GENRE: Gay Romance
LENGTH: 62,360 words
RATING:

During Pride week, Wolfe learns the board is threatening to shut down the YBR community center. He won't let that happen, not while he's the director and responsible for everyone there. They tell him he's just a kid, but Wolfe needs to prove to everyone, especially the rich family he left behind, that he's strong enough to do the job, even after the assault he suffered back home.

Smitten by the young man with the beautiful gray eyes standing at a booth on Pride Community Day, Gaspard decides to take a risk for the first time in his life. Freshly divorced and father to two grown children, Gaspard is feeling a little lost in the dating world. Until Wolfe smiles at him.

Though twenty-four years separate them, Wolfe and Gaspard fall for each other in a way neither is prepared for. As relationships unravel around them and the pressure increases, Gaspard resists his passion for a man young enough to be his son. But how long can he keep his heart caged in?

EXCERPT:

They were silent, gazing at each other, and he ached to kiss Wolfe, but hadn't kissed a man, or anyone for that matter, in too long. He'd ruin it. He'd be too eager or not eager enough.

When Wolfe leaned in a little, Gaspard panicked. "Hey, you should get some rest, right?" he stammered, popping his door open. Feeling stupid, he climbed out of the car to go around and open Wolfe's door, but before he'd reached the other side of the car, Wolfe was already climbing out. He'd have to stop treating Wolfe like a woman. Or was it all right to be a gentleman to another gentleman?

"Were you gonna open my door?" Wolfe asked with a smile.

"Yeah, uh, it's the way I was brought up. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry!" Wolfe laughed again and his white teeth flashed in the dark. His mouth was so inviting. "I love it. It's so proper. Very 1950s of you."

"Okay. Okay."

The street was vacant and quiet. "Well," Wolfe said, looking at his door. "Good night?" He licked his lips. "Unless, maybe, you wanna ... come in?"

"Yeah, all right, sure." Heart pounding, Gaspard followed Wolfe, but froze on the first step. He'd been fantasizing about Wolfe for weeks. And now he was here, right here, inviting him into his house, but Gaspard couldn't take another step forward. It was too fast. He wanted to court Wolfe, to make it last.

Wolfe stood in his doorway, watching him closely. "Uh-oh. Someone just glitched."

"Listen, this is actually my first date since the divorce, and it's really, in all honesty, my first date with a gay man."

Wolfe cocked his head. "What makes you think I'm gay?"

Gaspard felt the blood drain from his face. "I ... I ... thought?"

"Gaspard, relax, I'm just messing with you."

"Oh, shit, you had me there." Gaspard took a deep breath. "Whoa."

Wolfe reached down and touched his hair. "I'm sorry."

Entranced by the warmth of Wolfe's gaze, Gaspard couldn't break away. "What happens now?" he whispered.

"I don't know ..." Wolfe skimmed his fingertip along Gaspard's shirt collar. "A kiss maybe?"

"Yeah?" Gaspard stepped up, closing the distance between them.

"Oh yes," Wolfe said, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him close.

Gaspard brushed his lips against Wolfe's mouth. Wolfe's breath on his face, the feel of his body pressed so close to his, engulfed his senses and he surrendered to Wolfe's young hunger for him. Wolfe kissed him with abandonment and passion and for a moment, Gaspard forgot where he was, how old he was. He was twenty again, full of need and greed. He didn't know how long they'd been kissing when Wolfe gently pushed him back. Wolfe's eyes were full of fever and his soft brown hair was messy as though he'd been caught in a windstorm. "Well," he said, rubbing his own lip, "I certainly didn't expect that. You're full of surprises, aren't you, Gaspard?"

"Come here." Greedily, forgetting himself, Gaspard kissed Wolfe again. The scent of Wolfe -- so clean and green -- made his blood pound. He could have kissed him all night.

"Come inside now," Wolfe breathed against his mouth, gripping his shirt.

They had time still for sex. It would be so much better if they waited a little. "Not tonight." With a smile, Gaspard stepped down. "Sorry."

Wolfe pouted, playing cute. He narrowed his eyes. "Will you at least call me?"

"Are you serious?" He grabbed Wolfe's hand and brought it to his mouth. He kissed it. "I'll call you tomorrow, as soon as I open my eyes."

"What time is that?"

"Five."

"Five?" Wolfe chuckled. "No, I'll call you." He unlocked his door and glanced over his shoulder. "Good night ..."

When Wolfe had entered his apartment, Gaspard stared at the front door for a while. Was this really happening to him?