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His face had more lines than it had all those years ago. The hardened edge he’d had seemed more defined now. Like the innocence of youth had worn off and life ripped off the veil ofanything was possibleand replaced it with a real-world view thatsometimes it was ugly.
His hair was still jet-black. He’d been solid muscle in his twenties and still was. But he’d filled out. I knew from experience his hands were more calloused, and he could use them in expert ways. When we’d been together before, he’d never been shy. Now, he was just more man.
Time had been his friend.
As badly as I hated to admit it, he was more devastating today than he had been the first time I’d laid eyes on him.
When I’d fired off that text with the address for the hotel, I hadn’t had a staring contest in mind. Nor a walk down memory lane of just how much better he looked and how much more he affected me now.
“I’m glad you came.”
Teague grabbed two beers from the cooler and offered me one.
“I can’t believe you’re almost out of the fire academy.” I took a long sip, surveying the crowd of his new friends.
A couple of them argued over the grill, a few others played cards, and yet another group laughed like one of them had told the funniest joke ever.
“Let me introduce you to everybody.” He slung an arm around my shoulders and steered me toward the laughing group.
“Yo, Hollingsworth!” one of them shouted as he lifted a drink.
“Yo. Burke.” Teague lifted his beer in response.
“Who’s the babe?”
“My baby sister, so you better be on your best behavior.”
I cringed. It was a toss-up who was more overprotective. Teague or Lincoln.
I elbowed him in the side and waved.
“Come sit by me.” Burke patted the bench next to him and grinned.
Teague tightened his hold on me. “Not a chance in hell.”
“Aw, come on. I’m a nice guy.” He winked. “Sometimes.”
“I wouldn’t let my brother sit next to him.”
The deep voice floated over us from behind, and I felt it in my stomach.
Teague and I turned. Tall, dark, and handsome wasn’t even close to this guy. Tall was accurate. Dangerous. And beautiful in a rugged kind of way.
Teague was a chameleon. He fit in with any group, even if he was more refined than this one.
This one? He had a roughness about him that could never be filed to a smooth edge. A coolness that set him apart. Yet a warmth that made me want to see just how hot he burned.
Teague laughed. “Me neither.”
But I stared. I’d been taught to school my visible reactions by the best, but no one could’ve prepared me for him.
“Hollingsworth, Murano here thinks steak goes on after burgers. Tell him he’s wrong,” one of the guys by the grill called.
Teague lifted a brow. “I’d better go see about those two before we end up with nothing to eat.” He slapped Rugged in the arm. “Watch out for my sister a minute.”
Rugged lifted his chin.
“I don’t need a nanny,” I said as Teague stepped out of earshot.
