Free In the Silks by Lisa Wilde Page A

to Boston. How are you? Would love to catch up sometime. ;-)
     
    He just knew that Pat had put all of the pieces together. But then again, Pat didn’t know anything. Did he? There was no way. There was only one other thing Pat could have known about. Tommy Dalton. But even that was impossible. Pat wasn’t around when that had happened. He was sure of it. Wasn’t he?
    Henry read the message several times. He thought about not responding, especially given the Pat situation, but in the end he couldn’t ignore it. Desire over took any rational thoughts that he had on the subject.
     
    Henry: Hi Ryan, of course I remember you. Definitely, let’s catch up. Sometime soon.
     
    Henry was about to get up to go for a second glass of water, still feeling queasy. When he heard the ping, Henry was shocked that he’d gotten an almost immediate response.
    Ryan: Cool, I just got back a few weeks ago. I don’t have much going on. I’m kind of recovering from an injury. So whenever.
     
    Damn, Henry thought. What could have happened to him?
     
    Henry: I’m sorry to hear that. I hope that it’s nothing too serious? I work weekdays, but I’m free on the weekends. Maybe coffee?
    Ryan: Yeah, no worries I am healing up. Coffee is okay, but what about something a little more potent?
    Henry: Like drinks? That’s cool.
    Ryan: That works. Like I said I have a lot free time at the moment so you choose the time and the place.
     
    They exchanged numbers, and Henry named a pub that he liked and a time for the very next day. Henry had wanted to ask him to dinner but didn’t have the balls to. It seemed much more casual to just have a drink, didn’t it? Dinner was so much more time and he already expected to be an awkward mess. Why drag that out through an entire meal? But at the moment, he was too excited and anxious to dwell on it. He logged off, sat back, and once his nerves calmed, a big, cheesy grin settled in on his face and stayed through the rest of the night. When Henry finally went to bed, his legs were restless under the sheets. He flipped his head side to side trying to get comfortable. Punched the pillow a couple of times, he was just so edgy. Finally, with an exasperated sigh, Henry closed his eyes. Images of Ryan Mallory invaded his mind as his hands disappeared below the sheet.

Chapter 6
    H ENRY was waiting for Ryan at the pub; sitting at the table, leg bouncing and chewing on his fingernails. A bad habit that he’d always had. An easy tell that he was nervous, for anyone paying attention. Henry was watching the front door intently; every time it opened, he sat up straight. Ryan wasn’t late. Henry was early.
    When Ryan finally came in, Henry jumped up from his seat, rubbing his sweaty palms up and down his thighs. Ryan saw him and nodded. Henry’s gaze went straight to the crooked grin on the other man’s face. He could stare at it forever.
    Jesus Henry, cue the violins.
    “Hey, how are you?” Ryan asked, not giving him a chance to answer, he pulled Henry in for a quick hug. Henry noticed a scent of what he suspected was weed mingled with something else that he couldn’t pinpoint.
    Henry was startled. He hadn’t expected that hug but damn, if it didn’t feel good. If he didn’t let go and sit down, Ryan and the rest of the people in the family friendly establishment would know just how good it had felt. “I’m good, how are you?”
    They sat down. Ryan pulled off the knit cap he was wearing and placed it on the table before responding. “I’m okay. Like I said, I haven’t been here long. I got injured on the road. Rehab is going to take several months.”
    Oh my God, he has a tongue ring.
    Henry tried not to stare, but he wanted another look. He was listening and was concerned about Ryan’s injury, but the tongue ring was a serious distraction. The waitress came over, and they both ordered a beer.
    “Hey, I’m going to order an appetizer. Do you want to split something? I’m starving.” Ryan asked looking