Review: Pulled Long – Christine D’Abo

Pulled Long by Christine D’Abo
Series:  Long Shots #3
Release Date:  December 12, 2011
Publisher:   Carina Press
Page Count:  
Source:  NetGalley
Buy the book at: Amazon 

For months, coffee shop owner Ian Long has fantasized about a customer he knows only as “Blue Eyes.” Until he learns Blue Eyes is in the midst of a divorce—the last thing Ian wants is to be the rebound experiment of a straight guy. Giving in to lust, he invites the man into the cafe after hours and they indulge in a little exhibitionist play, but Ian is unwilling to get involved.

But when he’s forced to see Jeff again to return his briefcase, Ian finally agrees to go out on a date. Dinner quickly becomes an erotic encounter in a special room at the sex club Mavericks, and Ian realizes Jeff satisfies desires he didn’t even know he had. The more he gets to know Jeff as a person, the harder it is to resist falling for him.

Jeff makes it clear he’s interested in more than just sex. He wants to go public with their relationship in more ways than one. But can Ian open his heart, when he fears it will be broken?

For eight month, Ian Long flirted with a customer who refused to give him his name.  Ian nicknamed him “Blue Eyes” but that was just about all he knew of the elusive man.  Finally, on the night he was going to work up the courage to ask the man out on a date he discovers he’s in the midst of a divorce…from a woman.  Knowing how badly it hurts when a man “dabbles” in being with another man, Ian throws him out and vows not to see him again.

Two months later, on a dark and stormy night,  Ian spot “Blue Eyes” staring into the coffee shop from across the street.  Soon he’s in the coffee shop and talking is the last item on their agenda.  But after giving into their lust, Ian still isn’t sure this is a path he wants to go down, but Jeff’s forgotten briefcase forces Ian to see Jeff again.

But while Jeff makes it clear that he wants Ian, Ian’s past worms it’s way into the forefront of their budding romance threatening to bring things to a crashing halt.  Can Jeff prove to Ian that he wants Ian for who he is, not some quick fling with a man and can Ian let go of the past and trust in the man that he wants?

This is my favorite of the Long Shots series.  I just knew there was something to Ian that would pull at the ole heartstrings.  I wasn’t disappointed.

Ian’s had his heart crushed (broken would be too kind).  He and his father were in a terrible car accident, which left their father partially brain damaged and without his memory of his son.  Ian’s last conversation with his father was when his father told him he was dead to him after announcing he was gay.  Needless to say, Ian was/is devastated by that.  Then his prior relationship was with a man who was “trying out” being gay, but then blamed Ian for breaking him when he couldn’t deal with the fact that he was gay.  That’s enough to make anyone skiddish when a suddenly hot man, who was married to a woman, starts chasing after you.

Jeff has his work cut out for him, but he doesn’t give up after the night at the coffee shop.  He may be bi-sexual, but he know what he wants and that’s Ian.  But more importantly, he knows when the pull back from Ian and let him work out the past in order to move forward.

A very hot, quick read that will not disappoint.