Emily Larkin's Blog - Posts Tagged "claiming-mister-kemp"

Hi there!

Here's another snippet from Claiming Mister Kemp.

Tom and Lucas have been close friends for years. For most of that time they've been in love with each other—and doing their best to ignore the attraction between them.

But now Tom's back from soldiering, and things are about to change. In fact, they already have changed.

Last night Lucas was drunk and things went further than friendship. Way further. Lucas wants to pretend it didn't happen, but Tom refuses to pretend any more.

[This scene is in Tom's point of view, so the italics are his thoughts.]

Lucas lengthened his stride, walking even faster. Trying to outrun the memory of last night? Trying to outrun the silent, sexual frisson between them?

Or is it only me who feels it?

Tom didn’t think so. Something—instinct, hunch, gut feeling—call it whatever one wanted—something told him that the attraction wasn’t one-sided. That it had never been one-sided.

Lucas swung right and cut down Avery Row, striding fast.

“Lucas—”

“Not now.”

“Yes, now.” Another five minutes and they’d be at the Albany, where Smollet was waiting and where any chance of private conversation would be lost.

“I told you: I don’t―”

The Brook Street Mews loomed to one side, a black cave in the darkness. Tom caught Lucas’s arm and pulled him into the mews.

Lucas tried to jerk his arm free. “Look, I don’t want to talk. I’m tired―”

“Tough,” Tom said, propelling Lucas backwards until his back thudded up against a wall. “Because I do want to talk.”

“Damn it, Tom―”

Tom leaned in and kissed him. He couldn’t see Lucas in the darkness of the mews; the kiss fell off-center, catching the very corner of Lucas’s mouth.

Lucas stiffened, and jerked his head back.

Tom heard their breaths—short, sharp—and then he kissed Lucas again.

This time he found his mark.

So, there you have it. Their friendship is changing—and this time, Lucas can't pretend it's not happening.



[Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum's collection of public domain images.]

Hello!

I'd like to introduce you to the heroes of the fourth book in the Baleful Godmother series, Claiming Mister Kemp. Yes, you read that correctly: this book has two heroes, and no heroine. (Although you will glimpse the heroines of the previous three books.)

Tom Matlock and Lucas Kemp have been close friends for years, and for most of that time they've been in love with each other—and doing their best to ignore the attraction between them. But Tom's back from fighting on the Peninsula, and things are about to change . . .

Here's a snippet from the first chapter. Tom's just arrived in London, and the first thing he does is visit his best friend.

He stared down at Lucas, sprawled in the armchair, disheveled and drunk. It didn’t take any feat of insight to guess why Lucas had chosen to spend his twenty-seventh birthday like this. The solitude, the alcohol, the tears were because of his dead twin sister, Julia.

Tom shook Lucas’s shoulder gently. “Come on, Lu. Time for bed.”

Lucas hunched away from his hand. “Go ’way,” he mumbled, not opening his eyes.

Tom uttered a faint laugh. This wasn’t the welcome he’d imagined. “No. I’m staying until you get into bed.”

“Want t’ be alone.”

“Tough. I’m not Smollet. You can’t tell me what to do.” He took Lucas’s arm and tried to haul him from the armchair.

Lucas pulled free. His eyes slitted open. He clumsily swung a blow.

“Easy, man,” Tom said, catching the fist.

Lucas’s eyes came fully open, his fist clenched in Tom’s hand—and then Lucas blinked, and bafflement crossed his face. His fist sagged. He peered at Tom owlishly. “Tom? That you, Tom?”

“Yes. Come on, on your feet.”

Lucas’s brow creased with confusion. “You’re in Portugal.”

“No, you cod’s head, I’m right here. On your feet.”

He hauled on Lucas’s arm again, and this time Lucas didn’t try to strike him.

Lucas was six foot two and built like a prizefighter, but Tom was two inches taller, and if he was leaner than Lucas, he was almost as strong. A grunt and a mighty heave and he had Lucas on his feet.

He slung Lucas’s slack arm over his shoulder. “Come on. Bed.”

Lucas couldn’t walk a straight line. Not only that, his legs kept buckling. Tom was out of breath by the time they reached the bedroom door. “Jesus, Lu, how much cognac did you have?”

“Dunno,” Lucas said, and uttered a discreet burp.

“You’d better not shoot the cat,” Tom said, warningly.

“Not tha’ drunk,” Lucas said, leaning bonelessly against him.

“Yes, you are—and I swear to God, Lu, if you vomit on me I’m going to shove you headfirst into the nearest privy.”

Lucas huffed a faint, cognac-scented laugh, and then sighed heavily. “I missed you.”

Tom tightened his grip on him. I missed you, too. He permitted himself to rest his cheek against Lucas’s hair for a brief second, and then thought, Fuck it, and pressed his face into Lucas’s hair and inhaled deeply.

Lucas didn’t notice; he was too drunk.

Tom closed his eyes and inhaled two more breaths. Nineteen years of friendship, and this was the closest they’d ever physically been. Almost hugging.

So, there you have it: two men who've been best friends for years, and whose relationship is about to change dramatically.



[Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum's collection of public domain images.]

Hi there!

In my last snippet from Claiming Mister Kemp, Tom and Lucas kissed for the first time. In this snippet, they're dealing with the aftermath of that moment.

[The scene is in Lucas's point of view.]

A key scraped in the keyhole. The door opened. Tom stepped into the entrance hall.

Panic kicked in Lucas’s belly. He scrambled to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

Tom put the key back in his pocket. “Came to see you, muttonhead. Why else would I be here?”

“But it’s morning.” And then Lucas caught the significance of Tom’s clothes. “You’re not in uniform.”

“Wellesley gave me some leave. Says he doesn’t need me under his feet.” Tom halted in the middle of the sitting room. “We need to talk, Lu.” He caught sight of the trunk, already corded. His eyebrows rose. “Going somewhere?”

“Whiteoaks,” Lucas said. “Always do, this time of year.” And then he shut his mouth and listened to his heartbeat thud in his ears.

Tom looked at him for several seconds, his gaze cool and assessing. “Running away?”

Lucas flushed—but didn’t deny the charge. Yes, he was running away.

Tom pulled off his gloves and tossed them on the nearest table. “Look, Lu―”

“I don’t want to discuss it,” Lucas said firmly.

A faint glint of laughter lit Tom’s eyes. “Chickenhearted, Lu?” He took off his hat and shrugged out of his greatcoat.

Lucas’s panic scrambled up from his belly to his chest, where it squeezed his lungs. “I’m busy. I must ask you to leave.”

The glint of laughter faded. Tom’s expression became serious. “Is that what you truly want? For me to leave?”

Lucas looked away. “Yes.”

For a long moment, there was silence. Lucas stared at the nearest bookcase, and felt the panic tight in his chest, and waited desperately for the sound of Tom picking up his greatcoat. It didn’t come.

“Then you’ll have to throw me out, because I’m not leaving until we’ve talked about this.”

Anger sparked in Lucas’s breast. He swung his gaze back to Tom. “Damn it, these are my rooms!”

Tom shrugged. “So, throw me out.”

Lucas clenched his fists and glared at him, torn between panic and anger.

Tom stared back, a bulldog expression on his face.

They both knew that if he wanted to, Lucas could throw Tom out. Tom was taller, but Lucas was brawnier—and he had a right hook that could floor an ox.

Tom’s eyebrows lifted. “No? Let’s talk, then.”

He crossed to the fireplace—and Lucas suddenly knew how a hen felt when it was cornered by a fox. He felt a burst of panic and struck out wildly. Not a right hook, and not with his full body weight behind it, but enough of a punch that Tom reeled back a pace, tripped over the ottoman, and fell heavily.

Lucas took a horrified step forward—and forced himself to halt.

Tom pushed up on one elbow and gingerly touched his cheek. “What the devil was that for?”

“I asked you to leave,” Lucas said stiffly. He felt sick to the pit of his belly. I hit Tom.

Tom climbed to his feet. “If you want me to leave, you’re going to have to hit me harder than that.”

Shall we just say that the path from best friends to lovers can be rocky at times?



[Image courtesy of the Rijksmuseum's collection of public domain images.]

The fourth book in the Baleful Godmother series, Claiming Mister Kemp, is now available!

Claiming Mister Kemp is the most emotional romance I've ever written, and also the most sensual, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea because . . . it's a romance between two men.

If you've read Trusting Miss Trentham, you'll know which two men!

It was never my intention to write a male-male romance, but when Tom and Lucas showed up in Trusting Miss Trentham I liked them both so much that I decided to write their story.

Claiming Mister Kemp was a challenging book to write, but also incredibly enjoyable, not only because I had double the number of heroes, but because one of them is my first ever virgin hero.

There some deeply emotional moments as Tom and Lucas navigate the tricky path from best friends to lovers and I should warn you that some scenes have made readers cry.

I think Claiming Mister Kemp is one of the best books I've ever written, but I understand that not everyone feels comfortable reading male-male romance. If you're not sure whether you'll enjoy it, I encourage you to read the excerpt on my website. 

Claiming Mister Kemp is a Baleful Godmother book, so Lucas and Tom do have several brushes with magic—even though they don't entirely understand what's happening. You'll also meet Letty and Icarus again (the hero and heroine of Trusting Miss Trentham).

Here's the blurb:

Lucas Kemp’s twin sister died last year. He’s put aside his mourning clothes, but not his heartache. If Lucas ever needed a friend, it’s now—and who should walk in his door but Lieutenant Thomas Matlock…

Lucas and Tom are more than just best friends; they’ve been in love with each other for years. In love with each other—and pretending not to know it.

But this time, Tom’s not going to ignore the attraction between them. This time, he’s going to push the issue.

He’s going to teach Lucas how to laugh again—and he’s going to take Lucas as his lover…

If you read Claiming Mister Kemp, I hope you enjoy it so much it makes you cry!