Andy Howard dropped out of college to get away from his abusive father. When his longtime boyfriend reveals similar tendencies, Andy refuses to endure another moment of it, running away with nothing more than the cash in his pockets. He makes it to Virginia, where he's taken in by Scooter Stahl, a restaurant owner looking for an extra hand who's willing to be paid cash under the table.<br><br>Scooter's been struggling for years: to keep the beachside restaurant he inherited from his parents above water (both financially and literally); to live down the fact that he's gay in a small southern town; to get over the man who's owned his heart since he was fourteen. But he's never had to struggle as hard as he is now, to keep his hands off Andy.

Nights in Sandbridge

Andy gave up his melodramatic pose to curl his fingers into Scooter’s hair and return the kiss, with interest. “Mm, dessert.”


Trick was sneaking up on the table, taking advantage of their distraction to steal a whole slice, but Scooter was tired of people and things and accidents interrupting them. He kept a hand on Andy’s chin, the other one twining their fingers together, and let himself get lost in the kiss. The traces of red pepper on Andy’s lips lent a certain zing to the kiss, tingling at his lip and tongue. He licked his wayinto Andy’s mouth, not caring who saw them or what they thought, taking, taking everything Andy offered.


The dim thought finally filtered into his brain that if Trick ate all the remaining pizza, Andy was going to have an utterly miserable night. Which might not be equal value to a few minutes’ worth of kissing. Maybe. Probably. He sighed and drew back.


Chapter 58