Ryker’s gaze never faltered from his. “And now that you’ve had time to check out the…scenery?”
Grady couldn’t back down from Ryker’s open challenge. Dropping his gaze to the floor, Grady focused on Ryker’s biker boots before following the line of his dark jeans upward. He hated himself for noticing how impressive Ryker’s package looked in those jeans. The idea caused Grady’s focus to snap back to Ryker’s face. It wasn’t the safe choice. Ryker’s angles were perfection. Grady was certain Ryker had made some shady deal with the devil because it was almost unnatural. His flannel shirt hung open, revealing the white t-shirt beneath. Grady was having a hard time not staring at the way his shirt clung to every hardened line, dipping in the right places, and highlighting a six-pack most men would kill to have. The only thing the least bit out of place was the man’s hair. Ryker’s hair was long, but Grady couldn’t guess at its exact length, since both times they’d met, it had been pulled up into an untidy man bun. It was ridiculous because even the mess added to his hotness.
Ryker wasn’t smirking any longer. If anything, he appeared thrown off balance by Grady’s inspection. That made two of them. Grady didn’t have a single fucking clue what was going on inside his head. Ryker got to him in a way he shouldn’t—in a way no man should. Even that knowledge couldn’t contain his confession. “The rumors are all true. I’ve been missing out on all the best…décor.” He tried keeping his voice bland, hiding the way Ryker’s presence affected him. This confusion, lust, and awareness of being were emotions Grady didn’t want. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if they knew how Ryker got under his skin
Oddly, the one emotion Grady felt above all others was rage. He was more pissed at himself than he’d ever been in his life. Even if he wasn’t straight, Ryker wasn’t his type, because Ryker was everyone’s type—a hot mess wrapped in beautiful paper. His anger must’ve shone in his gaze. Ryker took a step back.
“You have great taste in friends,” Ryker said pasting on a fake smile. “For a cop,” he added before disappearing into the crowd. The instant Ryker was gone, Henley broke. “Whoa. What the fuck was that all about?”
Keeping his gaze carefully averted. Grady shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Henley was having none of it. “Dude. Areyou going to tell me you weren’t flirting with him? I mean, for pride’s sake, you sort ofhadtoo since he started it, but still.”
Everyone was staring at him. He could feel their eyes boring into his skin, waiting for his reaction. It took work, but Grady arranged his features into some semblance of disbelief. “Nah. Sounded to me like he was surprised to see me here more than anything else.” He cast a glance around the table, avoiding everyone’s stare. The tightness in his chest eased as he realized everyone had already lost interest.
Shayne was texting someone—probably the good doctor. Austen and Finn had their heads together, speaking low enough they couldn’t be overheard. Maddox and Joss were in their own little world as well. Going by the flush on Maddox’s cheeks and unfocused stare, Grady imagined Joss was busy describing something blatantly sexual in Maddox’sear. The pair most likely wouldn’t last much longer.
Left with no alternative, Grady met Henley’s gaze. Henley was one of those people who gave off a dark vibe. Now and then Grady thought he caught a glimpse of something in Henley’s eyes, hinting at thoughts he didn’t want to know. He was staring at that side of him now. Henley’s brown eyes darkened, seeming almost black, and matching his hair. A muscle in his jaw ticked. Grady couldn’t figure out what he’d done to piss the other man off, but it was obvious he had done something.
“What?”
Henley didn’t respond right away. For a moment, Grady felt exposed—laid bare. Henley shook his head. “I don’t understand you.”
A snort escaped Grady before he could call it back. “What’s there to understand? You get what you see.”
“Not this time,” Henley shot back. “I’ve known you a long time, and not this time.” A fake smile appeared, wiping away the darkness in his eyes. “But whatever, man. Keep it to yourself. It’s not like we’re friends or anything.”
Grady drew in a hiss, feeling Henley’s low blow all the way to his bones. “Damn, Hen, tell me how you really feel.”
Henley looked away, focusing on the crowd. “You first.”
He couldn’t. Henley was right. Not this time. “There’s nothing to tell. Seriously.” A beer appeared in front of him, cutting off his lie. Grady snagged the waitress before she could get away. “I didn’t order that.”
She winked. “It’s from Ryker. He said, if you had a problem with him buying you a drink, to tell you he said, ‘Lighten up, Cop’.” Flashing him a smile, she turned away, leavingbehind the beer and damning him in Henley’s eyes. As if Grady’s brain meant to prove a point, his gaze landed on Ryker where he leaned against the bar. Even to himself, Grady refused to admit, he’d never lost sight of him. Meeting his stare, Ryker’s mouth lifted in one corner. Lust slammed into Grady with enough force to steal the oxygen from his lungs. He couldn’t explain it. Throughout his entire life, Grady hadn’t once been attracted to another man. When he looked at Ryker, he was hypnotized. Every muscle in his body seized up whenever the man was near as if fighting the temptation to touch him. Inside his head, Grady was screaming. For the first time in his life, Grady experienced physical pain from wanting something he shouldn’t—someone he couldn’t have.
“Tell me again how nothing is going on,” Henley growled as he pushed his way to hisfeet. Grady opened his mouth, intent on defending himself, but Henley disappeared into the crowd of gyrating bodies on the dancefloor before he had a chance. Grady spent five minutes debating the merits of chasing after him. In the end, he knew there were no words. Anything he came up with would be a lie, and they’d been friends too long. Luckily, Lincoln turned up, still wearing his hospital scrubs. He gave Grady something else to focus upon, saving him from himself.
5
Lincoln made it forty-five minutes after Shayne’s unexpected visit at the hospital before he found someone to cover the remainder of his shift. At any other time, he might’ve felt guilty for his shoddy attendance the past two days. Since he was usually the one covering for everyone else, Lincoln decided he was due a little time off. When he experienced a hint of doubt over that excuse, he added his lust to the list. Scrubs and a thin lab coat didn’t go far toward hiding the erection left behind by Shayne’s impromptu visit. The moment he’d let Shayne know he was free, his presence had been demanded at Plethora nightclub. Lincoln didn’t bother making time to change clothes, proving Shayne was indeed a sickness.
Although Lincoln had been inside the popular night spot a few times in his life, it had been years. The line spilling out the door madehim wonder if he’d ever find Shayne. As if they were physically connected, Lincoln’s gaze landed on the other man the moment he stepped inside. It was almost funny. He didn’t notice anyone else sitting at the table until after he’d claimed the empty seat at Shayne’s side and he’d tasted the lips he couldn’t stop craving.
He blinked in surprise at the number of eyes staring at him. Lincoln expected Grady. After all, that’s who’d talked Shayne into going out in the first place, but the other four men were new.
“Hello,” Lincoln said, feeling out of place, and sounding even more so. It wasn’t an unusual position from him. Lincoln never felt as if he fit in anywhere. Unfortunately, his awkwardness tended to appear closer to standoffish to most people. Thankfully after a quicknod, acknowledging his greeting, everyone except Shayne lost interest in him. It was on the tip of Lincoln’s tongue to tell Shayne exactly what that knowledge did to him—how no one looked at him and saw him. Shayne’s body was amazing. His heart was twice as gorgeous. At the moment, Shayne’s outer shell was a little worse for wear. The man looked like hell. He almost said as much, but his brain shut the dumbass comment down before it left his lips. Shayne was obviously an amazing friend to have since he was damn near killing himself for a reason Lincoln didn’t fully understand. “As your doctor, I can’t condone this. You should be in bed right now.”
Lincoln couldn’t look away as Shayne’s eyes flashed with mischief. “So you’re my doctor now?”
“Fine,” Lincoln conceded. “Asadoctor, I really think you need some sleep.”
“Nope,” Shayne said, sounding as exhausted as he looked, but still sexy as sin. “You had it right the first time.” Snagging the hem of Lincoln’s shirt, Shayne drew him closer. “You aremydoctor, and we should be in bed right now.” He was a dangerous man. Every word falling from Shayne’s amazing lips drove Lincoln insane. Lincoln was almost certain he hadn’t stayed hard for so long at one time in years.
“Resting,” Lincoln reminded Shayne, before accepting his kiss. The mixture of beer and turned on male exploded across his taste buds. Shayne was delicious. Lincoln swore the entire room held its breath as Shayne toyed with Lincoln’s bottom lip. By the time he released it, Lincoln almost chased after him until he remembered they were in public. Now wasn’t the time. None of those reminders meant a damn thing to Lincoln’s body. It was on fire.
“If you insist, you can do all the work.”
“Hmmm,” Lincoln mused aloud, hoping to buy some time. He couldn’t let Shayne see how tempted he was to take him up the challenge. “How about we get you to bed now and see how things go from there? My guess is in about…” He checked his watch. “…an hour, you’ll beg me to find your meds.”
