Free Ethan (Alluring Indulgence) by Nicole Edwards Page B

him. He
was even attracted to the guy’s patience, his self-assurance. That cocky way he
stood there like nothing or no one could hurt him.
    When
Blake apparently got too close for comfort, Beau put one hand out, right up
against Blake’s chest. God, the difference in their sizes was significant. Beau
must’ve been at least six-foot-six, considering he was a tad taller than Ethan
at six-foot-five. And Blake was just shy of six-feet.
    “Why
couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut? What I do is none of your fucking
business!”
    Blake
sounded just like what he was. A pissed off ex-lover.
    Taking
a deep breath, because hell, what else could he really do, Ethan made his way
over to Beau and Blake. After inserting himself between them, he faced Blake,
trying to ignore the feel of Beau so close behind him. He was big enough to
block the frigid winds and Ethan hated himself for noticing that.
    At
the moment, he hated himself for a lot of things.

Chapter Seven
    ♂♂
     
    Beau
wanted to laugh.
    He
also wanted to punch something.
    Or
better yet. Someone.
    Blake
Henley was a jackass. A jackass who just put his foot in his mouth. And somehow
he was still trying to make it Beau’s fault. And when the little man came
running at him, he had to fight to keep a straight face.
    “You
need to go,” Ethan told Blake loudly. “We’ll talk about this later.”
    Would
they really?
    Beau
had come to loathe Blake, including his cheating ways. Ethan deserved so much
better than a little fuck-up like Blake.
    For
reasons unknown, Beau’s thoughts lurched back into the past to that kiss he
shared with Ethan on the Walker’s front porch on Christmas Day. Yes, he’d
kissed Ethan. Lord, Ethan had kissed him back and to this day, Beau still felt
as though he’d been shaken and not stirred.
    Wait.
    Was
that considered cheating? Should he feel guilty for kissing Ethan when, at the
time, he was technically still seeing Blake? For a brief moment, he almost
allowed guilt to sink in, but then he remembered seeing Blake and that loser at
the restaurant and he couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about it.
    “When?”
Blake asked, a hint of anticipation in his voice, his eyes darting back and
forth between him and Ethan.
    “Don’t
know. Just go home, Blake.”
    Beau
kept his mouth shut, knowing that anything he added to this conversation would
just make it worse. And he definitely didn’t need another downturn in his day.
As it was, he’d already lost his job and would now have to rent a storage unit
just so he could house his tools until he got another one.
    Maybe
Zane would let him keep them at his house.
    Beau
watched as Ethan directed Blake to his truck. He made sure to meet Blake’s
scowl every time he turned back. As far as he was concerned, Blake’s idiocy was
a blessing. For months, Beau had hated himself for not telling Ethan about
seeing Blake at the restaurant with someone else, but it wasn’t his place. No
matter how many times he’d played the scenario over in his head, he knew what
it would’ve looked like. And despite how much he wanted Ethan, how crazy he was
making himself with that need, Beau wouldn’t stoop to that level.
    Beau
dropped his arms, letting go of his defensive stance as soon as Blake’s truck
was out of sight.
    “Where
do you want me to drop this?” Ethan asked, pointing toward the toolbox that
still sat up on the flatbed.
    Beau
grabbed his phone from his hip. “I don’t know. Let me call Zane.”
    He
dialed the number, but after several rings, the call went to Zane’s voicemail.
Beau figured he was still in a meeting with Travis.
    “Shit.”
    “How
about I take it back to the shop? You can leave it there for the time being. At
least until you get another job and need them again. You’re welcome to come by
if you need something.”
    Beau
started to argue. Then he thought better of it. Ethan had just given him an
open invitation to stop by the shop. He had spent months running in circles
when it came