Chef Brady Smith has been staring again at the billboard featuring Chicago's own sun god: firefighter Gage Simpson. They had met briefly a few months before and to Brady's amazement, Gage came on to him. Brady knows that physically he is no match for Gage. Brady doesn't think anyone could love him, and he doesn't feel he has anything to offer either. He feels empty. Brady has shunned relationships since coming back from Afghanistan. His body might have recovered from the ordeal, but his mind hasn't. Gage can't explain his attraction to the brooding, taciturn chef, but he is used to going after what he wants, and what he wants is Brady.
MELTING POINT is set in Kate Meader's Hot in Chicago world and it can easily be read as a standalone, even though recurring characters in this series make brief appearances, it focuses on Gage Simpson, a favourite character of mine. Gage - irresistible, charismatic, irrepressible Gage - of the famed Dempsey family of the Chicago Fire Department, is just about the most seductive fictional firefighter I have ever met. And even though MELTING POINT is a novella, Ms. Meader is able to flesh out the character of Brady, add more depth to Gage, and another character shows a previously very well hidden side.
What I liked the most about MELTING POINT is that it is truly a male-male romance. Brady and Gage act like men, not as if one of them had been a female character that had been given male characteristics, let's say. The author accurately describes the gay scene. The lovemaking is graphic but honest and the emotions are very real.
Brady and Gage are very complex characters. Brady is a bit of a puzzle until we get to know him better, and I loved that Gage was willing to be patient and understanding without being a doormat. I was giddy with the idea of Gage's story, and Ms. Reader delivers on her promises. Another superb addition to this exciting series!
Things are heating up at Engine Co. 6 in this original
e-novella from Kate Meaderβs sizzling
Hot in Chicago series! Superhot playboy firefighter Gage
Simpson has one particular man on
his mind: Brady Smith, a recalcitrant, moody chef who
makes
Gage melt from the inside out.
Features a sexy sneak preview of Playing with Fire!
Firefighter Gage Simpson has it all: the job of his
dreams,
the family of his heart, and no
shortage of hot guys lining up to share his bed. βFun and
easyβ is his mottoβand itβs kept
him sunny through a painful upbringing and steered him
away
from trouble. But when
trouble comes knocking in the form of a sexy, scarred,
tattooed chef with a harrowing past
and zero communication skills, Gage canβt help but be
drawn
to the flame.
Brady Smith isnβt fun. And easy isnβt in his vocabulary.
When cocky Gage swaggers into his
restaurant kitchen, the former Marine-turned-five-star-
chef
is blindsided by the firefighterβs
beauty. Then confused that this golden guy with the
sparkling blue eyes and the body of a
god might be interested in him. As desire flares and
temperatures rise, Gage and Brady will
have to figure out if the heat between them is just a
temporary flashβor the beginning of
something real.
EXCERPT
Under Gageβs healing hands, years of pain and loneliness sloughed away with the soapy
water down the drain. For these few stolen moments, Brady would luxuriate in the sensual
comfort of another manβs touch. Not just any man. This perfect man.
But he needed more. He didnβt have the words to describe what, exactly, and maybe they
werenβt necessary because he had the word. The only word that mattered.
βGage.β
Craving an anchor, a closer connection, he reached behind for Gageβs hip and encountered
. . . fabric. He was still wearing his boxer briefs.
βWhβwhy arenβt you naked?β
Gageβs growl reverberated against his ear. βThis sliver of wet cotton is the only thing
stopping me from drilling that gorgeous ass of yours, Brady.β
Oh, God. On a chest-filling groan, Brady stepped back, seeking Gageβs cock. Found it.
Said hello, there with a humping grind into all that rock-hard, cotton-covered
magnificence.
βF**k,β Gage gasped, pausing his hand on Bradyβs chest midscrub.
Both of them stilled as the sensual landscape was rearranged. Brady held his breath. Had
he gone too far? Expected too much? Was Gage really here to get Brady clean?
All questions were answered when their bodies restarted as one in a slow, erotic grind.
Bradyβs ass cuddled against Gageβs hard-on felt so good, the barrier of the wet cotton a
delicious friction as Gageβs cock stroked between Bradyβs ass cheeks. The steamy cocoon
added to that spaced-out feeling that they were lost in a carnal world made for two.
βFirst time I saw you was from the back,β Gage husked out. βFirst thing I saw was this
neck tattoo.β The slightest brush of Gageβs lips across the smoke curl tattooed at the
base of his skull made Brady shiver, even in the misty heat.
βI wanted to kiss it, map it with my tongue, know all its secrets.β He pressed his mouth
to Bradyβs neck more insistently, as if he could draw some deeper knowledge with that
simple touch. There was something almost pure about it, an innocent contrast to the
dirty friction below their waists.
βTell me about it.β
βWhat?β
βThis tat. Why smoke?β Grasping Bradyβs hips, he halted the motion of Bradyβs ass
rubbing against all that amazing hardness. Brady tried to move, to get back to grinding
on Gage, but the bastard held him firm. The change-up was sheer torture. Was he
seriously demanding a conversation in payment for every second of pleasure?
βTell me,β Gage ground out when Brady still hadnβt given up the goods. He sounded like
he was in pain. Brady took some small comfort that he wasnβt alone.
βItβsβitβs more common for people to get fire tattoos. Symbols of passion,
transformation, change. But I wanted smoke because itβs what remains. After the fire,
after everything is destroyed, youβre left with smoke and ash. Youβve gotta make
somethinβ out of it.β
βAnd have you? Made something out if it?β Gage dug his fingers into Bradyβs hip, almost
imploring.
βIβm tryinβ. Itβs slow goinβ, one step forward, two steps back, but Iβm tryinβ.β Even if
it took being high on pain meds to get him into that headspace.
βTryingβs good. Tryingβs sexy,β Gage murmured against Bradyβs ear. βNow try telling me
what you need.β
© 2003-2026