Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66518 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 333(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 222(@300wpm)
When Ryder and I met in Las Vegas, both of us were clear about one thing—this was just a hookup, nothing more.
Neither of us was looking for a relationship. Besides, we came from totally different worlds. I was an aspiring fashion designer from San Francisco, and he was a cowboy running a horse rescue in rural Texas.
Even so, that Sin City hookup led to another. And another.
We know we should stop before someone gets hurt. But every time we get together, every time he holds me and touches me and whispers my name, I find myself wondering—is there any world where Ryder and I could make this work? Or were we right from the start, and is an occasional hookup the best we can ever hope for?
This low-angst, opposites attract gay romance is part of Alexa Land’s Firsts and Forever Stories collection. It features a dual point of view, and it can be read as a stand-alone
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
1
Hal
Waking up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee was awesome. Realizing I wasn’t in my own bed? Less so.
I raised a lid and found myself nose-to-nose with some sort of grinning, pink creature. Automatically, I jerked back and blurted, “What the f—”
Fortunately, I didn’t finish that sentence. It wouldn’t have been great to teach my best friend Logan’s three-year-old that colorful new word.
The toddler was standing beside the couch I’d fallen asleep on, wielding a strange stuffed animal like a microphone. He’d stuck it in my face as if he was looking for a quote, and he’d almost gotten one. I muttered, “Hi, Owen. What’ve you got there?” The blanket someone had draped over me pooled in my lap as I sat up.
“Lotto.” That made absolutely no sense, but I nodded anyway.
“It’s an axolotl,” Logan explained, as he brought two mugs and a sippy cup into the family room.
“Which is what, exactly?” I pushed my long hair out of my face and thanked him when he handed me a cup of coffee.
“Apparently it’s some sort of aquatic salamander. Owen picked it from a huge wall of stuffed animals at the toy store. I personally would have gone for the giraffe, but he insisted on the squishy pink thing.”
He gave his son a cup of juice before crossing the room and plugging in the Christmas tree. It was ocean themed, just one of seven uniquely decorated trees Logan had put up throughout his house for the holiday season. I couldn’t even imagine having the energy for something like that.
After I took a big sip of coffee, I said, “Sorry for being the worst dinner guest ever. I can’t believe I fell asleep. Your husband must think I’m incredibly rude.”
“Lucky and I both understand. You’ve been working really hard, so no wonder you’re tired. Even now, during winter break, you’ve barely given yourself any downtime.”
“That’s because I’m totally behind. Everyone else in my class has already planned out their entire collection. A few people have even started sewing their garments! Meanwhile, I’ve got nothing, and that’s not okay. I’ve come too far, only to end up choking on my senior project.” Owen was watching me closely as he drank from his sippy cup, so I flashed him a smile.
Logan sat down beside me with real concern in his dark eyes. “You’re putting too much pressure on yourself, Hal. When school starts back up in January, you’ll still have five months to figure this out. I know how fast you can sew, which means once you nail down your designs, you’ll be able to knock out a six-piece collection in a matter of days. Doesn’t it make sense to relax a little, so you can start your final semester rested and refreshed?”
Of course it did. Logically, I knew that was exactly what I should be doing. It was hard to take a step back though, when it felt like not just my degree but my entire future was on the line.
I left it at, “You’re right,” and drank some more coffee before changing the subject. “Where’s your husband?”
“Lucky wanted to do some Christmas shopping. We’re meeting at the p-a-r-k in about two hours, so you-know-who can play on the you-know-what. Want to join us?” If he hadn’t spoken in code, his son would have insisted on going immediately.
“Thanks for the offer, but I have to finish those two dresses I told you about.”
As much as I loved watching Owen shriek with delight on the toddler-sized swings, I felt like such a third wheel whenever I tagged along with Logan and his family. That was on me though, because they always went out of their way to make me feel included.
We chatted for a few more minutes, and then I got up and tucked my shoes under my arm. “Thanks for dinner, and the coffee, and for letting me pass out on your couch. I promise to be a livelier guest next time.”
“I don’t need you to be lively. I just need you to take care of yourself, Hal.”
After I said goodbye to Logan and ruffled his son’s blond curls, I left by the back door and walked home barefoot. It took less than thirty seconds to reach my destination.
My best friend lived directly behind the funky pink Victorian I shared with six people, including his brother. When Logan and his husband bought their house, everyone decided to take down the fence between the two properties and create one big yard. My housemate Dylan was studying landscape architecture, so he and his boyfriend had turned it into a lush, beautiful oasis. As nice as it was though, I had things to do, so I didn’t linger.
When I stepped through the kitchen door, my housemate Lark muttered, “Aw, that’s too bad.”
“What is?”
He put down the dishtowel he’d been using and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. “I thought you might have spent the night doing something—or someone—fun. Instead, you must have fallen asleep on my brother’s couch again.”