Attorney Charles Barnett thought it was all over for him and his heart. In the three years since his partner died, he hasn't felt so much as a spark of attraction to another man. That suddenly changes when Charles is assigned a new case and meets his new client.<br><br>Recent widower Philip d'Autremont has been traveling in all the same circles as Charles, but somehow they've never managed to meet. Now that they have, both men find themselves falling hard and fast.<br><br>But there's more than one hurdle to Charles and Philip beginning a love affair, much less maintaining it: Philip is on trial for murder, a politically ambitious and homophobic district attorney is determined to convict him, and Charles is responsible for Philip's defense.

Trial

The house had a musty smell, for which Charles apologized. Lance appeared to regard this house as his territory and bounded off on his own pursuits—but not before Charles had located, rinsed out, and filled a water bowl for him. “I forgot to call the caretaker and tell him to come over and open the house,” he said, obviously annoyed with himself at this omission.


“That’s alright,” I said. “It’ll air out in a hurry.”


“Right you are. Make yourself at home.”


Chapter 21