Page 44 of Smoky Mountain Dreams

“She ever grow out of that?” Jesse asked a littledesperately.

“Nope. She still thinks I’m a dumbass.”

Nova and Tim started after the kids, hurrying before theydisappeared into the crowd. Jesse called, “I’ll catch up, guys.”

Nova looked at Christopher and then back at Jesse, nodded,and then hustled after the children. Tim called, “Nice to meet you,Christopher! Come share a meal sometime. Any friend of Jesse’s is a friend ofours.”

Jesse smiled at that and slung his arm over Christopher’sshoulder as his family disappeared into the passing crowd. “Well, that wasn’tbad, was it?”

“You think?”

“Ithink.” Jesse shook himgently.

Christopher’s stomach took another thrilling tumble as hisheart swooped down the highest drop of the Firebender. “Cool.”

There was a clanging and a banging from behind them, andthey both looked over at Gareth slamming the door on the other side of theforge, walking away without a glance, his back stiff and his ass lookingfantastic in his soot-streaked jeans.

“Wow,” Jesse said. “What’s the story there?”

“What do you mean?” Christopher frowned, watching Garethhead toward Maybelle’s Many Pies, clomp up the stairs, and enter the smallshop.

“Come on, the guy was giving me the evil eye and wishing medead from the second you showed up.”

“Seriously?”

“Hell, yeah. Whenever you weren’t looking, he was staring atyou. I’m surprised he didn’t maim himself, he was paying so little attention tohis work.”

Christopher snorted.

“Should I be jealous?” Jesse whispered in his ear, hot andshivery good.

“Remember what you told me about Ricky? Well, it turns outthirty-year-old blacksmiths are always a mistake too. Who knew?”

Jesse pulled away, leaving his hand on the nape ofChristopher’s neck for just a moment longer than was necessary before lettinggo. “A mistake? You sure?”

“Positive.”

Jesse’s eyes followed the path Gareth had taken. “He’s got afantastic ass.”

“I was more interested in his forearms, to be honest.”

Jesse laughed. “I didn’t realize you were into that kind ofthing. Arms? Really?” He pushed his hand through his loosely curled fingers andmimed a fisting movement.

“Oh my God!” Christopher gasped, feeling his cheeks heat up.“I just meant I liked looking at them.”

“So…it was good?”

Christopher laughed. “I don’t know. Sure. But it wasrecently outshined.” If Jesse had missed his embarrassment before, he couldn’tnow. His body went so hot that he started to sweat. “I mean, don’t get mewrong. I know that we just got started on whatever…whatever we’re doing…and I’mnot saying that—”

“You’re not saying that me pounding your hot ass the othernight wasn’t better than whatever happened with that guy?”

“No. I mean, yeah. It was better.”

“Good, because it was pretty great for me.” Jesse made asilly face like he was joking around, but Christopher saw a crinkle of worry inJesse’s brow as he glanced toward the pie shop again. “But you don’t have tosay that, you know. As you pointed out, we’re not committed or anything. Haveat the smithy.”

“I’d rather not, to be honest. LikeIsaid, it was a mistake.”

Jesse studied Christopher for a moment and then nodded. “We’restill on for Tuesday morning?”