by Trina Solet
To Phillip's eyes, everything seemed painfully bright, like the beauty of a sunny day was too much to take in. Gray, rain filled clouds had their own somber beauty, which was more Phillip's style. But as he looked up, Phillip saw that the last of the clouds were dispersing, trailing their wispy edges after them like hems of tattered coats. Seeing him looking up, Ant raised his face to the sky too. Gazing at him like that, Phillip had to smile. Ant was as bright as the sun.
Lost in a reverie, Phillip was surprised when they passed up the dock where they had started. That's where their boat excursion was supposed to end.
"I can keep the boat till tomorrow morning. We have plenty of food. How about making this an overnight outing?" Leon proposed.
Ant didn't understand the question but once they explained to him that it meant he would get to sleep on the boat, he was all for it. They were all on the same page – they never wanted their journey to end.
South of Danning, the river got wider and the boats bigger. There were a lot more buildings close to the water instead of the vegetation further north. They could see a lot more people too, and Ant waved at everything and everyone.
Out there, Phillip didn't see much to interest him. But looking over at Leon, his hair whipped back by the wind, Phillip felt the pang of falling in love with him even more. Leon's grip on his heart was always tightening, exquisitely painful and rapturous, never letting up. That much love could destroy him if he didn't look away.
Though they had enough food to throw together a decent dinner, Phillip insisted they stop at a riverside spot. He wanted to spoil Leon whenever he got the chance. They anchored at the pier where Tekeniohneka and Karahkwa rivers joined. Taking an outdoor table at the Two Rivers Restaurant, they watched the shadows lengthen as evening neared.
Clouds covered the sky to the west like a fluffy flock of sheep. The setting sun turned them gold then reddish orange. Phillip never got tired of the way Leon's eyes changed color as sunlight turned brassy and shadows deepened. When he turned that beautiful gaze on Phillip, he might as well have trained a weapon on him. He was done for.
Once back on the boat, Leon took them further down the river. He turned into a waterway on the east bank that Phillip hadn't noticed. The woods and the bend in the river hid it from sight. The channel widened further on and they saw a small crescent shaped lake. Its widest part was encircled by a pine forest. On the other side, cultivated fields fanned out from the shore. Green stalks in perfect rows were just starting to grow. Two rowboats had been beached there, but their own boat had to stay away from the shore.
"We can't get closer unless we want to get stuck," Leon told them. "This place is called Half Lake because it looks like half a lake, I guess." Leon shrugged. This was where they were stopping for the night.
Phillip and Leon got things ready to spend the night while Ant pretended to fish. They finished off the cake and watched the tranquil world around them get swallowed by the night. Overhead, they could see small birds playfully chasing each other across the darkening blue of the sky.
Night came first to the pine forest where ferns grew under the big trees. Then darkness swept over the sky. Stars came out and Ant tried to count them even though he could only count to ten.
"Ten!" he announced holding up the fingers on both of his hands. "Ten stars."
"I think you might need to use your toes," Leon told him.
Phillip and Leon had pulled the cushions off the bench and put down some tarp and some blankets. They all stretched out on the deck. Ant leaned back between them and he was soon asleep.
With the water smooth and calm, it was like they were carried on a wave of molten silver. The boat creaked as it rocked softly and small waves splashed against the hull. A pleasant, resinous scent wafted in from the pines.
Phillip reached over and let his fingers become lost in Leon's wind tangled hair. He was filled with the ache of loving Leon so much. He wanted to show him that love so badly, but there was no relief in sight, no chance of slamming into his body like a madman, not tonight.
It didn't have to be now. The nights ahead of them were endless, as countless as stars in a clear night sky. That's what this day and this night were about – a wordless promise for the future. The adoption was under way, and he had Leon in his life. Was there really this much happiness in the world?
"I never expected this," Phillip admitted. His voice was low, but in the quiet of the night it carried.
"I didn't either," Leon said. "My future always seemed so murky, clouded by my past. Now I can see it clearly. I want to be with you."
As Leon turned to gaze at him, Phillip felt tears come into his eyes and his chest tighten. He was so desperately in love that simply looking at Leon fully like this hurt. "Be my future. Be my everything." His words were breathless and low, trying to express a love that tore him apart even as this man made him whole.
At first Leon only leaned in for a deep, soft kiss. Drawing back, he swallowed hard then bit his lip before he answered. "Yes. For as long as you'll have me, I'm yours."
The End
Books by Trina Solet
His Winter Heart
Wes is living a lonely, stark existence when he meets Colin, a lively young guy in desperate circumstances. Wes is so taken with him that he has to have him. His decision to invite Colin to spend the night is going to turn his quiet life upside down.
Colin almost finds himself sleeping on the street. When the tall, blond man makes him an offer, he can't say no either to the money or to the man. Colin is impulsive and full of contradictions. He refuses to sell himself for money and ends up homeless because of it. But when Wes offers to pay him for sex, Colin jumps at the chance to go home with him. Something about Wes strikes a chord with Colin. He knows there is a warm heart under the serious, impassive exterior and an awesome body under all the layers of winter clothes.
Things don't go as planned when Wes decides that Colin is too young and inexperienced and refuses to sleep with him. That doesn't mean that he can stay away from someone who shakes up his world.
The more time Colin spends with Wes, the more he wants him. Colin isn't shy about getting what he wants. His relentless pursuit might pay off if Wes doesn't let family complications and his fears about the future keep them apart. Will Wes let go of his inhibitions and allow himself to love the younger man?
Pizza for Thanksgiving
Mack and Enzo are roommates and nothing more. While sharing the same apartment, they live separate lives. Enzo is sweet but painfully shy. Mack is gruff and kind of intimidating. He's had a hard life and doesn't let his guard down easily.
Now Mack is anticipating a lonely Thanksgiving dinner, but Enzo won't let that happen. When he hears that Mack is going to be all alone for Thanksgiving, he gets up the courage to make him an offer. But things don't go as planned in more ways than one.
With the best of intentions, Enzo has woken up something in Mack that he might not be ready for. Can Mack stop hiding and holding back? When Enzo asks for too much from him, can he say yes anyway?
With Eyes Open
Jacob and his son, Toby, have just moved to a small town. Everything is going well so far, except for one thing – who is Toby talking to in the back garden? There's no one there.
Ian is wondering the same thing. He's taking time off from college to be with his dad. One day he sees the little boy acting strangely, and he decides to look into it.
While Ian is trying to solve the mystery of what Toby is seeing, he and Jacob grow closer. Jacob is a man Ian can trust and lean on at a difficult time. Jacob has some reservations about Ian, but his feelings are too strong to be denied. Even as unexplained events surround them, these two can't stay away from each other.
Good thing because when Ian finds the answers he's looking for, he's going to need Jacob more than ever.
Long Lost
Blake Adler is back in town on a mission. Years ago Blake's father cut him out of his life so completely that he never spoke of him
. Now that his father has passed away, Blake finally gets to meet his younger brother and sister. But Blake didn't come back to Meadowview for a reunion with his lost family. He's desperate to find the man he can't live without and win back the love he threw away.
Blake and Reese were once best friends. They could have been more, but Blake screwed up the most important relationship of his life. Now he wants to fix things with Reese, if he can only find him.
Blake isn't the only one looking for Reese. No matter how far Reese runs, trouble follows him. Wild and vulnerable, he always had it rough. The one good thing in his life was Blake.
Now Reese is taking a big risk coming back to town. It might be worth it if he can reclaim the man he can't stop thinking about, the one who rejected him, the one he loves more than anyone.
Golden Days
How can a nerdy, young dad hope to attract his hunky new neighbor? And if he can get his attention, does he have any hope of making it last?
Kyle only recently became an adoptive father to a vulnerable little girl. He's a devoted dad, and Viv is a spirited and loving five-year-old. With the help of his little dog, Kyle worked hard to gain Viv's love and trust in record time. Now they are a family. That doesn't mean he has no room for a man in his life.
Luke has been working in a string of nightclubs for most of his adult life. It was an exciting life, but Luke had enough of it. A recent loss sends Luke into suburbia in search of a more peaceful life. The loss of his brother is still fresh, but spending time with Kyle and Viv brings him so much joy.
In the past, Kyle hasn't been lucky in love. He always goes for the wrong kind of guy. But with Viv in his life, he can't afford those kinds of mistakes.
When Luke moves into the neighborhood, Kyle ends up with two wounded souls on his hands. Good thing he has room in his heart for both of them. If Kyle can get past his fears, he might just get everything he has always dreamed of.
Where He Belongs
Jack thought he had everything only to end up without a wife, a best friend or a child. Now he is closed off and afraid to love. After despair nearly cost him his life, he can't afford another heartbreak. Burying himself in work, Jack has made business his whole life. Now a business opportunity has led him to Gus, the one man who can break down his defenses.
Gus doesn't know what he is getting himself into when he flirts with his new boss. The uptight younger man is irresistible to him. Is Gus being reckless when he falls for Jack despite all the warning signs? After all, Gus is a happy, single father to a little boy, and Josh is a happy kid.
As he is drawn into their lives, Jack finds that Gus and his little boy are everything he needs and what he is most afraid of. Jack can't risk his heart again, but he might be won over by these two goofballs despite himself.
His True Home
Alec has retreated to his childhood home after a life of too much fun. When a little boy is abandoned on the road leading to Alec's home town of Seaview Pines, Alec is the one who ends up taking care of him. Now Cory is on his way to join them. He was abandoned by his mother as well and wants to give Teddy, his little brother, the family he never had. As they spend time together, it's up to Cory to draw out the serious, silent little boy. He also has to convince Alec that his home town isn't just a temporary refuge. It's where all three of them belong.
The Right Guy
They came together in paradise, but what will happen when they go back to the real world and their everyday lives?
Nathan and Paul never liked each other. Paul was a snob, and Nathan felt like he was always looking down on him. Nathan wasn't interested in him anyway. He had his sights set on Turner. Now that Turner is getting married to another man, Nathan's heart is breaking. That's when he finds that Paul is right there by his side. This gorgeous man is ready to distract him and help him get over his unrequited crush.
After being with Paul, Nathan is finally ready to move on and let go of his hopeless feelings. But after a hot encounter on the beach, Nathan might be giving up his old crush for a new one. Knowing that his longing for Paul is just as hopeless, Nathan is at his wit's end.
But things aren't the way they seem. Paul has been watching Nathan pine after his friend for too long. All that time he has wanted Nathan all to himself. It's hard for Paul to believe that Nathan could ever return his feelings. After all, Nathan doesn't even like him.
He doesn't know that Nathan feels differently about him these days. When spending time with Paul stirs unexpected feelings that are more than lust, Nathan wonders if he misjudged this man. Could Paul be the right man for him? After chasing the wrong guy for so long, Nathan has to prove to Paul that his feelings are real. That won't be easy. Paul isn't the most reasonable guy, and he won't settle for anything less from Nathan than his whole heart.
A Christmas Boyfriend
"Can you get me a man for Christmas?"
When he said those fateful words, Ben didn't know what he was setting in motion.
Ben is a busy dad to a four year old little girl. He doesn't have much time for a social life, but he wasn't serious when he asked for a man for Christmas. His daughter, Maya, doesn't know that. She is determined to play Santa and get her dad the gift he asked for.
The man she picks for her dad is her preschool teacher, Jason Kenney. Neither Jason nor Maya think he's the right man to be a present for Ben, so why is he standing there on Christmas Eve with a gift bow in his hair?
Smarting from a recent breakup, Jason isn't looking forward to the holidays. Despite his reservations, Jason gets tangled up with Ben. There is something about Ben that he just can't resist. As their feelings intensify, will spending Christmas together turn into something more?
Possession
While looking for solitude, James finds love.
As soon as he arrives at the secluded, tropical villa, James knows he has found the ideal spot. Tranquil and remote, this place is just what he needs to get over a painful breakup. In perfect solitude, James's heart can begin to heal. But what if his solitude isn't so perfect, and Rob is. He is the young man who intrudes on James's privacy and steals his heart.
Rob is too much of a temptation for the cautious and uptight James. Even as he gives in to his desire, James reminds himself that this is just a vacation fling. Then why is the thought of leaving Rob tearing him apart? He can't get enough of the younger man. Once James has his body, he can't live without having his heart.
James thinks his yearning is hopeless. Then a revelation about Rob's circumstances changes everything. Will James have the courage to act on his feelings? He has to. This is his chance to have Rob, to give him the life he deserves and to truly love him.
Manny To The Rescue
Why would Owen be terrified of Connie and Maggie, his two adorable little nieces? Because he is about to be left alone with them. Owen thinks he is going to have to take care of his nieces by himself until Dan shows up. If Owen approves, Dan is ready to be the girls' manny. Right from the start, Dan is a big help and an even bigger temptation. And Owen isn't the only one being tempted. When he was younger, Dan had a crush on Owen. Now that he is living with him, Owen has never looked hotter. The crush is back in full force. Too bad Dan isn't the kind of guy Owen is into. But even a hint that he is interested might spur Dan to make a move. Unfortunately, Dan is bringing trouble with him, and he doesn't even know it. When Owen becomes a target, will Dan be there in time to save him?
And Manny Makes Three
Mark is a struggling college student who has been working as a nanny for a nice family, but they don’t need him any more. Zack has been raising his son, Al, by himself and needs help. Al is a funny kid, and Zack is a funny dad, but more serious issues lurk under the surface. Will Mark be able to deal with these two? And how will Zack and Mark deal with their mutual attraction?
Unexpected Dad
Tyler finds a big surprise waiting on his doorstep. Ready or not, Tyler is a dad. Tyler didn’t know he had a daughter until she suddenly dropped into his l
ife. Whether he is ready for her or not, little Julie needs a father. Or maybe two. Tyler and Jake have been best friends, inseparable since college. Now they have to adjust to Tyler’s new role as a dad. As Jake helps him cope with being a new father to a little girl, Tyler might be looking at two big changes in his life.
More Than a Manny
A very young, rich widower needs a nanny, but a hot manny would be even better. That's where Nate comes in. Brent is a loving but irresponsible father to two young children from a marriage of convenience. He needs Nate in his life, but how will Nate, a first time nanny, fit into his unconventional household? The kids are a handful, especially little Georgie. Her big brother, Ricky, has a few issues of his own. But Nate is more than ready to take on the challenge and let all three of them steal his heart.
Duncan the Third
Patrick and his little sister, Wendy, have just moved into Duncan's building and that means trouble. Patrick is exactly the kind of guy Duncan can't resist. Together he and his little sister might be the family Duncan has been yearning for but only if he takes a chance and lets them into his heart. Unfortunately, Duncan hasn't been lucky when it comes to relationships. After getting his heart broken too many times, he has sworn off younger men. While Duncan struggles against his attraction to him, Patrick is determined to win him over. As Patrick tries to change his mind, can he also heal Duncan's broken heart?
Make It Better
A favor leads to a life changing experience. Ray is willing to do anything for the man he considers his savior. His mission of mercy is Marcus, a young man who can’t overcome his guilt over a tragedy in his past. Is Ray making a terrible mistake giving his heart to him, or will his love for Marcus be strong enough to save him?