impressed.
“Uh-huh.” The breakfast smells were making Ridge’s stomach growl. “About five years ago, after we got the inn all set.” He moved to the cabinet and pulled down dishes and cups. “You want to grab the coffee cups over there?” Nodding to the cabinet over the coffee maker, Ridge started laying things on the table. “Coffee’s in the fridge if you want to make a pot.” He gave Drew a pointed look.
Surprising him, Drew quietly did as he was asked. By the time the coffee was ready, Shelby was pouring the last portion of batter onto the hot pan.
“Hey, do you want chocolate chip pancakes like my loony friend over there?” Shelby cocked an eyebrow at Drew, who sat under the window, sipping his coffee.
“Huh?”
“Yeah. Can you believe it? It’s like he’s five or something.” Shelby was snickering as he flipped the hotcakes.
Ridge snorted. “Just ignore him. He likes to complain. There’s nothing wrong with chocolate at every meal.”
Drew’s turquoise eyes met his, the stare pinning him where he sat. “I’ll take mine plain. And, I have to say, it surely doesn’t show on you, believe me.” That husky voice ran right down Ridge’s spine and ended up somewhere near his balls. His prick sat up and took notice.
Down, boy. Ridge slid a little farther under the edge of the table, hiding the tent popping up in his running shorts. Now he wished he’d changed into jeans or something, especially since he saw a knowing smirk on Drew’s face.
Shelby dished up platters of pancakes and bacon and brought them to the table with a flourish. “So.” He slid onto the seat next to Ridge, shoving his friend to the side with a hip bump. “What’d you want to talk to Ridge about?”
“Shel. Mind your own business.” Ridge pulled a stack of hotcakes onto his plate and grabbed a few slices of bacon. Shoving the platter toward Drew, he motioned with his fork. “Help yourself.”
“What? Can’t I be concerned about a friend?” Shelby’s voice was innocence personified. His friend was acting playful, but Ridge knew Shelby was ready to jump to his defense at any moment.
“Shelby, I appreciate the concern, but I’m a big boy. Just enjoy your breakfast.” He jerked his chin at Shelby’s heaping plate.
Drew was watching both of them, eyeing Shelby suspiciously and then ogling what he could see of Ridge, zeroing in on the nipple ring with frequency. He seemed to be enjoying his breakfast, since his plate was soon empty.
“Want some more?” At Drew’s nod, Ridge looked at his troublemaking friend. “How about making another batch?”
Shelby gave a long-suffering sigh, but shoved another mouthful in and got up, taking his plate and fork with him to the counter.
Watching Shelby set up for another batch, Drew fidgeted a little, lifting his cup for a sip. “I... one thing I actually came over for was to, um, well, apologize for the other day. At the barn.”
Huh. “Really.” Ridge took a sip of his own coffee, buying time. Interesting. “You definitely dissed me in a major way in front of your friend.” His drawl was flat with remembered displeasure.
“George isn’t a friend.”
With a derisive snort, Ridge gave him a look of fake astonishment.
“Huh. That didn’t come out right. He, uh, okay, he’s kind of a friend...”
Ridge propped his elbows on the table, trying not to respond to the snickering he could hear by the range.
Drew scowled. “All right!” He plopped his coffee cup on the table, the liquid sloshing near the rim. He blew out a frustrated breath and sent a dirty look toward Shelby. “I’ve known George for almost ten years; that’s how long I’ve been working with him.” He tilted his head to the side, shrugging. “He’s how I found the barn here.”
Ridge rolled his eyes. “Irrelevant, but interesting.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m getting to it. Christ!”
Huh. It was kind of fun watching Drew squirm. Ridge bit his lip.
Drew sucked in a deep breath.
“Uh-huh.” The breakfast smells were making Ridge’s stomach growl. “About five years ago, after we got the inn all set.” He moved to the cabinet and pulled down dishes and cups. “You want to grab the coffee cups over there?” Nodding to the cabinet over the coffee maker, Ridge started laying things on the table. “Coffee’s in the fridge if you want to make a pot.” He gave Drew a pointed look.
Surprising him, Drew quietly did as he was asked. By the time the coffee was ready, Shelby was pouring the last portion of batter onto the hot pan.
“Hey, do you want chocolate chip pancakes like my loony friend over there?” Shelby cocked an eyebrow at Drew, who sat under the window, sipping his coffee.
“Huh?”
“Yeah. Can you believe it? It’s like he’s five or something.” Shelby was snickering as he flipped the hotcakes.
Ridge snorted. “Just ignore him. He likes to complain. There’s nothing wrong with chocolate at every meal.”
Drew’s turquoise eyes met his, the stare pinning him where he sat. “I’ll take mine plain. And, I have to say, it surely doesn’t show on you, believe me.” That husky voice ran right down Ridge’s spine and ended up somewhere near his balls. His prick sat up and took notice.
Down, boy. Ridge slid a little farther under the edge of the table, hiding the tent popping up in his running shorts. Now he wished he’d changed into jeans or something, especially since he saw a knowing smirk on Drew’s face.
Shelby dished up platters of pancakes and bacon and brought them to the table with a flourish. “So.” He slid onto the seat next to Ridge, shoving his friend to the side with a hip bump. “What’d you want to talk to Ridge about?”
“Shel. Mind your own business.” Ridge pulled a stack of hotcakes onto his plate and grabbed a few slices of bacon. Shoving the platter toward Drew, he motioned with his fork. “Help yourself.”
“What? Can’t I be concerned about a friend?” Shelby’s voice was innocence personified. His friend was acting playful, but Ridge knew Shelby was ready to jump to his defense at any moment.
“Shelby, I appreciate the concern, but I’m a big boy. Just enjoy your breakfast.” He jerked his chin at Shelby’s heaping plate.
Drew was watching both of them, eyeing Shelby suspiciously and then ogling what he could see of Ridge, zeroing in on the nipple ring with frequency. He seemed to be enjoying his breakfast, since his plate was soon empty.
“Want some more?” At Drew’s nod, Ridge looked at his troublemaking friend. “How about making another batch?”
Shelby gave a long-suffering sigh, but shoved another mouthful in and got up, taking his plate and fork with him to the counter.
Watching Shelby set up for another batch, Drew fidgeted a little, lifting his cup for a sip. “I... one thing I actually came over for was to, um, well, apologize for the other day. At the barn.”
Huh. “Really.” Ridge took a sip of his own coffee, buying time. Interesting. “You definitely dissed me in a major way in front of your friend.” His drawl was flat with remembered displeasure.
“George isn’t a friend.”
With a derisive snort, Ridge gave him a look of fake astonishment.
“Huh. That didn’t come out right. He, uh, okay, he’s kind of a friend...”
Ridge propped his elbows on the table, trying not to respond to the snickering he could hear by the range.
Drew scowled. “All right!” He plopped his coffee cup on the table, the liquid sloshing near the rim. He blew out a frustrated breath and sent a dirty look toward Shelby. “I’ve known George for almost ten years; that’s how long I’ve been working with him.” He tilted his head to the side, shrugging. “He’s how I found the barn here.”
Ridge rolled his eyes. “Irrelevant, but interesting.”
“Okay. Okay. I’m getting to it. Christ!”
Huh. It was kind of fun watching Drew squirm. Ridge bit his lip.
Drew sucked in a deep breath.
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