Chapter 4 #2
“Yeah, Mom told me. I figured she would’ve done that a long time ago.
She was always talking about marriage,” Gray said.
Every eye in the room fixed on Gray who didn’t take his eyes off the beef.
Scout began to shake the dry rub bottle like a maraca with the spices flying every direction.
Probably the best way to distract from those tough days of the past. Carolyn took the breakup hard.
“Dude, more’s on the counter than the meat. ”
“He’s makin’ a fuckin’ mess is what he’s doin’,” Wyatt added.
“I gotta get it all over the meat,” Scout explained without slowing the shake of his hand as if that made perfect sense.
“Okay, so what about this baby, Bryce? You really gonna be a father?” I asked, still stunned by the revelation.
“Yup,” Bryce said, lifting his beer can for a swallow, trying to hide the smile quivering at the corner of his lips.
“What about marriage?” Wyatt blurted out.
Bryce’s features slid into an instant scowl. “She wants to wait.”
“Really? She wants to wait? That’s remarkable.
I never saw that comin’,” Scout said and paused in the application of the dry rub as every eye shifted toward Bryce.
Having loads of cash, and being reasonably nice looking, he was usually considered a prize catch in just about every circle known to man.
Women fell all over themselves trying to be the one he put a ring on.
“Me neither.” Bryce gave a cold sounding chuckle. “She blindsided me with that. Won’t even consider marriage right now.”
“When’s she due?” Scout asked, clearly the bravest of us all to face Bryce’s angry glare, slowly moving the shaker again.
“February fifth’s the official date.”
“Where’s she at now?” I asked.
“With her roommate, Kade.” When he didn’t say old roommate, my brows shot up. They weren’t even living together?
The entire room stilled. Bryce wasn’t someone to be put off by anything in life.
“He’s gay, correct? The police officer?” Gray asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the kitchen counter.
Gay roommate. Another interesting twist to the story.
“Yeah, and you stay away from him,” Bryce’s words were as pointed as his index finger shooting to Gray.
“What?” Gray asked. A shrug of one shoulder followed the innocently stated word.
“No, really, I don’t need the chaos that hookup brings to my life. No matter what he says, Kade’s not in it just to hit it. He’s got real issues. Stay away from him.”
Honestly, outside of all the questions forming, the whole exchange was kind of funny, especially as serious as Bryce was about the idea of Gray hooking up with anyone.
Gray was the biggest player in the room, and when he gave Bryce a wounded glance, I burst out with the laugh I’d tried to hold in.
Then the doorbell rang. Like a bullet, Wyatt instantly darted from his chair in the direction of the front door.
“He’s here! I might be too busy to go campin’ with you guys this week.”
Instinctively, I grabbed Wyatt by the back of the T-shirt as I stared at the unexpected profile of my angel from the liquor store.
Mace hadn’t been too far from my thoughts since this morning.
The impact of their brief meeting was substantial, and just like at the store, when I first spotted him, I grew immediately territorial.
With a brute strength, I fisted my hand tighter into the T-shirt, jerking Wyatt backward several steps. The move apparently became game-on as Wyatt cackled out loud. I anchored my body in front of Wyatt, chest bumping while all in his face.
“I called him first,” I growled. “You didn’t buy the chairs to get him here. I did.”
“But he could’ve come to deliver the chairs then see me,” Wyatt challenged, returning the chest bump against mine.
“And if he did, you’re gonna talk up the benefits of your good buddy, Slade, got it?” I placed both palms on Wyatt’s chest, shoving him backward several steps.
“Shouldn’t someone get the door?” Scout asked when the bell rang again.
“Dude, okay,” Wyatt said, lifting both hands in the air between us. I maintained the aggressive, defensive stance a moment or two longer until Wyatt took a voluntary step backward.
A warm, muggy burst of air swept over me, I glanced over my shoulder to see Scout standing in the foyer, front door wide open, wiping his hands with a dish towel.
Mace stood on one side of his sister. On her other side was a guy who held her hand.
Most likely the baby’s daddy. All four sets of eyes were staring at me.
Both Bryce’s and Gray’s heads were angled to the side, bent to better see who was at the door.
Dammit, I didn’t have to see Wyatt to know he was loving this moment.
Probably not the best first impression.
I gave a warning glare to Wyatt, resisting the urge to coldcock that giant smile off Wyatt’s face. Before turning into the host, I rolled my shoulders, trying to ease the tension Wyatt put there, and plastered my passive expression on my face.
“Come in,” I called, hoping I pulled off inviting.
The adrenaline from moments ago vanished as I took a good, long stare at Mace.
All the same reactions from earlier happened again.
My body tensed, my nipples grew sensitively taut against my cotton T-shirt, and my cock went relentlessly hard.
Nothing had changed in Mace’s appearance, except maybe the day’s heat and dust helped push those captivating pheromones from him to me.
Damn, I liked the way he looked.