The Companion

An asexual man has met a male model... and they became fast friends. The summer has been magical so far for both Mark and Chris. Their friendship has grown naturally and quickly, but now it will be tested in ways that go beyond casual friendship. Both men are generally tight-lipped about their internal struggles. Can they be trusting enough to evolve from mere friends to something deeper? Mark, the globe-trotting man who usually treats friends as accessories to be changed with the seasons... finds Chris to be a steadying, consistent companion. Mark sees something in Chris that is so tantalizing... and starts to dream of a settled future he used to mock. Chris, the often reserved writer who always seeks to avoid confrontations... enjoys Mark's youthful, untroubled personality and is unable, or unwilling, to guard his heart around the straight-acting model. Chris has always felt most comfortable in friendships with straight men and lesbians... because then there's no chance of sexual pressure. [ADVISORY: This 100,000 word installment is the continuation of my self-portrait, It's Just Us Here. You should read Book 1: The Friend before reading this, but I don't think you'll be completely lost if you start here. I have written this series as a romance so some of you will be expecting a HEA... this installment doesn't have that.]