EQUATION FOR LOVE
by
FAESUTHERLAND
Amber QuillPress, LLC http://www.amberquill.com EquationFor Love
AnAmber QuillPress Book
This book is a work offiction. Allnames, characters, locations, and incidents are products ofthe author's imagination, or have beenused fictitiously. Anyresemblance to actualpersons livingor dead, locales, or events is entirelycoincidental.
Amber QuillPress, LLC
http://www.AmberQuill.com
http://www.AmberHeat.com
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Allrights reserved.
No portionofthis book maybe transmitted or reproduced inanyform, or byanymeans, without permissioninwritingfromthe publisher, withthe exceptionofbriefexcerpts used for the purposes of review.
Copyright © 2012 byFae Sutherland ISBN 978-1-61124-295-9
Cover Art © 2012 Trace Edward Zaber
Published inthe United States ofAmerica
Also by Fae Sutherland
Gambling On Maybe Games Boys Play
Letting In The Light
WithMarguerite Labbe
629 Miles To Love Entanglements Fortunate Son
The Mask He Wears Taking Chances
WithChelsea James
Blue-Eyed Soul
Dedication
To Melissa, a lifetime of thanks for listening to me waffle for weeks and never once breaking out the ball gag.
Also, for talking me down off the ledge a million and one times-
I'll try not to make it a million and two.
Chapter 1
There is no such thing as a guide to being gay. The fact that you don't know this worries me.
Skye McCord's best friend's voice rang in his head as he sat and stared at the hotel roomdoor, glancing at his watch every so often. Lindy meant well, but what did a girl know about being gay? About as much as Skye did. But that was about to change.
Ifhis male escort ever showed up, that is.
He pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose, annoyed to find that he was sweating a little and they kept slipping down. It was foolish to be nervous. He was paying this man for his time, he was in charge, he didn't have to impress anyone. He just kept telling himselfthat. Maybe the nerves would listeneventually.
Finally, an entire ten minutes past the agreed-upon nine o'clock, there was a knock onthe door and Skye's pulse went from zero to sixty. He was beginning to wonder ifLindymight have beenright after all.
Too late now, the guy was here and Skye couldn't just ignore him. So he put on his best "You do not intimidate me"face and went to openthe door. Halfway there, he wondered if he ought to have chosen a different outfit. It wasn't as if he'd ever met a sex worker before. Was there a dress code, for goodness' sake? Finally, he shook his head, shoving aside all the mundane nonsense thoughts and took a deep breath before openingthe door.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
The man standing in front of him wasn't at all what he'd expected. Instead of some kind of muscle-bound Greek god, he got lean, rugged and whipcord strong. Instead of chiseled features and hard lips, he got warm hazel eyes and a sexy smirk that made his stomach flip. And instead of cookie-cutter, porn-star material, he got real-world good looks and a dangerous level of sex appeal.
Skye was suddenly very, very glad he hadn't gotten what he'd expected because this was so muchbetter.
"I'mLiam. I'mhere for our date."
Skye blinked, then shook his head, stepping back and gesturing. "Come in. And please, don't call it that. I prefer honesty, not code words."
Liam smiled--and Lord, that was a pretty smile, all flashing white teeth--and stepped inside, one brow lifting as Skye shut the door behind them. "Okay. What should I callit then?"
Skye shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, shrugging. "Business?"
The other man chuckled. "Business. Cool." He shrugged out of the leather coat he wore, draping it over one of the stools at the breakfast nook. Amused hazel-green eyes met Skye's. "Well, if we're going to talk business, it'd be good to know your name. I'm Liam, and youare..."
Skye cringed, sticking out his hand. "Sorry. Skye." Liamtook his hand and maybe it was a cliché, but there really was a sizzle, like he'd shocked himself in his stocking feet or something. Odd. He pulled his hand away and rubbed it against his thigh. "Did you want somethingto drink?"
Liamshook his head, glancing around as he moved farther into the suite. "No, thanks. Hazard of the job, you know."He met Skye's gaze and smiled. "So, Skye, what canI do for you?"
The way he said it was shockingly suggestive. How did he manage that when he hadn't even changed his tone much? Just a slight lowering of his voice, a faint narrowingofhis eyes. The scientific part ofSkye's brain was fascinated by the subtle ability. Oh, he was very good. Skye felt muchmore confident now.
"You can teach me how to do that." That secondnature sexy thing. It couldn't be purely natural talent. It had to be at least partially learned. And if it was something that could be learned, then Skye could master it. He'd mastered everything else he'd ever set his mind to and beinggaywas no different.
Liam's brows knit and the seductive façade dimmed. "Do what?"
Skye waved one hand in his general direction. "Well, not that, specifically--the smolder thing, I mean
-but that ingeneral."
Liam looked confused. "You want me to...teach youhow to smolder?"
Skye smiled, running a hand through his hair and then immediately regretting it because now he was sure it was sticking up all over like it tended to do, when he'd spent a good ten minutes trying to get it to lay flat earlier. "Sorry, I'm not being clear. Here, come sit down. I'm going to have a drink. Are you sure you don't want anything? There're bottles of all kinds in the mini-fridge, unopened if that's the concern." How unpleasant that Liam had to concern himself with such things.
The other man sat down on the couch, glancing up. "Maybe a beer, if there's any in there. I have a feeling I'mgoingto need it."
Skye nodded and went to grab a beer and
