Boys of Lake Cliff Series by K. Sterling

Detective Lane West doesn't do Complicated. Especially when it comes to his personal life. Dr. Aiden Sharp is Complicated. Complicated in ways that Lane can barely get his mind around when he's forced to babysit Aiden as a favor for the District Attorney. After that, things get very Complicated. Lane was about to toss the pants on the bed when the bathroom door opened and Aiden stepped out with a towel around his waist. Lane’s mouth became dry and his throat closed. Mother. Of. God... moreDetective Lane West doesn't do Complicated. Especially when it comes to his personal life. Dr. Aiden Sharp is Complicated. Complicated in ways that Lane can barely get his mind around when he's forced to babysit Aiden as a favor for the District Attorney. After that, things get very Complicated. Lane was about to toss the pants on the bed when the bathroom door opened and Aiden stepped out with a towel around his waist. Lane’s mouth became dry and his throat closed. Mother. Of. God. Lane leaned against the door frame for support as his eyes traveled over Aiden’s body. Boom. Hard-on. Lane stifled a groan as his entire body tightened. Aiden’s body was perfect. He was sleek, every muscle was defined and despite his bizarre diet, Aiden didn’t have an ounce of fat on him. But it was the tattoos. They’d all been hidden by his street clothes, but most of Aiden’s chest, back and arms were covered in ink. Lane didn’t realize he was so into tattoos… He wanted to trace every single one of them with his tongue. And Aiden had a lot of tattoos. Lane knew he had a weakness for a defined Adonis belt. Heat flooded Lane’s groin as his eyes swept down the V shaped muscle to a peek of dark curls revealed by the towel draped low around Aiden’s hips. “Lane?” Aiden’s voice was soft and warm but it cut through the fog and Lane forced his eyes up to Aiden’s. “Yeah?” His voice came out hoarse and deep as he struggled to get his brain to work. Aiden’s brows pulled together as he stared at Lane. “I’m not very good at responding to nonverbal cues. You look like you want to have sex with me but I’m not sure if you actually intend to or if you’re here for a different reason.” Aiden admitted as he leaned against the wall. Lane took a deep breath and shook his head weakly. “No. No sex, Aiden.” Lane rasped as he held up the pants. Like a moron. Aiden’s head tilted as he stepped forward and Lane thought he saw a flash of disappointment. “You didn’t buy anything to sleep in and it gets cold. I thought you might want to borrow these.” He watched as Aiden reached for the pants. Aiden's fingers brushed his and Lane suppressed a shiver. Aiden shrugged as he took the pants. “Thank you, I was just going to sleep in my underwear.” He said as he went back into the bathroom and shut the door. The sight of the corded muscles of Aiden’s shoulders and his long, lean, tattooed back made hard, harder. Lane shut his eyes and moaned softly as he pictured Aiden stretched out on the bed in his underwear. The door opened and Aiden came out wearing Lane’s pajama pants and things only got worse for Lane. They hung low on Aiden’s hips and Lane’s fingers tingled as the urge to pull the cord and let them fall crashed into him. Lane fisted his hands and forced his feet to take a step back. Aiden’s eyes narrowed as he watched Lane retreat. “You want to have sex with me but you won’t. Why?” He asked as he took a step toward Lane. “Is it because you’re turned off by my personality and the way I eat?” Aiden’s eyes clung to Lane’s face as he waited. Lane shook his head as he struggled for an explanation. Aiden was partially right but Lane didn’t want to hurt his feelings. “Not really, though I’m having a hard time making sense of all of that. It’s more a professional issue.” Lane explained. Aiden seemed to relax and he nodded. “That’s too bad. I think it would be really good.” He said as he stretched his arms above his head and yawned. “I’m versatile and I sleep better after I get laid. less

K. Sterling invites you to return to Lake Cliff and catch up with Aiden and Lane in this sequel to Hide And Keep that picks up where Safe And Sound ended.Aiden and Lane are seven years into their Happily Ever After when Aiden begins to question the strength of their marriage. Gavin Langley and his obsession with Aiden tests Lane in unexpected ways and puts their marriage under media and public scrutiny.

Aiden and Lane return with Lavender and Sage in another Boys Of Lake Cliff book. A baby can cause quite a stir in a town like Lake Cliff. Sometimes, in ways you wouldn't expect. Mr. Lavender reminds us that he'll only be predictable when it suits him and changing one's stripes can be tricky. Big changes are coming to Lake Cliff and a baby's just the beginning... moreAiden and Lane return with Lavender and Sage in another Boys Of Lake Cliff book. A baby can cause quite a stir in a town like Lake Cliff. Sometimes, in ways you wouldn't expect. Mr. Lavender reminds us that he'll only be predictable when it suits him and changing one's stripes can be tricky. Big changes are coming to Lake Cliff and a baby's just the beginning. “He fell asleep on the way over, so we kept this down so he wouldn’t wake up,” Kay whispered as she pushed the hood back and Lavender could feel Sage’s chest lock as they stood next to each other, his tightened as well as he held his breath and leaned so he could see into the stroller. Lavender’s nose began to tingle and burn as a head full of golden curls caused his heart to flutter. He was in awe of Robin’s cheeks, they were so full and looked so soft. And how could a nose be so tiny and perfect? He was dressed in a rather dapper navy and white striped knit jumper and Lavender’s head tilted as Robin waved his tiny fist and yawned. His eyes opened and they were the softest green and Lavender knew him. His eyes began to blur again and he sniffed hard to clear them then nodded as he stared down at Robin. “I think he’s more of an Aston Martin sort of fellow, don’t you?” He asked as he looked back at Sage. He was just as dazed as Lavender. “What?” He laughed. “I don’t think the Bentley would do,” Lavender decided and Sage shook his head slowly. The Breckmans looked completely baffled. “I really don’t think he cares,” Sage said and Lavender waved dismissively. “You wouldn’t understand,” he said as he smiled at Robin. He would, one day. Lavender knew because he could see it in his eyes. They were so much like Sage’s but there was a spark of something clever and quick. Lavender saw it and he felt it. And Lavender loved him. less

Welcome back to Lake Cliff, a quiet yet inexplicably dangerous suburb of Chicago. When we last visited our heroes, they were calmly and cozily settling into their happily ever afters. Unfortunately, Lavender and Aiden’s brisk yet peaceful morning run through the woods is interrupted by a loud explosion. They return to Holderson Manor to find that Sage has been abducted by a dangerous enemy from Lavender’s past... moreWelcome back to Lake Cliff, a quiet yet inexplicably dangerous suburb of Chicago. When we last visited our heroes, they were calmly and cozily settling into their happily ever afters. Unfortunately, Lavender and Aiden’s brisk yet peaceful morning run through the woods is interrupted by a loud explosion. They return to Holderson Manor to find that Sage has been abducted by a dangerous enemy from Lavender’s past. With Sage in the wind, it quickly becomes a race against the clock to bring him home. Lavender has assembled a team of friends and allies when Captain Denver Walsh arrives with the missing piece of the puzzle. A tortured and traumatized vet, Denver offers a grim solution only to find himself drawn into the mission and a new family as a British lord, an FBI agent, a Russian hacker, a few cops and a forensic psychologist join forces to hunt a killer and find Sage before it’s too late. Sometimes, the monsters in our heads are just as dangerous as the ones waiting under our beds and hidden deep in the forest. Our team quickly learns that Denver needs their help almost as urgently as Sage. Aiden looks to a new friend for backup when he realizes he’s in way over his head. Meanwhile, Sage has to make peace with the monster in his head and the one that’s been sleeping in his bed as he struggles to survive. Sage is in for a brutally intense fight but he’s determined to outwit and outlast the horror hunting him and find his way home to his son and the man he loves. *In The Wind is the seventh book in The Boys of Lake Cliff series and is not intended as a standalone story. less

“There’s lots of lost souls up there. That ground’s been cursed by massacres and hangings and those sad souls will take anyone who gets lost in their woods. They use the blue light to lure them, like moths to a flame, and we find their bodies hanging in the morning.” Covington, Rhode Island: Quaint. Colonial. Haunted? It’s a perfect postcard of a town and a tourist’s delight but its charming residents live with a terrible curse... more“There’s lots of lost souls up there. That ground’s been cursed by massacres and hangings and those sad souls will take anyone who gets lost in their woods. They use the blue light to lure them, like moths to a flame, and we find their bodies hanging in the morning.” Covington, Rhode Island: Quaint. Colonial. Haunted? It’s a perfect postcard of a town and a tourist’s delight but its charming residents live with a terrible curse. Something in the woods on Lost Hill has claimed dozens of lives and the townspeople believe Covington’s shameful history is to blame. When do cold cases become too cold? Is justice only for the living? Dr. Aiden Sharp only sees facts and he only seeks the truth. He isn’t capable of imagining, in fact. But he begins to question his sanity and reality the moment he arrives in Covington. Logic is fluid and superstition carries just as much weight as the law in the small coastal town. The ideal hunting ground for a killer, if you think about it. Every clue only leads to more questions as Aiden struggles to solve an impossible case while surrounded by “crackpots.” What better sidekick for solving an impossible crime than an impossible criminal? Mr. Lavender gets much more than he bargained for when he volunteers to escort Aiden to a quiet seaside community. He expects a case of thirty-eight hangings to be a lark but finds himself face-to-face with a danger he can’t kill. The case proves baffling, the town unsettling, and Aiden goes out of his way to test Lavender’s patience. Our favorite “reformed” assassin soon learns that life is for the living but the dead don’t always go quietly. *This book can be enjoyed as a standalone but there is a primer at the beginning for readers who may be new to Lake Cliff and unfamiliar with our heroes. **This book includes topics that may be distressing to some readers. Suicide and hangings are discussed and there are descriptions of violent acts against women and children. less

It turns out there may be something that Mr. Lavender can’t kill. A secret is coming to haunt Lake Cliff and the people Lavender holds dear are in grave danger. Time is just about up, and the careful web of lies and bargains he’s woven is unraveling.As if things aren’t tense enough, Lavender has a very serious complication: Agent Paul Sloan. He’s on the trail of a sophisticated serial killer who’s pretending to be Mr. Lavender... moreIt turns out there may be something that Mr. Lavender can’t kill. A secret is coming to haunt Lake Cliff and the people Lavender holds dear are in grave danger. Time is just about up, and the careful web of lies and bargains he’s woven is unraveling.As if things aren’t tense enough, Lavender has a very serious complication: Agent Paul Sloan. He’s on the trail of a sophisticated serial killer who’s pretending to be Mr. Lavender. Paul is determined to discover who’s copying our favorite assassin, and why. Most importantly, he wants to know why Lavender doesn’t mind that someone’s stealing his secrets and flaunting it.How do you make a killer and what happens if the copy is better than the original? Something vicious and twisted has come to play and Mr. Lavender can’t keep it off his doorstep any longer. Whether he likes it or not, Lavender has to rely on the help of Dr. Aiden Sharp and company to stop a monster before it’s too late and evil arrives in Lake Cliff.Welcome back to Lake Cliff; one of the most dangerous places you’ll ever call home. less

It’s bound to get personal when a young woman is found dead and folded in a suitcase. When the evidence suggests a conspiracy involving a senator’s son with a bright future in politics, it becomes an obsession. Chief Lane West makes a pact with the victim and the gruesome case takes a physical and emotional toll.Determined to find the answers and justice, Lane turns to Mr. Lavender for help and uses himself as bait to expose a brutal murder and a sloppy cover-up... moreIt’s bound to get personal when a young woman is found dead and folded in a suitcase. When the evidence suggests a conspiracy involving a senator’s son with a bright future in politics, it becomes an obsession. Chief Lane West makes a pact with the victim and the gruesome case takes a physical and emotional toll.Determined to find the answers and justice, Lane turns to Mr. Lavender for help and uses himself as bait to expose a brutal murder and a sloppy cover-up. Then, the case takes a dreamy, dangerous turn and the consequences shake the residents of Lake Cliff.Dreams are strange and fickle things. They’re the truths we whisper when we surrender our consciousness and conscience to the night. Or, they’re meaningless and nothing more than a wild itch, conjured by our restless brains as they relax and unravel. What happens in our dreams doesn’t always stay in our heads. Sometimes, dreams blend with reality and come true. Sometimes, dreams become nightmares as Lane and Lavender confront the monsters under their beds, and the ones who put a dead girl in a suitcase. less