“If you don’t mind me asking, you guys together, as partners?”
Teagan stiffened, no longer caught in whatever spell that baritone voice had cast over him. They’d only been in Crimson Hollow four days, most of their boxes still unpacked. But they couldn’t take any chances the town wouldn’t turn on them.
After the attack, their neighbors had become less friendly, no longer waving hi or engaging in pleasantries. They would hurry away, avoiding eye contact, as if Teagan and Hayden weren’t even there. It wasn’t until Hayden confronted Mrs. Pike they learned what was going on.
“I have nothing against you personally, Hayden. I just don’t feel it’s right for two men to be together in that way. Most of the residents aren’t happy with that kind of lifestyle.”
After the confrontation, life had become unbearable in that building.
Teagan refused to go through that again.
“Just roommates,” Hayden replied with a lazy shrug. “Splitting rent makes life easier.”
The lie rolled off his tongue so convincingly Teagan almost believed it. Knowing why Hayden had done it didn’t make it hurt any less.
Liam’s gaze lowered toward Teagan, their eyes meeting before Teagan looked away.
Blue. Liam’s eyes were blue.
Even though Teagan didn’t look up again, he felt those blue eyes return to him more than once.
The truck rolled to a stop before Liam put it into Park. Teagan had been so busy trying not to look at the guy he hadn’t noticed them pulling into the parking lot.
“We’re here, fellas,” Liam announced.
Hayden slid out immediately.
“Let’s go, we’re late.” He strode toward the entrance while Teagan hesitated.
Once again Liam’s eyes found his, and Teagan froze. Something electric passed between them. A current that held him there, unable to move or speak or even breathe properly until Liam decided to release him from whatever spell those blue eyes had cast.
“Teagan, let’s go,” Hayden hollered.
“I’ll see you inside, Teagan.”
Liam winked, and Teagan nearly passed out from that ridiculous jawline and those hands that could probably crush walnuts without trying.
What in the hell is wrong with me? Hayden’s my boyfriend, and I’m sitting here being seduced by a complete stranger.
Who possibly possesses a collection of machetes.
Scrambling out of the truck, Teagan hurried to catch up to Hayden, feeling the man’s eyes on his back the entire time.
* * * *
Hayden felt something constrict beneath his ribs as he registered the flash of hurt in Teagan's eyes. “Just roommates.” The lie had slipped out so easily, a reflex born from necessity.
There were nights when Hayden woke up in a cold sweat, the image of those spray-painted slurs burning behind his eyelids. The hate letters he’d intercepted from their mailbox and quietly burned behind their apartment building still weighed on him.
Teagan didn’t need to know about those. His baby had already been through enough. But it was evidence of why they couldn’t risk being themselves here either. Not after what happened to Teagan.
Twenty years of friendship, growing up three houses apart, building forts and riding bikes, until one evening last summer when Teagan had looked up at him with those beautiful hazel eyes and everything changed.
Now when Hayden watched him move—all five-feet-three of him with that silky blond hair falling across his forehead, dimples appearing with each smile—his throat went dry.
Hayden glanced around the room.
The tavern hit him like a wall of sound after the quiet street outside. Pearl Jam—or maybe Guns N’ Roses?—blasted through speakers, making the rows of glasses behind the bar tremble with each bass note.
