by Shayla Black
Seth raised a brow. “Do you know how fucked up that sounds?”
“In case you missed it, I’ve never been normal.”
“No shit.” Seth grinned. “And you’re sure Gloria would have tried to help our cause?”
“Absolutely. She knows I’m in love with Heavenly and wants me to be happy. What I don’t know is how our girl took whatever Gloria told her.”
“Yeah, Heavenly isn’t in a good place.” Seth sighed. “It’s hard to give a shit about much when you’re grieving.”
Beck pinned him with a stare. “Did losing your dad have anything to do with the reason you hung up your badge?”
The doctor was fishing, and Seth wasn’t in the mood to wiggle on his hook. “You said your past was a long story. Mine, too.”
Beck sent him a tight grin. “As long as it won’t bite us in the ass, either, I can live with that.”
“It’s all ancient history.” Seth had made damn sure of that. “Speaking of pasts coming back to bite us, any word from Kathryn since we got her fired from the hospital?”
“Not a peep, thank god.”
“Glad to hear that.” Of course, it was a moot point if Heavenly never returned to LA.
“Let’s not waste any more air on that bitch.”
“Fine by me. It’s more important that we come up with a battle plan. You know, Heavenly might not be thrilled to see us.” Seth grimaced. “What are we going to say?”
“I’ve been mulling that over… I get that she feels obligated to spread her dad’s ashes. I don’t like it, but I’d have more hope for our future if she understood my marriage to Gloria.”
“She deserves to know.” But Seth still wasn’t keen on her going alone. It wasn’t safe. “She also deserves to know that we love her. Now that her dad is gone, I think she needs to hear it.”
“I don’t know… Less than a month ago, she walked away from us because she wasn’t ready.”
“Things have changed.”
“Because we took her to bed?” Beck challenged. “Sure, it was intense as hell, but that doesn’t mean she suddenly wants commitment.”
“Use your head. Heavenly isn’t the kind of girl to fuck just with her body. Besides, if we aren’t going to be honest with her, what’s the point of hauling ass to Vegas?”
Beck rubbed a hand across his beard. “If you and I don’t get on the same page, we’re going to fuck this up.”
“That’s why I’m trying to convince you you’re wrong. Look at it this way: If we tell her we love her and that we’re in this for life, it can’t be any more of a clusterfuck than we’ve got now.”
Beck cut a glare his way. “What good will pretty words do when she still has those promises to keep to Abel?”
“Don’t give me that shit about ‘if you love something, set it free’ or I’ll break your fucking jaw.”
“I know it sucks. We know what love looks like because we’ve lived. She hasn’t.”
Seth hated that Beck was right. “So let’s show her. We just need more time and opportunity to give her what she needs.”
“How?”
“Since you and I have different opinions, let’s sit her down and talk to her, find out where her head is. Then we’ll get square and negotiate with her.”
“We should be pros at that. But we need her to come back willingly, so we might have to concede on some things, like letting her go to Wisconsin alone.”
“Fuck no.”
“Even if that brings her back to us forever?”
“You’re trying to give me an ulcer.”
Beck rolled his eyes. “I’ll prescribe you something, cupcake.”
Seth flipped him off. “This would be easier if she was the kind of girl we could melt with spine-bending orgasms.”
“I’m all for trying. If we’re lucky, she won’t say no…” The doctor grinned.
As they drove deeper into the desert, they tossed out more what-if scenarios and formulated replies. By the time the neon glow of Vegas appeared on the dark horizon, it was clear that he and Beck were both willing to do almost anything to make Heavenly happy. Pretty damn miraculous since, just a few short weeks ago, they’d been ruthlessly hell-bent on sabotaging one another.
When they reached the outskirts of town, Seth slowed so Beck could navigate from the passenger seat toward an area north of the Strip—the one landmark Seth was familiar with since he’d visited years ago to gamble, drink, and hook up.
After a few turns, Beck directed him through a thoroughly upscale neighborhood.
“Gloria lives here?”
“For the last few years, yeah.”
Seth nodded. He’d known a few madams in New York who’d made sex a lucrative business. The smart ones. If she could afford a place here, Gloria must fall into that category.
“Take your next left.” Beck pointed. “There. It’s the house at the end of the cul-de-sac with the porch light on.”
Nodding, Seth pulled into the driveway and parked behind Raine’s sporty red SUV.
As they climbed out of the car, Seth fell in behind Beck as he headed up the front walkway. Before they even knocked, the front door opened. Light from the entryway spilled over a sharply dressed redhead, who bustled toward Beck and enveloped him.
“Kenneth, darling. Give your wife a big, fat kiss…”
Beck smacked her backside. “Don’t fuck with me, woman. We want to see her.”
Gloria tossed back her head with a laugh. “Patient, as always. Come in.” Once she’d shooed him into the house, she reached past the doctor, hand outstretched. “You must be Seth.”
He nodded, gave her dainty hand a shake, and got a good look at her. He’d known she was older than Beck, but the years weren’t obvious without a second glance. The barely perceptible lines at the corners of her eyes told him she’d had work done by a very qualified medispa. “Yes, and you must be Gloria.”
“In the flesh. It’s nice to finally meet you…except you’re obviously a cop.”
Smart woman. “Former. I was a detective.”
She sized him up. “Not vice. Those bastards are slimy. And they have no sense of humor.”
“I was homicide.”
“Oh, that fits. You’re all a bunch of kinky pervs.”
In his experience, she wasn’t wrong. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Heavenly said you were hot.” Gloria looked him up and down with a smile. “She wasn’t kidding. Pity I’ll have to take her word about your tongue.”
Seth already liked this sassy, snarky woman. “Probably for the best. But between us, it’s all true.”
With mirth dancing in her eyes, Gloria cocked a brow in Beck’s direction. “You lied, Ken. He’s not an asshole.”
“Give him time,” Beck tossed back, kicking off another round of chuckles.
Finally, a big Sam Elliot lookalike shadowing Gloria shut the door behind them. “Buddy Scott. Gloria’s fiancé.”
“Hi. Seth Cooper.”
“Living room is this way.” The man spoke in a gravelly voice before he led Seth through the sandstone entryway and into a spacious, elegantly subdued room. “You sure have a sweet girl. My Gloria liked her right away.”
He scanned the place. “Is Heavenly okay?”
“Obviously, you two have single-mindedness in common,” Gloria quipped as she eased onto the cream-colored sectional and crossed her ankles. “She’s sleeping. Before you see her, we should talk. Buddy, would you be a love and pour us all something to drink?”
Seth didn’t want to be rude, but he hadn’t come to socialize. “Thanks, but I’ll pass. If you’ll just point us—”
“Sit down, both of you,” Gloria interrupted. “Christ, you two are all but dripping testosterone. Why don’t you relax and breathe, for fuck’s sake? Heavenly isn’t going anywhere. No. Don’t try to intimidate me with those Dominant scowls. I’m immune. So have a drink and listen.”
Beck looked ready to lose it. “Gloria, in the last eighteen hours, we’ve buried Heavenly’s
father, lost her—and our minds—then hightailed it across the desert to reach her—”
“The way I heard the story, you took her virginity together shortly before that.” The elfin redhead raised a brow.
Beck sighed. “Of course you cajoled that out of her.”
“You make me sound Machiavellian. Honestly, it wasn’t very hard. A little wine and a willing ear…”
Seth leaned over to Beck. “You didn’t tell me she was devious.”
“Now you know.” Tossing a glare Gloria’s way, Beck headed for the stairs. “I’m done chatting. Which room is she in?”
“I said, sit your ass down. You’re not going to disturb her. The poor thing is sleeping off a bottle of my best Chablis.”
“You let her drink the whole bottle?” Beck growled.
“She needed it. After everything she’s been through, be happy I didn’t give her the whole damn case.”
“Goddamn it, Gloria.” Beck turned to Buddy. “You need to beat her ass, man.”
“Why would I do that? I like her ass just the way it is.” Gloria’s fiancé grinned.
Gloria tsked. “This is why we stopped having sex, Ken. Now focus. Don’t you want to help Heavenly?”
“You know I do. And don’t bark out orders at me. I hate that shit.”
Her grin turned mischievous. “I know.”
Seth shook his head. Gloria was definitely dangerous. He was just happy she was on their side. At least she seemed to be.
Buddy frowned. “In all seriousness, when Heavenly arrived, she was an exhausted bundle of angst. That was long before the cork left the bottle. The girl needs sleep and time, just as much as you two need to take the edge off. Name your poison.”
“Whiskey, straight up,” Beck grumbled.
Since it wasn’t his house or his wife, Seth stifled a curse and sat on the padded sectional. “Make it two.”
“Better pour doubles, sugar.” Gloria sent her man an impish smile.
“Coming right up.” Buddy looked a whole lot less rough around the edges when he dropped a lingering kiss on her lips, then strolled away.
There was no denying their palpable connection.
Seth darted a sidelong glance at Beck, who seemed completely unfazed by the pair’s affection. Since it had taken him less than thirty seconds to see that Beck and Gloria’s relationship was every bit as unconventional and unromantic as the doctor had claimed, he hoped that was crystal clear to Heavenly now, too.
“You really want to help?” Beck asked Gloria. “Stop giving us shit and let us see her.”
“I haven’t even started giving you shit. I’ll give you a pass for not telling Heavenly about our marriage, but that would have saved her a lot of heartache. Bless her.” The vixen’s face filled with empathy. “When she got here, that poor girl was as confused as we were when we went to Italy without knowing a lick of Italian.”
Beck chuckled softly. “I remember.”
“Meeting Buddy helped.” Gloria paused. “She’s in love with you both.”
Seth’s heart lurched. “She said that?”
Gloria nodded. “But if your testosterone fest when you walked in was any indication, I’m not surprised she feels overwhelmed. I know you want to protect her, but the girl has to breathe. And you know the old saying, if you love something—”
“Don’t finish that sentence,” Beck warned, pointing a thumb in his direction. “Seth already threatened to break my jaw if I did.”
“It’s a dangerous world.” And he refused to apologize for wanting to keep Heavenly safe. “You and I both know that.”
Gloria cocked her head. “Have you two tried compromising?”
“She didn’t really give us a chance,” Beck argued.
“So we’re here to fix that,” Seth added. “But she’s too damn young and innocent to drive to Wisconsin alone.”
Beck’s wife shook her head. “She might be naive, but I’ve seen plenty of girls her age with less grit. She’s stronger than you’re giving her credit for. She’ll be fine.” When he opened his mouth to argue, she glared. “Save it. You’re not going to stop her from spreading her father’s ashes.”
“We know.” Beck sounded as thrilled as Seth felt.
Buddy returned and handed out brimming glasses of whiskey. “I’m a damn good mechanic, boys. That pretty little Audi out there won’t run come morning if I pluck out a couple of fuses. Just saying…”
That suggestion was music to Seth’s ears. “I like the way you think.”
“You must be sly, like my Buddy.” Gloria laughed.
Seth sipped his whiskey. “I prefer creative.”
Beck turned his way. “Well, if compromise doesn’t work, now we’ve got a Plan B.”
The redhead’s chuckle turned throaty. “I hope you’ve learned to lie with more finesse than you had at seventeen when you ‘found’ the flat-screen that fell off the back of a truck.”
Beck rolled his eyes. “You heaved that perfectly good TV out the front door and busted it to shit.”
“Damn right, I did. I didn’t take you in off the streets, put a roof over your head, clothe and feed you, hire the best fucking tutors in the city, and send your straight-A ass to school so you could wind up in jail.”
“You know I’m forever grateful, sweetheart.”
She smiled, the snark in her expression replaced with love. “I do, and you never need to thank me.”
Seth tipped back his glass and emptied it, studying the pair. He could see a hundred reasons Beck and Gloria were incompatible as lovers—not the least of which was figuring out who was on top. But Beck clearly loved her for her big heart. Since the woman wasn’t the type to candy coat anything, he’d also bet every dollar in his pocket that Gloria had been equally blunt with Heavenly.
After the doctor drained his whiskey, he stood. “We’re going up to see Heavenly now. Don’t stop us.”
Gloria planted her dainty hands on her hips. “If you wake her up, I’ll rip both your balls off.”
“We won’t,” Seth assured, though it wouldn’t be easy to keep his word.
“I promise,” Beck grumbled. “Then we need some goddamn sleep.”
Gloria nodded. “You two look whipped. But…you might want to get a hotel.”
“Why? You have plenty of spare rooms in this big-ass house.”
“I wasn’t expecting company, so the bedrooms on the north side are being renovated. That only leaves two spare rooms…and Heavenly is in one of them.”
“Whatever. We’re not leaving,” Beck vowed. “When she wakes up, we need to be here.”
Seth totally agreed.
“Then you’re sleeping together. Unless someone wants the sofa?”
Beck wouldn’t fit, and he was even taller.
With a tired sigh, he turned to the surgeon. “Looks like we’re having another sausage party.”
Gloria howled. “Had a lot of those lately, have you?”
“More than we’d like,” Seth admitted. “I’d feel a lot better with Heavenly between us.”
“Not happening tonight, slick. Now, the sheets in the guest room are clean and the bathroom is stocked with towels. I’ll get up to fix you breakfast in the morning. But don’t worry, you two will have plenty of time to cuddle.” She winked.
“Enough, woman. We’re calling it a night.” Beck climbed the first stair. “See you tomorrow.”
Seth joined him. “Thanks for everything.”
She smiled softly as Buddy sank to the sofa beside her, dropping a possessive hand to her thigh. “You’re welcome. Good night.”
Two at a time, Beck mounted the stairs. Seth followed, anticipation pinging inside him. He hadn’t laid eyes on Heavenly in over twelve hours, and most of those he’d spent wondering where she was or if she was all right.
At the top, Beck flipped on a muted light that illuminated the landing and turned left, toward a closed door.
“Hurry.” Seth gestured impatiently.
“I’m trying not to wake
her.”
“I doubt we could since your wife got her shitfaced enough to pass out.”
“Hey, she kept Heavenly here.”
Seth hated to admit that Beck was right—again. “Yeah. Fine. Just open the damn door.”
Beck did, pushing it open slowly, wincing when it squeaked. But nothing disturbed his angel’s soft, even breathing.
When they stepped in, light spilled across Heavenly, who was sprawled in the middle of a queen-size bed, her blond hair flowing across crisp white sheets. Lashes fanned out over rosy cheeks. Her lips were parted in slumber. And the goddamn room smelled so much like her, arousal hit him fast and hard.
The scent transported Seth to the condo they’d shared those brief days in LA, to the night he and Beck had claimed her innocence together. Every night after that, despite her grief, he’d looked forward to crawling into bed with Heavenly, sandwiching her between him and Beck, and holding her.
“Thank God.” Beck cradled her crown, trailing a tender thumb across her forehead.
Seth breathed a sigh of relief, too. “I thought of a thousand things that could happen to her on this drive and too many ended with a body bag and a clip on the news.”
“Well, she’s safe…but she won’t feel too good come morning. Hang on.” Beck stepped into the adjoining bathroom and opened the medicine cabinet.
Seth took that opportunity to kneel beside the bed, until he was face to face with his sleeping angel. “Don’t scare us like that again. We love you. I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”
As he brushed his lips across her temple, Beck returned and dropped three ibuprofen and a little paper cup of water on the bedside table.
“Good thinking.” Seth nodded the other man’s way.
Beck smirked. “I play a doctor in the real world, not on TV.”
“Thank fuck you don’t make your living as a comedian.”
“Ha ha. Let’s get out before we wake her up. Gloria really will rip our balls off.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Seth gave Heavenly one last glance, then stepped back.
Beck bent and pressed his lips to the top of her head. “Sleep, little girl. We’re going to have words in the morning.”
Damn straight.
After they left, the doctor led him to a nearby room nestled between Heavenly’s and a set of double doors, which Seth assumed led to the master. They stepped into another bedroom that looked similar to the last in size and decor. Fine by him. He was so exhausted that he didn’t give a shit about anything beyond having a shower and a mattress.