Carolyn LeVine Topol

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 1

ALKING

into his large corner office, Sam took a seat at his

oversized desk. He  had several active cases he was working
on,  but  instead  of  diving  into  them  as  he  typically  did  each
morning, his curiosity won out. Sam pulled his laptop out of
its  carrying  case  and  set  it  front  and  center  on  the  smooth
glass surface.

After logging on, he immediately searched out his

newest  bookmarked  site,  The  Male  Room.  He  snorted,  still
not  believing  he‟d  actually  done  it—Sam  Solomon  had  filled
in  a  profile  at  an  online  dating  service.  Five  years  ago,  the
only  way  he  would  have  ever  done  anything  like  this  would
have  been  in  response  to  a  dare  when  he  was  too  drunk  to
think  clearly.  Now  that  he  was  living  alone  and  wishing  for
more than just a good fuck at the end of the day, Sam had
decided instead to try the newest trend in dating.

He remembered the day his friends, Craig and Jeff, had

sat  in  his  office  signing  the  documents  necessary  to  start
their  online  business.  His  two  friends  had  really  done  their
research, and the commitment they‟d made to take the risk
with  a  new  business  was  certainly  paying  off.  It  had  been
less  than  two  months  since  The  Male  Room  had  opened  its
virtual  doors,  and  they  already  had  one  of  the  three  most
lucrative  gay  online  dating  sites  on  the  east  coast  of  the
United States.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Having received a free profile for all the legal work he‟d

helped  them  with  during  their  start-up  period,  Sam  had
given  it  a  try.  He  wasn‟t  sure  what  he  was  hoping  for,  but
knew that going to the Music Box three to five nights a week
to  get  his  dick  sucked  or  find  a  good  ass  to  fuck  was
becoming  less  and  less  appealing.  He  envied  his  friends,
remembering how, as they‟d started their new business, they
had  also  discovered  the  love  that  had  been  looming  just
beneath the surface for years.

Now Sam wanted a shot at something longer-lasting,

but  he  was  picky.  He‟d  already  accepted  several  dates  from
his  online  prospective  pairings,  but  none  actually  had  gone
beyond  a  couple  of  brief  encounters.  One  or  two  first  dates
had  become  second  dates,  but  after  a  hot  fuck  and  a  good
dinner,  he  didn‟t  have  much  desire  to  develop  any  of  the
matches into relationships.

When he looked at the home page for The Male Room,

he  noticed  there  were  ten  couples,  captured  in  smiling
pictures,  listed  as  success  stories.  That  was  what  Sam
wanted. He wanted to be a success story, and not just in his
professional or sexual world, but in his personal life. Hell, he
wanted to have a personal life.

Exploring his profile‟s “Connection” location, he noticed

three  new  hits.  All  the  men  were  good  looking,  but  he‟d
learned  through  many  years  of  gathering  evidence  for  court
cases,  digitally  enhanced  pictures  could  go  a  long  way  to
improving  appearance.  Now  his  search  for  the  ideal  date
supported  the  same  theory.  Many  of  the  pictures  posted  on
the profiles were far less than honest representations.

Ignoring the photos, giving them no more than a passing

glance, Sam looked at each new prospective match‟s profile.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Two intrigued him immediately; the third seemed too

much like him to be worth a second look. Sam didn‟t think
he  could  handle  a  coffee,  let  alone  a  dinner,  with  someone
who  was  as  much  a  control  freak  as  himself.  The  thought
crossed  his  mind  that  maybe  he‟d  be  better  to  stick  to  the
old adage about opposites attracting each other.

Before he could think about it any further, the intercom

on his phone buzzed. “Mr. Solomon, Jeff is on line two for
you. Would you like to take his call or should I send it to
your voice mail?”

“I‟ll take the call, Donna. Please put it through.”
“Hello, Jeff. How are you and Craig enjoying your

success?”

“At the bank or in the bedroom?”
“Touché! You two really have got it all.”
“It only took him ten years to figure out something I

already knew when we were in high school.”

Sam chuckled. Although Jeff had started out as a trick

who could have won a contest for best cock-sucker in Boston
as far as Sam was concerned, he had since become a good
friend and confidant, something Sam didn‟t have many of.
Lots of hot men wanted to be his trick, but very few took it
further than that.

“Are you still there?”
“Oh, sorry. My mind wandered.”
“Well, honey, has it wandered over to your profile this

glorious morning? There are some new prospects I think you
should most definitely explore.”

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“Are you a mind reader? I was just looking at them. I

have to admit, I‟m beginning to lose hope. I may be your first
truly unsuccessful client.”

“Nonsense! You just don‟t know how to pick ‟em.” Jeff

paused and Sam could hear some beeping and chiming
noises in the background. “There. I just opened your profile.”

“Isn‟t it cheating to have one of the owners of The Male

Room act as my personal consultant?”

Jeff snickered. “It‟s not normally offered as part of the

service, but I‟m more than willing to make an exception for
you, especially since you clearly can‟t tell a good match from
a mediocre one.”

“So none of the matches are just bad, are they?” Sam

smirked, looking forward to hearing Jeff‟s comeback.

“There is a good match for everyone; sometimes at The

Male Room you just have to sift through the less-than-
perfect to find the diamonds in the rough.”

“I think you‟re twisting your metaphors.”
“Maybe so, but I see the perfect match for you.”
“Which one? There‟re three new additions who‟ve shown

interest on my profile page.”

“I tell you what, Sam. Let me act for you and set up a

meeting tonight at the Thai place near the Boston Aquarium.
Do you know the restaurant I‟m talking about?”

“Yes. I‟ve eaten there a number of times. They‟ll

probably recognize me when I arrive.”

“You‟ve eaten there or done take-out?”
“I‟m not answering your question on the grounds it

might incriminate me.”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

“You lawyers are all the same.” Sam heard Jeff clicking

away at his computer. “Okay, you‟re all set for tonight. I‟ll
contact the restaurant; you just be there at eight.”

“So, who am I meeting?”
“You‟ll know him when you see him. It‟s the man who

was meant for you.”

“I‟ll go along with this one time, but if you‟re wrong, I

think it may be time for me to take a break. Maybe I‟m just
not cut out to find someone. Not all of us can be as lucky as
you and Craig… and all the men on the home page.”

“There‟s a soul mate for you. I‟m sure of it. And I think

I‟ve found him.”

“We‟ll see.”
“How about a friendly wager?”
“What?”
“A bet. Let‟s bet on it.”
“You want to bet on whether you‟ve found the right man

for me?”

“Exactly. I have that much faith in myself.”
“I could just throw the date to win the bet.”
“You won‟t want to if you give it half a chance. I trust

my instincts, and I think it‟s finally your time.”

Hating to admit it, Sam hoped Jeff was right. He was

nearly thirty-five and alone. Friends were great, fucks were
temporarily satisfying, but Sam wanted to come home each
night and know someone cared whether he‟d be there or not.
“Okay. It‟s a bet. What do you want if you win?”

“That‟s easy. I want to put you and your partner‟s

picture on the home page and get a few quotes for the

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caption. A respected lawyer in Boston is fabulous free
advertising.”

“Sounds fair to me. And what if I win?”
“Don‟t you get it, sweetie? You and I will both win if I

win the bet. Focus on that… for me, better yet, for you.”

Biting his lip, Sam was glad no one could see him. Jeff

was right. He really wanted his friend to win the bet, even if
it meant an embarrassingly sweet picture of him would be
plastered on the site‟s home page. “Thanks, Jeff. I do hope
you win.”

“Talk to you later, honey. Remember, eight o‟clock at

the—”

“Thai restaurant. I‟ll be there, just make sure my date is

too. I‟m not in the mood for take-out this time.” Hanging up
the phone, Sam refocused on his profile.

Studying the three faces, Sam searched each of the

viewing profiles of the two likely candidates. He re-examined
them as if he was preparing for a case. Each man had good
qualities, and it seemed like he could spend a comfortable
evening with either one of them.

Scrutinizing the two profiles, Sam hoped Jeff had picked

the bartender. If anything, he should have some great stories
to tell of people he‟d witnessed while working. Besides,
bartenders were supposed to be great conversationalists.

Enough! He was wasting too much time on this. It was

in Jeff‟s hands now. While Sam wasn‟t counting on much, he
was hoping his friend had better luck selecting the perfect
match than he had. Clearly Sam only knew how to find the
hottest fucks. It was too bad he wanted more.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Blinking himself back to reality, Sam pressed the

intercom button on his phone. “Donna, bring me the files I
requested you pull yesterday. I have to be prepared for court
on Monday morning.”

“I‟ll be right there, Mr. Solomon. Do you mean the files

about the school purchasing computers for disabled kids?”

“That‟s the one. And good news for both of us, the

district is actually paying for my services. This one isn‟t even
pro bono.”

Donna laughed. “We both know you‟d help them just as

diligently even if it was.”

“Just bring me the files. I have a job to do, and so do

you, if you want to get paid next week.”

“Be right there.”
Lifting his finger from the intercom, Sam prepared

himself  to  re-examine  every  detail  of  information  regarding
the case of a local special education school fighting against a
large computer distributor that had sent them systems that
didn‟t  meet  their  specified  needs,  or  the  needs  of  their
students.

He would be the first person to admit he enjoyed having

enough  money  to  spend  as  he  chose,  but  one  thing  Sam
couldn‟t  stand  was  robbing  from  those  in  need.  He  also
couldn‟t stand losing a case. Sam had no intention of losing
this  one;  the  case  was  too  important  and  was  beginning  to
receive  more  attention  than  he  would  have  desired  in  the
news.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 2

glanced at his watch. He was only ten minutes late.

Perfect. He didn‟t want to look too anxious and he hoped he
could get a glimpse of the selection Jeff had made on his
behalf.

Remembering the profile pictures of the two likely

choices, he opened the door to the Thai Palace. He stepped
in, the appealing aromas of the Far Eastern seasonings and
cooking preparations putting a smile on his face. Jeff knew
Sam loved the restaurant, which made it a good choice for a
friendly introductory meeting. If nothing else, the food would
be a sure hit.

Scanning the room, Sam‟s eyes opened wide. At the rear

table was his date. He was nearly in shock. Jeff had selected
the  one  person  Sam  was  least  interested  in  pursuing.  This
guy  was  a  cocky  top.  Although  Sam  didn‟t  make  a  habit  of
prejudging  people,  one  look  at  his  picture  had  told  him  the
whole  story.  The  two  wouldn‟t  get  along,  in  or  out  of  bed.
They clearly would have too much in common in the fucking
department  and  too  little  in  common  everywhere  else.  Sam
hadn‟t  even  bothered  to  look  at  any  of  the  details  on  the
guy‟s profile page.

What was wrong with Jeff? He was supposed to have a

sixth sense about couples, and instead, he ended up
selecting the only inappropriate choice in the bunch.

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Sighing, Sam nodded at the man at the rear table and

approached. At least he‟d have a quality dinner, maybe even
eke out some pleasant conversation.

Before he made it to the rear of the restaurant, Tani, the

hostess, greeted him. “Mr. Solomon, it‟s a pleasure to see
you again. You haven‟t been here in over two weeks.”

“I know. I‟ve missed the food, the atmosphere, and your

lovely smile.” He shook her hand gently. “And remember, I‟ve
asked you to call me Sam. Mr. Solomon is only for the office
and in court.”

“Of course.” Tani gestured for Sam to follow her the

remaining distance to his table. “Your dinner companion is
already here. I‟ve served him your favorite green tea. I hope
you don‟t mind.”

“Not at all.” Hesitating, Sam continued. “Did you

happen to speak with him?”

“Yes, for a moment. We‟re quite busy tonight. He was

charming and made me laugh with one of his jokes.”

Trying not to roll his eyes, Sam barely managed to hold

back a groan. Not only was the guy a player, but he tried to
make friends with bad jokes.

“Have a lovely meal, Mr. Sam.”
“Thank you, Tani.”
When his companion for the evening rose, for a moment,

he  wished  he‟d  taken  a  closer  look  at  the  guy‟s  profile.  He
was  at  least  six  feet,  three  inches  tall,  if  not  taller,  with
silken auburn hair and the build of a forward on the Boston
Celtics.  If  he‟d  been  a  few  inches  taller,  he  would  have
guessed he played professional basketball.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

“Hello. I‟m Chris.” When offered his hand, Sam took it.

The contact was warm and firm, but not over-the-top.

“Sam. It‟s a pleasure to meet you.”
The two sat down as their waitress filled the water

glasses and brought Sam a cup of green tea matching
Chris‟s.

“I have to admit, I‟ve never tried online dating before.

But a good friend from work suggested it. He knows I‟ve been
trying to back off from the club scene and grow up.”

“Grow up? You look pretty grown up to me.” If nothing

else, Sam would love to get this guy in bed. He had to be a
great fuck if his equipment matched his physique.

Chris had the courtesy to chuckle rather than take

offense. “I noticed on your profile that you‟re an attorney. I‟ve
actually never really interacted with any attorneys until
recently.”

Uh oh! Was this a date requesting free legal advice? Sam

stared at Chris, hoping he‟d clarify his last statement.

“You see, the business where I work is involved in a

case, and they‟ve asked me to represent us on the first day
we go to court. I‟ve gone from never having a parking ticket
to meeting with a team of law clerks who‟ve been busy
asking me all sorts of questions.”

Knowing he had two choices, Sam made a hasty

decision. “Well, let‟s not talk shop tonight. We‟re supposed to
get to know one another, and I‟d like to leave the office
behind for the evening.”

Smiling, Chris then took a sip of his tea. “I agree. I‟d

definitely prefer leaving work behind.” He took another small
gulp from the steaming cup. “This stuff is great.”

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“It‟s the Thai Palace‟s special blend. They‟ve added some

extra aromatics to enhance the typical green tea, giving it a
more relaxing effect on the system.”

“I‟m usually a coffee man myself, but I could get used to

this after a long day.”

“Whenever I come here, they always bring me a cup as

soon as I‟m seated.”

“You come here often?” Chris paused and then smiled.

“If we weren‟t already on a date, that could be the cheesiest
line I‟ve ever spoken.”

Despite himself, Sam laughed. “Yeah. That was pretty

cheesy. And, yes, I try to come here at least once a week.
Sometimes I don‟t get here, or it just ends up as a delivery if
it‟s a busy week. Lately, it‟s been take out.”

“Then I guess the food must be really good.”
“The best. I hope you like Thai.”
Nodding, Chris opened the menu. “I like it all, but I stay

away from the items that are considered the hottest.”

“Hot isn‟t always bad.” Sam grinned.
“Now who‟s being cheesy?”
If nothing else, Sam wanted to make sure his night

ended with some treat for all his effort. It would make him
less annoyed at Jeff for picking the least likely candidate for
a long-term relationship. “Let‟s just say I never eat dessert
here. There are far better enticements elsewhere.”

“Mike‟s Pastries isn‟t far from here.” Chris raised an

eyebrow.

“I think we both know I wasn‟t referring to that type of

cream-filled delicacy.” Sam also raised an eyebrow.

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“My younger sister used to call me a big lug, but I‟m not

a stupid big lug.”

“Glad to hear it, Chris.” Sam licked his lips, knowing

one thing about this night would turn out right. “Care to
order?”

“I tell you what, Sam. Since you seem to know what‟s on

the menu for the evening, why don‟t you order for both of us
and see if I like it?”

Chris certainly wasn‟t afraid to turn up the heat, and

Sam  was  finding  him  more  intriguing  than  he  expected.
Damn!  Why  hadn‟t  he  reviewed  this  man‟s  profile?  Now  he
wanted to know more. Sam felt like he was flying blind, and
that  was  never  something  he  liked  doing.  It  was  part  of  his
nature  to  research  everything  and  everyone.  Rather  than
being prepared in advance, he‟d have to learn about this guy
the old-fashioned way: by asking outright.

After Sam ordered a series of small dishes for the two to

share, they enjoyed a few comfortable moments of silence
until the first two plates were placed before them.

Sam broke the silence as he removed his chopsticks

from their paper sleeve. “So, Chris, what do you like to do
when you‟re not at work?”

Choking on a small dumpling he‟d just popped into his

mouth, Chris stared at Sam. After taking a sip of his tea,
Chris finally swallowed. “You never read my profile, did
you?”

“What?” Sam hated having the disadvantage. Of course

he would have recorded his outside interests on his page at
The Male Room.

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“Why did you arrange this meeting if you never bothered

checking my profile?”

Looking into his cup, Sam took a deep breath, deciding

to let honesty prevail. “My good friend is one of the owners of
The Male Room. He doesn‟t think I‟m capable of selecting a
good match for myself, so he took it upon himself to arrange
an evening for me. Using my profile code, he‟s actually the
one who contacted you on my behalf.”

“Oh my God! That‟s priceless. The guy who runs the

online service really is a matchmaker. I would have never
guessed.”

“There‟re two of them. They‟re business and life

partners. Jeff is the matchmaker and a pretty good
bookkeeper, Craig is all about business and designing
programs.”

Chris held up his tea cup. “Well, here‟s to finding an

online match the old-fashioned way: with human
intervention.”

Sam smiled. He was taken aback by Chris‟s positive

attitude and spirit of good sportsmanship. “Here‟s to the best
of the modern world meeting the best of the old world.”

“Hear, hear.” Chris touched his cup to Sam‟s and the

two drank.

It was surprising how easy it was to talk to this guy.

They discussed sports; it was no surprise his tall date was a
basketball fan who had played in high school, although he
no longer played. He preferred running on his home
treadmill and lifting weights for daily exercise.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Sam discovered Chris frequented a gay club in

Cambridge, which would explain why they hadn‟t bumped
into one another at the Music Box.

They talked about their families and shared anecdotes

about  holiday  gatherings.  Sam  even  confessed  that  when
he‟d  come  out  to  his  mother,  she‟d  shocked  everyone  by
announcing  she  didn‟t  care  who  he  married  as  long  as  he
was a good Jewish boy who wanted children.

Chris snorted. “Well, that lets me out. I‟m a not-so-good

former Catholic, turned Atheist.”

“I‟m almost thirty-five. Right now my mother would be

happy if I found someone who was still breathing.”

“You‟re mother sounds a lot more accepting than most.”
“She is. I just feel bad that I‟ve never found anyone to

ever bring home.”

“You never know where the world will lead you.”
It was hard to resist Chris‟s charming attitude. He was

engaging, and his jokes were actually funny. There was a
warmth about him that Sam couldn‟t deny was attractive.

Sam insisted on paying for their dinners, as,

theoretically,  he  was  the  one  who  had  initiated  the  date.
When  they  were  standing  in  front  of  the  restaurant,  Sam
knew it was time to make a move if he wanted the evening to
continue  beyond  their  final  cup  of  tea.  He  ran  his  hand
slowly  down  the  front  of  Chris‟s  jacket,  stopping  at  his
waistband and waiting for a reaction.

Placing his hand over Sam‟s, Chris laced their fingers

together and said nothing. Sam was surprised by how
comforting the touch was; he wanted more. “I‟d like to bring
you to my home tonight, if you‟re still up for it.” Sam bit his

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lip, feeling the need to clarify, something he never did with
anyone else. “But I can‟t make any promises beyond
tonight.”

“I understand. If nothing else, the night can end on an

up note.” Chris grinned.

“I like the way you think, Chris… by the way, what is

your last name?”

“Chris Kelly.”
Why did that name sound familiar? It was probably just

that Kelly was such a common name amongst the Irish
Catholic community in Boston.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 3

closed the door as soon as they entered his apartment,

flipped  the  deadbolt,  and  pressed  Chris  against  the  door,
crashing  their  lips  together.  Chris  tasted  like  the  perfect
blend of green tea, Thai spices, and something more. It didn‟t
matter what it was. Sam wanted it; he was hungry for him.

Pressing back, Chris explored Sam‟s mouth, wrapping

his arms around Sam as he pushed his tongue inside. Sam
felt a sound escape from his throat, his reaction more
intense than he‟d expected.

It didn‟t matter that Chris was broader and taller; Sam

took back control, tugging his date‟s shirt out from where it
had been neatly tucked into his pants. He immediately
started to deftly unbutton the garment, exposing the
beautiful, fair skinned six-pack underneath.

Taking a step back, Sam gazed at Chris‟s heaving chest,

leaning in to lick and suck each nipple, moving from one to
the  other,  over  and  over,  sometimes  moving  away  from  one
nipple,  only  to  return  to  it  immediately,  keeping  his  date
guessing  as  to  which  nub  he  would  attack  next.  Chris
moaned,  threading  his  fingers  through  Sam‟s  hair  as  the
onslaught continued.

“Look at them—erect, hot, wet, waiting for me.” Sam

continued to suck harder on each nub, then nipped at them
both.

“Ahhh!”

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“You like that, don‟t you? You‟re waiting for more?” Sam

loved Chris‟s responsive movements and wanted to
experience more.

“Want to touch you,” Chris breathed out.
Anxious to oblige, Sam quickly unfastened the buttons

of his own shirt, pulling it off and flinging it off to the side.
Chris‟s big, smooth hands instantly gripped Sam‟s back and
then moved to his chest, massaging in circles over every
muscle, purposely avoiding his own erect nubs.

“You‟re beautiful.” Eyes darkened, Chris stared at Sam

as he continued rubbing his hands over his entire upper
body. It wasn‟t long before he began to search lower. Chris
unbuckled Sam‟s belt and then his own.

“You want more and I want to give it to you.” This was

the moment Sam would find out if he had been right. Would
they  clash  for  control  and  implode  before  they  got  any
further?  Although  he  knew  it  bordered  on  cliché,  Sam  still
wasn‟t  convinced  two  tops  could  handle  the  compromises
that would need to be made.

“Bedroom.” Sam froze, a grin on his face when he heard

Chris. “Can we move to your bedroom?” Chris didn‟t wait for
an answer, kissing Sam once again, wrapping his arms
around him. The touch of the now warm hands sent a shiver
up Sam‟s spine.

Taking Chris by the arm, Sam hastily moved them to his

bedroom. He tossed the comforter to the side, revealing the
dark, burgundy-colored sheets below.

As Chris began to remove his belt, Sam stilled his

hands. “Let me.” He whipped the belt out of the loops and
unfastened the pants. No need for those any more. Before

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lowering them to the floor, Sam pressed his hand against
Chris‟s hard member still trapped beneath the fabric.

“Oh God.” Chris‟s head fell back, his eyes slowly closing.
Inching the pants and briefs down together, Sam got his

first look at the prize underneath. “You‟re so damn big.”
Chris‟s cock was incredible; long, thick, and hard, waiting
for Sam, responding to Sam‟s every touch and word.

While Chris toed off his shoes and socks, then stepped

out of his pants, Sam quickly stripped off the rest of his own
clothing. “You‟re not so bad yourself.” Chris grinned.

Sam knew men loved to suck his cock and practically

lined up to get fucked by him, but for some reason he
wanted Chris more than any other he‟d ever made a play for
before.

Jeff had sucked him off in the backroom of the Music

Box once. He‟d been great, but it was a onetime event. Jeff
belonged to Craig, with Craig, and he was off the market
now.

“I want to take you.” Sam pressed his lips to Chris‟s,

slowly guiding him to the edge of the bed, hoping with each
step forward he wouldn‟t meet a wall.

“I know.” Chris pulled back briefly and then pressed

their lips together again. The hunger and urgency between
them grew until Sam wanted more and more of everything
about Chris. He needed to have him sprawled on his bed so
he could kiss every inch of that amazing body and then fuck
him until he begged for release.

Chris lay on his back rolling his lips inward, clearly out

of his comfort zone. Sam hovered over him. It was just how

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Sam wanted it. He was in charge. This was his show and he
would make it a performance neither of them would forget.

Starting at Chris‟s lobe, Sam nipped, licked, and kissed

his  way  down  the  long  neck,  sucking  just  enough  not  to
leave  a  mark.  He  then  moved  on  to  touch,  and  lavish
attention  on,  the  hot,  muscular  chest,  and  finally  the  tight
abdomen.  The  man  beneath  him  began  to  writhe,  gripping
the sheets in his clenched fists.

“You are so damn hot.” Kissing, licking, teasing the

huge reddened cock, Sam listened to the moans urging him
on. Each sound from Chris went right to Sam‟s dick. He was
harder  than  he‟d  been  in  ages  without  touching  himself.
When  Chris  began  to  buck  under  Sam‟s  ministrations,  he
stopped,  grabbing  the  lube  and  a  condom  from  the  night
table drawer.

“Sam.”
Blinking, as he squirted a large dollop of the gel onto his

fingers, Sam looked up. Chris‟s eyes were wide. He had that
deer in the headlights look. “Are you okay?”

Closing his eyes, Chris turned his head to one side,

obviously having second thoughts. Sam worried this would
be over before it started.

“Chris?”
“I just, I don‟t usually—” Biting his lip, Chris couldn‟t

seem to finish the sentence.

“I figured. I‟ll take it easy.” Sam pressed his lips gently

to the matted hair streaked across his forehead. “I‟ll take
care of you.” Sam wasn‟t sure why he offered so much, but it
felt right.

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Warming the lube in his fingers, Sam positioned himself

between  Chris‟s  legs,  encouraging  him  to  spread  them  even
more. When he responded, Sam‟s breath hitched at the sight
of  this  amazing,  hulking  man  lying  wanton  and  needy,
waiting  for  him.  “I‟ll  give  you  a  night  you‟ll  always
remember.”  He  pressed  one  finger  slowly  into  the  waiting
hole.

Chris arched his back slightly in response, breathing

heavier as Sam pushed another finger in to join the first.

Opening up the tight channel wasn‟t easy. Chris had

obviously not been doing much bottoming, if any at all.

“More. Another. Please.”
Smiling as he witnessed the building desire, Sam gladly

added  a  third  finger,  spreading  Chris  from  the  inside,
opening  him  up  so  he‟d  be  ready  for  the  hot,  long  cock  he
was  about  to  take.  Moving  his  fingers  within,  he  found  the
spot he was looking for and nudged it.

“Oh shit!”
“You like that? You want more?”
Chris nodded, licking his lips. Sam captured the

seductive tongue between his lips and sucked on it as he
dove in for another heated kiss. Chris‟s legs fell further to
the side as their contact became more urgent, and he began
to buck against Sam‟s fingers.

Pulling out carefully, so as not to hurt Chris with too

sudden a move, Sam looked at the man below. “Are you
okay?”

Smiling, Chris laced his fingers in Sam‟s hair and pulled

him in for another kiss.

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That was all the encouragement Sam needed. He

couldn‟t  hold  back  any  longer.  Adding  to  the  thrill  for  Sam
was  the  experience  of  watching  the  tight  muscles  of  Chris‟s
sculpted  body  heaving  as  he  panted,  waiting  for  Sam  to
penetrate him. After putting the condom on with one smooth
stroke and coating it with the lube remaining on his fingers,
Sam slowly pushed his cock inside. “You‟re so damn tight.”

A nod was the only response as Chris once again

clutched the sheet in his fists.

Continuing to carefully move deeper, Sam pushed into

the  tight  tunnel  until  he  was  completely  inside.  Looking
down,  he  stilled,  allowing  Chris  to  signal  when  he  could
move  again.  When  he  felt  the  strong  legs  wrap  around  his
back, Sam knew it was time.

Starting with a slow, steady pace, he thrust in and out,

enjoying the warmth. Sam couldn‟t tear his eyes away from
the man beneath him. He was so open, so trusting. As Chris
began to join the rhythmic movements, Sam felt something
foreign in his gut. Ignoring it, he continued, changing the
angle to make sure to graze Chris‟s prostate on every stroke.

“Oh God, Sam!”
Leaning down, Sam crashed their lips together,

swallowing Chris‟s words and moans, wanting to take all of
him at once.

“Ahhh. I‟m gonna come. Please.”
When Chris made a move to touch his dick, Sam

swatted his hand away. “You‟ll come without even touching
yourself.”

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“Fuck!” Chris bucked beneath him, his reddened

member bobbing freely, as Sam‟s movements became faster
and harder.

Resting his cock against Chris‟s prostate, he delivered

short thrusts over the delicate spot.

His head thrashing from side to side, Chris grabbed

Sam‟s shoulders, digging his nails in as he arched his back
one last time. “Sam!” Creamy white spurts of liquid shot
between them, hitting the full length of Chris‟s chest up to
his chin.

Feeling the intense pressure around his cock, Sam

followed him, filling the condom.

After catching his breath, Sam gently pulled out,

removed the condom, tied it off, and tossed it onto the floor.

Before he could say or do anything, Chris wrapped his

arms around him, holding him close. This wasn‟t what Sam
normally did after fucking a trick—it would typically be too
intimate—but Sam didn‟t mind. Although he might regret his
actions later, Sam followed suit, embracing Chris. The two
lay, their legs tangled, sticky come drying on their chests.

Although he thought about getting up to wash off, Sam

instead reached out with one hand to pull the comforter over
them. It was Friday night and there was no need to think
about alarm clocks or deadlines for the next day.

Holding one another beneath the blanket now cocooning

them, Chris kissed Sam‟s neck. “I‟m not sure why I let you.”

“Shhh, just go to sleep.”
“No, Sam,” he whispered. “I need to tell you. You‟re the

first.”

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Sam‟s eyes shot open for a moment, and then a smile

spread across his face. He nibbled at Chris‟s lobe and then
kissed his neck, cheek, and lips tenderly. “I‟m glad it was
me. And I‟m not sure how, but somehow I knew.”

“Good.”
The two remained entwined as they fell into a sated

sleep.

didn‟t feel or hear anything until he awoke to the light

streaming  into  the  bedroom.  He  rolled  over,  frowning  when
he  discovered  he  was  alone.  His  reaction  set  off  an  internal
alarm, which he chose to set aside for the moment.

Then he spotted a small note on the nightstand.
Thank you for last night. You’re right, I’ll always

remember it. It’s your move now, since your friend fixed us up.
Here’s my phone number. I hope you use it. Chris

Damn! Now Sam had to really think about how he felt.

He had been in his element the night before. In the light of
day, out of bed, could he make a relationship work?

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 4

ITTING

behind the desk in his home office, steaming cup of

coffee by his side, Sam tried to focus on the client file in
front of him. This case was one of the most difficult he had
ever taken on.

In the past, when he‟d presented an underdog case to

the  partners‟  meeting,  it  was  generally  shot  down.  The  few
they  had  accepted  were  clear  winners.  In  those  instances,
while  the  little  guy  seemed  persecuted  or  victimized,  there
was  enough  proof  to  strongly  encourage  an  out-of-court
settlement with a big take-home award.

The case of the small special education school versus

the  major  computer  distributor  was  a  completely  different
story. Rather than avoiding negative publicity and correcting
the  error  by  reissuing  an  entirely  new  shipment  of
computers,  the  distributor  was  pleading  poverty,  claiming
never  to  have  received  the  appropriate  items  from  the
manufacturer  and  to  having  sent  what  they  had  out  of  the
goodness of their hearts.

Sam had the evidence he needed in the documents he

was  studying—documents  his  investigative  team  had
somehow  acquired.  The  specific  methods  used  to  acquire
said  documents  were  best  not  examined  too  closely.  The
paperwork  and  photographs  proved  the  manufacturer  had
shipped  two  hundred  computers  with  the  software  and

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hardware necessary for use by the school‟s special needs
students.

Fortunately, the law firm was getting some support in

the media from the Anti-Defamation League and the
American Civil Liberties Union, but going against a large
distributor was still no walk in the park.

Leaning back in his chair, Sam thought about the

students and their dedicated teachers. There are a variety of
reasons to go into the field of education, just as there are a
variety  of  reasons  to  go  into  law.  Some  of  the  objectives  in
the  field  of  law  are  more  selfish  than  others,  but  no  one
becomes  a  special  education  teacher  for  the  money  or  the
fame. He looked forward to meeting the first teacher who had
been elected by his, or her, colleagues as their representative
during  the  initial  stage  of  the  trial.  Many  wanted  to  take
part,  but  their  days  were  filled  with  students  who  needed
them,  so  only  one  teacher  would  sit  at  the  plaintiff‟s  table
each day.

Needing people was something Sam hadn‟t given much

thought to until recently. Why had he filled in that ridiculous
profile?  If  he  was  honest  with  himself,  he  knew  why.  He
envied Craig and Jeff. Watching the two of them, even before
Craig  became  completely  aware  of  the  connection  he  had
with  Jeff,  it  had  been  obvious  the  two  men  belonged
together.  Sam  wanted  to  have  that  kind  of  bond  with
someone as well.

The thought of getting up in the morning and facing

good  days  together  with  a  partner  put  a  smile  on  his  face,
but  the  thought  of  having  someone  watch  his  back  on  the
bad ones was something he wanted even more.

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Sex was important, but for the first time in his life, Sam

wanted  more  than  sex.  He  wanted  what  he‟d  always
dreaded—a  relationship.  Someone  other  than  his  mother
who  would  give  a  damn  whether  he  was  happy  or  sad,  a
success or a failure.

Looking back at the file, Sam began to read each piece

of evidence, analyzing it for the umpteenth time, judging its
usefulness in a court of law.

Analyzing had been something Sam did well until last

night.  For  some  unknown  reason,  Sam  hadn‟t  analyzed
anything the previous night. He‟d just gone along for the ride
during  his  evening  with  Chris,  and  it  had  led  to  more
rewards than he had expected.

Jeff had picked the right guy, and now it was up to Sam

to follow through.

The sex had been incredible. Better than Sam

remembered  having  with  any  trick.  Hell,  he  barely
remembered any of his tricks. This was different. Chris had
confessed he was a top, yet he had felt enough trust in Sam
to  give  up  control.  Chris  had  given  himself  completely  to
him.  If  he  were  to  analyze  the  previous  night,  Sam  would
have  to  admit  that  night  had  been  the  first  time  he‟d
experienced  more  than  just  sex.  He‟d  felt  something,  and  it
was  clear  Chris  had  as  well  and  was  willing  to  give  up
control to let it happen.

Taking a big gulp of his coffee, Sam set the cup to the

side and opened the top right-hand drawer of his desk. There
it was, facing him: the phone number.

He pulled the paper out and turned it over in his hand.

It wasn‟t a business card. Most guys carried business cards

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and added a private number if they wanted a repeat. He was
sure Chris was employed, but he still avoided checking his
profile.

Chastising himself for being a coward, Sam turned to

the laptop and set off to one side of his desk. He reduced the
screen with his notes on the case, opening a new window to
bring up The Male Room.

As had become his habit, he first checked his own

profile. If nothing else, it boosted his ego to see another two
names requesting further contact with him.

Shaking the thought of distracting himself with

someone else, Sam clicked the link for Chris‟s profile page.

There he was. His picture was accurate. Chris was hot,

muscular,  and  had  dark  red  hair,  really  an  auburn  color,
and  blue  eyes,  so  dark  they  could  be  mistaken  as  black  if
someone didn‟t look closely enough. Sam had looked closely;
he‟d  noticed  everything  about  Chris.  He‟d  been  captured  by
those eyes at dinner.

“Stop staring like a school kid. This isn‟t high school.”

Sam forced himself to look beyond the picture and actually
read the bio for the first time.

Chris had played basketball in high school but was too

short  to  get  a  scholarship  to  college.  No  surprise  there.  He
enjoyed going out to bars, but wanted to have a reason to go
home  instead.  Hmmm,  sounded  familiar,  although,  unlike
many on the site, he didn‟t focus on marriage and kids; just
meeting  someone  who  would  be  more  than  a  one  night
stand.

The next line was interesting. It read, „I like to be in

charge, in control of my surroundings, but I’m willing to

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compromise if the right guy comes along.‟ Was that what last
night was all about? Was Sam the right guy for Chris, and
could it actually be vice versa?

Damn it, Sam just wanted to focus on preparing for this

case, but he couldn‟t keep his mind off Chris. He continued
to scroll down the screen.

There, at the bottom of the profile, was a statement

about employment. Sam chuckled. He‟d thought Chris might
be another lawyer trying to get into his firm.

Chris was a teacher, which just might explain his

determined, yet compassionate, nature.

Laughing, he wondered if Chris had heard about the

case Sam was taking to court. He was sure all the teachers
in the Greater Boston area must have read or seen the news
story featuring the small special education program, likened
to the biblical David taking on the big, bad distributors,
Goliath.

A grin crossed Sam‟s face. He pulled the phone number

out of the drawer, picked up his landline, and dialed.

“Hello.”
“Hi, Chris. It‟s Sam. I hope this is a welcome call.” He

thought it would be since Chris had left the number, but the
light of day could change anything and anyone.

“Very welcome. I wasn‟t sure I‟d hear from you after last

night. I mentioned to a friend that we went out last night. He
must have, let‟s say, interacted with you at a club in Boston
at one time. He told me you were only into tricking and I
shouldn‟t expect anything else.”

Biting his lip, Sam realized his reputation could actually

get in the way and wasn‟t something to necessarily take

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pride in any more—at least not if he wanted more than to go
from trick to trick. “Well, let‟s say it‟s never too late to
reinvent yourself.”

“I know what you mean.”
“Chris, last night you reinvented yourself, and this

morning I‟d like to do something out of my comfort zone.”

“Huh?”
Sam grimaced, realizing his invitation was beginning to

sound more like a proposition than it should. “No, no,
nothing like that, although you were amazing.”

“Amazing?”
“Yeah,” Sam whispered. “The best.”
Chris was silent for a moment. “Thank you.”
“Believe me, there‟s no thanks necessary.”
“I‟m glad you called.”
“Wait a minute. Don‟t hang up. I didn‟t just call to tell

you you‟re hot. Here‟s where I do something I‟ve never done
before.” Taking a deep breath, Sam continued. “I want to see
you again, and not just for sex.”

“I‟d like that too.” Chris‟s voice was quiet, and Sam

realized just how much he‟d given up to him the previous
evening.

“Do you know where The Big Egg is?”
Chris snorted.
“It‟s not a joke. It‟s the best mom and pop breakfast

place in town, hidden off the beaten path.”

“I can honestly say I‟ve never been there or even heard

of it.”

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“Good. I‟m glad I can introduce you to something new.”

Sam sighed. “Damn. I‟m doing this all wrong. Everything
sounds like a proposition rather than an invitation. I didn‟t
even ask if you were free today. Sorry.”

“It‟s okay to be awkward the first time you try something

new.” Chris paused. Sam understood the multi-layered
meaning. “I was going to do some prep work for a special
project I‟m working on, but I‟d be happy for an excuse to get
away for a while.”

“Great.” Sam was glad he was alone for the moment. He

was reacting like a giddy teen and felt foolish. “If you‟re
willing to give me your address, I‟ll pick you up in an hour.”

“Okay. It‟s a date.”
Smiling, Sam replied, “Yeah, it is.”
After he and Chris disconnected, Sam sat back gazing at

his desk. “I know this case backwards and forwards. Now, if
the teacher they‟ve assigned to represent them on day one is
composed, we‟ll nail these assholes to the wall, and not in a
way that any of them will leave with satisfied smiles on their
faces. Or in their pants.”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 5

“I

CAN

‟

believe I‟m doing this.” Sam grinned as he shook his

head.

“What? Dating, asking someone out without the

requirement of sex as the punch line, or having breakfast
with a hot guy?” Chris offered a half smile as he took
another bite of his western omelet.

“All of the above, but I was thinking more about my job,

and the fact that I abandoned it for more hours than I
probably should have.”

“I see. So you‟re a workaholic. Do you usually work on

the weekends?”

Looking up from his plate, Sam took a sip of his coffee.

He was completely surprised that he was enjoying spending
so  much  time  with  Chris  out  of  bed.  Talking  to  him  and
getting to know him was far easier than he‟d expected. It was
certainly  much  easier  than  with  any  of  the  other  men  he‟d
tried to hook up with from The Male Room since he‟d signed
onto  the  service  and  completed  his  profile  a  few  months
earlier.

As if a light bulb had switched on above his head, Sam

realized this was the first person he‟d thoroughly enjoyed
spending time with, and Jeff had made the selection. Maybe
he really didn‟t see himself as clearly as he thought he did.

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It didn‟t matter now. Now he was with Chris, and it

wasn‟t bad at all. In fact, it was pretty damn good.

“Actually, when I‟m at work, I‟m completely focused. My

clients  get  my  undivided  attention,  whether  I‟m  speaking
with them directly or working on their cases after they‟ve left
the  office.  I  try  to  keep  my  weekends  fairly  free,  but  I‟m
preparing  for  court  on  Monday.  It‟s  an  important  case,  and
as I don‟t want to screw anything up, I brought home some
follow-up work so I could stay on top of everything, be fully
prepared before I hit the courtroom on Monday morning.”

“Staying on top of everything seems to be your M.O.”

Chris smirked.

Chuckling, Sam reached over and touched Chris‟s hand.

Gazing into Sam‟s eyes, Chris blushed. “I‟ve always
wondered what it would be like for someone else to be on top
of their game with me. I admire you for taking a risk. I‟ve
never been able to trust anyone the way you trusted me.”

“Neither have I. I‟m not sure why I did last night. It just

seemed….” Chris looked down at his plate.

“It seemed safe, right. I felt it too.” This time, rather

than  just  touching  Chris‟s  hand,  Sam  held  it.  It  wasn‟t
something  he‟d  thought  of  himself  doing,  but  he  needed  to;
he  was  drawn  to  Chris  in  an  odd,  unfamiliar  way.  “I  trust
you  too.  We  barely  know  each  other,  but  there‟s  something
between us; I can‟t pinpoint what it is.”

“I know you‟re a lawyer, but do you have to defend

everything, including your feelings? Just accept this.”

“Blindly?”
“Why not?”

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Squeezing Chris‟s hand, Sam smiled broadly. “Why not?

I rarely play hooky. It‟s about time I let my life be a priority.”
Leaning in, Sam lowered his voice to a whisper. “But, I‟m
bound and determined to win this case. I can‟t tell you any
details because you‟ve probably already heard about it in the
news, but it could take down a big company trying to rip off
the little guy.”

“So you slay dragons when you‟re not seducing men and

making them fall for you?”

“Is that what you‟re doing—falling for me?” Sam sat up

straight and slowly released Chris‟s hand.

“Shit,” Chris whispered, barely audible. “I shouldn‟t

have said that. I‟m a huge proponent of up-front honesty and
sometimes it gets the better of me.” He glanced at Sam.
Taking his napkin off his lap, Chris began to push his chair
back, obviously preparing to leave. “I didn‟t mean to pressure
you. This is all new to me; last night was new to me. I must
have let my newly discovered emotions get away from me.
Sorry. I‟ll go.”

His mind racing, Sam didn‟t give himself time to ponder

whether this was better for both of them or not. He just
knew he couldn‟t let Chris walk away, walk out of his life.
“No. Stay.”

Chris‟s eyes widened. “Are you sure? I don‟t want to

make you uncomfortable.”

“For the first time in my adult life I can honestly say I‟m

completely comfortable. I‟ve been sort of a loner and enjoyed
it.  No  commitments,  no  repeats  unless  I  was  hungry  for  a
second  round.  The  other  person  didn‟t  matter.  He  was  a
body,  and  we  were  there  to  serve  each  other‟s  needs.  This

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may be new, and it may be different, but it‟s also—” Sam
scrubbed his hand over his face. “Now I‟m going to sound
like a queen, but I don‟t give a damn.”

“Say it.” Chris pulled his chair in again and leaned in

toward Sam from across the table.

“Fine, I‟ll just let it out. This is also special. I don‟t know

how I know, since having a relationship was something that
seemed out of my reach, but I know. Just like I know when
I‟m going to win a case from the moment the trial begins and
the first witness is called. I know this is worth the effort.
You’re worth the effort.” Sam took a deep breath. “There, I
said it. I can‟t believe I admitted all that to you, but I did.”

“I understand attorneys tend to be longwinded. I tend

toward making things clear for my students. Does this mean
you‟re falling for me too?”

Sam snorted. “Yeah. I‟m falling for you. That‟s why I

gave up on the idea of working this morning and called you.
You came before my case. It‟s incredible.”

“I bet.” Chris grinned.
“If you want to run for the hills and escape a

relationship with a man who‟s probably considered
emotionally immature, I wouldn‟t blame you.”

“We have similar pasts, but I think we can leave them

behind together. I‟ll help you grow up, if you help me.” Chris
inched his hand across the table, his fingertips touching
Sam‟s. The simple touch had Sam shift in his seat. A mental
picture of Chris in his bed, giving himself completely, flashed
through his head. Sam was falling. It terrified and thrilled
him, both at the same time.

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“You must be a great teacher if you want to tackle me as

your student.”

“In my experience students and teachers balance one

another. Everything a teacher imparts comes back when he
sees his students succeed and thrive.”

“You think I‟ll be a success.”
“I think we could be.” Chris smiled. “You got an A- last

night.”

“That‟s all?” Sam raised an eyebrow and took a bite of

his waffle.

“There‟s always room for improvement. It makes trying

again and again a positive.”

“I see. So we‟ll be trying again and again, will we?”
“I hope so.” Chris licked his lips.
“Me too.” Sam took hold of Chris‟s hand again and

squeezed. This man was so beautiful and playful. He towered
over Sam. The heat just under the surface could
spontaneously combust, yet Chris seemed to also have a
tender heart. He was a complete contradiction wrapped up in
one hot package.

Chris stared into Sam‟s eyes and laced their fingers

together. “Is this okay?”

“It‟s perfect.”
After a moment the two men released each other‟s

hands  and  continued  eating.  Sam  didn‟t  want  the  meal  to
end, but he knew he really did have to get back to work. This
time  when  he  and  Chris  separated,  he  would  give  him  his
private  cell  number  and  make  sure  they  scheduled  another
date.  Maybe  knowing  he‟d  be  seeing  Chris  again  after  court

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on Monday would be just the thing to keep him focused.
That, and maybe an X-rated phone call at night, if Chris was
willing.

Taking another sip of his coffee to hide the grin forming

on his face, Sam realized he would normally be bound for
the Music Box to let off a little steam and rejuvenate his
energy. The club suddenly didn‟t seem nearly as attractive.

Sitting opposite him was the best illustration of

attractive Sam could ever imagine, inside and out.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 6

N HIS

return to his apartment, Sam immediately went into

his kitchen to make himself a cup of coffee before getting
back to work.

Focusing on the task at hand was getting harder, and

he hoped the caffeine kick would help. He mentally scolded
himself for acting like a love-struck teen, but he couldn‟t
seem to help it.

Just thinking back to a few minutes earlier, his cock

responded. Chris had insisted Sam remain in the car when
he dropped him off.

“You told me you have an important case you‟re working

on. I‟m flattered to be considered a welcome distraction, but
we both know if you come inside you won‟t get back to work
for hours.”

“Hours?” Sam grinned. “You have high hopes for us.”
“Let‟s just say last night was far more satisfying than I

ever imagined, and I hope for much more of the same, but I‟d
also like to show you—” Chris suddenly stopped speaking
and turned away, looking toward the passenger side window.

“Chris, what is it? I thought I‟d seen everything last

night. What else could you show me?” Sam‟s stomach
started to churn, and he was pretty sure it wasn‟t his recent
breakfast. Did Chris have regrets already; regrets he was
afraid to express?

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Sighing, Chris turned back. He cupped Sam‟s chin, an

affectionate  gesture,  one  that  made  the  typically  in-control
attorney  shiver.  Sex  for  him  was  usually  fast,  rough,  hard,
but  Chris  added  an  intimacy  to  every  touch  that  Sam  was
beginning  to  desire.  Leaning  over  the  gear  shift,  Chris
pressed his lips to Sam‟s. He instinctively wrapped one arm
around Chris‟s back. The fingers on his other hand laced in
the  thick  sweep  of  wavy  hair,  keeping  him  close.  Sam
deepened the kiss, hungry to taste, explore, and know every
part of Chris over and over.

He heard the bigger man moan into the kiss, opening

his mouth to allow entrance. The two shared their intimate
moment until Chris finally broke away, resting his head
against Sam‟s.

“Sam, please tell me we really are going to see each

other again on Monday and this isn‟t all some fantasy I‟ve
dreamed up to fill my weekend.”

“Chris, I‟m here. I called you.” Sam lowered his eyes for

a  moment,  but  then  found  the  courage  to  look  directly  into
his  companion‟s  eyes.  “And  despite  everything  I‟ve  ever
assumed about myself, I don‟t think I could stop seeing you
even  if I  wanted  to—which  I  don‟t,  by the  way.  You  can  tell
me whatever is concerning you.”

“Last night you showed me, maybe without intending to,

how much you care. You knew we were doing something I
wasn‟t used to, but it happened, and the tenderness, the way
you—”

“Yeah, it‟s true. More of it was for you than I even

admitted to myself at first. It just seemed important.”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

“Well, I‟d like the chance to show you I can care for you

too. Make you go places you‟ve never been before; let you feel
what I felt last night.”

Closing his eyes, Sam bit his lip. Having someone inside

him  scared  the  shit  out  of  him.  When  he  was  younger  his
first had been a hottie with a reputation as the best fuck at
the  gay  bar  nearest  his  home.  He‟d  let  the  guy  have  him,
thinking  it  was  part  of  the  journey  to  being  an  aware  gay
man,  but  discovered  it  was  more  about  pain  and  loss.  The
guy fucked him, brought him to a fast, hot climax, and never
asked  his  name.  It  was  a  cold  introduction  and  left  him
unwilling to let anyone else inside, emotionally or physically.
Even  though  the  sex  was  completely  consensual,  Sam  had
always felt robbed.

“Hey, are you okay?” Chris gently squeezed his

shoulder. “Where did you go?”

“You don‟t want to know.”
“Maybe I do. I do want to know more about you.”
“I went to a place where gay men learn to build walls; to

a time when I learned to protect myself first, last, and
always.”

“You‟re not the person you think you are. Maybe

sexually you built a wall, but when we talk, when you tell me
about some long-resolved case where the underdog won, it‟s
clear you‟re very open to being cared for. Will you let me in?”

Sam didn‟t know how to react. He was feeling so many

things at once. Crashing his lips onto Chris‟s, Sam felt alive
inside. Although they were in a car outside Chris‟s
apartment building, there was an intimacy between them

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Sam had never experienced with anyone else, in or out of
bed.

When they broke apart, Sam smiled at Chris. His hair

was tangled and messy and his lips swollen, but he was the
most beautiful, perfect sight he could imagine. “Yes.”

Caressing Sam‟s cheek, Chris looked into his eyes. “Yes,

you‟ll let me show you how much I care?”

Nodding against Chris‟s hand, Sam experienced a warm

feeling inside, and something else, something more, but it
was too soon to name it. That would be getting ahead of
himself.

“Okay. I‟ll see you Monday evening. It‟s obvious you like

to take charge. Do you want to pick the restaurant?”

“You can. It‟s time I learned to be taken care of.”
“In that case, how about letting me cook dinner for you

at my place? It‟s a small kitchen, but I can work miracles
with a sauté pan and a stove top grill.”

“I‟ll bring the wine.” Sam leaned in to give Chris one last

tender kiss. He needed those lips against his one more time;
they were irresistible.

“I‟d better get out or we‟ll never leave this car. As it is, I

see a cold shower in my immediate future.”

Chuckling, Sam sat back in the driver‟s seat, putting his

hands on the wheel. He watched Chris enter his apartment
building and then drove away, his cock demanding attention
it wasn‟t going to get just yet.

Hearing the drip of his Keurig dispensing a freshly

brewed cup of coffee brought Sam back to the present.
During the ride home he‟d been a mixed bag of emotions,

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and now he was thinking about what was in store for
Monday night.

He was surprised to find just the thought of Chris on

top of him, holding him, entering him, was making him hard.
His jeans tightening, Sam reached down, imagining Chris‟s
strong hand hovering over the bulging fabric.

Shit! How the hell was he going to concentrate on his

work? This was ridiculous.

Before he was able to think any further, his home phone

rang. He picked it up without checking the caller ID and
walked over to the brewer to get his drink.

“Hello.”
“Hi, Mr. Solomon. You asked me to call you if I had

some free time to work today.”

“Oh, right, Donna.”
“I know you were anxious about making sure everything

was in order for Monday morning. I can‟t work tomorrow, but
I can give you a few hours this afternoon.”

“Perfect. Do you mind working at my apartment instead

of the office? I brought all the files home and I have my
desktop and my laptop for us to work with.”

“I‟ll be there in about twenty minutes if the T

cooperates. If not, it‟ll be closer to thirty or forty.”

“See you then.” Sam hung up the phone. Donna would

be the perfect distraction. He would get his work done
efficiently and there would be no thoughts of Chris, his body,
his hair, his eyes, his cock, sex.

Damn! She couldn‟t get to his place fast enough.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Trying to sit comfortably at the small kitchen island,

Sam took a sip of his coffee. It was a good thing Donna was a
meticulous worker, happily married, and a woman. That
would ensure the afternoon would be much more productive.

Thinking about his assistant‟s imminent arrival, Sam‟s

body  relaxed.  He  took  his  coffee  into  the  home  office  and
began  to  review  the  case  from  where  he‟d  left  off  the  day
before. Nothing had been accomplished since he‟d met Chris.
He  hoped  they‟d  either  get  bored  or  comfortable  with  each
other  soon,  because  this  beginning  stuff  had  him  far  more
unsettled than he ever cared to be.

ONNA

arrived less than thirty minutes after she‟d called,

carrying a bag of donuts from a Dunkin‟ Donuts she passed
on her walk from the T station.

“Here, boss. I thought you might need a sugar rush to

get  the  ball  rolling.”  She  was  all  smiles  and  looked  pretty
good for a Saturday afternoon: make-up free, in black jeans,
a  sweater  and  sneakers,  with  her  hair  pulled  back  in  a
messy  bun.  Her  normal  work  clothing  was  a  pristine  pants
suit and high heels, with her make-up and hair just right to
match.

Sam was pleased to note he was now more than ready

to get to work. Donna was just the antidote he needed to
acting like a teen with a crush.

“I have chocolate glazed and honey dipped.” She set the

bag on his desk along with a tall stack of napkins she must
have grabbed from one of their dispensers. “I have two of

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each, so pick your poison while I go make myself a cup of
coffee.”

He liked knowing she felt comfortable and safe working

with him from home. Even though she would find a bonus in
her paycheck at the end of the week, Sam knew he couldn‟t
buy this kind of loyalty from just any employee.

“Make yourself at home.” He raised his voice so Donna

could hear him from the kitchen. “I‟m taking a chocolate
even though I‟ll have to exercise it off later.”

Laughing, Donna called from the kitchen. “We both

know you‟ll be working it off tonight at the Music Box. Or is
there a new place you‟ve been hitting?”

Sam thought about the idea of going to his favorite club.

He could let off steam and lose himself in someone, but the
notion suddenly seemed wrong. It didn‟t matter that he had
made no promises to Chris, nor had Chris made any to him.
The Music Box and all it had to offer didn‟t pique his interest
one bit. “No. No new place; I think I‟d like to stay in tonight.
I‟ll just have to work these donuts off the old fashioned way,
on the treadmill.”

Returning with her coffee in hand, Donna sat at the

laptop, while Sam looked at the desktop. “Suit yourself, Mr.
Solomon. It sounds like you‟re taking the tougher route.”

“I just may be doing that. I hope it‟ll work out for me.”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 7

forced himself to focus on the case for the rest of the

weekend.  That  had  to  take  precedence  over  his  new
acquaintance.  He  snorted.  Chris  was  clearly  not  just  an
acquaintance.  He  wasn‟t  quite  a  boyfriend;  it  was  a  subject
that  hadn‟t  been  addressed  as  yet.  Sam  wondered  if  it  was
because neither of them was willing to say anything for fear
that the other might not feel the same way.

What were they? The one thing Sam was certain of was

that they were not just tricks or mere fuck buddies to one
another. They were definitely something more. Another notch
on his belt was the last thing Sam needed or wanted, and he
was fairly sure Chris was looking for more as well. Dwelling
on semantics didn‟t matter; he and Chris would soon have a
chance to talk about what was going on between them.

By the time Monday morning arrived, Sam was fully

prepared for the beginning of his court battle and more than
ready  for  his  date  with  Chris  later  that  night.  He  wasn‟t
completely  sure  he  was  ready  for  what  Chris  had  been
offering on Saturday. He also knew that, at the moment, he
couldn‟t  make  decisions  about  his  sex  life,  or  the  idea  he
might  actually  let  someone  else  inside  him.  That  would
clearly  be  a  serious  step  for  him,  and  one  he  both  dreaded
and,  if  he  was  completely  honest  with himself,  hoped  for  at
the same time. The court case was too important; he needed
to focus only on that.

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Sex could be taken as all fun and games to punctuate

the  end  of  the  evening,  but  it  hadn‟t  felt  anything  like  that
with Chris. Should Sam agree to let Chris take charge? Then
it  would  be  more  than  clear  that  this  was  a  relationship—a
very special relationship.

Standing in the shower, Sam let the water rain over

him, the warmth hitting and splashing randomly. He pressed
his hand to his cock and thought about Chris holding him;
the feeling of being encouraged to recline on his back, lying
on a bed, Chris‟s bed, and even more surprisingly, someday,
his own.

Closing his eyes, Sam could see the big man hovering

over him, peppering his body with licks and kisses. Sucking
and nipping at his nipples alternately until his entire body
arched, craving more contact.

Wrapping his hand firmly around his cock, he could feel

Chris‟s  thick,  swollen  lips  taking  him  in.  Chris‟s  head
bobbing  up  and  down,  his  auburn  hair,  slicked  with  sweat,
sticking  to  his  forehead,  as  Sam‟s  cock  would  be  drawn  in,
hitting  the  back  of  his  hot  throat.  Tending  to  Sam,  moving
faster  and  faster,  until  Chris  would  suddenly  move  away.
Sam would try to not utter a sound, but the cold air would
make him shudder and quietly moan his disappointment.

It wouldn‟t last long; he‟d suddenly feel a moistened

finger  circle  his  entrance.  The  teasing  and  gentle  poking
would  be  brief,  as  both  men  needed  more.  As  soon  as  the
first finger breached Sam‟s entrance he heard himself moan,
even  before  he  had  Chris  completely  inside.  He  opened  his
eyes  as  he  released  in  the  shower,  watching  his  spend  run
down his hand and wash away.

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Leaning against the tiled wall of the oversized shower to

catch his breath, Sam blinked. He smiled at the thought that
merely imagining Chris had brought him to a climax, yet it
wasn‟t enough. He did want Chris, and was disappointed
that the fantasy ended before he could feel him inside.

Sam faced the truth. So much for not making a decision

yet;  the  truth  was  staring  Sam  in  the  face.  He  was  really
going to let Chris in. If he had anything to say about it, there
would  be  something  serious  and  important  between  them.
The  idea  frightened  Sam  and  yet  energized  him.  Chris  was
different. He wasn‟t the typical guy Sam would pick out for a
night. Maybe that was how Jeff knew he would be the right
man for Sam.

Shaking his head and blinking himself back to the

present, Sam finished washing himself off and stepped out of
the shower.

He had a case to win, and a school full of children to

protect  from  a  different  kind  of  bully.  Sam  had  seen  holier-
than-thou cowards take stands at three or four to one when
he  was  a  kid.  Fortunately  he  had  been  one  of  the  big  guys
and no one messed with him, but he‟d spent a good portion
of  his  junior  and  senior  years  in  high  school  staring  down
those  who  taunted  other  kids  brave  enough  to  come  out  or
demonstrate intelligence rather than brawn.

Chuckling, Sam realized even back as a teen he was

preparing to become a champion of underdogs. He‟d started
his career before he ever knew it.

Dressing in his finest suit, with a shirt and tie that

matched impeccably, Sam admired himself in his bedroom
mirror. Some might find it too gay to concentrate so much on

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

his  appearance,  but  other  lawyers  who  hadn‟t  made  the
unspoken statement of respect to their assigned judges had
lost their edge by looking less than pristine. Everyone in his
legal  circle  knew  that  when  Sam  Solomon  walked  into  a
courtroom,  he  meant  business,  and  his  appearance  set  the
tone.

The final strategy with the school was to have a different

teacher  represent  the  school  and  his  or  her  students  each
day,  concentrating  on  the  need  for  students,  particularly
these  students,  to  have  consistency  by  not  taking  their
teachers  away  for  more  than  a  day  at  a  time.  In  addition,
Sam  had  to  illustrate  the  need  and  importance  for
consistently adequate equipment that could be counted on to
support the learning process.

The vice principal, a well-respected woman in the field of

education,  would  remain  as  an  ongoing  presence  at  the
plaintiff‟s  table,  but  Sam  would  be  meeting  a  different
teacher  each  day.  He  was  fine  with  that  strategy,  as  it
melded perfectly with his approach to the case.

He examined his notes for the first day in court and

looked forward to greeting Vice Principal Reason. Sam
thought the name added a great touch to the lawsuit as he
closed his briefcase and set off to welcome Margaret Reason
and her teacher du jour as they began the process of winning
the battle against the bullies.

of Sam‟s ongoing strategies with any case was his tactic

of arriving before his opponents. It tended to give him the
edge and a sense of ownership of the courtroom. Entering

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

thirty minutes earlier than the designated trial start time,
Sam spotted Dr. Reason seated in the front of the room, as
he had instructed her to do in their preliminary meeting. A
man sat by her side. He froze when the man turned around.
There was Chris; his Chris.

Why hadn‟t he said anything? Probably because Sam

had never given any details of the case he was working on,
and the teachers had been sworn to remain silent and speak
to no one about the procedure outside of their closed staff
meetings.

Sam wasn‟t sure if he should say anything, disqualify

Chris from the proceedings, or simply move forward with the
hope their not-well-defined connection would never come up
in conversation. One thing was certain: with the school day
already underway, he couldn‟t substitute another teacher for
Chris at this late hour.

His strategy would be clear-cut. He‟d make his opening

statement and ask the questions each teacher had been told
by  their  principal  to  expect.  Sam  hadn‟t  insisted  on
rehearsing  the  educators,  as  he  wanted  their  passion  for
teaching  and  their  students  to  come  to  the  forefront
naturally.  Past  experience  had  revealed  that  rehearsed
testimony  inhibited  raw  emotion  and  dedication.  This  was
the  first  time  his  witness  strategy  might  come  back  to  bite
him.

Approaching the plaintiff‟s table, Sam offered his hand

to the vice principal. “Dr. Reason, it‟s a pleasure to see you
again. I see you‟ve brought along one of your teachers, as we
discussed.” Sam took a moment while shaking the
administrator‟s hand to glance at Chris, who bit his lip, eyes

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

wide, expressing his own surprise at the shocking turn of
events.

“Mr. Solomon, it‟s good to see you again as well. I

thought I‟d start us out with the big guns, so to speak.” Sam
blinked,  imagining  the  big  guns  hidden  under  Chris‟s
perfectly  fitted  suit,  and  coughed.  He  did  notice  the  well-
tailored  garment  accented  Chris‟s  broad  shoulders  and
narrow waist in the most striking manner. “Mr. Christopher
Kelly,  I‟d  like  you  to  meet  our  attorney  from  the  law  firm
representing the school: Mr. Samuel Solomon.”

Chris took Sam‟s hand and squeezed it harder than was

necessary. “Mr. Solomon, I can‟t begin to tell you how good it
is to see you. I‟ve tried to imagine who our lawyer would be
all weekend. I only learned on Friday I was to be the first
teacher to sit at Dr. Reason‟s side.”

“I see.” Sam slowly slid his hand from Chris‟s, rubbing a

finger discreetly across his palm as they separated. Chris
licked his lips as the message was received. “I‟m surprised I
hadn‟t been sent an email as to the name of your selected
teaching team for the week.”

“I sent the email to the senior partner of your firm, Mr.

Solomon.” Margaret Reason had clearly not picked up on the
subtle familiarity between the two men. “That‟s what I was
instructed to do. Have I done something to sabotage our
opening day?”

“No, not at all. I‟m sure Mr. Winters didn‟t realize he

needed to forward it to me over the weekend.” Sam had been
working to get his name on the masthead ever since he had
been named one of the firm‟s senior partners two years
earlier.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Unfortunately Mr. Winters, who was working towards

retirement,  was  spending  more  and  more  time  on  the  golf
course,  particularly  on  weekends.  It  was  widely  known  by
the  other  partners  that  he  hadn‟t  been  attending  to  certain
professional  necessities  during  his  days  off.  This  was  the
perfect case in point.

Chris coughed gently to get Sam‟s attention. “I had

intended to look up your firm over the weekend, but my
thoughts were preoccupied with something entirely
different.”

Smiling, Sam opened his briefcase and started to pull

out  the  well-organized  files  he  and  Donna  had  worked  on
Saturday  afternoon.  “I  can  most  definitely  understand  how
something like that can happen, Mr. Kelly. I‟m sure you‟ll be
a  fine  example  of  the  teaching  staff  at  your  school  and  will
represent them impeccably.”

“I hope so… sir.” Chris grinned.
Although it was still early, Sam needed to focus his

attention  on  the  important  legal  matter  he  was  about  to
address.  Chris‟s  words  went  right  to  his  cock.  Damn,  why
does he have to be so hot! And why am I acting like a kid? Get
a  grip,  Solomon.  Sam  hoped  his  attraction  wouldn‟t  betray
him  once  the  proceedings  began.  The  one  thing  he  was
grateful  for  was  knowing  how  passionate  Chris  was  about
his students and his job. Having gotten to know him over the
weekend might actually turn into an unexpected advantage.
Questioning Chris on the stand might be an opening success
no one could replace.

“Are you both prepared for this?”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

The vice principal spoke for Chris and herself. “We‟re as

ready as we‟ll ever be.”

“Did your school principal inform you of the settlement

number we were willing to agree to?”

“Yes. He also told me our goal was to settle rather than

drag this case out longer than is necessary. The students
come first and we want our equipment without delay.”

“Good. I‟m glad we‟re on the same page.”
Chris spoke once again. “Mr. Solomon, if we settle, will

it include a gag order?”

“I see you‟ve been doing some research on settlements,

Mr. Kelly.”

“Not as much as I probably should have, but I did note

that many settlements are restricted from public knowledge.
Unlike your firm‟s name, which is clearly incomplete. I didn‟t
notice your name on the masthead of your firm‟s website.”

“To answer both of your questions, some settlements

may include a clause many refer to as a „gag order‟. If the
settlement is in the best interest of my client, I agree to
those. And as far as the second question goes, we‟re still in
the process of getting all the senior partners listed accurately
on our website.”

“I understand. Thank you.” Chris nodded his complete

awareness of where the case would lead and why he‟d had
no idea he would be seated at Sam‟s side, rather than one of
the people whose names he‟d spotted online.

As the defendant and his lawyer entered the room, Sam

put a finger over his lips, indicating all discussions
pertaining to the case were no longer appropriate.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

The opposing attorney approached Sam. “Good morning.

Have your clients decided to accept my client‟s generous
offer?”

Remaining completely serious and professional, Sam

stood tall. “It‟s always a pleasure. My client, as you‟re well
aware, is more than happy to settle when a generous offer is
actually placed on the table.”

“I think we‟ve actually done so.”
Sam turned his back on his opponent and continued to

speak. “Let‟s see how fair an offer you think it is by the end
of the day.”

The opposing attorney didn‟t offer a response and

returned to his client, already seated at the defendant‟s
table.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Sam hoped Chris would

be as passionate when speaking about his profession in the
courtroom  as  he  was  when  sharing  his  other  talents  in  the
bedroom.  This  could  all  be  cleared  up  in  a  single  day  and
save  everyone  a  lot  of  time  and  money  if  Chris  was
everything  Sam  hoped  he  was.  He  just  hoped  he  wasn‟t
wistfully judging Chris‟s potential inaccurately.

Before he could dwell on the bizarre turn of events the

morning had brought, the bailiff entered the courtroom to
announce the arrival of the judge.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 8

AKING

a deep breath, Sam presented his opening argument

to the judge. As agreed upon by both parties, the case was to
be a non-jury decision. The judge would determine the
outcome should a settlement not be reached by the end of
the trial.

Standing before the judge, Sam spoke first of the

contract  and  the  clauses  within  it,  binding  the  computer
distributor  to  deliver  exactly  what  was  purchased.  While
some  contracts  offer  options  for  alternate  products  should
one  not  be  available,  Sam  indicated  several  statements
clearly  illustrating  this  was  not  an  option  under  the  signed
agreement.

He then delved into the needs of the individuals in the

school  and  their  wide  range  of  disabilities,  indicating  their
inability to function in a typical school setting. The students
required  a  special  environment,  special  teachers  trained  to
work  with  them,  and  special  equipment  to  facilitate  their
education.

Glancing from time to time at all in the room, Sam knew

he  was  most  definitely  making  his  point.  He  made  sure  to
gesture somewhat dramatically, without overdoing it, toward
Dr. Reason and Chris when he spoke passionately about the
dedicated  service  of  those  who  boldly  hoped  to  give  the
students  every  opportunity  for  as  normal  and  productive  a
life as possible.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

The judge listened intently, never seeming irritated or

impatient  with  his  words.  That  was  just  the  reaction  Sam
had  hoped  he  would  elicit.  If  he  could  hold  the  judge,  the
computer distributor‟s lawyer would already begin to think of
alternate  offers  to  put  on  the  table  for  an  out-of-court
settlement.

When his worthy opponent took the floor, he

diagrammed the contract and its particulars. Without using
the  term,  he  clearly  tried  to  illustrate  the  loopholes
permitting  the  distributor  to  send  the  alternate  selection  of
computers  at  no  risk  of  breaking  the  agreement.  He  also
indicated the extreme expense to the company, which might
lead  to  significant  layoffs,  should  they  be  asked  to  replace
and reinstall all new equipment at no additional charge. The
other attorney was very good at bringing the human element
in  for  his  own  client,  trying  to  counteract  the  emotional
impact of Sam‟s argument.

Both counselors having completed their opening

arguments,  tasks  taking  most  of  the  morning  session,  the
judge  was  expected  to  announce  a  break  for  lunch.
Surprisingly, that didn‟t happen.

“Mr. Solomon, I assume you are more than ready to

present your first witness?”

Standing at the plaintiff‟s table, Sam looked directly at

the judge. “Yes, Your Honor, we‟re ready.”

“Good. I have a suspicion this will not take nearly as

long as some might think. I have no intention of drawing this
out unless the two of you have plans up your sleeves I‟m not
aware of.” The judge stared pointedly at the lawyers.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

The attorneys glared at one another briefly before the

judge continued. “And may I remind you gentlemen, I can
decide, at my discretion, to open this case to public scrutiny.
If I begin to note that you two aren‟t trying to resolve this
issue in more than one way, I will open my court and allow
public viewing of the case.”

The judge looked at each of them in turn. The

counselors responded almost simultaneously, “Understood,
Your Honor.”

“We‟ll have a five-minute recess and then get to hear

some testimony. I don‟t want to drag this out any longer
than we have to.”

Everyone rose as the judge stepped away for the brief

respite.

The opposing attorney immediately started writing a

note to his client as Sam resumed his seat.

Leaning over, Chris whispered into his ear, “This is a

good sign, isn‟t it?”

Keeping himself from smiling, Sam spoke in a hushed

tone, “It means my opening statement served its purpose,
and the judge wants us to settle rather than waste the
court‟s time and money on this one.”

“I feel like an idiot, but I‟m nervous.”
“If a person testifying in a court of law isn‟t nervous,

he‟s too full of himself. Being nervous is normal and healthy.
I‟m nervous every time I go before a judge, it‟s how I deal
with the nerves that matters.”

“So you‟re an actor.”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

“In many respects, I am. And now it‟s time for us to give

an Oscar-winning performance. Are you ready?”

“I guess I‟d better be.” Chris gently gripped Sam‟s hand

under the table for a split second.

Before he could pull away, Sam squeezed back. “Let‟s do

this.”

The judge returned to his seat. “Mr. Solomon, let‟s get

this show on the road.”

“Of course, Your Honor. I‟d like to call Christopher Kelly

to the stand.”

As Chris stood, straightening his jacket and

approaching the bench to take the oath, Sam thought about
his strategy. If he could make it clear to his opponent that he
would  go  for  the  jugular  when  throwing  around  the  needy
children  card,  it  wouldn‟t  matter  what  the  contract  said,
especially if the judge opened the court up to the public. His
client‟s  company  would  be  buried  in  negative  publicity  and
could  count  on  cancelled  orders  and  severed  business
relationships with those who used it for product distribution.

Chris‟s eyes darted from the defendant, to his attorney,

to  the  judge,  to  Dr. Reason.  He  seemed  tenser  than  he  had
the  night  they  were  together.  Sam  began  to  see  red  flags
waving. He knew that if they were to make their case, Chris
had  to  be  passionate,  not  panicked.  Sam  took  a  risk  before
he started the formal questioning. Although it was no secret
he was gay, he certainly didn‟t want anyone knowing he had
an intimate connection with his first witness. “Chris, look at
me.”

Hands clasped tightly together, Chris turned his head to

face Sam.

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“Good. Just focus on me as if we‟re the only two in the

room. Talk only to me and no one else. Can you do that?”
Sam looked directly into Chris‟s eyes, hoping he had his
complete and undivided attention.

Nodding, the color soon returned to Chris‟s cheeks. “I‟m

okay now. I can do this.”

“Good to hear.” Sam increased the volume of his voice

so all could hear. “Mr. Kelly, what is your position at the
special needs school in question?”

“I‟m a special education teacher. My sub-specialty is

technology and vocational education.”

“It sounds like a complicated job. How do you teach this

type of student population such high level skills?”

“Mostly it‟s a matter of breaking down every task that

needs to be performed into very small and attainable steps,
depending  on  each  student‟s  individual  disability.  The
equipment used has to be significantly modified to meet their
physical  and  mental  abilities.  Otherwise,  a  computer  can
simply  become  an  object  solely  for  viewing  movies  or
listening to music. Even the games can be overwhelming for
these youngsters.”

“I see. So a typical computer, no matter how

sophisticated, may not meet your students‟ needs.”

“That‟s exactly what I‟m saying, but it‟s really a lot more

than just that.”

Sam‟s eyes widened. He‟d forgotten to remind Chris of

the cardinal rule, only answer what he was asked.
Elaboration usually meant trouble and openings for the
opposing counsel.

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“I‟m sure it is more, but you‟ve made your point quite

clearly, Mr. Kelly.”

The judge immediately chimed in. “I‟d like to hear what

Mr. Kelly has to say.”

Looking from the judge to the opposing counsel, now

wearing a smug look on his face, Sam knew they might have
just taken ten steps backwards, losing their edge. He wanted
to win this case, and Chris was about to screw it up by
opening his mouth. Those lips might be completely kissable,
but at that moment Sam wished they were zipped shut.

“Of course, Your Honor. Mr. Kelly, what is it you were

trying to share with us?” Sam hoped Chris saw the look on
his face, but instead Chris turned to look directly at the
judge. Damn!

“Thank you, Your Honor. I appreciate the chance to

explain further.”

“Please continue, Mr. Kelly.”
Sam took two steps closer to the witness stand. He

hoped  Chris  would  look  at  him  and  refocus,  say  virtually
nothing  new,  but  unfortunately  the  teacher‟s  attention  was
totally focused on the man deciding the case.

“You see, Your Honor, teaching in a special needs school

affords me an opportunity to view the world from an angle
very few in the mainstream get to see.”

“Please continue.”
Taking a step back, Sam realized he had lost all control

of the witness. He hoped he could regain lost ground after
Chris finished speaking with the judge.

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“For most of us in the world, when someone blocks our

way,  sets  up  a  wall  between  us  and  our  goals,  well,  if  we
want  our  dreams  badly  enough,  we  tear  down  the  walls  or
find some other way to go around them. But for these kids,
they  don‟t  even  know  a  wall  has  been  placed  in  their  way.
They just discover another dream has been shot down, never
to be attained. They live their lives, especially those who are
physically  disabled,  watching  others  do  what  they  long  to
experience.”

Chris took a deep breath and continued, never taking

his  eyes  off  the  judge.  “Those  specially  designed  computers
could  have  been  the  key  to  tearing  down  a  huge  wall  for
many of our students who are, once again, relegated to being
defeated because of the way they were born. No one chooses
to be a part of the special needs population, just like no one
chooses  to  be  in  any  other  minority  that  has  had  limits  set
because  of  their  differences.  It‟s  terrible  when  others  cause
those differences to retard the advancement of any person. I
hate  seeing  anyone  stopped  unnecessarily,  and  especially
unfairly, from reaching their potential.”

Sam forced his mouth to remain closed. Chris was

brilliant,  and  he‟d  almost  kept  him  from  speaking.  Looking
over  at  the  defendant‟s  table  he  spotted  the  opposing
attorney  writing  furiously,  passing  papers  to  his  client.  The
smug face was now red, and if he wasn‟t mistaken, Sam saw
a drop or two of sweat on the lawyer‟s forehead.

Refraining from smiling and patting Chris on the back,

Sam took his rightful place at his witness‟s side. “Do you
have anything further to add, Mr. Kelly?”

“No, Mr. Solomon. I fear I‟ve probably said too much.”

Chris started to scan the room, his brow furrowed.

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“Nonsense, Mr. Kelly. I believe you shared just enough.”
The judge cleared his throat. “Thank you, young man,

for  speaking  clearly  and  candidly.”  He  then  turned  toward
the defendant. “I imagine this would be a good time to take
our  lunch  break,  as  I  think  there  might  be  a  discussion
between  the  two  opposing  counselors  that  will  clear  the
afternoon for all of us.”

Everyone in the room rose as the judge left for his

chambers. Sam waited patiently to be approached. When the
opposing lawyer arrived, he handed him a slip of paper.
“Everything they want, but we get a gag on the publicity.”

“I‟ll bring this to my client‟s attention over lunch and

meet you back here ten minutes before the judge is due to
return.”

“Take it, Sam. It‟s all we can do.”
“I‟ll take your words of advice into account.” Sam

purposely left off any familiarity with the opposing counsel.
It was another way of keeping his edge.

Chris was certainly someone to be reckoned with. He

was  determined,  articulate,  and  deeply  passionate.  Sam‟s
stomach began to grumble, although he couldn‟t even think
about  eating.  If  anything,  he  felt  nauseous.  His  thoughts
were  suddenly  dominated  by  Chris.  Could  Sam  really  give
Chris what he wanted? He‟d always been the one in charge;
in  the  courtroom,  in  the  conference  room,  and  in  his
personal life.

Tonight he was to have dinner at Chris‟s home, but was

Sam really prepared to be dessert, even for this amazing man
who had single-handedly won their case? Shit! He had
always been so sure of himself, and now Sam doubted

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everything he‟d always taken for granted. He was a top; he
was the top.

He couldn‟t think about any of that now. It was,

thankfully, time to meet with Dr. Reason. With her approval,
Sam would have completed another successful day in court
and could possibly reward himself with the afternoon off. He
needed time to think and sort things out before the evening.
He  had  no  intention  of  walking  into  Chris‟s  apartment
without  a  plan.  This  auburn-haired  hunk  was  already
changing  so  many  things  Sam  had  assumed  about  his
private life. Could he let him change even more?

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Chapter 9

“

were perfect.” Sam raised his arms as if he‟d just made

a touchdown at the Super Bowl. “Better than I ever expected
from a witness who hadn‟t been coached. You single-
handedly won the settlement we were all hoping for.” Sam
approached the large pot of stew simmering on the stove. He
lifted the lid, taking in the rich aroma. “If this tastes half as
good as it smells, we‟ll have another thing to celebrate—your
culinary skills.”

Chris took the lid from Sam and gave the stew a single

stir before replacing it. “You‟re certainly in a good mood.”

“Who the hell needs illegal substances when you can get

high on your job? Whenever I win a case, I feel like I‟m
flying.”

“So you like being the Top Gun of the legal profession?”

A half-grin inched across Chris‟s face.

“You might say that. Or you can just say winning beats

the  crap  out  of  losing  any  day.”  Sam  felt  invigorated.  The
agreement  between  the  special  needs  school  and  the
computer distributor was perfect. Not only would the school
get  the  proper  equipment,  it  was  to  be  hooked  up  within  a
week. In addition, they were to get free technical support for
three  years  and  a  complete  refund  for  all  the  hardship  and
expense  of  having  to  take  legal  action.  In  exchange,  there
would  be  no  publicity.  Anything  discovered  by  a  reporter
would  not  be  corroborated  by  any  school  official.  It  was  a

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small price to pay to win this important battle, a win that
had such wonderful benefit for the students.

“I‟m beginning to wonder if you‟re a lot more cutthroat

than I first thought. I don‟t think I‟ve ever seen anyone take
so much pleasure in defeating his opposition before.” Chris
began to move around the kitchen as he took out dishes,
glasses, and silverware to set the table.

“It‟s a matter of knowing I‟ve done what I set out to do. I

like beating the bad guys. I‟m lucky; I‟m usually the one
representing the underdog, and that‟s how I like it.” Sam was
beginning to notice a shift in the mood, and he felt less
festive than he had a few minutes earlier.

“So being in charge, holding all the cards, is that

important to you?” Chris was looking at the place settings on
the table rather than Sam.

“Hey, what‟s going on? I may not be a genius when it

comes to developing a relationship, but I‟m pretty sure we‟re
not talking about the case or work anymore.”

“You‟re very perceptive, Mr. Solomon.” Chris‟s voice

softened to a whisper as he lowered his head.

Moving next to Chris, Sam gently wrapped his hand

around the nape of the taller man‟s neck. He instinctively
began to twirl the wisps of hair there between his fingers and
softly stroke the skin beneath. “Look at me, Chris.”

Shaking his head, Chris tried to turn away, but Sam

lifted his other hand to nudge him so the two were facing one
another. Cupping Chris‟s chin, Sam drew him in for a kiss.
Their lips barely touched, but Sam felt the familiar warmth
spread through him. It was the same feeling he had two days
earlier in the car when they hadn‟t been able to resist each

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other. Sam could tell by Chris‟s response that he wasn‟t the
only one enjoying their connection, until his Irish hunk
pulled back.

“You‟re beautiful, but you‟re worrying me. What‟s

wrong?” Sam rested their foreheads together.

Wrapping his arms loosely around Sam‟s waist, Chris

stood up tall, yet his voice wavered. “I‟m afraid this isn‟t
going to work out. To be honest, I‟m not sure you want it to.”

“That‟s ridiculous. How can you say that?” Sam placed

his hands squarely on Chris‟s broad shoulders, the
tenderness of the kiss long forgotten. “I‟m here, aren‟t I? We
even worked well together in the courtroom this morning.”

“Sam, you want to be the one in control of everything.

It‟s your reason for being, your motivation, whatever you
want to call it.” Chris stepped away, returning to the stove to
turn off the stew. “I‟m not sure you can handle an equal and
balanced relationship of any kind.”

“I don‟t understand. I‟m trying. What makes you think I

can‟t do it?” Sam was getting that uncomfortable gurgling in
his stomach again. He was wondering if having a boyfriend
meant taking out stock in antacids.

“Look at you. You won the settlement, and it‟s all you

can talk about. It makes you feel high, and great, and frames
who you are.”

“Is that a bad thing? Shouldn‟t I want to celebrate a

victory?”

“Of course you should. But it‟s also abundantly obvious

that a major part of the thrill was being in control, running
the show. You may not realize it, but I did notice your
reaction when the judge asked me to continue speaking after

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I volunteered more information than you had asked for while
questioning me.” Taking a deep breath, Chris continued.
“While you were at the mercy of the judge, and the mystery
of what I might say, I could tell you were extremely
disturbed.”

“I was disturbed because I was blindsided. Fortunately,

it worked to our advantage.” Sam still couldn‟t understand
what all the unnecessary concern was about.

“Don‟t you see, it‟s all part of who you are. You‟re never

going to allow me to be who I am completely if we try to move
forward.  You‟d  always  need  to  be  the  boss.  The  one  who
ultimately  takes  charge.”  Chris  rested  the  serving  ladle  on
the  counter.  “I  need  to  be  in  charge  too  from  time  to  time,
and I‟m not sure you can handle that.”

There it was. Chris wasn‟t tiptoeing around the issue

any more. Who was going to be the top if they were together?
Sam shook his head, silently scolding himself for thinking
only in terms of sex. He knew it was about more than that.

Could he allow someone in enough to have a truly equal

relationship, to learn to make the compromises necessary to
have a successful life together? Craig and Jeff had worked at
their partnership, had each learned  to  be a good partner to
the  other.  Partner  was  a  term  Sam  was  used  to  at  work.  It
had  taken  the  senior  partners  a  bit  longer  than  usual  to
invite  him  into  the  fold  because  they  feared  Sam  was  only
out for himself. He had finally realized he needed to learn to
be a team player at the office and save his go-for-the-jugular
attitude for the cases he would face.

Now the word partner was flying through his head again,

in an altogether different context. Sam needed to decide

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whether he was capable of sharing completely with another
person. He‟d been the one in the driver‟s seat all these years.
It would be hard to share the limelight.

“Chris, let‟s have some dinner.” He knew it was lame,

but at least Chris knew he wasn‟t running out the door.

His sculpted arm muscles flexed as Chris ladled the

stew into two large bowls; he then brought them over to the
table. Sam couldn‟t keep his eyes off the gentle giant,
blinking out of his trance when Chris spoke. “I bought a
bottle of cabernet, if you‟re up for it. I thought it might make
a nice touch as we celebrate our victory in court today.”

There it was again. Chris was speaking of the victory as

theirs, not just Sam‟s. It was how it should be, but Sam
knew he tended to take ownership of every case he won. The
witnesses and supporting staff at the office were just that—a
supporting cast. It was time for him to make a statement in
his answer. Sam‟s answer would shape the rest of the
evening, possibly destroying it instantly.

Taking a deep breath, Sam sat at the table, looking up

at Chris. “I‟d love to toast our victory. After all, it‟s as much
yours as it is mine.”

Setting the wine on the table, Chris began to open the

bottle. “Do you really mean that, or are you placating me? I
may work with children, but I’m not a child.”

“Chris, this is all new to me. I‟m moving through

territory so foreign it‟s like I don‟t speak the language.”

“Then let me use simple words. Are you prepared to see

me as an equal if we continue to explore this, whatever it is,
between us? Can you see yourself surrendering to someone
else in a way that could take you to places you‟ve never

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been?  Can  you  be  a  partner?”  Removing  the  cork,  Chris
poured  the  wine  into  the  glasses.  “I  know  it‟s  early,  but  I
don‟t  want  to  invest  my  emotions  in  something  that‟s
destined to fail. The sex might be amazing, but I need more.
That‟s why I signed up at The Male Room.”

Gesturing for Chris to sit down in the chair opposite

him, Sam raised his glass. He knew it was time to take
charge of his future in a way he never had before, even if it
meant sharing the position at the top of the pyramid. If there
was room to share his life, it was Chris he wanted in it. The
big question was, could he see himself committing to a
relationship where all facets of said relationship were on an
equal footing?”

“Chris, I‟d like to make a toast.”
Nodding, Chris remained silent.
“I‟d like to toast to taking a step off my personal

pedestal and sharing a wider podium with you. I want to get
off the proverbial treadmill. Going to The Music Box isn‟t
nearly as attractive as being here, with you.”

“And what about sex? Where do you stand on that?”
“I‟ve confessed my preference.” Sam paused, trying to

think of how to phrase his concerns and share them
honestly with Chris. “I‟m beginning to trust you enough to
try something new.” Sam furrowed his brow. He lowered his
voice, blurting out, “Damn. I‟m nervous, Chris. Help me find
the way to create a real partnership.”

Chris raised his glass tapping it against Sam‟s to make

a loud chime. “It would be a pleasure to guide you into a new
place in your life.”

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After sipping their wine to seal the toast, Sam tasted the

stew. He wasn‟t convinced he had made the right decision,
but he knew he couldn‟t walk away from Chris. He‟d have to
learn to trust him. Sam just hoped he wouldn‟t disappoint
either of them. This was one battle he didn‟t want to lose. He
was the underdog, and it was time to fight his own instincts
to find, for once, a personal victory.

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Chapter 10

FTER

dinner Chris offered to turn on the TV. The Patriots

were one of the teams featured on this week‟s Monday Night
Football and both men were fans.

Sam agreed. He was feeling quite mellow, having

enjoyed  two  glasses  of  wine  and  a  more  generic,
inconsequential  conversation  over  dinner.  He  was  glad  that
the  niggling  sense  that  the  time  for  him  to  make  an  effort
was growing closer; a sense that had kept him on edge most
of the evening seemed to have abated somewhat.

“Do you want a beer while we watch?”
Lost in his own thoughts, it took Sam a moment to

realize what Chris had said. “Oh, uhm, no. I‟m fine, thanks.”

“I see.” Chris frowned and sat on the same sofa as Sam,

leaving enough space between the two for a third to join
them had someone else been there.

Eyes narrowed, Sam glared at Chris. “What do you see?”
“Look, Sam, I get it. You don‟t want anything else to

drink because you‟re planning on leaving and have to drive
home.”

Turning away, Sam thought about his reaction to

Chris‟s offer of a drink and realized his host was right.
Without even knowing it, Sam had set himself up to be able
to make a clean getaway without any concerns about being
unable to drive home safely.

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“Are you sure you want to watch the game? It‟s okay if

you want to go. I‟ve been expecting that all night.”

Facing Chris, without giving himself time to think, Sam

quickly  slid  across  the  sofa,  clapped  his  hands  on  Chris‟s
cheeks, and crashed their lips together. He wanted Chris. He
wanted  him  more  than  he  cared  to  admit.  “I‟m  not  going
anywhere right now.”

Chris‟s breath hitched. “I guess not.” Before Sam was

able to comprehend what was happening, Chris had him on
his back on the sofa. The assault on his lips would leave
them swollen and Sam loved it. He returned every kiss,
desiring the taste and touch.

Large hands began to find their way under Sam‟s shirt,

pressing  against  his  chest,  his  skin,  and,  “Oh  fuck!”  his
nipples. The teasing, the pressure, the pinching and then he
felt  it.  Chris  sucking  on  his  neck,  just  behind  his  lobe.  He
arched  at  the  contact.  “Chris.”  It  was  a  hiss  more  than  a
word.

“I want you, Sam. You‟re so beautiful, so hot. I want you

to be mine.”

Panting, Sam felt dizzy. It never happened this way. He

was always the one on top. Yet here he was, beneath the
hottest man he‟d ever met. Not only did he want him, but he
considered giving himself in a way that would mean so much
to Chris. As Chris slowly dragged his tongue along Sam‟s
jawline and down to his Adam‟s apple, all Sam was capable
of doing was moaning Chris‟s name. “Oh God, Chris. Please.”

“Please, what, Sam?” Chris whispered against his cheek.

“Can I make you mine? I‟ve already marked you where no

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one can see. Only you and I will know it‟s there. Our secret,
our pact. Are you ready to give yourself to me?”

Wrapping his arms around Chris‟s neck, Sam pulled

him in for another kiss, pressing his tongue in to mingle with
his  lover‟s.  Lover—is  that  what  Chris  was  now?  If  they
continued  on  the  path  they‟d  started,  Sam  would  have  a
lover, maybe even a partner.

Their lips still connected, tongues battling, Chris opened

the button and began to unzip Sam‟s pants, releasing his
hard cock. The pleasure of his touch as Chris slowly brushed
his fingertips over Sam‟s briefs drove him to cling tighter. He
dug his fingers into Chris‟s back.

“Sam, you‟re so damn hot.”
Chris kept touching him. Sam lifted enough for Chris to

pull  his  jeans  down  part  way.  Every  sensation  was
incredible.  Without  removing  Sam‟s  briefs,  Chris  alternately
stroked  his  needy  cock  and  then  barely  touched  it,  leaving
Sam hungry for more.

“Look how you‟re moving. All for me.” Chris nipped at

Sam‟s lobe as his hand continued to work Sam‟s painfully
hard member. “That‟s what I want. I want you all for me.
Tonight I‟m going to own you, take you.”

The flash of memory of an older, stronger man from

years earlier ramming into him without caring overwhelmed
Sam. He turned his head away from the renewed attack on
his lips and closed his eyes tightly. The pain and humiliation
flooded back. He couldn‟t do this. He couldn‟t let someone
else hurt him and throw him aside.

“Sam?”

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Shoving Chris away, Sam quickly stood and pulled up

his  pants.  “I‟m  sorry.  I  thought  I  could  do  this.  I  can‟t.  I
probably  never  will.”  He  dared  to  turn  back  and  look  at
Chris.  “God,  I  wanted  this  with  you,  for  you.”  Without
another word, Sam hastily left the apartment.

As soon as he got in his car he leaned his forehead

against  the  steering  wheel.  “Fuck!”  Banging  on  the  wheel
mercilessly,  he  continued  to  yell.  He  yelled  at  the  man  who
hurt  him  all  those  years  ago,  at  the  world,  at  himself.  “You
asshole. You could have had it all with him and you let your
goddamn fear of a fucking ghost get in the way. It was ages
ago  and  you  can‟t  leave  that  asshole  behind.  He‟s  gone.  He
should  be  forgotten.  Damn  it!  He  still  owns  a  part  of  you
until you stop letting him get to you.”

Sam continued to rest his forehead against the cold

wheel.  He  didn‟t  move,  didn‟t  start  the  car.  He  didn‟t  know
where  to  go.  He  wanted  to  numb  the  pain  and  dull  the
memory.  Sam  remembered  the  days  in  college  when  he
risked his law career for a few snorts; not the answer now.

Unable to start the car, feeling too shaken to drive,

Sam‟s  body  start  to  shudder.  “You  will  not  do  this.  It‟s  a
matter  of  pride.  Get  a  grip.”  Inhaling  slowly,  Sam  thought
about heading for The Music Box. At least there he could be
the one in charge, but it wouldn‟t help. It wasn‟t sex he was
looking  for,  and  he‟d  ruined  the  best  chance  he‟d  had  for
more. “Alone. You‟ll have to get used to living alone forever. It
looks like that‟s all you‟re good for.”

He thought about heading to the office. He could catch

up on some of the work he‟d blown off after winning the
settlement earlier in the day. Sam shook his head, a sad

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smile crossing his face. Work would be his only partner. He
huffed. “I didn‟t think Scrooge was Jewish. Guess the
modern day version is.”

Leaning back in the driver‟s seat, Sam closed his eyes,

trying to shove the demons and the pain far enough away to
start the engine and get going. He was about ready to go
when there was a knock on the passenger side window.

“Open the door, it‟s getting cold out here.”
Startled and surprised by the intrusion, Sam unlocked

the door and shoved it open. “Chris, what are you doing
here?”

“I saw you from my window, sitting here, not moving,

and figured something was up.”

Lowering his head, Sam didn‟t know how to confess all

that was going through his mind.

“It was something I said; then you spiraled out of

control. I was pissed at first. It took me a minute to realize
this was more than a power play. Why don‟t you come back
upstairs?”

Sam‟s eyes narrowed as he looked at Chris.
“I won‟t touch you, but maybe we can talk, really talk. I

may be wrong, but I think you need to let something go.”

Sam wasn‟t sure why he was doing it, but without

uttering a word, he got out of his car and locked it. He slowly
walked alongside Chris. About halfway to the main entrance
to the building, Sam took Chris‟s hand in his, lacing their
fingers together.

Chris looked at Sam and nodded.

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Entering the apartment for the second time that

evening, Sam was embarrassed by his earlier actions. He
didn‟t know where to begin, or what to say, to make things
right.

Walking back to the sofa, Chris sat next to Sam this

time, continuing to hold his hand. Lifting his other hand,
Chris gently combed it through Sam‟s hair. “Can you tell
me?”

Finding his voice, Sam looked directly into Chris‟s eyes,

forcing himself to remain in control. “I don‟t know.”

Nodding, Chris kissed Sam on the forehead. It was one

of the most intimate things anyone had done for him in
years. “It must have been a long time ago or you wouldn‟t be
posting a profile online, opening yourself up to any gay man
at The Male Room.”

“I didn‟t think it still affected me.”
“History that isn‟t left in the past tends to come back

and haunt us.”

Sam shrugged. “Did you learn that in psychology class?”
“No, I read it in a fortune cookie once and it sounded

good.”

Chuckling, Sam leaned against Chris‟s shoulder. “Good

to know I‟m in capable hands.”

“You are.” Chris‟s voice was completely serious.
“It was a long time ago. One of my first forays into a gay

bar.”

“Was it consensual?”
“Yes, but it wasn‟t what I expected.”

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“What was it?”
“It was all about his pleasure. I was just there to get him

off. For me, it ended up being all about pain.”

“And shame?”
Nodding, Sam couldn‟t say the words.
“It‟s okay now.”
“Is it? I‟m a fucking mess. Can‟t even try to have a real

relationship with someone I want, with someone I could—”
Sam stopped talking, suddenly realizing what was about to
fly out of his mouth.

“I feel the same way about you or I wouldn‟t have gone

down to get you.”

“So what do we do?”
“Together, we learn how to have an equal relationship.”
“But what about sex?”
“We take it one day at a time.” Chris cupped Sam‟s

cheek. “I want to be inside you; show you I can take care of
you and bring you to a good place. But until then, I‟ll wait
my turn. At some point you‟ll trust me enough.”

“I do trust you.”
Chris huffed. “Not enough… yet.”
“I hope you‟re patient.”
“I‟m a teacher with students who need everything taken

one step at a time. I‟m sure I can wait for you.”

“I hope it‟ll be worth it.”
“I‟m betting on it.”

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Sam rested his head against Chris‟s shirt until both

men dared to look into the other‟s eyes.

“Chris, can we move this to your bedroom?”
“Can you stay?”
“I had high hopes for tonight. There‟s a bag in my car.”
“Get it in the morning.” Chris wrapped his arm around

Sam‟s waist and walked him to the bedroom.

The two slowly undressed each other, taking each piece

of clothing off slowly. Their touches were tender, not rushed
like the first time.

Sam stroked Chris‟s cock and kissed him everywhere,

wanting to take in this incredibly generous man in every way
he could.

When he entered Chris, Sam felt a high no trial victory

had  ever  brought  him.  As  the  two  rocked  together,  they
sealed  their  connection  to  one  another.  Sam  no  longer  felt
pressured;  he  felt  something  so  much  better.  The  feeling  of
what it was like to have someone truly care for him.

As Sam watched Chris arch his back, spilling between

them, clenching him from the inside, he knew what it was to
have someone give himself completely. The thought, coupled
with Chris‟s lips pressed to his, brought Sam blissfully over
the edge.

After discarding the condom, the two held each other

close. There was no one in charge. They were a team.

“Chris.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”

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“I‟m glad you‟re here.”
“Me too.” Sam sighed. “I‟ll try not to make you wait too

long.”

“As long as it takes.”
Nodding against Chris‟s shoulder, Sam fell into a

peaceful sleep.

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

Chapter 11

AKING

up in Chris‟s arms had become Sam‟s guilty

pleasure. He was beginning to feel like a walking paradox. He
still hadn‟t let Chris inside, yet he relished being held
throughout the night.

No matter whether they were, in Chris‟s bed or his own,

after both men reached their climax, Sam sought comfort in
Chris‟s strong, warm arms. There was a tenderness mingled
with their heat and desire that he‟d never experienced before.
For  the  first  time,  Sam  felt  protected  and  loved.  Now,  if  he
could  only  fully  demonstrate  and  verbalize  his  feelings,  he
and  Chris  could  progress  to  the  next  level  of  their
relationship.

“Will I see you tonight, or do you have to work late on

the case you‟re going to trial with next week?”

Watching as Chris made his bed, smoothing the

comforter over the sheets and pillows they‟d slept on
throughout the night, Sam was struck with the thought, not
for the first time, that he wished it was their bed.

“Yeah, you‟ll see me. How about I call when I‟m leaving

work? I‟ll pick up some Thai on the way?”

“You don‟t want to eat there?” Chris stood up and

looked at Sam.

Buttoning his shirt, Sam approached Chris, lacing his

fingers through his mop of auburn hair and pressing their

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lips together. “I‟d like to have a quiet night together, just the
two of us.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Chris placed a gentle peck on

Sam‟s cheek. “Here, or at your place?”

“Meet me at my place.” Sam bit his lip, shoving his hand

into his pants pocket. “Here.”

“What are these?” Chris took the offering from Sam and

looked at it.

Sam grinned. “You‟re a teacher; I bet you can figure it

out.”

“Is this the key to your apartment?”
Nodding, Sam‟s smile broadened. “And the one for the

main entrance so you can get in the building. There‟s no
need for you to come all the way back here after work. Let‟s
face it, during the past few weeks we‟ve both left plenty of
stuff at each other‟s apartments, more than enough to go a
few days without needing to stop in at home. Why don‟t you
go straight to my place when the school day‟s done, and I‟ll
call when I‟m on my way with dinner?”

“Sounds awfully domestic to me. Are you sure you can

handle it?” Chris smirked.

“Okay, so I admit it. I‟m more into playing house than

I‟ve been willing to admit.”

“Is that it, Sam? Are we playing house or is it more?”

Chris‟s piercing blue eyes held Sam‟s almost hypnotically.

“We both know it‟s more.”
Chris ghosted his hand over Sam‟s cheek. He leaned

into the gentle touch. “Yeah, we both know it‟s more. I look
forward to the day you can face it one hundred percent.”

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“I know you do, Chris. I‟m trying.”
“Try harder. I may be patient, but I‟m not a saint.”
Wrapping his arms around Chris, Sam was struck once

again by how vulnerable he felt, needing this man in his life.
He couldn‟t bear the thought of running out of time because
of his foolish pride or insecurity. “Chris.” Sam didn‟t know
what else to say. It was a plea he hoped Chris‟s heart would
hear and feel.

“I‟ll see you tonight at your place.” He held up the keys,

jingling them. “I‟ll let myself in and wait for you there.”

“Good.” Grabbing his briefcase and laptop from the

corner of the bedroom, Sam pressed his lips against Chris‟s
one more time. “I‟ve got to go.”

“Go, Mr. Solomon, and save the world from the evil

beings trying to take advantage of the innocent.”

“Oh my God! I just realized the date. You‟re getting the

last of the computers installed today.”

“You remembered. You really are a romantic at heart.”

Chris chuckled.

Winking, Sam looked back over his shoulder as he left

the room. “We‟ll make tonight a sort of celebration dinner.”

“Great! Bring extra Pad Thai.”
Leaving the apartment, Sam felt energized. This was the

way he wanted to leave for work every day. Then he thought
about  Chris‟s  patience.  Why  was  he  making  him  wait?  He
trusted Chris completely, yet he was risking losing him if he
didn‟t  act  soon.  Shaking  all  the  negative  thoughts  from  his
mind,  Sam  got  into  his  car  and  sped  off  for  another  day  at
the office.

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“

OOD

morning, Mr. Solomon. Your coffee‟s waiting, as is

the  file  you  wanted  on  your  desk  first  thing  this  morning.”
Donna  was  so  efficient.  Sometimes  Sam  wondered  if  she
would be capable of going in and trying cases should he be
unavailable.

“Good morning to you, too.”
“I may be wrong, but the spring in your step tells me

you‟ve  already  seen  that  nice  Mr.  Kelly  today.”  Sam  had
invited  Chris  to  meet  him  at  the  office  more  than  once.
Donna  had  teased  him  mercilessly  about  depriving  The
Music  Box  of  their  number  one  attraction  now  that  he‟d
retired his place at the club. He would have fired her if she
hadn‟t been right.

“You may be wrong, but you‟re not.” Sam smiled. “How

is it I can wear a poker face throughout an entire case in
court, but thirty seconds with you and I‟m stripped of any
subterfuge?”

Donna laughed. “You can call it women‟s intuition or

experience from being a mother who has to figure out when
her kids are trying to put one over on her, but in this case,
let‟s just say I know the signs.”

“What signs?”
“You men can be so clueless. The signs of love, of

course.”

“What!”
“Oh, Mr. Solomon, you can deny it from Boston to San

Diego, but it‟s written all over your face whenever you‟ve

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been with him.” Donna started to refocus on a few
documents on her desk, ignoring Sam‟s glare. It took her just
a moment or two. Her hands stilled and she looked at him,
resting the palms of her hands squarely on the desk. “Oh
dear, you haven‟t told him, have you?”

Sam wanted to pretend he had no idea what Donna was

talking about, but it would have been futile. He just shook
his head slowly.

“Men. You‟re all alike, gay or straight. There are only a

rare few of you willing to give their partner the few words
they need to show how you truly feel.” Lowering her voice to
a whisper, Donna‟s face softened. “Can I tell you something,
Mr. Solomon?”

“Why not? You don‟t seem to have any problem with

giving your opinion on my private life this morning, why stop
now.” He tried to sound forceful but failed miserably.

“If you don‟t share your feelings with him, you could

lose him. Waiting is hard to do in a relationship, and if you
make him wait too long he‟ll get tired of it all. I practically
walked out on my husband before we were married, all
because he couldn‟t seem to say he loved me.”

“I see he rectified that situation.”
“Brilliantly, once I gave him an ultimatum. Don‟t make

your nice Mr. Kelly wait until he‟s about to crack.”

“Thank you, Donna. I‟ll keep your unsolicited advice in

mind.”

“It may be unsolicited, but that doesn‟t mean it isn‟t

good.” She huffed and returned to her paperwork as Sam
entered his office.

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Sam realized something had to change. Giving Chris his

keys was a big step, but not the one either man knew had to
happen for them to have their success story. Shit! He hadn‟t
thought about Jeff and their bet in over a month.

As if on cue, Donna interrupted Sam‟s thoughts as her

voice came through on the intercom. “Excuse, Mr. Solomon,
but your friend, Jeff, is on line two. Shall I connect him?”

After staring at the phone for a moment, Sam was ready

to deal with his friend—more than he was ready to deal with
his boyfriend. “Yes, Donna, put his call through.”

“Hi, honey. Long time, no hear. Although I may have

heard through the grapevine that one hunky hottie has been
very conspicuously absent from our favorite nightclub.
What‟s happening? Are you and the cutie I set you up with
still an item?”

“Good morning to you too, Jeff. How‟s Craig? Can he

still stand spending his days and nights with you, despite
never getting a word in edgewise?”

“Too cute, Mr. Attorney. You definitely have a way with

words. Craig and I are fine. In fact, we‟re better than fine. I
wouldn‟t be surprised if we‟re Mr. and Mr. soon.”

“I‟ll be looking for my invitation in the mail.”
“You do that. I just have to wait for Craig to catch up

with the program and ask me already.”

“Why don‟t you ask him?”
“While in your case it could go either way, let‟s face it; in

my case, a lady should be patient and wait for her man to
ask.”

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Sam shook his head. Jeff was the ultimate queen, but at

least he was comfortable in his own skin.

“You still haven‟t answered my question. Am I getting

my latest success story for the website?”

Hoping he‟d distracted Jeff enough to forget his reason

for calling hadn‟t worked as well as Sam had hoped.

“Sam, what‟s up? You‟re usually pretty quick with the

responses.” The concern in Jeff‟s voice added to Sam‟s
stress.

“Jeff, I think I‟m—” Sam couldn‟t continue. It didn‟t feel

right talking to Jeff before things were truly resolved with
Chris. “Jeff, can you ask me the same question in a couple of
days?”

“Sure, no problem. I‟m not about to push you into a

corner, but if you really need a friend to talk to, you know
I‟m here and so is Craig.”

“I know. You‟ve both become good friends. And yes, I

have been absent from The Music Box because all my free
time is spent with Chris.”

“That‟s him! That‟s the guy I picked for you.”
“How could you imagine I‟d go for another, well, top? I

would have never picked him.”

“Sweet, naive Sam. There‟s a reason The Male Room is

doing so well. I‟m a genius in the love department. It‟s all
about getting the rest of you clueless gentlemen to face your
true desires.”

“And you can see us more clearly than we can see

ourselves?”

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“Let‟s just say not all tops are the proverbial alpha

males they think they are, and not all bottoms are the
ultimate submissives.”

“I‟m not sure I want to know how you acquired this

tidbit of knowledge.” Sam snorted.

“Let‟s just say years of experience and observation pay

off in a multitude of ways.” Jeff chuckled.

“Jeff, call me in a couple of days. There are a few things

I need to work out before I can answer your question and
figure out who won our bet.”

“Don‟t do anything too hastily just because of our little

wager.”

“This has nothing to do with our deal anymore. I need to

clear some things up with Chris first.” Sam started shuffling
papers on his desk, prioritizing what had to be done and
making mental plans as he spoke.

“What do you need to let the big hulking hunk know?”
“That‟s between him and me, but if you play your cards

right, you‟ll be able to fill in the blanks on your own in a few
days.”

“Now you have me intrigued.” Jeff started to hum the

theme from Jaws. “Do I detect someone going in for the kill?”

“Yeah, you do. But it‟s probably not what you‟re

thinking, so don‟t even try to guess.”

“Suit yourself, honey, but I will be calling in a couple of

days and you‟d better be prepared to dish.”

“If everything goes as planned, we can talk in person.

We‟ll make it a double date and I‟ll formally introduce you to
Chris.”

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“Sounds fabulous! Talk to you soon. T-T-F-N.”
“Good-bye, you crazy queen.”
Jeff laughed out loud as they both disconnected.
Sam picked up the phone one more time, knowing his

call  would  go  directly  to  voice  mail.  When  the  recorded
message  ended,  Sam  spoke.  “Chris,  meet  me  at  home  as
soon  as  possible.  We  need  to  talk.  I‟m  taking  the  afternoon
off.”

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Chapter 12

NOWING

the time Chris‟s school dismissed each day, Sam

set  himself  up  to  arrive  home  at  least  two  hours  before  his
lover  could  possibly  get  there.  He  admired  his  work,  having
set  up  the  apartment  just  as  he‟d  seen  in  hundreds  of
movies.  Sam  wanted  to  make  it  clear  to  Chris  how  he  felt.
The  biggest  question  was,  could  he  demonstrate  those
feelings completely?

He wanted what Craig and Jeff had found and been able

to  nurture—a  great  partnership.  Their  love  was  equal  in
every way that counted, and for all he knew, that nelly queen
could  top  with  the  best  of  them.  He‟d  seen  how  Jeff  could
take charge and hold his own; it wouldn‟t surprise him if he
took the plunge in bed once in a while too.

Everyone who knew Sam held him up to a certain

reputation, but the  rep was no longer important. Chris was
important.  As  much  as  Sam  hated  to  admit  it,  Donna  was
right.  It  was  Sam‟s  turn  to  give  if  he  wanted  to  make  his
personal life a success.

Just as he expected, at four o‟clock he heard the key

turn in the lock and Chris walked in. His eyes widened as he
gazed around the apartment‟s large, open-style main room.
“Holy crap! What the hell‟s all this?”

“These are candles.” Sam gestured all around him. “And

those are a dozen vases of roses from the nursery down the
street. A dozen bouquets of a dozen roses each, placed

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around the room for atmosphere. The salesman suggested
tea roses so they wouldn‟t completely overwhelm the space,
although I still think I should have insisted on the long stem
type.”

“No, these are fantastic. The whole place looks

beautiful.”  Chris  gazed  at  Sam.  He  had  changed  from  his
suit  into  a  satin  robe  with  nothing  on  underneath.  Sam
knew  the  scene  was  corny,  at  best,  but  he  wanted  to  make
sure he didn‟t screw up. He just hoped Chris appreciated the
effort. “Why did you do all this?”

Approaching Chris slowly, Sam ran his fingers over the

sculpted chest. Through the tailored shirt he could feel
Chris‟s nipples become erect, responding to his touch.
“Because it‟s time for me to show you how much you mean
to me; how much we mean to me.”

“Are you sure?”
“No.” Sam choked on the word but quickly regained his

composure. “But I‟m sure I want you in my life, and I‟m sure
I want to know what it‟s like to be loved by you.”

Without hesitating, Chris grabbed Sam‟s arms, pulled

him close, and crashed their lips together. Sam clung to
Chris, wrapping his arms around him.

“Do you trust me, Sam?”
“Yeah, I do.”
It seemed that was all Chris needed to hear. Putting on

a  show  for  Sam,  he  slowly  unbuttoned  his  shirt,  sliding  it
down  his  arms  as  if  peeling  off  a  second  skin.  He  then
dramatically  whipped  off  his  belt  and  removed  his  shoes,
socks, and pants, kicking them to the side, leaving only his
briefs covering his already stiff cock.

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Panting, Sam stared at the moisture blossoming on his

lover‟s underwear. Chris was so long and thick. It had been
so long. The fear began to build and Sam wasn‟t sure he
could go through with it.

His partner must have sensed a change in the mood.

Chris quickly approached Sam and untied the belt on his
robe, sliding the garment off his shoulders, letting it fall in a
puddle to the rug beneath. “I‟ll take care of you. Let me take
care of you.”

Chris‟s voice was hypnotic, and Sam‟s body reacted. He

knelt and speedily divested Chris of his briefs, allowing his
trapped dick to spring free. Standing again, he immediately
reached to touch his own painfully hard cock.

Chris knocked his hand away. “No, Sam. I told you, I‟ll

take care of you.”

Dropping his hand to his side, Sam wasn‟t sure what to

do  next.  But  then  he  realized  he  didn‟t  have  to  actually  do
anything; he had set the stage, now it was time to let Chris
take  charge,  allow  Chris  to  wipe  away  the  bad  memories.
Chris held him, kissing him, licking him, sucking him. Sam‟s
body  was  on  fire.  The  big  Irishman  was  all  around  him,
touching  him  everywhere  and  the  sensations  made  him
shiver.  When  Chris  nipped  at  his  nipple,  Sam  wanted  to
move away, to run, but instead he let a moan escape.

“You like that. You like me touching you, tending to

every part of you.”

“Yes,” Sam hissed, another guttural sound coming out

with the word. “Chris.”

After guiding him down to lie on the rug, Chris folded

the discarded robe and gently placed it beneath Sam‟s head.

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He  never  stopped  touching  Sam,  kissing  him,  letting  him
know  he  was  loved.  This  was  loving;  this  was  making  love.
Sam  felt  every  moment  of  contact  go  deep  and  touch  him
from within.

“You‟re so beautiful, so hot. I can feel the heat coming

off  your  body.  I  want  to  feel  that  heat  surround  my  cock.”
Chris  moistened  each  nipple  with  his  tongue,  then  nipped.
Sam  held  on,  trying  to  keep  some  semblance  of  control.  “I
want  you  to  be  mine  and  I  want  to  be  yours.  No  one  else,
ever again.”

“No one else.” Sam responded instantly. This is what he

wanted too. He wanted to belong to someone who cared.
“Chris, I—”

“Shhh.” Chris nudged Sam to turn onto his stomach. “I

want you to feel what it‟s like to be worshipped. You‟re an
amazing man with an incredible body.”

His cock receiving blissful friction from the fabric

beneath, Sam felt Chris‟s tongue work its way down his
back. He automatically arched at the cool, moist, unexpected
touch. “Ahhh!”

“Relax, this is only the beginning.”
“Oh God.” Sam‟s voice was barely more than a whisper.

He had a feeling he knew what was next. No one had ever
done that to him. He‟d never allowed a trick to perform such
an intimate act.

Kneading Sam‟s ass with his strong hands, Chris‟s

tongue circled the waiting hole. “It‟s time you learned how
this feels.” Without missing a beat, the moist tongue entered.

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“Fuck!” It took all the control Sam had not to come at

that moment. He tried to slow his breathing as he felt Chris
explore. “Chris, I‟m gonna—”

Then he was gone. “I don‟t want you to come like that.

We‟re  going  to  come  together.”  Nudging  Sam  to  turn  over
once  again,  they  looked  into  each  other‟s  eyes.  “Your  eyes,
your face, they‟re so expressive. I don‟t  want to miss seeing
them.”

Everything Chris said added to Sam‟s desire for more.

“Please, Chris.”

“Please what, Sam. Just ask me.”
“I want you… inside. I want to feel you make me yours.”

Sam felt a dot of moisture escape his eye. When he tried to
wipe it away, Chris held his hand.

“Leave it. It shows me how much you want me to love

you.”

Sam slowly nodded, pinned beneath this passionate

man—his man.

Kneeling between Sam‟s now spread legs, Chris reached

into a small nearby candy dish Sam had filled with condoms
and a small tube of lube, and once again offered a show. He
rolled the condom on, bringing Sam‟s hand up so they could
secure it in place together. Chris then put a dollop of lube on
each of their hands. “While I prepare you, you prepare me.”

It was more than Sam thought he could stand. Feeling

Chris‟s fingers enter him one at a time while he massaged
the long reddened cock, Sam closed his eyes.

“No, Sam. Look at me. Know it‟s me you‟re feeling.”
Biting his lip, Sam forced his eyes to reopen.

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“Now wrap your legs around my back.” Chris positioned

himself at Sam‟s pulsing hole. “Let me know if you want me
to stop.”

“Don‟t stop, don‟t ever stop.” Sam couldn‟t believe the

words coming from his mouth, but the need and desire drove
them out. They were all true. He wanted Chris, and he
wanted him now.

Feeling Chris press inside, Sam closed his eyes. A flash

of memory nearly overtook him, but he opened his eyes
quickly and stared into Chris‟s. This was his man, his lover,
his partner. He needed to give himself to him.

“Sam, you‟re so tight, so damn hot.”
As Chris pushed further inside, Sam thought he‟d be

split in two until he felt a nudge against his prostate. “Oh
God!” The pleasure washed over him.

“Do you feel that? Isn‟t it amazing?” Chris began to

slowly thrust, hitting the tender spot over and over.

“Chris!” Sam could barely breathe. He could feel

something incredible building and he wanted to let go. He‟d
never felt anything this intense before.

“Hold on, Sam, I‟m jumping off the cliff with you.”
It didn‟t matter that it was ultimately going to end faster

than either expected; letting their passion take over was
perfect. Sam had never known anything could be so right.

Their hands laced together at Sam‟s sides, Chris

pressed in once more, resting the tip over the sensitive area
inside.

With all control lost, Sam arched his back, releasing

between them, the orgasm taking him higher than he had

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ever gone before. As his climax began to calm, he felt Chris
pulsing from within. It was the most amazing thing he‟d ever
experienced.

Feeling his cock begin to soften, Chris held the condom

in place and gently pulled out of Sam‟s body. Quickly
disposing of the condom, he lay back down and took Sam in
his arms. The two tangled together in a warm embrace. Sam
had never felt closer to anyone. “Chris, I love you.”

“I know. I love you too.”
“You know?” Sam whispered as his breathing returned

to normal.

“I‟ve known you were the one for me from our first night

together. I just had to wait for you to realize it too.”

Sam clung to Chris, unwilling to let him go. “It‟s a good

thing you‟re such a skilled teacher. I have a feeling you have
a lot to teach me about being a good partner.”

“It might take a while.” Chris peppered small pecks

across Sam‟s neck and cheek.

“How long?”
“At least fifty or sixty years.” Chris sucked on Sam‟s

lobe.

“Ahhh. That‟s good. I think I have just about that much

time allotted for us to be together. Maybe a decade or two
more if you can stand me.”

The two remained on the floor kissing and holding one

another, not noticing as several of the candles burned out.
They were together. Nothing else mattered.

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Chapter 13

LANCING

at his watch, Sam bolted out of his car. The

meeting at his office had taken far longer than he‟d expected,
making him thirty minutes late. He hoped Chris would be in
a forgiving mood.

“Good evening, Mr. Solomon. We wondered where you

were.”  Tani  smiled  and  showed  Sam  to  his  favorite  corner
table.  He  and  Chris  had  been  coming  to  the  Thai  Palace
weekly,  and  the  hostess  would  always  hold  their  table  in
anticipation of their arrival. “Mr. Kelly and your friends have
been enjoying tea and appetizers.”

Nodding, Sam followed Tani to the table. Chris stood

when he arrived, giving him a quick hug and a peck on the
lips. Although a simple gesture of affection, it had become a
greeting Sam looked forward to and didn‟t want to go a day
without.

“Well hello, Mr. Attorney. Aren‟t you all decked out in

the most chic attire. Armani, I believe.”

Laughing, Sam turned to their guests. “You know, Jeff,

if  I  didn‟t  know  any  better  I‟d  think  you  were  a  shallow,
empty-headed  queen.  You‟ve  got  a  lot  more  locked  in  that
brain  of  yours  than  you  let  on,  both  intellectually  and
instinctively.”

Jeff‟s partner Craig wrapped his arm around his

shoulder. “Let‟s just keep that to ourselves. He‟s great for
business with his facade of the fun-loving, silly flamer.”

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“Your secret‟s safe with me.” Sam and Chris sat as Tani

brought fresh refills of tea for all, along with a cup for Sam.

Chris leaned over to whisper in Sam‟s ear. “I hope you

don‟t mind, but we ordered while we were waiting. It‟ll just
be a variety of our favorites to share amongst the four of us.”

“I‟m glad you did. The meeting went late, and I couldn‟t

get out since they were speaking directly to me.”

“Well?”
Sam smiled broadly. No words were needed.
“That‟s terrific!” Chris grabbed Sam by the shoulders

and pulled him in for a toe-curling kiss.

“Ahem. Would you boys care to tell us what the

celebration is all about? We already know the two of you
moved in together and Chris gave up the lease on his
apartment. Does this mean there‟s more on the horizon?”

Turning to Jeff and Craig, Sam grinned from ear to ear.

“Probably more on the horizon, but we just moved in
together a couple of months ago. There‟s no rush.”

“Why put off the inevitable?”
“You two haven‟t tied the knot yet, have you?”
Craig chimed in, “Well, as a matter a fact, we finally

picked a date.”

“It‟s about time. Just send us the invitation and we‟ll be

there.”

“So what‟s the big news?” Craig asked.
Opening his laptop case, Sam pulled out a sheet of

paper bearing the letterhead of his law firm and handed it to
Chris first, who read it and then passed it to Jeff and Craig.

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Placing his hand on Sam‟s knee, Chris gave it a squeeze.

Ever since Sam had completely let go of his past, he and
Chris had become true and equal partners in every aspect of
their personal lives. It was the biggest victory Sam had ever
experienced, and he was relishing every minute.

Their home life was an ongoing adventure. Neither of

them  fit  their  past  stereotypical,  alpha  male  personas  any
longer;  they  were  exploring  new  ground,  making  up  their
own rules as they went along. Both had taken on the day-to-
day tasks of running a home. Their particular moods on any
given  day  would  determine  which  chores  each  would
undertake.

However, rather than making their household

obligations  their  top  priority,  it  was  far  more  important  to
both  men,  whenever  they  happened  to  get  the  urge  and
inspiration,  that  they  take  complete  care  of  each  other
sexually—be it in the bedroom, kitchen, or great room. Sam
had  never  experienced  such  an  active  and  intimate  sex  life.
Every  day  brought  new  surprises;  there  were  times  Chris
brought  him  to  new  heights  he  didn‟t  think  possible.  Just
thinking about it, his cock reacted.

Sam was shocked to find there were days he wanted

Chris to make slow, passionate love to him, and others
where the two would battle for control. Frequently, on those
nights, Sam would win, although he began to think Chris
was letting him take charge. It was all about the thrill of the
challenge to see who would come out on top.

“Oh my God, honey!” Jeff brought Sam out of his

thoughts and back to the table. Probably a good thing, as
Sam‟s pants were beginning to tighten and there was

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

nothing to be done about it at that moment. “Your name. It‟s
on the masthead.”

“Yes it is. And it‟s now on the door leading into the suite

of offices and every other piece of literature or document put
into the public eye by the firm.”

“My, my, Mr. Sam Solomon, you have arrived. Armani to

work, and Chris waiting at home to take it off at the end of
the day.”

The group all laughed at Jeff‟s campy but accurate

account of Sam‟s life.

One of the waiters brought over their meal. The spread

of food was perfect, truly making it a celebratory dinner.

After taking a little of each offering, the four occupied

themselves with eating until Craig broke the silence. “You
know, Sam, you owe us.”

He looked from Craig to Jeff and then to Chris, who

shrugged his shoulders. “Why do I owe you?”

“Apparently you made a bet with my partner—”
“That‟s fiancé, dear.”
“Sorry, Jeff.” Craig continued. “If his choice of a date for

you  worked  out,  you  promised  to  be  one  of  our  website
success  stories.”  Pointing  his  chopsticks  at  Chris  and  then
Sam, Craig smiled. “From the look of things, success story is
an  understatement.  So,  are  you  ready  to  pay  up,  or  is  the
hottest  partner  in  the  most  prestigious  law  firm  in  Boston
going to welsh on his bet?”

“Oh shit,” Sam whispered. “I‟d forgotten all about that

ridiculous bet.”

The Attorney | Carolyn LeVine Topol

100

Chris leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across

his chest. “You didn‟t think you could ever find the right guy,
and you couldn‟t. Jeff knew you better than you knew
yourself back then.”

“I‟m improving. Now I know exactly who, and what, I

want.”

“I know, and I‟m grateful. I guess it‟s time to pay the

price for our happiness to our wayward matchmaker.”

Practically bouncing in his seat, Jeff kissed Craig on the

cheek. “This will definitely boost sales. Seeing Sam Solomon
on the homepage will get every gay with a computer signing
up for The Male Room.”

“Hey, what about me?” Chris chuckled.
“Oh, sweetie, you‟re the hot, hard, cherry on top!”
Sam nearly spit out the noodles he‟d just stuffed into

his mouth.

After another good laugh, the four continued to enjoy

their meal.

Taking a moment to sit back and drink his tea, Sam

gazed at Chris. He really did owe Jeff so much more than he
could ever pay back.

Placing his cup on the table, Sam whispered in Chris‟s

ear, “I love you.”

“I love you too.”
“It‟s not some temporary thing, you know. I do see us far

into the future, like Jeff suggested.”

“That‟ll give us all the more to write about in our

success story.” Chris cupped Sam‟s cheek, brushing their
lips together. “I only see you in my future too, Mr. Attorney.”

About the Author

Born in Brooklyn,

AROLYN

INE

OPOL

grew up just

outside  New  York  City.  Three  passions  dominated  her  life:
reading,  writing,  and  theater.  Having  always  dreamed  of
writing her own version of The Great American Novel, it took
her  many  years  to  discover  her  most  heartfelt  stories  took
their  form  in  the  creation  of  M/M  romances.  Sharing  her
writing with a small circle of online friends, Carolyn received
advice, encouragement, and joy from their feedback.
Spending  her  days  working  as  an  executive  assistant  in  a
synagogue,  Carolyn  relishes  the  quiet  wee  hours  of  the
morning to lose herself in writing of the loves, passions, and
adventures driving her characters.
With  the  backing  of  a  supportive  husband  and  two  young
adult  children,  Carolyn  continues  to  explore  the  fabulous
world  of  gay  romance  with  the  philosophy  “Every  person
deserves  their  happy  ending.”    Visit  Carolyn‟s  web  site  at

http://www.carolynlevinetopol.com

and

her

blog

http://carolyn-l-topol.livejournal.com

. You can contact her

at cstopol@gmail.com.

Coming in 2011 from

AROLYN

INE

OPOL

The Playwright

Book 3 in The Male Room series
Nick‟s  writing  partner  and  best  friend  is  tired  of  watching  his  buddy
screw  his  life  away  to  overcome  the  heartbreak  of  his  first  great  love
affair,  and  he  also  thinks  that  a  romantic  comedy  playwright  should
actually write what he knows!  Before Nick can wriggle out of it, he finds
himself  begged,  nagged,  and  cajoled  into  a  coffee  date  with  one  of  the
men who liked his profile at The Male Room, an online dating service for
gay men.
No one is more surprised than Nick that the date is a success, and he‟s
interested  in  getting  to  know  full-time  news  reporter  and  part-time
theater critic Mark  better. But  better means closer, and the  closer  Nick
gets  to  Mark,  the  more  he  remembers  why  he  doesn't  go  for  long-term
relationships.  Long  term  affairs  just  lead  to  heartbreak,  right?  Nick‟s
imagination runs overtime, and he‟ll have to trust in his heart if he wants
this love story to have a happy ending.

Also from

Carolyn LeVine Topol

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the
authors’ imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond

http://www.paulrichmondstudio.com

This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is
illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon
conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. This eBook cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No
part of this eBook can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the Publisher. To
request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press at: 4760 Preston Road, Suite
244-149, Frisco, TX 75034

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Released in the United States of America
July 2011

eBook Edition
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61581-924-9

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