Keir Moreau, a middle school teacher living a solitary life, is excited to welcome a handsome new neighbor. But after their first meeting goes alarmingly wrong, Keir decides it's safer to keep his distance. Besides, he has to focus all his attention on finding help for a student who is being forced into conversion therapy.<br><br>Riley Quinn used to be an award-winning photojournalist, roaming the world and exposing corruption. An injury put an end to all that. Now he's frustrated with his new aimless life, wondering if he'll ever do anything again that really matters. When he first meets Keir, a case of mistaken identity leads him to mistreat his intriguing new neighbor. Riley tries again and again to redeem himself, but everything he does seems to push Keir farther away.<br><br>Keir, obsessing about his failure to help his student and fighting his stubborn attraction to Riley, takes a reckless gamble that goes dreadfully wrong. Or does it? Can an act of desperation open the door to romance?

The Chartreuse Door

That lightened mood carried him into the kitchen, where he sliced an apple, some aged cheddar, and made a cup of chamomile tea. He loaded it all on a tray, including the toffee, and carried it to his bedroom, where he devoured it all. Almost asleep on his feet, he barely made it through brushing his teeth. As he slid into bed, his last conscious thought was to wonder if ignoring Riley Quinn would make the man give up.


Wednesday, Riley watched from his spare bedroom, now dubbed his “lookout,” for Keir to leave for work. He snapped a few photos just out of habit, but none of them revealed anything more than a colorless mask. It was as if once Keir had covered his distinctive appearance and put on the suit, he disappeared into ordinary. Quite an effective disguise, because Riley was certain great depths lay hidden beneath that masquerade.


Chapter 11