Torch (Unbreakable Bonds 3)

Chapter 7“There is too much food in my belly,” Rowe said in a groan as he leaned back in his chair. He grinned when Andrei burst into laughter in the kitchen where he was washing dishes with Noah. The two had really hit it off and Noah volunteering to clean up had probably made a friend for life in Andrei—even though Lucas insisted the cleaning service would take care of things.

Andrei never listened because he hated getting up to a messy kitchen. It was a pet peeve Rowe shared. He often had cleaned up after Mel’s disastrous attempts to…he broke off the thought, trying not to think about all the times he’d argued with his wife over who was cooking or cleaning. The pain that lashed into his gut still had the power to steal his breath. He rubbed his eyes with his right hand, focusing on Noah and his low rumble of laughter, letting the happy sound seep into him, hoping it would sink deep enough to keep the memories at bay for the night.

He looked toward the wall-sized window, taking in the familiar lights of the Suspension Bridge and downtown Cincinnati. He loved this city—had never expected it to take hold of him as it had. He’d grown up in Missouri, traveled throughout Europe with the Army and his friends, lived with Snow and Lucas in Baltimore for a time before they relocated to Cincinnati. He’d expected it to feel like any other place, but they’d settled here, met Ian, and…Mel. He’d really felt like he belonged. It was home, more than any other he’d ever tried to have.

Noah laughed again, drawing his attention back toward the kitchen. His friend stood in front of the sink, head tilted back so his hair was off his face. He had the most infectious laughter—deep and sometimes raspy. It rumbled down into low chuckles that made Rowe blink. Because those rumbles were sexy. Really sexy. He remembered thinking that before. Long ago. And had his upper arms always been that big?

A hand landed on his arm and squeezed. He blinked at Ian, who stared at him with wide, brown eyes. A grin split his lips, making him look younger than his twenty-six years.

Noah and Andrei started arguing in the kitchen, their words peppered with so much laughter, they could barely form sentences.

“Your friend is fun.” Ian leaned close and searched his eyes.

Rowe looked at him, really looked at him, and he could suddenly see his charm. His blond-streaked brown hair was ruffled, and the top couple of buttons on his shirt were undone, showing smooth skin. He hadn’t shaved and light brown whiskers shadowed his jaw and upper lip. He looked sleepy and sated—from food—but it worked for him. No wonder Noah had been paying extra attention to Ian tonight. While Lucas and Snow still saw him as a young, wounded creature in need of protecting, Rowe saw the twenty-six-year-old man he was. And for the first time he saw that his friend carried very real sex appeal.

Why that made him so goddamned uncomfortable all of sudden, he didn’t know. No, that wasn’t true. He knew very well why he didn’t want Noah with Ian.

“How long is he staying with you?” Ian asked.

Rowe shrugged. “No idea. He’s starting over.”

“And he came to you first?” One corner of his mouth went up. “You don’t find that interesting?”

“Find what interesting?” He looked around but Lucas, Snow and Jude weren’t paying attention to them as they talked quietly at the other end of the table. “We were really close when we served together. Shared an apartment for a time, too.”

“So you know your friend is gay.” Ian plopped his elbow next to crumpled napkin and balanced his chin on his palm.

Lucas’s phone rang and he excused himself to take it in the other room. When Rowe looked across the table, he met Snow’s gaze. The other man shot a glance into the kitchen. When he looked back, he raised an eyebrow, then grinned in a way that only Snow could get away with. It was wicked, dark, and from the grunt Jude made, sexy as hell to the paramedic, who threaded his fingers with Snow’s on the table. Snow turned to his boyfriend and the heat that passed between them in just one glance made Rowe squirm in his seat.

When Snow, still staring at Jude, pulled their hands under the table with a smirk, Rowe kicked the doctor under the table. Chuckling, Snow raised his hand above the table and wiggled his fingers. Jude narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. The smile slid off Snow’s mouth as he locked gazes with Jude.

“You guys,” Ian said, waving a hand in front of his face. “Shit. Hot. Stop showing off in front of the single guys.” He turned back to Rowe. “So, is Noah single? What’s the scoop?”