Blood On Tap
by Riley Long
Drew
What’s a retired rockstar vamp to do in a quaint, quiet English town?
Buy the only pub, make it a vampire haven, and flirt incessantly with my one and only employee, of course.
Nova
I hate everything about my new boss.
His face. His arrogant smile.
The way he acts like he knows everything.
I hate him so much I just want to… kiss him? What the hell?
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Excerpt
Nova
He grinned at me again, his smile light and genuine.
“What?”
“You have paint on your face.” He gestured towards his cheekbone.
I raised my eyebrows and swiped at my own cheekbone immediately. “Is it gone?”
Drew chuckled. “It’s probably mostly dry by now. You just made it worse.” He picked up a rag and took it to the tap to dampen it. As he moved around, his muscles worked smoothly. The lines of his back shifted and my gaze dropped to the swell of his—no. I shook my head. What had come over me? Why was I thinking about Drew’s ass, of all things? He was insufferable, a typical guy, a typical vampire, and here I was, watching him.
He returned with a damp rag and wiped my cheek with it, pressing into my face slightly with his fingertips to remove the paint. His other hand went to my waist to steady himself, to hold me in place while he washed my face. The warmth of his touch startled me. The softness of his fingertips as they dug into my muscle made me ache with longing. We were so close only a breath separated us. If either of us leaned forward even the slightest bit, we could have pressed our bodies together and…
“There you go,” Drew murmured, so close to my face that I held my breath. “Better.”
I leaned in, closing the gap between us, and pressed my mouth to Drew’s. He inhaled sharply in surprise but his lips softened and parted, his tongue slipping out to meet mine. I hadn’t kissed anyone in so long, so many years, but it came naturally. I opened to him slowly and the gentleness almost brought tears to my eyes. Drew’s hand moved to my waist to tug me in gently. The space between our bodies evaporated as Drew pulled me close, my chest constricting as he did. My hands brushed the back of Drew’s neck and I gripped him tightly.
We kissed for long minutes, never going farther than that, just moving our lips and tongues slowly together, getting to know one another. I felt Drew’s hard length pressing against my groin and mine mirrored his, aching for more. The kiss, though, was languid, almost sleepy, nothing rushed or hurried about it.
Carra's Review
I loved the idea of Nova being more of a quiet, keeps to himself, homebody type of vampire. It is the opposite of how vampires usually are portrayed, and it made it easier for me to identify with his character. When Drew shows up, he does pull Nova a bit out of his comfort zone. Drew is confident, optimistic, and thinks he has a great idea with his plan to turn a town of primarily vampires into one where they are the only residents. Well, with some “food” around as needed of course.
It’s an interesting setup, though the execution is relatively straightforward with not much drama until near the end. The relationship that develops between Nova and Drew is sweet with just that right touch of heat.
There are two conflicts that arise late in the story, one that’s a pet peeve of mine between Nova and Drew as the type conflict between them I am tired of seeing in romances. The other, something that threatens more than just their relationship, felt like too much of a coincidence and a bit forced to me. These points along with some minor continuity issues in the beginning of the book did pull me out of the story just a touch.
Overall though, I did enjoy reading Blood on Tap and am giving it 3.5 stars.
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About the Author:
Riley Long is a wife and mother living a quiet life in Virginia, with her husband, son, and one goofy pit bull. She passes her evenings writing, reading, and watching bad television (or not so bad television). For fun, Riley participates in NaNoWriMo, GISH, and reads with her book club, the BAMFs. She likes things with silly acronyms. The craziest thing Riley has ever done involves whipped cream and hugs. Riley writes sweet and sexy romance, with a special place in her heart for hipsters and musicians.
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