“To check on you,” he admitted. After all, it was the truth. If Jeff thought for a second he could intervene, he would. But he knew better than that. He hadn’t been able to penetrate Mack’s hard shell in weeks, and he knew it wasn’t going to happen now, either.
“You’re only makin’ it worse, Jeff. You know how my son feels about…”
“About me?” Jeff prompted.
“About my past,” Mack clarified.
Jeff had to laugh at that, though he wasn’t the least bit amused. “By past, you’re referrin’ to what we did last night, right?”
And every night for the past month.
“That can’t happen again,” Mack growled, his voice low. “I tell you every damn time that we can’t keep this up.”
His fury ignited. “No, Mack. You don’t. And if I recall correctly”—Jeff stepped forward, bringing them nose to nose—“you weren’t pushin’ me away when you were buried in my ass last night.”
Mack didn’t budge, but his blue eyes glowed with his anger. “It won’t happen again, I promise you that.”
Oh, hell no. Jeff wasn’t going to let him call it off this time.
“You’re wrong about that,” he said softly, maintaining eye contact. “In fact, you’re wrong about every damn thing.”
“I’m sellin’ the bar, movin’ to Austin,” Mack hissed. “And you have no say in it.”
“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean I’ll give up.”
Mack barked a laugh. “Give up on what? This ridiculous thing we’ve got goin’?” Mack’s teeth clenched. “It’s called fucking, Jeff. And it’s over.”
Rather than counter with words, Jeff did something that surprised them both. He gripped Mack’s head and brought their lips together. Mack fought him for a fraction of a second, but then the kiss exploded. Mack’s hand fisted in the front of his shirt, jerking him closer. Jeff held him there, tongues dueling, bodies colliding. He heard Mack’s ragged breaths and knew they were spurred more by emotion than action. He was barely holding himself together even though he wanted everyone else to think otherwise.
Jeff knew him better than most, though. He knew deep down, Mack carried the weight of the world, and he honestly believed self-sacrifice was the answer to his son’s desperate need for happiness.
“I’m not lettin’ you do this again,” Jeff breathed against his lips. “And that’smypromise.”
“It’s not up to you,” Mack finally said, his voice hoarse and uneven.
Jeff’s heart clenched tightly in his chest. “Maybe not. But it’s not up to Daniel, either.”
Mack released his death grip and stepped back. Jeff smoothed out his shirt, never looking away.
“I let you walk away before,” he told the other man, “and I was wrong. I thought you’d come around. You didn’t. But you can’t tell me you stopped lovin’ me.”
Mack’s blue eyes remained on his, his pain evident.
“That’s what I thought.”
Jeff righted his hat, then turned to head back to the bar.
“I’m not through with you, Mack. Not by a long shot.”
*
“Hey, Reese, you got a minute?” Travis asked when Reese Tavoularis answered his call later that night.
“Always for you, boss man. What’s up?”
“I need a favor.”
Reese chuckled. “A favor? Don’t you owe me a few dozen already?”
