Rack & Ruin
First read: March 2015Reread: February 2016 – BR with Trisha
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Rack & Ruin was one hell of a ride!
If this book were a 'Friends' episode, the first half would be entitled 'The One Where They Screw Like Bunnies'. They being Dex & Sloane, of course. That is in no way a complaint on my side. Au contraire. The second half would be called 'The One Where Shit Hits The Fan'. Everything, and I mean every possible thing, blows up–relationships get tested, patience runs low, and a lot of things happen all at once. And then, slowly, it all begins to settle down and fall into place, only to end in a big ol' cliffhanger. Mind you, I have the fourth book at the ready, or else I might have had a meltdown. So, all is good.
Warning: The next part contains spoilers, so you might want to stop reading, if you haven't read the book yet... ;-)
Dex & Sloane take their relationship to the next level. For a while, Dex is very careful as not to spook Sloane with how fast things are moving, but then he blurts out 'I love you', and his partner bolts. Eventually, Sloane comes back and they talk it all out. These two have a lot of tender moments, as well as scorching hot sex, and they find it hard to keep their hands to themselves when they are around their teammates, too. What's more, Dex & Sloane talk about their pasts, about what makes them tick, and their trust becomes complete. The scene where Sloane purred was my favorite, along with these little gems...
"I know I don't deserve it..." Sloane put his fingers to Dex's lips to stop the protest he was certain would come. "I don't. But can you say it anyway?" Dex nodded, and Sloane moved his fingers away.
"I love you."
It was the shy smile afterward that broke Sloane.
"I'd put my neck in your jaws without a second thought," Dex said hoarsely, his eyes reflecting fire and a trust the likes of which Sloane had never seen.
Also, the pre-birthday-party party Dex had was awesome, and his conversation with Ash about it later on was hi-lar-i-ous!!!
"We had sex in your bathroom during my party!"
Sloane gaped at Dex who clamped his hands over his mouth, as if doing so might miraculously take back what he'd just blurted out. Ash's words echoed Sloane's thoughts.
"What. The. Fuck! You had sex in my bathroom?" Ash went from flabbergasted to disgust in point five seconds. "Oh my God. Please tell me you didn't jizz on my towels."
Dex held a hand up in promise. "I swear we didn't jizz on your towels."
"Why would I believe you?"
"Would it ease your mind if I told you I jizzed in Sloane's mouth?"
Then there were Ash & Cael, and they frustrated me to hell and back! Ash is a huge asshole, in order to protect Cael, and he's hurting deeply. Cael, on the other hand, knows his partner is not being himself, and that something serious must be going on for him to dismiss Cael like he does. They do talk, but Ash can't let go of something that's happened in the past. So, obviously, they're still not together, and I wanna scream!
Calvin & Hobbs are also going through a rough patch, which sucks big time, because they're so perfect for each other and UGH. I hope they figure it out soon...
Oh, and I hope Hudson & Seb make up, because they are adorable!
As for platonic relationships, Dex & Cael have a little bit of a fight, but they get past it, and they're as fantastic as ever. What hit me more, though, was Sloane & Ash and all their conversations about their past, about the pain they had to endure, and how they stood by each other in all the years to follow the clusterfuck that was their childhood. I felt for them, especially Ash, to be honest, because unlike Sloane, he just kept all his feelings bottled up inside, and he thought he deserved the pain. Ash, love, I know how you feel...
Alright, I realize my review is all over the place, which is fitting to my current state of mind. I. Want. More.
The End.
