Today I’m sharing an exclusive excerpt from my latest release, MORE THAN MOST (More Book 2), at Joyfully Jay. I’d love for you to stop by to check it out, and be sure to comment on the post to enter for a chance to win 2 free Sloan Parker e-books.
The giveaway ends Friday, May 22nd at 11:59 pm EST.
Click here to enter the giveaway. One entry per person per day during the release party.
Today is the last day of my MORE THAN MOST release party. Thanks so much to everyone who’s stopped by. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading all the comments with the giveaway entries. You guys are the best. Hearing from individual readers who’ve enjoyed my work makes the difficult days in this business truly much brighter. THANK YOU!
Today is also the last day to enter the giveaway. We’ll be selecting a winner tomorrow, May 4th. I hope you enjoy the final, and my favorite, post of the blog party.
A Conversation with Matthew
The following conversation between Sloan and Matthew takes place after MORE THAN MOST (More Book 2). Slight spoiler alert for MORE THAN MOST.
I rang the bell, and a short moment later the door flew open. Matthew’s eyes lit up the moment he saw me. “I’m so glad you called. I’ve been waiting forever to talk to you.”
I returned his smile. “Yeah, me too.”
“Come on in.” He stepped aside and gestured for me to enter, moving with an animated excitement I found contagious. “The guys should be home soon. I know they’d love to see you.”
“That’d be great, but I’m afraid I can only stay for a minute.”
“Oh, okay.” Despite his words, his tone demonstrated he wasn’t too disappointed by that we’d be alone. Maybe he didn’t just want to talk to me. Maybe he needed to. “Let’s go in the living room.” He laughed as he pointed down the hall. “I guess you know the way.”
I laughed with him. “Yeah, I do.”
We settled ourselves on the couch, and he turned to face me, pulling one leg up onto the cushion between us. I matched the pose and didn’t bother getting out a pen and paper. With him, taking notes would’ve felt wrong. It was more like we were two old friends catching up.
Although he did seem slightly nervous, and that bothered me. But it didn’t diminish the smile he couldn’t seem to contain. He was wearing skinny jeans, a black T-shirt with gray lettering that read Keep Calm and Rock On, and white athletic socks that were too big for his feet and hung off the ends of his toes. Richard’s socks? I didn’t ask.
“You seem happy,” I said.
He nodded. Then he dipped his head and folded and unfolded the bottom edge of one pant leg on his jeans.
“What’s wrong?”
He shrugged. “Richard said you’d probably know stuff I haven’t told anyone yet, stuff I haven’t even realized about myself.”
“I hope that doesn’t bother you.”
He met my stare, and the anxiety melted away. “Nah. I trust you.”
“Thanks.” I paused, for the first time, unsure if I could push him the way I did Richard and Luke. But we both needed me to. “I think you just don’t like that I know something you haven’t told them yet.”
He bit his lower lip and fiddled with his pants again. He whispered his next words like Richard and Luke were there with us and might hear him. “I guess.” Then his head shot up, his eyes wide. “It’s not something I’ve been keeping from them. It’s just… stuff I think I’m finally starting to understand.”
“I know.” I offered another smile. I hated that I’d upset him. I leaned forward and laid a hand over one of his. “I think you’re worrying too much. You just need to talk to them.”
He nodded and drew in a deep breath like that was easier said than done.
Just then a puppy came barreling into the room. She pressed both front paws against the couch and tried to scramble up the side without success. Matthew reached down and scooped her up.
When she was situated on his lap, I spoke again. “She’s even more adorable in person.”
He laughed as he stroked her head between her ears. “She’s a sweetheart.”
“So are you.”
He blushed, his gaze never leaving the dog.
I decided to offer him a reprieve. I sat back. “So, Matthew, if there was one thing you’d want readers to know about you, what would it be?”
He stared off toward the hall leading to the front door. “I don’t know… I guess…” Then he seemed to settle on something. He confidently met my stare. “That I love Richard and Luke.”
I smiled at him once more. “I think people get that.”
“Yeah?” He sighed. “Good.”
I shifted around and settled my right leg on the floor again. “Well, I don’t have a lot of questions yet. I just wanted to touch base, make sure you were okay with what was going to happen next.”
He cocked his head to the side and studied me with curiosity.
I hesitated, searching for the right words. “There are still a few things you have to work through, Matthew.” I waited again in case he had anything he wanted to ask. When he didn’t say more, I stood. It was probably a good idea for him to think through what I might’ve meant and what he was feeling about it before we talked more. “I better get going.”
He stayed seated and watched me with wide dark eyes. “But…”
“What?”
“I’m doing fine. More than fine.” He stared down at the puppy again. “Aren’t I?” The insecurity in those two words broke my heart.
“You are, but…” I was having a hard time offering more.
He lifted his head and searched my eyes. Then he looked to the hall again like he could see Luke and Richard standing there, or was thinking through what I’d said. With a deep breath, he sat taller, the tension fading away. He nodded. “Yeah. Okay.” He set the puppy on the couch beside him and got up. “I guess that means we’ll be talking more soon.”
“I hope that’s okay.”
He threw me another one of those killer grins. “I can’t wait.”
Enter the Release Party Giveaway for a chance at a $25 e-gift card to All Romance eBooks and a bundle of Sloan Parker’s novels in print. You can enter the giveaway once per day for a total of seven entries per person. The giveaway ends 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 3, 2015.
Click here to enter the giveaway. One entry per person per day during the release party.
Here are snippets from some of my favorites moments in the book (excluding the last few scenes as I didn’t want to give away too much for those who haven’t read the book yet).
# 1
“Well,” Luke said, finally breaking the depressing silence. “That’s one good thing about Matthew barely being old enough to shave. He can take care of us when we’re old.”
It was a rare occasion when Luke talked about our relationship as if it had no end. His words brought a smile to my lips.
# 2
Luke kept tracing the scar with his forefinger. Then all his fingers ran over my pecs, his attention no longer on the scar but on all of me. He met my stare as he reached up and gripped the sides of my neck in both hands. It was a tense, controlling grip, but I had no fear he would hurt me. This wasn’t about me, but about what he was feeling—the frustration and lack of control where his father was concerned.
He pressed our foreheads together. “God, I’ve missed you.” The words were barely a whisper against my lips.
So maybe this was about me.
# 3
I opened my arms, and Matthew moved into them, laying his head on my chest again. I lived for those moments—the intimate, sensual contact following the sex. I wanted to feel them, connect with them in a way that getting off didn’t allow. I loved to bring them pleasure in every way they needed, but the touching after, that was for me.
# 4
He looked back at me. The warm expression in his eyes told me that he knew I’d be there for him, no matter what. He knew I’d help him protect Matthew—protect all of us. He would never be alone in any of it.
# 5
In a rare declaration, Luke held Matthew’s face in his hands and said, “We will be. Always.” He leaned in and pressed his lips to the other side of Matthew’s neck, and I wound my arms around them both.
Matthew sighed like that had made all the difference.
# 6
I lifted up and caressed his cheek with mine, and in that moment I felt closer to him than I had since I returned from my business trip. The night spent with them, their help with the research, the intense sex afterward, the intimacy of lying there touching them both—it all gave me a sense of peace, a serenity nothing else matched. No matter what happened with the estate, I’d have Luke and Matthew and that was ultimately all that mattered to me. Anything else I could live without. But not them.
# 7
I waited, afraid if I moved I’d disrupt what needed to happen between them.
“I—” Luke held a hand out for Matthew, then dropped it just as quickly.
Matthew stepped forward and reached for that hand. “It’s okay.”
Luke met his stare and leaned in to rest his forehead against Matthew’s, gripping Matthew’s hand in return. “God, I’m sorry.”
# 8
There was no missing the moment his frustrated expression changed, the moment he gave himself over to what he really wanted to do. He leaned into my touch and nodded.
Tomorrow will be the last post of my release party. Hope you can join me.
Enter the Release Party Giveaway for a chance at a $25 e-gift card to All Romance eBooks and a bundle of Sloan Parker’s novels in print. You can enter the giveaway once per day for a total of seven entries per person. The giveaway ends 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 3, 2015.
Click here to enter the giveaway. One entry per person per day during the release party.
Here are a few of the songs that remind me of Richard, Matthew, and Luke and their journey in MORE THAN MOST. If you can’t see the embedded video for each song, you can click on the song title to view it on YouTube. I tried to link to the official video when available.
1) (Everything I Do) I Do It For You, Bryan Adams
This one is a great fit for Richard and his need to protect the people he loves.
2) Who You Love, John Mayer, Katy Perry
This one’s all Luke. And this video includes real-life couples, which I love.
5) A Few Honest Words, Ben Sollee
This song was written as an open letter to political leaders in the US, but it reminds me of what Richard expects from people.
6) How We Operate, Gomez
This one reminds me of a few moments in the book between Luke and Richard.
7) At Last, Etta James
This is the song Matthew is listening to when Richard comes home from his meeting and finds Matthew reading the box of letters.
8) What Makes You Beautiful, One Direction
Richard to Matthew.
9) Bound by Love, Gran Bel Fisher
The video is quite sad, but there’s just something about the lyrics that remind me of Richard’s journey in this book.
10) I Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing, Aerosmith
Enter the Release Party Giveaway for a chance at a $25 e-gift card to All Romance eBooks and a bundle of Sloan Parker’s novels in print. You can enter the giveaway once per day for a total of seven entries per person. The giveaway ends 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 3, 2015.
Click here to enter the giveaway. One entry per person per day during the release party.
I’ve become quite addicted to Pinterest. I love having one place to save pictures that inspire story ideas or ones that remind me of a particular story. Below are some of the pictures from my pinterest board for MORE THAN MOST. You can view the full board here.
Follow Sloan’s board Preview in Pictures: MORE THAN MOST (More #2) on Pinterest.
Enter the Release Party Giveaway for a chance at a $25 e-gift card to All Romance eBooks and a bundle of Sloan Parker’s novels in print. You can enter the giveaway once per day for a total of seven entries per person. The giveaway ends 11:59 PM on Sunday, May 3, 2015.