Ten years ago, Maxwell you-can-just-call-me Clark thought he would spend his life as a military man. But his world turned into a nightmare when a suicide bomber destroyed Clark's career. It's been a long road to recovery, but now Clark finally has peace. His bar, Glow, is the place to be in the city of New Amsterdam; Lucian Gray, the son of the mayor, employs Clark as a confidential information man; and Clark’s side venture as part-owner of a BDSM club is quite the profitable release. Clark’s life is a good one, so long as no one gets too close.<br><br>Then a man walks into Glow who will forever change Clark’s rules and reality. Thinking Professor Daniel Germain is just another handsome face ripe for Clark’s kind of good time, Clark puts on his smoothest moves. When the professor turns him down, Clark goes on the hunt, and what he discovers shows him that even the deepest wounds can be healed by submitting to love.

Hearts Under Fire

“It’s a safe assumption,” Clark replied, smiling at Daniel and trying not to think about the texture of his hair, how it would feel if…


Clark sighed. Apparently being near Daniel was the emotional equivalent of taking a nice stroll through a peaceful meadow full of IEDs.


Daniel tilted his head. “It was good to see you again. I’m rather impressed and flattered at the lengths you went to in finding me.” He pointed at the uneaten slices of pizza. “Are you going to take those? I know my RAs would inhale them in an instant; they make the phrase ‘starving student’ look good.”


“Nah,” Clark said. “Not as hungry as I thought, I suppose.” He slid the plate toward Daniel. “Better they enjoy than it go to waste.”


“Are…are you all right, Clark? You seem…” Daniel frowned. “Off, I guess. Was it something I did or said?”


Oh, way to make the guy blame himself for the fact that you can’t identify a stupid crush for what it is or hold it together during a job. Smooth, Clark. Real smooth.


Chapter 17