An Autumn Ailment - MM Romance Novella: Second Chance * High Angst * Caretaking * Age Gap - MM Low-Steam Contemporary Age Gap Romance Novellas, #3

An aging university professor receives an unexpected gift from a former student (and suitor) of his. Initially, he wants to reject the gift, but it turns out to be substantial enough to cover his most important expense – putting his daughter through her dream college. Not to feel indebted to the younger man, the professor invites him to stay at his apartment instead of at a hotel.

CHARIS AMBERS

At fifty-five years old, Charis Ambers keeps his hopes about as high as his head. The head that has memorized all the cracks in the concrete campus pavement by now. And the head in which that man has no place. Until, after over a decade and a rather unamicable farewell, he comes knocking on the door to Charis's office.

Normally, Charis would reject any gift coming from a former student, especially from this man. But, feeling like he owes someone something is better than his own daughter actually owing anyone money. So, when Charis is presented with a gift substantial enough to pay for his daughter's remaining college expenses, he does the least he can do: he offers the other man a place to stay to spare him the expenses for a hotel.

Charis is not happy about it. NO ONE in their right mind would be happy about having their former, scorned suitor under their roof overnight. Especially if said suitor is now tall, muscular, and more confident than you have ever been. But, with his wife having cheated on him and divorced him, and his children not visiting him this weekend… Not being alone in his apartment for a few days while the autumn evenings keep getting longer does not seem like such a bad thing.

HUDSON STONE

Imagine struggling to be loved for your whole life. Working hard to earn that love, only for that love to always go to someone else. Then, imagine every partner you pick blaming YOU once you finally open up about your past. Blaming you for not "forgiving", for not being "noble", for not having "compassion"… Or "heart". Hudson Stone has heard it all. Over ten years ago, he thought he'd finally broken this unlucky streak. With this one, special person. Someone as wonderful as he was unexpected. His male college professor. Suffice to say, it… did not work.

Now, with a stable job, a non-negligible amount of accumulated wealth, and maybe not perfect, but definitely improved health, Hudson is ready to close this chapter of his life. All he needs is one last look at what he'd once been denied. Then, he can leave. Just like the older man had once left him.

But circumstances change. First, Hudson's hotel reservation gets canceled. Then, the very same man he meant to cut off offers him a place to stay. And then, that very same man actually needs Hudson's help. Because he… gets a cold.

*** ONE EXPLICIT SCENE. HAND, NO PENETRATION. ***