Risk Everything on It

by K.A. Mitchell

  “I’m not too busy, no.”

  “Good. Because I want you for a lead on a series.”

  “Lead?” Was it possible Hanson had missed the bombshell Jax had dropped? Maybe he’d been on location. In Antarctica. “That sounds great. Uh, you know I’m gay, right?”

  “That was news? Look, I’m in the city, and I’d like to talk to you about it. Say over dinner?”

  “Mind if I bring someone?”

  “Fine with me as long as he signs a nondisclosure agreement. We’re keeping a tight lid on this.”

  Hanson didn’t get any less mysterious, but they settled on Wednesday at a diner in Chelsea. It was still a step up from the stale turkey sandwich Jax had gotten at his last invitation from a producer.

  “I THOUGHT these kinds of meetings were supposed to take place in swanky restaurants,” Oz said as they passed the diner, searching for a place to park.

  “I don’t think Hanson knows swanky.”

  They ended up needing to use a garage. After Oz shut off the car, he stopped Jax from getting out with a hand on his thigh. “This is your work. If it takes you away from us for a while, we’ll deal. Just be prepared. Regan loves video chatting. She’s likely to carry you around the house.”

  Jax pictured her holding the phone while she demonstrated her new somersault. “I’ll get myself some motion sickness pills. Don’t think you’re getting rid of me yet, though. Usually it stays just talk.”

  “I think we’ll keep you around, if only for your sandwich- and popcorn-making skills.”

  “I am quite the master.” Jax leaned in. “So, what’s likely to happen on the phone after Regan finally falls asleep?”

  “Mmm.” Oz made that deep, sexy purr. “I’ve heard there are apps that can take video chatting to a whole other level.”

  “Now I kind of hope I’ll have to go someplace for a little while.”

  “Hm.” Oz gave him a long kiss. “Then I’ll just have to take you to the back of the Explorer after dinner and remind you of what you’ll be missing in person.”

  “Think we can manage without the Baby Boutique supplies?”

  Oz flipped up the cover on the storage between their seats. Baby wipes were right on top. “I did lots of time as a single dad. I’m always prepared.”

  “I love you.” It didn’t feel awkward at times like this when it slipped out. He pushed the cover shut. “Any time you’re ready to give up that title, let me know.”

  “What, prepared?” Oz grinned, eyes crinkling.

  “If that means always having lube on you, I hope you never give it up.”

  “Oh. Single.” Oz nodded as if he was just figuring it out. “Nope. That status is long gone.”

  “If I can wheedle permission out of Ayla, maybe we can make it official?”

  “I’d like that.” Oz’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ll put it on the schedule.”

  More from K.A. Mitchell

  Ready or Knot: Book One

  Kieran Delaney-Schwartz—adoptee, underachiever, and self-professed-slacker IT guy—lives his under-the-radar life by the motto: Don’t try, don’t fail. His adopted siblings are all overachievers thanks to his driven, liberal parents, but Kieran has elected to avoid disappointing anyone by not getting their hopes up. He’s coasting through his early twenties when he’s hit head-on by Theo. The successful decade-older Broadway producer sweeps him off his feet for a whirlwind thirteen months that are pretty sweet, until it all comes screeching to a halt on Valentine’s Day, with an unexpected proposal via an NYC Times Square flash mob.

  Now everyone wants in on the wedding, except the grooms….

  Readers love Put a Ring on It by K.A. Mitchell

  “…Mitchell did a nice job of setting up the conflict early and bringing things together at the end, while still letting us see the guys work together to solve their issues.”

  —Joyfully Jay

  “I absolutely loved this book.”

  —Gay Book Reviews

  “I love K.A. Mitchell because she writes stories that contain the perfect mix of angst and flawed men so that the reader works hard for that happily ever after.”

  —The Blogger girls

  “This is a book you will not be able to put down until the last page, so be prepared! The writing is excellent, the story intriguing and the characters very real, very human…”

  —Three Books Over the Rainbow

  “K.A. Mitchell is quietly one of my favorite M/M Authors.”

  —Prism Book Alliance

  K.A. MITCHELL discovered the magic of writing at an early age when she learned that a carefully crayoned note of apology sent to the kitchen in a toy truck would earn her a reprieve from banishment to her room. Her career as a spin-control artist was cut short when her family moved to a two-story house and her trucks would not roll safely down the stairs. Around the same time, she decided that Ken and G.I. Joe made a much cuter couple than Ken and Barbie and was perplexed when invitations to play Barbie dropped off. She never stopped making stuff up, though, and was surprised to find out that people would pay her to do it. Although the men in her stories usually carry more emotional baggage than even LAX can lose in a year, she guarantees they always find their sexy way to a happy ending.

  K.A. loves to hear from her readers. You can e-mail her at ka@kamitchell.com. She is often found talking about her imaginary friends on Twitter @ka_mitchell.

  E-mail: ka@kamitchell.com

  Twitter: @ka_mitchell

  Website: www.kamitchell.com

  Blog: authorkamitchell.wordpress.com

  Published by

  DREAMSPINNER PRESS

  5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886 USA

  www.dreamspinnerpress.com

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Risk Everything on It

  © 2016 K.A. Mitchell.

  Cover Art

  © 2016 Reese Dante.

  http://www.reesedante.com

  Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

  All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or www.dreamspinnerpress.com.

  ISBN: 978-1-63476-753-8

  Digital ISBN: 978-1-63476-754-5

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2015950534

  Published January 2016

  v. 1.0

  Printed in the United States of America