After a decade together, death took Daniel’s lover away in an instant. A year of grieving kept him from thinking about the future. But now fearing loneliness, fearing aging and its effects, he’s ready to find someone new before it’s too late. Filled with good intentions, Daniel joins a gym. He plans to work hard to keep what time is all too quickly taking away from him. But are good intentions enough against the many distractions and temptations of life? Is he really prepared to make the sacrifices required? Meeting gym owner Chris may be the extra boost his motivation needs -- if only he could figure out why Chris keeps blowing hot and cold on him. Death claimed Chris’s lover too, but took much longer about it. The memory of watching the man he loved suffer has left Chris terrified of getting close to anyone again. He likes Daniel a lot, but there’s a problem and Chris can’t fix it, only Daniel can. If he’s serious about being with Chris. It’s a straightforward ultimatum. Daniel smokes and Chris will not date a smoker. Daniel has a choice. It’s Chris or the cigarettes. Daniel has to prove to Chris that he’s ready to make changes and he’s not all mouth. But can he do it? Are the sacrifices he’ll have to make worth it? Should he even be changing himself to suit a man who’s made him no promises and who might still back off later? Chris has to learn to accept Daniel’s imperfections and mortality. Only once he gets past the grief and fear can he take a risk on loving Daniel, even knowing he could be hurt again. Daniel takes on the biggest physical challenge he’s ever faced to prove he’s serious about Chris. But in the end, he has to decide if he wants to make the changes for himself and his own future, whether Chris is part of that or not.

Smoke In My Eyes

I swore I wouldn’t let it happen. Because I didn’t ever want to see him disappointed in me.


Eight weeks until race day. I pounded the tarmac like Rocky, wishing there were some grand steps nearby for me to climb triumphantly. Not a chance. It was growing dark as I started to head out of the park. If there was any cruising going on among the bushes I was moving too fast to catch anyone’s eye.


I pulled my hood up, ears getting chilly. The strains of Queen’s Greatest Hits pounded through my ear buds. I don’t think I’d have made it this far without Freddie and the boys. They were my first choice of workout music. The intro to Who Wants to Live Forever?had just started when I left the park gate and almost rammed right into a man walking on the pavement. Dammit, the council needed to trim the lavender tree growing by the gate. Nobody could see a damn thing coming.


The man grabbed my arm to steady me and I stared when I realised it was Chris.


Chapter 15