MM Romance: Celebrity Auction Romance
This story unfolds in an interesting way. The story starts with Damian looking over a charity event…watching the crowd…muttering to himself “Another auction. Another pretense of generosity wrapped in veiled self-congratulation. Delightful.”
Tanner is the evening’s guest of honor. Damian begrudgingly admits Tanner has genuine charisma.
Just as Damian is getting bored with the auction he hears …”for our next item – a once-in-a-lifetime evening with the charming and… er, mysterious bachelor, Mr. Damian Jameson!”
Damian wants to protest but no words come out. Tanner is the first to bid, and quickly out bids the next person. Tanner manages to track Damian down at the end of the event and get his date by taking Damian out to dinner. While at dinner Tanner tells Damian he’s fascinating…tells him …”You’re like a locked door…I’ve always been curious about what’s on the other side.” This has me wondering how long Damian has peaked Tanner’s interest?
I think Damian is surprised by what Tanner reveals to him. Damian struggles to even think of letting his guard down and being vulnerable. Tanner pushes right past that with being real.
On the rooftop, they continue to talk, actually being honest and real with each other. Their kisses growing more passionate. Tanner really puts his cards on the table, no mistake he’s interested, and that is what it takes to get past Damian’s walls. It feels like Tanner sees something in Damian, needs to get to know him. He’s both bold and gentle with Damian.
Damian has been living a life of perceptions, keeping everyone at a distance. Tanner’s interest and honesty unlock Damian’s need for connection.
Damian opening himself up to Tanner, then wondering if it was real the next day. My heart goes out to him. He’s been locked away for so long, it’s understandable that he’s questioning if his moment with Tanner was the start of something real.
It’s interesting to see two men who usually keep their distance navigate their feelings, trying to find a way to open up to each other. Two men who are used to maintaining an image, not letting anyone close. They both feel a strong pull towards each other, they want to pursue a relationship, they don’t quite know how. One man enjoys the spotlight, the other stays in the background, yet both ride the line between public image and reality.
One of the things Ryan does so well is write characters that could so easily be one dimensional, and gives them layers. He takes characters I don’t think I have anything in common with, and makes me really like them. Tanner is one of those characters. You have to love someone who figures out what he wants, and isn’t afraid to let it be known.
Be sure to read Behind Masks – Damian’s Story. Ryan sends these extra background stories to his newsletter subscribers and they are so worth it.
This really was different than I expected, yet it’s giving me a deeper understanding of Damian and his walls. You see Damian go from a naive, true believer, into detached, yet successful. It feels like being detached to a certain extent is required. It’s a way to survive without getting caught up in everyone’s drama. Interesting how Damian’s story ends, his thoughts just before meeting Tanner.
