Page 10 of Doubting Hearts

Our eyes met, and I think both of us lost our breath. He cleared his throat and moved away. His voice was quiet when he spoke next.

“What you did out there was pretty brave, considering the other guy was a helluva lot bigger than you. Tammy’s lucky to have you as a friend.”

I shrugged. “I wasn’t going to let him hurt her. I’ve taken on worse before.”

He nodded. “I’ve no doubt you have. You have balls, I can tell you. I would have thought twice about taking him on.”

I couldn’t help myself. “Oh, I definitely have balls,” I murmured. “Maybe one day you’ll get to meet them.”

No sooner had the words slipped out than I wanted to take them back.

What the hell is wrong with me? I sound like a slut.

Rain grinned. “It’s obviously my lucky day. Feisty, pouty, and forward.

I like that in a man.” He smiled wolfishly. “There are other things I like in a man too, but I’ll let you figure that one out. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

His constant play on words made me sweat, and I saw Eddie wandering over to the bar. My cock was straining at the front of my pants. From the bulge at his groin, so was Rain’s. I felt a surge of pride at being able to cause that reaction in him.

He eyed me lazily. “I’d also like to see if I can make it onto that preferred dick list of yours. I’m pretty sure I’d be a one.” He winked. I swallowed, thinking about the implications of that comment, my mouth starting to water as I imagined my lips wrapped around whatever he had bulging in his jeans.

“Toby, my God, man! Are you all right? Jerome told me what happened. He saw you in the parking lot with that idiot, Neil.”

Simon’s anxious voice catapulted me out of my dirty fantasy, and I blinked and stared at him. He stood in front of me, a worried expression on his face. He took my jaw, as Rain had, examining it gently. Rain stepped back warily.

“I’m fine, Simon.” I muttered. “Nothing a little ice won’t cure.”

Simon looked over at Rain, and I noticed his fleeting glance downward at Rain’s crotch, then to mine. Neither of us left anything to the imagination. I wanted the floor to open and swallow me up. Rain looked at Simon with challenge in his eyes.

Hell, didn’t the man have any shame?

This was my bloody boss noticing just how turned on we both were with each other.

“I see you’re in good hands, Toby,” Simon said as he moved away. “Keep using the ice and take some time off if you need. I’ll cover the front for you and anything else you need me to do.”

Before I could respond, he’d disappeared. I groaned. “God, that was bloody embarrassing.”

Rain eyed me curiously. “What? Him seeing you have a hard-on for me?”

I opened my mouth to deny it but thought that was a little silly, seeing as how the physical evidence was right there in front of us. “That and the fact he knows I got smacked, and the fact that he seems a little disappointed with me.”

Rain took my arm and pulled me over into a darkened corner, out of the way of Eddie’s obviously listening ears and other customers. “You do know he has the hots for you, Toby?” he said with a frown.

My mouth must have gaped open because my split lip protested.

Rain leaned in with a soft chuckle and nudged it shut with his hand. “You think that too?” I said feebly as the world spun.

Rain nodded. “Oh yes. That man definitely has a thing for you. He saw us together and decided to bow out gracefully. I think he wanted to kiss your boo-boo better.”

Then, to my complete amazement, Rain leaned over in front of the whole bar—well, all right, there was only Eddie and about four other people—and kissed my swollen lip, his lips lingering on the cut. I felt the slight touch of his tongue on it, as if he was trying to lick it better.

“Someone had to kiss it. I’d rather be the one to do it,” he murmured with a dangerous glint in his eye. “I know everyone knows you’re gay, so I haven’t outed you, and most people know about me too. I’m sorry I called you a twink. I was mad at being called the hired help.”

I was still too gob smacked and aroused to even respond. Rain turned, and I watched as his jeans-clad arse disappeared out into the lobby, leaving me in state of shock. Eddie grinned at me with glee, giving me a thumbs-up. The other customers didn’t seem too bothered, and I was relieved Esther Mountjoy wasn’t there. I’d be tarred and feathered by now.

I need a shower, right now. I can’t work with this huge boner. Christ, I wonder what Rain’s going to do about his? Probably flaunt it with pride. The man hadn’t seemed too bothered about anyone seeing it.

I took a napkin off the table nearest me and held it as inconspicuously as I could across my groin. I wasn’t fooling Eddie, though. He laughed quietly as I escaped.