Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings

Between The Pipes | V.L. Locey

Watkins Glen Gladiators #1

Release Date: January 11th, 2023

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Universal Link: http://vllocey.com/Read_Between_The_Pipes

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63261846-between-the-pipes

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Blurb

Two men who have sworn off romance are about to crash headfirst into love.

Liam Kneller-Polkman has no time for dating. None. Zero. Zip. His mind has to remain focused on hockey if he wants to secure a goaltending spot on the Watkins Glen Gladiators. He’s committed his whole summer—heck his whole life—to play in the pros someday and he’s not going to lose focus now.

Eyes on the prize is his new motto. As training camp grows closer, he accompanies the Gladiators’ team captain to a race at the famed speedway in his new hometown. There he meets Tarcy Hayward, the smolderingly hot, much older driver of the famed number 66 stock car. One look, one smile, and one memorable dinner are all it takes for Liam’s good intentions to stay on track to crash and burn.

Tarcy Hayward’s been around the romance track a few times, each lap leaving him a little older and a lot more wary of giving his heart to someone again. Ever since his wife died, his life has been devoted to his two adult children, his grandson, and racing.

He’s happy now that the only thrills he gets are on the racetrack. Or so he thought. When Liam Polkman enters his garage, all the safety barriers in the world aren’t enough to save his heart from the impact. It takes just one night with the stunning young goalie with light green eyes to launch Tarcy’s heart into a high-octane sprint where love always takes the checkered flag.

Between the Pipes is a low angst, age gap gay hockey romance that features an outgoing young goalie, a cautious older race car driver, two families who are not above meddling just a bit to see their loved ones happy, lots of on-ice and high-speed action, and a straightaway sprint to a happy-ever-after.

Excerpt

I waved a hand at the elevated open-air suite. On this scorcher of a day, the see-through plastic walls were down and secured, giving those inside the perfect cool atmosphere to enjoy their catered meal and cocktails. Schaffer Salt were frequent visitors as they were a huge part of the village of Watkins Glen by supplying jobs for hundreds of people in the vicinity.

“This is pretty swank,” Liam said, his sight roaming over the suite and then falling to me. When our sights met, I felt the jolt all the way to my toes. “Thanks for escorting us.”

“My pleasure. We do it all the time,” I tossed out all Mr. Cool and Collected as sweat ran down the crack of my ass.
“We do?” Lee enquired in that teasing tone I knew far too well. My boy was onto me.

“Sure we do,” I replied with pure Southern charm.

“We do appreciate it,” Carson said, seeming to be just as willing as Lee to stand back and watch Liam and me strutting around with our plumage ruffled like peacocks. “Why don’t we get out of this heat and let Tarcy get ready for the race?”

Liam nodded but didn’t make a move. I gave him a soft smile and got to see his nostrils flare. Which made my suit tighten in private places.

“Liam?” Carson prodded. “Cold beer, hot wings, fast cars? You ready?”

“Oh, what?” Liam tore his gaze from mine to stare at his team captain. Carson rolled his eyes as Lee chuckled/coughed behind me, the wise ass. His sister wasn’t like this at all. “Oh! Yeah, a cold beer and a hot racer sound good. Race! Race! Hot race. No, hot wings. Fast racer. Race. Shit. I’m going to stop talking now.”

We all laughed as Liam’s face went red. “I’ll leave you to the hot wings and cold beer then,” I said as we all shook hands once again. Thankfully, it wasn’t the final handshake Liam and I would share.

“Where are we doing dinner?” Carson asked as a gust of wind so hot it felt like it had blown in from the sun rushed over us.

“How about at that paddle boat that cruises the lake? They have great food and the atmosphere is nice. Or we could eat in my motorhome,” I suggested as a matter of convenience. This way, all I’d have to do was order in some food. Old men like things easy and close. “Choice is yours.”

“You don’t stay in a hotel?” Liam asked, and I shook my head.

“No, we all have coaches that are parked by the track. We should be free to meet you around seven or so if the race runs fast and there aren’t any delays, no matter what decision we make.”

“Seven yeah, that’s great. We can totally do seven. But if you’re late, we’ll know because we’re right there.” Liam hitched a thumb at the suite filled with people soaking up all that cool air. “We can do dinner in your motorhome so you can relax.”

Lee began humming “Get outta my dreams, get into my car” from somewhere behind me. He was so going to get a lecture.

About The Author

USA Today Bestselling Author V.L. Locey – Penning LGBT hockey romance that skates into sinful pleasures.

V.L. Locey loves worn jeans, yoga, belly laughs, walking, reading and writing lusty tales, Greek mythology, the New York Rangers, comic books, and coffee.

(Not necessarily in that order.)

She shares her life with her husband, her daughter, one dog, two cats, a flock of assorted domestic fowl, and two Jersey steers.

When not writing spicy romances, she enjoys spending her day with her menagerie in the rolling hills of Pennsylvania with a cup of fresh java in hand.

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