by Darien Cox
Elliot did a double take at his friend. “You say his name with such disdain. I thought it was my job to despise the asshole.”
“Tim Patterson is not an asshole,” Myles said. “I know you have some bad blood with him, Elliot, but I’ve known him since we were kids. He may be flawed but he’s not a bad guy. Please don’t start any shit when he gets here.”
“Couldn’t I start just a little shit?” Elliot said. “Please? Like a tiny nugget of shit?”
“No,” Myles said. “This is Ogden’s plan, so if you won’t listen to me, listen to your boss. If we sell this it could solve your problem of random hikers running all over the roof of that alien base.”
“Tim Patterson’s been hanging out at the pub lately when I bartend,” Nolan said. “Giving me puppy eyes. I’m afraid he’s working up the courage to ask me out, and I don’t want him to.”
“Yes, Tim has a crush on you, Nolan,” Myles said. “But that’s not why he’s stopping by tonight. Just put it out of your mind and be convincing.”
“I think I should put some ice on this,” Christian said, gently touching his cheek. “It fucking hurts.”
“No, it’s really swelling up now,” Myles said. “Leave it until after Tim leaves.”
“Right,” Christian said. “I need to be maimed for the sake of good theater.”
Myles pointed at Nolan. “You good with this?”
“I can handle it. Christian and I went hiking. Rocks fell. One hit Christian in the face. When did this happen supposedly?”
“Today.”
“I was bartending from noon ‘til five.”
“Then this morning,” Myles said. “I’m gonna get out of here now. Tim doesn’t know you’re aware he’s stopping by, so act…I don’t know. Surprised or at least normal.”
Christian leaned in to Myles. “Kiss me goodbye? With tongue, please?”
“I’m on duty,” Myles said, but the smile he gave Christian could have melted an iceberg with its heat. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
After Myles left, Elliot turned to look at Nolan, who sat on the couch with his arms crossed over his muscular chest and a scowl on his face. “Stop sulking. And here.” Elliot leaned over and yanked Nolan’s hair tie out. Dark locks fell to his chin in shaggy spikes.
“Hey!” Nolan ran his fingers through his hair. “What did you do that for?”
“You were pummeled by rocks today, remember? You need to look a little roughed up.”
“You want to hit me, too?”
“Kind of, but I won’t. It’ll look fake if you both have a black eye.”
“Hey.” JT leaned over and smacked Nolan’s shoulder. “Stop pouting. Grumpy.”
“I’m not pouting. I just don’t want to have to talk to Patterson. It’s awkward.”
Elliot shrugged. “He’s a good-looking guy. You’re bisexual and on a dry spell. No reason not to take advantage and get some forest ranger ass.”
“Ooh, yeah, Nolan!” Christian said. “You got some wood for the forest ranger?”
Nolan shook his head. “He was shitty to Elliot. I want nothing to do with him.”
Elliot had slept with Tim Patterson years back. Tim had treated Elliot like dog shit afterward. It wasn’t that Elliot had been all that enamored with the forest ranger. Patterson had generic good looks, like an overgrown blond frat boy, but he wasn’t exactly Elliot’s type. It had been a matter of convenience at the time. Elliot had been drunk and horny, and Tim Patterson chose that moment to come onto him. Right place, right time.
But as soon as Elliot got him off, Tim had leapt from the bed and immediately began admonishing Elliot not to tell anyone about their tryst. “I have a reputation to uphold, you understand,” Patterson had said. Since Tim was an openly gay man, it wasn’t his sexuality he was worried about hiding. It was the fact that he’d slept with Elliot, who he clearly saw as beneath him. He’d treated Elliot like he was some local piece of riff raff he’d picked up because he’d felt like slumming.
Elliot had shared the incident with his friends, who’d given Tim the cold shoulder ever since. Their loyalty warmed Elliot, but shit, he didn’t care if other people spoke with Tim. He was over it. Long over it.
“I don’t care if you date Tim Patterson,” Elliot said to Nolan. “Seriously, it won’t bother me. It’s not like you’re gonna fall in love with the guy. Just fuck him and get it over with. You’ll probably renew his petty little life, he’s been mooning over you for months.”
Nolan frowned up at Elliot. “He was shitty to you,” he said. “End of discussion.”
Elliot shrugged and turned away, a small grin on his face. He was spitefully pleased by Nolan’s refusal to date someone simply because they’d treated Elliot badly.
Maybe Elliot would never be able to have a real, intimate connection with someone. Maybe he’d always be a lonely bachelor because of the work they did. And he did get lonely sometimes. But despite the recent misgivings about his job, he had friends that would do anything for him. He worried that perhaps that shouldn’t be a sufficiently satisfying life for a grown man. That he was getting too old for chasing aliens and hooking up with a random stream of perky village twinks. But for whatever reason, he was basically satisfied with what he had.
It might not be a life anyone else would covet. But for Elliot, it was enough. He joked with the others and called them codependent, teasing that they couldn’t take a piss without each other. But he wasn’t immune, he’d grown to rely on the camaraderie and constant companionship. Maybe it was because they had to rely on each other, that there was no one else they could be real with because of the job they did.
But the thought of Nolan or the others being ripped from his life was currently unthinkable, and that startled Elliot. He shouldn’t be so dependent on them, so satisfied merely to have these three friends in his life. They were work colleagues first. Friends second. Or was it the other way around now? It had been over a decade, every line possible was blurred. Shit, Elliot was the only one of the group who hadn’t dabbled with each other. Christian and JT used to be in love. Nolan had a relationship with Michelle before she left the team. Elliot was the only one who hadn’t sipped from the company fountain. And since starting the job in Singing Bear Village so long ago, he’d never had what he’d call a boyfriend. Yet somehow he still felt satisfied. These friendships…they were enough.
At least for now.
JT walked to the front window and pulled the curtain back. “Ranger truck just pulled up. He’s here.”
“Showtime,” Christian said. “You ready?”
Nolan winced. “What if he asks me out? I don’t want to have that conversation.”
JT laughed. “He’s here on official capacity, he’s not gonna hit on you with us here.”
“Okay but you guys can’t leave until he does.”
Elliot cackled. “Big strong Nolan’s afraid of da forest ranger.”
“He bothers me! He’s always staring.”
“Just tell him you’re not interested, Jesus,” Christian said. “Grow up, Nolan.”
“I’m hoping to avoid having to have that conversation, Christian. It’s awkward. Hey, come sit on my lap.”
Christian’s nose wrinkled. “What? Why?”
“If he thinks I’m intimate with someone else he’ll probably give up.”
“Um…” JT raised a finger. “Christian is dating Myles. Tim’s best friend? I think he’ll realize you’re full of shit.”
“Then you sit on my lap.”
“Me?” JT laughed. “Have you met Rudy? He’s jealous as fuck.”
Nolan looked up at Elliot.
“Oh no,” Elliot said. “Don’t involve me in this. I’ve already got bad history with the guy.”
“That’s why it’s perfect!” Nolan said. “If he sees me snuggling up with you of all people, he’ll back off for good.”
“You,” Christian pointed down at Nolan, “are an infant.”
“Fuck off, Christian, you’re an infa
nt. Oh noes, my feets are cold! On noes, I need ice for my boo-boo!”
“Least I let myself get punched in the face. I’m tougher than you, baby-man. Oh noes, Tim Patterson won’t stop staring at me! I’m Nolan, everyone wants me and it’s soooo hard!”
“Don’t start with me tonight, Christian, I swear to God.”
“Both of you cut the shit,” Elliot said. “You two are like an old married couple and I’m tired of Mommy and Daddy fighting.”
The doorbell rang.
JT smiled at Nolan. “Ready to get your lie on?”
Nolan gave Elliot pleading eyes. “El, come on. Just sit on my lap.” Nolan leaned over and grabbed Elliot’s arm, tugging him down.”
“Jesus Christ,” Elliot said as he settled onto Nolan’s lap. “This is so fucking immature.”
The doorbell rang again.
“You all set?” JT raised his hands. “Can I answer the door now Nolan or would you like to stage an orgy or something?”
“It’s fine. You can answer it.”
JT went and let Tim Patterson in, who, to Elliot’s snide disappointment, looked really cute tonight. He was in jeans and boots with a thick wool sweater, a ‘Parks Department’ ball cap tugged over his light blond hair. “Hey, JT,” Tim said. “Came to see Nolan. And Sheriff Murphy said Christian would…oh there you are. Hey Christian.”
“Hey, Tim.”
Tim’s eyes slid to the right and widened when he saw Elliot sitting on Nolan’s lap. He went still for a moment, then forced a grin. “Well, well. The gang’s all here. Nolan, I need to speak with you and Christian if you have a minute.”
“Shoot,” Nolan said, his arms tightening around Elliot’s waist. Tim Patterson’s eyes followed the movement.
“You were up hiking on the far side of Bear Peak today? You and Christian?”
Nolan nodded. “Unfortunately. Got hit by falling rocks. One of them bashed Christian in the face.”
Tim tore his eyes from Nolan when Christian approached him. “Oh shit,” Tim said examining Christian’s bruise. “That happened today?”
“Yeah. Hurt like a bitch. I won’t be going back up there again.”
“Why the hell do you guys hike all the way up there anyway?” Tim asked, turning back to Nolan and Elliot. “There are miles of groomed trails with better conditions. There’s nothing up there, it’s all boulders.”
“We like a challenge,” Nolan said.
Nolan’s arms squeezed Elliot again, then his fingers began affectionately stroking his chest and belly over his shirt. Elliot kept his face blank as he stared up at Tim, but he was having trouble concentrating. It felt strange being on Nolan’s lap, back pressed against his firm chest. Elliot wasn’t used to being this physically close with a larger man. Elliot wasn’t exactly small, but Nolan’s body seemed to engulf him, cushioning him on all sides.
“Do you want me to tell you exactly where we were?” Christian asked. “If it were up to me, I’d close off that whole area though, it’s not safe.”
Tim didn’t seem to hear Christian, still watching Nolan’s hand trail over Elliot’s stomach. The forest ranger’s handsome face pinched in a scowl.
“Tim?”
Tim turned to Christian. “Oh, yeah. Tell me where you were exactly.” Tim glanced back at Nolan and Elliot once before focusing fully on Christian. He took off his ball cap and rubbed a hand over his blond hair—a primping gesture.
Elliot sucked a soft breath in when he felt Nolan’s nose burrow into the hair at the back of his head, inhaling. Why the fuck is Nolan sniffing me?
With Tim still engaged in conversation with Christian, Elliot turned his head and whispered to Nolan, “Don’t bury yourself in the role.”
Nolan’s lip quirked in a half-grin and he squeezed Elliot in his arms. “Gotta make it convincing,” he whispered.
Elliot swallowed hard and faced front, pretending to pay attention to Tim and Christian’s conversation. Tim Patterson’s eyes shifted to Elliot and Nolan again. Nolan’s fingers playfully drifted up and down Elliot’s ribcage. When Tim’s eyes didn’t turn away, the hand slid lower, and suddenly Nolan was stroking Elliot’s thigh—far too close to his dick.
Tim’s gaze followed, then he quickly turned back to Christian. “Uh huh.”
“I’ve seen falling rocks up there too,” JT ad-libbed to the conversation. “Thankfully never got hit by one.”
“Okay, here’s what I’d like to do,” Tim said.
Tim talked, but after that Elliot didn’t hear a word he said, because suddenly he could feel Nolan’s dick throbbing against his ass. Instinctively, he shifted to avoid it, which only achieved friction when his jeans slid against the obvious boner. Nolan made a small movement on the cushion, and suddenly his dick was realigned with Elliot’s ass again. He tightened his arms and tugged Elliot closer—and firmer against his groin.
What. Is. Happening?
He was gonna kill Nolan once this was over. His eyes closed tightly when Nolan’s nose nuzzled the back of his neck. “Stop,” Elliot hissed.
But he said it too loud, and Tim’s head turned toward them. He frowned, then his eyes dropped to Nolan’s tablet on the end table. “Why do you have a picture of Brett Kuna?”
Elliot took the opportunity to bound off of Nolan’s lap. He was getting stiff in his jeans and it was embarrassing, not to mention weird as hell. “You know this guy?”
“Yeah.” Tim pointed at Nolan’s tablet, which still showed a frozen close-up image of the dreadlocked guy from the mountain. “That’s Brett Kuna. He’s a teacher.”
“He’s a local?” Nolan asked, grabbing the tablet.
“He is now,” Tim said. “Moved to the village a few months ago.” Tim came to stand directly in front of the couch. He seemed pleased to be getting some form of communication from Nolan finally.
Nolan looked up at Tim. “Where does he teach?”
“At the middle school. He’s a science teacher. Why do you have his photo if you don’t know him?”
Nolan and Elliot locked eyes, and whatever weird moment they’d shared on the couch was replaced by mutual concern, and a bit of mind reading. A science teacher. And he worked at the middle school, where DisclosureNow’s message had originated. Elliot may have just found his troll.
“We saw him hiking in the woods,” Nolan told Tim. “I was taking pictures of birds and happened to catch him.”
Tim smirked at Nolan. “Taking pictures of birds. You like birds.”
Nolan’s brows rose. “I can’t like birds?”
Tim laughed. “Just…wouldn’t have imagined it. But sure. You can like birds.”
Nolan chuckled and shook his head. “So is that all you need from us?”
Tim shrugged and grinned. “Unfortunately. I’ll get some signs up around the area, warn hikers off. You stay out of there too, big guy. Don’t want any rocks falling on you.”
“That’s awfully sweet of you,” Nolan said.
Tim flushed and chuckled. “I can be sweet sometimes.”
“I’m sure you can.”
Oh Christ, they’re flirting. Elliot had a moment of odd jealousy until he remembered he wasn’t actually Nolan’s boyfriend—the spontaneous lap dance performance was supposed to be a farce. But hell, Tim didn’t know it was a farce. And now Tim was flirting with Elliot’s fake boyfriend right in front of him. What a prick.
“Okay, see ya later Tim,” Elliot said.
Tim’s flirtatious grin slid away when he looked at Elliot. His lips tightened and he gave Elliot a quick nod. “I’ll show myself out. Have a good night.”
JT, ever gallant, walked Tim out to his truck.
“You guys.” Christian approached. “Dreadlock guy. He works at the school?”
“Yeah,” Elliot said. “Science teacher. If he’s the one I spoke to online, that’s got me a little worried.”
“It still could be a coincidence,” Nolan said. “Even if it was the science teacher talking shit online, doesn’t mean he actually knows you, Ellio
t, or anything about the base.”
Christian threw his arms up. “Then why the fuck is he hiking up to the field and hanging out near said base? Something’s fucked up about this.”
“I’ll look into him,” Elliot said.
“I think you should have Ogden look into him,” Nolan said. “He has better resources.”
“I’d like to meet the guy first,” Elliot said. “Feel him out. I can tell when someone’s lying. If he’s the guy that used a school computer at five in the morning to threaten me, and if he actually does know who I am, I’ll be able to tell. By his expressions, the way he reacts.”
“Okay,” Christian said. “And what if he acts totally normal?”
“I’ll still look into who has access to the science lab computers at the middle school. Especially at five in the morning. This teacher dude should be helpful with that, if nothing else. We’ll figure out who it is either way.”
“I don’t like it,” Nolan said. “If he actually does know something, or thinks he does, you approaching him will be confirmation.”
“Can I borrow some socks, Nolan?” Christian asked. “Mine are wet.”
“You know where they are.”
“Thanks.”
Christian disappeared into Nolan’s bedroom. Elliot was pleased Christian and Nolan were no longer shouting at each other. But now Elliot was alone with Nolan, and suddenly could remember exactly how it felt to be pressed against that muscular body, the feel of Nolan nuzzling his neck. He turned away. “I should get going too.”
“Already?” Nolan approached, brows lowered over his honey-brown eyes. “Figured you’d want to hang out and do some research or something. See if we can figure out who our dreadlocked science guy is.”
“I’m pretty sure he’ll keep until tomorrow. I’m exhausted.”
Nolan stepped closer. “Elliot, I need to—”
Christian bounded into the living room in fresh socks and sat down, pulling on his boots. “I’m gonna go outside and grab JT so we can leave. Gonna go home and wait for Myles to get off work. Are we meeting tomorrow?”
“Yes,” Elliot said, thankful for the distraction. “I think it’s high time we made a real plan to contact Baz. Glad Tim’s gonna put signs up but I’m not convinced it’ll deter all hikers. The Whites need to be told to crawl back in their hole and stop letting themselves be seen.”