by BA Tortuga
“I was dreading you going back forever. I was already considering a trip down.” Was that silly as all get-out or what?
“Well, I think you should totally come down and meet Nate and Dusty, but I’ll only be gone about a week this time.” Now Lex was beaming.
“Yeah? I could come see over a weekend or something.” He could drive down and let Lex show him around.
“That sounds amazing. We can go to Mesilla and see all the cheesy fun. Billy the Kid and stuff.”
“Sure, just tell me when.” He would head south Friday after work, be there for a late, late supper.
“I would love to see you this coming weekend. It’s not a bad drive on 25.”
“Okay. I could come Friday night, stay ’til Sunday….”
“That would be awesome. I can’t promise I won’t be on shift a bit of it, but I’ll have plenty of time to show you around.” Lex kissed him gently. “If you’re up to it.”
“I’ll manage. I’ll be ready to get out of town after work.”
“Sounds great, baby.” Lex kissed him one more time before rising. “Steak time.”
“Steak time.” Had they just…? Were they having a thing?
Lex winked and headed to the kitchen. Yeah. Yeah, he thought this was a thing.
He made it to the bathroom, and he washed up, trying to put this whole thing—this whole damn near two weeks, Matty, Travis, Lex, even falling—into perspective. The whole world felt a little topsy-turvy, like he’d gone down the rabbit hole. A little.
Shit. A lot. Was this normal? Even for him?
He grinned, then splashed some water on his face. The muscle relaxants made him goofy.
“You okay, baby? No falling.”
“No. No falling.” Though he’d done that. Hard. For Lex and in the driveway. He headed back out into the house. “It smells amazing.”
“Yeah? I do the potatoes in the mic, but crisp the skin in the oven. I’ll finish the steaks in there too.” Lex was moving around his kitchen easily.
“I love that.”
“What?” Lex looked over at him.
“That you cook too. That we can make things together.”
“Me too.” Lex nodded and slid steaks on a sheet pan to put in the oven. “I love your kitchen, man. It’s well-equipped.”
“Thank you. I bought the house for the big master and the way the kitchen and outdoor space works together.”
“It seems way smaller from the front, for sure, but back here it’s roomy.”
“Exactly. It sort of balloons. It’s… it’s home.” And he couldn’t help that. Somehow, the Land of Entrapment had caught him too.
“It’s too cool. Do you need to sit?” Lex came to put big, warm hands on his hip, and the touch made him cry out in ease, his knees wanting to buckle.
“Oh, baby.” Lex knelt on the floor, rubbing at him just enough so he got heat and not pressure.
“Lex.” This was better than sex. This was fucking magic.
“I got you. I learned this a while back. It’s almost like Reiki.”
He’d heard of that, but had no idea really. All he could do was stand there and breathe, in and out, and feel. Lex warmed him, then eased him down, massaging gently. His muscles let go, and he almost cried.
“Oh, baby. I have you. That’s better. Now you can eat supper.”
“I can.” He felt dizzy but good. “Thank you, honey. God. That was magic.”
“You’re welcome. You looked so sore.”
He hadn’t known it could feel so good. “Yeah, I think I was. Seriously.”
“Well, hopefully this helps. Steaks are tough on the couch.” Lex winked.
“Let’s sit at the table. You want a beer?”
“I do, if you don’t mind.”
“Shiner or Corona?” He was going to have tea. If he had a beer, he’d fall asleep in a second. In his steak.
“Shiner for beef, I think.” Lex plated up, and dinner looked glorious.
“On it.” Soon they were sitting and eating, like they were meant to be there together at his little square dining table. The A.1. sauce sat between them, and Brant had the strangest urge to laugh. So normal.
“What’s funny, babe?”
“How fast this has become easy. You. Me. Together.”
“I know.” Lex dipped his chin. “I feel weird sometimes, but I want it too.”
He dared to reach out, take Lex’s square hand. They sat there like that for a long while, grinning at each other. The food was pretty much gone, so it was no big deal to take their time.
“You want to sit and watch something terrible on Netflix?”
“God, yes. Do you need a heating pad or a hot water bottle? You have to have one.” Lex let go to stand up and clear dishes.
“I’ll grab the pad. There are cupcakes in the fridge for later.”
“You’re amazing.” Lex dropped a kiss on his mouth when he passed by.
No. No, he was just a little in love.
Chapter Thirteen
“DAMN IT, Espana, get your head in the game.”
“Huh?” Lex glanced at Sergeant Gutierrez. “What did I miss, Ben?”
Wednesday had gone tough. Thursday wasn’t shaping up to be better. Lex just couldn’t seem to concentrate on a cruiser or on reports. He just wanted to be home. In Albuquerque. With Brant.
“Well, we have work to do.” Ben smiled. “How’s your buddy?”
“Devastated.” He sighed. “Freaking out.” Travis had melted down on him when he left. Christ.
“It’s a shit situation. They have any leads?”
“No. I mean, he’s on camera, but they assume he wasn’t local.” Lex wasn’t sure he bought that, but the I-25 corridor was a vast thing, and Albuquerque was the biggest metro in New Mexico. The guy could be anywhere in the Burque, even, and not get found.
“That sucks, man. Seriously.”
“Yeah. I feel bad for him. His folks can’t help much. His mom is pretty sick.” Travis’s school friends were finally kicking in some, but they were all just so damn young. They didn’t know what to do with loss.
“Fucking sick bastards, just shooting guys.” Gutierrez shook his head. “You really got a honey up there?”
“I do. I gotta admit, he’s on my mind.” He sat back from even pretending to try to type.
“He a cop?” Was that a spark of interest?
“Nurse. Nothing dangerous, thank God. I worry enough about me.” Lex winked.
“Nurse, huh? Damn.”
“I know.” He never knew what the hell Gutierrez meant by those statements. “He’s a good guy. Veteran. Good cook. Has his own house.”
“Sounds like a great situation. We’re underserved down here. I bet he could get a job, instead of you going up.”
“Yeah.” Somehow he didn’t see it. Brantley was happy up north, was fascinated by the mountains, loved his house. “He’s coming down this weekend to visit.”
“Well, good. Keep me posted.”
Lex nodded, but he knew he was already gone. He wanted to sit on the comfy sofa with Mouse and the girls, Sherlock playing on the big TV while Brant rested against his shoulder.
Mouse had begun bringing him gifts when he stayed over. Toys. Beef jerky. Big spiders….
Lex was going to get a laser light to see if he’d play. Hell, maybe the girls would, but they were pretty dainty.
“…going to bring him to meet us?”
“Huh? Sorry, I did it again. Uh, maybe not this trip.” He winked, not wanting to be ugly.
“Man, you are in deep, aren’t you?”
“Yeah, well, I’m going to take him to meet some of my buds, you know?”
“So, we’ll all meet somewhere. Have a beer. Eat. Chips and salsa for everyone.”
“Okay.” That would be way less scary than the police department. “Sounds good, actually.”
“Cool. I’ll make a reservation for a dozen at Sí Señor for Saturday lunch. Work for you?”
“I’ll text Nate a
nd Dusty, make sure.” God knew what the guys’ schedules were.
“Sure. Just holler at me.” Gutierrez winked. “I’m off.”
“Asshole.”
“Yeah, yeah. You might as well be off yourself.”
“Huh?” He blinked. “Are you serious or just teasing me again?” Lex was really, really never sure.
“Espana. Fucking focus, man. Pay attention.”
“I am now. I might as well be off myself….” He waited.
“You’re not focused, man. You’re not here. I need officers that aren’t going to be killed.”
“I know. I can ride the desk, do everyone’s paperwork….”
“Go clean your house. I’ll rubber-stamp your leave of absence now.”
He stood, stunned a little. Had that just happened? Just like that? “Thanks, Sarge. I mean it. I’ll call.”
“We have a date for Saturday. I expect to meet the nurse.”
“You got it.” He shook hands with his sergeant and hit the road before someone changed their minds. Damn.
He headed to his apartment, intending to take a long shower, maybe a long nap, when Nate called.
“Hello?” He hoped nothing else had happened.
“Hey, man. How goes?”
“Surprisingly good. In fact, I’m a free man.”
“What?”
“I don’t have a job.” He hadn’t had to say that in a long, long time.
“Whoa.”
Lex laughed. “Well, I’m on a leave of absence, but I really think I’m just gone.”
“Huh. Want to meet for a beer? I’m off.”
“I do.” He could nap later. A beer sounded great.
“Fucking A. Where?”
“Uh. Down at the Game?” That was a decent sports bar.
“I’ll be there in fifteen. Order munchies.”
“You got it.” He switched directions, going toward the bar. They had brisket and queso nachos. God. He was… unemployed. He was unemployed, and his lover was coming tomorrow to visit. Lex shook his head. He needed to call the guys in Albuquerque about that job they hinted at….
Hell, he needed to call Travis and tell him… shit, was it wrong that he didn’t want to call Trav? That he wanted to ask Brant if he could come and stay? Would Travis be super hurt if he didn’t at least pretend to be a roomie for a bit? Maybe he’d ask Nate and Dusty. Well, Nate. He had no idea if Dr. D could come too.
God. He pulled into the parking lot and sucked air. Okay. No panic. He could do this. He’d picked up and moved before. He’d come here, hadn’t he? Knowing no one. Just down to Cruces and hop into work. He’d made friends; he’d gotten commendations. Now he could build a life back in the Burque.
The tap to his window shocked the hell out of him, Nate standing there with his goofy grin. “You look like you’re about to puke, dude.”
“I totally am. I’m out of work and about to be homeless.” He got out of the truck, so Nate hugged him, which felt good.
“Well, shit. You can come couch surf with us, Wingman.” The old nickname made him grin.
“Thanks. Travis says I can room with him.” He took a deep breath. “I have a guy coming down. Someone I want you guys to meet.”
“No shit. Come on. Beer. Food. Tell me everything. Dr. Dusty gets off shift at seven. He can drive us home if we’re fucked-up.”
“Cool!” He could so get toasted a little. Not slaughtered. Just happy. “He’ll be pleased to know I’ve developed a taste for Shiner.”
Nate’s eyes lit up. “You got yourself a Texan, did you? What type? Central? East? West?”
“Central.” He grinned. “Very. Pediatric nurse.”
“Ooooh, way to go, man!” Nate fist-bumped him.
He snorted, but his mood immediately rose. Yeah. He was out of a job because he had no real doubt they’d let him come back home to APD, and Brant was so worth it.
They settled and ordered, got their beers, and then Nate leaned forward. “So, I need to know everything. Start with the good stuff. Is he good in bed?”
“Nate! What would you say if I asked that about Dr. Dusty?” He was stalling, of course. Brant was amazing.
“You did. A lot. Do not try to bullshit me, man.” Oh, Nate did have his number, didn’t he? Lex wasn’t a dog, but he liked sex and sex talk. He was a dude. What could he say?
“Yeah, okay. My reluctance to kiss and tell should say something.”
“Okay, so he’s a medical guy. Pediatrics, you say?”
“Yep. Works in a doctor’s office. He was military.”
“Rock on. Texan. Medical. Cute?”
“Yeah. Blond, blue eyes, lean. A little scarred. Totally hot.” He found himself leaning forward, eager to share. God, he wanted Brant to be there now, but he knew better. The guy had just gotten back to work and needed to wait until Friday to come down.
“And you met him at the funeral? I think that makes you a dog.”
“No! I met him at the wedding.” Lex hooted with laughter at the look on Nate’s face. “I just didn’t want to get with him until I met him again.”
“Wow, that’s kind of cool. So, now the shitty part. How’s your friend?”
“He’s hysterical. But functioning. I’m actually really proud of him.”
“That’s so hard. And your new guy? He was there at the shooting?”
“Yeah. They stopped the car to get gas, Matt gets out, and boom. Perp shot Matt. Blood and brains everywhere.” He’d seen the crime scene photos.
“Jesus. Not a chance, but there’s a shit-ton of guilt, no matter what. We’re all trained to save lives.”
“Right?” He shook his head. “Brant is the one who hasn’t lost his shit yet. And I know he will. I know that from experience.” A guy could only stiff upper lip it for so long.
“Well, I hope you’re there for him when it happens. Are you really moving? Are you moving in with him?” Nate ate a pile of nachos. “Man, it took me and Dusty ten years to get together, and you? Ten fucking days. I’m jealous.”
“Hey, I can’t help y’all are slow.” He grabbed a chip. “I want to move in. Travis wants me to stay with him a bit, at least. Take it slower. Says we’re not lesbians.” That was an old joke, but he was allowed, according to Diane in Records. She said he was an honorary dyke.
“What does your guy want?” God, Nate was asking the hard questions.
“Well, he wants me to come up there, for sure. But we haven’t talked about me moving in.” He needed to talk to Brant this weekend, feel the man out.
“Okay. But you will.”
“I will. He’s coming down this weekend. Gutierrez wants us all to have food on Saturday.”
“I’m off at three, Dusty’s off duty. We can do it.”
“Awesome. Sí Señor.”
Nate put up his hand to slap. “Good deal. Have you tried their new creamy green sauce?”
“Nope.” Huh. He’d give it a shot.
“Yeah, even Dusty likes it.”
“Well, he’s a Texan. Those guys do that suiza sauce.” He shook his head. He’d never even heard of that until Dusty fed it to him. It was good, but he wasn’t sure it counted as Mexican.
“Texans. Can’t live with them, can’t beat them.”
“You know it. They’re everywhere.” Lex might make a long-suffering face, but his Texan made him happy.
“Yeah, and they are so much fucking fun, dude.”
“They are.” Brant was… well, he made Lex want to settle down. Have a real home. “He has cats.”
“What?” Nate blinked at him like he was speaking Swahili.
“He has cats. Brantley. He has three.” Lex wanted Nate to know that.
“Wow. Three? Huh. Dusty wants a dog, but there’s no way.”
“No? No one you can trade day care with?” Dusty’s hours were crazy, but Nate was home off and on.
“I’m not ready. Maybe when I’m a supervisor? Then I’ll just have a regular shift.”
“That what you’re going for?
” He wasn’t sure what Nate’s five-year plan was.
“Yeah. I mean, I like working on the bus, but the money’s better, and I like the idea of being able to see Dusty more often.”
“Are you sure? You might kill each other.” He could so see Dusty and Nate with a big old lab, though. A golden. Something.
“Oh, Dusty’s easy. He needs naps, guacamole, and the periodic road trip to Ruidoso.”
“He does like the mountains.” They all did. Why else did people live in New Mexico? You had to love the land.
“Yeah. They’re an addiction.” Nate grinned at him, rolled his eyes. “Still… I can’t believe you’re leaving. It’ll be nice to have friends up in the Burque.”
“You guys can come up anytime.” Really. No matter where he was living, he would find them a place.
“Yeah? Cool. Man, I can’t wait to meet this guy. I never thought you’d be settling down.”
Was he that much of a horndog? In his mind, he was just a dude, but Nate and Travis had said the same thing in the same tone. “I’m no virgin, but I’m not a fuck, man.”
“Hey, I know that. You just got your first plant, though. That’s all.”
“I promise not to let Mouse eat it.”
“Mouse? Who names a cat Mouse?” Nate teased.
Lex just pulled out his phone and showed him a picture.
Nate’s eyes went wide. “That’s not a cat. No way.”
“It is. A Maine coon, he says.” He was as proud as if Mouse was his.
“Damn, man. That’s a big goddamn pussycat.”
“Yeah. The girls are good size, but Mouse is a monster. When he wants attention, he tells you.” He tucked his phone away in favor of more nachos.
“Wow. It’s like a wild animal. Pretty, but wild.”
“God, yes. Especially in the morning.” Mouse was vicious when he wanted his breakfast.
Nate grinned at him, the look fond and weird.
“What?”
“You really are into him, aren’t you?”
“I am. You can tell, huh?” He kinda hoped so, because he wanted Brant to believe it.
“I can totally tell. I love it. Does he feel the same?”
“I hope so. He seems to.” He wanted it to be true. Shit, he wanted Brantley down here, at this bar, having a beer and eating nachos.
Dusty showed up about ten minutes later, so Lex braced himself to have the discussion all over again.