by Tatum Throne
Levi grinned. “Yeah, but we’re not keeping track.”
“I’ll put the order in. You report to Temple at nine tomorrow morning, after you swing through to talk to Andrea.”
“Chief…”
“It’s standard operating procedure to have a psych evaluation after any near miss in the field. Understood?”
Rumor had it that Andrea was good at reading past all the bullshit people tried to put in her face. She was going to mark him for therapy for all this post traumatic shit if he didn’t get it together fast.
“Crystal clear.”
The chief turned and cursed when he saw Lt. Temple hanging off to the side. “He’s your problem now. I’ve got RAT crawling all over my ass about this one.”
Parker sat down next to him in the ambulance, taking his vitals again. Levi shook his head as he looked at Parker. Lt. Temple came forward, pulling a card out of his pocket.
Levi ignored him and asked Parker, “What’s TJ up to tonight?”
“Cursing you for making the save before the guys even got a chance to suit up.”
“I can see that.”
Temple was done being ignored. He stepped forward. “Brayden Temple. I’m sure we met at the briefing I gave a few months ago.”
Levi took the card he was holding. He remembered that briefing very well. Temple went over the roll of the new retraining program the chief sanctioned. The first time Levi saw Temple, he felt his entire body melt into the chair. He’d never felt that way about any man before or since. That simple crush was now a constant reminder of what Levi wanted but couldn’t have. Now, Levi was going to have to deal with him face to face. Their fingertips brushed accidentally with the pass of the business card. His were hot despite the chill of winter.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, but I don’t feel like socializing until tomorrow. Thanks for the card.”
Levi tested his legs, pushing his feet into his wet shoes. He was wearing a set of tactical pants and a T-shirt someone found in their car. His wet clothes were in a plastic bag on the floor of the ambulance. He was feeling like he wanted to sleep for the next year. There was no chance he was sticking around to tell Parker thank you for the Band-Aid. He wanted to get the hell out of there and home into a nice hot bath that lasted all night long. Maybe he’d even curl up with that new King book he bought six months ago but was putting off reading.
Water squished in Levi’s shoes.
Levi brushed past Temple, feeling really off balanced, but to his surprise hiding it well enough. At least, he thought he was. Temple had a frown working overtime on his forehead. He hung back to talk to SWAT doc Woods.
Newly fallen snow covered the streets. The cold air constricted Levi’s lungs. Levi thought about his family, all the while knowing that today’s adventure would create a flood of calls from everyone. Lucky for him, he thought it through to leave his cell phone in the car.
He looked around at the last of the first responders closing up shop. Levi took a break on the walking thing until the bridge in front of him stopped moving left and right.
A shiver raced over the nape of Levi’s neck as though he were being watched. He glanced over his shoulder to see Temple talking with Parker, but watching him closely.
Levi was under the bridge’s support beams when he realized that his car was parked on the other side of the river in Kentucky. Fear skipped through his body when he thought about taking that long walk across the bridge. He was terrified of heights. Levi wasn’t just a little afraid. He was bone crushing frightened of fucking heights.
It was snowing harder now. The roads were getting covered, leaving only two tracks from tires following the lines. Cincinnati winters were unpredictable. They could be bitterly cold or unnaturally mild. There were days when it was mid-forties, and then the next day it was snowing with five inches on the way. After a few minutes, the bridge finally stopped moving. Levi started walking toward his car again.
“Detective!”
A hand came down upon Levi’s shoulder. A flash of heat moved through Levi’s body. He didn’t like anyone touching him, but this time it was different. The sensation didn’t last long and didn’t linger. Maybe it was due to his polar plunge and his body’s sudden craving for heat. That thought had Levi looking at Lt. Temple in a new way. All of a sudden he was seeing Temple naked, spending the rest of the night warming him up.
Levi cleared his throat. He couldn’t meet those blue eyes again. “What can I do for you, Lt. Temple?”
“Let me give you a ride back to your car.”
Levi hesitated before agreeing. There was kindness in his eyes. Temple was the type of guy who was built for off-road excursions. Up close, Levi could see the hard lines on his face and the rigid cut to his jaw. There was also an aloofness about the man that gave him a mysterious vibe that peeked Levi’s interested. He couldn’t remember the last time any coworker had caught his attention so thoroughly for more than work reasons.
He really wasn’t up for the walk along the highway. Right now, all he wanted was someone to take care of him for a few minutes. “Okay.”
They headed for Temple’s Jeep on the side of the road. “My car is on the Kentucky side of the river. Covington exit.”
Temple leaned in and started his Jeep. His gaze moved over Levi as though he were considering something important. Temple removed his coat, handing it over to Levi.
“Use this to keep warm while the Jeep warms up.”
It was an order Levi gladly obeyed. Temple’s North Face coat was warm and soft. Heat moved over Levi’s chilled skin. He found himself inhaling deeply, memorizing the exotic scent of the man he didn’t know. Something delicious stirred inside of him. It’d been so damn long since he’d had a man. Through the window, Levi watched Temple clear off the windshield. He found himself searching his left hand for a ring. There wasn’t one, but that didn’t necessarily mean that he wasn’t married or tied up with a woman. He glanced around the inside of his Jeep. Change was tossed inside a cup holder. There was a duffle bag in the backseat. It was neat and orderly.
Temple finished cleaning off the snow and hopped back into the Jeep. He blew on his hands warming them up before he merged with the slow moving traffic. They needed to drive into the city to turn around to get to the other side of the highway. Temple cranked the heat on high.
“Look, my job isn’t to second-guess your actions in the field. That’s RAT’s job. My job is to review your training and make recommendations for retraining you.”
“What training is involved?” Levi asked.
“I’ll make that determination after we start work tomorrow.”
“How long is this going to take, Lieutenant?”
“A few weeks, tops.”
Weeks. The news was getting better and better. A few minutes later, Temple rolled up behind his car. Levi reluctantly slipped Temple’s coat off of him. He wasn’t ready to get back into the cold again. “Thanks for the ride, Lieutenant.”
“If we’re going to be working together, then we need to get along, okay?”
Determined to get out of there, Levi dug his keys out of the plastic bag with his wet clothes. “You’re the only thing standing in my way of doing my job. So do what you need to do and let me get the fuck on with it.”
Levi opened the car door. He rounded the front of Temple’s Jeep, slipping in the snow. Levi reached out, grabbing the front of Temple’s Jeep before he did a face plant in the snow. Temple flung open the door and rushed around the side. He slipped his arm under Levi’s.
“Easy now.”
Levi couldn’t resist the temptation to use Temple as his crutch. He leaned on him, noticing the difference in their sizes for the first time. Temple had a few inches of height on him and was a little bit broader in the chest. A flash of heat seared through Levi’s body as Temple shifted him closer out of the wind, stirring something deep within his cock. Levi licked his tongue out over his lower lip. He knew then that getting involved with Brayden Temple was going t
o rock his world in a really bad way.
“I’m good.”
“Let me drive you home. I’ll make sure your car makes it home too.”
“I’m okay.”
“You’re not steady on your feet. I should take you to the hospital.”
“No fucking hospital.”
“Then I’m taking you home.”
No, he wasn’t okay when he was standing so close to Brayden Temple. Levi hoped Brayden couldn’t feel the racing of his heart through the thick layer of his coat.
“I’ll be okay.”
Temple’s warm hand slipped firmly over the back of his, taking his keys from his palm. “I’ll sleep better tonight knowing you made it home safely.”
“Fine. Drive me home.”
Temple walked him around the Jeep and opened the passenger side door for him. Their legs tangled a bit as Levi sat into the Jeep. Temple shut the door and rounded the Jeep, sitting behind the wheel.
“Let’s get you home before you get sick, too. What’s your address?”
Levi rattled it off as he dropped his head back against the headrest. He couldn’t admit it out loud, but he was glad Temple was driving him to his place. He wasn’t safe on his feet and sure as shit wouldn’t be safe on the road. His eyes grew heavy and before he knew what hit him, he was asleep with the gentle swaying of the Jeep.
A hand slid over Levi’s shoulder as a cold wind hit him in the face.
“We’re home.”
A grin tugged at the corner of Levi’s lips. In his sleep-induced state, he really liked the sound of those words coming from Temple’s mouth.
“Are we already?”
“Yeah. Let me help you out of here.”
The snow was thicker out on the eastside of town, but the roads were salted and cleared. Temple slipped his hand under his arm as he stood.
“I’m okay. Really,” Levi said.
“I’m at least walking you to the door.”
Something tightened down inside Levi’s heart. He never had anyone want to take care of him before. He wasn’t used to putting his trust so completely into someone else’s hands.
Lt. Temple grabbed the wet bag of clothes and shut the door to the Jeep. Temple took a moment to take in the outside of Levi’s big farmhouse. They shuffled up the snow-covered walk to the wraparound porch. Levi searched for his car keys, but realized that Temple still had them. Temple pulled them from his coat pocket.
“Do you live alone out here?” Temple asked.
“I do. I love the peace and quiet.”
“How many acres do you have?”
“Twenty. Only three are cleared.”
“Is that barn way over there part of your property?”
“Yeah it is.”
Levi hesitated in the doorway. He wanted to invite Temple in for some hot chocolate. That thought gave him pause. What the hell was he thinking? Who the hell invites someone in for hot chocolate? The bump on his head was probably way worse than he suspected.
“Thanks for the ride.”
Temple’s gaze went past Levi and into his home. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’ll be good.”
“I don’t mind coming in for a few minutes.”
“Really. I’m good.”
Temple lifted his hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?”
Levi smiled. “Three. Six if you count the double vision I’m still having.” Their eyes locked. “I’m kidding.”
A smile cornered Temple’s lips as his laughter echoed from his mouth. A ripple of pleasure shivered through Levi’s body. He liked Temple’s smile, but he loved his laughter more.
“Good night, Detective. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”
“See you.”
Temple walked to his Jeep, not looking back until he sat behind the wheel. Levi reluctantly closed the door. He pressed his forehead against the door, closing his eyes. What the fuck was he doing falling for a guy he couldn’t have?
Chapter Three
Old war injuries sucked. Bray rolled out his shoulder, trying to loosen the stiffness out. He sat back in his office chair, pausing the DVD of Levi’s heroics on the ice. Bray stared at the paused screen on his laptop. As soon as Levi was pulled onto the embankment, he’d defiantly got to his soaking-wet feet and stripped off his long sleeved T-shirt.
The cameraman had zeroed in on Levi’s bare chest. An eight-pack traveled down below the waist on his low riding jeans. There were muscled ridges that defined his hips. What the hell were those muscles called? They were definitely not love handles. They were more like love ridges.
Detective Levi Maden’s file was open on Bray’s lap. His psych evaluation was fresh off of Andrea’s desk and onto his. She cleared him for duty, but flagged him for possible stress-related issues due to the fall into the ice. He read. Detective Maden appears to be minimizing the psychological impact of this near-death experience.
Bray’s gaze went back to Levi’s personnel file. Levi had started the traditional route. He entered the police academy after getting a degree in criminal justice. Never married. No kids. He lived in a farmhouse way out on the east side of the city. Bray wanted to know more about the personal. Was he seeing anyone?
Bray looked over his information to see who his emergency contact was. The corners of Bray’s lips twitched when he saw that he had listed the chief as his emergency contact. So there was no one stable in his life who he’d list as a contact. Interesting.
After yesterday, he was probably going to have the ladies beating down his front door. An attractive guy like Levi probably had many women waiting for a chance at him. Bray’s gaze went up over the police-issued glossy in his file. He’d smiled for his photo. Those eyes staring back at him were a sparkling gray, almost innocent. His hair was a silky brown. Light caught auburn highlights in his hair. There was a polished eager quality to the young officer in the picture. This was not the same man who Levi Maden was now. Maden had the hard cynicism that came from too much time in the field and a little bit of lost faith in humanity. Bray had seen it a thousand times before. Levi Maden was close to burning out after seven years on the force.
Bray gave his computer a wake-up call. Social media was all over the incident. Maden was becoming a viral sensation. Chief Anderson wasn’t happy about it. He preferred his SWAT team to work with the silent quality of black ops. What he got instead was a bunch of guys who couldn’t seem to stay out of the spotlight no matter what they were doing.
Temptation had Bray hitting play on the DVD again. He watched the entire video, up until the moment where Maden took off his shirt again.
Jealousy gave him a swift kick in the ass when he thought about a woman wrapping her hands around that sculpted body. Bray was so far in the closet that the door was padlocked. One thing Bray wasn’t good at was reading the signs. He couldn’t tell who was gay and who wasn’t. Most people got a feel for that sort of thing. He never picked it up. There were signs that Bray could tease out over time, but it wasn’t something he could figure out overnight. He got to the answer by process of elimination. Half the time he waited until the other man made the first move. Yeah, he knew he was a pussy when it came to his love life, but he didn’t care.
Bray’s gaze watched the way Levi walked away from the embankment. There was a hard, cocky swagger to Levi Maden. He was so Bray’s type. Bray shut off the media player on his laptop. He couldn’t watch any more of this now. He ejected the CD, putting it in the sleeve. Bray swallowed hard. It was way past the time for their meeting.
Bray knew when he was getting stood up. It didn’t feel nice. He tried Detective Maden’s cell phone. It flushed him into voicemail. Bray suspected that that pipe was clogged and wouldn’t be flowing again any time soon.
There were other cases on Bray’s plate to work on today. He didn’t have time to chase Levi down. He could run, but not hide forever. Bray spent the rest of the day working on other pressing matters. He followed up on two of his trainees who were on probation. De
spite all the busy work, Levi was on his mind the entire day.
It was late in the evening when Bray needed to take a walk to clear his head. Levi was due in his office hours ago, but never showed or called. Bray ended up in the kitchen, grabbing a cup of coffee.
On the way back to his office, Bray detoured through the training center to get his mind off Levi. It didn’t work. The center should’ve been empty at this hour, but it wasn’t. Someone was using the bars to do a mean set of pull-ups. Bray froze just inside the doorway. Sweat glistened off of their rippling muscles. A tattoo done in black and gray swirled around his back and disappeared around his right side. Bray’s heart rate kicked up a few beats. It’d been a really long time since he had indulged in temptation.
The guy jumped down, shaking out his arms. He turned.
It was Levi, and he wasn’t alone. Honest surprise flowed through Bray’s body. This was the last place Bray expected to find Levi.
Off to the side, a woman with long flowing red hair paced. She wore a white blazer and a pencil skirt with a slit up the side that showed off her long legs as she walked. Any other guy would’ve spent time loving those legs from afar. They didn’t do anything for Bray. The woman looked like some type of corporate lawyer. She looked as though she was giving Levi an earful about something, but Levi wasn’t having any part of it. They didn’t see Bray enter through the side door. Bray knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but he couldn’t help himself. He wanted to know what had her so riled and him so blasé.
“You can’t keep doing this shit, Levi. I can’t take it anymore. I don’t like seeing you on the news like this. You could’ve called me.”
“Give it a rest, Cedar. I have Anderson on my back and now this Temple guy. I don’t need you in the mix, too. I didn’t want to worry you by calling.”
The girl ran her hand through her long hair. She settled on crossing her arms and angrily pouting. Levi didn’t move to comfort her. Bray wasn’t sure if he was relieved or annoyed at his lack of concern for Cedar’s feelings. She finally gave in and moved to Levi as he wiped his face with a towel.