Torch (Unbreakable Bonds 3)

After several minutes, he paused, leaning against a tree. His shoulder felt like it was on fire and his sleeve was wet, sticking to his skin.

“Shoulder?” Noah asked without looking at Rowe. His eyes continue to scan the immediate area.

“It’s fine.”

Noah snorted softly. “So I’m sewing you up tonight and not the good doctor?”

“Only cuz you’ll let me drink while you’re doing it. I’ve got a brand new bottle of whiskey that’s calling both our names at home.”

They started again, Rowe frowning as they moved. They’d covered a good distance already and should be near the edge of the Lynton property and the road. Noah called a sudden halt and Rowe nodded. A soft noise lifted just beyond the tree line. A car engine and it was getting closer.

To his left, a shadow broke from the trees, running at a dead sprint, cutting through the trees like a deer on speed. Rowe and Noah ran after the figure, not bothering to shout halt. The fucker was not going to stop just because he asked nicely. Noah pulled ahead of Rowe, his longer legs eating up the distance despite the debris of dead limbs covering the ground. But the other figure was smaller and faster.

The shooter disappeared from sight a couple seconds later. Noah and Rowe followed, breaking through the tree line to find themselves standing on the top of a hill with a sharp drop-off. Their quarry had slid down the hill and sprung to his feet before launching himself into the back seat of a dark four-door sedan. The second the perp landed in the back of the car, the vehicle sped off in a rush of squealing tires and smoke. With few lights on the road and no lights turned on in the car, Rowe was only able to make out the vague shape of a dark sedan. Not even enough for the color or the make.

Fuck!Chapter 10“Well? Whaddya think about the place?”

It was hard not to grin at Rowe as he stood before Noah with his fists propped on his narrow hips, a look of pride shining on his newly clean shaven face. Noah longed to close the two feet of distance between them and kiss the man senseless. Slide his tongue over Rowe’s lips and into his mouth, swallowing down that low groan that would shoot straight to Noah’s cock as he pulled Rowe in tight. He’d liked the red scruff on his chin a lot but wondered how that smooth skin would feel against his. But they had just gotten back to normal after that first unexpected kiss. No reason to upset their balance all over again. Even if Rowe had kissed him back and obviously wanted to do it again. He couldn’t risk it. Shouldn’t.

Damn he needed to get his mind off this. He’d decided to try and squash his hopes of something with Rowe when he’d seen how much the situation was getting to him the night before. They’d returned after the excitement at the Lyntons’ and Rowe had been unable to meet his eyes when he’d doctored his shoulder. And something in his expression had taken a bite out of Noah’s heart. His best friend wasn’t an option. Not yet. Yeah, there was now a lot of fucking confusion. He was tempted to continue to press because he was sure Rowe was interested, but Rowe was still going through a lot of shit. He was being threatened. His friends were being threatened. And his wife had died less than a year ago. Noah needed to keep his hands to himself when it came to Rowe.

Maybe dinner with Ian was a good idea. Ian had texted that morning, asking if Noah would be interested in grabbing dinner and seeing some of the city. He’d teased that Noah might need a break from Rowe. The man had no fucking idea.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that Ian was nice and funny and sexy as hell. Would it be so wrong to have a night out with someone who also found him funny and sexy too? Ian was at least in the realm of possibility, where Rowe…fuck, he didn’t know what the hell Rowe was, but he was supposed to be untouchable. Right now, all he wanted to do was touch and lick and suck…and Noah couldn’t be around temptation twenty-four seven and not finally crack. The back and forth was killing him.

And for now, they were stumped about the fire. The perps had escaped and the Lyntons’ house now belonged to the cops for their investigation. Detective Metcalfe promised to be in contact, so they were stuck on the outside. There had been nothing to do but go home—particularly since Rowe refused to go to the hospital for stitches.

Now they were at Ward Security. Rowe said he wanted to show Noah around, make sure he had the proper gear if he was going to be accompanying Rowe on jobs, and at least get some of the paperwork out of the way. Noah just smiled and nodded. He knew the truth of it was that Rowe needed to get out of the house and feel like he was doing something productive—even on a Sunday—rather than twiddling their thumbs while they waited around for the fucking arsonist to strike again or their sources to turn up some useful information.