Daniel Trace dreams of days to come -- literally. Ever since he can remember, Daniel gathers hints and snippets of the upcoming day through his dreams. Of course, the dreams are never straight forward (and neither is Daniel), so the shy, rare book dealer spends his nights pulling together clues under the guise of a Medieval warrior or an ancient Greek fire fighter. Surrounded by an eclectic group of family and friends, he carves a refuge in his Chicago neighborhood.<br><br>Daniel’s latest dreams warn of the return of an old nemesis, but nothing prepares him for Karden Templeton, a man with eyes the color of chocolate as it melts on the tongue. Along with unending flirtations, Karden offers Daniel a proposal that will turn his orderly world upside down and ignite long-forgotten desires.<br><br>Will surrendering to Karden’s flirtations place Daniel at the mercy of an old love? Can Daniel learn to accept his gifts, and trust his awakening feelings for Karden?

Dream of Me

A discrete cough pulled the attention of both men. They leaned on either side of the tall orchids to peer toward the door. An elderly man stood just inside the doorway and offered a patient smile. “Mr. Trace, a pleasure to see you again,” he said.


“Hello, James,” Daniel responded, stepping around the table. He smoothed out invisible wrinkles on his jacket in an attempt to clear his head. “How have you been? Is your daughter well?” Daniel glanced back to see Karden fixing a polite smile on his face.


“Ah yes, Elizabeth has joined an artist colony in Arizona, Mr. Trace,” James said without inflection. Serving as Paulo’s butler and house man for decades, Daniel remembered his distinguishing characteristic was an inability to be shocked—a vital trait when working for Paulo. For all the years Daniel knew James, the man never changed. There were times Daniel imagined he was born a middle-aged man with silver hair, an unflappable expression, and a voice the sound of vanilla.


Chapter 19