Page 24 of Stay A Little Longer
“Uh huh.” Shane ignored him, “Trent, this is Deputy Lance Nichols. He works with me at the FSD. I’ve asked him to keep an eye on things around here while you’re in town, make sure nobody’s loitering around or giving you any trouble. You need anything, anything at all and you can’t reach me or Lemon, you go to him. Got me?”
Trent’s lips twitched, “Sir yes sir.”
Shane snorted, “Watch it.”
Lemon giggled from her perch in the doorway of the trailer, “Trent I told you, only I can get away with that.”
Lance ignored the innuendo. Hell, he all but ignored everyone and everything. Except Trent. Those blue eyes had captured him in their gaze again and he couldn’t look away. The magnetic force he felt being anywhere near Trent took hold and his feet moved him forward before he could convince them not to.
“I uh… it’s nice to meet you?” He offered his hand awkwardly.
Jesus, what was wrong with him? He wasn’t this guy. Nervous and shy and embarrassingly tongue tied. He was tough. Detached. Cynical. He was a smartass, a bastard. But his mask completely fell away in the presence of this man.
“Nice to meet you too, Deputy Nichols.” Trent took his hand and sparks all but flared where they touched.
“It’s uh… It’s just Lance.”
“Lance.” Trent said his name and it rolled off his tongue like a prayer and a curse all at the same time, “Thank you.”
His brows furrowed slightly, “For what?”
“Your service.” Trent’s grin widened again and Lance pulled his hand away with a scowl.
He was getting a kick out of this. Trent knew he was uncomfortable. Knew he was on edge. And he was playing with him. Lance wanted to punch him. Or kiss him. Or both. One right after the other. His suddenly very vivid imagination supplied him with an image of punching Trent in the teeth and then using his tongue to lick up the blood as apology.
Fuck he was so screwed. His dick was hard. He was half-naked. And his boss was standing three feet away.
Lance stepped back purposefully, putting distance between himself and Trent, “Oh, yeah, no problem. You uh, just let me know if you need anything. It was nice meeting you.”
“You too.” Trent let him go with nothing but that broad smile. “I’ll be seeing you.”
“Yeah. Sure.” Lance nearly tripped over his own feet and shot a look at Shane, “I’ve got some stuff to do today but I’ll check on him later.” He glanced back at Trent one last time, “Nice to meet you, again.”
He all but leaped up the steps into his trailer and slammed the door behind him. His heart was tapdancing with panic. His hands were sweaty and his knees felt weak. He was on the verge of a panic attack and he couldn’t quite see straight, his vision blurring with the image of Trent grinning at him.
He’d needed to get away but he knew that exit would only make the others ask more questions. Shane would want to know what his problem was. He’d been rude running off like that. His only saving grace was that rude was the expected status quo with him these days. Shane wouldn’t read too much into it and even if he did, he’d be wrong about his conclusions.
Lance swallowed hard, forcing air in and out of his lungs. He was gay. Tucked so far into the closetcoming out seemed impossible. And the one man that knew his secret, that made him want and need more, that was his every dream come to life, was staying next door. Maybe even because he’d asked him to. Lance closed his eyes and cursed.
He was so fucking screwed.
