Addison Albright
Dreams is a collection of three consecutively linked stories, each with a different pair of protagonists introduced in the previous story. The original versions of these comprehensively amended and reedited second editions were previously published individually.
INCLUDED IN THIS COLLECTION
Chapter Three – A Day in the Life
Chapter Nine – Alternate Universe Wes, Part One
Chapter Eleven – Out, Part Two
Chapter Twelve – Chaos and a Heart-to-Heart
Chapter Seventeen – Alternate Universe Wes, Part Two
Chapter One – What Would Rhys Do?
Chapter Five – The Tool Belt, Part One
Chapter Eight – Family Reunion
Chapter Ten – “Marty deserves so much better than you.”
Chapter Eleven – The Tool Belt, Part Two
Chapter Four – Closure and a Fresh Start
Other Stories by Addison Albright
ABOUT THE BOOKS
BOOK I – A DREAM COME TRUE
Mike is thrilled when his old university crush turns up at his door in answer to a roommate advertisement. Wes doesn’t remember Mike at all, or even realize Mike’s gay, but that doesn’t stop Mike from pursuing a determined campaign of seduction. The trouble is, Mike isn’t ready to give up his free and easy lifestyle and settle down with just one man.
Mike isn’t comfortable with public displays of affection. Wes doesn’t like anything resembling the proverbial closet, but Mike’s still buried deep inside one where his family is concerned. Will Wes have the patience to deal with Mike’s issues, or will their dream come true end up a nightmare?
Kris at Kris ’n’ Good Books had this to say:
This was a good, solid romantic read with some terrific characters. I think one of the main reasons why I liked it so much was that it seemed so ‘real’. No serial killers or stalkers, but lots of simple, day-to-day life circumstances. It was great.
Lily at I Love Books had this to say:
I loved all of the characters in this book. Wes and Mike are marvelously well-developed and their friends and family were an added bonus and not a distraction as sometimes can happen in a book. This was a sweet romantic book with just a bit of angst.
BOOK II – ANOTHER DREAM
When a shy, twenty-nine year old virgin erotica writer with a tool belt fetish crosses paths with an outgoing carpenter, the fireworks soar. Introverted Larry has an active imagination, and extroverted Marty is just the man to draw Larry out of his shell. Larry makes new friends and faces a jealous rival for Marty’s affections while helping Marty reevaluate an impulsive decision, made twenty years earlier. A scheme is hatched that rewinds the years of Marty’s life and takes the new lovers on a cross-country road trip together. From hot to humorous, their expedition is a journey of personal growth for Larry, an overdue resolution to Marty’s long-ago rash actions, and a trek down a path of self-discovery for both of them.
Larry worries about the motivations of his own feelings, as he tries to gauge Marty’s. Marty is tired of the single life. He’s ready to settle down and has been looking for Mr. Right. Will their personality differences complement each other to make another dream come true, or will Larry’s insecurities keep him from seizing love?
Maija at Fallen Angel Reviews had this to say:
Addison Albright has done a wonderful job portraying how a very shy man can open up and gain confidence with some patience and loving care from a partner. Another Dream is a tender feel-good romance that will give you the warm fuzzies.
Mystical Nymph at Literary Nymphs had this to say:
Ms. Albright does a wonderful job describing the personalities of these two lovers, and watching Marty encourage and guide Larry out of his self-imposed shell, a joy. The characters are charming, the situations realistic and the dialogue filled with humor and sensitivity.
BOOK III – DREAMING OF YOU
Trevor’s upset when the man he’s been chasing for years chooses another. He’d come to terms with losing Marty, but his hopes had been recently renewed and freshly dashed. While he’s trying to drown his sorrows, the man he considers to be the cause of his distress approaches him.
When Quinn startles Trevor with an insightful revelation, will Trevor be able to put aside their differences and give love another chance?
BoyLove Addict on LiveJournal had this to say:
From the moment Addison mentioned she was writing Trevor’s story, I knew I wanted to read it. Trevor is one of those characters that stand out and I desperately wanted to know his story. "Dreaming of You" is sweet, passionate and very uplifting.
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 by Addison Albright
A Dream Come True first edition was originally published by Torquere Press on February 25, 2009.
Another Dream first edition was originally published by Torquere Press on July 8, 2009.
Dreaming of You first edition was originally published by Smashwords on September, 16, 2009.
License Notes:
This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
All rights reserved. No part of this e-book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from Addison Albright. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
Warnings:
This e-book is a work of fiction. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This e-book contains sexually explicit scenes and adult language and may be considered offensive to some readers. This e-book is for sale to adults ONLY, as defined by the laws of the country in which you made your purchase. Please store your files wisely, where they cannot be accessed by under-aged readers.
Addison Albright
CHAPTER ONE – The Meetup
Wes kicked a loose stone on the pavement as he opened the door to his car. He kicked it hard, but the stress release he sought from the reflexive punt eluded him. He was still pissed, and now his toe hurt, too.
Thomas H. Palmer once said “’Tis a lesson you should heed, try, try again. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” Usually Wes agreed with this philosophy, but right now he felt like the old saying was mocking him.
That had been the third one. There was no doubt he’d been rejected because he was gay. The man had seemed interested enough in him as roommate material until Wes had disclosed that little tidbit. Then suddenly the man remembered another guy he’d interviewed and would let Wes know his decision in a few days. Fucker. Did the fool really think Wes would try to put a move on someone he knew was straight?
A lungful of fresh air helped Wes regain his composure as he drove to the next appointment. If he could help it, Mike, the guy he was seeing next, would never know Wes was gay. Mike would have no excuse to reject him now and no excuse to kick him out later. Wes hated closets with a passion and felt the restricting walls of this one closing in on him already.
But the price was right for this place, and it was close to the hospital where he’d be working. As Wes pulled into the parking lot he saw nicely trimmed crape myrtle trees producing attractive pink blooms planted around the perimeter of the clean brick building. Wes took a deep calming breath as he walked past the well-maintained flower beds full of colorful annuals edging the parking lot and walkway.
Three years. He could live in a closet for three years. He’d be too busy for hook-ups anyway. Wes trotted up the concrete steps, squared his shoulders, and knocked on the door.
Mike’s first two roommate prospects hadn’t been very promising. He was not going to live with a stoner, and just knew he’d be nuts within a week if he accepted the chatterbox.
He was listening to Paul Simon sing Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard when his third and final interview for the day knocked on the door. He plastered a friendly smile onto his face and opened the door.
The smile froze on Mike’s face. It was him. It was definitely him. What were the fucking odds? Mike blinked twice as the man on the other side of the doorway gazed back curiously.
Mike coughed slightly in a weak attempt to cover for his indiscretion, but continued to gape at the green-eyed, sandy-haired Adonis as he found his voice. “Uh … hi, I’m Mike Evans. You must be Wes.”
“That’s right.” The man held out his hand. “Wes Shaw. I hope the room is still available?” Mike appreciated that Wes was apparently going to pretend not to notice Mike’s odd behavior. Mike swallowed and gave himself a swift mental kick. It was time to pull it together and act normal.
Mike shook the proffered hand and gestured Wes into the apartment. “Sure is. Come on in.”
Wes smiled and stepped inside. “Great. Thanks.”
Did Wes recognize him? Hopefully not. Wes had probably thought he was a complete fool. He’d been so flustered and deeply closeted when they’d crossed paths back in college. What was that, seven, eight years ago?
Mike took a deep breath and launched into his well-rehearsed spiel. “Well, Wes, we already talked about price on the phone. The bedroom is furnished, but if you have your own furniture, I can put that stuff down in my storage unit. I’m not using that space for anything else, so it doesn’t matter to me either way. How about I just show you around, then you can tell me if you’re still interested?”
The entryway opened directly into the living room. Mike motioned with his arm and continued. “This is the living room.” Brilliant. Jesus, even if Wes didn’t remember him, the man would still end up thinking he was a complete fool if he yammered on without pausing and couldn’t string two coherent sentences together.
Mike swallowed and pushed on. “It’s decent-sized, I guess. I like that it’s kinda separated from the bedrooms by the kitchen and eating area, so that’s good if one of us is up and the other’s trying to sleep.”
The living room was decent-sized. All of the rooms were. Not to mention colorful. Not the walls—they were all basic apartment white—but the furniture and accessories were all vibrantly colored. He had a red couch covered with blue and yellow pillows, a royal blue recliner, and a crazy-patterned, multi-colored, overstuffed chair, in addition to a small black entertainment center and yellow-painted bookcase.
Apparently Mike’s decorating style didn’t faze Wes. There was a spark of curiosity in his eyes, but his smile was sincere. “Hey, that’s great. I should mention that I’m starting my residency at University Hospital next week. I may be coming in and out and sleeping at odd hours.”
“That’s cool.” Mike smiled, feeling more at ease with Wes’s calm demeanor. “I’m quiet in general anyway, and a pretty deep sleeper. I won’t mind being extra quiet when I know you’re home sleeping.”
“Awesome. I was hoping you’d be okay with that. I really like the location of this place. It’s pretty close to my work.”
“Yeah? Mine, too.” Mike led Wes toward the hallway. “Anyway, here’s the kitchen and dining area. If we have the same tastes, we can work out a food budget and just share everything instead of each keeping separate food stores. That worked out well with my last roommate.”
“Cool. I was wondering how we’d handle that.”
The song changed on the rather eclectic music mix CD Mike was playing and the Ditty Bops started singing Wishful Thinking. Wes didn’t appear to notice.
They walked down the hallway toward the bedrooms. “I’ve got a washer and dryer behind these doors,” Mike pointed out. “Here’s the bathroom. It has two doors, one out to the hallway and one into my bedroom, since it’s the master bedroom. This’ll be your bedroom here across from the bathroom, and that’s mine there at the end of the hall.”
They entered the spare room that would be Wes’s and looked around. It was roomy and furnished with a double bed, a bedside table, a dresser, a small blue-painted bookcase, and a wooden desk with a swivel chair. Again, the decorating was cheerful. There was a brightly colored green, yellow, and red checkerboard cotton bedspread on the bed, and matching red-based lamps on the bedside table and desk. Otherwise, he’d emptied the room of all personal effects.
“This is terrific.” Wes walked around the room, feeling the mattress and looking in the spacious closet. “And you said this furniture can stay if I want it? I’ve been living in student housing, so I don’t really have any furniture of my own yet.”
“So you think you’d like to take it?” Mike held his breath.
“Absolutely. Can I use this bedding, too, or do I need to furnish my own?”
“You can use this. There’s a linen closet in the hallway with extra sheets and blankets.”
The music changed again and the Soggy Bottom Boys started singing I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow. Wes’s mouth hung open and his eyes glazed over for a moment, but apparently it wasn’t a deal breaker. He regained his composure quickly. “Great. Thanks. Hey, are there any rules I should know about?”
“Nah, no rules per se, other than what I stated in the ad—no drugs and no smoking. I think if we just communicate well and are basically considerate, then stuff’ll just fall into place.”
Wes smiled and sat on a corner of the desk. “Terrific, no problem there. I think that’ll work out fine.”
Mike couldn’t suppress a wide grin. “When do you want to move in?”
“How soon can I move in? I’m set up in temporary quarters at a motel so I’d love to move my stuff in tomorrow, if not this afternoon.”
“Cool. I can help if you want to move this afternoon. Tomorrow I’m working. I’m a structural engineer, so my work days are just your basic Monday through Friday, with the occasional Saturday thrown in.”
Wes nodded. “Great. I don’t really have that much stuff to move, but enough to appreciate the offer. Boxes of books, my clothes, and computer stuff, mostly.”
“Great.” Mike cocked his head toward the door before Wes could change his mind. “Let’s go.”
Mike pondered the situation as they walked out to their cars. Was Wes back in the closet in general? He’d been pretty active in the GLBT organization back in school, and Mike had gotten the impression that he was more of a ‘get the info out there so there aren’t any misunderstandings’ kind of guy, rather than an ‘I’ll just mention it if and when the subject comes up’ man.
Mike could play dumb if that was what Wes wanted, but should he make a point of telling Wes that he was gay, or should he take his cue from Wes and let the subject arise naturally in the future sometime?
Relief flowed through Wes as he followed Mike out to the parking lot. Mike seemed to be agreeable and level-headed. Cute, too. Dark curly hair, pretty brown eyes, probably about five-nine, and lean. Wes liked his cheerful, friendly manners. The man had seemed oddly disconcerted when he’d first opened the door, but perhaps the cause was unrelated to Wes since he’d snapped out of it fairly quickly.
Using both their cars, they were able to haul all of Wes’s stuff in one trip. Buddy Holly was singing Peggy Sue out in the living room as he got his stuff spread around the brightly colored room. Mike certainly had an interesting assortment of song mixes in his music collection. They were generally fun songs, anyway.
The aromas that drifted in from the kitchen smelled delicious. Mike’s idea of sharing the food budget sounded like a good plan. The smells beckoned, and Wes found himself drawn to the kitchen to investigate—and to get to know his new roommate.
“Hey, that smells great.”
Mike turned around and raised his eyebrows. “Thanks. My cooking’s pretty basic, but not bad, I guess. Nothing gourmet. Just meat, potatoes or pasta, veggies, fruit—simple stuff.”
“That’s okay, perfect, in fact.” Wes grinned. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Nah. There really isn’t much left to do.” Chicken pieces were roasting in the oven, potatoes were boiling and almost ready to be mashed, and fresh veggies were cleaned for steaming. “So you’re all settled in, then?”
“Yep, wasn’t much to it.”
Mike leaned back against the counter but didn’t have much to say. He just bobbed his head a bit. Clearly he wasn’t a Chatty-Cathy, which was good, but Wes wanted to get a feel for what their routine would be.
“So, how do you spend your evenings around here? I don’t want to mess up your schedule or anything.”
“Well, if it’s a work night, I usually just hang out at home and read or watch TV or a movie. I tend to go to bed on work nights between ten and ten-thirty, but like I said, I’m a pretty deep sleeper, so it won’t bother me if you’re still out here watching TV or something.”
“Cool. Well, since I’m free until a week from tomorrow, I might stay up a little later, but I’ll keep it down.”
Mike smiled and tossed the vegetables into the steamer pan, then picked up the potato pot to drain it. He cocked his head toward the refrigerator. “Hey, will you grab the butter and milk for me?”
Wes opened the fridge and set out the milk and butter before continuing the Q and A. “So, what time do you get up in the morning on a work day?”
Mike picked up the potato masher and started smashing the hot spuds. “Six-thirty. I don’t have to be in the office ’til eight, but I like to take my time, eat breakfast, and read the paper before heading out. I work ’til five, so I’m usually home by five-thirty.”
The stove timer dinged so Wes picked up the hot pads and removed the small roasting pan from the oven. “This smells great.”
“Thanks. Grab a plate. We’ll see if it tastes as good as it smells.”
It did. Afterward, Wes volunteered to clean up since Mike had cooked. Mike thanked him, flashed another brilliant smile, and wandered off. Wes didn’t have any trouble loading the dishwasher and getting it started. He wiped down the counters and headed out to the living room.
Wes stumbled and caught himself as he took in the sight. Whoa.
Mike had gotten comfortable while Wes was busy in the kitchen. He wore low-riding sleep pants, a thin, ratty, and more than slightly too small tee shirt, and nothing else that Wes could see. Damn.
Mike gave Wes an innocent-looking grin and told him the TV selection didn’t look too favorable, so unless there was something Wes wanted to watch, Mike suggested he pick out a movie. Wes made a blind grab and came up with The Matrix and put it into the DVD player.
Operation Seduce Wes was underway. Wes seemed to have noticed, because he wasn’t concentrating very well on the movie. In fact, he seemed to be just a tad bit uncomfortable. Sweet.
Mike tried to at least look like he was paying attention to the movie instead of getting busted checking out Wes checking out him. He was stretched out nice and comfy on the couch, and his peripheral vision was picking up a good bit of fidgeting coming from the general direction of the recliner.
“Hey, would you like some popcorn or anything to munch on?” Mike asked.
“Oh, um, no thanks, I’m good. Thanks, though.”
“Okay. I’m just going to get a glass of water. Do you want something to drink?”
“Yeah, a glass of water’d be good. Thanks.”
Mike did his best to keep his movements casual as he fetched two glasses of water and handed one to Wes. Wes sat cross-legged with a throw pillow in his lap. Mike grinned. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
The movie was soon over and Mike told Wes goodnight before heading off to bed. That was enough teasing for one night. Hopefully it would give Wes something to think about when he went to bed.
Mike brushed his teeth then padded across the tan plush carpet in his bedroom to set the alarm and slide between the cool, sea-green sheets. He heard the shower start up and went to sleep listening to the gentle sounds of water flowing in the bathroom, knowing that his dreams would be wonderful that night.
CHAPTER TWO – The Seduction
Was it possible Mike was gay? It was almost as if he’d been flirting. Either he was doing it subconsciously, or it was a very bold move on his part. Because, damn, Mike wasn’t very big, and flirting with a straight guy was a good way to get beat up. Was Wes giving off some gay vibes he wasn’t aware of? Perhaps Mike had some unusually tuned-in ‘gaydar.’
Wes had gone to bed early after all, right after Mike, and awoke to some fine breakfast smells. It was time to fight fire with fire. He figured turn-about was fair play. At the very least, he wanted to gauge Mike’s reaction and determine once and for all if the man was gay, too. Wes left his sleep pants on and didn’t bother with a tee shirt. He headed to the bathroom to pee and brush his teeth then wandered into the kitchen.
“Good morning, Mike. Sleep well?”
Mike turned around with a smile, then somewhat choked out a “good morning” of his own. Yeah, he noticed. Mike had the sweetest blush, and tried to avert his eyes but couldn’t seem to help himself. This was going to be entertaining.