You’re looking really fucking hot today, Rhett. All sweaty and worked up. Keep bending over like that.
My head snaps up. I scan the treeline, the road, and the fence line of the neighbor’s property—anywhere someone could be watching.
“Rhett?” Colt finally looks up. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I shove my phone in my pocket.
He goes back to hammering. “None of my damn business anyway.”
“Do you see anyone? Out by the road? In the trees?”
That makes him stop. “What?”
“Just…look around. Tell me if you see anyone watching.”
Colt straightens up and scans the area. “No. There’s nobody out here but us.” He pauses. “Why? What’s going on?”
Someone’s watching us—has to be. But there’s no one for miles.
“Forget it.”
“Is someone bothering you? Because if someone’s fucking with you?—”
“I said forget it.”
He picks up the hammer again. “Fine. Not my problem.”
And just like that, the wall’s back up between us.
Just how I want it to be.
COLTON
“Straight men are not that insecure about gay men. It’s fucking weird,” I whisper-shout as I slam my beer down forcefully.
“Colton Lee! Just because the man got hot and wants to make sure you know not to hit on him and press his boundaries, doesn’t prove that he has anything to hide. Chill out, right now,” Halle snarks back at me, rolling her eyes as she wipes off the counter I just spilled beer on.
My sister is nine years older than me, and her ability to give me a death glare that’s worse than my own mother’s is terrifying. Jokes on her, though; looks can’t kill me.
Straight men don’t freak out like that over a compliment.
I get that I was hitting on him … but I’d never admit that to him.
Fuck yeah, I was hitting on him. How could I not?
He was cute as my first crush—blue eyes and unruly blond hair. But now? He’s insanely hot, and, from the sounds of it, stiffer than a board around every woman he’s ever dated.
Coincidence? I fucking doubt it.
The flush that hit his cheeks could have caused me to melt.
Those Thornwood boys are built different. Must be the milk from those damn cows or some shit. Whatever it is, it’s working on me in a way it hasn’t in a long time.
Damn, he turned outrealwell.
Shaking my head, I finally zone back in on Halle, who’s clearly murdered my ass in her head a few times.
Putting her finger in my face, her tone brokers no room for negotiation. “Colt…I support a lot of dumb shit you do. But egging on Rhett Thornwood isn’t something I can support. You had your beef and squashed it. Do not provoke him again.”
