by BA Tortuga
“Well, I’m pretty happy with that.” He wanted to make Brantley crazy. Also happy, which was kind of a new one for him. It wasn’t just about the sex.
Brantley leaned in, one hand wrapping around his hip. “Kiss me?”
“Yes.” He bent his head to kiss that mouth, loving the way Brant moaned into his lips, leaned into his touches. Brantley tasted like salt and lime, like spice.
So yummy. Mixed with Brant’s unique flavor, it was heady and wondrous.
“Mmm.” They pulled back to breathe, grinning madly at each other.
“Here’s comfy clothes. You like music?”
“Love it. What’s your favorite?” He tugged his clothes the rest of the way off, then dressed in the soft stuff.
“I like country, nineties stuff, the Eagles.”
“I like all those and Tejano too.” Mexican three-step dancing was his jam.
“Oh, I love Tejano.” Brant got a Tejano Hits Pandora radio station going.
“Woo.” He grabbed Brant in the kitchen, dancing him about a little. It was fabulous, because Brant followed his lead like a dream. They stepped out smartly, ending in a dip, which made Brant hoot and holler. “What can I do?” Lex finally asked.
“You want to pull the chicken? I did it in the pressure cooker with the green chile in.”
“Smells so good too. Your neighbors must be hoping you’re making enough for them.” Brant’s house was little and cute, so the neighbors were pretty close. Not annoyingly so, but these old houses came in little pods.
“Señora Garces is in the hospital. She broke her hip, and Steve next door… well, you’re probably right. He probably is hoping I’ll bring some.”
“Is he nice?” He found a big bowl, then started transferring chicken to it, pulling out the bones before scratching at it with two forks. Lex yodeled along with “Ay! Papacito”—which was one of his favorite songs ever—shaking his booty. He could do mariachi too, from “El Rey” to more modern Freddy Fender mash-ups. His mom had put him in a ballet folklorico when he was a kid.
“He is. Owns a clay studio on Fourth. Works a lot.”
“Neat.” He had no idea who his neighbors were. He’d bet Travis didn’t know his either.
“Yeah. He’s got a pit bull named Lilo that is in love with Mouse. They have playdates.”
“Playdates. A cat and a pibble?” He paused, forks poised. “That sounds like a movie.” Really, and he would pay to go see it.
“It’s adorable. The other two won’t have anything to do with her, but Mouse waits for her in the front window.”
“Oh, that’s cute.” He hadn’t seen any of the cats today, but only Mouse had been brave enough to attack his feet by the time he left yesterday, so….
They started rolling enchiladas, working together like they’d done it for years. It was weird, because he’d cooked with his mama, but not a lover. In fact, he’d eaten out on dates, but he couldn’t ever remember having a guy over to his place. He always went to theirs. Would Brant come down and see him?
They got the enchiladas in the oven, and then they took beer, chips, and guac to the outside table. The air was redolent of the flowers and roasted chile from the grill, and the shade cover was perfect, making the small backyard into an oasis. Lex really admired it, and he told Brant so.
“Thank you. It’s taken forever to get it cleaned up like I wanted it.”
“You did all this, huh?” Lex didn’t have a black thumb, but he had the one plant. His mom, now, she had wisteria and lilacs and bell bushes and butterfly bushes… anything that bloomed.
“I did. I wanted a place to sit and drink a beer. I have a patio heater and a fire pit too.” Brantley looked so pleased.
“Neat! I always wanted one of those chimineas.” He loved toasting marshmallows. “I took a vacation up in Durango once, and they had the best fire pit at the lodge.”
“Yeah? I’d love to go. Matty invited me a lot, but they hiked and did rock climbing. I can take long walks just fine, but long hikes can be hard.”
“I bet. I don’t hike as much, but I love to snowboard. I grew up skiing, but boarding is cool. I don’t get the chance near as much now.” He didn’t do a lot but work. He hung out with Dusty and Nate, watched movies, worked out….
“I bet I couldn’t do that either, but damn it looks fun.”
“Did you know they do five-man inner tubes in Ruidoso? Like with seats. You can slide.” Lex had bounced down the mountain with four other cops as a team-building thing. What he’d found out was cops were vicious.
“Yeah? I could do that. I need to start exploring more places.”
“I bet you let Matt set up a lot.” He could see that. He let Nate do all sorts of stuff for him, picking places to go to eat for the three of them. He had a few guys at work too, who recommended burritos and tacos and dry cleaning.
“Right? He was so in love with New Mexico that it was easy to just let him choose.”
“Yeah.” He sipped his beer, and the mouth of the bottle had enough lime on it to draw his mouth up. “Hoo. That was all sour, huh?”
“Oh, let me taste.” Brant leaned over and took a kiss.
Lex opened right up to share the lime and beer flavor, and to get his happy little jollies. Those kisses were amazing. Long and slow and sweet.
They were lost in the contact until Brant grunted and eased back, rubbing his hip. “Sorry.”
“Do you ever get massage therapy for that?”
“I have, but not for a long time.”
“I can offer a good pair of hands. I took classes, but I never got my license. Just lost the time.”
“Oh… that sounds like…. Are you real, man? Married? Closeted axe murderer? Have an army of man-eating rats?”
“Uh… I live three and a half hours away? I snore. And I work a lot.” Lex wanted to be up front.
“I hear you. I am obsessed with cookbooks, I love my cats, and I try to leave my work at work.”
“Cookbooks. Trav says you’re like chef material.”
Oh, that pleased Brant. Look at that blush. “I just like to cook. A lot. Good thing I like to eat.”
“Me too. I mean, I will totally be a guinea pig.”
“Yeah? You’re not picky?”
“Not really, no. I mean, I am about biscochitos and tamales. Christmas food. Otherwise, well, I’m a cop.” He’d put some truly awful things in his mouth.
“What’s your favorite type of tamale?”
“Pork with red chile. Like super classic.”
“I love goat cheese and black bean, to be honest. Green chile chicken too. I’ve also made apple pie tamales.” Brant grinned at him, the look almost sheepish. “But I know how to make Christmas tamales.”
“Apple pie?” He tilted his head. “With cinnamon and butter?”
“Yeah—I put a little sugar and cinnamon in the masa, fill with apple pie filling.”
“Oh my God.” Lex blinked, because that sounded life changing.
“They’re great with ice cream. Cinnamon ice cream.”
Lex was going to fall to his knees and beg. He’d had a cheesecake chimichanga once. This sounded so much better. “Someday? For me?”
“Sure, honey. I’d love to cook for you.”
“Well, you are. But those tamales sound ah-mazing.”
“They go good with chili for supper.” Brantley touched his knee. “Or pork belly and polenta.”
“You’re making me drool.” Lex liked how Brant talked about food. There was passion there.
“Matty used to tell me when he made his fortune, he’d buy me a restaurant. I just like to cook for people I love, though.”
His cheeks heated, but Lex didn’t comment on that last part. “Not everyone is in it to make a living. My mom sews, but she only did alterations for, like, a month. It put her off sewing for a year.”
“Right? I don’t know that I want to deal with food costs and overhead and stuff.”
“Nah. And you like nursing.” He got that. Dus
ty was committed to medicine. That was why Lex had stayed a cop instead of going on to be an EMT. He helped people in his own way with less puke.
“Eighty-five percent of the time, yeah. Everyone has their days, huh?”
“Shit, yes. When I’m on some damn disturbance call because some asshole wants me to solve his problem with his neighbor or when someone makes pig noises when I walk by….” There were worse things, but he didn’t want Brant to have trauma.
“Mine normally involves shots. I hate when they scream when they see me.”
“Oh, man. Do you feel like a villain?” He would. Like when kids in some neighborhoods were worried he was ICE, or that he would shoot them.
“Yes. God, I’m the fucking boogeyman with a syringe. Somehow to them I have an ice pick instead of a tiny needle.” Brant shrugged. “We try to switch off, so I inject Dr. Montoya’s patients and Lacey does Dr. Nunez’s.”
“That’s smart.” That way the kids saw their nurse as the hero and only saw the other one for shots. “I like to do school visits early and let kids know we’re not the enemy.”
“Is it as bad down there as up here? The news makes the cops sound like… villains.”
“It’s not, because we’re so much smaller. Better run. We have more border stuff.” More drugs.
“Ah. I’ll have to visit Las Cruces one day. I’ve never been.” A timer went off, and Brant stood. “Enchiladas ho!”
“Oh, yum. No? There are some good events. The Ren faire is great. A juried art show and all.”
“That sounds like fun. I loved the big Scarborough faire deal in Waxahachie.” Brantley pulled the big red pan from the oven. “You want to plate up in here or bring the casserole out?”
“Oh, I don’t stand on ceremony. We can dish up in here.”
“Well, come on, honey. Let’s eat.”
“Woot.” He loaded up a plate with the spoon Brantley handed him. Okay, that looked like green chile heaven. He wanted Christmas next. Who was he kidding? He wanted everything.
They settled back outside, the lights coming on as the sun sank. God, it was like magic. Lex loved this whole moment.
Brant lifted his beer. “Cheers, honey.”
“Cheers.” He clinked his bottle against Brant’s and then dug in, moaning softly. This was the real thing. Good shit. Something about this moment seemed… oddly profound.
Strange for beer and chicken. Strange but wonderful.
Lex let go of all the pressure and stress of the last week and kinda… basked.
Brant had music playing, and they chatted and ate, laughing at each other. They traded more work stories and family stories and just sat together. The sun went away, and the heat faded quickly. It felt good for a bit, but then they had to head in. Lex helped with the dishes, and then they stared at each other.
“You want to go to the bedroom?” Brant finally asked. “We can watch TV for a bit. Maybe take a shower?”
He took Brant’s hand. “I do, yeah.”
“Me too.” Brant squeezed his fingers. “Thank you.”
“Hey, it’s been an amazing night, baby.” He grinned over, his heart thudding.
“You know it. Easy, fun, delicious, and not over yet.”
“Nope. Not even close.” It was only about nine.
They had hours to explore each other. Hours. Lex was over the moon, because there was no rush, and they could stretch out the anticipation all they wanted.
Magic.
Pure fucking magic.
BRANT WOKE up with Lex in his arms, the man snuggly and warm, wrapped around him like an octopus.
He kissed Lex’s temple, being careful, gentle. He wasn’t trying to wake his new lover, just enjoy him. The early morning sun was just peeking in through the slats of the blinds, and this was one of his favorite times of day. The birds were out there going crazy, the world was fresh, and he didn’t have to be up because he was off until Monday.
He wiggled his toes because stretching would disturb Lex, and Brant was jonesing on the way Lex was breathing against him. They had a wonderful time last night—they’d laughed, showered, watched bad TV, made love. Lex was funny. Hot. He did a mean dish. Told a great story. Of course, he lived hours away and got shot at for a living.
Brantley shook his head. That was borrowing trouble. Lex might leave and never be seen again.
Not that Matt hadn’t disappeared. Hell, it wasn’t like he was drowning in lovers, so why was he worrying?
Hell, he knew the answer to that. He’d had his two longtime guys. Two—one guy hadn’t come home from overseas, the other had driven his SUV off a bridge outside of Dallas after coming after him with a knife. He wasn’t Mr. Lucky.
He stroked Lex’s back, trying to relax and let his mind wander. Even the cats weren’t up yet. How often did that happen? Seriously?
Mouse would be there soon, he was sure. The silly beast could tell when his breathing changed. Either that or he was psychic. Maybe an alien kitty. Oh, this was New Mexico, after all. There it was. Alien.
He should have named the cat Mulder.
“Why are you laughing?” Lex murmured.
“I was maligning my cat in my brain.”
“Which one?” Lex lifted his head, looking about cautiously.
“The evil one. The girls are just pseudo-evil.”
“Eventually they might warm up, huh?”
“They might. It took them almost a year to pretend to like me.” They’d been rescues from a hoarder in Chama.
“Ah. Persians are like that, right? I read up on the internet.”
“These two are. And since they have each other….”
“Right. Who needs the hooman? Good morning.”
“Good morning.” When are you planning on going? Why do I care so much?
“Mmm. Kiss me?” Lex lifted his face, smiling.
“I can so do that.” He leaned down and took a long, slow good-morning kiss, one hand tangling in Lex’s heavy shock of hair.
Lex moaned, just arching and giving it up for him. Oh, he did love another morning person.
They grinned at each other, and he thought maybe Lex felt the same way.
A wild screech sounded and Mouse landed between them, looking incredibly pleased with himself.
“Oof.” Lex pulled back a little. “Heavy.”
“Rowl.”
That was a clear answer. He wasn’t sure what Mouse meant, but the answer was clear.
“He’s hungry,” Brant said.
“You mean he can’t feed himself?”
“Well, if he had thumbs….” He leaned his forehead against Lex’s, both of them chuckling. Lex reached out to scratch Mouse’s back gently. Brant held his breath, waiting to see….
Mouse slowly eased himself into Lex’s lap, the purr like the Latvian chainsaw drill team. Oh wow. Look at that. Good enough, huh?
Lex blinked up, obviously stunned.
“I know, right?” He said it softly, not wanting Mouse to know he was stunned.
“Yeah. I guess I’m okay.”
“I guess you are, honey.”
Lex just beamed. “Wow.”
“I guess we’ll have to keep you, then.”
“Yeah?” That made Lex blink and flush. “Well, then.”
He began to heat, and he ducked his head. “You want some coffee?”
“I do, but I want another kiss first.” Lex grabbed him, and they shared a long, slow embrace, his tongue sliding against Lex’s. How could he be self-conscious when Lex kissed him like that? Lex made him believe. That was probably dangerous as all get-out, seeing how little they knew each other, but he couldn’t help it.
He was a stupid optimist.
Meowing loudly, Mouse dropped back to the floor and walked to the door.
Right. Food.
“I’m going to feed the beasts and start coffee. You think about what we should do for breakfast.”
“I can help feed them. If you want.”
“Perfect. The girls will be tickled.”
He found the two cans, the three bowls.
“Cool. I mean, I figure they might like me more. Then again, they might starve rather than eat food that smells like me.”
“No. They slept on your feet last night.” They were just shy and a little goofy.
“Did they?” Talk about goofy. Lex’s smile was utterly happy and free.
“Yeah, I woke up for a second, and they were snuggling. It was too cute.”
“That’s cool. I never see them. Except in the bathroom.”
“Girls! Come on. Get your breakfast.”
Lex was being mauled by his hungry boy, Mouse rubbing Lex’s ankles, then sinking in heavy claws. “Dammit! Mouse! I’m hurrying!”
Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. Lex was getting trained already.
He fed the girls and started the coffee.
Mouse and Lex ended up on the floor, Mouse sitting in Lex’s lap, head in the food bowl, so he fixed Lex a cup of coffee and handed it down.
“Thanks. He’s, uh, firm about what he wants.”
“He’s a beast. Is it weird that I adore him?” He leaned against the wall with his own coffee.
“No.” Lex dared to touch that fluffy butt.
Mouse arched up, rowling softly.
“Are we buds now? Huh?” Lex scritched carefully, but well.
Mouse flipped himself over, dancing on Lex’s lap.
“Oh, now you’ve done it.” Brantley snorted. “You’re owned, man. Owned.”
“I love it.” Lex was laughing with him, just rubbing that furry belly.
Mouse rolled dough, huge claws moving in and out.
“Man, he’s got some muscles.” Lex grunted the words, rubbing hard.
“He’s a monster.” Miss Cream snuck up, barely brushing Lex’s elbow. “I think they like me,” Lex murmured.
“Wow,” he whispered and settled down on the floor too.
“Yeah?” Lex winked. “My animal magnetism.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing.”
Peaches watched for a long second before curling up in Brantley’s lap. “Bet this isn’t how you imagined spending your morning.”
“Nope, but that’s okay. I like not having to have an agenda.” Lex pulled a bit of a face. “I hate to think of us both having to go back to work, but I know we’ll have to.” Then Lex brightened. “But not today.”