BLOG TOUR with GUEST POST, EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY: Lila Leigh Hunter of 'Dating in Retro
Title: Dating in Retrospect
Series: States of Love – Iowa
Author: Lila Leigh Hunter
Published: February 15, 2017
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Genre: Erotic Romance; Contemporary Romance
Length: 107 Pages
Tags: Gay; M/M; Bisexual; HEA
About Dating in Retrospect
Giving the commencement speech at his alma mater doesn’t fit Clay Keller’s meticulous schedule. As Chief Executive Officer of Travel Mogul—the largest travel connoisseur company on the West Coast—he has no time to get back in touch with his country roots. He left fifteen years ago without a second look, but a medical scare makes him change his mind about the speech and brings him face-to-face with his only regret.
Time always moves slower in Southeastern Iowa, and Aaron Grant loves it. He’s added solar farms to the Grant Lanes portfolio and has been teaching at the local university for a decade. The last thing he needs is to have his tenure application compromised by the return of his ex-boyfriend. If he had known who the commencement speaker would be, he would never have volunteered to be the administration liaison.
A proposal—to date for a year—will help them discover that time changes a person, even when everything else stays the same.
States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.
Would You Date Your EX?
Thank you, Kimmers, for hosting me. I’m glad to stop by today to share the release of Dating in Retrospect—my States of Love novella set in Iowa. Clay’s and Aaron’s story is one of second chances. It wasn’t easy, but dating their ex gave them their Happily Ever After.
Would you date your ex for a year? Well, I have been happily married for the last fifteen years, but if I had to date my ex, I’d do it. We still are very good friends after all. What about you?
“Please, tell me you would have me again.” He held Aaron’s face in his hands, pleading. “I’m begging you, sunshine. Please, let me love you again.”
Now it was Aaron’s turn to push away. They stood there, looking at each other, waiting for the worst outcome.
“We don’t know each other anymore. My life is here, and yours is still in LA. We know better than anyone that distance kills the best of intentions. Just leave well enough alone, Clay.”
Aaron was right. He had been clutching to the good memories of what they’d had. Of all the nights they had held each other. Aaron was the steady of the two with a love for life and others. Now they were technically two strangers who shared a past—acquaintances, if nothing more. But Clay needed that lifeline. He needed to close his eyes and see the slim young man Aaron had been, waiting for him after classes, ready to take the weight of the day off his shoulders. Clay craved his lover, the one who knew exactly what he wanted with only a look. They could get that connection back. He wanted to take life by the horns and let Aaron be his salvation.
“I can’t.” The words were spoken softly.
“I need you to give me another chance. We can make it work. We had enough years together to know how good we could be.”
Aaron only nodded, and Clay took the agreement as a good sign, so he continued, “Let’s get to know each other. We can date and see where it goes from here.”
“Do I need to remind you how all of this ended before?”
“I know, but we are no longer two scared twentysomethings trying to chase our dreams between fucks. We can talk, e-mail, and visit each other.”
“I can’t travel, Clay.”
“I can pay for it.” He saw the moment Aaron started shutting down. He had managed to insult Aaron and hamper his efforts. “I’m sorry. I know you have a job here, and I’m guessing you’re the farm’s full-time manager as well?”
A strained yes was Aaron’s reply.
Shit. He was a selfish bastard, but he needed to try. “Let me plan our dates. If I can let you know in advance, we can meet for a day or two a month. I can come here or meet you somewhere, and we can go from there.”
Aaron moved away from Clay’s hold and started walking along the path. The Great River Bridge, bringing visitors from Illinois, sat in the background. The old warehouse buildings on the other side and the colorful riverboats were so familiar that Clay swore he could close his eyes and forget that fifteen years had passed. He wanted to reach for Aaron’s hand again, but he seemed lost in thought. Following the path of one of the boats, Clay had an idea. He would do what he did best. He would plan the best dates for them. In retrospect, they had done so much together, even had a date or two between classes, but most of their free time they’d spent in bed.
“Give me a year.” He startled Aaron with his request. He moved in front of him as he continued, “If I can’t win your heart back in a year, I’ll leave you alone. If at any time you want to stop, just let me know and I’ll stop. I’ll plan everything and let you know the details. You just have to confirm if the dates work for you and meet me there.”
“I don’t know.”
“Just a year, Aaron. Let me show you how much I still love you.”
About the Author
Lila Leigh Hunter is the pen name of a Puerto Rican author with a hyphenated surname. Born and raised on the island, Lila grew up making up stories her siblings pretended to like. But no matter what they say, as the youngest of six, she’s still their mom’s favorite. According to the dusty diplomas on her wall, she’s an architectural designer living in Southern Texas with her husband and four military brats.
She spends most of her free time writing homoerotic romances about middle-aged men finding happiness and the rest hiding from pesky house chores. When outside of her cave, she likes to observe people and try to guess their stories. Sometimes she wishes the voices in her head were real; going out with the boys in her books sounds like a plan made in heaven.
Lila writes romances with female protagonists as Leigh Hunter. Facebook; Goodreads; Twitter; Pinterest; Instagram; Amazon
For more of Lila’s works visit her website.
February 9th to February 28th – Winner to be contacted March 1st
