Easy-going Sebastien divides his time between working as a cleaning technician, caring for his widowed father, and running off to the park for soccer practice. Coasting through his existence, he's convinced he doesn't have much going for him.<br><br>That isn’t what his best friend Jack thinks. Quick-witted and passionate, Jack is fascinated by art and history, but the greatest book or painting could never compare to how he feels when he's alone with Sebastien.<br><br>In the last five years, Seb and Jack have shared everything, sometimes even a bed. Yet though their chemistry is smoking hot, Sebastien keeps Jack at a safe distance. But when the two move in together to lower their living expenses, that distance gets smaller and smaller, until Sebastien and Jack are standing so close, they can't see what's right in front of their eyes ... the love of their life.

Auguries of Summer

I hadn’t received a word from him today.


Now Ryan stood by the hood of the car waiting for me to notice him, and I kept waxing the trunk as though I hadn’t seen him there. Sweat stung my eyes. I was shirtless and my shoulders were beginning to scorch. It was high noon. Not a good time for being cooked by the sun.


Ryan came a little closer to where I stood and cleared his throat. “So, hey, I see your old man hasn’t sold this piece of shit yet.”


I glanced up and feigned surprise at seeing him there. “Ryan. Hi.” I held onto the rag, shifting my weight from foot to foot. Didn’t know if I should shake his hand or what. I’d sucked this man’s dick, but here we were standing face to face, unsure and estranged.


Ryan hooked his thumbs into his baggy jeans and swayed back a little. He’d gotten bigger around the shoulders. His biceps were bulging out of his Linkin Park T-shirt. “How you been?” he asked, his gentle gray-blue eyes searching mine. “Been a while, huh?”


Chapter 28