Excerpt 1:

Richard Taylor’s headlights found the state trooper’s cruiser sitting in the dark, off the road and waiting for speeders. Since Rich wasn’t speeding and was actually a deputy sheriff on his own patrol, he wasn’t worried about getting a ticket.

His lips crooked upward at the thought of Trooper Daniel Fletcher—his best friend, a womanizing lady’s man with a heart of gold and the subject of most of Rich’s jerk-off fantasies. His smile slipped. He wondered whether Dan would still be his friend if he knew that last part.

Rich flashed his lights at the cruiser before pulling in beside it. Dan’s hand appeared in the bright beams then pulled the side mirror in so Rich could pull his unit close in the tight spot. Rich grabbed his mirror and did the same as he eased the car to a stop, driver’s window to driver’s window.

“Hey there.” Dan’s face was pale in the light of an almost full moon.

“How’s it going?”

“Slow night.” Dan shrugged. “Only one ticket. Thought about dropping it until I saw her wedding band.” His teeth flashed white in his shadowed face.

Rich laughed at Dan’s implication. Dan was always looking for his next date, but Rich knew he was joking. Dan’s scruples were one of the things Rich liked most about the man. He would no more drop a ticket for a quickie than Rich would.

“Want some?” Dan held up his ever-present thermos.

Addicted to coffee, Dan always shared when Rich showed up. He even kept several small foam cups in his cruiser for Rich’s use.

Their breath, visible in the cold January night air, mingled as they talked. Rich breathed in through his mouth as if he could taste the other man on the frozen air. A hopeless fantasy. He pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind. Something best saved for the morning when he would be alone in his bed. “Sure. You know I never turn down coffee.” Or a chance to talk with his best friend.

Dan started pouring before Rich finished his answer.

“So what happened with Lizzie?” Rich reached across the short distance for the coffee cup. He shivered from more than cold when Dan’s fingers brushed his.

“How’d you hear about that?”

“I went to the grocery store.”

Dan snorted as he poured his own cup. “Lizzie’s sister.”

“Yeah. Gossip central. I swear they could tell you which of your dog’s fleas jumped ship today.” Rich sipped the strong, hot liquid. “So, what’s your side of the story?”

“She’s just not the one.”

Rich smiled behind his coffee cup. Dan’s search for the elusive “one”—the perfect woman—was the talk of the county. After dating nearly half the available women in the small community, Dan still hadn’t found someone.

“It’s not as if I don’t want to settle down, I just can’t find a woman I think I could live with forever.” Dan’s comment wasn’t a new one.

“But Lizzie seemed like a good fit. Not too clingy, not calling all the time. Not like Sharon.” Even the mention of Sharon’s name sent a shudder down Rich’s back. That one had the makings of a stalker. In the pale moonlight he could see Dan had the same reaction.

“Don’t mention her! She’s scary.”

“Hey, you were the one who said she was harmless!” Rich chuckled at the idea of his tall muscular friend afraid of the petite brunette.

“Well, after awhile I thought I’d find her boiling bunnies in my kitchen! She can hold a grudge like nobody’s business.”

Rich laughed. “She’d never boil bunnies. She loves animals. You, on the other hand, are a different story. I thought we’d have to assign a protective detail on your house!”

As they both laughed, a speeding car topped the hill setting Dan’s radar beeping.

“Gotta go.” Dan switched on his blue lights and pulled out before Rich had time to say goodbye.

Rich watched in the darkness as the flashing lights of Dan’s car gained on the speeder. His friend was a damned attractive man and never had trouble getting dates. His chiseled features and deep blue eyes had most of the women he met willing and ready with little effort. Not to mention the great body.

Even his reputation didn’t seem to hurt his chances. The fact he was kind and sensitive to the point that most of his ex-girlfriends had no hard feelings didn’t hurt. Just the kind of man women wanted to take home to meet the parents.

Rich wasn’t overly modest about his own looks. He kept his body in shape, partly out of pride in his physique and partly out of the demands of the job. He never had trouble getting his own dates.

However, his tastes ran more to lean, masculine bodies and hard cocks. A small rural county in Tennessee wasn’t exactly the best place to come out of the closet, and since he wasn’t his best friend’s type, why bother. He hadn’t met anyone he wanted a lasting relationship with, anyone worth the trouble such a revelation would cause.

Occasional trips to see his friend Jeremy in Memphis, one hundred and fifty miles away, helped take the edge off when things got too bad. He could relax with Jeremy and not worry about people finding out his secret.

Lost in his thoughts, it took a few seconds for Rich’s mind to realize the speeder wasn’t stopping.

The radio crackled with Dan’s unit number. “J-12 in pursuit, possible 10-49, northbound 641, mile 6.”

Rich flipped his lights on as he backed out of the spot. He could still see the blue strobe lights of Dan’s cruiser in the distance. A drunk driver was a pain in the ass, but a fleeing one was an accident wanting to happen. He reached for his radio as he pulled out of the shadows and joined the pursuit. “Dispatch, C-6 to assist J-12.”

Tossing his radio mike on the passenger seat as the dispatcher acknowledged, he floored the accelerator. Rich closed the distance enough to see the white tail of a deer flash blue as it ran across the highway.

Dan’s cruiser swerved in an erratic jerk—first left then right—then flew off the left side of the road. The flashing blue strobe danced in the darkness. As if in slow motion, the car flipped.

Rich’s heart was in his throat as he watched it roll out of sight down an embankment. “Dispatch, 10-36 with 10-34. Mile 10 northbound 641.”

His car screeched to a stop near where Dan had gone over. He had the door open before the dispatcher acknowledged his call of an accident with an officer in trouble.

Back to top

Excerpt 2:

Rich sat on Dan’s bed listening to the sound of splashing water. He had to rethink his feelings for Dan. This was more than lust. Jealousy had spiked through him earlier at the mere thought of Sharon helping Dan. Something had changed. Or surfaced.

He’d been attracted to Dan for years and never acted on it. Dan’s friendship was too valuable. Coming out, making a move on Dan wasn’t worth the possibility of a buddy fuck. With the white-hot flash of jealous anger, Rich had crossed a line.

The splashing sounds stopped, replaced by gentle snoring. Rich smiled as he moved to the bathroom door.

“Dan? Dan!”

The snore hesitated with a snort then started again.

A gentle rap on the door didn’t get a response. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. Rich wasn’t sure he could handle a completely naked Dan, but he couldn’t let him sleep in the tub. He took a deep breath then opened the door.

At the sight of his weary friend, the surge of desire collided with a wave of tenderness.

Dan’s face, relaxed in sleep, looked peaceful and pain free. Only the plastic-covered cast perched precariously on the edge of the tub marred the picture with the truth. Dan’s head tilted back and a little to the side, his hair was a tousled wet mess. The edge of the water kissed at his nipples and flirted with the normally light-colored chest hair now darkened by dampness. His long, lean body couldn’t completely fit in the tub so his bent knees touched the sides. His open legs revealed a darkish patch of hair surrounding his half-erect cock.

Rich wondered what he was dreaming.

“Dan, wake up.” Maybe if he spoke louder than a mere whisper. “Dan.” Okay, he responded to that. Well, if turning his head the other direction qualified as a response.

Rich took a deep breath. Touching would be required. He had to keep the touching impersonal. Kneeling by the tub, he brushed a wet lock of hair off Dan’s forehead. That really wasn’t impersonal and not enough to wake him. Just get it over with.

“Dan, come on now,” he said as he shook the man’s shoulder. “Wake up and get out of the bath!”

“Rich?” Dan’s eyes opened enough for Rich to see the groggy, drugged-out look in his baby blues. “Hi, Rich.” Something about Dan’s smile was almost flirty.

Rich closed his eyes, willing his dick to think about something besides a wet, naked Dan. Wasn’t working. “You need to get out and get in bed.”

“Bed…” Dan’s eyes closed again.

“Wake up! You can’t sleep yet. You have to get out of the tub and dry first.”

“Uh-huh…” The sound morphed into a snore.

Rich rolled his eyes to the ceiling in a silent prayer for strength. “Come on…” He reached over then grasped Dan’s good arm. “Get up.”

Slowly Dan responded to the gentle tugging. It took some doing, but Rich eased Dan out of the bath without anything other than water damage to his clothes. He tried to get a towel around his woozy friend only to wind up with a slippery, wet body pressed against him. And Dan’s cock seemed very interested in the proceedings. Rich’s jumped for joy at the idea of a playmate.

“Okay, let’s try this a different way.”

Rich leaned over and dropped the lid of the toilet with one hand while holding an armful of naked, wet Dan with his other arm. Pulling Dan around, he sat him on the toilet. For his friend’s modesty and his own sanity, Rich draped a towel over Dan’s lap before he dried him.

He wanted to use his tongue instead of a towel. Lingering was a bad idea. Arousal raced through his body at high speed and temptation taunted him. Dan was out of his head on the medication. Acting on his desire would be like taking advantage of a drunk. Unfortunately his dick had no scruples. By the time Dan was dry, Rich was hard and aching.

“Come on, Danny boy.” Rich hauled him up from his throne. Hardness pressed against his hip when Dan leaned into his grip. Keeping the towel around Dan’s waist became an act of sheer will. His friend seemed to think it was funny as they stumbled into the bedroom.

“Will you stop giggling?” Rich couldn’t understand what he’d done to deserve the torment of the stoned, horny, totally off-limits man clinging to him.

“I don’t giggle.” Dan’s words ended in another giggle.

“Man, I don’t know what Anna gave you, but I’m gonna need some soon. And how the hell can you be so…so…” he glanced down at the bulge in Dan’s towel, “and be so stoned? You’d think that shit would relax you.”

“I’m relaxed…” Dan managed to fall on his good arm as he toppled onto the bed. “Just my dick’s not.” The towel flopped open. Dan pointed to his problem. Dazed blue eyes looked up at Rich. “Touch me?” The words were a slurred whisper. “Please…”

“Dan…” Rich’s body screamed yes as his head shook no.

“Please…”

Rich closed his eyes with a sigh. When he opened them, Dan’s heavy-lidded eyes stared at him, full of want.

Biting his lip, Rich nodded. How could he refuse? The long, lean body spread out in front of him was a dream come true. He’d wanted Dan for years. Who wouldn’t? The guy was sex on legs. However, he’d convinced himself there was no way his very heterosexual friend would want him. In spite of his misgivings, he couldn’t stop himself.

“Move over.” His voice was hoarse with his own desire.

With awkward movements, Dan scooted to the middle of the wide bed.

On a hunch, Rich pulled open the nightstand drawer. Sure enough, there was a small bottle of lotion next to a box of condoms. He grabbed the bottle before he stretched out next to his friend. As much as he wanted to shed his clothes, feel the expanse of naked skin against his own, he stayed dressed.

With a good measure of lotion on one hand, he reached for Dan’s swollen cock. If this was all he could get from his friend, he wanted to make it good. Lying on his side with one arm propping his head, he watched Dan’s face as he gripped the hot flesh. A long, slow stroke ended with a slight twist of his palm over the sensitive crown.

“Oh yes…” Dan’s eyes closed with a moan as his hips arched upward. “Oh God, yes…”

It was Rich’s turn to moan as Dan moved closer, his good hand fisting the front Rich’s shirt. Damp hair teased Rich’s lips into caressing.

His own cock ached for release as Dan’s hip brushed against it. Rich flexed his hips, pressing against the lean flesh as his hand stroked his friend. His thumb teased the crown with each firm caress.

“Feels so…” Dan bit his lower lip, stopping his words.

Rich almost leaned over to help Dan nibble on the full lip. Instead, he let Dan’s hair absorb his moan.

“Faster…” Dan’s hips moved to emphasize his plea.

Rich’s hips moved in sync with his hand, pushing against Dan with each stroke.

Dan moved closer, almost encouraging Rich to rub against him. The arm propping Rich’s head abandoned its duties and slid under Dan’s neck. Pulling him closer still, Rich buried his face in the damp hair. Soon there wasn’t enough room between them for water to flow.

Rich’s lips ghosted across Dan’s hair and found his forehead. Gentle kisses feathered across the passion-creased brow.

“Yes…yes…yes…” Dan’s fervent words cut short as Rich’s hungry lips found his.

Dan’s mouth opened for him, his neck straining upward, lips hard against Rich’s. Hot tongues met as sticky heat covered Rich’s hand.

Groans mingled as Rich’s aching release spread against his skin, trapped in the confines of his jeans. The hunger slowed to gentle nips of lips as Rich held Dan’s trembling body. His hand milked Dan’s cock with slow, lazy strokes.

Rich knew it was inevitable, but sadness overwhelmed him when Dan tensed in his arms. He shouldn’t have held him so close. He definitely shouldn’t have kissed him. A friendly hand job was one thing. A tonsil-searching kiss was completely different. Rich pulled away from him.

“Sleep, Dan. Just sleep.” Rich would deal with the repercussions later.

Back to top