STORY EXCERPT

“Dance with me.”

The soft, sultry words danced over Drew’s skin like fireflies in moonlight. He leaned back against his lover, the man’s hard muscles rigid and firm against his back as he swayed gently to music only they could hear.

He felt uneven breathing on his cheek, a hardness pressing against his ass as his lover held him close. Drew closed his eyes and savored the feeling of the arms holding him close, the man that owned him heart and soul.

A thick arm wrapped around him, offering him the comfort of his lover’s body. A hand brushed through Drew’s silky strands as his temple was kissed, words of tenderness and affection murmured against his skin.

Drew’s skin tingled where his lover touched him, drawing a deep moan of pleasure from him. He was addicted to his lover’s touch, his thick, muscular frame and wide shoulders, the way his powerful well-muscled body moved with such easy grace. He had a ruggedness and vital power that attracted Drew from the very instant their eyes met over a crowded bar. It hadn’t abated in all the time they knew each other.

A hand roughened and callused from hard work gently gripped Drew’s chin, tilting his head back until firm lips could cover his. The brush of lips on Drew’s mouth and the longing in his body set him aflame.

The hands gently caressing his body were beautiful, long-fingered, and strong. They gave Drew a sense of protection from the outside world, and yet they brought him so much pleasure that he reeled every time he felt their sweet touch. He was a beautiful, strong, powerful man, and he wanted Drew.

He towered over other men by several inches, easily spotted in any crowd. He carried himself with a commanding air of self-confidence that drew the eye of everyone around him. Men and women vied for his attention.

And yet, he picked Drew.

Drew would never understand how he ended up being chosen by the handsome, virile man behind him, but he would forever be grateful. He had never been happier than he had in the months since he met his lover.

Time had stood still. It was like the world around them stopped moving just to stare at the lovers. They moved together in perfect harmony, each man knowing what would please the other and wanting nothing more than their complete happiness.

It was pure bliss, a dream that Drew never wanted to wake from.

“The phone, Drew.”

Drew laughed as he pressed further back against his lover. He had no intention of bursting his euphoric bubble by answering the damn phone. “Let it ring,” he murmured as he turned his head and pressed his lips against his lover’s salty skin. “The answering machine will get it.”

“The phone, Drew!”

Drew frowned at the more aggressive tone. It wasn’t like his lover to use that deep, assertive tone with him. He was always gentle when speaking to Drew.

“Damn it, Andrew! Answer the freaking phone!”

Drew’s pleasure-filled haze was shattered as he opened his eyes and realized he stood in his kitchen all alone, no lover wrapped around him, touching him, caressing him…loving him.

He stumbled in his haste to grab onto the kitchen counter before he collapsed to the floor, the memories of what he had had and what he had lost drawing every last bit of strength from his body. He leaned against the counter, burying his face in his hands, his despair so heavy it almost pulled him under into the abyss.

“Fuck, Drew. Is there some damn reason you couldn’t answer the phone?” Sam asked as he stomped into the kitchen and grabbed the phone of the hook, one hand holding his pants up. “A guy can’t even take a piss around here without the damn thing ringing off the hook.”

Drew blinked, his emotions still chaotic and muddled.

Sam rolled his eyes. “Hello?”

Needing to feel numb again, Drew scrambled to open the cupboard above the stove and grab the bottle of whiskey he kept there. He started to twist the lid off of the bottle when Sam reached over and snagged it right out of his hands.

“Hey!”

“Yes, that will be fine,” Sam said into the phone as he rolled his eyes and poured the alcohol down the sink. “We’ll see you at eight then. Good-bye.” Sam hung up the phone and tossed the empty liquor bottle into the trash at the same time, and then he turned to glare at Drew. “You do not need to get drunk—again.”

“Sam—”

“No!” Sam held up his hand, stopping Drew, his eyes narrowed in anger. “I’ve seen you drunk enough in the last few months to last me a lifetime. It’s going to stop, Drew.”

“Sam—”

Again, Sam held up his hand. “No, Drew. It stops now.”

Drew’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t intend to get drunk. I just—” He shrugged because he really didn’t have words to explain why he had been drinking so much. It wasn’t as if he wanted to become an alcoholic.

There were just times when the memories became too much and he needed to get away from them…or move closer to them. He was never quite sure what would happen when he started drinking. Either he would forget his lover ever existed or drown in memories of him.

Both tore at Drew’s soul.

ADULT EXCERPT

The soft brushing of Garret’s fingers against his collarbone made Drew’s breath quicken with need.His resistance to Garret was paper thin. When Garret’s fingers trailed up the soft curve of his neck until the he could cup Drew’s jaw and tilt his head, Drew didn’t even try to stop him. He just leaned his head back until it rested on Garret’s shoulder as they started swaying back and forth, dancing without moving a single step. They had done this often when they lived together.

Drew missed it.

“I missed you, chara.” Garret’s voice rumbled in Drew’s ear, sending a shockwave of lust radiating throughout his body. “I’ve been so cold, Drew. I haven’t been warm since I last held you in my arms.”

Drew almost smiled at Garret’s admission. The man had always run a little on the cold side. When they live together, Garret would wrap himself around Drew like a blanket every night when they went to bed. Drew woke more than once feeling like he had been caught by an octopus.

He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep since Garret left.

Before Drew could form an answer, Garret’s lips slammed down over his. Drew groaned when Garret ran his tongue quickly across his lips before diving into his mouth, kissing him for all he was worth.

It was a kiss of possession, pure and simple. And it was filled with so much need that Drew wondered if he had lost his mind somewhere along the way. If Garret wanted him this damn much, why had the man left? The hunger in the kiss alone was eating Drew alive and pulling him under into a raging sea of raw desire.

Drew’s hands clutched at Garret’s shoulders as he explored the depths of his mouth, running his tongue along the seam of Drew’s lips. He placed his hands on Garret’s chest, once again ready to push the man away…until Garret’s tongue swept inside Drew’s mouth.

He curled his fingers into Garret’s shirt, pulling the man closer, hitching one leg onto Garret’s side, wanting—no needing—him closer. Garret slammed his hands on either side of Drew’s head, pinning him to the wall.

Drew shivered, burrowing into the heat of the man’s big body. He should be telling Garret to fuck off. He should be telling Garret that he waited too long to come back, that he never should have left in the first place. Drew should be telling Garret a whole lot of things, but all he could say was, “Please.”

God, he was such a fucking mess.

“Do you want to get fucked, chara?”

A low and undistinguished sound left Drew’s lips.

Garret ran his fingers through Drew’s hair and then yanked the strands back, exposing Drew’s neck and sending shock waves through his body. The look in Garret’s eyes told Drew who was the predator and who was prey.

Drew swallowed hard.

Garret chuckled dark and low.

Drew knew he was in deep trouble.

When Garret stepped back, Drew bolted, running down the hallway toward his bedroom. As much as he wanted this, he wasn’t going to put on a show for his roommate. He heard a deep and sinister chuckle before the sound of heavy footfalls pounded behind him.

Drew made the mistake of looking over his shoulder.

Garret was bearing down on him.

With a shout, Drew picked up speed and headed straight into his bedroom, trying his damnedest to slam the door closed. Garret apparently wasn’t having that. He barreled into the bedroom, caught Drew around the waist, and lifted him off his feet. Drew went sailing through the air, landing on the bed with a large bounce.

Garret took a step back from the bed, damn near ripping his clothes from his body. All Drew could do was watch in pure fascination as all that tanned flesh was revealed to him.

“You have two choices, Drew. Willingly get undressed or have your clothes shredded.” The look in Garret’s eyes said he wasn’t joking.

Drew was so fucking turned on a wet spot appeared in the front of his pants. Garret inhaled deeply as if he could smell the drops of pre-cum dripping from Drew’s cock. His eyes drifted down Drew’s body, landing on the wet spot. Drew yelped a moment later when Garret grabbed him, flipped him over, and proceeded to tear his clothes from his body.

“Roll over onto your back, chara,” Garret commanded.

Drew twisted around and lay back on the mattress, scrambling to do as the larger man commanded. His skin buzzed with excitement at the knowledge that Garret was going to fuck him. He lay on his back and spread his legs wide, inviting the larger man to have his wicked way with him.

“Very nice, chara.”

Drew thrilled at the praise. He fisted the sheets as Garret crawled onto the bed, smoothing his hands over Drew’s legs. He was dying to move, to wiggle around and beg Garret to fuck him already, but he bit back his urges.

His eyes damn near rolled to the back of his head as Garret’s fingertips played over his skin, slowly making their way toward his hardened shaft. Drew almost whined at the slow pace.

“Has there been anyone else, chara?” The words were murmured against his skin, Garret’s lips ghosting over his throat and to whisper in his ear. “Has anyone touched you?”

Drew wanted to say yes, to make Garret hurt as much as he had when the man left, but he couldn’t. The aching need in Garret’s voice begged for Drew to tell the truth, and the truth was Drew couldn’t stand the idea of anyone except Garret touching him. It made his skin crawl just thinking about being intimate with someone else.

“No,” Drew whispered then sucked in his bottom lip and bit down on it to keep from making another admission—that he didn’t want anyone but Garret.