Alibi

by Nicole Edwards

  Brantley ran through the wet sand until his thighs screamed and his lungs burned, but he couldn’t seem to outrun his thoughts.

  Tesha let out a bark then took off at a sprint, leaving Brantley behind.

  Up ahead, he saw Reese walking toward them at a leisurely pace. Brantley closed the gap quickly, slowing as he approached, wanting to catch his breath before he said good morning to his man.

  As he walked, his muscles cooling, he had another thought. Brantley wondered what the next chapter in their story would entail. He smiled to himself, realizing he didn’t know the answer, but he was looking forward to seeing where it took them.

  “You didn’t wake me,” Reese said, squatting down to pet Tesha.

  “I didn’t,” he agreed, continuing to move so his muscles didn’t lock up. “Thought maybe you’d sleep in.”

  “I tried, then JJ waltzed right into our room, tryin’ to talk me into goin’ to the aquarium with them. Figured I better hightail it before I did somethin’ stupid.” Reese smirked. “Like say yes.”

  “What? You don’t wanna go check out the sea turtles and dolphins?”

  “Prefer not to, thanks.” Reese stood tall. “But she did manage to wrangle everyone else into makin’ the trip.”

  “Everyone? Even Luca?”

  Reese fell into step with him. “I think he’s lookin’ forward to it. Big bad Luca Switzer’s got a soft spot for sea life.”

  “When’re they leavin’?” Brantley asked.

  “She didn’t say. They were startin’ breakfast.”

  “Please tell me they’re makin’ eggs and bacon.”

  “What is it with you and eggs and bacon?”

  “They’re mornin’ staples.”

  “They’re pan-fried cholesterol.”

  “Yeah, well.”

  They walked for a few minutes, continuing past the house down the opposite end of the beach. Farther down, he knew there were some seaside resorts, and during the summer, it was usually crowded with people trickling out from their vacation rentals to spend time in the sand and surf. So far, they’d been lucky, only encountering a handful of beachgoers. He figured the same could not be said for next week when most were celebrating the official spring break.

  “I left a message with RT.”

  Brantley peered over at Reese. “Regardin’?”

  “What comes next.”

  “And?”

  “And he said it’s up to us, but he’d like us to spend a couple of weeks up there if possible. He reiterated the training. I told him it was already on the agenda.”

  “It’s a good opportunity for the team.” While he wasn’t expecting to get anything out of it, Brantley could certainly see the benefit for some of them.

  “We’ll also want to leverage them for ideas on gettin’ clients.”

  Yeah, Brantley had been thinking about that, too. “Governor Greenwood said he’d continue to refer us.”

  “That’s good news.”

  “In a way. But it’ll still be a matter of steppin’ on toes.”

  They walked for a short time, then turned around, made the trek back. As they approached the house, Brantley thought about the fact everyone would be leaving in a little while.

  “Did they say how long they’d be at the aquarium?”

  “A couple of hours, probably. Why?”

  “We’ll have the place all to ourselves.”

  Reese stared over at him. “So?”

  Brantley chuckled. “You might wanna rest up. I’ve got plans for you.”

  With that, he took off running, leaving Reese laughing behind him.

  Nearly three hours later, Brantley found himself alone with Reese for the first time in six days. Only after every member of the team attempted to persuade them to come along, to think of it as team building, had they finally given up, piled into Baz’s truck, and headed for the aquarium. Brantley had, of course, met every single request with a decided no. He damn sure was not giving up some alone time with Reese to walk through a bunch of oversized fish tanks. Not even a killer whale—something Trey insisted would be there—had enticed him.

  As soon as Baz’s truck pulled off the street, Brantley made a mad dash upstairs, where Reese was chilling on the balcony, beneath the cover of an umbrella, beer in hand.

  “Beer before noon?” he teased.

  “You said to rest up. I was chillin’.”

  “I think it’s time for a shower,” he insisted, not bothering to wait before pivoting back into the house and straight to the first bathroom he came to.

  He flipped on the shower, ensuring it was lukewarm, then made a quick dash back to his duffel, grabbed a bottle of lubricant, and returned to find Reese already in the shower.

  Brantley chuckled as he closed and locked the door—just in case—then stripped off his shorts and his T-shirt and joined Reese.

  He hissed a breath and stumbled back. “What the fuck, Tavoularis?”

  The water was ice fucking cold.

  Reese grinned. “I’m tryin’ to cool off. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s hot.”

  “Not for those of us who haven’t been outside for the last hour.” Brantley reached around Reese, turned the water up a few degrees, then pressed the man against the tile and fused their lips. “You’re gonna have to warm me up.”

  “Yeah?” Reese’s hands slid around him, pulling him closer. “I’m bettin’ I could do that.”

  Reese planted his hands on Brantley’s chest, pushed him back.

  Without hesitation or question, Brantley let him manhandle him, shoving his back against the tiled wall, outside the spray of water. When he met Reese’s gaze, he saw the lust darkening his light brown eyes, knew it had been too long for both of them.

  Although they had their own bedroom, they hadn’t been intimate. Brantley knew Reese was hesitant with the team nearby, so he had refrained from pushing the issue. Although he couldn’t give less of a shit whether anyone overheard them, he knew Reese was more private about those things.

  Reese leaned in for a kiss, lingering briefly. “I want you in my mouth.”

  Brantley sucked in a sharp breath at the insistence in the words. Reese still had the ability to surprise him in moments like this. The longer they were together, the more dominant Reese was becoming, and when he flexed those muscles, Brantley never knew what was in store for him.

  But he damn sure looked forward to finding out.

  Relaxing against the wall, Brantley let his head fall to the side as Reese’s lips trailed along his neck, lower. Every so often Reese would nip his skin, making him hiss in another breath. When those teeth tugged not so gently on Brantley’s nipple, he groaned low in his throat.

  He managed to lift his head, watching as Reese eased down to his knees at Brantley’s feet. Although it would’ve been easy to let Reese remain in control, to sit back as the man blew his mind with that exquisite mouth, he knew Reese enjoyed a firm hand from time to time, too. When Reese leaned in, wrapping his lips around his cock, Brantley palmed Reese’s head firmly, holding him in place.

  Those golden-brown eyes met Brantley’s and held while he pumped his hips, holding Reese’s head perfectly still and using his mouth for his own pleasure.

  “You look so fuckin’ good with my cock in your mouth,” he muttered, still holding Reese’s gaze. “Suck me. Hard.”

  Reese did, taking him to the root before releasing him slowly.

  Brantley pulled him forward, so his cock would bump the back of his throat, then released him. Again and again, slow and deep, he fucked Reese’s face as he watched every glorious second. Brantley could’ve easily reached the peak of ecstasy, but he opted to go slow, to drag it out, because there was no sense rushing when they had a couple of hours.

  Pulling out of Reese’s mouth, he helped him back to his feet, flipped their positions, then let himself be used in the same manner. He swallowed Reese’s thick cock over and over, loving those guttural moans that echoed in the small space.

  Look
ed as though Reese was on the same page, because he opted to hold back, too. For a few minutes, they focused on getting clean while their hands roamed, teasing and tormenting.

  Once they turned the water off, Brantley stepped out of the shower. He caught his reflection in the mirror above the vanity and an idea came to him.

  He didn’t give Reese time to dry off, instead, manhandling him so that he was bent over that vanity while Brantley moved in behind him. He stroked himself once, twice, groaning from the sensation. He was hard as steel and eager to feel the heat of Reese’s body enveloping him.

  While their eyes met in the mirror, Brantley grabbed the lube, prepared Reese for penetration, then guided himself home. He loved the way Reese held his stare, not afraid to let Brantley see every emotion as it flittered across his face.

  Brantley let himself get lost in the sensation, riding Reese hard as he was flooded with pleasure. It didn’t take long before they were both grunting and groaning, Brantley slamming in deeper and deeper, until he couldn’t hold back.

  “Fuck,” he bit out, impaling Reese one final time as his cock erupted.

  The instant he’d drained himself, Brantley pulled out and dropped to his knees, urging Reese to turn around. When he did, Brantley opened his mouth, took Reese to the hilt, then accepted the punishing thrusts as Reese chased his own release.

  “Fuck, yes, Brantley,” Reese groaned. “Swallow me.” He growled softly, thrust forward one final time, and came right down Brantley’s throat.

  Sated, at least temporarily, Brantley grabbed a towel, tossed another to Reese, and proceeded to dry off.

  “We’ve still got an hour and a half. I say we grab some lunch, then do that again.”

  Reese’s response was a grin, followed by, “We’ll see.”

  After spending their allotted time sating their urges, Reese was almost grateful the team had returned.

  It wasn’t that he hadn’t enjoyed being used and sensually abused by Brantley. He absolutely did. But he’d been worn out after the third round and too proud to admit he couldn’t go another. Not without a nap first.

  As they’d done the other days, they spent the afternoon down by the water. Every now and again, someone would brave it and race in only to race back out. Reese didn’t care for the water even during the heat of summer, so he opted to watch and enjoy everyone else’s pain.

  Now, as he sat on the back deck looking out over the ocean, Brantley and Trey inside cooking dinner while the other four took a stroll down the beach, Reese picked up his phone, opened his text messages.

  He pulled up the one he’d received two days ago, read it for what felt like the hundredth time.

  I heard you were gonna be in my neck of the woods. Thought maybe you’d want to grab some dinner while you’re in Dallas. It would be nice to catch up. I’ve missed you, Reese.

  Honestly, he had no idea why he didn’t simply delete the text message from Madison Adorite. It wasn’t like he was reading it to reminisce or because he harbored old feelings for her. He wasn’t enticed by her invitation, didn’t even look forward to meeting with her.

  But something kept him from doing so. A feeling he got, perhaps. Or maybe it was a feeling he no longer had that worried him.

  Although Reese was no longer having doubts about what he wanted, accepting that he had fallen in love with a man, he wouldn’t deny he had some mixed feelings. Not about Brantley. No, his feelings for him were sound. His doubts had more to do with his own sexuality.

  Basically, he still wondered how he had lived his entire life without ever having so much as an attraction to a man, yet he was now in what was proving to be a long-term, committed relationship with one. As though he was a different person entirely.

  Truthfully, that—the uncertainty about what prompted his choice—bothered him from time to time.

  He understood what it meant to be bisexual, to want both men and women, but Reese wouldn’t categorize himself that way. And he knew it wasn’t a switch that could be flipped. He loved Brantley, but at the same time, if something ever came between them, he couldn’t see himself with another man.

  Did that mean he was still on the fence? Did it mean he shouldn’t write off who he had once been? It wasn’t like he and Brantley were talking about marriage or forever. They were living together, sure, but at times it seemed more for convenience than anything.

  “Dinner’s almost ready.”

  Reese jumped, turning his phone over and resting it on his knee, hand firmly over it.

  “You okay?” Brantley asked, eyes narrowed as he walked around to stand in front of him.

  He picked up his beer. “Perfect. Why?”

  “You get a call?”

  Reese took a drink, shook his head. “Just my mother. She texted to check in.”

  Brantley continued to watch him closely. “She doin’ all right?”

  “Yep.” He let his gaze shift to the waves below and lied through his teeth. “Said she looks forward to us bein’ up there. Wants to make us dinner.”

  “Sounds like a great idea.” Brantley started toward the house. “Five minutes.”

  Five minutes would’ve given him more than enough time to delete that text message.

  And yet he did not do it.

  Epilogue

  Saturday, March 20, 2021

  From the moment Travis told his family that he intended to officially marry Gage, they’d come up with a dozen suggestions as to how they should do it. At the church, at the resort, in the park. Full wedding party, half wedding party, no wedding party. Decorations, a big reception afterward, color schemes, themes. He’d pretty much heard every variation there was from small and basic to a wedding to rival the royal family.

  As was the case with most of the debates with his siblings, there’d been some arguing and bartering, maybe a little bit of bribery thrown in. Admittedly, Zoey was pretty good at that, but Travis had stood his ground.

  In the end, his idea was simple: him and Gage by the magnolia tree at his parents’ house. He gave them the option of getting on board with the idea or making themselves scarce for the big day. They eventually gave in, realizing he wasn’t going to back down.

  Travis wasn’t looking for some grand gesture; he only wanted to fulfill his wife’s wish, and he wanted his husband to know he was committed for the long haul. As far as he was concerned, no one had to attend except for Gage and Pastor Bob.

  Although his sisters-in-law had been disappointed that they wouldn’t get to plan a big to-do, they had rallied behind him. But he should’ve known putting his foot down didn’t necessarily mean he would get everything he wanted. They’d snuck in a few things without his consent, but since they’d kept it simple, Travis could honestly say they’d had the right idea. And they were all there, seated behind them in rows of chairs. Kaleb and Zoey, Zane and V, Ethan and Beau, Braydon and Jessie, Sawyer and Kennedy, Brendon and Cheyenne, plus all twenty-three of their kids. His mother and father were also there, as were Kylie’s father and stepmother.

  For Travis, that would’ve been plenty, but someone had slipped in a few additional invitations. Several of Travis’s cousins, aunts and uncles, and some good friends were also in attendance. There to help keep the little ones in line during the ceremony, or so he’d been told.

  And fine, perhaps it was better this way. His entire family there to witness them pledging their love to one another.

  But there was one attendee he hadn’t expected. According to Gage, the magnolia trees likely wouldn’t produce flowers for years. While they were already several years old at this point, having been transplanted from whatever farm they were grown on, it would still be a while before their flowers made an appearance. Yet there it was, a single bloom on the magnolia tree, the flower open fully as though seeking the warmth of the sun. As far as he knew, the other three trees had yet to produce a single flower, and Travis couldn’t help but think it was a sign.

  So, beneath the warm Texas sun on a beautiful spring day, Travis and
Gage exchanged their vows.

  Nothing elaborate because, again, it wasn’t about the pomp and circumstance. He held himself together, kept a smile on his face throughout. But it was when the rings were brought forward that Travis got choked up.

  At their wife’s request, Gage had taken their rings to a jeweler in the neighboring town, along with Kylie’s, and had them melted down together and two new rings created. The result was two platinum bands, each with three tiny diamond chips across the center. While the largest diamond and the other smaller ones had been saved for the girls, Gage had decided the three diamonds—signifying the three of them—would be a reminder that even without Kylie with them, she was still in their hearts, still part of them.

  When Pastor Bob proudly pronounced them husband and husband, Travis kissed his groom and held on to Gage for long minutes afterward.

  Today was a day he would always remember, a good day. And while they were still grieving, would be for quite some time, these were baby steps to moving forward.

  <<<— STAY TUNED —>>>

  I hope you enjoyed the fifth installment of the Off the Books Task Force. As you can imagine, this one was the hardest one for me to write. I shed more tears than I can count through every page, but that doesn’t surprise me since the Walkers have kept me on an emotional roller coaster all these years.

  There’s definitely more to come for Brantley and Reese, JJ and Baz, Trey and Magnus, and the rest of the task force. Each book in this series is a full-length novel involving a new case and the continuation of the relationships between them all. And I promise not to keep you waiting long for each installment.

  If you enjoyed Alibi, please consider leaving a review.

  ABOUT NICOLE EDWARDS

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Edwards lives in the suburbs of Austin, Texas with her husband and their youngest of three children. The two older ones have flown the coup, while the youngest is in high school. When Nicole is not writing about sexy alpha males and sassy, independent women, she can often be found with a book in hand or attempting to keep the dogs happy. You can find her hanging out on social media and interacting with her readers - even when she's supposed to be writing.