Vinnie's Ghost

Blurb

The delivery of a letter could mean everything to two lonely men, connected by the life and death of a man who meant something special to each of them separately. Lee Fellowes is a wounded warrior, ex-Army vet, whose best buddy died in his arms. As buddies do, Lee and Vinnie had shared intimacies—Vinnie even shared some of his steamy letters from his state-side lover, Stroker Smith, a man who makes surfboards, and communes with the sea. Now, Lee returned from the front lines and suffering from PTSD, goes in search of Stroker to deliver Vinnie’s last letter. What he never expects to find is a passion that can heal his wounded soul, fill his heart, and free his spirit.

Can these two men, who both cared for another, each wounded by that loss, find healing, peace and love together? Or will their separate burdens of loss keep them from finding a true and lasting love in each other’s arms?

Excerpt

Stroker shucked off his shorts, and once again he took Lee’s hand. He led him outside, along the narrow sandy path lined by beach grass, and down onto the private beach. This part was fairly secluded and quite deserted. Tonight, no one else was around—the revelers were all at the other end where the fireworks were going off.

“Come for a swim,” he urged Lee. He’d try anything to take that desperate look off his face. He led Lee toward the water. “You do know how to swim, don’t you?” He’d never actually seen Lee in the water.

“Yeah, I know how. It’s awful big out there. Endless.”

“It is. And sometimes it can be savage. But that’s nature, isn’t it? That’s life.” He led him deeper into the water.

“It’s lonely,” Lee said softly, and Stroker almost missed his words.

“That’s deceptive.” Stroker moved closer to Lee. “Being out here is a challenge, but it’s not so unlike being in the army. There’s the individual who has to count on his own abilities and knowledge in order to survive.” Stroker swept his hand out in an arc, drawing Lee’s attention to the faint glow of the bonfire down the beach. “But there’s the community too. We aren’t alone in this world. Never alone. Each step, each falter, brings us closer to our destiny. Sometimes we fight it, but if we stop trying to control, to do it alone, quit trying to swim against the current, it can get a lot easier.”

“I don’t know how to do that. Not anymore,” Lee said. “I used to. There’s things I wanted to do with my life, but I’ve lost the way, and maybe the desire too.”

Stroker turned Lee to face him. He cupped his face. “There’s always another wave—another door to open—however you want to look at it. You wipe out; you try again. You never stop trying. You never stop searching. I’m not sure I realized how true that is until tonight.” He leaned forward and kissed Lee. For a moment Lee didn’t respond, but then he opened his mouth, and Stroker thrust his tongue inside, tangling it with Lee’s. There seemed some measure of desperation at first, but then the kiss turned hungry, then demanding. Stroker eased away. He drew Lee farther into the surf.

When they’d reached a point where the water was waist deep, suddenly Lee turned more assertive, and he yanked on Stroker’s hand and spun him around. The sparkle of light flashing across the sky highlighted his expressions in dark and light. He was about a head taller than Stroker, but right now the way he gazed down at him, he seemed so much bigger, stronger.

“You’re right,” Lee said. “Another wave, another door, maybe another chance. Out here, tonight, it seems anything might be possible.”

Lee yanked Stroker forward until they were chest to chest and the cool ocean water rippled over them. One of his hands circled around Stroker’s prick as the other cupped the nape of his neck. He leaned forward until Stroker could feel his lips against his ear.

“I want to fuck you,” he said in a raspy, deep voice.

“Yes,” was about the only word that Stroker could manage to utter. He also knew Lee didn’t mean inside, in Stroker’s bed. He wanted to do it right here.