to fall easily into obsessions. When something grabs her attention, she jumps into it headfirst with complete abandon. Actors, musicians, superheroes, fictional characters, and brainwashed assassins all hold spots on her cannot-get-enough list. She once followed Thirty Seconds to Mars around the United States and Canada and saw them perform fourteen times that year. Obsession sometimes leads to ideas for her kneeling angel to turn into stories.

Although an introvert in person, she’s extroverted online and has met many wonderful friends there, sometimes with the added fun of meeting them in person at gay romance conferences. She’s grateful for all the people in her life who accept her as she is and support her through her ups and downs as mom, wife, and joyfully obsessed writer.

Places to find K-lee: Website || Blog || Twitter || Facebook || Facebook author/reader group