Renowned interior designer Fredi Zimmer is surprised when outdoorsman Max Greene, owner of Greene’s Outdoors, hires him to revamp Max’s rustic cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Fredi is an out-and-proud Metro male whose contact with the outdoors is from his car to the doorway of the million-dollar homes he remodels, and to Fredi, Max is a typical straight man’s man. When Max blatantly and clumsily flirts with Fredi, Fredi’s stereotypical view of Max is shattered. Is this a build-up to a gay bashing? Cautiously believing Max is closeted and is trying to come out, Fredi decides he’s game to put a little spice into Max’s life, whether it’s in the colors and fixtures he’ll use to turn Max's dilapidated cabin into a showplace or over one of the many lunches and dinners they share talking about the remodel. Who can blame a guy for adding a little sensual pleasure as he retools Max’s life visually? Besides, Fredi has a backup plan if he’s wrong about Max’s intentions. Life would be all wine and roses if it weren’t for Max’s former friends and their conservative families. Alarmed with Max’s obvious infatuation, they make it their business to save him from sliding into hell. With the battle on, will Fredi and Max win the fight for a life of happiness together?

Redesigning Max

“Mornin’. Let’s go find us a table,” Max purred in my ear. Then louder he said, “Mornin’, guys. Looks like everybody’s up early today.”


Max gave me a little shove with his body, and I tingled all over. We walked through the crowd toward the main part of the cafe.


“Mornin’, Lorraine. You got a table for us?” Max asked the woman whom I was beginning to think of as the Rock Bottom’s only waitress.


At her nod, I was again nudged to walk, to follow her as she led us to the same booth where we’d been sitting the night before. Still in shock at having Max at my back when I’d just been thinking of him, I followed her black polyester knit pants. Max was walking so close to me, I could feel his erection. And as always happens, action provoked reaction. I stiffened.


“I think coffee for both of us,” Max said, waiting until I nodded before he looked at Lorraine.


Chapter 21