Student of letters, Micah Yardley wants one thing: to meet the poet Jefferson Dering. After hearing his idol speak at Harvard, Micah travels to Jefferson’s home in nearby Wroxham, entertaining visions of discussing poetry over dinner and drinks. What he experiences exceeds anything he ever anticipated.<br><br>Jefferson finds Micah mesmerizing and passionate, everything he has ever wanted. But after getting caught in a compromising position with another young man a decade earlier, he exiled himself from Boston and from affairs of the heart. Jefferson represses his longing for Micah, but his tumultuous emotions cannot be contained.<br><br>Micah denies the truth of his desire for Jefferson. Jefferson refuses to act on his passion for Micah. But all it takes is a single kiss in Wroxham's haunted church to change the course of their lives ... and ignite the flame that could fulfill a generations-old promise.

A Hidden Beauty

“I’ll not hurt you,” he promised as his crown finally breached Micah’s waiting body.


He knew he had to stay relaxed, that it would only hurt if he tensed. But Jefferson was far thicker than his fingers, and he couldn’t help the cry of pain escaping his throat as he clenched against the intrusion.


Jefferson immediately froze. It was on the tip of Micah’s tongue to tell him to stop, he couldn’t do this, it was too much, and he knew if he did, Jefferson would agree.


It was that realization—that knowledge that Jefferson loved him enough to the point of denying his own satisfaction—that stayed his tongue.


“Micah…” The word was ragged as Jefferson held himself motionless. “Relax, please.” Micah nodded, doing his best to will the tension out of his body. “That’s it. Just like that.” Jefferson pushed deeper, by less than an inch, then froze again. “I can’t believe…how good you feel. I’m going to go a little deeper now.” And then he was filling him by another inch.


Chapter 58