When he sees entrepreneur Mitch O'Shea whirling around an empty building, contractor Ben Behr is enchanted. Even though his two brothers are gay, Ben always thought he was a ladies' man until he met Mitch. Despite his feelings, Ben knows San Francisco native Mitch is totally out of his league. What could Ben possibly do to get out-and-proud Mitch to notice him? Turns out Mitch is just as attracted to Ben. As they compete in car rallies, camp in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and tour the bars Mitch owns in the city, they realize how stifled they've been their entire lives. Maybe looking over the fence and jumping it to explore what's on the other side are good ideas. When these two seemingly opposites get together, will Ben and Mitch find out they have the world at their feet and might even have love in their hearts?

Waking the Behr

“He said all I gotta do is a couple things.” The boy’s voice lifted in joy, but he still looked pitiful.


The kid focused on my hand like a hunting dog on a pheasant.


“What I gotta do?” His fingers plucked at his threadbare hoodie.


“First, Mitch and I are going to find you a place to go tonight with a warm bed and a meal. Second, you’ve got to go to school for the rest of the year.” I barked the rules at him.


“All year? But that’s like forever!” He stopped and clapped a grimy hand over his mouth.


“I don’t care. You want the sixty bucks or not?” I glanced over my shoulder at Mitch, then turned back to the kid. “It’s now or never. You snooze, you lose.”


He stared at Mitch, then me, then the fisted bills.


His shoulders dropped. His shaking hand reached toward my fist. “I’ll take the deal.”


I didn’t give him the money but put it back in my wallet. Then I shook his hand as the boy yelped. I turned to Mitch.


Chapter 17