About Compass Hearts
by Maia Strong
137 pages / 38000 words
ISBN: 978-1-61040-193-7
Ebook zipped file contains -
html, lit, Adobe and Sony optimized pdf, prc, epub
As the fourth son of merchant parents, Matthew Morgan has always been
superfluous. The only guidance he ever received was to behave and stay out
of the way. Now, at a university half a world away from home, he must
discover who he is and what he wants. Too bad he's never made a decision in
his life.
When Ash Thearon meets Matthew, the handsome fellow student he's been ogling
all quarter, he finds him sweet, sexy, and more than a little puzzling. To
solve that puzzle, he must first collect all the pieces, which is easier
said than done. The new friends quickly become lovers, but Matthew's
sheltered life has taught him only how to follow. Ash wants the give and
take of an equal, and Matthew's tendency to try too hard to please others
leaves Ash wondering how to teach him independence without losing him.
Review
Jane Davitt, author of
Hourglass, writes: 'Compass Hearts' by Maia Strong immediately transports
the reader to a world not quite the same as ours, but familiar enough to be
accessible. Confident Ash and insecure Matt are dealing with issues any
student would empathize with, but there's a sense of wonder about their
world that instantly captivated me.
In this novella, Strong builds her world with sure, confident strokes, just
as Matt sketches what he sees, creating rich detail and evoking the chill
atmosphere of late winter and the approaching spring with skill.
I enjoyed the story of the two young men finding their way to happiness and
the cast of supporting characters was engaging and three-dimensional.
An unusual and rewarding story filled with moments of quiet beauty and
tenderness.
Sample
He barely recognized his own voice as he went on. "The
human body is... fascinating." There was a question, an invitation,
underlying his statement. He hoped Ash would hear it and understand. Despite
this sudden swell of bravery, he knew he couldn't say that out loud.
A slow smile spread across Ash's face. Matthew grinned back, guessing his
message had gotten through. His guess was confirmed when Ash asked, "Have
you ever had a live model?"
"No." Matthew's cock strained at his breeches. He yearned to draw Ash, see
him stripped and posed. He couldn't remember ever wanting anything so much
or so urgently in his life.
Then reality crashed down on him. His face fell. "My materials are at my
apartment." In the time it took to get there and back, the moment would be
beyond lost. And there was no way he was taking Ash back to his flat. He
didn't want Ash to see it. It was so unbearably grim, lacking in any charm
or comfort, especially when compared to Ash's quirky and inviting room
upstairs.
"What do you need?" Ash asked.
"Charcoal pencils, largish paper."
"I have that."
"You do?" Matthew perked up at this spark of hope. It was almost too good to
believe. "How? Why?"
"Botany class. We do a lot of plant sketching. I not only have charcoal
pencils, I have pressed pigment pencils."
Matthew's eyes lit up and Ash grinned and grabbed his hand. "Come on." Ash
pulled him to his feet and toward the stairs.
Matthew's practical side asserted itself and, still clinging to sense, he
asked, "What about our books?"
"No one will bother them. Come on!" He practically dragged Matthew from the
parlor. By the time their feet hit the stairs, though, Matthew was plenty
willing to follow him up.
Inside the cozy comfort of the little attic room, Ash went immediately to
the window seat. He opened it and fished around inside, coming up a moment
later with a large tablet and a tin box. "Here." He handed the box to
Matthew who opened it and looked in wonder at the myriad colored pencils
within.
"Where did you get these?" he asked, awed and envious.
"Some of them I bought in town. Some of them my dad gave me before I came
here." Ash flipped through the tablet of his botany drawings, Matthew
looking over his shoulder. The plants were barely recognizable, and then
only because he'd labeled them. "They're awful, I know," said Ash. He pulled
a disgusted face. "It's all right to say so."
"I just have one question," said Matthew.
"Yes?" Ash turned and looked up at him. "What?"
"Are you actually passing botany?"
Ash burst out laughing. "All right, Master Critical." He flipped to a blank
sheet and shoved the tablet at Matthew. "Let's see you do better."
"That much I can guarantee."
"I've never been an artist's model." Ash's eyes looked deep blue in the
lantern light and his voice was husky. "Tell me what to do."
Matthew swallowed hard once. The heat and tightness in his groin were
intense, and he was glad for the tablet he held in front of him. What was he
thinking? He'd never get through this! Panic began to rise in him, quelling
his arousal. No. I want to do this, damn it! Steeling himself and taking
control of his fear, he said with as much authority as he could muster,
"Strip."