Come dance with me, Zane

[writingabeautifuldisaster-deact]

Ty took his hand and pulled at him. “Come dance with me, Zane,” he requested quietly.

Zane’s stomach flipped as he got to his feet, his hand folding into Ty’s after the gentle tug. He wondered if he looked as surprised as he felt and what expression was on Ty’s face right now. He took a few cautious steps after Ty out onto the cleared rug, the surprise melting into a deeply felt curl of pleasure and sparkle of unexpected nerves.

Ty laughed as he pulled Zane to him and they fumbled over where to put their hands and how to hold each other. His breath was warm on Zane’s cheek, and for the first time, Zane could feel the way Ty held himself as he prepared to dance, confident and strong. He’d seen it on the cruise ship when Ty had done a damn good tango. When they’d danced at the club, it had been more of a whirling mosh pit. This would be their first real dance.

“You lead, I’ll follow,” Ty offered.

“I’d rather follow you,” Zane murmured, absolutely aware of how many meanings those words held right now.

Ty’s hand tightened in his, repositioning them, and his other arm wrapped around Zane until they were close enough that Zane could feel Ty’s movements deep down. He started with slow, easy steps, a real box step and turn to match the music, not just a graceless shuffle. This Zane could do without thinking about it, Ty’s body and the music guiding him. He literally didn’t need to see a thing. He draped his free hand over Ty’s shoulder and relaxed into Ty’s arms, their cheeks brushing with each step. Ty turned his face toward Zane’s, touching his nose and lips to Zane’s cheek, and he curled Zane’s hand between them, holding it against his chest. They swayed gently with the music, but Ty would occasionally pick up the pace and turn Zane in a faster circle as the instrumental chorus picked up. Then he would slow them again, pulling Zane closer, pressing their cheeks together in a gesture that was borderline sensual as the music moved them. Roux, Abigail; Urban, Madeleine (2011-10-14). Divide & Conquer (Cut & Run Series) (Kindle Locations 2965-2980). Dreamspinner Press. Kindle Edition.

[comedancewithmezane]

this scene will forever take my breath away …

[abiroux]

[amirosebooks]

The covers.

[cyberdelph]

Together.

[cyberdelph]

The final book

Follow up to the valentine day love post. Finally I can add quotes from the last book, their story is complete.

[teamzimbits-old]

Snow threatened with a few stray flakes, and the wind off the Atlantic was bracing. It was a little chaotic, to be honest, and the dichotomy of the busy harbor and the calm water were striking. Then Ty saw the massive chain on the Constellation disappearing into the depths where she was anchored, and he grinned.

“This is perfect,” Zane answered before Ty could do it.

Crash & Burn  |  Abigail Roux

First time real attempt on my tablet. Not my best work, but I think I like it!

[shiveringpsyche]

Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

He slid the ribbon off the box, still smiling and shaking his head. Inside was a purple velvet bag, and when Zane peered inside he found a wide silver band. His stomach flipped as he shook it into his palm. It wasn’t shiny or new, and it had obviously been handmade. Etched into the side were numbers Zane quickly recognized as latitude and longitude coordinates.

“Oh God, Ty,” he whispered. He was chuckling as he pulled out his phone and punched the coordinates into his GPS. It gave him directions, telling him the location was less than half a mile away. At least it was close. —- When he found his destination, it was not what he was expecting. The only reason he even knew he was there was because Ty was sitting on the front stoop, waiting for him. —- Zane snorted as Ty stood to meet him. He held up the ring and wiggled his finger. “I can’t say this is your best attempt.”

Ty grinned. He turned and tapped the For Sale sign. “I bought it.” —- “I realized the one thing Fell’s Point didn’t really have,” Ty said, his voice sincere and hopeful, “was a bookstore.” —- Ty’s lips twitched. “And we could sell black market orchids from the back.”

Zane’s breath left him. He was standing in the middle of the craphole building Ty had bought him, and suddenly he could see what Ty was truly proposing. A life where neither of them carried a gun. A life where Zane could sit in a bookstore all day, could know that Ty would be there when he went home, right upstairs. A life for them, together. A future. Ty wanted them to cut and run.

Zane thought he had experienced love before. Thought he had known what it felt like to be the center of someone’s world.

He had been wrong, because it had never felt like this.

Ty squared his shoulders and straightened himself. He cut quite the figure, his steady presence overpowering the dusty surroundings. His voice was quiet and clear. “Will you marry me, Zane?”

“Yes.”

Ty laughed, and his shoulders slumped with relief. He moved toward Zane, reaching out to hook his finger through the bullet hole in Zane’s jacket and pull him close. “Thank Christ, ’cause I was out of ideas after this.”

Zane laughed with him, the sound echoing off the bones of their future home, ringing in a new chapter in their lives like the bells of a cathedral. Their laughter was still echoing off the walls when Ty took Zane’s face in both hands and kissed him for all he was worth. They wrapped around each other, clinging to the promise of the life they could have.

[writingabeautifuldisaster-deact]

I’m going to keep asking until you say yes…

Ball & Chain Abigail Roux

[larchwood]

T-minus 3 days

Read More

[comedancewithmezane]

 I chose not to do a full reread this time and these have been a perfect lead in to book nine. Thank you so much for taking the time to share all the feels …

[yung-starbucks-deactivated20210]

[archiveofme-deactivated20171008]

“Zane slowly turned around to face the other man, eyes dark and serious. Ignoring the warning bells going off in his head, he leaned back against the counter and reached out to slide the ends of his fingers into the front of the waistband of Ty’s jeans and tug him forward.

The color drained from Ty’s face as Zane pulled him closer, and his stomach turned again in a pleasant somersault of nervous butterflies. It only took a moment for him to flush with heat, and he looked into Zane’s eyes guardedly as his entire body tensed. If this was anything but completely on the level, Ty was going to knock the bastard on his ass.

The caution that crept back into Ty’s gaze was a pretty clear warning. Zane loosened his fingers and almost let go, but Ty didn’t pull away. It was now or never. Zane took a slow, deep breath and ducked his chin, tilted his head sideways, and slid his lips firmly against Ty’s.

Ty caught his breath, nearly gasping when Zane finally touched their lips together. He shivered and his lips parted tentatively, but his wary eyes never closed. Giving in, Zane pulled him closer and lifted one hand to cup Ty’s cheek as he increased the pressure of his lips against Ty’s.

Ty groaned softly and finally relaxed against the kiss, returning it tentatively. He knew he’d regret this just as soon as they parted, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop it.

Tension cramped Zane’s gut as Ty’s lips moved, and he deepened the kiss, all the itch and urge heating inside him as his traced Ty’s lips with his tongue. Oh, this was going to be an absolute fucking mess, he just knew it. He pulled his fingers out of the waistband and curled that arm around Ty’s waist as he leaned into the dangerous kiss. His hand on Ty’s cheek trembled.

Ty indulged himself in the deeper kiss for a long, horribly tantalizing moment before he pulled his head back just enough to break the contact and pushed gently at Zane’s chest.

…

Ty did kiss him then, breathing in heavily through his nose as if he were about to dive under water as he pulled himself closer to Zane and growled a little. He figured if Zane was fucking with him now, then he seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit.

Tightening his arms, Zane closed them further around Ty as he met the kiss with more strength, dizzy with the surprise and desire blasting through him. This was beyond crazy. Beyond negligent. Just… beyond. All the hate and anger was morphing into heat and passion and he had no idea what to think about it.”

Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux

[comedancewithmezane]

the kiss that changed their lives… and mine …

[gretchenzellerbarnes]

“Yes, sir,” Zane answered, moving to sit as the Director gestured. His eyes followed Burns’ gaze. Only a blink betrayed Zane’s surprise. The unkempt man sitting opposite Burns was a complete mess. Zane barely restrained the urge to sneer at him. Maybe he was an informant of some sort. He had that burnt-out, fidgety look to him. Focusing on Burns again, Zane waited, composed and attentive, ready to start jumping through the next set of hoops. Ty shifted in his seat, slouching further down and glancing over at the new man. God, the guy looked like he had just come off a printing press or something. “What are you doing, a how-to manual?” Ty asked the Assistant Director sarcastically. “Before and after?” he suggested wryly with a gesture at himself and then at the other man. “Yes. You are sitting here before you get fired,” Burns answered studiously. “And he is taking your job after you leave.” Ty pressed his lips tightly together and looked down at the shiny desktop sedately. Zane shifted his eyes between the man and Burns before narrowing them. He wondered why he had been asked to sit in on this meeting when the guy was obviously being fired. It seemed overly cruel. He clamped down hard on any further reaction and waited to see what would happen. Ty licked his lips and looked up again to meet his superior’s eyes almost defiantly. “Fortunately for you, Grady, you have more lives than a cat,” the man said to him with a small frown. “And you’re getting another chance to prove to us that you can do this job without blowing shit up. I won’t say one more, because God knows I’ll just keep giving you more until you get yourself killed. Meet your new partner, Special Agent Zane Z. Garrett.”

~Cut & Run by Abigail Roux

[amirosebooks]

FIRST & LAST LINES » TY GRADY

Not until his cell phone began to trill demandingly. With a heavy sigh, he snapped it off his waistband and flipped it open. “Grady,” he answered curtly, his West Virginia drawl still pronounced after all the years he’d spent away from home.

###

Once they were out on the road, Ty reached over and slid his fingers through Zane’s tentatively. His thumb rubbed absently over the wedding ring Zane still wore, then he squeezed his hand and kept his eyes on the busy road, not mentioning the ring or all the complications their new partnership might entail. Ty took his eyes off the road long enough to look over at Zane and smile crookedly. “It should be easier to sleep tonight,” he said softly instead.

Urban, Madeleine; Roux, Abigail (2008-09-01). Cut & Run (Cut & Run Series) (Kindle Locations 124-125 & 10251-10254). Dreamspinner Press. Kindle Edition.

Keep reading

[amirosebooks]

FIRST & LAST LINES » ZANE GARRETT

“Thank you, sir,” FBI Special Agent Zane Garrett answered curtly as the other agents murmured quiet, slightly reluctant congratulations.

###

“Yeah. It will.”

Urban, Madeleine; Roux, Abigail (2008-09-01). Cut & Run (Cut & Run Series) (Kindle Location 142-143 & 10256). Dreamspinner Press. Kindle Edition.

Keep reading

[oreoandme]

Faux Movie Posters: The Cut & Run Series by abiroux and madeleine urban

[eclecticnichelle-deactivated201]

[comedancewithmezane]

[eclecticnichelle-deactivated201]

[lmarina2000]

Holy fuck never thought this day would come..