Saturday, January 1, 2022

7th Day of Christmas Author Spotlight: Jeff Adams



Jeff Adams
Jeff Adams has written stories since he was in middle school and became a published author in 2009 when his first short stories were published. He writes both gay romance and LGBTQ+ young adult fiction…and there’s usually a hockey player at the center of the story.

Jeff lives in central California with his husband of more than twenty years, Will. Some of his favorite things include the musical "Rent" and, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins hockey teams, and the reality TV competition "So You Think You Can Dance." He, of course, loves to read, but there isn’t enough space to list his favorite books.

Jeff and Will are also podcasters. The "Big Gay Fiction Podcast" is a weekly show devoted to gay romance as well as pop culture. New episodes come out every Monday at BigGayFictionPodcast.com. The "Big Gay Author Podcast" chronicles their journey to become full time authors. New episodes drop Saturdays at BigGayAuthorPodcast.com.


FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
NEWSLETTER  /  GOOGLE PLAY  /  B&N
KOBO  /  INSTAGRAM  /  AUDIBLE
iTUNES  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS




Tracker Hacker
Summary:
Codename: Winger #1
High school student. Hockey player. Computer whiz kid. Covert agent?

At sixteen Theo Reese is the youngest agent for Tactical Operational Support. His way with computers makes him invaluable. He designs new gadgets, helps agents (including his parents) in the field, and works to keep the TOS network safe. But when a hacker breaches the system TOS uses to track agents, Theo is put to the test like never before.

Thrust from behind the safety of his desk, Theo must go into the field to put a stop to the hack. He’s scared but resolved because one of the missing agents is his father. And just to make it more interesting, he has to keep everything a secret from his boyfriend and teammates.

Can Theo get the job done, save his dad, and make things good with his boyfriend?

This edition also contains "A Very Winger Christmas," a "Codename: Winger" Bonus Mission
Christmas is a time for family and friends, but teenage secret agent Theo Reese must solve a mysterious hack before he can enjoy Reese family holiday traditions and deliver a gift to his boyfriend, Eddie. Can he avert an international incident and save Christmas before time runs out?



Somewhere on Mackinac
Summary:
How far would you go for the man of your dreams?

Now that he’s single, Chicago businessman Jordan Monroe can finally take his long-desired trip to Mackinac Island for the Somewhere In Time fan celebration weekend. On the first day, Jordan finds himself attracted to Miles Colter, a handsome local stable owner who is giving horseback tours of film locations.

Jordan is surprised and charmed that Miles pursues him. When Jordan learns the stable is in trouble, he wants to help despite Miles’s resistance. As their relationship grows personally and professionally, Jordan dreads the issues that face them—an ex who won’t let him go, the complications of a long-distance relationship, and a secret he knows he shouldn’t be keeping.

Can Jordan and Miles find a way to forge a love as timeless as the romance in their favorite film?

This is a second edition that contains no changes from the first.



Room Service
Summary:
Working over the holidays may be the best Christmas present ever! 

San Francisco-based IT consultant Martin Bell is called to Dallas two days before Christmas to calm a nervous client. When he checks into the hotel he’ll call home for the holidays, he can’t help but notice the attractive man behind the front desk. While checking Grindr for possible hookups, Martin is surprised to discover he’s chatting up Jose, the hot front desk guy. After an amazing night together and a sexy Xbox marathon, Martin and Jose find they might be headed toward something much more than just a holiday fling.

"Room Service" was previously published under the title "Holiday Hotel Hookup."



Bicycle Built for Two
Summary:
While on a three-day charity bike ride from Boston to New York City, Jason Karn makes an unexpected stop to help a fellow rider having trouble with a flat tire. Ben Stewart is new to long-distance rides, and Jason takes him under his wing. The mutual attraction is obvious even before they make it to New York City, but there’s a minor roadblock: Ben lives in Chicago. Flying back and forth seems like the only option until Jason comes up with an idea that will bring them together permanently—if they can work out the details.



Head in the Game
Summary:
Pro hockey defenseman Roger Jacobson’s game is slipping. His contract is up for renewal and his fourteen-year career hangs in the balance. Desperate to find a way out of his professional slump, Roger returns to his hometown to work with his old coach and assist with a summer hockey camp.

When Dylan Barker skates into his life, he’s a romantic distraction that Roger couldn’t have anticipated. The handsome graduate student also happens to be his mentor’s son.

Can the love of a younger man mend Roger’s broken spirit and get his head back in the game?

Head in the Game is a m/m hockey romance novella with a low-angst story featuring a May/December relationship. It previously appeared in the 2017 charity anthology Changing on the Fly: The Second Period.



Tracker Hacker
B&N  /  iTUNES  /  iTUNES AUDIO
KOBO  /  AUDIBLE  /  GOOGLE PLAY

Somewhere on Mackinac
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N
KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  WEBSITE

Room Service
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N
KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  WEBSITE

Bicycle Built for Two
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N
KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  WEBSITE

Head in the Game
AMAZON US  /  AMAZON UK  /  B&N
KOBO  /  iTUNES  /  WEBSITE


Saturday's Series Spotlight: Naughty or Nice Part 1



Dear Daddy, Please Love Me by Gianni Holmes
Summary:
Naughty or Nice #1
Dear Santa,
I know I haven’t exactly been a good boy this year, and I deserve nothing but coal in my stocking. 
But, unlike some people I know, I don’t wait until the Christmas holiday to bring pleasure to men. That has to count as something nice, right?

I’m tired of being with men who always leave so I’m asking for something a bit different. Something I’m afraid of wanting. Please Santa, help me find a Daddy who will love me. 
Cheeky_Bottom 

Down on his luck rancher, Lawson is in no position to be in a relationship when he’s one late mortgage payment away from losing his spread. He definitely should not want the high maintenance stripper Cheeky_Bottom who’s looking for love from a Daddy. Been there. Done that. And he has the debt to show for it.

“Possessions over people” has always been Opie’s mission statement in life. His possessions remain as long as he takes care of them, but people always leave. When he meets a mysterious rancher online, Opie has a feeling things were about to change. Has Opie finally found the Daddy he won’t let walk away this time?

Dear Daddy, Please Love Me is part of the Naughty or Nice multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many boys hoping that holiday magic will bring them their perfect Daddy, why not grab them all?



Dear Daddy, Please Spank Me by Chara Croft
Summary:
Naughty or Nice #2
Dear Santa,
Not sure if I made your naughty list this year or the nice one, but I suppose it doesn't matter since all I want for Christmas is a hot Daddy to spank my a** until I cream, and that kind of fits either way, right?

Nah, I'm not being greedy. Hear me out. If I somehow made the nice list, then—besides the fact that you should definitely check your algorithms—a Daddy who can actually help me get my shit together is probably the only thing that will help me stay there. But if you've got me on the naughty list (and let's be real, I was lying when I said I wasn't sure; we both know you do) then I'm pretty sure I deserve that spanking.

And Santa? Any Daddies you want to send my way can get a free preview of what they’re signing up for on my YouTube channel. Hit me up, and don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
JustAPrettyFace

The last thing Jordan Wendt wants is a Daddy. Someone else in his life to come in and tell him what a fuck-up he is, when he’s already perfectly aware? Oh, hell no. Besides, not to sound shallow—well, maybe a little bit, but just keeping it real—but old dudes just aren’t his thing. Still, when he gets roped into signing up for the kinky dating app Cuffd and sending a “letter to Santa” as part of a holiday promotion on his YouTube channel, he’s more than willing to play it up. Anything for more subscribers, you know? Especially since the channel is the only thing he’s got going for him.

Andy Archer is as vanilla as they come. So vanilla, in fact, that he didn’t even realize vanilla was anything but a latte flavor before he accidentally fell down a Google rabbit hole and ended up fifty shades more knowledgeable than he ever expected to be about the world of kink. And okay, maybe it wasn’t entirely “accidental,” but when he stumbled across a video of his former high school crush asking Santa to bring him a Daddy for Christmas, Andy is determined to find out what the heck that means. Because sure, Andy isn’t exactly Daddy material and Jordan has always been a little—okay, maybe a lot—out of his league, but if there’s ever a time to believe in miracles, it’s Christmas, right?

Dear Daddy, Please Spank Me is part of the Naughty or Nice multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many boys hoping that holiday magic will bring them their perfect Daddy. Why not grab them all?




Dear Daddy, Please Hold Us by Colette Davison
Summary:
Naughty or Nice #3
Dear Santa,
If I could make one wish this Christmas, it would be for a Daddy with a big enough heart for two. We both want a Daddy who can be loving, but also firm when he needs to be, who enjoys spanking his boys and making their asses red, and with big enough arms to hold us both.

We need a Daddy who can help us let go and relax.

Lastly, but probably most importantly, we need a Daddy who can meet both our needs. I don’t have many boundaries as long as I can trust my Daddy, and I’m open to trying new things. Rett…well, he’s a little more reserved but he has a huge heart, and he’s the sweetest boy you’ll ever meet.

Here’s the thing, Santa: I have a little over a week to convince Rett to stay. I don’t know if you can magic up a Daddy who can love us both, but I’m making this wish anyway.

With hope,
Zeke

Dear Daddy, Please Hold us is an MMM Christmas romance, with a pair of army brats, an Englishman in New York who knows how to handle them, a purple triceratops teddy, and lots of sweet cuddles.

This book is part of the Naughty or Nice multi-author series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but there are so many boys hoping that holiday magic will bring them their perfect Daddy, why not grab them all?



Dear Daddy, Please Love Me by Gianni Holmes
1
Opie
Fuming, I stormed into the apartment I shared with my roommate and slammed the door for good measure. The childish act did very little to calm my nerves. I shrugged off my coat and threw it onto the coat hanger, aiming a middle finger at it when the material landed on the floor instead.

“Maddy!” I yelled for my best friend, swiping the coat up from the ground. I jammed it onto the hideous hook thingy Maddy had bought and insisted was a coat rack. I always thought it looked more like something to guard the apartment from intruders. It looked ugly enough to scare the shit out of anyone who had the misfortune of running into it in the dark.

Unfortunately, I had. Countless times and it still wasn’t enough for Maddy to get rid of it.

“Maddy, I need you!”

No sound from my best friend in the apartment, but I knew he was home. The blue Honda Civic his last boyfriend had bought him was parked in its designated spot on the property.

I hurried past my bedroom to Maddy’s and flung the door wide open.

“Maddy, guess what the oh-oh!”

“Oh my god!” Maddy screamed.

Something sailed through the air, and I ducked. I turned to regard the object, which had bounced off the wall and now lay at my feet.

“Is that a dildo you threw at me?” I gaped at Maddy, who’d ripped off his headphones and pulled the towel on the bed over his naked body. The loud masculine grunts punctuated by “fuck me harder” coming from the speaker of his computer beside him on the bed distracted me from why I had entered his room in the first place.

Well, that sounds interesting.

“I panicked.” He clutched the edges of the towel together for dear life. His face was bright red, which made his freckles less pronounced than they usually were with his pale complexion.

“You panicked? It’s just me.”

“I can see that now, but I didn’t know at first.”

I smiled bemusedly. “So what? You were hoping to assault me with a dildo?”

He glowered at my chuckle. “You’d looove that, wouldn’t you?”

“Exactly. Next time, grab the night light.” The heavy, mean-looking, old-fashioned thing could cause some serious brain damage.

“How about next time you fucking knock like every other human being would have done?”

I shrugged. “You didn’t lock the door.”

“I thought I was alone!” He shuffled off the bed, then marched past me to the dildo, looking like a corseted bride in the regency era, trying not to show anything untoward. He failed. The towel wasn’t big enough to cover his skinny ass.

“You told me you were going to see Robert.” He waved the dildo at me. “I didn’t expect you back until Monday.”

I shook my head. “So that’s what you do all day when I’m not home? Jerk off?”

“For your information, I wasn’t jerking off.”

“Looks like it to me. I don’t even know why you’re upset. We’re roommates and best friends. It’s only natural I’d walk in on you once.”

“No!” The dildo was getting pretty close to my face now. “I’ve never once walked in on you because I knock. You’ve got to start respecting my boundaries, Opie.”

“Eh, that thing’s not used, is it?” I pointed at the dildo.

“Of course not.” He flung it onto the bed. “I didn’t get the chance to use it because someone always manages to ruin my time.”

“It’s just been four times.”

“In one year!”

“I’m sorry. I just really needed you to bitch with me a little.” I pouted.

With a sigh, Maddy walked over to the bed and found the clothes he’d discarded.

“Turn around.”

“Are you being serious right now?” Didn’t he realize I already knew what he looked like completely naked? When he bent over, I’d gotten a glimpse of his asshole. And some other mighty fine bits. What was there left to hide?

“I’m dead serious. It’s either that or find yourself on the other side of that door.”

I turned my back to him. “Just so you know, I think this is bullshit. I’m comfortable being naked around you.”

I really was. In fact, I imagined myself a bit of a nudist, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to walk around my bedroom bare-assed. I wouldn’t mind traipsing around like that in the entire apartment, but one of Maddy’s rules for me living here was that I had to confine my nakedness to my bedroom.

Apparently, my nudity made some people uncomfortable. You’d have thought we were all born in Gucci and Armani.

Considering how little rent I paid for my room, I was okay to compromise. Maddy’s father owned the building and had put Maddy in charge. Another way of saying he didn’t want his gay son hanging around him, so he got him something to occupy his time meaningfully so Maddy would leave him alone.

“What did you want?” Maddy said, clothes rustling as he got dressed. “And I hope it’s something urgent.”

The reminder of my argument with Robert heated me up again.

“Robert broke up with me!”

“What? But he’s sweet on you.”

I snorted. “Apparently, not sweet enough. He already has another boy to replace me, and I hate it. How can he do that to me? He can’t be tired of me already. Usually, it takes longer for men to discard me. What am I doing wrong, Maddy?”

“Invading people’s privacy for one.”

“But I never even looked through his phone.” I cringed at the lie. “Okay, maybe only once, and he doesn’t know it.”

“Well, men hate that sort of thing. It means you don’t trust him.”

“I was right not to trust him. Didn’t you hear me say he already has another boy?”

“You can turn around now.” He was fully dressed in a pair of blue shorts with white piping at the sides and a red T-shirt. I liked the towel better.

“Now start from the beginning and tell me what happened.”

“You know he told me to come over today, and I was so excited,” I replied. “Do you know how much time I spent in the bathroom this morning shaving and prepping?” A lot.

“Then what happened when you got to his house.”

“He took me to his bedroom, and we had sex.” Really good sex. “And then he told me I have to find another Daddy.”

“Wait. What? He had sex with you, then broke up with you?”

I nodded. “Exactly what the asshole did.”

“What a fucking douche.”

My head continued to bob up and down. I knew he’d get it. Once we got over the whole embarrassing encounter of what he was doing lying in bed naked with a dildo and a porn video.

“Of the worst kind.”

“Did he say why?”

I bit my bottom lip, feeling suddenly hurt. I didn’t want to relive the harsh words that had come out of the mouth of the man who I thought was the one. The man who’d walked into my workplace one night and swept me off my feet with promises, only to drop me like hot pancakes a day after.

“What did he say, Opie?” Maddy pressed.

“He said the sex was good, but out of bed, I am cold and hard to love.” I sat gingerly at the edge of Maddy’s bed and tried like hell to keep the tears at bay. “Why do they always say that? What about me makes me cold?”

When deafening silence fell, I glanced up at Maddy. Did he also think I was cold and unlovable?

“You agree with them?” That was what bugged me. Robert wasn’t the only one who’d called me cold.

“Of course, I don’t agree with them.”

I jumped to my feet. “You do!”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then what is it?” I clenched my hands into fists at my side, my body shaking. “If I’m doing something wrong, why won’t you tell me?”

Maddy’s sigh drove fear inside me. Whatever he had to say, I wouldn’t like it.

“It’s not that you’re doing anything wrong per se,” he said. “It’s just that…”

“What?”

“You’re more attached to things than people.” I opened my mouth to respond, but he held up a hand. “No, no, just hear me out. I understand why you’re this way. You never had much growing up, and the right man won’t just give up on you for it, but maybe try to be with someone for other reasons than that he’s loaded.”

“All right, I admit I like nice things, but that’s not the only reason I choose my men.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No!”

“Why did you choose Robert, then?”

Easy-peasy. “He’s older, financially independent, and has no baggage.”

“In other words, he’s wealthy and has very few responsibilities, so he can afford to spend his money on you.”

Okay, maybe Robert hadn’t been a good example.

“What about Marvin?” I snapped my fingers at him.

“What about him? You could barely stand the guy. You were with him simply because he spent a lot of money on you at the club.”

Mentally, I slogged through the various men I’d had in my life. It didn’t help that I couldn’t pick out a single name to prove Maddy wrong. Not even one.

“I don’t think it’s wrong to want to be financially secure,” I said defensively.

“No, it’s not, but usually, you should want more from a relationship.”

“Like what? We’re compatible. I put out as often as they want. They buy me pretty things.”

“But don’t you want love?”

I snorted. “I’ve never had that. You can’t miss something you’ve never had, right?”

I hated the look of pity on his face.

“Maybe the next guy you allow into your life can show you what you’re missing. If you’re willing to open your heart and give him a chance.”

“I open my mouth and other parts of my body. Why can’t that be enough?”

He shrugged. “If you want a shallow existence, then go for it. Pick the next rich man who takes one look at you and wants to own you. But how long will it last again?”

I didn’t like this advice at all. I came here for us to sit and insult the bastard. Instead, we were picking apart my flaws. I hated being the one under the microscope.

“Now what?” I asked. “Do I go back to that dating app Cuffd to find a new guy?”

“Maybe give it some time first?”

“No, no. That would never do. You know I’m not good alone.”

“And maybe that’s a part of the problem,” he muttered loud enough for me to hear.

I pulled my phone from my pocket. It was the newest model, and the case was covered in flashy rhinestones. If Robert could so easily replace me, I could do the same to him.

“Why don’t you go do this in your room and give me some privacy?” Maddy asked.

I simply waved a hand at him and opened the app. The logo appeared on my screen as it loaded. “Just pretend I’m not here. It doesn’t bother me if you jerk off in the same room.”

“But it’ll bother me.” His words came out through gritted teeth. Without another word to me, he marched to his connecting bathroom.

I hadn’t used Cuffd in a while, but I’d met a few men there for hookups. The dating app was specifically designed for LGBTQ+ individuals and catered to a range of kinks and fetishes.

The first thing I did was to check that my profile was up to date. My profile pic was so last year, but I couldn’t decide on a new picture.

Unable to make up my mind, I hopped off the bed and headed for Maddy’s bathroom.

“Maddy, I need help.”

“Don’t you dare come in!” he cried.

I glanced up from the phone to the closed bathroom door. “Oh god, don’t tell me you’re jerking off again. You sure you don’t want me to help?”

The door yanked open, and he poked his head out, glaring at me.

“We’re both bottoms, Opie. You can’t help me.”

“I can work a mean dildo in your ass. You won’t even know the difference.”

He raised his eyes and mouthed something that seemed suspiciously like a plea for help from the universe.

“What’s it this time?”

“I just need help finding a profile pic for Cuffd.”

“The one you had was fine.”

“No, I don’t look as good as I do now.”

“Well, show me which ones you want to use, and I’ll pick.”

I beamed a smile at him and quickly scanned through my phone. “This. This. Or maybe this?”

“Too slutty. I’m not even sure they’d allow you to post that. And how the hell did you get your body to bend like that in this last one?”

“Want to see me do it?”

He shook his head frantically. “No, please spare me. Anything else you like?”

I scrolled through the photos again and gasped, then skipped back two paces.

“This one?” Maddy’s frown was a surefire sign he didn’t like it. “Oh, please, Maddy, please say I can.”

A look of alarm crossed Maddy’s face. “Shit, you need to find a Daddy ASAP. I’ll be damned if you make me some kind of surrogate Daddy, Opie. Use the damn pic if you want. Now good-bye.”

He disappeared back inside the bathroom and closed the door.

“And yeah, you definitely look hot in that last pic,” he called out.

I grinned. Poor Maddy must be tired of living with me sometimes. I entered my bedroom, dropped my phone on the pretty slate gray Bella Notte linens, and stripped out of my clothes. I folded them neatly and lay them on the chair next to my bed.

When I was naked, I pushed the russet-colored curtains apart, and light spilled abundantly into my room. It gave me the feeling of being outside naked, the warm sun bathing my skin in a healthy glow.

Content after that debacle with Robert earlier, I took off my rings and carefully placed them in my jewelry chest. Sprawled on my bed, I grabbed my phone and returned to adding the finishing touches to my profile. I double-checked the kinky list and clicked two more ticks beside what I liked.

I was about to exit the app when a bobbing Santa head caught my attention. I didn’t remember this being here. Hmm, must be something new. And since I absolutely adored Christmas—the season of giving, which meant me getting—I tapped the head.

An automatic message filled the screen.

Wishing for a Dominant of your own this Christmas?

Fucking yes.

Send a letter to Santa with a wishlist describing your perfect Dominant, and we’ll share it with our Santa Doms and Dommes here at Cuffd. If one of them fits your list, they’ll message you back with a simple question: Have you been naughty or nice this year?

It’s up to you how you want to answer.

Pleasantly surprised by the message, I reread it just to ensure I understood perfectly. This sounded like fun. Oh, what to ask for in a Daddy. Handsome, rich—

I frowned, Maddy’s words coming back to me. Hmm, was he right? Should I go for something else rather than the usual?




Dear Daddy, Please Spank Me by Chara Croft
1
Andy
“Shoot,” I said, tripping over Ellen, the one-eared stray cat who’d come with the house, when my phone pinged with an incoming text just as I walked in the door from a first date that definitely wasn’t going to lead to a second.

I stepped around Ellen when she refused to move and hung my coat in the coat closet. If there was someone out there I was going to click with, it definitely wasn’t the cute guy from my Economics class. I couldn’t actually say what it was that hadn’t worked between us, but I hadn’t been all that upset when he’d ended the night by telling me I was “a little too intense” for him.

He was probably right, but I didn’t really know how to be anything else.

During previous dating fails, I’d also heard “overbearing” and “too focused” and been accused of being twenty-one going on forty-one… none of which turned out to be what most guys my age were looking for, but all of which were probably fair, since I’d spent my too-serious, slightly geeky high school years practically raising my two younger sisters instead of having anything like a social life.

Not only did I have no game, but I was also used to stepping in and taking charge, and sometimes—okay, most of the time—I had a little trouble turning those instincts off… which didn’t always go over well, based on how tonight’s date had reacted when I’d ordered dinner for him.

I sighed, then lined my shoes up on the shoe rack and slipped my phone out of my pocket to check the message that had come in. It was my youngest sister, Lizzie, sixteen now and far too invested in my non-existent love life, in my opinion.

Lizzard: How did the date go???

I grinned at the excessive use of punctuation, then sent back a thumbs down.

My phone immediately rang.

“Seriously?” Lizzie said the minute I answered. “What was wrong with him?”

I laughed. “I’m pretty sure it was me, Lizzard.”

“No way,” she said, insanely loyal, as always. “If Mom could find someone, you can, too.”

“No rush,” I said, tossing my keys into the little bowl I kept by the door for that purpose. “I don’t want ‘someone,’ I want the right one.”

“Wellllllllll,” she said, drawing the word out and sounding a little too gleeful for comfort. “Maybe I can help with that.”

I snorted, shaking my head even though she couldn’t see me. “I don’t think so.”

I may not have had the most successful dating history, but I was pretty sure that following advice from a teenager wasn’t the answer.

Both Lizzie and Kate, our other sister, had gotten it in their heads that they owed it to me to help me have some fun since I’d missed out on so much when I’d been their age, but they were wrong. That wasn’t a debt, it was just family.

Our dad walked out on us just as I’d been starting middle school, and since Mom had gone from a pampered trophy wife to taking on three minimum-wage jobs just to keep food on the table, I’d been the one who had to step in and take care of my sisters, the house, and basically everything else.

When Mom had finally remarried a couple of years ago—to William, a man who’d restored my faith in the institution of fatherhood when he’d stepped up and then some to take care of her and the girls—Lizzie and Kate had both become obsessed with the idea that I’d finally have a chance for the “real college experience”... which, according to them, meant going to parties, loosening up, and getting laid.

The last activity was one I categorically refused to discuss with my sisters, and the first two… well, it just wasn’t me. Not that I couldn’t see how some people might want to go a little crazy with that kind of thing after being freed from all the responsibilities I’d been stuck with at such at a young age, but I was the opposite. For one thing, I had academic standards to keep up if I was going to keep all my scholarships, and no way was I willing to lose those since I was and always would be more interested in building the kind of stable life that we’d lost when my dad had left us—building it on a firm enough foundation that no one could ever rip it away from me again—than I was in partying on campus or going out to clubs to look for casual sex. And for another, I guess I was secretly a bit of a sap. I wanted to find my forever-guy… which was another thing that didn’t seem very compatible with what everyone else was looking for during their college years.

“...I’m sending you the pic right now,” Lizzie said.

I’d missed something.

“What?” I asked just as the phone vibrated against my ear with an incoming text.

“I know it’s him, right?” Lizzie said, sounding excited. “Even if he calls himself ‘Jay’ in the videos?”

“What?” I said again, totally confused now.

“Andy, just look,” Lizzie said, making me laugh because I could actually hear the eye roll in her voice.

When she'd been younger, I would have been on her not to sass me like that, but once William had stepped into my family’s lives and I’d left for college—scoring a small, lease-to-own house with William’s support, since it didn’t make any sense to me to waste money on dorm fees when I could put my housing costs toward an investment for my future—I’d finally been able to get back to something more like a regular brother-sister relationship with the girls instead of having to be their disciplinarian, father-figure, and everything else.

It was nice.

I pulled the phone away from my ear and put the call on speaker, then re-opened my text thread with her to look at whatever it was she was on me about.

“What did you send…” I started to ask, right before all the spit dried up in my mouth.

“Is it?” Lizzie asked excitedly. “Isn’t that him?’

If she meant, had she just sent me a picture of my high school crush, Jordan Wendt, the boy who’d almost made my dick fall off from overuse back when I was fifteen, then the answer was yes… and for the record, my dick was not holding any grudges about how sore Jordan had made it back then.

Not that Jordan had participated in that problem, of course. He hadn’t had a clue about how often I’d jerked off fantasizing about him back then. He’d been a senior when I was a freshman, the co-captain of our school’s cheer squad, and completely oblivious to my existence. Still, there was no denying that all the chafing I’d suffered had definitely been his fault.

Also his fault? Making that the year I’d come to terms with the fact that yes, I was definitely a six on the Kinsey scale.

Jerking off to fantasies of a hot cheerleader—a male one with a pretty face, an amazing ass, and muscles for days—had been my one guilty pleasure amidst all the responsibilities I'd had at home, and, as my perpetually-chafed-at-the-time dick could attest to, I’d indulged frequently.

Lizzie said something that sounded like nothing more than buzzing background noise, because… just… wow. Jordan starred in every single one of my most secret fantasies, and while yes, he still looked like pure sex on a stick, my heart tripped a little at the sight of him because my fantasies hadn’t just included jerking off to him. I’d also always imagined that we… clicked. That he was The One. That we had a connection.

Or that we would have, at least, if I’d ever had the nerve to talk to him.

Or been even remotely in his league.

Or had a single, solitary clue about what I could actually offer someone as beautiful as him.

I swallowed hard, my heart suddenly pounding so loudly that it completely drowned out my sister’s voice. The picture she’d sent looked like a screen capture, and Jordan was caught mid-hip-thrust in what looked like some kind of dance routine, full lips smirking and dark hair tousled and sweaty even though his face was, as always, perfectly made up and… and just… damn.

It hadn’t all been romantic fantasies back in the day. There had definitely been some dirty ones, too. A lot of dirty ones. Dirty ones that my cock still remembered vividly, as evidenced by the way it immediately started to press against the zipper of my pants, eager to come out and play... which, for the record, wasn’t exactly a comfortable feeling with my little sister still chattering away in my ear.

“What, uh, where did you, um, what’s this picture… from?” I finally managed to ask, stumbling over my words like I was right back to being that bumbling fifteen-year-old again as I tried and failed to tear my eyes away from Jordan’s smirk.

“It is him, isn’t it?” Lizzie asked gleefully. “I knew it! The guy you used to pant after back in high school? Jordan Whatsisname?”

“Wendt,” I said. “Jordan Wendt. And I didn’t pant after him.”

Oh God, had she actually realized that at the time? She’d been what, ten? And I thought I’d been so discreet.

“Oh please,” she said, no doubt rolling her eyes again. “You used to drag me and Kate to all those basketball games, and you don’t even like sports.”

“We were on a budget,” I said, staring so hard at Jordan’s ridiculous hotness that my eyes started to dry out. “It was free entertainment.”

I blinked and finally looked away for my own sanity. Then looked right back, because he was… Jesus. He was even more beautiful now then he’d been back then.

Then I frowned.

“Lizzard,” I said urgently. “Where did you get this picture?”

“I took a screenie from his YouTube channel,” she said, which really didn’t clear anything up at all, but at least sounded like she hadn’t done something unethical, like track him down on social media and steal private photos without his consent. “Kate found it,” she went on. “He does workout vids and stuff? Anyway, she was like, ‘omigod he’s so hot,’ and I was like, ‘omigod it’s Andy’s crush!’ And I’m right, right? It’s him?”

“Yeah,” I said. “It’s definitely Jordan. Um, Liz—”

Her laughter cut me off. “I know, I know, now you want me to get off the phone so you can go drool over him online, right? But Andy, I think it’s a sign! He moved to the same city as you! And he’s single, you’re single…”

I snorted, then almost tripped over Ellen as she wound around my feet, reminding me that it was my sacred duty in life to feed her and cater to her every whim. “Lizzie, that’s definitely not going to happen.”

“Why not?” she asked, as if it were a perfectly reasonable question instead of insanity. “Here,” she added before I could answer. “I’m sending you the link to his channel.”

My phone buzzed again, and like a drug addict needing a fix, I clicked as soon as it came through, my eyes widening and my cock swelling even more when my screen filled with thumbnails of my every living fantasy.

I hadn’t seen Jordan in years—and hadn’t jerked off while thinking of him in… well, at least a few weeks—but it would have been embarrassing how often I still thought about him if anyone had actually known about it. But even if my sisters had apparently seen through me back when I’d been a teenager, that was definitely something I’d never admit to.

“He films a lot of his workouts outdoors, and I recognize some of the settings from when we came out to visit you over the summer,” Lizzie said in my ear as I clicked on one of the videos. “He did one at that big fountain you took us to downtown, and another one at, what was it called? Bushbright Park? Bushhead? Bush—”

“Bushnell,” I cut in. “But—”

“But nothing,” she interrupted. “You should track him down and ask him out!”

I laughed, but then I swallowed hard as the video I’d clicked started playing. Jordan had definitely kept himself in shape. He looked even hotter than he’d been back when he’d fueled all my teenage fantasies. Honestly, as good as he’d looked then, that shouldn’t have been possible, but… yeahhhhhh. He’d managed it.

I reached down and adjusted myself.

“Lizzard, I really need to go,” I said, staring at that perfectly round, muscular ass of his, the one that had used to mesmerize me during all his cheer routines.

It was even rounder now.

You could bounce a quarter off it.

Build altars to it.

Compose hymns about it.

It was… it was… Jesus.

“It will be just like Mom and William,” Lizzie said excitedly, which finally got me to stop staring at Jordan’s ass.

I paused the video and brought the phone back up to my ear. “What are you talking about?” I asked, since I definitely hadn’t followed that non sequitur. “Is Mom okay?”

“She’s great, dork,” Lizzie said. “Going a little crazy getting ready for Christmas, of course—”

I’d definitely inherited that trait, and already had my entire house decorated even though I’d be driving home after finals to spend the holiday with my family.

“—but I’m just saying, she knew William for all those years before they got together—” He’d been a business associate of our dad’s. “—and then when she ran into him again it was love at first sight and she finally got her happily ever after! That could be just like you and Jordan!”

I grinned, rolling my own eyes since she couldn’t see me and call me on it, and finally gave in to Ellen’s annoyed meowing and headed into the kitchen to fill her bowl.

“That wasn’t love at first sight, Lizzard. That’s not even a real thing.”

She made a rude sound. “So you’re saying the first time you saw Jordan, you weren’t totally gone for him? Because you definitely weren’t as subtle as you seemed to think.”

“That was different.” I said.

That had been lust at first sight, and I was definitely a believer in that one.

Of course, back when I’d been fifteen, naive-and-hopeful me, the me who hadn’t been burned yet by the realities of trying to date guys who were always looking for someone a little more focused on fun and a little less excited by stability and structure than I was, might have called the lust I’d felt for Jordan by another name, but that hadn’t been real. It couldn’t have been, because I hadn’t actually known him. And sure, I’d convinced myself that I did at the time, but constantly watching him—okay, possibly stalking him—throughout my entire freshman year didn’t count.

Still, while I hadn’t actually known him, there was no doubt that I’d known a lot about him. Like the fact that he’d always tugged his left earlobe when he was nervous, even though he never let it show on his face; and the slightly superstitious way he’d always double-tapped the gym door right underneath our school mascot whenever he walked in with the cheer squad for a pep rally; and the way he avoided all dairy products.

Lactose intolerance?

Personal preference?

A weight management thing?

I’d never figured that part out, but what I had figured out was that even though he was always surrounded by people, he only seemed genuinely comfortable with his co-captain on the cheer-squad and best friend, Nichol Fetterline; he sucked at academics but somehow always skated by on charm; no one came to his graduation ceremony with him; and despite being popular and gorgeous and out and proud, sometimes I'd had the impression that he was just the tiniest bit insecure, too.

Unless, of course, I’d just been fooling myself. Convinced that there was a vulnerability under that picture-perfect surface that only I could see... and that, of course, only I would be the perfect answer for. The one he could open up to. The one he could count on. The one he was meant for…

I snorted, shaking my head at my ridiculous fantasies.

“What?” Lizzie asked. “Was that a ‘yes’ I heard?”

“It was a nothing, Lizzard,” I lied. “Trust me, you need to give this one up.”

Although if I was honest, everything I’d once convinced my starry-eyed teenage self I’d felt for Jordan was exactly what I kept looking for and not finding when I asked guys out now... and that really was ridiculous, given that it had only ever existed in my own head in the first place.

Still, as soon as I finished feeding Ellen and finally got Lizzie off the phone, I couldn’t resist restarting the video I’d paused. I hadn’t seen Jordan since he’d graduated, and watching him hop around and shake his ass on the small screen made me feel like I’d been stuck in the desert for all those years, but now had finally found water.

Cold, clear, sparkling, mouthwatering water.

I palmed myself, no more able to control my cock’s reaction to him then I would have been able to stop myself from grabbing that metaphorical water and guzzling it until I choked on it.

On screen, Jordan was just finishing the workout he’d been doing, and I couldn’t look away as he mopped his face and smirked at the camera, rattling off a bunch of well-rehearsed-sounding patter asking me to click, like, comment, and subscribe to something.

God, he was beautiful, and the way those bottomless dark eyes held mine as he signed off… maybe it was a sign.

“Oh God, I really am a dork,” I told Ellen.

She ignored me, face buried in her food dish and tail flicking in irritation at the interruption. But still, how could I ever say no when Jordan asked me for something?

And fine, he hadn't really asked “me,” and I certainly didn’t expect anything more to come of having him in my life, so to speak, this time around than it had back when we’d been in high school. He was still a little too beautiful to seem real and totally out of reach, even if we had both ended up living in the same city, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to… what was it he’d asked me to do? Click, like, and subscribe?

After all, one of my most frequently recurring fantasies, one that popped up even more often than visions of that gravity-defying ass of his, had always been that Jordan would ask me for something, and I’d give it to him. That he’d realize I was exactly what he needed, that I could take care of him better than anyone else ever could, and then—before he even knew what had hit him—I’d have swept him right off his feet and straight into our own picture-perfect happily ever after.

And okay, maybe subscribing to his video channel in response to a totally generic and universal “ask” wasn’t exactly the same thing—and following people on the internet definitely wasn’t my usual style—but for Jordan? I mean, come on. With the chance to fulfill even a tiny fraction of one of my lifelong Jordan-Wendt fantasies at hand, how could I possibly resist?




Dear Daddy, Please Hold Us by Colette Davison
1 
Zeke 
Zeke—He’s gone to the bathroom. Is that a good or bad sign? 

Rett—How would I know? You date more than me. How’s it going? 

I didn’t have time to reply to Rett’s text, as my date came back to the table. I made sure my cell phone was still on silent and slipped it back into my pocket. I’d ‘met’ James via Cuffd, a hook-up app specifically for people looking for kinky dates. I had used the app a few times since I’d arrived in the States with Rett, my best friend. We were on the last leg of our round-the-world trip. Most of my hook-ups had been fun. After working in diners for a crap wage and small tips, I needed a way to let off steam and relax. 

I definitely had a type, which James seemed to fit. He was a good twenty years older than me, greying at the temples, but he looked fit enough to keep up with a younger man. I hoped that when we got back to his place, he’d prove to have a firm hand and be willing to do all manner of kinky things to me. We couldn’t go back to the apartment Rett and I were renting. Sure, my best friend would have made himself scarce or hid out in his room with his headphones on, but it wouldn’t have been fair to him. 

We’d only just ordered when James had gone to the toilet, so we hadn’t really got a chance to talk much, just generic chit-chat as we’d perused the menus. We were in a burger joint in the East Village, which James had suggested when we’d arranged to meet. What I hadn’t realised was that it only sold vegetarian and vegan food. I’d never had a veggie burger before, so I was intrigued. I hoped I’d get to make up for the lack of meat at dinner by having James’s cock in my mouth later.

“What do you do?” I asked once he’d taken his seat again. 

“I’m a magazine editor,” James replied. 

He poured himself a glass of water and then put the complimentary bottle back on the table. I had expected him to at least ask if I’d wanted some too. I leant towards Daddy Doms because, while I liked a good spanking and a Dom who called the shots. I also enjoyed being taken care of. Aftercare cuddles were the best. Not being offered water was a small thing, but it bothered me. I tried to ignore it as I picked up the bottle and poured my own water. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t a caring guy; we could still have fun. It wasn’t like I was looking for someone to settle down with. After Christmas, Rett and I would be heading north to Boston for a few days before going up to Portland. We still had plenty to see before Rett’s travel visa ran out at the end of January. 

“A magazine editor? That sounds fun. Which one?” 

“Poke.” 

I raised my eyebrows. “Raunchy.” I’d jacked off staring at the hot male models in Poke plenty of times over the last few months. “Do you get to choose the photos that go in?” 

James smiled. “I have the final say, yes.” He looked me up and down as though he was considering me for a photo shoot. 

If I was, I’d be flattered, but what I really wanted was to be on the other side of the camera. It was a silly fantasy, but I wanted to be a fashion photographer someday. 

He took a sip of his water. “We should probably talk about what we both want out of tonight.” 

“I thought we were getting to know each other first?” 

He picked up a napkin and started messing with it, folding and unfolding it. “This is a one-off, right?” 

I nodded. “I guess so.” 

I’d sort of hoped I could find a Dom who’d want to meet up a few times before I left New York, but whatever.

“Then all that really matters is what we want to do in the bedroom.” 

I guessed that was fair enough, but the guys I hooked up with normally asked me a few cursory questions. 

James smiled as a waitress brought our burgers to the table. James had also ordered some tofu-cabbage wraps. “If we’re going to have sex, you probably don’t want to eat too much.” 

I stared at him. 

“I like my subs to be clean.” 

“Don’t worry. I’ve douched,” I whispered. 

“Even so.” 

I pushed my plate away, no longer hungry, even though the burger smelt better than I’d expected. My stomach grumbled, but I tried to ignore it. What I didn’t get was why he’d suggested we go to a restaurant if he was going to make me feel bad about eating. Was it a control thing? 

“I like spanking my subs,” he told me before picking up his burger and taking a huge bite out of it. “While they’re tied up,” he added around the mouthful of food. “Do you wear gags?” 

“Sometimes. Not normally on a first date.” I needed to be able to trust a Dom before I let them take away my ability to speak. 

“You will for me.” 

I narrowed my eyes and then tried to force a smile to my lips. 

“Do you enjoy breath play?” James asked. 

“Not on a first date,” I said firmly. The gag was negotiable; breath play was not. How hot it was definitely depended on whose hand was around my throat. If I didn’t know them or didn’t trust them, it was terrifying rather than sexy, so my rule now was to only engage in breath play with a Dom I was familiar with. 

James lifted his chin. “I love it.” 

Good for him. The hungry grumbling of my stomach had been replaced by alarm bells ringing in there. James might have looked hot as hell, but everything about him felt wrong.

“I’m not sure I want to play with a sub who doesn’t.” 

My eyes went wide. Was he trying to guilt me into doing things I wasn’t comfortable with? Oh, hell no. 

“I don’t think this is going to work out,” I said, standing. 

“Sit.” 

I did because he barked it out as an order, and hell, I was a submissive. Following orders was the one thing I was good at; most of the time. 

“You contacted me,” he pointed out. “And now you want to dump me?” 

The guy had problems. 

“I’m not going to let you stop me breathing,” I said in a harsh whisper. “So if that’s a deal-breaker for you, then we may as well break this party up right now.” 

He stared at me, his dark eyes cold and unreadable, and I knew it was time for me to use my backbone and walk away. 

“I’m going,” I said in a firm tone. “Enjoy your burger.” 

“Sit.” 

I didn’t. I walked out the door, even though I was trembling. I yanked my cell phone out of my pocket and speed-dialled Rett. 

“It was horrible,” I said as soon as he answered. 

“What happened?” Rett’s English accent was so comforting, like a snuggly blanket. 

I looked over my shoulder. James wasn’t following me. He was probably eating his burger. I hoped he choked on it. 

“He guilted me into not eating and then tried to convince me to let him choke me on a first date.” I burst into tears halfway through my reply, probably garbling my words. 

“He did what? Where are you? I’ll come get you.” 

“You don’t need to.” 

“You’re upset. Is there somewhere safe nearby?” 

The East Village was full of restaurants, bars, and music venues, so I didn’t have to walk far to find somewhere with plenty of people where I could wait for Rett. 

“Yes, but you really don’t have to come get me. I’m capable of taking the subway home, you know.” 

My mouth might have been saying one thing, but my body was in agreement with Rett. I ducked into a busy bar, reading the name on the sign to Rett as I went in. I ordered myself a gin and tonic and found a table to sit at. 

“I’ll be there soon. Don’t go anywhere.” 

“I won’t.” I was shaking too much to actually want to navigate my way home. Thank God for Rett. 

He arrived about half an hour later, by which time I’d had two drinks. 

“You were fast.” 

“I got a cab.” He slid into the seat opposite me, dark blue eyes wide with concern. “Are you okay?” 

“Just a bit shaky. The guy was a total jerk.” 

“He sounds like one.” 

I forced a smile. “You know me. I’m open to pretty much anything.” 

“Once you trust someone.” 

I nodded. “Exactly. I’m not going to let a stranger strangle me.” 

“I’m glad. Do you want to go home?” 

“Please.” 

As we walked out the door, I threaded my fingers through Rett’s for comfort. He squeezed my hand and held it all the way to the subway. On the train, I sat with my head resting on his shoulder. I’d stopped shaking, but the short time I’d spent with James had still left a bad taste in my mouth. 

“He wasn’t a good Dom,” I declared once we were back in our flat. 

“Doesn’t sound like it.” 

“And no one else I’ve met via Cuffd has been that awful.” 

“That’s true.” 

“So it’s not going to put me off using the app.” 

Rett laughed. “Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”

“Myself.” 

“Thought so.” He gave me a hug. “I’m sorry you ended up with a jerk tonight. The next guy will be better.” 

“I hope so.” I caught hold of Rett’s hips as he tried to step away, pulling him close again. “Thanks for coming to get me.” 

“You know I’m always there for you.” 

He was, and I loved him for it. The trouble was, we loved each other too much. 

We stared into each other’s eyes, slowly leaning into each other until our lips met in a slow kiss. 

“Take me to bed?” I asked. 

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

“My cock begs to differ.” Kissing Rett had made me hard. I tugged him closer so our groins were touching. “So does yours.” 

“Zeke…” 

Whatever objection Rett was going to voice got smothered by the kiss he initiated. Our hands were all over each other as I walked him towards my bedroom. We both knew things would turn out badly because we’d engaged in this particular dance a lot. I loved him, and I knew he loved me, so each time we ended up in a bedroom together, I hoped things would turn out differently. I was sure he felt the same, which was why he’d kissed me rather than finishing his sentence. 

We fell onto the bed and started pulling each other’s clothes off. We were naked in seconds, and oh, God, he was gorgeous. 

My beautiful English boy was slightly shorter than me and a fair bit slimmer. He had a real baby face, so had recently taken to sporting a three-day-old stubble look. We both had dark brown hair, but his had blond highlights at the front, whereas mine tended more towards auburn. More than once on our trip we’d been mistaken for brothers, but I’d never seen the likeness. We weren’t brothers, just a pair of army brats who had grown up on bases together. 

Cuddled up close, we grasped each other’s cocks and started to beat each other off. I should have been content with that, but I never was. I waited until we were both panting and close to release before whispering hotly into his ear. 

“Fuck me, Rett, please.” 

He tensed right up, and his hand stilled on my cock. I thought he was going to refuse, and maybe it would have been better if he had. He nodded and rolled over so he could retrieve a condom and lube. I got up onto all fours, presenting my ass to him. I wanted him to do more than fuck me. I’d been looking forward to being spanked by a Dom that night, and the desire was still there inside me, like a seed that desperately needed watering. I kept it inside while he fingered my asshole, enjoying the way he played with me to warm me up. I stroked my cock while he did, hoping he was stroking his own to keep it hard. 

“That’s so good, Rett. Fuck me?” 

There was a pause, and I knew he was gloving up. Then his hands stroked over my ass, and I couldn’t keep my desires in any longer. 

“Spank me, Rett. Spank me until my ass is red and hot.” 

His hand stilled. 

“Fuck, I’m sorry. It doesn’t matter. I don’t need to be spanked. Just fuck me.” 

“Yes, you do.” His whispered words were shaky and cracked. 

His hand lifted off my ass, and for a moment, I thought he was actually going to strike me, but he didn’t. 

“I just can’t, Zeke. I’m sorry.” 

I twisted around so I could hug him. “I know. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” 

“You deserve someone who can give you what you need.” Rett sighed. “I’m sorry. Is it weird that I like being spanked too but can’t deal it out?” 

I shook my head. “I’m the same. We’re just a pair of hopeless subs.” 

Rett choked out a laugh. “We are, aren’t we?” 

He took the condom off, and we cuddled on the bed. I didn’t know about him, but I was developing a serious case of blue balls. I needed a release. While I still wanted to get that release from a spanking and a good fucking, I knew it wasn’t going to happen. Rett didn’t enjoy topping—neither of us did—but that didn’t stop him from trying whenever I asked him. It was hard to get off when you knew the guy fucking you was into you but not into what you were doing together. You’d have thought I’d have learnt not to ask, but I just kept thinking that if we tried hard enough, often enough, we’d find a way to meet each other’s needs. More and more I realised that it wasn’t enough to love each other. 

I started to stroke his cock again, and he followed my lead. We both needed a little coaxing to get fully back into the mood, but once we did, we both tipped over the edge rapidly. We coated each other’s hands in our cum, but instead of going right back to cuddling, we got up and cleaned ourselves off. That was the trouble. Once things had gone wrong in the bedroom department, all we could really do was finish each other off in a businesslike fashion. I hated it and needed it at the same time. 

“I’ve been thinking,” Rett said as we flopped down onto the tatty oversized couch. 

“Sounds dangerous.” 

He let out a heavy sigh, which made me realise I needed to shut up and listen rather than try to lighten the air. 

“This isn’t working, Zeke.” 

I blinked at him, sitting upright, my back straight as a pole. 

“I hate it when you go out with other guys, but we can’t make it work either.” 

We’d discussed having an open relationship so we could get our physical needs met elsewhere while still coming home to each other. But he was right. It wasn’t working. I was jealous as anything every time he had a date or hooked up with someone at a club. Even when it was me doing the dating—which was the more regular occurrence—I felt a touch of guilt, like I was cheating on him, even though I had his permission.

“I’m going to go home,” Rett went on. “After the New Year.” 

“You’re… What?” 

We’d had more plans. There was still more of the East Coast to see. My dad had been sent back to a base in the US, so I didn’t have a home to go to in the UK. A silly part of me had hoped Rett and I would have figured things out by the time our trip ended, and we’d make a home somewhere together. It seemed like that dream was about to go up in smoke. 

“I’ve booked my plane ticket.” He turned to me, his eyes wide and earnest. “I just can’t keep doing this, Zeke. I can’t keep pretending we can make things between us work. I love you, but being together is breaking both our hearts.” 

He wasn’t wrong, and sooner or later, I’d have come to the same conclusion. I was almost grateful to him for being the one to call it quits because it meant I didn’t have to make him cry. 

He leant across to me and kissed me on the cheek. “I’ll always love you, Zeke, but we’re not meant to be together.” 

There was nothing I could say to that because he was right. We were both subs. Neither of us was even close to being versatile. Neither of us would have been happy without sex and kinky play. Sex wasn’t the be-all and end-all of a relationship, but it was a significant part. 

Rett kissed me on the cheek. “Good night.” 

“Night.” 

Maybe I should have put up more of a fight, but we’d been putting off the inevitable for months. So I let him go. Okay, it was only into his bedroom, but he might as well have been packing his bags and leaving for the airport that night. 

When his door had clicked shut, I grabbed a cushion and buried my face into it so I could cry without him hearing. New Years was a little over a week away, and then Rett really would be flying away, and I’d have no reason to follow him. I couldn’t wave a magic wand and make us compatible, no matter how much I loved him. Having an open relationship so we never needed to end up in the bedroom hadn’t worked not only because of mutual jealousy but also because we always ended up there anyway. We were drawn to each other but couldn’t please each other. It was the universe’s cruel idea of a joke—hey, here’s Mr Right, except he’s also Mr Wrong. 

I grabbed my laptop and sat back down on the sofa, opening up the Cuffd website. More than ever, I needed a Dom to help me let go and forget my heartache. A Santa head flashed at me in the top right corner. I’d noticed it the last few times I’d been on the website and used the app on my cell but hadn’t paid it much attention. This time I clicked on it, reading the message that it led me to. 

Wishing for a Dominant of your own this Christmas? 

Send a letter to Santa with a wish list describing your perfect Dominant, and we’ll share it with our Santa Doms and Dommes here at Cuffd. If one of them fits your list, they’ll message you back with a simple question: Have you been naughty or nice this year? 

It’s up to you how you want to answer… 

Well, that made a change from having to scroll through profiles until I found a guy I liked the look of. I sat there, wondering how I’d describe my perfect Dom. Right now, I wanted a Daddy to hold me more than anything. An older, bigger guy who would wrap me in his arms and tell me everything was going to be okay. But also a guy who would spank me as he fucked me. A man I could trust to respect my hard limits but push my soft ones. A Daddy who could help me unwind and let go. 

I smiled as I realised Rett wanted all those things in a Daddy too, which was why we could never work. Unless… 

I pinched my bottom lip between my teeth and clicked the link to write my letter to Santa. I typed furiously, describing our perfect Daddy, hoping beyond hope that he existed and that he was here in New York. I was probably expecting miracles, but stranger things had happened, and it was almost Christmas. Maybe I could wish for a little bit of magic.


Have you been naughty or nice?

Eight adorable boys are looking for their Daddies this holiday season. Each one gets to write a letter to Santa through a dating app, Cuffd, asking for what they want. Maybe their perfect Daddies will reply...

The Naughty or Nice Stories are stand-alone books that share a common holiday theme and can be read in any order.





Gianni Holmes
Gianni Holmes is a book nerd who pretends her obsession with Thor is completely healthy. She enjoys computer games, word games, and anything that will make her LOL. She loves bingeing on funny 'old but goodie' sitcoms such as I Love Lucy, The Golden Girls, and The Andy Griffith Show. She writes her characters with sass at the bottom, substance in the middle, and snark on top.

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Chara Croft
Chara Croft writes other love stories under other pen names, but once upon a time someone suggested she write a particularly dirty and delicious kind of story featuring brothers who love each other a little too much, and thus a new pen name was born.




Colette Davison
Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.


Gianni Holmes
FB GROUP  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS 

Chara Croft

Colette Davison
AUDIBLE  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS 



Dear Daddy, Please Love Me by Gianni Holmes

Dear Daddy, Please Spank Me by Chara Croft
Dear Daddy, Please Hold Us by Colette Davison

Series