Guest Post | December with Peppermint by K.L. Noone

Today we have K.L. Noone on a visit! She’s here to share a little about December with Peppermint. Welcome!

Hi, everyone – happy December! And thank you to the lovely Ofelia for letting me drop by! It’s always a pleasure.

The weather’s getting colder and the holiday decorations are going up—so I wanted to share a little bit about my new release, “December with Peppermint,” which is all about handmade decorations, terrible puns about mint, and definitely no one making a holiday-themed sex tape, no matter what Finn’s agent suggests!

“December with Peppermint” is a short little holiday follow-up for Finn and Wes from “October by Candlelight,” my autumn-themed moving-in-together story—here, they’re getting ready for their first Christmas in their home together! Which comes with families wanting to visit, and Finn wanting to decorate everything in sight, and Wes needing to grade papers…and, on top of that, Finn’s agent worrying that he’s not visible enough, not memorable enough, not someone casting directors think of, these days…in need of something drastic, perhaps, to get people talking. (The sex tape suggestion isn’t entirely serious. Though…if Finn and Finn’s boyfriend might be willing to go along with it…) (Wes: “Not in this or any other universe, as much as I love you.”)

Fortunately, Wes is good at solving problems. And he might have an idea.

There’s also a lot of holiday baking, cozy blankets, seasonally flavored lube, and holiday movie-watching, cuddled up together! (Including a not-really-very-subtle nod to the main characters from my Character Bleed series—not a crossover as such, but Wes and Finn are watching a Colby Kent romantic comedy, at one point…I couldn’t resist!)

So I hope you can cuddle up, sip a seasonal beverage, and enjoy December along with Wes and Finn! And thanks again to Ofelia for letting me share it with you here!

Buy links

Amazon :: JMS Books

Author Bio

K.L. Noone teaches college students about superheroes and Shakespeare by day, and writes romance – frequently paranormal or with fantasy elements, usually LGBTQ, and always with happy endings – when not grading papers or researching medieval outlaw life. She is currently the servant of a large black cat named Merlyn, who demands treats on a regular basis.

Blurb

Wesley Kim absolutely, positively refuses to film a holiday sex tape. And that might be a problem.

His boyfriend’s agent thinks it’ll be good publicity for Finn’s career. In good fun. Tasteful. A deliberate leak to announce to everyone that former adorable teen idol Finn Ransom’s all grown up and definitely sexy. Finn’s already said no, but now he’s worried about his image. He does want to be himself for the world, openly loving holidays and handcrafted ornaments and terrible puns and his boyfriend.

With some holiday decorations, candy canes, and a lot of love, Finn and Wes just might find a compromise that’s a little bit nice, a little bit naughty … and flavored with peppermint kisses.

Excerpt

Getting dressed, Wes paused to slide an arm around Finn’s waist and tug his other half close; Finn leaned some weight against him. Wes offered, “Coffee? More candy cane hot chocolate? That salted caramel tea you bought? Want me to put up those garlands for the windows?”

“Yes, if you would.” Finn was still shirtless, though he’d pulled on a pair of loose soft pajama pants covered in gallivanting reindeer. He looked cheerful, though Wes noticed the faint lines at the corners of his eyes. Not the most painful, but also not the lightest kind of day, then. That was fine; they had routines for that. And nothing pressing to do, anyway.

It’d be a day of curling up together, grading some papers, reading some scripts, and watching some holiday classics. A massage, maybe. Not moving much, but some stretches, to keep stiffness at bay. Lots of comfort. With candy cane hot chocolate and salted caramel tea.

Finn took a step back to sit down on the bed, over snowflake-patterned blankets and sheets. Wes, heart skipping a beat or two, sat down with him.

“I’m fine.” Finn waved a hand. “I was just thinking …”

“Should I be afraid?”

“Thanks. About yesterday …”

“You,” Wes said. “Your career. Being visible. Janice.” He really might have to have a talk with Finn’s agent. He could do that. Department meetings were good practice as far as getting heard.

“All of that. And you and me, this morning, and how happy I am. I think I’ve figured it out, kind of.”

Wes gathered up both of Finn’s hands. Held them, fingers cradled in his. Tried to shout, yes, go on, tell me everything, with every atom of his being.

“Janice says I’m too wholesome,” Finn said. “I don’t think it’s that, exactly. It’s just that …” He paused; the rain picked up, inviting more words, commiserating. “Everybody has an idea of who I am. Maybe they remember the kid from Finn & Cody’s Upside-Down Life, or maybe they’ve heard my voice in an animated movie about dragons, all heroes and kindness, y’know. Or maybe they feel sorry for me, if they look at me with the cane or needing to sit down between takes, and then it ends up being about pity. But none of that’s really …”

“The person who makes anatomically correct gingerbread men and terrible puns about mint lube?”

“You adore me. So I was thinking … no, not the whole sex tape thing, but … maybe a little bit naughty? Or at least nice. Something that’d be about me, and us.”

Possibilities hung in the air. So many, in light of everything they’d done already this morning.

Exposure. Nakedness. Metaphorical and literal.

Wes took a deep breath. He could be brave about this. He trusted Finn. With all of himself, he did. “I do adore you. And the gingerbread, and the mint. What’d you have in mind?”