by Sue Brown
“You should sleep,” Keenan said.
“I will later. We can do this again.”
Keenan smiled at him. “I’d like that.”
Nate rose, picked up their plates, and took them to the kitchen. Keenan relaxed back into the seat. He knew if he closed his eyes, he’d be asleep again. Instead he stood, grabbed the takeout boxes, and took them into the kitchen as well. Nate turned on the faucet to rinse the plates.
“You don’t have to do that,” Keenan said.
Nate ignored him, rinsed off the plates, and placed them on the draining rack. When everything was clean, he dried his hands on the towel and grinned at Keenan. “I’m going to go home.”
Keenan had been hoping for food, company, and making out. He’d managed the first and slept through the second and a little of the third. Hopefully next time he’d stay awake and get a little more action.
They exchanged kisses by the front door—soft kisses that made Keenan’s toes curl until Nate pulled away with obvious reluctance.
“Good night,” he said. “I’ve got to go.”
Keenan leaned against his doorframe and watched Nate walk down the path to his car. God, he had it bad for Nate Gordon.
Chapter 13
KEENAN SERVED the blond guy in the blue denim shirt his IPA. He had the brightest blue eyes Keenan had ever seen and dark blond curly hair. The guy winked at him and moved away to join his friends. Keenan let the smile slip, expelled a breath, and turned to the next customer. Since he’d arrived at the bar for his Friday shift, Keenan had not stopped. He’d been on his feet all day, and now it was approaching midnight and his patience was frayed. The last thing he needed was a young guy trying to flirt with him. Yes, the guy was endearing, and yes, under any other circumstances, Keenan would have been interested. Keenan was interested, except he had this not-quite-relationship with Nate.
Dan raised an eyebrow at him. “You wanna talk about it?”
“No.” Aware how surly he sounded, Keenan added, “It’s nothing.”
“Not your type?” Dan nodded toward the blond dude.
“It’s complicated.”
“First it’s nothing, then it’s complicated? What are you, a Facebook status?”
Keenan ran his hand through his hair. “It’s kind of both. He’s very cute, but I don’t need the added complication at the moment.”
Dan nodded. “I understand that. I’ll leave you alone.”
“Thanks.”
Dan didn’t even wait a heartbeat before his next question. “So, you and the broody detective getting it together?”
Keenan scowled at Dan. “I thought you were gonna leave me alone?”
“Just asking.”
Keenan growled under his breath as he turned to serve the next customer. The guy seemed to be buying for half the bar, and by the time Keenan was finished serving him, Dan had moved to the opposite end of the bar. There was another rush, and Keenan put aside his bad mood to deal with the customers. They didn’t deserve to suffer because of his love life, or rather lack of love life.
At the end of the evening, he stood by the door waiting for the remaining stragglers to down their drinks and make their way into the chill night air. The last guy had to be the blond dude who stopped and smiled shyly at him.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” Keenan really hoped what was coming next wasn’t asking him out on a date.
“You’re Keenan, right?”
Dear God, was he ever this young? The guy had to be just legal to drink. “Right.”
“I’m Billy.”
“Hey, Billy, hurry up and get his number. Some of us have gotta get up in the morning.”
Three of Billy’s friends had stopped outside the bodega on the corner to wait for him. Keenan didn’t know which one yelled, but they were all staring at Billy, who flushed and bit his lip.
“I’m sorry. They’re assholes.” He visibly squared his shoulders. “I would like to get your number, though.”
Keenan smiled as gently as he could. “I’m flattered, but I’m kind of involved with someone.”
“You’ve got a boyfriend?” The disappointment was palpable on Billy’s face.
“Kind of. It’s complicated.” Dan was right. He was a Facebook status.
“You’re not sure if you’ve got a boyfriend or not?” Billy asked.
Put like that it did sound weird, but Keenan stuck with it. “It’s new and kind of strange, but I don’t cheat on anyone.”
Billy nodded. Then he said, “Thanks for being honest. I appreciate that.”
Dan wandered over then. “Is everything okay?” He looked at Keenan, who nodded.
“We’re fine, boss. Just about to lock up. Night, Billy.”
Billy smiled at him. “Night, Keenan. Thanks.”
Keenan inclined his head, and Billy moved off down the street to join his friends. Keenan didn’t wait to see their reaction. He closed the bar door on them, locked up, and then turned to Dan.
“Don’t ask,” he ordered.
Dan’s lips twitched. He nodded and turned away, but Keenan was sure he saw Dan’s shoulders shaking with laughter as he walked toward the bar.
Keenan sighed. Was he an idiot? He’d just turned down a date with a gorgeous young man because he wasn’t sure what he had with Nate. He was an idiot.
They finished cleaning up, and Keenan found his jacket. “Night, Dan.” He wasn’t sure where Dan was, but he was bound to be somewhere around.
“See you Tuesday,” Dan yelled from the basement.
Tuesday. He’d have two whole days to put his feet up and catch up on sports. Keenan yawned as he stepped out into the night air. He was more than ready for his bed.
“Need a ride home?”
Keenan turned to see Nate leaning against his car, his arms folded and a smile on his face. “Have you been waiting for me?” He walked over to join him.
Nate bent to give Keenan the briefest of kisses. “I finished late. Nasty case. I thought you’d probably finish about now.”
“When was the last time you went to bed?” Keenan asked.
“Uh… yesterday. No. Maybe two days before that.”
He obviously hadn’t been home, because he was still wearing his suit, although his tie had been discarded and his shirt was open at the neck, the vee low enough to give the hint of a dark shadow in the street light. Even in the low light, Keenan could see how tired and drawn he looked.
Keenan yawned again. “Much as I’m pleased to see you, Nate, I’m too tired for a hookup,” he said regretfully.
Nate gave a tired chuckle. “Me too. I promise just to take you home to bed. I’ve got to be up in four hours.”
Keenan winced. “You should have gone home to bed.” But he didn’t send Nate away. Instead he climbed wearily into the front passenger seat and his eyes closed as soon as the door shut.
“I know,” Nate said so quietly Keenan barely heard him.
Keenan was almost asleep when Nate pulled up outside his front door. He roused as Nate shook him gently. He sat up and looked around. “Where are we?”
“Your place.”
“Oh. I must have fallen asleep.” Keenan stopped to yawn before he opened the door. “Good. Do you want to come in?”
“I ought to get home.”
There was an odd note in Nate’s voice and Keenan looked at him. Nate looked ready to collapse, but he got the feeling what Nate was saying and what he wanted were two different things. “Come in,” he suggested. “You’ll get more sleep if you stay here. You can borrow my clothes for work. We’re about the same size. I’ve got a dress shirt that will go with your suit and even a new tie if you want it.”
Nate studied him and was obviously okay with what he saw because he got out of the car and followed Keenan up the path. Keenan felt Nate’s warm length against him as he opened the front door.
Inside, Keenan led Nate up the stairs and into the bedroom. They stripped without ceremony and climbed under the covers. Keenan rolled into
Nate’s arms and pressed his face against Nate’s furred chest.
Nate heaved a sigh underneath him and held him tighter. “Sleep tight.”
“Night, Nate,” Keenan whispered and pressed a kiss just above Nate’s nipple. He was asleep maybe a breath after Nate.
AN ALARM penetrated Keenan’s sleep. He furrowed his brow, not recognizing the sound. When he turned over to turn the alarm off, he rolled into something hard and solid.
“Ow!”
He cracked open one eye at the pained grunt. “’Larm,” he managed.
Nate threw out an arm and turned off the noise. Keenan sighed with relief and settled back down to sleep.
“I hate to disturb my sleeping beauty.” Nate blew across Keenan’s ear. “I need to get ready for work. Can you lend me a shirt?”
Keenan sat up and walked to the chest of drawers. He pulled out a pack of briefs and socks and threw them on the bed. Then he headed into the closet. He’d bought a couple of shirts in case he needed them for interviews, but he never got as far as applying for the jobs.
“Dark blue or white?” he asked.
“Dark blue,” Nate said from the bedroom. “It hides the blood.” He laughed at Keenan’s startled silence. “I’ll make sure it’s cleaned.”
“Thanks,” Keenan said dryly, as he clicked off the light. “I expect you to get all the stains out.”
Nate stood by the bed, wearing just the briefs and socks. Keenan had never found men in underwear attractive before, but staring at Nate’s muscled body, the smooth lines just broken by his cock nicely packaged in black cotton, Keenan’s mouth drooled. If Nate weren’t in such a rush, he would have shoved Nate to the bed and ridden Nate’s cock until his neighbors complained about the screaming.
“Don’t,” Nate said hoarsely.
Keenan shook himself. “I’ll go make coffee.”
Nate grimaced apologetically as he started to button up the shirt. “I haven’t got time. I’ve got to be in by seven. I’ll grab some at work.”
“Big case?” Keenan sat on the bed cross-legged and watched Nate put on his suit pants.
“The Hickson case.”
Keenan blinked at him. “The rich girl from the city? They found her body?”
Nate stood in front of the mirror and put on his tie. “Yeah. Yesterday.”
“Poor kid.”
“There’s a meeting at seven. You may not see me for a while.”
He could hardly complain about Nate being involved in a major case. Hickson was a big name in the local area. Keenan got off the bed and came over to Nate to straighten his tie. “It’s okay. You know where I am if you want to hook up for a sleepover.”
Nate gave a somewhat shaky laugh. “I might just take you up on that.” As he shrugged on his jacket, he said, “Are you gonna go out with the pretty blond guy?”
Keenan frowned for a moment. What pretty blond guy? Then light dawned. “You mean Billy? From Cowboys and Angels?”
Nate raised an eyebrow. In his smart suit, he cut a James Bond figure. “How many pretty blond men have there been, Mr. Day?”
Keenan gave Nate a mischievous smile. “A few. I like blonds. Not many recently,” he admitted honestly.
“Good to hear.”
A thought occurred to Keenan. “How long were you waiting for me?”
“Not that long. I drove past as you were showing pretty boy out.”
Keenan leaned forward and kissed Nate on the mouth. “Pretty Boy is too young for me. I prefer someone with experience.” From the hard and breathless kiss Nate gave him, that was the right answer.
Nate pulled back with obvious reluctance and looking somewhat dazed. “I’ve got to go. See you soon.”
One last kiss and Nate jogged down the stairs, leaving Keenan standing alone in the bedroom. Keenan listened to the front door open and close. He sank back onto the bed and contemplated going down to make coffee for himself. He could climb back into bed and sleep the day away, but despite the ungodly hour and the fact that he was still bone weary, he was wide-awake. Kissing Nate was like drinking pure energy. It coursed through his body and he knew he’d never get back to sleep unless he worked it out.
Gym or run? Keenan sat up and headed into his closet for his running shorts and shoes. It had been a long time since he’d had the chance to do an early morning run. Thirty minutes later, as he pounded the streets, sweat pouring down his back and dripping off his temples, Keenan knew he’d made the right choice. If he couldn’t have a good fuck with Nate, a long run would help him sleep. Of course, he’d rather have the fuck, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
Chapter 14
ONE WEEK without sight of Nate stretched into two, which stretched into the third week. Keenan tentatively asked his sister at the Sunday lunch how the Hickson case was going. He knew she and Ramon had been working long hours since the girl was found. This was the first time he’d seen her in weeks.
She made a face. “Not good. We’ve still got no decent leads.”
Ramon had joined them after promising his mom he would visit on Monday. “Have you seen Nate, Keenan?”
Keenan blushed, but he shook his head. “Not since she was found.”
“I don’t think he’s gone home for more than a chance to shower and change in all that time,” Karen said.
Keenan’s mom, Julia, frowned. “That can’t be good for him.”
Ramon shrugged. “Try telling him that. It’s easy to get caught up in a case. If it weren’t for Mikey, I wouldn’t have any reason to go home. I’d be working the same hours too.”
Cut to the core and unable to show it, Keenan stared down at his plate. Nate hadn’t thought he was a good enough reason to come home.
“Kee, are you okay?”
He looked up to see Sarah frowning at him. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What did that plate ever do to you?”
“Huh?” He looked at her, confused.
“You were scowling at it.”
“Nothing, I guess.”
“You guess? You mean you don’t know?” Sarah rolled her eyes at him.
He had a sudden image of Billy, the young blond guy, asking him if he had a boyfriend or not.
“Leave your brother alone,” Julia said, although there wasn’t much heat behind her scold. The siblings always bickered. It happened every time they got together, and Sarah and Keenan were worse than the others.
Keenan looked up to see Ramon studying him.
“You okay?” Ramon mouthed.
No, but Ramon didn’t need to know that. He gave a slight nod, and Ramon gave him the same roll of eyes his sister had. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t as good at hiding his feelings as he thought.
“Nate,” he mouthed, and Ramon nodded. He didn’t look surprised.
Keenan got to his feet.
“Keenan? Is everything all right?” Julia asked.
He forced a smile at his mother. “I need to go.”
She frowned at him. “Go? Go where.”
“I need to talk to a friend.”
Keenan bolted before his mom could ask him anything else. He knew he was going to have to answer questions from his family—a lot of questions, if the looks on his sisters’ faces were anything to go by. But they would have to wait. He had a job to do.
He ran to his car and headed toward Nate’s precinct. He’d been there many times to visit Karen, but this was the first time he’d gone to meet Nate. It could crash and burn. What excuse would he use? The clerks knew him as Detective Day’s brother. Why would he be asking to meet Nate?
Keenan parked and fished his phone out of his pocket. He’d never been the one to call Nate. He’d always waited for Nate to call him. Maybe that had to change. He brought up Nate’s contact info and took a deep breath before he stabbed the number.
“Gordon.”
Keenan allowed himself a smile before he answered. “Nate? It’s Keenan.”
“Keenan?” Nate sounded startled. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fi
ne. Listen, do you have time for lunch, or a coffee?” He waited, heart in his mouth, ready for Nate to say no.
“I… uh… it’s not a good time.”
Keenan bit his lip. Nate sounded exhausted. “Nate, have you had a lunch break?” he asked, putting some bite into his tone.
Nate gave a bark of laughter. “No.”
“When was the last time you had a break?”
“Someone in my squad has been talking.” Nate didn’t sound angry… more resigned.
Keenan gathered up his courage and pressed on. “I’m outside. Join me for fifteen minutes.”
Nate let out a long sigh. “Fifteen minutes. Give me five.”
“I’ll be here.”
As Nate disconnected, Keenan was left staring at his phone, a stupid smile on his face. He got out of his car and leaned against it, as Nate had waited for him.
Five minutes later Nate appeared in the doorway, blinking against the sunlight. The breath caught in Keenan’s throat at the sight of him. Karen and Ramon had both appeared tired and stressed, but Nate had aged a decade since Keenan had last seen him. His face was drawn, and Keenan swore there were lines around his eyes and mouth that weren’t there before.
He pushed off the car and strode over to Nate. “Hey, good to see you.”
Nate’s smile was a shadow of his usual self, but he said, “I was surprised to get your call.”
Keenan shrugged. “I gave up waiting for you to call me.”
The smile slid off Nate’s face. “It’s been busy.”
“I know.” Keenan wanted to take Nate’s hand, but he couldn’t. He contented himself with a look. “Come on. Let’s get coffee.”
He turned to head into the coffee shop next to the precinct, but Nate stopped him. “Not there.”
Keenan bit his lip. “Do other cops go there?” He should have known Nate didn’t want to be seen with him.
“Yeah, but that’s not the problem,” Nate said. “The coffee is dreadful. I go to the place around the corner.”
The knot in Keenan eased a fraction. “Lead on.”
The coffee shop was busy, but as they collected their coffees, a couple moved from a table and Keenan claimed it ahead of a group of teens who scowled at them. He beamed at them and collapsed into a seat as Nate sat opposite him.