Daniel’s Reviews > The Men From Echo Creek > Status Update

“If I tell you it hurts, would you do it again?”

“Well, I . . . No, I probably wouldn’t. I don’t want to cause you any⁠—”

“And that is why I won’t tell you. Because you will be doing it again. Many times, between now and forever, I’ll have you know.” Albie glared at him.

“Percy.”

“I won’t hear any more of it, Albie. Though I will let you draw me a hot bath tonight, deal?” He feared he’d need it.

“Please say it was good for you. Please tell me you’re willing to do it again.”
“Oh, it was better than good for me. It was like nothing I’d ever imagined.”
“You mean it?”
“Percy, if Heaven was a place on Earth, I found it here tonight.”
“I love you, Albie Bramwell.”
“I love you, Percy Collins. All of you.” He pulled Percy close, feeling his untouched arousal against his leg. “Oh, it seems I am remiss . . .”

“I’m so embarrassed.”

Albie laughed and got to his feet. “You’ll be a whole lot more embarrassed should Elsie come in here looking for us. Come on, let’s get dressed.” He picked up his trousers and tossed Percy’s to him. “As much as I like the view of you in your underpants,” he said with a smirk. “I don’t think the others would agree.”

“See?” Percy said. “I told you it was wrong.”

Then Albie gripped his shoulders and met his gaze. Percy had expected to see disgust or blame in Albie’s eyes. What he saw was anger. “Percy Collins, you listen to me,” he said sternly. “Nothing we do is wrong. Not one thing. You cannot sit there and tell me, after all that we’ve shared, after all that we’ve found in each other, that any part of us is wrong.”

Percy wanted to move back into the bunkhouse to prove a point but part of him wanted to find himself in Albie’s bed. That bigger part was always going to win. He wouldn’t allow himself to be denied. He ached at the mere thought of it. So yes, tonight he would share Albie’s bed. And come tomorrow, he’d be a changed man. He’d be taken and had in every unimaginable way, and heaven help him . . . he couldn’t wait.

Percy’s eyes seemed to darken and he licked his bottom lip. “You shouldn’t look at me like that,” he whispered.

Albie grinned and kissed Percy’s knuckles again. “And how am I looking at you?”

“Like you want me.”

“I do. In ways I don’t even know.”

“Oh,” he squeaked. “You shouldn’t say such things, Albie.”

“Sorry,” he said, lowering their hands but not letting go. “I look at you and my manners disappear.”

Right there in his kitchen, he lifted Percy’s chin and kissed him again. Soft and sweet, his heart fluttering, his whole body alive. Percy seemingly forgot he was holding a hat full of eggs. One toppled out and splatted on the floor. “Oh!”

Albie laughed and took the hat full of eggs. “I better take these.”

“I should clean that up,” Percy said. “What a waste. I’m sorry.”

“It was worth the egg,” Albie said.

They were so close now, chests almost touching, and Albie’s heart was thundering, every bone in his body buzzing. And yet, he was still struck by how beautiful Percy was. Even more so up this close. He had flecks of sapphire in his eyes and a faint spray of freckles on his nose. But those lips . . . those pink lips would be the death of Albie, he was certain of it.

Waitin' to do this with Robert and Ken as our next buddy read ...

stay tuned ...

😝