Six years ago, Jarrett Kessel helped his best friend’s little brother deal with his family’s rejection when he came out. He saw potential in the tempestuous teenager. Talent. Then, they both moved on with their lives.<br><br>Now, the FBI needs Jarrett’s help. Sketch artist Eli Locke is their only lead in finding a killer, but he’s nowhere to be found. Though the Feds are convinced Jarrett is the best way to lure him out, he’s not so sure. Until they show him the web comic Eli has created, with a superhero who bears a striking resemblance to Jarrett.<br><br>When Eli gets an email out of the blue from the man who changed his life, he doesn’t even consider saying no to a meeting. Jarrett is even more amazing than he remembers, and the fact that he’s all right being the role model for the one thing that means the most to Eli is just icing on the cake. But the truth about the murder comes out, and even though he had nothing to do with it, Eli wants to run. It’s up to Jarrett to keep him from ruining his life for good, before the killer finds them both and does it first ...

Outlined in Ink

“I just wanted you to get some sleep.”


His voice rumbled from the unleashed laughter. Down below, Eli pressed forward. Jarrett hissed at the rub of a long, ready erection against his, though when his hand shot out to grab Eli’s hip, he wasn’t sure if it was to yank him closer or push him away.


“One kiss,” Eli wheedled. “That’s all I’m asking for. I’ve fantasized about you for years, Jarrett. Please let me just have this one thing.”


He was a liar in more ways than one. In the back of his mind, he’d known all that, and yeah, he’d tried to do the noble thing and keep Eli at arm’s length, but he’d known all along he was doing it for himself as much as he was trying to do it for Eli. Because there was something about Eli, that mixture of innocence and worldly élan, that did more than intrigue Jarrett. It seduced him, whispering in his ear how good it would be and all he had to do was let Eli in to find out.


Chapter 27