Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 9

looked back over the dark street below and stubbed out what was left of his cigarette on the rail.
    When Eli turned around, James plucked the butt from his fingers and grimaced as he threw it on the patio table. "We have to work on that. But let's just see what happens 'kay?" James snuggled Eli more closely against his body as Eli put his arms around James. "And no 'fine', no lying to me about how you really feel or when you've had a bad day. I can take it, I'm a big boy, and I promise I'll take you hiking and rock climbing, and drag you to Trek parties, and maybe even get you in to meet The Shat sometime. Or at least Mr. Spock."
    James pulled back a bit and tipped Eli's face up to meet his eyes. "If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But hey, you know, it just might. And then what? Kids, marriage, a house in the burbs?" Eli grimaced. "Okay, no house in the burbs, but I think it's worth a try."
    Eli nodded. "Okay, but don't say I haven't warned you."
    James laughed out loud and Eli couldn't help but smile. He loved James' laugh. "Yes, Doctor. You warned me. Now come back to bed. It's cuddle time. Besides, you promised me two or three times and I'm holding you to that."
    Eli smiled and followed James back inside. He could handle cuddle time and more sex. He'd even forego his ribbed rule tonight. It had been a long time since he'd had someone in his life. Maybe he could stop and take a breath once in a while. James was right, it wouldn't hurt to try - and maybe, just maybe, James would be the boy who made moving to San Francisco worth it.
    THE END
    Author bio: Tam is a single mom to a teenage daughter who lives in Ontario, Canada. It was the encouragement and dares of some friends that inspired her to start writing m/m romance. Traveling as much as possible with her daughter, reading, writing, and playing around on-line keep her busy, in addition to her day job.
    Blog: Tam Reads, Writes and Rambles
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TAKE MY BREATH
    by Tami Veldura

    A shirtless young blond perches, smirking, on the railing of a construction scaffold. He is maybe twenty, and has an impressive six pack. He wears khaki cargo pants, black workboots and a knitted beanie.

    Dear Author
    I rounded the corner with equal parts anticipation and trepidation. Both of which pissed me off. I was hoping he'd be there as much as I dreaded it. It had been days since our last encounter, and it ocurred to me – with a twinge I refused to acknowledge – he just might have tired of his little game of toying with what he thought was the nerdy little English Professor. The boy knows nothing, I reminded myself sternly. Nobody in this part of my life knew anything. I instantly cut off that train of thought. Tempting or not, the gorgeous blond was so far out of his league he had no idea.
    The boy had been playing with me since he'd taken my English Lit class last year. He'd suddenly started appearing frequently in my path on campus, and now that school was out for the summer, he'd discovered my running route and parked himself somewhere along it almost daily. As I approached I prepared for the smirk and the licking of the lips and and leering and the smart-assed come-on. I took me a second to realize that it wasn't coming today. In fact, I was actually compelled to stop because today ... I locked onto those open, steady eyes and my breath caught ... today was different. My cocky, untouchable boy was looking ... needy. Oh Hell.
    Sincerely,
    Kim Possum

    genre: contemporary
    tags: college; teaching; age gap; student-to-lover; flirtation
    content warnings: no hea or hfn
    word count: 3,024
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    TAKE MY BREATH
    by Tami Veldura
    I surveyed my students as they chatted among themselves. This, the last few minutes of the last class of their semesters, I mostly left to them. There was little chance of them retaining anything I said beyond 'have a good summer break' and I knew better than to try.
    "Email me your final edits before three this afternoon," I reminded them. "Anything sent after three won't be accepted so save yourself the trouble and don't send it. If you don't get a response from me, I didn't get it, so keep an eye open."
    A few nodded as if they were listening. Troublemaker Matthew and his clique of surfers in the back ignored me entirely. They all knew the drill, though; I wasn't going to worry myself over final papers.
    Matthew shot a look at me over his shoulder, commented at his friends, and the whole