Ian (Unbreakable Bonds 4.5)

Ian had forgotten Hollis’s jeans had a massive rip high in the back thigh area. He chuckled, knowing Hollis would never have worn them if he’d known all the guys were coming.

Andrei sighed heavily and looked over at Ian with a crooked smirk. “I guess we better go finish the other bedroom before Lucas returns with the paint supplies.”

“Yeah, but how are your knees not killing you from kneeling on that hardwood floor?”

Andrei stopped and half turned back toward Ian, delivering the dirtiest smile he’d ever seen on the man’s face. He knew that Andrei was just teasing him, but he already had images of Andrei on his knees in front of Lucas flashing through his brain, and he really wasn’t sure he wanted them there. He could feel his cheeks heating and Andrei just turned back to stroll toward the bedroom, whistling some jaunty little tune as he went.

Swallowing back a groan, he started to slowly walk back toward the bedrooms, his movements stiff. Now that he no longer had the box to distract him, the pain in his knees had settled into a deeper ache. This was going to be a really long day.

“Hey, GQ,” Hollis called as he met Ian near the hallway. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m good,” he quickly said. He didn’t want his boyfriend worrying about him or feeling bad that he hurt. And he certainly didn’t want to be put on some silly, useless task because he couldn’t handle taping the baseboards. He’d never told Hollis he sometimes had aches in his knees because dropping for him was one of Ian’s favorite things.

Hollis stepped closer, crowding him against the wall so Ian had to look up across his wide chest. Heat radiated from his body, and he definitely didn’t mind. He wanted to wrap himself around Hollis and not let go, but they couldn’t get distracted now. They were just getting started and there was so much work to get done over the three-day weekend.

“You’re not good,” Hollis grumbled, dropping his voice. “You’re hobbling along like an old man.”

Ian glared at him for a moment, but Hollis wouldn’t back down. “It’s nothing. My knees hurt from kneeling on the hard floor for so long.”

“Ah,” he replied with an understanding look. “Hold on for a second.” Hollis walked to the far end of the living room, where he had a pile of tools and other construction supplies. He poked around in a large red toolbox for a moment before he jogged back over to Ian, carrying a cup-shaped…something in each hand.

“What are those?”

“Kneepads.”

Ian tentatively took them, his mouth hanging open. “You got kneepads?”

Hollis chuckled, leaning closer so that his chest brushed against Ian’s shoulder. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I got them for when I replaced the tile in the bathrooms.”

“You love my mind in the gutter.” He winked. “But thanks, this will help a lot.”

“No problem.” Hollis leaned down and stole a quick kiss that stretched longer and longer as Ian suddenly found himself pinned against the wall, nearly all of Hollis’s wonderful weight pressed against him. Ian was ready to say to hell with the remodeling as he pushed up on his toes to get even closer, letting his tongue tangle with Hollis’s. They only broke apart when Jude cleared his throat as he walked past them and back into the kitchen to resume ripping out the cabinets.

With a wink, Hollis followed, but Ian still caught him adjusting his new hard-on in his jeans.

Yeah, the kneepads would help with the taping of the bedrooms, but he already had other plans for them. Strolling down the hall, he joined Andrei in the bedroom, whistling his own jaunty little tune.Chapter 3Hollis ambled into the kitchen, trying to get his mind back on work and away from coming up with an excuse for him and Ian to escape for an hour or two. He was eager to get the house settled and on the market, but after that kiss, there were plenty of other things that seemed far more pressing than getting the kitchen gutted.

Of course, his evil schemes came to an abrupt halt when he saw Jude watching him, hands on his hips and a wide, knowing grin on his face. Hollis dropped his head back and groaned. Busted!

“Sap,” Jude teased.

“Yeah, because you and your General aren’t disgusting at all.”

Jude picked up a set of work gloves and pulled them on to protect his hands. Hollis was beginning to wonder if this was the right job for the man. They’d already forced Snow away because the surgeon couldn’t risk his hands. Wouldn’t the same apply to a paramedic and his hands? But he shoved the thought away. Jude was a grown man and definitely had more common sense than Snow. He could take care of himself.