Wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan and suffering post traumatic stress as a result, Andy Johnson is given a medical discharge from the British army. Shunning attention, Andy lives a quiet and lonely existence on his pig farm in Yorkshire. His peace is threatened when his friends take him to the city for his birthday. They buy him a kiss from Luke Wales, a twink porn star. Overwhelmed and needing some air, Andy escapes outside. Luke finds him there. They talk and Andy begins to relax. It’s cold and Andy gives Luke his combat jacket. However Roger, Luke’s boyfriend appears and the momentary connection is lost. Weeks later, recently separated from Roger, Luke is back in the north of England. He decides to pay Andy a visit, using the excuse of returning the man’s jacket. A snow storm forces the two men to spend time together, and a tentative friendship begins. Neither man is convinced they are worthy of the other. It takes time, plus the encouragement of friends and Andy’s teenage nephew, Craig, to convince the reluctant couple that what exists on the surface only tells part of the story. Andy’s scars and Luke’s past employment shouldn’t stand in the way of them exploring what each feels for the other.

Surface Tension

“Just that he was in intensive care.”


“Oh.”Luke’s mind was a swirl of emotions.He remembered the last time he’d seen Roger,theanger on his face,the twitching of his muscles.He’d been ill;Luke knew he should have tried harder to get him to seek help.


“Oh,sorry.”He realised Andy had been talking to him for the past couple of minutes,but he hadn’t heard a word.


Andy organised for him to leave work early,telling Tony that he’d just had news of a family emergency and might need to take a few days off.Luke,though numb,felt bad that he’d only just got the job and was needing time off.


“These things happen,”Tony said.“Just come back as soon as you can.”


“I hope your brother feels better soon,”Tony said.


Luke opened his mouth to tell Tony that Roger wasn’t his brother,but closed it again without speaking.How could he explain that Roger was his ex-boyfriend,and his‘illness’was probably drug related?


Chapter 45