factor in the reality of Luke’s situation.
“I should probably head out,” Gray said as he climbed to his feet and handed Emma to Jax. Between the offers to drive him back to his place and the promises he had to make to keep them posted on his condition and call if he needed anything, it took Gray a good ten minutes to get on the road back to his place. While the visit had gone better than he’d expected, he still found himself wishing Luke had been at his side. His growing attraction to the man was becoming problematic but it was his heart that was really starting to take a beating because what it was feeling went beyond friendship or gratitude.
In the three weeks since they’d met, Gray hadn’t learned as much as he would have liked about the quiet man who’d become such a fixture in his life. But the things he did know were all things that tugged at something deep inside of him. Like how smart Luke was even though he didn’t seem to think so himself. Or how invested he got in things, whether it was the sci-fi movies he loved so much or the various projects he’d been working on around the cabin or the attention he gave Ripley. He was a stickler for details but also had no problem laughing at himself if something didn’t turn out the way he’d planned. But one of Gray’s favorite things to watch over the last few weeks was how relaxed Luke had become. He no longer carried his gun around on his person all the time and didn’t seem to be constantly scanning his surroundings like he had in the early days. There’d even been a couple of nights where Luke had actually fallen asleep on the couch while they were watching TV and Gray had been able to just sit and enjoy how at peace he looked.
But Gray wasn’t foolish enough to believe that whatever was happening would become his new normal, whatever the outcome might be in a couple weeks when his doctor would run the tests that would show if the chemo had done its job. At some point Gray would have to return to his obligations and Luke…well, he had no idea what Luke was going to do. It physically pained him to know how much trouble Luke was in. He’d only ever admitted to someone framing him for murder but it was clear Luke felt he had no one to turn to for help. Gray had approached the subject a few days earlier with another offer to help him get the best lawyer money could buy but Luke had casually brushed off the conversation with an excuse that he needed to finish up something in the shed. It had been frustrating to not give back to the man who’d given him so much.
The subject of his thoughts was just walking around the side of the cabin when Gray pulled into the driveway. Luke had offered to go with him to Dane and Jax’s but Gray had been too worried that Luke and Jax would have a run-in that would put Luke at risk, so he’d made the excuse that it was something he needed to do on his own. It was complete crap of course, but also a good decision because Gray knew he was becoming too reliant on Luke’s quiet strength.
“How did it go?” Luke asked as Gray got out of the car.
“About as well as can be expected, I guess,” Gray said as he tried to ignore the need to reach out and touch Luke. It would be so easy because Luke was only a half a foot away.
“I wish you’d let me come with you,” Luke said softly and to Gray’s surprise, he stepped closer and put his arm up on the side of the truck, essentially caging Gray in. Even though they were about the same size, Gray still felt slight as Luke’s big body brushed his briefly.
Despite the sudden dryness in his mouth, Gray managed to change the subject. “How’s the kitchen coming?” Luke didn’t answer him right away and a shudder went through Gray when Luke’s gaze dropped to his mouth. Dear God, was the man actually…
Ripley’s excited barking ripped Gray from his thoughts and he felt Luke tense up and then quickly step away from him. Luke’s hand reached behind his back and
“I should probably head out,” Gray said as he climbed to his feet and handed Emma to Jax. Between the offers to drive him back to his place and the promises he had to make to keep them posted on his condition and call if he needed anything, it took Gray a good ten minutes to get on the road back to his place. While the visit had gone better than he’d expected, he still found himself wishing Luke had been at his side. His growing attraction to the man was becoming problematic but it was his heart that was really starting to take a beating because what it was feeling went beyond friendship or gratitude.
In the three weeks since they’d met, Gray hadn’t learned as much as he would have liked about the quiet man who’d become such a fixture in his life. But the things he did know were all things that tugged at something deep inside of him. Like how smart Luke was even though he didn’t seem to think so himself. Or how invested he got in things, whether it was the sci-fi movies he loved so much or the various projects he’d been working on around the cabin or the attention he gave Ripley. He was a stickler for details but also had no problem laughing at himself if something didn’t turn out the way he’d planned. But one of Gray’s favorite things to watch over the last few weeks was how relaxed Luke had become. He no longer carried his gun around on his person all the time and didn’t seem to be constantly scanning his surroundings like he had in the early days. There’d even been a couple of nights where Luke had actually fallen asleep on the couch while they were watching TV and Gray had been able to just sit and enjoy how at peace he looked.
But Gray wasn’t foolish enough to believe that whatever was happening would become his new normal, whatever the outcome might be in a couple weeks when his doctor would run the tests that would show if the chemo had done its job. At some point Gray would have to return to his obligations and Luke…well, he had no idea what Luke was going to do. It physically pained him to know how much trouble Luke was in. He’d only ever admitted to someone framing him for murder but it was clear Luke felt he had no one to turn to for help. Gray had approached the subject a few days earlier with another offer to help him get the best lawyer money could buy but Luke had casually brushed off the conversation with an excuse that he needed to finish up something in the shed. It had been frustrating to not give back to the man who’d given him so much.
The subject of his thoughts was just walking around the side of the cabin when Gray pulled into the driveway. Luke had offered to go with him to Dane and Jax’s but Gray had been too worried that Luke and Jax would have a run-in that would put Luke at risk, so he’d made the excuse that it was something he needed to do on his own. It was complete crap of course, but also a good decision because Gray knew he was becoming too reliant on Luke’s quiet strength.
“How did it go?” Luke asked as Gray got out of the car.
“About as well as can be expected, I guess,” Gray said as he tried to ignore the need to reach out and touch Luke. It would be so easy because Luke was only a half a foot away.
“I wish you’d let me come with you,” Luke said softly and to Gray’s surprise, he stepped closer and put his arm up on the side of the truck, essentially caging Gray in. Even though they were about the same size, Gray still felt slight as Luke’s big body brushed his briefly.
Despite the sudden dryness in his mouth, Gray managed to change the subject. “How’s the kitchen coming?” Luke didn’t answer him right away and a shudder went through Gray when Luke’s gaze dropped to his mouth. Dear God, was the man actually…
Ripley’s excited barking ripped Gray from his thoughts and he felt Luke tense up and then quickly step away from him. Luke’s hand reached behind his back and
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