Rowe swallowed back his own laugh at that memory, concentrating on the best way to get out from where he was and up to the damn tree. From his vantage point, it looked as if he could see a little sliver of what could be the bottom tread of Noah’s boot. At that angle, it was likely that Noah was facing the other way, possibly even poised to make a move to come down to Rowe’s hiding spot.
“So what’s this bet you want?” Rowe asked while quietly crawling into better position. The tree was only a half dozen yards away and uphill. It would take seconds to cross that distance, but he’d be out in the open the entire time. He just needed to get a slightly better angle so he could get off a shot.
“Oh…I don’t think you want me to say while we’re wearing earpieces, but it involves black leather and straps,” Noah called back.
Rowe clenched his teeth and closed his eyes for a split second as blood uncomfortably rushed south to his cock as he remained squatted behind a large rock. “And what do I get when I win?”
“I think you’re going to want the same as me,” Noah said.
As soon as Noah started speaking, Rowe darted forward, moving silently through the brush and up the hill. Jumping around the tree, the first thing he saw was Noah’s shoe…and no Noah.
“Up here, sunshine,” Noah called from above with a laugh.
Rowe didn’t hesitate. He jerked his gun upward and squeezed off his last two rounds. A heartbeat later, he felt the stinging impact of a paint pellet hitting him square in the chest.
“Gotcha, babe,” Noah purred.
“What? What? Is Rowe down?” Sven cried through their earpieces, but Rowe ignored it, smiling up at Noah as the man hung from a lower branch. He had one hand and one sock-covered foot wrapped around the limb so that he was dangling like a monkey.
“I think you got a little something on your stomach there,” Rowe said.
Noah dropped to the ground and looked at the front of his black long-sleeved shirt. There was no missing the bright red splotch of paint on the left side of his waist.
“Son of a bitch!” Noah swore and Rowe cackled, falling onto his back on the cold, damp ground.
“What happened?” Andrei’s voice now came through the earpieces.
“It’s a tie,” Noah grumbled. “We got each other at the same time.”
There was more groaning through the earpieces but Rowe just ignored it as Noah fell on top of him, stretching out along his body.
“Guess I’m not so old and slow, huh?” Rowe teased.
“I still got you.”
“Pfft…you can have me whenever you want.”
Noah growled before grabbing his lips in a blistering kiss that had Rowe moaning as his hands slipped down to cup Noah’s ass. Lifting his hips, he rubbed his hardening length along Noah’s so that Noah whimpered into his mouth. He would never get enough of his man. Not the taste of him. Not his laughter. Not the feel of his skin. Not the love in his eyes. None of it.
“Ummm…guys…you know everyone can hear you,” Andrei broke in over their earpieces.
“So don’t care,” Rowe muttered. He raised his hand and twisted his fingers in the loose strands of Noah’s hair, holding him in place so he could deepen the kiss.
“Whatever. Get your asses back here in ten minutes or we’re leaving without you.”
Noah broke off the kiss. He planted his hands on the ground next to Rowe’s shoulders and lifted slightly up. “Race you.”
Before Rowe could even take a breath to speak, Noah was back on his feet and scooping up his shoe from the leaves. Rowe was after him a second later, still smiling. He’d get him this time.###
Rowe waited, hidden in the shadows of his office, unable to keep the grin off his face. Quinn had just texted that Noah was headed up the stairs, looking for him. The rest of the team was still stuffing their faces with the food that had been prepared by the staff at Rialto. Good food and a nice quantity of alcohol—they would all be happily occupied for quite a while.
But not Noah. Rowe had known that Noah would notice his disappearance from the rest of the group and would come looking for him after a time. In fact, he was counting on it.
Less than ten minutes had passed since he’d left the first floor and Noah was sticking his head into Rowe’s office, his gaze locking on the thin sliver of light coming from the partially open door to Rowe’s private bathroom. Rowe waited until he’d taken only a few steps into the room before he struck. Noah instinctively fought back, but Rowe still managed to get Noah pinned against the door, his chest pressed to Rowe’s.
“Something you need, old man?” Noah drawled, laughter threading its way through his words.