The Crow Creek Box Set, Vol. 1 (The Crow Creek Series, #6) by Nya Rawlyns

Author:Nya Rawlyns
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Gay Fiction, Gay Romance, gay lit, contemporary gay romance, contemporary romance, homoerotic fiction, western
Publisher: PubRight
Published: 2014-06-03T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

––––––––

They were in the house, waiting on dinner, already on their second round of doubles, neat. In the kitchen, Carmen banged pots and pans, expressing her opinion loud and clear.

“She hear?” Jess tilted the glass and slugged back another healthy dose of regret.

“Oh yeah.” Ash shoved the ottoman farther away so he could rest his heels comfortably. “Kinda surprised you didn’t get an earful last night and this morning.”

“I was busy.”

“Doing what?”

Jess looked away. Exactly what had he been doing? Whatever it was, it had him churning like butter, his insides loose. Like none of the bits fit anymore, as if they were waiting on something.

Or someone. Someone who had promised they were just getting started. Someone who had it all wrong.

Someone who was so right, he’d never again get to feel the way he’d felt when he woke up this morning, Luc staring down at him. There’d been that kind of wonder and ease that had made him feel ten feet tall.

“You gonna tell me about it?”

“Are we doing ‘true confessions,’ Ash?” He finger-quoted and scowled to make the point.

“I told you mine...”

Jess pressed his lips together, wondering if it was wise to poke the bear in his own den. Ash MacBryde was on a knife-edge, walking disqualification like it might be an option. Like he’d already pulled leather, slapping it hard.

Some riders did it from a place of fear, from somewhere so deep they needed a shrink to gouge out the cancer, make living possible again. Others did it like a dare, to see if anyone would notice. Tempting fate and the judges and the fans. It got to be a habit for a few, those who wanted it too much, or not enough.

Jess wasn’t sure how his friend and former lover fit that mold. One thing he did know, he’d ridden his mount hard, spurring him mercilessly. He’d left scars, what kind remained to be seen.

Looking Ash in the eye, Jess growled, “You didn’t tell me shit, boy.”

“I said you were right...”

“Right? About you being a jealous prick? Jesus, MacBryde, after two years living in each other’s pants, you think I don’t know you well enough by now?” He waved the glass and gave Ash the out he needed, a little time to regroup and decide if it was worth baring their souls.

The man was closed mouthed and shut down tighter than a drum on a good day. The last few definitely hadn’t qualified as good. But in war, when dying was easier to come by than living, they’d found ways to communicate, some words, but mostly not. It’d been the touches, the brush of shoulders, a fingertip stealing a moment, so many little things that’d given them enough reasons to make it through the days and the longer nights.

After refilling the tumblers, Ash parked on the ottoman, knees touching Jess’. He kept his head lowered, the mop of dark hair falling forward, unkempt and so damned tempting, Jess’ gut urged withdrawal, to sit back, break the connection.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.