Susan’s Perfect Man

By Susan Mac Nicol

I’m often asked what my ideal man would look like. What type of personality would he have and is there a specific profession that might leave me drooling.

My daughter and I have an ongoing disagreement. She is very fond of overly large muscle bound men with huge pecs, washboard stomachs, arms like hocks of hams, and hair. She likes hirsute men. I don’t. I’m not overly fond of too much hair on my blokes, I certainly don’t mind a treasure trail, or a finely tasteful smattering on the chest, but I draw the line at hairy backsides and I certainly don’t like my men looking like grizzly bears.

I definitely prefer a man to have the body of a swimmer, tall, lean, muscled, smooth skinned, muscles playing under skin and a tight, round arse. Flat stomach is preferred, if it’s a six pack, all the better. My idea man is probably Cade Mairston. He’s gorgeous and not one I would say no to. For anything he might want. I love dark men, strong eyebrows, quirky smiles, warm eyes and thick hair. I’m not averse to blonds or dirty blonds (the dirtier the better I hear you murmur?) if they look like Shane Templar or Quinn Fairmont.

My men have to have a sense of humour and intelligence. They don’t have to be Mensa members by any means because I wouldn’t be able to keep up with them but they need to be great conversationalists and entertaining. I’d prefer a man that reads, and if he wears sexy designer glasses when he gets into bed at night in his silky boxers, all the better. I don’t mind boxers or briefs. Either will do me until it’s time for them to come off. Then of course the measure of the man underneath the underwear is important. Size is important -don’t ever let anyone tell you different *grins*

Then when he sits in bed and smiles at me across the top of those sexy spectacles with that glint in his eyes that says’ ‘Be there soon, wait for me’, as he then turns his attention to the geeky process of being a hacker, a software developer, a computer games creator -yep, that’s my secret, I like ‘em geeky- I can give a satisfied grin , lay back on my satin pillows and wait for him to finish what he’s doing in the knowledge that later, he’ll be all mine.

Excerpt

Quinn’s eyes flashed violently at his uncle. “I am not fucking losing him to the depths of a bloody Hampstead Heath pond.”

He knelt down beside Cade again, closing his eyes as he tried once more to heal, but the wound just kept seeping blood, now at a much slower rate than before. Cade’s face was ash white, his dark hair standing out starkly against the deathly pallor of his face.

Quinn. Your Cade is nearly gone. You have to put him in the water now before it is too late. There is no time for your modern medicine. He will not survive unless you do it now. The Water Sprites will take him and heal him as long as there is still a spark of life left in him.

“I can’t. Don’t ask me to do that. I can’t.” Quinn’s voice was strangled as he struggled to compose himself. His body was cold, his mind sluggish and he had never felt so desperate.

Daniel strode forward and despite his small and wiry frame, he picked Cade up in his arms. He looked at Quinn, his voice resolute. “He’s dying. This may be the only way to save him.”

Quinn growled and reached out with a hand to hold him back. Daniel sidestepped him and looked at him with a resolute expression. “You can hurt me if you want but it won’t help Cade. This is all we have left to try before he dies.”

Quinn’s hand still gripped him tightly and the older man winced.

“If anyone is going to do this, it’s going to be me.” Quinn’s voice cracked and he held out his arms. Wordlessly, Daniel placed Cade in Quinn’s outstretched arms and Quinn pulled his lover closer to his body. He walked down to the water’s edge and waded in as Daniel watched helplessly from the bank, his face stark. Quinn gently laid Cade down in the water. He seemed to float for a while, hair spreading about in the water like black smoke. His face was still, eyes closed as Quinn held tightly onto his cold hand, rubbing his thumb over the engagement ring. Quinn’s vision blurred as tears filled his eyes.

You need to let Cade go. Let him join his kind below the water. Trust me.

Taliesin’s voice was soft, compassionate. Quinn heaved a shuddering sigh as Daniel joined him in the water, laying a comforting arm on his.

“I can’t—” Quinn shook his head in grief, his heart breaking.

His uncle took hold of his shoulders, firmly holding him back. “There’s no other way, son. Let him go.”

Quinn relinquished his grip on Cade’s hand, standing there as he heard a soft splash and saw the water rippling around them. As they watched, two sets of pale hands emerged out of the water, and slowly, lovingly, Cade was dragged gently beneath the dark waters of the pond. Quinn saw the hand with his ring on it slowly disappear under the water. It was the last glimpse he had of the man he loved.

About Double Alchemy: Climax

Powerful modern warlock Quinn Fairmont found ecstasy with the silver-eyed and not-quite-human Cade Mairston, but to know true happiness the pair must best both the shadow of a long-ago lover and an ancient enemy who seeks to destroy love, light and all they hold dear.

A BLINDING LIGHT

It begins with a Book of Shadows discovered by a London coven. The grimoire is as dangerous as it is rare, which is why it evokes modern-day warlock Quinn Fairmont’s desire. He collects objects of great power and beauty—like his lover, Cade Mairston.

Against all odds he and Cade found each other, but their perils have just begun. First is the ex-lover who once held Quinn in thrall. And, someone has been killing warlocks. Could it be one of his own kind? There are those too who would challenge Quinn’s power in their quest to overthrow him as Grand Master. Or is the danger something darker, something invoked inadvertently, rising from the shadows, building from the very inside of a man until it brings an end with a quick flash of light? Of the truth, the surface has only been scratched. Now Quinn and Cade must go deeper and find both answers and an end. They must learn what lurks in the hearts of men…and whether it seeks to love or destroy.

Available at: Boroughs Publishing, Amazon, Barnes and Noble & All Romance eBooks

About Susan Mac Nicol

Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, UK, and left for South Africa when she was eight. She returned to the UK thirty years later and now lives in Essex. Her debut novel Cassandra by Starlight, the first in a trilogy, was published last year by Boroughs Publishing Group in the US. Sue’s latest story, Double Alchemy is her fifth m/m romance.

Sue has written since she was very young, and never thought she would see herself becoming a Romance writer, being a horror/psychological thriller reader all her life. But the Romance genre is now something very close to her heart and she intends continuing the trend.

Sue is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Romantic Novelists Association here in the UK.

You can reach Susan at Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, & Pinterest

The prize in this blog tour is a chance to win an eBook copy of Double Alchemy AND The Gift of Magic by Susan Mac Nicol! Just click the link below to enter!

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Don’t forget to check out JustJen’s review of Double Alchemy: Climax to see what she thought of it!

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