Kick Start (Dangerous Ground 5) by Josh Lanyon

Author:Josh Lanyon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: glbt, fly fishing, oregon, bromance, dss, lovers dream vacations, lovers and friends, meet the family, partners to lovers
Publisher: Josh Lanyon

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“You want to grab some lunch now?” Will said, as he and Taylor walked out to the parking lot. “Or you want to see the sights?”

“Let’s eat.” Taylor’s sunglasses hid most of the bruising around his eyes, but that split lip looked painful as hell. Will, still smarting in tender places from his collision with cardboard boxes and trash bags earlier in the week, felt a jab of sympathy.

“How about I take you to the place with the best selection of microbrews in town? You can drown your sorrows.”

“My only sorrow is Cousin Dennis is out of my reach.”

“That’s my boy.” Will gave Taylor’s shoulder a friendly bump with his own.

They drove to Tucker’s Tavern, which was a rustic-looking building with a giant mill wheel out front and an old-fashioned painted tavern sign with a mermaid patting a dolphin. What the mermaid and dolphin had to do with anything, Will had never understood, but the sign had hung there as long as he could remember.

He held the front door for Taylor and followed him inside. It was dark and quiet, except for a radio playing from a back room. The tables and bar were empty. A tall, curvy young woman with waist-long brown hair was wiping down tables. She smiled hello. Then her expression changed. She dropped her yellow sponge. “Oh my God. Will Brandt?”

Will looked closer. And closer still. His jaw dropped. “I don’t believe it!”

She threaded her way through the tables, and he met her halfway, picking her up. “Madonna Agnelli?”

She was grinning, shaking back that brown-honey waterfall of hair. “Not Agnelli anymore. I married Jim Tucker.” She gestured to the bar and the taps. “Home sweet home.”

“Jimmy Tucker. No way!”

Madonna laughed. “That’s right. Your archrival, Will.”

It occurred to Will that he was still hugging her, that her long, shapely legs were wrapped around him, that they were not in college anymore, and that his boyfriend was watching their reunion with a profound and utter silence.

“Jim’s a lucky guy,” Will said sincerely, setting her on her feet. “You look great.” He turned to Taylor. “Taylor, this is…”

“The famous Madonna,” Taylor supplied.

“Right,” Will said hastily, not at all sure about that expression on Taylor’s face. “Madonna, this is my partner, Taylor MacAllister.”

“Nice to mee —” Madonna offered a hand. Her eyes widened. “What happened to you?”

“I walked into a tree.” Taylor shook hands.

“You’re bleeding again,” Will observed, frowning at the scarlet trickling from Taylor’s right nostril.

Taylor touched his nose. “Damn. I am. Do you have a washroom somewhere?”

Madonna pointed out the way and Taylor excused himself.

“That’s one nice-looking man. Even with his face bashed in,” Madonna observed, as Taylor moved out of earshot.

Will smiled faintly. “Yeah. He is.”

She tilted her head thoughtfully. “So when you say he’s your partner, do you mean…?”

“I do, yeah.”

She laughed without bitterness and shook her head. “Well, that answers one question.”

“I bet it answers more than one question.”

Madonna laughed ruefully. “Maybe it does.”

Will drew a deep breath, but he didn’t begin to know how to explain, and it was too late anyway, really.

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