When the Devil Wants In
Page 28
That was a relief. Apparently everyone in town knew Gabe was coming. Well, everyone but Matt.
As he and Gabe walked through, John whispered, “Do you swing for both teams, or do ya just flirt with everything that has a pulse?”
Gabe grinned at him. “That wasn’t even close to flirting.” Which didn’t really answer John’s question. Though, if he hadn’t been flirting back there, John didn’t think he’d want to be around Gabe when he was trying to get himself a piece of ass.
When Matt spotted them, John could tell how surprised he was. He moved away from Andy and stepped toward them. “What’re you doing here?” he asked, throwing his arms out to Gabe, pulling him into a hug.
John wasn’t jealous, not exactly. He knew there was nothing more than a deep and true friendship between him and Gabe. At the same time, though…. John still hadn’t brought himself to hug Matt in public like that. Had only held his hand at Chloe’s funeral, only leaned on him once when John was covered in blood and about to pass out.
“It’s almost your birthday, bitch,” Gabe said. It looked like he was hugging Matt so hard he might crush the air from his lungs. “Haven’t missed one since we met.”
When he finally let go, Matt looked at John. “You knew?”
“Someone had to drag him in from the airport,” John said. Now that he was there, he wanted to reach out and kiss Matt, give him a hug. He knew for a fact that if he were Claire come by to see Andy, or even Bitty Pierce to see Carl, no one would’ve thought a thing about it.
Matt caught John’s eye. John didn’t lean in and kiss him, didn’t do anything overt, but he didn’t try to hide his fondness for Matt. He didn’t look away or school his features. That was close enough for now, he reckoned.
“Gonna introduce us?” Andy asked as he stepped closer.
Matt glanced at him and said, “Yeah, sorry.” He raised his voice so the others around could hear. “This is Santiago, my old partner.”
The other officers had been watching, and now most just nodded and said a quiet hello before going back to their work. Andy, though, stepped in and shook Gabe’s hand. “How the hell did you put up with him for as long as ya did?”
“I’ve got the patience of a saint,” Gabe said. “I’m surprised you haven’t shot him yet.”
“It’s been a near thing,” Andy told him.
After a beat, Matt said, “Well I’m so glad you two have met now.”
“It was bound to happen eventually,” Gabe said, laughing as he clapped Matt on the back. “Couldn’t keep me your dirty little secret forever.”
Ouch. John knew that wasn’t intended for him, but damn. Matt seemed to catch it too, but he laughed with Gabe, let it roll off his back.
Andy seemed more flustered by it than anyone, but he didn’t comment. Instead he said, “How long are ya in town for?”
“Two weeks. Just wanted to see what’s so special about the place.”
“Two weeks ain’t enough time for that, but it’ll getcha started,” Jay said as he walked past. “Good to meet ya.”
Gabe shifted his attention to Jay, shot him one of those predatory grins. “Hopefully I’ll get a chance to explore a few things while I’m down here, then.”
“There’s plenty of that to do.” Jay added, “We’re gonna have to get us a good ol’ cookout for Matt’s birthday while you’re here.”
“At my house? Where I pay for all the booze?” Matt asked, rolling his eyes.
“Don’t make ya buy the booze on your birthday, boy. What kinda assholes do ya think we are?”
“The kind of assholes that would make me throw my own birthday party and then pay for it.”
Jay glanced at Andy and said, “Well, yeah, I guess we are.”
This was going to be an interesting two weeks.
MATT AND John took Gabe out to lunch. John had thought it would just be the three of them, but before he knew it, Andy, Carl, and Jay had decided to join them. They ended up down at the Smokehouse, crowded into a large booth. Part of John still expected Chloe to drop by, plant herself right next to Gabe, say things to make John glare at her. Yeah. He was doing better, but he wasn’t himself just yet.
Gabe seemed to fit in with the rest of Matt’s crew, which shouldn’t have surprised John. Gabe hadn’t been hunted by them, accused of murder. John still held a little bit of a grudge about that, though it had eased with time. There was a point, not long ago, that he would’ve gladly beaten the hell out of every one of them. Now, though, he just didn’t like them much. He wagered by this time next year, he’d be able to laugh and talk with them again without wishing he could kick their asses.
Once Matt headed back to work, John drove Gabe to the Magnolia Inn—the closest thing they had to a motel within twenty miles.
“You’ve got a fine-looking police force here,” Gabe said.
Something in his tone told John he wasn’t talking about their fitness for duty. He snorted a laugh and said, “I think you’re barkin’ up the wrong tree.”
Gabe stretched his long legs out and looked at John. “You really think Matt’s the only gay tree in that blue forest?”
“This ain’t San Francisco.”
“I think being in the closet for so long must’ve messed up your gaydar.”
John glanced at Gabe as he turned into the circular driveway in front of the inn. “Matt’s should be just fine, though.”
Gabe laughed and said, “You really think Matt notices anyone but you?”
Those words, whether he’d meant them as a joke or not, felt like cool water after a long day in the sun. Something inside of John let go, opened up a little bit more. “Might be right about that.” He looked at Gabe and asked, “Gonna tell me who you’re so sure is gay, then?”
“Hell no,” Gabe said, his teeth showing when he grinned. “I’ll let you know once I’ve done a thorough investigation of my own.”
Christ on a cracker. Gabe didn’t need any ego stroking, that was for certain. “I’d wish you luck, but you don’t seem to think you need any.”
“That’s because I don’t.”
AFTER A long, late night with a few too many beers, Matt climbed into bed next to John. He shifted around until he pulled John into his arms, spooned him from behind. “What’d you think of Santiago?” he asked.
John thought for a moment before answering. “I like him,” he said. After a beat he asked, “Would it sound crazy if I said he reminds me a little of Chloe?”
Matt was quiet for a few seconds, maybe thinking it over. Then he said, “I can see that, yeah.” His tone was sad, heavy, as if he was missing her as much John was. “He likes to mess with people, doesn’t take any shit from anyone either.”
“Yeah,” John whispered as he moved a little closer.
They were silent, just holding each other for another minute. Then, probably out of the blue to Matt, John asked, “When’s your lease up on this place?”
“March,” he said thoughtfully. “Why?”
John turned around, wanted to see Matt’s face in the shadows. “Thought we might could look for a place then.” He paused, let his words settle, and then added, “A place together.” His heart thrummed so hard, John thought it might stop suddenly. Thought he might just die right there, waiting for Matt to say something. Maybe he’d made a mistake. Maybe he’d let Gabe’s teasing get to him and jumped the gun. Christ knew they hadn’t been together long enough for any of this. At the same time, though, John wanted Matt to know—wanted them both to know—that this was real and what John wanted. That this was it for him.
After far too long, Matt finally asked, “You sure you’re ready for that?”
“Not sure about a damn thing other than… I love you and I wanna be with you and… I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks about that. Not anymore.”
He could see Matt smile in the dim light.
“I’d say you have a few months in case you change your mind, but I’m not gonna let you.”
That was a good e
nough answer for John.
CATE ASHWOOD wrote her very first story in a hot-pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily-ever-after.
Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband, her son, and their two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.
Cate loves to hear from readers. You can find her at:
Website: www.cateashwood.com
Email: cateashwood@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cate.ashwood
Twitter: @cateashwood
J.H. KNIGHT has been writing love stories since the second grade. When she’s not catering to the whims of her imaginary friends (whom she sometimes refers to as “characters”), she’s usually found driving her four children all over the planet, working on a school project, or saying things like “Not until your homework is done!”
A Pacific Northwest native, she loves the outdoors in every season whether she’s in the city, in the mountains, or building sloppy sandcastles with her kids on the beach. On her best days, she’s cuddled up with a good book, and on her worst days she’s tearing her hair out as she tries to decide if her sentence needs a comma or a semicolon. She gratefully bows down in awe of editors, since she usually gets it wrong.
Blog: knightwylde.blogspot.com
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474818.J_H_Knight
Twitter @Knightwylde
By Cate Ashwood
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Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
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By J.H. Knight
Breakthrough
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With Cate Ashwood: When the Devil Wants In
Published by DREAMSPINNER PRESS
www.dreamspinnerpress.com
Published by
DREAMSPINNER PRESS
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of author imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
When the Devil Wants In
© 2018 Cate Ashwood and J.H. Knight.
Cover Art
© 2018 Cate Ashwood.
Cover content is for illustrative purposes only and any person depicted on the cover is a model.
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Digital ISBN: 978-1-64080-449-4
Trade Paperback ISBN: 978-1-64080-450-0
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONTROL NUMBER: 2017915874
Digital published January 2018
v. 1.0
Printed in the United States of America