Page 71 of Pieces of Me

Shit. Hiking with a boner would make things even more difficult.

“I’ll delete it if you keep walking,” Scott taunted. “Otherwise, it goes straight to my Instagram for everyone to see. And what a sight you are,” he teased. “Red-faced and drenched, like a little drowned rat.”

“I’ll get you for this―” Rylan growled, lunging at Scott, who danced easily out of reach.

“So many awesome filters I can use,” Scott called back over his shoulder as he moved on ahead. “So many captions begging to be written. Come get me, Ry!”

Rylan lurched after him, focusing on Scott’s voice, on his mock threats, his gentle encouragement, until at last…at last…they emerged from the shadow of the trail onto the summit. Rylan didn’t even bother to look at the views, just staggered to a small outcropping of rock and collapsed down onto it, his legs shaking.

Several people milled around at the top, taking pictures, drinking water, laughing, and high-fiving. Scott headed toward a small group to fist-bump a guy whom Rylan recognized as one of the go-go boys at the club, a skilled pole dancer whose flexibility while wearing a miniscule Speedo had drawn quite a crowd.

After a few minutes, though, Scott left them and flopped down on the ground next to Rylan’s feet, reclining back on his elbow in the dirt, one knee drawn up. “You made it. I’m proud of you,” he said sincerely. “It’s not an easy climb for a beginner.”

Rylan pouted. “Tell me about it,” he groused. “My legs feel like spaghetti, and I’ll probably have to slide back down on my ass.”

“Now that would be a waste of a mighty fine ass,” Scott drawled, craning his neck back as if he was trying to get a glimpse of it.

Rylan was enjoying the harmless flirting, and he playfully flicked some of his water in Scott’s face. They shared a smile, and Rylan reached down to put his hand on Scott’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

“Thanks for helping me,” he said softly. “I would have quit long ago, but you challenged me to make it.”

“I’ll have to remember that threats to your vanity work on you,” Scott said, grinning. “Makes you putty in my hands. But you’re welcome.”

They sat there in a comfortable silence, passing the remainder of the water back and forth, until the pole dancer, Pete, ambled up.

“Those tourist girls want you to come back over, Scotty.” He smirked, jerking his head toward where the group of pretty young women stood, posing for selfies and giggling together. “I think they’re going to ask us out.”

Scott lifted his hand in a lazy wave and shot the group one of his trademark fake smiles. “Nah, but thanks,” he said to Pete. “Too busy tonight.”

Pete grimaced. “Yeah, about that.” He shifted uneasily from foot to foot. “Lance has been blowing up my phone, wondering where you are. You have your phone on silent, dude?”

Scott didn’t reply, and Peter held up his hands. “Okay, none of my business. But he’s really upset.”

“Noted.” Scott’s voice was even, and when he thumbed his phone, Rylan noticed with a jolt that he had twenty-three missed calls. They’d only been hiking about two hours, and Lance had hung up on him.

Pete shrugged. “I didn’t tell him I saw you, and I won’t. But just…so you know.” He flashed them both a hang-loose sign and loped back toward the girls, who exclaimed in delight. A couple of them shot disappointed looks Scott’s way but Scott didn’t even seem to notice, his phone in his lap as he gazed blankly into space.

“Everything okay?” Rylan asked, and Scott blinked, turning to look at him.

“Yeah.” He blew out a breath. “I guess I need to have a talk with Lance. He’s obviously blown things way out of proportion. This is what I get for trying to ‘date.’” He made a derisive sound.

“He seems pretty possessive,” Rylan agreed. “And from what you said the other night, it’s all supposed to be casual and fun.”

Scott absently looped his arm around Rylan’s splayed knee, leaning against him. Rylan looked down, noticing how Scott’s sweaty hair clung to his nape, a couple of fat red zits pebbling his skin at the top of his spine. The sight caused a surprising wave of tenderness to surge through Rylan…the Greek god wasn’t totally perfect after all.

“Things are always casual for me,” Scott replied. “It’s super easy to use sex to keep people at arm’s length. I know that probably doesn’t make much sense.”

Rylan waited, holding his breath, willing Scott to keep talking. Scott stroked Rylan’s calf with his thumb, making him shiver.

“But once somebody’s been in my bed, and we all leave happy, it’s like―”

When he paused, seeming to struggle for the words, Rylan said, his voice soft, “You’ve shared your body, so what more can they expect from you?”

Scott shrugged, not looking at him. “Yeah. I’ve fulfilled their fantasy, gotten them off, and now they can just―go. Most of the time that’s all they wanted from me anyway. Why complicate things?”

Rylan considered that. “Isn’t that a problem with, you know, women?” he asked carefully.

Scott met his eyes. “On a couple of occasions the aftermath wasn’t pretty,” he admitted. “I love sex with women, but the emotional entanglements―”