Horizons

Readers love

M
ICKIE
B. A
SHLING

Horizons (1st Ed.)

“Each book is a journey … it isn’t always pleasant … but that is what makes the books great.
Horizons
is no exception.”

—Night Owl Reviews Top Pick

Taste

“Read and enjoy. I did.”

—Literary Nymphs Reviews

“Another great Mickie B. Ashling read from start to finish.”

—Night Owl Reviews Top Pick

Daddio

“
Daddio
is a great read with some easy-on-the-eye guys involved in a hot but sweet romance. This one gets 5 stars without a doubt!”

—Reviews by Jessewave

Bonds of Love

“Ms. Ashling definitely spices up a tale with her red hot scenes.”

—Coffee Time Romance

Fire Horse

“The author captured me within their words, weaving an amazing love story…”

—RomFan Reviews

By
M
ICKIE
B. A
SHLING

N
OVELS

Fire Horse

Mayon

Cutting Cords • Vessel • Cleave

Impacted! • Bonds of Love

B
ASQUE
T
RILOGY

Loving Edits • Tono

Momentos: Mick’s Journey

H
ORIZONS
S
ERIES

Horizons

Taste • Daddio

Published by
D
REAMSPINNER
P
RESS

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Published by

Dreamspinner Press

5032 Capital Circle SW
Ste 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 the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Horizons

Copyright © 2013 by Mickie B. Ashling

Cover Art by Reese Dante  

http://www.reesedante.com

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

All rights reserved. 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, Ste 2, PMB# 279, Tallahassee, FL 32305-7886, USA.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

ISBN: 978-1-62380-961-4

Digital ISBN: 978-1-62380-962-1

Printed in the United States of America

Second Edition

July 2013

1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, April 2009.

To Jeannie, my beta and good friend, who stresses over every comma and misplaced word. To the members of my small critique group who have helped to bring this story to life with their honest and loving feedback. And to all my readers at LiveJournal and other sites who have supported my writing for years and given me the confidence to send off a manuscript for consideration.

—Mickie, April 2009

I’
M
GRATEFUL
to all the readers who bought the first edition of
Horizons
. Your support inspired me to continue in this universe with two spin-off novels,
Taste
and
Daddio
. The first edition of
Horizons
had some errors in football timelines (my fault entirely!) and we’ve worked diligently to address all of them. With that in mind, I’d like to
thank Lynn West, Dreamspinner’s intrepid Editor in Chief, who
assisted me throughout this project and provided her much-needed expertise with regards to college football. I’d also like to thank David, my line editor, for helping to make this second edition a more fluid read without changing the heart and soul of the original story.

—Mickie, July 2013

M
UCH
has changed since
Horizons
was originally published in 2009. Twelve states have now legalized same-sex marriage, and just recently, a well-known sports figure announced he was gay. Nonetheless, there are many athletes who are unable to come forth and acknowledge their orientation for a number of reasons. Clark and Jody’s rocky road to happiness may seem extreme to some, but it’s an ugly reality to those in a similar situation. Five years from now, this story may no longer be relevant, but today the problem still exists. I’d like to dedicate this novel to anyone who’s struggling with a choice between doing what feels right and what’s expected.

—Mickie B. Ashling, July 2013

J
ODY
stood in front of the nurses’ station, finishing his daily report. The squawk of an ambulance and the sound of running feet interrupted him, announcing a new arrival at the Alta Bates trauma center in Berkeley, California. An EMT guided a gurney into the holding area bearing a football player in full gear who cradled his left arm at an awkward angle. He had streaks of mud down his left cheek, and his dark-blue jersey with the golden CAL logo hung heavy with encrusted dirt and bits of grass. A man holding a helmet and duffel bag accompanied him.

They ended up in cubicle six, Jody’s section of the ER. He glanced up at the clock and realized there were ten minutes left to his shift, so he forced himself to switch back to doctor mode after having discarded it a few minutes ago. As he moved down the hall, he raked his fingers through his hair, trying to make himself presentable. He’d been on duty for nearly twelve hours and probably looked as bad as he felt―tired and grubby as hell.

He paused for a split second, listening to voices raised in anger. When he pushed the privacy curtain aside he noticed the injured player was still in his football uniform, minus his jersey, which had apparently been cut off. His pads had not been removed, and they looked completely out of place in this setting.

Coach Brenner, according to the name embroidered on his shirt pocket, stopped talking the minute Jody walked past the curtain into the room. Whatever he’d been saying had upset the blond, who had tears running down his cheeks. He wiped them away quickly, but the two spots of color high on his cheekbones were enough to cause Jody to question what was going on.

“Is everything okay?”

“Just trying to figure out how we ended up in this place,” the coach replied. “This should have never happened.”

“Well, regardless of the whys and the wherefores, you’re here, and I’m in charge now.” Jody spoke quietly, but left little room for argument. “You need to step outside so that I can examine your player.”

The guy muttered a protest, but Jody stood his ground as he watched him leave.

The football player heaved a sigh of relief as the coach departed reluctantly, then turned his gaze back to Jody. The flush on his cheeks remained high, but the tears were slowly dissipating. Jody walked over to the sink on the other side of the cubicle, filled a small plastic cup with water, and brought it over to his patient. “Why don’t you have a sip?”

“Thanks,” the guy replied. He reached for the cup with a shaky hand and gulped the contents gratefully. The man was definitely easy on the eyes. Jody’s pulse quickened, and a burst of energy surged through him.

“I’m Dr. Williams,” he said gently, tossing the now-empty cup in the trash.

“Clark Stevens,” the blond countered, saying it as if he expected Jody to recognize the name immediately.

Jody glanced at the patient’s chart. “So you are. Nice to meet you.” He touched him on his good arm and continued, “Looks like you had a bad fall.”

“Yeah, it was stupid. I got distracted and lost my footing,” Clark replied in a normal voice, seemingly recovered from the earlier upset.

Jody started to move the player’s arm but stopped when he saw him wince. “Does it hurt when I do that?”

“A little bit.”

“It might be broken, but I’ll need an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis. I’m going to give you a shot for the pain.”

“No!” Clark was emphatic. “No shots.”

Jody could tell that the guy was frightened and still agitated for reasons other than the obvious. He took a gentler approach and said, “This is going to get very uncomfortable when you get to radiology; I really wish you’d reconsider.”

“No, I only do painkillers in extreme circumstances.”

“Broken bones aren’t extreme enough?” Jody asked, raising an eyebrow. The football player shook his head, and Jody wondered where the heck this was coming from.

“It’s your call, Clark. The orderly is going to take you up to the second floor, so you’re going to have to lie down and just relax. Is there any way we can get these pads off without cutting? I know nothing about football.”

Clark nodded and reached up to unclip the straps, but it was awkward going with one hand. Jody noticed and moved forward to help. He manipulated the clips, brushing Clark’s hand in the process, and was surprised by the sparks that flew between them. Clark made no attempt to help, seeming to enjoy Jody’s fumbling with a slight grin on his face. Jody recognized the flirty move, and he paused, seeing the football player in a whole new light.

“Tell me how to unfasten this?” he asked, unable to tear his eyes away from Clark’s mouth. It was the kind of mouth one could only describe as kissable.