Wow! Okay so - this book is part of Ruby Moone's MC Securities Series. I haven't read the first two books in this series, but I will now! Daniel and Christian have a past. Twelve years before the time of this story... the two young men fell in love. It was a whirlwind... they were second cousins... Daniel wasn't out and his father's business interests definitely fell on the wrong side of the law. When Christian's father died suddenly, Daniel was there for a few days... then withdrew completely from Christian's life.

And now... twelve years later is where Loving Daniel picks up. This time, Daniel's father has died. Daniel isn't sorry his father is gone but he's still at loose ends... he's lost because he lost a father that was a horrible man and a criminal....but the man was still his father. Christian appears... offering himself as a way to "be there" for Daniel. This is the first point at which the reader has a clue to how convoluted and buried Daniel's emotions are.

Things get worse. Because his father is gone... there's a power struggle in the world of crime Daniel's father inhabited. Christian is a direct route to Daniel because people know that in his past...he's gone to Christian's aid. This connection results in Christian nearly being killed. When he wakes up... Daniel is there... holding his hand and pretending to be his husband.

Things continue to get more and more confusing for Christian. He moves in with Daniel for protection... but sense there's something going on with Daniel. He feels, sometimes, as though they are drawn together but other times Daniel is firmly planted behind a wall. I absolutely loved the push and pull between Daniel and Christian. It was frustrating and heart-wrenching in all the best possible ways. Moon is slow to reveal the past that is keeping Daniel away from Christian so the frustration is real!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The switching perspective between the main characters was well-crafted and the voices were distinct! Sure, there is a lot of frustrating moments, but they read as real to me. I was invested in this relationship from the moment I realized how messed up it was because of something mysterious that happened in the past! ( )