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They both stopped to stare at him, all six and a half feet and too much dark hair, wearing last night’s sweater and hiking pants and standing by a black and white spotted dog bigger than some grown humans. Barrett managed to mouthsorryto Ambrose, feeling guilt upon guilt at seeing this whole thing. It roiled in him, that guilt. But it could be dealt with later.
With a nod, Preston opened his car door and got inside, leaving Barrett and Ambrose to watch him fling it into reverse and speed out of the driveway as fast as the snow and his shitty performance tires would allow.
His timing was bad, his delivery was even worse, and all Barrett could think to say was, “Come inside, you look like you could use a drink.”
Chapter ten
“Thatisaverylarge dog.”
Barrett stared for one long, bright moment and then threw his head back and laughed. The sound of it cracked across the gray sky and bare branches and somehow, it made Ambrose feel a little bit better. “Yeah, she’s my nephew’s but they don’t really have anywhere to keep her until he’s better.” He held a hand out and said, “Ambrose, Dandi. Dandi, Ambrose. You be nice, Dandi.”
But Ambrose sunk to a squat and put out a flat palm. The massive animal stopped snuffling in a pile of snow to cock her head, then romp over, tongue lolling.
“She’s friendly, but new place and too much excitement…” Barrett trailed off but he stepped closer to them. “I’m just making sure.”
“And I appreciate it.” He craned his head so he could look back at the bigger man. “Like I appreciate the intervention a moment ago.”
Shit. Shit. He hadn’t meant to say that, even if it was completely true. They were now caught in that awkward dance ofdo I say anything, should I say anythingand despite the deeply personal situation Barrett had gotten caught in, Ambrose had been relieved of the timing.
Dandi lowered her massive head and gave Ambrose’s palm a cursory sniff. Then a lick. Then she was bounding into him, taking him to the cold, hard ground.
“Dandi!” Barrett raced forward, arms outstretched, fingers grasping.
But Ambrose was laughing. That big, goofy dog was now bouncing around them, barking happily while he practically giggled. “I love dogs,” he said between wheezing breaths. A hand was thrust into his vision and he took it gratefully. “I haven’t had a dog in years. This is reminding me maybe I should once again.”
Barrett hauled him to his feet with one strong pull and then they were close. Nearly chest to chest, with the scent of coffee and sugar curling off Barrett like cologne. Ambrose spotted a bit of powdered sugar in Barrett’s beard and nearly grinned. He felt…strange. Light, even dizzy and he swayed on his feet. His ankle was much better but there was a weakness to it still, so as his balance buckled, he reached out to grab something to steady himself.
That thing he grabbed turned out to be a set of very broad, very hard shoulders. “Whoa, careful there.” Barrett’s voice had gone syrupy. “Let’s get inside.”
Not a question. Ambrose nodded silently and, with Barrett’s help, made his way into that finely crafted home he envied so. “Take care of her,” he said with a feeble wave. “I’m just going to sit on that lovely sofa, if it’s all right.”
“More than.”
Ambrose looked up to see Barrett staring hard at him. There was calculation in those dark, dark eyes and it nearly made him shiver to feel soseen. As if he was sitting bare-assed on Barrett’s couch and waiting for….
He dashed that away with a shake of his head. Letting Preston fuck him had left him addled. “Go on. I don’t need a nursemaid.”
And whatever had been there for a moment shattered. Barrett nodded and then was moving about, opening doors, rattling bags and whatnot. Even whistling. All while Ambrose stared at his hands in his lap and tried to find his equilibrium again.
But no matter what he focused on, his thoughts ran back to Preston. He should have known. He should have fuckingknownit couldn’t just be a fuck and then “Goodbye, thanks for the orgasm, maybe we’ll do it again sometime“.
Gods, Preston had sounded just like his mother, the great and oh so multi-talented Angelica Avery. She who could do anything she set her mind to and hated that her soncouldn’t.
Their faces flashed before him and the curl of anxiety in his stomach unraveled, spiraling out.
Why can’t you just be friendlier?
It’s not hard, Ambrose. Just talk to people.
Gods, how many times are you going to practice that infernal instrument? You’re horrible at it, you’ll always be horrible at it, and I’m not paying for lessons anymore.
Come on, babe. Let’s just go to the party and you can meet the rest of my friends. We’ll have a good time. Madison didn’t make a move on you, he swears up and down he was just drunk.
Why in the hells would you want to live by yourself in the woods?
Why can’t you be nicer?
Why can’t you be more charming?
