Cirque Caprice: Ringmaster
by Julia Talbot
Cover art: Marteeka Karland
ISBN: 978-1-60521-710-9
Genre(s): Paranormal, Action Adventure/ Suspense, Dark Fantasy
Theme(s): Gay and Lesbian
Series: Cirque Caprice
Length: Novella
by Julia Talbot
Cover art: Marteeka Karland
ISBN: 978-1-60521-710-9
Genre(s): Paranormal, Action Adventure/ Suspense, Dark Fantasy
Theme(s): Gay and Lesbian
Series: Cirque Caprice
Length: Novella
Blurb:
Amadeo may be the most charismatic ringmaster Cirque Caprice has ever
seen, but security head Jon doesn't trust him. Jon knows too many of
Amadeo's secrets. Amadeo knows he's changed, but he has no idea he has
to prove it to Jon until it may be too late. Can Amadeo show Jon that a
leopard can change its spots?
Excerpt:
Cirque Caprice: Ringmaster
Julia Talbot
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Julia Talbot
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
"No. No, I don't think his background check was as clean as you..." Jon trailed off, listening to Jake, the head security man for the corporation. In other words, his boss. He paced, the confines of his makeshift office seeming far too small. "No, it's just dodgy, is all. Nothing I can actually use. Sure. I'll keep an eye on him."
The hair rose on the back of his neck, and Jon turned to see Amadeo Perralo standing behind him. He held up a finger, trying to ignore the heat crawling up the back of his neck from being caught talking about the guy, and from how hot the man looked today.
"Okay. Yeah. No, I'm sure you're right. Bye." Jon hit the end button on his phone. "Can I help you?"
Amadeo sure tried to stare him down, strong jaw set, almost black eyes full of fire. "I certainly hope so. Why won't you sign off on the stage design?"
"It's not safe." While Jon did have reservations about the safety of the design, his main problem was Amadeo. The man posed far too much of a security risk. When someone ran away to join the circus, Jake might be not be too concerned with background checks, but Jon disagreed. A ringmaster had access to every part of the show. Amadeo should have check out more or less clean, but Jon knew things about the man that no one else seemed to care about. Jon didn't like secrets. No matter how attractive the package they came wrapped in.
"It's perfectly safe. This isn't the days of the old elephant and bear circus, my dear."
The patronizing tone made Jon grit his teeth. "Maybe not, but there are pyrotechnics and there's all sorts of equipment and shit. Those side-wing stairs..."
"Provide us with audience participation. You must leave them in."
"I must do what my boss tells me to do, and you are not him."
"He."
"That's pedantic bullshit."
Amadeo raised one jet-black brow. "I'm amazed you know the word."
"Oh, fuck you. You don't know squat about me." That did it; he was getting a hold of Jake again and telling him they weren't ready to run through their final dress rehearsal. He'd make a recommendation on Amadeo and then ask for a raise or a transfer. They didn't pay him enough for this constant aggravation. Amadeo was absolutely infuriating, from his complete resistance to paperwork to his penchant for hiring performers without consulting Jon first.
"Mmm. No. I'd do you, though."
Jon whirled to face Amadeo, his hands clenched into fists. "I swear to God, I am going to beat you to death."
"You're welcome to try." The evil gleam in Amadeo's eyes and the taunting grin on those pretty lips made Jon snap.
Jon actually took a swing at the man, a wild haymaker that was completely out of character for him, and completely at odds with his training. The blow connected, but not with Amadeo's face. Instead, his fist slapped against Amadeo's palm.
"Temper, temper," Amadeo murmured. "Very sexy."
"You -- I..." Jon was going to explode. He didn't trust this man, didn't like him, and he hated to admit it, but right now he wanted Amadeo sexually in the worst way.
"You and I, indeed. A very nice picture."
"Okay, I've had it. I am going to beat you until you can't see."
Amadeo kept the tight grip on Jon's hand, using it to draw him close enough that their chests touched. "Go ahead. Of course that's assault and will get you fired, but if you find it worthwhile..."
Jon's other hand moved before he even thought about it, flying in an arc toward Amadeo's face. He missed, which should have been impossible at that range, but it was almost like his hand had been deflected. Fucking bastard and his freaky "talent."
"I can think of so many uses for your hands, my dear. This is not one of them."
"You fucking -- mmph." Jon had no idea what he would have said, given the chance. Amadeo shoved the words right back down his throat, kissing him so hard he saw stars. His lips pressed back against his teeth, and Jon's eyes opened so wide with surprise that he could see every individual lash around Amadeo's eyes, could see the smooth texture of the man's skin, broken on his cheeks by dark stubble. Then he closed his eyes and let Amadeo have his mouth, opening up for the exploration. If he had been into purple prose he would call it a plundering.
He got his hands free, but instead of pushing Amadeo away, Jon clutched at the man's wide shoulders, his legs spreading so he could brace himself. His cock hardened, so fast it left him breathless and aching, his chest heaving with the need for air. The kiss eased just enough for him to gasp a few times, gulping in oxygen. Then Amadeo took his lips again, giving him no time to think. Thinking might be bad in a situation like this.
When they finally broke to breathe again, Amadeo reached down between them and squeezed Jon's cock through his black cargo pants. "Mmm. I knew you would be hot and hard. You taste like coffee and honey."
"Thanks for the color commentary." Christ, he'd lost his mind. Jon tried to get his hands to let go of Amadeo's shoulders, but it just wasn't happening. Traitor muscles.
"Are you the sort of man who doesn't like to talk during sex?" His cock got a nice hard squeeze. "I'm a talker, I'm afraid."
"I'm not having sex with you."
Amadeo pushed him back against the big desk he'd had brought in, the one luxury in his otherwise extremely mobile office. Folders, papers and what was possibly a stapler dug into Jon's back. "Oh, I disagree. In fact, I think we need to get started now."
"I don't think --"
Amadeo loomed over him, pressing down on his wrists, which were suddenly held captive in Amadeo's capable hands. "Don't think."
Julia Talbot
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2011 Julia Talbot
This e-book file contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language which some may find offensive and which is not appropriate for a young audience. Changeling Press E-Books are for sale to adults, only, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
"No. No, I don't think his background check was as clean as you..." Jon trailed off, listening to Jake, the head security man for the corporation. In other words, his boss. He paced, the confines of his makeshift office seeming far too small. "No, it's just dodgy, is all. Nothing I can actually use. Sure. I'll keep an eye on him."
The hair rose on the back of his neck, and Jon turned to see Amadeo Perralo standing behind him. He held up a finger, trying to ignore the heat crawling up the back of his neck from being caught talking about the guy, and from how hot the man looked today.
"Okay. Yeah. No, I'm sure you're right. Bye." Jon hit the end button on his phone. "Can I help you?"
Amadeo sure tried to stare him down, strong jaw set, almost black eyes full of fire. "I certainly hope so. Why won't you sign off on the stage design?"
"It's not safe." While Jon did have reservations about the safety of the design, his main problem was Amadeo. The man posed far too much of a security risk. When someone ran away to join the circus, Jake might be not be too concerned with background checks, but Jon disagreed. A ringmaster had access to every part of the show. Amadeo should have check out more or less clean, but Jon knew things about the man that no one else seemed to care about. Jon didn't like secrets. No matter how attractive the package they came wrapped in.
"It's perfectly safe. This isn't the days of the old elephant and bear circus, my dear."
The patronizing tone made Jon grit his teeth. "Maybe not, but there are pyrotechnics and there's all sorts of equipment and shit. Those side-wing stairs..."
"Provide us with audience participation. You must leave them in."
"I must do what my boss tells me to do, and you are not him."
"He."
"That's pedantic bullshit."
Amadeo raised one jet-black brow. "I'm amazed you know the word."
"Oh, fuck you. You don't know squat about me." That did it; he was getting a hold of Jake again and telling him they weren't ready to run through their final dress rehearsal. He'd make a recommendation on Amadeo and then ask for a raise or a transfer. They didn't pay him enough for this constant aggravation. Amadeo was absolutely infuriating, from his complete resistance to paperwork to his penchant for hiring performers without consulting Jon first.
"Mmm. No. I'd do you, though."
Jon whirled to face Amadeo, his hands clenched into fists. "I swear to God, I am going to beat you to death."
"You're welcome to try." The evil gleam in Amadeo's eyes and the taunting grin on those pretty lips made Jon snap.
Jon actually took a swing at the man, a wild haymaker that was completely out of character for him, and completely at odds with his training. The blow connected, but not with Amadeo's face. Instead, his fist slapped against Amadeo's palm.
"Temper, temper," Amadeo murmured. "Very sexy."
"You -- I..." Jon was going to explode. He didn't trust this man, didn't like him, and he hated to admit it, but right now he wanted Amadeo sexually in the worst way.
"You and I, indeed. A very nice picture."
"Okay, I've had it. I am going to beat you until you can't see."
Amadeo kept the tight grip on Jon's hand, using it to draw him close enough that their chests touched. "Go ahead. Of course that's assault and will get you fired, but if you find it worthwhile..."
Jon's other hand moved before he even thought about it, flying in an arc toward Amadeo's face. He missed, which should have been impossible at that range, but it was almost like his hand had been deflected. Fucking bastard and his freaky "talent."
"I can think of so many uses for your hands, my dear. This is not one of them."
"You fucking -- mmph." Jon had no idea what he would have said, given the chance. Amadeo shoved the words right back down his throat, kissing him so hard he saw stars. His lips pressed back against his teeth, and Jon's eyes opened so wide with surprise that he could see every individual lash around Amadeo's eyes, could see the smooth texture of the man's skin, broken on his cheeks by dark stubble. Then he closed his eyes and let Amadeo have his mouth, opening up for the exploration. If he had been into purple prose he would call it a plundering.
He got his hands free, but instead of pushing Amadeo away, Jon clutched at the man's wide shoulders, his legs spreading so he could brace himself. His cock hardened, so fast it left him breathless and aching, his chest heaving with the need for air. The kiss eased just enough for him to gasp a few times, gulping in oxygen. Then Amadeo took his lips again, giving him no time to think. Thinking might be bad in a situation like this.
When they finally broke to breathe again, Amadeo reached down between them and squeezed Jon's cock through his black cargo pants. "Mmm. I knew you would be hot and hard. You taste like coffee and honey."
"Thanks for the color commentary." Christ, he'd lost his mind. Jon tried to get his hands to let go of Amadeo's shoulders, but it just wasn't happening. Traitor muscles.
"Are you the sort of man who doesn't like to talk during sex?" His cock got a nice hard squeeze. "I'm a talker, I'm afraid."
"I'm not having sex with you."
Amadeo pushed him back against the big desk he'd had brought in, the one luxury in his otherwise extremely mobile office. Folders, papers and what was possibly a stapler dug into Jon's back. "Oh, I disagree. In fact, I think we need to get started now."
"I don't think --"
Amadeo loomed over him, pressing down on his wrists, which were suddenly held captive in Amadeo's capable hands. "Don't think."
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