Seductive Studs – 13 July 2013

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Greetings, all! It’s time for some Seductive Studs!

This week we are rejoining The Greek Room. To catch up or for a refresher, click here.

Robert Evans, Earl of Corbridge, was not a young man—not quite a geezer, but almost. Grey-haired and professorial looking, he wore a polka-dot bow tie, burgundy silk waistcoat with charcoal-grey trousers and coat. Still tall and straight, he placed the book he had been holding on the desk next to the opened letter and came around the expanse of wood, extending a hand.

“Good day, young man.”

Christos had never met an earl. He didn’t know if he was to bow over the proffered hand or to shake it. Lord Evans seemed affable enough, so he matched the handshake. The Englishman’s grip was firm and dry. “And… and to you, your Lordship.”

The earl smiled. “Have a seat. What’s your name, lad?”

Greek Church photo

Credit: artur84 | FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Christos, sir. Christos Stefanopolous.” He took the indicated chair, perching on the very edge, despite its plush invitation.

“So Agamemnon is—“

“Was, sir.” Christos interrupted, holding the memories at bay. “He was my father.”

“Ah, I see.” Lord Evans seemed to deflate a bit, as if his years weighed a little more heavily. ”My condolences.”

“Thank you, sir,” the young man whispered. That seemed the millionth time he’d heard those words. Their entire village had attended the funeral, crammed into the small church of St. Sebastian alongside men from his father’s army command. So many murmurs of sympathy, so much sadness. 

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to read about more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 06 July 2013

SeductiveSns_LogoGreetings, all! It’s Saturday and time for some more Seductive Studs!

Today we rejoin Christos in The Greek Room. To catch up, click here.

The footman grabbed the letter from Christos’ hand. His lips moved as he read the address. The Honourable Robert Evans, Dunbarton Hall, Corbridge, Northumberland. Duty warred with distaste across the footman’s well-proportioned face. “Wait here,” he mumbled. He turned on his heel and disappeared into the depths of the house, straightening his hair and coat as he went.

Anxiety returned, roiling Christos’ gut. It was a mistake to have let the letter out of his sight. It was all he had—the only thing left from his father. But it was too late to call the footman back. He could only believe in his father’s conviction, in his trust of this man Robert Evans. To distract himself Christos wandered about the entry hall.

Benningbrough Hall, Yorkshire

Benningbrough Hall, Yorkshire

The foyer was immense. Dominated by a gigantic chandelier, the circular space was larger—and more richly appointed—than any place Christos had ever seen, even in Athens. Enormous oil paintings showed a variety of men and women in all manners of dress, some standing, looking stiffly posed; others astride horses or holding dogs; a few depicted children seeming stuffy and over-dressed. Every surface he examined gleamed with polished marble or gold or silver. The clack of boot heels returned, and Christos scuttled back to his appointed place near the door.

He took the opportunity to examine the young servant. Tall, dark-haired with broad shoulders and a trim waist, he was quite attractive, now that his face wasn’t distorted. Smooth skin and a fine straight nose made Christos curious about tasting the footman’s full lips.

“The Earl will receive you.” Clearly the young man thought his master had gone totally potty to see this stranger who had appeared out of the morning mist. “Follow me.”

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to read about more Studs & Sirens here.

While you’re here, check out When Sparks Fly for a chance to win free stuff!

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 29 June 2013

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 Greetings, all! It’s Saturday and time for some Seductive Studs! I’ve decided to stay with The Greek Room this week.

We rejoin Christos, standing before the pale, ochre door of Dunbarton Hall:

Christos attempted to relax, but his heart raced while he waited. Surely someone was at home. He was reaching for the knocker when the door opened to reveal a tall young man in a cutaway coat and black tie who squinted into the sunlight.

Christos smiled what he hoped was a charming smile, “Good—“

butler“Tradesmen at the rear!” The footman sneered and shut the door.

Taken aback, Christos stared at the entrance. He removed his hat, ran a hand through his blond curls, and knocked again.

As soon as the portal cracked open, Christos spoke, “I am no tradesman! I have come a great distance to see Robert Evans!”

The same young man replied, “Lord Evans is not at home… for you!” Again the door slammed in his face.

Frustration and despair surged in his chest. He had no other options. No home to go back to, no connections, no references—other than the old letter in his pocket. Christos vented that misery and vexation on the knocker as if he were beating it through the very wood.

The door flew open. “Oi, mate! Bugger off! Ye’ haf’ no bidness ‘ere!” Anger contorted the footman’s face, and his accent belied his fancy dress.

Christos shoved his small valise across the threshold and dug in his breast pocket. Meeting the footman face to face, he waved a crumpled envelope at the servant. “I have a letter for Robert Evans! I must speak to him!”

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to check out more Studs & Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 22 June 2013

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Greetings, all! It’s Saturday and time for some Seductive Studs!

Today, I’m stepping away from Summer of History for a moment to share a clip from a short work in progress, titled The Greek Room. This is its opening:

Dunbarton Hall stood like a stone nipple atop the breast of Northumberland.

Belsay Castle

Belsay Castle, Belsay, Northumberland

The grey pile was a dog’s breakfast of architectural styles, which did nothing to make it less intimidating as Christos trudged up the long, dusty roadway. He’d walked from the train stop—the small shack along the North Eastern Railway line hardly qualified as a station, unlike the grandly vaulted building he’d left behind in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. After disembarking from the Son of Macedonia, he’d possessed just enough money for a one-way fare to Dunbarton.

The dusty road transitioned to a white, pea gravel circular yard the nearer Christos came to the hall. Terraces of grass and flowers interspersed with finely manicured bushes drew the eye toward the large, pale ochre front door. Christos brushed at the dust on his trousers and boots. It wouldn’t do to look too rough shod.

He’d stopped behind a hedge and changed to his better shirt before approaching the great house. He could only hope that no one looked too closely at his jacket and trousers—the mending was all that seemed to hold them together. He took a deep breath. Months of travel from Greece—made more difficult by the war with the Ottomans—were ending here on this porch. He had no more money. With a quick prayer he lifted the lion-headed knocker and let it fall.

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to check out more Studs here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 15 June 2013

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Greetings, all! It’s Saturday and time for Seductive Studs!

We are continuing with Summer of History. To catch up, click here.

Making some progress on the field trip had lightened Ryan’s mood. He was still pissed with Jackson and his lack of compunction, not to mention disappointed in his own lack of resolve, but he wasn’t seething about it anymore. In order to distract himself he tried to focus on grading essays, but his thoughts kept wandering back to Conall Shaughnessy. He kept listening for the ping of incoming mail, willing Conall to respond.

Guy texting

Photo credit: adamr via FreeDigitalPhotos.net

His cell phone buzzed. Flipping it open, he found a text from Jackson. Meet 4 lunch?

God! That was just like him. Ryan knew that Scott was going to want to discuss the blow up. He always sought to intellectualize what to Ryan was an emotional issue—their relationship. And doing it over lunch made it difficult for Ryan to express just how really pissed he was. Why do I let him do this?

Knowing that a refusal would just prolong the inevitable, Ryan replied, Where?

Faculty dining rm.

Oh, hell no! No way was he going to do this in view of any colleagues. He texted back, Not in mood 4 ptomaine. Manley’s in 45.

LOL! C U there.

Shutting the phone, Ryan headed to the shower.

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 08 June 2013

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Greetings, all!

Forgot to sign up on the list this week, but still going to post! Life has been crazy lately—lots of things going every which way!

We are continuing with Summer of History and find out some more about Conall. For those who may need a brush up, click here.

Ryan spent the next half-hour exploring the world of Conall Shaughnessy. He was very well recommended by the Guides Association as well as numerous former clients. Ryan made a note to ask for contact information; a personal recommendation was always good. His rates appeared reasonable, based upon Ryan’s research the previous day.

English Pub Interior

The Butchers Arms, Hepworth, Yorkshire

A link on the website connected to the Wexmeade Arms homepage. Several pictures showed off the small, seemingly comfortable public house. There were photos of the pub room, low ceilinged with polished wood and shiny glassware; in-room shots showing comfy looking beds with pastel linens; and several pictures of the surrounding countryside, green lawns and groups of trees. The inn was even listed in the Historical Registry.

Striking was the photo of the owners, Peter and Marilynn Shaughnessy. The innkeeper was broad and blond, fair-skinned with striking blue eyes, bearing little resemblance to his dusky brother. Marilynn looked like a petite version of Peter, long flaxen hair, pale skin with a pert little nose. The Shaughnessy family was beginning to intrigue Ryan.

Whoa, boy, Ryan thought to himself. You can’t just go with the first answer to your post. There will be other responses.

But something was hooking itself into Ryan’s gut. His subconscious wanted to go with Conall. Ryan debated with himself and compromised by immediately replying to Conall’s email with several questions.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 18 May 2013

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 Greetings, all!

It’s time once again for some Seductive Studs! (BTW: be sure to check out the Hop Against Homophobia which is going on as well.)

We are continuing with Summer of History. If you need some catching up or a refresher, click here. Today we get a glimpse at another character, Conall Shaughnessy. Friend or foe? Love interest? We’ll see…

Ryan read the email:

Professor MacDonald:

Please allow me to introduce myself! I am Conall Shaughnessy, head guide of Wexmeade Historical Tours. I am native to the Chollerford area and have a diploma in History from Cambridge University with a focus on pre-Norman civilization.

I read your post on the Northumberland Tours message board and feel that my services, combined with my educational background, would be of immeasurable assistance to your research. As you may note from the photo, I have suitable transportation, which would be at your disposal. In addition I can offer assistance with your lodgings while in the Wexmeade area. My brother and sister-in-law are proprietors of the Wexmeade Arms, our local inn, and offer a discount on services to clients of Wexmeade Historical Tours.

Please feel free to investigate further: you may access my Web page through the above link; there you will find complete information on our services, as well as numerous testimonials. You may also wish to check my references with the Northumberland Guides Association; you will find a link on my site.

Please feel free to contact me by email or phone with any additional questions. I feel that Wexmeade Historical Tours is exactly what you need to accomplish your goals in Northumberland.

Yours

Conall Shaughnessy

Roman ruins

Mithraic Ruins near Carrawbrough, Northumberland.
CC-BY-SA Michael Willis via Photographers-Resource.co.uk

Ryan shivered as an excited thrill ran up his spine. It was all becoming real. He was actually making plans to do real research on the ground in England. No more dusty libraries, no more banal dissertations, no more shallow conclusions—honest to goodness field work where he’d find what he knew was out there.

Thumbing the touchpad, Ryan clicked on the email’s hyperlink. While he waited for the page to load, he enlarged Conall’s photo. The guy leaning against the SUV looked to be in his mid-thirties; curly, black hair framed a face dominated by dark eyes and that broad smile. His smile wasn’t just for the camera: it continued to his eyes which sparkled with humor along with a look of intelligence. Ryan wanted to meet him.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 11 May 2013

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Greetings, all!

It is time once again for Seductive Studs and Sirens! We are continuing along with Summer of History,  my contemporary M/M romance with suspense and bad guys thrown in the mix. To catch up, click here.

Glancing again at the letter, Ryan’s eyes fell on the signature line: it was Ryder H. Forsyne, Junior, not Doctor Ryder H. Forsyne. The letter was from the great man’s son. Ryan thought back to the lecture; he vaguely remembered a young man helping Dr. Forsyne with his presentation. At the time he’d thought that the rather cute guy was just some AV geek from the university, but now he realized there had been a strong resemblance between the two men—father and son. The same dark hair and narrow face, one older, one younger; and neither had been unattractive, at least not to Ryan’s inexperienced eyes.

His home is a stress free work environmentDa-ding! Ryan’s email chimed, calling him back to the present. Moving the letter aside, he scooted his chair up to the desk and maximized the mail window. He quickly scanned the subject lines; two were from colleagues in the department offering congratulations—Myra must have sent out a bulletin; the third was probably spam, but the last subject caught his attention. The line read, “Chollerford Area Guide with Extensive Roman Knowledge: Available 1 – 20 June.”

Intrigued and excited, Ryan clicked the item. A custom-designed stationery page opened, headed with Wexmeade Historical Tours; accompanying the header was a photo showing a young man leaning against a Range Rover and smiling broadly at the camera.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!

Seductive Studs – 04 May 2013

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 Greetings, all!

It’s time for our weekend wander amongst the Studs and Sirens of LGBT fiction.

I am continuing with Summer of History, my contemporary M/M romance WIP. For those who would like to catch up—or need a refresher—click here for the previous snippets. Today’s piece (which is a bit longish) offers some insight into Ryan—our protagonist’s—background:

Ryan sat back, gazing at the letter propped up against his laptop screen. Honestly, he could hardly believe what he’d read: he had been promised over $40,000 to tramp around Great Britain and prove his theory! For years he’d followed scraps of information, scattered here and there in history books or journals or someone else’s research. He’d chased rumors and gossip, reading poorly written little books on local legends, guide books of local histories, always looking for the smallest piece of the puzzle and never finding what he needed to make all the parts of his premise work. Now he could afford to do the groundwork for himself—he was going to England in order to look, to search, to find exactly what he needed, exactly what would prove his dream and make them all understand.

Ryder Forsyne understood what it meant to have a vision.

Attractive young man lying down

Photo credit: photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Ryan recalled his early college years. God! They seemed ages ago! As an undeclared sophomore he had attended a lecture by Doctor Forsyne. Ryan had been enthralled by the famous anthropologist’s seemingly encyclopedic knowledge of pre-Norman England; following his presentation, he’d fielded question after question, many from Ryan himself. Ryan’s own interest in England had been sparked by storybook tales of Arthur and Robin Hood; but English literature and history had proved too dry for Ryan’s taste, he had craved to know about the real people and what they’d been like: the Druids’ religion and Celts’ culture were the soil from which the other stories sprang. Forsyne’s seminar had sated his craving, but fueled his curiosity; after that fateful lecture Ryan had joined the anthropology department. Now years later Doctor Forsyne was helping him, guiding him once more.

Thanks for stopping! Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Tl next time!

Saturday Seductive Studs – 27 April 2013

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Greetings, all!

Yes, I have again been somewhat AWOL from the blogosphere—but I assure everyone it has been for good reasons! In my absence Saturday Seductive Studs has morphed into Seductive Studs and Sirens—we’re taking on a broader focus, which can only be a good thing!

Have no fear though, I am continuing with my work in progress, A Summer of History. If you’re new, you can catch up with Ryan MacDonald and Scott Jackson’s clips here.

i-had-been-tagged

komehachi888 / Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Scott just didn’t seem to get it—a little kiss and tickle didn’t make up for what he’d done. He’d violated their agreement by violating their home. Ryan wasn’t jealous of his affairs; secretly, he’d resigned himself to that aspect of Jackson years ago; but he was jealous of his home, his personal space with Scott—that was his alone. Why was it so hard for Scott to exercise any sort of self-control?

A thought crept up from his subconscious: Why are you accepting second place? Ryan worked to squelch that line of inquiry. Nothing lay in that direction except to rehash a lot of old hurts. But he was worthy of first place, wasn’t he? At least in his own home, right?

Not seeing anything positive down that road, Ryan topped off the mug of coffee and headed for his laptop to continue planning his field research.

Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out more Studs and Sirens here.

‘Til next time!