"Close Protection" Review Responses

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Due to my author's notes going over the word limit, the TOS team suggested I use the forums to post my responses to your reviews. I'll separate them by chapter, and provide links to the appropriate posts at the bottom of each published chapter of Close Protection from now on.

I really love hearing all of your thoughts and having a dialogue with my readers, so if you want to respond to my responses or start a discussion, please feel free! :-)

~Cordelia Kingsbridge

Responses to Reviews for Chapter 8

Prostock69: Thanks so much! Ryder might refuse to admit he's jealous, but we all know better than that. ;-)

Mint: Yep, I update every Saturday, except for special circumstances like the holidays. Since the chapters are only a few thousand words long, I feel like more than a week between them would be silly, LOL. Happy holidays to you too!

Jeanette: Thanks! It was pretty surreal to be recced on TSP. As for Luca, he will definitely come to see Ashton in a different light. :-)

Mer: Haha, thanks! I'm actually surprised by how positive the reaction to Ashton has been – I was sure everyone would hate him for “interfering” with Luca and Ryder. But I'm glad people like him! There will be plenty of Ashton in future chapters.

Strang3: I hope you enjoyed Ryder's reaction! LOL. And Ashton will definitely be back.

Pixelly: Thank you! Luca does indeed need some real friends, and Ashton will be around for a while!

Roya: Thank you very much! It's great to have a long break from school. I hope you enjoyed Ryder's reaction – though we'll have to wait a bit for Evelyn's. ;-)

Always Without Complaint: Evelyn as Dick Cheney? LOL! I guess it's kind of similar, though I wouldn't say she's nearly as evil, and she's definitely never shot anyone. You're absolutely right about Luca – though he's dominant by nature, his particular psychological issues would make D/s scenarios very dangerous at this point in his life. He's nowhere near the emotional headspace necessary for healthy dominance. In fact, exploring those issues is a big theme of this story! So I'm glad you caught that. A lot of what this fic will focus on is healthy vs. unhealthy expressions of dominance and submission (a favorite topic of mine).

Lana_Eats_Baby_Bunnies: I think both Evelyn and Ryder would agree with you, haha! We'll see how it all shakes out in the end. ;-)

Yllimilly: It's so nice of you to review the chapters individually! I love reading your reactions. Believe it or not, the D'Amato estate is based on an actual mansion in Bethesda – I use its floor plan to get an idea in my head of what the house looks like! It's amazing, and a lot of the story's elements have been inspired by photographs of that house. Ryder's background will start receiving more attention...two chapters from now. We'll see some of his life outside the estate, and delve a little deeper into his psyche. :-)

Io: Thanks! I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Anise: Happy holidays to you as well! My lips are sealed as to the mole's identity, LOL, but I will say that Ashton figures prominently in future chapters. I'm surprised yet happy that people like Ashton so much! I think Luca's kind of surprised by how much he likes Ashton, too. ;-)

Anon: LOL! That's the plan.

Lisa: Ahahaha, love that image of Ryder and Bryce trying to hear what's going on! I hope Ryder's reaction didn't disappoint; it was fun getting a bit into his darker/angrier side. (If there's anyone who can bring that out in people, it's Luca.) We'll see some more of Ashton's reaction in the future, though I think it's safe to say that he's definitely ready for round two... and three, and four... ;-) (Also, I feel safe telling you right now that Evelyn D'Amato is not the mole, LOL. But it could be anybody else!)

Draco Volans: The attack – or rather, the situation with the mole – will receive more attention in upcoming chapters. In all honesty, Ryder and Evelyn were expecting something like this to happen, and it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, so they're more concerned with the existence of the mole than with the attack itself. But I promise the plot thread won't be dropped! I have big plans for that mole. ;-)

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter 9

Jeanette: It did cause some complications, but it might turn out to be a good thing that they argued! It’s not often that people stand up to Luca the way Ryder did. ;-)

Malaia: You’re in luck, because the next few chapters are very Ryder-heavy. It’s funny you should make that analogy about being on a date with a closed-off guy – you’ll see why soon. And you’re going to be published? Congrats! Now that I’m home, I’m definitely interested. You’ll be getting an email from me!

Mint: Thanks! Now that I’m back, I’ll return to my usual schedule of posting every Saturday, so Chapter Eleven will be up on the 7th.

CrimsonWatersAlien: Thank you very much! I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Hopefully it won’t be too long before there’s some Ryder/Luca action, haha.

Prostock69: LOL, thanks! Ryder’s outburst was incredibly fun to write, because he’s usually so in-control of himself. But you’re right, Luca needed a reality check in a pretty bad way. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Lisa: LOL, the mole definitely isn’t Noah! That would be awesome, though. Very perceptive thoughts about Ryder! He’s a mass of internal conflict right now because he knows Luca’s sex life isn’t his business, and he doesn’t want it to be his business, but (a) Evelyn kind of insisted on him making it his business, and (b) he’s just plain jealous, even though he won’t admit it. Poor guy, haha. As for the house in Aspen (which we will eventually see!) it’s a few miles from Snowmass. Just like the D’Amato estate in Bethesda, the Aspen house is based on an actual real-life mansion in the Aspen area. It’s fricking gorgeous!

Mer: Thanks! These boys are plenty frustrating, LOL. I’m glad you’re enjoying their emotional rollercoaster.

Roya: Thanks so much! It was tough for Luca to hear, but he really did need to hear it. Sorry the make-up scene wasn’t hotter, haha, but I promise all that’s not too far away now.

Rosemary: LOL! Yes, he is, though I think he’d prefer not to. ;-)

Anon: Thank you very much! I’m so glad to hear you say that, because I definitely agree with you. The truth is that no matter how attracted you are to somebody, there are going to be things about them that really bother/upset you. Ryder doesn’t think the way Luca treats people is sexy, and he never will. Thanks for commenting on that! I know I’m really ratcheting up the UST here, but I promise it won’t be too long before it pays off. :-)

Writer11377 and OshieteOkureYo: Thank you very much for all your kind words, and welcome to the story! I hope you continue enjoying it. :-)

Purgatorium: Yep, Luca definitely needs somebody who won’t put up with his nonsense! Though I think he would disagree with that assessment, LOL.

Io: Thank you so much, that’s so great to hear!

Anise: There is definitely something between Luca and Ryder that makes them lose control around each other! Great point. That kind of dynamic can lead to a lot of passion, but it can also lead to the kind of pain that’s difficult to heal. We’ll see which way this story ends up going. ;-) Happy New Year to you as well!

JT: Wow, thank you so much! Your review just made me glow. I’m so happy you like the story, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter 10

Jeanette: Definitely a positive step! (Uh, but not for Glauser, haha.) Their relationship is starting to take a new turn.

Yllimilly: Thanks! Anything I could say about Glauser would be a spoiler, so I’ll keep mum on that for now. And so many people want Luca to be with Ashton! LOL. I agree that at this point, it would be pretty unhealthy for Ryder and Luca to be involved – they have to work through all their myriad issues to get to a point where a relationship between them would be positive instead of negative. It’ll be a bumpy road!

Anise: Yeah, Luca has always been removed from the consequences of his actions. This is the first time he’s gotten that kind of wake-up call! And you’re right, his life isn’t going to get any less complicated any time soon, haha. Poor Ryder!

Lisa: Glauser was super fired! LOL. He’s the history teacher Luca was talking about in that session with Andersen, so he was involved in that whole public confrontation with the other three men Luca was sleeping with. I kind of feel bad for him too, because he’s not a bad guy – but at the same time, nobody made him sleep with one of his students! Sometimes Luca doesn’t take enough responsibility for his actions, but sometimes he actually gives himself too much credit. ;-)

Prostock69: Luca’s having a huge perspective shift, since he’s being forced to confront the consequences of his actions for the first time. Ryder’s playing a big part in that because he refuses to put up with Luca’s nonsense. Luca hasn’t decided whether he likes that about Ryder or hates it (probably both!) ;-)

Io: Thank you, as always!

Pixelly: Haha, thanks! I’m sure Luca appreciates that. :-)

Nitya: Thank you so much, and welcome to the story! I hope you continue to enjoy it. (And I hope you don’t mind my incorporation of your beautiful country!)

Unneeded: Yeah, it’s painful for Luca, but he needs to know! Hopefully he’ll come out the other side a better person.

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Eleven

Jeanette: Thank you! Drunk!Ryder was so much fun to write. And it was high time I introduced Morgan, because Ryder’s closer to her than he is to anyone else. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Lisa: Luca has a misguided sense of all those things, LOL! But yeah, definitely self-respect – and it’s funny, because he thinks he respects himself, but actions speak louder than words. Good insight about Luca feeling bored and trapped! Most eighteen-year-olds can just walk out of their houses and go hang out with friends or drive around when they need to get away from their families, but he can’t. That’ll mess a kid up! Ooh, and yep, the “Charles” in Charles Morgan comes directly from Ryder’s sister Charlotte (whom everyone calls Charlie). Thanks so much for your thoughtful review! :-)

Anon: Right?!? I’ve seen tons of people do that – date someone random in an attempt to forget about an ex or someone unattainable or whatever – and 99% of the time it’s pointless, LOL. People get a little irrational when it comes to love and sex. ;-)

Prostock69: Sorry to make you sad! :-( I think Luca has learned something, because if this same thing with Clarke had happened a few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have given it a second thought. Now he realizes it was wrong and regrets it – and he’ll certainly think twice in the future before doing something similar. That’s light-years away from where he was when Ryder first met him! But yeah, Ryder’s sort of uptight, rigid sense of morality and duty is still a big stumbling block. All I can say without spoilers is that it’s about to get some attention!

Mint: Haha, it’s always confusing when a character who narrates with his own last name is around people who call him by his first name! It’s actually weird for me, too, when I’m writing it. Sometimes I have to go back and edit because I forgot that a certain person would have called him “Jake” instead of “Ryder.” And there will be some Ryder/Andy interaction next week! Thanks for reading and reviewing. :-)

Pixelly: Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear it.

Malaia: Thank you so much! Ryder is big on compartmentalization, yeah – which is sometimes a good thing, but sometimes can make him come off as rigid and unfeeling when he really isn’t. Luca’s not the only one with issues, LOL. You’re right on the nose about Luca. If you asked him, he’d say that of course he loves and respects himself, while it’s clear to any outside observer that his actions say otherwise! Like you said, there’s nothing wrong with multiple sex partners as long as everyone’s honest and respectful; I’m trying to make it clear that Ryder thinks the same thing, and that his problem with Luca isn’t the fact that he sleeps around, but the way he does it and the reasons behind it. And I’m glad you like the contrast in their families! That will indeed come into play down the line. I think a lot of readers would agree with you about not being so invested in Ryder – he’s definitely a closed-off sort of character who hasn’t given us a lot of insight into what he’s feeling so far. That’s going to start changing now, especially in these next few chapters, as Luca starts getting closer to him and we start learning about his past. Once again, thank you so much for your amazing, thoughtful review! They’re always a joy to read. <3

Yllimilly: Hope you enjoyed Ryder’s hangover-influenced judgment! It’s always harder to keep your walls up when you’re hung over, LOL. And I’m glad you like Andy – there’ll be more of him next week. Thanks so much for reading!

Arya: LOL, that’s definitely a possibility! I won’t give any real spoilers, but I will say that Luca will eventually find out about Andy, and he won’t be happy. ;-)

Io: Thank you! Sometimes it’s frustrating to go at this slow pace, but people don’t change overnight. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twelve

Yacumo: Thanks! Don’t worry, there are more pretty Ryder/Luca moments coming very soon!

Dynamic: Thank you very much! I’m glad you’re enjoying it. The Ryder/Luca stuff isn’t that far off, I promise. ;-)

Mint: Thank you! No worries about me finishing the story – the reason I started posting it as a WIP in the first place was to motivate myself to get it done, LOL. I’d never be able to leave all you guys hanging!

Jeanette: Ryder was half-wrong and half-right, haha. The blood-stained roses were super creepy and definitely freaked Luca out, but that wasn’t what Glauser was intending! He actually thought it would be romantic, mostly because he’s totally losing his shit. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Nitya: Thanks! I’m glad you like Morgan. Hope you continue enjoying the story!

Nemo: Haha, thank you! I’m glad to supply you with a weekly hit. ;-)

Prostock69: Hmm, I think you may be interpreting Luca and Ryder’s actions differently than I am – which is totally understandable, because no two people read things the same way. The way I see it, Luca really did take what Ryder said to him to heart. The fact that he regretted using Clarke for spite-sex is a big step forward for him. Just because he knows now that his power games have serious consequences doesn’t meant that he’s going to be able to stop right away; people trying to give up alcohol and drugs tend to fall off the wagon a few times before finally getting sober for good, and this is an addiction for Luca. He’s going to make mistakes, and he’s going to slip up, but the important thing is that he’s trying! As for Ryder – well, I haven’t really made this clear in the story yet, but it will become so in the next few chapters – his adamant refusal to have any kind of relationship with Luca has very little to do with what he thinks of Luca as a person. It’s much more about Ryder’s emotional baggage than Luca’s. This story is all about Ryder and Luca learning to overcome all these barriers to forge a real relationship with each other, and trust me, they will get there. It’s just going to take time and a few back-slides along the way. Thank you for your thoughts! I hope you continue reading. :-)

Anon: Glauser’s just getting started! LOL. *pets Luca* Thanks for reading!

Yllimilly: I can say that Glauser’s not going to stop with a box of bloody roses, LOL. Anything else I’ll keep mum on for now. I hope you enjoyed Andy’s appearance in this chapter! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.

Pixelly: Thank you for reading! LOL. Glauser’s only going to get creepier. ;-)

Anise: Glauser’s willing to go pretty far! *mysterious* Luca’s definitely having a massive paradigm shift right now, realizing all the things he hasn’t had. He still kind of thinks of Ryder as a sex object, but that’s starting to change a bit, and it will really change over the next few chapters. And I’m really glad you like Morgan! You’re absolutely right about her; she’s kind of the yin to Ryder’s yang, which might be why they get along so well. Thanks so much for your thoughtful review! :-)

Lisa: Ahahaha, poor Andy! (Don’t worry, he’s used to it.) Glauser thought the roses would be romantic, too, but he got his wires crossed a bit. ;-) We’ll be hearing from the mole again quite soon! Thanks for reading.

Io: Thank you very much! I’m glad you liked the training scene; it took a lot of research to write it convincingly, LOL.

Midnightsscream: Luca’s totally freaked out! LOL, that poor kid. Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the story!

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Responses To Reviews for Chapter Thirteen

Mint: There will be some further developments between Ryder and Andy, but as you can see, I’ve kind of thrown a wrench in it! ;-)

Midnightsscream: It’s no spoiler for me to say that Luca and Ryder will end up together at some point – but I’ll leave the when and how a mystery, haha. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story!

Arya_arsay: I’m glad you like Andy! And yes, there will be some serious jealousy flying around in the not-too-distant future. ;-)

Lisa: Thank you! Luca and Ashton have a fun, relaxed dynamic that’s easy to write, but you’re correct in thinking that Luca might not be feeling the same intensity of emotion that Ashton is. There’s a lot more Luca/Ashton coming up, though! And Ryder is very flattered that Andy wants more from him than just sex, though certain parts of his anatomy may beg to differ. ;-)

Io: Thanks! We’ll see how well that works out for Ryder, LOL.

Jeanette: I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! I hope you liked this week’s update. :-)

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Fourteen

Prostock69: Haha, thank you very much! Ryder and Luca have definitely hit the point of no return, even if Ryder refuses to acknowledge it. ;-)

Mer: Sorry about the break, LOL! My birthday weekend was great, though, and gave me an opportunity to recharge my batteries and do some serious plotting for the future of CP. I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!

Milly: There will be plenty of Ashton in next week’s chapter! I actually already know exactly how his and Luca’s relationship is going to play out over the course of the story, and while I won’t give any spoilers, I will say that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Also, I think you’re the only person who thought to ask if Phoebe overheard what Ryder and Luca did! LOL. Let’s just say that she heard enough to be suspicious. Ooh, and I can say that Glauser was not responsible for the kidnapping attempt, but that I did leave hints for who was… Thanks so much for your reviews!

V: Thank you very much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

Mint (I): Thanks! I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter, and I promise there’s more action to come.

Anon (I): Happy birthday to you, too! I’m glad you liked the sex – I had to put Ryder and Luca through something extreme to make them both forget their issues long enough to do what they’ve been wanting all along. ;-)

Jeanette: Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. As you can see from the latest chapter, Luca isn’t taking Ryder’s rejection well, haha.

B: LOL! I’m glad you finally got what you’ve been waiting for. ;-)

Mint (II): Thank you very much! Evelyn really does love Luca; she just has a ton of emotional baggage that makes it difficult for her to show that. As for Davenport, you don’t have to worry too much about his heart getting broken. ;-)

Amoxi: Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it! As for the logistics of that fight scene – the assailant really was facing Ryder. He had to walk backwards towards the highway because he was dragging Luca with him, with a knife to Luca’s throat. Since Luca is strong and knows how to fight, the assailant wouldn’t have been able to walk forwards, drag Luca, and hold a knife on him all at the same time. The only way he could keep Luca off balance was to make them both walk backwards. Therefore, Ryder did indeed shoot him in the forehead. :-)

Io: Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that.

Midnightsscream: Quite true! Trauma has a way of breaking down barriers and bringing people closer together. Of course, eventually Ryder is going to have to learn how to let himself be with Luca without suffering through a near-death experience first, LOL. Thanks for reading!

Anon (II): All the chapters at once! That’s like 50,000 words, LOL. I’m impressed. Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the story!

Writer11377: Oh, thank you! That’s lovely to hear. :-)

Lisa: I’m glad you enjoyed it! We’ll find out who ordered the ambush a few chapters from now. Luca’s security detail isn’t actually going to increase, but you’re right in that he can’t travel on the bus to away meets – he has to go in his own car. Ryder likes to pretend that the only reason he doesn’t like Ashton is because he’s worried about Evelyn finding out about Luca’s relationship, but we all know differently! ;-) Thanks so much for your review!

Hitachiintwinlover: Thank you very much! I’m glad you like Andy. He is sweet, and Ryder likes him a lot, but is sweet really what Ryder’s looking for in a partner? Time will tell!

Anise: Thank you so much for your review! I will say that you don’t have to worry too much about Ashton, though I won’t say why. ;-) Andy… might be a different story. You’re right that Ryder should know better and just isn’t thinking straight. His sense of right and wrong is so rigid that it doesn’t allow for flexibility in different contexts, which is pretty much a foolproof way to do something wrong without meaning to. LOL! And what an awesome insight about the college thing! That really brought a smile to my face, because when I think about Luca and Ryder’s future, I always imagine them ending up at Georgetown together. It’s far enough in the future that it won’t be within the scope of this story (Ryder really does need a couple of years to save up enough money), but if I were ever to write a sequel to CP or a future-fic set in the CP universe, that’s exactly what would happen. You’re always so perceptive!

Malaia: Congratulations! I went to check out your website and was very intrigued, though I’m sorry to say I don’t own a Kindle. Any plans to publish in another format? As for CP, you’re spot-on about Andy! He’s a really nice guy, but he’s not Ryder’s type at all – if only Ryder would let himself acknowledge that, LOL. I’m so glad you’re still enjoying the story, and thanks for your review! :-)

AgainAndAgain: You’re welcome, and thanks so much for reading! I’m glad you liked it.

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Fifteen

FortunateM: Thank you very much! I put a lot of effort into characterization, so that’s great to hear. :-)

Lana_eats_baby_bunnies: LOL, I’m sorry! Of course I can’t promise that there won’t be any heartbreak, but I can promise that all the angst will be balanced out by equal doses of happiness over time. Thanks for reading!

Jeanette: Thank you! Luca is indeed taking some big steps. It may be a while before he really gains control over his anxiety, but at least he’s moving in the right direction. :-)

Mint: Thanks! I hope you enjoyed the latest update.

Milly: Don’t worry about missing the hint – it was very subtle, and I don’t think anyone will get it except in retrospect. *is sneaky* I hope you enjoyed seeing more of Ashton in this chapter! ;-) Thanks so much for your review.

Lisa: You hit the nail on the head with Andy! He’s a great guy, but is he the right guy? Probably not. (I wish I could tell you one way or the other whether he’s going to get hurt, but I can’t without massive spoilers!) As for Ryder’s feelings about the attack, let’s just say that Luca’s not the only one with issues, LOL. Maybe Ryder should talk to Anderson too! Thank you for your lovely review, as always.

JT: Thanks! I’m glad you like him.

Anise: Ahaha, I just said that same thing about Ryder seeing Anderson to another reader! He’s having a huge moral quandary right now, and it’s unfortunate for Andy that he’s getting unknowingly caught up in that. Ryder’s so terrified of crossing ethical lines with Luca that he isn’t paying attention to lines he might be crossing with Andy. The problem with a rigid, black-and-white sense of morality like Ryder’s is that it blinds you to context. *pets him* And don’t worry about Ashton, his heart is safe! I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, and thank you so much for your review. Responding to reader’s reviews and having a dialogue with them is one of my favorite parts of writing!

Coco Reed: Thanks for reviewing! You really don’t need to feel bad for Ashton – his feelings for Luca aren’t romantic, they’re just friends-with-benefits. Remember that most of our information on Luca and Ashton’s relationship has come from Ryder’s observations, and Ryder is far from a reliable narrator! As for Ryder and Andy, it does seem like they would make a better couple than Ryder and Luca, doesn’t it? But the person you think you should be with isn’t always or even usually the best choice in the end. There are indeed plenty of action scenes coming up. However, I feel I should say that if you really don’t like Luca at all, you might not want to invest your time or energy in this fic. This is, fundamentally, the story of how Ryder and Luca find their way to each other despite all the obstacles in their path. So if you’re not a fan of Luca, you probably won’t like the direction this story is heading, LOL.

Midnightsscream: Thank you! Having Anderson to talk to is definitely doing good things for Luca – everyone needs someone who will listen to them without judgment. Ryder gets a little bit of that from Morgan, but because he’s pretty closed-off by nature, he’s less inclined to share than Luca is. Keeping things all bottled up like that is never a good idea!

The_Lonely_Assassin: Thank you very much! I’m so glad to hear that. :-)

Io: Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying it.

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Sixteen

FortunateM: As you can see, you were right to worry about Glauser’s state of mind! LOL. I love your description of Luca and Ryder’s relationship as a tug-of-war – that’s very accurate! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. :-)

Yacumo: Thank you! I definitely intended the Luca/Ashton pairing to be a friends-with-benefits deal, though some readers might interpret it differently. You’re absolutely right that Luca and Ryder are not ready to have sex with each other. Neither of them is in the right kind of headspace for that – they still have a lot of issues to work through first. But I promise that they will get there!

Jeanette: I knew that chapter was going to drive people nuts, haha! It really was necessary from a characterization point of view, though, so I swear I didn’t just do it to torture you. ;-) Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter!

Writer11377: Thank you! I’m glad you don’t mind the angst, LOL. There’s some more Ryder/Luca coming up very soon, though! ;-)

Lana_eats_baby_bunnies: Thanks! Ashton’s definitely freaking out right now – we’ll see more of that next week. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Milly: Thank you! You’re right that Ashton hasn’t gotten as much screentime so far – his biggest role in the plot isn’t coming for a while yet. *mysterious* I’m glad you’re enjoying all the various couplings! This story is hell on people who are strict OTPers, LOL.

Midnightsscream: Oh, Bryce definitely figured out what Luca and Ashton are doing! LOL. But as for how that will impact their relationship, you’ll have to wait until next week to find out. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Lisa: Ah, surreptitious public porn-reading! I’ve been there. ;-) The funny thing about Ryder’s name is that he thinks of himself as Ryder, too, and the only people who really call him Jake are his family. He actually feels more comfortable being called Ryder. As for Luca, he would never hurt Ashton deliberately at this point – in fact, that will come up a couple of chapters from now. I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Privers: Haha, it’s coming, I promise! I just want the development of their relationship to be as realistic as possible, which in their case means taking it slow.

Anise: Sex is when Luca thinks best, haha! Good point. I guess there’s just something about being fucked that stimulates his critical thinking skills. ;-) Ryder’s going a little nuts right now, because he’s so torn between what his heart and body are telling him he wants, and what his brain is telling him he should want. He’s not equipped to deal with that kind of existential crisis, LOL. Thanks so much for your great review! I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.

Hitachiintwinlover: LOL! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter so much, though I’m sorry to say that Ryder/Andy is only a temporary pairing. Of course, your comment that Ryder/Luca seems more based on lust than anything else right now is totally valid, and in fact that will be the focus of the next few chapters! Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. :-)

Purgatorium: Ahahaha, thanks! We’ll find out next week what the fallout is from Luca and Ashton forgetting to turn the music on.

Prostock69: I’m sorry you feel that way, although I do understand your frustration. However, I think that the best thing about epic romances is really believing that there are too many obstacles standing in the couple’s path, and then watching them pulling through and ending up together against all odds. If it doesn’t seem hopeless at some point, then the eventual success doesn’t mean anything. I hope that you can trust that, as an author, I have a plan for how to realistically guide Ryder and Luca through all of these challenges, both internal and external, so that they find each other. (I really do!) If the story is genuinely causing you more angst than enjoyment, though, no hard feelings if you decide to stop reading. :-)

Mint: Don’t worry, I want Ryder and Luca to be together, too! And they will end up together, but that doesn’t mean there’s not going to be all kinds of crazy angst and drama leading up to that. ;-)

Io: Thank you very much! Andy is actually supposed to be boring, which is why it kind of blew me away when so many readers liked him so much. LOL! Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Thanks again!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Seventeen

Mer: Thank you! Intense and frustrating is what I’m going for right now, LOL. Warren Gray is the CEO of Gray Aeronautics – as Evelyn mentioned in this chapter, he’s the man who was calling her all day when the kidnapping attempt on Luca went down. We’ll definitely be seeing more of him!

Jeanette: So Evelyn kind of answered your question in this chapter… but I can tell you that even she doesn’t know the whole story. ;-) Thanks for reading!

FortunateM: Luca was able to handle Glauser quite well indeed, though part of that stems from the fact that he knew with total certainty that Glauser wasn’t going to hurt him. And as we saw from the kidnapping attempt, Luca can push his anxiety down when people he cares about are in danger. *pets him* That’s such an awesome coincidence about the astrology! I’ll admit that I did make Luca a Libra deliberately, but I didn’t delve any deeper into it. That description is spot-on! Thanks so much for your review.

Prostock69: I think the characters answered your questions in this chapter – but even they don’t know the whole truth! *mysterious*

Mint (I): Thank you! Warren Gray runs a business that Evelyn’s company has been trying to buy out with some less than ethical business practices. ;-)

Yacumo: Thank you very much! Gray introduced himself to Glauser as Evelyn’s friend, though if Glauser had been in his right mind, he would have realized how odd that was, LOL. There’s plenty more Ryder/Luca interaction coming up when they head to Aspen!

Milly: Oh, Glauser is definitely getting deported! LOL. Ryder did indeed meet Jimmy in the Army, though that’s all I’ll say about that for now. As for Georgetown, it won’t be within the scope of this particular story, but when I imagine Luca’s future, he does end up going there. And Ashton… well, I don’t know if my plans for him would be considered positive or negative, haha, but they’re definitely interesting! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.

Lisa: Yeah, Luca’s life is actually kind of depressing when you think about it – Ryder had a bit of that realization in this chapter. And while Ryder looks like he’s always in control, the one thing no human being has control over is who they fall in love with. :-) Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Pixelly: LOL, I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for reading.

Hitachiintwinlover: Thank you very much! I wish I could tell you what I have planned for Andy, but I can’t without serious spoilers. I’m glad you’re still on board, though!

Lana_eats_baby_bunnies: I hope this chapter set your mind at ease about Ashton – though clearly he and Luca still have to work some things out. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Mint (II): Yes, Glauser does need serious therapy! LOL. Hopefully he’ll get some once he’s sent back to Switzerland. As for the age difference – you’re totally right; in real life, a relationship between someone Luca’s age and someone Ryder’s age would be a little creepy. And there are characters in the story who think the same thing, regardless of the fact that Luca isn’t exactly an innocent schoolboy. The best part about fiction is being able to guiltlessly explore relationship dynamics that might give you pause in reality! I have to admit that I love to write (and read) about things that would upset me if they happened in real life – teacher/student sex, dubious consent, etc. Hopefully, though, I’m able to present Ryder and Luca’s relationship in a way that’s realistic and reflects the unique context of their relationship that makes the age difference less salient than it might be with different characters. Thank you so much for your kind review! I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story :-)

Midnightsscream: Thanks! After CP is finished, when I go back and edit it as a whole, I’ll probably drop a few more casual references to Gray in the first few chapters, so that the reveal is more dramatic. Perils of writing a WIP, LOL! Thanks for reading.

JT: Luca didn’t fuck Gray, LOL, but that’s not an unreasonable assumption where Luca’s concerned! ;-) We’ll definitely learn more about Ryder’s past with Jimmy, though it’ll come in bits and pieces. Thanks for your review!

Anise: Calling Evelyn not forgiving is like calling Florida in August not chilly. LOL! As you can see from this chapter, you’re totally right about her. More on Gray in the future! I’m glad you enjoyed Ryder and Luca’s back-and-forth – it was so much fun to write that dynamic. There’s plenty of further intrigue on the horizon! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.

Unneeded: Splatter fest! Great term, and very accurate, LOL. Thanks for reading!

Io: Aw, thank you! It’s so great to hear that. I live with these characters in my head every day, and to know that they’re as real for other people as they are for me is an amazing thing. :-)

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Eighteen

Hinata85: Thanks! I hope you’re having fun in Japan. :-)

Mer: LOL, sorry for the wait! I do hate to do it, but the good thing is that it keeps me from getting burned out on the story. I’m so glad you liked the chapter!

Jeanette: Thank you very much! Aspen is going to cause a huge shift in the way Ryder and Luca relate to each other. I’m really excited to share the next few chapters with you guys!

VL: Thank you! I love your description of Luca’s “poignant loneliness” – that’s exactly what I’m going for.

Yacumo: I love you, too! I’m thrilled that you liked the chapter so much, thanks for letting me know! :-)

Writer 11377: LOL, thank you! It’s hearing from awesome readers like you that gives me the motivation and drive to update as often as possible. <3

Pixelly: Haha! Glad you enjoyed it. ;-)

Milly: Thank you very much! I’ve been planning that scene since I very first thought of the concept for this story – the porn is always the first thing I think about when I’m planning a new fic, LOL. It was so great to finally get to write it!

Mint: Thank you so much! Their sexy encounter definitely shifted something between them. Though it’s not enough – yet – to get rid of Ryder’s reservations, he’s starting to acknowledge that the connection between himself and Luca isn’t just your everyday, run-of-the-mill physical attraction. They’re getting there, slowly but surely. ;-)

FortunateM: Ahaha, thanks! Warren Gray did give his real name to Glauser – he’s not the sharpest tack in the box – but, you have the right idea in being skeptical of the extent of his involvement. That’s all I can say without spoilers! ;-) Insanity and implosion are both good guesses as to what would happen to Luca if he didn’t have sex and drugs to deal with his anxiety, LOL. High-strung is putting it lightly! No hints on what’s going to happen in Aspen, but I really think you’ll enjoy it. And thank you so much for your kind words about my degree! It’s easy sometimes to lose sight of the long-term benefits of education in face of the short-term difficulties. :-)

Lisa: LOL, you’re so right about Ecstasy! I’ve never taken it myself, but the way my friends describe the experience, it does sound tempting. A little too risky for my tastes, though! Reggie was actually looking for Luca when he came to the party – Gabby Sokolov had told Reggie about him, because she knew Luca was interested in buying some E. Kyle just happened to be the person Reggie asked to point Luca out (which he did with poor grace and some offensive language, I might add). Luca answered your question about Ashton in this chapter – Ash knows that someone is out to get Luca, and he had the same worries about the drugs that Ryder did, compounded by the fact that he was already irrationally upset with Luca for Bryce finding out about them. But don’t worry, the boys will make up! Ryder and Luca will be doing their skiing on Snowmass. ;-) And yikes, thanks for noticing that slip-up with Tricia’s last name! I have to remember to go back and fix that. I’m getting my master’s degree in social work, actually – it’s very rewarding and I don’t actually regret it, but sometimes the amount of work makes me want to beat my head against the wall, LOL. Thank you so much for your lovely, insightful review!

Io: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Midnightsscream: Thanks! Dirty talk is one of my bulletproof kinks, so there’ll be plenty of that in this story, LOL. And I’m glad you liked Ryder sticking to his guns! I wanted to show that he really does have lines he won’t cross under any circumstances, and that Luca is able to recognize that and not push it.

JT: Don’t worry, I totally understand the assumption! Haha. Glad you enjoyed the dirty talk. ;-)

Camilla: Wow, thank you so much! That’s so amazing to hear. I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

Anise: Thank you! I’ve never written UST to this degree before, so I’m glad it seems to be working out okay, LOL. Ashton and Luca are going to resolve their argument quite soon, so don’t worry about Luca losing that source of support. As for what the Aspen trip will bring – there will definitely be more fun, but I think “less stress” is a lost cause. ;-)

Blu: Thanks for the help with the Italian! I really appreciate it.

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Nineteen

Mer: Thank you! I know exactly what you mean, and I want to make sure that Ryder and Luca’s relationship is clearly progressing in areas other than the sexual. ;-) And I’m glad you like Ashton so much! I can’t really tell you what’s going to happen with him without giving spoilers, but I promise I’m not going to throw him under the bus or anything, LOL.

Yacumo: Thanks! Ryder and Luca’s relationship is definitely starting to take a turn. Don’t worry about Ashton and Luca’s friendship – this is only a temporary bump in the road for them; they’ll be good friends for a long time. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Jeanette: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed Luca and Ryder’s connection in this chapter. And I’m so flattered that you think the story should be published! I did get an offer from Forbidden Fiction, but I’m not sure if I would do that, because I want to make sure that there’s always a free version of the story available to readers. So we’ll see. :-)

Mint (I): I try to write about 3 chapters ahead of the current posting schedule – it lets me keep an eye on where the story’s going, so I can go back and edit small plot details if I have to before the chapters are posted. It also helps me out if I fall behind writing-wise, because then I don’t have to skip a week of posting. Thanks so much for your kind words! I’m really motivated to get the chapters out because I know you guys are waiting for them.

Milly: Thank you, I’m glad you liked it! The next few chapters are pretty action-packed, so I needed a nice emotional interlude before we delve into all that, haha.

Lisa: I’m glad at least one of my readers has been to Aspen! I’ve never been, so it’s good to hear that I’m writing an accurate representation, haha. Of course, now I want to go to Aspen. *sigh* And I’m so pleased you enjoyed their bantering! You’re right that once they drop the flirting and tension, they actually click really well on a personal level – that’s a lot of what this Aspen trip will be about, seeing them start build a friendship that will eventually be just as strong as their sexual attraction. Thanks so much for your review, as always!

And I almost forgot to respond to your second comment! Now, the mole absolutely knows when and where the D’Amatos are going for the holidays – because Evelyn goes to Aspen at the same time every year. On the surface, it might seem like it would make sense for them to cancel the trip, but the D’Amatos are under constant threat. Evelyn alone receives multiple death threats every week. So they have to walk a fine line between appropriate caution and hypervigilance, because otherwise they’d be letting their enemies dictate their lives to them. You’re totally right to be concerned about what that might mean for Luca! However, Ryder thinks of Luca’s team in Aspen as a “skeleton crew” only in comparison to his usual team of five dedicated bodyguards who work shorter, overlapping shifts. He’ll still have the same number of guards when he goes out; they just won’t be people he’s used to working with, and his primary guards will be working longer shifts than usual (which can indeed be a little dangerous). So, definitely not ideal, but not super-risky either, especially when you consider that (a) the mole might not have come with them, and (b) if the mole did come with them, it would be crazy for him/her to make a move on Luca in Aspen when it would be so easy for him/her to be caught, given how few of the Bethesda staff are on the trip. …Wow, that’s super-long! I love to get self-examinant, LOL. Sorry for the rambling. Also, don’t take my explanation as a promise that nothing bad is going to happen to Luca in Aspen. ;-)

FortunateM: Thank you very much! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, though I know it can be torturous sometimes. ;-) Luca and Ryder’s relationship is changing slowly but surely, and you’re 100% right that sex between them, when it happens, it will be far more than a simple physical release!

Mint (II): Hee, I love that super-rich lifestyle aspect, too! It’s so much fun to play around with and see how far I can push that envelope – and as Luca and Ryder become closer, it’ll also cause some friction between them, which was hinted at in this chapter. I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and thanks for reviewing! (And yeah, the two-Mint situation has tripped me up a couple times, haha. I usually try to put I and II after your names, but that’s just based on whoever commented first, so mostly I trust you guys to know which response is directed to which.)

Midnightsscream: Aren’t they the cutest? I usually try to avoid getting too fluffy or sweet, but they just wouldn’t stop teasing each other. ;-) I’m glad you liked it!

JT: LOL, thank you! That’s awesome to hear.

Anise: Yeah, Luca really is trying to change himself for the better (and a lot of that is motivated by his mostly-subconscious desire for Ryder to respect him). He’s not going to magically get over his past overnight – it’s going to be a huge struggle for him – but the journey is so much fun to write! You’re actually right that Ryder is underestimating Luca at the moment, but I don’t think it’s a spoiler to say that he’s going to get over that pretty quickly in the near future, LOL. Thanks so much for your review! :-)

Unneeded: We all need a positive role model that we can ogle! LOL. Luca’s definitely getting into Ryder’s system, and vice versa. I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

Io: Thank you so much! I think that’s one of the best compliments an author can receive – that the characters feel real. That’s always my biggest goal when writing, so thank you for your kind words. :-)

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty

Writer11377: I know, I’m a bit of a sadist! LOL. I hope this chapter was worth the wait. :-)

Toriew: Thank you so much for reviewing! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story. As for Luca’s behavior, I get where you’re coming from, but the truth is that if Ryder had given Luca any hope at all, Luca would have blown Duval off in a hot second. But as far as Luca knew, Ryder was just as firmly opposed to the idea of them ever having a relationship as he was when they first met, so there really wasn’t any reason for him not to sleep with Duval. (Not that having a one-night stand with a total stranger at your own mother’s party is the best idea of all time, LOL.) Luca still struggles with huge issues surrounding sex and control, and Ryder isn’t exactly giving him incentive to deal with them. So those are Luca’s two cents. ;-) Thanks again for reading!

Jeanette: Yeah, let’s not forget that Ryder’s not exactly innocent here! Haha. Those poor confused, hormonal boys. ;-) I’m glad you liked the mistletoe!

JT: Ahahaha! Good to know. Thanks for reading!

FortunateM: You’re absolutely right – Luca was waiting for Ryder to tell him to stop, or to give him a sign that the kiss had changed his mind about them being together. And when Ryder didn’t, Luca saw no reason not to sleep with the hot stranger chatting him up. Definitely a tangled web, as you said! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing. :-)

Mint: Thanks! I’m glad you liked it.

Mer: LOL! I’m happy to hear that. I know the tension is killer, but hopefully this new chapter resolved a bit of that (while also introducing a new source of tension, haha). Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Midnightsscream: The breaking point, indeed! Now you know how right you were about that. :-) And I’ll also say that we haven’t seen the last of Duval. *mysterious* Thanks so much for your review!

Purgatorium: LOL, they did have a steamy night together, didn’t they? I’m glad you enjoyed it. ;-)

Lisa: Duval was pretty damn good, which only goes to show how crazy Luca is about Ryder! Haha. Don’t be too disappointed in him, though – he gave Ryder a blatant chance to stop him from sleeping with Duval, which Ryder deliberately chose not to do. And Luca’s not trying to be less slutty so much as he’s trying not to use sex to hurt people, LOL. (The sluttiness will come later.) I’m glad you enjoyed the kiss, and I hope you enjoyed this newest chapter, too!

Anise: Yep, pretty much an ordinary day for Luca and Ryder. LOL! I’m convinced that the mistletoe tradition was invented by a person whose sole intention was to trick someone else into kissing them. ;-) Hee, and I’m glad you enjoyed the Duval sex scene! Also, I think you’re one of only a handful of readers who blames Ryder for not stopping Luca when Luca clearly gave him a chance to do so, instead of blaming Luca for sleeping with Duval at all. (I’m on your side, BTW; there’s only so much Ryder can reasonably expect from Luca when he’s not giving the poor kid anything to work with.) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for your review, as always!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-One

Jeanette: Thank you very much! I’m glad you liked it, and I hope you enjoyed the twists in this chapter. :-)

Athena_Gensis: Thanks! Ryder drives all of us a little crazy, LOL. It takes a while to pound things through that hard head of his.

Writer11377: Yay! That’s what I was hoping for. ;-)

FortunateM: Thank you! There was definitely a huge change in their dynamic, which is something we’ll see more of as the external pressure from Luca’s enemy increases. I agree that Ryder’s continued reservations are very valid, though I’ll also say that Evelyn’s potential reaction isn’t a factor in them (I’ve dropped a few hints about her thoughts on the matter here and there). I hope you enjoyed the new chapter – you’re right that Gray isn’t going to go quietly, and neither is the person he’s working for. ;-)

Midnightsscream: Right on all counts! Thanks for reading.

Midnighteyes: Thank you! Glad to hear it.

Mint: Thanks! *turns up the A/C*

Mer: Thank you so much! Something always does seem to get in the way, doesn’t it? LOL. But they’re making progress slowly but surely, and this new threat will change the dynamic of their relationship even more. I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

Lisa: Ahahaha, by “television history”, I meant the channel directory you get on good cable or satellite service, where you can see what’s on every channel for a period of like two weeks. Ryder left the TV on when he left Luca’s room that morning, so Luca just checked to see what had been on the Discovery Channel during the night that Ryder would have been watching. (It was a Dirty Jobs marathon, naturally.) Hee! As for the rest, I’m glad you enjoyed the sex! I had a lot of fun writing that scene. “Breakthrough” is the perfect word for what happened between them, and there’s no going back now. Thanks so much for your review!

Yacumo: Thank you! Luca has a good handle on human behavior, so I think he’ll find himself rewarded for his patience eventually. ;-)

Pixelly: Thanks! Sex scenes are my bread and butter, LOL. I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story, and thank you very much for reviewing.

Milly: I don’t care that much about Andy, either, so don’t feel too bad. LOL! Although Ryder does care that he cheated, quite a lot, so we’ll be seeing some more of his Olympic-level guilt in the future. ;-) Oh, and I love rimming, so there’s definitely more of it in Ryder and Luca’s future! I’m glad you enjoyed the sex scene (and yeah, Luca really could have gotten hurt if Ryder hadn’t been able to control himself, so it’s a good thing Ryder likes to submit!). Thanks so much for your review, and I hope you like the new developments!

Io: Heart-wrenching and sexy, what a combination! :-) I’m glad you liked it, and thanks for reviewing!

Anise: Thank you so much! I don’t know that Luca’s age would make a difference to Andy, but he definitely deserves better than a man who’s only settling for him, even if Ryder doesn’t realize that’s what he’s doing. Tension and angst ahoy! I wish I could tell you what’s going to happen, but it will spoil the story if I do, LOL. As for the sex, reducing Ryder to a gibbering fool is pretty much Luca’s specialty at this point. ;-) I hope you enjoyed the new twists of this week’s chapter!

Morgaine: Thank you! I’m very flattered. Of course I don’t want to drive you too crazy, so be assured that I update regularly every Saturday. :-)

Misakixusagi: Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Unneeded: Luca has definitely changed a lot in the past couple of months, and most of that is directly attributable to his admiration of Ryder and his desire for Ryder’s respect. He still has quite a ways to go – he is eighteen, after all, and his anxiety problems aren’t going to magically disappear – but he never would have gotten even this far without Ryder’s help. Thanks so much for your review!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Two

Midnightsscream: Ryder’s definitely going to try his best to cheer Luca up! If anyone can do it, Ryder can. ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Purgatorium: That’s great to hear! Thank you.

Jeanette: It’s definitely not just Gray! Of course I won’t say who the message is from, but I will say that it isn’t Gray. We’ll be hearing a lot more from him/her/it in the future. Thanks so much for reading!

Blackcurrent: Thanks! :-)

Yllimilly: LOL, I’m glad I snuck Duval past your bullshit meter! ;-) The suspense and the mystery/danger element of the plot is definitely going to start ratcheting up now. I don’t see it so much as a sideplot, because the Admirer plotline is going to be absolutely vital to Ryder and Luca’s relationship – the two are inextricably intertwined. I’m really glad you’re enjoying it! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. <3

Mint: Thank you! I hope you liked the email Ryder got. ;-)

AlienMasquerade: Thank you very much! I love reading all your speculations and theories, though of course I can’t say if any of them are right or wrong. ;-) I hope you continue enjoying the story!

FortunateM: Thank you! That scene where Ryder punches Duval out was my favorite part of the chapter to write, LOL. And yeah, Luca is kind of a wreck right now. Unfortunately for him, we’ll definitely be hearing from the Admirer again!

Io: Thank you so much, I’m glad to hear that! :-)

Lisa: No, you were right! Remember, Luca and Ryder had their sexytimes in Luca’s bedroom. It would have been pretty awkward if they’d gotten it on in Ryder’s room, seeing as Hurst was sleeping in the next bed! LOL. And yes, Gray is a pretty awful person, which is why the Admirer tapped him as a partner. The mole is still at large, too – plenty of threats coming Luca and Ryder’s way! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and thanks for reviewing!

Morgaine: LOL! I can’t promise I won’t die, of course, but I can promise I won’t disappear. I am 100% committed to finishing this story. I’m glad you’re enjoying it so much!

Anise: I do have a chart to keep track of it all! ROTFLMAO. Luca is pretty resilient, but these latest developments are going to be very emotionally challenging for him – that will be a big focus of upcoming chapters. The tension is going to start ratcheting up from here on out. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

JT: I feel bad for Luca, too! He’s been through a lot of stuff that other kids his age can’t even fathom. Of course, that doesn’t give him a get-out-of-jail-free card, but I think that the context of his situation and mindset need to be taken into account when judging his behavior. Ambiguous moral dilemmas FTW! This is something that’s going to receive a lot of attention in upcoming chapters, actually. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :-)

Responses to Reviews for "But I'm A Quarterback"

Jeanette: It was strange to write at first, too! LOL. Ryder has definitely gained a lot of confidence and inner strength since he was a teenager, though he can still be pretty stubborn about certain things. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for reviewing!

JT: That was so my bad! I didn’t even realize anonymous commenting was turned off on my journal. Thanks for letting me know – I’ve fixed it now, so you should be able to go ahead and leave your prompt. I’m glad you liked the story!

Anise: Yep, denial is a pretty salient theme that runs through Ryder’s entire life. That’s what happens to people who have the kind of rigid, inflexible worldview he does – they fall into the trap of absolutist thinking, and it’s very, very difficult for them to change their minds about things (which can be both a weakness and a strength). And God, if Luca and Ryder had both met as teenagers, Ryder would have had no hope at all! He can barely handle Luca as an adult, LOL. I’m so glad you enjoyed the story, and thank you very much for reviewing!

Pixelly: Thank you so much! I’m really glad to hear that. And I just couldn’t resist the shout-out to But I’m A Cheerleader, haha.

Misakixusagi: Thanks! :-)

Writer11377: LOL! Well, the offer doesn’t expire, so I’ll be writing birthday gifts year-round (if you can manage to wait until your actual birthday, haha). Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Teresa: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Three

Anon: I know, I’m such a sadist! LOL. It’ll be a long time before we find out who’s behind the plot to demoralize Luca, but I hope you enjoyed the twists that NYE brought the boys. ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing!

FortunateM: Yep, let’s just hope that Evelyn never finds out about the recording, because saying she wouldn’t be pleased is putting it lightly. Haha! And I’m glad you liked the Luca/Vanessa interaction – I thought the poor kid needed something good to happen to him for once. Thanks so much for your review!

AlienMasquerade: Thank you! I’m glad you’re enjoying it. :-)

Yllimilly: Ahahaha! I couldn’t resist putting that boyfriend thing in there. Bill couldn’t have known that Ryder was Luca’s bodyguard, and neither could Vanessa (since he wasn’t on duty when she got there), so they both jumped right to the boyfriend conclusion. LOL! Even people bleeding out on the side of a snowy mountain can tell there’s something going on between Ryder and Luca. ;-) Thanks for reading!

Midnightsscream: Thank you very much! He really did need it, considering how much he’s been through lately (and what else I have in store for him). I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Jeanette: Thank you! I’m glad you liked it – I thought it was a good way to transition back to Bethesda. "Close protection" is the honest-to-god real-life term that bodyguards use for their jobs - an individual's team of bodyguards is referred to as his or her close protection team (to distinguish them from guards whose primary responsibility is the security of a house or building rather than a specific person). I found that out while doing research before I started writing the story, and the double entendre was just too good not to capitalize on. ;-)

Mint: Oh, it is the same person! The “Admirer”, as I’ll refer to him/her/it, will always use the same name when signing communications (regardless of who the communication is intended for), simply for consistency’s sake. So the email to Ryder was signed “An Admirer” not because they’re an admirer of Ryder’s, per se, but because they wanted to make sure that Ryder knew the email was from the same person targeting Luca. Make sense? I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for reviewing!

Anise: Everyone can tell Ryder and Luca have something going on, LOL! It was fun to write them hanging out together, too, and showing Ryder’s less serious side. I’m glad you enjoyed it! (And OMG, when I read about that episode of Dirty Jobs, I almost threw up. I wouldn’t have lasted five seconds, haha.) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Io: You should be suspicious! LOL. The mole could be anyone. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for reading!

Lisa: Thank you very much! Vanessa did make Luca feel better – though we’ve seen how long that lasted, LOL. I think this chapter answered your questions about both what was going on with Christianson and what D’Amato would think if she knew Ryder and Luca were sexually involved (the latter being, of course, that she does know – or thinks she knows – and she couldn’t be happier about it). Drama! Oh, and as for the skiing thing, Ryder and Luca went skiing almost every day while they were in Aspen, but I only had time to show the once. This thing’s already a behemoth, haha. Thanks again for your review!

Theresa: Thank you! I’ve never actually seen Dirty Jobs – I’m way too easily grossed out – so I just did research on the show and picked the grossest episode I read about. LOL! Kudos to you for watching it. ;-) I hope you continue enjoying the story!

JT: Thanks! You know how I love to be ominous, LOL. Glad you’re enjoying it! BTW, I got your birthday prompt, and I already have a great plot bunny for it. ;-)

Mer: Thank you! I thought it was about time something good happened to that poor kid, haha. I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter.

Responses to Reviews for "But I'm A Quarterback"

Lisa: Thank you very much! And LOL at Ryder’s name – I’ve heard from a lot of readers that they’re always confused at first when someone calls him “Jacob”. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the glimpse into his past!

Draco Volans: Thank you! I’m glad to hear that his voice was kept consistent between the main story and the ficlet – that was my biggest goal in writing it. It’s an interesting challenge to write a believable younger version of a character, one who’s different from his future self in many ways, but still has enough of that consistent underlying personality for readers to say, “Yep, that’s the guy.” Thanks again!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Four

Misakixusagi: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

FortunateM: Yep, Evelyn’s got her own agenda here – I’ve hinted at it a few times. ;-) And Nate is Luca when viewed through a mirror, darkly; he’s what Luca might have ended up being if he had less empathy and compassion. Very fun to write! I’m glad you’re enjoying it, and thanks for reviewing. :-)

Kitteh: Oh, thank you so much! I’m really glad to hear that.

Mer: Thanks! Ryder and Nate are definitely going to play huge roles in helping Luca change himself, though of course in very different ways. ;-) I hope you enjoyed seeing Ashton in this chapter!

Yacumo: Anything I would say about what’s going to happen between Luca and Nate would be a huge spoiler, so I’ll keep mum on that for now. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Mint: Nate will be in the story for a while – at least for another ten or so chapters, judging by my current outline. As for what Ryder was thinking at the end of the last chapter, I think that he felt bad for Luca, but also impressed by the way he was handling the situation. :-) Thanks for reading!

Morgaine: Thank you!

Anise: Evelyn lives to knock people off balance! LOL. She really is a piece of work. And you’re right about Nate thinking Luca is an interesting challenge, BTW. We’ll see more of that a couple chapters from now. No hints about the Yosef thing, of course. *evil writer is evil* Your comment about Ashton possibly being Luca’s fake boyfriend was very perceptive, as you saw in this chapter! I love when readers guess stuff like that in advance. Thanks so much for your review! :-)

J42: Thank you! Evelyn definitely has her own agenda where Ryder and Luca are concerned, but it won’t be revealed in full for a while yet. ;-)

Unneeded: Yeah, Luca’s not having the greatest week, LOL. Thanks for reading!

Jeanette: Nate is kind of like Luca’s darker side – he’s Luca without empathy. That makes him very fun to write, but he’s also a character to be wary of. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Midnightsscream: Luca will voluntarily talk to his mother when hell freezes over, LOL. Good thing he has Ryder! I’m glad you’re enjoying Nate’s character – he’s really fun to write, and we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in upcoming chapters. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Milly: Ahahaha! I do love to twist clichés around. ;-) Thanks for reading!

Wolfwitch: Hey, a Siobhan! I had a childhood friend named Siobhan, and I always adored the name, so I knew right away I wanted Luca’s favorite bodyguard to have it. :-) I’m really glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks so much for reviewing!

JT: So you either love me or hate me right now, LOL. I know how you feel about Andy! If it helps at all, I can promise you that Ryder really won’t ever cheat on him again. And there’ll be plenty more of Nate! :-)

Io: Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear it.

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Five

Midnightsscream: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. And don’t worry, I fully plan on Luca and Ryder having plenty of hot D/s sex in the future. ;-)

Jeanette: I hoped you liked what the gift turned out to be! LOL. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Milly: Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear it. :-)

Draco Volans: Ahahaha, thanks! Ryder really backed himself into a corner, didn’t he? I’m glad you liked the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Wolfwitch: Thanks! I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

Yacumo: Yeah, this story would be difficult to read for anyone who tends to be a strict OTPer. Sorry about that, LOL! I can promise that Luca and Ryder will get together – well before the end of the story – so just keep that happy thought in mind when you’re reading sex scenes of them with other people. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

Aster: Thank you very much! It’s so nice to hear from you. Don’t worry about not liking Andy – I’ve never liked him all that much, either. LOL! I intentionally wrote him to come off as sweet but kind of boring. (Although there are still some Ryder/Andy shippers out there!) There’s going to be tons of Nate in next week’s chapter, so it should be fun! Thanks again for your review. :-)

Raven: LOL, thank you! Poor Andy. ;-)

Anise: Luca and Ashton definitely click on all levels, and in my head canon where I imagine the characters’ futures, I always think of them as being lifelong friends. (I also imagine Ashton becoming a successful politician like his dad, but an Independent instead of a Republican – much to his dad’s horror. LOL!) As for Ryder and Andy, that’s an unfortunate situation, and it’s one I think happens a lot in real life. It’s happened to me, actually! Two people can truly like each other and get along very well, but they just don’t make a good romantic couple – it’s a really interesting phenomenon to write about. Hopefully I’ll manage to do it in a way that’s both fair and realistic. :-) And LOL at Luca’s horrified realization! He’s great with sex, but throw feelings into the mix and he panics like Chicken Little. Thanks so much for your insightful review, as always! <3

JT: I’m glad it’s just a little bit of hate, LOL! I don’t think Andy’s ever going to get very dom/sadist on Ryder – not necessarily because he wouldn’t try it, but because Ryder would never ask him to. Ryder won’t even ask Andy to call him by his last name instead of his first! Not super-great communication in that relationship, haha. And you definitely make a good point that infidelity doesn’t have to be sexual – it can be emotional as well. So in conclusion: What a mess! Hopefully it will be an enjoyable mess. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

FortunateM: I want to give hints about what happens between Ryder and Andy so bad! LOL. I won’t, though, except to say that things between them probably aren’t going to end the way anyone expects. And yep, Ryder has a definite submissive bent in bed. He isn’t always submissive – he can be dominant if that’s what his partner prefers – but he’d rather his partner take control. I’ve dropped tiny hints about this here and there, but I thought it was about time to make his desires more explicit. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing!

Misakixusagi: Don’t worry, I promise there will be a happy ending, no matter what! Thanks so much for reading. :-)

Oni: You’re right, friends like Ashton are few and far between, and Luca’s very lucky. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Mint: I’m glad you enjoyed it, and sorry about the wait! I hope you liked this week’s chapter. :-)

V: Yep, a breakup between Ryder and Andy is inevitable, but I won’t give any hints as to when or how it’ll happen. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing!

Lisa: Perfect description of Nate, LOL! I’m glad you noticed Yosef, but I can’t say what Luca seeing him meant – I won’t even confirm that Luca actually did see him. And yeah, by the time I got to the Luca/Ashton scene, I was all sexed out, haha. Sorry about that! ;-) Glad you enjoyed the chapters, and thank you for your reviews!

Io: Thank you very much! I think it’s every author’s goal to write their characters in such a way that readers even enjoy the characters they don’t like, so thanks for that. :-)

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Reponses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Six

Yacumo: OTP stands for One True Pairing, so an OTPer is the kind of reader who has a definite OTP in mind when reading a certain story, and can’t stand for any other characters to get in the way of that pairing. LOL! Luca is definitely going through a tough time right now, and we’re coming up on some additional revelations about his past pretty soon. It’ll be a rocky ride! Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter. :-)

Jeanette: Yep, a dysfunctional thought record is a real tool that therapists use with patients who are undergoing cognitive-behavioral therapy (which is the type that Luca is receiving). You can thank my social work classes for that one, haha! I hope you enjoyed the dinner surprise, and thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

JT: Thank you very much! I’m really enjoying writing the therapy scenes – it gives me an opportunity to use the knowledge and skills I’m learning in my social work master’s program. BTW, your birthday ficlet is scheduled for May 30. There’s a slight possibility I won’t be able to get it done in time, due to my recent RL crisis messing up my schedule – but even if it is late, it won’t be by that much.

FortunateM: Thank you! I can’t comment on your speculations about the plot, of course, but I loved reading them. :-) I hope you enjoyed Luca and Nate’s “date”!

Mint: Thank you so much! I’m really glad to hear that about Ryder – like you said, it’s hard to write a believable “good guy” character who doesn’t come off as a goody-two-shoes. Plenty of drama coming up, so prepare yourself! ;-)

Farlance: Aw, thank you! But don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up – I’ve been writing for many, many years. Like you said, practice really does make perfect. So keep writing!

Lisa: LOL, if you think Luca’s got it bad now, just wait a couple chapters. ;-) But having Athena will definitely help! The dysfunctional thought record really is a great tool; I would recommend anyone trying it out, even if you’re not in therapy. It really helps you become aware of your automatic thoughts and reactions to things. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Anise: Athena is definitely going to be a big help to Luca, in multiple ways. Good luck trying to ever top that present in the future, Ryder! LOL. As for the therapy, Andersen can’t actually tell Evelyn anything about Luca’s sessions – but that’s probably a good thing, because as you said, Evelyn’s involvement probably wouldn’t be helpful (and that’s putting it lightly). I hope you enjoyed the “Nate Date”, and thanks so much for your review! :-)

Io: Thank you very much! They’re some of my favorite scenes to write. :-)

Milly: Even short, non-descriptive reviews are like crack to authors, LOL! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! As for Ryder’s opinion about dog people, it’s kind of like a more extreme version of my own. I don’t distrust people who don’t like dogs – my best friend is a cat person – but I could never be in a long-term relationship with someone who didn’t love them as much as I do. Ryder is a hardcore dog person because he’s so much like a dog himself – loyal, trustworthy, fiercely protective, and he loves with 100% of himself. His whole family is like that, actually, so he would have grown up surrounded by dogs and dog people. Now, Luca is a dog person because there is no greater source of unconditional love and adoration than a dog, and unconditional love and adoration are Luca’s heroin. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jeanette: I’m glad you enjoyed it! I wouldn’t hold out hope for Will becoming less of an asshole any time soon, though. LOL! Thanks for reading. :-)

Aster: Thanks! I’m glad you’re enjoying him. There’s plenty more Nate to come in future chapters, don’t worry. ;-)

JT: Ryder’s definitely not perfect; he just keeps a lot of his shit under wraps. LOL! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for your good wishes. Things seem to be getting better now. :-)

Anise: Will’s antagonism towards Ryder is definitely fueled by jealousy! He really is homophobic – comes from hanging out with the wrong crowd, and a little bit from Claire – but it was finding out that Ryder was gay on top of being better-looking, more popular, and more successful than him that really pushed Will over the edge. And you’re right, if he ever found out about Luca, he’d freak the fuck out! LOL. You also hit the nail on the head regarding the major difference between Luca and Nate. I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for your insightful review!

Pixelly: It’s not weird – Nate can be very charming when he wants to be, haha! I’m glad you’re enjoying his and Luca’s interactions; they’re really fun to write. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed the ficlet!

Amoxi: I know the UST can be frustrating at times, LOL! All I can do is promise that the eventual payoff will be worth the wait. ;-) And there’s definitely some action of the kind you speak of in the works – I have three scenes in particular plotted out that I think you’ll enjoy. For the present moment, though, the Admirer’s torture is going to remain psychological. I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks so much for reviewing!

Milly: Family issues are the best! There’s no better way to get your characters angsting, LOL. No spoilers on what happens between Nate and Luca, but it should be an interesting ride. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Lisa: All I’ll say is this – Luca really was being watched in the restaurant. But I won’t say by whom. ;-) As for Ryder’s family, he gets along with his parents and sisters very well, but Will (and Claire, to a lesser extent) causes him a huge amount of stress. So that kind of puts a damper on family gatherings for him, LOL. Thanks so much for your review! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter.

Klen: Oh, thank you so much! Welcome to the story. I hope you continue to enjoy the upcoming chapters as much as you enjoyed the first 27! :-)

Responses to Reviews for The Doctor Is In

Perkazy: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Yacumo: Thanks! Siobhan and Luca do have a strong bond, after all they’ve been through together. :-) I’m glad you liked it!

Lisa: Very perceptive comments about Luca’s mindset! His anxiety disorder and his issues with authority figures definitely created a sort of perfect storm that led to this situation, LOL. And poor Siobhan – like watching a car about to crash and being unable to stop it. I’m glad you enjoyed the ficlet, and thanks for reviewing! As for Ryder’s first time… it was pretty much a trainwreck, haha. (At least, his first time topping was.) I’d definitely write it if someone asked for it, but it probably wouldn’t be all that sexy. ;-)

JT: Haha, I’m glad to hear it! That’s pretty much how I feel when I write him, too. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Eight

Io: Sorry I didn’t get to your review last week! It came into my inbox minutes after I’d already posted the replies, LOL. Thank you for your kind words, and I’m glad you’re enjoying it!

Midnightsscream: There’s definitely a lot of stuff lurking behind the scenes, and some of it is about to surface. ;-) I’m glad you liked the chapter!

Yacumo: Haha, it seems like everyone loved that “stupid boyfriend” remark! LOL. Thanks for reviewing, and I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Rio: Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying it.

Draco Volans: LOL, you’re so right – all of the Glock’s safeties automatically disengage when you pull the trigger firmly. Oops! Artistic license? I’ll avoid references to the safety in the future, and when I eventually edit the novel as a cohesive whole, I’ll keep that detail in mind for revision. Thanks for pointing that out, and thanks for reading!

Hitachiintwinlover: I’m glad you liked Luca’s takedown of Kyle! It was really fun to write, haha. And if you’re concerned about Andy, make sure you read the ficlet I just wrote about him. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for reading and reviewing!

Wolfwitch: Love the speculations! Keep ‘em coming, and thanks so much for reviewing!

JT: Ryder isn’t really jealous of Luca’s past lovers for two reasons – first, he knows Luca didn’t care about them at all, and second, the whole thing kind of grosses him out. LOL! Not because of Luca’s promiscuity, but because of the icky ethical issues of grown men having sex with a sixteen-year-old. Ryder has enough trouble dealing with his own desire for Luca now, when Luca’s a legal adult and Ryder’s only 10 years older. Glad you’re enjoying the mystery and Luca’s scandalous past! There’s more Andy coming soon, too, so never fear. Thanks for reviewing!

Lisa: Luca is too firmly convinced that he’s imagining being watched to share that feeling with any of his bodyguards. And I won’t even confirm that he’s not imagining it. ;-) I will, however, say that the mole and the Admirer are not the same person. I’m glad you guys are enjoying the mystery so much that you have all these awesome guesses and speculations! Thanks for reading and reviewing. :-)

Jeanette: No spoilers, but I’m glad you’re enjoying the mystery! Plenty more to come. ;-) Thanks for reading!

Purgatorium: I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for reviewing.

Anise: I love reading everyone’s theories! *evil cackle* Seriously, some people are actually getting close – but nobody would be able to guess the full truth at this point, because not all of the hints have been dropped yet. ;-) I did confirm to another reader above that the mole and the Admirer aren’t the same person, so that’s your hint for this week. LOL! And OMG, I do have to admit to a bit of author self-insertion in the way Luca told off Kyle, because Kyle’s attitude is my absolute biggest pet peeve in slash fiction, as well as in real life. As you said, it’s especially disturbing when you see that kind of belief system in fiction written by women! *feminist rage* But I needed Luca to have some kind of victory over Kyle – if you already read this week’s chapter, you’ll know why – and that’s the kind of thing that would really irritate him, so I rolled with it. Hee! I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks as always for your fantastic review!

Unneeded: He is indeed! Not a good sign for Luca, is it? ;-) Thanks for reading!

Reviews for The Doctor Is In

Jeanette: Thank you! It is a little sad, isn’t it? Good thing we know that Luca ends up with a handsome, devoted bodyguard. ;-) I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Unneeded: Probably my favorite way I’ve ever ended a story. LOL! I’m glad you liked it, and thanks for reviewing.

Theresa: Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that – characterization is the most important element of any story to me. I’m really happy you enjoyed it! :-)

Reviews for Beware Those Latin Lovers

Amy: Velez hit the nail on the head when he said Andy had been wronged by a doctor in the past. I haven’t given the backstory of it much thought beyond that, but if you meet the requirements for requesting a birthday ficlet, you could always give me that as a prompt! Thanks for reading, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Anonagain: I do have some more ideas about Andy and Velez, but they’d create spoilers for the main story if I told you them right now. ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Writer11377: Yeah, Andy’s bad past experiences have created a bias he has trouble overcoming. I’m glad you enjoyed the story, and thanks for reviewing! :-)

JT: You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Apparently I have some kind of literary kink for characters being stubborn and not letting themselves have what they really want, LOL.

TinaHeart: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. :-)

Lisa: Ahahaha! Don’t worry, they’ll clean up and sanitize the shelves. ;-) I actually have to support Andy on his general “no doctors” rule, especially since he’s a nurse – having worked for many years in a healthcare environment, I can tell you that relationships between doctors and nurses who work together usually carry that power imbalance home with them. It’s not healthy. But of course there’s always exceptions to the rule, and Velez should be one of them! Hopefully Andy will see that eventually. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Anise: Ah, but you’re assuming that Ryder is going to break up with him. ;-) This ficlet ended up being much more fun to write than I initially thought it was going to be, and it really gave me better insight into Andy’s life. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for reviewing!

Southwind: We’ll see what happens! ;-) Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Twenty-Nine

Misakixusagi: Don’t worry, Ryder and Luca will definitely get together – and it won’t be too much longer before that happens! Thanks for reviewing. :-)

Jeanette: Yep, he’s changed a lot! I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reviewing.

Midnightsscream: I do like to torture Luca a bit. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! Thanks for reading and reviewing. :-)

Anise: It’s definitely good that Luca and Ashton are going through this – it’ll make their relationship stronger. McCall wasn’t exaggerating about Hamasaki; while Luca is very perceptive before he seduces men, he tends not to bother after he’s already done with them. LOL! Luca has skills, but he doesn’t fully grasp the extent of the effect he’s had on these men, because he never follows through afterwards. (Also, he was expelled immediately after his three biggest incidents, which means he wasn’t around to observe their effects.) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks as always for your insightful review!

JT: LOL, no way would Ashton ever have sex with Nate! That doesn’t mean Nate wouldn’t try, though. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying my authorial sadism, haha, and thanks so much for your review!

Mint: Luca’s confession was part exhaustion with trying to hide his past, and part unconscious self-flagellation – he feels guilty about what he did, and by admitting it to his friends, he’s allowing himself to be punished for it. Of course, that second motivation is subconscious (Luca isn’t totally aware of it). More discussion of the Admirer/Gray/the mole is coming soon! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Writer11377: Hehe, Nate is so much fun to write! I’m glad you like him. Thanks for reviewing!

Theaceofspades: I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! Have a safe and fun trip, and I hope to hear from you when you get back. :-)

Lisa: Haha! Soap operas seem to be the main way people learn about DID, amnesia, and illegitimate children. And nobody ever said Ryder’s jealousy was rational. ;-) Nate is insensitive to everyone’s feelings – he doesn’t really have a capacity for empathy, so he truly doesn’t understand why Luca is so upset. But at least we know that Luca cares! I’m really glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for reading and reviewing.

Kuragari: Yay! Welcome to the story, and I’m so glad you like it! I hope you continue to enjoy the upcoming chapters. Thanks for reviewing! :-)

Io: Thank you! It was a really fun chapter to write. I’m glad you enjoyed it!

Reviews for Beware Those Latin Lovers

Jeanette: Andy has a bad history involving being treated badly by a doctor, so his hesitancy his understandable, if a little irrational. Hopefully he’ll get over it eventually! ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.

Hitachiintwinlover: I’m glad you enjoyed the story so much! I know how much you love Andy, LOL. No spoilers for the main story, but at least now you know that Andy has other prospects besides Ryder! Thanks so much for reviewing.

Reviews for Five Fantasies

Jeanette: I’m glad you liked it! It was really fun to write. Thanks for reviewing!

Misakixusagi: I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for reading and reviewing, and I’m happy you enjoyed the ficlet. :-)

Yacumo: Aw, thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.

Lisa: Yep, that kind of distraction could be very unfortunate if there happened to be an attack on Luca while Ryder was fantasizing about him! That’s why Ryder tries to keep his on-duty fantasies to a minimum, LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed the ficlet, and thanks for reviewing!

Anise: Ryder Logic! LOL, love it. This was a really fun ficlet to write, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :-)

Anon: Your comment about Andy’s feelings for Ryder is very perceptive! There’s definitely an element there of, “Oh my God, I can’t believe this super-hot guy actually wants me, so I need to hang on to him.” I’m glad you feel that the story and its characters are realistic – that’s one of my major goals in writing it. Thank you so much for your kind review, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

JT: Ryder does have a hardcore guilt complex, LOL. I’m glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for reviewing!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty

Missellywhite: Aw, thank you very much! It really means a lot to me that you’re enjoying the story and the characters so much. And LOL at guilting you into updating your own stories! That’s awesome. :-) The reason I started posting CP as a WIP was because I knew there was no other way I’d ever finish it – I need the pressure of knowing that people are counting on me to force me to write, haha. I’m so glad to hear how much you like CP, and thank you again for your great review!

Anon: LOL, I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for reviewing.

Amy: A lot of people have been guessing Clarke! There’s a scene in next week’s chapter that I think you’ll be very interested in. ;-) Thanks for the review!

Kittyfd13: I’m glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know.

Jeanette: If I could afford it, I’d have all my groceries delivered to my house. LOL! I hate the grocery store, but I think it would be an interesting experience if you’d never actually been in one before. I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks so much for reviewing!

Kuragari: I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you very much for the review. :-)

Anise: Hmm, let me ponder Andy’s perspective… He definitely knows that everything isn’t perfect with Ryder, but I think he has the same idea that Ryder has – that they just need to give it more time. The truth is that just as Ryder isn’t getting everything he needs from Andy, Andy isn’t getting everything he needs from Ryder. It’s only a matter of time before they both figure that out. :-) I’m glad you enjoyed the Ryder/Luca moments! As for the investigation, this week’s chapter and the next few are going to show some rapid progress and several revelations. I hope you enjoy them, and thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

JT: Goof is the perfect way to describe Ryder’s behavior right now! But at least he’s not so goofy that the Admirer doesn’t know he’s got a big problem on his hands. ;-) Thanks for the review, and I’m always glad to be able to brighten up your Saturdays!

Nemo: Thank you very much, and welcome to the story! I wouldn’t worry about Andy too much – the inevitable end of his and Ryder’s relationship probably won’t go the way you expect. ;-) Thank you again for reading and reviewing! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story.

Purgatorium: LOL, I’m happy to hear that! *bounces up and down with you* Thanks so much for the review!

Lisa: Interesting interpretation! I hadn’t looked at it that way, but there could also be an element of that kind of attitude on the Admirer’s part. I’m glad you enjoyed the Luca/Ryder moments! As for Keller, he may prove to be a complication for Luca and Ryder, but not in the way you’d think. ;-) Oh, and onto your second review – I think this chapter may have answered a lot of the questions you asked. But I will jog your memory by saying that Luca’s room was bugged, not videotaped. What the Admirer sent Ryder was an audio file of him and Luca hooking up; there weren’t any pictures. Hope that clears things up a little! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.

A little birdy: It’s definitely not wrong! There’s a reason I write erotica, after all. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story, and don’t worry too much about Andy – things there aren’t going to go the way you might expect! Thank you so much for your reviews. :-)

Io: Thank you very much! Coming up with good endings for chapters is always difficult, LOL, so I’m glad it had an emotional impact.

FortunateM: I love all your theories! One of them in particular made me grin, but I can’t tell you which one without spoilers. You’ll know it when you see it. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for reviewing!

Cathy: Thank you so much, and welcome to the story! I’m really glad you’re enjoying it. I update every Saturday, and there are plenty more chapters to come!

Faithsins: I’m so glad to hear that! Welcome to CP. I’m really happy that you’re enjoying the story and its characters! Updates every Saturday. :-)

Reviews for Beware Those Latin Lovers

A little birdy: LOL, I’m glad you like him so much! And I definitely feel you about those Latin lovers. ;-) Thanks for reviewing!

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Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-One

Cathy: Thank you very much! I'm glad to brighten up your Saturdays.

Midnightsscream: Ahahaha, thanks! They'll definitely be having sex, and sooner rather than later. ;-) I'm glad you liked the chapter!

Milly: I'm very glad to hear that, thank you! I do try to make sure that the story's characters have a good mix of races, ethnicities, and genders (hopefully without resorting to tokenism). I like for the world of CP to reflect the real world as much as possible! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. :-)

Anon: Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it – I loved writing that last scene.

Io: That is so wonderful to hear! There's nothing better than knowing that readers care about the characters and what happens to them. Thank you so much for letting me know.

Jeanette: The way Kyle found out about the journal will be revealed eventually, but not for a few chapters. I'm glad you enjoyed that Ryder/Luca scene; it was really fun to write. ;-) Thank you very much for reviewing!

ReinaLorraine: Thank you so much! That's really awesome. I definitely hope to always keep writing – it's my biggest stress-reliever, LOL. I hope you continue enjoying the story!

Iavcea: It's definitely possible! Who's on your suspect list? ;-)

Lisa: LOL, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter – it was a really fun one to write. Poor Luca, though! Who knew teenage shenanigans could lead to this kind of payback?

Janice: Thank you very much, and welcome to the story! I'm so glad you're enjoying it.

Dut: Thanks! It takes a special man to get that kind of honesty out of Luca, LOL.

Anise: LOL! Once you know what's really going on, it won't seem as complicated, because it all fits together. The team just hasn't gotten there yet. ;-) Ryder really only trusts his own team – Siobhan and Candace because they've been with Luca so long, Hurst because he picked her himself, and Keller because he's so new – as well as Clarke, but whether even that trust is well-placed remains to be seen! I'm so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you very much for the review.

FortunateM: Aw, thank you so much! What a fantastic review. You sure know how to make a girl blush. ;-) I'm thrilled that you're enjoying CP so much, and I hope I continue to do justice to your kind words!

Merely Truth: Bienvenue! (Did I say that right?) I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, and thanks for reviewing! As for the police, there isn't really much they can do at this point – stalking cases are notoriously difficult to investigate and prosecute. To be honest, law enforcement can't really help people who are being stalked until they get hurt, at which point it's unfortunately often too late. So it's a good thing Luca has bodyguards! ;-)

B: I’m glad you like Andy so much! I was going to point you in the direction of Beware Those Latin Lovers, but then I saw that you’d already found it. ;-) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

[ckingsbridge]

Responses to Reviews for Chapter Thirty-Two

Writer 11377: LOL! I actually do have a future scene planned where Luca has a panic attack in front of Ryder, but I don’t think it counts as Ryder coming to his rescue. ;-) I’m glad you’re enjoying the story, and thanks for reviewing!

Janice: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Midnightsscream: You were right, it didn’t go particularly well. LOL! Thanks so much for reviewing. :-)

Jeanette: Ryder is definitely onto something. ;-) I’m so glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thanks for the review!

Naraka00: Love your theory! I can’t tell you if you’re right or not, but the upcoming chapters should give you a few more hints. ;-) I’m so glad you’re enjoying the story! Thank you very much for your kind review.

B: Luca definitely wasn’t an ass to Andy, as you’ve now seen. LOL! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. ;-)

JT: I’m glad you enjoyed the chapters! By now you know that Luca didn’t hurt Andy at all, haha. I totally get your inner conflict when it comes to Luca – nothing is black and white with him; it’s all shades of gray. He’s a complicated guy! Now, Ryder won’t ever cheat on Andy, but as I said in the notes of this latest chapter, he and Luca getting together isn’t far off. But that doesn’t mean the story is almost over! There will be plenty of Ryder/Luca sexytimes before the mystery plot wraps up. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!

Milly: Thank you very much! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment. ;-)

Lisa: They could indeed have gotten fake passports! In fact, you’re ahead of the characters on that one. That possibility won’t be mentioned until next week’s chapter. ;-) And I love how everybody has different opinions about where the blame lies for Luca’s escapades! I tend to agree with you – that it was mostly the older men’s fault – though I do think Luca bears at least some of the responsibility, since he was old enough to know right from wrong. But then, he wasn’t old enough to have reliable impulse control, whereas all those men were. Creeps is right! And it is definitely possible that one of Luca’s ex-bodyguards is the Admirer. More on that coming up in future chapters! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. :-)

Hitachiintwinlover: I’m glad you enjoyed the chapter! D’Amato has an interesting approach to parenting, LOL, but she did what she thought she had to do. ;-) Thanks so much for the review!

Yacumo: Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Lavcea: Looks like you might be on to something! Future chapters will reveal more hints. ;-) But just a quick note – Christianson wasn’t fired because she was homophobic (she wasn’t), but because she disapproved of Ryder and Luca being sexually involved (due to the age difference and Ryder being Luca’s bodyguard). For reasons still unknown, Evelyn didn’t want Christianson interfering. *mysterious* Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, and I hope you enjoyed this week’s chapter!

Anise: Evelyn’s got a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes that seriously interferes with her ability to parent Luca appropriately. She loves him, but even her issues have issues, LOL. This stuff won’t come to light until near the end of the story, though. That Luca/Ashton scene was really fun to write! I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s time for Luca to start realizing that he actually can use sex to fulfill his need for control in a way that’s healthy, safe, and mutually satisfying. D/s FTW! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing.

Nyx: Thank you! Evelyn did the best she thought she could do at the time, though I’d say she probably regrets it now. I hope you enjoyed this week’s Luca/Andy face-off!

FortunateM: Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed it. The theories are flying! :-)

Janelle: Thank you so much, and welcome to the story! I’m very glad to hear that you’re enjoying it, and I hope it continues to please. And thank you for your reviews on the ficlets, as well! It’s always fun to give those little extra insights into the characters that don’t fit into the main story.