“You’re not blind. It’s no one’s business but mine though.”
“Good.” Jacob drew the word out, sinful and seductive and more dangerous than fraying webbing on a jump rig. “I can keep a secret.”
If only. But no. His bones still remembered with breathtaking accuracy how it had felt, dangling above the earth that morning, little pieces of rope and webbing all that separated him and a broken neck. The view might have been nice, but the fall would have been deadly, save Wyatt’s intervention. Not unlike this moment here.
I’ve got you, buddy.
Stay away from my little brother.
“Doesn’t matter. You’re barking up the wrong tree. I’m not letting you stay here.”
“Why? You think I’m on the rebound from Tyler? Or you think I’ll out you? Or...” His voice hardened and his hand tightened on Linc’s shoulder. “It’s Wyatt, isn’t it? Did he threaten you?”
“No.” This time the lie came easy, both because he had to and because he didn’t like Jacob’s tone, like he was ready to go to war with Wyatt on his behalf. That sort of concern, an almost protectiveness, made him shift against the plastic bucket. He didn’t need anyone playing champion for him.
Jacob’s grip softened, massaging Linc’s neck with a touch that had him stifling a groan. His hands were strong, calloused from hard work and years in the gym and felt better than a hot shower after a long day in the field.
“He wouldn’t have to know. It could be just an itch we scratch this one time.”
“Ha.” Oh, to be nineteen and so damn sure of himself. And that right there was the other reason why Linc had to turn him down. There wouldn’t be any one time only for him, not the way Jacob pulled him in even when he knew full well he had to resist. Jacob, who apparently saw what hundreds of guys he’d worked with hadn’t. Jacob, who made him laugh even while hauling mountains of moldy magazines, a feat not many could manage.
But Jacob had all but said it himself—he was nursing a broken heart from Tyler, and Linc had no desire to chance everything just to be the rebound fuck the kid forgot in a month.
“Not happening.”
“Not tonight, maybe, but—”
“Not now, not ever. There’s plenty of fish your own age to fry. Go find one.” He forced himself to pull away from that delicious torment, to stand up because his body was that damn weak that another few minutes and he’d be making all sorts of stupid choices. Better to be firm now.
“Your loss.” The hurt in Jacob’s voice as he scampered off the railing pierced Linc like a dart, a sharp, swift pain he’d do anything to take away. Anything, that was, except the one thing Jacob seemed to want.
“I’m sure it is.” He wasn’t trying to be flip. He absolutely was sincere—both sure that he’d regret turning him down and sure that he was doing the right thing. Jacob was simply a risk he wasn’t ever going to be able to afford.
Don’t miss Burn Zone by Annabeth Albert, available wherever books are sold.
Copyright © 2020 by Annabeth Albert
Looking for more stories featuring LGBTQ+ characters?
Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.
A new Carina Adores title is available each month:
THE HIDEAWAY INN by Philip William Stover
THE GIRL NEXT DOOR by Chelsea M. Cameron
JUST LIKE THAT by Cole McCade
HAIRPIN CURVES by Elia Winters
BETTER THAN PEOPLE by Roan Parrish
THE LOVE STUDY by Kris Ripper
THE SECRET INGREDIENT by KD Fisher
JUST LIKE THIS by Cole McCade
TEDDY SPENSER ISN’T LOOKING FOR LOVE by Kim Fielding
THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS SHOPPE by Philip William Stover
BEST LAID PLANS by Roan Parrish
KNIT, PURL, A BABY AND A GIRL by Hettie Bell
THE HATE PROJECT by Kris Ripper
HARD SELL by Hudson Lin
FOR THE LOVE OF APRIL FRENCH by Penny Aimes
SAILOR PROOF by Annabeth Albert
MEET ME IN MADRID by Verity Lowell
THE LIFE REVAMP by Kris Ripper
Get your copies now!
Find out more at CarinaPress.com.
Don’t miss the rest of the Hotshots series by Annabeth Albert!
BURN ZONE (book one)
HIGH HEAT (book two)
FEEL THE FIRE (book three)
UP IN SMOKE (book four)
Grab your copies now!
Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers and much more!
Visit CarinaPress.com
Other ways to keep in touch:
Twitter.com/CarinaPress
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Instagram.com/HarlequinBooks
Harlequin.com/Newsletter
We think you have a good book in you!
Are you writing in the below genres? The Carina Press editors want to see your manuscript.
We Are Currently Acquiring
Most subgenres and all heat levels of romance:
• Contemporary
• Erotic
• Paranormal & Urban Fantasy
• Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Romantic Suspense
• Historical
• Your subgenre here. See our submissions guidelines!
We want to reaffirm our commitment to inclusion and representation in our publishing program and extend a specific invitation to Black authors, authors of color, disabled authors, LGBTQ+ authors, and other traditionally marginalized and underrepresented voices. We strive to make our list one of inclusion, and are working hard to build a catalog that is more representative of the romance reading public.
To learn more about our submissions guidelines, please visit: CarinaPress.com/WriteForUs
All submitted manuscripts receive a thorough editorial review and a response in approximately 12 weeks.
ISBN-13: 9780369703828
Up in Smoke
Copyright © 2021 by Annabeth Albert
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.