About Waltzes and Diamonds
by Kimberly Burke and J. Falcon
147 pages / 56500 words
ISBN: 978-1-60370-022-1, 1-60370-022-6
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc
The charming Aubin and Daniel are back in this sequel to Jazz and Sapphire. This time it's Daniel's family who causes the problem, surly nephew Charlie bringing all his teenaged angst with him at a time when Aubin and Daniel are trying to work through problems of their own.
Will Aubin's shows continue to take him away from New Orleans? Will the couple have to postpone their wedding ceremony? Will Aubin get his green card? And will the young artist Aubin was involved with continue to believe that he can steal Aubin away from Daniel?
Find out how Aubin and Daniel make an intricate waltz through their problems in this follow up.
Review
Jane Davitt, author of Drawing Closer, writes: In this sequel to 'Jazz and Sapphire' we meet up again with Aubin, the French-Canadian artist and sculptor, and his lover Daniel, once a soldier, now working with the police in New Orleans as Aubin prepares for a showing of his work. Sensual and decadent, the city forms a perfect backdrop for their love and the book begins with them planning their wedding.
But they're not the average engaged couple with the usual pre-wedding nerves; a casual lover of Aubin's comes close to breaking them up and a visit from Daniel's sixteen-year-old nephew doesn't help, either.
What stands out about this novel is the bond between Aubin and Daniel. The sex is hot, imaginative and loving and the two of them push the boundaries constantly, but what keeps them together is the plain and simple fact that they belong together and that makes this story one of pure romance at heart.
I loved seeing them deal with Aubin's growing success and seeing Daniel face some of the bad memories from his past because they dealt with each difficulty together.
The secondary characters are also worth noting; Andre, the priest, and Charles, Daniel's nephew, especially, come over as very real people, well-rounded and interesting, if not always sympathetic, in Charles' case.
A most enjoyable sequel and a sizzling hot read.
Sample
Chapter One
Aube was woken by Daniel prodding him with the antenna of the cordless phone. By the expression on his lover's face, he knew instantly that it was Helen on hold. He'd only been home one night and between bouts of lovemaking, Aubin had promised Daniel he'd be home for at least a couple of weeks.
There was still so much to be done for the wedding and Daniel had suggested more than once that maybe they should think about putting it off.
"Aubin? Aubin? Dan?" he could just hear Helen's voice through the tinny speaker of the phone.
Daniel waited until Aube had the phone in his hand before giving him a kiss and getting out of bed.
Aube smiled at his lover and watched him head to the bathroom. Daniel turned back and mouthed to him "Tell her no," making him snicker as he put the receiver to his ear. "Salut, Hélène. It must be important you call me si early, you."
"Yes, darling. I have fabulous news, as always. I've gotten you a spot in that New Orleans Contemporary Art Center display show you've been aching for. You interested?"
He sat up at that, leaning against the pillows still, but fully awake. "Et oui? They are intéresse in me? C'est fantastique!! Oui, I am intéresse in doing ce show, me."
"I got you a featured artist spot based on the portfolio we gave them. You'll need to pick out pieces and of course do the usual cocktails and schmooze since you're local."
"Oh! C'est perfecte, Hélène. Merci. Thank you. Et they will also want I should come down et organize the space, I expecte." He was starting to bounce in place; he could hear Daniel's shower running and was trying very hard not to run into the bathroom to tell his lover the news right away.
"Yeah, they have a packet that I'm going to FedEx to you with all the details and the contract. You need to read it over, sign and send it back to me by the end of the week. This week, Aubin."
He rolled his eyes. Once or twice where he just didn't get around to mailing her the contract, and when he did it had coffee ring stains on it, and she labeled him a flake for life. "Oui, oui. I know, me. I will sign et send them avec Daniel, he pass by le post on his way to work, as soon as I get them."
"I'll send him an email so he can remind you then." Helen sounded really pleased. "Okay, I'm going to ring off unless there were other things?"
"Non, I think not, me. Daniel, he will be please, him. He want make some plan for notre wedding et maintenant we can." He grinned at her, even though she couldn't see it; she often teased him that he should have hired a wedding planner.
"I'm telling you, I know this absolutely fabulous girl--"
"Au revoir, Hélène," he said to her before hanging up. Every time he even heard about the wedding planner he just felt like the testosterone was somehow being sucked from his body and he was becoming Helen's best girlfriend. And if that didn't stop, the wedding he planned with Daniel might just involve a lot of flannel and plaid to counteract it.
The water shut off in the bathroom and he could hear Daniel moving around in there, drying off. Daniel’s voice could be heard clearly. "So? When do you go again?"
He was just about to tell Daniel the good news, flat out, when a case of the naughties caught up with him and he answered, "Oh Daniel, you will not like this, you," instead. His voice didn't even tremor that much with his suppressed glee.
"Chicago again?"
"Non... non, it not Chicago for sure. Mais I think I peut-être have to look at the space for exhibition this afternoon, me."
"This afternoon?" Daniel appeared in the doorway to the bedroom, towel around his waist. "I need to get you to the airport. Go get dressed!"
He ran his eyes appreciatively up and down his lover's body, trying to will the towel to fall off. "Non, it okay, Daniel. You should finish getting ready for your work." He made no move to leave the comfort of their bed.
Daniel shifted his weight, but the stubborn towel didn't even move a tiny bit. "Clearly, I missed a memo. What's going on?"
Aube tried brokering a deal with God that if He made Daniel's towel drop even a little, he'd not think any more impure thoughts. Then he hoped God wouldn't notice the lie. But He must have, Daniel was walking to the bed, looking perplexed and still in the towel. "Rien de tout. I just not need for you to take me to l'aérogarde, me."
"Helen arranged for a taxi?" Daniel stood over him, hands on hips.
He gave up on hoping for a miracle and just pulled the towel free. He ran his hands over Daniel's thighs. "Non. Mon prochain show is here, en New Orléans."
"Oh really?" Daniel leaned forward, edging toward Aube and a kiss. "Decided to fuck with me a bit, eh?"
He snickered and nodded before tilting his head to invite that kiss. "Oui. I could not help make you squirm un peu."
Daniel's lips closed over his, a gentle kiss shared. "You're an evil man sometimes, lover."
"I like keep thing interesting pour toi." He grinned and leaned up to kiss Daniel again. "You are positif you have to go to your office today?"
"It was to catch up on paperwork. You give me a good enough reason...."