Zach
Zach tossed his bag into Colton’s pickup and refused to look back. Maddie watched from the porch, waiting for a sign he didn’t approve of the new living arrangements. He didn’t want her to get kicked out or worse, arrested.
Time to put on his big-boy pants.
Colton eyed him over the roof of the truck. Probably wondering what the fuck he’d gotten into trying to get his dick wet.
Talk about getting a shit sandwich.
Zach climbed in without a word. No one cared what he thought; they just told him go here. Stay there. Don’t go. Just like a child.
He wanted to push back, but to do what? Where would he go? If Kellan and the others caught him, he’d be lucky if they just killed him. That man was pure mean. He’d make sure Zach paid for what had happened to Bradley.
“You okay?” Colton watched him with those kind eyes. The ones Zach wanted to lose himself in forever.
“Yeah, sure.” He shrugged.
Staying in the same house as Colton ought to have him bouncing with anticipation. Moving there because he’d be safer was a total cock block.
“Momma’s house isn’t so bad. I grew up there.” Colton winked. “Of course, that’s why I’m building my own. Let’s go.”
They started slogging down another muddy dirt road.
Zach couldn’t fathom growing up in one place. That was permanence on a scale Zach never knew. “Have you lived there since you were born?”
“Hmm? No. We had a place once upon a time. My sperm donor, well, he’s in Montana State. So we moved here. I moved out when I was seventeen and joined the army. When I returned, I had my own apartment ‘til about eight months ago. I’ve been building a house of my own, so I’m saving pennies staying at Momma’s.” Colton rolled his eyes. “I swear to God, it’s better than the rose room at Nanette’s, but Momma is…special. Just take her as she is, that’s the easiest thing to do.”
Zach nearly laughed at how fast Colton spoke when he was nervous. “She seems nice.”
“She is, but Daddy getting life in the pen changed her.” Colton squeezed the steering wheel and kept his eyes on the road.
That was some shit. He wasn’t the only one with a messed-up family. “Thank you. For everything.”
“Honey, you don’t need to keep apologizing.”
Zach hated that he picked the nicest person he’d ever met to involve in this mess. Of course, one reason he picked Colton was because he knew he was a good man. “Be honest, Colton. This was supposed to be a slap and tickle and then move on.”
“Truth. But I’m glad you’re still here.” Colton smiled, and it went right to Zach’s balls. “You’re nice to look at, and you’re not the problem.”
Zach might have dreamed of more, but he knew that was never in the cards. He’d already told Colton how he felt, and it didn’t change things.
They bounced along until a long, low ranch-style house, surrounded with wild yard art—from a giant metal chicken to an entire army of gnomes guarded by a huge wooden armadillo—appeared off to the left. When they pulled up, Zach put his hand on Colton’s leg. “I like looking at you too.”
“Well then, we’re a mutual admiration society.” Colton chuckled softly, held his hand for a second. “Relax. I want you out of the center of this shit tornado. That’s my first priority. Then we’ll figure the rest.”
He was paying for the sins of his grandfather, because Colton couldn’t be any nicer if he tried. “And if I still want a night to explore that mutual admiration? Is that still on the menu?”
Colton licked his lips. He’d seen others react to him like that and walked the other way. This time he wanted to lean in and give Colton what he wanted. “That’s complicated. You heard the sheriff. I’m responsible for your safety. My uncle’s a damn good man, but that’s not a line he’ll let me cross.”
The one time he really wanted someone that way and he was off limits. Zach pulled his hand back like Colton was a snake that was about to bite. “I understand. After you’ve been so good to me, I promise not to do anything that will get you in trouble.”
“You know if I could….” The want in those eyes nearly broke Zach.
Colton was a better man than he was by a factor of so much, a calculator ran out of zeros. Zach nodded. It sucked, but he understood. “I do.”
A bright yellow Jeep Cherokee rumbled to a stop next to them, and Momma gave them a knowing look.
“We should go in.” Colton nodded toward the house and opened his door with a dramatic sigh. “Lord help me.”
