“What happened at Dillinger’s?” Zane asked as he climbed up onto the truck to work on getting the tie straps unhooked from the bed.
“Work slowed down. They let me go.”
Beau certainly didn’t want to let Zane know that he’d nearly ripped Ricky’s head off because the guy was a spineless dickhead.
“What the hell are they gonna do now?” Zane asked, the exasperation evident in his statement. “It ain’t like Ricky’s gonna pick up the slack.”
“Who knows,” he answered easily. “Ralph said Ricky wasn’t working because he didn’t have anything to do.”
“Riiiiggghhht. And I hear right now there’re subzero temps in hell.”
Beau laughed. That’s what he loved about Zane. They’d been friends for so long, and the conversations were easy between them. Even if Beau wasn’t big on talking to most people, he found he could talk to Zane. Hell, he’d even managed to confront Zane after they had…
Shit. Beau didn’t want to think about that. Not right now. Not with Ethan just a few feet away.
Making his way around to the rear of the wrecker, Beau gently nudged Ethan’s foot as he passed him by, wanting desperately to regain that connection they’d shared just a little while ago. He knew Ethan didn’t want his brothers knowing his business, but Beau was at a point in his life, he was tired of pretending to be someone he wasn’t.
If there was even the remote possibility that he would find what others around him had been finding lately, Beau didn’t give a shit what other people thought of him. And he knew that Zane would support him. At least he’d like to think he would. The only issue he could imagine Zane having would be if Beau went and fell in love with his brother. And it wouldn’t have anything to do with the fact that Beau fell in love with a man.
He knew Zane loved his brother, but Zane had made the comment that he thought Ethan was a player. That he was cold. Beau knew better. Sure, from the outside looking in, that’s the picture Ethan painted for everyone else, but in recent days, Beau had noticed a different side to Ethan. One that he knew most people never had the opportunity to see. Even his own family.
Beau and Zane made quick work of getting the toolbox down from the truck. After pushing it over into one of the far corners and out of the way, Beau relocated the wrecker back to its parking spot outside. When he returned, he found Zane crouching down at Ethan’s side, a disturbing scowl on his face.
Before they realized he was back, Beau eased outside again, listening to the conversation that seemed to be escalating at a rapid pace.
“Mind your own fucking business,” Ethan growled, the sound of the backboard he used to ease under the trucks rolling across the concrete floor.
“He is my business,” Zane disputed.
“You don’t even know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Ethan bit out, his voice sounding louder. Beau figured he was probably standing face to face with Zane right about then, but he had backed up just enough that he couldn’t see inside.
“Look, I don’t give a damn what you do, or what Beau does for that matter, but I do fucking care if you’re playing with him.”
The silence that followed Zane’s statement was deafening.
“Back the fuck off,” Ethan finally said, his words low and intimidating.
“I plan to. But, I’m serious, E. Don’t fucking hurt him.”
The sound of boots scuffling on concrete echoed in the shop and Beau turned the corner just in time to come face to face with a scowling Zane.
“Everything ok?” he asked, trying to act as though he hadn’t heard what they’d just said.
Zane smiled, a gesture that seemed incredibly forced. “Good. I’ve got to run some errands. You want to meet up at Moonshiners later tonight for a beer?”
Beau managed to keep from looking over at Ethan, but he wasn’t sure how. “Let me get back to you on that. I’ve got to take care of something this afternoon.”
Zane looked over at Ethan and then back to Beau. After nodding his head once, he took off. It was clear by Zane’s reaction that he knew something was going on. Beau wondered whether they’d been that obvious. Then he wondered whether the fact that Zane sensed there was something between them would send Ethan back into hiding.
There were plenty of questions and not nearly enough answers, but the only thing Beau knew for an absolute fact… he wasn’t about to let that happen.
Chapter Twelve
♂♀
“Sonuvabitch!” Zane growled when he walked through his front door, slamming it behind him hard enough to rattle the windows.
“What’s wrong?” V questioned from her position on the couch, her laptop resting on her lap.
Zane didn’t answer her, he simply stalked to the refrigerator and pulled out a beer. After wrestling with the cap, he finally managed to open it and downed half in one gulp, never even tasting it.
“It’s a little early for that, don’t you think?” V asked sweetly.
Zane glanced over at the clock on the microwave. It was almost noon. That wasn’t too early in his book. After another swallow, he looked over at V, wondering why she wasn’t pushing to make him talk. After all, he’d dodged two of her questions already.
When he met her eyes, he saw that she was smiling. Oddly enough, he didn’t get angry at her even though his mood had taken a serious downturn after his conversation with Ethan a few minutes ago.
“So why are you home so early?” V asked, setting her laptop on the coffee table and repositioning herself on the couch.
“Not happy to see me?” he retorted, downing the rest of his beer before tossing the bottle in the trash can.
“Of course I’m happy to see you.”
“Then why aren’t you naked?” he asked sarcastically, an unavoidable grin forming on his lips. The thought of V naked, that always made him smile. Hell, any thought of V made him smile. She had a way about her that soothed his soul.
“Because you’re spoiled enough already.”
Ok, so this wasn’t getting him anywhere.
Zane joined her on the couch, sitting at the opposite end and leaning his head back on the cushion.
“What happened?”
“Ethan’s an asshole.” Zane peered over at her momentarily.
V tilted her head to the side, watching him carefully. “What did he do this time?”
Zane returned his gaze to the ceiling and then closed his eyes, sighing heavily. “It wasn’t what he did, it’s who he’s about to do.”
Apparently that attracted V’s attention because she shifted suddenly and eased closer to him. “Who is he with?”
Zane opened his eyes and glanced over at her, not lifting his head from the cushion. “You don’t even want to know.”
V’s smile was so radiant, Zane thought he’d be blinded for a moment.
“Beau?”
Zane jerked to a sitting position and turned to face her. “Why would you think that? Why would Beau want to be with my brother? He’s not –”
“Zane Walker,” V said, cutting him off. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed the tension between them. It’s been going on for… for a long time.”
Zane relaxed a little.
He dropped his head, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared down at his hands. Yes, he had noticed the tension between them. Yes, he had thought that something might be going on between the two of them. And yes, he had pretended not to notice.
“Does it bother you that Beau is gay?”
Zane felt like she’d slapped him upside the head. “Why in the fuck would that matter to me?”
“Because he’s your best friend.”
“It doesn’t matter to me what someone’s sexual preference is, V. I’ve…”
He paused, realization dawning. God, he was so fucking dense sometimes. Here he had been wondering why Beau wouldn’t continue with their threesomes ever since that night. And it had taken him all of this time to finally realize that Beau wasn’t with them because he was
gay? Not because he was confused. Or because of what happened. Well, maybe a little because of what happened.
Looking over at V, he found her smiling sadly back at him. “Why hasn’t he just come out and told me?”
Zane felt the rift that continued to develop between him and Beau. Originally, he thought that they were growing apart because of V. Then he figured it had to do with the fact that Zane had fucked him. It wasn’t something he thought about often, but he knew the events of that night had changed Beau. Or maybe Beau hadn’t changed at all, and Zane was just noticing for the first time.
He frowned. Some friend he’d been.
V moved closer, resting her hand on his arm. “I think Beau was confused, and probably hung up on you for a long time. So much so that he denied himself any kind of happiness and refused to believe that he wanted anything different than you did.”
“But he slept with women.”
“When he was with you,” she told him.
“How can he just give that up? How is it he hasn’t realized this before now?”
“He’s questioned himself, Zane. Beau has enjoyed sex with women. But only when you were there. See the connection?”
V sounded as though she knew firsthand what Beau was feeling, which raised another question. “How do you know all of this?” Zane felt like a total shit. His best friend finally figures out who he is, and Zane had spent the last year pretending that nothing had changed when everything had changed.
“Because I asked him. After the night you were with him, I think something clicked for Beau. You gave him something he’d been curious about, probably helped him confirm what he had suspected all along. But you are his friend, not his lover. He accepted that.”
“And now he’s going to be with my brother?”
“What if he is? Would that be such a horrible thing? Ethan’s a good guy.”
“So you say,” Zane argued.
Truthfully, he knew Ethan wasn’t a bad guy. Unsociable, yes. A player, probably. But he had a good heart beneath all that attitude. “What am I supposed to say to him?” Zane didn’t bother to clarify which him he was referring to.
“You’re going to support him. Both of them. It’s not your place to decide what is right or wrong. If they manage to find happiness with each other, then we’re going to be right there beside them, loving them the same as we do now.”
Zane stared at his hands for a few minutes, his mind tossing around the information he’d just learned. Finally, when he found his voice, he said, “Well, hopefully E can forgive me for sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.”
V squeezed his arm and chuckled. “Honey, he’s forgiven you millions of other times. I’m sure this one won’t be any different.”
Chapter Thirteen
♂♂
Ethan tried to control his temper, but it wasn’t looking good for him. All of the anger and stress that had dissipated with Beau’s kiss had returned tenfold, working its way back into Ethan’s bones, making him hurt all over again.
He was so pissed at Zane for making accusations he had no business making that now he could hardly see past the red haze. It was a damn good thing that his nosy-ass brother had decided to leave when he did. When his brothers made an effort to interfere in his life, – which they did often for whatever reason – Ethan felt as though he’d been stretched in multiple directions, like a rubber band. This time was no different, only he was seconds away from snapping.
“Hey,” Beau’s soothing voice interrupted his thoughts, causing him to stop pacing the floor and look over at him.
Lifting one eyebrow, he tried to give Beau a look that would deter the man from interfering. He wanted Beau to believe that what happened between them earlier hadn’t affected him, but either Beau wasn’t as adept at reading him as he originally thought or Beau wasn’t giving him an out. Part of him hoped it was the latter. He was tired of fighting himself and everyone else at the same time.
He didn’t move a muscle as he watched Beau walk to the control panel that would lower the open bay door. Once that was done, Beau made his way over to him, stopping within inches of his body. They stared at one another for what felt like an eternity, but was probably only a few tense seconds.
“I need to kiss you again,” Beau whispered before his lips eased over his.
God, why did he just want to give in? Why did Beau speak his mind and why in the hell did it have a calming effect on him?
When Beau’s arms came around him, Ethan relaxed instantly, his arms snaking up and around Beau’s neck, unable to resist despite his common sense screaming like the blaring horns on a fire engine. Holding him close, Ethan reveled in Beau’s taste. The kiss moved from tentative and gentle to wild and daring faster than Ethan could inhale.
He groaned, unable to hold back as Beau’s strong hands slid up his back, pulling him close and holding him there.
“Still up for getting out of here for a while?” Beau asked gruffly after several intense seconds, his expression solemn.
Ethan couldn’t lie to him. There was no way he’d be able to tell him no. The only thing he wanted at the moment was to get out of there, just the two of them.
“Sure. You have somewhere in mind?”
Beau nodded but didn’t offer his suggestion.
Ethan grinned. “Come on.” Nodding his head toward the door, Ethan once again retrieved his truck keys. This time, he prayed that no one would interrupt their attempted departure because he wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait to be alone with Beau.
Less than five minutes later, Ethan was pulling up to his house. Bypassing his usual space in the center of the driveway, Ethan kept his truck to the right, allowing Beau a place to park that monstrous truck of his.
Without waiting, he climbed out and headed to the porch, hoping like hell Beau would follow. Seconds later, Beau was at his side, his big, warm hand coming down on his shoulder as Ethan attempted to unlock the front door.
“You sure this is all right?” Beau asked.
Ethan turned to face him, not understanding the question. Beau simply glanced over at the two trucks parked in the driveway. Taking a deep breath, he held it. Let it out.
“I should’ve let you ride with me,” Ethan said hurriedly, unsure what to make of Beau’s statement. Did he not want anyone to know he was there? Or was he trying to protect Ethan? After what had happened with Ricky yesterday morning, Ethan knew he should’ve had Beau ride with him, but this was his family’s land. Private property. And they were far enough back, no one other than his brothers would ever see Beau’s truck. Sure, it might raise some questions, but he’d become a pro at evading them whenever they popped up.
That didn’t mean Beau hadn’t wanted to be more discreet about their interaction.
“If you’re worried about someone finding out, I promise, no one will see your truck. And if they do, they won’t say anything.”
Beau’s face fell as he took a step back, his hand dropping from his shoulder, but he didn’t look away. “I don’t have anything to hide, E.”
Rather than having that conversation outside in the cold, Ethan pushed open the front door, reminding his feet that this wasn’t a race, and he wasn’t supposed to be running. He’d shown enough lack of decorum so far, he wasn’t about to let Beau’s off-handed comment get to him.
After waiting for Beau to enter the house, Ethan followed, then closed and locked the door behind them, dropping his truck keys on the small table in the entryway.
“Nice place,” Beau stated.
“Thanks.” Ethan observed the interior of his home as though seeing it for the first time. Large, open rooms. A lot of glass, steel beams and bamboo flooring tied everything together. Aside from that, the walls were carefully decorated, the appliances were sleek stainless steel, and the furniture was all modern with a hint of contemporary. Just the way Ethan liked it.
It wasn’t anything like his brothers’ houses, but given he had been provided the opportunity to do as he wan
ted, he had designed it to suit his tastes. In his opinion, they already lived in the country, he didn’t need the interior décor to remind him of that. Instead, he’d opted for modern and sleek. He liked clean lines and no clutter and his house suited him.
If he had to describe it in one word, Ethan would say his taste was… simple.
Ethan watched as Beau moved slowly, glancing back at him once before moving forward.
“Want something to drink?” As though the question triggered Beau’s hunger response, Ethan heard Beau’s stomach growl. “How about I make us some lunch?”
Beau’s smile was so bright, Ethan’s heart thudded double time in his chest. God, the man was beautiful. And when he smiled, he was magnificent.
“I’ll help,” Beau offered. “Which way is the kitchen?”
Ethan chuckled and then moved around Beau so he could give him a brief tour of the downstairs. “Living room,” he said, pointing to the large den. The entire front and rear walls of the house were made up entirely of glass; therefore, the den was brightly lit, highlighting the bamboo floors, the stainless steel accents, and even the leather furniture.
“Dining room.” Ethan motioned to the small breakfast nook that was tucked away behind the kitchen, once again overlooking the back of the house, the windows offering a stunning view of his swimming pool. Although he liked the view from that room, he rarely used it because sitting at the table by himself just felt awkward.
“Kitchen,” he told Beau as they went through the arched entryway that led to the kitchen which sat on the southwest corner, facing the front of the house. Each and every time he saw the kitchen, Ethan’s breath would stutter in his chest. It was by far his favorite room and the one he spent most of his time in. It wasn’t a known fact, but Ethan loved to cook. Even if he only cooked for one. His mother swore he’d inherited that trait from her.
Ethan (Alluring Indulgence) Page 11