From pickpocket and con artist to little brother and trusted comrade is a tough transition, but Taro is making it. His new sister, former Marine Eve Marcori, promised his dead mother she'd "look after" him. To her that means family, home—her interstellar freighter—and a solid future. In four years she has trained Taro extensively; the next step is college. Taro would rather be shot, but he never forgets his debt to Eve, so he means to honor her plans or die in the attempt. When Eve rescues former joy-boy and current layabout Rafe Ballard, death seems the likely outcome. Rafe is so apparently useless that Eve calls him 'the baggage' and appoints Taro his custodian. Irritated into disobedience by his carefree charge, Taro tries to get rid of Rafe. Instead he gets them both kidnapped by the jealous husband Rafe was fleeing. Though they are off-planet before Taro can act, his training may be enough to bring them safely through—but now he has bigger problems. Forced into partnership—and freedom—with Rafe, Taro begins to see him differently. Kind, funny, and caring, Rafe is everything Taro never knew he wanted. And all he can't have. Eve's plans leave no room for a playboy boyfriend who can never measure up, and Taro can't let her down. Caught between the sister he'd die for and the man he's beginning to live for, Taro decides it's time to start making his own plans. And if the new skills aren't enough, he'll give the old ones a try.

Former joy-boy Rafe Ballard likes living on the freighter Pendragon's Dream. Under the watchful eye of Captain Eve Marcori, Marine veteran, no one beats him. He eats well, his life is rarely in danger, and - most important by far - he spends much of his days and all the glorious nights with his beloved Taro. Energetic Taro, on the other hand, is eager to take on the galaxy without his sister the captain standing by. Rafe doesn't mind - he'll follow Taro anywhere. He's learned enough to get a real job so he won't be holding Taro back. Taro is beyond capable of keeping him safe. What could go wrong? With a Marcori in the picture, lots.

A short from the Dream'verse! I don't know where exactly in the lives of Taro and Rafe this story falls. Someday I'll set it firmly in the chronology. Until then I'll just say it's definitely after the events of Knight Errant and His Faithful Squire. General warning for lust-filled thoughts of one very horny man. Let's say adults only, shall we?

A novel of the Dream'verse One, two, three, How many will my victims be? One, two, three, four, How many more to even the score? When Taro Hibiki leads a survival class into the backwoods, he has two goals: to prove himself as an instructor, and to propose to his beloved Rafe before he loses his nerve completely. In the wilds might seem a strange place for that, but it's where Taro feels most at home—and the only place the couple can escape all their other responsibilities. On BFR, proud colonists say the name stands for “Big Effing Rock,” and brag about their planet's dangers. More treacherous than bomb bugs or sight scamps, though, is a human seeking vengeance. Soon Taro's students are dropping one by one, and no matter what Taro does, the killer stays a step ahead. Worst of all, Taro comes to suspect that the students are targets of opportunity—that the ultimate goal is Rafe. Taro would die for Rafe in a heartbeat, but who's going to take care of Rafe if he does? As it happens, the killer has a plan for that, too.