Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

Aiden took his time with his bath at the hotel that evening. The hot water helped ease some of the pain from his stiff muscles and even took away a bit of the stress and weariness that living on the run had caused to cling to him.

Aiden wanted to be that happy-go-lucky, carefree man he'd once been but he wasn't sure he could ever get that man back. It would only be a matter of time before those bounty hunters tracked him down again and he would have to run for his life or die. Honestly, Aiden was surprised they hadn't found him already but he was thankful for it. He needed this time to recover a bit.

And of course there was Nick.....

Aiden's water had cooled so he stood and stepped from the metal tub. He stepped onto the gleaming hardwood floor below it and dried himself with the stiff blue towel that had been lying on the chair

Nick. The man was a puzzle. A tempting, arousing, hell of a puzzle that Aiden was afraid to look at too long. Aiden felt a flush color his cheeks when he remembered the way Nick had gotten on his knee and gazed up at him with so much longing and hunger.

Aiden had never imagined in a hundred years that he'd find a man out here that was like him but he had—he'd be willing to bet his life on that. So why then was Nick so hot and cold? What made the man so against letting Aiden see what he was? Had someone found out in his past and let him know it wasn't okay just the same as had happened to Aiden?

Aiden didn't know what made Nick who he was but he wanted to find out. Nick caused a heat and a hunger in Aiden that he had never felt before in his life. While Aiden knew that he'd have to leave soon, he wanted to get to know everything he could about Nick and the passion the man awoke in him before that happened.

What better way to do that than by heading down to the saloon where Nick was currently drinking and playing cards? Maybe the tall, hard, closed off man would be feeling a bit more open and up to talking with alcohol in his blood. It was worth a shot.

By the time Aiden dressed in some of his new clothes, donned his oversized hat and made his way into the dirty, dusty, dimly-lit saloon, his confidence had failed him. He couldn't just walk up to Nick and talk to him! The man was unapproachable as he sat with his side facing Aiden and concentrated on the poker game he was playing. And besides what good would it do to get to know the man when Aiden would simply be running for his life within the next few days or a week at the most?

Aiden wished he'd been born a bit braver but there was something about Nick that made it hard for Aiden to breathe around him, let alone just walk up and strike up a conversation. Instead Aiden made himself as unnoticeable as possible and slunk up to the bar where he ordered a beer from the old barkeep who appeared only half awake. Aiden proceeded to simply stare into that beer and wonder where he would go once those bounty hunters came riding into Bakerstown.

***

Nick had noticed Aiden the moment that he entered the saloon wearing that ridiculously big hat. Honestly, where had the man come across that thing at?

Aiden looked horribly out of place here. This saloon was full of a rougher crowd and that's why Nick liked it. No one was trying to make friends with anyone else, they were just playing cards, drinking whiskey and getting friendly with the women—well most of the men were getting friendly with the women.

Nick had learned over the years to not even smile at the bar maids because it gave them hope and ideas. It was better to act completely indifferent or all out rude and that way they left you alone and you didn't have to answer any awkward questions about why you were refusing their advances.