Garrick and Ray didn’t seem to pick up on his internal distress, but Jacob did, casting him a speculative glance when the other two were occupied with hauling some deadwood.
“You okay?” he asked when Garrick and Ray were busy some distance away, chopping up branches too big to move by hand.
“Fine.”
“Good.” More of that professionalism. Jacob didn’t press, which was again oddly disappointing.
Not that he wanted Jacob’s concern, but... Fuck. He was a mess. He tried following Jacob’s lead, throwing himself into their tasks, but it only worked so much, especially when Ray and Garrick ended up out of sight, fetching more tools from the truck, leaving him alone with Jacob.
“Look, I’m only going to say this once.” Coming closer, Jacob spoke in a whisper as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Do you need me to ask for a switch? I’m not here to make you miserable, Linc. And I think I could do it in a way that wouldn’t throw anyone under the bus. Kelley’s chafing at McKenna’s leadership. They seem to have some sort of oil-and-water thing going. I could frame it as doing her a favor, switch with her. Is that what you need me to do?”
“Fuck.” The smart thing would be to agree, get Jacob off his crew, out of sight and hopefully out of mind. But Garrick and Ray had gone to some trouble to get him where they could keep an eye on him. He’d be letting them down if he let Jacob move crews. And okay, that was a pretty slim excuse, but it was all he had. But maybe also it was that he’d be letting himself down too. “No.”
“Seriously? You think you’re going to be okay all season? You’ve looked like you’re a couple of heartbeats away from a stroke all day. You have a better idea of how to make this work?”
We’re not done yet. The answer came to him in desperation, born of hours of frustration. Need a repeat application. Wasn’t that what he’d said? Maybe once wasn’t enough. Or twice. And he’d already broken his word. Had already proven himself to be untrustworthy. Had shown himself yet again why he needed to be thinking about moving on after the season. This thing still had no future for a whole host of reasons, but maybe there was something to Jacob’s theory of working it out of their systems. Or so he needed to believe if he was going to have any chance of clinging to sanity the next few months.
He could hear Garrick and Ray approaching, indistinct chatter coming through the trees, meaning he had to speak fast. “My place. Tonight.”
Jacob’s eyes went wide, but he nodded. And strangely, that agreement was all Linc needed to relax and get back to work, shoulders unknotting, spirits lifting as he tossed branches around. He’d get to see Jacob later, and maybe, just maybe there was a way to work this thing out that wouldn’t leave both of them charred and useless, devastated trees after the fire of whatever the hell this was between them rolled through.
* * *
Jacob took the long way to Linc’s place, as in not the way that passed by his mom’s place, not that he expected anyone to be watching the rural road for his truck, but he wasn’t taking chances. Similarly, he was grateful for Linc’s long, winding drive that hid the house and parking area from view. He still didn’t know what Linc was up to, ordering him to come over, turning down Jacob’s offer to switch to a different crew. An offer he’d meant sincerely. He wasn’t out to make either of them miserable, and if Linc didn’t want to be around him after last night, he’d understand. Hell, he was having a hard time playing it cool himself with all the flashbacks and frustrations.
And if he was smart, he wouldn’t be returning here so soon, a kicked dog looking for another scrap, but he’d never been particularly wise where Linc was concerned. As it was, he’d had to force himself to slow down, go home to his trailer first, take a shower, play on his phone awhile, anything to appear less eager. But judging by his galloping pulse as he turned down the drive, he’d failed miserably in that regard.
Speaking of dogs, Linc’s pair greeted him with their usual enthusiasm. These two were neither mistreated nor lacking in attention, more like spoiled rotten, and it was undoubtedly stupid to be jealous of them. But he was, mainly because the dogs were proof that Linc could attach to things, that he had a heart, a deeply kind side, that he wasn’t simply some aloof, emotionally distant loner incapable of affection. Hell, even his plants were a testament to him having a hidden domestic side, being more than a tattooed, hard-living badass who had no use for other people.
Jon had teased Linc about needing a wife, but he wasn’t entirely wrong—Linc had every sign of being the sort of guy who settled down, the sort of guy anyone would be lucky to have. But of course thinking of Jon reminded him that Linc still wasn’t out to everyone, still had a pile of misguided notions of honor and loyalty, and wasn’t likely to be setting them aside anytime soon.
So why the hell was Jacob here? Why had Linc summoned him? Linc’s face as he leaned against the porch rail gave nothing away, stoic as ever, coolly assessing Jacob as he walked to the porch.
“You came,” he said with a nod.
“You thought I wouldn’t? Pretty sure that was an order, not a request.”
“Sorry.” Flexing his hands, Linc looked away. “It wasn’t an order. More like invitation. If you’d rather—”
“Linc.” Reaching out, Jacob forced him to meet his gaze. “I’m here. Not about to turn around and leave. It was a joke, okay?”
“Yeah.” Exhaling, Linc didn’t shrug away from Jacob’s touch, instead stepping closer. “This is crazy.”
“The craziest,” Jacob agreed as Linc tugged him into a tight embrace. His eyes were troubled, but his mouth was hot and urgent as it claimed Jacob’s, hands sure on his back.
Not about to let Linc have all the fun, Jacob gave as good as he got, meeting Linc kiss for kiss, using lips and tongue and teeth until they were both groaning and stumbling toward the house. They bumped into the porch rail, righting themselves with another kiss, only to crash into the door frame, dogs racing back into the house ahead of them. But still they kissed, even as the dogs almost toppled them over. Linc broke away long enough to pull the door shut, returning to push Jacob into the entryway wall for another brutal kiss as they ground together.
“Fuck. We’re insane.” Linc didn’t give him much room to answer before he raked his teeth down the jaw Jacob had shaved earlier. Snaking a hand up under Jacob’s hoodie, he held him in a possessive death grip, like Jacob was in danger of running off.
“Crazy’s not supposed to feel this damn good,” he managed to gasp as Linc continued his assault.
“I know. And we’re...supposed...to be talking.” Linc explored more with his hands, broad touch lighting up each muscle group.
“Talking?” he groaned. “You brought me here to talk? Because it sure as hell feels like you asked me over to get off.”