About Healing Pride
Author: Sean Michael
Word Count: 45000
Page Count (pdf): 202
ISBN: 978-1-77423-167-8
Price: 4.99
Pairing: M/M
Series: Underground #4
Genre: Contemporary BDSM
Date Published: August 17, 2021
Publisher: Sean Michael
Heat Rating: 5
File Types available: epub, mobi, pdf
This title has been removed to Kindle Unlimited
Summary:
Scott Andrews is an ER nurse. He works hard and plays hard, looking for what he needs at the underground BDSM club run by Chris and Daniel.
Pride Parker works nights at the diner across the street from the hospital where Scott takes his coffee breaks and often eats breakfast after shifts.
The two men have become friendly over time, chatting and flirting, but not really doing anything about the attraction that lies beneath their interactions. Imagine Pride’s surprise when he walks into the basement at Chris and Daniel’s place on a party night and sees Scott on the dance floor, looking sexy as hell and clearly a bottom.
When the two men leave the party together, they’re not expecting more than a hot one-night stand, but it quickly becomes more and they spend most of their down time together. Then the diner explodes with Pride in it and things might never be the same again.
Can Pride and Scott, and their fledgling Master and boy relationship survive the aftermath of the explosion? Only time will tell.
Excerpt:
Chapter One
Scott Andrews headed to Oscar’s Cantina to get a cup of coffee. His seven-to-seven shift had gotten done by eight, and he needed breakfast. He had the next four days off—all of them in a row. He intended to take them too.
All of them, dammit. No picking up shifts this week.
He pushed open the door to Oscar’s, nodded to Barb and Charlie who worked with him in the ER, and went to sit in Parker’s section. The guy knew what he wanted without him having to ask, most days.
It was busy, like it usually was post shift. Oscar’s had the best breakfasts, and they were right across the street from the hospital. They’d also make anything off their lunch or supper menu any hour of the day if you asked nicely.
It took a few minutes, but Parker arrived with the coffee pot, filling a mug for him and putting the little bowl of milks and creams next to his mug.
“Hey, Scott. The usual?” Parker’s voice was like honey and the man was easy on the eyes too.
“Please. How are you, man?” He loved the solid build, the friendly smile, the care.
“Thought so—I put the order in when I saw you headed this way. Been a hell of a shift—for you guys, too, I bet, given the tales I heard from the EMTs overnight.” The pretty blue eyes were giving him sympathy.
“You know it. I ended up floating between ER and surgery last night. It was a bitch.” And his head hurt.
“Damn. Hopefully you get to unwind—this was your third shift, yeah?” A bell dinged and Parker made a face. “Sorry that’s me. I should be by with your order pretty soon.” Parker went to the overpass and grabbed several plates.
Scott played solitaire on his phone, trying to decide if he wanted to put in his earpods and listen to a book or not. That’s what he’d do on the walk home, for sure.
It wasn’t long at all before Parker was back with his full breakfast special, toast on a little plate on the side. “There you go. You gonna want a piece of pie to take home with you today?”
“I don’t think so, but thank you.” There was an Underground meeting tonight, and he wanted to be empty and ready for it.
“Cool. I won’t worry about making sure anything special gets saved then. Is there anything else I can get you?”
Do you want to sit and chat? It wasn’t possible, and he knew it. The place was slammed. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Cool. Let me know if that changes.” Parker gave him a warm smile and went to grab the coffee pot, going from table to table to fill mugs.
He ate robotically, not tasting a single bite. He read the news, checked Twitter, then started hunting for a book.
Parker cleared his plate when he was finished, and offered him a top up on his coffee.
“Can I please have one to go?” He needed a little shot of caffeine.
“Of course.” Parker went back behind the counter and, a moment later, came back with his coffee. He had the check too. “When you’re ready, yeah?”
He nodded and handed over a twenty. “Keep the change.”
He paid with a ten two days a week and a twenty on the other. It was good karma.
“Thanks, you rock.” Parker rolled his eyes as he was called over to another table. “Enjoy your time off.”
“I will. See you.” Parker was his jack-off fantasy a lot, which was a nice thought, and something he could use to get to sleep this morning.
Parker waved a hand as he hurried over to the table demanding his attention. The back view was honestly just as delicious as the front view.
Scott chuckled at himself as he stood and grabbed his coffee. He needed tonight’s meeting. Bad.
First, though, he needed a nap.
Chapter Two
Pride Parker pulled on his tightest jeans and checked himself out in the mirror. He had a harness on top, which showed off his muscles, and the tight pants displayed his package. He looked like a Dom on the prowl. Which was exactly what he was.
He was attending the meeting tonight, looking for an unattached sub to play with. He hadn’t been in a couple months, having managed to be working every night they were meeting for the last year it felt like. He actually had a couple days off, though, and so he was finally getting to make an appearance.
He was half hard just thinking about doing a scene, maybe even meeting someone who liked to kiss, who enjoyed some aftercare post scene…
His phone buzzed, letting him know his Uber was almost at his place, so he took one last look, then pocketed his wallet and his keys. He grabbed the box of turnovers he’d brought home from work and made his way downstairs. He got there just as his car pulled up, and just like that, he was on his way, the excitement still riding him.
Tonight’s meeting was at Chris and Daniel’s, the house unassuming, but nice and large. There were quite a few cars outside, promising a big turnout.
Excellent.
He grabbed his box and went in, making his way to the kitchen to deliver his offering to the hosts. He was eager to go downstairs, but he could be polite first.
Daniel was upstairs organizing, and the sweet sub waved to him. “Just take it downstairs, Sir. We’re rocking down there already. I’m about to lock the doors.”
Wow. Wow, he’d only seen them at capacity once before. Someone needed to organize a bigger space for them.
“Thanks, Daniel. I’m glad I made it.” He really needed to stretch his Dom muscles, and he preferred coming here over any of the clubs in the city. This was…more personal. Everyone was a friend of a friend.
He headed down the stairs.
The basement was buzzing, full of music and laughter, a few moans. The lights were low already, the sofas and cushioned chairs mostly taken.
He stepped to the side of the stairs and leaned against the wall, checking out who all was there.
He saw some familiar faces, some new. It was a good mix—more subs than Doms, as per usual, and—
Wait.
Wait, was that…
There was no way it was Scott. The ER nurse came into Oscar’s three mornings a week, tipped generously, and was the hottest guy who ever graced the diner. Pride couldn’t believe he was really here.
And if that really was him? Please let him be a sub. Please.
He was dressed in gauzy pants, a silky shirt, heavy eyeliner around those dark brown eyes. God, it was Scott. Fuck him raw, the man looked even more delicious than usual.
Pride felt a heat in his belly.
He’d never seen the heavy tattoos, the man’s black hair down and allowed to curl. He wanted to discover what else Scott had hidden beneath those hospital scrubs he was used to seeing.
He didn’t move toward the man right away. Instead, he spent a few moments watching, letting the anticipation build.