until he could figure out how to get rid of him in a tactful manner. He'd cross that bridge if he came to it.
"Typhoon Lagoon," the driver announced. She stopped the bus and opened the door. Since there were no scheduled events, Elaine hadn't come with them. The men were on their own for the day. The driver added, "A shuttle will be here at two, four, and eight. If you want to leave at another time, catch the park transportation to the Animal Kingdom. I'll be there at three and six."
Quinn was first off the shuttle. Instead of going into the park, he stood aside and waited for Josh to walk by. Lyle and Ray stopped beside him.
They waited while the other men in the group filed off the bus and headed into the park, breaking up into pairs and small groups. Josh was one of the last men to exit. His eyes were downcast as he stepped off the bus.
Quinn gathered his courage. "Hey."
That deep brown gaze flew up to meet his own, startled. "Hey."
He managed a small smile. "I'm sorry I ran off yesterday. I shouldn't have done that."
Josh's answering smile lit his whole face. "No, I'm sorry. I should have noticed you weren't comfortable sooner."
"That's okay. I shouldn't let people get to me. I've got to work on that." Quinn decided to take another risk. "You want to try again today?"
"Hm." Josh rubbed his chin, mock-thoughtful. "I suppose I could pencil you in."
A bony elbow in his ribs jerked Quinn's attention away from the conversation. He twisted to find Lyle staring at him. Lyle's lips formed the word "run." Confused, he frowned. Lyle tilted his head meaningfully toward Damien, who had been waylaid by Ray.
Giving Lyle a grateful smile, he turned back to Josh. "Let's get out of here."
Josh grinned.
* * * *
They made their getaway without incident and walked toward the other end of the park. When they were safely away, Josh started laughing. "I feel like we're in a spy movie or something, sneaking around like this."
Quinn rolled his eyes. "It's ridiculous, isn't it? Now I feel even worse for leaving you with him yesterday."
"Well, you should. He's the most narcissistic person I've met in my entire life. I ditched him right after you left with Clay." Josh's grin was still in place, but his eyes darkened with what looked suspiciously like hurt, and maybe a little jealousy.
Quinn found it hard to believe anyone would be hurt or jealous over him, but the evidence was right in front of him. He shouldn't have been happy about provoking that kind of negative emotion, and yet a small part of him wanted to dance. He offered Josh an apologetic smile. "I didn't leave with Clay. I left, and he followed me. He finally took the hint about the third time I told him I wasn't interested." He shrugged. "I don't know why he picked me to follow around in the first place. There are plenty of other guys to choose from."
Josh raised an eyebrow. "You really don't see it, do you?"
Was there some secret everybody was in on but Quinn? "See what?"
The other man stopped and eyed him up and down. "Yourself."
Quinn saw himself every day in the mirror. He was a huge, shy dork. What was Josh talking about? He frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You've got a lot going for you. You just don't know it yet." With those cryptic words, Josh turned and resumed walking.
Quinn stared after him for a full thirty seconds before hurrying to catch up. Flustered, he didn't ask what Josh had meant. Instead, he blurted, "Want to go on a waterslide?"
"Sure, but let's find some lockers first. I want to put my stuff away."
For the first time, Quinn noticed Josh carried a bag. "What's in there?" After he asked, he wondered if the question was too nosy.
Apparently the other man didn't think so, because he answered without missing a beat. "I've got a book, a towel, sunscreen, and a bottle of water."
Quinn had brought only a towel and his sunglasses. He cringed at the thought of the horrible sunburn he was going to get. "I forgot to bring sunscreen. I'd better go buy
"Typhoon Lagoon," the driver announced. She stopped the bus and opened the door. Since there were no scheduled events, Elaine hadn't come with them. The men were on their own for the day. The driver added, "A shuttle will be here at two, four, and eight. If you want to leave at another time, catch the park transportation to the Animal Kingdom. I'll be there at three and six."
Quinn was first off the shuttle. Instead of going into the park, he stood aside and waited for Josh to walk by. Lyle and Ray stopped beside him.
They waited while the other men in the group filed off the bus and headed into the park, breaking up into pairs and small groups. Josh was one of the last men to exit. His eyes were downcast as he stepped off the bus.
Quinn gathered his courage. "Hey."
That deep brown gaze flew up to meet his own, startled. "Hey."
He managed a small smile. "I'm sorry I ran off yesterday. I shouldn't have done that."
Josh's answering smile lit his whole face. "No, I'm sorry. I should have noticed you weren't comfortable sooner."
"That's okay. I shouldn't let people get to me. I've got to work on that." Quinn decided to take another risk. "You want to try again today?"
"Hm." Josh rubbed his chin, mock-thoughtful. "I suppose I could pencil you in."
A bony elbow in his ribs jerked Quinn's attention away from the conversation. He twisted to find Lyle staring at him. Lyle's lips formed the word "run." Confused, he frowned. Lyle tilted his head meaningfully toward Damien, who had been waylaid by Ray.
Giving Lyle a grateful smile, he turned back to Josh. "Let's get out of here."
Josh grinned.
* * * *
They made their getaway without incident and walked toward the other end of the park. When they were safely away, Josh started laughing. "I feel like we're in a spy movie or something, sneaking around like this."
Quinn rolled his eyes. "It's ridiculous, isn't it? Now I feel even worse for leaving you with him yesterday."
"Well, you should. He's the most narcissistic person I've met in my entire life. I ditched him right after you left with Clay." Josh's grin was still in place, but his eyes darkened with what looked suspiciously like hurt, and maybe a little jealousy.
Quinn found it hard to believe anyone would be hurt or jealous over him, but the evidence was right in front of him. He shouldn't have been happy about provoking that kind of negative emotion, and yet a small part of him wanted to dance. He offered Josh an apologetic smile. "I didn't leave with Clay. I left, and he followed me. He finally took the hint about the third time I told him I wasn't interested." He shrugged. "I don't know why he picked me to follow around in the first place. There are plenty of other guys to choose from."
Josh raised an eyebrow. "You really don't see it, do you?"
Was there some secret everybody was in on but Quinn? "See what?"
The other man stopped and eyed him up and down. "Yourself."
Quinn saw himself every day in the mirror. He was a huge, shy dork. What was Josh talking about? He frowned. "What do you mean?"
"You've got a lot going for you. You just don't know it yet." With those cryptic words, Josh turned and resumed walking.
Quinn stared after him for a full thirty seconds before hurrying to catch up. Flustered, he didn't ask what Josh had meant. Instead, he blurted, "Want to go on a waterslide?"
"Sure, but let's find some lockers first. I want to put my stuff away."
For the first time, Quinn noticed Josh carried a bag. "What's in there?" After he asked, he wondered if the question was too nosy.
Apparently the other man didn't think so, because he answered without missing a beat. "I've got a book, a towel, sunscreen, and a bottle of water."
Quinn had brought only a towel and his sunglasses. He cringed at the thought of the horrible sunburn he was going to get. "I forgot to bring sunscreen. I'd better go buy
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