KC Burn

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Summary: Years ago, Brandon Ellison and Oliver Cardoso were MIA partners and lovers. When a mishap on a mission tracking down werewolves renders Brandon unfit for field duty, their professional and personal relationships implode, leaving them shattered and alone. Unable to process his losses, Brandon moves away and cuts off all contact with Oliver. When Brandon returns as head of MIA’s Research and Development team, the smart thing for his heart is to avoid Oliver at all costs. But he hasn’t been able to forget or move on. When an unapproved prototype nearly kills Oliver, Brandon suspects it was no accident. Determined to ferret out the truth, he knows the time for avoidance is over. Oliver is tired. He’s never found another lover like Brandon, he’s lost his regular partner to reassignment, and he’s back out in the field with a poorly healed injury and a painfully green new partner. The last thing he needs is Brandon showing up, mid-mission, to cause trouble. But he can’t convince Brandon to leave. Without any real closure the last time they spoke, the hurt and guilt have festered, making for a tense, antagonistic working environment. With an elusive portal and the Umbrae creating a previously unknown creature, hundreds of lives, including Oliver’s, are at stake, and they have no choice but to put their differences aside. But their unresolved feelings and an attraction that hasn’t waned creates a potentially fatal distraction. Falling in love again might destroy them both.

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Summary: When Dale Shaw gets offered a job at the Last Bastion Ranch, a discreet treatment facility out in the country, he jumps at it. Sure, the ranch isn’t a ranch, the name sounds fatalistic, and it’s too remote for cell service. But after spending years as an army medic and ER nurse, he needs something low key. Low stress. More money. The biggest bonus is its proximity to Owen, the man he’d loved and lost in college. His work should allow him plenty of time for second chances. Surprisingly, the security is excessive, the facility doesn’t cater to the wealthy, the patients are far too easygoing, and the director is leaving on vacation, after issuing a cryptic warning. Nothing will stop him from rekindling his romance with Owen, right? (This is a longer version of a story that appeared in Bookish Bits and Bites: A Coastal Magic Convention Charity Anthology)

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Summary: razer Nyland’s dating life has fizzled out. Dates and hook ups are easy to find, but none of them want anything deeper or meaningful. Meeting Cooper gives Frazer new hope, and he can’t help but fall in love. When one of his past hook ups is found dead, Frazer suddenly longs for the day when dating was his biggest woe. Hounded by an overzealous cop, sexually harassed at work, and suspected of being a serial killer, there’s only one good thing in his life—Cooper. But as the lies and evasions build up, Frazer has to face a bitter truth. Cooper is not what he seems, and it wouldn’t be the first time Frazer had been played for a fool. Heartbreak on top of everything else seems like a cruel twist of fate, but if he’s arrested for murder, his love life might be the least of his problems. Agent Cooper Wallace didn’t expect meet the love of his life while hunting an Umbrae-possessed vampire. Nor did he expect a scorching one-night stand to lead to a lasting relationship. But meeting Frazer changes a lot of Cooper’s expectations. Unfortunately, Cooper also didn’t expect his investigation of possible vampire victims to lead him to Frazer’s home town and the discovery that the disappearances can be connected to Frazer. Doing his job and closing the portal that spawned the Umbrae will save countless innocents but could cost him Frazer’s love and possibly his life.

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Summary: Seven years ago, Aric watched his best friend enlist in the United Human Coalition military and leave aboard a starship. Aric was a simple farmer, one of many who provided foodstuffs to the UHC. How could he possibly compete with the lure of space travel and the chance to see other planets? But it’s time to move on with his life. Mourning “what might have been” was futile and only made his family worry. Seven years ago, Tobin had nothing to offer Aric beside his heart and a strong body. Not nearly enough for Aric’s family, who’d already begun the search for suitable brides. Without prospects and unwilling to watch Aric marry someone else, Tobin enlisted. At least he’d have the excitement of seeing new worlds while fighting to protect humanity. But military life was not kind to him, and when he unexpectedly returns home, he has even less to offer Aric than before. Seeing Tobin again fills Aric with joy and he’s bursting with feelings he’d never dared confess. But Tobin is a different man from the boy who left. Settling back into farm life might be well beyond his capabilities, and the unspoken feelings might be better off left unsaid. Because losing Tobin again could break Aric for good.

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Summary: Agent Lachlan Carmichael has a job to do. A portal is open in Rothburg, and this time the Umbrae passing through it are creating werewolves. He needs to close the portal, even if it means losing two-thirds of the people possessed by the Umbrae. So what if Adam Farelli, the town’s screw-up, is the sexiest man he’s ever seen? Carmichael’s been content to live with ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ for most of his life. A gorgeous, shiftless layabout isn’t going to convince him to step out of the closet. When Carmichael needs Adam’s help to close the portal, Carmichael is unable to resist the temptation Adam represents. But his lies and lack of trust put Adam in danger when one of the werewolves,obsessed with Adam, kidnaps him. Even if Carmichael can save the man he loves, will Adam forgive him for his deception and mistrust?

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Summary: Cody Chase needs a plan, and quick. When his boyfriend was alive, the antiques brought in a comfortable income for the two of them. But Cody’s an ex-stripper with a basic business degree, not an antiques dealer. He’s no more than a couple of months from going under, but after losing his home and his boyfriend, he can’t face losing the business as well. Some might call Adrian Phoenix’s state of mind a mid-life crisis, but he sees it more as a mid-life awakening. After years in a soul-sucking office job, he ditches it all for the call of the muse. A little Christmas magic provices a chance meeting with Cody, who agrees to a date from a random stranger. Adrian might be facing his forties, but he’s got a new career and a new social life to look forward to. But Adrian hasn’t told his family about his new life plans, and Cody has had his fill of disapproving relatives. Even though their meeting seems like fate, and gives Cody a way to save his floundering business, Cody is afraid that Adrian will realize he can do better. If Cody gambles on a life with Adrian, he risks both his heart and his livelihood. Winning those stakes might require more luck than Cody’s had in his entire life.

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Summary: Jonah Beecham is a down on his luck cowboy, stuck in Vegas with no money, no job, no friends, and Christmas rapidly approaching. Although he’d been promised a job as a bullfighter, the job falls through, and he’ll be sleeping in his truck for Christmas. In a fit of desperation, he drops a coin in an old-fashioned slot machine and wins enough to put gas in his truck… plus a little something extra. Rather than press his luck, he decides to leave the casino, but the universe isn’t done with him yet. Zach Evans is a television writer from Los Angeles who loves all things cowboy. He’s in Las Vegas to do some research at an end of year rodeo event. Too wary to approach any of the sexy cowboys he sees, he finally takes a chance when he bumps into Jonah. Spending the next week in Zach’s bed might seem like Jonah’s luck has changed, but when Jonah realizes he’s falling for a man who lives in a city where none of his skills are employable, he’s got a choice to make. Fear of the unknown will cost him Zach, but accepting that the universe has more luck in store for him might be more than he can handle.

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Summary: California firefighter Hayden Hurst is starting to realize there’s more to life than fighting fires and drinking with his buddies. He has room in his home and his life for someone special, but no one has stood out among his hookups. And while he’s out at work, admitting he’s gay is very different from showing up at social functions with a man. He’s afraid that’ll be too much for his less-than-accepting “friends.” Broadway dancer Jez Bouchet hasn’t been mistaken for straight since he was gay-bashed at seventeen. After getting a lucrative job offer in Hollywood, he uproots his life in New York and drives to Los Angeles. His brother, who is Hayden’s best friend, arranges for him to crash at Hayden’s place. The attraction between Hayden and Jez is unexpected but fiery, and they succumb before they’re even sure they like each other. But Jez hates Hayden’s homophobic friends, and Hayden knows Jez is too flamboyant for him to fly under the radar. Then there’s the complication of Jez’s brother. Despite those hurdles, they fling themselves into a relationship. But Jez has secrets: a tiny spoiled dog and a determined stalker. If he doesn’t come clean, he might torch their burgeoning relationship before it has a chance to bloom.

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Summary: Sandy Bottom Bay, Florida - Come for the Haunts, Stay for the Beaches! Drew Drummond might call himself a psychic tarot reader, but he doesn’t believe in the supernatural. The business was left to him by his grandmother, and seemed the best way to rise above the chronic criminal behavior of the Drummond family. Despite his efforts, few of the townspeople consider him a good romantic match. Being gay only makes finding love more difficult. When Cliff Garcia, Drew’s teenaged crush, moves back to town and joins the police force, Drew doesn’t think he has a chance. After all, the skeptical cop considers Drew’s profession on par with professional con men, and Cliff had spent his entire school career feuding with Drew’s volatile brothers. Despite the obstacles, Drew and Cliff begin a fiery relationship. Just when Drew starts to believe they might have a chance, he suffers a head injury and begins having visions of the future. If Drew tells Cliff the truth, he’ll lose the man he’s falling for, but keeping his new ability a secret is no longer an option. If he can’t convince Cliff he’s for real, a murderer will walk free.

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Summary: Punk’s not dead, but it’s time to redefine life. Devlin Waters thought he’d have music forever. But the tragic death of his best friend ended the twenty-year run of his punk band, Negative Impression. Unable to process the loss, Devlin distances himself from everyone and everything that reminds him of the band. But forty-one is too young to curl up and wait for the end. In a search for a second career, he finds himself at university with a bunch of kids young enough to be… his kids. His sexy archeology professor, however, makes Devlin think about life beyond his grief…. Dr. Jack Johnson does not appreciate Devlin’s lack of respect, his inability to be serious, or his chronic lateness. Worse, he hates that he’s attracted to a student. When he realizes Devlin is the rock star he crushed on in his youth, he drops his guard—against his better judgment. Before they can move forward together, Jack must admit to Devlin that he’s not only an admirer, but he also sings in a cover band. How will Devlin react to his ultimate fanboy when his own music has died?

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Summary: Riley Parker: temp, twink, geek… sleuth? Maybe Riley isn’t living up to his full potential, but being a temp executive assistant suits him. He’s never bored at work, he’s got friends who let him geek out, and he’s got a carefully crafted twink exterior… which might be getting constrictive now that he’s on the other side of thirty. Life isn’t perfect, but it’s comfortable. It all unravels when he takes a job working for a tea-obsessed cosmetics queen, the owner of Gautier Cosmetics. During the launch party for a new product, Riley finds his boss dead under suspicious circumstances, and the homicide detective is none other than Tadeo Martin, Riley’s high school obsession who never knew he was alive. Tad drafts Riley to get the scoop on the inner workings of Gautier, and for Riley, it’s like a drug. His natural inquisitiveness is rewarded with more and more Tad. Unfortunately, his snooping puts him in the running for two other roles: suspect and victim. The killer doesn’t care which.

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Summary: Tate Buchanan is a troublemaker who can’t keep a job, no matter how many times his lucky argyle sweater gets him hired. Add to that a learning disability and an impetuous nature that sends him into altercations to protect the defenseless, and he hardly manages to make friends, let alone find a man who’s interested in him for more than one night. Most people think EMT Jaime Escobar is a player, but the truth is he wants a serious partner—he just can’t justify wasting time on guys he knows aren’t a match. But when he treats a gorgeous redhead after a fight, he finds the spark he’s spent so many years looking for. Jaime wants to take the next step with Tate, but it’s clear Tate’s not going to curb his impulsive behavior—his next fight sends him to the hospital. Jaime’s relationship with a near criminal isn’t something his family is ready to accept, not any more than Tate is willing to be kept a secret. Jaime will need a lot of understanding—and some luck of his own—to keep them both. But this is one fight he’s going to see through to the end.

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Summary: NOTE: Previously available in the Come Undone Anthology from Irksome Rebel Press. Zerek, a smuggler and rebel, has made a life’s work of trying to save his fellow humans from enslavement at the hands of the predatory Hilruda. But humans are losing the battle and once they’re no longer a threat, the Hilruda will turn their attentions to the third species on the planet, the Kadrussians. Essian, leader of the Snake clan, is the closest to a prince the Kadrussians have. There’s no way he’s going to let the Hilruda become the dominant species on the planet but none of the clans can stand independently against them. Overcoming generations of autonomy to unite the clans would be tricky enough, but doing it without the Hilruda realizing what’s going on will be impossible. But Essian’s found a secret weapon – Zerek. An unexpected attraction between the two complicates their mutually beneficial agreement. The idea of Essian choosing a simple human smuggler over a more appropriate Kadrussian mate is unthinkable, no matter how much Zerek might want otherwise. Cooperating with Essian might be Zerek’s last chance to save humanity but it could cost him his heart and his happiness.

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Summary: Two years after his life fell apart, Will Dawson moved to Florida to start over. His job in the tech department of Idyll Fling, a gay porn studio, is ideal for him. When his boss forces him to take on a new hire, the last person he expects is Dallas Greene—the man who cost him his job and his boyfriend back in Connecticut. He doesn’t know what’s on Dallas’s agenda, but he won’t be blindsided by a wolf masquerading as a runway model. Not again. Dallas might have thrown himself on his brother’s mercy, but his skills are needed at Idyll Fling. Working with Will is a bonus, since Dallas has never forgotten the man. A good working relationship is only the beginning of what Dallas wants with Will. But Dallas doesn’t realize how deep Will’s distrust runs, and Will doesn’t know that the man he’s torn between loving and hating is the boss’s brother. When all truths are revealed, how can a relationship built on lies still stand?

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Summary: Dean Murphy hates Christmas a little more each year. His job as a pharmacy manager requires him to festoon his store with seasonal cheer, but his distaste for the lurid commercialism is only topped by his irritation with the syrupy sentimentalism. Being alone sucks, but he’s managed just fine without friends or family for years; why should December 25 be any different? When the tattooed Tony Delvecchio walks into his store, Dean hopes that maybe Tony’s different. Maybe Tony’s the man who won’t be driven away by Dean’s Scrooge-like tendencies. But Tony loves the holiday season, and he challenges Dean to three dates. Three dates to change his mind about Christmas. Despite knowing it will all end badly, Dean does the unthinkable. He agrees.

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Summary: NOTE: This is an expanded, revised version of a previously published work. The title and publisher have changed. Newly single Tyler Williams ought to be out partying every night, sampling the buffet of gay men Toronto has to offer. Carefree and casual has never been his style, even less so now that he's a tenure track history professor approaching thirty, but he has a better chance of finding Mr. Right in a club than on an app.Distraction from his dismal love life comes in the form of a housewarming gift – a life sized portrait of a gorgeous naked man, complete with a mystery. Maxwell Friedland, a Depression-era artist, went missing shortly after posing for the portrait, presumably murdered by his lover. Finding out more about Maxwell and his disappearance plays right into Tyler’s love of both history and murder mysteries, but before long, Tyler finds himself obsessed with the man in the painting. It’s not long before he starts treating Max like a silent companion and sounding board. Max doesn’t judge or tell him he’s a failure at dating or cheat on him. Everything he learns about Max makes him yearn for a man long dead. Trapped in the painting by a curse, Max has spent decades longing for oblivion. Until Tyler. Tyler is everything Max would have wanted for himself, and it doesn’t take many of Tyler’s one-sided conversations for Max to start caring more than he should. For all that Tyler has friends and family, there’s a deep-seated loneliness in him, one that Max wants to erase. But the thickness of canvas trapping him might as well be miles of stone for all that Max could be with Tyler for real. Falling in love might be the worst curse of all.

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Summary: Finlay McIntyre (aka Raven) is a successful adult film star with a penchant for kilts, until an accident cuts short his stardom and leaves him with zero sexual desire, lowered self-esteem, and no job. He knew his porn career wouldn’t last forever, but he wasn’t prepared for retirement at twenty-eight. While trying to figure out the rest of his life, Raven agrees to attend a high school reunion. That’s when a malfunctioning AC unit in his hotel room changes everything. Caleb Sanderson, an entrepreneur with his own HVAC business, has no idea what to expect when he steps into Raven’s hotel room to fix his AC unit. They’re attracted to each other, but Caleb, closeted, can’t afford a gay relationship, not with his mom pressuring him to produce grandchildren. If he wants to keep Raven—who no closet could hold—he’ll need to tell his family the truth. But Raven has a few secrets of his own. He refuses to reveal his porn past to Caleb, a past that might be the final obstacle to Caleb and Raven having any kind of relationship.

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Summary: Having come out late in life, forty-three-year-old Luke Jordan is at a loss about how to conduct himself as a gay man. As a construction manager, he’s not interested in being out at work, but he’d like to find a boyfriend or at least some gay friends. Two years after his wife got all their friends in the divorce, he’s no closer to the life he wants. Zach, Luke’s adult son, takes charge and signs him up for the Rainbow Blues, a social group for gay blue-collar workers. At an event, he not only finds friends but meets Jimmy Alexander, part-time stage actor and full-time high school biology teacher. Jimmy loves the stage but wishes potential boyfriends weren’t so jealous of the time he devotes to it. When he meets Luke and finds him accepting of his many facets, he thinks it’s a dream come true. Their relationship quickly moves into serious territory, but their connection is tested to its breaking point by the offer of a juicy movie role that takes Jimmy to the opposite coast and into the path of a very sexy costar.

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Summary: After nearly causing a galactic incident, fleet captain Gideon Arcturus is disgraced, demoted and exiled with nothing to do but pass the time at a seedy club on seedier planet Elora Ki. It's no place for a straight-laced soldier, but following the rules is what got him there in the first place. When he meets a mesmerizing fire dancer, he'd do anything to get close to the flame. Tai doesn't date customers—it's far too dangerous for a man who was once for sale. But the shy, awkward Gideon entices him, and the two spend Gideon's leave tangled together, neither knowing the passion that stirs within them won't soon subside. When a violent drug lord forces Tai back into slavery, Tai has no choice but to give up his new love. But when Gideon learns that Tai's fate lies with those who brought about his own ruin, he'll need to revisit his own difficult past in order to save them both.

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Summary: Sometimes Stratford Dale feels like Doctor Chicken consumes his life. It’s his pen name for a series of wildly popular children’s books. They were his brainchild; he meant for them to be a way to pay his many bills while he pursued his dream of publishing graphic novels. But the Doctor Chicken contract was a raw deal. Instead, he churns out book after book for a pittance, leaving him broke and no closer to his dreams. Stratford’s dreams of love have fared no better, but he’s still trying. After yet another disastrous date, he’s intrigued by a man going into a cooking class—so he takes the class too. Vinnie Giani is a successful, self-made man who is charmed by Stratford’s bow ties, sharp humor, and clumsiness—which leads to an opportunity to take Stratford in for stitches. Vinnie is, above all, responsible, having taken on the care of his mother and sisters from a young age. Perhaps it’s natural when he begins to treat Stratford more as a child who needs a parent than as an equal partner. But when Vinnie tries to “fix” Stratford’s career woes—including the Doctor Chicken problem—and ends up making the situation worse, their fledgling relationship may not withstand the the strain created by blame and lies.

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Summary: Thirty-five-year-old Rick Haviland is a well-respected speech pathologist, but while his friends are all settling into relationships, he refuses to give up his no-strings-attached club boy sex life. For him, relationships are dangerous; he’s got a secret to hide. When he meets Ian O’Donnell, an account manager with a local tabloid, Rick figures his personal rules for relationships should be enough to keep him safe from more than a one-night stand. When Ian comes out of the closet, tired of anonymous hook-ups and keeping secrets from his large Catholic family, Rick is right there, and he’s just the sort of man Ian might like to get to know better.Their attraction is immediate, electric and mutual. Ian convinces Rick to break more and more of his rules, and his defenses crumble. But someone watches, someone who’d like to see this new relationship fail. When Ian’s job becomes a means to expose Rick’s secret, it could destroy both their careers and their hearts.

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Summary: Detective Ivan Bekker has hit rock bottom. Not only is he recovering from a bad breakup with a cheating boyfriend, he’s also involved in a drug bust gone bad. Ivan had to kill a man, and his friend was shot and is now fighting for his life. Though Ivan is under investigation for his part in the shooting, his boss sends him on an off-the-books undercover operation to close the case. The timing is critical—this could be their chance to plug a leak in the department. Off-balance and without backup, Ivan finds himself playing a recent divorcé and becoming Parker Wakefield’s roommate. He finds it hard to believe that sweet Parker could possibly be a criminal, much less have ties to a Russian mafia drug-trafficking operation, and Ivan lets down his guard. His affection is unprofessional, but Parker is irresistible. When Ivan comes across clear evidence of Parker’s criminal involvement, he has to choose: protect their relationship, regardless of the consequences, or save his career and arrest the man he loves.

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Summary: R'kos, son of the Ankylos Emperor, is expected to settle down. But he's much more attracted to human males than to his own species. Eager to explore his forbidden longings, he steals a ship and heads to Elora Ki to see if he can find the right human guy. Darien robs the corrupt to give to those in need, but now he needs a ride off Elora Ki, stat. Pursued by drug lords, he accepts help from the amorous stranger who calls himself Ricky. As they fly together along Darien's route, their friendship quickly turns into passion. But when Ricky is injured, Darien must contact the embassy to get his alien lover the medical care he needs. As Darien finds himself accused of kidnapping, and Ricky fears his family's disappointment, can the two protect their growing relationship? Or are their differences just too great?

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Summary: Derrick and Trevor used to have an incredibly passionate relationship, full of spontaneity and sizzle. Now that their son is off to college, they want to put their days of routine, vanilla sex behind them and bring back some of that spark. Realizing that they're empty-nesters, Trevor begins to notice their age difference. He suddenly feels old and unsure of himself, and isn't confident Derrick still desires him. When Trevor decides to keep his health issues and gray hairs down there to himself, Derrick is hurt by his partner's secretive behavior and thinks Trevor must be having an affair. Nothing could be further from the truth, but Trevor doesn't know how to communicate his fears to his partner. He desperately wants to reconnect with Derrick and rev up their sex life, but will it be enough to reclaim their marital bliss?

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Summary: Detective Kurt O’Donnell is used to digging up other people’s secrets, but when he discovers his slain partner was married to another man, it shakes him. Determined to do the right thing, Kurt offers the mourning Davy his assistance. Helping Davy through his grief helps Kurt deal with the guilt that his partner didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth, and somewhere along the way Davy stops being an obligation and becomes a friend, the closest friend Kurt has ever had. His growing attraction to Davy complicates matters, leaving Kurt struggling to reevaluate his sexuality. Then a sensual encounter neither man is ready for confuses them further. To be with Davy, Kurt must face the prospect of coming out, but his job and his relationship with his Catholic family are on the line. Can he risk destroying his life for the uncertain possibility of a relationship with a newly widowed man?

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Summary: Every year, Jathan One-Moon faces increasing pressure that he marry and have children. What Jathan really wants is a male mate that can enjoy both playful sex and his more dominant nature. To tame his stress, Jathan orders a male escort from Spice 'n' Solace, the premier male brothel in the Galactic Alliance—and is thrilled to be sent a man whose air of innocence and obvious desire for Jathan arouse him like never before. Jathan doesn't know he has mistaken Kazha Deinos, the owner of Spice 'n' Solace, as his escort. Kaz doesn't intend to pleasure Jathan personally, but his powerful masculinity is irresistible. Kaz has dreamed of a man who'd take charge and indulge his hidden cravings—a man just like Jathan. With their explosive passion and unexpected tenderness, Jathan and Kaz soon want to stay together—if Jathan's position and Kaz's secrets don't tear them apart...