So Far Away

By Nell Iris

Engaged couple Zakarias and Julian are convinced nothing can separate them ... until a global pandemic hits. Zakarias catches the virus with mild symptoms and isolates in the couple’s guest house.

The few meters dividing them might as well be the moon as he watches Julian, an ICU nurse, work himself to the bone, unable to support him the way he needs. Frustration and worry build as the weeks pass.

Will Zakarias be declared healthy before Julian burns out?

• Language: English
• Publisher: JMS Books LLC
• Release date: May 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646567720

Nell Iris

Nell is a forty-something bisexual Swedish woman, married to the love of her life, and a proud mama of a grown daughter. She left the Scandinavian cold and darkness for warmer and sunnier Malaysia a few years ago, and now spends her days writing, surfing the Internet, enjoying the heat, and eating good food. One day she decided to chase her lifelong dream of being a writer, sat down in front of her laptop, and wrote a story about two men falling in love. Nell writes gay romance, prefers sweet over angst, and wants to write diverse and different characters.

Book preview

So Far Away

By Nell Iris

Published by JMS Books LLC at Smashwords

Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2021 Nell Iris

ISBN 9781646567720

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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.

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While the current (2020–2021) pandemic definitely inspired this book, the virus in my story is not COVID-19, but a figment of my imagination in its entirety.

This book is dedicated to J, who’s made this difficult time not only bearable, but fun. ILY.

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So Far Away

By Nell Iris

Chapter 1

As I step out on the porch of our guesthouse, a cold wind washes over me, making my teeth chatter. The chill nips at my fingers as I fumble with the zipper to close my hoodie, penetrating my flesh, making me shiver. A dense cloud cover is subduing the early morning light, not even a sliver of sky is visible, and thick fog is hiding the ground. Were I to step off the porch, it wouldn’t reach higher than my knees, but it’s so milky and substantial, I wouldn’t be able to see my feet.

My breath comes out in a misty cloud as I flip the hood over my head. I shove my hands into my pockets, but it doesn’t help. Goddamn, it’s cold this morning.

I glance at the empty driveway, then back at the door behind me, and chew my bottom lip. If I hurry, maybe I can go back inside and find some warmer clothes to put on, but just as I reach for the door handle, the sound of Julian’s SUV rumbles in the distance, approaching our house. So I shove my hands into my pockets, determined to tough it out, unwilling to miss even a second of seeing his dear face.

Bouncing on the balls of my feet, trying to bring warmth to my limbs by moving, I watch as the truck comes around the corner, turns onto our driveway, and parks behind my car in the carport.

Even when Julian climbs out of the SUV, I stay on the porch and don’t jump onto the grass, jog across the lawn, and fling my arms around his neck like I’m dying to. I’m desperate to touch him again, but I can’t. Not yet. So I visualize my feet shooting roots deep into the ground, keeping me where I am so I won’t throw all caution to the wind. But even with deep, thick roots, it’s difficult to just stand here and wait.

As soon as the car door is closed behind Julian, his gaze searches for me. Even from here, I can see his shoulders relaxing when he catches sight of me. He raises his arm and gives me a tired wave before grabbing his backpack from the backseat, slinging it over one shoulder, then making his way toward me.

My heart clenches at the sight of him. The circles under his warm brown eyes are huge and almost black, and his trademark soft smile is absent and replaced with a downturned mouth. He’s lost weight; he’s wearing his thick winter coat this morning, and it’s saggy on his frame where his muscles usually threaten to burst it at the seams. Even