Starting His Engine

By W.S. Long

Athletic and handsome, Florida boy Caleb Youngblood has always wanted to race stock cars like his father and his brother. The roar of the engines, the smell of the burning rubber and the thrill of speed courses his veins. Racing is as much a part of him as the sun and surf of the Florida ocean he loves.

But, when Caleb falls in love with sports writer Sebastian Rush, he must make a decision. Will he stay in the closet and follow his dream, or can he make a life with Sebastian and follow his heart?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: Nov 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781634862561

W.S. Long

Raised in a military family, I lived in different places. This peripatetic life forced me to take refuge in books at a young age. I can't tell you how many books I read. But in middle school and through high school, I loved reading Victor Hugo, Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, and Jules Verne. Books were an escape.I eventually left home at seventeen to join the military and thought my issues with same-sex attraction could be solved.But, I was wrong. Luckily, I found someone in my life after undergoing trials and tribulations.Why do I read and write male-male romance? Frankly, we all need love and romance in our lives.You can never have too much love, or romance. Right?

Book preview

Starting His Engine

By W.S. Long

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2016 W.S. Long

ISBN 9781634862561

* * * *

Cover Design: Written Ink Designs | written-ink.com

Image(s) used under a Standard Royalty-Free License.

All rights reserved.

WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review.

This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It may contain sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which might be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published in the United States of America.

* * * *

To my husband, who brought me to my first Daytona 500 race, and to the MM Romance Critique Group for all the feedback so Caleb and Sebastian can tell their story.

* * * *

Starting His Engine

By W.S. Long

Chapter 1

Your dad is looking for you.

Caleb Youngblood groaned, wiped the sleep from his eyes, and sat up as Sebastian handed Caleb’s phone to read the text. Caleb kicked the sheet that covered his lower torso and eyed his cell. How long had they napped? The late afternoon Florida sun intruded into Sebastian’s bedroom as Caleb read the words his sister, Joan, texted him.

Dad wanted to know where you were. Are you ever going to talk to him?

Are you going to call him this time? asked Sebastian, who stretched out, and angled his body to face Caleb.

Caleb sighed. I’m not ready.

I don’t know your family at all, but this issue has been bothering you. Wouldn’t it be easier if you talked it out with your father?

Lately it’s a one-sided conversation, so what’s the point? Caleb bit his lip, realizing his question was not only rhetorical but also sounded abrupt.

Caleb knew that the blow-up with his father a few days ago would eventually simmer down, and then they could talk again, but he wasn’t ready to make the call. It was abundantly clear that Caleb’s older brother, Garrison, was the favorite son. Until their argument, Caleb had thought he had a future as a NASCAR driver, too. I don’t know. I think I’ll talk to Joan first. If there isn’t a future in this family racing, then what’s the point?

I don’t want to sound like I’m repeating myself, but you should call him and talk. Not talking about it and avoiding him won’t get you anywhere. Sebastian sat up in bed now, and half-smiled. What about Garrison?

You mean talk to him? Nah. Garrison is like my dad. Not good at talking about things. And my relationship with him since Mom died, well, it hasn’t been the same. Caleb paused before he spoke again, his voice barely a whisper. So, I’m not calling my father right now, but you’re right. It has been bothering me a lot. I feel like my life is going in a different direction and I don’t have control of it.

I’m sorry.

Caleb studied Sebastian. Nothing for you to be sorry about, Sebastian. Caleb moved closer and with his finger tapped Sebastian’s nose. And nothing for you to worry about. Sorry if I just snapped just then.

I know what it’s like to be in a bad family situation. When my parents got a divorce a few years ago, my sister and I barely spoke to our parents for a long time. We’re just now getting back to some normalcy.

Caleb thought about Sebastian’s comments. A lot of this stuff has been brewing a while. It makes me second-guess myself more. Like should I have finished college? Should I have come back?

Sebastian smiled. It’s not too late. You can finish up and go on to medical school.

I don’t know. I think UCF will require me to take some classes over since I broke catalog.

What does that mean?

It’s been over three years. I may have to take biology and chemistry again.

Come on. You’re pretty smart. It’ll be no big deal.

Caleb bent down and kissed Sebastian, who accepted the intrusion of Caleb’s tongue without delay. Sebastian placed his hand on Caleb’s bare chest.

"You don’t think at twenty-six