TITLE: Places Like Home
SERIES: Pickleville
AUTHOR: April Kelley
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LSDMVJ2
Available on KU
Blurb
Running from a stalker drives him straight into the arms of the cowboy version of Prince Charming.
Pickleville reminds Dakota Weaver of the home he left behind. He’s familiar with small, sleepy farming towns. He’s also familiar with charming cowboys, but the last one he gave in to stalked him. He’s been running ever since. As tired as he is of looking over his shoulder and moving from one place to the next, he’s ready to set down roots somewhere. Pickleville seems about right. But that doesn’t include giving into his attraction for Jackson Bartlett.
Excerpt
Jackson Bartlett was a beautiful man. And boy oh boy, did he know it. His grin and that charm… it sent all the blood in Dakota’s body south.
Dakota had met him yesterday, but they hadn’t talked much. He’d only shaken his hand, and that was about it. The way Jackson had held Dakota’s hand a little longer than was proper was enough to put Dakota on alert.
No way would he get sucked into another situation. He didn’t need romance or even sex. It came with a price he wasn’t willing to pay. Hell, willing or not, he had nothing left to give. Not after Ron.
So Dakota gave his attention to Lolly and pretended as if Jackson hadn’t entered every damn space around Dakota. He should have felt penned in by Jackson’s bold presence, but it felt like a warm blanket.
The man worried him. He honestly did. Or rather, Dakota’s reaction to Jackson worried him.
Of course, Jackson closed the distance. Dakota stiffened when he leaned against the stall door inches from him.
“Hello, new guy.” Jackson knew his name. It should have annoyed him that he hadn’t used it, but somehow didn’t.
Still, it should have, so he forced some irritation into his response. “My name’s Dakota.”
Jackson chuckled. “You’re still the new guy.”
That was true. “I’m always the new guy,” Dakota mumbled.
Jackson lost his smile and studied Dakota as if trying to see into his soul. “Why is that?”
“Just how shit worked out for me.”
“I think it’s a bit more than that.” Jackson didn’t stop touching Dakota. Instead, his pat turned into a back rub of sorts. It shouldn’t have soothed Dakota’s nerves but did. “Care to share?”
“No. I don’t.” He wasn’t ready to spill the fucking beans to a stranger. At least not one whose smile made him hard.
About the Author
April Kelley writes LGBTQ+ Romance. Her works include The Journey of Jimini Renn, a Rainbow Awards finalist, Whispers of Home, the Saint Lakes series, and over thirty more. Since writing her first story at ten, the characters in her head still won’t stop telling their stories. If April isn’t reading or writing, you can find her taking a long walk in the woods or going on her next adventure.
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