I’m so tickled to have been invited to participate with the annual SFR Brigade Midsummer Blog Hop! There are some amazing authors that participate; I know you’ll enjoy yourself during the hop.

In keeping with the theme, here’s a little snippet from the Noon and Wilder release with Torquere Press, Emerald Fire. Also, in celebration of Pride month this month, Torquere is offering 20% off everything in the store – just enter the code PRIDE at checkout!

Quill looked up and pointed. “See?”

Teeka followed his gaze and stared, lips parted. More stars than he’d seen anywhere, save in bookvids, blanketed the darkening sky. He couldn’t see individual constellations yet, not with the starglow from Minah, but it wouldn’t be long. He found the Boar’s Tail and tried to follow it to the body but couldn’t find the shoulder.

Sudden warmth on his hand startled him and he looked down to find Quill’s fingers, holding him from spilling his plate all over the rugs.

He flushed. “I’m sorry.”

Quill pulled the plate out of his hands. “Lie back.”

Teeka nestled his head against a pillow, and stared up at the sky. Quill moved around, tidying, and Teeka knew he should help but couldn’t tear his attention away. The Hunter stilled after several more minutes of straightening up and stretched out next to him, shoulders touching.

“There’s the Boar’s Tail, but I can’t find his shoulder,” Teeka said, pointing.

Quill’s long finger directed his eyes to the left. “There. So, so, and so.”

“And the Maiden?”

“There. And beyond it, do you see the Sandcat?”

“What about Great Hunter?”

“He isn’t risen yet.”

Teeka smirked at the double entendre and Quill flashed him a quizzical look. They both burst out laughing as color flamed into Quill’s cheeks.

They stayed there for the better part of an hour, pointing out the constellations as they grew in luminance. Once, a star shot across the sky, traveling fast. Teeka waited for more but no others appeared.

“I have dessert,” he roused himself to say. “I hardly want to leave.”

Quill rolled up on his elbow to look down at him. “Come. We have a fortnight to watch the starshow.”

Teeka gazed up at him, Minah’s setting glow silvering his cheek and making his gray eyes seem luminous. He reached up with a trembling hand and brushed the scars on Quill’s face. Quill gasped and caught his hand, and kissed his fingers.

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