Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“I’m not pouting. Why would I be pouting?”
“Because you think Jude wants me, and you like me, so it’s making you feel all kinds of things.”
“I’m not feeling all kinds of things, Rush! I feel nothing…except annoyance. I feel that.”
A chuckle tumbled from my mouth. He was fighting this; Christ, was he fighting it. I wished I knew why. What had happened to Linc to make him so afraid of someone caring about him? Unless they were Beau. He was okay with that. “You didn’t tell my mom we weren’t together.”
His eyes darted toward me before they found the road again. “That obviously wasn’t the best time. We were leaving right away. And why do I have to tell her? There’s no I in team.”
My brow rose as I continued to watch him. “Are we a team? That sounds like a couple.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don’t. You like me. You like me so much, you don’t know how to deal with it. I’m not going to hurt you, Red. I’m not saying I know what the future holds, that we’re meant to be or whatever, but I’m not going to hurt you.”
Linc sighed. I could see his hold on the steering wheel loosen. He pulled into the lot behind Fever Pitch and dropped his head against the steering wheel. “I had a plan, Rush, and you’re fucking it up.”
“What was that plan?”
“I don’t really remember right now. It’s a whole lot easier when you’re not around.”
He was struggling. It was obvious in the set of his lithe body, the curve of his spine, and damned if it didn’t make me feel like shit. “Hey, I’m not pressuring you. You have your reasons. Mostly I’m teasing you and not letting you lie to me or yourself. We always tease each other.” Linc could always make me smile or laugh. We’ve spent our whole friendship giving each other shit, but the last thing I wanted was for it to hurt him.
“I know. I’m being weird. I truly believe something is in the water in Fever Falls—Beau and Ash…Jace and Dax…”
Jace worked at the fire station with Beau, and Dax was some hotshot PR guy from LA who came to Fever Falls, fell head over ass in love with Jace, and now lived here. Dax also had a PA, Carter, who was in and out of Fever Falls, but we didn’t know him as well. “Yeah?” I asked when Linc didn’t continue.
“It’s like all the sexy gay or bi men are suddenly getting into relation…relationsh… See? I can’t even say the word. I would be shit if I ever got into one.”
I laughed. “I’m not going to bring it up again. You know where I stand.”
He nodded, and I reached for him, but my left arm was in the stupid fucking sling and it was awkward to reach over my body with my right. My head fell back against the seat, and I closed my eyes.
“I know it sucks. You were having a great season, and I know how much you love to ride. I’m sure that’s hard on you, and it’s probably getting pushed to the side with everything else going on.”
Yeah, it was, but it’d be fine. I’d handle it. “I’m good. We better get in there. We’re already late.”
“I’m so sorry this happened, Rush.” And then it was Linc who reached over and put his hand on my thigh and squeezed. “Oh, why did I do that? Now I’m just remembering what it’s like to feel those muscles when you’re pistoning inside me.”
“There’s the Linc I know!”
“Where’s my compliment, Rush? I gave you one, and now you’re supposed to tell me how fucking hot my ass is.”
Winking at him, I opened the car door. “I said I wouldn’t bring it up again, remember?”
“Not that! You can always bring up how good I am in bed.”
“Nope. I’m being good now.”
“You suck.”
“And swallow, if you remember.” I grinned at him, and I could see the desire burst in the blue waves of his eyes. I loved the softness of him. His thick, sooty lashes. The dimple beneath his smile and striking cheekbones. “Are we going in now, or what?”
“Yeah, we’re going in.”
I used my right hand to open the door to Fever Pitch and signaled for Linc to go in. It took my eyes a moment to adjust to the darker lighting as compared to outside. I almost hated that we’d decided to meet there. Fever Pitch was like home, and I didn’t want to talk to a journalist there, but he’d been the one to suggest it. Dean definitely did his research.
“That’s him, over there.” Linc pointed to a booth in the back, where a slender guy with brown hair sat. As though he had a goddamned honing beacon on me, he looked up at us and smiled.