Tea or Consequences

by KC Burn

  “Wouldn’t that only be Cody and her kids? Oh, and her ex-husband.”

  Tad lost some of his sleepy laissez-faire. “Her ex-husband? Was he there as well?”

  “No, no. Although he was invited to the official public launch party. He’s also a chemist. Works for one of our suppliers.”

  “Did you mention him for a reason?”

  Riley really hoped Tad didn’t care that most of what he said about the case was bound to be ridiculous or influenced by television. “Just that—he’s her ex, you know? Aren’t husbands the primary suspect by default? And she’d told me some things about him earlier in the week that, well, a certain type of man would resent.”

  Tad tapped his chin thoughtfully. Annoyingly, it drew Riley’s gaze to Tad’s kissable lips. Fucker. That was just mean. “I can look into him, but the divorce was so long ago, and he no longer has any financial responsibility. It would be a bit of a stretch to think he’d waited all this time to do something violent. And by your reasoning, Cody would be my prime suspect, not David Hall.”

  Riley let out an embarrassed laugh. “I sort of forgot they were married.”

  “So you had no idea about the marriage?”

  “Not at all. She did ask me if I believed in love at first sight. I wonder now if she was wondering if she could trust her feelings for Cody.”

  Tad shifted closer to him, almost close enough for Riley to sense his exhalations. But that was merely fanciful thinking. “Could be. I wish I knew why she kept the marriage a secret and how she was planning to change her will. That might give me a better direction.”

  “Maybe they weren’t planning it. Getting married in Vegas is fairly uncomplicated. It might have been a spur-of-the-moment decision. But I’m inclined to believe Cody when he says she was going to write him into the will. Whatever else we—or rather you—don’t know, Gabrielle positioned him in a place of significant power in her company. She had that much faith in him.”

  “It’s not her faith that’s in question. It’s whether he betrayed that faith. And I’ve seen it far too often.” A shadow crossed Tad’s face, and Riley wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort him. Despite seeing the absolute worst of humanity, Tad somehow kept his sense of humor and an innate sense of caring. It pleased Riley to see such strong evidence that Tad hadn’t grown into an asshole like his friends were in high school.

  Tad checked his watch. “Oh shit. It’s getting late. I don’t want to interfere with your plans.”

  It was getting late—where had the time gone? “Did… uh…. Did you want to come along?”

  A heavy pause hung between them. “Maybe another time.” That was it, then. The illusion of anything happening between them shattered, surrounding them with the broken shards of hopeless dreams.

  Tad shifted on the couch to face him, eyes filled with heat rather than regret. “I wish I’d had the nerve to ask you earlier.”

  Riley leaned in. “What?”

  Instead of answering, Tad cupped the back of his head and drew him closer. Their lips connected without any fumbling, and that simple touch sent electricity streaking through his veins. Riley opened up to Tad’s tongue, thrusting into his mouth like a preview of what was to follow. He fucking loved kissing, the heat, the heaving breaths ruffling his hair, the sheer intimacy of it. Tad must love it too, otherwise Riley would have expected no-strings sex to get right to the sex and not involve any kissing.

  Although he didn’t recall moving, Riley found himself straddling Tad, granting him better access to that hot mouth. Riley jammed his fingers into Tad’s hair, gripping tight as he devoured Tad’s mouth. In return, Tad massaged his ass, pushing their groins together.

  Riley rocked against Tad’s thick erection and moaned into Tad’s mouth. The heat between them was just as explosive as it had been the other night, and Riley was almost ready to pop, his hair trigger all due to the chemistry between them.

  Before he crossed the point of no return, Riley broke the kiss and stared down into Tad’s lust-darkened eyes. His lips were plump and wet and he looked fucking edible.

  “Bedroom?” Riley asked, his voice so husky he barely sounded like himself.

  “I don’t want to make you late.”

  Riley let out a shaky laugh. “You want to send me to a gay club all revved up and ready to fuck?”

  The scowl he got in response thrilled the stupid piece of his heart that hoped Tad would be his.

  “No.” Tad’s lips reluctantly shaped the word.

  “Then I guess I’ll meet my friends a little late.”

  Tad made to get up, still holding Riley’s ass. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking you to bed.” Like Riley was an idiot for asking. Sure, Riley probably weighed a lot less; it wasn’t that he thought Tad couldn’t lift him.

  But then Tad stood up, and their similarities in height made the gesture ridiculous. With gravity working against his legs, there was no way he’d be able to wrap them around Tad’s waist, and his feet dangled mere inches off the ground. Riley caught sight of them in the hall mirror, and it looked a bit like Tad had hoisted up a crane or some other long-legged, skinny bird.

  A laugh burbled out of him, and Tad turned to see what he was laughing at. Then they were both laughing as Tad loosed his grip and Riley let his feet find the ground.

  “Okay, I have to admit, when I thought about doing that, I’d sort of imagined you were shorter.”

  With the knowledge Tad had imagined taking him to bed, another piece of his heart succumbed to a fruitless hope.

  No matter how much this would hurt later, he wanted to live in the here and now—he wanted Tad, for as long as he could.

  “C’mon.” He grabbed Tad’s hand and led him to the bedroom.

  Inside, Tad paused for a moment. “And you know it’s only—”

  Riley held up a palm to quiet him. “Yes, I know.” But he didn’t want to think about the lack of strings or talk about the fact that Tad didn’t want a relationship. And he understood it needed to be secret. That didn’t matter now, when they were about to get naked.

  Near the bed, Tad pulled him back into his arms and started kissing his neck. “You smell so fucking good.”

  Riley shivered and dug his fingers into Tad’s shoulders, his libido firing on all cylinders, despite the brief respite. Thank the gods above that he’d showered before Tad showed up.

  They pulled each other’s shirts off, and Riley nearly combusted at the sight of Tad’s chest, broader and more chiseled than it had been those long-ago days on the lacrosse field.

  The kissing got more frantic as they skimmed hands over warm skin. The hair on Tad’s chest crinkled under his fingers, and when it rubbed against his own it created their own brand of sexy static electricity. Their pants virtually melted away, leaving Riley naked and Tad in a pair of navy boxer briefs.

  Tad groaned. “Fuck, Riley, you’ve been commando all through dinner and the movie?”

  Pure accident, but Riley loved those pained sounds Tad made. “Should have suggested this earlier.”

  “I won’t make that mistake again.” Tad slid a finger into his crack and rubbed. Riley returned those gruff sounds right back. He scrabbled at Tad’s elastic waistband, wanting him naked too.

  Tad helped him, and notched their cocks together. They slid heavily against each other, hot, and slicked a little from precum. Tad’s hands returned to his ass and they ground together. Riley’s pulse raced, and sweat sprang up along his lower back. Dammit, he was getting close and he wanted Tad to fuck him senseless, not frot to orgasm, although that was fun too. Just not what he wanted, what he needed.

  The insistent pressure on his hole made him yelp and yank away from Tad’s arms.

  “I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” Tad frowned.

  Riley gulped in a breath. “No, no. Just too close.”

  That put a feral, predatory look on Tad’s face, and he prowled close, herding Riley back onto the bed. Riley stretched out to grab lube and condoms
from his nightstand, foolishly taking his attention off Tad.

  Warm wet heat engulfed his cock, and he arched up into Tad’s mouth with a keening cry.

  “Fuck me, Tad. Now. Please.”

  Tad swiped the supplies from Riley’s shaking hands and quickly rolled the condom on, never taking his mouth off Riley’s cock, but letting up the pressure just enough to keep Riley on the edge.

  While Riley gloried in the carnal attention, Tad slicked up his fingers. The double assault made Riley twist. “Hurry up, dammit. I’m ready. Please.” More than ready. It had been so fucking long, and he’d been waiting for Tad for years.

  Tad growled around his cock, then moved up on the bed, erection prodding at Riley’s hole.

  Riley squirmed, trying to coax Tad inside with nothing more than hip swivels, and all it did was intensify the lustful flush on Tad’s cheeks.

  “You’re killing me, Riley.” But he didn’t make them wait any longer. Tad guided his cock where it needed to be. There was an eternal moment where Riley hung suspended between pain and pleasure; then Tad slid home and only pleasure was left.

  Tad held still for a moment, letting Riley get used to the heft of the cock inside him, but he was already so on edge he was almost drunk with lust. Riley thrust down, and Tad got the message.

  Each thrust was solid, rhythmic, and hit his prostate like Tad had a tour guide and GPS. This was going to be over far too soon, but he’d already wrangled the explosion back more than once. He wasn’t even going to have to touch his dick. He gripped the sheets and tried to lever his hips closer to Tad and that glorious cock.

  “Tad, fuck, Tad.”

  “Come on. Come on.” Tad leaned in and bit his neck, tipping Riley over the edge. His vision darkened around the edges as he unloaded between them, slick and hot.

  Tad howled into his neck and plunged deep, muscles rock-hard while his cock jerked inside Riley.

  Almost blinded by his orgasm, Riley sank back, boneless, into the bed. Tad collapsed on top of him, heedless of the spunk. They spent the next few minutes breathing heavily, like they’d just run a marathon.

  That was fucking fantastic.

  “Jesus Christ, Riley. Are you trying to kill me?” Tad eased out of him and flipped down beside him while they wound down.

  “Mmm.” He didn’t have enough muscle control for words yet, but he smiled at Tad.

  “Gorgeous,” Tad whispered and stroked a finger down his jaw. “But I should probably get going. You’ve got plans tonight.”

  “Yes. Plans.” No strings meant no sleepovers. Right now Riley really wanted to snuggle up beside Tad and fall asleep, but that wasn’t on offer.

  They both went to the bathroom to clean up, and Riley tried not to imagine doing this in the morning to get ready for work.

  Riley followed Tad to the front door. “Thanks for dinner.”

  Tad placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed before sliding it down his bicep, every bit a caress. “I will bring you takeout whenever you want.”

  Riley shivered as his pulse picked up, electricity crackling along the path Tad’s hand had taken. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Tad let his arm go and let himself out. Riley was going to be late meeting Shaun and Alisha, but it had been so worth it. Now he just had to hope neither of them noticed he was arriving at the club freshly fucked.

  Chapter EIGHT

  IT WAS a brand-new day, a brand-new week, and Riley was ready to ferret shit out like a truffle-hunting poodle channeling the Hardy boys. He just needed to figure out how to begin.

  Riley strode off the elevator like he owned the damned place. It was going to be a good day. After all, he’d been thoroughly laid over the weekend. Not only Saturday, but Tad had shown up Sunday morning before he left for gaming. At this rate, he’d be getting spoiled.

  “Good morning, Alisha.” At the club, she and Shaun had gotten along great. She was going to fit right in. She’d even asked to join game night one Sunday.

  “Win at game night, did you? Or did you actually get laid yesterday?”

  “What?” Was there a neon sign on his forehead?

  Alisha grinned. “Well something has to account for this days-long good mood. Or did you meet up with your mystery man again?”

  If only blushes were under his conscious control, he wouldn’t be getting that smug look. “No. There’s no mystery man.”

  Not really. He certainly wasn’t about to admit Tad had tapped him as a confidential informant. Even less was he going to admit that Tad had tapped him in other ways and he was full-on in lust with the detective investigating Gabrielle’s death.

  “Sure, sure. I bet Shaun wouldn’t be convinced by that either.”

  Great. He should never have introduced them. Because already she knew both him and Shaun too well. He might as well accept he’d now have two people meddling in his life.

  Riley couldn’t help smiling. That actually didn’t sound too bad. “I don’t care if either of you are convinced. Want to get lunch today?”

  “Mmm. Can’t. I’m meeting my mom for a pedicure. Summer is coming.”

  “That’s optimistic. It’s only April.”

  “Actually, she’s going on a cruise. With her new man.” Alisha rolled her eyes.

  “Oh good. You can pry into her love life instead.”

  Alisha grimaced, making Riley laugh. “Get out. And don’t suggest such a revolting thing ever again.” She shooed him away. “Don’t you have a job to do?”

  Some of his good mood dimmed when he reached his desk. This corner of the building had never been particularly populated, aside from the steady stream of people in and out of Gabrielle’s office. Now that she was dead, it was—fittingly—tomblike. He could barely even hear any chatter or other office noises. Although he admired the incredible layout and construction, he was more than ready to switch desks. If nothing else, he’d at least have Cody around to make some noise.

  Unfortunately, once he logged onto his computer, he found IT had rescheduled his move. He also found some actual work Cody had given him, and another—smaller—deluge of messages from people who’d found out about Gabrielle’s death over the weekend and wanted information about donations or the funeral. His log of people he needed to follow up with once those details were released had become enormous.

  Just before lunchtime, Riley pushed back from his desk, head throbbing. He’d worked for hours without a break, and his body was telling him he needed caffeine. Or maybe hydration. Both, even. And a sandwich.

  While he’d worked, he came up with a couple of real work-related reasons he might have to go poking around for… he almost didn’t want to think the word, but it was the only applicable one: clues. Letting that one word loose in his brain gave him a shiver. He’d always assumed getting involved in a real-life murder investigation would be a thrill, although knowing and respecting the victim muted most of his excitement. But the more information he could bring Tad, the more opportunities he’d have to call Tad. Although after being naked together, he perhaps didn’t need to manufacture excuses to see the man.

  First things first—hit the coffee shop downstairs for a jolt of caffeine and some lunch that he could eat at his desk.

  FIFTEEN MINUTES later Riley brushed a few crumbs from his shirt, took the last sip of his Earl Grey latte, and stood up.

  Taking advantage of the empty office, Riley sauntered casually over to the other side of the floor. Cody had gone out for a long lunch, which Riley didn’t begrudge him. By rights he should probably still be on bereavement leave, never mind dealing with an incredibly hostile work environment.

  His first stop was Floriana’s office, the one on this floor. He didn’t expect to find much, not even her admin assistant, since she spent most of her time in the lab and expected her assistant to do the same. Without anyone around, Riley slipped into the open door and partially closed it. He didn’t want anyone to happen by and be able to easily see him.

  Floriana’s office was rather tidier th
an he expected, considering how scattered she was half the time. There were stacks of scientific reports and journals, reminding him that Floriana had scientific training and wasn’t just the entitled, angry woman he’d seen. He didn’t think there would be much of anything clue-like in either of those, but then again, he didn’t know if he’d recognize a clue if it goosed his ass.

  A moment later, he noticed the two degrees hanging askew on the wall, a bachelor’s and a master’s in chemistry.

  After listening closely for any sign anyone was approaching, he quickly opened the desk drawers and rummaged through them. Nothing like a bottle of pills or a newly forged will for Gabrielle leaped out. He did discover that she had a disgusting habit of keeping dusty, dried-out condiment packets in her bottom drawer. There was pretty much zero chance he’d accept one of those ratty old ketchup packets for anything besides a science experiment.

  He spent almost twenty minutes poking around, and he found exactly dick. No book to indicate she’d been researching poisons, although with her scientific background, a bunch of those chemistry books might easily have the information she’d need and Riley would never know. No wills, no pills, no nothing.

  Somewhat disheartened, he made a quick stop in the bathroom to wash his hands. The office wasn’t any dustier than anywhere else—the cleaning staff would have seen to that—but the general disarray and randomness seemed a bit filthy after Gabrielle’s almost obsessive precision.

  Probably he’d find out more just by combing through the shared servers for incriminating documents, but he didn’t much relish spending years of his life doing that. Those servers were filled with documents, and no one with half a brain would store something too incriminating on a shared server.