by DHP Authors
“Yes, better than okay. I feel so wonderful I don’t want to ever wake up from this dream.”
Sean looked down at him quizzically. “It’s not a dream, sweetheart. Yer really here, with me.”
“I am?”
Sean smiled at him wickedly. “Yes. You said you wanted a boyfriend just like me. So I gave in to my own heart’s desire too. You see, I’ve always wanted someone just like you.”
“You did?”
“Yes, darlin’. I’ve been alone for a long time. Not many leprechauns are gay, you know.”
Patrick laughed. “Really? God, I hope this isn’t a dream. Pinch me, please Sean. Let me see if I wake up.”
“I’ll pinch you, baby, but yer wide awake, I assure you.”
“B-But how will I ever see my family again? My friends?”
“I’d never keep you from them. You can visit them whenever you like and they tell me there’s a new invention called the Skype.” He gave him a sad little look. “However…I don’t know if yer family will be too happy about you living with a man. Any man, darlin’.”
“No, no they won’t be too happy about that. But this is my life, right? They have theirs so they have to let me live mine!”
“I hope so, darlin’. For yer own sake. But just in case you ever regret yer wishes, take this, and keep it close.” He handed him a tiny piece of metal, made in the shape of a shamrock.
“What is it?”
“It’s a lucky charm, sweetheart. If you decide you want to leave me and go home, squeeze it tight and it will give you one more wish. But be careful what you wish for. Wishes can be very powerful things.”
Patrick sat up and touched Sean’s face. “I can’t ever imagine wanting to leave you—or this crazy dream either, because that’s what this has to be.”
“Okay, let’s get dressed and go out for a while. Maybe I can convince you then that yer really here with me in Ireland.”
“Go out? We can go out?”
“Yes, darlin’. We can go out and celebrate our new relationship. I’ll take you around to me favorite pub. What d’ya say?”
“Okay, if you say so, but…where are my clothes?”
Sean smiled at him. “Yer old ones won’t fit you now. Come on, sweetheart, and I’ll give you some of mine until we can get you yer own.”
Sean went over to an old dresser that had been tucked away in the shadows, so that Patrick hadn’t even noticed it before. He opened a drawer and pulled out jeans, underwear and a shirt, tossing them on the bed. “Come on. I want to take you out and show you off.”
Patrick got to his feet and followed Sean’s lead. This was all some kind of craziness anyway—best not to even question what was going on. He admired Sean’s lean, muscular body as he pulled on the clothing Sean had loaned him, and when they were both dressed, he followed Sean out the door of the cave-like room. A set of stairs led up to a broad oaken door, and when Sean flung it open to the outside, Patrick followed him out to a day that was overcast and cool.
Sean turned to him with a grin. “This may be a dream come true, but it’s still Ireland. We have to have a lot of rain to make everything so green.”
Patrick looked around him, loving the cool, salty breeze blowing off the ocean after the sweltering heat of Atlanta. He allowed Sean to guide him down the street of a picturesque little village. The houses were modern, but didn’t look much like houses in America, that’s for sure. It was a pleasant little street, but when Patrick looked behind him down the block to find the door they’d come through, all he saw was a solid brick wall. Sean caught his gaze and grinned. “I have to keep me secrets, you know. Or else they’d all be after me gold.”
Patrick simply nodded. Like everything else, it was completely unfathomable, so better that he didn’t dwell on it and drive himself mad. Sean ducked into a set of doors a little way down the street, under a cheerful green sign that proclaimed the place to be O’Flaherty’s Pub.
Inside, a fire was roaring in a huge stone fireplace. Tiny tables dotted the interior, and the bar was a huge affair of some kind of dark wood, with a red-haired bartender behind the bar that Sean said was old man O’Flaherty himself. He waved them in with a smile and poured them both a beer before Sean even ordered.
They sat at the bar and Sean was flirty and fun to be with. Patrick couldn’t remember laughing so much in years, nor could he remember ever drinking so much beer. He finally excused himself to find a bathroom, but when he came out, his heart sank at what he saw. Sean was right where he’d left him, but now a tall, handsome young man was leaning over him familiarly, whispering in his ear. He had his hand on Sean’s shoulder and Sean was laughing at something he’d said. As Patrick watched, Sean turned his head to answer him, and their lips almost brushed together.
White hot jealousy speared through Patrick. Oh fuck no, Sean was his dream lover, damn it! He marched over angrily toward them and stood glowering down at Sean and the good looking young man who was even now leaning all over Sean.
“Oh, hello, darlin’. This is me good friend, Andrew. Andrew, this is the man I was tellin’ you about—Patrick Malone.”
“Well, he is a pretty one, Sean,” Andrew said with a leer. “Do you share him?”
“He is standing right here, mother fucker. And get your damn hands off Sean before I remove them for you.”
The man straightened up, looking shocked. Sean’s mouth fell open as well, and he stood up between his friend and Patrick. He had a frown line between his beautiful eyes as he gazed at Patrick, “Settle down, darlin’. Andrew is a friend of mine. You need to apologize.”
“The hell I do,” Patrick said. He turned and took off for the door. Not that he had any idea where he would go in this alien place, but he couldn’t stand there a moment longer. He made it as far as the door when Sean’s big hand grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around.
“What’s the matter with you? Are you jealous? I told you Andrew is only a friend. Maybe I made a mistake when I chose you to be my heart’s desire.”
The words hurt, but he glared back at Sean. Shoving his hands into his pockets so Sean wouldn’t see them shaking, he touched the tiny charm Sean had given him—had it only been an hour or so before—and rubbed it with his fingers.
“Maybe you did make a mistake, Sean. Do you regret it? Would you rather be with Andrew?”
“I’d rather be with you, of course, if you’d calm down. Now come back and sit down and let’s talk this out. You can apologize to Andrew, and we can forget the whole thing.”
Patrick pulled his arm sharply away, glaring at Sean. “I’m not apologizing to Andrew for anything.”
“Then you can apologize to me for embarrassing me in front of me friends.”
Patrick knew that was exactly what he should do. He wanted to, but he just couldn’t. He was making a scene and making a fool of himself. But he was frightened of losing this perfect man, and losing his dream at the same time. It had all been too good to be true—he’d known it all along. Tears filled his eyes and splashed down on his cheeks. He swiped at them, and shook his head.
“It was all a lie, wasn’t it? Just a dream and now it’s turned into a nightmare! I knew it! I wish I’d never laid eyes on you!”
The air in front of him began to shimmer, and through its undulating waves, he saw Sean’s horrified face. Patrick realized to his horror that he had the charm Sean had given him clutched in his hand inside his pocket. Sean reached for him, calling his name and holding out his arms to him. Patrick cried out, knowing what he’d done so thoughtlessly.
“Sean! Help me! I don’t want to leave you!” But the tinkling sound was filling his ears and a misty fog was swirling around him.
His heart sank because he knew he’d lost something infinitely precious—a treasure beyond price. Peering through the mist, he had time for one last look into those beautiful eyes before everything faded to black.
****
The radio crackled omino
usly in his ear. Again and again someone was calling his name. He shook himself out of his stupor and keyed up his mike. He must have fallen asleep—it had to be this damned heat. It was driving him crazy.
Sergeant Adam’s, who was not the most pleasant of individuals at the best of times, grumbled across the line at him. “Is the motor running?”
“Uh, excuse me?”
“I said, is the motor running in your unit?”
“Yes, Sergeant,” he said slowly. What the hell was he nattering about now? Of course the motor was running. Why wouldn’t it be?
“If it’s still running, then go over there and pick up the prisoner, Malone. You can get a new unit after you drop him off.”
“Uh, ten-four, Sergeant…uh…where was it I was supposed to go to pick up this prisoner?”
A short exasperated silence came back at him. “What’s the matter with you, Malone? The heat must really be getting to you. 1428 North Avenue. The pawn shop? Weren’t you listening to your radio?”
“Yes. Okay. I’m en route,” Patrick said, trying hard to keep the bewilderment out of his voice. The sergeant acted like he was supposed to already know what the hell he was talking about. Maybe this heat was getting to the sergeant too. He didn’t remember any dispatch about a pawn shop.
It only took him a few minutes to arrive at the location, however, and as he pulled up in front of the pawn shop, he parked behind the other blue lights already parked outside. He levered himself out of the front seat and wiped the sweat from his brow. He felt dizzy—it must be the heat. He was so sad, and he couldn’t figure out why, but he couldn’t shake it either. His heart felt like lead in his chest.
Adjusting the waistband on his too-tight pants, he went inside the store to find the arresting officer. It was a guy he knew fairly well, and he filled Patrick in quickly.
The thief, he told him, was a man named Sean O’Grady, and he was cooling his heels in the back of the store at the present time. The store owners said he’d stolen some of their gold jewelry right out of the case, and made no effort at all to run away. He’d even asked them to call a policeman for him, and waited patiently for the cops to arrive.
Patrick nodded as listened, shaking his head over the strangeness of some of the people they encountered. At least the pawn shop was air conditioned, so he had a chance to cool off a bit. After handing over the report, the arresting officer nodded and jerked his head toward the back of the store. “He’s all yours.” Keying his mike and telling dispatch he was on his way, he then headed out the front door, and Patrick went to the back to pick up his prisoner.
The man had his back to him when he first walked in, but when he heard the sound of the door opening, he turned around, and that’s when Patrick was stopped in his tracks. The man that turned around to smile at him was beautiful— there were no other words to describe him. He stood up as Patrick entered and gave him a smile of such sweetness that Patrick was literally floored. Patrick’s lips parted a little in surprise at the intensity of the emotion that swept over him—a feeling of such longing and regret that he was almost staggered by it. He put a hand to his head and leaned against the door frame.
The beautiful man smiled gently at him. “Hello, sweetheart. I came back for you, darlin’, as you can see.”
“Y-You did?”
“Of course. Yer my true love and my heart’s desire after all. What else could I be doin’?” The smile that wreathed his face was beautiful and tender.
Patrick took a step closer to him and then he was holding the man in his arms. It felt so good that he never wanted to let him go. “It’s-It’s Sean, isn’t it? That’s your name. And you’re a…a…”
“A leprechaun. Of course, darlin’ boy. You and I have some unfinished business between us.”
“We do?”
“Oh yes. You know, sweetheart, I’ve been thinking. Second chances are all well and good, but a man like you…ah, Patrick, a man like you deserves an endless number of chances. So, darlin’, I’ve come to make you a wee deal—and it has to do with givin’ you three more wishes. But I won’t make the mistake of giving you a lucky charm this time, boyo. You’ll just have to make do.”
“Yes, Sean. I will. I do! I-I never want to lose you again!”
A tinkling sound was in the air around him as Patrick gazed into Sean’s eyes.
“That was yer first wish, then, darlin’. And it’s granted.”
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Selena Cooper lives in the southern United States and loves to hear from readers.
You can find her on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SelenaCooperAuthor, check out her Pinterest boards http://www.pinterest.com/cooper2478/, or her website: http://www.selenacooper.com.
Rider Jacobs was raised in a small town in the corner of Kansas where her mother installed in her a love of books, and as a result she developed a love for all things paranormal at an early age. After spending ten years in the bright lights of Las Vegas, Rider decided she wanted a much slower paced life and returned to Kansas. It was here that she met a friend who loved her stories and encouraged her to submit them.
When not writing Rider loves to read anything she can get her hands on from the dark taboo erotic books to the lighter Amish romance. She also has an interest in the lost art of pen paling. Putting pen to paper and sharing the good times and the bad through the written word with friends near and far. Rider also loves to travel and while she has been to the tourist attractions, she much prefers the hidden gems off the beaten path that few know about. It is these adventures that often find their way into her books.
Rider would love to hear from you. You can follow her blog at http://riderjacobs4.wordpress.com and also find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AngelRothamelAndAjKelton
Tavish Lee has been writing male/male erotica for over twenty years, long before it became so popular among today’s ebook readers. Tavish draws inspiration from a longtime fascination with guys who like to walk (among other things) on the wild side of life.
Diana Sheridan edited gay male sexzines for the better part of two decades under the nom de plume of “Dan Maxwell.” Though “Diana Sheridan” isn’t her true name either, it does reflect her true gender.
In her own name, she has had numerous books published both in print and as e-books, is an accomplished editor of both books and magazines, and is comfortable switching gears to go from serious nonfiction to erotica in her work. Diana lives with her Significant Other, who is fully aware of and supportive of the many facets of her career.
Susan E. Scott lives with her husband in a small town in north Georgia. They're both owned by their Yorkie, Sophie, who is the undisputed queen of the household. Susan enjoys scrapbooking, traveling and reading and writing romance. Susan writes M/F and M/M erotic romance
Danielle Summers started writing erotic fiction in the early 1990s. 2014 marks her return to the field after a 15-year break, and she's happy to be back. She lives in Chicago.
Shannon West currently lives in the South with her husband and family. A lover and avid reader of M/M romances, she began writing them a few years ago and now has over forty short stories, novellas, and novels to her credit. She was a finalist in the Rainbow Awards for 2013 and very honored to be an All Romance Ebooks Top Ten Author for 2013. She loves men and everything about them, and believes that love is love, no matter the gender. She mostly spends her days at the keyboard, trying to elude housework, which stalks her relentlessly.
You can learn more about Shannon and her books on Facebook and at her website, www.shannonwestbooks.com
Dark Hollows Press
Dark Hollows Press is a publisher of erotic romance. We publish all genres of erotic expression, including, m/m, f/f, m/f and ménage. We believe our authors are artists and their talent shouldn't be censored, so our authors present high quality stories full of romance, desire and sometimes graphic moments that are both entertaining and erotic. We have an ex
clusive group of talented writers and we publish stories that range from historical to fantasy, sci-fi to contemporary.
We invite you to visit us at www.darkhollowspress.com.