To Lift My Sole by J.D. Walker

Jim Newsome is the CEO of a food services consulting firm, working primarily for the healthcare industry. Having a shorter leg due to a childhood accident hasn’t slowed him down one bit. He’s successful in life and enjoys his work, perhaps a little too much, sometimes. Whenever he acquires a new client—typically a hospital—Jim goes undercover to get a firsthand look at the problems before reporting his findings, and possible solutions.

His current assignment hasn’t been an easy one, and Jim’s relieved it will be over soon. Along with the snobby attitudes he’s encountered with the medical staff, Jim meets Lance Lamas. An Orthopedic specialist, Lance is intrigued by the well-made modified shoe Jim wears and tries to strike up conversations. Jim, however, isn’t playing nice and tries even harder to avoid any entanglements with the handsome doctor, despite his roguish charm.

But Lance’s relentless pursuit eventually pays off, and during their first date, Jim suddenly turns the tables and becomes the pursuer, initiating a steamy, dirty-talking tryst that rocks Lance’s world. Lance definitely wants more of that in his life, but he really likes Jim, too, and yearns to keep him—shoe lift, dirty mouth and all...

Genres: Gay/Contemporary/Exhibitionism/Public Places

Heat Level: 3
Length: Extended Amber Kiss (12k words) 

Read a short excerpt...

...I arrived at Tony’s with minutes to spare. I was a little nervous, mainly because this was my first anything with a man in years. Work typically consumed my days and nights, unless Paula could drag me away—kicking and screaming—to do something fun. My jeans were stiff with newness, and my long-sleeved shirt still smelled of the store where I’d bought it. I’d even gotten a haircut that afternoon.

Paula and Bevin came up to me at the bar. “Jim, you actually made it!” She gave me a big hug, and Bevin shook my hand.

“Nice to see you, man. You’re looking good—nothing new there,” he said.

“Back atcha.” Bevin was always a joy to be around. He was the perfect foil for Paula, and vice versa.

“And don’t act so surprised, little miss. I have been known to have a drink with you on occasion.”

“Yeah, under duress.” She leaned back in Bevin’s arms and checked me out. “You bought new clothes.” Her eyes widened. “No way. Is someone meeting you here?”

On cue, Lance popped up at my elbow. “That would be me.”

I jumped a little at his voice and turned my head to frown at him, partly to hide my reaction to his sudden, and very attractive appearance. He was dapper in gray tailored slacks and a blue and white pinstriped shirt.

“Well, hello there.” Did her voice just drop a few decibels? “I’m Paula, a friend of Jim’s. And this is my husband, Bevin.” She reached out to shake Lance’s hand, and I stood by, like an idiot.

“Lance Lamas,” he replied. “I work, or rather worked, with Jim at the hospital. He’s mum about what he really does for a living, but he says I’ll figure it out on Monday. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Sorry, no can do.” She removed imaginary lint from his shirt, but I knew she was surreptitiously copping a feel. It was only flirting, I knew. She was madly in love with Bevin. Paula just liked to get a reaction out of me.

“Why so quiet, Jim?” Her expression was coy.

“I have no words for…whatever’s going on here.”

“Tell me something,” Lance asked after ordering a beer. “Is he always so…difficult to get to know? It’s like pulling teeth. Though I have fun trying.”

I tried glaring at Paula, willing her by visual osmosis not to say anything. To no avail.

“Oh, he’s a sweetheart, usually. But this assignment has been particularly strenuous, and he hasn’t had sex in years so—”

I gasped in outrage. “Paula!” This amused Lance, and Bevin just shook his head and offered me silent sympathy.

“Looks like I turned up at the right time, then.”

This needed to end. Now. “Okay, people. Can we change the topic or pick on someone else? Please?”

“Only for a little while. Bevin, dance with me, would you?”

“My pleasure, sweetheart.” He led her out to the crowded dance floor and they let themselves go.

“Your friends are cool, and Paula is a riot. I wouldn’t have thought you’d know anyone like that. You’re not very forthcoming.”

“Well, you are pushy. That tends to get my back up, normally.”

He took a sip of his beer. “So, really? Years since you had sex?”

“God, that’s the one thing you remembered from the conversation?”

Lance leered at me. “Sex is one of my favorite pastimes.”

“I barely know you.” But for some reason, I want to know you...