Circles Book #4
by
Mason Arquette is brusque and rubs people the wrong way more times than not. Riece Burrell doesn’t connect well with others, needs his routine and sees Mason for who he really is. When they met the sparks flew and love blossomed. Mason thought he’d met the guy he’d spend the rest of his life with until Riece abruptly ended their relationship.
Several years later Mason and Riece are thrown together once again. Riece takes a job as a US Forestry Service photographer and Mason, a park ranger, is assigned to guide him around the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. They’ve both regretted that their relationship ended and now they’re given a second chance at the love they shared.
Nothing is ever easy.
Just when Mason and Riece begin to work things out and come together again they find themselves the prey of people who hunt humans. In a desperate race for their lives they have to depend on one another like never before and that means taking a big step out of their personal comfort zones. Can they work together, survive and rekindle their love?
- 1 To Be Read list
- 2 Read lists
Publisher: Elizabeth Noble
Cover Artists:
Genres:
Pairings: M-M
Heat Level: 4
Romantic Content: 4
Ending: Click here to reveal
Character Identities: Gay
Tropes: Badass Hero, Hurt / Comfort, In Uniform, Rescue, Reunited and it Feels So Good
Setting: Black Hills, South Dakota, USA
Languages Available: English
Series Type: Same Universe / Various Characters
Mason laughed. “Hi, yourself.” He always seemed to think Riece was funny, even when he wasn’t trying to be. “Riece, look at me,” Mason reminded him gently.
Riece complied. He was met with startling blue eyes—unusual considering Mason’s First Nation heritage—coal-black hair, and the same smile he remembered. Most people considered Mason’s cocky attitude abrasive and his self-assured temperament overbearing. He was often referred to as a jackass, or something similar. To Riece those qualities of Mason’s had at one time been a safe port in life’s storm.
“You came to pick me up,” Riece said.
“Nah… I was just wandering through the airport and saw you. It was a complete spur-of-the-moment thing,” Mason said with such a straight face Riece almost believed him. Mason reached down and picked up both of Riece’s suitcases, tucking one under his arm and grasping the other by the handle.
READ MORE“It’s six hours between here and Custer,” Riece said. “You were being nice. I won’t tell.”
Mason held his fist out. “Thanks,” he said. Riece made a fist and lightly bumped Mason’s. “Do you have a motel room?”
Riece nodded. “I do.” He flipped his wrist over and looked at his watch. “Check-in is in—” Sighing, he closed his eyes for a few seconds and took a deep breath. “—two hours.” Scratching the back of his head, he gave Mason a lopsided grin. “I apparently misjudged my travel time.”
“I guess you did.” Mason dipped his head at the exit. “I’m parked this way. How about you call and cancel your reservation from my Jeep. I know a place to stop for the night a few hours from here.”
Riece turned on his phone and held it, but didn’t call. “I should get to the motel so I’m ready to start work Monday.”
Mason glanced sideways at him as they walked. He heaved a sigh. “Riece, I just drove quite a few hours to pick you up. I’m sorta tired, and hungry.”
“You’re always hungry.” Riece stopped inside the parking garage entrance. “Which way?”
“Over there.”
“I’m hungry too. The food on the plane was… questionable,” Riece said.
Mason laughed. It was a hearty sound Riece realized he’d missed very much. “I bet,” Mason said.
“How many rooms?”
“Huh?” Mason asked.
“Where we’re stopping; how many rooms?” Riece asked. He wasn’t sure if he was hoping Mason’s answer would be one or two.
“In the whole place? I have no clue. Anyway, I have a buddy who drives a beer delivery truck, and he also works in the bar there. Best food for a hundred miles. It’s part of a small inn. I booked us there for a few nights. One room for you and one for me.” Mason stopped beside a Jeep. It was the off-road sort, with mud splattered over the burnt-orange exterior.
The vehicle chirped when Mason used a remote to unlock it. He stowed Riece’s luggage in the backseat. Riece walked slowly around the back of the Jeep, running his fingertips over the paint as he wandered to the far side.
“Sweet ride,” Riece said and opened the passenger door.
A small white box with gold embossed writing advertising some store Riece had never heard of sat on the seat. Written over it in thick, black letters and in Mason’s handwriting was the word Riece.
He silently picked up the box and held it carefully while he climbed into the seat, only setting it down long enough to snap on and adjust his seat belt. Mason took his place behind the steering wheel and started the Jeep, glancing at Riece as he put the vehicle in gear and guided them onto the road.
“A little welcome to South Dakota gift,” Mason explained.
Riece frowned and looked out the window. “But we’re in Montana.”
“Not for long, and we’ll be working in South Dakota.”
“We’ll be working in the Black Hills. That mountain range is approximately 125 miles long and 65 miles wide, covering not only western South Dakota, but also eastern Wyoming,” Riece said.
“You sound like a talking travel brochure.” Mason sighed and shook his head. “I live in South Dakota. The office we’ll work out of is in South Dakota. I’m guessing you’ll live in South Dakota too.”
“We’re not in South Dakota,” Riece reminded Mason.
COLLAPSECrystal Marie on Crystal's Many Reviewers wrote:Becky Condit gives 5 stars and says: Get ready to hold onto your chair for this wild ride. In one novella Elizabeth Nobel shows us she can write sweet romance and gut wrenching panic, and meld the two tropes into one electrifying story. I couldn’t put this book down once I started it.
Kara on Inked Rainbow Reads wrote:Crystal Marie gives 5 stars and says:Noble wrote the whole thing so well that it wasn’t too super detailed, but it was done just right to where you couldn’t help but be on the edge of your seat wondering what was going to happen next.
All Reviews on http://elizabeth-noble-circles.weebly.com/gone-away.html wrote:Kara gives 5 stars and says: I loved the way this author wrote both of these characters and this story! The run for your life’s while growing closer together and admitting to feelings they still have for each other was just awesome. I have to say I am a huge fan of books that have me on the edge of my seat hoping for the best.
Links to a number of reviews are available on the Circles website.
