About Cobalt: Tattered Remains
by Nerine Petros
97 pages / 24800 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-228-3
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It's been a pretty rough couple of years for Derrick. He's won his battle
with cancer, but lost his lover, first as a symptom of the disease, and then
to death, followed up by the death of Kacey, a close friend during cancer
treatment.
Lane's also had a rough time of it, his now ex-lover using him for his money
before having a car accident and trying to lay the blame at Lane's feet. Not
to mention the death of his sister Kacey. The two men first meet at Kacey's
funeral, where they discover she's still interfering in both of their lives,
even from the grave. Will the little boy she left them be able to help them
deal with their pasts and bridge the gap between them?
Sample
Pain Lane:
…None of that made it any easier for him to suck up his pride and head over
to see his sister. None of that made it any easier for him to work up the
nerve to apologise, in case she might spit in his face. Now, none of that
made it any easier knowing it was too late to try. Looking back out over
those in attendance, before he lost himself in more painful memories and
regrets, Lane found his gaze returning to a broad shouldered, lightly
tanned, dirty blond on the other side of the room. Lane was too far away to
see his eyes, but decided they would need to be an ocean blue. He wasn't
sure what had captured his attention, but he was captivated, unable to look
away as his beauty turned his head and met his gaze head on. That gaze slid
away, only to return moments later, his beautiful, full lips curving up in a
smile as he found humour in God knew what. Lane couldn't believe his
response to this one single man, especially given where they were and what
he had just finished getting himself out of. He had to find a way out of
here, and spying the funeral curator heading his way, wrenched his gaze
away.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Lane, but the lawyer has asked for a quick word
with you and another guest before you both leave, regarding arrangements and
stipulations in the will," Mr Wilton, director of the funeral parlor, let
him know, before leading him, unbelievably, straight toward his mystery man.
Pain Derrick:
…Derrick looked out over the people milling around at the wake, once again
quietly and painfully reflecting on Kacey and how she had touched so many
lives. His gaze met that of a man on the other side of the room, his heart
skipping a beat at the intensity in that one gaze. Derrick ripped his eyes
away with effort, knowing this wasn't the place or the time, let alone it
only being six months since his last major faux pas as far as relationships
were concerned. Still, he couldn't help taking just one more look, once
again finding that piercing, focused stare directed straight at him, making
his heart skip a beat another beat. That really couldn't be good for him,
and Derrick wondered what his doctor would have said if he'd been hooked up
to monitors while this happened. The thought made him smile a little.
This time, Derrick took a good look at the man, taking in his height and
impressive breadth. He was a dark man, with fine, silky looking black hair
of medium length, swept back in a style more common on those of Greek
descent, but that still looked good on him. Naturally darker, golden skin
tones had Derrick's lip curling with jealousy even while his mouth watered
and the lower pit of his stomach cramped with lust. This was not like him at
all. Not even Jason had caused this type of need in him in all the time they
were together.
All of a sudden, his mystery man dropped his gaze, speaking to what looked
like one of the professionals from the funeral home who had been running
around all morning, organising things. Oh well, it was all for the best
anyway, he just wasn't ready for anything serious yet. His doctor had
explained that acceptance of being alive and free of cancer took time after
being sick and accepting death as one of the end possibilities for so long.
Derrick had a lot to work through in the next few months before tackling
anything more involved.
All of a sudden, Sexy Eyes, that's what he had decided to name the guy, was
headed his way with the boffin, and Derrick froze like a deer in the
headlights of an oncoming vehicle, having but a moment to let one thought
travel through his head: what was he in for now?