Kevin Flaherty’s life really sucks. Laid off from his job and facing homelessness, he doesn’t think things can get worse. Forced to work a low-paying job at a car wash, he’s embarrassed to even tell his closest friends. Hotshot lawyer Michael Bennett comes in to have his Maserati cleaned. Kevin knows Michael well. When Kevin was fifteen, an openly gay twenty-one-year-old Michael was Kevin’s dream man. But when the teenaged Kevin made a move, Michael rejected the then too young Kevin. But nine years have passed, and Michael is surprised at how gorgeous and haughty Kevin has become. When he learns of Kevin’s situation, a smitten Michael makes it his job to clean up the disaster Kevin’s life has become. But his take-charge, bossy attitude rubs sensitive Kevin the wrong way. Things look dismal for Kevin once more, but can he find a way to let Michael see the true beauty behind his sass?

Car Wash

“I look like a dork. But it’s better than the car-wash smock.” Kevin sighed and leaned back. “When I worked at my old job I used to spend a lot of money on clothes. I went out a lot to this gay bar in West Hollywood. I don’t go there much anymore.”


He shrugged. “Well, transportation’s an issue. I could probably get some people to pick me up, I guess. Most of that crowd doesn’t know I lost my job though. Most of them don’t much care. It’s not like they were good friends or anything. Anyway, I didn’t usually have to pay for drinks because a lot of guys would buy them for me whenever I went there. To be honest I didn’t always like the way I acted while I was there.” Kevin toyed with the hem of his shirt, feeling stupid for sharing all this information with Michael considering things.


“Yeah, it’s best you stay away from those kinds of places. Guys are looking for an easy lay, and they’ll slip stuff into your drinks,” Michael said. “I don’t like the idea of you going there.”


Chapter 21