Until He Stayed

by A. V. Lorne

When Michael Whitaker finds Jamie—his daughter’s old friend—shivering outside in the rain, he doesn’t hesitate to offer shelter. But the boy who once lounged in chipped nail polish and teenage bravado is older now, quieter, and carrying wounds he won’t name. What begins as an act of kindness deepens into something more intimate. Jamie, drawn to Michael’s steady presence, tests the space between them—with softness, with silk, with unspoken longing. Michael isn’t prepared for what stirs in protectiveness, desire, the ache of being needed. As days fall into rhythm and nights stretch too long, they move from uneasy roommates to something more vulnerable—and far less defined. Until He Stayed is a tender, charged slow-burn about unexpected love, the comfort of structure, and how one man’s stillness can become another’s sanctuary.

62 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2025

Reviews

[Sarah☀️ Somerville · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have loved this story - it was quiet and beautiful and there were plenty of feels.

But it was also confusing. There was a rain scene that seemed to happen twice, and the first time referenced something that happened that morning… but nothing happened that morning? Except the second time it had? I don’t know, it felt like the scene had been completely rewritten but the initial version hadn’t been removed.

(Please edit and republish! Cause this book should have been lovely and the strangeness of the rain scenes got in the way of my enjoyment.)