Page 226 of Haunted
Holy fuck. He came. He’s really here.
“Hey.” Sol’s grave expression sent a trickle of fear dancing down Butch’s spine.
It was all he could do to manage a nod.
“And that’s our cue.” The boss patted Sol on the arm. “We’ll give you some space.”
“Hey, don’t go on my account,” Butch protested. “This is your house, after all.”
“We’re going into Bozeman. Again.” Toby smiled. “Someoneoffered to buy me lunch, and I wasn’t going to say no.” He gazed at the boss with gleaming eyes. “About time he took me on a date. Of course, we’re really there to pick up the first guests too.” He threw Butch a warm glance, and then the pair headed out the door.
Butch couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, and Sol didn’t close the gap between them.
This isn’t going to be good, is it?
Fuck it,oneof them had to get the ball rolling.
He cleared his throat. “Well, you got here.” Butch narrowed his eyes. “Eventually.”
“Yeah, about that.” Sol took a step closer. “I’m sorry I made you wait. I’d have been here a week ago, but I had a lot of things to do before I could—”
“I missed you,” Butch blurted. He swallowed. “I’ve been wandering around this place like some goddamn lost soul these past three weeks.”
“I’m sorry,” Sol repeated.
“I convinced myself you were never coming back.”
“I’m sorry.”
Butch rolled his eyes. “Will you quit apologizing, and get over here and kiss me?”
It was as if someone flipped a switch, electrifying Sol into action. He closed the gap, his arms wide, and Butch stepped into their welcoming circle, relishing the scratch of Sol’s five o’clock shadow on his cheek, the smell of him, the taste of his lips.
“Missed you too,” Sol murmured against his lips.
“Missed you more.”
Sol chuckled. “Doubt that.” Then all talk was forgotten when Sol cradled his head the way he’d done so many times before, claiming Butch’s mouth in a lingering exploratory kiss that sent Butch’s internal thermostat from warm to If-I-wasn’t-standing-in-my-boss’s-living-room-I’d-be-naked-right-about-now.
Sol broke the kiss, his hand gentle on Butch’s cheek. “I believe I have something to tell you.”
That was all it took to get Butch’s heart pounding.
“Then let’s sit down.” He managed a chuckle. “Because right now the only thing holding me up is you.” They sat on the large squashy leather couch, and Butch twisted to look at Sol. “Before you start… You sure about this? Because I know this is opening up an old wound.” With a razor blade. A blunt one at that.
“Yes, it is, but you were right. I need to tell you everything.” Sol took Butch’s hand in his. “Just not sure where to start.”
“Was Liam the first guy you ever loved?” He flushed. “I know you said I was your first crush.”
Sol’s smile reached his eyes. “First guy who ever showed me the ropes? Pun intended. I thought I loved him. Kris was older than me. I met him at a party in Gillette. Weren’t any clubs or leather bars to speak of, not in Wyoming, but I worked with a couple of guys who were in the lifestyle. They invited me to a sex party, and there he was, this leather daddy with a full beard, a ring through his nose, the largest nipples I’d ever seen, ’causemanhe loved to play with ’em, and a humongous dick.”
Butch snorted. “Guys like that are thin on the ground in Bozeman. Least ways,I’venever seen one. So… you thought you loved him.”
Sol shrugged. “It was good while it lasted, but I soon realized he wasn’t into me like that. He taught me a lot, I’ll say that for him. Then I moved to Cheyenne, and in 2010 I met Liam.” His face tightened. “BDSM was all new to him, and fuck, he just opened up like a flower. The guy was a natural submissive.” Sol cupped Butch’s cheek. “Not unlike you, actually.”
“Me?”
Sol smiled. “Oh yeah.”
