Page 41 of The Mechanics of Lust

She nodded thoughtfully. “It could work. I’ll keep him in mind, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. But if you do end up asking Spencer, remind him he still owes me for that crappy blind date he set me up on with that shearer from Wanaka. The guy was a bloody nutcase.”

She went up on her toes and kissed me on the cheek. “I will. And I oweyou.” Her lips curved up in a sly grin. “Which is why I’m going to let you borrow my best concealer for those teeth marks you’re wearing before Charlie or anybody else sees them. Lordy, that must’ve been some night you had, Zacharia Lane.”

The look on my face must’ve said it all because Emily hooted with laughter, tipped my gaping mouth closed, and headed back to her cottage with a jaunty spring in her step.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, short of a mud bath, I’d done the best I could to cover the evidence of Luke’s and my antics the night before. Emily’s makeup did a reasonable job on the most obvious ones, and I made a mental note to buy some for myself. The concealer, in addition to wearing jeans rather than shorts, and adding a brightly patterned button-down that didn’t look too out of place for me and was certainly distracting, and I was praying for the best.

Notworking in my favour was the fact everyone would be there other than Sam, who’d gone to his parents, which meant a lot of curious eyes to evade.Inmy favour, the cookout was happening in the backyard around a fire pit and I only needed to get through the first hour before the alcohol consumption and fading light would do the rest.

Yeah, right.

I should’ve known better. I’d barely grabbed a seat around the fire pit when Charlie put down her beer and walked over. She yanked my collar aside and her hand flew to her mouth. “Holy fucking shit. Somebody’s been busy.” Her eyes danced over my face. “So, who was he?”

Holden looked over from where he and Gil were busy with the barbecue. “Who was who?”

“Shut up.” I shoved Charlie’s hand aside and resettled my collar. “None of your damn business.”

“Why you dirty dog.” Holden walked over to investigate but I was on my feet in an instant.

“It’s none ofyourbusiness either,” I warned him.

“Aw, go on. Just a peek.” He feinted to his right, then lunged to the left and made a grab for the collar. “Holy mother of God. You look like someone’s main course they couldn’t quite finish.”

He was closer to the truth than he realised, not that I was going to tell him that. “Piss off, all of you,” I grumbled, clenching my collar in my fist and retaking my seat. “You’re just jealous.”

Holden was staring at me. “But I didn’t see you leave the bar with anyone.”

I was about to tell him to mind his own business again when Gil saved me the bother. “Leave the guy alone,” he admonished with a quirk to his lips and laughter in his eyes.

Holden pouted dramatically. “Spoilsport.” Then he wandered back to the barbecue and gave his boyfriend a kiss before glancing over his shoulder. “But I’d consider getting a rabies shot if I was you.”

I snorted. “Fuck off.”

“Who needs a rabies shot?”

I didn’t need to look to put a name to that gravelly voice. Not that long ago it had been whispering lewd comments in my ear while its owner’s dick had been shoved up my arse and halfway to Mars.

“Zach.” Holden waved a finger my way. “He’s been a naughty boy and he’s got the teeth marks to prove it.”

“Is that right?” Luke plonked himself in the chair next to Alek on the opposite side of the fire. He stretched those long, long legs out in front and crossed the ankles. And fuck if he didn’t look as sexy as hell. “Glad to hear you had a fun night.” With no one else on my side of the fire to see, Luke ran hungry eyes over me, head to foot, and my belly did a little flip-flop. But when he finished with a downright filthy wink, everything south of that decided to join the party as well.

The man was catnip to my dick.

“So, who’s the lucky guy?” he asked in an innocent voice, and I hoped my answering glare said everything I couldn’t.

“No one important,” I replied, flipping him off.

Luke’s eyes glittered with amusement at the lie, and careful not to be seen, he discreetly tugged down the corner of his shirt collar to reveal the edge of a technicolour bruise with an imprint of teeth that no doubt matched mine.

My dick thickened in my jeans at the memory.Jesus, had I really done that?There was only one answer to that question, and I was pretty sure I flushed to the roots of my hair. I dragged my gaze away and cleared my throat. “Can we please change the subject?”

“Yes,” Emily said, arriving with Harry to take the last spare seats around the edge of the fire pit. “Give the poor boy a break.”

I shot her a grateful look. “Finally, some respect.”

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