by Daryl Banner
“Light me up, love,” I return to him with a wink.
He departs through the wing. I face the curtains once again, but with a renewed sense of purpose. I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I grip my wrist, my fingers touching the new charm that rests there.
I don’t know what waits for us in our future. All I know is, Clayton Watts will be with me every step of the way, and I can’t fucking wait to experience every little exciting, precious moment of it. I can certainly tell our summer’s going to be a whirlwind of pursuing our passions.
I wonder what new songs will find me in those quaint, New York City piano bars.
I wonder what brilliant strokes of light Clayton will bring to those stages.
I see the crowds. I hear the murmur of an eager audience at the edge of their seats, tittering with anticipation, whispering amongst themselves as they wait excitedly for the curtains to rise.
And I stand here in the darkness backstage, all the music bursting within me and ready to be freed.
The curtains rise. Cue the music.
Lights up.
The end.
Continue for a sneak peek of Beneath The Skin,
Book 2 in the College Obsession Romance series.
Thank you so much for joining me for another one of my stories. And if this is your first time reading one of my books, thanks for giving me a try!
If you liked Dessie & Clayton, keep going for a sexy sneak peek of book 2, Beneath The Skin, where we get to learn Brant’s story. Our favorite cocky flirt is about to meet his match at the School of Art, where he comes face-to-face (among other things) with a wild and provocative young artist who will claim to be more woman than Brant can handle. Something tells me he’s up for the challenge.
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Continue for an introduction to my other work and series, including my post-apocalyptic fantasy series The Beautiful Dead, my epic dystopian saga Outlier, and my series of standalone M/M novellas called The Brazen Boys.
OR, if you’d like to skip straight to the sneak peek of Beneath The Skin (A College Obsession Romance #2) then click here.
Introduce yourself to The Brazen Boys.
Each Brazen Boy is a standalone M/M romance novella and can be read in any order. All novellas are only $0.99 or available to read with KU (Kindle Unlimited)
“Dorm Game (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00TZCHUEI
Andrew is the muscular dream boy from Intro to Psych. Michael is the lonely kid desperate for a new roommate. When a class project - and one very reckless decision - forces them together, an unstoppable game of teasing, torment, and pleasure begins. Michael will soon learn that Andrew’s sexual interests are far from ordinary ...
“On The Edge (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00V8CZJTQ
It is Derek's birthday and there's nothing he wants more than the mysterious, musclebound boy from the website who goes by the name Edge. When an accidental keystroke brings the dream boy to Derek's house - in the flesh - Derek soon learns he's in for a lot more than he would ever bargain for in a surprise birthday gift ...
“Owned By The Freshman (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00X4XQOUU
Thomas Kozlowski, the not-so-easily impressed acting professor, can’t get his hot new college freshman Justin Brady out of his head. Sexy bod, killer smile and a taste for taking charge, this cocky nineteen-year-old is Thom’s forbidden fantasy. The professor wants a lesson in getting owned, and the strapping young freshman is all too eager to give it.
“Dog Tags (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00Y60FBTA
Growing up, Jesse was lonely, bullied, and misunderstood. Brandon was the scary, messed-up boy next door. When Jesse hears that Brandon is home on leave from the military, he discovers his childhood neighbor’s Army training has turned him into a hard-bodied beast. Jesse can’t keep his eyes off of him. They are no longer children. They have different needs. The summer just became full of possibilities.
“All Yours Tonight (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B01045TDS0
Wes is an expert at healing the world one paying customer at a time. Being a male escort, he is used to keeping emotional distance between him and his clients. But when Bradley, the ever-adorable good-boy-gone-bad, crosses his path, his life takes an unexpected turn for the crazy. His rules are broken. His boundaries, destroyed. Everything Wes thought he knew about men and the intimacy they crave
is about to fall apart.
“Straight Up (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B012Y4IWFO
“Straight” small-town boy Benny has a secret: he is miserably in love with his punk roommate and childhood best friend Trent. When Benny goes on a date with the town’s “sure thing” girl, his night is wrecked by the ever-flamboyant Charlie, who doesn’t seem to buy that Benny is just another straight boy. Love, longing, and secrets torment Benny, and when a night of drunken partying goes too far, his crush on Trent might become more than just a fantasy ...
“Houseboy Rules (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B015OWZTQI
Liam Hightower has a lot of money and seven different houseboys he can play sexy games with at his leisure. But when he hires eighteen-year-old Evan fresh out of high school, Liam discovers what his life was missing. The smart forbidden fruit called Evan is not like the other boys. When Liam's sexual appetite crosses a line, Evan flips the rules on his boss, teaching him a hard lesson on what it means to obey the houseboy rules.
“Slippery When Wet (The Brazen Boys)”
http://www.amzn.com/B018HQEAUE
Uptight and perpetually-single Scott can't wait to embark on a seven day cruise with his straight best friend. Trouble is, stressed-out Scott doesn't know how to "vacation". When he stumbles into the unapologetically carefree and stunning boy named Hendry, Scott's dry heart gets an overdue drenching. With only seven days on the luxury cruise ship, things between the boys are about to get slippery.
Want to go on a group date and try the Brazen Boys four at a time?
Check out the Brazen Boys Box Sets, available here:
The Brazen Boys (Books 1 to 4)
http://www.amzn.com/B013Z1RWJM
In this four-story collection, Andrew, Derek, Thomas, and Jesse find men who steal their hearts and capture their imaginations. From a new roommate to a summer full of possibilities, these romantic tales will keep you turning pages.
(Included in this box set from THE BRAZEN BOYS series: Dorm Game, On The Edge, Owned By The Freshman, Dog Tags)
The Brazen Boys (Books 5 to 8)
http://www.amzn.com/B01BJ27EKG
In this steamy four-story collection, Wes, Benny, Liam, and Scott ignite romance with men who teach them what it means to be brazen. From a life on the streets to passion on a seven-day cruise, these tales will tease you, excite you, and steal your heart away.
(Included in this box set from THE BRAZEN BOYS series: All Yours Tonight, Straight Up, Houseboy Rules, Slippery When Wet)
** Be on the lookout for an all new M/M full-length series, coming soon! **
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Are you a fan of dystopian series? Try out the epic, gritty, characte
r-driven Outlier series by Daryl Banner: full-length novels set in an immersive medieval/futuristic world. Its sprawling story is told through a strong ensemble of unique & unlikely heroes. It contains M/M and M/F sexuality, adult language, and violence.
“Outlier: Rebellion (Book 1)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00M1XUK7W
The world is destroyed, save for the Last City Of Atlas where every citizen is born with a unique, special ability and, for some unknown reason, humans no longer sleep or dream. Poor, starved, and armed with only their lowly powers, an unlikely crew of slum-born form a secret rebel group with the sole purpose of assassinating the Banshee King, who rules from the Lifted City above where those born rich—and with great powers—live in luxury. When all seems hopeless, the rebellion discovers that their newest member—a boy who can sleep and dream—just might be the key to their victory.
“Outlier: Legacy (Book 2)”
http://www.amzn.com/B0172A5OHE
In the second installment of the OUTLIER series, rebels armed with unique and fantastic abilities called Legacies continue to shake the Last City of Atlas from below, rising against the majestic, high-tech Lifted City and its cruel Banshee King, who can annihilate an army with just one scream. Friendships are made and broken as loyalties change. Love is ignited ... and savagely avenged. Can peace ever hope to be found? Will lost loved ones reunite? Unlikely alliances form and incredible new powers are discovered in the wake of the coming war between slum and sky. Weapons find your hand ... It is time to discover your Legacy.
“Outlier: Reign Of Madness (Book 3)”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24803966-outlier
(Coming soon.)
It has been two months since the Madness took over. In the third installment of the OUTLIER series, our band of unlikely heroes—both slum-born and sky—survive in a very changed, volatile world. The slums ignite with chaos. Ancient powers awaken. Doomsday is on the heels of everyone as the Mad King entertains himself by casting his fiery “Finger Of Madness” down upon the slums below, destroying anything in the red light’s path. Our heroes are about to learn the sobering reality that not everyone is safe from death’s uncaring, cold grip. And when the fog of war settles, will there even be a city left to save?
“Outlier: Beyond Oblivion (Book 4)”
(Not yet released.)
“Outlier: Five Kings (Book 5)”
(Not yet released.)
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Have you read The Beautiful Dead by Daryl Banner? Take the journey with the freshly-pulled-from-the-earth Undead Winter and her unusual friends in this genre-defying post-apocalyptic fantasy series that has captivated countless hearts (beating and unbeating) across the world.
Each trilogy can be read independently, but it’s best to read them in order.
They are available to read with Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited (KU).
The Beautiful Dead Trilogy:
“The Beautiful Dead (Book 1)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00EEPZN2W
She’s dead. In fact, the whole world’s dead. Every single person, apparently. Unburied and reimagined into a beautiful living-dead woman called Winter, she is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in a quaint, peaceful city with no hunger, no sickness and no bills to pay. Her Second Life is perfect in every way possible. So why is she so bent on destroying it all? After angering the mayor, befriending rebel headless teenagers and igniting romance with a dark and brooding neighbor, she finds herself wrestling madly with a First Life she cannot remember and this Second Life she cannot accept. Not to mention the maniacal army of rotting corpses who want her dead. Again. But none of that matters in comparison to an even bigger problem. There’s a guest in her house. A rude, good-looking man on the run ... a man with a heartbeat.
“Dead Of Winter (The Beautiful Dead, Book 2)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00P1O0KXW
No one said being an Undead is easy. Winter’s Second Life became a lot more complicated when the Living moved into her hometown of Trenton. Undead neighbors fight with their Breathing ones. Food is sparse. And, worst of all, the season is taking a change for the colder. A desperate plea for help to a neighboring city turns deadly and soon Winter finds herself facing an old friend from her past whose plot to annihilate all life on the planet may have everything to do with her. And what about the man-with-the-heartbeat in her house? Is there even room for love in such a ruined, unforgiving world? New friends are made. Others are lost forever. In the dead of winter, no one is safe.
“Almost Alive (The Beautiful Dead, Book 3)”
http://www.amzn.com/B00VPJFTNS
Twelve years have passed since the devastation. The world is changed. What once was a planet struggling to survive is now a planet bursting to life. The humans are thriving. Gardens are growing. Trees are reaching up to the sky and the Undeadly clutch on the planet is slowly letting go. But what does that mean for Winter and her friends? In the wake of spring, the last of the desperate Undead gather, fighting to maintain their place in a world that no longer wants them. Mother Nature slowly but certainly works to purge the planet of the Dead, just when Winter thought she had finally embraced this Second Life. Her new friends are back and old nemeses return for the final chapter in Winter's Undead journey.
The Sunless Reach Trilogy:
“The Whispers (The Beautiful Dead, Book 4)”
http://www.amzn.com/B01CF003YU
Note: This book starts a NEW Beautiful Dead trilogy and can be read independently from the first three, though you will have the most enriching experience by reading them in order.
Jennifer needs to know the truth about the Beautiful Dead. Do they really exist, or is it all a lie? She faces punishment from the university if she pursues her forbidden Undeadly studies - but she could also change the world. One reckless decision (that may or may not be totally illegal) sends Jennifer and her friends embarking on an adventure of a deathtime to find the truth at last. She did not expect, however, to discover the fate of all humanity resting in her little Living hands.
“The Winters (The Beautiful Dead, Book 5)”
(Coming soon.)
“The Wakings (The Beautiful Dead, Book 6)”
(Not yet released.)
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Beneath The Skin
(A College Obsession Romance #2)
© 2016 Daryl Banner
I can sweet-talk my way between any pair of legs.
“Yeah, the model can’t make it,” I explain, working my best charm on the desk lady. “At least, that’s what Grace said.”
“Grace?” she repeats, her lips parted and her chest rising and falling with anticipation.
I’ve seen that look a million times. She’s already picturing me with my clothes off. If I lick my lips, she’ll cream all over her chair. If I give her my best eyes, she’ll do anything I want.
“Grace. The head of the Art school,” I reply, my voice as light as whipped cream on a nipple. “Now, Irene, I gotta warn you—”
“Irma,” she corrects me dreamily, her unblinking eyes glued to me.
“Cute name.” I shoot her a wink. “Now, Irma, it’s very possible that the original model might still show up. So, you know, if he does, he needs to be sent away. Grace’s orders.”
“Sent right away,” she agrees, furrowing her brow.
She bought the whole damn thing. I’d laugh if I didn’t think it’d blow my cover. Really, just give me a chance to flash my smile and my baby blues, and I can pre
tty much get a woman to believe anything.
I lift my brows. “So, doll, wanna tell me which room it is?”
“14 … um, 1401,” she stammers. “Hall A, the first one.”
“Thanks, Irma. You saved my life,” I tell her.
That’s what I tell them all—you saved my life. Girls eat that shit up.
The professor waits outside the classroom, a woman who looks like she hasn’t slept in days. She seems confused when I explain the little predicament, but I have her smiling in no time. She gives me a robe and tells me where to change after giving me a surprised once-over she thinks I didn’t notice. Maybe she was expecting an older model.
Maybe I also notice how her breathing changes.
Women is a language I speak fluently.
When I enter the hall in my robe, I’m faced with the backs of the artists at their easels. I lift my chin and lock my jaw. This is going to be so fucking great. I already can’t wait to see Clayton’s expression when I tell him what the fuck I did today. I’m about to be the envy of every woman and man in this room.
I strut through the sea of art students, drawing their attention one at a time as the professor announces my arrival. The lonely stool in the center of the room awaits my tight tush.
“Whenever you’re ready,” urges the professor, her voice a tad too tight in the throat.
Just when my eyes meet the front row, I see her.
It’s the girl I saw earlier in the courtyard.
Boy, she’s one fierce-looking woman. Her jet black hair is swept over the side of her slender neck, and her deep black eyeliner gives her a dangerous allure.