Steampunk, Contests, and Manlove, oh my!

Want to own a copy of Skye's Clockwork Romance? You're an inventor in a Steampunk world. What did you make? Leave your answer in a comment below along with your email address for a chance to win a copy. Contest ends on Wednesday September 18th! Good luck!  

About Skye Dragen

Born to write legends in manlove, Skye is a full time writer living in a ivory tower. Though no dragons currently occupy the space, three werecats, a irritatingly chipper parakeet, and a very understanding partner in crime provide endless entertainment. You can  usually find her curled up in the den, watching bad reality TV,  and dreaming up her next set of heroes. She welcomes comments and questions from her readers on her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SkyeDragen or just shoot her an email at skyedragen@outlook.com. 

Clockwork Romance

Clockmaker by day and thief by night, Arthur Winfield is used to charming his way into the homes and pocket books of London’s wealthiest patrons. He robs the rich to fund projects designed to help those in need and uses the nobility of his goal as an excuse for the continuation of his thieving. Little does he know that his latest mark may well be his last.

Lord Percival Brien’s wealth has acquired him a reputation for being one of the richest men in London. Solicited to ferret out the thief who robbed his uncle, he walks into Arthur’s shop with one purpose: divining whether or not the man he is looking for is the pretty-faced clockmaker in front of him. As he builds a friendship with Arthur, he may find that their tastes run to more intimate tracks than steam trolleys and airships.

Excerpt:

“I’ll have to come back. I don’t have enough materials in my shop to fit the order. However, it should only take a week or two for my regular supplier to make a delivery. I can come back then,” Arthur offered, his green eyes sparkling.

The man leaned toward him, and Percy’s gaze snagged on his lips. He wanted nothing more than to lean forward and claim Arthur’s lips in a kiss, which was ludicrous. Even in the best of circumstances, discretion was absolutely necessary.

Percy stretched his arms over his head to cover his disastrous slip in decency. “Would you care for a tour of the gardens?” Sunday had finally given them a break in the rain, and while the grounds would be soggy, the blooms would still be pleasant to look at. “I need to stretch my legs. The walls of this house are tedious after two days indoors.”

The Forgotten Cog was a beautiful place, but Percy was restless by nature and needed movement to remain content. It was one of the reasons he’d moved closer to London. He enjoyed the busyness of the city, but no one fashionable owned property in Town without having a country home as well. He was still looking for a flat on the West End.

“That sounds pleasurable. Let me fetch my coat from my room, and then we can walk.” He turned from Percy’s desk before walking across the floor and disappearing around the corner. Percy admired the view and replayed the image even after Arthur was gone. The man had a marvelous backside.
He pushed himself to his feet and gave himself yet another internal lecture about admiring his houseguest.

They met back in the entryway before heading out into the gardens beyond. Arthur’s enthusiasm for the project was obvious in every word out of his mouth and Percy’s normal restlessness faded in the face of such pleasant company.

“I’ve never met a man quite as enamored with mechanics as you are,” he teased. Percy didn’t tease. It wasn’t his way. But here he was, teasing.

A blush stole over Arthur’s cheeks. “The future is in the mechanized world. Trolleys, steamships, and the like are going to open the world up in ways that we can’t fathom at present.”

Percy nodded his agreement. “I believe you. I’ve always admired the inventors of our age but never could quite understand them. Perhaps over the course of this project, I, too, could learn a thing or two about this new world you speak of.”

“I could show you a few simple mechanical whatnots for you to occupy yourself with,” Arthur promised, his eyes shining. “But be warned, the ladies don’t much care for grease or parts littering a house. Should you wed, be prepared for a great many lecture.”

The statement gave Percy pause. Was the man fishing for information? He mentally shrugged. No
matter. “I have no intention of wedding. Women are curious creatures that completely perplex me.”
“Ah, a lifelong bachelor. I can relate to that.” Arthur bumped their shoulders and Percy warmed at the contact. It reminded him of the easy touches that had come when he’d been at his all boys boarding school in Oxford.

“So what other interests do you have, Arthur?” Percy asked, pulling himself out of how good the contact felt.