My name’s Cameron. And I’m a male escort. I’m the best, and most expensive, at what I do. I have one rule—never let anyone in.
In five years of hooking I’ve never picked up the wrong guy. But when I met Toronto ad man Trevor Barclay in a Manhattan bar, his soft green eyes and shy smile drew me right in. When I discovered the error I had made, I should have written it off as a mistake and moved on. But memories of the steamy encounter we shared in his hotel room continued to haunt me.
I never should have agreed to see him again, but from that very first night he worked his way under my skin and into my heart. I can’t stop thinking about him. But how can I tell him the first man he’s been with in sixteen years sells himself for a living?
Read an Excerpt
Want to play a game?
Next time you’re in some elegant upscale bar, take a look around and see if you can spot the prostitutes. I guarantee there’ll be at least one or two.
The dark-rooted blonde in the short skirt getting loud and sloppy over her third martini? Desperate divorcée, maybe, but definitely not a hooker. No self-respecting pro would call attention to herself like that.
The swarthy guy with his shirt unbuttoned halfway to his navel, showing off way too much chest hair? Not unless you’ve jumped in a time machine back to the seventies.
It’s not the bartender either, or any of the waitresses. Who in their right mind would sling drinks for minimum wage when they could be making three hundred bucks an hour?
Fact is, you’ve probably rubbed elbows with us more than once and you never had a clue. The real pros have a talent for blending in.
See the guy sitting at the bar, the one in the charcoal suit and crisp white shirt open at the throat? Dark hair, blue eyes. Well groomed, in shape. Attractive but not underwear-model pretty. Looks like just another business exec winding down after a long day, doesn’t he?
That would be me. My name’s Cameron, and I’m an escort.
Prostitute. Whore. Rent boy. Call me what you like, I won’t be offended. I enjoy sex, and I’m good at it, but it’s not the only service I provide. Most of the guys who hire me are just plain lonely. I’m there to fill the void for an evening or a weekend. Why shouldn’t I get paid for it? It’s a hell of a better living than waiting tables or slaving away in an office.
Now I sound like I’m trying to justify myself. I’m not even sure why I started this blog. I’ve never kept a written record of my working life before, but it’s not like I’ve got anyone else I can talk to about it. My family doesn’t know what I do. Mike’s my only real friend, and thank God he doesn’t judge me, but he’s not in the life. He can’t understand.
I’ve been hooking for five years—that’s a long time in this business. First thing you learn is to turn off your feelings, turn on the charm and get the job done. All those hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold stories are bullshit. You can’t afford to have a heart, not in this line of work.
Can’t afford to let anyone in.
Buy it now
Reviews
- "Filled with likeable characters and avoiding many of the trite clichés that populate the more frothy m/m romance novels, Cat Grant gives us an easy read that hits all the right buttons. She manages to provide just the right level of angst and has seasoned it with genuine romance so that one is not left disappointed. She manages her various sex scenes with skill; they sizzle where the should and where they are meant to shock or dismay, they do. This was an introduction to this author that I won’t forget, and I will definitely be looking to get more."
- — Kimi-chan
- "A really good romance, made of nice dinners, sweet kisses, and yes, also some hot sex scenes, but they are not so much, or too much, to ruin the overall feeling of romanticism."
- — Elisa Rolle
"A dash of Pretty Woman mixed with a swirl of gay romance and a sprinkle of realism, the tale of Trevor and Cameron stayed with me after I closed my computer, because the characters Cat Grant created were so three dimensional, I felt I could follow them through the rest of their journey off the pages. Rating: 5 cherries"- – Anemone at Whipped Cream
- "The First Real Thing was complex and it was further complicated by a couple of sub plots, but they were integrated into the main story. I was very impressed with the way Cat Grant handled each element and brought them all together into a cohesive whole. … I predict you will really like Cam’s story – I thought it rocked. 4.75 stars out of 5."
- — Wave at jessewave
- "Where do I begin with describing how much I enjoyed this book, from the moment I read the blurb I knew Ms Grant was aiming for something special and for me she achieved it. I have read the whole “pretty woman ” scenario various times and while the blurb might sound like this book goes that route it doesn’t. … right to the last page I had a great time reading this and was pleased that I was left on a most satisfied high… Definitely a recommended read."
- — E.H. at erotic horizon
