Sweet Buns

Welcome to Cedar Falls, a small North Carolina town nestled amongst the Smokey Mountains. 

Zane Fisher is prepared to fight against a proposed casino from being built in his small hometown.  Sure, it would bring in more visitors to their dying town, but at what risk?

Aidan Dempsey is sick of the bad coffee Cedar Falls has so far had to offer.  After an exceptionally bad cup, he’s decided to swear off the stuff, that is until he’s dragged into the local bakery.

Not only does he find the best cup of coffee he’s ever tasted, but the bakery owner, Zane Fisher just might be the sexiest man he’s ever met.  Too bad Zane seems hell bent on avoiding him as he’s the project manager for the casino Zane is against.

Will they be able to find common ground or will Aidan be doomed to only having bad coffee?

http://www.bookstrand.com/sweet-buns

Story Excerpt:

“I have news.” The bell over the door rang as Jesse Grant came rushing into the Bakery. There were times, like now, when Zane Fisher’s best friend reminded him of a puppy who runs round and round in circles while yapping excitedly.

Zane gave Jesse a smile as he finished wiping down all the tables and setting the chairs back in position. “What’s the news?” Not that he really needed to have asked. Like a puppy, Jesse wouldn’t be able to hold it in but he hadn’t wanted to disappoint his best friend by leaving him hanging.

Jesse was practically vibrating in anticipation. His dark eyes, made more piercing with black eyeliner and mascara widened for affect. “Your enemy is in town and according to Mary Fuller, he is ‘sex on a stick.’” Jesse even used air quotes for more drama. As soon as the words were out of Jesse’s mouth, he collapsed into a stool at the counter, exhausted.

It took effort not to laugh at his friend’s flare for drama. It wasn’t like the man had to go far to tell him. Jesse’s flower shop was just across the street. Of course wearing boots with three inch platform heels could have something to do with it. “Just who do you think is my enemy, Jess and how does Mary Fuller know what he looks like?”

For the most part Zane got along with everyone, which wasn’t always easy being gay in a small town. When he’d come out to his parents at the age of fifteen, they had taken it without too much fuss. In high school he’d wished they would have had more difficulty accepting it. Not that he wanted to be thrown out or anything but his mom had turned into a gay pride fanatic which, to be honest, was sometimes embarrassing, especially when he was still a teenager.

Now he appreciated more what his mom and even his dad had done for him. Oh, his mom still embarrassed the crap out of him with some of her outlandish stands on gay rights. Anytime there was a LGBT rally, protest, or parade she was there front and center, shouting at the top of her lungs that her son was gay. Secretly he was proud of her but it didn’t change the fact that he’d prefer to live a fairly quiet life, not shouting his sexual orientation from the rooftops.

Jesse slumped over the counter, putting his chin in his hands. With a heavy sigh he said, “Aidan Dempsey.” When his friend saw Zane’s blank face at the name, he shook his head in exasperation. “I’m gonna need something to drink if you’re going to make me work this hard this early in the morning.”

Chuckling, Zane went behind the counter to make Jess his favorite fall drink, a Caramel Macchiato. When he put the cup on the counter, Jesse leaned down and inhaled deeply before picking it up to take a careful sip. “Ahhh, much better.”

His friend’s over the top antics were always amusing, at least when they weren’t getting them in trouble. Zane couldn’t count the amount of times Jesse stepped over the line with others who had no trouble hitting the five-foot-five man. Zane, being Jesse’s friend, would jump in to help and usually ended up getting his ass handed to him.

Still he wouldn’t trade all those bruises, cuts, broken ribs, hospital visits and even time in jail for anything. “Now who is Aidan Dempsey and why is he my enemy?”

It wasn’t until Jess had taken another sip that he put down his drink. Leaning over the counter he lowered his voice to a whisper. “The project manager for the casino.”

Zane’s hand stopped from wiping down the already clean counter. Even though they had been moving dirt for several months to clear the land for the new casino that was being built, Zane had still hoped it wouldn’t happen. He didn’t have a problem with casinos in general but that didn’t mean he wanted one in his town.

He feared they would bring in corruption and greed into this already struggling town. As the land was a part of the Cherokee Nation, there was little Zane could do to stop the casino but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

Jesse laid his hand on Zane’s, giving it a squeeze. “Sorry Zane. I know you’d hoped they’d move on.”

He wasn’t sure why he even cared. His hometown of Cedar Falls wasn’t where he’d wanted to end up. But when his mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer he knew he needed to be closer to her, so he left his assistant pastry job at the Fort Wilderness Lodge in Disney to come home.

It had been a surreal experience to return to small town life after having lived in Orlando for the last seven years. He’d known since he was six and helped his mom bake that he wanted to be a pastry chef. So from the age of twelve he started saving his money to go to the best pastry school in the country, Le Cordon Blue in Orlando.

With help from his parents that dream had become a reality when he hopped on a bus at the age of nineteen to start his training. After graduating he’d managed to get a job as an assistant pastry chef with Disney. He’d bounced around to several of their resorts until he landed at the Fort Wilderness lodge.

Thanks to finding roommates early on, Zane had been able to save for his ultimate dream of opening a bakery. Living in Orlando meant that dream would take several more years but when he’d gotten the call about his mom and moved back to Cedar Falls the money he’d saved had been enough.

In fact it had been more than enough. Instead of having to settle for a small bakery with hardly any room to make all the pastries he wanted, he’d been able to open the store of his dreams. So after three months in Cedar Falls, Sweet Buns had become a reality.

ADULT EXCERPT

Aidan had never been one for sweets until he’d walked into Sweet Buns. From the first taste he’d become addicted to the cinnamon rolls Zane made. Now he was just as addicted to these cupcakes.

The chocolate cake nearly melted in his mouth. The hint of raspberry in the frosting only added to his enjoyment. It was sheer perfection. How there wasn’t a line outside Zane’s bakery every day was a mystery.

He was a little embarrassed to have finished the cupcake in only three bites but he just couldn’t stop himself from devouring the delicious treat. When he finished he watched Zane take a bite.

Aidan groaned at the sight of a bit of frosting stuck on the corner of Zane’s mouth. He didn’t even bother trying to deny himself. He just leaned over and licked it off. The sweetness of the frosting couldn’t compete with that of Zane’s lips.

Wanting more of Zane, Aidan continued to lick every inch of his lush lips until Zane opened his mouth to let Aidan in deeper. As one they closed the distance between them. Aidan gripped Zane’s ass and pulled his soon-to-be lover into his lap.

Their groins rubbed together as Zane straddled Aidan’s body eliciting a hungry groan from both of them. Like a match to a flame they devoured each other. The kiss went wild as their tongues danced together.

Hands grabbed at clothes to pull them off. Aidan drove his hands down inside of Zane’s pants and briefs to get a handful of Zane’s muscled globes. The satiny feel of skin made him want to see not just feel.

Reaching around the front of Zane’s pants, Aidan popped the button and lowered the zipper. When he had those pants down to Zane’s knees he realized he couldn’t go further in this position. “Stand up and take them off.” His voice was harsh as need drove him.

Zane did as he said slowly sliding the jeans down his legs before kicking them off his feet. Aidan watched as Zane’s hand wrapped around his own cock, giving it a few strokes. Aidan’s mouth watered at the sight. More than anything he wanted a taste of that beautiful cock.

“Come here.”

Zane stepped to the edge of the couch and Aidan leaned forward to swipe his tongue against the tip. The moan that fell from Zane’s lips was music to Aidan’s ears. Popping the head into his mouth Aidan was rewarded with another moan, this one louder.

Aidan gripped the base of Zane’s cock and slapped his tongue against the spongy head. Zane fingers dug into Aidan’s hair for purchase.

“Oh, Aidan that feels so good.” Zane’s voice was a hoarse with desire.

Aidan looked up to Zane’s head thrown back, his eyes closed. His lover was fucking perfect but Aidan wanted to watch the man fly apart in his arms. His free hand reached up to palm Zane’s balls at the same time he swallowed down Zane’s cock.

“Fuck,” Zane shouted.

He hallowed his cheeks and pulled back giving Zane as much sensation he could, he reached around with the hand that had been holding Zane’s cock earlier to push against his puckered hole.

Zane was moaning nearly constantly as Aidan continued to suck the man’s dick. After wetting his fingers, Aidan pushed one into Zane’s heat.

This time he moaned right along with Zane. All that heat wrapped around his finger had Aidan’s prick throbbing as it beg to trade places.

“I’m, oh God. I’m gonna...” Zane’s cock thickened and shot down Aidan’s throat.

Aidan swallowed every drop relishing the salty taste of the man he hoped to spend the rest of his life with. Carefully he continued to lick Zane’s dick clean until Zane pulled back.

His lover dropped into Aidan’s lap completely satisfied. Aidan couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear that he’d been the one to make Zane look like a debauched angel. Even the fact that he was hard as steel and desperately needing, couldn’t diminish how good he felt at this moment holding Zane.

Blue eyes suddenly looked deeply into his. “That was amazing,” Zane said. His lover pressed his lips to Aidan’s in a sweet, sloppy kiss.

Their bodies shifted slightly and Aidan’s groin pushed against Zane’s hip. Zane pushed back from Aidan, his eyes wide. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think. Let me take care of you.”

Aidan wasn’t about to stop Zane but he didn’t want his lover thinking he had to reciprocate. “Hey.” He stopped Zane from sliding off his lap to the floor. “This wasn’t about you doing the same for me. I wanted to taste you. If you don’t-“

Zane interrupted him. “No. I mean.” He sighed. “I think you sucked my brain cells out of my dick.”

They both chuckled.

Zane leaned forward for another sweet kiss. “Seriously I was in such as state of bliss that I hadn’t even thought about that you were still hard. Feeling just how hard you were, I felt bad I’d just zoned out in my own bliss while leaving you hanging.”

Aidan groaned when Zane’s hand pressed over his groin as his fingers made their way to his zipper. “I’ve actually been dreaming about tasting you. Know that I want to do this.”

This time Aidan didn’t stop him, when Zane slid to the floor. His hand quickly opened Aidan’s pants and fished his cock out. Their gazes met and held as Zane leaned forward and wrapped those pretty lips over his cock.

When Zane continued to move forward until the head of Aidan’s dick hit the back of his throat, Aidan cried out at the exquisite wet heat that drew him in. This was going to end embarrassingly fast if he didn’t find a way to hold back.

Aidan’s head fell back against the back of the couch when one of Zane’s hands cupped his balls with a squeeze. As Zane’s head moved back up Aidan’s cock that talented tongue would press hard against that bundle of nerves under the head.

Zane was driving him out of his ever loving mind. Aidan drove his fingers into those honey-colored locks. His hips started pumping just a little bit deeper into Zane’s mouth.