GENRE: Gay Interracial Mystery Erotic Romance
LENGTH: 73,088 words
RATING:

Ian Hughes returns from a business trip only to discover his wife Debbie has been brutally murdered. When a bloody note reveals Ian was the intended victim, Detective Danny Diaz is assigned to act as Ian’s bodyguard. The two men were best friends in high school, and now that they’ve been thrown together again, the feeling they each secretly harbor for the other are rekindled. As Danny tries to keep Ian from being the killer’s next victim, things between them ignite into a sexual tension that’s hot enough to destroy Danny’s career.

Secret business deals, sexual, and long-held grudges are all exposed as Danny tries to find the murderer. Amidst all the lies and cover-ups one thing is certain -- although everyone seems to love Ian, someone wants him dead. The closer they get to solving the crime, the closer the attempts on Ian’s life come to actually succeeding.

Is it fate that brought Ian and Danny together? Will their relationship survive the scrutiny of the investigation or the stress of being a target? Will they catch the killer before the killer gets Ian? Or will Ian survive to live happily ever after with Danny?

EXCERPT:
Note: may contain sexually explicit scenes of a homoerotic nature.

“Ian, you’ve had a rough day and you’re drunk. When we do have sex, I want it to be because it’s what we both really want. I don’t want it to be because you’re drunk and lonely.”

“I’m not drunk! I’m horny. I want you to fuck me! If you were the friend you say you are, you’d fuck me right now!”

Danny broke free from Ian’s grip. Stepping back from the bed, he said, “Ian, this isn’t how I want it to be with you. You aren’t some hook-up that I’m never going to see again. I want something more than that with you. I’m saying ‘no’ right now because I am your friend and this isn’t the right time.”

Ian got very angry and shouted, “You’re a liar! You're not my friend. If you were my friend you would have stayed in contact with me when we graduated. You would have told me you were gay back in high school so we could have been together. You aren’t my fucking friend! You’re a cop and you’re only here to spy on me. You think I killed my wife and you are just trying to get me to admit it. Well you’re wrong! I didn’t kill Debbie, I loved her. We didn’t have sex anymore, but I still loved her. So fuck you, Mr. Detective! You probably killed her and are just trying to pin it on me!”

“Ian, none of that is true. I’m here because I care about you. I know you didn’t kill Debbie,” Danny said calmly.

“You’re a liar! Get the fuck out of here! I never want to see your pig face again! I hate you! Go to hell!” Ian screamed.

“I do care about you, Ian. But I’ll go, if that’s what you want.”

“That’s what you want isn’t it? You don’t want me. You think I’m a murderer. I want you out of here! So leave now or I’ll have the cop outside the door arrest you!” Ian screamed.

Danny turned and left the bedroom. As he was gathering his things to leave, Tillie and Charlotte came into the suite.

“Where are you going?” Tillie asked.

“Ian ordered me to leave, so I’m going home,” Danny replied, trying to hold back the tears. He really did love Ian, and it hurt so much when Ian said he hated him. He tried to convince himself Ian had said that because he was drunk, but the words stung too much.

“Danny, don’t go. Ian didn’t mean it. He’s just upset. He’ll want you here in the morning. He really cares about you,” Tillie said.

“After some of the things he just said, I’m not so sure he does care about me. I think it’s best that I go home. Ian has my number. If he wants me to come back in the morning, I’ll come back. Until then, I’ll give him his space.”

“What do you mean you aren’t sure he cares about you? Haven’t you seen the way he looks at you? Haven’t you seen how he trusts you and depends on you? I know my son, and there are very few people he will even let get close to him. You are very special to him.”

“I appreciate you saying that, but I’m sure he’s only doing that because I’ve been here at a difficult time,” Danny said woefully.

“Oh good hell! You’re as blind as he is. I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with you two!” Tillie said with frustration.