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

I can’t be who I’m supposed to be when you make me feel the way you


“You’re sorry,” Jamie said, and Alex nodded.


For a minute Alex thought that would be it, Jamie wouldn’t say


another word and he’d turn to leave, it would be over between them


before it even got started, but then Jamie laughed. Surprised, Alex


looked back at Jamie, his eyes bright and the sunshine in his face


as he smiled. “So you’re not in the program anymore.” Alex shook


his head. “Last night you said we couldn’t do shit because of that


damn thing, and now you’re not in it.”


Alex sighed. Jamie was taking it the wrong way, twisting the


situation with his infallible logic. That wasn’t what he meant at


“So what’s keeping us from hooking up?” Jamie asked, hope


ringing clear in his voice. “What’s stopping us now,


“You’re eighteen,” he replied. The anger came back again,


clouding Jamie’s brow and pulling those full lips into a pretty


Chapter 33