The three men traveled in silence. Monty ventured ahead, his long legs easily crossing the distance at a fast pace, and more than once he had to stop, waiting for the others to catch up with him. Emmett kept a safe distance behind the newcomer, not quite trusting himself in the man’s presence. Even with Jack at his back, bringing up the rear, Emmett couldn’t keep his thoughts from straying to the few stolen moments he’d shared with Monty earlier that morning. His lips tingled with the memory of Monty’s, and his body ached for Monty’s touch. He felt like a man in a desert who had known nothing beyond dust and sand and emptiness until he stumbled upon an oasis, lush and vibrant, that made him realize just how thirsty and dry his life had been before.