“Han,” I say, pressing unconvincingly against his chest. “Hanlon, I’ve got to go before Logan comes looking for me.”
He kisses me one more time, and I head for the front door.
A second later, I’m climbing into the passenger seat of Logan’s truck, and he whistles.
“Damn, Stone. You clean up well,” he says, doing a three-point turn.
“Thanks,” I grumble, staring longingly at the house, wishing I were still with the man inside.
“So, how’re things with Hanlon? You guys seem to be getting along better.” It’s rare that Logan talks to me about anything serious, and for a moment, I’m taken aback.
“Uh, yeah, it’s been nice reconnecting, I guess,” I say, giving him an honest answer.
“He’s a cool guy,” Logan says, making me huff.
“You can’t fuck him, Logan,” I say, immediately getting defensive. Maybe Logan’s just desperate for anyone. The thought makes me sad. He’s not a bad guy; he’s just…a lot.
Shocking me further, he jerks his head back and looks at me with a puzzled expression.
“You don’t really think I want to fuck a twenty-two-year-old, do you? Stone, I’m almost thirty. Besides, just because I like to joke around and have a good time doesn’t mean I want to fuck everything that walks. Hanlon’s an attractive guy, and I bet he’s fun in the sack, but he’s not really what I’m looking for.”
The cab suddenly feels too warm, and I crack my window.
I don’t ask what Loganislooking for because he was decently explicit during our non-date.
“Okay, that’s cool. Uh, speaking of Hanlon, I told him I’d meet him at the gondola so he didn’t have to ride up alone,” I say stupidly, just trying to keep the awkward silence at bay.
“Oh. Yeah, sure.” Logan’s tone of disappointment cuts a little deep this time because he’s not being his usual, obnoxious self.
“You want to ride with us? Grab a beer when we get to the top?” I ask, hoping to come across as friendly and not the gigantic asshole I fear I’ve been recently. “You know thisisn’t really my scene, so I’m probably going to hide in the corner until it’s time to go.”
Logan places his hand on my forearm in what I’m sure is meant to be a comforting gesture, but all I can think is,Hanlon would not appreciate his hand on me.
“A beer in the corner sounds perfect.” He squeezes my forearm gently before letting go. The intimacy of the gesture is too much. I’m still his boss.
I keep my answers short for the rest of the ride, unable to shake the feeling that with that one simple offer, I just fucked up big time.
Chapter 22
Hanlon
When I arrive at the gondola, there’s a line, but it’s moving swiftly.
It doesn’t take long for me to find Stone in the small crowd awaiting the return of the structure that’s going to carry them to the top of the mountain for their evening of fun.
As I approach, the lights from the lift house bring Stone’s face into view, and I immediately notice the tightness in his smile, the tension in his posture, and the way he takes a small step toward me.
I want to reach for him and ask what’s upset him, but I know I won’t get the chance for a while.
“Hey, Logan,” I greet, clasping hands with him in a short handshake so as not to be rude, even though I’m pretty sure whatever has Stone responding this way was probably his fault.
“Hanlon. You’re in for a treat tonight,” Logan says with his easy smile in place. “It’s a great time to get to know the other teams better. Oh, and just so you know,” he leans in conspiratorially, “Piper’s single.”
Except for being nervous to come out to my parents, I’ve never been afraid or ashamed to be myself around anyone else, so the words to set the record straight with Logan about why I don’t need to know Piper’s relationship status are on the tip of my tongue. But confirming that I’m gay just seems like asking for trouble where Logan is concerned. Especially because he already knows Stone and I are brothers,andhe knows Stone was at least curious enough to get on a gay dating app. The absolute last thing we need is him putting two and two together.
So, I stay silent and just nod my head as he turns his attention back to Stone.
“Are you sure you’re warm enough, Stoney? I can’t believe you’re out here in just your suit jacket, man. Here, take mine,” Logan offers, already shrugging out of his thick coat.
