Guarding Mr. Fine (Tough Love #2)

by HelenKay Dimon

  “Well.” That’s all Rick got out.

  Seth thought that reaction was pretty fitting. “I think I have a headache.”

  Rick slowly turned to face Nathan. “The boyfriend thing? When you go rogue, you go rogue.”

  “It’s the truth.” Nathan leaned back in his chair and balanced his feet on the conference table. “But who was the guy? The one Helena referenced on your last assignment. Did he have a name?”

  “No.”

  Nathan laughed. “Nice try, Rick. But I bet he did.”

  Rick rubbed his forehead. “We’re not doing this.”

  Seth was with Nathan on this one. If he was going to be the subject of office gossip for the first time in his life and have to deal with the idea of dating, or whatever this was, the least Rick could do was respond to a few interesting questions. “Answer him. It’s easier than listening to him ramble.”

  “Fine.” Rick held his hands together in front of him. He opened them then closed them again. “Matt.”

  Seth needed a little more. “What’s the last name?”

  “No.” Nathan banged his heel on the table. “Don’t give him that because he’ll have the FBI at the guy’s door by tomorrow.”

  Rick’s head fell to the side as he stared at Seth. “That’s a bit excessive, don’t you think?”

  “No.” Seth didn’t see anything wrong with a bit of recon on that subject.

  The whole situation fascinated him. The guy who had a family stripped away from him didn’t run from commitment. If anything, Rick seemed to be a card-carrying supporter of the concept.

  Rick pointed at Seth. “This is why you Special Activities Division guys have a reputation.”

  “For being awesome,” Seth said.

  Nathan snorted. “For rescuing everyone.”

  “Right, the old rumor about how you’re called in to save the SEALs.” Rick performed the perfect eye roll. “Spare me. I’ve heard it.”

  Nathan continued to stare at Rick. “That’s not a rumor.”

  “And don’t try to change the subject.” Ego be damned. Seth wasn’t about to be taken off track. Not on this subject. “Details on Matt. Spill it.”

  Rick took a few steps. Walked from one end of the conference table to another. Did a lot of sighing as he went. Then he stopped. “He’s not in the business. He’s a lawyer.”

  Seth didn’t even try to pretend on that one. “Ugh.”

  “Damn, man. Why?” Nathan asked at the same time.

  Rick put his hands on the back of the chair in front of him. “Lawyers are people, too.”

  “I’m not agreeing to that.” Nathan rocked back and forth with his chair in that precarious half-balanced position. “So, like, were you two close to marriage? Just sex? What?”

  Rick glanced at Seth. “Is he serious?”

  Seth hoped so, since he was wondering the same thing. “Nathan is annoying. I’m afraid that doesn’t get better the longer you know him.”

  “As if you don’t want to know the answer to my question.” Nathan gave him the finger.

  Rick pushed away from the chair and started pacing again. That seemed to be his go-to thing. Seth had seen him do it so much that he’d picked up the habit.

  “We dated for about eleven months,” Rick said.

  Nathan’s feet hit the floor. “You were together a year?”

  “Technically, no. That would be twelve.” Rick didn’t hide the exasperation in his voice. “But is the length of time supposed to be extraordinary?”

  “It’s like seven dog years,” Nathan pointed out.

  Rick’s eyes widened at that. “I’m not actually a dog, so…”

  “But that’s serious shit.” Seth was still trying to wrap his brain around it. Rick had slept with the same guy every night for almost a year. Ate with him, and probably more than eggs. Showered. Had sex.

  Visions of that last one had Seth’s brain shutting down. He was happy Rick had a life before him, but that didn’t mean he wanted to imagine and relive pieces of it.

  “I barely made it across the four-month line.” Even then he’d stuck with it because it was easier to come home to somebody than to come home alone.

  The truth hit Seth. Seemed like Lisa wasn’t the only one who deserved better. He’d joked about Tim but he’d failed Elizabeth. There were things she couldn’t accept and refused to hear, but in his head he’d thought of her as reliable rather than his great love. And that was pretty shitty since she wanted to get married one day.

  When Seth looked up he saw Rick staring at him. The blank expression had morphed into a half smile. “That just proves I’m better than you,” Rick said.

  “At what?”

  His smile lit up his face. “Everything.”

  Nathan picked that moment to laugh. “You guys are cute. No wonder everyone knows you’re a couple.”

  One of them was pretty damn hot. Seth could admit that. The beard and those eyes. That body—sweet hell. Rick was the whole package. He had the rough history but not the corresponding fears. He was healthy and functional, and all of that was new to Seth.

  He reined in his jealousy over this Matt guy and even vowed to stop hating Alec…for the most part. He gave in to the sense of freedom that came from being with Rick. The comfort of it.

  “Nathan will keep going if you don’t cut him off.” Seth figured he could get whatever other intel he needed directly from Rick and in private.

  Rick nodded. “We need to get him laid.”

  “You do mean by a woman and not you two, right?” Nathan looked back and forth between Seth and Rick. “Just want to clarify.”

  Rick sighed. “It’s fascinating how straight guys assume that every bi and gay guy wants them.”

  The amusement in his voice was contagious. Seth felt it, too. “Sad.”

  “Not every. But Seth here has this uncontrollable sarcasm problem. I figured that might be his way of hiding repressed feelings.” Nathan sounded half serious with that theory.

  Seth offered one of his own. “Like hatred?”

  “Deny it, but I’m still thinking it might be love.”

  The joking brought Seth’s mind back into focus. “I assure you, no.”

  “Well, not so fast. I often confuse a guy wanting to climb in my pants with rampant sarcasm,” Rick said.

  “Joke if you want, but really, who could resist this?” Nathan held a hand in front of him and moved it up and down his body.

  Rick’s eyes widened. “Everybody?”

  “Me,” Seth added.

  “You both suck.”

  “On that note, and before you start asking about my sex life with Matt, I’m done for the day and going back to the room.”

  Seth jumped in before Rick could talk about packing and piss him off again. “I’ll be in after Nathan and I go over this paperwork.”

  That was code. Seth knew Rick was smart enough to pick that up, but he didn’t care. They had to make plans if Rick was going to go through with this stupid move, and it sure looked like he was.

  Rick opened the door but hesitated at the threshold. “Should I stay?”

  “No. Routine shit.”

  Rick winked and left. “Enjoy.”

  Seth seriously considered following Rick because now came the annoying part. Dealing with Nathan when he had too much information and not enough to keep him busy.

  He launched an immediate strike. “So…”

  Seth was ready to deflect. “No.”

  “What?”

  The innocent act wasn’t going to work either. Seth knew from experience that Nathan couldn’t pull it off. “Whatever you’re going to say, the answer is no.”

  “You two have a thing.” Nathan pointed at Seth and then to the closed door.

  “I’ve already admitted that.” The response seemed like the safest one. “Apparently the entire building knows that. So much for privacy.”

  “Not the sex.”

  “We definitely have sex. Hell, I want to finish this assignment s
o I can have more sex with him.” Seth grabbed the files Nathan had brought in. They could quickly go through them and…

  “Ah.”

  There it was again. That annoying sound Nathan made when he thought he knew something big. Seth tried to shut it down a second time. “No.”

  “You forget I saw you with Elizabeth.”

  That did it. The mention of her name had Seth sitting on the edge of the table. “I’m going to regret this, but what are you talking about?”

  “You and Rick here? You’re in sync. You go back and forth with each other, but it’s not angry. It has energy. It’s not about trying to outdo each other.”

  Seth wasn’t sure that was true. He’d been pretty damn pissed off at the idea of Rick making himself a target. He couldn’t think about it now without his blood pressure exploding.

  Then there was the other fact Nathan ignored. “Elizabeth and I didn’t fight.”

  “Because there was no real connection.”

  “She had trouble accepting me.” But that wasn’t quite fair. That sounded like she shouldered all the blame for the blowup of their relationship. Since he spent a lot of time hiding away in other countries, he needed to accept his share.

  He’d never really gotten that before. He did now.

  “Rick understands you.”

  The thought of that made Seth want to smile. “We’re in the middle of a dangerous situation. That gets the adrenaline pumping.”

  Nathan stood up and came around the side of the table to stand in front of Seth. “I get it. The sex is hot.”

  “We’re both young and healthy and…” Nathan kept staring, so Seth conceded. “Fine, yes. It’s great.”

  “Ever think that it’s so hot because you’re good together in other ways?”

  All the fucking time. That was the problem. That’s what had Seth’s brain so muddled and his gut on fire. But that wasn’t something he could think about or talk about yet. “You’re an expert on romance now?”

  “So, you’re admitting it’s a romance?”

  Damn it. “Shut the fuck up.”

  Nathan shrugged. “I’m just saying be open to it.”

  Those sounded like wise words, but Seth knew differently. He’d watched this cycle in others a time or two. Witnessed strong men get ripped apart. “We both know what happens when one of us on this team tries the relationship thing.”

  “They get a happy ending?”

  A few times. Not most. “People get hurt.”

  “You’re afraid Rick is going to break your heart?” Nathan sounded stunned at the idea.

  “I meant people get shot, asshole.”

  “You know what. A few weeks from now I’m going to remind you of this conversation.” Nathan gave him a shove in the shoulder. Rammed his palm right into the muscle.

  “Don’t be so sure you’re going to survive this assignment.”

  “You’re not going to kill me.” Nathan shook his head. “Go climb all over your boyfriend.”

  “I intend to.”

  “Admitting to boyfriend, huh? Well, that’s a start.”

  Seth gave up. “Get out.”

  Chapter 24

  Hours later Rick showered and climbed into the bed in his new residence. The walls were lined with blue wallpaper. The comforter matched in color, which he found weird. It was like going to sleep at sea.

  He’d dumped some clothes in drawers and hung his suits in the closet next to Seth’s one jacket. The rest of his stuff sat in the duffel in the middle of the floor. Seth had another bag with weapons and whatever else special ops types carried around. Rick had no idea where that one ended up. Knowing Seth, he might be carrying it around downstairs as he issued orders to the marines and private security personnel.

  Rick leaned back into the stack of pillows he’d piled behind him. He’d insisted on switching rooms, moving down the hall to the other suite on this floor. The idea of sleeping in the same room where Ed had been killed pretty much destroyed any chance of sleep or sex, so Rick removed the problem.

  He also kept the people who knew about his change of quarters on this floor to a minimum. Only a few guards and Owen had been advised for safety reasons. Seth insisted and Rick didn’t argue.

  Everyone at the consulate knew they’d moved in to the house at the end of the cul-de-sac. Both he and Seth, which resulted in a lot of smiles and a strange round of “congratulations” that Rick still didn’t know how to respond to. Apparently the people who worked for him liked him better when they knew he was getting sex on a regular basis.

  Go figure.

  He glanced at the clock and saw it had ticked past midnight. The house had finally quieted down and darkness fell all around them. He listened for sounds of rain, for Seth’s footsteps, but nothing echoed back to him. Less than a minute later the bedroom door opened.

  Seth stalked in, staring at the tablet in his hands. Rick knew it contained the blueprints to the property and a way for Seth to control all the systems in the house, like electric, gas, phone and satellite.

  Rick didn’t care about any of that right now. He opened his mouth to grab Seth’s attention and get him to put the computer down, but Seth started talking.

  He swiped his finger over the screen. “We have five men downstairs and more outside. I had Helena bring in extra security for—”

  “Come here.”

  Seth’s head shot up. His gaze traveled over the comforter and the outline of Rick’s body underneath. “What are you doing?”

  “You really can’t tell?” Rick wondered if he was losing his edge.

  “I need to go downstairs and…uh.” Seth looked at the tablet again but his gaze snuck back to the bed. “I should do another check. Nathan is locked down in your office checking video.”

  Rick would have sworn Seth’s breathing grew heavier. His fingers clenched around the sides of the thin tablet.

  Better.

  “Your trip around the house can wait.” Rick rolled the comforter down to his waist. He still wore a white tee but he could strip that off in a second. All he needed was a bit of willingness on Seth’s part.

  “So I should tell any potential attacker to hold for a second?”

  Seth fought it. Rick found that devotion to safety pretty damn hot. “You’re fired up tonight.”

  A few more steps and Seth’s knees hit the edge of the bed. His hand fell and the tablet dangled from his fingers. “I still hate your relocation plan.”

  “It’s smart.”

  “I’m perfectly capable of hating smart things.” He threw the tablet on the nearby chair and winced when it bounced to the floor. Then he looked at Rick again. “Except you.”

  Oh, he had Seth’s full attention now. Rick could see it in the way Seth stood there as if on the verge of lunging onto the mattress. Rick guessed Seth’s fears about protection held him back. That was cute, not necessary.

  And Rick didn’t intend to let Seth put any distance between them tonight. “Get over here.”

  “If I step any closer my pants are coming off.”

  About time he figured that out. “That was going to be my next suggestion.”

  “While we’re here…”

  “What?” Rick made a show of taking off his glasses and setting them on the side table. Then he reached for the hem of his T-shirt. He swept it up and off. Threw it on the floor. “Go ahead.”

  Seth watched every step. “I’m going to sleep in here but I need to be even more focused than before.”

  That was the kind of tough guy talk Rick expected. He almost felt sorry for Seth. He was fighting it. Switching back and forth from boyfriend to his guard role and trying to stay there.

  Rick had no intention of letting Seth get away with avoiding. He should have kept walking in the club if he wanted that. “You’ve just been goofing off so far?”

  “Put your shirt back on.”

  Not likely. Rick reached for his glasses instead. Balanced them on his nose because he knew Seth had a weakness for them. “T
hat doesn’t sound like the Seth I know.”

  “That guy thinks with his dick.”

  That wasn’t true. Seth was deeper than that, but Rick didn’t argue.

  “Bring it over here so I can have a discussion with it.” He intended to do more than that to loosen Seth up, but it was a start.

  “Rick.” Seth didn’t say anything else. He just called out in a strangled voice while his body stood completely still. He didn’t even sway.

  Rick saw the heat Seth tried to keep banked and watched his skin flush. Yeah, Seth was interested, but his damn control was working at top speed. “You should see your face.”

  “You’re half naked—”

  “I’m actually all naked.” Rick pushed the comforter down even farther. Dropped it to the top of his thighs. “See?”

  “Fuck me.”

  Rick couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I am really trying to, Seth.”

  “That face is trouble.” Seth glanced at the closed door then rested one knee on the very end of the bed. “The glasses. That scratchy beard. When you drag it along the inside of my thighs…”

  “I can do that for you right now.”

  “Stop it.” But Seth put his other knee on the bed. Climbed right up on the mattress.

  “I’m just going to lie back.” Rick pressed back deeper into the pillows and folded his arms behind his head. “I was hoping you’d straddle me, let me do what I’ve been dying to do to you. But if you’re busy that’s fine, too.”

  Seth unbuttoned his shirt and pulled the hem out of his pants. “You’re going to fucking kill me.”

  “What if I only use my mouth?” Rick rested his hands, palms up on the pillows on either side of his head.

  “Damn you.” Seth ripped at his belt. He tore it open and yanked at his zipper. He shoved the pants and briefs down as he climbed up the bed. Balancing on one hand then the other, he struggled to pull off his clothes without standing up. He swore the entire time.

  He could help. Rick knew that. But he enjoyed watching. Seth was wild with need. He grunted, nearly shredding his underwear before he finally kicked the briefs off.

  Since he teetered right on the edge, Rick decided to push him over. “Your choice.”

  Naked and straddling Rick’s hips, Seth stilled. He had a palm balanced on the mattress near Rick’s shoulder. “What?”