Gage didn’t respond, but he did push to his feet.
“We’ll be right back,” Travis told Kylie as he led the way to the narrow hall in the back.
“What the hell –”
Don’t ask him why he did it because Travis had no idea, but as soon as they were alone in the hall, he slammed Gage up against the wall and claimed his lips with his own, effectively shutting him up. There was a brief pause, a moment of hesitation and then Gage was kissing him back with a ferocity that mirrored what was churning in Travis’ veins.
Knowing someone could walk down the hall at any moment and see them, Travis didn’t linger, but he did take exactly what he wanted, his hand going to the back of Gage’s neck, pulling hard until his face tilted up slightly so he could drive his tongue firmly against the welcoming thrust of Gage’s.
Fuck. He was completely insane with need.
Breathless, Travis broke the kiss and took a step back, their eyes locked on one another. There was a moment of what the fuck, as though neither of them had expected that to happen, but they both wanted to do it again. Soon.
“She’s not staying with you,” Travis informed him when he got his breathing under control.
“And what? You expect her to stay with you? Don’t you think you’re a little late to the party, Travis? She’s not your wife anymore.”
“Technically she is,” Travis barked. “And I don’t give a fuck where she stays, but she’s not staying with you.”
“Why the hell not?”
“Because if she’s getting in your bed, I’m going to be right there with her,” he said, his voice low as he moved closer. They were practically nose to nose when Travis spoke again, “And when I do make it to your bed, I’m going to be buried ball’s deep in your ass until you scream my fucking name. You think she can handle that? You think she’s the type to be open to a ménage? If so, then by all means, make the suggestion. I’ll be there in a heartbeat.”
Gage stared back at him like he’d lost his mind and Travis was beginning to think he might have. His emotions were all over the map, and he damn sure wasn’t thinking straight.
“Is that what you want? A ménage?”
Travis glanced down the hall, making sure no one was coming before he leaned in closer and brushed his mouth over Gage’s once more. Fuck, he needed to taste him. He wanted to inhale him until neither of them were strong enough to pull away. “I’ll take you and her any way I can. Whether that’s separately or together, it makes no difference to me.”
“You’re a selfish bastard, you know that?” Fire burned in Gage’s rich, chocolate brown eyes.
“I’ve always known. Never even questioned it. Why the hell do you think I walked away from her all those years ago? I’d bet money on it, Matthews. Kylie won’t ever give in to the two of us. And tell me, do you think you can spend the rest of your life in a monogamous relationship?”
Travis knew all about Gage’s extracurricular activities. He knew the man was involved with Kaleb and Zoey, and he also knew he was rather liked at Club Destiny by more than one couple. He needed the threesome, almost as much as Travis needed a ménage. The only difference between the two of them was that Travis wasn’t looking for temporary.
“I’d never dream of putting her in that position,” Gage whispered. “She deserves better.”
“Better than what? Better than two men focused entirely on her for a lifetime? I’m not sure I agree.”
“But you want both.” It wasn’t a question this time and Travis didn’t respond. No sense in it. The words were nothing but the truth. Travis was bisexual. He’d known it his entire adult life. It wasn’t until recently that he decided it was all or nothing for him.
Unfortunately up until now, it’d been nothing. He wasn’t expecting much more from Kylie. Didn’t mean he wasn’t sending up a silent prayer.
♀♂♂
“Hey, sis,” Jessie greeted as she joined Kylie at the table a few minutes after Travis and Gage walked away.
“Hey.” Glancing around the bar, she tried to discreetly locate where the two of them had gone, hoping like hell they weren’t throwing down in the back alley or something. They were both strung tight, a discernible tension passing between them and Kylie was rightfully worried.
“Oh, if you’re looking for your friends, they’re in that hallway over there,” Jess said as she pointed. “I’m not sure I’d interrupt them right now though.”
“Why’s that?” Kylie feared she’d been right and maybe they were beating one another to a pulp.
Jessie leaned closer, lowering her voice to a mere whisper, “They’re kinda making out at the moment.”
Kylie flinched so hard, she had to grab hold of the table to keep from knocking her chair over backward. Rather than ask Jessie if she was sure, Kylie got to her feet as soon as her chair was stable and stalked across the room. She managed to slow before she entered the hall, choosing to peer around the corner rather than barge in on them.
Oh. My. God.
“If you ask me, it’s pretty damn hot,” Jessie whispered in her ear, scaring her so badly, Kylie screamed as she jumped back.
Well, so much for stealth. She heard the sound of footsteps as they pounded down the hall and suddenly Kylie had no desire to stick around.
“Let’s go.” Without waiting, she grabbed Jessie’s arm and tugged her along behind her.
“Wait! Kylie. Stop!” Jessie squealed as she tried to slow her down without much luck. Kylie was on a mission, one that involved her getting far away from Gage and Travis. The only other thing she was focused on was her speed.
She was within reach of the door when Jessie must’ve grabbed hold of something bolted to the concrete floor because suddenly she was pulled up short. When she turned around, she came face to chest with Travis. On his right was Gage.
“I think you should probably talk.” Jessie’s confusion was written all over her face. “I’m going to go back and talk to those twins. When you’re ready, just let me know.”
“I’m ready now.” Kylie knew her face was red because she was blushing from the inside out.
“No, she’s not,” Travis added.
Kylie bit her tongue to keep from yelling. This wasn’t the time or the place, but she wasn’t promising anything. Once they were outside, which is exactly where she was headed, she was going to lose it.
“I’ll check on you in a few minutes,” Jessie whispered and disappeared before Kylie could beg her not to leave her alone.
“After you.” Travis waved a hand toward the door, and like a child, Kylie turned and walked. She slammed open the door and moved out of the way in time for it to swing back, but Travis caught it before it smashed into him.
Damn it.
“We need to talk,” Travis told her as he gripped her upper arm and led her over to what she assumed was his truck. It was the same one that had been at Walker Demolition when she had served him the divorce papers. The same one he drove to her house afterward.
She wrangled her arm away from him and stopped suddenly. “Why do the two of you insist on doing that? Don’t touch me. Can’t you take a hint? I don’t want to have anything to do with you.”
Kylie was easily pressed up against the truck, Travis’ big body looming in front of her, but he didn’t touch her. The warmth of his body combined with the humid, stifling air made her feel as though she was suffocating.
“Are you going to hear me out?” His words were so low, Kylie barely heard them. If he hadn’t been right up in her face, she wouldn’t have.
She focused on breathing, staring up at him and waiting for him to get his lips moving. If he wanted to explain he could go right ahead. Although she had a pretty damn good idea why he walked away from her back when they were married. She just didn’t know why he had married her in the first place. It was obvious he hadn’t come out back then, but now. Well, Kylie got the impression thanks to their very public display that Travis didn’t have a problem with people knowing he was gay.
<
br /> “I’m not,” he whispered and Kylie’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“You said I was gay. I’m not,” he explained.
Wow, had she said it out loud? She really needed to get out of there.
“Look, I’m not here to pass judgment,” she stammered, thoroughly unnerved by how close Travis was. Gage was gradually eliminating the breathing space between them as he leaned his forearm against the truck, over her head. Any minute now, they were going to be practically on top of her.
Don’t go there. Don’t go there. Don’t go there. She repeated the mantra over and over in her head. The idea of both of them. At the same time…
She was soooo not going there.
“Can you give us a minute?” Travis asked Gage.
“No, don’t give us a minute. We don’t need one,” she said, finding her voice. “I’m not interested in talking. At least not tonight.”
Travis took a step back when Kylie put her hand on his chest and shoved. It was like trying to move a mountain, but thankfully he appeased her.
“I’ll pick you up in the morning.”
Crap. Kylie had already agreed to talk to him tomorrow. And he was supposed to pick her up at her house. Part of her wanted to tell him not to bother, the other part wanted to hear what he had to say. Closure. That’s what this was about, and even though she’d figured it all out, despite his denial, Kylie still wanted to see how honest Travis Walker was going to be with her this time.
Nodding her head, she turned away from them and headed back inside. She didn’t care if Jessie was ready or not, they were leaving. If her sister wanted to stay, well, she’d have to find her own way home because Kylie was so done with this.
Chapter Fifteen
♂♀
“Hey, baby. What are you still doing up?”
“I was waiting for you.”
Curtis Walker peered down at his wife from where he stood, and he smiled. He loved looking at her, found himself watching her every chance he got. Didn’t matter if she was fluttering around the kitchen, or tending to the small garden she had planted in the backyard, or brushing that ornery old horse of hers that wouldn’t have anything to do with anyone but her. And he especially loved those rare times when he woke before she did. He could spend hours – hell, days – listening to her breathe softly as she dreamed. Still, after fifty years of marriage, his heart rate still kicked up a notch every time he looked at her.
“How’d it go?” Lorrie asked as she set her e-reader on the coffee table and turned to face him.
“Well, let’s just say it was a learning experience.” Curtis thrust his hands through his hair and moved around the couch to join his wife.
It was still fairly early, but he was exhausted. Trying to keep up with seven rowdy boys… er, men, took a lot out of him. He wasn’t as young as he used to be. But listening to them razz each other as grown men wasn’t much different from when they used to chase each other around the house as young boys.
“What did you learn?” she asked with a smile that radiated.
Curtis eased down onto the couch beside his wife, pulling her against him and placing his arm over her shoulder. Lorrie curled up beside him, tucking tightly against his side just as she always did. He found he longed for the times they could sit just like this. Whether they were watching TV or just talking about things going on with their boys.
“Well, let’s see,” he began, unsure where he should start. “Brendon and Braydon found a new woman tonight, but that’s not all that surprising. She was a beauty though.”
“Anyone I know?”
“Hadn’t seen her before. She’s not from here. She came in with another pretty girl who seemed to catch Travis’ attention. From the moment she walked in the door, he was tripping all over himself.”
“So they knew each other?”
“That’d be my guess,” he explained. Curtis had seen recognition in the woman’s eyes when she had looked at Travis, but at the same time she didn’t seem all that comfortable with him either.
“What was her name?” Lorrie asked, placing her hand on his thigh and leaning into him a little more as she tucked her feet beneath her.
“Kylie. Didn’t get a last name, but her first name was Kylie,” he replied.
Lorrie pulled away suddenly and Curtis moved back, staring down at her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Curtis, that’s her. Oh my goodness, that’s her.” Lorrie’s enthusiasm confused him.
“Who?”
“What am I going to do with you? Your memory’s going fast, old man.” Lorrie’s blue eyes sparkled as she teased him, but Curtis still had no idea what she was talking about.
“Careful, woman. I’ll lay you down right here on the couch and show you just how old I am.” Just as he’d hoped, she blushed sweetly and then swatted him on the chest.
“She’s Travis’ wife. Kylie. That’s his wife’s name.”
The single word triggered the proverbial light bulb and Curtis realized why Lorrie had gotten excited. That’s right. Travis’ wife – the one he had never even told them about. How he hadn’t put two and two together in the first place, he had no idea. Maybe he was getting old.
“Did they talk? Did they say why she was here?”
Awww, hell. This couldn’t be good. Curtis closed his eyes as he leaned back into the couch trying to remember all that he could because she wasn’t going to let up on him. And the other half of the story probably didn’t fare well for the young woman.
“What is it, Curtis?”
He opened his eyes to see Lorrie’s serious face staring back at him, endless questions in her eyes.
“Well, see, I was coming out of the restroom and well, that’s when I saw Travis.” He swallowed hard. “And if Travis is still married to that woman, then things aren’t looking all that great for her at this point.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say it looks like our boy might have found a different form of interest.”
“What does that mean?”
Curtis looked Lorrie right in the eyes. “Well, based on what I saw, I think Travis isn’t interested in women much these days.”
Lorrie’s eyebrows scrunched as she seemed to be translating what he was telling her. When she didn’t say anything for long seconds, Curtis took a deep breath and spilled it. “I saw Travis kissing Gage Matthews in the hallway at Moonshiners.”
Lorrie’s eyes went wide, her hand came up to cover her mouth as she stared back at him. The shock only seemed to last a few seconds because then suddenly Lorrie was smiling. “Well, I don’t care who he’s with, but hearing that he kissed someone is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”
Her cute little smile was infectious and he found himself grinning back at her. She was right. They’d heard a lot of news lately, thanks to the rumor mill in Coyote Ridge. Gossip spread faster and more often than that waitress’s legs down at Moonshiners. And that was saying something.
But most of the time, although their boys were often the topic of those conversations, there wasn’t ever much about Travis. He was a private man and Curtis respected that about him, but he knew Lorrie worried all the same. No matter how much she wanted him to find his happily ever after, the man didn’t seem to have many lasting relationships if he was having any at all.
Pulling Lorrie back against him, Curtis relaxed into the couch once more. “I don’t care either, honey.”
“Did it look serious?” she asked as she settled against his side once again.
Curtis kissed the top of her head and grinned. “It looked like two men kissin’, darlin’. I wasn’t going to stand around and take notes.”
“Let’s just hope he finds happiness sometime in the near future. That’s all we can hope for,” Lorrie said with a sigh.
Yes, that’s all he hoped for any of his boys. They were good men, just as Lorrie and Curtis had raised them to be. Gay, straight, whatever. Curtis didn’t care, and he knew his wife d
idn’t either. They just wanted them to be happy.
It was the only thing that mattered to them.
As he sat holding his wife, Curtis couldn’t help but wonder when he’d made his sons believe otherwise. Because up to this point, neither Travis nor Ethan had been open and honest with them about their relationships. They seemed to forget that having seven boys meant their eyes and ears were sharper than some – even now. They’d had no choice but to hone those senses. Turning your back on one little rugrat was asking for trouble, but seven… That was a recipe for disaster. Those habits were hard to break.
And no matter how much their boys thought otherwise, Curtis and Lorrie saw a lot more than they gave them credit for.
Chapter Sixteen
♂♀
If Travis thought standing in Kylie’s house yesterday, or seeing her at Moonshiners, had been hell, he was certain he wouldn’t survive this day.
When he pulled up in front of her house a few minutes ago, he’d been surprised to see her waiting on her front porch. Part of him expected her to stand him up, which he would rightfully deserve. The fact that she looked just as surprised to see him wasn’t lost on him either. And now her fresh lavender scent filled the interior of his truck, causing him to swallow hard and pretend to be unaffected – for her benefit only.
“Where do you want to go?” Travis asked Kylie when she buckled her seatbelt after getting situated.
“I don’t care.”
Ever since she left him standing in the parking lot of Moonshiners yesterday evening, he had done little else besides think about her and anticipate seeing her again.
In fact, as soon as he left Moonshiners last night, Travis had gone straight home, knowing that he wasn’t going to be decent company for anyone other than himself at that point. He’d fought the urge to bring Gage back to his house as well.
Needing some time to think, mostly about how he was going to explain to Kylie what she’d seen, he had tried to ignore the need that had his body humming to life. Unable to get away from the images in his mind, he’d finally given in to his own hand in the shower.
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