the churning knot of confusion in his gut somewhat eased by his friend’s company. “Yeah, yeah, you’ll get over…”
The word it failed to form on his lips.
Jeremy was walking towards the table.
Smiling at Ryan.
Every fibre, every molecule in Ryan’s body thrummed with a desire so hot the air in his lungs felt seared.
Fuck me, I want him so much.
He couldn’t move. The closer Jeremy drew, the more Ryan realized he was completely imprisoned by his desire for the man. If there was sound in the pub, he couldn’t hear it over the roaring of his blood in his ears.
“Ryan,” Jeremy said when he finally reached the table, a secret in his voice only Ryan heard. “Ready for that drink?”
Ryan stared up at him. His heart thumped against his chest plate like a sledgehammer.
Lips curling with a smile just as secret and evocative as his voice, Jeremy stared back.
It wasn’t until the scraping sound of metal on floorboards filled the silence that Ryan shook himself from Jeremy’s mesmerizing blue gaze. Turning to Charlie, he let out a sheepish laugh. “Charlie, this is the minister for the arts and culture, Jeremy Craig.” He slid his attention back to Jeremy, his heart quickening as their eyes connected once again. “Minister, this is Senior Constable Charlie Baynard, who I’ve only just discovered is also a CIA agent called Chuck.”
Charlie rose to his feet, taking Jeremy’s offered handshake and pumping it once.
“Minister,” Charlie said, the greeting relaxed. Ryan, however, did not miss the way Charlie took in the other man. He’d seen his friend look at tourists to the Ridge who’d indulged in too much alcohol that way—weighing up a potential problem with calm detachment and composed menace.
Jeremy smiled, the expression friendly and highly polished. “Please, Senior Constable, call me Jeremy.”
Charlie chuckled. “In that case, call me Chuck.”
Jeremy’s answering laugh was far more relaxed than his smile. “Chuck.”
For a frozen moment, both men studied each other, faces unreadable, two players of a game sizing each other up. And then Charlie released Jeremy’s hand with another chuckle. “Welcome to the Ridge, Jeremy. Seen anything you like so far?”
Ryan’s gut clenched when Jeremy’s gaze flicked towards him. He had no idea if it was a conscious action or not, but he knew Charlie wouldn’t miss it. And conscious or not, it set a fresh wave of want rolling through his body.
He shifted on his seat, his balls aching, his cock well on its way to an uncomfortably bent pole in his jeans.
“I’m having quite a time of it so far,” Jeremy replied, lowering himself into the seat beside Ryan. “Some definite moments that stole my breath with the unexpected rawness to be found here.”
Ryan bit back a low groan at the innuendo in Jeremy’s words. Jesus, the bloke was going to send him around the twist with lust.
“I’ve heard a man can discover a lot about himself after just one day in the Outback,” Charlie answered as he dropped back into his own seat, watching Jeremy with seemingly casual interest.
Jeremy inclined his head in a single nod. “I can see that. I’ve definitely been moved more than once since arriving. I wasn’t quite prepared for the impact it’s had on me.”
Ryan’s head spun. His balls continued to throb, now as hard and swollen as his cock.
Charlie arched an eyebrow. He studied Jeremy with a relaxed smile, the kind Ryan knew meant he was far from relaxed. The kind that normally preceded him kicking some idiot’s arse. Or throwing someone in lockup. “You going to be able to leave the Ridge the same man as you were when you arrived?”
Jeremy’s answering laugh—as relaxed as Charlie’s and just as telling—played hell with Ryan’s senses. “Ask me again in four days, Chuck.”
Whatever Charlie was looking for, searching for, he apparently got it. In a heartbeat, the composed menace radiating from him vanished. “Will do. So what’s
The word it failed to form on his lips.
Jeremy was walking towards the table.
Smiling at Ryan.
Every fibre, every molecule in Ryan’s body thrummed with a desire so hot the air in his lungs felt seared.
Fuck me, I want him so much.
He couldn’t move. The closer Jeremy drew, the more Ryan realized he was completely imprisoned by his desire for the man. If there was sound in the pub, he couldn’t hear it over the roaring of his blood in his ears.
“Ryan,” Jeremy said when he finally reached the table, a secret in his voice only Ryan heard. “Ready for that drink?”
Ryan stared up at him. His heart thumped against his chest plate like a sledgehammer.
Lips curling with a smile just as secret and evocative as his voice, Jeremy stared back.
It wasn’t until the scraping sound of metal on floorboards filled the silence that Ryan shook himself from Jeremy’s mesmerizing blue gaze. Turning to Charlie, he let out a sheepish laugh. “Charlie, this is the minister for the arts and culture, Jeremy Craig.” He slid his attention back to Jeremy, his heart quickening as their eyes connected once again. “Minister, this is Senior Constable Charlie Baynard, who I’ve only just discovered is also a CIA agent called Chuck.”
Charlie rose to his feet, taking Jeremy’s offered handshake and pumping it once.
“Minister,” Charlie said, the greeting relaxed. Ryan, however, did not miss the way Charlie took in the other man. He’d seen his friend look at tourists to the Ridge who’d indulged in too much alcohol that way—weighing up a potential problem with calm detachment and composed menace.
Jeremy smiled, the expression friendly and highly polished. “Please, Senior Constable, call me Jeremy.”
Charlie chuckled. “In that case, call me Chuck.”
Jeremy’s answering laugh was far more relaxed than his smile. “Chuck.”
For a frozen moment, both men studied each other, faces unreadable, two players of a game sizing each other up. And then Charlie released Jeremy’s hand with another chuckle. “Welcome to the Ridge, Jeremy. Seen anything you like so far?”
Ryan’s gut clenched when Jeremy’s gaze flicked towards him. He had no idea if it was a conscious action or not, but he knew Charlie wouldn’t miss it. And conscious or not, it set a fresh wave of want rolling through his body.
He shifted on his seat, his balls aching, his cock well on its way to an uncomfortably bent pole in his jeans.
“I’m having quite a time of it so far,” Jeremy replied, lowering himself into the seat beside Ryan. “Some definite moments that stole my breath with the unexpected rawness to be found here.”
Ryan bit back a low groan at the innuendo in Jeremy’s words. Jesus, the bloke was going to send him around the twist with lust.
“I’ve heard a man can discover a lot about himself after just one day in the Outback,” Charlie answered as he dropped back into his own seat, watching Jeremy with seemingly casual interest.
Jeremy inclined his head in a single nod. “I can see that. I’ve definitely been moved more than once since arriving. I wasn’t quite prepared for the impact it’s had on me.”
Ryan’s head spun. His balls continued to throb, now as hard and swollen as his cock.
Charlie arched an eyebrow. He studied Jeremy with a relaxed smile, the kind Ryan knew meant he was far from relaxed. The kind that normally preceded him kicking some idiot’s arse. Or throwing someone in lockup. “You going to be able to leave the Ridge the same man as you were when you arrived?”
Jeremy’s answering laugh—as relaxed as Charlie’s and just as telling—played hell with Ryan’s senses. “Ask me again in four days, Chuck.”
Whatever Charlie was looking for, searching for, he apparently got it. In a heartbeat, the composed menace radiating from him vanished. “Will do. So what’s
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