GENRE: Gay Erotic Romance
LENGTH: 20,031 words
RATING:

Keenan Hunter, a naïve farm boy, quickly falls for his college roommate, Tucker Reynolds, a more sophisticated city slicker. For a time, Keenan's feelings for Tucker appear to be reciprocated, although neither man openly expresses any feelings they may have for the other.

For reasons Keenan can't understand, Tucker starts to date Jane Williams, a fellow student. Keenan deals with the pain of rejection by finding another man to love. But time and again, this proves unsuccessful. Tucker has captured Keenan's heart and no one else can match the forever love Keenan thought he had with Tucker.

When Tucker marries Jane, he asks Keenan to be his best man. Keenan reluctantly agrees and performs his duties, all the while hiding the pain of his broken heart. The experience leaves Keenan with a life-long aversion to weddings.

Years pass and the two men drift apart. Keenan becomes the head veterinarian at an animal rescue center. And because of a three-legged Yorkshire terrier, Tucker comes back into Keenan's life. Circumstances have changed for Tucker. Will these changes finally allow Keenan to regain his forever love? Maybe weddings aren't so bad after all.

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

Once back in their room, Keenan anxiously sat on his bed as Tucker angrily paced the floor, hands on his hips. Occasionally Tucker would stop in front of Keenan and stare at him. Tucker would look as if he were about to speak; then he would run a hand through his hair, swear, and pace again.

Keenan braced himself for the inevitable eruption. Whatever Tucker was feeling, it had to come to a boiling point soon. Keenan hoped Tucker would get it over with. Keenan's apprehension over what was to come was beginning to overwhelm him.

Finally, Tucker stopped. Standing with his back to Keenan, Keenan could hear him muttering something about how this wasn't how he'd wanted it to happen. What did Tucker mean by that? What had he wanted to happen?

Tucker took a deep breath, turned, and walked slowly to stand in front of Keenan once more. This time it was as if he'd made a decision. His expression was softer, calmer. He held out his hands and nodded toward them. Keenan took the outstretched hands, and Tucker pulled him to his feet.

Tuck didn't say anything. He just smiled wistfully and slipped one arm around Keenan's waist. He placed his other hand on the back of Keenan's head and gently pulled Keenan into a kiss.

Surprised by Tucker's actions, shock waves shot through Keenan's body. He put his arms around Tucker and tentatively returned the man's kiss. Keenan's mind reeled. Was this what Tucker had wanted to happen?

When they broke apart, Keenan looked questioningly into Tucker's eyes. Tucker was smiling. Tucker stepped back and slipped Keenan's shirt off over his head, then removed his own. Once more he embraced Keenan. The feel of Tucker's naked flesh against his both thrilled and frightened him. They kissed again, this time with more passion. Keenan shuddered. He opened his lips. He felt Tucker's tongue find his and felt Tucker's cock hardening, pressing against him through the fabric of their shorts.

Tucker broke their embrace and began to unbuckle Keenan's belt. Keenan stopped him. He told Tucker that other than what had just happened at Lambda House, he'd never done anything like this before -- with either a man or woman. Tucker smiled and said it was okay. He hadn't either, at least not with a man. Keenan sighed, let Tucker continue to undress him, then reached out, and began to remove Tucker's shorts.