On a whim, Alex signs up to volunteer with an outreach program at a local youth shelter. When Father Nate calls him and asks him to work with Jamie as a big brother, Alex envisions a little kid he'll pal around with. What he doesn't expect is Jamie Owens, an 18 year old boy with a bad attitude who's only two years younger than Alex himself.<br><br>Jamie's hot. Very hot, and nervy, and precocious, and damn sexy, to boot. Even if he is eighteen, Alex feels guilty lusting after the kid. Alex sees himself as a mentor to Jamie, someone to look up to, someone to prove being a gay man doesn't mean casual sex in crowded clubs. He tries to keep his distance, both physically and emotionally, but Alex is sending some very mixed signals, and Jamie is getting pretty frustrated. As their friendship grows, Jamie becomes a part of Alex's life in a way neither expects.

Conflict of Interest

Jamie ran up behind him. “She’s an ass,” he said softly, walking


so close that Alex could feel his shoulder bump his back with each


At the door to the FX studio, Alex stopped and fumbled with the


key. During the summer months, Saundra preferred to keep unoccupied


studios locked so none of the interns could wander around the


control booths unsupervised. The woman had serious trust issues. As


Alex slid the key into the lock, Jamie leaned against the door


frame and studied him, one hand on his hip. Finally he ran a finger


down Alex’s arm and whispered, “You’re mad at me.”


“You sure?” Jamie asked as the door popped


Alex stepped inside and flicked on the light. The sound booth


was smaller than the main studio used by the radio DJs, but he


could work back here. Remix the tapes Saundra had, maybe see if


Jamie wanted to record anything, show him how things ran on the


Chapter 25