Chapter One

THETexas summer sun beat down on his bare skin, deepening the tan on Dean Whitten’s youthful, firm
body. It was days like this you were thankful for cool pools, cold lemonade, and best friends to share
them with. Beside him, Eric lay in a blue and green striped lounge chair. His golden body was so much
bigger and harder than Dean’s slight frame. A sheen of sweat highlighted ridges of muscle rippling down
Eric’s stomach, tempting Dean to touch. What would Eric’s skin feel like? Was it soft like his, or did all
those glorious muscles make it hard? How would it feel to dig his fingertips into the resilient flesh or taste
the salty damp skin? Eric’s nipples were hard, and Dean longed to suck them between his lips.
Sometimes he played with his nubs in the darkness of his bedroom. The pinch of his fingers caused flares
of heat to shoot straight to his cock.

Speaking of cock, his was waking up, and Dean knew his swim trunks couldn’t hide an erection. He
jumped off the lounger and into the pool. The cool water soothed his fevered skin and wayward
anatomy. As he shook the water from his head, a giant wave covered him, sending Dean tumbling
beneath the surface. Two strong hands gripped his arms, hauling him back to the surface. His chest
collided with Eric’s, and Dean savored the feel of slick skin rubbing against him. God, what he wouldn’t
give to kiss those lips only inches away. His breath caught as the green and gray colors of Eric’s eyes
darkened and his pupils dilated. He panted in excitement, his lips tingled, and his hands clutched Eric’s
wide shoulders. Their heads moved a fraction closer, and—

Dean Whitten’s eyes shot open.Dammit! Why did he always wake up just before the good part of his
dreams? He rolled to the side and blinked as the blue numbers on his clock mocked him. He squinted at
the rays of early morning sunshine slanting through the bedroom window. His internal alarm clock refused
to recognize that it was his day off and a Sunday to boot. After years of early morning rounds and late
night on-call duty, it was difficult for him to maintain normal sleep patterns. Normally this didn’t bother
him that much—after all, it wasn’t like he had a regular bed partner to disturb when his pager went
off—but it would be nice to sleep in when his schedule allowed for it. Dean reluctantly rolled out of bed,
knowing he wouldn’t get any more sleep. He stumbled down the short hallway leading to the kitchen and
jumped back when his bare feet touched the cold tile.

Socks. He needed socks. He turned about face and opened the folding door that hid his washer and
dryer. When he opened the dryer, he frowned and scratched his head for a second. His sleep-addled
brain was confused. He could have sworn he’d done a load of laundry the other day. Lifting the lid of the
washing machine, he cursed as he saw the bedraggled remains of his missing clean clothes. Taking a
tentative sniff, he determined that the fabric that had sat in the machine for a day smelled a little musty. It
was probably best to re-run the load, so he added some soap and reset the cycle.

Retreating to his bedroom, he discovered that his dresser drawers were rather bare, since his wardrobe
mainly consisted of scrubs, but he managed to find an old Baylor University sweatshirt that had seen
better days. He dug around for a pair of socks, smiling when the only ones in the drawer were orange
and black striped with white ghosts and googly eyeballs. A patient had given them to him last Halloween.
He tugged them on and turned to walk out of his bedroom. Catching sight of himself in the full length
mirror attached to his door, he laughed. The green and yellow faded sweatshirt, red and black flannel
sleep pants, and orange and black striped socks looked ridiculous together, even by his standards. His
sister Carol, a buyer for Barney’s, would definitely threaten to revoke his gay card if she caught sight of
him dressed this way. In her romantic imagination, all men lounged around their luxury apartments
dressed in silk pants and Italian leather slippers, waiting for their love slaves to service them. However, in

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reality, it was a cold February morning, and he was alone and didn’t give a rat’s patooty. Although the
love slave part didn’t sound like a bad idea. The siren call of coffee smells emanating from the kitchen
beckoned, and he blessed the gods of automatic timers.

Settling down with his mug of caffeinated bliss, he turned on the TV to watch the news. He grimaced as
a bubbly bottle blonde woman exclaimed, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” The high-pitched voice
reverberated from the surround sound speakers at an insane volume. He randomly pushed buttons on the
remote until the volume lowered to a more reasonable level. He’d apparently neglected to reset the
sound after the last movie he’d watched. Vibrations were fun to feel when tons of explosions went off
during the movie, but not so fun to wake to in the early hours of the morning.

After spending twenty-seven of the last thirty-six hours at the hospital, he’d forgotten about the holiday.
Dean had nothing against celebrating love, he just didn’t want to be continually reminded of the fact that
he had not experienced such a tender emotion since that one summer, years ago. The summer when sun,
laughter, and innocence had permeated his world, the bright happiness of new discovery filling his soul,
and the boy whose laughing, multi-colored eyes had touched his heart. These days, all his friends were
either married or in committed relationships. His mom and dad were basking like lizards in the Arizona
sunshine for their retirement, and his sister lived in New York City, thriving as a young urban
professional.

Dean flipped off the TV, not interested in hearing about couples celebrating fifty years together. He
sipped his now-tepid coffee, trying to remember the last time he’d had someone to share Valentine’s Day
with, then realized the sad state of his social life when he couldn’t remember the last time he had had a
date, let alone a Valentine.

Slouching in the chair at his desk area in the living room, he puttered around on the internet for awhile
until he got bored, then opened his email. He saw a message from one of those e-card sites telling him his
mom had sent a message. He clicked on the link and found a Valentine’s card. The cartoon cupid shot an
arrow into a man, and the next arrow hit a slobbering mutt of a dog. The man looked up at the fat little
cherub with an expression of disgust and disbelief. The cupid shrugged his shoulders, and a little speech
balloon appeared: “It wasn’t my best shot.”

Throwing back his head, Dean laughed. He sent a quick reply to his mom, and as he hit the send button,
inspiration struck. Today was his first real day off in over two weeks. He could sit at home and lament
about the fact that he didn’t have anyone to play footsie with, or he could get off his ass, get dressed in
something that actually coordinated, and go enjoy himself. In fact, he could make a whole day of it,
celebrate his very own Un-Valentine’s Day. His resolve set, he headed for the shower.

As he stood beneath the spray, his mind wandered back in time to the summer that starred in his dream.
He’d been eighteen and full of vigor. He and his best friend Eric Sparks had spent nearly every waking
moment together for the previous three years. Eric’s dad had been stationed at Fort Hood, and Dean’s
father was a civilian contractor on base. The summer had been everything a fresh high school graduate
could hope for, until the bubble of bliss burst. It was a few weeks after graduation when Eric’s family had
been given notice that they were being reassigned.

For months prior to the announcement, Dean had been fighting his attraction to Eric. He didn’t want the
other boy to know that he’d become so much more than a friend. Dean had fallen, and fallen hard—as
only teenagers could do. His feelings for Eric consumed him night and day but could never be given
voice. He’d known that, as much as Eric’s departure would rip out his heart, part of him was glad. When
Dean left for Baylor University in the fall, Eric would be gone, and he’d no longer have to second-guess
every word that came out of his mouth for fear that he would give away his feelings.

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He’d known there was no possible way Eric could ever return his love. Eric was strong, confident, and
everything traditionally masculine. While Dean didn’t think of himself as effeminate in any way, he was
smaller, more bookish, and often got told how pretty he was. He’d come to hate it when people said he
was pretty, whether it was meant as a compliment or he was receiving another vicious ribbing from the
jocks at school. He wasn’t pretty, dammit! Imagine his shock on the day that all his preconceptions were
blown out of the water.

After they’d spent the afternoon playing in the pool, Eric suggested a campout on the shore of a
nearby lake, away from prying parental eyes. Dean readily agreed, and even stole a six-pack of
longnecks from his dad’s secret stash.

“Have you done it yet?” Dean whispered.

Eric’s light blond head shook, the long strands on top falling into his eyes.

“You haven’t?” Dean exclaimed.

“No.”

The confession was so soft Dean barely heard it. He lifted his eyes from the dirt-packed ground,
shocked that Eric would admit to being a virgin. Big guys like Eric were supposed to brag about
scoring with chicks and lie when they didn’t, weren’t they?

“I thought for sure you’d done it with Teresa after prom,” Dean said.

“No way! She wanted to, but I told her I wouldn’t do it. I didn’t have anything with me, and there
was no way I would risk going without. You saw those movies in health class. Forget it! Besides, I
don’t think I’m gonna like it.” Eric looked up at the bright stars filling the Texas sky. “We made
out a couple times, but it was always awkward.”

Dean nodded his head, understanding what Eric didn’t say, watching his friend blush two shades
of red.

“But you want to eventually, right?” he persisted.

“Well sure, I guess. We’re about to start college, getting out from our parents’ eyes. We’re
supposed to be sowing our wild oats, aren’t we?”

“Yeah.” Dean looked into the flames of the campfire and sighed.

“What’s wrong, Dean?”

Dean looked into the bright green eyes, similar to his but with a ring of grey in the middle. Was it
possible to confess his deepest, darkest secret to Eric? They were best friends, always had each
other’s backs, but this was big. Those multi-colored eyes looked concerned. His friend was waiting
for him to say something.

“Nothin’, I just…,” he stalled.

“You scared to?” Eric asked.

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“No!” he exclaimed.

“If you are, that’s okay. When I was with Teresa… it just didn’t feel right, you know? I want to,
but only if I’m with someone who….”

Knowing that Eric experienced the same fears made him feel so much better. Eric began to fidget
with the label on his beer bottle, a sure sign that he was uncomfortable.

“It’s cool, I’m the same way.” Dean smiled, watching Eric’s eyes widen.

“You mean it? You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”

“You think that’s something I would willingly tell someone?” Dean wasn’t about to admit that
the only time he got aroused was when he thought of the boy beside him. His bright blond hair,
weird-colored but friendly eyes, smooth skin all slick after playing in the pool. There was no way
he would confess that he was gay, even to Eric. Everyone knew that gay men got their asses beat
and were nothing more than limp-wristed, prancing girly men.

“Can you keep a secret?” Eric asked.

“We always keep each other’s secrets.”

“I mean you have to totally swear, under oath, upon threat of death, to never tell someone this
secret.”

Dean nodded his head.

“You have to say it.”

He let out an exasperated breath. “Fine. I swear under oath, with the threat of death, to never
tell another soul.”

“I had a dream the other night, and when I woke up I had spooge all over my stomach.”

Eric’s gaze was trained on the dancing flames, and despite the low light, Dean saw the blush
covering his cheeks.

“Shit, I’ve done that before, it’s no big deal. My mom said that it’s normal for guys our age to do
that.”

“You’ve talked to your mom about it!”

He rolled his eyes. “She’s a doctor. She cornered me awhile ago, and I couldn’t avoid ‘the talk’.”

“The dream was about a bunch of volleyball players. Guy volleyball players. I wanted to touch
them. I… I got turned on by… I’m a freak.”

Dean saw how distressed Eric was and wanted to comfort him. His friend had made a huge leap
of faith by telling him his secret, and maybe it was time for a confession of his own. “Eric, it’s
okay. If you’re a freak, then I’m one too. I picture stuff like that when I… you know. But… I… I

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picture… you.”

Dean closed his eyes, fully prepared to be slugged, convinced that it was the worst possible thing
for him to say. He should have just kept his mouth shut. Now he was not only going to have to
explain being involved in a smackdown to his mom, but he was going to lose his best friend. But
instead of a fist, he felt something soft and warm touch his lips. His eyes flew open and met two
colored rings. An eternity of seconds passed, and those eyes closed, his followed, and Dean
experienced his first kiss.

The kiss lasted forever and not long enough. Dean’s young heart nearly beat out of his chest as
Eric’s lips touched his. His hands were clammy, and he thought he was going to hyperventilate.
Their hands explored each other’s bodies—tentative touches as they learned how to respond and
what made their breaths catch. Dean ended up on his back, shirt rucked up beneath his armpits.
Small things on the stiff ground dug into his back, but he didn’t care. After months of fantasizing,
he finally had Eric in his arms. Eagerly kissing him, touching him…. They were heading toward
new territory when the blast of a horn shattered the night air.

Eric jumped back, they hastily straightened their clothes, and Dean tossed Eric one of the last
two beers as a truckload of jocks came skidding up to the lakeside. The jocks hooted and hollered
as they jumped into the lake, and he and Eric sat by the fire trying to appear as if they were
nothing more than a couple buddies camping out and drinking beer.

Chapter Two

DEANstood in line at the movie theater, contemplating the choice between an apocalyptic supernatural
action flick and a movie about some werewolf. However, his decision process flew off course when he
spied a man at the ticket window. His eyes slowly took measure of the delightful specimen. The stranger
was tall, broad-shouldered, lean-hipped, and well-muscled. His head sported a high and tight common to
military personnel frequently seen around town.

Most likely a Marine.

They were quite often seen around town since Jacksonville was the home of Camp Lejeune. It was
ironic that he’d been thinking of Eric only hours ago, because the light blond hair was similar in shade to
his friend’s. There was no logical reason for him to suspect that his first boyfriend and this man were one
and the same. That was years behind them and thousands of miles away. Logic didn’t prevent his mind
from once again flashing back to that summer when he finally discovered what all the excitement over sex
was about. That first night, his and Eric’s explorations had been halted by the untimely arrival of their
former classmates, but for the rest of the summer, they spent many nights beside the lake. His one regret
was that they never made love, and when summer turned to fall, he left for Baylor and Eric left for
Germany.

Someone tapped Dean on the shoulder, and he jerked out of the daydream to see the pimply-faced
attendant at the window had an annoyed look on his face. Dean stepped up to the window and

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apologized for holding up the line, then asked for a ticket. He headed for the concession stand
and—wouldn’t you know it—Mr. Marine was standing in front of him.

The line was surprisingly long for an afternoon show, but he didn’t mind. It gave him time to
surreptitiously study the well-formed ass encased in snug jeans in front of him. His hands longed to reach
out and test the round muscles, but he wasn’t suicidal. They must have been pumping Valentine’s fairy
dust through the venting system of the theatre. The stranger picked up his purchase from the counter, and
Dean lifted his eyes so he wouldn’t be caught staring at the man’s rear. His heart skipped a beat when his
gaze locked on a pair of green eyes with a center ring of grey. He’d only seen that combination on one
other person.

“Eric Sparks?” he asked, stunned.

“Yeah. I’m sorry, do we?”

The tall blond stopped mid-sentence. Dean stood still as Eric took a good long look down at him. The
scan started at the top of his black-haired head?which came to the other man’s nose?and zeroed in on
his eyes. Eric’s observant expression turned to shock.

“Dean Whitten?” Eric asked.

Dean nodded, smiling. “It’s good to see you.”

“What are you doing here?” they asked simultaneously.

They gave each other a hard hug. Oh man, Eric felt good. Strong and warm. The heat of Eric’s body,
despite the cold afternoon, seeped into Dean’s muscles, and he caught the scent of woodsy cologne.

The concessionaire cleared her throat. “Are you going to order something?”

“Sorry, miss.” Dean held up his finger to Eric. “May I please have a pretzel and Diet Coke?”

After Dean paid and picked up his order, he gestured to a vacant corner.

“That’s the second time I’ve done that in the last ten minutes,” he said.

“Huh?” Eric asked.

“Sorry, I forgot you weren’t privy to the wonderings of my mind a little while ago. I was standing in line
at the ticket counter and got distracted, only to be forcibly reminded by the person behind me that it was
my turn.”

Eric puffed up, looking around the lobby of the theatre. “Who hassled you?”

Dean put his hand on Eric’s broad shoulder and squeezed. His smaller bones looked fragile against the
thick muscles.

“It’s okay. No harm done. Still trying to protect me?” Dean teased.

“I’ll always protect you. It’s who I am.”

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Dean swore his body temperature rose a good ten degrees with the declaration. “One of the few, the
proud?”

Eric smiled. “Always, but I mustered out two days ago. No longer Sergeant Sparks. Now I’m just
Eric.”

“You were never ‘just’ anything.” Suddenly the atmosphere felt thick with words unsaid. He wanted to
get back to the friendly camaraderie, so he asked, “What movie are you seeing?”

“Legion. What about you?”

He looked down at his ticket to see, since he couldn’t remember which movie he’d blurted out to the
kid behind the window. “The same. Wanna sit together?”

Eric chuckled. “You couldn’t remember?”

Dean shrugged, letting out a small chuckle of his own. “I said I was distracted. I was trying to decide
between this andThe Wolfman .”

Eric lifted his arm for Dean to precede him into the theatre. “Let’s go watch some supernatural
gunfights.”

THEYheaded into the darkened theater and climbed the stairs of the stadium seating. Dean looked over
his shoulder when he reached about midway up to see if his selection met with Eric’s approval. Seeing
Eric’s assent, he chose a large reclining seat in the middle. The theatre was a new design, with full-sized
reclining Pleather loungers with footrests. The only down side was the wide plush armrests between
seats. There could be no canoodling during the movie with those babies. He glanced at Eric out of the
corner of his eye and wondered if he liked to snuggle with his dates at the movies, which of course led to
the question of whether Eric had continued to explore the possibility of being gay after that summer
together or if he’d discovered that girls were more to his liking. Being a Marine would undoubtedly make
a homosexual relationship difficult. Heck, it would make hooking up difficult. Frankly, half the Marines he
knew had difficulty maintaining a relationship of any nature. They lived demanding and often dangerous
lives. In a way, Dean was glad he hadn’t been aware of Eric’s profession, because that knowledge
would doubtless have caused him endless worry.

The previews started in the nearly empty theatre, and Dean settled down to enjoy a couple hours of
entertainment with a good friend. He guessed not many people wanted to watch apocalyptic horror flicks
on Valentine’s Day. Halfway through the movie, Eric leaned over and whispered in his ear something
about the one-liners and digital effects. Unfortunately, Dean really didn’t hear the words, because the feel
of Eric’s warm breath on his ear sent his senses into overdrive. Dean shifted in the seat as his cock
jumped and his jeans tightened. When the credits rolled, all Dean knew was that he wasn’t ready for their
time together to end.

Dean stood and stretched as the house lights came on, hiding a small smile when he caught Eric watching
him out of the corner of his eye. “Do you have plans?”

“Nothing on the agenda in particular. I was thinking of grabbing a bite to eat, you want to join me?” Eric

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asked.

“You just put away a small popcorn, large soda, and nachos—how do you possibly have room for
anything else?” Dean exclaimed.

“Hey, I’m a growing boy.”

“A hollow leg is more likely, but I guess it takes a lot of fuel to keep that body of yours charged.” He
blushed, realizing how that may have sounded. “I mean… it’s just that you’re a lot bigger than you were
at eighteen.” He bent over to pick up his trash and stared as Eric unexpectedly turned to face him, giving
Dean an eyeful of the bulge in Eric’s jeans.

Oh, fudge! That, too, is bigger than I remember.

“Dean?”

He jerked upright, and his head spun with the sudden change. His hands reached out and found
purchase on Eric’s biceps as he tried to stabilize himself.

“You okay? You looked a little flushed,” Eric said.

Dean released a breath as Eric’s large hand felt his forehead. The tough calluses abraded his skin in the
most delicious way.

“Yeah, fine, just got a little dizzy from standing too quickly. How does Lonestar sound? You can grab a
steak and I’ll get a beer,” Dean said.

Eric smiled. “The perfect Valentine’s meal, in my opinion.”

THEwood-beamed ceiling of the restaurant slanted to create a quiet corner they’d tucked themselves
into. The spinach and artichoke dip appetizer melted in Eric’s mouth, and the cool draft beer soothed his
throat.

“So why pediatrics?” Eric asked after popping another loaded chip in his mouth.

Dean took a pull from his Michelob Ultra. “I’ve always enjoyed kids. The little ones make me laugh.
Working in the hospital gives me the chance to help them. There’s nothing more rewarding than putting a
smile on their face when they’re hurt or scared. I never envisioned myself raising a child, and this seemed
like a rewarding alternative.”

Eric couldn’t believe he was sitting across from Dean Whitten. His beautiful childhood friend had grown
into a stunning man. What were the odds that he would see him here in Jacksonville, North Carolina?
Hundreds of miles and years away from the last time he’d looked into those laughing green eyes and felt
that soft black hair run through his fingertips. They had been the best of friends for three years, and it’d
broken his heart when his family had to relocate.

Their summer, as Eric liked to remember it, had been filled with firsts, the most memorable being their

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first kiss. The tentative fluttering of eyelashes as they closed, the slow tilt of their heads, the pause
millimeters away until Eric had closed the distance and tasted heaven for the first time. Their summer was
the beginning of his journey to find himself—to recognize his desire, not for a girl, but for a boy.
Specifically, this boy.

For months after the move, they’d written to each other. He had written lengthy tomes to Dean
describing the people and the cities. After about a year apart, the letters slowed and eventually stopped
as teenage ambitions took over.

“Do you remember our summer, Dean?” he asked.

Dean spun the beer bottle in his hands and picked at the label. “Hot Texas sun, cool swimming pools,
nights spent exploring.”

Eric smiled at the flush on Dean’s pale cheeks. “And did you continue on the journey we began
together?”

“Yes. I officially came out my second year at Baylor.”

Eric could see the question in Dean’s eyes. The same eyes that could never hide from him after the first
admission that neither of them had any desire to kiss a girl.

“My parents know and are surprisingly accepting, but obviously, being a Marine, it was impossible for
me to be open,” Eric admitted.

“Why did you choose the Marines?”

“Military life is all I’ve ever known. It seemed natural that I continue. I spent the first year in Heidelberg
discussing the options with my parents and talking to all the recruiters. I was fortunate that my dad never
forced the Army on me. In the end, the Marines fit me like a glove. It’s been a good fifteen years. I have
no regrets, but I’m ready to move on. I want to live an honest life, I want to find someone to share my life
with, and I want to make a home.”

“Where are your parents now?”

“They’re currently in Maryland at Fort Meade. I’m convinced that Dad will die in uniform. He’s a
colonel now. How about yours?”

“Basking like lizards in Arizona.”

Eric stretched his foot out and rubbed it against Dean’s. He saw the heavy swallow, and those green
eyes darkened. He wanted to touch again. He wanted to be touched. Did Dean’s lips still feel as soft as
when they were teenagers? Did they taste as sweet? Was his skin soft or firm? Supple or strong? His
cock filled behind the zipper of his jeans, and he adjusted it beneath the table. Eric watched as Dean
squirmed a second, then his hand also disappeared. Under the cover of the wooden surface, Eric held
out his hand and waited. Agonizing seconds passed; then the tips of his fingers felt Dean’s touch. Their
hands slid together, back and forth, relearning the texture of their skin. His palm tingled as Dean’s smaller
fingers traced designs on his skin.

Their gazes remained locked as they drank from their respective beverages. Eric threaded their hands
together and held tight. “Please.”

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Dean took one last swallow and stood from the table. “Let’s go.”

Eric paid their tab, and they walked out of the restaurant. He and Dean stood between their cars, the
silence as heavy as the scent of snow in the dark night air. Finally he couldn’t take it anymore. Eric
smoothed a lock of hair that had fallen over Dean’s forehead. His hands cradled Dean’s cold cheeks.
“Where do you live?”

“Only a few miles from here, on Valencia. I have a small condo.”

“I’ll follow you.”

They stood in the cold night air for a few seconds longer. The heat between them ratcheted tighter, until
by silent decree they jumped in their cars. Eric cranked on the heat and slowly pulled out to follow
behind Dean, his car going at a much more sedate pace than his heart. Tonight they would finish what
they had started all those years ago.

THEYwalked up the pathway between the buildings of Dean’s condo complex. The new moon cloaked
them in darkness, providing a shield from any curious eyes. Eric’s fingers itched to reach out and take
Dean’s hand again, but he forced them into the pockets of his leather jacket and slowed his step, keeping
a pace behind Dean. He’d always had good night vision, and he used that to his advantage to watch the
graceful curve of Dean’s neck. His lips tingled to touch the vulnerable skin.

They paused outside Dean’s front door while he unlocked it, then quickly slithered through the portal.
As fast as the door closed, Eric had Dean pressed up against the barrier. Their lips slammed together, the
pressure both bruising and necessary. Eric swallowed Dean’s cry of shock as his tongue demanded
entrance. Dean’s long, firm arms wrapped around his neck. Eric gripped the round curves of Dean’s ass
and lifted him so Dean’s body was braced between his and the wall. Lithe legs wrapped around his
thighs, and he pushed into Dean’s open frame, grinding their cocks together.

The kiss slowly gentled from starving to savoring. Dean’s warm tongue slid in and out of Eric’s mouth.
He stroked and sucked on Dean’s tongue with his lips. When the slick appendage retreated, his
followed. Licking along the plump lower lip, he nibbled on the flesh, then wove his way inside the sweet
heat of Dean’s mouth. Eric teased and tormented them both with tiny flicks.

Dean’s patience must have come to an end, because strong hands held tight on the back of Eric’s head,
maneuvering his head to suit Dean’s liking before holding him prisoner and obliterating his mind with deep
pulls on his tongue. In sixteen years, Dean had certainly improved his kissing skills. Eric imagined how
such attention would feel on his cock, and groaned.

The kiss gentled once again, the back-and-forth taunting causing Eric’s mind to scatter. The sweetness
of Dean’s mouth beckoned him to play, to linger, the twisting and talented muscle demanding Eric
conquer the hot cavern of Dean’s mouth. Touching and tasting, their tongues fed from each other.

“Hold on,” Eric growled.

Legs wrapped around Eric’s waist as he hoisted Dean higher. Dean’s arms wrapped around his neck,

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and nimble fingers ran over the top of his high and tight. Each rub over the short strands of hair sent
tingles through his skull.

“Where’s your bedroom?”

“Straight ahead on the left,” Dean responded breathlessly.

Eric pushed away from the wall and spied the two doors at the end of a short hallway. When they
reached the bedroom, Dean’s legs released his waist, and he let their bodies slide together as he set him
down. Eric groaned as their cocks slid together and paused. Keeping Dean’s hips aligned with his, he
ground them together for a few precious seconds before he let Dean’s feet completely touch the floor.

He sealed their mouths together for another demanding kiss. His hands pushed between the openings of
Dean’s coat and forced the garment over the smooth, rounded shoulders to fall to the floor. His fingers
gathered the edge of Dean’s sweater and the T-shirt beneath, then yanked the pair up, exposing the trim,
flat stomach and brown nipples. Eric’s lips cooled when they separated from Dean’s to remove the
impeding garment. The moment the sweater cleared the kiss-swollen flesh, he renewed his assault.

Dean squirmed in Eric’s arms as he toed off his athletic shoes and stepped on the edges of his socks to
remove them. Eric traced the tendons in Dean’s neck with his lips as he’d imagined doing outside. A
subtle woodsy taste lingered on the skin from Dean’s aftershave. A shudder and moan signaled that he’d
located a sweet spot right behind and below his left earlobe. His teeth scraped the tender area, and
Dean’s fingers clenched in the leather of his jacket on his back. His fingers dug into the soft black strands
at the back of Dean’s head and pulled hard enough to get the man’s attention. Their chests separated,
and he bent his head to pull a pebbled nipple between his lips, using his teeth and lips to stimulate and
force the bud to harden further. Dean’s skin tasted clean and masculine, a hint of whatever soap the man
had used that morning, and all Dean.

He reached for the button on Dean’s jeans and popped it open. Dean sucked in his stomach to give him
more room. His fingers found the tab of the zipper and carefully lowered the guard. Heat from Dean’s
groin burned the backs of his fingers. A long hard cock was outlined across Dean’s right hip, held captive
by the red briefs. Eric pushed the jeans and underwear clear of Dean’s hips, letting them fall to the floor.

He stepped back to observe the full vision of Dean naked and hungry before him. Pale skin glowed in
the darkness. Swollen lips darkened from their kisses. It was unfortunate that the darkness of the room
prevented him from seeing those bright green eyes. However, even as the thought crossed his mind, a
flash of light from some unknown source illuminated the room, and he caught sight of round, brilliant
green orbs glowing with desire.

Eric’s eyes travelled down the expanse of the chest and stomach, smaller than his but firm with muscle
that denoted some form of regular exercise. His perusal paused at the long thin cock standing tall and
hard. Dean’s hand was wrapped around the base, slowly stroking. Eric’s mouth watered at the sight of
small drops of pre-cum rising from the slit in the wide crown. His gaze was riveted to the sight of Dean’s
hand moving up and down the turgid flesh. Trimmed dark hair curled right above Dean’s groin, but the
balls were bare and smooth. He wanted to kneel at Dean’s feet and slip the globes between his lips and
tongue and suck on them until Dean begged Eric to fuck him. Eric wanted to lick and suck on every inch
of that perfect body in front of him, to taste the clear drops now copiously leaking from the tip of that
long hard cock, the salty sweat that gathered around his balls, and the musky flavor of his ass as he
pushed his tongue through the tight, puckered ring of flesh. He moved his feet to do just that.

“Why are you still dressed?” Dean asked.

Page 11

Eric’s head jerked up. Heat poured off his still-clothed body. His thick cock pounded behind the zipper
of his jeans. “I was admiring the perfection my friend and first love has become.”

DEANgasped, his hand stilled on his cock. All thoughts of begging Eric to get on with it stalled. His
body had been demanding to be touched, his skin crawling with desire to feel those strong, callused
fingers possess him, his cock screaming for release. But with two simple words, the physical urgency
disappeared and was replaced with equal parts shock and hope.

“I was your first love?”

Dean watched Eric close the distance between them. Those hands he’d been admiring and craving
landed on his shoulders. His skin burned where they touched, and he looked up into the chiseled planes
of the face belonging to a man he had known and loved as a boy. The air in his bedroom was sucked out
as if they were in a vacuum, and his heart raced even as his lungs burned. He realized he was holding his
breath in anticipation of Eric’s response.

“I won’t lie to you, Dean. I’ve shared my body with other men, but yes, you were the first person to
own a piece of my heart.”

Dean’s chest tightened. He placed his hands on the thick forearms corded with muscle he could feel
underneath the jacket. He rubbed the material, feeling the supple leather under his palms. Continuing the
journey up Eric’s arms, he noticed that his hands only spanned half the width of the bulging biceps. Dean
slid his palms up the tension-filled neck and around the back of Eric’s head, feeling the soft, short hairs of
the high and tight tickle his skin. He tilted his head, and his lips skimmed the underside of Eric’s chin.

“I think you’re a little overdressed for our party. I want to touch, taste, and explore this magnificent
body. I want to suck that cock pushing against me. I want to feel it fucking me like we never imagined as
teenagers,” Dean whispered huskily.

Strong arms wrapped around him. The scent of leather filled him, and well-worn denim rubbed against
his legs.

Eric lifted him up and literally threw him onto the bed. Dean bounced a few times, watching as each layer
of covering was yanked and ripped away from Eric’s sculpted body. The ridges of Eric’s abs stood out
in relief, and cords of muscle bulged from his thighs. His eyes burned over every inch of skin revealed,
and he licked his lips. Eric crawled over him, and he cried out at the first touch of their naked bodies
pressed together. Their hands moved in a frenzy of abandon over each other’s bodies. Dean shivered as
Eric ducked and sucked at his neck where it met his shoulder. He felt blood rise to the surface and knew
Eric’s marks would linger on him in the morning. However, his brain and body were flying high enough
not to care.

“Yes, Eric, oh god, yes.”

Dean hooked his leg behind one of Eric’s knees and pushed with his shoulder to roll them over. He
smiled at the shocked expression in those two-toned eyes. Slithering down so he was lips-to-chest, he
sucked a hard nipple into his mouth. Eric’s hands attached themselves to the back of his head and held

Page 12

him tight as if to say, “Don’t stop.”

Like I plan on stopping anytime soon.

Dean’s fingers toyed and teased the opposite nipple. Groans of pleasure rumbled from the chest beneath
him. He used his teeth to pinch and his tongue to soothe, then repeated the treatment on the other side.
When he was satisfied with his work, he moved lower, tracing the indentations of muscle lining Eric’s
abdomen. He sucked at the valley of Eric’s pelvis, causing him to jerk and shout.

Oh, a hot spot—he’d have to remember that.

Dean’s cheek brushed against a long, thick cock, but instead of going for the obvious, he forced Eric’s
legs to spread wider and settled himself between them. His nose nuzzled the soft skin of Eric’s sack, and
he inhaled the unique scent. His tongue flicked out and tasted the loose skin. Salty and tangy. Eric
moaned from the attention. Dean pushed Eric’s feet back so they were flat on the bed and spread Eric’s
wonderfully muscled thighs wide. He played for several minutes, rolling and sucking the orbs, reveling in
the gasps and moans above his head. Dean fit his hands beneath Eric’s muscled cheeks and lifted. This
gave him access to the wrinkled skin of Eric’s opening. Once again he flicked his tongue out for a taste
and moaned. Spicy and rich. He circled around the tight skin with his tongue until it softened, then
speared through the ring to taste inside.

“Dean!”

He retreated and flicked again. “Yes?”

“More… more,” Eric panted.

Stiffening his tongue, he charged and breached. His tongue was welcomed inside with cries of pleasure.
He licked, nibbled, and sucked every crease and wrinkle of the opening until it relaxed, then used his
thumbs to hold open the spit-slick hole. It fluttered and clung to his tongue as it impaled the tight muscle.
Dean’s cock was hard and throbbing against the sheets, filled to the limits, and every shiver of Eric’s
body caused another drop of pre-cum to ooze from his slit. He rubbed against the sheets, seeking some
form of stimulation before he went out of his mind. Someday he would take Eric here. Someday he
would bury his cock deep inside this tight, hot ass. That day was not today. Today he needed to be
taken, he needed to feel Eric fill him, claim him. As if Eric had heard his thoughts, their bodies quickly
switched positions. He lay on his back with Eric straddling his head.

Eric leaned over and aimed his cock at Dean’s mouth. “Suck it.”

Opening his mouth, he welcomed the thick length, letting Eric feed him that gorgeous cock inch by inch.
When the crown reached the back of his throat, he swallowed. Eric controlled how deep and how fast
the thrusts filled him. He opened himself completely, trusting Eric, giving and receiving as his mouth was
fucked with a ferocity and tenderness never before experienced. His tongue whipped up and down the
length, twisting around the head when Eric pulled back. Each time Eric thrust deep, Dean used his throat
to massage and stimulate. Eric panted above him, hands braced on the wall behind Dean’s head. A dark
shadow loomed over him from the large body.

“Supplies?” Eric growled.

Dean pointed to the bedside drawer while sucking and absorbing every part of Eric’s flavor into his
consciousness.

Page 13

Eric’s arms nearly buckled. “Fuck, Dean. Your mouth. Holy god, your mouth.”

He heard the drawer open, the sound of shuffling, and then a slam as it shut. He whimpered when Eric
withdrew from his mouth.

“Don’t worry, you’ll eventually get what you were begging for. Tonight, though, I’m going to fuck you
through this mattress. I’m going to fill you with my cock and claim what is finally mine.”

Dean gasped for breath as fire spread through his veins, making his blood boil. “Take me, Eric.”

Dean lifted his legs back against his chest and felt cool, slick fingers press against his hole. One long,
thick digit slid inside, and he groaned, the slight burn a welcome sensation.

“Been awhile, Dean?”

He nodded, unable to command his vocal cords to work.

“Then we’ll make sure to do this right.”

The single digit became two, and Dean bore down to open his body as much as he could. Eric leaned
over him, capturing his lips in a sweet kiss, tongue thrusting into his mouth in the same rhythm as the long
fingers into his ass. Dean’s legs wrapped around Eric’s sculpted torso, his hands latched onto those
strong shoulders, and he arched into the warm body above him. The dips and swells of the muscled body
were slick with sweat. Eric separated their mouths, and Dean’s eyes flew open only to be immediately
imprisoned by the heated gaze. Eric held the weight of his large frame off him by leaning on one forearm,
and the fingers of that hand laced through the damp strands of Dean’s hair, the callused tips skimming
over the surface of his skull. Due to the difference in their heights, Dean was looking directly into the
chiseled planes of Eric’s chest as the fingers inside his body awakened long-sleeping nerve endings deep
inside him. More lube and a third finger entered him. Dean stiffened and hissed at the stretch before
settling back into the sheets.

“Okay?” Eric asked.

“Uh-huh.”

Hot lips ghosted over Dean’s skin. Starting at his forehead, they traveled down his temple. A soft kiss
landed on his closed eyelids, and warm breath skimmed his cheekbone. Eric’s fingers pushed deep and
curled, nailing his prostate. Dean cried out as a jolt of ecstasy shot through him. The invading digits
retreated and advanced, pegging his gland each and every time until Dean thought he would lose his mind
or come.

“Please, Eric. Please. Now!”

Dean’s fingers managed to clasp the small foil-packed condom, and he held it out. His offering was
quickly accepted and put to good use covering the wonderfully thick cock Dean couldn’t wait to feel
pushing into him. Eric braced his hands on either side of his head, and Dean lifted his legs over the wide
shoulders filling his vision. Force at his opening signaled that the moment was upon them, and their gazes
locked on each other as Eric’s hips canted.

Dean welcomed the pressure and fullness as each successive inch claimed him. He shivered, and his

Page 14

channel fluttered around the intruding column of searing steel filling him. When their hips were finally
pinned together and their balls nestled against each other, he smiled.

“I always did love your smile,” Eric whispered.

When Dean’s body relaxed enough, Eric began to move. Any preconceived notions of how it would feel
to finally make love to his first and only love flew out the window into the moonless night. Each thrust
made Dean’s body sing, each kiss renewed the breath escaping his lungs.

“So tight. So hot,” Eric rasped reverently.

Dean’s legs slipped to encapsulate Eric’s waist, and their bodies smashed together. He rose up and
drew one of Eric’s pebbled nipples between his lips. His tongue jabbed at the small protrusion. Dean
sucked and worried it with his teeth before falling back onto the bed. One of his hips was lifted in a
strong hand to adjust the angle of penetration, and he cried out as it forced the head of Eric’s cock to
slide right over his gland.

“There!” he cried out.

Dean’s gaze locked on Eric’s fevered stare, and he licked his lips, savoring the lingering salty taste on his
skin. Again and again the forceful drives of that long thick cock nailed him. The momentum increased to
the point that Eric’s hips were a blur of motion. Hot breath washed over Dean’s skin, and sweat dripped
onto his body in tiny splashes. He watched drops bloom on Eric’s forehead, which was tight with
pleasure, and trickle down the straight nose. Dean knew his orgasm was approaching. He’d been on
edge all night, and this first time would not last long. That was okay, since they had time later for hours of
exploring each other. His spine tingled, and his balls tightened.

“Soon,” Dean rasped out.

“Yes. That’s it, Dean. Come for me. Come on my cock.”

Dean’s mind shorted out as waves of pleasure stormed his system. He threw back his head and
screamed Eric’s name. Every muscle in his body contracted as his stomach and chest were coated in
spunk. Eric continued to fuck him through his orgasm, fueling the sensations rushing through him. The
deep plunges impaled him deeper and deeper as the bed rocked and shook. An eternity of seconds later,
that huge body gathered him tight and thrust forward one last time. Eric’s frame loomed massive above
him, muscles rigid, the look on Eric’s face euphoric as the wide cock pulsed, filling the condom. A primal
roar reverberated in the bedroom.

ERIC’Slungs heaved, and his heart attempted to beat out of his chest. His sweat-slick skin pressed
against Dean’s as he tried to get his brain to clear from the ecstasy. He rolled, dealt with the condom,
then pulled Dean into his side. For several minutes they lay in silence. His mind floated in bliss. Having
sex with Dean was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. He had no intention of getting in, getting off,
and getting out, which was standard operating procedure for him. Eric pulled Dean into a deep but gentle
kiss. His hands rubbed and kneaded the flesh that was quickly cooling and damp with sweat. Every
nerve in his body sang with happiness, and every muscle thrummed with satisfaction. Maybe it was
because it was Valentine’s Day, but he had this unusual craving to snuggle. Then again, maybe it was

Page 15

because he was with Dean—the boy he’d loved, the dream he’d craved, and the man he’d claimed.

“Dean? You awake?”

“Yeah, just basking.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Yes, it is.”

Chapter Three

THEshrill beeping of Dean’s alarm jerked him away from a fabulous dream. He stretched out to smack
the snooze button. As he rolled away from the edge of the bed, a large, muscular arm draped over his
waist, pressing him into a hard body. Oh right, Eric. Noteverything was a dream. He let his body relax
against the wall of heat. The warmth infused his muscles transdermally, and he really didn’t want to leave
the snug cocoon of covers. He groaned as the alarm went off again.

“Goin’ to work today, Doc?”

“Yeah. I really should get up, but this feels nice.”

“How about if we just move our snuggle into the shower?”

“Oh, wet, slick muscles to play with? You’re on.”

He threw back the covers and jumped out of bed. Dashing across the hall into the small but functional
bathroom, he started the shower. While the water heated, he saw to his early morning needs and brushed
his teeth. He stepped under the spray and groaned as the pounding hot water began to loosen muscles
that hadn’t been used in awhile. Dean’s head swam in suds when a cold draft invaded the bath as the
curtain was swept aside. He turned and opened his eyes only to feel the sting of soap.

“Ow, monkey farts!”

Eric laughed and turned Dean around to help get the soap out of his eyes. “Monkey farts?”

Dean’s eyes and head cleared again. He smiled, shrugging. “You work around kids all day long and you
learn creative ways to cuss.”

Dean released a glob of bath gel into his hands and rubbed them together to build up a lather. He
smoothed the cleanser over Eric’s hard, wide shoulders. Flexing his fingers, Dean tested the density of
the muscle. Eric’s hands encircled him and grabbed his ass, holding them together. The falling water
slicked their cocks as they moved against each other. Being shorter than Eric, his lips were at perfect
neck height. His tongue flicked out and his lips sucked on the strong tendons, making Eric moan.

Page 16

Dean wanted to taste everything. Turning their bodies, he cornered Eric against the back of the tub
enclosure and kneeled. The water beat on his head until Eric altered the angle and intensity of the water
so it fell gently on his lower back. His hands smoothed up the corded thighs, and Dean leaned forward to
nuzzle that sensitive spot he’d found last night. The muscles beneath his hands jerked as his tongue licked
up and down the hard length of Eric’s cock, tracing the large veins. He circled the flange underneath the
head, then dipped his tongue into the wide slit to gather the pre-cum being offered. Using the flat of his
tongue, Dean lapped at the top of the head. He opened his lips and loosely covered the bulbous gland,
circling the edge with his tongue. Slowly, he took the first few inches into his mouth. A deep, rumbling
growl from above traveled down his spine, causing his balls to tighten. Dean worked Eric’s cock up and
down, using his tongue to push the hot, iron-hard length against the top of his mouth. The column of flesh
filled him completely. Dean twisted and turned his mouth to provide extra stimulation. Gasps and groans
rewarded his efforts.

He inhaled the scent of clean male skin, and desire twisted in his gut. Driven to make Eric fly, he slowly
slid down the cock until he felt it hit the back of his soft palate, then inhaled, opened his throat, and
swallowed the remaining inches deep.

“Oh fuck!” Eric exclaimed.

Dean reveled in the sensation of Eric’s hand buried in his hair. Not pulling, but holding him in place. He
massaged the cock filling him for several seconds until he grew lightheaded. Then, mustering all the
suction possible, he rose up until only the head was contained. He repeated the motion over and over.
Eric’s moans and curses echoed in the small space. Eric got especially vocal when Dean took his cock
deep. Eric began to thrust his hips, as if unable to hold back any longer.

Cupping Eric’s balls, Dean gently squeezed, then rolled the heavy sac. One finger slid behind and
pressed against the sensitive skin between Eric’s anus and scrotum. Dean’s head kept bobbing as his
finger slid back to tap against the wrinkled skin of Eric’s opening. He mentally crowed when Eric’s legs
spread wider, giving him more room to play. The tip of Dean’s finger pressed and circled the skin until it
relaxed. He pushed until tight heat wrapped around his finger to the second knuckle. Using the moisture
from the water, he slowly worked deeper until the entire length of his finger was held securely in Eric’s
body.

“Yes. Fuck, Dean, so good.”

Dean quickly set up a rhythm with both his mouth and his finger, aiming to send Eric over the edge. The
air was dense and humid. A haze formed in the small space, cocooning them in heat. Despite the water,
Dean felt beads of sweat form on his skin. His cock grew and danced, straining for attention, but he was
focused solely on Eric’s pleasure. He looked up and watched the water cascade down Eric’s hard flesh.
Drops separated and merged as they transected the hills and crevices of the Marine-built muscles. Tiny
nipples stood out in relief, hard and begging for a touch. Dean wished he could taste them too, but not
enough to give up the delicacy of Eric’s cock filling his mouth. He glanced up to see a look of pure
rapture on the face above him—eyes closed, mouth open, a study in pleasure. Then the lids rose and
those green and grey eyes locked on his. Dean sucked harder, crooked his finger inside Eric’s ass, and
nailed his gland, which he’d been studiously avoiding up to that point. Eric bucked his hips, froze, and
roared as the first volley of thick cum shot onto Dean’s tongue. Dean closed his eyes to savor the salty,
rich taste and made sure to swallow every last bit. He softened his suckling as the shaft slowly weakened.
Dean kissed the tip and gave it one last lick before bracing his hands on either side of the tub, rising to his
feet. Dean was lifted into a tongue-tangling kiss as Eric’s hands supported him underneath his arms.

Page 17

Dean was still hard, still desperate for release. His moan was captured by Eric’s mouth as a strong hand
enclosed his cock. Fingers traveled down his length to play with his balls. Their lips separated, and Eric
unerringly found that sensitive spot behind his ear. Dean groaned and pushed into the hand stroking him,
moaning as Eric’s thumb swept over his slit. As he writhed in Eric’s arms, his hands grasped for balance
on Eric’s body when his legs threatened to give way. One large arm wrapped around his waist, holding
him up as the other hand sped up. Little lights exploded behind his eyes, and he gasped as he came. His
body morphed into a wet noodle when the aftershocks finished. Only Eric’s strong arms—both of them
now—kept him from melting into the basin of the tub.

Soft kisses and murmurs helped clear the fog from Dean’s brain. When he awakened from the
pleasure-induced stupor, he discovered Eric spreading bath gel all over him. Once he was clean, Eric
turned him into the spray to rinse. The man efficiently cleaned himself; then they stepped out of the tub
enclosure to dry off. The shower antics had taken more time than Dean usually did, and, glancing at the
clock on the vanity, he realized there was no time to shave. Rubbing a hand over his cheek, he
determined his scruff wasn’t too bad.

“It looks sexy,” Eric said.

“Good, because I don’t have time to get rid of it. Maybe I can use it to convince one of the nurses into
bringing me a hazelnut latte later today.”

“Well with that soft black hair, bright green eyes, and sexy body, I sure as hell would do anything for
you. Speaking of which, are you out at work?”

They went back across the hall, and he gathered work clothes out of the closet. “Yeah. When I
accepted the position of attending physician, I made sure it wouldn’t be an issue. I don’t flaunt my
sexuality by any means, but I don’t lie either. The nurses on the floor all know. This may be my biased
opinion, but in a way, I think this particular group actually prefers working with a gay doctor. I’ve heard
some nasty stuff about doctors hitting on the support staff and making working conditions miserable on
other floors. We all tease and flirt knowing nothing will ever come of it. It’s nice to have a relaxed
environment being around the little ones.”

They went into the kitchen once dressed, and Dean poured himself a cup of coffee. “Would you like
one?” He indicated the travel mug.

“Please. Black with one sugar?”

Dean reached into the cabinet and brought down another insulated mug. He melted into the heat at his
back when Eric snuggled up against him. He poured the second cup, fixing it the way Eric had ordered.
Turning around, he handed over the offering.

“Be careful, it’s hot,” he said.

“Well then we’ll just have to amuse ourselves while it cools.”

Dean set his mug on the counter and circled his arms around Eric’s neck. Lifting his head for a kiss, he
moaned when their lips connected. The languid connection fed his system, making him feel like he could
take on anything that day with a smile on his face. Their lips slowly separated. His lips tingled, and his
head rested on Eric’s shoulder. Large hands rubbed up and down his back for a few strokes.

“What are you doing tonight?” Dean asked.

Page 18

“I’m retired. No plans until I find another job.”

“Meet me? I’ll take you to dinner. Do you play pool?”

“I can hold my own, why?” Eric asked, suspiciously.

“I have some friends that own a small bar and grill with tables.”

“You’re not going to shark me out of my retirement money, are you, Doc?”

He chuckled. “It’s not your money I’m after, Marine.”

DEANstopped into his office to pick up his lab coat, swung by the doctor’s lounge for a refill on his
coffee, then hit up the nurses’ station for any updates on his patients over the last day. He flipped through
a couple charts and noticed with a smile that Billy’s fever had broken in the early morning hours the day
before.

“Hey, Dr. Whitten! You must have had a good Valentine’s Day.”

He looked at Katie, one of the day nurses on the floor, smiling. Her corkscrew-curly blonde hair and
bubbly personality worked great with the kids.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you’re humming the theme toThe Monkees and have a silly smile on your face. I noticed a
little skip in your step too.”

“It wasn’tThe Monkees, it wasThe Love Boat,and—”

“Busted, Doc,” she said, giggling.

“Shoot. Well, it just so happens that I did have a fantastic Valentine’s Day.”

She sat in the chair behind the desk and spun around. “Go on.”

“Now Katie, you know I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Oh come on, Doc! I was here cleaning up puke. Give me something juicy to live vicariously through.”

“Well, I started by going out into the world with the sole purpose of celebrating a merry Un-Valentine’s
day, but much to my surprise, I ran into an old acquaintance at the movie theatre. We had dinner and a
couple beers, then went back to my place for?” His pager went off, and he looked at the code. “Gotta
run. That’s the ER.”

He took off at a quick run down the hall, chuckling when he heard Katie’s voice call out behind him.

Page 19

“You rotten tease! I’m going to pump you for information when you get back!” she yelled.

Dean took the stairs down to the ground floor emergency room. Quickly opening the stairwell door, he
jogged over to the trauma bays. Spotting another attending, he asked, “What do we have?”

“School bus lost control on the ice and flipped going down Highway 258. We have ten elementary
school kids coming to us. Two have been called in as critical, five severe, and three banged and bruised.”

The bay doors opened, and the first critical case was pushed through by the EMTs. “I’ll take this one,
you grab the next.”

He listened as the paramedic called off the child’s injuries and vital information. The little eight-year-old
boy had a large cut on the back of his head that had bled profusely, and his arm lay at an unnatural angle
in two different locations. They needed to get an idea of how severe the head injury was as quickly as
possible. Dean recognized that although the little boy was still unconscious, his chest rose and fell without
difficulty. The child’s blood pressure was normal, and there didn’t appear to be any injuries other than
the head and arm. A neck collar engulfed the small frame and wouldn’t be removed until the scan cleared
any spinal injuries. Making sure that the bleeding was under control, Dean sent the boy for a CT scan
and called for an orthopedic consult to set his arm. He saw two more patients from the bus, mostly cuts,
before going back up to the floor.

Two hours later, they had the little guy tucked into a bed on the pediatric floor drinking an apple juice,
his arm in a bright green cast from fingers to mid-biceps. Dean walked into the room and saw the parents
hovering and coddling the bright-blue-eyed sprite.

He stepped forward, holding out his hand to both the mother and father. “Good afternoon. I’m Doctor
Whitten. I initially saw Bradley down in the emergency room and will be managing his care while he’s
here.” He turned to Bradley and sat on the edge of the bed. “Hey, Bradley, you can call me Doc Dean.
How you doin’?”

“I’m okay, but my head hurts a little.”

“Well, I know the nurses gave you something a little while ago, but I’ll see what we can do. Don’t want
to give you too much medicine because that will make you feel worse.”

“Doc Dean?”

“Yeah?”

“Am I going to look like Frankenstein after this, ’cause that would be so cool!”

He laughed. “Well, you will for a little while, but eventually your hair will cover any marks from the
staples and the scar.” He leaned down close to Bradley’s ear. “You can always tell your friends that we
implanted a computer chip in your brain, though,” he said softly.

The bright smile on the little face told him he’d hit a home run. He could see that Bradley was getting
worn down, and he let him be with orders to his parents to make sure he rested. The CT scan showed
no bleeds in the brain, but the X-ray did show a linear fracture of his skull. They would keep him for a
couple of days to make sure there were no other effects.

He walked back towards the nurses’ station and saw Katie with a mischievous glint in her eye. She had

Page 20

one of the other nurses standing next to her, and they had very resolute looks on their faces. He knew he
was about to get the third degree about yesterday. Dean added a little bounce to his step and started
whistling “Love Me Tender” by Elvis just to egg them on.

ERICwalked into the darkened bar and spotted a perfectly round ass bent over a pool table in the back
of the room. He walked forward with a single purpose, stopping a foot away from the tempting sight.
“The nine ball in the corner is a straighter angle.”

Dean didn’t look away from his shot. “Yes.” He struck the cue ball with a slight top left English, sending
it down the rail to hit the seven on the right side. The seven went into the corner pocket at the far end of
the table in front of him; then the cue ball ricocheted to come back down the table, bounce off the rail at
his end, and fly towards the nine Eric had pointed out. Dean smirked as he heard the satisfying clack of
the sinking solid-colored orb.

“Wow. Okay, I’ve been schooled,” Eric said, impressed.

Dean chuckled. “Well, during medical school I played ball anytime I had a free second. It was a way for
me to relax.” He set the cue back in the rack. “Wanna grab a bite?”

“Yeah. I’m starved.”

He threw a look over his shoulder as they headed for a nearby booth. “Did you not eat lunch?”

“No, I ate, but that was hours ago. I abstained from my normal afternoon snack to make sure I had
room to eat with you tonight.”

“Oh, how sweet,” he snickered. “Well, I don’t know what you like, but I recommend the blue cheese
bacon burger, and they make awesome steak fries.”

“As long as I can get a draft beer, I’ll eat just about anything.”

The waitress came over and took their orders, chatting up Dean like an old friend. A few seconds later,
two guys in their mid-to-late forties joined her, and Eric saw Dean’s eyes light up with pleasure.

“Hey guys! I’d like you to meet Eric Sparks. Eric, this is John and Craig—they own this joint.”

“Nice to meet you.” He held out his hand.

“Likewise,” Craig said. “How do you know Dean?”

“Oh, we go way back and just happened to bump into each other yesterday at the movies. Thought
we’d spend some time getting reacquainted.”

He smiled at just how familiar they’d gotten last night and early this morning.

“You a Marine?” John questioned.

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“For fifteen years. Discharged a few days ago though.”

“We served with the second EOD Company but have been out of the game for seven years. Welcome
to civilian life,” John said.

“EOD, huh? I know a few of them. Are you two as batshit crazy as they are?”

Craig chuckled. “That’s probably a relative term. Let’s just say I think there are a few stories about us
still floating around.”

“What’s an EOD company?” Dean asked.

John pulled up a chair and straddled it backwards. “EOD stands for Explosive Ordnance Disposal.
Basically, it was our job to go in and defuse any bombs, land mines, or IEDs—improvised explosive
devices. Jerry-rigged conglomerations often with enough power to blow a convoy sky high.”

Craig slid into the booth next to Dean. “Sometimes they were bombs that had been dropped but never
went off, or we had to clear a field of land mines so our troops could advance. However, the real fun
was when we had to go up against a suicide bomber hell-bent on mutual assured destruction.”

“Holy shit,” Dean whispered.

Eric felt Dean’s hand tremble and clutched it in his, giving a little squeeze. “Yeah. Your two bar-owning
buddies are a couple of badasses.”

“How did I never know this? I’ve been a regular here since I moved to town four years ago.” He looked
across at John and Craig. “You’re two of my best friends, you practically know my life story, and
suddenly I feel as though I don’t know you at all.”

Craig placed his hand on Dean’s shoulder. “You know what’s important. We don’t talk about our time
in the Marines much. This is our life now. The bar, each other, and our friends.”

“May I ask how long you’ve been together?” Eric inquired.

“We’ve been a couple since training school, nearly seventeen years now,” John answered.

“Some days it feels like more,” Craig muttered under his breath.

Eric watched as John smacked Craig upside the back of his head. Despite the attack, the love,
commitment, and affection between the pair were obvious. They were two jarheads who stood by each
other and shared their lives. It made him a touch jealous that they’d been together for so long. They’d
gotten past the rules and regulations, not letting the fear of a dishonorable discharge stop them from being
together.

“How’d you do it?” Eric asked.

John looked into Eric’s eyes, answering, “Very carefully, very quietly, but never with regrets.”

Eric glanced over at Dean. He’d thought long and hard all day about where he wanted their relationship
to go. They had to make a choice: stay together and see if the love they’d experienced as teenagers
could grow into something permanent, or once again go their separate ways. He’d come to the

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conclusion that he wanted Dean. The feelings for his friend that had lain dormant had come exploding to
the surface the previous night. No other man could make him laugh as hard or burn as hot. He still loved
him, and he would do whatever was within his power to see that they went the distance this time.

John stood and took Craig’s hand. “Let us know if you need anything. Dinner’s on the house in honor of
your service to our country.”

“Semper fi,” Eric said.

THEYsettled down with their drinks and quickly had hot plates of delicious burgers in front of them. The
atmosphere of the small bar was cozy without being cave-like. Classic rock played from a jukebox in the
far corner. The occasional smacking sound from the pool tables filled any empty space. There were a
handful of people drinking, eating, and playing, but it wasn’t overly crowded. Sitting politely next to Dean
and watching the man eat without jumping him was a testament to the discipline that had been drummed
into Eric in the Corps. Occasionally a little happy moan would escape that sounded faintly like the ones
from the shower that morning. His cock filled, and he wanted to slam the smaller man back against the
padded backing of the bench and devour him. A little drop of ketchup stuck to the corner of Dean’s lip,
and he was two seconds away from leaning over to lick it when the tip of Dean’s tongue came out and
stole it away. A low rumble vibrated from his chest, and startled bright green eyes stared at him. Eric let
his eyes say everything his body wanted to do in that moment and smiled when a little shiver cascaded
down Dean’s torso.

Dean carefully put his burger down on the plate and wiped his lips with his napkin, taking the moment to
calm his racing heart and throbbing cock. Eric had just fucked him in his mind, and he was all shivery.
When he glanced back over, a placid calm had taken over those green and grey eyes like nothing had
happened.

“So now that you’re a man of leisure, what are you going to do in your retirement?” he asked.

Eric chuckled and took a drink of his beer. “Find a job. I’ve put out a few feelers and have high hopes
for a couple of them.”

Dean was fascinated to learn more about the man Eric had become. He’d seen glimpses of his childhood
friend the previous day, but he knew Eric’s experiences in the service had shaped him into the adult that
now sat next to him. Despite their closeness and history, he couldn’t claim to truly know this Eric. What
was his favorite color, his favorite dessert, or his favorite movie? Did he enjoy Sundays watching football,
or was he an art aficionado? The love they’d spoken of last night was based on childhood infatuation. He
hoped they’d have the chance to love each other for the men they were now.

“What types of jobs are you looking for?” he asked.

“Well, my MOS in the Corps was electronic intelligence interception and analysis.”

“Huh?”

Page 23

“Basically I gathered and analyzed data about our opponents’ electronic defense networks. Unlike your
two buddies, I was more of a covert operative.”

“So you’re a computer geek? You always were the brainiac of this pair,” Dean joked.

Eric snorted. “Right, because being a physician requires little brain power. You always sold yourself
short, Dean.” He placed his hand on Dean’s thigh. “I’d hoped you would grow out of that.”

Dean felt a blush creep up his cheeks and thanked the dim interior. “I mostly have. It was never that I
thought of myself as less worthwhile, it was just you were always so bright I was happy in your shadow.
You were so big and smart and beautiful. I felt special by being with you.You made me feel special. We
were children then, and we’re men now—men with experience and our own lives. Yet part of me still
wants to feed off your essence. I understand that we don’t know details about each other anymore, but
something inside me says, ‘This is Eric,my Eric. His true character, his soul, I know’.” He placed his
hand on top of Eric’s and squeezed. “Now tell me more about Eric the computer geek.”

“Our job was to monitor, intercept, and analyze their radar, surface to air missiles, and aircraft. Most of
the time this would be in a ground station near the enemy or as part of a flight crew in their airspace.
Every once in a while they would just lock us in a room with millions of dollars of equipment working
with satellite information.”

“So a computer geek who can kick ass if necessary.” He searched Eric’s eyes for a moment. “Was it
ever necessary?”

“I served two tours in Iraq, one in Kosovo, and one in Afghanistan.”

He saw memories swirling in Eric’s eyes and heard what wasn’t said. Once again his hand squeezed
Eric’s, and he wished he could pull the man into his arms. “Well, I’m glad you made it home.” He was
glad Eric was alive. Eric was sitting here happy, healthy, and whole, both mentally and physically. “So
now that you’re a civilian, what can you do with what you learned?”

“Well, I could work for pretty much any of the alphabet organizations, private companies that design
software or hardware, or go into cyber intelligence. Then again, I could just chuck it all and flip pizzas.”

Jesus, Eric was not only stunningly hot, built, funny, and loveable, but also a freakin’ genius.

“Last time I checked there aren’t too many of those companies around here, aside from the pizza,
anyway.”

Last night had been a revelation to Dean. Now that he’d experienced fully making love to Eric, he didn’t
want to give him up again. Not only could they incinerate his sheets, but waking up to gentle morning
kisses and Eric’s smile had in turn awoken something deep inside him. He knew that given the chance,
the puppy love they’d had as teenagers could mature into something fulfilling. He looked over at John and
Craig, catching the two men in a private moment as they gave each other a quiet kiss behind the bar. He
wanted that, and he wanted it with Eric. He wasn’t ready to discuss the possibility of Eric moving away.

Dean took the last sip of his beer and stood. “Let’s go shoot a game.”

Page 24

ERICwasn’t sure what had just happened, but it was clear that Dean didn’t want to continue their
conversation. He let the man distract him for now, but he knew they’d have to come back to the topic
eventually. A table opened right as they walked over, and he picked out his cue. Eric watched as Dean
bent over the table to rack the balls. His tight little ass pushed up and out as if he were begging for it.

“You wanna break?” Dean asked.

“Sure.” Eric stabilized the stick in his hand, pulled back, and hit the cue ball dead center. Colored balls
scattered to all sides of the table, but he managed to sink two striped ones. Setting up his next shot, he
sank the nine in the right side pocket then the fifteen in the left corner. He cleared the table of all the
stripes with the exception of the thirteen.

Dean let out a low whistle. “Okay, apparently I’m not the only one with hidden talents.”

Eric looked up and winked as he struck the cue but missed his shot.

Dean laughed and pointed at the table. “That’ll teach you to show off.”

Eric stepped back and let Dean set up. The sneaky little shit slithered right by him, a trim hand skimming
his stomach. Dean stopped directly in front of him, bent over far more than necessary, to take the shot.
Eric’s cock pushed against the material of his jeans, wanting to come out and play. After Dean sank the
first ball, that tight, lean body straightened and turned to face him. Eric stood in front of the rack holding
the extra cue sticks, and Dean sauntered up, stopping when no more than an inch separated their bodies.

“I think I need another stick. This one felt a little soft.” Dean reached behind Eric and lifted one from the
rack, letting their chests graze together.

“I hate it when I pick a limp stick.” Eric leaned back against the wall and slid one leg between Dean’s.
That long cock rubbed against his thigh for a brief second before Dean stepped back.

“Yep, one with a good, solid thrust is far superior.”

“Well you know, some people say that it’s not the stick but how you use it.”

“Those people don’t know what they’re missing. There’s nothing like the feel of a well-formed stick in
your hands.”

Eric had a hard time keeping a straight face. Laughter nearly erupted from his chest, and he saw Dean’s
lips twitch and his eyes crinkle as the man fought hilarity. He broke their connection first, otherwise, in
seconds, he would have had Dean bent backwards over the table and shown his lover exactly what he
could do with his stick. Dean sank three more balls, giving him a little show each time before missing. He
smiled because revenge was at hand.

Eric quickly took care of the thirteen he’d missed earlier, then walked around the table to the spot where
he wanted to set up to sink the eight ball. He stood evaluating the angle he wanted to strike. The entire
time, he stroked up and down his cue like a cock. He heard Dean moan and saw him try to covertly
adjust the hard-on thickening in his dress pants. Instead of keeping his hand open, he closed his first
finger over the stick to make a tunnel to shoot through. Standing at the end of the table, he lined up with
one smooth, hard stroke, sent the cue ball sailing across the table, and smoothly sank the round black
ball.

Page 25

“Thank god. Let’s get the hell out of here.” Dean hung up the cue and started walking towards the door,
hearing Eric’s laughter behind him.

Chapter Four

THEYmade their way back to his condo with little fanfare, Dean’s feet nearly flying across the pavement
in an effort to get to his front door. He twisted his key in the lock and shoved open the heavy wood
door. Eric was right behind him and slammed it shut, then, with a rough twist, locked the deadbolt. Dean
spun around at the sound of the door slamming shut and found himself ass over teakettle, being carried
fireman’s style into the bedroom. Eric set him down beside the bed. His large hands imprisoned Dean’s
smaller wrists in their grasp.

“Get those clothes off fast if you want to save them, Dean. Otherwise I’m going to rip them from your
body,” he growled.

Dean panted in arousal at Eric’s show of dominance. He’d been on edge all day. Whenever he’d had a
free second at the hospital, his mind had constantly wandered to visions of his and Eric’s naked limbs
twisting around on the sheets or tongues licking body parts. The nurses had been crafty in their quest for
information and frequently commented that he was walking around with a goofy smile on his face. Then,
at the bar, their mind games had amped up his desire to nearly blinding proportions. If Eric hadn’t sunk
that last ball, he would have been moments away from stepping into the bathroom for a quick relief
session.

Eric released his wrists and Dean wasted no time unbuttoning his shirt. Opening his cuffs and tugging it
out of his pants, he yanked it over his head. Eric’s hands reached for his belt at the same time and jerked
it open. Taking one end, he whipped it out of the loops of his slacks. His pants, underwear, shoes, and
socks all disappeared in world record time. Eric stood in front of him naked and hard, his hand pumping
his long, thick cock. Dean backed towards the bed and turned around to pull back the comforter. A
large hand pressed on his back, keeping him bent over the mattress.

Eric’s hips pressed against his, and that hot cock slid up and down his crease. The feel of bare skin
sliding together made his hole flutter and his fingers clench in the blanket. He heard the snap of the lid on
the lube they’d kept on the bedside table, and thick, cool gel landed on his heated skin without warning.
Dean cried out with surprise as two thick fingers unceremoniously thrust inside him.

“You’ve been wagging this tight little ass at me all night, Dean. Now I’m going to fuck it until we both
collapse.”

“Yes! Fuck me. Fuck me now!”

A third finger quickly spread him open, and he heard the crinkle of foil being ripped behind him. The
head of Eric’s cock pressed at his hole, demanding entry, and he tried to relax as it forced its way
through the ring of muscle. Once the head had popped through, Eric paused, giving Dean’s body time to

Page 26

accept the intrusion. Dean gave a slight nod of his head, and in one thrust, that wonderful cock filled him
to the deepest parts of his body. He cried out, pushing back with his own demands. Large hands gripped
his hips as Eric pounded in and out, each drive sending sparks of pleasure ripping through his body. All
of a sudden, the rhythm changed. Eric’s cock began to tease him with deep thrusts and shallow plunges,
keeping his body off-balance and begging. The thick head would pull back to the opening and pause,
stretching the ring for interminable seconds before entering again. Over and over the angle altered,
sometimes hitting his gland, sometimes avoiding it entirely.

“God damn it, Eric! Stop playing and fuck me!”

“I am fucking you. I’m driving your little hole crazy. Making sure it knows who owns it, who loves it.”

Tired of the game, Eric shuttled in and out of Dean’s ass with fierce determination. There would
probably be little bruises on Dean’s white hips from the grip of his fingers, but he couldn’t let go. Never
had he felt anything like the hot, tight clasp of Dean’s channel. His right hand snaked around Dean’s lean
hip to grasp the long, fiery cock leaking onto the bedspread. He stroked in time to his thrusts, his thumb
rubbing around and over the top of the head, collecting the fluid from Dean’s slit and using it to help
lubricate the tight flesh. He relentlessly thrust deep with the full length of his cock. Dean was right with
him, flexing and pushing into every stroke, his voice crying out and demanding for him to go faster or
harder. Eric shifted the angle of penetration and nailed Dean’s gland.

“There! Oh, Eric!”

Keeping that same angle, Eric increased the momentum of both his hips and his hand. Dean’s muscles
spasmed around his cock. The contractions milked his climax from the deepest part of his soul. With a
yell, he came and simultaneously felt liquid heat cover his hand as Dean exploded with him. He held
Dean’s hips still, keeping him speared on his cock as his orgasm ripped through him. When he stopped
coming, they both collapsed on the bed, his head buried in Dean’s neck, the damp ends of Dean’s hair
tickling his nose. In all his years of sexual experience, no man had made him feel like he did when he was
making love to Dean. Sharing moments like this with his first love, his only love, meant more to him than
anything. The lure of having an infinite number of identical moments was almost enough to make him alter
his current course.

Heaving a sigh, Eric rolled to the side and managed to sit up. He dealt with the necessities, then came
back to the bedroom. Using a soft, damp cloth, he cleaned Dean up, then pulled the covers back and
tucked them both in. Dean immediately rolled into his open arms and settled on his chest. Long minutes
passed as he savored the feel of Dean in his arms.

“Eric?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you mean it?”

Eric knew what Dean was asking. His admission wasn’t exactly a flowery, grandstanding sonnet of
undying devotion, but it was the truth.

“Yes, I meant it. I never thought the echoes of what we had as children could possibly last. However,
seeing you here? Feeling you here? I realized something I’d thought lost has been found. You were the
first, the only, and hopefully the last. I love you, Dean.”

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Dean shifted so he could look into Eric’s eyes. “You were always the brave one. The first to speak
words of desire, the first to kiss, and the first to touch. Now this. My heart, my body, and my soul belong
to you. I love you, Eric Sparks. I always have, I always will.”

It amazed Eric that an Army brat from everywhere had found a best friend and a true love in one person
in two different states and fifteen years apart.

THEweek had flown by, and now it was once again Sunday. A blanket of snow covered the ground, but
he was snug and warm in bed. Eric stirred behind him and placed a soft kiss on the back of his neck.

“Good morning,” Eric grumbled out.

“Morning.”

Dean shifted further back into Eric’s warm embrace. After spending sixty-plus hours at the hospital this
week, he’d gotten a page late last night and had to trudge back through the snowfall because he’d taken
a call shift for one of the other physicians whose daughter had gone into labor. It was funny; being on call
had never bothered him before, but he’d been vastly annoyed when his BlackBerry had buzzed on the
nightstand right as he and Eric were getting things started. The muted glow of dawn was creeping over
the horizon by the time the emergency had been dealt with. On the way home, he’d realized that his
earlier annoyance stemmed from having his limited time with Eric interrupted. The fact that he had used to
volunteer to be on call was a testament to how empty his life had been. Now he had a man he loved?a
man who loved him?and the regular hours of a private practice weren’t looking like such a bad idea.
When he got home and found Eric tucked in his bed?sound asleep?he’d taken the world’s fastest shower
and then collapsed next to him, falling asleep within moments of touching the pillow.

“What time did you get in?” Eric mumbled.

“Around 6:30. I had to diagnose and admit a five-year-old girl with meningococcal meningitis. We
started the first round of IV antibiotics, and she stabilized. Dr. Wimbly is on duty today, and I made sure
she was up-to-date on everything before leaving.”

“Will she be okay?”

“I hope so. It’s one of those nasty infections that can lead to all sorts of complications, some from the
actual infection and some from the treatment. The parents were smart and brought her in fast. They’d
learned a couple days before that a boy in her play group had the same infection, so when they noticed
her symptoms, they came to the ER right away.”

Eric kissed the back of Dean’s neck and held him a little tighter. “What time is it?”

Dean forced his eyes open to look at the clock on the bedside table. The large blue numbers blinked
12:00 over and over. The power must have gone out sometime that morning. He was reluctant to come
out of his cocoon, but he slid his hand to the edge of the mattress. He snatched his BlackBerry off the
table and blinked a few times to bring the screen into focus. “It’s going on 10:30.”

“What do you want to do today?” Eric asked.

Page 28

“Hmmm, is staying in bed and having sex all day an option?”

“Well, we could do that for a few hours, but eventually I’m gonna want sustenance, and we’ll need to
rehydrate.”

“Always so pragmatic,” Dean teased, wiggling his ass against Eric’s morning hard-on.

“One of us has to be,” Eric said, grinding into Dean’s inviting curves.

“So how do two rounds of ecstasy, a slow, shared shower, lunch at Duck’s, then a game of paintball
sound?”

“I like the way you think, Doc.”

Eric rolled over on top of him, and Dean couldn’t help but think how perfect it felt to wake up next to
this man. He wanted to do that always, and he was determined to use their day together to find out if that
was possible.

ERICstood in a grassy field, attaching his paintball equipment. The sun had come out while they were
eating lunch, and what had started out as a frigid morning had turned into a cool but bright afternoon.
Most of the snowfall from the previous evening had melted, and only small patches remained in the
shade. He spied Dean about fifty feet away speaking with the owner of the course. He’d finished
strapping on his chest plate when he heard a man shout, “Sarge!”, and he squinted into the sun, trying to
recognize the figure running toward him.

Eric identified the man as Reese Coeur and couldn’t believe it. The young corporal had been assigned to
the third Marine regiment but had been loaned out to Eric’s platoon during his last tour in Iraq. Many
nights, the two of them had sat bullshitting the time away. He’d saved Reese during a firefight with some
insurgents, and the favor had been returned two weeks later. When Reese reached him, he greeted him
with a hearty back-slap and gripping hug.

“Hot damn, Sarge, it’s good to see you!”

“You too, Reese. When did you get stateside?”

“Arrived two days ago. It seems I’m taking over your spot. They said you got out.”

“Yep. I’m officially civvy now. It was time.”

“Well, shit. I would’ve liked to work with you again. The sandbox wasn’t the same after you left. So are
you sticking around, or heading for greener pastures?”

Eric glanced over his shoulder and saw that Dean had moved closer to where they were standing. Dean
appeared to be giving him privacy but was undoubtedly aware of the conversation.

“More like reddish-brown pastures. I’ve got an offer in the southwest. New Mexico, to be exact. I’d be

Page 29

crazy to turn it down, and I have until tomorrow to accept, but….” He looked over his shoulder at Dean
once again.

Reese peered over his shoulder. “You know that guy?”

“Yeah. He’s… he’s my… boyfriend.” The last word was a mere whisper.

“No shit! I had no idea you bent that way, Sarge. Some of the guys, you kinda figure it out and out of
respect never say anything, but I never suspected you… oh.”

“Yeah. He doesn’t know about the job.”

“Wait, how long have you two?”

“We were together before I enlisted but only reunited last week, after I got out.”

“Why didn’t he stand by you when you signed up? Does he not approve of Marines or something?”

Eric heard the underlying defensiveness in Reese’s voice and wanted to dissuade him of any
misconceptions.

“No, no, nothing like that. We were kids. My family moved to Heidelberg, Dean went to college in
Texas, and we lost touch. He had no idea I’d become a Marine. We met by coincidence and kinda
picked up where we left off.”

“Fuck, now you’ve got a job lined up and he’s settled here.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, what about any offers around here?”

“I don’t explore the option.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I really didn’t want to stick
around. I’m tired of hiding, Reese, and let’s face it. How easy would it be for me to constantly run into
someone I knew while enlisted around here? You found me easy enough.”

“Maybe people wouldn’t care?”

Eric looked at Reese, dumbfounded by his naïveté. “You really believe that?”

Reese shrugged. “Well, some of them wouldn’t care. I don’t care.”

Eric put his hand on the young corporal’s shoulder. “That because you’re a decent guy. Think of all the
queer jokes we heard, all the derogatory insults thrown around. Times are changing, but the Corps is still
deeply ingrained in yesteryear. I don’t want to live every day being on guard for an old associate or
officer second-guessing every gesture or word I say. I want to walk down the street and hold my
partner’s hand. I want to sit in a park and kiss him while we have a picnic or sneak a cheap feel when I
tackle him as we play Frisbee. That’s just not an option here.”

Reese frowned and snuck another look over Eric’s shoulder. “What about him relocating with you?”

Eric shook his head. “He’s a pediatrician at Onslow. I can’t ask him to give that up. He loves that job.”

Page 30

“Do you love him?”

Eric smiled. “More than anything.”

Reese squeezed Eric’s biceps. “If he loves you, don’t you think he’d being willing to make the change so
you could be together?”

“He says he loves me, but he’s out now. He could find someone here who’s willing to be with him.”

“Was he seeing anyone before the two of you hooked up?”

“No, but?”

“Then there’s no reason to suspect this mystery person is going to show up. Don’t take the choice away
from him. If you truly love each other, don’t throw that away.Fortes fortuna juvat .”

“Fortunes favor the brave.”

“Words to live by, Sarge. Now, how about you introduce me and we all play a little paintball?” Reese
turned to look behind him. “I think that other group is ready to go out, and judging by their weapon
handling, it should be no problem for us to smoke them.”

Eric nodded. Turning to see Dean, he called out, “Dean, come on over.”

DEANambled over to Eric and his buddy. He’d overheard enough of the conversation to know that Eric
had a job offer somewhere out west and had stopped listening. His heart tore in two with the knowledge
that, once again, they would be separated. Eric hadn’t said one word all week, and now he had
overheard that his lover had to move in a matter of days only by accident! Well, if Eric didn’t feel the
need to tell him, he certainly wouldn’t let the man know he was now aware of the situation. He pasted a
fake smile on his face and held out his hand to the other man.

“Dean Whitten.”

Reese clasped the smaller man’s hand in a firm grip. “Corporal Reese Couer. I served with the Sarge
here in Iraq. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You as well.” Dean looked up at Eric and asked, “You ready?”

“All set. If it’s okay with you, Reese is gonna join our team. We’re going up against those guys over
there,” Eric said, gesturing to the group congregated by the entrance to the course.

“Fine. Let’s get to it.”

Dean walked away. He could do this. There was no reason Eric had to know how devastated he was
by the turn of events. He wouldn’t make any overtures of familiarity with the corporal around. No doubt
Eric had told the man they were just friends. Dean knew Eric had no desire to come out to anybody

Page 31

military. Tonight would be soon enough to set the record straight.

They managed to cream the other team in all three games, mostly due to Eric and Reese’s teamwork
and sharp aim. Dean had held his own, but his skill level was nowhere near the two Marines’. And if his
chest ached every time he saw the sun glint off Eric’s broad shoulders, or his eyes swam a little at the
sound of Eric’s deep voice calling out an order, it was his business.

LATERthat night, Eric lay in bed next to Dean. He’d known something was wrong with his love since
the paintball game earlier that day, but Dean insisted everything was fine. They’d just finished making
love, and the entire time, it was as if Dean was desperate for every touch, every kiss. His lover had
consumed him, turned animalistic in his need, and Eric could have sworn he’d seen tears in Dean’s eyes
when they finally came.

“Eric?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you leaving?”

Eric sighed because now he knew what had been troubling his love. The abbreviated conversation at the
pub the other night had been weighing heavily on his mind all week. He rolled onto his side to face Dean,
throwing an arm over his waist. “We need to talk about that.”

“I heard what you said to Reese earlier.”

“Which part?”

“The part about New Mexico.”

Eric heard the fear and dejection in the soft voice. It was tempting to hide in the darkness of night or
overwhelm Dean with more loving, but that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. He needed to come clean
before they went any further.

“Eric? Please tell me the truth. I promise not to go all hormonal girl on you, but I need to know.”

“It’s a great opportunity, and I’d be crazy to pass it up.”

Dean swallowed and tiny pools flooded his eyes. “Where?”

“Albuquerque. I have to give them an answer by tomorrow. If I accept, it means I need to move right
away. The position would require me to start the following Monday.”

“I see. Well, I know you’ll be a success in whatever you do.”

He could tell Dean was trying like hell to be supportive, but the glimmer of tears in those eyes that could
never hide from him and the misery in his voice broke his heart. He kissed him softly and pulled the
smaller body closer until their skin touched from head to toe. Dean’s heart beat against his own, soft

Page 32

pants of air caressed his neck, and long fingers alternately stroked and dug into his back.

“I never imagined I would find you again like this. It was inconceivable that the boy I loved would
become the man I cherished. I’m sorry, Dean, but I don’t think I can live honestly here. There are too
many former colleagues I would run into on a daily basis. I’m not ashamed of who I am, but due to
regulations, I had to hide for fifteen years, and I’m tired of it. I want to start a new life. I said as much to
Reese. He knows about us and understands where I’m coming from. You’ve never lived like that. You
can’t possibly understand what it’s like. I don’t know what else to say.”

Dean tilted his head back and met Eric’s gaze. “I think all that’s left to be said is ‘goodbye’.”

A part of Eric screamed in denial. How could he give this up? How could Dean givehim up? What
miracle would allow them to find each other again, only to rip their tenuous love at the seams just as
before? No! Then, they had been children. They’d had no control. Now, they were adults, and if they
wanted, they could make this work. He sat up and pulled Dean into his arms, holding him tight.

Fortune favors the brave. Be brave, Eric. Ask him.

“Come with me,” he said. “Move with me. Albuquerque is a great city. The gay population is thriving
and open. My employer is progressive and accepting. I told you I wanted to find someone to make a
home with, make a life with. I’ve found him. I found you… again. My years in the southwest, in Texas,
are the best memories I have, and that’s because of you.”

DEANlooked at the man he loved so much. He wanted to say yes. He wanted to shout with joy that
Eric had asked him. He wanted to latch himself around that large, muscled, warm body like an octopus
and beg him not to leave. All that came out was, “I can’t.”

His soul cried as the fire in Eric’s eyes dimmed. Dean knew with two simple words he’d lost Eric. “I
want to, but I can’t. My lease, my job, my?”

“Excuses. Tell me and tell me truthfully. Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation. That was an absolute he would not, could not deny.

“Then we will make it work. When we were children, we had no power. Now our lives are our own,
and we make of them what we will. Tonight I choose to hold you. I choose to love you. When I leave, I
will give you my heart for safekeeping. You have the power to decide.”

Dean didn’t want to decide! He didn’t want to think about changing everything in his life. He only
wanted to be together. He wanted to touch and taste and love and be loved. And now, when everything
was finally going right, happiness was being ripped away once again. Tomorrow was soon enough to fret
and figure out what he was going to do. Tonight, he was going to make the most of every minute in Eric’s
arms.

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Epilogue

DEANnervously tapped his fingers on the steering wheel of his car. The spring sun beat down on the
roof, warming the interior as he gathered his courage to dial the number firmly ingrained in his brain and
nearly burned onto the screen of his cell phone. He cracked the window and inhaled the high desert air.
The sky was bright blue and filled with puffy white clouds. He stretched his neck out and spied the house
at the end of the cul-de-sac. The adobe home mimicked the style common to the region. The driveway
was dominated by a two-car garage, the front door tucked back underneath an overhang framed by raw,
sun-bleached wood. A second story was visible, a cube shape perched on top of the structure with little
logs sticking out of the stucco. The landscaping was rock, sage, and some kind of leafy green tree he
couldn’t identify. The whole design made the structure blend in with the nature surrounding it. The house
held the man he loved and therefore was home.

He dialed Eric’s cell number, waiting as the tonal rings echoed in his hands-free earpiece.

“Dean?”

He smiled at the excited tone of Eric’s voice. “Hi, how ya doin’?”

“I’m good, but it’s not like you to call this early. Is something wrong? Did something happen at work?”

“No… no, not wrong. Just wanted to hear your voice. Missing you, Marine.”

“Yeah, Doc. Missing you too. You still think you can make it out here in a couple weeks for a little
vacation?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve already given the hospital notice that I’ll be leaving. Tell me about this
new home of yours.”

“You got the photos I emailed, didn’t you?”

“Sure, but I want to hear about it from your perspective.”

“Well, it’s open and warm. Has huge two-story windows in the living room that offer amazing views of
the mountains. The interior is creamy smooth stucco with arches, sanded pine pillars, and a molded
corner fireplace perfect for fall and winter nights snuggled together. There are terracotta tiles and
hardwood floors throughout, and I’ve put soft native rugs all over the place. I can see you making
pancakes and coffee in the kitchen after a night of intense loving.”

“Sounds wonderful. I bet you have big leafy trees outside and hung one of those wooden wind chime
things outside the front door.”

“Yeah, I did!”

He opened his car door and slowly walked up the driveway. “Hmm, and lots of colored flowers are

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blooming in the spring sun. Purples, golds, reds, blues, and yellows are exploding out of whiskey barrel
planters. I bet you can smell the sage as soon as you open your front door.”

“Dean? How did…?”

He heard a small gasp over the phone.

“Where are you?”

Dean knocked on the front door and heard thundering footsteps from inside. The arched wooden portal
with black iron hinges swung open, affording him the first look of his love in three months. The high and
tight had grown out, but the light blond hair was still kept short. The broad shoulders filled the space of
the doorway, and those beautiful multi-colored eyes shone with pleasure.

A long arm snaked around his waist and pulled him inside. One large palm cupped the back of his head
and lips crashed down on his, devouring him as he was swung around. A warm, slick tongue invaded his
mouth, flicking across his teeth and hard palate. He answered by twisting his own around the sweet
muscle and slipping into the recess of Eric’s mouth. His tongue was sucked and nibbled on until his brain
felt like it was on fire. His arms coiled around Eric’s neck, and he rode the sensations of being in the
strong embrace again. His back hit the cool interior wall, and his ankles wrapped around Eric’s calves as
the band around his waist tightened fractionally. Dean heard moans and pants of breath engulf the space
around their heads and slowly realized that the sounds came from him. A soft cry escaped as Eric’s lips
found that spot behind his ear and sucked. His arms tightened and his body trembled.

“Missed you, Eric. So much. Need this… need you.”

Dean stopped kissing Eric and looked into passion-glazed eyes.

“You have me, love,” Eric said adoringly.

Dean’s feet slid down to land on the floor, but he didn’t separate their bodies. Eric’s fingers wove
through the black strands on both sides of his head.

“The hours spent together don’t matter. Whether you’re here or there, we will always be together.” Eric
tapped Dean’s temple and the spot on his chest just over his heart.

“So you wouldn’t mind having me underfoot?” Dean asked.

“Underfoot, underhand, underbody—I’ll take you any way I can get you.”

Dean smiled and placed a quick kiss on Eric’s lips. “Oh good. I’d hate to think I quit my job, gave up
my condo, and drove nineteen hundred miles only to have the front door slammed in my face.”

“You….” Eric stared into happy green eyes, searching for the truth behind the words. “You’re mine?
Forever?”

“I’ve always been yours, I always will be. How could I possibly turn my back on a love that was
returned to me the very day that celebrates it?”

Eric closed his eyes and said a prayer of thanks. “I love you.” He jumped back and grabbed Dean by
the hand, tugging Dean behind him as he headed through the house. “Let me show you around. You’re

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going to love it here. We have all four seasons, and the mountains at sunset are a sight to behold. Like a
painting. I haven’t explored much of the social life, but now that we’re here together?”

Dean laughed and tugged on Eric’s hand to stop the speedy circles. “Slow down! We’ll get to
everything, I promise, but what I’d really like right now is to see?”

“The bedroom! This way!”

Dean was nearly doubled over laughing at Eric’s shining eyes and excitement, which made keeping up
with the long legs heading to the back of the house a little difficult, but he couldn’t have been happier.
When Eric pulled him into a large space with an entire wall of windows looking out over high desert land
and mountains awash in the deep purples and oranges of the setting sun, Dean gasped. The weathered
finish bedroom set featured a massive king-sized bed situated on the opposite wall from the windows, so
when they woke up, the first thing they would see, other than each other, was the majesty of Mother
Nature. A down comforter in green, already turned back, floated over grey sheets.

“Oh, Eric… it’s stunning,” he choked out.

Eric turned Dean so his back faced the wall of windows. “You’re stunning. This is just window
dressing.”

The darkening sky created highlights and shadows on the high cheekbones, strong chin, and kissable lips
of his love. Needing to feel their bodies touching again, Dean closed the distance between them and
arched into the broad chest, placing little kisses up and down the sinewy neck. “Make love to me?”

“Always.” Eric backed Dean up to the edge of the bed.

Layers of clothes floated away, and when they were both naked, Dean noticed that Eric appeared
leaner and his muscles more cut than three months ago. Dean slid onto the bed, using his hands to scoot
backwards until he reached the center. Eric opened the bedside drawer and removed the lube and a
piece of paper. The lube was tossed on the bed, and Eric held up the white sheet.

“This says that I’m clean and healthy. I don’t want there to be any barriers between us from this point
on, Dean. I want to feel your walls spasm around my naked cock. I want to drive deep inside you to the
farthest reaches of your soul and flood you. Coat every corner and crevice, branding you as mine.”

“Oh… heaven saints. Yes, please!” Dean swallowed and tried to get a complete sentence out. “My
paper’s in my wallet. I had the hospital do a complete workup before I left.”

Dean saw the paper float down onto the nightstand and watched as Eric slowly crawled across the bed,
stalking him like a panther, until the perfectly honed body loomed above him. When their skin touched
from head to toe, the air filled with low groans and sighs, and Eric pushed up so their cocks aligned.
Dean’s legs spread in welcome, cradling the lean hips.

“Wanna take you facing the windows, so you can see the beauty surrounding our home.”

“Youare my home, Eric. Like you said, everything else is window dressing.”

Their lips clung in a soft, hot kiss. Hands caressed and hips rubbed. Dean’s blood heated, and his ears
heard only the sounds of breaths and moans. His fingertips dug into the sculpted back, and he arched up
into the broad chest above him. Eric ended their kiss. Then strong hands cupped underneath his arms and

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lifted them around Eric’s neck as Eric rose to sit back on his haunches. Dean’s legs wrapped tight around
Eric, his body followed, and he clung as if he were a spider monkey. Hot, broad hands cradled his ass
and supported his weight, the fingertips playing and teasing his crease. Their cocks rubbed, and pre-cum
slicked the tight skin as each little bounce and adjustment of their positions sent jolts of sensation racing
through his system.

Dean uncurled his legs and knelt on the mattress. Eric gathered him close and enclosed both their cocks
in one hand, giving them a couple of hard strokes. He thrust his hips, arched his chest, and gasped as
their nipples rubbed together. Dean’s fingers gouging into Eric’s expansive shoulders were the only thing
keeping him upright. Well, that and the hand still splayed across his ass, fingers tickling his fluttering hole.

ERICcaptured Dean’s panting breaths and mewling cries. He finally had his love home where he
belonged. He’d been planning on dazzling Dean on the vacation he had planned for a couple of weeks
from now. He figured he would wow Dean with the city and house in an effort to convince his lover to
make the move. Dean showing up on his doorstep with suitcases in hand, figuratively speaking, was a
shock, and he was still having trouble believing that it was real. Part of him still felt the need to dazzle and
cajole the man in his arms to stay, but the other part knew nothing would separate them this time. He’d
given Dean his heart for safekeeping, and now his love had returned it to him—whole, bursting with
pleasure, and burning with desire.

He picked up the tube of lube and managed to flip the top open using just the one hand, keeping his
other one wrapped around their cocks. He placed the tip of the tube inside the crease of Dean’s ass and
squeezed. The squeak of shock as the cool gel hit heated skin was swallowed as their tongues danced
around each other. He circled the tight rosebud of Dean’s anus several times, then pushed one digit
inside. The muscle clamped down and held him prisoner. He used his thumb to smear the dampness
gathering on the tips of their cocks and flick at the slit in Dean’s long, hard shaft. The distraction worked,
and his finger was quickly swallowed by the plush channel.

His lips separated from the sweetness of Dean’s kiss, and he nibbled at that sensitive spot right behind
Dean’s ear. One finger became two and two three, their bodies preparing for the main event.

“Turn around,” he commanded.

Eric helped Dean spin so they now faced the windows. Eric’s thighs spread, and he maneuvered the
smaller body between them. He snuggled Dean tight into his body and wrapped an arm around Dean’s
torso. The head of his cock touched Dean’s stretched opening, and he guided Dean down. The first
touch of burning hot, slicked skin enveloping him caused him to groan. Once they were in position, he
pulled Dean back at the same time as he thrust up and buried himself to the root.

“Yes!” Dean exclaimed.

“Oh Dean… it’s so….”

Tremors vibrated through the smaller body impaled on Eric’s naked cock. The angle and depth he
achieved in this position ensured that he’d reach the deepest parts of Dean’s body, stimulating
rarely-touched nerves. Dean’s head fell back and rested on Eric’s shoulder. Palming his cheek, Eric
turned Dean’s head. Dean’s thin neck arched, and his eyes lifted as he accepted Eric’s kiss. They

Page 37

devoured each other with their lips, sharing their pleasure at being joined once again.

Dean started squirming and grunting, trying to force movement between their bodies, but Eric kept him
prisoner, impaled on his strong, hard cock, until he was ready to give Dean that which he sought. Eric
continued to ravish Dean’s mouth. His tongue played with the roof and flicked underneath Dean’s
tongue, coaxing it into his mouth, where he sucked. His fingers twisted the sharp nipples on the defined
chest. He felt them heat with the stimulation.

Not being able to hold back any longer, Eric began to move in tiny thrusts, grinding into the deepest
recesses of Dean’s body. Lengthening his thrusts bit by bit, he quickly built up to long, hard plunges. The
tight, hot clasp of Dean’s bare channel gripped him like a glove. He felt every ripple, every crease, and
when he nudged that spongy gland with the head of his cock, he almost shot off. Dean’s hips found his
rhythm and met each thrust. Smaller, smooth hands gripped tight on his thighs.

DEAN’Sbody was burning, sparks of electricity arcing between muscles and bones. His balls slapped
against Eric’s with each push down onto the long, thick cock filling him. Bare, nothing separated the very
deepest parts of them but layers of tissue and twisting nerve fibers. He worked the muscles in his channel
to grip and release and was rewarded with a hard twist to his right nipple, followed by an explosive thrust
of Eric’s hips. Dean’s gut churned with the need for release. He reached with one hand to stroke his
cock as it beat against his abdomen. Inches away from victory, his hand was smacked away, and Eric’s
callused fingers imprisoned his throbbing length.

“Mine,” Eric growled.

“Then do something with it,” he demanded.

Eric’s strong hand stroked him from base to tip. Thumb rubbing over the head to smear the pre-cum
leaking down the flushed, turgid skin.

“This is all mine, Dean. This perfect, long cock, this tight, hot ass.” Eric placed his lips on the shell of
Dean’s ear, and his other hand spread across Dean’s chest. “This heart. They all belong to me.”

“Yours!” Dean cried out.

Body arching and head braced on Eric’s shoulder, Dean came as fireworks of color exploded behind his
eyes. Eric’s hand milked his engorged flesh as endless volleys of semen shot out of his cock. He
screamed in pleasure as jolts of exquisite pain and relief bombarded him. His toes and fingers curled, and
he swore his hair stood on end from the electricity scorching every synapse in his body.

Eric’s hips slammed into him several more times before embedding that perfect cock in the very heart of
him. Every muscle in Eric’s body contracted, and with a primal roar, he filled Dean with hot jets. The
thick cream coated every inch of Dean’s channel, easing the friction from their coupling.

They collapsed back onto the thick mattress, bodies nestled like spoons, their chests heaving and
glistening with sweat. Darkness had fallen outside, and Dean couldn’t help but look out that expanse of
glass. It might have been window dressing, but it was definitely designer.

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“Dean?” Eric’s soft voice traveled no further than to Dean’s ear, right next to his lips.

“Yeah?”

“Welcome home.”

About the Author

If you look up the word conundrum in dictionary, there should be a photo ofTRINALANE . Her
personality is so variegated that her friends have spent countless hours scratching their heads in wonder.
A scientist with a passion for history, music, and photography, she loves to travel and experience new
places but is terminally shy around people she doesn’t know.

Trina has been devouring romance novels since her tender teenage years, although she only began
writing two and half years ago. When her debut novel was met with resounding success, she said “Hey, I
can do that again.” The rest, as they say, is history. Her choices in reading and writing material are as
diverse as her iTunes library, which contains music from Mozart to Metallica. Her one concession is all
stories must have a happily ever after ending—did we mention she’s incurably romantic? She lives in
Missouri with her loving and indulgent husband and an orange tabby cat affectionately referred to as
Houdini for his stealthy escape attempts.

Visit Trina at http://www.trinalane.com

and on Facebook at trina.lane.books.

Contact her at [e-mail].

Contemporary Romance fromDREAMSPINNERPRESS

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http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Copyright

Love’s Return ©Copyright Trina Lane, 2010

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

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4760 Preston Road

Suite 244-149

Frisco, TX 75034

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 Design by Catt Ford

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 2010

eBook Edition

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61581-540-1

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