The Linebacker

Portland Protectors- EHM Security Series,
Book 2

by Emerson Beckett & Rheland Richmond

Blurb:

Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old?

Patrick Griffin

I hurt him. I didn’t mean to.

Now he’s gone, and I deserve it.

As a linebacker in the NFL, I’ve never found the right time to come out of the closet. Not even when I promised Cole I would.

But now, with Cole’s band, Fallen Angel, in the spotlight along with my team, the pressure is mounting. Everyone thinks we’re just best friends, but the weight of my secret is tearing us apart.

And it just might be too late to save us when I can.

Cole Bradley

Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old?

He is the love of my life, but it’s been years of waiting and excuses.

All our friends, even his teammates, have a public life. So why can’t we?

He promised it would be different in Portland.

But then he tells yet another reporter he’s single. I need a break. It’s perfect timing since our band is heading out on tour.

I don’t know if I can live without him. But I don’t think I can do forever in the closet.

It’s always been Patrick for me, but is it too much to ask for the world to know he’s mine too?

The Linebacker is a secret romance and childhood best friends-to-lovers MM Romance. It is book two in the Portland Protectors-EHM Security Series and the eleventh book in the Package Deal World.

To maximize reader enjoyment, it is highly recommended to read the other books in the Package Deal Series, as well as book one, The Rockstar. Series reading order can be found at the beginning of each book.

Content Warning: Referenced off the page homophobic violence toward an off the page character, and an automobile accident.

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*****

Excerpt:

The luxury suite in our high-rise hotel was dark as I stood looking out the window. The only light that crept in was from the lights shining over San Francisco. It had a magnificent view of the water during the day that was dark and moody now. It was really kind of prophetic.

I heard the door lock disengage in the silence as Patrick entered the room. The air stirred around him and brought the smell of his cologne and body wash to my nose. My heart throbbed at the thought of leaving him tomorrow, but I knew in my gut that it was what we needed if we had a hope of surviving.

Strong, warm arms wrapped around me and pulled me back into his chest. “Babe, why are you standing here in the dark?”

There were so many things I wanted to say but chose not to. “Just looking at the city. It’s really beautiful from up here.”

I tilted my head to the side as Patrick placed kisses down the side of my neck and onto my shoulder. His familiar hardness pressed against my ass and made me long for him, even though I was standing right here, wrapped in his arms.

“I need you,” he murmured against my skin. There was an unmistakable edge to his voice. His big hand went to my middle and held me in place against him.

“Patrick, we need to talk.” I was fighting to keep my emotions down, but I knew I was going to lose.

He loosened his hold just enough to turn me around to face him. Warm caramel eyes met my blue ones as the smile slipped from his face.

“What’s wrong? You feeling okay?”

I slipped from his arms and went to sit on the sofa. Patrick followed me, his handsome face now missing the smile I loved.

“We need to talk about the tour.”

Patrick unfolded his six-foot-five body from the sofa and got on his knees in front of me. He wedged himself between my thighs and took my face in his hands. Looking into them, he pulled my face to his.

“I know things are strained between us, but can we please have tonight to celebrate and just be you and me? Forget the world and everyone in it. Just me and you, like we’ve always been.”

“Patrick,” I whispered, the emotion thick in my throat before he sealed his mouth over mine. His tongue slipped past my lips, and I sank into his warmth, wrapping my arms around him. I wanted to stay like this forever.

*****

Review:

When we were given a teaser of what happened between these two at the end of The Rockstar I knew I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. As soon as it hit my Kindle, I dropped everything to read it. And it did not disappoint.

My heart broke when Cole had to make the decision to walk away. I understood why, what drove him to do something that would hurt them both so much, but it wasn’t easy. It was important, though, because it finally made Patrick address his choices and what he wanted going forward.

OK, so I did have to suspend belief just a little bit that Cole didn’t know why Patrick was so hesitant to come out. That being as close as they were for as long as they were, he didn’t know what happened. But once I let that go, I could appreciate the way that they addressed it and worked to move past it. There were serious considerations given to handling it in a healthy manner.

There are a lot of feels here, think big angst, which was to be expected. These two obviously love each other but sometimes that’s just not enough. And working their way back to a place where they can be together wasn’t going to be a quick fix. My hearts ached along with theirs as they face an uncertain future. And lifted when they finally found their way to a HEA.

While you can read this as a stand alone, it is probably better to have read the other books. There are a lot of couples amongst these friends and none of them had an easy path to their HEA 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Emerson Beckett is an avid sports fan and lover of M/M romance books, Emerson loves her new career as an author. It gets even better when she can combine the two. Emerson is the co-author of The Package Deal Series and The Portland Protectors: EHM Security Series with Rheland Richmond. The We Could Do This Duet is her first solo project.

Emerson lives in North Carolina and has been married to the same man for 34 years. She is the mother of three beautiful adults, one of whom is completely responsible for her addiction to MM Romance.

Emerson is now mom to an Australian Shepherd, four cats, and a cute bunny rabbit.


Connect with Emerson:
www.emersonbeckett.com
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Emerson-Beckett/author/B0B456CD9S?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
https://www.instagram.com/mm.author.emerson.beckett/
https://www.tiktok.com/@mmauthoremersonbeckett
https://www.facebook.com/author.emerson.beckett
https://www.facebook.com/groups/beckettsbookbrigade
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/emerson-beckett

~

For as long as she can remember, Rheland’s had her nose stuck in a book, getting lost in the world of someone else’s creation (She still does). Her love for writing came from her love for reading. She could never have one without the other.

Writing has always been a hobby and a cathartic experience for her. There are many stories lost to the never to be completed or published pile but needed to be written at the time.

She’s just a girl that loved stories so much she decided to write hers.

Rheland would love to hear from her readers and learn more about y’all. So if you get a chance… Get in touch.


Connect with Rheland:
www.rhelandrichmond.com
https://www.tiktok.com/@rhelandrichmondmmauthor
https://www.instagram.com/rhelandrichmond/
https://www.facebook.com/rhelandrichmond.author.58
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RichmondsRiders/
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rheland-richmond

*****

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of The Linebacker, Rheland & Emerson are giving away 2 e-books of the release!

Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

*****

Check out Book 1 in the Portland Protectors- EHM Security Series – The Rockstar – the first book in the sexy new bodyguard series set in the Package Deal World.

Adam Spencer – “The Rockstar”

Here’s what I know — some people aren’t meant to find love.

And as much as I want to be someone’s everything, that’s not meant for me.

After a painful breakup, I channeled all my hurt into a song that has skyrocketed my band, Fallen Angel, to the top of the charts.

Now I need protection from the one person who was supposed to love me no matter what—my mother.

Whether I want him or not, I now have a sexy, silver-tongued southern charmer as my 24/7 bodyguard.

I’ve tried not to fall for him, because I don’t do relationships. They hurt too much.

But Michael has me thinking I could take one more chance to find love.

Or was I meant to be alone like I thought all along?

Michael Coleman – “Phantom”

I’ve always been a protector. During my career as a Navy SEAL, my duty was to protect my four best friends.

Now I need to protect the sexy rock star I love flirting with every time he walks in the door to our EHM office.

Adam Spencer lights me up like no one ever has. And that’s saying something.

I’ll do whatever it takes to protect him, even from himself.

Have I finally found the love I’ve been hoping for with the Rockstar?

The Rockstar is a flirty, friends-to-lovers, bodyguard and rockstar MM Romance that takes place in the Package Deal Series World. It can be read as a stand-alone book.

Trigger Warning: There is off the page reference to physical abuse to a minor. Off the page domestic violence and death of a mentioned character.

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*****