Meet Kieran

Ooooh the time for Losing Better is almost here. Tuesday! Eee!

Because I just cannot wait any more, I want to introduce y'all to my third man. Yeah, you've met Gabriel and Andrew, the heroes (though their definitions of "hero" are lightyears apart, I guess they both count, to me) if you've popped by the page. But Losing Better has a bonus hero, Kieran, who is rather a darling. In terms of the Andrew-and-Gabriel scenario, he's rather on the outskirts--but never fear, because yes, Kieran's own book is already planned and partially scripted.

But he gets to have his fun in this one, first. Here, have his proper* introduction to Gabriel.

“Who’s your pretty friend?” I asked, though I remembered very well that Alyssa had called him Kieran and that Andrew had been anxious for his return from somewhere-or-other. 

I expected the pretty boy to fix me with a death look, but he only smiled and checked me out, still clinging to Andrew. He said, just the faintest hint of the South in his voice, “Been wanting to ask the same thing all night. Hello, handsome.” 

Andrew’s cheeks flushed beneath his tan, and he made a halfhearted attempt to pry the boy off him. “Um, this is Kieran Hooper. Kieran, Gabriel Genêt, an old friend.” 

I refer to him as a boy, but that wasn’t accurate. This Kieran was easily in his twenties, but there was something about the eyes, the smile, that spoke of a kind of youth—or perhaps innocence—that made his true age difficult to judge. He disengaged one arm from around Andrew and leaned toward me, laying that hand on my shoulder. He stage-whispered, “Your old friend is being a tease.” 

I smirked. “He’s good at that.” 

“Right?” 

Andrew, still holding Kieran about the middle like he wasn’t sure what to do with him, said, “I know this must look bad.” 

That sounded dangerously like an apology. I had no desire to hear it or to know why he’d think such a thing necessary, so I cut him off with, “No, actually. It’s looking very, very good.”

He's a sleeper** who is some day destined for Great Things. But in Losing Better, he is knocking around North Carolina, brightening up Andrew's famous parties, charming even the crankiest of FBI agents***, and leaving glitter in his wake.

More this weekend--as in time for a real excerpt, plus, incoming cover action! But that's all for tonight. Sweet dreams.

*Proper because he does, in fact, see and wink at Gabriel earlier in the evening. Bless his wee glittery heart.

**Non-superpowered human, for the uninitiated.

***As in Gabriel.