Love in the Wild
by Saloni Quinby
Series: Daring Domanicos
Format(s): Ebook
Heat Level: Erotic
Pairing(s): (M/M)
Genre/Themes: Paranormal
Length: Collection
Cover Art: Bryan Keller
Purchase Links: Changeling Press
John and Earl Eli can’t escape the supernatural — or their attraction for one another!
Knock on Wood: On a dare, English librarian and resident skeptic John Smith travels to Maine to investigate Bigfoot sightings. Earl Eli plans to trick his pretentious guest with a fake Bigfoot appearance, but in the wilderness, a beast, a violin and two men in a log cabin equal a recipe for action.
On The Prowl: When John contacts his lover regarding sightings of a giant wildcat in a rural village, Earl Eli doesn’t hesitate to hop on a plane to England. Investigating the giant cat is the perfect way to explore their growing romance — providing they survive an encounter with the mysterious feline.
Ghost of a Chance: John and Earl Eli aren’t afraid of visiting a haunted house on the coast of Maine, but their romantic getaway turns dangerous when they run into armed burglars and uncover a secret romance between a merchant and a pirate.
Excerpt:
After dropping Bill at his house, Earl Eli returned to the Thirsty Bobcat. When he stepped in, he was surprised but pleased to see the sexy stranger seated at the bar, sipping a mug of beer. He’d put on another shirt — a snug blue T-shirt that clung to his appealing bod.
“Hey,” Earl Eli said, approaching the man. “Hope you’re not waiting around for your shirt. It’s a gory mess and I’m pretty sure Doc Porter trashed it.”
“No. I’m waiting for you, actually,” the stranger replied with an English accent. His soft voice was like music to Earl Eli’s ears — deep enough to be manly but not so much that he sounded like a bear with a chest cold.
He was waiting for Earl Eli? Was this some kind of dream or fantasy?
“Yeah?” Earl Eli growled, trying to not appear as interested as he felt.
“I asked around and you are Earl Eli, the tour guide, are you not?”
“Yeah.”
“Excellent. I know I’m early. You weren’t expecting me until tomorrow, but it didn’t take as long to drive here from the airport as I’d assumed and I thought I’d look you up.”
“Yeah.”
“Excellent. I know I’m early. You weren’t expecting me until tomorrow, but it didn’t take as long to drive here from the airport as I’d assumed and I thought I’d look you up.”
“Yeah.”
The stranger’s brow furrowed. “You do speak English?”
Earl Eli shot him an annoyed look. “Yeah.”
“Earl Eli’s not much for conversation until he gets to know you,” Hank explained. He nodded toward the stranger’s empty mug. “Want another, bud?”
“Please. Do you have something a bit stronger?”
“Whiskey?”
“I meant ale. Hard liquor isn’t usually my choice, but I prefer less mild ale.”
“If our beer ain’t good enough for you, then maybe you ought to try something else.”
“Relax, Hank. He didn’t mean anything by it,” Earl Eli said.
The stranger turned those fathomless eyes in Earl Eli’s direction. “So you’re not entirely monosyllabic.”
Hank glared. “Are you sure he’s not trying to insult us?”
“Just bring us a couple of whiskeys, coz.” Earl Eli glanced at Hank, and then he turned back to the visitor. “Let me guess. You’re John Smith from England. Martin’s pal.”
“Excellent deduction. I hope I’m not intruding on your leisure time, Mr. Rossi.”
“Nope.”
“I’m looking forward to the camping trip. I admit it’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this. The last rural area I visited was in South Africa. I went there as a volunteer after university. Of course it wasn’t like this, but it was a fascinating and humbling experience.”
Earl Eli raised an eyebrow. This guy sure loved to talk, but he seemed decent enough.
A slight smile tugged at John’s slender lips. Earl Eli couldn’t help wondering if those lips tasted as good as they looked.
“Anyway, Martin insisted I come here to look for Bigfoot.” John chuckled. “Have you actually seen the creature?”
“Nope.”
“I thought not. However, I’m impressed by your honesty.”
“Why? Did you think I’d make up a story just to drum up business?”
John’s smile faded. “I’m sorry. That must have sounded terribly insulting and that wasn’t my intention.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just one question. If you don’t believe in Bigfoot, why come here looking for him?”
“Silly as it sounds, I came here on a dare.”
Reviews:
For Knock on Wood (Love in the Wild 1):
“If you like stories with a touch of the impossible, if you think that two men who don’t start off as the best of friends can become lovers under the right circumstances, and if you’re looking for a read with a few twists, a bit of a scare, and some very hot loving in the wilds of Maine, then you might like this fun novella.”
— Serena Yates, Rainbow Book Reviews
For On the Prowl (Love in the Wild 2):
“If you like John and Earl Eli’s adventures in cryptozoology, if you’re curious about what might be going on in the English countryside that has a whole English village, a gamekeeper, and the “lord of the manor” near said village all upset, and if you’re looking for a read where a tantalizing mystery interweaves with two men figuring out their future, then you will probably like this novella.”
— Serena Yates, Rainbow Book Reviews
