ANNOUNCEMENT: In the Ruins, by Hailey Turner

QSFer Hailey Turner has a new MM sci fi book out:

Truth and lies.

Captain Jamie Callahan knows the Metahuman Defense Force frowns on fraternization. For once in his life, he’s breaking all the rules. Having Staff Sergeant Kyle Brannigan on his team and in his bed is worth the risk of being found out. When a mission comes down requiring Alpha Team to go undercover in order to infiltrate a criminal alliance, Jamie knows it won’t be easy. Putting his family’s name on the line is nothing compared to the role the MDF wants him to play—that of a billionaire’s son, discharged from the military, with a lover on his arm, looking to make his own shady business deals.

Dirty little secret.

Kyle knows the only way to be with Jamie is to hide their relationship from their superiors. Waking up to Jamie at home is more important than being together in public, or so Kyle thought, until he comes face to face with what he’s been missing. Pretending to be a couple on paper for the sake of the mission thrusts Kyle into a world of incredible wealth and a social status he’s not sure he belongs in, but he’ll do anything to stay by Jamie’s side.

Play the game to win.

Surrounded by the enemy, Jamie and Kyle need to trust each other now more than ever. Their covers—and the life they’re trying to build together—depend on it.

In the Ruins is a 105k word steamy gay sci-fi military romance with a HFN ending that skirts HEA. There is military violence within the story that may not be suitable for everyone, as well as explicit intimate scenes not suitable for readers under the age of 18. This is a sequel to In the Wreckage and reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

Excerpt

Jamie woke slowly, rising out of sleep without the jarring suddenness that happened while in the field. Blinking lazily up at the bedroom ceiling, he stretched a little beneath the covers, chuckling softly at the sleepy, irritated noise Kyle let out beside him on the bed. Kyle had stolen half of Jamie’s pillow during the night when he’d curled up close while asleep, one of his arms slung across Jamie’s chest.

From this angle, Jamie could see the freckles scattered over the bridge of Kyle’s nose and one cheek. Kyle wasn’t as tall or as broad as Jamie, which made it easy for him to fit against Jaime like this. He squirmed his own arm beneath Kyle, tugging the other man closer. Kyle shifted position a little, letting his head rest on Jamie’s shoulder. The scorched ends of his longer-than-regulation hair rubbed roughly against Jamie’s skin, a silent reminder of yesterday’s mission.

“Sleep okay?” Kyle asked through a yawn.

“Yeah,” Jamie admitted.

Considering how tense yesterday was, he’d expected to wake up angry, but Kyle’s efforts last night had proven effective in helping Jamie burn through his anger. The lingering issues with his father would always be there, but the fight last night no longer colored his mindset.

“Good.” Kyle levered himself up onto his elbow for a kiss marred by morning breath, but Jamie didn’t let that stop him from responding. He had Kyle with him, in his bed, and that would always be worth waking up to. “I’m hungry. Feed me.”

Jamie laughed. “There goes the romance.”

Kyle smacked Jamie on the chest, glaring half-heartedly at him. “I’ll romance you again later so long as you feed me now.”

“I thought your mission would run longer while I was away. I pushed back the food delivery for a few days, so there’s not much left.”

Kyle rolled his eyes and crawled off the bed, evading Jamie’s wandering hands with deft ease, and headed for the bathroom. “Then you’re paying for breakfast.”

“I see how it is. You only like being with me for my money.”

“And your dick,” Kyle shouted.

Author Bio

Hailey Turner is big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing.  Hailey loves stories with lots of action, gritty relationships, and an eventual HEA that satisfies the heart.