Blurb:
It’s time
for another summer of sun, sand, suntan lotion, sandals, and Speedos on Cozzi
Cove at the New Jersey Shore. Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are once again open
for love.
This
summer, sexy Cal welcomes back his brother and sister, who are confronted with
people from their pasts. Connor, the maid packed with muscle and mayhem,
becomes the subject of a handsome young psychologist’s study on human
sexuality. Tommy, the strapping, bald and tattooed local bartender, is
captivated with guest Cory Magnum, a police officer with a secret. Another
guest, Bill, a disbelieving pastor, is inspired by a vision of two sexy male
angels on the cove. And Cal and Michael reach a plateau in their relationship.
What
secrets, humor, tragedies, mysteries, and passions lie waiting to unfold in
this magical place called Cozzi Cove?
Excerpt:
A soaring
golden orb turned the violet, pink, and tangerine sky into a canvas of blue.
Early morning was Cal Cozzi’s favorite time. Treading water in the cove that
had boasted his family name for generations, Cal felt as if his blood was the
bay water, his flesh was the sand, and his soul was the sun. And Michael
Rodgers was his heart. Michael swam over to him and wrapped his stocky arms
around Cal’s neck. Cal cupped Michael’s firm bottom and squeezed him in closer.
As Michael caressed Cal’s muscled back, they shared a salty wet kiss. Cal
looked up at a seagull gliding to the lighthouse in the distance. He pondered
having the freedom to fly away from Cozzi Cove, but there was no place he’d
rather be than in the confines of his legacy with the man he loved.
Cal’s
great-grandfather, Calvin Cozzi I, had built everything in the sleepy town on
the New Jersey shore, including the eight bungalows on the cove. This beautiful
spot was the result of sun and salt water wearing away softer rocks more
quickly than the harder rocks surrounding them.
Cal’s
legacy was passed down to him from his great-grandfather through his
grandfather, Calvin Cozzi II, and finally by his father, Calvin Cozzi III.
Cal’s father, sensing his son’s sexual orientation as a boy, had opened Cozzi
Cove as a gay resort.
Though
Cal had dabbled briefly as a professional football player, and then as a
restaurant owner, neither was a good fit. It wasn’t until after the unfortunate
death of his parents in an automobile accident that he found his true calling:
managing Cozzi Cove. The previous summer, Cal had been united with his
half-brother, George, an architect, and the two of them had recently completed
renovations on the bungalows, expanding them to add modern amenities while
maintaining their grandfather’s nautical theme.
The tip
of his head only reached Cal’s chin, so Michael had to stretch up to kiss his
nose. Cal’s Italian and Scottish heritage had given him height, auburn hair,
emerald-green eyes, an olive complexion, a strapping build, and a wide nose,
which, as noted, Michael liked to kiss. “Should we be skinny-dipping at the
start of a new summer season?”
“Probably
not.” Cal ran a strong hand through Michael’s chestnut hair and gazed into his
exotic eyes.
“What if
a guest comes early?”
“He can
get his own boyfriend.” Cal pressed his tongue inside Michael’s welcoming
mouth. It felt warm, and Cal wanted more. As Michael stroked Cal’s broad
shoulders and round pectoral muscles, prominent from working out at Cozzi’s
gym, Cal pressed his nose against Michael’s thick neck and enjoyed the scent of
vanilla. Michael’s African-American and Swedish heritage awarded him smooth
golden skin that Cal loved to caress. Cal thought about the eleven-year
difference in their ages, how they had met when Michael, still in the closet,
tried to gay bash him in an alley, and the year Michael still had left to
finish college. It was illogical and improbable for Cal and Michael to be
together, yet it felt incredibly right. At that moment, he couldn’t be more in
love with Michael.
George
Valis, wearing a violet polo shirt and white shorts that accentuated his
muscular legs, stepped out of Bungalow Seven and met them at the cove. “Hey, my
ex back in Maine dumped me, remember? Stop rubbing in your happiness, you two.”
“Have
breakfast with us.” Michael’s dimples appeared. “Cal is making a feast.”
“And
Michael is cleaning up after me.”
“As
usual.” George winked at Michael.
They got
out of the water and put on the terrycloth robes they’d left on a rock at the
water’s edge. Cal smiled at the sight of his brother’s height and eye color,
which was exactly the same as his own. Cal and George shared the same father,
with George being the result of Cal Cozzi II’s infidelity. They had met for the
first time last summer when George looked Cal up, and Cal couldn’t have been
happier to have a brother like George. He mussed George’s dark hair affectionately.
“After breakfast, I’ll pack a lunch for your ride back to Maine.”
Michael’s
shoulders slumped. “Do you have to go?”
Cal put
his arm around Michael, recalling the brother Michael had lost two summers ago
to suicide. “Bungalow Seven is always here for George.”
“Good.”
George grinned like a kid with a secret. “It looks like I’ll be staying for a
while longer.”
“Yeah!”
Michael gave George a hug. “Cal will make a special celebration dinner
tonight.” He kissed Cal’s cheek. “My favorite is surf and turf.”
“How
about I leave my turf and throw you in the surf at the main beach instead?” Cal
kissed Michael’s neck and then turned to his younger brother. “What’s up, bro?”
George
looked at them and giggled. “Clearly you two, just before I arrived.”
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Meet the Author:
He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married.
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