Change comes to all of us. For Theo Bascopolis, the first time is when he's fifteen. He finds his life falling apart when his father discovers Theo is gay and orders him to become straight or leave. Having no choice, in spite of what his father might think, Theo leaves. But where can a fifteen-year-old go? Especially when it starts to rain. He thinks things are looking up when he meets a striking man named Franky, who seems very attracted to him. However, once again Theo's life changes when he learns all Franky wants is for him to hustle. And so Theo becomes the rent boy Sweetcheeks. However, Franky underestimates Sweetcheeks, and the results of the ensuing fight sees Sweetcheeks fleeing to Washington DC, where he crosses paths with a group of rent boys who take him in. Finally Sweetcheeks has a family, a home, and an additional source of income in the form of apartments they're able to rent out. His life changes again a few years later when a mysterious tenant by the name of Mark Vincent becomes the reason behind the assault on one of Sweetcheeks's boys. Vincent visits the boy in the hospital, bringing with him his equally enigmatic trainee, William Matheson. The instant attraction blindsides Sweetcheeks. In spite of knowing love isn't for rent boys, he hopes Matheson can see beyond the body he's offered to so many. But Matheson has secrets of his own. Can Sweetcheeks overcome his insecurities enough to believe in the quiet man who's come into his life? Can Matheson keep his actual occupation a secret without it jeopardizing their budding relationship?

Pick Up the Pieces

Wills looked surprised. I’d always fucked him, and he seemed happy with that, but we’d been seeing each other for about four weeks now, a long time in rent-boy terms, and I wanted this. Okay, I wanted to show off a little too, wanted him to know how good I was, why I brought down the big bucks.


He backed me against the sink, his hands going from my waist to my hair. “Are you…are you sure?”


I stroked his cheek. He needed to shave, but I wasn’t going to interrupt the moment to tell him that. “I’m sure, Wills.” So sure I’d taken care of matters earlier so I was spic and span inside and out.


He threaded his fingers through my hair. “You’ll tell me if I do something you don’t like?”


He kissed me. He tilted my head first one way, then the other, for the first time becoming really aggressive.


“Babe. Oh, babe.” He buried his face against the side of my neck. “I…”


Chapter 64