Wood: A True Lover's Story

The men hauled ass out of the shop, and Trent would be damned if a single one glanced in Rayne’s direction. With the situation diffused, everyone exhaled some form of breath, gaping at each other crazily and wondering if that’d really just happened.

Rayne seemed to notice he was still holding on to Mike and vice versa. He stepped away, not meeting their eyes as he inched closer to Wood. “I’m sorry to bring this trouble to you. I was just coming to tell you congratulations. I’ve seen your ads for this place all over the boardwalk.”

“Yeah, El’s a bit overzealous with advertising,” Wood said lightly as if trying to make the guy smile.

“I’ll see you around,” Rayne murmured and waved his hand scantily in the others direction as he moved toward the front door.

“Wait,” Wood and Mike said in unison. Trent’s frown matched Rayne’s as he spun and stared at them both.

Mike appeared stunned that he’d blurted the single word, then seemed to scurry to come up with something more to say. “You should wait a few minutes and make sure they’re not lingering around out there. I can walk you to your car,” Mike said boldly.

“I don’t have a car,” Rayne said. “I caught the bus down here.”

“You need a ride home?” Wood asked.

“I um.” Rayne noticed all eyes were on him, and while he didn’t seem uncomfortable in the spotlight, as if he was used to it, he looked more hesitant with what he was about to say.

“El, make sure you watch the front of the shop, all right,” Wood said and ushered Rayne back to his station and pulled the curtain closed.

Mike stood with his feet shoulder-width apart and his thick arms crossed over his broad chest as if he was suddenly this guy’s bodyguard. Sure Rayne looked good and was pulling off the whole damsel in distress thing, but Trent thought they were going a bit overboard. The bad guys were gone—the man was fine now.

“Trent, will you get Rayne some water?” Wood asked, gesturing for the young guy to sit in his client chair.

Oh for fuck’s sake. For real?

Bishop chuckled somewhere behind him, and Mike turned and glared hotly. “Move it, bighead. Get the damn water.”

Trent gritted his teeth but begrudgingly went and got Rayne some water from the minifridge because that always helped anyone in a stressful situation. Trent handed him the bottle of Dasani, and Rayne’s voice was soft when he told him, “Thank you.”

Yes, thank goodness you have water now. Trent rolled his eyes in his mind. Sure, okay, the guy was fine—erotic was maybe a better word—but that didn’t explain Mike’s reaction.

“Are you still staying with your uncle?” Wood asked.

Rayne gulped some of the water before he answered, and Trent watched Mike become fixated on the man’s Adam’s apple as it bobbed with each dramatic swallow. Rayne sighed, his pink tongue peeking out and catching the lingering droplets on his thick bottom lip. “No. He turned out to be the creepy uncle that shouldn’t be allowed around the kids at a family reunion.”

“Oh dang.” Wood frowned. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s all right. I stunned his ass too.” Rayne shook his head. “Who knew saying no all the time would cause this much trouble. It’s easier to just say yes and do it. What does it matter if I abstain a few months anyway? I’ll always be known as ‘the tramp.’”

Wood gently touched Rayne’s shoulder. “And I’ll always be the alcoholic. But there’s a big difference, Rayne. I’m a recovering alcoholic. And you’re a recovering addict. You knew it wouldn’t be easy, but don’t let those idiots rob you of what you deserve. Your abstinence is important to you.”

“I’m trying so hard,” Rayne said wearily, and Trent was beginning to put the scattered pieces of the puzzle together. “I got a job at Walmart, and my supervisor is nice. She lets me crash on her couch a few times a week. I can’t move in though. It’s probably all my damn luggage that scares her.”

“You and those clothes.” Wood smirked, then slowly sobered. “Do you need a place to stay for a little while?”

“I can’t ask that,” Rayne said, glancing up with what looked like a spark of hope in his light eyes. “I don’t want you to get into any shit with your boyfriend.”

“Me,” Trent scoffed, confused.