Chapter 6
Slade
With my whole game plan contingent on being a gentleman, something that oddly felt foreign to me, I stayed close to Mace, extending a hand again to push the storm door open.
I didn’t anticipate the handle had shut closed.
When I pushed at the glass in the door, it didn’t budge, which crowded me and Mace together.
For me, I got a rush when my cock brushed up against Mace’s ass. Mace slammed his forehead into the door, knocking it pretty hard, which had him taking a step backward, aligning us perfectly together. If only we weren’t wearing clothes.
Damn society’s issues with being clothed all the time.
Our hands fumbled together on the handle to release the latch.
Again, another move that would have a straight guy throwing a solid fit about now.
Good.
We were on the same page.
And about the same height. How easy would it be to nibble on the guy’s neck…
Finally, two or three long seconds later, the door popped open and Mace took a solid step forward.
“Sorry about that, I forgot it sticks,” I said quietly.
“Yeah, obviously,” he said, doing a half turn around the deck until he spotted the guys at the patio table on the other side.
He left me hot and bothered and alone in the doorframe.
As Mace went, his fingers rubbed his forehead, no doubt some pink flesh there.
“What screen door sticks? They’re always loose, bangin’ around.
That’s its thing,” he muttered as he went.
I chuckled, following him to the guys. For whatever reason, I drew Mace’s attention again and he glanced backward at me. All the weirdness he put off dissolved between us. A red mark marred his tanned skin.
“Exactly what I thought. When I was young, my mom had a screen door that I never shut properly. One of those thunderstorms would come through, and the screen door beats against the proper door. I’d get in trouble every time,” I said.
I took the opportunity to catch up to him and gently slide the tip of my finger over the pink skin to make sure there wasn’t a lump rising while I stared him in the eyes.
There was honesty between us. The avoidance and uncertainty were taking a back seat.
“I think you’re okay, but head injuries are tricky. I’ll have to keep my eye on you,” I said, tucking my hands in my jeans pockets to keep from touching him again. “You’ll fit in here. We’ve all been friends since our select ball together. Have a good time. I’ll get you home.”
“So you’re an actor?” Mace asked and turned as if to include the guys in various states of sitting and standing, all staring at Mace and me.
“I am. Your family’s the only people who’ve identified me for years. I hope they’ll keep it to themselves.”
“Whoa,” he whispered as he took in the hills that were the backdrop of my home. The breathtaking view held him spellbound, like it had me when I first arrived.
An expensive climate control system made having the dinner on the back porch comfortable for this time of year.
“I lived around here my entire life and never saw it like this,” Mace said, his hands tucked into his pockets, taking in the one hundred and eighty degree view of hills.
Mace’s wonderment had all the guys turning to take in the view. As if planned, they synced their movements to then turn back to stare at Mace.
=?=
Slade
“Why’re they starin’?” Mace asked, twisting the cap off the beer bottle.
“The truth? I’d like to say it’s because they haven’t ever seen such a handsome guy before, but I think it’s more me.
Wyatt and I had a battle in the kitchen when I first saw you standing outside my front door tonight.
I wanted the first shot to get to know you.
He, being the pain in the ass he is, decided to torment me,” I explained, going toward the closest empty seat at the patio oblong table.
“Mace, I saved room for you,” Wyatt said loudly, his playful expression locked on me the entire time he patted the seat beside him.
“He’s safer over here. Sit,” I said, pointing to the seat.
“How did you know?” Mace asked, still standing. He tilted his beer bottle to his lips in what looked like an attempt to hide the sheer nervousness of asking such a question.
“Know what?” Scout asked, glancing away from the heated grill and sizzling steaks. “Don’t mess with him. We’re only out because we’re together. No one knows I’m gay.”
“I think what Scout’s trying to say is that you didn’t give anything off that we could tell. I was hopeful that you were,” I said. “It doesn’t regularly work out this well.”
“Huh,” Mace answered in a nonanswer.
“I saw you first,” Wyatt added, leaning back in his seat, his arm dropping along the porch railing. “I live an hour away.”
Mace’s face went pink, no denying the blush building. It was sweet and worrisome. The guy was obviously nervous, clearly uncomfortable, and still hadn’t officially confirmed anything.
“Let me go over this again. This is Bryce,” Mace said, pointing to him. “Scout’s at the grill, Wyatt, and Gray. Bryce and Gray live in Dallas. Scout’s career military. Wyatt’s the governor’s son.”
“Correct,” I said, laying my palm on the back of the metal chair in invitation. Without any additional prodding, Mace took the seat. He didn’t sit back, getting comfortable, but he did tilt the bottle back for another deep swallow.
“I played ball for eight years for Hill Country football association. Did you guys play in the league?” Mace asked.
“Yeah, until high school,” Gray answered, the nostalgia had a small smile spreading across his lips, his arms crossed over his chest, his ankle followed, leaning back in the seat.
“Football, basketball, and baseball with Hill Country,” Bryce added.
“Same,” Mace said, and then relaxed back into the seat. “When did you play? Did we cross paths?”
“Graduated twelve years ago,” Gray answered. “We’re all turning thirty this year. It’s easy math.”
“Hey,” Wyatt said, offended. “Don’t age me. I was a boy wonder. Advanced for my age.”
“Right. He’ll be thirty January second,” Bryce said. Scout opened one of the two built-in refrigerators and pulled out a Bud Light. Mace’s gaze followed.
“You ready for another?” Scout asked, already opening the door again, reaching for a Heineken.
“Yeah, I guess,” Mace said, lifting his bottle, guzzling the rest like he had inside the house.
Mace swung his attention back to the guys. “I’ll be twenty-seven this year. We didn’t play together unless y’all were bad, or little for your age, then maybe.”
Wyatt snapped his fingers together, and he sat up, pointing at Mace. “Wait. You’re the guy…” The sudden excitement Wyatt had at remembering a moment now had his brows dropping just as quickly, a deep frown following. “Did you rodeo? Mason Sutton?”
The gulp Mace took this time was slower than the others. Whatever Wyatt remembered had him continuing without Mace’s answer.
“Oh, man. I’m sorry about all that.”
Questions rushed forward, immediate and demanding, but they all remained unasked when I sensed the vibe had changed. Mace needed a break and we were the perfect group to give that to him.
“Do you know that Wyatt’s a bum still living off his family?” I said, taking an empty seat opposite Mace, turning away from the stunning landscape to better stare at the handsome guy.
“Hey!” Wyatt crunched up his empty beer can and threw it in my direction. I dodged the can as it bounced off Scout’s backside. “At least I’m not an actor,” Wyatt blurted. A small part of me celebrated getting under his skin.
“Steaks are almost done,” Scout said. Those words were my signal to finish gathering the meal and be ready for the greatness about to be bestowed upon us.
“We’re eating out here. Is that good for you?” I asked Mace about halfway between the screen door and the group of guys.
“Sure. If there’s enough,” Mace said. His third beer bit the dust when he drained that bottle in the same fashion as the other two.
“Yeah, there’s enough. Wyatt made sure of that,” Scout said, lifting the heavy tray of foiled covered steaks.
“I’ll go get the baked potato fixin’s,” Wyatt said, pushing off the railing to follow me inside.
“Yeah, I’ll come help too,” Bryce said. A second passed before the back door closed. Bryce didn’t miss a beat. “What’re you doing out there?”
“What’d you mean?” I asked, trying to split my thoughts between the task at hand and the beauty that seemed to steal all my reasonable thought.
“How don’t you remember?” Wyatt asked. “He was the only survivor in a badass accident. I can’t believe it’s him. People still talk about it.”
The emotional connection I’d developed made more sense now, but I fought it. I tended to attract the hurt and needy but had learned a long time ago to place those invisible protective barriers around me or I’d absorb their problems.
“I’m not trying to keep him around for more than a couple of months.”
“I don’t think he’s casual, dude. Did you hear how his sister answered questions about him? He didn’t say a word. Everything he’s revealed is elusive. He’s too vague,” Wyatt said. “I’m out on him. That out there’s a lot to unpack.”
“Huh…” I finally muttered.
“Did you think he’s all tensed up because he’s overwhelmed with you?” Wyatt asked from right beside him, his tone condescending.
“No, of course not,” I started, before stopping mid-sentence. “Okay, well, I did hope that was the deal.”
“I don’t think he’s fling material,” Bryce added his two cents in that all business way he had about dealing with everything.
“I can see how bulldozing your way in, then washing your hands of it, could make matters worse. Look, keep the facts in mind. He’s gorgeous, I’ll give you that, but living out his life in that bar doesn’t just happen. Something’s piled up on him.”
“I just met the man, Bryce. I’m not trying to marry him. I’m trying to have sex with him,” I said, defensively. He wasn’t trying to put a ring on Mace. So now that Bryce had a relationship, all of a sudden, he was an expert?
“I see you’re fighting my words, just remember these people are real people. They don’t play like you do. You’ll take off to go about your life, and he’ll be left here dealing with the consequences,” Bryce said.
I managed everything in one hand and went around Bryce, turning the doorknob, but stopped before pushing the door open, trying to understand since Bryce was not letting this go.
So, because of my career, I couldn’t have a date or two with a normal, everyday kind of guy? Have a nice time, maybe get lucky a time or two.
“You think I should back out too?” I whispered, and my brow furrowed at the anger that came with my words. No way. Bryce could jump in a lake before I let that happen.
Wyatt burst out laughing.
“You’re hardheaded. No wonder we get along so well,” Bryce said, pushing past me to step back outside, then letting the screen door slam shut in my face.
=?=
Mace
Something cool rubbed against my skin, sending a full-body shiver racing from my tensed toes to the top of my bedhead. It was enough of a tremble to have me groaning as I turned to my side, reaching for my summer blanket to drag it up my body.
Except it wasn’t my normal barely together blanket, but a heavy, soft, and comfortable bedspread that weirdly didn’t make me too hot the instant it covered my skin.
I rested my mind, ignoring the cobwebs from too much alcohol, and ran my tongue throughout my severely dehydrated mouth, and quietly sorted through my thoughts to find my last dream.
Ah yeah. Wildflower, my best friend and mare from years ago was nudging my arm for the last bite of apple we’d shared. Me and Wildflower had been inseparable. Well, minus the hours of school and some sleeps.
I missed her something fierce.
She should be there with me now…
That was all it took for my heart to ache, waking me fully.
I blinked my eyes open then shut again. Why was there so much bright light?
Shit. Where was I this time?
The images around me didn’t help identify my location as I lay perfectly still, ticking off the events of the night before. A habit I did regularly.
Realization traveled through my head like a roaring locomotive, slamming into a brick wall, remembering the guys and the home from the night before.
Oh dear God.
I jerked my head to the left, searching for another body. Thankfully, no one was there.
It didn’t mean that nothing happened.
Fuck. The largely hazy parts of the night could mean anything.
Jeez. I fought through the shooting pain in my head and took inventory of my body. I wasn’t nude, but I wasn’t dressed either. I wore a white T-shirt that seemed cleaner than it should be to be the one I wore yesterday and my underwear. They felt like mine.
The room was decorated with large furniture in soft colors with the closet door ajar, the LED light was brightly poking out the sides.
The bed ranked in the pretty magnificent range. Probably worth more money than I made in a month while working for my parents. I flung the cover off and rose to the edge of the bed. Luckily, my ass wasn’t sore. That fact didn’t offer the relief it should.
There were a couple of tablets by a glass of water on the nightstand that matched the bed frame and chair in the room. It never occurred to me not to swallow each one while drinking the entire glass of water.
My khaki shorts were on the floor at my feet. I reached for those to find my cell phone. Six o’clock in the morning. An escape from the house seemed possible, and that alone put me into high gear. I pulled on my shorts, socks, and work boots in record time.
With little more than another toss of the bedspread, semi-covering the mattress, I made the bed. I was at the door seconds after standing, opening it to listen to the noises inside the house.
Everything was quiet and dark.
It had seemed like an open-concept home, the house was actually a sophisticated labyrinth of dead-end turns.
When I found the kitchen, I was home free as long as the security system wasn’t armed.
A house like this would have one, surely.
At the door, I tested my theory. No bells or beeping initiated, leaving me in the clear.
From there, I scrambled down the steps to my truck.
The entire time I moved, a silent, relentlessly berating voice played in the back of my mind.
I drank too much, and yet again, I had no idea what had happened to lead to me sneaking out of a house in the early morning hours.
The noise of the old engine couldn’t be helped. I barely left the driveway without peeling out.
The truck headlights illuminated the way over the gravel-covered road. Even these tiny rocks had to cost a mint.
What was I doing?
The current way I lived my life had to change. If I continued this way… Well, it couldn’t be healthy. And eventually the trainwreck everyone thought I was would become a careening, out-of-control, can’t-look-away collision that took everyone down with me.
Shit.