Free Spark & Blaze (A Guns & Hoses Novel) by Brenda Cothern Page A

when he lifted the rack off the balls before shoving the plastic triangle back into its storage slot.
    “I have a feeling I’m going to need it.”
    Flame smirked before he bent over, lined up the cue ball, and sent the bitch rolling down the table to slam into the waiting colored balls.
     

     
    Brett almost choked on his shot when he looked up and caught sight of Carmichael walking behind Flame to the other pool table. Their eyes had met for a moment and Carmichael’s gaze clearly displayed surprise at seeing him here. Their visual connection didn’t last long enough for Brett to decipher more. No, his glance up from the table was only because he registered movement toward the end of the table where he was taking his shot.
    However, Brett could admit that seeing Carmichael caused him to take an extra stroke with his cue before he shot the ten into the corner. And missed. Before he took that shot, Brett was beating Austin by four balls. His game apparently went to hell because Austin not only caught up, but beat his ass.
    “Thought you had me,” Austin goaded. “Then again,” Austin paused and shot Brett a wink when he continued, “I’m kinda hard to get.”
    Brett’s eyes shot up to Austin’s grinning face. Had he been in Bradley’s, he would’ve had no doubt Austin was flirting with him. Hell, even knowing Austin was gay, made the guy’s words seem even more like a flirtatious comment. However, Brett knew enough about gay men to know that most of them wanted nothing to do with straight guys.
    Shit. Did I do something to show my hand?
    Brett quickly replayed his interactions with Austin over the last few games of pool. It would be easy for him to fall into his pool playing pickup tactics that he used at Bradley’s to score tricks, but he was positive he hadn’t portrayed anything other than a straight guy enjoying a few games of pool.
    “Rack’um man,” Austin’s voice jolted Brett back to the moment and out of his paranoia.
    “We’re tied up right?” Brett asked just for something to say. He knew Austin was up by a game, but felt like goading the younger guy.
    “You wish!” Austin laughed while he chalked his bar cue. “I own your ass by one.”
    Brett groaned when he lifted the rack off the balls. He hoped Austin thought his groan was because the guy had called him out on losing and not because Brett’s mind went instantly into the gutter.
    The crack of the break was loud and the spread of the balls didn’t surprise Brett. Austin knew his shit. The way the current game was going, based on Austin’s break, Brett would be lucky to get a shot at all. Hell, he probably wouldn’t have gotten one if Flame’s voice hadn’t interrupted Austin’s concentration.
    “Austie, let’s play partners.” Flame walked toward the table they were playing on. “I can’t beat Carmichael on my own. I need some fucking help.”
    Austin stood up after making his shot and turned to face Flame. Brett watched a grin spread Austin’s lips and waited to hear the smart ass reply the man would give his cousin. He had played enough games of pool with Austin to appreciate the guy’s smart ass sense of humor.
    “Well, I’m up by one,” Austin paused and glanced at the balls on the table before continuing. “And soon to be two games up so who do you want to partner with for doubles?”
    “Well, I work with these two assholes so I sure as hell don’t want them on my team.” Flame laughed. “Plus I think the ‘sticks’ should stay together and let us ‘bar cues’ show them how it’s done.”
    Flame’s words caused Brett to look at Carmichael; more specifically, the cue and Carmichael’s hand. It was definitely not a bar cue. Overall, dark cherry wood made up the majority of the cue. However, the bottom half was wrapped in thin strands of royal blue thread.
    The cue wasn’t fancy, but Brett’s experience told him that Carmichael’s stick was a unique custom cue. He dragged his eyes away from the lower