In 1934, life in Brookburn, Indiana, is quiet, simple, and peaceful, but young dreamer Levi Beckerman yearns for more. When the carnival shows up for the Fourth of July, he’s entranced by its many temptations. None is more seductive than the charismatic barker, Sebastian Gustineau.<br><br>Seb’s been a part of the carnival for almost a decade. Once, it provided him the escape he needed from a life he thought he didn’t want, but now, he craves things it can never offer. Flitting from dusty town to dusty town, he loses himself in pretty dalliances. Levi seems like the perfect distraction, until a single conversation convinces him that preserving Levi’s innocence and way of life is more important than his momentary satisfaction.<br><br>However, his plan to discourage Levi goes horribly wrong. When Levi’s family is threatened, Levi fights to protect them, doing what he can to hide the secrets he’s sheltered his entire life. The only person he trusts is Seb. He just isn’t sure if the growing bond between them is enough to save them all.

A Simple Charm

Seb did. And the longer he held Levi tucked into his side, the more acutely aware Levi became of more than just the way the man smelled.


A hard hip that nudged against his on every other step, sometimes just a glance, other times a firm press. The way he clicked his tongue every once in a while, a distracted tap against his teeth that had Levi hungering to feel it for himself. Long fingers absently toying with Levi’s sleeve, plucking at the fabric to pull it away from his skin, teasing him with hints of heat seeping from their tips.


Chapter 9