RYAN WATCHED AS Z TREKKED through the sand to the stairs that led up to the house. Thanks to Courtney’s intrusive inquiry—the one that Z had dodged—his mind worked overtime trying to figure out what Z did at night when he went out. It’d already been a question he’d been pondering, but even more so now. Ryan was beginning to doubt it was due to Z’s salacious dating life. It no longer felt right.
Not based on what he’d learned about Z recently. Rather, the way Z acted around him. He was confident and sure of himself, but the fact that he hadn’t wanted to rush things with Ryan was making him question those assumptions.
Their argument from the other night came to mind.
What makes me different than any of the others, Z? Why can’t you just walk away?
Because I never fucking walk away! That’s not who I am, but you wouldn’t know that because you won’t give me a fucking chance.
And that was the real problem. Ryan hadn’t given Z a chance; he’d allowed his own insecurities, his own fears, and his own assumptions about Z’s personal life to overshadow his decisions.
Though he now doubted Z’s promiscuous lifestyle, Ryan still believed Z was hiding something. He just didn’t know what. Obviously it was important to Z, because Ryan had noticed the slight flutter of his eyes when Courtney had called him on it. He didn’t want to share, whatever it was.
Casper moved to sit beside Ryan, pointing toward the fire as though saying something about it, but his words didn’t match the action. “Any news?”
“We’ve located one of the fakes,” Ryan answered, pretending to be paying attention to the others. “Conner and Colby are checking out a storage unit. We should know something soon.”
“Good. And them?” Casper jerked his chin in the direction Amahn and Jericho were sitting.
“They seem to be fitting in well.”
“And I’m sure by now Amahn has figured out who you are,” Casper acknowledged.
Yeah, that was the downfall of this party. Amahn wouldn’t think it was a coincidence that he’d been invited to a party put on by the leading security company in the nation. He would figure it out, which was why Ryan had hoped they’d have the original painting in their hands before the night was over. Looked like they would have to resort to another plan. If only Ryan knew what that plan was.
Z rejoined the group a moment later, handing Ryan a beer before taking the seat beside him once more.
“Keep me updated,” Casper whispered, then got up and trudged across the beach to where his wife was now chatting with the guests of honor.
And once again, Ryan found himself completely captivated by Z. More so now than ever.
*
For the next couple of hours, Ryan spent the majority of his time beside Z, talking to his friends and family. When Trace, Hunter, Conner, and Colby finally returned, it felt like they were whole once again. Nothing could be done until tomorrow, and though they were now down to the wire if they expected to do something prior to the gallery showing on Saturday, Ryan was managing to push work away and enjoy the brief reprieve.
Z did that for him and it surprised Ryan. Relationships had never been his thing. Sure, he’d dated randomly, but nothing serious since Kevin. As much as he wanted to pretend that work was his main reason for avoiding men, Ryan knew that wasn’t the whole truth. The fact of the matter was, he’d been hung up on Z for quite a while. So long that this…the easy interaction between them…just seemed normal.
It was after midnight before most of the guests finally left, but the house was still full by the time everyone decided to call it a night. As much as Ryan wished he and Z would have the place to themselves, he couldn’t very well send his parents away considering they owned the place. And Casper and Elizabeth were staying, as well.
The next thing Ryan knew, all six bedrooms had been filled—Trace and Marissa in one, Elizabeth and Casper in another, Bryce and Emily took the master, Ryan’s brothers, Clay, Colby, and Austin camped out in the room with bunk beds, while Max and Courtney surprisingly opted to take the last available room. Conner had made a pallet on the floor downstairs, his daughter, Shelby, was taking the couch, and Hunter had staked his claim on the media room.
That had left Ryan without a room because he’d insisted that Z not give up his own.
Sure, he could’ve crammed into the room with his brothers or slept in one of the recliners in the media room, but the truth was he didn’t want to. Instead, he’d remained outside by the pool until the lights in the house went out and all was silent.
The sound of the glass door opening and closing had him glancing over his shoulder.
Z.
“What’re you doin’ out here?” Z questioned, his voice a notch above a whisper.
“Not tired.”
“Liar,” Z countered, moving up close to Ryan’s side.
The warmth of Z’s muscular arm pressed against his own was comforting, and he didn’t bother to move away.
“You know, you can always share a room with me. I’ll be a gentleman,” Z offered, a smile in his voice.
Ryan tossed around the idea for a moment. He’d actually been thinking the same thing. Well, except for the gentleman part.
“I promise to keep my hands to myself, Mr. Trexler,” Z crooned against his ear. “Mostly.”
That made Ryan smile.
For fear his voice would fail him, Ryan didn’t say a word, just turned to Z and nodded.
It was all he could do.
TWENTY-THREE
THE HOUSE WAS FULL OF people. Like, to capacity.
And that was the only reason Z had managed to keep his hands to himself when the only thing he wanted to do was to wrap RT in his arms and lose himself.
After he and RT snuck back to his room and locked the door, the sexual tension returned. That ever-present, stifling desire that made it damn hard to breathe. And though they had some privacy, it wasn’t nearly enough.
As Z had told RT before, when they were together again, they’d be alone. And clearly that wasn’t happening tonight. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t sleep in the same bed.
When RT started fidgeting, Z found the action cute. Something he hadn’t seen from RT before. So rather than put a spotlight on what was (or wasn’t) happening, Z crawled into bed and then raised the blankets for RT to join him.
Neither of them said a word.
It didn’t take long—if a couple of tense minutes could be considered not long—before RT finally relented and crawled into the bed alongside Z. Never the one to play games or pretend something wasn’t what it was, Z inched closer and pulled RT to him, sliding his arm beneath RT’s head.
Damn, it felt good to hold him, to feel the warmth of his body alongside him. As horny as he was, Z was content to simply lie there with RT in his arms. Hell, he’d be happy if holding RT every night while they slept was all he could have for the rest of his life.
RT’s body twitched beside him.
“I promised,” Z whispered into the blackness.
“I know,” RT replied, sounding somewhat disappointed, which made Z smile.
They lay there for the longest time, neither of them talking, but not going to sleep, either.
Z’s body was as hard as stone, the thick ridge of his cock tenting his shorts beneath the blankets. Had he been alone, he would’ve slid his hand downward and taken care of the problem. With RT there, that wasn’t possible.
After all, he’d promised.
Just when he started counting down from one hundred, something he did when he couldn’t fall asleep, Z felt RT’s warm lips against his collarbone.
He bit back the moan that the slight touch triggered.
Turning his head so that he was facing RT, though he could hardly see him in the darkened room, Z held out hope, wishing that RT would kiss him. It wouldn’t be enough, but like last night, it would be enough for now.