NEIGHBORING AFFAIRS by Cheryl Dragon

NEIGHBORING AFFAIRS by Cheryl Dragon

Back in London and free from the navy, Lieutenant Myles Harris is now a wealthy man of property. His late father parted Myles from his lover, the Earl of Thistledown, George Hardwick. Years apart have hurt both men, but their feelings haven’t disappeared.

George believes he has put the past behind him and has no interest in seeing Myles again. However, the earl can’t turn away Myles’ little sister, the sweet girl he watched grow up next door, when she runs from her abusive husband. Hiding her in his London home, George must also have Myles as a guest under his roof. The duo must work together for their common good. Passion reignites and soon the men are breaking laws!

The options are few, but they’d much rather defy the law than deny their hearts and abandon their honor.

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~Excerpt~

George walked over to Myles with an intent look on his face. Dark brown hair and hazel eyes stood out on his pale skin. George was broad in the shoulder and tall. His muscles were well earned from riding and walking about his large estate. The memory of their romps in the barn had made Myles’ worst days at sea tolerable. The spark had not gone out on what they had.

In public, they had to be old acquaintances. Myles had no earthly idea what they truly were at that moment.

“Lord Thistledown,” Myles bowed.

“Harris, we need to speak in private,” George said plainly.

Hope sprung in Myles but they had to be discreet. “Of course, I can’t thank you enough for looking after my estate.”

“Do you have a room or not?” George demanded.

Myles turned and headed for his private chamber. The second George was inside Myles closed the door and forced himself to remain there. The small room with no prying eyes was no place for two men who’d spent as much time naked together as they had. Myles wanted to kiss his old lover. Just for a moment to simply forget they’d ever been apart.

George dominated the room. He paced as though he’d done nothing wrong. In fact he seemed like a wronged man full of indignation and anger. He still smelled of sandalwood and tried to hide his emotions. Myles could see through him.

“What is so urgent?” Myles asked.

Both men watched each other carefully. Myles could see the desire smoldering in George’s eyes. Their connection was nothing like the casual attachments Myles had made due with onboard ship.

“I don’t have time for pleasantries. This is not a social call.” George regained his composure.

“You came about the estate information at this time of night?” Myles masked his pain with orderly manners. Being alone with George had never been like this.

George threw open Myles’ trunk. “No, I didn’t come for the estate! Pack your things, you’re coming with me.”

“What? We do need to be alone and speak plainly. But I think a club is appropriate for me. We have time now.” The urge to be intimate with George churned within Myles but discussion could lead to more pain.

George grabbed Myles by the shoulders and shook him. “Your estate is the least of our worries. Pack your things. Your beaten sister is at my home. The doctor is with her. That husband hers could be hunting her down.”

Shock set in as Myles stepped back. The power of George’s touch faded as the words sank in. Myles sprang into action. The two men tossed Myles’ belongings into the trunk. Myles threw on his coat and grabbed the trunk, used for toting his own load without servants. The coachman quickly took the trunk once they were outside of the club and Myles joined George inside the carriage.

“Is it bad?” Myles asked.

“Bad enough that I ran out into the night without a footman or a pistol. That damn Baron.” George shook his head.

“You took her in. Thank you. How did she make it to you?” Myles let the guilt hit him. The time for action would come but first he had to be a brother. His sister was being abused. No happy marriage or quick romance.

“I haven’t a clue. She turned up at our door. Basil spoke to her at a ball earlier. I tried to avoid it but she seemed equally determined. The mess your father left,” George grumbled.

“I didn’t approve of it. Second sons rarely get a vote, especially at sea.” Myles let his head fall back and studied the Earl he loved for so long. The man still did the right things. Myles wanted to kiss him and ask so many questions as the carriage made its way through the thick after-party traffic. Instead, he focused on the one thing the men would agree on…Claire. “She was awake then? You spoke to her? Maybe she’s not that bad?”

“I spoke to her briefly. She fainted again. I hope it isn’t that bad, but that it’s bad enough.” George glared out the window.

“What does that mean?” Myles couldn’t believe George would want Claire hurt to any degree.

“Don’t look at me like that. I haven’t changed. My life and attitude are exactly as they were before you went to sea. Think, Myles. If she isn’t hurt much at all, then her husband can demand her return at any time. I’m not letting her go back to that hell. We have to find another way,” George said.

Myles cursed the law. “If she’s alive, we have no legal recourse against him. She’s his wife.”

“I don’t have the answers, but I will find a solution. She’s in my home and I won’t let Philips in or her out if I can help it. Basil is a wreck.”

“No less than I. If I’d known, I’d have done something. Found a way.” Myles looked George in the eye. Instead of solidarity and connection, Myles found a flicker of doubt. Beneath that, anger and resentment brewed. Myles couldn’t fight about whatever bothered George. Their past and feelings could only make things worse. If George had a new lover or ten, it didn’t matter. He was Claire’s best chance for survival.

George always had to direct the play. He was an Earl, a titled lord and every bit the man who owned his responsibility. There had been a time when Myles felt George’s love and trust in every glance. Their connection broke through the duty and public guise but it was a distant memory that he longed for.

Still, if his sister had to run into the hands of anyone, Myles was grateful she’d made it to George. No one would do more for her protection. Myles could try but he was not as well connected and had no house in town. Owing George for the care of his estate was no longer the sum total of their debt. Myles owed George his sister’s life.

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WORKING IT OUT by Sara York

WORKING IT OUT by Sara York

Passion and lust brings them together, what they don't expect is to fall in love.

Jake Grant is a sexy personal trainer not looking for anyone after his long-time partner passes away. He's ready to throw away his dreams by selling the gym just to get away from the ghost of his past. But once he meets Lance everything changes.

Lance Abbott is an orthopaedic surgeon who specialising in sports medicine and is completely in the closet. He is convinced that if his clients found out he was gay they would all leave his practice and he would have to abandon the work he loves. When he meets Jake, a man who is totally out, all of Lance’s perceptions about being “out” are challenged.

Passions and lust drive Lance and Jake together. But they soon find out their relationship is deeper than the physical heat between them. Can what they have last without anyone finding out? Or should Lance give up his insecurities and embrace Jake fully?

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Excerpt From: Working It Out

Jake Grant dropped the eighty-pound weight to the floor, hid his face in his hands and cried. The gym was closed, had been for hours and that was the only reason he let the tears flow.

Six months had passed since Mark had been killed. The insurance company had settled early, and the money sat in an account he didn’t want to think about. The huge Victorian house they had bought together in downtown New Bern and refinished had sold last month.

All that was left for him in North Carolina was the gym.

It pained him to admit that the gym was the one thing he had always loved more than Mark. Even though Jake loved the gym and wouldn’t want to part with it for anything in the world, every corner of the place held memories of his lover. Hell, he’d changed the office, moving from the plush room they’d created together to a small storage space where the files used to be kept. It hadn’t helped.

The gym sat in a perfect location, only a few blocks from the Trent River where he and Mark used to end their jog every morning. They’d walk over to Port City Java for a quick fruit smoothie before crossing the street to work. All of their little habits were reminders of how good his life had been.

A train whistle blew mournfully in the distance, breaking the eerie silence of the early morning. In a few hours people would filter in, trying to get in a workout before their day started.

He’d been stupid to stay up so late. The old apparitions of Mark always came out when the place was empty.

Jake picked up a towel and scrubbed his face, angry at his reaction. Hot tears burned his eyes again as he remembered his late-night workouts with Mark when they were getting to know each other.

They’d both been jocks before they met. Fitness had been Jake’s life through college. Meeting Mark his junior year had opened up a world he hadn’t really expected to live in. Mark had been sure of his sexuality. Out but not a flaming fag. He’d taught Jake to feel comfortable with being gay. They’d become lovers slowly, coming together over the Christmas break. But Jake’s insecurities had kept them from being open about their relationship until after college.

After graduation they’d both worked double shifts, Mark dancing at the male strip club in front of rabid women and Jake waiting tables at a high-end restaurant. When they’d finally scraped together enough money to purchase the building and equipment for their gym they had no longer been hiding their relationship. No one who had come in made it a big deal, of course. Neither had he or Mark. No public displays on the gym floor, and that rule went for everyone, hetero or not.

The club members had been supportive since Mark’s death, but Jake could tell their well-wishing was wearing thin. Better to sell and get out from under the grind of putting on the happy face every morning for clients who didn’t understand, even if they were well- meaning.

Jake pulled a pillow out of the closet, tugged on a sweatshirt and lay down on a floor mat. He couldn’t face the apartment he’d rented another night. He was being stupid, and he knew it. It wasn’t fair to him, or to Mark’s memory, to be so totally screwed up, but what the hell else was he to do?
After tossing and turning for a few hours he heard the key in the lock then the annoying beep of the alarm. The lights flipped on, blinding him momentarily. He threw his arms over his face, blocking out the light.

“Jake, sorry. Didn’t realise you would be here.”

“Really?” Jake peeked out from behind his arm, spying Trixie looking all happy and bubbly.
“I guess I should have known. You’ve been sleeping here quite a bit lately. But it’s morning. The gym will open soon.”

Jake struggled to get to his feet. Not that he was out of shape, but too many nights on the floor was starting to wear on him. His attitude stank too. “Shit, I need something to kick-start me.”

“Coffee?”

“Sure. Anything will do.”

“Next time you think about sleeping here on this uncomfortable floor you should really think about coming home with me.”

“What?” Jake stuck his pinkie in his ear, not sure he’d heard the girl right. She had known Mark and knew he didn’t swing that way.

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