Wanting More by Cari Z

Title: Wanting More
Author: Cari Z
Purchase at Rocky Ridge Books
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Cover Artist: P.D. Singer
Genre: contemporary, short story collection
Length: 15k, 53 pages
Formats: epub, mobi, pdf

After a late-night rendezvous is interrupted by the partner of the man who hired him, stripper and high-end escort Alex Kidman can't get James Fitzgerald out of his head. So when James comes to watch him dance a few weeks later, Alex knows it's time to make his move--but James isn't comfortable with him if he isn't paying for his time.

This short story also appeared in the Dreamspinner Press anthology Sindustry II.

Bonus Story: Favorite Dish

With his lover James away on business for three weeks, Alex does his best to distract himself by keeping busy with his work as a chef, but not even the most elaborate meals can keep him occupied when all he wants to do is cook for two. Fortunately James has the same problem, and can’t resist coming home early to satisfy his hunger for Alex.

This short story also appeared in the Torquere Press anthology Pour Some Sugar On It. 

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These two stories are so perfect together that it’s a shame they ever appeared apart. Both told from the first person POV of Alex, we’re allowed to watch as dancer and rentboy Alex falls for James, and James falls even more reluctantly for Alex. Then we have the delight of seeing them a year later and finding out what they’ve become to each other.


The two are off to a very rocky start, since they meet while culinary student Alex, in his persona of Cristof the dancer, sits in the lap of a third man. James has enough flexibility that what could be catastrophic is merely tense and horrible, leaving Alex wondering. James comes back to find out for himself what Alex is all about.

The book has a lot of sex, which is probably why the author listed it as erotica at ARe, but make no mistake, it all drives the plot and fuels the character growth. This is truly a romance plot arc, and both men have to grow and change in order to be with each other. They are definitely more than a good time to each other, which the second story illustrates.

Flash forward to a year later, when once again James goes out of the country, leaving Alex home to cook, and wryly chuckle to himself that he’s pining for his lover. Homecoming can’t come soon enough for either of them. Short, sweet, hot. Very loving.

In a way, these two stories read like the first chapters and the last chapter of a larger work, though they weren’t written as such, and if Cari Z wanted to put a middle in, I’d read that in a heartbeat. I’m not much of a BDSM reader, but the very mild bondage scene didn’t frighten me off: it was hot hot hot, mostly because of how much Alex was getting off on it. Less pleasant was James calling Alex “baby” a couple times, which I find a bounce out of the story.

If you’re in the mood for short, sexy, and intense, these two stories will feed your need. 4.75 marbles