Packing Heat (6 page)

thrust, relished every gasp of pleasure that burst out of both of

them. Sweat beaded on his temples and ran down the dip in his

back as Brad fucked him in a rough, ruthless way Gavin knew few

men could take.

Lost in the fantasy, relishing the sheer sensuality of being

fucked and owned, Gavin couldn’t help but grab his own cock.

“Hel, yes, get yourself off.” Brad panted over the slap of skin

against skin. His hand fisted tighter in Gavin’s hair, tugging harder.

“Fuck your hand until you come.”

Gavin started jerking himself off fast and furious. His hips

thrust into the stroke of his hand, only to push back against the

hard, fast stab of Brad’s cock moving in and out of him. The dual

stimulation made him a completely carnal being, mindless and

panting, desperately searching for release. Al he could feel was the

coil of pleasure winding tighter, and he knew Brad was right there

with him. Somehow the two of them had colided in the darkness,

two lost souls who’d been alone and craving something that was

raunchy and deviant and wholy erotic in a way Gavin would have

never comprehended before this moment.

Gavin shouted when he came, his entire body seizing with the

lightning bolt of pleasure that struck him. It crackled through every

cel in his body, opening a chasm of ecstasy that swalowed him

whole. The pulse of pleasure was so overpowering Gavin only

dimly heard Brad folow him into the abyss with his own shout of

gratification.

The storm took a while for them to ride out. When it did fizzle

to a low hum of contentment, Gavin found himself spread-eagle on

the bed, his cheek resting against the cool sheets with al of Brad’s

weight on him. His breathing was strained because Brad was one

massive firefighter, but Gavin didn’t care. He tilted his head to the

soft caress of kisses running from his pulse point, over the curve of

neck, and then trailing to the back of his shoulder blade.

“’S good,” Brad mumbled breathlessly, his voice heavy and

sated with sex. “I’m keeping you.”

“That works.” Gavin smiled. Wanting to hide from the

bubbling feelings of warmth and gratitude, he buried his face,

alowing Brad’s lips to drift over this nape while Gavin shamelessly

admitted, “I’m al yours.”

They weren’t elaborate words of undying love and devotion,

but the deep sense of contentment and companionship that settled

over them made Gavin feel like in some strange way that was

exactly what they were.

“Jesus, who blew sunshine up your ass?”

Gavin bit his lip, fighting the threatening smile as he reached

for a chicken wing and shrugged. “I dunno what you’re talking

about.”

“Bulshit.” Charlie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. A short,

stocky redhead with light eyes and an intense scowl, Charlie was

good at being intimidating. “You’ve been a wreck since the

shooting. Then I don’t hear from you for two days, and now you’re

smiling like you just won the fucking lottery. Spil it, Connoly.”

Gavin shifted uncomfortably as he avoided his partner’s

intense glare. The two of them had known each other for a long

time. Both Irish Catholic, both cops, they’d been friends before

they were partners because they understood each other. There

wasn’t much he didn’t tel Charlie, but this felt a little too personal.

He wanted to hold his budding relationship with Brad close to his

chest. A part of him was worried the real world would tarnish

something that felt wild and wonderful. He didn’t want to risk it

being poluted by others’ negative opinions.

“You’re meeting with the shrink in a few hours,” Charlie

warned him cautiously. “The shoot team cleared you. Al you need

is her clean bil of mental health to come back to work.”

“Are you insinuating I’m mentaly incompetent?”

“I’m saying it’s gonna look strange that a guy coming off a

shooting is as fucking pleased as you seem to be.” Charlie’s glare

was as intense as ever. “Realy, it’s noticeable.”

“Shit,” Gavin groaned, looking away. “It’s not a big deal, and

it’s not like I’m gonna be smiling like an idiot in the shrink’s office.”

“You sure about that?”

Rather than meet Charlie’s gaze, Gavin continued to glance

away. The wing restaurant was overflowing with women in tight

shirts and short shorts. Usualy he would have enjoyed the eye

candy; now al he could do was think of Brad and wish his long shift

would get over with. Despite two days of debauchery, Gavin ached

for more, and it was unlikely he was going to get over this obsession

anytime soon.

“I sorta fel into a relationship,” Gavin admitted, knowing it

was either tel Charlie or go into the shrink’s office like a fool in

love. He needed an outlet, and Charlie was the only one currently

available. Gavin turned back to his partner. “It happened fast, but

it’s been pretty hot and heavy.”

Charlie puled back, amber eyebrows rising in surprise. “You

met someone? When’d that happen? Far as I knew you were

sulking around the apartment in your sweats.”

Gavin hesitated, looking back to his basket of wings. Rather

than eat them, he puled at the skin, getting his fingers sticky. Charlie

was one of his closest friends, his partner, someone he spent

entirely too much time with. Gavin was second-guessing his decision

to use Charlie as an outlet. He’d be better off outing himself to the

shrink. She couldn’t do anything to Gavin for being gay. Brad

worked for the city, and he was out and proud. He even marched in

parades and did charity work like organize youth groups for GLBT

teens. He stil had a job and pension.

It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing to just out himself to one

shrink who wanted to make sure Gavin had a good head on his

shoulders and wasn’t randomly shooting gang members for looking

at him wrong. She’d ask why he was walking on sunshine after the

shooting, and Gavin would tel her—no apologies.

Yes, the shrink was a much better idea.

“It’s Brad.”

Gavin looked up in surprise. “W-what?”

“The relationship,” Charlie went on, speaking slowly as if

fearing for Gavin’s sanity. “It’s your roommate.”

“I—” Gavin swalowed hard. “What makes you think that?”

“Am I right?” Charlie asked rather than answer the question.

Gavin found the confession trapped in his throat. Outing

himself was good in theory, but the reality sorta sucked. He didn’t

think his partner would ditch him for it. Charlie wasn’t driving

around with liberal bumper stickers on the back of his car, but he

was progressive enough considering his conservative Irish Catholic

background. His wife Maria was an artist and socialized in gay-

friendly circles. She’d probably leave him if he dumped Gavin for

being gay. But Gavin didn’t want Charlie to be awkward around

him either. He feared an invisible wedge being driven between them

once it was out in the open.

“Yeah.” Gavin nodded, because his mama taught him to face

the things that terrified him head-on rather than hide from them.

Feeling like he might puke, he admitted to his partner, “You’re right.

It’s Brad.”

“Shit.” Charlie shook his head in disgust. “This sucks.”

Gavin’s shoulders grew tight in anger. The shock of rejection

made his voice more vicious than he anticipated. “Excuse me?”

“Not you,” Charlie said, stil shaking his head as he reached

over to his iced tea. He took a long drink before he sighed. “I made

a pretty hefty bet with Maria that you weren’t gay. Now I gotta pay

up. What is it about women, they’re always right?”

Gavin gaped, not expecting that at al. “What’d you bet?”

“A trip to Napa.”

“California?” Gavin coughed. “That’l cost a mint.”

“Tel me about it, but I thought that bet was a sure thing. I

was waiting for you to find a steady girl and enjoy season tickets to

the Bucs.” Charlie huffed, giving Gavin a glare that clearly said this

lost bet was his fault. “How the hel are you gay? You don’t look

gay. You certainly don’t act gay.”

Gavin tried realy hard not to get defensive the way Brad

always did, but it wasn’t easy. “How exactly is a gay man supposed

to act?”

“You’ve dated girls, plenty of ’em,” Charlie said, craftily

avoiding the accusation in a very coplike manner. “What about

Emily? You stil talk to her. You’re like best buds. I thought for sure

you’d get back with her.”

“I’m bi.” Gavin felt his cheeks heat as he looked back to his

basket of wings. “Or I was. Now I dunno. I guess you could label

me as gay. It doesn’t realy matter what label you put on it. I’m with

Brad and I’m happy about it.”

“Were you always bi?” Charlie leaned in and whispered like

it was a dirty secret. “Did you always, you know, like…men?”

“Always. I’ve been on sort of a dry spel, but that didn’t

mean I wasn’t interested.”

“Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?”

“’Cause I didn’t think you’d be betting on my sexuality,”

Gavin barked, knowing that more than anything was what got

Charlie’s guard up. “Why didn’t you just ask me before you made

the bet if you were looking for a sure thing?”

“I guess it just seemed far-fetched.” Charlie took another

drink of his iced tea. “But Maria was sure of it. She’s been

swearing up and down that you had a thing for your roommate since

you moved in with him.”

“Wel,” Gavin started, the smirk back, because he was that

high on sex and Brad. Even being outed to his partner couldn’t

diminish it. “That probably should have been a pretty good

indication. I did have a thing for him.”

“Yeah, but he’s so…” Charlie held up a hand, as if searching

for the right words. “And you’re so… It’s just, you know, weird.

You’re both too macho to like each other.”

Gavin frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s not exactly obvious who’s wearing the ring and who’s

buying it.” Charlie tilted his head, giving Gavin a pointed look.

“Catch my drift?”

Had Gavin realy given Charlie credit for being progressive?

“Do me a favor. Don’t say that to Brad if you ever speak to

him again. Shit like that makes him crazy.”

“Hey, man, I don’t give a fuck if you’re dating your

roommate,” Charlie said quickly. “I’m just saying it was

unexpected, especialy with Brad. That guy is huge and seriously

rough around the edges. Why not go for someone a little softer?

You ever been to South Beach? We stopped by there the last time

we visited Maria’s family in Miami, and there are some real pretty

guys walking around showing off al their assets. You’re not gonna

start wearing those tight speedo bathing suit things on the weekends

now that you’re gay, are you?”

“Jesus.” Gavin looked behind him to see if anyone was

listening, because Charlie’s voice carried like he had a loudspeaker

surgicaly inserted into his voice box. “Wil you tone it down?”

“I’m just trying to be accepting of your new lifestyle,” Charlie

said in false innocence. “I think I’m being pretty understanding

considering I’m gonna be spending a week in Napa sipping wine

and looking at sunsets thanks to you.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Gavin waved the waitress

down, desperate for a check. The shrink’s office was suddenly

more appealing than lunch with Charlie. “You make wine, romance,

and sunsets sound like a fate worse than death.”

“Wow, you realy are gay,” Charlie said with wide eyes.

“It could be worse,” Gavin said with a laugh. “She could

make you take her to New York for Broadway shows and art

galeries.”

“Very good point.” Charlie shuddered. “Hey, are you gonna

tel the shrink about your new boyfriend?”

Gavin shrugged as he took the bil from the waitress. “It’s not

realy relevant to how I do my job. I don’t think it’s necessary, and

you’ve officialy ruined my good mood. I doubt I’l be obvious.”

“She can’t tel anyone,” Charlie said seriously, before he

frowned. “At least I don’t think she can. One way or the other, if

you out yourself, I got your back. Anyone gives you shit, they’l be

hearing it from me.”

Gavin looked up from the bil, a surprised smile tugging at his

lips. “Realy?”

“Yes, realy,” Charlie snapped, his voice echoing over the

loud buzz of the restaurant. “Don’t act so fucking surprised. What’d

you think? That I’d dump you for being queer? Is that what you

think of me?”

“I’m sorry,” Gavin said, holding up his hands passively.

Hearing it from Charlie was something everyone, Gavin included,