Unexpected

Straight guys don’t have crushes on other dudes, right? Except my roommate, Whit, is intriguing, and I find myself watching him constantly. He’s a mystery I can’t figure out and these feelings I’m having about him are confusing. Then, one night, I find myself wrapped around him, and after that, I can't get enough. But Whit has secrets. He doesn’t let people in, and the more I fall for him, the less I know. I can't let him go, though. Until I realize I’m going to be the one broken at the end of our story.

Sometimes your dream guy isn’t who you think he is. Sem has been stalking me for months. He shows up everywhere I am and lurks in the background, his eyes always on me. I don’t understand his fascination with me, but he won’t leave me alone. He’s definitely not my type. He’s too big, too reckless, and too feral. But then one night he breaks into my apartment and dares me to do something crazy and I can’t say no.

I know this is wrong, but I can’t help myself when it comes to him. My mom deserves to be happy after losing my dad to tragedy over a decade ago. But her blissful new relationship comes with a catch. His name is Emery, my new stepbrother, and he’s the most infuriating, impulsive, chaotic, and strangely intriguing man I’ve ever met. I’ve managed to avoid him for a year but then on our way to our parents’ cabin, we get lost alone in the snowy mountains of Utah.

They say love comes from the most unexpected places. I found mine hiding in my bushes from the cops. My life before Luke was a carefully structured routine. It was predictable and organized, just the way I like it. Some would call it boring, but I call it smart self-preservation. If there’s one thing that could threaten to bring it all crashing down, it’s Luke van Beek. He swept into my world like a tropical cyclone, all hot and chaotic, and tore down my safeguards. Now I can’t seem to rid myself of this charming, larger-than-life, ridiculous man. 

Lex is chaos personified. He’s strange and alluring, unpredictable and unique. He drives me wild in a way I’ve never experienced. I’ve never felt desire like this, and now I find myself craving his touch and wanting him more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. I know I shouldn’t trust him, though. Lex wants something from me, and my family. He watches me through hidden cameras, stalking me like prey. But his voyeurism excites me. I want him to watch me, catch me, consume me.

I've devoted my life to my son, always putting his needs first, and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. Becoming a father was the best decision I've ever made, but hell, single parenting is difficult. I'm so tired of holding everything together. I need a partner, someone to share my life with. I miss intimacy and passion. I want someone who will take charge and help me let go of all this control I cling to. But an endless string of bad dates and rejection has me feeling like maybe love will never come for me. Maybe a father is all I'm meant to be in this life.

After my honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, it only made sense to put my skills to good use as a personal bodyguard. The contracts keep me moving and traveling, and the money is good. All I've ever wanted was to make sure my mother and sister were taken care of after my father passed away. So when Anthony Costello, the notorious mob boss and my dad's ex-employer, asked me to take on a special job for his family, I couldn't say no. But not even my six-year stint as an elite Marine could have prepared me for the hellscape that is being trapped in a secluded safe house with his son.

While I've always known my infatuation with Cash and Ford was meant to remain an unfulfilled dream, I never really lost hope. Hope that the two men, twice my age, would ever see me as more than just a kid. As more than just their best friend's son. I'm not a kid anymore, and at twenty-one, they're about to see that little meek and quiet Ben is old enough for many things. Old enough to finally attract their attention. And frankly, old enough to know better. To know that these stolen touches and lustful trysts behind closed doors could never really amount to more.

The path to self-acceptance has always felt like an uphill battle for me. It's hard not to feel that way when the most important people in my life decided long ago they can't accept me as I am, that they don't want a gay son, a feminine son, a boy who likes pretty things. Caring for myself from a young age has come with a lot of hardships, but finding myself bruised, homeless, and sleeping in my car just about tops the list. Fortunately, the person I least expect offers to take me in and share his home with me.