FRIENDLY SKIES

Blue Skies – Book Two

by Marie Sinclair

Cover & Excerpt Reveal

Release Date: August 15, 2024

Cover Design:






Black Jazz Design

Genre: M/M Romance Standalone

Trope: Best friends to lovers, one bed, hurt/comfort, pining, trauma recovery

Synopsis

Luis and Darius have been each other’s almas gemelas—soul twin—since childhood. They’re ride-or-die besties who have shared every coming-of-age experience, platonic kisses, cuddles, careers as flight attendants, even the occasional hook-up with a third. But they’ve never admitted to each other just how deep their feelings for each other run.

By the time Darius, who’s always known he’s gay, realized Luis was too, it was too late; his place in Luis’s friend zone was set in stone. Rather than pushing for what he really wants, he’s settled for being the safe place for Luis whenever his unexplained anxieties stalk him at night.

Luis has spent the years since he was drugged by a family friend at his sister’s quinceañera party hiding secrets. He doesn’t regret the kisses he shared with Darius in the shadows of his bedroom that night. It’s what happened later—at someone else’s hands—that he’s never told anyone. Not even his soul twin. He’s stayed silent rather than risk losing the one man he can’t survive without.

Luis’s trauma is pushed into the light when an incident on one of Darius’ flights makes him finally admit how he really feels. But when false accusations surrounding the incident surface, Luis’s anxiety and memories could derail his and Darius’ new-found relationship. Working their way past this rocky stretch on the road to forever will take every ounce of love they have for each other—and then some.

***Trigger warnings: SA, PTSD, trauma – this book contains an on-page description of assault as well as depictions of trauma response, confrontation with an abuser, and a false accusation of SA against one of the MCs.

Excerpt

Luis shuddered and curled over so his back was to Darius, which immediately made Darius roll onto his side sand Luis into his arms and spoon him. Darius pressed his lips to the back of Luis’ neck. “What aren’t you telling me, chico?”

With a shake of his head, Luis pressed back against Darius. “I’m drunk, Dar. I was worried about you, so I made margaritas, and I drank too many of them, and now the room won’t stop spinning.”

“Not one of your better decisions.” Darius kissed his way up Luis’ neck and nuzzled behind his ear.

“No shit.” Luis sighed. “I’m so tired of being a fuck-up.”

The words were said in a whisper, but Luis could have screamed them at the top of his lungs from the way they made Darius go cold.

“You’re the farthest thing from a fuck-up. Why would you say that?”

Luis shook his head and burrowed into his pillow mumbling something Darius couldn’t make out.

“You have to know I think you’re amazing,” Darius said. “You’re perfect, chico, I’ve always thought so. You’re smart, you’re funny, you’re also fucking sexy and have incredible taste in clothes and best friends.” That got a little huff of air from Luis, which made Darius smile. He leaned closer and whispered into Luis’ ear, “I now also have first-hand knowledge how amazing you are in bed.” The full-blown laugh made Darius’ heart soar. “All of that is why I love you. Except maybe the thing about being great in bed because I didn’t know it first-hand until last night, though I suspected. And I must say that I’m really glad to find out I was right because if the sex wasn’t off-the-charts, I was gonna dump you for someone better.”

That statement got Luis rolling over and straddling Darius who entwined their hands and placed them over his heart.

Luis leaned in close. “I don’t believe you.”

“Good,” Darius said. “Because I am never going to find someone better than you.” He lifted his head and kissed Luis. “I am yours for the rest of your life, if you want me.”

“Of course, I want you, cariño, for as long as you’ll have me. I love you.”

They lay like this for several minutes, trading kisses, both of them gradually growing hard but in no hurry to do anything about it. At one point, Darius reached around Luis’ waist and flipped them. Luis immediately widened his legs so Darius could rest between them. He ran his fingers through Luis’ coal black hair, loving the feel of those silky strands as he brushed them away from Luis’ face and stared into his dark eyes.

If Darius hadn’t known Luis so well, he probably would have missed the tension that lingered in the corners of his mouth and around those gorgeous eyes. He knew there was more going on than Luis was admitting, but didn’t know how far he should push to get answers. He’d never questioned what they had as friends, but this new thing between them? They were still building it, still discovering what it meant for them. At the moment, it still felt fragile, something he needed to treat with care and consideration, to nurture so it could grow.

“You know there isn’t anything you can’t tell me. Right, chico?”

Luis bit his lower lip, but he nodded. “Of course. And the same goes for you, too.”