Hi peeps, we have Andrew Grey stopping in for a quick visit today with his upcoming release Cleansing Flame, we have a fantastic short guest post and a great excerpt, so check out the post and enjoy! <3 ~Pixie~

Cleansing Flame

Andrew Grey

Life has been grinding Dayne Mills down almost for as long as he can remember. First he lost the love of his life in an accident that also left him with a permanent injury, and then his mother passed away a year later. When his house burns to the ground, it’s the last straw. He can’t take any more, and if it wasn’t for kind and handsome firefighter Lawson Martin offering him a hand up and a place to stay, he doesn’t know what he’d do. Dayne would love for his relationship with Lawson to evolve into something beyond charity, but he knows going after a man so far out of his league will only lead to yet more heartache. It’s best to just keep his mind on his research.

It’s that research that leads Dayne to an old student journal that not only provides clues to the Native American heritage Lawson has been searching for, but chronicles a century-old love story. The tale that unfolds might be just what Dayne and Lawson need to remember that no matter how dark life becomes, love can find a way to shine through.

Andrew Grey!

Cleansing Flame is one of those stories that came to me through searching and hard work.  Sometimes the components of a work spring out fully formed, this one took work.  But it was prompted by an amazing reader who told me about the Carlisle Indian School and asked me to write a story about it.  Once I had the basic idea, I was off and running.  Cleansing Flame is two love stories wrapped in one.  The first a contemporary and the second a century old.  They touch each other in amazing ways and they touched me as well.  I hope you like it.

Excerpt

Lawson had no idea what time it was or why he was awake, but something wasn’t right. He sat up, listening, and heard a cry. He shoved back the covers and followed the whimpers and cries to Dayne’s room. Hearing a “No!” Lawson peered inside.

Dayne had kicked off the covers, his eyes still closed, and was lying on his side, kicking his legs repeatedly. Lawson was about to turn to leave when Dayne cried out once move and lurched toward the edge of the bed. Lawson raced forward and caught him as he came off the mattress. Dayne struggled and fought, squirming and thrashing.

“Dayne, it’s all right.” He laid Dayne back on the bed and gently tried to wake him.

“Lawson?” Dayne asked, instantly calming and looking up at him with startled blue eyes. “What are you doing here?” He grabbed for the covers at the end of the bed and yanked them up to cover himself. Then Dayne looked back at him, and even in the light from the hall, Lawson saw Dayne blush beet red and then turn away.

“You were thrashing, and I caught you as you fell off the bed.” Lawson took a step back so he didn’t cause Dayne any more distress. “I heard you yelling in your sleep and wanted to make sure you were okay.” God, did Dayne think he was attacking him or something?

“Oh.” Dayne relaxed a little and lowered the covers he’d been using like a shield. “I guess I’m a little jumpy.”

“Ya think?” Lawson teased, giving Dayne a wink. Thankfully Dayne understood and smiled slightly. Lawson sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you want to talk about what happened?”

“It’s the middle of the night and….” Dayne’s eyes darted around the room, settling on him for a few seconds and then moving away. “You’re nearly naked,” he finally squeaked out, and Lawson realized he was only wearing a pair of old boxer shorts.

“I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just concerned when I heard you calling out.” As he went to stand, Dayne touched his arm. Lawson stilled when Dayne didn’t move his hand or pull away.

“You’re stunning,” Dayne breathed, then turned away, pulling his hand back. “Sorry. That was a dumb thing to say.” He rose the shield of covers again. “Just let me die of embarrassment here. You’ve been nice enough to let me stay here. You don’t need some twiggy doofus perving on you.”

Lawson reached for Dayne, touching his chin with just the tips of his fingers. “How about I go back to bed, and we both try to get some more sleep? I understand if you don’t want to talk about what’s happening, but try to sleep and not fall off the bed. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” Dayne’s lips, red and pulled slightly with worry, screamed irresistible, and his eyes were filled with such pain that Lawson wanted to kiss it all away. He knew it wasn’t that simple—pain and loss rarely were, especially with as much as Dayne had endured lately—but he wanted to try.

Dayne gazed at him, and Lawson saw Dayne’s hands and arms relax, the covers lowering enough to reveal where his nipples poked slightly at the fabric of his T-shirt. Damn, Lawson wanted to tug away that cotton and reveal what was underneath. Heat built in his groin, and he needed to cool it or things were going to get awkward, and he wasn’t wearing enough to keep his dick from making a full-on appearance. Not that he was ashamed of what he had in any way, but he didn’t need to scare Dayne or have Dayne think he was trying to push himself on him. “Good night,” Lawson rasped, lightly caressing Dayne’s cheek before standing and leaving the room.

As Lawson returned to his room, Tati came up the stairs. She sat, blinking at him the way cats did, and Lawson looked back. At some point in the night, she usually paid him a visit. Lawson expected her to stroll over, but instead she slinked across the hall, peeked into Dayne’s room, and went inside. He watched, and she didn’t come out. Sneaking back, he peered through the open door. Dayne lay on his side facing away from the door with Tati curled in the crook of his legs, her back pressed to Dayne’s backside. Lawson shook his head, returned to his room, and went back to bed, trying not to think of Dayne.

About Andrew

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing)  He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Author Links

Amazon Author Page | Barnes and Noble Page | Dreamspinner Press | Facebook | Facebook Group All the Way with Andrew Grey | Goodreads | Twitter | Website