With Caution

looked a little green as he grabbed Remi’s hand and pounded him on the back.
    “Hey.” His voice sounded rusty.
    Remi’d had as much alcohol as Dago, but apparently he’d fared better this morning.
    “Hey.” Remi squeezed Dago’s hand and slapped his arm. “How’s your head?”
    Dago groaned. “Oh fuck. Hurts like a son of a bitch. How’s yours?”
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    “Actually, it’s fine.”
    “Lucky bastard,” Dago grumbled.
    Remi chuckled.
    “Jake, where the fuck do you want this?” Rhys asked, dipping his head toward the ice chest on his shoulder.
    “Bend over and we’ll show ya, Rhys,” Gadget murmured.
    Jake pointed to a tree. “Stick it over there in the shade.”
    “Fuck you, Gadget. Just for that, you stay the fuck outta the ice chest.” Rhys walked past. “Hey, Remi.”
    Remi grinned. “Hey, Rhys.” He turned around and raised a brow at Gadget. “You got a death wish?”
    “Shit, Gadget would do anything to get away from all those damn kids of his.” Zack flopped onto the grass and stretched his legs out.
    Dago laughed, then clutched his head and groaned.
    Remi fought back a laugh. He could imagine. He’d learned last night that Gadget was married and had nine kids. “All right, guys, play nice.”
    Tank went to Sterling, who was standing next to Remi with a blank look on his face, and offered his hand. “Hey, pup. Sterling, right? Remi’s told us a lot about you. Nice to meet you.”
    “Nice to meet you too.” Sterling shook Nick’s hand and became his normal chatty self, introducing himself to the rest of the gang. If Remi wasn’t mistaken he heard the little shit mention his name a couple of times, asking about last night.
    Jake sidled up next to Remi and bumped his shoulder. “Kid is as protective over you as you are him. How do you feel this morning?”
    “Good. No hangover. What the fuck did I do last night? And what are all of you doing here?” Not that Remi was complaining. He and Jake were beginning to get back the easy camaraderie they’d shared before the night Remi’d discovered they were mates.
    Actually, now it was better. Remi didn’t have to try and hide his attraction.

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    J.L. Langley
    Jake took the ball from him, answering the second question and ignoring the first.
    “Thought the kid could use some group practice.” He glanced at his friends. “We’re almost a team, only two short.”
    “We’re like thirteen short, Jake,” Sterling corrected.
    “I said a team, not two teams,” Jake countered.
    “A team is one whole side. Did you mean we’re all going to play offense?” Sterling raised a brow.
    “Well, I meant—”
    “Okay, okay.” Remi intervened to keep Jake from strangling Sterling. The kid questioned everything …to death. “How about two teams, one of four the other five?”
    They wound up playing Remi, Sterling, Jake and Rhys against Dago, Gadget, Tank, Zack and Nick. It went pretty smoothly until the guys realized how good Sterling was and Zack tried to tackle him. Rhys planted Zack on his ass and winced before hobbling away.
    Remi leaned into Jake. “He gonna be all right?”
    Jake nodded. “Shhh… Don’t mention it.”
    Sterling ran back after his second touchdown. He took one look at Rhys, who was trying to walk the pain off, and went right to him, grabbing his arm. “You okay? Will your leg be all right?”
    It got eerily quiet. Remi couldn’t hear anything but the traffic a block away and a dog barking somewhere nearby.
    After a few seconds Rhys stared at Sterling’s hand on his arm, then back at Sterling’s face and smiled. “It’s an old wound. I got into a shootout with a Mexican drug lord. I got wounded pretty bad…leg ain’t never been the same since.”
    Remi walked over, knelt in front of Rhys and tapped his calf. “Off with the shoe.”
    “It’s fine.” Rhys glared down at him.
    “Fuck that. You’re as bad as Sterling. Lose the goddamned shoe.” Remi had seen his share of injuries, first in football and now as a fireman. Regardless what Dirk said, he’d make a good EMT.
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    Rhys grumbled and started cussing under his breath, but he didn’t say a thing when Remi untied his shoe and eased it and his sock off. He checked for mobility, moving Rhys’ ankle side to side, then watched for tenderness, massaging the leg. Rhys’ ankle was a little swollen, but there was no bruising.
    Remi stood