In the year 2184, the US is divided. Half the country has moved on with the rest of the world, while in middle America, the survivors of the terrorist biological attack that split the country struggle just to stay alive. Though a century has passed, few people brave going behind the borders meant to contain the danger. Even the privatized military is reluctant to do so.<br><br>But that doesn’t stop recently discharged Sullivan Eberle. Only one thing drives him anymore -- the need to find Raphael Hamada. He doesn’t know why. He only knows he must. If that means a lifetime behind the borders, then so be it.<br><br>Rafe Hamada ran away from the real world when he was still a kid. The last thing he wants is to be found, especially by a soldier who can’t even tell him why it was so important to locate him in the first place. He’d like nothing more than for Sullivan to leave, but turning his back on a man alone and friendless is against everything Rafe stands for ...

Penny Candles

He caught Rafe’s face in the palms of his hands and held him still to seal their mouths together. Swallowing Rafe’s small sound of surprise, he pressed deeper, shaking from the force of new emotions. Rafe dug into his waist, pulling their bodies tight against each other again, and answered with his own rush, his own desire, finally breaking away with a laugh and a jubilant smile.


“I’m guessing that’s a yes,” he said.


Sullivan blinked to reorient himself. “Yes. God, yes. I’d love that.” He firmed his grip, meeting Rafe’s eyes, hoping what he felt burned as brightly there as it did in his chest. “I love you.”


“Then let’s do this before those soldiers come back,” Maria said. She came around to Rafe’s side as they parted enough to include her and Father Thomas. “If you please, Father.”


Chapter 65