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“Well?” Adam demanded. “What is it?”

Paul sighed resignedly. “It’s a cock ring.”

There was a moment’s silence before all their guests laughed uproariously. Paul gave Taylor a look that promised retribution, but Adam was grinning like an idiot.

“Taylor, have I told you lately how much I like you?”

Taylor snickered. “Yeah, I figured you’d approve.” Adam gave him the thumbs up.

“Our turn.” Eric gave him a parcel. “This is from the four of us.”

Paul opened this one more cautiously and groaned when he saw what lay inside the pretty box.

“Oh, please, you have to tell me,” Adam begged.

Paul placed it into his hands. Adam ran his fingers over it and beamed. “Boys! Priceless!”

Paul growled. “Don’t encourage them.” He glared at his so-called friends. “A puppy dog tail butt plug? Really?”

Eric and the others were crying with laughter.

“God, I’ve never been so conflicted in my life!” Shane wiped his eyes. “Half of me is dying to see what this looks like, because, come
on
, a
tail
sticking out of your arse? But the other half keeps thinking, ‘eew!’”

“Stop it,” Jason begged. “I’m laughing so much my stomach hurts.”

“Our turn.” Sam handed Paul a small package, and the others leaned forward, eyes shining.

Paul gave it a baleful stare. “It’s come to something when I’m afraid to open my own presents.”

Adam leaned closer. “After the butt plug, how bad could it be?” he said under his breath. He bit his lip. “Nah, forget I said that.” Adam smothered a chuckle.

“Not helping,” Paul whispered back. He tore off the gold wrapping paper and sighed when he saw the image on the box.

“Oh, come on, I’m dying here,” Adam said, grinning again.

Paul opened the box and placed the fluffy-covered objects into Adam’s hands. Adam promptly burst into a peal of bright laughter. “Handcuffs! Excellent. You can never have too many pairs.”

Mark chuckled. “We should’ve given them to you, Adam. You’d probably put them to better use.”

Paul snorted. “Yeah?” He took them off Adam. “Well, that just goes to show you don’t know everything.” He gave Adam a quick peck on the cheek. “Do they,
babe
?” Paul grinned. Adam mouthed
tonight
and Paul knew he was in for it when everyone had left.

Looks like my birthday will be finishing the way it started. Lucky me.

David guffawed. “Adam, I take my hat off to you. Nothing wrong with a little versatility, taken in moderation, of course.” He stroked up and down Taylor’s spine. “Besides, it’s kinda nice to sit back and let someone else take the driving seat now and again, if you catch my drift.” Taylor’s face was flushed.

Shane shuddered. “I did
not
need that image in my head, thank you very much.”

“Yeah,” Jason added. “It’s bad enough knowing you’re gay. We don’t need to know about the details, all right?”

Mark snorted. “Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re not the teeniest bit curious?”

“Not even remotely. Hetero and proud, okay?” Shane gave an exaggerated shiver. Mark and Jason were nodding in agreement.

Paul couldn’t help noticing Eric’s reaction. His friend was watching the scene, but there was none of the hilarity shown by the others. His face was tight, his expression guarded.

Something’s wrong
. Paul resolved to have a good chat with Eric the next time he came to the house.

“What we’re all dying to know,” Taylor said with a grin, “is what Adam got you for your birthday.” A chorus of whistles and whoops followed his words.

“Yes, Paul, why don’t you tell them what I gave you for your birthday?” Adam said innocently.

Bastard
. Paul had an idea who might be the first to try out the handcuffs, and it wouldn’t be him. “One of my presents is behind you on the sideboard,” he said, pointing to the large soft toy dinosaur.

Taylor twisted around to glance at it. “Oh wow. An Adamosaurus. Is it an accurate representation?”

Paul snickered. “Let’s see. He’s big and strong… Yeah, it’s pretty accurate, except for one thing. The dick is missing.” He nudged Adam.

“Think how much extra fabric they’d need, though,” Adam added, smirking.

“And
there
you go again, lowering the tone,” Shane groaned. “Change the subject, please, anyone?”

“How’s the job hunting going?” Sam asked, before sipping his wine.

“Actually, I might have some news soon on that front,” Paul informed them. “I have a job interview next week at a nursing home in Sandown. They need a physiotherapist to start after Christmas, so keep your fingers crossed.”

“I had other ideas,” Adam said in his low voice. He reached across the table for Paul’s hand and curled his fingers around it. “I suggested Paul might want to think about setting up in business for himself, maybe working with a masseur.” He gave a shrug. “It’s another way to go.” He squeezed Paul’s hand.

Paul lifted their laced hands and kissed Adam’s. “I love the idea, just maybe not yet. When I’ve had more experience.”

Adam smiled. “You will make a success of whatever you choose to do. I’m positive.”

Warmth spread through Paul on hearing Adam’s sincere words of praise, and his throat tightened. He coughed. “Now we’re all finished, I’ll go and fetch the birthday cake.”

“You want us to clear the plates?” Sam asked.

Paul shook his head. “You just sit there and enjoy the wine. I won’t be a minute.”

He pushed back his chair and pressed his lips to Adam’s fingers before releasing them. Paul hurried into the kitchen, his pulse quickening. Sometimes the realization of how lucky he was overwhelmed him. Adam loved him, body and soul, and wasn’t shy about telling him so. For a man who’d found it difficult to share his feelings a few months ago, Adam had come a long way.

Paul counted out the birthday candles and proceeded to stick them into the soft icing. Twenty-four candles were going to require a huge breath to blow them out.

Adam walked up behind him and slipped his arms around Paul’s waist, nuzzling into his neck and kissing him there. Paul couldn’t repress the shivers that rippled through him. Adam knew exactly what he was doing, the sod.

“Happy, babe?” Adam murmured, pressing his lips to Paul’s hair and kissing him tenderly.

Paul put down the candles and twisted in Adam’s arms, looping his around Adam’s neck. “Like you wouldn’t believe,” he said softly. Their lips met in a gentle kiss with the promise of heat. Adam reached down to cup Paul’s arse and squeezed, and Paul moaned. “Later, okay?”

Adam released him with a sigh. “Okay.” He stepped away. “How’s the cake looking?”

Paul smiled. “I think version two is even better than version one.” The pink icing was the right shade for flesh, and the chocolate vermicelli sprinkled over the balls gave a fair imitation of hair. He put the last of the candles into position and went into the fridge.

“I still think using strawberry jam as the filling is just
wrong
,” Adam said emphatically. “Can you imagine what it will look like when you slice into it?” He winced. “Doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Paul cackled evilly as he applied the finishing touch before lighting the candles.

“What are you up to, Paul Vaughan?” Adam asked, his brow wrinkled.

Paul regarded his masterpiece and grinned. “I added a come shot using double cream.”

Adam burst out laughing. “Come on. Let’s go freak out some of our friends.”

The End

About the Author

Born
and raised in the north-west of England, K.C. WELLS always loved writing. Words were important. Full stop. However, when childhood gave way to adulthood, the writing ceased, as life got in the way. K.C. discovered erotic fiction in 2009, when the purchase of a ménage storyline led to the startling discovery that reading about men in love was damn hot. In 2012, arriving at a really low point in life led to the desperate need to do something creative. An even bigger discovery waited in the wings—writing about men in love was even hotter….

K.C. now writes full-time and is loving every minute of her new career. The laptop still has no idea of what hit it… it only knows that it wants a rest, please. And it now has to get used to the idea that where K.C goes, it goes.

And as for those men in love that she writes about? The list of stories just waiting to be written is getting longer… and longer….

K.C. loves to hear from readers.

E-mail:
[email protected]

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld

Twitter: @K_C_Wells

Website:
http://www.kcwellsworld.com

Coming soon from Dreamspinner Press

FIRST

It’s taken Tommy Newsome a while to get his head around being gay.

Growing up in a small town in Georgia, hasn’t prepared him for the more liberal life of a student at the university in Athens. Add to that the teachings of his parents and his church, and you have one shy young man who feels out of his depth. Working on his daddy’s farm hasn’t given him any chance of a social life, certainly not one like the clubs of Atlanta have on offer. Not that Tommy feels comfortable when he gets to sample it—Momma’s lectures still ring loudly inside his head.

All that changes when he goes to his first gay bar and sets eyes on Mike Scott.

When Mike’s not behind the bar at Woofs, he’s busy with his life as adult entertainer Scott Masters. Twenty years in the industry and the times, they are a-changing. Mike’s not had much luck in the relationship department, but as his mom is fond of telling him, you keep fishing in the same pond, you’re gonna reel in the same kind of fish. Maybe it’s time for a change.

And then a beautiful young man asks Mike to be his first….

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