Page 19 of More Than a Spark

As I watched the introductions, I rubbed my chest. This didn’t feel right, and I didn’t know how to make it feel right. Maybe I needed to fake it and at some point, things would fall into place.

After greeting everyone, Milo brought Archer to our end of the table, their arms winding around each other’s waists. “Are you done eating, Ryder? Maybe we can all grab a drink at the bar.”

“Yeah, sure.” I wiped my mouth with my napkin, then stood up, flashing a grin at Archer despite my aching chest.

When I turned around, my gaze caught people piling in through the door of the bar. It was filling up fast. Milo wasn’t kidding when he’d told me they were popular here. As I followed them, my eyes focused on Milo’s tight ass inside his silver shorts.

Archer’s hand slid down to cup and squeeze Milo’s ass cheek.

Heat coiled in my gut. He was getting handsy and the guy had only been here a few minutes. I fisted my hands at my sides. I had to get control of myself. They’d been hooking up. I was pretty sure Archer had done more to Milo’s ass than grab it.

With a sharp giggle, Milo shimmied out of Archer’s hold and his wayward hand.

Good boy, Milo. I let my lips curl in a soft smirk. I’d have no problem taking this guy down if Milo needed me to, hockey player or not.

Milo and Archer stopped at the bar and slid up onto the last two open barstools, then glanced back at me.

“Come on, Ryder.” Milo waved me to him.

With a wider smirk, I stepped between them and planted my hands on the bar top. “So, how about a shot or something?” Yeah, now I was in a mood.

“Sure. Tequila?” Archer leaned forward, sending a coy grin to Milo.

“Tequila it is.” I waved Simone to us and ordered our shots, then faced Archer. “So, Milo tells me you’re a hockey player for ASU. What position do you play?”

“Left Defenseman.” Archer barked out a laugh. “And you’re a firefighter? You get to bunk with a bunch of hot men?”

“I do, but some of us are women.” I lifted my chin, an image of Jill, our best paramedic in Flag, filled my mind. She was more heroic than a lot of the guys.

“And you’re straight, right?” Archer tapped my chest with the back of his knuckles. “So, was there ever any hookups in the fire house?”

“It’s not a fire house, it’s a firestation. And uh, no. Doing that on the job could lead to termination.” I tapped my fingers on the bar, then glanced at Milo, propping his elbow on the bar and his chin in his hand, watching us.

“So, have you been in any of those big wildfires up north?” Archer’s grin dropped. “Seems like a pretty dangerous job.”

“I have been in a lot of them.” I dipped my head. Most people had no idea what it was like, the rush of adrenaline that kept you going, the pride in saving a house, or protecting a wild animal from a horrible death. The things I’d seen, which sometimes kept me up at night. “Last summer we had a shit ton of jobs.” I drew in a deep breath. “You know, there is pretty much always a fire burning somewhere in Arizona.” I wasn’t sure I wanted to go into it all with him.

“Yeah, I could see that. I mean, it’s dry as fuck out here.” Archer looked around. “Which makes me wonder, where are our drinks?” He stood up from his stool, then wound around to Milo’s side. “Here, have my seat.” He draped an arm over Milo’s shoulders and kissed his cheek.

“Simone is coming. She’s busy.” Milo straightened in his chair.

I climbed onto the barstool. That was a smooth move Archer pulled to get closer to Milo.

Simone set our shots down, along with limes and a saltshaker. “Here you go.”

“Put them all on here.” Archer threw his credit card on the bar top. “I’ll let Dad pay for these.” He grinned at Milo, then me.

I pressed my lips into a thin smirk. So, he was a rich boy, maybe? “Your daddy gave you a credit card?”

“Yeah, but I’m on a hockey scholarship, so he doesn’t have to pay tuition.” Archer picked up a shot glass. “To best friends and hot dates?” He slide his arm down Milo’s back and tucked his fingers under the lacy band riding up Milo’s hip.

As heat sparked in my chest, I picked up my glass. “Yeah, best friends and hot dates.” I tapped my glass on Archer’s with Milo doing the same. Keeping my gaze affixed to Archer’s, we both downed our shots, like it was a contest of sorts. Maybe it was. He was tough, but I was tougher.

“Damn, you guys. I can’t drink this stuff straight.” Milo licked his hand, poured salt on it, then licked it again, his gaze finding mine.

I stared at his long, wet tongue and my balls tingled. Fuck, the damage Milo could do with that tongue on my dick.

With a shiver, Milo drank his shot, then stuffed the lime in his mouth.

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