Page 124 of Fish in a Barrel

Jackson greeted him at the door to the kitchen and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek.

“Is it doing it again?”

“Doing what?” Ellery asked, trying to keep his voice level.

“Is it acting possessed?”

Ellery hadn’t wanted to say it.

“Yes,” he admitted. “Yes. It is acting possessed. What is this possessed car doing in my garage?”

Jackson grimaced. From the garage came another small beep, then a powering down sound, like an airplane whose engines were spinning to a stop.

“Well, I borrowed the car from Joey.”

“I figured that.” Ellery didn’t bother to get jealous anymore. If he got a bug up his ass every time he met someone who’d slept with Jackson—or wanted to sleep with him—he’d forget how to walk normal. “Where’s the CR-V?”

“Joey’s. Uhm….” Jackson finally met his eyes. “Ellery?”

“Yes?”

“Once—just this once—if I tell you I’ve got it and it wasn’t my fault, can we not ask too many questions?”

Oh Lord. He lookedsosincere.

“Were you in any danger?” Ellery asked, because this was the real sticking point between them.

“No. I would have told you if I had been.”

Okay. “Am I going to have to report this to my insurance company?” His insurance agent was ready to come over and do an exorcism anyway. After the last vehicle had bit the dust, the man had seriously asked Ellery if his boyfriend was possessed by Satan. What was he going to say now? “No, Jackson’s fine, but if we could smudge the car…?”

“I’m really trying to avoid that,” Jackson said. “Please? I feel bad enough already.”

Ellery let out a breath. They’d been together for a year and a month, and he wouldn’t change a minute of it. Jackson had functioned just fine as an adult before Ellery had arrived. Maybe it was time to trust him.

“Sure,” he said. “But, uhm, about that car. Did you know the back hatch was opening by itself?”

“Yeah,” Jackson said. “Don’t stick your hand in there—it’s a trap. Henry needed ice.”

Ellery closed his eyes and let out his tension. “Did you say chicken?” he asked desperately.

“Sadly, no. Lucifer stole the chicken just before you walked in. I think he’s hiding in the bathroom, sharing with Billy Bob. I was about to pull out the lunchmeat.” Jackson gave a game smile. “Sorry?”

And Ellery laughed helplessly. “Can I get a kiss, at least?” he asked.

Jackson’s grin appeared, the full monty, the one that popped his dimples. “God yes. C’mere, Counselor. Let’s neck.”

Sometimes that kiss waiting for him when he got home really was the alpha and omega, wasn’t it?

HENRY ANDJackson approached the recently repaired CR-V warily. They’d gotten it back the week before, and at first, they’d been just so damned grateful not to be driving the Town & Country that all the world seemed shiny and bright and all the things seemed good.

But then….

Then the wipers had gone on when they were in the middle of traffic. Then the horn would beep when neither one of them had been anywhere near it.

Then the back hatch would fly open as they approached the vehicle, and slam shut as either one of them tried to close it.

“Was it too much to ask?” Henry complained bitterly as the lights came on and the back hatch started to open.