Clint’s lips wanton with need, but he let the kid go without drawing him back and completing what Axel had started. He watched him make his way across the floor toward Angel and Gavin, who flashed warm, friendly smiles when they saw him. He would be okay. He would learn to accept forgiveness, and forgive himself.
You’re my knight in shining armor. Axel clearly had delusions of grandeur in his perspective of Clint…but his words nonetheless filled Clint with emotions that remained somewhat foreign to him. But was it the ‘knight in shining armor’ reference that had him all twisted up…or rather other words that had fallen from Axel’s lips, for the second time?
He isn’t even aware he spoke them. Clint stared at Axel across the club, his heartbeat erratic and a bit “off”. Maybe it was best that he wasn’t. At the moment…Clint didn’t know what to do with them. And he didn’t dare analyze too deeply just when those three little words running around in his head ceased to be Axel’s and became…
Shifting his stare from Axel, Clint cut the thought short and turned toward the bar. He groaned inwardly at the sight of the three men awaiting him. What happened to the good old days when even those who knew him well walked softly in his presence?
Gabriel was never wary of you , he mused. Gabriel had always been a little bit incorrigible, from the day Nathan Sanitini had brought him in off the streets. And after a few years at the club –the young man was downright impossible at times. Of course, Clint wouldn’t have it any other way. In light of recent events, it proved to him yet again Gabriel’s resilience and strength –his ability to go through hell and come out the other side still fighting. A survivor.
“A drink?” Gabriel cocked an eyebrow and smiled when Clint approached.
“Scotch.” Clint took the stool next to Gabriel and rested his elbows on the bar, watching the young bartender fill his order. He was new to the club. “What happened to Carl?” Clint asked.
“He’s still with us,” Gabriel assured. “He just found himself an…outside interest.” He grinned. “By the name of Lex Roaman.”
“Roaman…” he looked at Gabriel uncertainly. “The same…”
“One and the same.”
Clint nodded slowly. “A good man, by my standards.”
“And ours.” Gabriel said. “For damn sure.” He smiled at the bartender –a good looking guy in his mid-twenties with the body of a model and thick dark hair cropped short. “This is Riley. Riley, meet Clint.” He smirked. “Our local thug.”
The bartender slid Clint’s drink across the bar then held out his hand and flashed a gorgeous smile. “Pleasure to meet you, Clint.”
Clint scowled at Gabriel as he shook the man’s hand and nodded. When Riley drifted away to attend other customers, Gabriel exchanged looks with Cole and Dane who up till now had held their peace. Which –for Cole, at least –was out of character. Gabriel’s boyfriend was nearly as incorrigible as Gabriel himself.
“So?” Gabriel looked at Clint, his brow raised and a twist to his lips.
“So… what? ” Clint stared at him.
The three young men chuckled. Gabriel cleared his throat. “The last I recall, Axel was running from you in tears. Now he’s brandishing your infamous belt buckle…” he flicked his fingers. “Fill in the blanks here. What did you do to the poor kid? Lasso him and seduce him with your sexy cowboy ways?”
Clint looked at him dryly and released a growling breath. “Boy…” he muttered. “Remember what I told you about messing with the bull?”
Cole laughed and nudged Dane who struggled to suppress a chuckle.
Ignoring the obvious threat, Gabriel licked his lips, his smile stretching. “I noticed you hot-footed it right after him when he walked out of here. That was an awful long talk you had with him.”
“Ah come on, Gabe,” Cole snaked his arm around Gabriel’s neck and kissed his ear. “They probably talk things
You’re my knight in shining armor. Axel clearly had delusions of grandeur in his perspective of Clint…but his words nonetheless filled Clint with emotions that remained somewhat foreign to him. But was it the ‘knight in shining armor’ reference that had him all twisted up…or rather other words that had fallen from Axel’s lips, for the second time?
He isn’t even aware he spoke them. Clint stared at Axel across the club, his heartbeat erratic and a bit “off”. Maybe it was best that he wasn’t. At the moment…Clint didn’t know what to do with them. And he didn’t dare analyze too deeply just when those three little words running around in his head ceased to be Axel’s and became…
Shifting his stare from Axel, Clint cut the thought short and turned toward the bar. He groaned inwardly at the sight of the three men awaiting him. What happened to the good old days when even those who knew him well walked softly in his presence?
Gabriel was never wary of you , he mused. Gabriel had always been a little bit incorrigible, from the day Nathan Sanitini had brought him in off the streets. And after a few years at the club –the young man was downright impossible at times. Of course, Clint wouldn’t have it any other way. In light of recent events, it proved to him yet again Gabriel’s resilience and strength –his ability to go through hell and come out the other side still fighting. A survivor.
“A drink?” Gabriel cocked an eyebrow and smiled when Clint approached.
“Scotch.” Clint took the stool next to Gabriel and rested his elbows on the bar, watching the young bartender fill his order. He was new to the club. “What happened to Carl?” Clint asked.
“He’s still with us,” Gabriel assured. “He just found himself an…outside interest.” He grinned. “By the name of Lex Roaman.”
“Roaman…” he looked at Gabriel uncertainly. “The same…”
“One and the same.”
Clint nodded slowly. “A good man, by my standards.”
“And ours.” Gabriel said. “For damn sure.” He smiled at the bartender –a good looking guy in his mid-twenties with the body of a model and thick dark hair cropped short. “This is Riley. Riley, meet Clint.” He smirked. “Our local thug.”
The bartender slid Clint’s drink across the bar then held out his hand and flashed a gorgeous smile. “Pleasure to meet you, Clint.”
Clint scowled at Gabriel as he shook the man’s hand and nodded. When Riley drifted away to attend other customers, Gabriel exchanged looks with Cole and Dane who up till now had held their peace. Which –for Cole, at least –was out of character. Gabriel’s boyfriend was nearly as incorrigible as Gabriel himself.
“So?” Gabriel looked at Clint, his brow raised and a twist to his lips.
“So… what? ” Clint stared at him.
The three young men chuckled. Gabriel cleared his throat. “The last I recall, Axel was running from you in tears. Now he’s brandishing your infamous belt buckle…” he flicked his fingers. “Fill in the blanks here. What did you do to the poor kid? Lasso him and seduce him with your sexy cowboy ways?”
Clint looked at him dryly and released a growling breath. “Boy…” he muttered. “Remember what I told you about messing with the bull?”
Cole laughed and nudged Dane who struggled to suppress a chuckle.
Ignoring the obvious threat, Gabriel licked his lips, his smile stretching. “I noticed you hot-footed it right after him when he walked out of here. That was an awful long talk you had with him.”
“Ah come on, Gabe,” Cole snaked his arm around Gabriel’s neck and kissed his ear. “They probably talk things
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