About First Steps
Written by Sean Michael
105 pages / 34500 words
ISBN: 978-1-934166-73-4, 1-934166-73-1
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc, paperback (featured in Two Beginnings along with From the Get Go)
Abandoned by his partner in the wilds of Alaska, Peter is pretty much at the end of his rope. He has a cabin falling down around his ears, two young babies to care for, and too much alone time to think about his situation. It's enough to make a man rethink wanting to be a dad.
Park Ranger Chad thinks Peter could use some help, especially when fire and weather warnings make him wonder if Peter's little cabin is going to make it through the year. When he takes Peter and the babies in, he finds out that the attraction the two of them felt on their first meeting has the potential to be a lot more. Can he convince Peter that they can do more than keep each other warm?
Review
Alexa Snow, author of Clear Cut and Sleeping Stone, writes,: Peter Boone is a single dad of twins with his hands more than full -- he's left the city and gone to the mountains in the hopes of finding a place to settle down, somewhere quiet he can raise his children. Chad Bristow is a park ranger who loves his job in part for the solitude it provides; he's not fond of people, or so he tells himself until Peter and the twins come waltzing into his life, turning it upside down in ways that he's not at all unhappy about and giving him things he'd never dreamed of.
One of Sean Michael's greatest strengths is his ability to write characters that are both instantly likeable and believable, and this story is no exception. The story moves along at a pace that really works, the dialogue and interaction between Chad and Peter is completely enjoyable, and the trials they go through as they deal with caring for two babies are -- from a parent's point of view -- very realistic. This story is wonderful, and despite the presence of the twins there's no dearth of amazingly erotic scenes (another of Sean Michael's strengths as a writer, which anyone who's read any of his books already knows!) Heartwarming and hot at the same time -- what more could anyone ask for?
Sample
The cabin was quiet.
Well, quiet was one hell of a strong term, with Ellen screaming at the top of her lungs and Daniel sobbing hysterically while he fixed their bottles, but at least it wasn't cars and trucks and fire engines and neighbors and stuff.
Hush now, you two. Daddy's hurrying. Ellie, you're not starving. Danny-boy, breathe. The bottles are coming.
God, he was tired. Ginnie had offered to abort one, when they'd found out two were coming, but he'd wanted his babies, had paid her all his inheritance to carry them, wouldn't give them up.
Still, he should have saved enough back for a nanny.
Peter put the nipples on the bottles and went over to the sofa where they were carrying on, fat little legs kicking furious, hands reaching for him. Screams stopping at the sight of the food.
Beasts.
Spoiled beasts.
Beautiful, sweet, spoiled beasts.
He laughed, relaxing, enjoying the sudden silence, the look of pleasure in those pretty china blue eyes.
See, there? Daddy promised not to make you two starve.
The trees cast huge shadows over the little yard, into the huge bay window and the sky looked fabulous -- violets and pinks and blues. God, it was beautiful here. Oh, sweets. I want to let you grow up somewhere like this. Somewhere green and alive and not concrete. Somewhere you can go outside.
Peter had been up in the mountains for three weeks, searching for something, someplace he and the babies could afford. His place in the city was tiny.
Falling apart.
Expensive.
Not suitable for babies.
He chuckled at himself, picking Ellie up to burp because she always ate faster. Burke and Allan and the guys wouldn't recognize him now -- his hair was scraggly, he had on old jeans and a diaper on his shoulder and he smelled like baby powder and...
God, he loved them.
More than fucking, more than parties, more than the city. Hell, more than writing, and that was saying something.
Allan had stopped by before they'd headed out, all concerned eyes and frowning and 'are you sure about this weird baby thing, man'. They'd shared some hard words, harsh ones -- Allan called him a sell-out, a breeder, he'd told Allan that, at some point, life had to be about more than fucking someone, over or otherwise.
The fight had gotten louder and uglier and then Ellen started fussing, sweet little love so aware, so sensitive, and he'd been derailed, turning his back on his former fuckbuddy, gone to get his daughter and his son.
His family.
Ellie burped about the time Daniel started wriggling and he switched them, putting Danny over his knees.
Yeah, he needed to find somewhere for them, somewhere warm and safe. Somewhere where his sweets would remember making snowmen and picking flowers and playing.
He needed that for them and damn it, he'd find it.
Come on, Danny. Burp and we'll all lay down together and rest.
Ellen kicked, setting the music off on her little mobile, her happy laugh filling the cabin.