Free Shooting Star by Carol Lynne

immediately thought of Sasquatch. He tried to remember his manners. Jessup had asked for Priest’s help and it wouldn’t be right to offend the man.
    “I don’t bite.”
    When Brac finally put his palm against Priest’s in a welcoming greeting, Priest leant down and winked. “Unless you’re into that kinda thing.”
    Brac released Priest’s hand. “Can I get you a beer or something?”
    Priest grinned, obviously picking up on Brac’s unease. “Don’t suppose you have any Earl Grey?”
    “ Ummm , yeah, I think so.” Brac made a break for the kitchen, hoping Priest wouldn’t follow. As he pulled the box of tea packets out of the pantry, he heard that loud laugh again. Brac doubted he’d ever get used to the sound. He set the box on the counter and filled a pan with water.
    “Ryan said to tell you he’d check in with you later,” Priest said, coming into the room.
    “Thanks.” Brac gestured to the stove. “Sorry, I don’t think Ezra has a tea pot.”
    Priest strode to the back window and moved the curtain aside. “Hot water’s hot water. As long as the tea’s Earl Grey, it’s all good.”
    After turning the burner on, Brac grabbed a beer out of the fridge before taking a seat at the kitchen table. With Priest’s broad back to him, Brac got his first good look at the tattoo running from the base of Priest’s skull to disappear under the collar of his white dress shirt. Never. Turn. “What’s the rest of the tattoo say?” he asked without thinking.
    Without turning around, Priest unbuttoned his shirt and let it fall off his shoulders but not off. Your. Back. “Wow.” Talk about paranoid. After reading the tattoo, Brac briefly focussed his attention on the newly exposed bulging muscles. He wondered if Priest’s body was really as sculpted as it appeared or if the dark colouring of his skin just showed them off more.
    Priest pulled his shirt back up and re-buttoned it before turning around.
    “So why turn your back to me?” Brac asked, taking a sip of his beer.
    “Because you don’t pose a threat to me.” Priest walked over and pulled a chair out. Although the chairs were substantial, Priest chuckled and shook his head as he gingerly sat down. “I always feel like I’m living life in a little girl’s playhouse,” he commented.
    “I’d imagine so. Do you have to have furniture custom made?”
    Priest crossed his arms over his chest, drawing attention to how well-tailored his clothes were. “I don’t own a house, so there’s no need to have anything made. I’ve learned to adapt to my surroundings.”
    “So where do you go when you’re not working?” Brac had thought it odd that Jessup rented an apartment instead of owning a home, but Priest didn’t even have that.
    “I’m always working,” Priest muttered.
    When the water on the stove started to boil, Brac stood. “I’ll get you that tea.”
    “Two bags if you have them.”
    “Yeah, but we’ll have to call out for more.” Brac reached into the cupboard and started to remove one of the tea cups Ezra had on hand. After a second thought, he pulled down one of the much larger coffee mugs. “This okay?”
    “That’d be great, thanks.”
    Brac poured the water and retrieved the entire stack of Earl Grey from the compartmentalised wooden box. He set everything on the table in front of Priest. “Wasn’t sure if you needed more than two,” he offered, resuming his seat.
    Priest unwrapped three of the tea bags and dropped them into the water. “So, Jessup told me you won’t be on Pirates’ Cove anymore. What’s up with that?”
    “You watch Pirates’ Cove ?” Brac was surprised that someone in Priest’s line of work would be interested in a daytime soap opera.
    “Sure. You do a lot of sitting around waiting when you’re a mercenary.” Priest added two teaspoons of sugar from the centre of the table. “So you didn’t answer my question.”
    Randal’s betrayal still hurt and it wasn’t something Brac liked to dwell