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    Aligning North
    Aligning North
    Aligning North
    Ebook119 pages1 hour

    Aligning North

    By K.C. Faelan

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Blake Manning spends his summers in his favorite national park, Yosemite. He runs an outdoor adventure company with three friends. This year he and his BFF/business partner, Ali, will serve as guides for a hike over the Grand Traverse Trail. Blake will find it’s not nature or the wildlife that are most hazardous, but traversing the uncharted waters of a potential relationship with one of the hikers, Zac North, who doesn’t appear all that happy about being the object of Blake’s attention.

    Stormy weather and stormier tempers keep all the hikers on their toes as Yosemite tests them, bringing some closer together...and breaking others apart.

    Part of "Summer Bigger Than Others - A Summer Anthology" from Beaten Track Publishing.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBeaten Track Publishing
    Release dateJun 21, 2015
    ISBN9781910635575
    Aligning North
    Author

    K.C. Faelan

    KC is a writer of M/M and LGBTQ fiction. Her stories are character driven, with a touch of humor, angst, romance, and all the fun that entails. She believes in HEA’s, or at least a strong HFN, where the people in her stories must work for their HEA, but in the end get their love match. KC loves tea and good food and will often incorporate scenes of cooking or eating in the stories she writes. She enjoys relaxing with a good book, her favorite genre being M/M, but she also reads many others, such as: Fantasy, Paranormal, Mystery and Sci-Fi.KC lives in California with her husband and two rescue birds.

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      Book preview

      Aligning North - K.C. Faelan

      Aligning North

      Summer Bigger Than Others

      An Anthology of Short Hot Summer Reads

      SMASHWORDS EDITION

      * * * * *

      Copyright 2015 K.C. Faelan at Smashwords.

      K.C. Faelan: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/kcfaelan

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      * * * * *

      All images used are purely for illustrative purposes only.

      Neither the model, photographer, nor stock site, support or condone anything written in this book.

      This novel is a work of fiction and the characters and events in it exist only in its pages and in the author’s imagination.

      Warning: story contains sex acts between consenting male adults.

      * * * * *

      Aligning North

      K.C. Faelan

      Blake Manning spends his summers in his favorite national park, Yosemite. He runs an outdoor adventure company with three friends. This year he and his BFF/business partner, Ali, will serve as guides for a hike over the Grand Traverse Trail. Blake will find it’s not nature or the wildlife that are most hazardous, but traversing the uncharted waters of a potential relationship with one of the hikers, Zac North, who doesn’t appear all that happy about being the object of Blake’s attention.

      Stormy weather and stormier tempers keep all the hikers on their toes as Yosemite tests them, bringing some closer together…and breaking others apart.

      Tags: MM romance, contemporary, strong HFN, explicit

      * * * * *

      Table of Contents

      Acknowledgements

      CHAPTER ONE – DAY 1

      CHAPTER TWO – DAY 2

      CHAPTER THREE – DAY 2: Evening

      CHAPTER FOUR – DAY

      FIVE – DAY 3: Evening

      CHAPTER SIX – DAY 4

      CHAPTER SEVEN – DAY 4: Evening

      CHAPTER EIGHT – DAY 5

      CHAPTER NINE – DAY 6

      CHAPTER TEN – DAY 7

      About K.C. Faelan

      By K.C. Faelan

      Summer Bigger Than Others

      * * * * *

      Acknowledgements

      I’d like to thank the many people who helped with Aligning North. First, Debbie McGowan, author, editor, and publisher of Beaten Track Publishing for inviting me to participate in the Summer Bigger Than Others anthology. Next to my betas, Niki, Michelle, Jonathan Penn, and especially my terrific beta and brainstorming buddy, Alexis Woods. I also want to thank all the wonderful people who helped proofread Aligning North.

      * * * * *

      CHAPTER ONE – DAY 1

      You’re going to catch one of those proverbial flies if you don’t close your mouth and stop drooling, said a voice close to Blake’s shoulder.

      Blake started, his mouth snapping shut with an audible click, and turned his head to find his fellow guide and best friend, Ali, scrutinizing him. He smiled. My mouth wasn’t open, and I wasn’t staring, he denied.

      Then what about those holes burned through your sunglasses? Ali wiggled her fingers in front of Blake’s eyes.

      Okay, I admit it. He’s hot.

      More like I want to drag him into the trees and jump his bones right now kind of hot.

      He shot his best friend a cocky grin. I would if we had time, but we’ve got a hike, remember?

      Ali shook her head. Just be careful with him. He’s sending out clear don’t get close vibes.

      Blake turned his attention back to the lean young man. Zachary, if Blake remembered his name correctly, was almost as tall as his own six feet, two. The short-sleeved, dark-blue, t-shirt stretched tight across his chest and showed off toned pecs and biceps. Dark brown hair was trimmed close on the sides but thicker on top—the perfect length to fasten his fingers in. Zachary’s full bottom lip tempted Blake to nibble it, and he caught himself biting his own. But Zachary stood rigid, and alone, at the back of the group, not making small talk. He’d also kept to himself on the bus ride into the park and during orientation at the hotel yesterday. He’d hardly said a word to anyone except during the introductions. Zachary was either shy or miserable. Whichever it was, Blake prided himself in helping people feel comfortable. He shrugged. How hard could it be to get Zachary talking?

      Zachary swiped at a fly zipping around his face and turned, catching Blake staring. Blake flashed him a friendly smile, but Zachary turned away. Okay, so he was getting the cold shoulder right now, but he was up for the challenge. The hike was seven days. He was determined to get at least one smile out of the guy.

      Everyone’s finished with their last pit stop, Ali said, interrupting Blake’s reverie. You ready to get this started?

      Yup. You want to give the speech?

      You give it. It’ll give you a chance to impress your intended.

      Blake snorted. I can see you’re going to be your usual charming self this trip.

      And you love me for it, Ali quipped, smirking. She strode over and leaned against the sign marking the beginning of Fernandez Trail Head.

      Can I have everyone’s attention? Blake called out. I’ll give you a quick run-down of what to expect today. With all eyes on him, he continued, his deep, clear voice carrying easily to the five hikers gathered around him. First, I want to bring up one more time, that this is a moderate-to-strenuous backpacking trip. It’s not for beginners. We don’t want anyone to overstretch their limits, so if you think you aren’t capable of completing the hike, it’s perfectly fine; the shuttle driver will take you back to the hotel.

      Blake paused and looked around, waiting for any last-minute changes of mind. But no one spoke. "Okay then. We’ll hike about six miles to Staniford Lake where we’ll make camp. It’s an easy-to-moderate level trek. We’ll eat lunch on the go to allow us to reach camp early. Once we arrive, we’ll set up our tents. After that you’ll have time to explore the area on your own while we cook dinner for you. The rest of the evening we’ll spend stargazing and hanging around the campfire.

      Ali will lead, and I’ll bring up the rear. Don’t worry if you’re not a fast hiker. No one will get left behind. If anyone has any questions about the plants, animals, geologic formations or about the hike itself, feel free to ask. Between the two of us, we’re a fountain of knowledge.

      A smattering of laughter followed Blake’s statement.

      All right then, does anyone have any questions? Blake waited, but no one spoke. Let’s go.

      Ali stepped out onto the trail first, followed by the married couple, Lori and Kerry. Close on their heels was Chris and his boyfriend, Jeff, with Zachary and Blake bringing up the rear.

      The early morning drizzle had turned into a light rain, but the tall fir and pine trees they hiked under protected the group from most of the precipitation.

      Blake never tired of the forest and mountain vistas around him, but right now the view he favored most hiked a few feet in front. With each step, strong muscles flexed in Zachary’s calves. Too bad he wore loose shorts because Blake was in a prime position to appreciate what hinted at a firm, round ass.

      Distracted by his daydreaming, Blake walked straight into Zachary’s backpack. Whoa, sorry, he said grabbing onto Zachary as he lost balance. Is something wrong?

      No. Zachary shook his head. I wanted to hear the forest.

      Light raindrops pattered on their baseball caps, and a gentle breeze brushed past them, shaking larger droplets loose from the needled canopy above. Mountain Chickadees hopped and flitted from branch to branch calling out to each other.

      Blake motioned for Zachary to follow him behind some low, drooping pine boughs. Once screened, Blake raised the back of his hand to his lips and blew. A screeching raspberry broke the quiet. Zachary jerked his head in Blake’s direction, his mouth dropping open. Blake brought a finger to his lips then blew on the back of his hand again. In seconds, a small group

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