What's his Passion? Read online
Table of Contents
Legal Page
Title Page
Book Descriptions
Unexpected Places
Dedication
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
About Bailey Bradford
Vegas Hustle
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About Ethan Stone
Mountains to Climb
Dedication
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About T.A. Chase
Size Matters
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Epilogue
About Sean Michael
Picturing Lysander
Dedication
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
About L.M. Somerton
Rockin' the Alternative
Dedication
Trademarks Acknowledgement
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About Morticia Knight
New Excerpt
Publisher Page
A Totally Bound Publication
What’s his Passion?
ISBN # 978-1-78430-146-0
Unexpected Places ©Copyright Bailey Bradford 2014
Vegas Hustle ©Copyright Ethan Stone 2014
Mountains to Climb ©Copyright T.A. Chase 2014
Size Matters ©Copyright Sean Michael 2014
Picturing Lysander ©Copyright L.M. Somerton 2014
Rockin’ the Alternative ©Copyright Morticia Knight 2014
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright August 2014
Edited by Sue Meadows
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2014 by Totally Bound Publishing, Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a heat rating of Totally Burning and a Sexometer of 3.
What’s his Passion?
Unexpected Places
Bailey Bradford
Vegas Hustle
Ethan Stone
Mountains to Climb
T.A. Chase
Size Matters
Sean Michael
Picturing Lysander
L.M. Somerton
Rockin’ the Alternative
Morticia Knight
‘Unexpected Places’ by Bailey Bradford
Love finds you in the most unexpected places.
Carter Hausemann loves his adventures in the great outdoors. He never feels as free and happy as he does when he’s hiking up a mountain or over a desert trail. After a childhood spent locked indoors, he craves the sunlight on his face and the blanket of moonlight.
Unfortunately, he has to work, so his hiking trips aren’t as frequent as he would like.
He has a new adventure planned, but little does he know, his real adventure will start at a worn-down-looking club in Odessa, Texas. Carter’s dreams of finding his perfect men will become more than fantasy, starting with one sexy leather-clad man, Eddie Canales. What starts out as a night of debauchery turns into so much more.
‘Vegas Hustle’ by Ethan Stone
A business trip to Las Vegas becomes a life or death situation for a comic book fan.
Comic book geek Adam Brand is young, good-looking and wealthy. He’s also a virgin because he’s not skilled at picking up guys. While in Vegas with his friend Dean to finalize a real estate deal, he throws caution to the wind and hires a professional. Hustler Javier Campos is just Adam’s type and his first time is perfect.
Things go very wrong when Dean and Adam have a run-in with two corrupt cops and Dean ends up dead. Adam must go into hiding with Javier where they realize their attraction is more than just a business arrangement.
‘Mountains to Climb’ by T.A. Chase
Sometimes the past can be the biggest mountain to climb.
Toby Schwartzel has never forgotten Jensen Brockhoff, the man he loved and the one who disappeared six years ago. He thinks he’s moved on, but when Jensen appears again and wants to explain what happened, Toby realizes he hasn’t gotten over Jensen. He’d only built up walls to keep from being hurt again.
Jensen Brockhoff left New York City and Toby Schwartzel for several reasons. All of them had to do with drugs and alcohol. He’s clean now and the only thing he’s addicted to is mountain climbing. His passion for the sport has got him through the last six years. But after a particularly harrowing fall on Denali, Jensen knows he has to go back to tell Toby the truth.
Will Toby and Jensen discover they’d never moved past the love they had for each other all those years ago? Or are the mountains between them too high to climb?
‘Size Matters’ by Sean Michael
Trey is a natural submissive, but no one wants to take on a blind man. When Trey and Lucien hit it off, it could be the answer to Trey’s prayers.
When Lucien meets his favorite author at a book signing, he’s surprised to discover the man is not only blind, but much younger than he’d expected. He’s even more surprised to discover that Trey shares a passion of his—BDSM.
Trey loves his life as a horror mystery writer, but it is a lonely one. Immediately drawn to Lucien, he’s surprised and intrigued when Lucien ferrets out his interests in certain aspects of BDSM right from the start.
Is Lucien exactly who Trey’s been waiting for, or is it too good to be true?
‘Picturing Lysander’ by L.M. Somerton
Photography, like love, should have no limits.
Lysander Brock is a talented photographer and capturing the perfect picture is his passion. His work takes him all over the world and he is famous for his willingness to take risks for the perfect image.
Kyle Dawson is tasked by his mysterious employer to obtain Brock’s services for a dangerous job and he’s prepared to use any method to ensure that the young photographer does as he’s told. Breaking and entering and blackmail are just tools of his trade.
Despite the circumstances, the spark of attraction between Brock and Kyle is strong. Brock’s
addiction to adrenaline-fuelled adventure holds him captive, just as much as Kyle’s brooding dominant appeal. As a fragile trust builds between them, Kyle takes a gamble and tells Brock the truth about his mission. Can Brock accept the challenges ahead—as a photographer and as a man?
‘Rockin’ the Alternative’ by Morticia Knight
The chance of a lifetime and the touch of a rock god are offered to music journalist Bryan Gallagher on the same day. Embracing one is easy, but resisting the other is harder than he’d anticipated—especially since Bryan has never been with a man.
It could be his dream assignment. Aubrey King, the legendary god of alternative rock music, has requested to meet with journalist and writer Bryan about penning the star’s memoir. Aubrey and his dark, angsty songs are the reason Bryan was inspired to become a leading rock journalist. His obsession for his career has alienated the women in his life, but Bryan doesn’t care. What really matters to him is the music.
Aubrey King has been out of the music scene for almost ten years—ever since his alternative rock band, Falling in Stereo, broke up. Questions about his sexual preferences have always surrounded him, and now that he’s ready to make a solo comeback, he wants to tell his story, his way. He’s followed journalist Bryan Gallagher’s career for a while and believes that Bryan’s obvious passion for music mirrors his own. He loves his writing style, but is also enraptured by the boyishly handsome writer.
Brian finds pushing his fanboy nervousness aside is difficult when Aubrey finally stands before him. He’s amazed at how little Aubrey has changed—his intense gaze, his unique style and his still youthful looks epitomize the star he’s always been. But Aubrey’s vulnerability when he sings and shares the deeply personal lyrics of a new song triggers something in Bryan that he never knew was there. The need to give himself to Aubrey, to let the rock god do to him what he’s never before desired a man to do.
UNEXPECTED PLACES
Bailey Bradford
Dedication
For those who find love in unexpected places.
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmark mentioned in this work of fiction:
Powerball: Multi-State Lottery Association
Chapter One
“Hey, Carter, you headed out to Grayson’s?”
Carter Hausemann bit back a groan. He hadn’t gotten away quick enough to avoid Mark Watson. Carter turned to watch him approach the elevator. Mark was an attractive guy, but he wasn’t someone Carter wanted a long-term anything with. Or even a quick fuck, for that matter. Mark skeeved him out.
“Actually, I’m not,” Carter told him.
He desperately hoped someone else would join them for the elevator ride down from the twelfth floor. Mark could be pushy to the point of obnoxious if they were alone.
“I’m going home to prepare for the hiking trip I’m taking over the weekend.” Not that it was any of Mark’s business, but Carter hoped it would get the man to back off.
Instead, Mark stopped just a little too close, but not so much that Carter could call him out on it. Well, he could, but Mark would likely tell him he was being paranoid—even though they’d both know better.
“Hiking again?” Mark raked him with a calculating gaze Carter had seen too often. “Surely there are better things to do with your time?”
And that attitude was one of the reasons Carter would never want to hook up with Mark. Besides being a co-worker, he always had something bordering on snide to say about Carter’s love of hiking.
Carter shifted his briefcase into the hand closest to Mark, forcing him to move back or get whacked on the knee. As tempting as it was to be a dick and tell Mark to fuck off, Carter wouldn’t do it. He was certain that, eventually, Mark would lose interest in him.
“Nothing beats the great outdoors.”
“Nothing?” Mark asked, skepticism layering over his features. “Uh huh. I’ve seen the Odessa Meteor Crater hiking trail and don’t see how anyone could want to bother with it more than once, yet you seem to practically live out there on the weekends.” Mark cocked his head and gave Carter a borderline leer. “If that’s the most fun you’ve had here in Odessa, maybe you’ve been doing some things wrong, because I can think of at least one thing that should top the great outdoors.”
“Not if you’re hiking right,” Carter retorted. “Oh hey, here comes Becca.” He almost added, Thank God, but restrained himself at the last moment. “Hey, Becca, just in time,” Carter called out as the elevator bell dinged.
Becca was his boss, and he’d never been so grateful to see her as he was at that moment. She got on the elevator with him and Mark after murmuring greetings to them. Carter made certain he stood on her right, as Mark was to Becca’s left.
“Are you ready for your trip? This one’s going to be different from your usual day-hikes out here. Think this will be a big adventure?” Becca asked him. She pressed the button for the ground floor.
Carter smiled warmly at her. He liked his boss, was glad to be working on her team. “Hopefully it will be, yeah, though not the get-eaten-by-a-bear kind of adventure. As to being ready, almost. I’m quite excited about the weekend trip exploring parts of Big Bend. I’ve been wanting to see it ever since I moved here.”
“You just have to pack,” Mark added, eyeing him as if gauging whether or not Carter had lied about that.
“Exactly,” Carter agreed. “I was given a list of recommended supplies for the trip after I signed up for it. This’ll be my first weekend hike there. I’ve been all over New Mexico and Colorado.”
Becca turned to him, effectively cutting Mark out of the conversation. “You know, your enthusiasm is inspiring. I think I’ll talk to Lee about taking the kids hiking soon. Plus, the exercise will do us all some good. Let me know what you think about Big Bend.”
Carter nibbled his bottom lip, running through what he did know. The elevator reached the ground floor. The doors opened and Mark hovered. Carter focused on Becca. “After you.”
She started forward and he followed, asking her, “How old are your kids?”
Mark’s annoyed huff was amusing to hear.
Becca waited for Carter. “They’re teenagers, so lots of whining.”
Carter laughed and was relieved to see Mark march past them to the front doors. “Oh come on, I bet they aren’t that bad.”
Becca harrumphed and they walked together to the exit. Carter held the door for her, as he would have done for anyone else.
Becca thanked him and their conversation resumed outside in the waning sunlight. “They are. I swear, I don’t remember being so annoying at those ages, but I’m sure my parents would disagree.”
Carter imagined he’d been a pain in the butt to his mom at that age, too. He didn’t say as much to Becca and instead thought of something that might discourage her, though that wasn’t his intention. He merely wanted her to have the facts she needed to make a good decision. “Well, I do know that mountain lions are a danger, and it’s advised that small children not be out and flapping their arms and such. They tend to look like bait or prey to wild animals in such situations. But, I’m not sure about teens, or how tall your kids are.”
“They’re taller than me, and I’m five-nine.” She laughed and shook her head. “I seriously doubt a mountain lion would want anything to do with a whining teenager. Poor cat would probably run far, far away.” She stopped at the entrance to the parking lot. “If you don’t get eaten, I’ll have to seriously consider taking the family there. There’s not a lot the kids want to do in Odessa other than movies and the mall.”
“And you think they’ll want to hike?” he asked, doubtful that they would.
Becca shrugged. “Don’t care, they’ll get out and do it before their butts become permanently affixed to the couch.”
She cleared her throat and something about that made Carter nervous.
Becca stared at him and asked, “Is Mark bot
hering you? I only ask because you seemed very relieved to see me and, I’ll admit, I’ve heard rumors about him being rather pushy. Only rumors, though. No one has actually complained so I don’t know…”
Carter thought it over. When it came down to it, he hadn’t told Mark to stop. They always seemed to dance right at the edge of Mark actually harassing him and Carter never telling him to fuck off. “I admit he makes me uncomfortable, but that may just be me. He hasn’t ever done or said anything inappropriate.” He’d asked Carter out a few times, which wasn’t against company rules as Mark wasn’t in management.
“If he ever does, let me know. I hate to give credence to rumors, but there’s that saying, where there’s smoke…” She raised one hand and turned it palm-up.
Carter nodded. “Will do. See you tomorrow, Becca.” He waved and headed for his car.
Chapter Two
It hadn’t taken Carter long to pack the rest of the items he’d needed for the trip. He hadn’t lied to Mark, but he had wanted to go to Grayson’s and get laid. Odessa Texas wasn’t a hotbed of gay nightlife, but it did have a couple of clubs. Grayson’s was the nicer place, and Carter would have gone there after packing but fear of running into Mark had him driving to the other club, The Circle. Carter had seen it before—which was why he’d chosen to go to Grayson’s.
The Circle appeared to be a worn-down wreck of a building, and Carter was surprised to see the lot filled. “Who knew,” he muttered. He was going to have to drive around the block to park. “Maybe I should just go back home. This place looks worse at night than it does during the day.”