Character Interviews - DH Starr, The One I Choose

Title: The One I Choose
Publisher: Wilde City Press

Buy Links: (Coming Soon)

Wilde City Press - Amazon

Blurb


Cal’s been with his partner Rhys for three years, their life together was perfect—or so he thought. When Rhys’s culinary path in NYC is detoured, Cal uses his inheritance to relocate them to Boston.

While using his contracting skills tirelessly to get Rhys’s restaurant operational, Cal realizes that Rhys’s happiness, their very relationship, may not be as solid as he’d once thought. 

Cal struggles as he realizes the many ways he’s taken Rhys for granted and needs to make some hard choices if he doesn’t want to lose the man he loves.

The Interview

Cal and Rhys settled on their rooftop deck overlooking downtown Boston, a bottle of their favorite wine on the table between them. Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon, the brand they’d fallen in love with on a trip to the vineyard. They each had their questionnaires in front of them and filled them out privately before sharing answers with one another.

Cal’s Responses:



If you were marooned on an island, what are the five things you would take with you?
A Saw, Hammer, Nails, Knife, and Wine.

What would you do if you won $10,000?
I’d finish this roof deck, laying down weather treated teak, and install a refrigeration and sound system so we could store beer and listen to music.

What are three things on your bucket list?
  • Build a cabin by a lake in Upstate New York
  • Run a marathon
  • Have one of my jobs featured in Better Homes & Gardens
What song can always make you dance, especially when no one's around?

September by Earth, Wind and Fire

If you could pick any character from a TV show and pair them with any character from a book for a whole new story, who would you put together?

Ian Somerhalder from Vampire Diaries and Talib Eldridge, the vampire from the book Feed. Prey. Love by D. H. Starr.

What’s your idea of romance?

Pitching a tent on a mountainside and camping out. There’d definitely need to be a campfire and water (preferably a high-elevation pond).

What’s an absolute no-no in a relationship?
Taking your partner for granted. I made that mistake with you and I’ll never do that again.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

When my mom walked in on me beating off. I was thirteen, had just figured out that I could take care of my boner and used every spare moment I could to take advantage of my personal toy.

What do you love best about Rhys? What one thing would you like to change about Rhys?

You’re the most nurturing person I’ve ever met. You know how to appreciate every day. It’s good for me since I’m always looking to the future. What I’d change? I wish you’d speak up more about your needs. I can be a bull-dozer and you accommodate me more than I deserve.

What's one thing that almost no one knows about you?

When I was younger, I dreamed of being a movie star. My favorite movies were the action flicks like Speed and Point Break. Actually, I guess I dreamed of being Keanu Reeves. Huh. No wonder I find you so attractive, you look a lot like him.



Rhys’s Responses:

If you were marooned on an island, what are the five things you would take with you?

A skillet, large pot, knife, cooler, and a trunk filled with books.

What would you do if you won $10,000?

I’d redo that fucking kitchen at the restaurant. I need twice as much shelving as I currently have, and I need to organize it better. Right now, too much space is dedicated to the freezer and refrigeration systems. I need a much larger pantry plus a better storage area for the cookware.

What are three things on your bucket list?
  • Be featured on The Food Network.
  • Buy a villa in Italy with a vineyard.
  • Have two or three kids.
What song can always make you dance, especially when no one's around?

September by Earth, Wind and Fire

If you could pick any character from a TV show and pair them with any character from a book for a whole new story, who would you put together?

Scott from D. H. Starr’s Wrestling With series and Blaine from Glee.

What’s your idea of romance?

Cooking dinner for the two of us, setting up a candlelit table on the roof deck, and getting drunk on Beringer Cabernet, then making love under the stars.

What’s an absolute no-no in a relationship?

Taking out your frustrations on your partner. It’s natural, but when we first moved to Boston I took it to an inappropriate level and caused you too much pain.

What is your most embarrassing moment?

When I was in high school, I had a crush on the captain of the football team. His name was Greg. Anyways, we had the same English class and I always managed to sit next to him and I sported wood every day for the whole fifty minutes of that class. Greg noticed my hard-on one day and announced it to the whole class. If I could’ve switched schools after that, I would have.

What do you love best about Cal? What one thing would you like to change about Cal?

I love how you refused to go commercial with your business. You could have made a shit load more money joining a bigger firm, but you kept your practice small and personal. If I could change something, I’d want to see you slow down and enjoy the day-to-day stuff a little more.

What's one thing that almost no one knows about you?

During the last few months of high school, I knew I wanted to cook and couldn’t imagine what four years of college would do for me, so I considered enlisting in the army to serve as a cook.

* * * * *

After exchanging papers, Cal and Rhys took a few minutes to read through the other’s responses.

Cal: We choses the same song for what can always make us dance.
Rhys: Does that surprise you? We’ve always loved that song. Remember when I caught you dancing naked to that back in New York.
Cal: I remember you sneaking up behind me and me almost decking you when you scared the shit out of me.
Rhys: (Sticks his tongue out). I remember us fucking like teenagers on the living room floor.
Cal: Yeah. That too.
Rhys: I appreciate what you said you love best about me, but I wish you’d stop beating yourself up about all the work you put in on the restaurant. How many times do I have to tell you I was as much to blame for our problems back then?
Cal: I know you say that, but it’s not true. I was an ass. I mean seriously. I couldn’t even give you that one weekend.
Rhys: (Remains silent for a second). Yeah, that was pretty shitty of you.
Cal: Thank you! Finally you admit it.
Rhys: But I didn’t have to keep hounding you like I did. Talk about guilt trips.
Cal: Well, look at what you said about me. You want me to be able to stop and enjoy things more. I think I’ve gotten better at that. Haven’t I?
Rhys: You definitely have. I’m impressed. Does it bother you, taking time away from work to do simple things like apple picking or driving through the suburbs to look at the foliage changing color in the fall?
Cal: Not for one second. Those are my favorite times thanks to you. What is it, two years running for the apple picking. We’ll have to invite Dan and Greg this year.
Rhys: There you go again, planning for the future.
Cal: (Sticks out his tongue at Rhys). Moving on. Did yoou really get called out for having a hard on in the middle of class.
Rhys: (Blushing). Don’t make me sorry I admitted that.
Cal: (Pulls Rhys closer). I think it’s awesome. Who didn’t get a hard on in school at the wrong time?
Rhys: No one. But no one got called out on it in front of everyone. Do you really think I look like Keanu Reeves?
Cal: Better.
Rhys: Shut up.
Cal: Seriously.
Rhys: No way!
Cal: Way. Actually you’re better looking than him. Why would you pair Scott from D.H Starr’s wrestling series with Blain from Glee.
Rhys: They’re both so sweet. I bet they’d be an awesome couple. Why would you put Ian Somerhalder of Vampire Diaries with Talib from D.H. Starr’s Feed. Prey. Love.? Ian’s not even gay.
Cal: That wasn’t the question. Damon’s badass. Too badass. Could you imagine what it would be like for Talib to throw him down and fuck his brains out. I’d pay good money to see that.
Rhys: (Considers that for a minute). You know what, I think I’m gonna change my answer. You make an extremely valid point. Can I steal your answer.
Cal: C’mere. (Grabs Rhys and pulls him into a hug, then kisses him). Hey, three kids huh? What’s that all about?
Rhys: Have you seen yourself? Do you know how adorable it would be to have three little Cal’s running around? It would be so awesome I don’t think I could stand it.
Cal: I don’t think you could stand it for real.
Rhys: Hmm. Maybe it should be three little Rhys’s running around instead.
Cal: (Laughs). That sounds more manageable.

The buzzer rungs on the over timer.

Rhys: Oops. Dinner’s ready. Looks like this little game will have to wait for a while.
Cal: I have another game we can play afterwards, and it doesn’t involve anything little at all.
Rhys: Oh, I like the sound of that.
Cal: Maybe we could skip dinner and head right for dessert?
Rhys: If you’re planning what I think you’re planning, we’ll probably need the energy from dinner to last through the night.
Cal: Good point. Let’s eat.

Excerpt
It was the piercing whistle from the kitchen that finally drew me out of bed. Warmth fled the second I removed the covers. To add insult to injury, my slippers were nowhere in sight. The cold from the floor traveled from the base of my feet up my legs chilling me to the bone. Rubbing the rest of the sleep from my eyes, I glanced at the clock. Six-fucking-thirty. It’s Sunday for Christ’s sake.
I hauled my ragged ass down the hall, ready to give Rhys a piece of my woken-up-too-early mind, but as soon as I entered our newly renovated kitchen all indignant thoughts faded and the chill I’d experienced when I got out of bed turned to heat. My beautiful five-foot-eleven, perfectly proportioned boyfriend stood by the oven in nothing but his pajama bottoms, his rounded ass pushing invitingly at the fabric.
The sharp scent of dark roast coffee permeated the air, sweetened by the warm buttery morning smell of freshly made French toast. A bowl with cut melons, strawberries, and pineapple sat on the table next to a second bowl filled with vanilla yogurt. Based on the cutting board and orange rinds littering the countertop, Rhys had even squeezed fresh orange juice, bless his heart.
I sidled up behind him, knowing full well he knew I was there. It didn’t get any better than hugging this man close to my chest and burying my face between his shoulder blades to start my day off right. Inhaling deeply, the smells of the meal faded away, the aroma of Rhys so much sweeter. My morning wood, already at full mast, wanted to come out to play.
“Mmmm. You feel good.” I pushed my hips forward, my cock pressing into the crack of Rhys’s ass. If the damn fabric wasn’t serving as a barrier, I’d have already ripped down my pajamas, slid home and brought us both to the moon and back. At least I was leaking enough to make the use of lube irrelevant.
Rhys returned the pressure, rotating his hips, nestling me right where I wanted to be. “You feel good too.”
“Keep doing that and there’s gonna be a problem needing your immediate attention.” I leaned forward, brushing my lips against the nape of Rhys’s neck, reveling in the shudder the gentle touch evoked. Pursing my lips, I trailed my kisses with light puffs of breath and chuckled as his fine dark hair raised on end and goose-bumps formed on his skin.
Rhys moaned and leaned his head back to rest on my shoulder. Each response from him fueled my own need. Knowing my touch, my breath, my cock, could reduce him to putty in my hands never failed to throw my libido into high gear. I kissed the side of his head, then sat at the table and brought the fresh orange juice to my mouth. Sunshine in a glass.
“I’m sorry if the kettle woke you. I didn’t know if you’d want coffee or tea, so I heated up some water. I meant to keep an eye on it so I could turn off the heat before the whistle, but French toast is temperamental if it doesn’t get all your attention.”
“It’s all right. How often do I get to enjoy being spoiled by you…and the fact you’re half naked? Well, that’s just a bonus.”
Rhys chuckled. “I’ll take care of your bonus after I get some food into you. And you’ve gotten this treatment every weekend, three years running, Cal.”
It was true. Even before we’d moved in together, during the earliest stages of our relationship, Rhys had always spoiled me. Weekend trips, breakfast in bed, a surprise course in massage. These were the things Rhys brought to my life.
That wasn’t to say I didn’t bring a lot to the table as well, but in our relationship, I was the muscle and he was the heart. “If you keep bouncing around the kitchen like that, I’m not responsible for what happens to you.”
“Calvin Travers. Are you telling me you can’t keep it in your pants for fifteen minutes while I feed you?” Rhys turned to face me, the smirk on his face throwing me into overdrive. I couldn’t hold in my growl as I stood and crossed the room to Rhys. His high-pitched squeak and the widening of his eyes only increased my need to have him. Right on the kitchen floor. Breakfast be damned!

Sliding my hands to either side of Rhys’s head, my fingertips luxuriated in the softness of his hair. My gaze locked with his and I sank into impossibly blue eyes which always seemed aglow. Then I pulled him to me.

1 comment

  1. I haven't had the pleasure of reading any of DH Starr's books. This one does sound good, so I'm going to try my first Starr book. Thx for the blurb & interesting MC interviews.

    ReplyDelete