Saturday, April 27, 2013

Birthday Bash Day 27 - Erica Pike

Erica is here today with her new book in her series, College Fun and Gays, Welcome Brother.

Blurb:
When arts student Kyler Morris applies for membership to The Nova Britannia Brotherhood, he's immediately floored by their intimidating leader, Hunter Kingsley. Fellow arts student Hunter, however, isn't the bad-ass he's made out to be and takes Kyler under his wing.

While Kyler struggles to keep his crush under control and his sexuality hidden from the Brothers, Hunter battles daemons of his own in the form of two Brothers who aren't playing by the rules.



Excerpt:
It’s a Friday night and the first Brotherhood private party – no outsiders allowed – will be held on the ground floor. I’m nervous as hell, not knowing what to expect. Will they make us do something?

The house is already pumping with a beat from downstairs and I can hear muffled voices and laughter coming from the hallway. I’m ready to go in tight black jeans and green t-shirt, but I’m still delaying my trip to join the others. Instead, I flip through some random book on my bed. It probably won’t be long before Liu comes knocking on the door.

As if on cue, the door is opened, but instead of Liu, Hunter steps in. He casts me a casual smile and closes the door.

“You’re not going?” he asks as he walks to his side of the room and pulls the white t-shirt over his head. Those lovely muscles I’ve been salivating over for the past week stretch and bunch under the beautifully tanned skin.

“Uh, yeah. I was going in a minute,” I say and avert my eyes when he looks at me.

Hunter crumbles up the t-shirt and tosses it in a basket, eyes on me as he walks to his dresser.

“Were you waiting for me?”

Yes.

“No,” I say, with a dangerous stirring in my pants. I casually cover it with the book. “Or maybe. I don’t really know anyone except for you and Liu.”

Hunter stops with a black button-up shirt in his hands.

“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. I should’ve introduced you to everyone by now. I’ll fix that tonight.”

Instead of an answer, I just give him a quivering smile.

Five minutes later, we’re being swallowed by the sea of guys at the foot of the stairs. I recognize a couple of the initiates standing huddled by a wall while others are mingling or being introduced by their masters. Some Brothers seem very hands-on, touching while talking, though it doesn't seem to be sexual. It still looks weird to me, as I’m not used to being a part of a group of guys and would've thought touching was a taboo. At least, the guys back in high school didn't seem okay with too much touching. A punch in the shoulder, a little bit of roughhousing, and those athlete pats on the butt maybe, but I never saw them hugging, resting a hand on each other’s chests or even holding hands. Here, no one seems to care or even notice.

A light touch to the small of my back sends swirling heat to my stomach. Hunter smiles at me and steers me through the crowd, introducing me to so many guys that I forget most of their names. They seem pretty cool. Just regular guys who joke around and laugh. Some of them make me fidget under assessing looks, but others just take one glance, offer me beer and try to involve me in whatever they’re doing. Hunter takes his time, not leaving me alone for a moment, and that’s when I realize that this party is probably some sort of vassal-master thing to make the initiates feel welcome. It’s a tad disappointing as Hunter’s spending time with me because he has to, not because he wants to.

“Kyler, Hunter,” Liu calls from the doorway to the lounge. “We’re playing a game.”

Hunter grabs my hand and pulls me through the throng of boys. His skin is dry and soft and makes me so nervous I can hardly feel the touch. When we’re in the lounge, a bunch of guys sit on the couches, chairs, and some on the floor. A space is cleared for Hunter on a three-seater that’s already seating five guys, and I sit squished in a stuffed chair next to a grinning Liu.

“What are we playing?” asks Hunter from opposite me.

I Never,” says a round boy I think is named Danny or Dale. “Everybody know it?” he asks, looking at me and the other two vassals in the group. I’m the only one who shakes his head.

“I say something like ‘I never got a speeding ticket’”-a bunch of guys snicker and take a sip of their beers-“and those who have got speeding tickets take a swig of beer while the others don’t. Then the next person comes up with something. It’s a neat game to get to know you newbies.”

“Okay,” I say, nursing my still untouched can of beer between my hands.

“I never went camping,” the guy next to Danny (or Dale) says. I don’t bring the can to my lips, because I've never gone camping. Hunter and a whole lot of other guys take a sip. Liu doesn't.

“I never masturbated,” says the next guy, which causes a round of laughter as everyone takes a swig – me, with a flushed face, included.

“I never kissed a guy,” says the next one.

I freeze up, but glance around when some guys take a drink while some don’t. It surprises the hell out of me that they’d admit it, just like that. Hunter, I notice, doesn't take a drink and neither do I since I've never been kissed. Damn, he’s straight. Well, I didn't really think he wasn't  Or maybe he’s never been kissed either.

“I never kissed a girl,” says the next guy, and again there’s a mix of some drinking and some not. Hunter, eyeing me, takes a sip. I look down at my can and trace my finger along the rim. Damn…

“I never saw RoboCop,” says the guy next to Hunter. Most of the guys take a drink while I don’t. I was never into futuristic robot movies.

“I never wore high heels,” says Hunter, earning himself some laughter – mostly from guys who take a drink.

“Does it count when you’re a toddler?” one of the vassals asks. When Hunter nods, I take a drink. Hey, I was two and mom managed to snap a picture as evidence.

We continue and I learn that Hunter played basketball, ate Captain Crunch, and went skinny dipping while he never went to Sunday school, had a pet, or stole money. Liu was guilty of the last offence.

For the past four I Never’s, I’d been dreading my turn. 'I never wanted a boyfriend', would be a nice way to see if Hunter’s one of those who likes guys but has only kissed girls. Or maybe likes both girls and boys. I seem to be clinging to some fruitless fantasy. Who’s to say he’d even want me if he was gay?

“I never… went… um, fishing,” I sputter lamely. I don’t even know where it came from. Hunter smiles at me as he takes a drink while Liu and I don’t. Looks like Liu’s family is about as big on the outdoors as mom and I are.

“I never played with dolls,” says Liu and takes a sip.

I grudgingly take a drink along with a few others. Like I said, I've really only had female friends.

Liu and I are well beyond tipsy when the game is over. Hunter seems to hold alcohol better, because he took more drinks than I did. Liu drags us off to the kitchen to get cold beers.

“You never kissed anyone?” asks Hunter from behind me as we walk.

“Does mom count?” I ask, glad he can’t see the blush on my face.

Hunter chuckles. “Just figured that someone like you would've been popular with girls.”

“I was,” I say while we push through the doorway. “As a friend.”

I always got to play the dad, or the baby, or the groom as a kid. Then I got to listen to boyfriend troubles and gush about guys with my friends as a teen. I knew there were girls who had crushes on me, but I made myself unavailable by hanging out with my friends all the time. Friends who knew about me, but never told anyone. By the ninth grade, though, most kids probably suspected.

“Boys, then?” he continues as we stop. Liu opens the fridge to dig out some cold beers while I stand with my back to the counter, facing Hunter but not really looking at him.


Erica is giving away one copy of Welcome Brother to a lucky commenter. Don’t forget to leave your email address in your comment. Contest ends May 7.

Also, don’t forget to enter the grand prize giveaway!



Author Bio:
Erica lives in Iceland with her adorable little twin boys. She often says that her real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners. Seriously, if “Eyjafjallajokull” (you know, the volcano that stopped international air travel) looks like someone fell asleep at the keyboard, Erica’s real name could leave a non-Icelander in a zombie-like stupor for days.

She’s been writing for several years, or ever since reading became an obsession. Aside from a business degree, Erica has taken English courses at the University of Iceland and gulped down anything that might help her in her career as an author. She takes great interest in English, but will break every single grammar rule for the sake of The Voice.

Erica loves hearing from her readers. She’s a friendly, easy-going (if a bit silly) person who doesn't mind talking about herself in third person.

You can find her at http://www.ericapike.com

37 comments:

  1. Art students are SUCH a blast! Thanks for the excerpt!
    Urbanista
    brendurbanist at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes, art students are a blast...and sexy if you use the art *that* way ;)

      Delete
  2. Awesome, a new book in the series!

    Trix, vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for the opportunity to win.

    Thanks
    Karl
    slats5663(at)shaw(dot)ca

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved the excerpt! Please count me in. Thanks!!!

    gisu29(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ooh~~ Thank you so much for the contest! Please count me in!

    Judi
    arella3173_loveless@yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great excerpt. I know I have read your books but none are here. Thanks so much for sharing. I read your post about Amazon. It scares how powerful they are becoming.
    debby236 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It might have been a Boston Boys book or the freebie Half-Baked Promises (I just finished the sequel for that).

      Yes, what Amazon is doing is very frightening. It feels like they're trying to smother indie authors of erotica and others who are new on the market. I'm willing to bet they'll allow 50 Shades to keep that listing just because it generates so much sale for Amazon.

      Delete
    2. I bet you are right about 50 Shades.

      Delete
  7. Great excerpt! Love your MC's already. Is that a real game? Great way of getting to know people and quite revealing! I'd have to start with Book 1 of the series.
    Just read the comment above about Amazon and the question that came to mind was: What is Amazon doing now? Sheesh. I wonder if it's not worth selling through them any longer! I'll search for your Amazon post. I'm interested to know what they are up to now.
    Thanks for sharing and the giveaway!

    Z.
    zeoanne@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DUB! Forgot to say...HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERICA!!!

      Delete
    2. Yes, "I Never" is a real party game. Naughty people tend to get very hammered, hehe.

      You can read the series in the order they were published, but they're really all standalone stories. The only thing they have in common is that they take place in the same college (and there may be very brief guest appearances of characters, but nothing significant).

      Anyway, thanks for the birthday wishes ^.^

      Delete
  8. Sounds yummy! Count me in please :)

    penumbrareads(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great excerpt! I've enjoyed several of your books and really look forward to this one!

    Kassandra
    sionedkla@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Please count me in, I've read the others in the series and can't wait to read the newest addition. Love the name Kyler.

    Doublemom2001 AT aol DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mandy :) I actually got the name from a porn star, hehe. I thought it was cool, too ;)

      Delete
  11. I am a lucky commenter who is entering the contest :)I’d love to win!
    Bogusia
    ivoost@wp.pl

    ReplyDelete
  12. Loved to read,please count me in.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The excerpt sounds great. Please count me in!

    humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks :) It's a fun game. I don't drink alcohol, but it's fun to watch the others ;)

      Delete
  14. Loved the excerpts,thanks for the chance to win.

    dragonkeep62(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks for the chance to win your book.

    strive4bst(At) yahoo(Dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sounds great! Thanks!
    -Amber
    goodblinknpark(AT)yahoo(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love this series. Can't wait to read this book.

    morris.crissy@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. This series makes college a whole lot sexier :)

    annawelch23456(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete