Ten Inches (2 page)

Ian cocked a brow. “Really?”
He didn’t sound surprised.

“
Yeah, so do you want to get
a room? I’m grabbing a room for me and Cinda. Do you guys want to
share?”

Ian met Nick’s gaze over the
table. Nick’s stomach clenched, and a shiver of awareness—sexual
awareness—crawled over his flesh. Where in the hell was this coming
from? Well, he knew where. Just because his dick didn’t know
better, Nick did. Ian wasn’t gay. He couldn’t be interested in
Nick? Could he?

“
Not this time,” Ian said to
her, but his gaze remained riveted to Nick.

“
Well, you better hurry, or
you’ll be copping a piece of carpet in here. The announcement is
about to be made.” The bubbly blonde danced off toward the
lobby.

“
What are you doing?” Why
was Ian intentionally making him uncomfortable? Nick had to be
reading more than possible into Ian’s body language. The innuendos
weren’t fun anymore. Nick didn’t like being played with…at least
not like this. “I can’t stay.”

“
I don’t think we have a
choice.”

Nick couldn’t stay the
night. Not only did he have work waiting at home, but a sleepover
with Ian would be complicated. It was hard enough to dream about
Ian, but sharing a bedroom would be torture. “No, I can’t stay.”
Shit. He was fucked but not in the way he wanted. “My case of
gotta-tricky-itis is going to cost me my job. I have a status
report due on my boss’s desk first thing in the morning. My files,
that they believe I am working on, are on my flash drive…currently
plugged into my laptop, in my apartment. Remember, I’m supposed to
be sick but still able to work from home, so regardless what time
the canyon opens, I have to go home. Tonight. That report has to be
on his desk either by me going in or by email.”

“
Fine, but I don’t want to
spend the afternoon in a packed lobby or restaurant. Let’s get the
room and wait out the storm. Look, you can take a nap, and then
when the road opens, you’ll be able get home and work though the
night.” Ian sighed and leaned his forearms against the edge of the
table. “It’s my fault that you’re in this position. So wait here
while I get the room.”

“
Ian—”

“
No. Shut up and pay for
lunch.” He gulped the last of his soda. “I’ll get the room.” He
stood. “And don’t worry.” He winked. “I’ll get a double.” Ian
didn’t wait for a response. He headed across the room.

Nick groaned, rested his
elbow on the table and braced his forehead in his palm. Just his
luck. Nothing ever worked out the way he planned. He fished his
wallet from his back pocket. His fingers paused when he spotted the
condom tucked in the corner. His pulse raced as he thought of the
possibilities…and the consequences. He’d be better off tossing the
condom in the garbage. But he couldn’t. Because in the darkest
corner of his mind, he admitted, if Ian propositioned him, he’d
want to say yes.

However, Ian had a
girlfriend. He and Jenny had been dating for almost year. And, even
when Ian wasn’t dating someone, he had a friend with benefits that
stepped in. Nick couldn’t remember her name, because she was
strictly a booty call. Ian didn’t go long without getting laid.
Hell, in the past, neither had Nick. Although casual encounters
from the bar had grown old quickly. And Nick had it bad for Ian. So
lately, Nick had focused on work. Maybe he could work himself out
of his dead-end position.

The server set the bill on
the table, and Nick handed her his credit card. As Nick waited for
the receipt and for Ian, he considered what the next few hours
would mean. Kick back, watch some television, take a nap…stay on
his side of the room, on separate beds. Maybe he could even keep
his cock from sporting a boner every time Ian spoke.

“
We’re all set.” Ian plopped
down on the chair across from him. “I checked the snow report. It’s
really coming down.”

Nick leaned back in his
chair. Perfect. Not that he wouldn’t want to hang out with Ian, he
would. He was his best friend. But not in a hotel room, not
stranded for an indefinite amount of time, with only a few feet of
space between the beds. “I need to see if I can do damage control.”
He groaned and rolled his shoulders. “I’m so fucked.”

“
Not yet.”

Nick snapped his gaze to
Ian.

“
Don’t panic.”

Don’t panic? All Nick could
think about was being fucked…by Ian. His cock throbbed, confined
and trying to break free from his pants. His mind was spinning from
being thrown in and out of sexual frustration. If his balls turned
blue, it would have nothing to do with the cold
temperatures.

Ian pushed his chair back.
“We’re already checked in.” He held up the keycard. “Since it’s
going to get loud in here, let’s go to the room and make some
calls. Is there someone you trust that you can ask to do the
report?”

Nick stood. “No, I have all
my work at home.”

They started across the main
room of the lodge. “I’m sorry,” Ian said, gathering his board and
gear.

Nick grabbed his. “It’s not
your fault. I’m a big boy and made the decision to ditch the office
in favor of the powder.” He’d live with the consequences of that
decision. Truthfully, even knowing he might lose his job over this,
he didn’t regret spending the day with Ian. He’d make the same
choice again. Call him a glutton for punishment. He would rather
ache with longing than deny himself their friendship.

Ian wrapped an arm around
his shoulders. “So then if you’re screwed anyway, why don’t we
enjoy the room? Get a couple of beers, watch some television, see
what tomorrow brings. If you get fired,” he said and cocked an
eyebrow, “we’ll be first on the lift. Imagine shredding through six
feet of snow. We’ll hit the back country.”

Nick laughed and shook his
head. He could almost wish to be fired, if the job market was
better. “Lead the way.”

Skiers began to fill the
lobby of the resort. Nick followed Ian as they weaved their way
past the gondola loading area. Ski and snowboarding equipment
filled the racks. Groups gathered and people spoke into cell
phones. Nick and Ian slipped out the main doors. Heavy snowfall
dropped visibility to less the fifty feet. Ian squinted into the
distance. “I’m not scheduled, but they may need me for ski patrol
tonight.” He glanced over his shoulder to Nick. “It’s your in, if
you want it.”

Nick nodded. He’d rather
keep the job he had, but he also wouldn’t leave people stranded on
the slopes if he could help. Blowing wind whipped the falling snow.
The icy spray stung his eyes and mouth as his breath clouded in the
air.

The room Ian reserved was on
the back side of the building on the upper floor. They entered the
doors leading to the pool, gym and sauna. Ian pressed the up button
on the elevator and the doors immediately opened. A moment later,
Nick followed Ian down a long corridor

“
We’re just down the hall
from the bar.” They took a left and an immediate right. Ian slid
the keycard through the lock then opened the door. Nick preceded
him into the room and dropped his gear along the wall.

“
Holy shit.” Nick turned a
quick circle. Ian had reserved them a suite.

Ian stepped into the room
and the door clicked shut. They were alone, in a hotel room, and
the air instantly thickened. Nick inhaled a deep breath and willed
his body to relax. Awareness simmered hot in his gut. Anyone but
Ian, and he’d take the subtle hints and lingering glances as
interest. But not Ian.

Nick surveyed the large open
room. A dancing fire crackled and burned in the hearth on the north
wall. Dark leather sofa and love seat framed an intimate seating
area. A flat screen television hung across from the sofa above a
long table where a DVD player sat. A mini bar stretched from the
corner to the fireplace. The decor was rustic yet elegant, luxury
all the way. But that wasn’t the best feature.

Nick crossed the room. The
carpet was plush and thick beneath his heavy boots. “I hope the
room was a comp.”

The entire East wall was
floor-to-ceiling windows. The mountain vista stole the air from his
lungs. Snow blanketed the runs carving into the mountain. Clouds
clung to the mountain peaks, wrapping the horizon in a heavy gray
shroud.

“
Nick.” The husky word from
Ian warmed…yet chilled Nick’s flesh. Ian stood close behind him.
Nick could feel Ian’s presence without turning around. He was
afraid to turn around, afraid of what he might see in Ian’s eyes
while secretly wanting so much more.

Nick didn’t speak. He
watched the snow fall as rioting emotions ripped through his
gut.

“
I don’t know what to do.”
Ian’s voice quavered, and he took a deep breath. Sliding his hands
into his pockets, he stood next to Nick.

Nick stared at their
reflection in the glass. “Don’t know what to do about…?”

Ian’s mouth formed a hard
line, and his jaw ticked. He glanced at his feet, out the window,
turned to Nick, then quickly shifted his gaze away.

“
Ian?”

Ian sighed and his shoulders
slumped. He shifted his weight from his right foot to his left and
slightly turned toward Nick again. “You really need me to
explain?”

Yes, he did, because Nick
didn’t want to make assumptions, didn’t want to hope for something
impossible. And if he admitted to being attracted to Ian and
wanting more, only to find out Ian needed advice on something
trivial, Nick would fuck up their friendship. Or worse, Ian might
want advice on Jenny. “I don’t want to guess. If you have something
to say—”

“
I do,” he interrupted.
“Since you don’t seem to be able—or want—to pick up on my
not-so-subtle hints, there’s nothing to do besides come right out
and ask.” He stepped in front of Nick. “Are you interested in
me?”

“
What?” Nick’s heart raced.
What was he supposed to say to that? Yes…and no. God, yes, but he
wanted to kiss Ian, touch him, strip him out of his clothes and
taste every inch of his toned body. Hell no, not if knowing would
make their friendship uncomfortable. “You can’t ask me that.” He
turned around, and that’s when he saw the open bedroom door…and one
king-size bed. His cock thickened and his hands trembled. Tingles
started at the base of his skull and chased along his spine. “What
do you care? We’re friends.”

“
We both know it’s more than
friendship.”

“
Like brothers,” Nick
clarified, but he didn’t feel brotherly toward Ian. He was half in
love with him.

“
Bullshit.”

“
You’re
straight.”

“
Maybe.” Ian shrugged. “Or I
just never met a man I wanted to fuck.”

“
What do you want from me?”
Nick strode across the room to the mini bar. He needed a drink.
Maybe two…or three.

“
The truth.”

“
No, we’re not talking about
this.” He bent, opened the small fridge and grabbed a beer. “How’s
Jenny?” Redirect the conversation and remind Ian he has a
girlfriend.

“
Shit, Nick, for my best
friend, you certainly don’t pay much attention to what’s going on
in my life.”

Nick lifted his gaze to Ian
briefly, then grabbed the bottle opener and popped the top off the
beer.

“
I haven’t dated Jenny in
three months.”

Nick paused with the bottle
at his lips. “Really?”

“
I haven’t dated anyone.”
Ian took a step toward him. “Because what started out as curiosity
began to keep me up at night.” Another step closer. “I found myself
making excuses on why I couldn’t see Jenny. A text from Tam used to
give me a hard-on.”

Tam. That was her name. The
booty call baby. “So if Tam and Jenny aren’t doing it for you, who
is?”

God, he wanted to rip the
answer from Ian’s mouth. Skin was the only thing keeping him
together. He tingled, electrified with the tension in the room. The
heat in Ian’s eyes had Nick’s blood warming. Hot, chaotic pulses
thrummed through his system. His cock was hard, his heart pounded,
but it wasn’t fear surging adrenaline through his body.

“
That’s what I’ve been
trying to figure out.”

Nick laughed. “Attraction
isn’t hard to figure out.” He set the beer on the counter. The room
closed in on him, narrowing until his only focus was Ian. The
heavy, rapid breaths he drew. The way his Adam’s apple bobbed as he
swallowed. “Why are you nervous?” And Ian was. His fingers tapped
against his thigh.