"Nah. I'm good. I've got my grandmother's place."

"You sure?"

Gage turned to face Kaleb, looking his best friend in the eye. He wasn't sure if he was just imagining it or not, but he felt as though Kaleb wanted to ask questions. One's that didn't have anything to do with fire or ashes or salvageable items. Was it obvious that something had happened between him and Kylie and Travis? If so, did everyone notice or just Kaleb?

Part of him hoped that Kaleb knew what was happening between Gage and Travis, only because it would make it so much easier to do what he needed to do. Since they'd always known their threesomes wouldn't last forever, and truly, they were in it for Zoey's pleasure, which she could find in the arms of her husband, it seemed only natural for them to expect the interactions to come to an end. Gage just hadn't expected to be the one to put an end to them. And especially not because he'd found someone in his case, two people to focus all of his energy on.

Even if he couldn't define what was happening between him and Kylie and Travis as a relationship, Gage knew he owed it to himself to at least find out where it was headed before he reinserted himself in someone else's love life.

"I'm sure." Not that he was sure about much of anything at this point, but he was certain that he wouldn't need a place to sleep tonight.

Kaleb nodded, then glanced over Gage's shoulder as though someone was standing behind him.

"Thanks for the offer, man. I'll let you know if I need anything."

"You do that." Kaleb clapped Gage on the shoulder. "I'm really sorry."

Gage didn't know what to say, so he just tipped his head in acknowledgement. The rain and the fact Gage was once again soaked to the bone wasn't nearly as disrupting as knowing Travis was standing behind him, so Gage politely dismissed Kaleb, hoping he'd go back home to his warm bed and his even warmer wife.

When Kaleb was out of earshot, Travis came up next to him. "Need anything?" That was Travis, abrupt and to the point. The answer to that question could've been a million different things, but Gage didn't say a word. "Look man," Travis began and Gage thought he heard the beginnings of another woeful "I'm sorry", except Travis wasn't known for such awkward expressions of emotion, so he opted to halt him midsentence.

"Don't. Just... don't." Gage didn't want to hear anyone else ask him if he needed anything or if he had a place to stay or... Shit, Gage didn't want any more questions tonight period.

The two of them stood in silence for a few minutes, watching as the last embers burned, the shell of his house the only thing remaining, but even those were bowed and threatening to crumble to the earth. Charcoal black and water logged was how it was all going to go down tonight.

"Let's get a beer," Travis stated firmly, glancing over at Gage.

He couldn't help it, he cocked his eyebrow, surprise written on his face. "A beer?"

"Yeah. This sucks, but it is what it is. Let's head over to Moonshiners."

"I'd rather go back to my grandmother's house and get some sleep."

"We can do that, too," Travis added, but before Gage could retort, he was quickly cut off by more words. "You can try and push me away all night, Matthews. It ain't happenin'. I'm not leaving you tonight, and before you go getting all righteous and shit, I'm not looking for anything."

No? Well, Gage was. He was looking for a fight because his life was suddenly a pile of rubble. Literally.

"I need to get back to Kylie," Gage stated firmly.

"She's waiting for us in the truck," Travis explained as though he'd already talked to her. Which he probably had.

Damn it.

"Keep pushing, Gage." Travis' words were low but nonthreatening as he took one step closer. "I can take anything you come up with. And in case you forgot, I was right there in that shower with you both, I know exactly what happened between us. The same thing that's going to happen again."

The fight immediately drained out of him and Gage dropped his head, staring down at the ground. He didn't have anything left, not an ounce of anger to dish out. In fact, he figured he was about ten seconds away from collapsing.

"Come on," Travis urged and nudged Gage with his shoulder.

Gage gave in and allowed Travis to lead him back to his truck. They were stopped a couple of times by more sorrowful neighbors as well as some volunteer firefighters and Gage forced himself to keep it together.

As soon as he laid eyes on Kylie still sitting in the back seat of his truck, he felt a relief he hadn't expected.

"I'm driving," Travis said as he took the lead, heading around to the driver's side, leaving Gage with only one other place to go. Figuring it wouldn't do him much good to argue, he headed to the passenger side, giving in to riding shotgun in his own damn truck.

"Hey," Kylie greeted, her voice soft and concerned as she leaned up against the front seats when Gage climbed in. Her arms wrapped around him, pulling him backward. She was hugging him and damn it if he didn't want to just lose himself in her arms for a little while.

Bless her, she didn't ask him if he was ok and she didn't let him go either. It took everything in him not to break down.

Chapter Twenty Eight.

Travis was tempted to check himself in the vanity mirror of the truck. For some odd reason, he thought maybe he'd see someone else peering back at him. Hell, he was surprised Gage agreed to go anywhere with him considering how out of character he was acting.

Damn it. Not a single one of his brothers was around to see it either. And Travis knew they'd never believe him if he told them.

Despite the levity of what happened to Gage's house, Travis couldn't stop the smile from creeping up to his lips. For the first time in years many, many years he didn't feel like taking someone's head clean off their body.

Didn't mean it would last, so he considered warning Gage and Kylie that they better take advantage of it while they could. Hell, he'd be more than willing to let them take advantage of him. Right here in the damn truck if they'd like.

Travis kept his eyes on the road and forced himself not to look over at Gage. The man looked like hell, and knowing he'd just go stir crazy sitting in that big old house of his all alone, he had wanted to limit the amount of time that Gage would have to do so.

A few minutes later, they were pulling into Moonshiners, and the first thing Travis noticed was how empty the parking lot was. Not necessarily a bad thing, but he knew that would change once the volunteer fire department got things settled. If they were lucky, they'd grab a booth in the back and have a couple of beers before that happened. It was clear Gage was getting sick of hearing all the I'm sorry's and if you need anything let me know's although the people clearly meant well. Probably didn't make it any easier to have just watched your house burn to the ground.

As soon as Travis put the truck in Park, he scrambled out and over to Kylie's door. Neither of them had gotten out, so he went to her door and opened it for her.

Yes, it should be noted that he could be a gentleman when he wanted to.

"Ummm, boys..." Kylie drew their attention before they had a chance to travel far on the wet pavement that glistened from the oil and rain. "I'm not sure I'm dressed for this."

Travis glanced down, noticed she was wearing Gage's t-shirt, which came almost to her knees, and totally hid her shorts from view. Sometime in the last few minutes she'd put her boots on so... Well, the picture she made had Travis wanting to settle her cute little ass back in the truck and head over to Gage's farmhouse anyway. Screw the beer.

Shit. And she didn't have on a bra either. That little news flash was like a homing beacon, drawing his attention to her perky breasts beneath the soft, dark cotton. And his eyes weren't the only thing paying attention either.

Kylie must've realized that they were both now staring at her chest because she cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Would you rather go back to...?"

Before Gage could finish the sentence, Kylie smiled as her hands disappeared behind her back. Seconds later, the t-shirt was pulling tight across her flat belly and riding at hip level, those tight jean shorts once again visible.

"Ok, let's do this."

Travis stared at her. He honestly had expected her to ask them to take her home, but instead, she'd somehow made that shirt look like it was made for her and now she was heading right for the front doors, finger combing her hair as she went. Suddenly, Travis was the one wishing they were heading somewhere private rather than the local bar.

And he was also making a mental note to request that she go without a bra. Always. Ok, no, not always. He wasn't that barbaric. But definitely when he was around.

Gage fell into step behind Kylie, his shoulders slumped forward as he went and the sight of him made Travis' good mood fumble a little. It was clear Gage didn't want to be here, but Travis knew it was better than the alternative. Although watching Kylie's sweet ass in those jean shorts was giving him some other ideas on how to get Gage's mind off of the disaster he'd endured tonight.

Travis forced himself to follow, and when they stepped inside the dimly lit bar, he was glad to see the inside resembled the outside. Except for a few guys in the back shooting pool, a couple of regulars sitting at the bar and a couple of women sitting in a booth near the front, they were practically alone.

With his hand on the small of her back, Travis led Kylie toward one of the booths in the far corner which would offer them a little privacy. As soon as she was seated, Travis moved in beside her, leaving her very little space between him and the wall and if he wasn't mistaken, she was smiling. For some reason, he couldn't keep his hands off of her, so he slid one arm around behind her, propping his elbow above her head, and ensuring he was close enough to feel her arm against his side.

When she smiled up at him, he almost forgot where they were. The spell was broken when the waitress made her way over.

"What'll you boys have?" she asked, smiling sweetly at Travis and then over at Gage.

Travis glanced at Kylie, waiting for her to respond.

"I'll take a Corona with lime, thanks."

Travis then looked up at Gage.

Gage didn't say anything, just tipped his head as though he were agreeing with what Kylie was ordering.

Travis then ordered a scotch on the rocks before dismissing the woman without another glance. It wasn't like he wasn't used to the way women flocked to him and his brothers, or their friends, but it irked the shit out of him right then. Ellie had ignored Kylie, and he had half a mind to have a chat with her about respect. Then again, that would require him to initiate conversation, and he knew how well that would go over. This particular woman would take it as an invitation.

Not that he was one to be preaching about respect. He wasn't known for his glowing personality in these parts. In fact, most women just looked him over and then went about their business because they knew Travis wasn't interested. Not since he was a teenager, had he indulged in a woman from their home town. After learning how fast those rumors flew, he'd decided to take his needs elsewhere, and it'd worked for him for the most part. Unlike his brothers, he didn't have scorned women chasing him around like he owed them something.

Or men, thinking of Ethan.

"When is the resort supposed to open?" Kylie asked, sounding as though none of the events of the night had occurred and they were all just old friends here to talk.

Forgetting what he'd witnessed between his brother Ethan and the mechanic while they were in Vegas, Travis turned his attention to her. And then he smiled. There was a reason he loved this woman. Shit that almost sounded like present tense. What was worse, realizing it didn't make Travis' smile disappear.

"My goal is early next year," he said after clearing his throat. Where the hell was the waitress? "At the rate we're going, I'd say we're right on the money. Maybe a little earlier if we're lucky."

"Are your brothers going to "

"Here you go, sweetie," the waitress cooed as she set the beers on the table in front of Gage and then putting the scotch close enough to Travis that she leaned over and shoved her tits right in his face. In an extremely catty move, she didn't bothering to push Kylie's beer toward her. "Anything "

"We'll let you know," Travis barked, cutting her off before she could say "else". She'd rudely cut Kylie off midsentence, and it would've been one thing if it was an accident, but Travis could tell by the smirk on her lips that wasn't the case.

Travis retrieved Kylie's beer and handed it to her at the same time she thanked the waitress politely, a knowing glint in her eyes.

Then, as though they hadn't been interrupted, she picked up where she left off. "So, let's try this one more time. Are your brothers going to work at the resort also?"

"That's the plan. At least a couple of them anyway. Right now, just Kaleb, Sawyer and Zane are on board, each of them taking on certain duties."

The tension at the table intensified as Kylie seemed to search for something else to ask. Glancing over at Gage, Travis frowned. The man had his hands wrapped around his beer bottle, using his thumbnail to pick at one corner of the label. It was obvious he would rather be anywhere but there.

The uncomfortable silence was interrupted when the front doors of the bar opened and the need to find something to talk about drifted right out with some of the cool air. Sawyer was standing in the door, grinning from ear to ear like he owned the place. By his stance, it appeared he was waiting for a roaring welcome. He didn't appear to be fazed when none came.

It didn't take him long to notice the three of them sitting in the back, and from that moment on, he seemed to be on a mission.

"Ellie, darlin' you got an extra beer over there for me?"

Travis rolled his eyes as his younger brother flirted with the waitress while sauntering across the room as though all eyes were on him. And they probably were. Sawyer was an attention whore, always had been, and clearly he was in one of his moods tonight.

For the first time in a long time, Travis welcomed Sawyer's irritatingly cheerful attitude. Anything if he could get the shadows to disappear from Gage's eyes.

"What's up, bro?" Sawyer asked, sliding into the other side of the booth with Gage as though he were invited. It didn't even bother him that Gage had to move over for him to do so.

Travis raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, beautiful," Sawyer greeted Kylie as though they were long lost lovers. "Glad to see these boys came to their senses."

"Why's that?" Kylie asked, clearly confused.

"Well, considering their noses are intact, it's safe to assume they haven't beat the hell outta one another and I'm guessin' you're the reason," Sawyer said with a huge grin, his straight white teeth gleaming.

The waitress chose that moment to walk up to the table, another Corona with lime in her hand and a grin as broad as Texas plastered on her face.

Hmm, Sawyer and Kylie had something in common. Great.

"Thanks, baby. Come check on us in a bit, would ya?"

How Sawyer dismissed her and still sounded as though he were anxious to see her again was beyond him. Travis never did understand his brother, but the one thing he knew for a fact, the man was good with the ladies.

"Hey, bro, sorry to hear about your house," Sawyer said, filling the silence as he spoke to Gage.

A nod was all he got in return.

"Guess now you'll be movin' into your grandma's place, huh? You line up someone to reno it for ya yet?"

How the hell did Sawyer know what was going on with Gage when Travis hadn't been able to get a bead on where the man was for the longest time?

"I'm working on it," Gage said, his eyes landing on Kylie.

"Ahhh, that's right. You're the little darlin' who's supposed to be handlin' that for him, aren't ya?"

Travis groaned. Sawyer was laying it on thick tonight, his Texas drawl coming out in spades. And he was flirting like the devil he was.

As though Sawyer didn't expect any answers to his questions, he continued to talk while the three of them sat there staring at him. "So, I've been thinkin' about names for the club."

"That right?" Travis had been on Sawyer for months to come up with a name for the club that he'd be running at Alluring Indulgence. Up till now, he'd been met with shrugs and noncommittal comments from both him and Zane where his request was concerned.

"Yup," he said as he tipped his beer to his lips. "What do y'all think about Debauchery? Or maybe Hedonism?"

Gage nearly choked on his beer, and Travis groaned out loud, the smile he was trying to fight winning.