Ball & Chain

The other horse trotted up, Kelly and Ty in the saddle. “Are you okay?” Kelly cried.



“I shot dinner,” Nick said.



Kelly snorted. “Look, Hannibal, you can shoot back if they’re shooting at you, but it’s still not okay to eat them afterward.”



Zane retrieved the light, converting it back into a flashlight and holding it up so they could see into the woods. The stag Nick had shot was lying a few yards away, the bullet holes right at its heart, steaming in the night.



“Nice shot,” Zane murmured.



“It was a deer?” Ty asked. “Goddamn, I would have sworn those were shots.”



Nick squinted into the woods, shrugging. That was why he’d started firing back, but he supposed the wet pop of the underbrush with the weight of a deer that size would be as loud as what they’d heard. If not, they’d probably all still be taking fire.



“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Zane said as he stood. He took the reins and pulled himself into the saddle, then held his hand out to Nick. “You okay to ride?”



Nick gave him a disgruntled nod and hefted himself onto the horse behind Zane. He groaned when he got up, resting his forehead on the back of Zane’s shoulder. “Corpsman up,” he said pitifully.



“Did you break your coccyx?” Kelly asked, just barely keeping the laughter out of his voice.



“You can check it for me tonight,” Nick said wryly.



Ty made an offended sound and followed it with a simple, “Nope!” before spurring the horse into the darkness.



Chapter 7



“It bothers you, doesn’t it?” Zane asked as Ty paced in front of the fireplace in their room. Ty hadn’t even shed his dirty clothes yet; he’d been too busy thinking about what Nick and Kelly were probably doing next door.



“No,” Ty insisted. He winced, realizing the lie in his answer. He turned to Zane almost desperately. “Yes. A little. Should it? I feel like it shouldn’t.”



“I don’t know, Ty,” Zane answered. He was sitting at the little desk, booting his laptop up. He still had the flash drive Deuce had given them, and it was the first chance they’d had to look at it.



Ty stopped and ran his hands over his face. “I thought I was okay with it, but it’s weird!”



Zane simply smiled and shook his head. “No, it’s not.”



“Maybe not for you. But they’ve known each other for fifteen years, and suddenly they’re all . . . and it’s . . .” He waved his hand helplessly at the wall.



“It’s not the fact that they’re fucking,” Zane told him.



Ty pointed at the wall. “That is exactly what they’re doing!”



Zane smiled, nodding. “Ty. You’re upset because you know there’s something else going on with Nick, and he hasn’t talked to you about it.”



“How could he not fucking tell me about them?”



Zane raised both eyebrows. “Maybe he was afraid you’d react like this?”



“Well, I didn’t do it in front of him!”



“And now that you know they’re together?” Zane continued. “You’re pretty sure he’s told Kelly what’s bothering him, and not you. He’s talked about things with the doc that he used to reserve for you and that upsets you.”



Ty swallowed hard. “When you put it that way, it makes me sound like an asshole.”



Zane chuckled. He was silent for a moment, then cursed quietly. “My laptop’s been fried!” Zane cried. “Son of a bitch!”



“How’d that happen?”



“I don’t know, looks like it didn’t like the trip here; it’s completely dead. I think Nick was right, these islands are cursed.”



“Told you to buy a Mac.”



Zane slammed the lid of the laptop closed and turned away from the desk, coming over to the bed.



Ty watched him, feeling out of sync and a little desperate to understand why.



Zane took pity on him and ran a hand over his head. “He’s your best friend, Ty. It hurts when you feel like your friends are pulling away, I know. I lost every one of mine, but none of them were like Nick is to you, you know? He’s not replacing you with anything. Trust him.”



Ty slumped his shoulders, his brow furrowing as he looked down at the USMC signet ring on his finger. He twisted it, trying to find the truth in Zane’s words. Aside from Deuce, Nick was the most consistent, oldest friend Ty had. They had been through everything together, shared everything together. They’d lived in the same room in some fashion for almost seven years; in some ways they were closer than brothers, and they had no secrets.



Or they hadn’t, until the last few years. Ty shook his head. No, it was earlier than that. It was when he’d signed on for the FBI, for Burns’s work. Ty had been so angry that Nick wouldn’t come with him, he’d just shut him off entirely. He supposed that had been the beginning of the secrets. The beginning of where they were now. They’d reconciled, but their friendship had felt different ever since. There had been times during their deployment when Ty had been sitting in the canteen and seen Nick walk in, but Nick hadn’t come over to sit and talk. A few times Nick had even acknowledged him, but gathered his food and left anyway. There had been moments they’d passed each other in camp and Nick had saluted and been on his way without even a knowing smirk at the oddity of Ty’s rank.



Ty groaned and threw himself onto the bed, staring up at the high ceiling. “I feel like I lost him somewhere.”



Zane stretched out next to him, lying on his side so he was facing Ty. “Did you ever think maybe he feels the same way?”



When Ty glanced at him, Zane was smiling.



“What?”



Zane shrugged. “Out of all the problems we could be lingering on tonight, I think it’s kind of sweet that you’re moping about your best friend.”



Ty rolled his eyes. He finally snorted and swiped his hand over his face.



“You want to shower?” Zane asked, lowering his voice suggestively.



“Yeah,” Ty whispered.



“You want to get dirty first?”



Ty raised one eyebrow in a show of detached interest, trying to hide his smirk. He turned his head, looking Zane up and down.



Zane grinned, his eyes warming. He rested his hand on Ty’s chest, pushing the buttons apart to get to skin.



“Let’s go to the hot spring,” he suggested, the warmth in his eyes turning into outright fire.



“But it’s all the way down there,” Ty protested, pointing toward the balcony.



“It’s in its own little area . . . secluded . . . steamy.”



Ty began to smile, but he held his ground, shaking his head. “You kinky little exhibitionist, you.”



“I’m just suggesting that a hot soak would feel really good for aching muscles.”



“I do have some aching muscles.”



Zane hummed and scooted closer, nudging his nose against Ty’s chin.



Ty closed his eyes and smiled, sliding his hand up Zane’s back. “You were sexy as hell on that horse tonight. Riding to the rescue.”



Zane stole a kiss. “I can think of someone else I’d like to see riding something.”



Ty bit his lip, loath to admit that he enjoyed Zane’s cheesy come-ons. He wrapped his arms around Zane and brushed the tip of his nose against his lover’s. “Whatever makes you happy, Lone Star.”



Zane chuckled. “Come on, Captain. It’s late. No one else will be out there.”



“I thought you said I need rest for the vapors. Thought you said you were tired.”



“I was until I thought about you and me in that damn hot spring.”



Ty hummed as his body responded favorably to the idea. Zane’s playful smile was another reason to say yes. No matter what had happened to Ty and the rest of Sidewinder while they’d been deployed, Zane had definitely benefited from those six months. He seemed unburdened now, more willing to simply grab onto life and go for a ride. Ty brushed his fingers through Zane’s hair with an affectionate grin.



“You know if we get out there, I’m just going to ask you to marry me again.”



Zane’s grin widened further. “I’ll risk it.”



Ty wasn’t even sure where the damn hot spring was, so Zane led him through the quiet mansion, out the back patio to the path that curved its way into the interior of the island.



Ty squeezed his hand and pulled him closer, enjoying such a simple thing as walking along the dark path with their fingers entwined. This particular path was lit by dim, boxed solar lights set low to the ground. Zane didn’t hurry. He purposely brushed their arms together as they walked.



The warmth Ty had noticed whenever Zane was near him began to spread further, making the touch of Zane’s fingers like traces of fire, and a sort of unfettered giddiness crept in. They so rarely had these moments, but tonight Ty could make himself believe they were normal.



Zane didn’t let go of his hand when they reached the spring area. It was deserted, just like Zane had guessed it would be. It was also unlit.



“This way,” Zane said, moving along the pathway to the spring edge.



Ty looked down at the water as they passed by. Only the moon and the eerily glowing mineral water of the hot spring showed them the way.



Zane pulled his shirt over his head and dropped it to the grass at the edge of the spring. Then his hands dropped to the button on his jeans, and he stopped. Ty hung back, watching him as deep breaths became harder to manage. He didn’t think this thrill of anticipation would ever get old. Zane raised one eyebrow—a clear dare—and unfastened his jeans, letting them slide down his hips and thighs to fall to the dirt path.



Ty popped the button on his pants and dropped them, pulling out of his shirt without bothering to unbutton it. He kicked his clothing off to the side and moved toward Zane and the swirling water. The night was fucking freezing. Zane descended into the spring, down the carved-out steps into the bottom, and the water hit right at his chest as he turned in place to leer at Ty and hold out a hand.



“It’s warm.”



Ty’s lips twitched at the chivalrous gesture. Sometimes Zane just couldn’t help himself. Ty got in slowly, enjoying the heat as it lapped at his cold skin.



“We’re both going to catch pneumonia on the way back in,” Ty griped.



He took Zane’s hand, pulling himself closer until their bodies just barely touched in the bubbling water. Zane curled their hands together while taking a step back, tugging gently for Ty to follow. They were, for all intents and purposes, out of sight unless someone walked around the path to look directly at the spring. It was also insane for anyone to be out when it was this cold. The knowledge didn’t keep the butterflies out of Ty’s stomach, though.



He followed Zane regardless, willing to risk getting caught.



Zane sat on the bench molded from the rock under the water, drawing Ty down next to him. Then he sighed happily, leaning back in the steaming water. “Now this is nice.”



Ty settled into the water beside Zane, acknowledging the tease. He eased over and let their shoulders press together as he leaned his head back. He hooked his leg over Zane’s knee, resting it there so their calves pressed together and he could slide his toes against Zane’s ankle. Zane slid his palm against Ty’s thigh, stroking idly under the water, then shifted a little, sliding his arm behind Ty’s back and angling himself so Ty was leaning against him. He settled his hand on Ty’s hip, rubbing the skin under his fingertips.



Ty closed his eyes and turned his head toward Zane, adjusting so that more of their skin touched. He was content to sit like this, comfortable and intimate. It was a gentler foreplay then they were used to, and it was doing some very interesting things to Ty’s mind and body. It seemed like he was tingling all over, and it wasn’t from the minerals in the hot spring. He rested his head on Zane’s arm, letting the water and the promise of his lover’s caresses warm him.



Zane seemed just as content to remain like that, their bodies brushing, teasing, relaxing into each other. The hot water swirled around them. It was some time before Zane even turned his head and leaned forward enough to nuzzle at Ty’s ear.



Ty turned to meet his lips, nipping at him languidly as he moved his palm across Zane’s hard abs. Zane growled and chased Ty’s lips, making it a game while his free hand glided over Ty’s belly under the water. Ty grinned and nipped at him again, backing away playfully and pushing himself out into the center of the spring. His leg stayed hooked over Zane’s as he let himself float.



Zane laughed quietly and grabbed for his hips, leaning against the wall of the spring to watch. Ty smiled and closed his eyes, floating for a few moments with nothing but the sound of the spring in his ears and the feeling of Zane’s hands on his hips to keep him there. It was the anchor he’d been missing for the last year, the one thing that could ground him every time he began to drift. Finally, he bent his knees and sat up, pulling himself to Zane and ending up straddling one of his thighs. He slowly slid his knee over Zane’s other leg, skin gliding against skin, until he sat astride him, kneeling on the underwater bench. Zane’s hands had remained on his hips. He sat gazing up at Ty in the moonlight, unabashed devotion written all over his face.



Ty rested his arms on Zane’s shoulders and kissed him soundly. The warmth that had never dissipated began to churn inside him, love and desire warring for his attention. He groaned and delved his tongue between Zane’s lips, seeking something more. Zane pulled him close as they kissed, responding to Ty’s fervor with calm, consuming focus.



Ty smiled against his lips and finally forced himself to pull away. Zane’s face was shadowed, but Ty knew every feature by heart. The laugh lines that mingled with frown lines, the curve from his broken nose, the hints of gray feathered at his temples. His warm brown eyes that could go hard as obsidian in a blink.