Fourteen years ago, on the banks of Craving’s Creek, Ryde swore to his best friend Alistair he’d never be alone in the world. Though Alistair was destined for the priesthood, there was something beyond holy about the first kiss they shared. But a fun camping trip went horribly wrong when Alistair was involved in a horrific incident. Now, at age thirty-one, Ryde’s life is a mess of alcohol and the painful imprint of his last look into Alistair’s desperate eyes. Since the evil they encountered on that shore, his first love has been lost to him ... until he learns a friend’s wedding is to be officiated by a priest named Father Alistair Genet. Amid the rush of emotions, one thought crystallizes: Ryde’s love for Alistair has never died. It’s stronger than ever. But can it win over the repressed memories slowly tearing Alistair’s mind apart?

Craving's Creek

I lean in and put my face close to his. I breathe deep, taking in his scent. I feel hot and groggy, horny as hell. I press my hand against his heart and feel it beating slow and steady under my fingers. I move my hand down his chest, but make myself stop when I reach his belly.


He opens his eyes. “Is it nighttime?” he asks, his eyes still not quite focused.


“No, but it’s dark ‘cause it’s still raining.”


“I wish we could go to the creek,” I say. I’m dying to put my head on his chest, but I’m too nervous. Or too proud. “You’ll love it once you see it.”


“Tell me what it looks like,” he says, taking the earphones off. I feel his hand on my arm. “Is it really beautiful?”


Chapter 23