Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

“A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.” — Anonymous

I’m blogging at Samhain today about friends and The Bottom Line. Here’s the link to Samhain Publishing

The theme this week is friendship. Quite a few of my stories deal with friends and friendship, but today I’ve chosen an excerpt from Fallen Idol. This is a m/m story about a man who has fallen in love with his best friend. There was no future for a relationship and they drifted in different directions. This excerpt shows their first meeting in a long time.

Fallen Idol by Shelley Munro

His palms were sweaty so he wiped them on his black trews. Rafi laughed at himself, his nervousness at seeing Roberto again. They’d been friends since they were kids growing up in Melbourne and had met at the education center. Roberto hadn’t cared about the color of his skin or about his mother’s racy reputation.

They’d liked one another immediately, having a lot in common. One of them more so than the other, Rafi thought with a wry twist of his lips. He’d fallen in love with Roberto while his friend had fallen in love with Fifi Da Groux and gone out on the Sex Idol circuit with her. Roberto had broken Rafi’s heart and hadn’t even known it. They hadn’t seen each other for two years, but Rafi had thought of Roberto every day since they’d said goodbye. Sap.

“Nah,” he muttered, shaking his head to negate the thought. “Just goes to show you I have good taste.” And was weird for talking to himself.

Rafi entered the apartment foyer, wrinkling his nose at the scent of overcooked vege rations and scorched soy meat. The interior wasn’t much better than the outside. Rundown and only suitable for those on the lower income scale. Rafi couldn’t understand why the great Roberto Azam was living here when he could afford so much better.

Roberto. Rafi pictured the man he loved. Tall and golden-skinned. Broad shoulders. A slim waist that tapered down to a tight butt. Rafi imagined stroking his hands across Roberto’s golden skin and shivered. His cock chose that moment to react to his lusty thoughts. Ah, but Roberto was worth it. His muscles rippled when he moved and Rafi knew his friend didn’t go in for body sculpting salons and artificial stuff. Those hard muscles were a combination of good genes and honest exercise in his father’s warehouse when he was a teenager.

Rafi thumped on the button to call the lift but nothing happened. Shrugging, he searched for a stairwell to reach Roberto’s flat on the fourth floor. As he climbed the stairs, Rafi thought about the amount of fuel he’d need to fill his spaceship for the trip to the outer territories. Anything to help his erection subside and save embarrassment. Roberto didn’t know how Rafi felt about him, and Rafi intended to keep the status quo. All he needed to do was get through this visit. Masochist that he was. Roberto was his friend. He was happy with Fifi. Rafi needed to accept that and move on with his life.

After climbing the dark stairwell, he exited on the fourth floor. There were six apartments on each floor. Rafi stalked down the wide passage toward number four, anticipation and apprehension skipping around inside him. Hell, seeing Roberto again was going to put him back at square one, ripping the scars from his wounded heart. But the idea of not seeing him—that was even worse.

He turned the corner and came to a halt. A pyramid of empty vroom flasks littered the passage outside number four. Rafi frowned and strode to the door. Vroom was a rough liquor produced on the planet Marchant. People became addicted to it if they weren’t careful. Eyesight was affected. In extreme cases blindness occurred along with lack of coordination and muscle wastage. The muscle melted away, replaced by excess fat. Rafi checked the pile of bottles again and shook his head. Surely this pile didn’t belong to Roberto. He knocked on the door.

“What the hell do you want?” a masculine voice demanded. “Go away.”

Rafi pounded a little harder, a tiny grin playing across his lips. Roberto’s voice. Familiar, it brought back memories. The husky growl still made his cock jump with anticipation. Rafi’s grin died. Friend’s box, remember? Roberto wasn’t interested in him in that way and all the wishing in the world wouldn’t change the facts.

“Go the fuck away!” Roberto’s rough voice rumbled through the door, slightly slurred but definitely recognizable.

Rafi shuddered at the abrasive texture of his friend’s sexy reply. He’d never met a male who turned him on so quickly with just a word. After taking a deep breath, Rafi knocked again.

The door flew open.

“I told you before, man. I have nothing left. You’ve taken everything.”

Rafi gaped at his friend. He was still tall and dark, but the bronzed god from his memory had vanished. Roberto was pale as a ghost. An overweight ghost. His muscles had disappeared, sinking into inches of blubbery fat. The sight of Roberto’s bare chest and protruding gut made Rafi faintly nauseous so he glanced at his friend’s face instead. His dark hair was long, scruffy and lank as though it hadn’t been washed for weeks. And his face—hell, his beautiful face was bloated and puffy. One bloodshot blue eye scowled at him while the other was black and almost swollen shut. Roberto’s jaw was swollen too, and when Rafi studied his body again, he noticed bruises. Someone had bashed his friend and done a pretty good job of it.

“Roberto,” Rafi said. He stood in the open doorway, uncertain for once in his life. He still didn’t know where to look. Didn’t Roberto have some clothes? That belly…it… Hell! It needed camouflage. Really badly. Rafi stared with fascinated horror as Roberto’s belly jiggled when he inhaled.

His crew would have gaped with open mouths if they’d seen their captain appearing so indecisive. In the past, the two men would have exchanged a quick hug and clapped each other over the back. Rafi would have savored the moment as he usually did. He’d imagined the feel of Roberto’s arms around him from the moment he’d decided to look his friend up between trips to the outer territories. Instead, there was awkwardness. Rafi didn’t know what the hell to do. It was difficult looking at that blubber, but touching it?

He shuddered inwardly and continued to hover outside the apartment. Part of him wanted to leave, to run away, but no, he couldn’t do that. He refused to run away. His legs remained firmly planted outside the apartment while his mind told him to deal with it. No matter what, or how he looked, Roberto was still his friend.

“Rafi?”

Rafi tensed and steeled himself, forcing his real feelings deep so nothing showed from the outside. “Yeah, man. I stopped by the Gratham Apartments. One of the security men said you’d moved here.” Not bad. His voice had sounded calm. Even.

“I don’t suppose you’d leave if I asked you?” A tinge of shame colored Roberto’s cheeks and his gaze slid away to stare at the floor.

Rafi forced himself to look his friend in the face. He was so…so… Hell, he reminded Rafi of a bloated whale. His gaze flitted across Roberto’s face before darting over his friend’s shoulder to study what he could of the apartment. Another heap of opaque vroom flasks lay beside a wooden chair. The apartment was filthy and offended Rafi’s nose. Soy dog wrappers littered the cheap plastic table. An open suitcase lay on the floor and the contents were strewn across the grubby gray floor in haphazard heaps. Rafi gave a cautious sniff before frowning. The smell could be coming from Roberto. He wasn’t certain, but whatever the source, it was disgusting.

Rafi straightened and forced himself to look Roberto in the face again. “Why would I leave? Roberto, I came to see you.” Roberto was his friend, and he was a friend in need.

Purchase Fallen Idol from Ellora’s Cave or Amazon Kindle.

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the links below:

Mari Carr
Shelley Munro
Vivian Arend
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Ashley Ladd
Emma Petersen
TJ Michaels
Lauren Dane
Eliza Gayle

The theme this week for Snippet Saturday is apologies. I’ve chosen an excerpt from The Bottom Line where Maggie’s friends apologize for the way they’ve treated her after a falling out about Connor, the lone male who hangs out with them.

The Bottom Line by Shelley Munro

Julia gestured for another bottle of wine, and Maggie hustled to serve both her and the new arrivals.

“How are you doing, Julia?” she asked in an undertone.

Julia shrugged. “Good days. Bad days. How about you?”

Obviously Julia wasn’t willing to talk specifics yet. “About the same as you. I don’t think I’m relationship material. Every one of them ends the same way, with me ending up alone. I think I’m doing okay, then things get mucked up and everything ends badly.” The words burst from Maggie, making her realize how badly she’d needed to talk.

Julia gave a sharp bark of laughter, one that held little humor. “You and me both. What say we give up on men and have a raging affair with each other?”

“Julia!” Christina said in clear shock. “Did you just proposition Maggie?”

“Why not?” Julia winked at her, but made sure Christina didn’t see. “We’re both off men, but like sex. I’m sure I could spank you, Maggie. Let’s talk.”

Susan started to splutter, while one of the young rugby players picked up on a pertinent word.

“Spanking?” he asked. “Which one of you is into spanking? There’s a great spanking blog that one of the other guys in my team put me on to. I thought it would be strange and kinky, but it’s really interesting.”

Susan blurted, “That’s Mag—”

“That’s great,” Maggie cut through Susan’s words, shouting loudly, and her friend clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes full of apology. “You sound very open-minded.” A pity he was too young for her.

In that moment, she knew she was going to meet up with her cyber lover. He pushed every one of her buttons and already knew she liked spanking.

“Where do you play rugby?” Christina asked, diverting the conversation.

Susan wasn’t so easily diverted, her speculative gaze going from Maggie to Julia and back. Maggie felt Susan’s gaze follow her down the bar while she served several beers and mixed drinks. It was another hour before things calmed down enough for her to check on her friends.

At least the initial stiffness had faded, although Maggie wasn’t fool enough to think their friendship would continue as if nothing had happened.

“Susan thinks we’re interested in each other. Connor would have a good laugh about that. He’s always said two chicks together are hot,” Julia said.

“Susan is gullible.” Maggie didn’t want to talk about Connor. She hadn’t seen him, not even at the gym. She hoped they didn’t mention she was working here. The last thing she wanted was to see him with his new blonde. She didn’t think she could cope with that. A sudden tight sensation behind her eyes told her she was far from over him.

Betrayal hurt—from both sides, which made her want to work to repair the rift with her friends.

“I’ve really missed you. I haven’t been going out much. Just work and Susan and Christina dragged me out tonight. I’m sorry I didn’t make more of an effort to see you,” Julia said in a low voice. “I really am sorry. You’re a good friend and you deserve better.”

“It’s okay,” Maggie murmured.

“It’s not, but thank you. Are you seeing anyone else?” Julia asked.

“Not really. Sort of,” she amended. Cripes, she was having regular cybersex.

“So, which is it?”

“I’ve been having some pretty torrid cybersex with someone I met through my blog.”

Julia’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Maggie moved away to serve some more customers, noting the crowd had thinned out. Some had left for home while others had moved to the adjoining restaurant.

When she returned to her friends, the rugby players had left. She gathered up the glasses, stacked them into the glass machine and switched it on.

“You can’t leave me hanging like that,” Julia said. “Spill.” She turned to the others and whispered, “Maggie’s having cybersex with some guy.”

“Maggie!” Susan said. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so critical. What I meant is that cybersex could be dangerous.”

“I intend to be careful,” Maggie said.

“For goodness sake, tell Maggie cybersex is dangerous,” Susan said.

“Susan, you sound like my mother when she discovered I knew about the birds and the bees,” Julia said. “Maggie’s having safe sex. What’s wrong with that?”

“There are all sorts of weird people online,” Susan said. “You’re having sex with one? I don’t believe it. You don’t know anything about him. How do you even know it’s a him? It could be a woman.”

“Or a horny underage teenager,” Christina added.

Maggie thought about Kinky Lover’s posts. “No,” she said slowly. “I don’t think it’s an underage male. This man knows his way around a woman’s body. He knows what makes us tick.”

“He could be married,” Julia said.

“See,” Susan said with concern. “Even Julia agrees. There has to be something wrong with him if he has to have cybersex. What’s wrong with the real thing? Why can’t he go out and find a date like most men do? Aw, hell, I don’t mean to sound critical. It’s a safety issue.”

“It’s not always so easy to meet people,” Maggie retorted. “I know. Heck, Susan. You know too. That’s why you’ve applied to a reality show.”

Susan nodded with a wry smile. “Touché.”

“We got in,” Christina said, bouncing up and down on her barstool.

Maggie noticed a new arrival. “Hold that thought,” she ordered, moving down the bar to serve the elderly couple.

When she returned, the three were in deep conversation. Maggie used the time to remove some empty glasses and wipe down the bar. She chopped up a lemon and restocked the beer fridge.

“You can take a break now,” the head barman said.

“Is it okay if I sit with my friends while I’m on my break?”

“Sure. Don’t be late back.”

With a nod, she walked around the bar.

“Are you on a break?” Christina asked. “Or are you finished for the night?”

“I wish. My feet are sore from standing. No, it’s a break. I have another two hours for this shift.”

“Let’s sit over there at the table,” Susan said.

They moved over to the table, Maggie clearing it off and taking the glasses to the bar before she rejoined her friends.

Susan stood and hugged her. “I’m sorry I was such a bitch about Connor. I have no excuses, but I’ll try not to repeat it ever again,” she whispered fiercely.

Christina embraced her, too, a tight squeeze that said more than words. Maggie blinked rapidly to control the surge of emotion gripping her chest.

“Don’t look at me,” Julia said with a wink. “I don’t want to hug you and start spreading rumors about our hot lesbian affair.”

Purchase your copy of The Bottom Line from Samhain Publishing, Amazon Kindle or All Romance eBooks.

To read more Snippet Saturday excerpts follow the trail below:

Jody Wallace
Eliza Gayle
Mari Carr
Vivian Arend
HelenKay Dimon
Lauren Dane
Shelley Munro
Shelli Stevens
TJ Michaels
Taige Crenshaw
McKenna Jeffries
Ashley Ladd

The theme of my current WIP is friends and friendship. I thought I’d give you friend sayings today. I also have a research-type question for you at the end and would really like your input.

1. A good friend can tell you what is the matter with you in a minute. He may not seem such a good friend after telling. ~Arthur Brisbane, “The Book of Today”

2. Being friendless taught me how to be a friend. Funny how that works. ~Colleen Wainwright, Communicatrix.

3. Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation. ~ George Washington (1732 – 1799)

4. When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends. ~ Japanese Proverb

5. If you make it plain you like people, it’s hard for them to resist liking you back. ~ Lois McMaster Bujold, Diplomatic Immunity, 2002.

6. It’s the friends you can call up at four a.m. that matter. ~ Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992)

7. Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. ~ Jane Austen (1775 – 1817), Northanger Abbey.

8. You don’t get to pick your own nickname. They’ve gotta give you one. It’s like we’re all tryin’ to make pets out of each other and we’re not comfortable unless we get to name ‘em. ~ Laura Moncur, Merriton.

9. It’s a lot like nature. You only have as many animals as the ecosystem can support and you only have as many friends as you can tolerate the bitching of. ~ Randy K. Milholland, Something Positive Comic, 08-16-05

10. There was a definite process by which one made people into friends, and it involved talking to them and listening to them for hours at a time. ~ Rebecca West (1892 – 1983)

11. If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. A man should keep his friendships in constant repair. ~ Samuel Johnson (1709 – 1784)

12. I’ve learned that all a person has in life is family and friends. If you lose those, you have nothing, so friends are to be treasured more than anything else in the world. ~ Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Prehistoric Ice Man, 1999.

13. The friendship that can cease has never been real. ~ Saint Jerome (374 AD – 419 AD), Letter.

QUESTION: What qualities do you look for in a friend? What heinous crime does a friend have to commit to get booted off your friend list?

What about you?