All First Chapter Samples

“You have to save me. I’m an idiot who thinks with his dick and I need to be saved from myself.” Laughter might not have been the best response, but Archer was being so dramatic it was hard to take him seriously sometimes. “This isn’t funny. I’ve been calling you for two days.”

Okay, most of the time.

Drama was obviously affecting his memory…and his logic skills, so I decided a reminder was in order. “The train has been going through ridiculously small towns that don’t have any cell service.”

And for some reason, the train seemed to go even slower when we were in dead zones.

There were wonderful side effects of traveling cross-country that I hadn’t expected—random areas of the US that got no cell service whatsoever and the fact that the motion of the train kept putting me to sleep.

Archer snorted, his drama ratcheting even higher. “That’s just stupid. You’re on a train through the South, not through a third world country.”

“Did you know there are people who dress up like puppies and have…people who take care of them?” When the only response from Leon was silence, quickly followed by a thud, I looked up from my laptop. “Why are you on the floor?”

Leon wasn’t the most coordinated guy I’d ever met, but the way he was looking at me gave me the distinct impression it was my fault. He just sat sprawled out in front of his office chair, shaking his head as he said, “What are you looking at?”

I glanced down at my computer excitedly. “I found a website that has a huge list of kinks and fetishes and lifestyle…things. Did you know there’s a word for someone who has a thing for giants? I think they mean like really big people, but it might have something to do with sci-fi books.”

When I looked back up, Leon was still there shaking his head. “Do not read me that list. Got it?”

“I’m just saying…there’s something wrong about a sexy Santa.” Jules had the most boring taste ever in porn, considering what he was into in real life.

I snorted. “You’re insane. Sexy Santas are like gold medal DILFs. Everyone loves them.”

Who didn’t love an older man with a wicked gleam in his eyes?

Jules gave a long sigh like he was dying inside. “You’re ruining my childhood.”

“If you’ve never thought about a dirty Santa, you didn’t have much of a childhood.” Older men were the best and Santa could be the epitome of that with the right guy in the suit. “Come on, don’t you think this would be hot on someone? They’re going to sell really well.”

“It will be a cold day in fucking hell before I buy that brat another fucking Lego.” Derek’s words made sense. Technically. But they weren’t adding up. Pausing outside of the office, I knew he and Sean couldn’t see me, but since it didn’t sound like they were having sex again, I wasn’t worried.

There were only so many times I needed to walk in on those two.

Derek was clearly an interesting influence on Sean, but now I was at a loss about what he was losing his mind over.

Did he have kids somewhere?

Whereas some guys I knew had taken their time figuring shit out and had ended up with kids or married, Derek had never been that type. And I was pretty sure I would’ve heard of them by now. So who was he buying Legos for—and not just buying them, but sounding like he was getting ready to put a kid in time-out because they wouldn’t pick up their toys?

“Is everything okay? You’ve been sitting here quite a while.”

Asking for a spanking and for him to find my binkie would’ve been a slightly inappropriate response, especially since the man coming through the backyard was my best friend’s father.

“No, Mr. Hammond. Just thinking.” He winced, making me grin and feel lighter than I had in days.

“Please, Elliot, you’re twenty-four. A real adult. No more Mr. Hammond nonsense.” On one hand, he was right. Even though I looked young, I was a full-fledged adult with adult problems…but I liked calling him Mr. Hammond.

It was the closest I would get to calling him Sir or something even more perfect…like Daddy.

“But it’s a respect thing. You’re Ryker’s father.” To say that falling for my best friend’s dad made things difficult would’ve been an understatement of truly epic proportions.

Nathan was trying to kill me.

“Was I not supposed to ask?” He blinked at me, curious and almost innocent, like he had no idea why I was choking to death on the fry I’d just eaten. “I’m good with whatever it is. I’ve been researching different preferences and fetishes. People are weird.”

I finally managed to take a breath without coughing and reached out to take a sip of my water. Of course, I wasn’t stalling, I was just very thirsty. When I couldn’t put it off anymore, I had a hard time figuring out what to say. “You’re people too, don’t forget that part.”

So maybe I hadn’t actually answered his question. I was hoping that with his habit of conversation-hopping, he wouldn’t realize it until later. It didn’t seem to be working, though. He smiled and nodded, clearly not fazed by the idea of being weird. “Very true. But Gabriel likes it too, so I’m okay with that.” Then his voice lost some of his usual excitement and he started mumbling. “At least, I thought I was…I probably am.” I didn’t like the sound of that. I jumped back into the conversation before I could talk myself out of it. “Are you having second thoughts about what he wants?”

Gabriel hadn’t seemed like the kind of guy…master…who would push Nathan into something he didn’t want, and Marcus had nothing but great things to say about the guy. However, I didn’t want Nathan dragged into something he wasn’t ready for.