allow himself to fall for another asshole or star chaser, though this guy wasn’t acting interested anyway. Zane didn’t have the time for dating, either, and he had to hold on to his self-respect. At times he felt like that was all he really had left.
Granted, he’d been single since…when was it? Oh yeah, the Paleolithic Era or thereabouts, but being careful who he trusted with his heart and in his bed was a foregone conclusion in his line of work. He never knew if a guy wanted him because he was Zane “The Mercenary” Whitlow, or because he honestly wanted something real. It made dating a big, sticky mess that he usually chose to avoid. Instead, he filled his time with making movies, promoting them, and at the moment, taking the first vacation he’d had in a while.
The man across from him suddenly leaned his head back and smiled like he was the happiest guy on earth and Zane felt his brain dribble out of his ears. Shit, he wanted to talk to him. But what the hell would he say? His internal nerd lurched over in a panic attack, offering no help whatsoever. And then, Mikey spoke up and made Zane’s day.
“So you must be staying at Diamond Water, too?” Mikey asked, leaning toward the stranger, his black-eye from a brawl outside of a pub standing out like…well…a black eye. Of course it was no biggie to chat with a dude when you’re straight , Zane thought, nearly applauding his buddy for the show of initiative.
The dark-haired man smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be here for a week. It’ll be my first vacation like this in two years, I think.”
Zane was mentally begging Mikey to ask another question. Where’s he from! Where’s he from! Ask that!
Mikey made a face. “That’s a long time to go without a getaway,” he answered. “Where are you coming from?”
Yes !
The guy’s arms dropped casually from the seat back to his lap and Zane envied the way he came across so relaxed.
“Um, New Mexico actually. Albuquerque. I’m a senior dispatcher for the police department there.”
Zane blinked. No kidding? He was one of those calm guys who dealt with the real crazy shit day in and day out? No wonder he came across the way he did.
“That’s really impressive,” Zane blurted before he could think about how stupid he might sound.
The man’s attention flickered to him and even with the sunglasses, Zane sensed the weight of his gaze. He fought off a little shiver in the warm air.
“Thanks. I like what I do.” He bestowed a real smile on the three of them for the first time and said, “How long will you guys be here?”
Zane’s friend, James, spoke up and told him they were staying for just the week as well. “I’m James, by the way.” He pointed at Mikey and Zane and introduced them.
Mikey gestured at his eye and grinned. “I’m on the run from the cops,” he joked.
The man offered his hand to James first and shook, saying, “Mark Newland. Nice to meet you guys.” He hitched his chin toward Mikey. “If anyone asks, I never saw you, man.”
Mark Newland . It had a nice ring to it. Mikey and James exchanged a few more random comments with him about the possible fishing expeditions and manta ray extravaganzas they were interested in checking out, but Zane could only keep staring. He wished he could pull himself together and stop acting like a lock-jawed mute, yet sadly, he seemed doomed to silence.
Mark looked at him again and that half smile made another appearance before he slouched back down on his seat and started taking in the scenery.
So…no go on the gay, Zane thought. That blew.
James and Mikey managed to pull Zane back into conversation and he might’ve blabbed on about the resort’s dining and bars, but he wouldn’t swear to it. He was ever aware of Mark Newland across from him, oblivious to his presence. It was, in a small way, a relief from the norm of fawning people, yet there was a healthy part of him wishing that Mark would talk with him a little.
Abruptly, he
Granted, he’d been single since…when was it? Oh yeah, the Paleolithic Era or thereabouts, but being careful who he trusted with his heart and in his bed was a foregone conclusion in his line of work. He never knew if a guy wanted him because he was Zane “The Mercenary” Whitlow, or because he honestly wanted something real. It made dating a big, sticky mess that he usually chose to avoid. Instead, he filled his time with making movies, promoting them, and at the moment, taking the first vacation he’d had in a while.
The man across from him suddenly leaned his head back and smiled like he was the happiest guy on earth and Zane felt his brain dribble out of his ears. Shit, he wanted to talk to him. But what the hell would he say? His internal nerd lurched over in a panic attack, offering no help whatsoever. And then, Mikey spoke up and made Zane’s day.
“So you must be staying at Diamond Water, too?” Mikey asked, leaning toward the stranger, his black-eye from a brawl outside of a pub standing out like…well…a black eye. Of course it was no biggie to chat with a dude when you’re straight , Zane thought, nearly applauding his buddy for the show of initiative.
The dark-haired man smiled and nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be here for a week. It’ll be my first vacation like this in two years, I think.”
Zane was mentally begging Mikey to ask another question. Where’s he from! Where’s he from! Ask that!
Mikey made a face. “That’s a long time to go without a getaway,” he answered. “Where are you coming from?”
Yes !
The guy’s arms dropped casually from the seat back to his lap and Zane envied the way he came across so relaxed.
“Um, New Mexico actually. Albuquerque. I’m a senior dispatcher for the police department there.”
Zane blinked. No kidding? He was one of those calm guys who dealt with the real crazy shit day in and day out? No wonder he came across the way he did.
“That’s really impressive,” Zane blurted before he could think about how stupid he might sound.
The man’s attention flickered to him and even with the sunglasses, Zane sensed the weight of his gaze. He fought off a little shiver in the warm air.
“Thanks. I like what I do.” He bestowed a real smile on the three of them for the first time and said, “How long will you guys be here?”
Zane’s friend, James, spoke up and told him they were staying for just the week as well. “I’m James, by the way.” He pointed at Mikey and Zane and introduced them.
Mikey gestured at his eye and grinned. “I’m on the run from the cops,” he joked.
The man offered his hand to James first and shook, saying, “Mark Newland. Nice to meet you guys.” He hitched his chin toward Mikey. “If anyone asks, I never saw you, man.”
Mark Newland . It had a nice ring to it. Mikey and James exchanged a few more random comments with him about the possible fishing expeditions and manta ray extravaganzas they were interested in checking out, but Zane could only keep staring. He wished he could pull himself together and stop acting like a lock-jawed mute, yet sadly, he seemed doomed to silence.
Mark looked at him again and that half smile made another appearance before he slouched back down on his seat and started taking in the scenery.
So…no go on the gay, Zane thought. That blew.
James and Mikey managed to pull Zane back into conversation and he might’ve blabbed on about the resort’s dining and bars, but he wouldn’t swear to it. He was ever aware of Mark Newland across from him, oblivious to his presence. It was, in a small way, a relief from the norm of fawning people, yet there was a healthy part of him wishing that Mark would talk with him a little.
Abruptly, he
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