Spicy Summer Romance: Trust with Hearts by Kelli A. Wilkins

 

Spicy Summer Romance: Trust with Hearts

By Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Hi everyone,

Today I’m sharing a look at the making of my spicy summer romance, Trust with Hearts.

Readers are always curious about how books “happen” ‒ how do they start out as a random idea and become an actual book, filled with great characters, drama, and sizzling love scenes? The answers vary, and each novel comes to me in a different way.

So how did Trust with Hearts come about? Is the sexy and sultry Curtis based on a particular country music celebrity? Here’s the scoop…

The idea for Trust with Hearts came to me before a country music concert. I was sitting in the front row before the show started, when all of a sudden the whole plot and all the characters jumped into my head. Naturally, I started scribbling down notes (on the back of an envelope, of all things!) before the house lights went down.

Although inspired by real-life, the character of Curtis isn’t based on that one particular country music superstar – he’s a blend of three or four cowboy-hat-wearing singer/songwriters. Elements of the “inspirational” singer are there, but I used my imagination to fill in background details and invented whatever else I needed to make the story work.

Here’s the book summary and links:

 

TRUST WITH HEARTS

After a bitter breakup, Sherrie Parker seeks refuge at her cousin Dave’s house in rural West Virginia. Early one morning, she runs into Dave’s other houseguest, a singer named Curtis Taylor. The last thing Sherrie wants is to share living quarters with a country music crooner – even if he is sexy, in a cowboy sort of way.

Thrown together by circumstances, Sherrie and Curtis get off to a rocky start, but soon discover they have more in common than they ever imagined. Unable to fight their growing attraction, they give in to their desires and start a sizzling summer romance.

Everything is perfect between them until Sherrie discovers that Curtis is keeping secrets from her – and his biggest secret of all will change everything. Can their newfound love survive, or will destiny keep them apart forever?

 

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trust-Hearts-Kelli-Wilkins-ebook/dp/B074422FHY

All other platforms: https://books2read.com/u/mgrK7R

Read reviews here:  https://www.kelliwilkins.com/trust-with-hearts

***

Trust with Hearts is a bit different from my other romances in that it has a more “traditional” romance novel feel – but still contains plenty of summer heat. Although Sherrie and Curtis are attracted to each other, they’re total strangers and are hesitant about getting involved in a relationship. They’ve both been unlucky in love, and aren’t sure if giving their hearts away is even worth the time or trouble.

The book gives them the whole summer to get to know each other. Readers peek into their troubled pasts and follow along as Curtis and Sherrie heal their hearts, love, and learn to trust again.

The subplot of the book – Sherrie’s devotion to save Kitty Corner – was crucial because I wanted to give her a purpose, something to build her self-esteem. Sherrie’s cat adoption project lets her help unfortunate cats who need rescuing and good homes. It parallels how Dave takes Sherrie in (aka “rescues” her) and gives her a second chance at a new life.

And, on a more personal note, giving Sherrie the “job” of helping cats allowed me to make a social/personal statement. I’m a cat person and I’ve written three cat care books. I always advocate adopting pets (of all kinds) from shelters and giving them a real home. (Would you want to live out the rest of your life in a wire cage?)

Trust with Hearts was a lot of fun to write and blends a sultry romance with heartwarming drama. Add it to your summer reading list before the season ends!

 

Happy Summer Reading, 

Kelli A. Wilkins 

                                            

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 24 romance novels, and 8 mystery/horror ebooks. Her romances span many genres and settings, and she likes to scare readers with her horror and mystery stories.

Her latest release, For Love’s Sake, an epic historical/fantasy romantic adventure, was published in January 2025.

In August 2024, she released Surreal Escapes, a collection of 7 speculative/spooky stories. Anything can—and does—happen in this anthology.

Kelli also released her fourth gay romance, A Thousand Summer Secrets, in 2024. This tender contemporary romance takes place over a summer weekend, where two friends reconnect while seeking love and acceptance.

She published The Route 9 Killer, a mystery/thriller set in Central NJ, in 2023.

Follow Kelli on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and visit her website/blog www.KelliWilkins.com for a full title list and social media links.

 

Talking with author Kelli A. Wilkins

New Romance Release - Trust with Hearts

by Kelli A. Wilkins

www.KelliWilkins.com

Hi romance lovers,

I’m pleased to announce the release of my contemporary romance novel, Trust with Hearts. The hero is a sexy cowboy-like country music singer who gets involved with a young woman trying to put her life together after a bad break-up.

Here’s the book summary, links, and a tame excerpt:

Trust with Hearts

After a bitter breakup, Sherrie Parker seeks refuge at her cousin Dave’s house in rural West Virginia. Early one morning, she runs into Dave’s other houseguest, a singer named Curtis Taylor. The last thing Sherrie wants is to share living quarters with a country music crooner – even if he is sexy, in a cowboy sort of way.

Thrown together by circumstances, Sherrie and Curtis get off to a rocky start, but soon discover they have more in common than they ever imagined. Unable to fight their growing attraction, they give in to their desires and start a sizzling summer romance.

Everything is perfect between them until Sherrie discovers that Curtis is keeping secrets from her – and his biggest secret of all will change everything. Can their newfound love survive, or will destiny keep them apart forever?

Here’s a tame excerpt from Trust with Hearts:

“I told Sherrie to work things out with you. She seemed fine with it,” Dave said as he stirred a pot of spaghetti sauce on the stove.

Curtis carried the supper dishes to the table. “Yeah, well, that sure changed fast.”

He set Sherrie’s plate close to Dave’s. The round table would fit the three of them fine, but he didn’t want to get too close to Sherrie. He didn’t need to start a new fight with her when they hadn’t finished the old one yet.

“She came down to the cottage blaming me because she couldn’t sleep. I coulda let that go, until she insulted my music… again,” he added. “Did you tell her about me?”

Dave sprinkled black pepper into the spaghetti sauce. “Of course not. All she knows is you’re staying here and working on your music. I didn’t mention anything about,” he paused and looked toward the kitchen doorway, “CJ, or the hospital. If you decide to tell her, that’s up to you.”

“I doubt that’s gonna happen, seeing how she feels about country music,” he replied as he arranged silverware next to the plates. “You know I rarely offer up opinions, Dave, but your sweet-lookin’ Yankee cousin’s—”

He stopped as he saw Sherrie standing in the doorway. “Oh Lord.”

“His Yankee cousin’s… what?”

He breathed a sigh of relief. At least Sherrie hadn’t heard him call her sweet-lookin’. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Truth be told, Sherrie was sweet-looking.

Waves of chestnut-colored hair framed her oval face. Her almond-shaped brown eyes were draped with long lashes, she had a kissable, rosebud mouth, and from what he’d seen of her this morning, Sherrie was curvy in all the right places. Too bad she acted so moody.

He stared into her eyes for a full fifteen seconds. His piercing baby blues were capable of rendering women speechless. They had the power to charm, as well as disarm, anyone.

Sherrie shifted her gaze to the floor and he smirked. Direct eye contact had done the trick. Sherrie might have lots of fight, but she had nothing to back it up.

“Ornery,” he answered. “I was about to say ‘ornery’.”

Dave banged the wooden spoon on the edge of the pot, breaking the tension in the room. “Sher, I thought you were gonna apologize to Curtis.”

“I did, but then His Royal Majesty dismissed me.”

Curtis moved back as Sherrie strode past him and yanked the refrigerator open. She stuck her head inside and rummaged around.

He took advantage of the opportunity and admired the way her denim shorts clung to her backside. A tingle spread through his groin as he envisioned running his hands up the back of her smooth thighs. He turned his head as she took out the pitcher of sweet tea.

“What were you looking at?”

“Nothin’.” Why did he feel compelled to touch her? It must be hormones, he reasoned. The last thing he needed was to get involved with a Yankee woman who hated him on sight. He scratched his chin and chuckled. Now there was a switch. Women all over the world would pay a fortune to spend five minutes in the same room with him, and yet Sherrie despised him.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Nothin’.”

“Bull.” Sherrie sat at the table and poured herself a glass of tea.

He rolled his eyes. Naturally, she had taken his seat. He wouldn’t protest. Sherrie was Dave’s cousin, and he’d been raised to respect women—even stubborn Yankee women.

Order your copy here:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Trust-Hearts-Kelli-Wilkins-ebook/dp/B074422FHY

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1262138470

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/trust-with-hearts-kelli-a-wilkins/1029121857;jsessionid=B34CBCAE108E078A185537FBAFB08F9A.prodny_store01-atgap04?ean=2940154716670

Inktera: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/a7e88b32-d5a0-43b6-b0d8-6e1e42b317b7

Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/354309578/Trust-with-Hearts

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/trust-with-hearts

I hope you’ll check it out. The book was a lot of fun to write and blends a sultry summer romance with heartwarming drama.

Happy Reading!

Kelli

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.

Kelli released Trust with Hearts, a contemporary romance, in July 2017. Her third gay romance, Four Days with Jack, was released in June 2017. Kelli’s trilogy of erotic romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights was published in spring 2017.

Loving a Wild Stranger was published in January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.

Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies, Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.

Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.

Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor.

She also writes a weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.

Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb.

Here are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins

Website: http://www.KelliWilkins.com

Blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/

Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb

Medallion Press Author Page: http://medallionpress.com/author/kelli-wilkins/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins

Facebook Contemporary Romances: https://www.facebook.com/Contemporary-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1965702023664339/

Facebook Gay Romances: https://www.facebook.com/GayRomancesbyKelliAWilkins/

Facebook Historical Romances: https://www.facebook.com/Historical-Romances-by-Kelli-A-Wilkins-1703805359922371/

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KWilkinsAuthor/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins

Authors Den: http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?authorid=61801

Welcome author Elizabeth Ivonovich today

GOING COASTAL: SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND BEYOND GUEST POST AND PLAYLIST

Hello, and many thanks to Dawn for hosting my first-ever guest post today at Dawn's Reading Nook! My name is Elizabeth Ivanovich, and I'm a freelance writer and journalist living in northern California. In October 2014, BookLocker.com published my first book, Going Coastal: Santa Cruz County and Beyond. This collection of work is very close to my heart, but sometimes I have trouble describing it to people. Is it a regional travel guide, an examination of a local arts and entertainment scene, or a character study of some fascinating (though sometimes eccentric) county residents? The answer is "all of the above, plus some other things." Since audiovisual tools always helped me when I was in school, I've put together a Going Coastal playlist below. It features five of the many musicians who are interviewed in the book.

Track One: "Smile For You" by Dressed In Roses

Santa Cruz's Jacklyn Partida first found acclaim as the singer-songwriter-guitarist with the power trio Jackie Rocks. When I first interviewed her in 2012, she had played more than 400 shows (including national sporting events and music industry conventions)...and she had not yet finished high school! Today she attends Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music, while performing everything from shredding goth-metal to shimmering acoustic pop with her various bands. Check out "Smile For You," from her indiepop act Dressed In Roses: 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj-6v6IX6WE

Track Two: "Dendê" by SambaDá

SambaDá practically defines the term "world music." What other band features two Brazilian-born lead singers, a trained jazz saxophonist who moonlights in a klezmer act, and a drummer from Minnesota? The Santa Cruz band's brand of "Afro-samba-funk-dance music" has been a fixture of the thriving local scene for nearly twenty years. "Dendê" appears on SambaDá's Gente! album, produced in 2010 by Grammy winner Greg Landau:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnI7XeK1f9w

Track Three: "She-Devil In Disguise" by the Atomic Aces

By day, Mercy Vaisseur is a mild-mannered Santa Cruz hairdresser. Lately, more people know her as Miss Mercy, the powerful lead singer of local supergroup The Atomic Aces. The band twists punk and rockabilly elements into its own intoxicating brew, and can be relied upon for intense live performances. "She-Devil In Disguise" appears on the Aces' 2009 debut, Bettie's Rage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKKW_IMKD9I

Track Four: "Moonshine" by Shovelman (Isaac Frankle)

One of my favorite Going Coastal chapters, "One Man's Trash Is Another Man's...Guitar?," introduces readers to Robbie Schoen. The artist is renowned for guitars that he crafts from found objects. Most people wouldn't expect an axe made from a Millennium Falcon toy or a toilet seat to work properly, but Schoen's guitars are fully functional, as the following YouTube clip proves. In the story, Isaac Frankle reveals that Schoen's shovel guitar transfixes audiences: "They don't know whether to scream or throw hay around!" Naturally, Frankle often performs as Shovelman. Here, he plays Schoen's shovel guitar at Santa Cruz's Felix Kulpa Gallery, which Schoen himself manages:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK0xQ-oMA_o

Track Five: "The Weird Waltz" by The Great Morgani (Frank Lima)

No Santa Cruz music playlist is complete without The Great Morgani, also known as former stockbroker-turned-street musician Frank Lima. Morgani's repertoire includes everything from Fellini movie themes to a French waltz arrangement of "Stairway To Heaven," all learned by ear. Then there are the outrageous head-to-toe outfits, which Lima makes himself. Style, whimsy, and talent have combined to make The Great Morgani a local legend: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDSnKxviQfc

If none of these songs appeal to you, never fear: Going Coastal features everything from Japanese taiko music to vintage '60s rock. (There are also stories about mix tapes, artisanal ice cream makers, and chocolate, to name a few other topics.) I hope you enjoy the following excerpt, which is taken from the final chapter, "2001: A Kitchen Odyssey." Please feel free to comment here or on my (often musically inclined) blog, Coastal Book Gal. Take care, and happy reading!


EXCERPT:

It started innocently enough. My parents were finally getting their kitchen remodeled, and the work had just begun. On the first day, my mother surveyed the proceedings for a while, then approached me with concern. "I think I might serve the workers some coffee and snacks. What do you think?"

I eyed her warily. Knowing my mother, today's innocent plate of cookies would evolve into an increasingly complex parade of dishes in the coming weeks. To make matters worse, these Lucy-and-Ethel schemes would invariably involve me somehow. I thought it over.

"Go ahead. Just don't stay awake nights worrying about what the foreman takes in his coffee." As she headed into the kitchen, I had no idea that I had just set a ritual in motion which, within six months, would grow to take over our lives.


PRESS RELEASE/MEDIA KIT

Contact: Elizabeth Ivanovich, eai@ stanfordalumni .org 

GOING COASTAL: SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AND BEYOND

by Elizabeth Ivanovich 

ISBN: 978-1-63263-466-5

$13.95, 137 pages, paperback (October 1, 2014)

Publisher: BookLocker.com
5726 Cortez Rd. W. #349
Bradenton, FL 34210
http://www.booklocker.com/
Phone/fax: 305-768-0261
Angela Hoy, Publisher
Contact at: http://booklocker.com/help/contact.php

Wholesale order form: https://secure.booklocker.com/booklocker/wholesale/order.php

The book is distributed through Ingram.

Back cover blurb: California's Central Coast can be a confusing place. Electric guitars are made from car parts, bronze sculptures fill nursery gardens, and people actually want to watch a guy play the accordion! Elizabeth Ivanovich has deciphered these and other mysteries for Santa Cruz County readers over the years. Now, you can unearth them inGoing Coastal, this collection of her best-loved work. Meet local icons, discover the best of everything from record stores to ice cream parlors, and explore cultural life throughout the Bay Area. Equal parts character study, travel guide, and cultural analysis, Going Coastal reveals the California most visitors haven't seen.

Current bio: Elizabeth Ivanovich is a native of California's Central Coast. She attended Watsonville schools before earning a bachelor's degree in art history and a master's degree in drama, both from Stanford University. Her work has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, The Santa Cruz Sentinel, Santa Cruz Style, South Bay Accent, Student Traveler, The Writer, and the anthologies Bubblegum Music Is The Naked Truth (Feral House, 2001) and Lost In The Grooves (Routledge, 2005). She was the arts and entertainment columnist for the now-defunct Santa Cruz, California publication Student Guide for thirteen years. Going Coastal is her first book. Her Coastal Book Gal blog is found atcoastalbookgal.wordpress.com.

Going Coastal:Santa Cruz County and Beyond purchase links:

BookLocker.com (publisher): http://booklocker.com/books/7685.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Going-Coastal-Santa-County-Beyond/dp/163263466X

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/going-coastal-elizabeth-ivanovich/1120464929

Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Going-Coastal/Elizabeth-Ivanovich/9781632634665?id=6160807469817

The book is also available from many independent bookstores, including Powell's Books:

Powell's: http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9781632634665-1

Welcome Shira Anthony Today

Thanks, Dawn, for hosting me today!  And happy holidays, everyone – I hope you are enjoying the first of a few well-deserved days off with family and friends.

Aria, the third book in my Blue Notes Series, will be released on Monday, December 24^th by Dreamspinner Press.  The Blue Notes Series consists of standalone novels that can be read in any order, each with a classical music theme.  Secondary characters in one story become the main characters in another, and many of the characters in the various books know and/or work with each other as musicians.  Each book draws on my own experiences as a violinist and later, as a professional opera singer, and each book introduces the reader to different aspects of the lives of professional musicians.

Aria is a story about a musician and a lawyer.  Sam Ryan from Aria and Jason from Blue Notes almost end up in bed together at one point in the first story of the series.  They're former courtroom rivals who meet after Jason's heart has been broken.  The two men become close friends and when Sam visits Jason in Paris, Sam runs into former lover and international opera sensation Aiden Lind.  So begins their rekindled romance.
Aria is at times sad, at times sweet and funny, and of course, there's a happily ever after (no spoilers here - I only write books with happy endings!).  In fact, the HEA in Aria is probably my favorite so far in the series.  But that's all I'm saying!

Aria has a bit of the backstage world of opera.  From the wigs, to the pancake makeup that tends to run down your face when you sweat under the hot lights (the heavy costumes don't help much either), it's really hard work.  They say singing an opera is a bit like running a marathon.  Not sure about that (I've never run a marathon!), but I do know that it's a physical career.  And no, in this day and age, most opera singers are not fat.  In fact, the thinnest I've ever been was when I was singing.  You really do have to look the part!  Tosca, by the way, was supposed to be a sexy opera singer.  ;-)  Want to see what I call sexy when it comes to opera singers?  Check out this excerpt from Bizet's "The Pearlfishers" - the operatic equivalent of a bromance.  That would be Aiden (the baritone) on the right in the clip.  Yummy!  See, opera singers can be hot!

I'll leave you with a NSFW excerpt from Aria. This is the scene where Aiden and Sam first meet, five years before present day action.  It's a long and hot one.  And if you have a minute, stop by my blog and comment to be entered into a series of prerelease contests for all kind of Blue Notes Series goodies that I’ll be drawing winners for on release day, Christmas Eve! -Shira

*********************

Aria by Shira Anthony
A Blue Notes Novel
Dreamspinner  Press

Blurb: Five years after a prestigious scholarship jumpstarted his opera career, Aiden Lind has it all: fame, choice roles, and Lord Cameron Sherrington to share his life with. Maintaining his façade takes effort, but under his poised, sophisticated mask, Aiden is still the insecure kid from rural Mississippi. Then he walks in on Cam with another man, and the illusion of perfection shatters.

Philadelphia attorney Sam Ryan never moved on after his partner died, though he tried. Instead of dating, he keeps himself busy with work—but when he unexpectedly runs into ex-lover Aiden while on a rare vacation in Paris, he’s inspired to give their love a second chance. First, though, he’ll have to get Aiden to forgive him. Because when Sam was still grieving five years ago, he broke Aiden’s heart.

When rekindled lust blossoms into a true romance, it seems like the start of something wonderful. But Aiden’s career has him on the road much of the time, and the physical distance between him and Sam starts translating into an emotional disconnect. If Aiden and Sam can’t learn to communicate, their separation may prove more than their love can bear.

**************
Chapter Five:

New York, New York

The SoHo bar was crowded when Sam arrived a few minutes after eight o’clock. Some of his friends had recommended it to him, but he had never been inside. Typical of many establishments in the area, the walls were stripped bare of years of paint. Modern canvasses in various sizes and shapes broke the monotony of the ancient brick. Italian track lighting hung from the drop ceiling illuminated the artwork and the tables. Sam could make out the strains of classic jazz over the low drone of conversation. The smells of alcohol, aftershave, and musk hung in the air.
Sam realized his hand rested on his briefcase. He thought briefly of the metal cookie tin inside, which inevitably made him think of Nick. He and Nick first met in a bar, but Sam had never liked them much. As a couple, they had mostly socialized with friends, alternating hosting get-togethers at their loft apartment and spending weekends upstate in small B and Bs.

Sam felt overwhelmed as he sat down at the end of the bar and ordered a drink. He reminded himself that he was just here for the alcohol, but the Manhattan gay scene loomed frighteningly on the horizon, and he was woefully unprepared. Even now, a year after Nick’s death, he knew he wasn’t ready, though he’d already received a few appreciative looks in the few minutes since his arrival. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be ready for it again—it had been intimidating enough the first time around.

“Vodka tonic,” he told the bartender. Tonight he needed something stronger than his usual beer. Running a hand through his hair, he took a look around the bar for the first time. There was no dance floor, so the action was subtler. Men filled nearly every seat at the long bar, chatting in undertones over drinks. He fought the urge to leave. When the bartender placed a drink in front of him, he thanked the man and took a long, desperate swallow. The comforting effect of the alcohol began to kick in.

What am I doing here?

The man seated to his left got up and threw a twenty down on the bar, then waved to the bartender and the other men at the counter. Sam finished his drink in one long swallow and looked up again, this time into a pair of warm brown eyes framed by long lashes. The newcomer smiled affably at him. Sam managed to return the smile before quickly looking back down at his empty glass.

This was a mistake. He pulled his wallet out of his jacket and rummaged for a twenty.

“I hope you’re not leaving on my account,” said the man next to him. And, God, what a voice! A resonant, sexy-as-fuck baritone that went straight from Sam’s ears to his cock.

“Aiden Lind,” he said more formally as he offered Sam his hand.

“Sam Ryan. Nice to meet you.” Sam’s hand was warm, his grip firm.

Aiden gestured to the bartender. “Two more. On me.”

“I was just about to leave.” Sam didn’t want to be rude, but he needed to get out of the place. Coming here had been a mistake.

“Sure I can’t convince you to stay?”

“No. But thanks, Aiden. It was good meeting you.” Sam forced a smile and picked up his satchel before heading for the door. A moment later he stepped out into the chilly night air, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

He wasn’t ready. He pulled his jacket collar up, then started for the subway station.

“Sam!”

Sam turned around to see someone running after him down the street. What was his name? Aiden.

“Look, Aiden,” Sam said as he caught up with him, “I’m tired.”

Aiden blinked. “Oh. No. It’s not like that.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a wallet. Sam’s wallet.

Shit. The guy was being nice, and Sam had tried to blow him off.

Sam took the wallet and their fingers brushed. Sam’s cheeks warmed as their eyes met. 
Uncomfortable, he shifted his briefcase from one hand to another. “Thanks. Damn good thing my head’s attached to my body tonight.”

“No problem.” Aiden shoved his hands back into his pockets.

“It was good meeting you.” Sam was hard-pressed not to like the man.

“You too, Sam.” Aiden hesitated a second longer, then turned and waved as he headed back toward the bar.

It’s only a drink. No strings. It’s not like you have anyone waiting at home.

“On second thought,” Sam called after Aiden, “I think I’ll have that drink.”

“Great!” Aiden turned around and beamed at him, and Sam’s initial hesitation evaporated in the warmth of Aiden’s smile.

A few minutes later, they walked back into the bar. Aiden motioned to a free table. “This okay with you?”

“Sure.” Sam set his briefcase back down and settled into one of the metal chairs.

“What are you drinking?” Aiden asked.

“Vodka tonic.”

“Great. I’ll be right back.” Aiden headed for the bar before Sam could offer to spring for the drinks.

Now that they were back inside in the light, Sam got his first good look at Aiden. He hadn’t noticed when they were sitting down, but Aiden was nearly as tall as he, probably around six feet. He’d already noticed Aiden’s curly hair, high cheekbones, and the strong line of his jaw. Now, Sam couldn’t help but notice the black jeans that hugged Aiden’s firm ass and the long-sleeved Henley that fit his upper torso tightly enough to hint at the muscle beneath. Casual but undeniably sexy.

Back a minute later, Aiden sat facing Sam, and Sam noticed Aiden’s foot tapping the leg of his chair.

He’s nervous too. That surprised Sam. The guy was good-looking, friendly. Trying to quell his own anxiety, Sam took a deep breath. “Thanks for the drink. And thanks again for the wallet.”
Aiden seemed buoyed by Sam’s change of heart. “Long day?” He brushed a stray lock of hair from his eyes.

“You could say that.” Sam shook his head and exhaled audibly. If only you knew….

A waiter brought their drinks. “Cheers.” Sam held up his glass and Aiden touched his beer against it.

“Cheers.”

They drank in silence for a few moments until Sam realized he must have been staring, because Aiden leaned in and gazed at him—a gaze that held more than a whisper of lust. For the past year, Sam hadn’t even considered how he looked to the world at large. He donned his expensive suits like the uniforms they were, shaved, and combed his unruly hair, but he’d just gone on living, nothing more. He’d had a few blind dates friends had set him up on, but none of them had gone anywhere and he hadn’t cared. Now he was suddenly self-conscious, his suit rumpled after a long day bent over piles of documents, his hair undoubtedly sticking up in odd places as it liked to do.

When did it get so hot in here?

Sam pulled off his jacket and draped it over the back of his chair. As the second drink went straight to his shoulders, he felt his old confidence return. “What do you do for a living, Aiden?”

“Musician.”

“Really? What kind?”

Aiden appeared uncomfortable, almost apologetic. “I’m a singer. An opera singer.”

“You’re serious?” Explains the voice of God vibe.

“Yeah.” Aiden shifted in his seat.

“That’s cool,” Sam said enthusiastically.

“You think?”

“Yes, definitely.”

Aiden laughed—a warm, rumbled laugh that made Sam melt like a puddle into his seat. Aiden Lind was a handsome man, even more so when he laughed. “I get a lot of flak from my family about it.”

“Really? Why?” Sam finished his drink and flagged down the waiter for another round.

“They think it’s queer. I used to sing rock and gospel. That was okay with them. But opera? And shit, if they knew I liked men and women….” He laughed again, but Sam heard an edge to the sound this time and saw a flash of something like pain in Aiden’s eyes. “So what do you do, Sam?”

“Compared to singing opera? Just boring stuff. I’m a lawyer for a firm near Wall Street.”

“I sort of guessed. Nice suit, briefcase ’n all. Nice tie too.” Aiden wasn’t looking at Sam’s tie, though; his gaze never left Sam’s.

Maybe it was the booze, but Sam wasn’t in the slightest bit tempted to look away. Instead, he loosened his tie and undid the top button of his shirt.

“So what kind of law do you practice?”

Shit. What was it about Aiden that made everything he said sound like an invitation to do something sexual? The voice. Definitely the voice.

“Personal injury. Not my first choice.” Sam had rationalized taking the job for many reasons, but one in particular topped the list: the prospect of going home to Tennessee and back into the same dark and claustrophobic closet he had come out of was too horrible to contemplate.
“What would you rather be doing?”

At that moment Sam could think of a few things he’d rather be doing that had nothing to do with practicing law. “Employment law. Plaintiff’s work. You know, the underdogs?”

“Nothing wrong with that, is there?”

“No. Nothing at all.” The job had been a compromise: it hadn’t been what Sam had wanted, but it hadn’t been part of Samuel Stetson Ryan III’s “plan” either. It had been a huge disappointment to the old man that Sam didn’t return to Memphis to work for his firm.

Sam shifted in his seat, brushing Aiden’s foot by accident. At least he thought he’d done it by accident. “So.” Sam changed the subject and tried to focus on something other than Aiden’s foot rubbing against his own. “What’s it like, singing opera?”

The waiter came with another round of drinks—Sam lost count of how many he’d downed. Was this three already? It was hard to focus, and Sam was pretty sure it wasn’t the alcohol that was turning his brain to mush.

Aiden leaned back in his seat with his legs slightly apart. It was an inviting pose. Aiden held his beer in his right hand and gesticulated with it as he spoke. As Aiden’s leg pressed against Sam’s, Sam did his utmost to keep his eyes focused on his companion’s face. His own face felt warm.
“It’s great,” Aiden replied. “I’m planning to go to Germany soon, maybe do a few auditions there.”
“Sounds exciting. What would you be auditioning for?” Laughter erupted from the bar, and Sam moved his chair closer to better hear Aiden’s answer.

“Most of the larger German cities hire contract singers for their opera houses. It’s better than in the States. Here, you mostly just string gigs together to make a living. There, you have a steady job for a year at a time, do stuff in repertory. Beats waiting tables.”

“I didn’t realize it was that tough getting work.” He and Aiden were only about a foot apart now. From this distance, Sam could see the hint of Aiden’s hard nipples beneath the close-fitting Henley. It was difficult to focus on the conversation when his mind was busy imagining how he might take one of those nubs between his teeth.

“Once you get an agent, it gets better. I only graduated from school a few years ago, and it’s hard to get hired for big roles right away.”

“Kind of like getting stuck doing the grunt work right out of law school.” Sam knew the feeling well. He’d only made partner last year, and he’d done his share of shit jobs before that.

“Yep.” Aiden finished the rest of his beer, lingering over the mouth of the bottle before giving Sam a smile.

Sam swallowed hard and tried to ignore the renewed jolt of sexual heat he sensed in Aiden’s gaze. He looked down at his drink. It definitely wasn’t only the booze talking. He got hard just thinking about kissing Aiden, tasting him. “Are you from around here, originally?”

“Nah. I’m from Mississippi. Little town named Fenton, right outside of Jackson.”

“Really? Hell, I grew up in Memphis.”

“No shit.” Aiden laughed. “I thought I heard a little Tennessee in you.”

“You had me fooled. I figured you were from up north.”

“Comes with the territory. Good ear. Had to study French, German, and Italian in school. You lose the drawl fast or they beat it out of you.”

They talked about growing up in the South for a few minutes. Comfortable, easy conversation. How long had it been, Sam wondered, since he’d had a conversation like this with someone other than Nick?

Too long.

“Listen,” Aiden began as he stared awkwardly at his beer, which was now clearly empty, “would you like to get out of here?”

Since Nick died, Sam had said no to anything but casual hints at dating. This was much more of an offer.

“I’d like that,” he heard himself say.

Aiden looked surprised and pleased, but no more than Sam. Had he really said yes?

“I live over in Alphabet City. It’s not much, but….”

“That’d be fine,” Sam reassured him. He might be ready to spend the night with someone, but he sure as hell wasn’t ready to take a man back to his own apartment—the apartment he and Nick had shared. Not yet, anyhow.

Maybe never.

After a short cab ride, Sam followed Aiden up the stairs of a third-floor walkup off Avenue C and into a small two-bedroom apartment. The living room appeared to double as a third bedroom. Pots, pans, and cooking utensils hung from every inch of the high-ceilinged walls of the tiny kitchen. An electronic keyboard sat atop a cardboard box, and piles of music filled the built-in shelves. In spite of the clutter, the apartment was clean and smelled vaguely of lemon.
“I live with two other singers,” Aiden said. “Mark works nights, and Rob is out of town at a gig, so we have the place to ourselves.”

Sam put his briefcase down and tossed his coat onto the couch. He turned to find Aiden only a few inches away. In the shadows of the semidarkness, Aiden’s high cheekbones were more defined, his body backlit by the light from the streetlamp outside.

A moment later they were kissing. Rough, hungry lips met with equally awkward eagerness, teeth tapping against each other as Sam and Aiden found their bearings. Sam ran his tongue against Aiden’s lower lip and gained entry before pressing inward to find the warmth that waited there. Aiden’s mouth tasted good, with a hint of dark beer that lingered from the bar.

“Bed?” Sam asked.

Aiden’s answer was a low growl with the same deep resonance of his speaking voice. Sam had never realized the sound of someone’s voice could be such a turn-on. His body was thrumming now, and he knew there was no going back. He’d waited so long, denying himself in silent penance for circumstances over which he’d never had any control. Now he would let that final piece of Nick go and give his body over to someone new.

You know he would have wanted this for you.

Aiden put his arm around Sam’s waist as he led him down the short hallway, then pushed the bedroom door open with his foot. Sam felt the bed at the backs of his knees as Aiden pushed him down on top of the ragged comforter. The bedding smelled clean, though. Sam didn’t have a chance to take in the rest of the room before they were kissing again. Sam scrabbled for purchase on Aiden’s shirt, reaching to pull it over his head. He needed to feel Aiden’s chest, to feel someone else’s skin beneath his fingers.

Aiden’s body was as finely honed as Sam had imagined it to be back at the bar. Lean—not the overly sculpted abs that graced Times Square billboards—but just the way Sam liked them, with more than a dusting of dark, curly hair between his nipples. He pressed his hand to Aiden’s enticing skin. He wondered what it would be like to feel that chest vibrate when the other man sang. The thought led him to a renewed jolt of desire, and he pinned Aiden to the bed before pushing down Aiden’s dark jeans along with the gray boxer briefs to reveal the purple tip of a sizeable cock. It took only another minute before Aiden was completely naked on the bed. The fact that Sam was still fully dressed only served to arouse him more.

He didn’t need any encouragement to take Aiden’s erection in his mouth; he had to taste it. God, but the man tasted so good! Sam swallowed Aiden’s long cock down, pulling back the foreskin as he went and grabbing the base with his hand, slicked up with saliva. For a man who made his living with his voice, Aiden remained remarkably silent, but the upward arch of his body was tacit reassurance. Sam licked with abandon at the underside of Aiden’s hard width, then tightened the suction until he was rewarded with a gasp.

Sam’s ran his teeth and lips over Aiden’s cock as he moved upward to the tip, then nibbled his way around the crown and probed the leaking slit with his tongue, sucking to milk the salty essence there. He could feel his own hard-on pressed against his pants, which only served to intensify the experience. Denial for now. But later….

“Shit, Sam,” Aiden murmured in a distant rumble. “So good. So fucking good….”

Sam smiled wickedly, happy to have finally coaxed a sound from Aiden’s lips. He reached his free hand underneath Aiden’s balls, rolled them in his palm, then licked them, all the while fisting Aiden’s hard cock. He swallowed it again, skating wet fingers to find the clenched ring of muscles between the tight asscheeks. The press of his finger against the tight opening was rewarded with a low drawn-out groan, so he teased it again.

“Lube?” he whispered as he released Aiden’s cock for a moment.

“Don’t want any,” came the tense response. “Just push your finger in.”

Sam hesitated.

“Nah, Sam. It’s good like that… I like it like that sometimes.”

The words shot through Sam like fire. He pressed his saliva-slicked finger inside and felt Aiden’s big hands grasp his shoulders and pull him closer, encouraging him to push deeper. Sam hollowed his cheeks and increased the suction, pulling and licking until he could feel Aiden’s balls pull tight against his forearm.

“Shit… Sam… gonna… come,” Aiden warned.

Sam released Aiden’s cock from his mouth but continued to rub his lips and hand over it until he felt the warmth of Aiden’s come on his cheek. After Aiden stopped shaking, Sam met his warm brown eyes and smiled.

Aiden reached up and wiped Aiden’s cheek with the sheet, then leaned back against the pillow and inhaled long and deep. “Good God,” he said in an impossibly low, sexy voice, “that was incredible.”

Sam’s face warmed at the compliment, and he fought the urge to protest. Even after so many years of living in New York as an openly gay man, he still felt the stirrings of shame from time to time, his Southern Baptist roots too well ingrained to ignore. But the moment of embarrassment was short-lived, eclipsed by his own unsatisfied need.

“I want to fuck you,” he whispered. “If that’s okay….” He had never been hesitant before, but he felt like he was seventeen all over again, doing it for the first time in the woods behind the cabins at summer camp.

“You’re joking, right?” Aiden laughed. “Hell, yeah.” He reached under the mattress and pulled out a box of condoms and a small bottle of lube, then tossed them within Sam’s reach.

The tension in Sam’s shoulders relaxed until he felt his companion’s hand rubbing at the crotch of his pants. His breath caught in his throat. Too long. Way too long. He started to loosen his tie, but Aiden stopped him.

“Fuck me in that suit. It’s so damn hot.” He rolled onto his stomach and lifted his ass in blatant invitation. “I want you to fuck me in your clothes.”

“Damn,” Sam hissed as he unzipped his fly and pulled his cock out. There was something thrilling about the way Aiden had taken control, something about the way Aiden’s words had sounded almost like an order that made Sam shiver. And, oh God, the globes of Aiden’s ass beckoned, tight and smooth. Sam began to stroke him while he uncapped the lube and slathered his fingers with it, then reached around to press at the hole he had only barely breached before.

“No prep,” Aiden rumbled. “Lube it up. I like it when it hurts a little.”

What the hell do I say to that?

Sam knew the feeling himself, although he had never admitted it to Nick. He and Nick had been tender lovers—the kind of lovers who explored every inch of each other’s bodies with gentle fingers and tongues. Their lovemaking had never approached the rough animal sex Sam had often fantasized about. That hadn’t been Nick’s style; he had been as laid-back and slow in bed as he was in life, and Sam had loved that about him. The sex had been great. Better than great, but now….

Sam rolled the condom over his erection and greased it well, then leaned over and spread Aiden wider. Aiden’s low laugh was an invitation, and Sam looked up to see Aiden’s eyes filled with a mixture of need and playfulness. He pressed the head of his cock against Aiden’s hole, inhaling sharply as the outer ring of muscle gave way and he felt the warm tightness nip at his sensitive tip.

“Come on,” Aiden urged him. “I want it all the way inside.”

He pushed harder, Aiden’s inner muscles gradually releasing with some resistance until Sam was seated up to his balls. Aiden was half-hard again, and Sam grasped his thickening flesh with one hand as he pulled out. Then he pushed in once more, making sure he brushed against Aiden’s prostate. He felt Aiden’s shudder and saw the look of pleasure on his face.

“Harder, Sam. Need it harder.”

“Oh God, yes. But it’s been too long. I won’t be able to….”

“I don’t care.” Aiden’s voice was now rough, husky with need. “Do it like you know you want to.”
The realization that Aiden had guessed at something Sam himself had long denied only served to intensify the urge to pound Aiden senseless. “Fuck,” he panted. “You’re so tight.”

The bed shook as he picked up speed, pistoning back and forth, letting go of all of his repressed desire. His shirt clung to his skin, his pants rode up his ass, but that only increased the pleasure that ran from his cock up his spine and pulled his sac tight. He came with a shout and a series of shudders, then leaned down so his face was only inches away from Aiden’s.

Their eyes met. For Sam it was like diving into dark water—he didn’t know what he might find, but he was caught in the siren song. Aiden’s lips met his, and something deep inside Sam’s heart let go. A door he had closed when Nick died opened just a crack. It stayed open for a brief instant before he felt ice in his veins as fear seeped back inside.

“Stay?” Aiden offered hopefully.

“I….” Sam hesitated. “Okay.” He knew he should leave, that he wasn’t ready for this, but he couldn’t do it. He was so raw, so hungry for Aiden’s touch. He wanted more.

Aiden smiled at Sam and began to unbutton his shirt.