The fourth entry in Northcote’s Housemate series (and the hottest), Watching and Wanting is Shawn’s story.  Readers familiar with the series will recognize him as the straight friend who lives with Jez, Mac, and Dev.

Shawn’s life is a mess.  He’s just been dumped by his girlfriend, he’s bored with his job, and he’s surrounded by some of the happiest (gay) couples in Plymouth.  He spends his free time working out and playing video games with his roommates, but feels like life is passing him by.  It’s just any other night when he heads upstairs to drop off his roommate Jude’s jacket… and accidentally walks in on him pleasuring himself in front of a webcam.  Shawn quickly flees, but not before he gets a good look at Jude masturbating in front of the camera.  A long suppressed bicuriosity leads Shawn to Jude’s website, and it isn’t long before he’s tuned in and turned on watching Jude’s videos.

Jude, the newest roommate in the shared house, is out, proud and single.  He earns money for school filming himself getting off for paying viewers.  When Shawn accidentally walks in on him, he’s annoyed he forgot to lock the door, but he isn’t ashamed or embarrassed.  Jude is comfortable in his own skin and proud of the money he earns filming himself.  If Shawn has a problem with it, that’s too bad.

Shawn does have a problem.  But it’s not the one Jude expects when Shawn turns up in his room later that week. Though he’s long tried to repress his attraction to other men, watching Jude’s live video feed leaves Shawn fascinated and wanting more.  He asks Jude if he can join him one night and before long, he’s regularly appearing as Jude’s onscreen playmate. When they get together and get naked, it’s kinky, intense and more exciting than either man expected.  Both Shawn and Jude quickly realize their attraction to each other extends beyond the bedroom, and it isn’t long before they separately decide they want more from the relationship.  Unfortunately, Shawn isn’t ready to be out and Jude isn’t willing to go back in the closet.

Watching and Wanting is a sexy, sweet and kinky addition to the Housemates series.  It’s definitely one of Mr. Northcote’s naughtier books (there’s some mild D/s in this one) and it works in the context of this story.  I’m not quite sure I believed in Shawn’s rapid transition from repressed bicurious roommate to on-screen gay lover… but paired with Jude – such a fiercely confident and tender partner – it somehow works.  Though this book succeeds as a standalone, I recommend you read the earlier books (they’re great!) to familiarize yourself with some secondary characters and Shawn’s history in the house.