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    Burning Down the House
    Burning Down the House
    Burning Down the House
    Ebook64 pages41 minutes

    Burning Down the House

    By Gregory L. Norris

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    About this ebook

    Leo's quiet vacation in Vermont is cut short by news that his beloved grandmother's in the hospital because she tried to burn down her own house. Feeling low and depressed that she might be falling victim to dementia, Leo takes comfort in a man he meets in the hospital's Quiet Room. The encounter's supposed to be a one-night stand, one and done, no strings attached, but Leo's surprised when he wants more.
    ​
    The problem is that Aaron comes with strings and complications—ones Leo isn't sure he wants to deal with on top of his own problems. Leo's going to have to reach deep if he wants more than superficial, but he's determined to try if the universe will just cooperate.

    Part of the 2018 "Escape from the Holidays" Series
    Stay Awhile by Kassandra Lea
    Burning Down the House by Gregory Norris
    The Holiday Spirit by Carole Cummings
    Slow Thaw by J. Scott Coatsworth
    Celebrations in the Season of Long Nights by Mere Rain
    The Holiday Home Hotel by Lou Sylvre
    Something to Celebrate by Evelyn Benvie
    Holiday Hijinks by Toni Griffin
    Yule Planet by Angel Martinez
    Waiting on the Rain by Freddy Mackay

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMischief Corner Books
    Release dateDec 1, 2018
    ISBN9781386371564
    Burning Down the House

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      Book preview

      Burning Down the House - Gregory L. Norris

      Burning Down the House

      Burning Down the House

      Escape from the Holidays

      Gregory L. Norris

      Edited by

      Jude Dunn

      Mischief Corner Books, LLC

      Copyright

      This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from the authors. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

      Cover Artist: Catherine Dair

      Editor: Jude Dunn

      First Edition

      Burning Down the House © 2018 Gregory L. Norris

      All Rights Reserved.

      Published in the United States of America.

      ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: Burning Down the House is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are fictionalized. Any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The story contains explicit sexual content and is intended for adult readers.

      Any person depicted in the Licensed Art Material is a model and is being used solely for illustrative purposes.

      PUBLISHER

      Mischief Corner Books, LLC

      Dedication

      To my Sitoo, the late, great Lovey Norris, with thanks for a lifetime of fabulous stories.

      Contents

      Chapter 1

      Chapter 2

      Chapter 3

      Chapter 4

      Chapter 5

      Chapter 6

      Chapter 7

      Chapter 8

      Dear Reader

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      About Gregory L Norris

      Also by Gregory L. Norris

      About Mischief Corner Books

      Chapter One

      It was only supposed to be a one-time thing. No strings attached. Fun and done. The kind of play between two men that leads to walks of shame and fond memories. It wasn’t supposed to amount to more than that.

      But it did.

      Chapter Two

      Every time I’ve tried living the life of a free spirit, the universe has conspired to jail me. First, there was Garrett, who made it clear that he liked it, and so he tried to put a ring on it—when I wasn’t ready. In fairness, neither was Garrett. He was more in love with the notion of a traditional marriage than me, and the one time I met his ’rents, they never smiled and cast sour looks at one another from the cut of their eyes in a way Garrett was blind to but I wasn’t. No, I couldn’t breathe after he popped the question, complete with ring, over brunch at Rosie’s Café.

      Then there was the job. I made good money as an administrative assistant working for a tech startup. Believe it or not, I’m great with people. Great at motivating them, at communicating, and marshaling the troops. But that job devoured time, energy, and soul, and so, taking my severance, I quit at the end of summer and set off to find myself, free once more.

      I was in Vermont at the inn, contemplating over blueberry pancakes and locally sourced bacon whether to take advantage of the morning yoga class or a long, slow amble through the foliage. Instead, my cell phone rang. The caller ID flashed an unfamiliar number and name. I almost didn’t answer.

      Hello?

      Is this Leo Kater?

      At that instant, before answering her question, I knew the news wouldn’t bode well for my plans: October in Vermont, catered

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