Chapter Eight

Eagle

Eagle rolled over on the hard motel bed.

His dreams had been all kinds of fucked up last night, his sleep fitful. He could still feel Link’s back against his chest and the way the man’s breath had grown shallow in that hospital room.

He hugged the hotel pillow and stared at the thread of morning light coming through the curtains.

It had taken them years, but his best friend had gotten beneath his skin. Link burned him up, and the mutual attraction had flared when Link had moved into his aunt’s house. The thing was, it had always been there, but they’d both been too worried about their friendship to cross that line. Yet the pull was a burning ache that refused to go away.

They wanted each other, pure and simple. And they’d admitted it one night almost a year ago…but the universe hadn’t agreed.

Fuck that. Universe my ass.

It hadn’t been the fucking cosmos that had ended their attempt at being together, it had been the damned drunken neighbor hitting on his aunt.

Maybe Eagle shouldn’t have lost his temper, but Link shouldn’t have interfered. And to top it off, Link had ruined all their plans by moving out the next fucking day without a word.

Enough had been said during their blowup, Eagle reminded himself.

Did he regret what he’d said? Fuck yes, but that didn’t change the fact that Link had gotten in between him and a family matter.

He sighed. He sucked at relationships. He had zero skills in that department, and at the first flare-up, he’d said some really hurtful things. Somehow, he needed to get Link to slow down so they could talk.

“You awake?” Jordan whispered.

“Yeah.” Eagle rolled over to find the younger man sitting up in bed, hair askew, rubbing sleep from his face.

“So, I’ve been thinking,” Jordan said.

“About what?”

“You and Link.”

“What about us?” He was careful to keep his face blank.

“I think you two should be locked in a fucking room so you can talk it out.” Jordan’s smile was satisfied.

Eagle grunted and sat up. “Don’t think I haven’t tried.”

“You have?” Jordan’s eyebrows lifted.

“Cornering Link is like trying to catch a rattlesnake. Especially when he’s mad.”

Jordan’s head tipped to the side for a moment. “I don’t think he’s mad.”

“What? Have you seen the death glares, have you heard any of the snide comments?”

“Jesus…” Jordan sighed and gave him a pitying look. “He’s not mad, he’s hu—

A knock interrupted Jordan’s words and the young man popped out of bed and strode across to the door in tight, dark blue briefs. Eagle almost cautioned him not to answer it, but on the off chance it was Owen, Eagle wanted to see the guy swallow his tongue.

“What the fuck?” Owen growled.

“What?” Jordan snapped back and stalked across the room, leaving Owen to step inside. The operative’s gaze jerked to Jordan’s rumpled bed and then to Eagle still in his own bed and the tenseness in Owen’s shoulders relaxed.

Jordan grabbed clothes and slammed the bathroom door, leaving Eagle and Owen in a thick silence.

“You bring coffee?”

“Do I look like I brought coffee?” Owen said between his clenched teeth and closed the hotel room door before striding over to the coffee maker.

Eagle grinned and shoved aside the sheet. Unlike Jordan, Eagle didn’t wear anything to bed. He was hopping on one foot to get his boxers on when the door slammed open and Link filled the entrance. The guy took a look at his bare ass and glared around the room.

“Got your own key?”

“No, ass.” Link pointed to the metal latch that Owen had probably left flipped.

Owen, after a quick glance at the door, wasn’t looking at Link or Eagle; instead, the guy was muttering at the coffee pot and trying to get the package that contained the coffee grounds open.

“Sleep in something, will you? This isn’t your pad,” Link hissed at him, eyes on fire.

Eagle chuckled and finished getting his boxers situated and ran a hand over his bare chest. “Yes, your majesty.”

Owen laughed and then looked over with a grin.

Link glared at Eagle, following the hand Eagle was pulling down his chest with his eyes.

“Get dressed!” Link barked.

“I haven’t showered yet.” Eagle grinned and stretched beneath Link’s sharp gaze. They stood like that for several moments until Owen cleared his throat.

“Here’s your coffee,” Owen said, handing Eagle the cup.

“Thank you, Owen. I appreciate it.”

Link’s face might have turned from a flush to a mottled red. Eagle wasn’t sure, though…too many shades of red existed to pick one.

“Get ready.” Link spun away. “We need to get going, and bring what you need because we’re staking out the bomb site later tonight.”

“Why?” Eagle called before Link could disappear.

“Because the patrol cops said the suspects showed up again last night.”

“After the hospital?” Eagle, surprised, paused from sipping.

“Yes.” Link shut the door on his way out.

“What the hell?” Eagle muttered and sipped at the hot coffee.

“There’s something there they want.” Owen leaned his ass on the desk and pulled his eyes from the bathroom door.

“You thinking maybe a hidden safe?”

Owen’s head tilted a bit. “Maybe. We might want to watch them search the place before we take them into custody.”

“I’ll pass it by Link.”

“Oh?” Amusement filled Owen’s eyes.

“Yes, smart ass,” Eagle smirked.

“You two crack me up.”

“Why’s that?” Eagle finished his coffee in one gulp.

“The way you dance around your attraction.”

“Owen? There ain’t no dancing involved.”

Owen’s gaze turned solemn. “Why is that?”

“I don’t know,” he lied. It wasn’t anyone’s business what was or what wasn’t between him and Link. Besides, he wasn’t much for sharing one way or another.

“Well, if you ever need a friend to talk to…”

Eagle offered a small smile. “Thanks, I appr—”

“Your turn, I saved you hot water,” Jordan said, popping open the bathroom door and entering the main room. Steam followed the slender man’s barely clad figure and so did Owen’s eyes.

Eagle snorted, snatched up his stuff, and disappeared into the bathroom. He shut the door and rubbed a hand over his beard. Might be time for a trim.

“You’re going to need to stop being naked around me,” Owen’s voice came muffled through the door.

“Oh? Why’s that? Can’t control your lust?” Jordan said. That young man had a quick-fire comeback for all of Owen’s comments.

“Come here.”

“No.”

Eagle shook his head and flipped on the shower, drowning out any further talking or non-talking going on.

He had bigger fish to fry. He had to get Link to talk to him. They had to figure this out before it ruined their friendship.

Link needed to admit that he was in the wrong.

That should make everything right.

And then maybe, just maybe, they could be something together.