Shooting Star (7 page)

When he felt
Brac’s
erection grind against him, Jessup broke the kiss. “Eyes,” he reminded
Brac
.

Brac
nodded, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth. “That was nice.”

The wail of the Sheriff’s SUV siren sounded as Ryan drove past them, signalling the end of the parade. “I’d better get back to work.” Jessup ran the back of his fingers down
Brac’s
cheek. “You’re starting to get a little red. Maybe you should go by the pharmacy and get some sun block if you’re going to be out all day.”

Brac
smiled, his perfect white teeth almost blinding in the late morning sunlight. “I will.”

* * * *

After a day sweating in the July heat,
Brac
took a quick shower. He took the time to thoroughly clean himself, hoping to get some action if his talk with Jessup went well. His persistent erection reminded him of how long it had been since he’d come and how much he was looking forward to seeing the deputy.

A knock at the door drew his attention.
Brac
grabbed his towel and secured it around his waist. “Come in.”

Kit came into the room, dressed in a pale pink sundress and high heels. “It’s six-thirty.”

“I’ll be ready in a minute.
Trying to decide what to wear.”

With a grin on her face, Kit strode to the closet and removed a thin white T-shirt with a deep V-neck that barely rode to
Brac’s
belly button and a pair of super low-rise jeans. “Leave off the underwear. Give the man a glimpse of what he can have if he plays his cards right.”

Staring at the chosen outfit,
Brac
shook his head. “
You trying
to make me look like a wanton slut?”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Kit handed
Brac
the clothes before walking over to the dresser, putting her back to
Brac
. “How does Jessup do his job if he can’t stand to be touched? I mean, he’s a cop. Surely he does a fair amount of touching people.”

“Touching someone and being touched are two different things to him it seems, but I think it’s being restrained in any way that really freaks him out. I guess as long as he’s on the right side of a pair of handcuffs he’s okay.”
Brac
dropped his towel and started to dress. “Hey, go through my stuff and get me a bracelet.”

Kit started going through the small box that held
Brac’s
jewellery as he quickly pulled on the jeans and T-shirt. He studied himself in the full-length mirror and shook his head. There was at least a three-inch gap between the bottom of his shirt and top of his jeans. “I don’t think this is going to work,” he mumbled.

Kit returned to his side and handed him two leather bracelets. She studied him for several moments, her gaze roaming up and down his body. If he didn’t know her so well, he would be offended by the attention she seemed to pay his groin. “If you can’t get Jessup to jump your bones wearing that, you can pack it up and go back to California knowing the man just isn’t right in the head.”

“It feels too much like I’m throwing myself at him,”
Brac
tried to argue. He ran his hand over the prominent veins leading towards his cock which rested just beyond the waistband.

“Some men are thick-headed. You have to put what you have right there in their faces to make them forget about everything but getting in your pants.”

“Fine, but if I end up looking like a fool, I’m blaming you.”

“Okay by me. Of course if you don’t come home tonight, I get all the credit.”

“If I don’t come home tonight, I’ll give you anything you want.”
Brac
kissed Kit’s temple. “Now let’s go before I’m late.”

* * * *

Before going out to meet
Brac
, Jessup went through the process of getting Priest on the phone.

“Damn, you’re needy lately,” Priest said when he answered the call.

Jessup rolled his eyes. Running off at the mouth wasn’t anything new when it came to his best friend, and even though Priest complained, Jessup knew the man enjoyed keeping in touch. “Have a question for you.”

“Shoot,” Priest answered with a chuckle.

“Do you think it’s possible for someone like me to fall in love?”

“Sure I do. I told you that last week.”

“No,” Jessup said, remembering the conversation. “You said I might get lucky enough to find someone to love me, but that doesn’t mean I can return that love.”

“When did you turn into such a goddamn pussy? If you love the guy, let him fucking know and stop whining. Just because your momma never loved you
doesn’t
mean you’re not lovable, asshole.”

The mention of the mother who’d dumped him in a cardboard box in an alley moments after his birth sliced through Jessup like a hot knife through butter. Without a second thought, Jessup ended the call. It was just like Priest to open a wound that would never heal. For years Priest had tried to convince Jessup he had nothing to do with the actions of the woman who’d given birth to him. The problem was Priest didn’t know the word subtle.

The phone in his hand began to vibrate. Jessup glanced at the display. He had a mind to leave his best friend hanging, but one thing he’d learned after spending time with Priest was not to leave things unsaid. “Look,” he began. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I’m done talking to you for now.”

“You’re loveable,” Priest whispered in the softest voice Jessup had ever heard him use. “And you wouldn’t be loveable unless you had the capacity to love within you.”

A lump began to form in Jessup’s throat. “Let’s hope the guy standing outside waiting for me thinks so.”

“I’m sure he does.”

“Be safe,” Jessup said before hanging up. He shoved the phone into his pocket and headed out of the locker room.

Pushing open the double glass doors, Jessup got his first look at
Brac
since their kiss earlier. “Damn,” he mumbled under his breath. Never had he seen anything as sexy as
Brac
Riesling in a pair of form-fitting jeans. Jessup licked his lips, his entire body on alert. “Hey.”

With a spark of mischief in his eyes,
Brac
started towards Jessup. A small red dot appeared in the centre of
Brac’s
chest, on the bare skin revealed by the low-cut shirt. It only took a split second for Jessup to react. “Get down!” He launched himself towards
Brac
. Jessup felt the slam of the bullet before he heard the shot echoing through his ears.

Unconcerned with his own safety, Jessup curled himself protectively around
Brac
. “Don’t move.”

Within moments Jessup heard the sounds of running feet. He prayed it was help and not the gunman coming to finish the job. His eyes started to drift shut as he was pulled off of
Brac
.

“No!” Jessup screamed, scrambling to hold onto
Brac
.

“It’s okay,” Ryan’s voice penetrated Jessup’s confused mind. “Ambulance is on the way.”

Jessup somehow managed to remain conscious while Brian
Allenbrand
tried to get
Brac
into the Sheriff’s station.

“I’m not leaving him,”
Brac
argued with the deputy.

Still on his stomach, Jessup attempted to lift his head. All he cared about was
Brac’s
safety and there was only one other man he trusted. “Give me my phone,” he panted. It was becoming increasingly harder to breathe.

“You’re in no condition to call anyone,” Ryan said, applying pressure to Jessup’s back.

“Give me my fucking phone,” he managed to get out. Jessup knew he’d be the only one to get hold of Priest.

With a growl, Ryan dug into Jessup’s pocket and set the phone next to him on the sidewalk. “Stubborn
sonofabitch
,” he grumbled.

Jessup called the number for Alice Weaver and waited for the recording. “It’s me,” he wheezed.
“Shot.
Need you here.” Ending the call was the last thing Jessup remembered before his world went dark.

* * * *

Brac
was seething as he stared out the interrogation room window. He’d had to stand on a chair and even then he could only see out of a small corner of the wired glass. He hit the window with his fist when the paramedics started to strap Jessup to the gurney. “No!” he screamed, knowing what Jessup’s reaction would be if he woke in the ambulance.

He heard the door open but didn’t take his eyes off Jessup.

“Come away from the window, honey,” Kit said, pulling on
Brac’s
shirt.

“Go tell them they can’t strap him down.”
Brac
glanced down at Kit before turning his attention to Hawk. “Please, make them understand.”

“You’re bleeding,” Kit said, trying to pull
Brac
down from the chair.

Brac
continued to hold Hawk’s gaze. “Please,” he mouthed again.

“I’ll see what I can do, but they’re meeting the helicopter at the football field. I doubt there’s any way they’ll let him fly to Sheridan without them.”

“Tell them what’ll happen if he wakes up like that.”
Brac
climbed down. He’d told Kit and Hawk about Jessup’s reaction to
Brac’s
legs around his waist, so Hawk was at least familiar with Jessup’s mental state when it came to feeling bound.

As soon as Hawk left the room,
Brac
slapped Kit’s hands away from his shirt. “I’m fine. It’s Jessup’s blood, not mine.”

For the first time since he’d met her, Kit grabbed
Brac
, displaying a great deal of strength. “It’s not all his blood. Now fucking stand still,” she ordered, lifting
Brac’s
shirt.

Brac
lifted his arm and looked down to see fresh blood oozing from his side. He blinked several times before realising what had happened. For some reason the proof that the bullet had passed through Jessup and grazed him filled his heart with hope. “I’m fine.
Doesn’t even hurt.”

“You need stitches.”

“No, I need to get to Sheridan,”
Brac
argued.

“Not possible,” Ryan said, coming into the room. “Whoever shot Jessup is still out there. Dr Brown’s outside. We can get him to stitch you up at the clinic and on a plane within the hour.”

“No, I’m not leaving town. Not like this.” As far as
Brac
was concerned, he was finished with Hollywood. First his parents had suffered because of his celebrity status, then Kit and now Jessup.

“Be reasonable.”

“I can’t just run and hide, Ryan. It’s my fault he was shot. I need to go to him.”
Brac
ran his hands through his hair. Why didn’t anyone understand?

“I promise you Jessup will get everything he needs once he gets to the hospital. He put his life on the line for you, the least you can do is stay safe until we find this guy.”

“Fine, then take me back to the cabin. At least I’ll still be close if Jessup needs me.” There was no way
Brac
would abandon Jessup.

“Keep your phone on,” Hawk said. “I’ll go to Sheridan and call you with updates.”

“My phone doesn’t work out there. I always used Jessup’s,”
Brac
explained.

Ryan handed
Brac
Jessup’s phone. “He made a call to someone just before he blacked out.”

Brac
had no doubt as to whom Jessup had called. He clutched the phone to his chest. “Do you think he’ll ever forgive me?”

“Of course he will, honey,” Kit soothed, taking
Brac’s
hand.

“Why don’t you go with Hawk to Sheridan? If Jessup wakes up, tell him I’m sorry, and to please call me when he’s up to it.”

Kit turned to Ryan. “Who’s going with
Brac
to the cabin?”

“It’ll just be me, although I might give Rio a call while you get stitched up.” Ryan gestured to the door. “The faster we get out of here, the faster Hawk and
Kit’ll
get to Sheridan.”

Still clutching Jessup’s phone,
Brac
nodded. “Then let’s go.”

Chapter Five

A noise woke Jessup. He opened his eyes and stared up at the biggest black man he’d ever seen. Dressed in black with a brilliant white collar, the man continued to stare down at him before finally grinning. “You look like shit.”

“You’re so kind,” Jessup replied to Priest. “Nice disguise, by the way.”

“Gets me into anywhere I need to be.” Priest started to sit in the chair next to Jessup’s hospital bed but quickly changed his mind.
“Shame about the kidney.
Guess I can mark you off the list of potential donors if I’m ever in need.”

Despite his teasing comments, Jessup could see the worry in Priest’s eyes. He reached out and bumped his hand against Priest’s. The action drew a bite of pain, but Jessup recovered before giving himself away. “I’m fine. Thanks for coming.”

Priest rested his forearms against the raised bedrails and leaned over Jessup. “Any idea
who
did it?”

Jessup had been over the events hundreds of times since he’d woken the previous day. “No, none of it makes sense. I came out of the station and
Brac
was standing there. He started towards me and I saw the red laser land in the centre of his chest.” Jessup shook his head. “He’s a goddamn television star. Why would someone equipped with a fucking laser sight try to kill him?” The more worked up he
became,
the harder it was to catch a decent breath.

Priest held up his hands. “Calm down or you’ll have this place swimming with doctors and nurses.”

“I’ll be in here for at least another three days. I need you to watch over
Brac
for me.” He reached out and put his hand on Priest’s arm. “
Brac
hasn’t told me, but I think he’s scared. The sheriff and his partner have been taking shifts at the cabin, but I’d feel better if you were there.”

He was probably crazy for putting Priest in the same room with
Brac
—after all, the man loved to fuck like a machine—but maybe putting the two of them together was the only way to prove to himself that
Brac
deserved his trust.