Love in Three Moves

By Chris Quinton

Three short stories chart a passionate love affair, yet true love rarely runs smoothly on its way to that Happy Ever After.

 

It Takes Two

David Grainger and Ben Tremayne are perfect partners in business and friendship – and finally they give in to the temptation of taking that further. Their passionate love has been brewing for a long time, and everything about their new affair is wonderful - until it isn't.

 

Breaking Point

Ben hasn't seen his ex-lover David, for a year. He lives alone with his remorse for breaking up their affair, overwhelmed by his fear of commitment rather than his love for David. When, out of the blue, David asks him for a favour, Ben grudgingly agrees. The simple errand takes a more complicated turn.

 

Clue Game

Once instrumental in reuniting Ben and David, their friend Barbara Curtis now needs the couple's help with her own love-life. Despite being in Paris on their pre-honeymoon, Ben and David are caught up in the ensuing puzzle, involving a Paris art gallery, the works of Shakespeare, a devious crossword, a pair of precious earrings – and satisfaction for Barbara's heart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kouros Books
• Release date: Jan 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9798223899655

Chris Quinton

Chris Quinton  Chris started creating stories not long after she mastered joined-up writing, somewhat to the bemusement of her parents and her English teachers. But she received plenty of encouragement. Her dad gave her an already old Everest typewriter when she was ten, and it was probably the best gift she'd ever received – until the inventions of the home-computer and the worldwide web. Chris's reading and writing interests range from historical, mystery, and paranormal, to science-fiction and fantasy, writing mostly in the male/male genre. She also writes the occasional male/female novel in the name of Chris Power. She refuses to be pigeon-holed and intends to uphold the long and honourable tradition of the Eccentric Brit to the best of her ability. In her spare time [hah!] she reads, or listens to audio books while quilting or knitting. Over the years she has been a stable lad [briefly] in a local racing stable and stud, a part-time and unpaid amateur archaeologist, a civilian clerk at her local police station and a 15th century re-enactor. She lives in a small and ancient city not far from Stonehenge in the south-west of the United Kingdom, and shares her usually chaotic home with an extended family, three dogs, a Frilled Dragon [lizard], sundry goldfish and tropicals

Book preview

Love In Three Moves

by

Chris Quinton

Love In Three Moves - 1st edition 2017 Chris Quinton

Containing

It Takes Two - 1st edition 2017 Chris Quinton

Breaking Point - 1st edition 2009: 2nd edition 2017 Chris Quinton

Clue Game - 1st edition 2011: 2nd edition 2017 Chris Quinton

Cover Photo:  Canary Wharf - Pixabay

Editor: C.L.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the Author,

Chris Quinton.

Piracy is Theft

The royalties from the sale of my books helps to support my family and pay essential bills. If you like this story, please spread the word and tell others, but please don't share it.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Contents

Dedication

1st Move – It Takes Two

2nd Move – Breaking Point

3rd Move – Clue Game

About the Author

Bibliography

Dedication

To the Usual Suspects - thank you for your support, nags, kicks in the arse,

copious amounts of tea, beer, wine, and encouragement.

You make writing even more of a pleasure.

1st Move - It Takes Two

It's me, David Grainger called as he opened the front door and walked into the large studio apartment. Are you back? Babs has been nagging me again. Did you get the Stravinsky commis - ? He stopped in his tracks. Yes, Ben was back from Geneva. The room looked like Selfridges at the end of a sale day. Cushions, bedcovers, pillows and odd items of clothing lay scattered over floor and furniture, and the warm air was heavy with an exotic, expensive perfume. But over all hung the scent of sex.

Who was it this time? David wondered, irritated. Roger, Melanie, or both? Not that he gave a damn who Ben took to his bed. No, he was peeved because he'd heard nothing from the man for several days. Phone calls and texts had all been ignored, and Barbara wasn't the only one pissed off about it. Important matters hung on the success of Ben's trip to Switzerland. Sometimes the man was an irresponsible pain in David's arse.

Fastidious as a cat, he picked his way across the room, nose wrinkling as the assorted aromas assaulted his nostrils, and David thanked whichever gods looked after dissolute idiots that the used condoms had ended up in the waste bin and not on the floor.

Ben, the other half of Grainger & Tremayne Antiques, enjoyed a varied love life. Ten years of friendship, five of which included a highly successful working partnership, meant they'd shared keys long ago and had free range of each other's homes in the same Canary Wharf up-market apartment block. It wouldn't be the first time David had strolled in at the wrong moment. He was bisexual himself, but his own exploits in the relationship arena were a lot less adventurous. Or numerous.

Ben? Are you still alive?

No... The voice came from the other side of the half open bathroom door. David grinned, despite his exasperation. As usual, he found it difficult to stay angry at his mercurial but charming friend.

Don't tell me they've worn you out after, what, only two days?

And nights. The muted, sleepy grumble made it easy to imagine Ben's smirk. And it's she, not they.

Snickering, David strolled to the bathroom and lounged against the doorframe. Pools slopped all over the tiled floor and Ben leant forward on the side of the bath, half-kneeling in the foaming water. He'd obviously been lunging for the towel on the heated rail when David had announced his arrival. Now he rested his head on his hands and slanted a sultry blue gaze over his shoulder. Despite his action-packed weekend, Ben still had the energy to flirt. It was a reflex action, David knew. Ben could no more stop doing it than he could stop breathing. So, as usual, David paid no attention, even though the warmth of desire throbbed in his groin. Once again the urge to take Ben up on his flirtatious invitations heated his blood. But it was only a meaningless physical response to Ben's overt sensuality. It didn't mean a thing.

You woke me up, Ben accused, though a slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. I was having a lovely, drowsy soak. If you're here for alcohol, you're out of luck. We drank it all.

Alcohol? At ten in the morning? David had made a wild guess and he didn't bother to glance at his watch to confirm it. The scenic view in the bath held all his attention. He'd have to be blind not to notice that Ben was a very attractive man. If you liked the blue-eyed blond executive type. Naked and glistening wet, he was - just a friend, David reminded himself sternly. That's a little early for me.

Too early for me, as well, Ben