Firefly Lane (Briar County 1)

“God, I love it out here,” Roe said. “The fresh air, being away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It’s just…freeing in so many ways.” Did Holden like it? He’d said he wasn’t cut out for small-town life, but Roe had yet to see any proof of it—only Holden’s insistence. But then, there didn’t have to be proof, did there? It just had to be what Holden wanted, and if he didn’t want this kind of life, then that was what mattered.

“Yeah,” Holden replied. “It fits you. It’s hard for me to imagine you as a DC businessman.”

“I’m a man of many talents,” Roe teased.

“You’re a nerd, is what you are,” Holden joked back.

Roe wrapped his arm around Holden’s shoulder as they walked. “Do you like nerdy guys?”

“Fishing for compliments now, are we? I was just fucking starving for your dick. That doesn’t tell you?”

“Well, obviously I have a great dick. That was never in question.”

Holden laughed, and Roe dropped his arm as they continued on their way.

When they could see the water through the trees, Holden said, “You’re all right, I guess.”

“Just all right? We’ll have to see how I can up my game, then. I’ve always loved a good challenge.”

Holden gave him an unreadable look, his eyes seeming to study Roe like he was trying to fit pieces together in his mind. Roe wondered what those were and how Holden would feel about whatever the puzzle revealed. Then, Holden looped his finger through Roe’s belt loop and tugged. “Come on. I haven’t been skinny-dipping since I was a kid.”

“You tryin’ to get me naked again?”

“You got a problem with that?” Holden countered.

“Nope. Already feels like too long since the last time.”

Again, something unreadable flashed in Holden’s eyes.

And then they were rushing toward the lake, ripping off shoes and clothes, leaving them in the dirt before running into the water.

“Oh fuck, it’s cold,” Holden said. “It’s hot as balls outside. Why is this water so cold?”

They were waist-deep, and Roe already missed the view of Holden’s flaccid cock. He loved the male body, loved looking at it and touching it and breathing it in. But he also wanted to see Holden’s wide chest glistening with water, so Roe splashed him. “You big baby.”

Holden chuckled, then splashed him back before diving in to immerse himself and swimming farther out. Roe did the same, and they came up beside each other. They were tucked behind a bend, and even though people used Briar Lake recreationally, the area they were in was always quiet. Someone might boat by, but it would be across the lake, far enough away that the two of them would just be two specks in the distance.

Roe grabbed Holden, pulled him into a kiss, tasted lake water on Holden’s tongue. They bobbed there, making out, and it felt…right. Not something Roe should be thinking, but those thoughts filled his brain anyway.

They stayed out there a while, alternating between swimming, splashing each other, kissing, and just…talking. Nothing important came up—work on his parents’ property, how much Marilee loved Polly, Holden telling him about flying.

Eventually, they got out, walked around to air dry, then got dressed again.

“I have a blanket in the truck. We can lay it down in the bed and eat—unless you just wanna head back?” Roe didn’t want to assume.

“You trying to get rid of me?”

“Maybe a little,” Roe joked.

“Bastard.” Holden lunged for him, and Roe let himself get caught easily. They tumbled down into the field, wrestling around like a couple of kids.

When Holden pinched his nipple, Roe said, “If that’s supposed to hurt, you’re in trouble. All it did was feel good.”

“Fucker.” Holden pinched him again.

They went back to wrestling, then fell apart, lying on their backs, looking up at the evening sky and laughing.

“I can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun,” Roe said once they settled down. Maybe he shouldn’t have admitted it, but he was too damn old to hold shit back and play games. If he felt something, he said it. That was just how he was made.

Holden answered by rolling on top of him, rutting against Roe and kissing him so damn long, Roe’s jaw hurt. He’d take the ache over stopping, though.

“I thought you were gonna feed me?” Holden asked.

Roe swatted his ass. “Get up, then, and let’s go do it.”

The walk back was quick, and they laid the blanket out in the truck and climbed in with the cooler and the bags of food.

“Here you go.” Roe handed over Holden’s roast beef sandwich, then gave him a beer. They’d gotten a six-pack and some water.

They talked while they ate—Roe sharing stories about growing up in Harmony, his family, and Holden telling him about places he’d flown to or visited.

“When I was a kid, the possibility of traveling and seeing the world was so fucking foreign to me. I never thought I’d get out of there…thought I’d be stuck living the same cycle as my parents, ya know?”