Control

Readers Love
C
ARDENO
C.

Strong Enough

“There may be plenty of sex in this book, but there's a whole lot of emotion with it, so it's a beautiful thing to experience as the story unfolds.”

—Happy Ever After (
USA Today
)

“This book is special. It made me feel so happy. There are sad moments and struggles and these men both have to grow and adapt and learn how to be more than they ever knew they could be, but sweet mercy, the journey was beautiful.”

—Gay List Book Reviews

More Than Everything

“A family size package of Double Stuf Oreo cookies—that’s what this book reminded me of. For me, that equates to a package full of pure bliss. And, as if one helping were not enough, I had to gorge myself with a second (or in this case, an immediate re-read)!”

—Hearts on Fire

“This isn’t the average M/M/M story. In my opinion, this is a very unique take on the concept and it just works.”

—The Novel Approach

Something in the Way He Needs

“My favorite kinds of romances are ones that offer unusual leads or leads with lots of character growth, and I got both of those here.”

—The Book Vixen

“If you like your stories messy and your heroes flawed, then Something in the Way He Needs is a must!”

—Guilty Indulgence

Readers Love
Mary Calmes

Old Loyalty, New Love

“It’s pretty much got the whole package. You will walk away feeling like a part of the story and wanting to know what happens next and for me that's what makes a great book.”

—Guilty Indulgence

“Mary Calmes has done it again with
Old Loyalty, New Love
. As usual, her characters have exceptional depth and make you feel as if you know them personally.”

—The Novel Approach

“This story had passion, suspense, humor and action. The combination of passion and chemistry, want and needing were just the right mix to send my romantic heart a flutter. Overall a winner of a story and I will be waiting and hoping for more of this series.”

—Sinfully Sexy Reviews

Where You Lead

“For a short story, it still managed to display a loving relationship, make you fall for both MC’s, and sprinkled w/ signature MC hot lovemaking scenes! A complete story in very few pages and warmed my heart.”

—Boys in Our Books

“I enjoyed this one. I found this a warm and lovely holiday story and great for the season.”

—Joyful Jay

“This story is another feather in Mary Calmes’ hat. She has that special touch with her feel good stories and this is another one that will leave you blissfully happy.”

—MM Good Book Reviews

By
C
ARDENO
C.

T
HE
M
ATES
S
ERIES

Until Forever Comes

Wake Me Up Inside

T
HE
H
OME
S
ERIES

He Completes Me

Home Again

Just What the Truth Is

Love at First Sight

The One Who Saves Me

Where He Ends and I Begin

Walk With Me

T
HE
F
AMILY
S
ERIES

Something in the Way He Needs

Strong Enough

More Than Everything

O
THER
T
ITLES

Control

Eight Days

In Another Life

Places in Time

A Shot at Forgiveness

Published by
D
REAMSPINNER
P
RESS

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

By
M
ARY
C
ALMES

N
OVELS

C
HANGE
OF
H
EART
S
ERIES

Change of Heart • Trusted Bond • Honored Vow

Crucible of Fate

A Matter of Time Vol. 1 & 2

Bulletproof • But For You

Parting Shot

Acrobat

Control

The Guardian

Mine

Old Loyalty, New Love

Three Fates (anthology)

Timing

Warders Vol. 1 & 2

N
OVELLAS

After the Sunset

Again

Any Closer

Frog

Romanus

The Servant

Steamroller

Still

What Can Be

T
HE
W
ARDER
S
ERIES

His Hearth • Tooth & Nail • Heart in Hand

Sinnerman • Nexus • Cherish Your Name

Published by
D
REAMSPINNER
P
RESS

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

5032 Capital Circle SW
Suite 2, PMB# 279
Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886

USA

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Control

© 2014 Cardeno C. & Mary Calmes.

Cover Art

© 2014 Reese Dante.

http://www.reesedante.com

Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.

All rights reserved. This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of international copyright law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines, and/or imprisonment. Any eBook format cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law. To request permission and all other inquiries, contact Dreamspinner Press, 5032 Capital Circle SW, Suite 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA, or http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/.

ISBN: 978-1-62798-741-7

Digital ISBN: 978-1-62798-742-4

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition

April 2014

From Mary Calmes: I want to thank Cardeno for writing with me even though I was whiny about plotting. CC, you’re a trouper.

From Cardeno C.: Mary, thank you for agreeing to write a book with me, for putting up with my not-so-mellow writing style, and most of all, for being a wonderful person and amazing friend. To Robert Solon, thanks for your support over the years. I know he’s the opposite of you in important ways, but I hope you like your bear anyway. ;)

From both of us:

To Lori Borgaard, Lisa Horan, and Crissy Morris: Thank you for your support.

To Kelly Shorten: Thank you for making us wonderful websites. You’re the best!

To Reese Dante: Thank you so much for yet another wonderful cover.

Vy

M
RS
. C
HOI
didn’t bother looking up when I walked in the store again, even though the bells over the door jangled like mad. The shopkeeper, who had gone to school with my father, was purposely ignoring me. I couldn’t very well blame her. I had been in and out a total of six times in the last seven, maybe nine, minutes.

Crap.

Walking right by her, I strode quickly to the back of the store, which I had been in more than a thousand times in my life. It was the local hardware store, and being in construction—demolition—it was a place I frequented often. So it was crazy that I had flushed hot and cold within seconds and then had to grit my teeth through a surge of adrenaline only to feel an absolute sense of peace roll through me in the very next moment.

What the hell is going on?

“What are you doing?”

I snapped my head up and looked at Louisa Maberti, the ahir of the kettle of hawks, or the second of the flock, that I lead. The fact that she was also one of my best friends—so I trusted her not only with the ket but also my sanity—was a big fat bonus. At the moment, though, watching her lift one of her thick, dark eyebrows as she crossed her arms, I knew she was very concerned about what I was doing. I knew she’d have questions when I passed her for the sixth time in my back-and-forth madness.

“It’s like watching a pinball from my cruiser,” she said snidely. “What can you possibly need in here, Vy?”

I always thought of myself as short, but compared to the five-foot-four deputy sheriff, at five foot nine, I was huge.

“Vy?” she pressed.

Inhaling deeply, filling my lungs with the rich, smoky scent that was hovering around me, I closed my eyes a second and breathed it in.

“This is where you do that thing called speaking and don’t make me dig,” she said.

What to say?

“I hate digging. You know that,” she said.

I did.

“Vy,” she said, her voice rising shrilly. “I have a taser, and I’m not afraid to use it.”

As hawks, if we weren’t careful, sometimes we got a little screechy.

Clearing my throat, I looked her straight in the eyes and said, “I think I smell my mate.”

Her mouth dropped open, but no sound came out. She looked good and stunned.

“Crap,” I grunted.

Still nothing.

“Lou?”

She huffed out a breath, obviously trying to pull herself together. “I…. Your mate?”