GENRE: Gay Interracial Romance
LENGTH: 298 pages
RATING:

Billy spends his evenings dreaming of love and excitement. His roommate Francis wonders why Billy would waste his time fantasizing about a straight mechanic he works with who won't even look his way.

But Xavier isn't straight, he's bisexual. And he's been stealing looks at Billy without getting caught. Billy's blue eyes make him feel proud, something he hasn't felt ever since his father left him to fend for himself. Part Mohawk, Xavier deals with racism both at work and at home, and is planning to hit the road and never return.

From their first kiss, the attraction between Billy and Xavier is undeniable, setting off a chain of events. Soon they're running off together, determine to start a new life in Mexico. But the open road, like their crazy love, is new, exciting, and at times ... dangerous.

EXCERPT:

Panting, they both lay back, staring up at the ceiling.

After a while, Billy turned to look at Xavier's flushed face on the pillow.

What now? Should he say something? Clean up? Stay in bed? What was Xavier thinking? Was he disappointed? Everything had happened so fast, but had felt so amazing.

Slowly, Xavier turned to look at him, and Billy stopped breathing, watching Xavier's face for a clue as to what would happen next. Then Xavier moved closer to him, his eyes lit with affection. “Wow,” he said, smiling tenderly.

That was the only word Billy needed to hear. He cuddled up against Xavier and put his ear on Xavier's heart.

After a while, Xavier spoke again. “I've never known what it feels like to be wanted,” he whispered into Billy's hair. “I still don't know what you see in me ... Why you followed me on this crazy trip.”

Billy listened to Xavier's heart against his ear. Outside their window, he could hear cars zooming down the highway. But he felt quiet inside. Almost serene. “When I was a little boy, back on our farm, I used to spend hours watching my mother's tapes. She'd tape all of the soap operas that played when I was in school and I'd watch them at night, in bed.”

Xavier snorted. “That's kind of cute.”

“And anyway, I had this idea, right -- that I could find a love like that. Something intense and fiery and full of surprises. A love that would take me for a ride, you know?”

“But I'm not your long-lost brother or the man who put your sister in a coma or your real lover's evil identical twin.”

Billy laughed, looking up at Xavier. “Bummer.”

Xavier stroked his shoulder, his fingertips so gentle against Billy's skin. “And what if I turn out to be ... boring? What if we end up living in some shack by the ocean and I work all day in a grease shop, while you sell drinks in coconut shells, wearing an awful flowered shirt?”

“We'll still have the time of our lives.” Billy kissed Xavier's shoulder and stared up at him again. In the darkness, Xavier's eyes were black, but luminous. “Because there's something about us that could never be ordinary. I don't know what it is.”

“I guess you're like one of those beautiful mint-condition American cars people only take out for Sunday drives.”

“Am I now?”

“Yeah.” Xavier chuckled. “Lovely, but powerful. Not meant to be hidden away under some cloak in a garage. Meant to be out under a blue sky.”

Billy kind of liked the idea. “Okay ... so then if I'm that car, what are you?”

Xavier was silent for a moment. “Baby,” he finally said, “I'm the gasoline.”