Page 19 of On Thin Ice

“But gay porn is so fun,” Finn said. It was also so fun to work Jacob up. To make that flush climb up his chest to his cheeks.

But that way, probably—okay, almost certainly—lay disaster.

He’d need to remember that.

“This isn’t about fun,” Jacob said, and Finn decided that was just the reminder he needed.

It wasn’t about fun. It was about their futures.

And if Jacob wanted his even half as much as Finn wanted his own, then he’d want it an awful lot.

He typed in his number to a text and pressed send.

“There,” Finn said, handing the phone back. “Now we’re all set. When do we start?”

Jacob groaned.

“Tomorrow? Is that too soon?”

“Yes. No.” Jacob groaned again. “I gotta think about this.”

“Not if you’re going to do it,” Finn clarified.

“No.HowI’m going to do it,” Jacob said.

Finn breathed out a sigh of relief. “Okay. Yeah. How. Well, let me know, okay?”

“Okay,” Jacob said. Paused. “Now get out and let me enjoy this wine.”

Finn wasn’t stupid. Having gotten exactly what he’d come for, he got out.

Chapter 4

“You’relookingalittlepale this morning,” Bryan observed wryly as they rounded a turn in Forest Park.

His brother would know, because nobody else knew him as well as Bryan and Bryan was also a doctor. Admittedly, he specialized in pediatrics and children didn’t tend to get hangovers from a bottle and a half of red wine, but still. He’d know.

Since Jacob had retired, Monday mornings were their running time. Usually they tried to make it twice more during the week, though that day changed depending on Bryan’s schedule. Not just with his work, but his family.

Jacob had two small, very adorable nieces, Jacqueline and Krista, who had yet to get the memo that their uncle was not very cool.

“I got a little carried away with this cab sauv. A really delicious smoky fruit. You’d have liked it, but unfortunately I drank the whole goddamn bottle,” Jacob admitted.

“That’s not like you.”

Jacob had debated whether he’d tell his brother about the late-night visitor who had systematically demolished a few of his walls—and seemed hell-bent on destroying some more in the weeks and months to come.

You really need to stop worrying I’m going to seduce you.

If Finn had any inkling how laughably easy it might’ve been, maybe he would’ve proposed that exchange.

Sex for coaching.

But Jacob knew he’d never have taken the offer, even if he wanted to.

Things were complicated enough between him and anyone with Reynolds as a last name without adding fucking to the equation.

“I had someone show up last night. At the house.”

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