Blog Tour: KING OF THE MOUNTAIN by Aiden Ainslie

 

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN

by Aiden Ainslie

 

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GENRE:  M/M romance

 

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BLURB:

 

CLIFFORD

 

After years of hard work and training, I finally have the chance of fulfilling my lifelong dream of winning the Tour de France. Nothing can be allowed to distract me from this mission, especially not Gabe O’Reilly, the adorable art student from San Francisco.

 

But he looks so vulnerable – all alone in France.

 

I would be failing in my patriotic duty to a fellow American if I didn’t take care of him, wouldn’t I? And what possible harm could come from spending twenty-four hours with him on the shores of the Mediterranean? I deserve that little break, don’t I?

 

GABE

 

I have never seen a human specimen as perfect as Clifford Du Frey. During our fleeting encounter in Paris, I saw a man who was funny, caring, and tender – so very different from the way the media portray him. He is everything I could ever dream of in a boyfriend.

 

But in what universe will an international sports superstar pay any serious attention to me?

 

Do not get involved, my brain yells; you can only get hurt again. But my heart is thrumming to a different tune.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

CLIFFORD

 

In my line of work as a professional cyclist, me-time was rationed like the tiny, individually wrapped squares of chocolate my mother would give me as a reward for good school results. Of course, once I had found her secret stash, I used to help myself and haughtily decline her miserly tokens of approval.

 

But there was no secret stash of time. I had to live with the given rations to deal with my anxieties. I knew what none of the team even suspected – this was do-or-die, my last attempt at finally pulling off the big win that had eluded me throughout my ten-year professional career. I knew that I would not be able to muster the hunger for another Tour – to withstand the hundreds of hours of training rides in extreme heat and the Alps' arctic altitude. This was it. But if my cycling career was at an end – then what? It was all I had ever done. My grueling schedule had not allowed me to attend college. At twenty-eight, I stared into the chasm of obscurity, a has-been, yesterday’s hero discarded with yesterday’s trash.

 

I nursed a coffee and was about to spiral into a pit of self-doubt and anxiety when I noticed a young man at the restaurant entrance. His indecision was palpable. He had a camera on a strap around his neck. Who still used cameras? Didn’t everyone have a smartphone? And he held a copy of the Lonely Planet in one hand. He wore cargo shorts, a UC San Francisco T-shirt, and leather sandals. There was something so open, innocent, and vulnerable about him that it tugged at my jaded heart. He might as well have had “American student – rip me off” tattooed on his forehead. Physically he was gorgeous – average height with sun-tanned skin and the perfect proportions that come from working on a farm or construction site. The soft curls of his dark hair shone in the midday sun and fell in unruly waves over his forehead. I had the fleeting, insane urge to push my fingers through that hair so that I could get a good look at his eyes. A few well-heeled ladies in the bistro were giving him the once-over, but he was utterly oblivious.

 

The man bit his lower lip as he studied the menu, and it was as though I could read his mind. The hand in his pocket was no doubt assessing how many euros he had and whether he could afford the expensive bistro which the Lonely Planet recommended as a “must-do.” Again, his eyes scanned the packed restaurant, and the waiters were too busy to notice his dilemma.

 

To this day, I do not know what made me do it. I, who had wanted anonymity, to get away from the oppressive togetherness of a competitive sports team in a foreign country. I, who desperately needed time to straighten out my head. I, who definitely did not need any distractions in my life. I rose from my seat and beckoned for the stranger to join me at the intimate table with its white tablecloth, the vase with lavender, and the table-setting for two.

 

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 2023_08_15 Sandra’s Book Club

 

Topic:  Please describe a pivotal scene in your book and why it's important.

 

A PIVOTAL SCENE IN “KING OF THE MOUNTAIN”

 

“King of the Mountain” employs the gay awakening trope. Sports superstar, Clifford du Frey, maintains a carefully crafted heartthrob image for thousands of female fans while denying himself true love. He pours all his energies and frustrations into cycling and has reached the pinnacle of the sport: leader of the Tour de France. Then he meets Gabe O’Reilly, a soft-spoken, dreamy art student traveling in France. The chance encounter in Paris leaves Clifford confused and off-balance. But he remains in denial about his sexuality and convinces himself that he is “merely doing his patriotic duty” by looking out for a young American, all alone in France.

 

Their relationship grows and when Clifford has time off from the race, he invites Gabe to join him for a day on a picturesque Mediterranean beach near Nice. They sunbathe and frolic in the water while the mutual attraction and desire hang in the air like the perfume of tanning lotion. Clifford finds it ever more difficult to deny his desires. But, when Gabe gazes into Cliff’s eyes and leans in for a kiss, Clifford turns away.

 

This hurts Gabe deeply. He thought there was something real developing between them, but now suspects that the celebrity sports star was just toying with him – leading him on. Clifford’s action, or rather inaction, costs him dearly. Because although their relationship continues to evolve, the seeds of mistrust have been planted. Gabe, who is naturally very trusting, is now on the alert – and at crucial moments, when trust is sorely needed, he is prepared to believe lies spread by Clifford’s enemies.

 

Here is an excerpt from the scene, narrated from Gabe’s perspective.

 

We horsed around in the water like a couple of drunken teenagers. Drunk on sunshine, drunk on life, drunk on lo…   I didn’t dare to complete the thought. Who was I to think a man like Clifford du Frey would fall in love with me? For all I knew, he was straight as straight can be. Sports stars let off steam by horsing around with their teammates. And after the grueling days on the road, he sure needed some fun to relax and unwind.

I reminded myself that a man could bathe in the warmth of the sun, but that did not mean the sun cared about the man’s existence. He was an international celebrity, a superstar. As unattainable as the sun itself. And we all knew what happened to those who flew too close to the sun.

After a few more minutes of splashing and laughing, I got his glistening body in a half-nelson and made him concede that I was a superior wrestler.

Cliff stood bent over, panting. I beat my chest like Tarzan and hollered at the waves, “I, Neptune, King of the Sea, have conquered the one and only King of the Mountain.”

He smiled his most disdainful smile, came to stand right in front of me, and said, “Just wait till I get you up into the mountains.”

“What are you going to do?” I teased, “Drag me into your castle and tie me up?”

His nostrils flared, and his face showed such a mixture of emotions that I was at a loss to interpret them.

“For starters,” he said, “I’ll whip your ass….”

I caught my breath.

He continued, “…at skiing.”

He drew himself up to his full height, which meant I was looking directly at his lips and the stubble on his chin. I ached to reach out and feel that roughness. I didn’t just want to feel it with my hands; I wanted to feel it on my neck, my chest, on every square inch of my body. He parted his lips, and I imagined the sweet, salty taste they would leave on my tongue.

My throat was suddenly dry. I licked my lips and looked up at the eyes that were waiting to bore into mine. Our chests were only separated by a minuscule air gap and two thin layers of water, rapidly evaporating under our bodies' heat. I stood motionless; my heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure Cliff could hear it. I had the sensation of my chest hair vibrating to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

I had never been in a situation like this. With anyone else, I would have reached up, threaded my fingers through their hair, and kissed them till either or both of us fainted from lack of oxygen. But my instincts told me that if we were to cross this line – this line between being buddies and being…being something more – it had to be his decision.

I clenched my hands to prevent them from reaching up of their own volition and waited. Then I saw it. Cliff’s eyes roamed to the beach, to the people way behind us, and out to the yachts. He was trying to make sure that no one was watching us.

If someone was embarrassed to be seen kissing me, then that person wasn’t ready to kiss me.

I made the decision for him. And though it broke my heart, I flashed him a brilliant smile and said, “Race you to the towels. Last one there is a loser.”

I already knew who the loser was – the one who had lost his heart to the King of the Mountain.

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of San Francisco. He grew up in various small towns and loves to draw on that small-town feel for his romances: the sense of community but also the petty grievances, intrigue and rivalries. “An author has to draw on personal experience to create authentic stories.”

 

According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of a romantic story, hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to be used in future novels. Check them out on his website www.aidenainslie.com

 

When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes to cycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters and plots for his MM Romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on his motor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching people to get inspiration for his writing.

 

Website: www.aidenainslie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiden.ainslie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AidenA36208349

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/KING-MOUNTAIN-LOVE-LAKE-CLYDE-ebook/dp/B0996S9871

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/king-of-the-mountain-by-aiden-ainslie

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58576572-king-of-the-mountain

 

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GIVEAWAY 

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