by K. Sterling
Lane used the hour back to Lake Cliff to try and make sense of Aiden Sharp. He was definitely… unique. He chuckled softly as he tried to guess what Clark’s reaction was going to be when he realized his expert witness might be insane. Lane took pleasure in the fact that he’d have a front row seat. He took advantage of Aiden’s unconsciousness and studied him as he drove. Lane couldn’t deny that Aiden was beautiful. Especially when he was asleep. It was unfortunate that his beauty was quickly eclipsed by his personality when he was awake. He seemed innately demanding and oblivious to the basics of human interaction. Lane wasn’t sure how much of it was to do with his status as a world renowned expert in his field or his having Asperger’s. Which had Lane making a mental note to research Asperger’s and find out what exactly that meant. Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to effect Aiden physically. Despite his ridiculous diet, Aiden’s tall, broad shouldered and narrow waisted physique was taut and muscular, from what Lane was able to observe so far. Lane had to shift in his seat as his trousers tightened when he tried to imagine what Aiden looked like under his clothes.
Getting aroused at the idea of Aiden naked filled Lane with a combination of lust and shame. After Aiden’s earlier declaration, Lane was certain Aiden would welcome his advances, if he made them. The idea of something easy and uncomplicated with someone that wasn’t Clark was seriously tempting for Lane. But the idea of that someone having some sort of disability that Lane didn’t really understand felt a little immoral. While Aiden was clearly intelligent in certain respects, he wasn’t quite right in other ways. He already admitted to not being able to understand certain aspects of communication. Lane had witnessed Aiden’s confusion over sarcasm and slang. The Gap twink’s use of ‘bae’ and ‘on fleek’ had Aiden almost paralyzed. Did Aiden’s lack of understanding extend to sex and relationships? Lane wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he led on and took advantage of a disabled person. Best to just leave this one alone, even if he is seriously hot, Lane decided.
As he made up his mind, the exit for Lake Cliff came up. Lane reached over and shook Aiden’s shoulder. He jumped, disoriented and panicked as his eyes swept restlessly around him. Lane frowned as he waited for Aiden to collect himself. Aiden’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he pulled his phone out and checked it.
“We’re almost to Lake Cliff. Which hotel are you staying at?” Lane asked gently and Aiden shook his head.
“I can’t stay at a hotel. Just take me to the police station.” He replied as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. Lane’s head pulled back in confusion.
“You can’t stay at the station.” He responded and Aiden’s eyes flared.
“I usually do. They almost always have showers and lockers. Sometimes a small gym.” He argued and Lane shook his head.
“I know but there won’t be any beds.” Lane pointed out and Aiden raised a shoulder and stretched his neck.
“I’m sure there’s a couch. Sometimes, there isn’t but I can sleep at a desk.” He assured Lane as he pulled his arm across his chest, stretching. “Is there a gym at your station? I need to run.” Lane shook his head and Aiden groaned as he looked back out the window. Lane sighed as his conscience tugged at him. Aiden looked genuinely exhausted and his entire being screamed stiff and sore from spending most of the day on an airplane or in cars.
“You’re not staying at the station.” He said firmly and Aiden’s head swung back toward Lane. He looked panicked again.
“I can’t stay in a hotel, detective.” Aiden repeated. Lane shook his head.
“You’re staying at my house so you might as well call me Lane.” He replied as he took the off ramp. Aiden looked as if he wanted to argue and Lane stared, daring him. Aiden bit his lip for a moment as he eyed Lane warily.
“Do you have firearms and a security system?” He asked and Lane chuckled as he sped past Lake Cliff. He lived about fifteen minutes from town on an isolated 26 acre lakefront property on Lake Michigan.
“I have a security system and firearms. And it’s a really quiet neighborhood.” He grinned as he looked at Aiden. He seemed to relax slightly.
“I have to run before I can go to bed.” Aiden stipulated. Lane shrugged.
“My house is conveniently situated in the middle of the outside. You can run as much as you like.” He teased and Aiden shook his head wildly.
“I can’t run outside.” He declared and Lane rolled his eyes.
“I have a treadmill.” He replied and Aiden practically melted into his seat in relief.
“Thank you, Lane.” He said softly as he looked back out the window. “For everything.” He added quietly. Lane nodded as he turned down the rural road that would eventually end at his property.
“Its fine.” Lane insisted as he pulled into his driveway. “What kind of person would I be if I let you sleep at the station?” He asked as he shut off the car. Aiden yawned as he stretched again.
“Typical? No one else has ever had a problem with it.” He said as he opened the door and got out. Lane stared after him and he couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for Aiden Sharp.
Chapter 2
Aiden’s eyes widened as they took in the exterior of Lane’s house. It was a very modern two story structure of glass and brick. Mostly glass. And in the middle of nowhere. Aiden frowned as he turned and surveyed the area around them. They were really isolated. He looked at Lane and felt safer. Aiden turned his attention back to the house.
“A detective definitely can’t afford this.” He said as he followed Lane to the front door. Lane shook his head and snorted.
“You know, it’s not polite to discuss a person’s income and what they can and can’t afford, right?” He scolded as he pushed the door open. Aiden nodded.
“I know. How can you afford this house and the car?” He asked as he took in the interior. It was retro modern, yet masculine. Aiden turned and looked at Lane expectantly. Lane laughed softly as he gestured toward the stairs and went up. Aiden followed.
“My family has money. They’re in oil. My parents live in Oklahoma and bought this as an investment property. The car was a gift when I graduated from college. Aside from the house and the car, I live on my meager salary.” He winked as he pushed open the door on the right.
Aiden nodded absently as he looked around the room. He almost wept with joy at the sight of the king size bed and the crisp, light blue sheets and thick duvet. The leather lounge chair and ottoman and fireplace seemed almost decadent. Lane went to the fireplace and flipped a switch on the wall. A moment later, a fire leapt to life.
“It’s going to be cold once the sun sets.” He explained as he crossed the room and opened a door. “You’ve got a full bathroom in here. There are towels in the cabinet. If you need anything else, let me know.” Lane said as he went to the door. Aiden took a deep breath as he waited for his emotions to settle. He wasn’t sure what they were, his chest and his brain felt like fuzzy smeared dripping colors. Aiden took another deep breath as he set his bags on the dresser.
“I haven’t slept in a bed in almost three years. Thank you, Lane.” He whispered before he turned around. Lane’s brows pulled together and the muscle in his jaw twitched before he ducked his head.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m going to go cook dinner. You can rest until it's ready.” He said as he turned to leave. Aiden frowned as he went after him.
“Please don’t cook for me! Can you just take me to McDonald’s?” He asked and Lane turned and crossed his arms over his chest as he shook his head.
“No. You’re not eating that shit again. Not to mention, I’m not driving you all the way to town and back tonight.” He declared. Aiden felt his stomach clench nervously and he chewed on his fingernail.
“I usually have chicken nuggets, fries and a Sprite for dinner, Lane.” He argued gently as he searched Lane’s face. Lane’s lips tightened and he shook his head again.
“You can’t seriously eat like that every day.” He said
incredulously and Aiden nodded.
“I don’t like to eat anything else unless I absolutely have to. Or, I just don’t eat.” He explained and Lane’s eyes widened in shock.
“Why?” He gasped. Aiden struggled to find some way to explain that wouldn’t sound irrational.
“Everywhere you go, the food is always the same. If I order chicken nuggets in Denver, they’re exactly the same as they are in Los Angeles.” There. That should make sense, Aiden thought as he waited for Lane to agree. Instead, his hand clapped over his mouth and squeezed as he stared at Aiden before he removed it and exhaled loudly.
“You realize that’s a bad thing, don’t you?” Lane asked. Aiden shrugged.
“Not to me.” He countered. Lane narrowed his eyes and let them sweep over Aiden from head to toe before he shook his head.
“No. You’re going to eat real food while you’re here.” He announced and Aiden stopped himself from groaning.
“Is it too late to go to the station?” He asked sheepishly and Lane’s head cocked as he glared back.
“Yes. You’ve got about an hour. Entertain yourself.” Lane said as he turned to go. Aiden squeezed his eyes shut and begged himself to let it go. Lane was giving him a bed and a private shower.
“Where is the treadmill?” Aiden asked. He would use running to sublimate his disappointment and chicken nugget rage. Lane turned and leaned against the door frame.
“How can you think of running right now? You look dead on your feet, Aiden.” He asked. Aiden agreed silently as he pulled a pair of sweat pants from one of the bags.
“I won’t be able to fall asleep if I don’t run. My brain just won’t transition. I have to… purge the tension from my system or else I’ll be too restless.” He said as he started pulling the paper from inside the running shoes. He heard Lane sigh but didn’t look up. Aiden knew he’d see something like pity or confusion that he wouldn’t be able to accurately decipher.
“It’s downstairs in the study off of the living room.” Lane said before he left Aiden to change.
Ten minutes later, Aiden stepped cautiously down the stairs. Lane looked over the counter and pointed across the wide, open layout of the downstairs to a room in the back corner. Aiden nodded weakly as he passed and his neck craned as he tried to see what Lane was doing. He saw potatoes and relaxed slightly. Aiden liked potatoes. Mostly as french fries but he could handle them mashed if they were plain. And baked, if they were plain. Lane gave him a hard glare before his head jerked toward the study. Aiden’s shoulders sagged as he took himself off to the treadmill. In the study, he forced his mind away from dinner and let the soothing presence of the treadmill calm him. He liked that it faced the window and he could watch the sun setting on the lake. Aiden pulled on his headphones, selected a Sia album and hit Shuffle before he set down his phone.
As soon as his feet were swiftly striding and his heart was pounding, the tension started to leave Aiden’s body and his brain began to untangle as he pondered the possibility of an elastic heart. His sight stretched out past the glass and his vision unfocused as his mind turned to Lane. He felt his lips tilting softly as his body became warmer and he knew it wasn’t just the running. Aiden wanted Lane. It was rare for Aiden to feel such a strong sexual attraction to someone but it had been instantaneous. Cabbot had sent a picture but it didn’t do Lane any justice. In person, he was stunningly handsome and potently masculine. Lane reminded Aiden of a Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger ad. He had that all American, clean cut jock look with his light gold blonde hair, tanned skin and chiseled features. His eyes were hazel but Aiden noticed that they were deep green at the edge of the iris and gold around the pupils. In his sleek shirt and trousers, Aiden could tell that Lane was in very good shape, lean and muscular, not bodybuilder bulky. Aiden didn’t like when men were too large and their muscles were forced to exaggerated proportions.
Food smells that Aiden couldn’t identify tickled his nose and he turned up the volume on the music and ignored them. He focused on Lane’s completely unexpected invitation (though it was not presented as an option) to stay with him. Despite his hostility toward Aiden, he knew that Lane was a man of integrity and strong character. The house was confirmation. Lane came from money, he could have settled into an easy life. Instead, he went to college and then into law enforcement. Clearly, he felt compelled to serve the public. He was motivated by things more noble than wealth but was sensible enough to accept his family’s assistance and live more comfortably. Lane would have been a boring cliche if he had insisted on living solely on his income and hid the fact that his family was wealthy.
Aiden couldn’t tell if Lane was going to accept his offer to have sex. There was no doubt that Lane found Aiden attractive. Aiden had seen more than enough physical indicators but he wasn’t stupid enough to underestimate how annoying he could be. It wouldn’t be the first time Aiden’s personality was a turn off for potential partners. Usually, Aiden didn’t care. This time, he knew he’d be very disappointed if Lane declined.
The rest of the run was spent obsessively analyzing Lane’s every remark and facial gesture over the course of the afternoon as Aiden tried to predict the likelihood that they’d have sex.
Chapter 3
“Hey, it’s Lane.” He said as he checked the oven.
“I take it you found Cabbot’s guy and made it back without too much difficulty.” Chief laughed. Lane rolled his eyes as he stirred the sauce for the chicken.
“You have no idea, Chief. This guy is a piece of work.” Lane replied as he leaned and stretched his neck toward the study, making sure Aiden was still running.
“What do you mean?” Chief asked warily.
“He’s got all kinds of weird hangups and he doesn’t act like a person all the time.” Lane said as he grabbed the tongs and turned the chicken.
“What the hell does that mean, Lane?” Chief sounded like he was getting worried. Serves him right, Lane thought.
“He says he has Asperger’s syndrome. I’m not sure what that is but as far as I can tell, it means he only eats cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets, wears the exact same outfit every day, can’t drive, says the first thing that pops into his head, asks inappropriate questions, is hyper paranoid about his personal safety and refuses to stay in a hotel.” Lane leaned against the counter and watched Aiden run. He’d been at it for almost forty-five minutes. “And he runs like a fucking gazelle.” He added and Chief barked with laughter.
“What the hell…” He chuckled briefly before he gasped. “Wait. He won’t stay in a hotel? Where is he?” Chief asked. Lane appreciated how tense he sounded.
“He’s here, I put him in my spare room.” He stated as he took a sip of his beer. Chief groaned.
“I don’t like this, Lane.” He replied and Lane shrugged.
“He was going to sleep at the station. What was I supposed to do?” He asked. Chief sighed.
“Let him sleep at the station?” He suggested. Lane knew Chief was full of shit, he would have done the same thing. They’d become close friends over the years, Chief was one of the best men Lane knew.
“Nah.” Lane debated for a moment before asking his next question. “Did you know he was gay when you agreed to send me to get him?” He asked carefully. Lane heard Chief hiss in shock and the tension left Lane’s shoulders.
“I swear, Lane, I had no idea. You know I would never…” Lane cut him off.
“I didn’t think so. Do you think Cabbot knew?” He hated that he couldn’t put it past Clark to use him like that. He heard a resigned sigh from Chief.
“I don’t know. He didn’t say anything that would lead me to think so. But you know that son of a bitch will do whatever it takes to win.” He admitted. “Look, I don’t like that you’ve got some lunatic under your roof. I don’t care if he’s with the F.B.I., we don’t know him from Adam. And I like it even less that he’s gay. If Cabbot’s got him expecting something from you, it might not be safe.” Chief said. Lane
couldn’t stifle the laugh that burst from his throat.
“I’ll be fine, Chief. I don’t think Cabbot told him but he figured it out. I’m not feeling threatened at all by this guy. Even if I did, I could handle him.” Lane promised. He felt a smile tug at his lips. “If things were different, I’d probably take advantage of the situation.” He admitted. This time, Chief roared with laughter.
“So you didn’t take him in out of the kindness of your heart.” He teased and Lane smiled as Aiden’s t-shirt clung to his body.
“He’s definitely easy to look at.” He shook his head to clear it. “But, no. I get the feeling he's like A Beautiful Mind and I’m not trying to stir up more crazy or damage him even more.” Lane explained.
“Hey, that’s your call. If Cabbot’s stuck you with a bag of nuts, you might as well make the best of it. Or don’t. I’ll see you on Monday, enjoy your weekend.” Chief laughed again. Lane pinched the bridge of his nose.”
“Yeah, Monday.” He said before he hung up.
Lane plated their food and set it on the table. He made his way to the study, a beer in hand and watched Aiden as he leaned against the door. He really was beautiful and Lane was enjoying the way Aiden’s sweatpants hugged his ass as he ran. His head fell to the side as he stared. Christ, he’s got a perfect ass, Lane observed. He took a long drink of his beer before he pushed away from the door and approached Aiden. Lane walked around the treadmill and leaned against the window. He barely stopped his eyelids from shutting and groaning in delight and was grateful to have the glass at his back for support as the smell of Aiden’s warm body flooded his senses. Lane took a deep breath through his mouth and he swore he could taste him and stifled a groan. Lane looked up just as Aiden’s eyes swept down to his. Aiden nodded and slowed his pace as he pulled his headphones down around his neck.