Tuesday Tales - Puzzle

It`s time for Tuesday Tales!

Today we have a snippet from Life According to Liam, my recently completed MM hockey romance novella. I’d found this half-finished tale in my files recently and fell back in love with the premise as I read over what I’d written way back in 2016. Since I haven't started my next project yet, you all get another peek into this sweet and sexy novella!

A short synopsis is that web-designer Mike Kneller took in his younger sister when she turned up pregnant at sixteen and their parents threw her out. Now he helps keep an eye on his nephew, Liam, as he works at home. Mike also blogs on the side, and his blog is titled ‘Life According to Liam’. Mike is a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Ravens and their goalie, Bryn Mettler.

Life being what it can be, Bryn is shown Mike’s blog and the star netminder finds himself drawn to the man with the sparkling green eyes and easy laugh. The two meet and sparks fly. In this scene, Mike and Liam are conversing while watching the home team, the Pittsburgh Ravens, playing hockey.

Our word prompt today is “Puzzle”.

This story may have gay erotic scenes, strong social issues addressed and mature language. If those things offend now is the time to move onto another Tuesday Tales blog. Thanks for stopping by!

"Uncle Mike, Captain America says it's time to watch your land gauge."

            I grimaced and then slowly turned to look down on Liam, wearing a stern look, cradling his stuffed Captain America doll.

            "I'm sorry, Cap," I said to the battered superhero. "I'll try to do better."

            "It's okay. Your tongue is just bad," Liam informed me then ran off with Cap to right a wrong somewhere else in the house.

            I rolled my eyes to the ceiling and hurried to finish. The dryer buzzed just as I was turning off the overhead light in the kitchen.

            "My jersey is dry!" Liam bellowed and raced around me. Where poor Captain America went was a puzzle to be solved later.

            "Inside voice," I reminded the tornado as it blew past me. A couple of minutes later, Liam, Cap, and I sat on my sectional in warm shirts. Well, Cap wasn't in a warm shirt, but I'm sure the fires of righteousness that burn in his chiseled chest keep him warm. "Speaking of chiseled chests," I mumbled as the Ravens pregame show hit the air with a stunning image of Bryn Mettler taking part in a photoshoot for swimwear. "What a great looking man," I sighed wistfully while folding underwear emblazoned with PAW Patrol characters. He was tall, dark, and handsome. His brown hair and dark brown eyes made me stupid, as did the perfectly groomed dark stubble that always lingered artfully on his firm jaw.

            "Uncle Mike, are you going to date with Bryn Mettler?" Liam asked. My gaze flew from the TV screen to my nephew.

            "Why would you ask that?" I enquired of the lad. He rolled to his back and stuck his little red sneakers into the air.

            "Mommy said before she dated with Aaron tonight that he was handsome." Liam stared at me as the pregame show slid into an interview with the Ravens defensive coach. "You likes handsome boys, so is you and Bryn Mettler going to be dated?"

            I couldn't keep the soft chuckle from escaping. There we had this week's blog post. My nephew was a comedic gold mine. Liam's fine golden eyebrows tangled as I battled to get myself under control.

            "I wish Bryn Mettler would ask me out on a date," I said to the boy. He reached up to touch the tips of his toes, a feat that made my hamstrings scream just looking at it, and chewed on my answer like a glob of taffy. Kelly and I had always been open about my being gay. We wanted Liam to grow up in an accepting household. He already knew that men could date and marry other men and that if he liked boys instead of, or in addition to, girls, that was perfectly normal.

            "Does Bryn like boys too?" Liam asked as he picked at his sneakers.

            "Yes he does, I’m just not sure he likes boys who look like me.”

            He took that at face value and then launched into a story about Hulk eating peanut butter cookies. I shook my head, smiling all the while, and returned to folding toddler clothing and watching the Ravens, and that sinfully sexy Bryn Mettler, roll over their competition.

Copyright 2018 ©by V.L. Locey

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