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D

AVE

had a list a mile long of things to do today, and, much

to his regret, not one of them involved him getting laid. That
was not happening anytime soon after his boyfriend of two
years left when they’d had fight a few months ago. Time had
run together since as he threw himself into his business,
keeping busy even though that had been the reason for the
argument in the first place.

As he drove along, he gazed across the road, marveling

at how it could be sunny on a January morning but still just
above freezing. He crossed the bridge and was nearly to the
other side when something caught his eye. It looked fluffy,
like a stuffed animal someone had left there by accident. It
was one of the most realistic toys he’d ever seen.

Too realistic. His gut churning, he drove down to the

next light and got in the left hand turn lane. All it would take
was five minutes to check it out, and then he could be on his
way. It was probably some pranksters with a video camera
attached somewhere nearby who would be laughing their
asses off when he stopped to “rescue” the poor kitten.

The light turned green and he turned his sporty little

sedan around to head back. He was back to the spot on the
bridge where a tiny little ball of fluff sat on the concrete
barrier that stopped cars from flying off onto the busy
interstate below.

She was tiny if she was real, her calico fur ruffled from

the wind. He wondered why she might have gotten up there.

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He figured it was to get more sun, although there were
thousands of places safer to do so. Kittens were cute but not
always the brightest creatures.

She was sitting in the sunshine, which meant there was

a fair chance she didn’t have rabies, a part of his mind told
him. Another part of his mind told him to get back in his car
and call animal control. Instead he took off his jacket and
stepped out of the car slowly, not wanting to startle her. He
threw the jacket down on the seat, knowing he would need
something to wrap her in to keep her warm.

He closed his door and approached her. She was sitting

on the barrier with her rump facing him, so he couldn’t see if
she was real or not. He moved slowly toward her, and as he
got closer he realized with a jolt of fear that he was directly
over the interstate below.

Determination replaced the panic as adrenaline rushed

through his system. He took another step closer, and
suddenly she turned her head a little. He couldn’t breathe,
shock choking the air from his lungs as he realized she was
real and alive.

He hadn’t realized he’d been worried she possibly was….

No, he couldn’t even think about that, not inches away from
saving her. He had to do something, and he had to do it fast.
Remembering his training from volunteering in an animal
shelter during college, he reached out, quick as a snake, and
grabbed her scruff.

Her fur was soft as could be, but she was ferocious and

a fighter. He could tell she was scared as she swung her
paws around, her claws unsheathed. He tightened his hold

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on her and a few seconds later her instincts kicked in and
she went limp, as if her mama were carrying her.

“It’s okay, little one,” he cooed as he took her quickly

back to his car. He opened the car door and set her gently
down on his jacket, wrapping her quickly in a makeshift
carrier. He picked up the bundle and set her down in the
passenger seat.

He got a better look at her in the car, and he realized

she was hurt. His heart twisted, and he felt sick for a
second, looking at this tiny baby that was having such a
rough start in the world. He took a deep breath to steady
himself and grabbed his cell, needing to find the nearest vet’s
office.

He found a local one, just down this same road, called

Royal Veterinarian and Boarding Services. He knew where it
was located, having seen it a couple of times on the way to
the home improvement store.

He pulled away from the barrier when it was safe,

driving as quickly as he could down to the small shopping
center on the outskirts of the town he lived in. He had to
stop for a red light once, and he looked over to the passenger
seat to check on her. She was shaking, probably still scared
from being on top of the concrete barrier for who knows how
long in the bitter cold.

Then she looked up at him, her little blue eyes still

cloudy, and let out a tiny little squeak. He was a goner. He
lost his heart to the tiny munchkin wrapped in his jacket
like a burrito. “Just a bit longer, little princess.”

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This seemed to satisfy her because she settled down,

closing her eyes. He concentrated on driving, needing to get
her there as fast as he could.

He pulled into a parking space in the lot in the strip

mall, hopped out, and ran inside the vet’s office. There was a
tiny slip of a girl with dark, curly hair sitting behind the
receptionist’s desk.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her smile widening as she

turned her gaze to him.

“I found a kitten out on the highway and she’s injured. I

don’t know how badly, either.”

She frowned slightly. “Is she yours?”

He shook his head. “No, I just found her on the

overpass. She’s bleeding and she’s hurt. I don’t know what to
do with her,” he said helplessly.

She nodded and got up out of her chair. “We normally

don’t take injured animals, but let me ask the doctor. Just
give me one sec.”

He nodded as she walked down a hallway to a door

marked for staff only and opened it. She ducked inside and
closed it behind her. It seemed like ages until she came back
out again and smiled. “Bring her in.”

Relief flooded him as he raced out the door to his car.

He opened the passenger seat, reaching for her. She was still
now, except for her even breathing. He picked her up, trying
his best not to disturb her as he rushed her inside.

The girl beckoned for him to follow, taking him back to a

treatment room where he set the kitten down on the

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sparkling table, and then left the room for a minute and
came back with a little basket with a blanket in it. She
picked the kitten up and placed her gently in the basket,
cooing quietly. “Oh yes, sweetheart. Look at you, pretty
baby.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

The nurse looked at him and sighed. “I hope so. She’s

only about four weeks old, but she appears to be a fighter,”
she said, looking back down at the kitten already trying to
crawl out of the basket. She set down some papers with a
pen. “Just fill these out, and I’ll take her back for Dr. Prince
to look at, and then he should be in to tell you about her
shortly.”

Dave nodded as he sat down in a chair while she

whisked the tiny fluff ball away. After all the excitement of
getting here, he was finally coming down off his high, and his
body started to shake from all the adrenaline in his system.
Now he could relax. She was in good hands.

C

HRISTIAN

glared at the woman who stepped through the

door with a basket in her hands. “I can’t take in every stray
animal that comes through our door.” His tone was stern,
but his nurse knew his big heart and the fact he often did
just that.

Mary pouted. “I know. But the guy who brought her in

was so hot, he was a hunka hunk of burning love. I couldn’t
say no.”

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Christian laughed as she set the basket down on the

table and the orange and black head of the kitten popped up
with a tiny squeak. “Aw, she’s so cute.”

“So is her knight in shining armor.”

Christian arched his eyebrows. “Try to concentrate on

the patient here, not her savior?” He tried to say it with a
straight face, but after a glance at her dreamy expression, he
couldn’t help but chuckle.

Too bad for him the apparent hunk who saved the kitten

was probably straight. Christian could have used the
distraction of a hot, torrid love affair. He worked too much
and his sex life was positively lackluster, except in his
fantasies.

He focused on his patient to do a quick exam on her,

ordering an X-ray just for his peace of mind. After Mary left
with the kitten, he washed his hands and then straightened
his scrubs as he left the room. Even if the hunk who was
waiting in the treatment room for word on the kitten didn’t
swing his way, he still wanted to look good.

He walked down the hall to exam room two, thankful it

was a slow day at the office. He did have a few appointments
later in the evening, including a visit to a farm out in Winter
Haven. He would take the kitten home with him, knowing
she would need to be bottle-fed for a little while longer. He
made a mental list as he stood in the hallway, thinking of
what he would need tonight for her.

He was stalling outside the door, nervous about seeing

the man inside the room. He didn’t know why, so he took a
deep breath and opened the door.

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When Christian saw him, he felt like he’d been punched

in the gut. Mary was absolutely right. This man had to be
simply the most beautiful man ever. Dark brown eyes looked
up at him, worry evident in them as he ran his hand through
thick, dark hair. Full lips begging to be kissed were pursed
with apprehension.

“Doctor?”

He held out his hand. “Dr. Christian Prince, how are

you today...? I’m sorry. Mary didn’t tell me your name.”

“David Wallace. Just Dave is fine.”

“Just Dave, then,” Christian said absently as the brown-

eyed man stood up. He was a few inches shorter than
Christian and well built, thick and muscular like a
weightlifter, making Christian happy his scrubs were loose
fitting to hide his already throbbing erection. Dave was hot—
sinfully so.

Christian steered his mind back toward business,

needing the anchor to his thoughts. “It looks like she’ll be
fine. I’m taking an X-ray just to be safe, but she doesn’t have
any obvious injuries. The blood on her face was just a
scraped nose, and some of her teeth looked like they were
knocked out.”

“Whatever treatment she needs, I’ll pay for.”

Christian smiled at his eagerness to help, but he’d

noticed the way the other man’s cheeks paled when he listed
off the kitten’s injuries. “She’s going to be fine. Don’t worry. I
know her face looked bad when she came in, but it was just
her baby teeth. Her adult teeth will grow back in.”

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Dave nodded, but he couldn’t seem to keep his head up.

“That’s good. Listen, can I go now? I feel tired. I think I’m
going to go home and take a nap.”

Christian chuckled as he took a step toward Dave. “I

think you’d better sit down.” He’d seen that look too many
times to be too surprised as the burly man swayed slightly.
“Better yet, how about lying down?”

The haze was obvious in Dave’s gorgeous dark eyes as

he tried to keep his head up. He tried to speak, but Christian
was already reaching out to catch him as he fell forward.
Christian was thankful for the workout he did three times
weekly, because Dave was a big man. He guessed Dave was
almost six feet tall and nearly two hundred pounds, but the
way he’d become dead weight, he could barely hold him.

“Mary!” he shouted, hoping his technician could hear

him through the soundproofed walls, cursing them for the
umpteenth time. He’d been happy about them when he’d
first rented the new office space for his practice because it
muffled the noises the animals made when they were scared
or injured, but if he needed an extra pair of hands, he was
generally screwed.

He wrapped his arms around Dave’s chest, holding the

larger man closer, getting a better hold on him as he slid
them both to the ground. He groaned under Dave’s weight,
his own legs parting naturally to accommodate the way
Dave’s body leaned against him like a lover’s.

Christian swallowed hard as he looked down at Dave’s

fluttering eyelashes. His breathing seemed normal, and he
didn’t seem to be in distress, so Christian assumed he had
just passed out from hearing about the kitten’s injuries.

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Christian smiled ruefully. How sweet. A knight in shining
armor who saved the day now needed saving.

He was a gorgeous knight too. He had tan skin, a little

stubble gracing his firm jaw. Christian wished he could see
those chocolate brown eyes again, especially this close. And
last but definitely not the least, Dave had a heart of gold to
stop and save an animal most people wouldn’t have noticed
in their busy work day.

Right now, that muscled body of his was causing

problems because it was pressed against an intimate portion
of Christian’s body. With that sensual pressure, his cock
hardened. He enjoyed being on the bottom, especially with a
guy as sexy as the one on top of him, but he did need to
have his partner awake and wanting him back. Nothing
seemed to kill his erection since his cock obviously had a
mind of its own.

“Dr. Prince!”

He looked up at Mary who had just stepped into the

room, her expression aghast. “Mr. Wallace passed out, and
rather than let him break his nose on our lovely floors, I
caught him. Can you get a pillow and blanket for him? I
don’t want him to go into shock.”

As she rushed from the room, Christian turned his gaze

back to the man who was now leaning heavily on him,
breathing steadily yet softly. What a day this had turned out
to be, he thought to himself.

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D

AVE

groaned, rolling over on his couch, and snuggled

deeper into his scratchy blanket. Wait, he had a very soft
cotton blanket that he kept folded on one side of the couch,
not a scratchy one. He opened one eye and looked at the
black leather couch, knowing his couch was brown. The
walls were gray instead of the cream he’d painted his condo
the weekend before he moved in.

He sat up quickly, and dizziness set in. Memories came

swirling back to him, one about being asked his name,
another about the date, and finally one about being helped
to a couch as he lay down, feeling disoriented from fainting
in the vet’s office. He must have fallen asleep afterward,
needing a bit of rest.

“Lay back down.” He heard wheels from an office chair

as his vision filled with a man in blue scrubs. He tried to
focus on the face belonging to the voice that convinced him
to rest more. He could listen to that voice all day and long
into the night. It was smooth, and it warmed him like a finely
aged whisky.

He looked up at the man the voice belonged to and

found his voice didn’t do him justice. If he’d found someone
this gorgeous at the clubs in the area, he would have
certainly shown up there more often. To say he was easy on
the eyes with his surfer boy good looks and pale blue eyes
was saying the least. He hated to think it, but he was already
falling into those gorgeous eyes. He needed to stop that,
since the vet was probably married, and he was fairly certain
the wife would have something not very nice to say about
him lusting after her husband.

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“Feeling okay?” the vet—Dr. Prince, that was his name—

asked.

“I’m better now,” he said. “Sorry for falling over like an

idiot.”

“Oh, I’ve seen worse than you. I once had this old man

who passed out when I gave his toy Chihuahua a shot. I
have to admit the way the dog’s eyes bugged out looked
weird, but still.”

“Thank you for taking care of me, Dr. Prince, but I really

need to go,” Dave said stiffly, trying to tamp down on his
arousal before he pulled the blanket off. He tried to sit up,
only to feel a strong hand on his shoulder pushing him back.

“I’d really feel better if you waited a little bit to leave,

especially since you don’t have anyone to drive you home.
And call me Christian.”

He let out a breath as he slipped a hand beneath the

blanket to discreetly adjust himself. Oh, the things
Christian’s voice did to him, mainly reminding him of all the
things he wanted to do to the good doctor. Those blue eyes
were looking at him imploringly, and Dave couldn’t help but
give in. “Okay.”

Christian smiled at him before rolling back to the desk

next to the couch. He started writing in a file that was open
on the desk. His dirty blond hair fell over his forehead as he
scratched away at the paper. He stopped for a moment and
then pressed his lips together, deep in thought. His blue eyes
clouded for a second, and he looked like he was trying to
remember something.

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Unexpectedly, he glanced over at Dave. Dave sucked in

his breath when he met Christian’s gaze. He wasn’t sure if it
was the fainting spell or the desire racing through him that
had the room spinning.

“Do you want some water?”

Dave barely realized the vet was talking to him as he

gazed at him. When he took in the doctor’s amused smile, he
realized he’d been staring, probably like a lovelorn fool. He
flushed, looking down at the blanket. Christian was probably
used to it by now, women and men falling all over the
handsome doctor. “No thanks… but how is she?”

“She’s fine, actually. X-rays came back fine. The little

patchwork cat is all patched up now.”

Dave snorted. “Oh wow.”

Christian flushed a little. “Yeah, I worked on that one

for a while.”

Dave couldn't help laughing at the rueful smile, his

focus drawn to Christian’s lips. They were a dark rose, bright
pink and moist. He sat up, the dizziness plaguing him now
gone. Christian looked at him and frowned. “You should
rest.”

“I’m fine,” he said as he swung his legs to set his feet on

the floor. “I really need to get going. I wasn’t planning on
making a pit stop to save a cat today.”

“Would you like to see her?”

Dave looked at those ice blue eyes as he stood up.

Christian got up as well, reaching a hand out to catch him,
just in case he fell. He knew he should probably walk out

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right now and not look back, but something inside him
wanted to stay. He felt comfortable with Christian, like he
could tell him anything—except about the lust pouring
through him.

He let out a sigh, meaning to turn him down. He needed

to get away and get a hold of his thoughts before he was in
Christian’s presence again. Surprise flooded through him
when he said, “Yes.”

Next time he would bite his tongue. Being around the

handsome doctor was doing a number on his addled brain.

Christian beckoned for him to follow as he made for the

door, holding it open for him. “So, what do you for a living?”

“I was originally a physical therapist, but I created my

own line of products designed for health and rehabilitation,
so I manage that mainly now,” Dave said.

“That must be really cool. Do you still work out?”

Dave nodded. “I started it when one of my co-workers

was in a car accident. He was pretty badly injured, and I
worked with him to get him back into shape, and I got
hooked. It’s a nice high, ya know?”

Christian smiled as he opened another door and

stepped through. Dave saw past him into a room where there
were a dozen cages of different sizes. There was one about
shoulder level with a blanket inside, the other cages empty.

He heard the squeaking as they approached, a tiny little

head popping up from folds. The calico looked much better,
her nose still raw and red but no longer bloody. Dave’s
stomach turned slightly at the thought of her injuries, but he

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kept it together as they approached and Christian opened
the cage.

He reached in and scooped up the little ball of fluff as

she squeaked. “She’s a real talker this one, especially when
she’s hungry. Can you hold her while I fix her formula?”

Dave hadn’t wanted to hold her because he could feel an

attachment forming to the little fur ball and to the doctor.
But as Christian held out the kitten, Dave reached out to
take her and was rewarded with the doctor’s smile again.

Dave was pretty much a slave to those gorgeous lips,

feeling weak in the knees as he looked at Christian’s
handsome face. It disappointed Dave to know Christian was
probably thinking about formula calculations for the tiny
calico instead of figuring out the time it would take for them
to rip off their clothes and fall into bed together.

He smiled mirthlessly. It figured. As a “fuck you” from

fate, the hottest guy he’d ever seen was probably straight
and completely uninterested. How about that for serendipity.

C

HRISTIAN

turned away to get the bottle ready, his hands

working from memory while his mind wandered. He didn’t
want Dave to leave only to never see him again. He capped
the bottle, his heart pounding.

Dave was holding the kitten firmly, his large hand

underneath the kitten's tiny bottom. Both were adorable,
especially the way the burly man was looking down at the
purring bundle. Christian walked over and held out the
bottle.

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The kitten latched onto it as Dave looked down, a

genuine grin crossing his lips. Dave had an engaging,
gorgeous smile, Christian thought to himself. Those full lips
framed perfect, straight teeth—and what he wouldn’t do to
graze his lips across Dave’s jaw bone, feel it clench as his
hand roamed lower and slid into the jeans molding to his
ass.

Dave met his eyes, and Christian felt lightning snake

down his spine. All it would take to kiss him was to step
closer and meet those full lips. What he wouldn’t give to
taste Dave’s sweet mouth, slide his tongue inside, and kiss
him thoroughly until the sun came up.

He shook his head, trying to clear it. The kitten was still

sucking on the bottle even though the formula was long
gone. There was an honest attraction in those dark eyes, and
it made Christian lick his lips as he released a deep, throaty
sigh.

He was floored. Dave was attracted to him, his soft

brown lips parting as his breathing quickened. A moan
escaped that sinful mouth, and lust exploded in Christian’s
body. He leaned toward Dave to kiss him, fire racing along
his nerves with a surge of adrenaline mixed in.

Dave’s body jerked minutely, and Christian pulled away.

A look of confusion crossed his face, his eyes growing darker.
Christian looked down at him, trying not to let how much
the rejection hurt show on his face.

“Uh, I have to go,” Dave said uncomfortably. He held out

the tiny ball of fluff as she squeaked angrily from being
woken up. She had been resting against Dave’s firm chest,
lulled to sleep by the steady heartbeat.

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Disappointment flooded Christian as he took the

proffered kitten. It was obvious Dave was not at ease with
the situation, and it occurred to him the other man might
even be in denial of his obvious sexual attraction to men.

His body screamed for him to keep Dave there, but the

instant Christian had taken the kitten, Dave had made for
the door. Christian sighed and put his charge back in the
cage, closing the door so she wouldn’t fall out. “Dave.”

The burly man turned around as Christian spoke his

name. Dave’s warm brown eyes told him a different story
than what the hard, muscled body was telling him. Ripples
of tension floated along the bunched muscles Christian
could see under his shirt, but Dave’s eyes were full of desire.
Christian really wanted to run the tip of his tongue teasingly
along Dave’s hot skin and have the gorgeous man return the
favor.

Instead of walking over to him, dragging their bodies

together, and kissing him thoroughly, he suggested, “I’ll walk
you out?”

A light dimmed in those dark brown eyes, and he

instantly felt terrible. If only Dave would be honest to himself
about wanting another man, then he’d have something to
work with, a platform to start from. Right now, he wouldn’t
even know where to begin.

Dave nodded and turned around as Christian grabbed

his jacket.

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D

AVID

wanted to hit his head against the steering wheel as

he drove home. Frustration sang through his veins while his
cock throbbed. He groaned as he tried to adjust himself but
finally gave up. Nothing he did was going to take care of this
problem until he got home and jerked off while thinking of
those riveting blue eyes.

He’d had to get out of there, what with the doctor

standing so close to him. He could still feel the body heat the
handsome vet had given off when he’d stood so close. He
didn’t have to look up much to stare into those pale blue
eyes, the color of the sky on a clear day.

The doctor was like a fantasy come true with his sandy

blond hair and those gorgeous eyes, not to mention his
slender body. He’d always had a thing for tall, slender, and
handsome guys, and Dave knew he was fit and attractive—
except to straight guys like Dr. Prince.

Christian had given off a distinctly heterosexual vibe

Dave knew would make trouble for him. He didn’t want a
straight guy who was curious. He didn’t want a guy looking
for just fun either. He was over that part of his life at the ripe
old age of thirty-two. He wanted someone to come home to,
to laugh with, to lie in bed with and make love to.

It made him sick with regret Christian wasn’t that guy.

He would still fantasize about the doctor, but he wouldn’t let
his heart get involved, although he was fairly certain he
didn’t have that pesky part of himself anymore, since he’d
given it away countless times already.

He pulled up to his connected garage, sighing in relief.

Once inside the condo, he stripped his clothes off as he

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19

made for the shower. He turned on the shower, turning to
look in the mirror.

His vision blurred as fantasy took over. The gorgeous

doctor was behind him, trailing his lips along his nape,
caressing his dark hair. Dave groaned, the sound filling the
bathroom as his hand went to his cock.

He closed his eyes. He didn’t want to see he was really

alone in the bathroom, jerking himself off. He wanted to
think about what Christian would do if he was there. Would
he be slicking himself and then loosening Dave to take his
hard dick? Dave growled, and it echoed in the bathroom as
he increased the pressure on his cockhead.

“Christian,” he whispered, wishing the man were there

and willing to hear his name on his lips, the words thick
with lust. Dave leaned against the wall as his hand
quickened, his knees weakening as his peak neared.

He wished he’d felt the other man’s lips on his own so

he would know now what to remember as he fantasized, how
the man would touch him as they came together.

He tensed, his peak taking him by surprise. As the

pleasure left his body, he closed his eyes, his fantasy fading
and the cold seeping into his chest. The doctor could never
be his.

I

T HAD

been hard to wake up the next day and fill the

orders, but he continued on. Each day it got easier to
concentrate on work and not think about the hypnotic blue
eyes of the doctor. After nearly two weeks had passed, he

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20

answered his business line and heard a voice he never
imagined he’d hear again.

“David? It’s Christian, from the vet’s office.”

Shock ran through his system as the warm voice on the

other end washed over him. “Hi, Doctor. What can I do for
you?”

“Just call me Christian,” he said with a laugh. “I wanted

to give you an update on the kitten you brought in. She’s
doing fine. She’s always hungry and quite vocal about it.”

Dave winced. “God, I’m sorry to burden you with her.

I’m sure you have enough to do without another animal to
take care of.”

“It’s fine,” Christian said. There was a long pause after

he said that, and Dave felt like he should say something.

“Can I take you to dinner?” he blurted out just as

Christian said, “I guess I’ll hang up now.”

“No, don’t hang up,” Dave said quickly. “I’d like to repay

you with dinner at my place. It’s a really great thing you did,
taking her in like that.”

There was silence on the other end and Dave wanted to

kick himself. He’d put Christian in the bad position of having
to turn him down. He was about to apologize when he heard,
“That sounds great. Home cooked?”

Shocked, Dave blurted, “Sure.” He wanted to secure the

date, but suddenly he realized he needed to think of menu
and what he would wear, and his mind went into a jumble.

“I’m free tomorrow night.”

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21

“Uh, yeah!” Dave said eagerly. “I’ll make a stir fry. I’m

into healthy eating. I hope you don’t mind.”

He was babbling, but Christian didn’t seem to notice or

mind. “I can’t wait. I’m so busy at the clinic and with visits to
farms, I never get to eat at home. Sometimes my clients will
take pity on me and send me home with a meal, but it’s
different when you have good company.”

Dave nodded along with his words until he realized

Christian couldn’t see him. “Wonderful. I’ll see you at six?”

Christian agreed, Dave gave him directions, and then

the vet hung up. As he set his cell phone down, Dave
couldn’t help but wonder if it had been a nervous shake he’d
heard in Christian’s voice or if it was just wishful thinking on
his part. Dave shrugged it off as he started writing down
ingredients for his shopping trip tomorrow.

C

HRISTIAN

walked up the corridor to the condo Dave had

given him directions to. The invite to dinner had been
unexpected and very welcome. Most of the time he was too
busy to eat, grabbing a microwave meal at work. This would
be a treat, especially with the company he would share the
dinner with.

He wasn’t sure he had the right condo number when he

saw the beautiful woman standing in front of the door. As he
came closer, he saw Dave’s gorgeous smile as he stood in the
doorway, the one that had Christian weak in the knees.

He felt like the breath had been knocked from his lungs.

That smile was meant for him, or it at least should have

The Furry Matchmaker | Lori Toland

22

been, except Dave hadn’t seen him yet and he was still
looking at her.

He really did have a frog in his throat when he cleared

it, brought on by the shock threatening to choke him.

Dave looked up suddenly, a surprised look on his face.

“Christian, you’re early.”

It seemed like his windpipe closed, choking him. “I’m

sorry. I got done seeing patients sooner than I thought I
would.”

Dave looked uncomfortable, looking between the blonde

and him, before finally Christian took pity on him and said,
“I should’ve called before coming over early. I didn’t know
you’d have your girlfriend over. We’ll do this another time.”

He didn’t wait around for Dave’s agreement. He just

walked down the hall back to his car with a heavy heart.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, he cursed himself. Why would he
think a handsome hunk would want a skinny guy when he
was so obviously into the girl on his doorstep?

D

AVE

swallowed hard when he realized he was reaching for

Christian as he walked away. He looked down at Denise,
thinking she would be laughing at his pathetic attempt to
touch the man who had his back to him. He couldn’t call
after Christian without looking like a total desperate idiot so
he settled for banging his head against the doorjamb.

“Oh no! Don’t do that!”

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23

He pulled his head away to stare at Denise. “He thought

you were my girlfriend.”

She pulled a face. “Why would he think that?”

“Oh thanks,” he grumbled. “My ego hasn’t had enough

of a beatdown lately. He’s the vet I took the kitten to, and I
invited him over to dinner tonight to repay him.”

“No, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant doesn’t he know

you’re gay?”

He shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “No, and I

think he’s straight.”

“Oh geez, Dave. Are you kidding me? Why else would he

have agreed to come to dinner, especially with that lovesick
look on his face? If he was just a friend or he was straight,
he would have stayed. He wouldn’t have cared I was your
girlfriend.”

He had to admit Denise was right about Christian

accepting a dinner date. Although one observation stuck in
his head. “Did he look lovesick? Really?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You must be blind, Dave. If he

looked at me like that, I’d have him naked in my bed in the
blink of an eye.” He glared at her and she chuckled. “Not
that you have anything to worry about big boy. The doctor
has eyes for you only.”

He sighed. “I’ll call him tomorrow. Care for dinner? I

already have the chicken marinating.” At least tonight he
could wallow in his sorrows with a friend. Tomorrow, he
would tackle the doctor if it was the last thing he did.

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24

D

AVE

tapped lightly on the glass. He’d been knocking for a

bit. It was about five minutes after closing, and he saw the
doctor’s truck still in the parking lot. Dave had tried to call a
couple times to set up a time to meet, but his calls had gone
to voice mail.

Finally, he saw movement behind the darkened glass.

Christian came to the door, saw him through the glass, and
unlocked it. After Dave stepped through, he locked the door
again and said, “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls. It’s been
a bad day here.”

Dave could tell by the dull look in Christian’s eyes he

was upset. “It’s okay. I was just worried about you.”

Christian didn’t say anything. He just walked out of the

front office and down a hallway. Dave assumed he should
follow, so he walked behind Christian back to the office he’d
woken up in a couple weeks ago. “I’m sorry Denise was there
when you stopped by.”

Christian looked at him ruefully. “I probably should

have stuck around. Nothing like a home-cooked meal.”

Dave wished Christian had said more, like the company

wouldn’t have been bad either. But he’d take what he could
get. “Uh, you said you had a bad day. I’ll come back another
time if you’d like.”

Christian shook his head as he sat down in the chair at

his desk, files piled high in the inbox. “No, please stay. It’s
just been a long day. I didn’t get much sleep last night
because a client had a show dog who gave birth and it was
rough.”

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25

David sighed, his heart hurting for Christian. “Were they

okay?”

Christian nodded with a smile. “She had two puppies,

and I really thought one wasn’t going to make it, but they all
did.” He looked away, pinching the bridge of his nose.

David shoved his hands into his pocket to keep from

throwing his arms around Christian to comfort him. “God,
I’m sorry.”

Christian nodded. “Then a lady who I’ve known since I

was a kid, when I used to come to work with my Dad—she
called and asked if I could come out to see her cats for their
yearly visit. She normally brings them in, but her daughter
was there, and I guess she’d had a stroke.” Christian
swallowed hard as he finished speaking. “She’s been a real
sweetheart, and she loves her cats. I could tell those animals
are upset about her. They wouldn’t come out much, and
after their shots, they just slunk back under her bed.”

Dave looked at Christian’s drawn face, feeling his pain.

“I’m sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say so he just sat
there, wishing he could absorb the other man’s pain.

Christian nodded. “Thanks. So, you want to have that

dinner? I might be able to scrape something together.”

Dave shrugged. “I could pick some stuff up and make

you dinner. You look like you need a shower and a good
meal.” And amazing hot sex, his mind supplied as well. Dave
wanted to slap himself.

Christian nodded mutely before rattling off an address

Dave wrote down. “Give me an hour?” Christian asked.

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26

Dave nodded with a smile. “Any orders for the chef?” he

asked, wanting to see a smile on Christian face.

He was rewarded with a smile. “Not really. Anything’s

great. Thank you.”

Dave grinned back. “Anytime.”

I

T WAS

a little over an hour until Dave could get to the

address Christian had given him. It was a gorgeous ranch-
style home, older yet comfortable looking. The three-car
garage was still open, and the truck he’d seen Christian
driving was parked next to a low-slung sports car. He
whistled as he parked over to the side, grabbing the groceries
as he walked to the front door.

He didn’t have a chance to ring the doorbell. Christian

opened the door, his dark hair wet, dressed in a pair of jeans
that molded to the slender frame that had haunted Dave’s
dreams for the past few days. The jeans were paired with a
dark blue T-shirt that enhanced Christian’s gorgeous blue
eyes.

“I have a driveway chime,” Christian answered Dave’s

unspoken question.

“You’re not just psychic?” Dave quipped.

Christian

shook

his

head.

“Just

an

average

veterinarian.”

Average was not a word Dave would use to describe the

man standing in front of him. Mouth-wateringly gorgeous,
maybe. He realized he was staring and looked away furtively.

The Furry Matchmaker | Lori Toland

27

He followed Christian into the kitchen, setting the bag down
on the island.

“Nice kitchen,” he commented.

“Thanks. My mom designed it a couple years after I was

born. My dad didn’t really see a need to change it after she
passed away.”

“I’m sorry to hear about that,” Dave said honestly.

“About my mom? Thanks,” Christian said, opening the

fridge. He pulled a beer out of the fridge, offering Dave one.
He twisted the top off and took a swig. “It was just my Dad
and I for a long time. I used to follow him around at the
clinic all the time, watching his gentle hand with patients.”

Dave listened as Christian spoke quietly about his

family and how he became a vet and took over the family
practice. As he chopped the vegetables and potatoes,
throwing them in a pan along with the chicken and
seasonings, he left it to bake before turning back to
Christian.

“So, it’s just you here? What about a wife and kids?” he

asked, washing his hands.

Christian frowned. “No wife, no kids. I’m not married,”

he said, holding up his left hand and wiggling his ring finger.
“Wouldn’t I be wearing a ring?”

Dave shrugged, stuffing down the hope rising within

him. “Some guys don’t wear rings,” he said. “My dad never
did, and he and my mom have been married for thirty-one
years.”

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28

“Well, I would if I ever got married. I’d wear one proudly,

but I’d have to move to Massachusetts or Vermont to get
married.”

Dave froze in his tracks. Did he mean what Dave

thought he meant? “You’re gay?”

Christian winced. “I should have told you sooner, but I

didn’t have the right timing to say, ‘Hey, I like guys’.”

Dave was floored. His gaydar must have been broken

because to him, Christian wasn’t putting off feelings of being
interested. Oh. Just as quickly as he’d become excited, it left
him. He wasn’t getting those vibes because Christian just
plain wasn’t interested in him.

Christian stared at the counter. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t

have said anything. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable
about me being gay.”

Dave swallowed hard. “I don’t feel uncomfortable about

you being gay. I just....” He trailed off, unable to speak or
even think. He felt like he’d been offered a whole cake only to
have it snatched away cruelly. Christian looked hurt and
Dave felt a surge of protectiveness rise within him.

“It’s okay to admit you’re uncomfortable. I understand.”

He was so quiet when he said it, Dave’s heart shattered.

“I’m not uncomfortable,” Dave said firmly. “I’m gay too,

so there’s no reason to feel weird.” He shoved his hands in
his pockets and met Christian’s eyes.

His gut twisted as he tried to not get his hopes when he

saw the anticipation there. A longing accompanied it, the
intensity matching his own.

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29

C

HRISTIAN

stepped forward as Dave let out a sigh. Screw it,

he thought to himself as he wound a hand into Dave’s thick,
soft hair. Let him push me away if he doesn’t want this.

He lowered his lips to Dave’s, crushing their mouths

together roughly. Dave’s hands came up to rest on his chest,
and for a second he really did think the other man would
push him away, disgusted with him. Instead, Dave twisted
his hands into Christian’s shirt to hold their bodies closer.

Dave moaned as Christian’s mouth started to throb

from kissing him so hard. He couldn’t back off, not until he
was certain this was real.

Dave’s hands left the grip on his shirt to wrap around

his waist as Dave rocked his hips forward at just the right
time. A needy cry rose up in his throat, and he broke the
kiss.

“God, I’ve wanted this,” Christian admitted.

“Me too,” Dave said softly, the lust in his eyes evident.

Christian’s cock throbbed as he thrust his hips into

Dave’s. “Why didn’t you say something?”

“Thought you were straight. I should’ve said something.”

“Yeah, you should have,” Christian whispered as they

bumped their hips together. Christian’s head dropped back
as he gasped. As their still-clothed cocks slid against each
other, it wasn’t enough to satisfy, only tease. He panted as
Dave’s hands slid along the hemline of his shirt, sliding it up
and finally touching skin against skin.

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30

“David,” Christian moaned, thrusting his hips. His

hands moved up, lifting the shirt as he went, shivering as
those thick fingers slid against his heated skin. His
breathing was uneven and labored when Dave finished the
task and pulled the shirt up over his head, throwing it to the
side.

Dave ran his hands over Christian’s chest, thumbing his

nipple gently. “Wow. You’re gorgeous.” He met Christian’s
eyes after he said it. He looked so honest and open.

Christian dipped his head to kiss Dave again, wanting

to feel those soft, wet lips. This time he was gentler, sliding
his tongue inside Dave’s eager mouth, meeting that hot
tongue. Every nerve jumped in his body, and suddenly the
need to be skin against skin was too much. He tugged on
Dave’s shirt, pulling it up to reveal a cut physique that had
Christian nearly drooling on himself as he pulled off the
other man’s shirt.

“You say I’m the gorgeous one? Just... wow. Hot.”

Christian was reduced to one-word sentences, his brain
taking a mini-vacation, but only as far as speech went. His
cock was responding, rock hard and twitching and neither of
them was naked enough for his liking. His hands went to
Dave’s button-fly jeans, jerking them open quickly. He got a
glimpse of black briefs pulled taut from the thick cock
straining against the cotton fabric.

He leaned in to suck on Dave’s earlobe, his hand going

to Dave’s briefs and palming the bulge there. He was about
to dip his hand inside the briefs when he felt Dave pushing
at him. He pulled back to look at Dave, only to find him
looking at the floor.

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31

The little fuzzball was sitting on the floor, looking

incredibly happy with herself, a serene look on her face. If
the little calico could have smiled, she would have. Dave,
however, looked slightly put off. “Uh, I can’t do this with her
watching.”

Christian chuckled. “C’mon, then,” he said, taking

Dave’s hand and leading him out of the kitchen. He took
Dave into his bedroom, closing the door behind them and
pushing Dave against it.

He had to touch, to feel Dave’s hard cock in his hand.

He shoved the briefs and jeans down Dave’s thighs and then
encircled Dave’s thick prick with his hand. Dave gasped
before Christian claimed his mouth again, kissing him
deeply.

Dave broke the kiss before Christian got all he wanted

and let out a strangled cry as he shoved his cock into
Christian’s hand. Christian looked into his brown eyes,
watched them go unfocused as his hand slid up and down
Dave’s shaft.

Their bodies moved together in a primal rhythm, their

gasping cries only serving to make Christian harder as he
stroked Dave’s cock. He wanted to taste Dave, too, and gave
him a final kiss before he fell to his knees. Dave’s moans got
louder; Christian loved how he voiced his pleasure without
holding back.

He held Dave’s cut prick in his hand and swirled the

red, engorged head with his tongue. Dave’s choked cry urged
him on and he took the whole tip in his mouth, reveling in
the taste of his lover.

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32

He sucked on the tip while he worked the shaft, tasting

the fluid leaking from the slit that he tongued gently. Dave’s
moans urged him along, as did the hand in his hair. He
worked it slowly at first, wanting to draw it out, hoping that
sucking cock was like riding a bike—you never forgot how.

He moved his hand from the shaft down to the other

man’s balls, palming them and enjoying the growling noise
Dave issued. He was tugging at Christian’s hair, pulling him
off his thick cock. “You don’t get to have all the fun,” Dave
said, tugging him to his feet.

Dave’s hands were on Christian’s jeans, opening them

and pulling down the zipper. “Oh, wow. Do you go
commando all the time?” he asked, looking at Christian’s
long prick as it tapped lightly against Dave’s stomach.

Christian nodded. “Easier when you have to change

scrubs at work.”

Dave groaned. “Oh shit, now I’m going to think of you

like this under your scrubs every time I see you.”

“There’ll be more times in the future, then?” Christian

almost grimaced when he heard the needy tone in his voice,
but as he looked up into those earthy eyes, his
embarrassment fell away.

“Yeah,” Dave said hoarsely, cupping the back of

Christian’s neck, pulling him in for a desperate kiss. Their
tongues met as Dave’s hand encircled Christian’s cockhead,
rolling it gently. He saw stars and felt weak in the knees as
Dave took the fluid gathered there and spread it around the
head. “I want to feel this inside me.”

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33

Christian drew back at the words, surprise hitting him.

Dave’s eyes flew open as he pulled back. “Are you sure? I
thought you’d want to be on top.”

Dave licked his lips. “Maybe next time. Right now, I

gotta get your big, long dick inside me.”

Christian gasped as a wave of lust rolled through him,

his cock twitching. He finished getting naked as they made
their way over to the bed, grabbing a condom and lube out of
his bedstand. It had been ages since he’d needed a condom,
since he didn’t use one when it was just him and his hand.
He peered at the expiration date on the package and then
looked at Dave, who was staring back at him.

He flushed, setting the condom down. Dave was

stroking himself, the look on his face expectant. His body, all
over, was perfection. His tan attested to a little Spanish
heritage instead of Dave being a sun worshipper. His
muscled shoulders were broad, his waist was narrow, and
then there were those gorgeous cheeks.

Christian went to his knees, licking his lips. Dave’s eyes

widened as Christian bent forward, palming the generous
globes of Dave’s ass, spreading them. Christian leaned in,
biting one and slapping the other. Dave’s moan filled the
room, echoing in Christian’s mind as he leaned in and
tongued the tight, clenching hole.

Dave let out a groan, slamming his palm down on the

cotton sheets. “Fuck, Christian!” Dave’s cries only urged him
on, and he dragged his tongue leisurely along the puckered
hole as Dave shivered.

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34

Christian finally pulled away, and Dave fell against the

bed. “Gonna kill me,” Dave whispered, looking over his
shoulder as Christian ran his hand up Dave’s back.

Brown eyes darkened with lust as Christian reached up

and cupped Dave’s cheek. He trailed a finger along Dave’s
lips, tapping them gently. “Suck them,” Christian said
hoarsely.

He’d studied those full lips and tasted them as well, but

he wasn’t prepared for the intensity of the lust he felt as
Dave rolled his tongue along his digits. Christian sucked his
breath in as Dave mock-fellated his fingers, making soft little
sighing noises that had Christian’s balls aching.

Once his fingers were good and wet, Christian pulled

them out and probed Dave’s tight, puckered hole. The gasp
he heard as he stretched Dave sent a shock through
Christian’s body. He leaned over and planted a kiss on the
dimple above his ass cheeks as he fingered Dave’s grasping
hole.

He took a dollop of lube and smeared it on the tight

hole, moving inside, feeling the puckered hole stretching
around his fingers. He grabbed the condom, tearing it open
with his teeth, wishing he could feel Dave’s tightness sans
protection. Later, he thought to himself as he rolled the
rubber on.

Dave turned back, his eyes glistening with want.

“Please,” he begged, and Christian briefly wondered how he
would react to being restrained, tied to his four-poster bed
and teased mercilessly for hours. He smiled darkly at the
thought as he positioned his cock at Dave’s entrance,
pushing in slowly, gently.

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35

Dave’s hand tightened in the sheet, and he let out a cry

of passion so full of need that Christian’s balls drew up. He
closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, wanting this to last.
Dave had other ideas, shoving his hips back, taking
Christian all the way in.

Christian tensed, his vision going white momentarily. He

leaned in, trying to get the breath back in his lungs as he
ground out, “Fuck, Dave.”

“Been too long,” Dave sighed, tightening around

Christian’s cock. “Just ride me hard. Make love to me later.”

Christian was used to being in charge, but at Dave’s

words he obeyed, whispering in his ear, “Gladly.” He started
fucking Dave’s hot, slick ass. He lost himself in the moment,
his blood pounding in his ears, his balls tightening, and
when Dave came and his ass started the rhythmic tensing,
the haze around Christian’s vision clouded reality.

Christian came with a shout, his knees weakening. He’d

be damned if he could remember sex being so amazing with
anyone, ever.

T

HE

next morning, Dave awoke to an alarm going off. His

internal clock never let him sleep in, so he couldn’t
remember ever needing an alarm of any kind. He rolled over,
realizing the most comfortable bed he’d ever slept on wasn’t
his and the noise wasn’t his alarm.

The amazing sex and the burnt dinner along with the

laughter and kisses all night came rushing back to him, as
did the invitation to stay the night. He remembered

The Furry Matchmaker | Lori Toland

36

accepting after having a can of soup heated in the microwave
with a promise of a real dinner soon. Now he looked for the
annoying sound, intent on smashing it to pieces, when
suddenly it stopped.

Dave had done the whole one-night-stand thing before.

Instead of the awkwardness he normally felt the morning
after, he felt whole, like he was home. Looking into
Christian’s eyes, he said, “Morning.”

He felt the covers shift, but Christian didn’t move. He

saw the little kitten had crawled up the blanket onto the
bottom of the bed, mewling. Demanding though she was,
Dave couldn’t help but smile at the little scamp. Right then,
he wondered if the kitten was a little cupid, sent to bring the
two of them together.

As Christian snapped his fingers and made a little noise,

the kitten walked up the covers to sit on Christian’s chest,
purring madly. As she looked over at Dave peacefully,
kneading the comforter, he knew for certain she was a furry
little matchmaker.

Two Years Later…

“

D

ID

you remember your lunch?”

Christian smiled. He had forgotten his lunch yesterday,

and Dave had driven all the way to the clinic to bring it to
him. They’d ended up sharing the meal in the short amount
of time he had in between patients, just staring at each

The Furry Matchmaker | Lori Toland

37

other. It was rare they were able to have lunch together with
being so busy, but they always had dinner together.

He picked up the brown bag. “I did now.” It was nice,

having Dave to watch over him. Even more wonderful was
coming home every night to his smiling face and waking up
every morning snuggled against his warm, muscular body.

Dave chuckled. “I’ll walk you out,” he said, coming

around the butcher block to follow him out to his truck.

Once they stepped outside into the crisp morning air,

unseasonably cool for March, Dave enfolded Christian into
his arms. “Have a good day at work.”

“You too,” Christian whispered, brushing his lips

against Dave’s ear in a gentle kiss. “I’ll call you when I’m on
my way home. Have I told you how much I love you?”

Dave grinned as Christian pulled away. “Not since this

morning when you woke me up with a blow job, which, may I
say, was amazing. Feel free to wake me up any time like
that.”

Christian leaned in to kiss him, realizing just how

routine these mornings had become, with Dave walking him
out to send him off, sneaking in furtive caresses and
whispered promises of what was to come later that night.
There was something missing, though.

He felt the brush against his ankle, and he pulled away

from Dave, looking down to see the calico brushing against
his ankles, purring madly. She sat back on her haunches
and looked up at them, meowing delicately.

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38

Every morning during the week was like this, with Dave

and the calico they had named Mynx escorting him out to
his car for work. He had never been happier.

He pulled away from his family and got in his truck,

waving as he backed out. He felt a surge of pure happiness,
knowing they would be waiting for him when he came home.

CEO by day, manlove writer by night,

L

ORI

T

OLAND

somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies
while taking care of her cats and husband.

Visit Lori’s web site at http://www.loritoland.com or e-mail
her at

[e-mail]

.

Also by

L

ORI

T

OLAND

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

The Furry Matchmaker ©Copyright Lori Toland, 2010

Published by
Dreamspinner Press
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 Mara McKennen

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
May 2010

eBook Edition
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61581-433-6