Zane tried to catch Isaac’s gaze, but the man avoided him. What the hell? You humiliated his boyfriend and you haven’t fucking apologized for it.
“Zaney?”
He smirked at the title.
“Hey Jo, I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
He bent down so his very ex-girlfriend, Jolene Williams, could kiss his cheek. She reached up and grabbed his face and planted an opened mouth kiss on his lips.
When she finally let go, he wiped the spit off his mouth with a slight grimace. Ethan and Blade gave him a thumbs up, which he ignored.
Jo linked her arm through his. “I got invited by Isaac’s new boyfriend.”
“Where did you meet him?” he squinted.
“Isaac’s Facebook, silly.” She rolled her eyes as if that had been a no brainer.
He grunted. He didn’t do Facebook or any of that crap.
“Why didn’t you invite me yourself? You know I love Izzy.”
He guided her toward the far end of the room to the party table and booze. Hopefully, she’d forget her question because he didn’t know why he hadn’t invited her. He should have, and even though they weren’t together, he still considered her his friend.
“When are you going to come over?” She took the doctored punch from him and sent her tongue along the rim of the plastic solo cup. After taking a sip, she licked her lips.
“I’ve just been busy,” he sighed. They’d broken up over a year ago, but he managed to make it over to her place a few times a month.
“Busy with another woman? I can fill your needs,” she purred and ran her fingers over his shirt, flicking a nipple through the material. He lifted his arm to ward her off.
“You promised me you’d stop doing this,” he said beneath his breath.
“Do what?”
“Act like a witch when I know you can be cool.”
“It’s in my nature.” She wrinkled her nose at him, but her eyes held a teasing light.
Jo really was nice, and when he called her on her shit, she usually tried to make it good. He couldn’t fault her for trying. She wasn’t all that bad, but he didn’t understand why she acted the way she did around his friends.
“Well, cool it.”
“You used to like it.” She placed her hands on her trim hips, and the blouse she wore slightly parted at the buttons, offering a small glimpse of a lacy bra.
At one time, he would have dragged her out right then and there and fucked her stupid in his jeep, but over a year ago, he’d lost his desire. He’d changed. Or she’d changed. Something had fucking changed.
He wanted something more. What that something was, he didn’t quite know, but he suspected it had to do with settling down and having kids. After all, forty was only three years away.
Jo would probably jump at the chance of getting hitched, but she’d never settle down and have children. She’d told him having kids would mess up her figure and give her stretch marks.
That must be why he no longer desired her.
Isaac
“Here’s the party,” Eagle said from the doorway.
Isaac swiveled on the sectional toward the new arrivals, fiercely glad he no longer needed to suffer watching Zane with Jo. Do you blame him after just giving him the cold shoulder? If he were being honest, no.
There sat his best friend, the guy he’d had the most fun with in his entire life and he was at a loss for words. This was not how he wanted his next meeting with Zane to go. For one, there were too many people around to have a private conversation and for another, he was afraid, afraid to say or do the wrong thing.
Losing Zane was a powerful motivator to keep his mouth shut about his attraction, but all the teasing and laughter to hide it wasn’t working. And none of that would even matter if he couldn’t get his feelings under control. Zane would leave. He’s straight, you’re gay, he silently reminded himself, and it was something he needed to live with.
He’d been hiding his feelings for the past year, he could do so again, he had to.
Eagle stepped down the steps with his hands full and Isaac jumped up to take the heavy plastic-covered bowl of food.
“What is it?”
“Potato salad. Happy Birthday,” Link said from over Eagle’s shoulder.
“Thanks.” Isaac smiled. “My favorite.”
“I’ll take it, I’m starving.” Blade, who’d followed him up from the couch, reached for the bowl but Isaac hung on.
“It’s mine.” He clutched it tightly.
She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re going to need help, birthday boy. That looks like ten pounds of potato salad.”
He laughed when she managed to wrestle the bowl from him and carry it to the food table.
“I’m glad you two could make it.” He gave Eagle a fist bump.
“It’s three.” Link pointed over his shoulder at the lovely brown-haired man standing just behind him. Link was so massive, Isaac had missed Beckett standing behind Link.
“This is my cousin, Sam Beckett,” Link said.
“I remember,” he said and returned the fist bump from Beckett.
“We met at Dillon and Luke’s engagement party,” Beckett informed his puzzled looking cousin.
“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Link rubbed at the dark stubble on his chin.
“Getting senile, old man.” Eagle knocked a shoulder into Link on his way past.
“I’ll show you old.” Link squinted after a chuckling Eagle.
Link and Eagle were inseparable. No wonder they were both part of the same elite three-man unit known as Fury. The soldiers of Fury and Infinity all reported to Colonel Liam Cobalt, who answered to the Secretary of Defense. Lately, they’d worked on so many missions together, they’d almost become one big group. Fuck, he missed his team.
With a flash of pearly white teeth and full lips, Beckett tugged on his arm. “How’ve you been?”
“Good.” He smiled down at the slightly built, dark-haired man. “How’ve you be -”
“Beckett!”
His words cut off when Dillon called out and shoved to his feet. The soldier came forward to yank the younger man into
