Free No Place That Far by L.A. Witt

friends and not screwing up. Right now, that was all he was planning to do, flat-packs be damned and burned.
    Marcus’s work tux was in the trunk of the car. His gaze rested for a moment on the box underneath—Ray had given him the pile of papers, old letters, training certificates and qualifications, as well as photos he had planned to one day organize if he found the time. Just more debris for his current apartment. He slammed the trunk shut and stalked over to Wilde’s.
    Jack let him in, and he continued to the back room where the staff changed. Kieran was just wrapping the cummerbund around his waist, mumbling a “Hi, Marcus” when he entered.
    â€œHey.” He pulled open his locker and set his stuff down.
    â€œYou have a good time at the wedding?” Kieran glanced at him. “I didn’t see you much after the cake was cut.”
    â€œOh, I was around.” Marcus hung his trousers and shirt on the open locker door. “Sorry I didn’t come find you. I never did get a chance to meet your husband.”
    Kieran shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. He swings in here once in a while, so you’ll meet him sooner or later.”
    â€œGood, good.” He pulled off his shirt, wincing slightly—and at the same time grinning—at some of the stiffness in his back and shoulders.
    Well done, Timur. Well done.
    â€œSo who was that guy you were talking to?”
    â€œHuh?” He glanced at Kieran. “Which—” Right. Which guy did I talk to last night? Gee, let me think…
    â€œI saw you chatting with the best man, didn’t I?” Kieran tugged at his cummerbund, then picked up his bow tie. “He was fucking hot .”
    An oddly possessive feeling tightened beneath Marcus’s ribs.
    Back off. Mine.
    Marcus forced a laugh. “Does your husband know you were ogling the wedding party?”
    Kieran rolled his eyes and started effortlessly tying his bow tie. “Please. Alex is the one who pointed him out to me.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œSo? What’s he like? He seemed…” Kieran’s fingers paused, and his eyes unfocused for a second. Then he met Marcus’s gaze as he continued with the bow tie. “I don’t know, seemed pretty…”
    â€œUnique?”
    â€œHmm. I guess that’s the word. Different, but not in a negative way. I couldn’t put my finger on where he’s from, let’s put it that way.”
    â€œSomewhere in the Ukraine, by the sound of it.” Marcus took his shirt and hanger off the locker door. “He’s one of Julien’s buddies from the Legion.”
    â€œI figured as much.” Kieran checked himself in the mirror, straightened his bow tie and turned back to Marcus. “You gonna see him again?”
    Instantly, Marcus’s fingers turned to butter, and the hanger clattered to the floor at his feet. He grabbed the shirt and hanger. “Uh…”
    â€œNice.” Kieran playfully smacked his shoulder as he walked by. “I thought you two were giving each other a look. Explains why you disappeared for a while.”
    Marcus’s face was scorching hot all of a sudden, and he had zero idea what to do with the shirt in his hand or all its buttons. “Uh…”
    Kieran halted beside him and grinned. “Sorry. I’m…I can be a bit direct with the guys here. I keep forgetting you’re the new kid.”
    â€œOh no, it’s okay.” Marcus laughed. “I guess that means I’m fitting in?”
    Kieran chuckled. “So far, so good.” He turned serious. “Anyway, I…” Waving a hand, he shook his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry quite so hard. No internal filter, I guess.”
    Marcus laughed again, and it was a bit more genuine this time. “That’s probably why we get along so well. No harm done.”
    Kieran eyed him cautiously, then smiled. “All right. Good.