Hot as Heller (Aster Valley 3)

Even Sam, who normally kept his emotions fairly close to the vest, was laughing his head off. I took a deep breath and let myself join them. It felt good to be out with friends. It felt good to be off duty and drinking beer with men I enjoyed and admired. I took a moment to appreciate what I’d gained when I’d made the decision to leave LA.

These men were my community. They cared about me, and the feeling was mutual.

“You didn’t answer my question,” I said to Mikey when the laughter died down. “Who are we killing?”

“Whoever it is that has stolen our precious friend’s attention,” he said, watching me carefully for a reaction. “You going to tell us what’s going on? I left town for like a week, and I came back to Sheriff MoonyEyes.”

“Sheriff I’ Some,” Julian mumbled into his copper mule mug. If I wasn’t mistaken, this was his third. He’d already sucked down a couple of them in the time it took us to order our food. I hadn’t even known the pizza place offered more than beer and wine.

I felt my face ignite and tried to hide it behind a sip of cold beer. “I’m, ah… seeing someone.”

Truman looked positively bubbly with excitement. “Someone famous?”

Winter shot a wink at his celebrity husband. “Famous people are the best.”

“Someone you swore off as a prima donna the last time we were together?” Mikey teased, ignoring Winter and Gent’s quick kiss. “I believe you were going to steer clear of anyone even associated with Gold Rats.”

“Not all Gold Rats are bad,” I admitted with a smile. “Some of them are very, very good.”

Julian muttered, “At least you have a rat. I don’t have anything. The love of my life is marrying someone else, and fucking Christ, I need another drink.”

Mikey reached out to rub Julian’s shoulder. “We’re going to hatch a plan. I told you. Sam has helped me strategize my way through many a love challenge. He even helped me land a pro football player. He can help you land a measly ski instructor.”

“I don’t want to land Parker. It’s too late. Besides. Straight. Remember?”

Sam squinted at him. “Isn’t Parker the one Tiller kissed in high school? Or am I remembering that wrong?”

From the look on Mikey’s face, Sam had just spilled beans that had been locked up tight. Julian stared at him. “What?”

Mikey kicked Sam under the table, and Sam put on the fakest smile ever. “Ha! Just kidding! I think… I think that guy’s name was… Clark-er.”

Truman facepalmed and muttered something under his breath. Mikey’s nostrils flared. “Are you trying to break his fucking heart? Samson Rigby, you’re a monster.”

Julian looked drunkenly between Mikey and Sam. “Tell me everything.”

Mikey shook his head. “No can do. Tonight is about Sheriff Happycock and the actor who begged him to manhandle his stick shif… hey! Hey, ha, Finn! Wow. You have… impeccable timing, don’t you?”

I felt arms come around my neck from behind, and Finn’s unique scent hit my nose. I closed my eyes for a beat to drink it in. “My ears were burning,” he said before leaning in to press a kiss against my cheek, then temple, then neck. I shivered and reached for his wrist to pull him around so I could see him.

He was drop-dead beautiful, this sexy leading man I wanted so desperately to be a fixture in my life. “I thought you were filming the night scene?” I asked, pulling him onto my lap. The guys around us scrambled to get a chair for him, and after giving him a quick squeeze, I let him settle into it.

“They moved it to tomorrow night because of a maintenance issue with the helicopter. It means I have to bring the climbing supervisor back tomorrow, but that’s fine. I was hoping to find you here. Janine said to try the Roadhouse or Pie Hole. I was hoping you were here because I could go for some pizza. I’m starving.”

It was so good to see him, I couldn’t stop staring.

The guys around the table welcomed him and introduced themselves if they hadn’t already met him. I strode up to the bar to grab a cup and another pitcher of beer as well as put in an order for a greek salad I knew he’d probably want in addition to the pizza. When I got back to the table, I saw him laughing with my friends. I froze for a minute and thought back to the last time I’d been here and how I’d felt looking around the group of men, wishing I could feel a part of them and realizing I did.

Now it was even better. Not only did I truly feel like I had a group of friends, but there was Finn Heller, sitting and laughing with them as if he was simply… one of us.