A TWIST OF FATE
NEIGHBORLY GESTURES: A TWIST OF FATE
A short erotic neighbors and ex-in-laws to friends-with-benefits story
Copyright © 2024 Leto Armitage – All rights reserved
Publisher: Libertalia Press
࿐ ࿔*˖𓇼 DEDICATION 𓇼˖*࿔࿐
I dedicate this series to Mr. Rogers. Fred Rogers taught generations to “love thy neighbor” on his children’s show. He may not have approved of all the ways they love each other, but I think he would approve of the real affection between them and the bonds they form.
࿐ ࿔*˖𓇼 DESCRIPTION 𓇼˖*࿔࿐
When your asexual girlfriend meets your submissive neighbor, and everyone’s actually okay with it.
Adam’s arrangement with Shannon has found its rhythm. Thursday nights, service and submission, the whiskey bottle contract. It works. It’s uncomplicated. Until it becomes very, very complicated—in the best possible way.
Harley arrives with chicken parmo and an invitation to game night. Purple-haired, tattooed, commercially artistic, and completely adorable. Also: asexual. Which she explains using the most perfect food analogy Adam’s ever heard. She wants romance. She wants cuddling. She wants to be the big spoon. She doesn’t want sex to be the central focus of a relationship.
And despite knowing about Shannon—or perhaps because of her directness about it—she wants to be Adam’s girlfriend.
Neighborly Gestures: A Twist of Fate is the third book in a series that keeps surprising readers. Where asexual representation is done with respect and humor. Where autistic characters experience joy, not tragedy. Where polyamory functions through communication, not drama. Where found family accepts complexity and celebrates it.
Content: Explicit sexual content, asexual relationship development, neurodivergent representation, ethical non-monogamy, found family, mature characters communicating effectively, multiple relationship dynamics coexisting. All characters are consenting adults.
Perfect for readers who love: Asexual representation, autistic characters done right, ethical non-monogamy without jealousy, found family dynamics, series that evolve beyond their original premise, geeky romance, communication over drama, and characters who surprise you by becoming your favorites.
࿐ ࿔*˖𓇼 EXCERPT 𓇼˖*࿔࿐
“So, he used death metal to save the world?”
The movie had just ended, and the credits were rolling. Harley held a hard cider in her tattooed hand, and I was stroking her bare feet that were resting on my lap. She had been letting her blonde hair grow out a bit and had pink strands in it now. Her long t-shirt made it look like she didn’t have anything on underneath, though a peek told me she was wearing shorts.
“Pretty much,” I said, taking a swig from my bottle. “What did you think?”
“Just the right amount of silliness, methinks. Ten toes up!” She stretched her feet and wiggled her toes to illustrate her point. Her silliness made me smile, and that made her giggle. “Thanks for having me over, Adam.”
“No, thank you for feeding me.” We had eaten the chicken parmo she’d brought over straight out of the aluminum pans that now littered my floor.
“Mind if I stay and finish this?” She tapped her bottle.
“I was hoping you might have another one with me.”
“Trying to get me drunk?” She wasn’t flirting, but seemed curious.
“It’s tempting,” I said, giving her my best grin.
Harley pulled her feet out of my lap and looked serious. “Look, Adam, you’re a nice guy but…”
“Whoa, whoa, let’s pause this.” My hands went up. “I wasn’t all the way joking, but I’m not propositioning you. You’re cute and likable, and I wanted you to know that.”
She looked ready to cry. “This always happens, fucking damn it. I’m so stupid. I’m sorry if I made you think—“
“No, no, you haven’t done anything wrong.”
“But I’m always messing these things up.”
I gave it my best soothing voice. “Listen, I get the hint and it’s cool. I wasn’t getting hot and heavy vibes or anything, but I do like you and I think you’re cute. When you add female, friend, and cute together, I can’t help but be curious. That’s all.”
Her eyes searched my face. “Are you one of those guys who thinks he can’t be friends with a girl?”
“Not at all.” I took another sip of cider but would have preferred something stronger. “Please, can you put your feet back? I was enjoying the contact.”
“I was too. It was relaxing, but that was all. You didn’t think I was flirting?”
“No, I didn’t think you were flirting. I tried to test the waters a little, and it turned out to be a bad idea. I’m sorry.”
Her feet slowly found their way back into my lap. “I’m no good at this stuff, and guys always get the wrong idea. It’s my fault, I know it is, and I tell them that, but they still get mad at me. I do like you.” Her eyes were moist. On her first visit, Harley told me she had trouble making friends and was only close to her mom. She was in Africa with Doctors Without Borders, but stayed with Harley when she was back home.
“I like you as a friend, and I think I would like you in a few other ways as well. But I’m a little confused. If you like me more than just as a friend, then why was my flirting so bad?”
Her face scrunched up. “Because I don’t want to fuck you. Guys always want that and I can do it, but it’s never enough and…” Our eyes met and she trailed off. “Oh, frak! I’m so sorry, Adam. I stuck my foot in my mouth again.”
࿐ ࿔*˖𓇼 REVIEWS 𓇼˖*࿔࿐
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࿐ ࿔*˖𓇼 BUY IT NOW 𓇼˖*࿔࿐
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