Page 42

Chapter 22

Q uinn heard Royce’s voice outside his office and he groped for his phone. Squinting at the time, he groaned and rolled over to bury his face in the couch. He hadn’t meant to crash at the office, but he’d arrived back in Cincinnati at one o’clock in the morning and had come by the office first because he liked the showers better than at his place.

Besides he was avoiding his roommates for an entirely new reason now. He’d stopped by his apartment shortly after finishing the case with Shane and Tanner point blank asked if he was screwing around with Shane. Exhausted and frustrated, he admitted that he was gay and in love with Shane. Tanner then informed him that both he and Vince were bi and were thoroughly insulted by the fact that Quinn had assumed they were homophobic meatheads.

Now he was being endlessly teased about having shitty gaydar, which was better than fearing for his life but still a pain in the ass.

After working a series of long days in DC on a job, Quinn succumbed to the siren call of the couch with his favorite blanket still draped over it from the week before he’d left.

His heart ached at the thought of the private detective. They hadn’t exactly agreed to end things, but figuring out he was in love with the man had put Quinn into heart-protect mode and he’d backed off. He hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts and had even ducked out of the office one day when Shane had shown up. Fuck, the man was stubborn. He didn’t plan to avoid him forever—just until he felt he could fake a casual friendship. Right now, he knew his every emotion would play out on his face like a tragedy.

Quinn supposed his brooding had gotten on Rowe’s last nerve, because he’d been shipped off with Royce for the out of town job. He’d never been sent on one of those, but he’d enjoyed the week with his friend.

Royce had become so much more than a coworker over the last weeks. The man might never open up about his past, but he made it clear he considered Quinn a close friend. It made him kind of gushy inside when he really thought about it—about how his life wasn’t nearly as lonely as it had been since his mother had…well, since she’d tried to run from an abusive man in the middle of the night and was hit by a drunk driver. Ruining her life forever.

Quinn didn’t want to think about that, so as Royce’s voice grew louder, Quinn stuck his head under his pillow and tried to drift back off.

Didn’t work.

The strong scent of his favorite coffee crept under the pillow and he turned onto his back and tugged it down to his chest, then held out his hand for the coffee without opening his eyes. “Fuck, I’m beat, Royce. Thanks.”

“I’m not Royce.”

The deep voice made him drag open his heavy eyelids and before he could completely tug his sleepy brain into functioning mode, the delight spreading through him like wildfire made him smile at the man leaning over him.

Shane sucked in a breath and leaned over his head to set the coffee down on the table next to the couch. He returned and his hand was still warm from the cup as he put it on Quinn’s cheek. “This beautiful, sleepy smile of yours is my favorite thing in the world.” He leaned down and kissed him softly before whispering, “Please stop running from me.”

The warmth in his voice got to Quinn before his words did, but when they sunk in, the surge of surprise had him waking more. Enough to see that the gleam in Shane’s brown eyes looked like a hell of a lot more than mere affection. He blinked, working to bring himself fully awake because surely, he was seeing things.

Shane chuckled and leaned down to kiss him again. It started soft, but he felt so good and Quinn had missed him so much, he didn’t care about his sleep breath or anything else. He moaned and reached up to thrust his fingers into those soft curls and hold on tight to Shane as he pressed his mouth harder to Shane’s.

“Well,” he heard Royce drawl from somewhere near the door. “Looks like he’s receptive, Stephens, so how about I shut this door for you two?”

Shane didn’t stop kissing him, so Quinn ignored Royce, too. Wasn’t hard. He was more interested in reacquainting himself with Shane’s mouth and his smell and if they had been alone, his skin. Fuck, he’d missed Shane’s skin. When he tried to pull Shane fully down onto him, the man groaned, braced his hands on either side of Quinn’s head, and pushed away.

“No, we’re not doing this here. I’ve waited two fucking weeks, and what I plan to do to you as punishment for making me wait will take hours and lots of naked. So, get up, grab your coffee and your coat.” He stood and glanced around the office. “And anything else you’ll need for two days. Is that your suitcase?” He strode to the door and lifted it along with one dark brow when Quinn didn’t move.

“Two days?”

“Yep, my month isn’t over. I’ve still got two days. Well, technically, two weeks and two days since you ran off. I already told your boss you wouldn’t be back until my time is up.”

“I didn’t run off,” Quinn pointed out. “I was in DC on a job.”

His eyes narrowed. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You ran, Quinn. You were here a week and you avoided me.” He closed his eyes and sighed. “I don’t want to get into this here and I mean it. I missed you like crazy and want to be nowhere else but in bed with you.” He opened his eyes and pinned Quinn with his now angry and fucking hot gaze. “Now.”

That tone of voice reached right down into his groin and sent his already half-hard cock into full-mast. Shit, his disappearing mode had really pissed the man off. Was it weird that the lust he already felt surged a bit with that hard stare and voice?

He shivered, stood, and folded up the blanket, setting it on the pillow just as Gidget walked into the office they shared. She took one look at Shane next to her holding the suitcase and another at Quinn and started laughing.

“Shut up,” Quinn grumbled at her.

“So he finally came here to get your ass.” She turned to Shane. “About time. Are you taking Mr. Moody Pants on another vacation? Because please keep him until he can act civilized.”

“I am. He’ll be gone two more days.” His grin was slow. “Though what I have planned for him is anything but civilized.”

She cackled. “Good. Quinn needs to have his world rocked. And just two?” She dropped her messenger bag on the back of her chair and stood next to her desk with her arms crossed. She’d pulled her hair into a ponytail today and it, along with her long broom skirt and cheerful pink sweater, made her look like a teenager. “I think he needs more than two days of your time. Just sayin’.”

“For now, it’s two,” Shane said. “But if I get my way, he’ll be taking all his vacations with me.”

Quinn’s mouth dropped open and his heart started racing. He locked eyes with Shane and what he saw there made everything stop for a long moment. Long enough to make him feel like they were alone in the room. In the world .

Hands shaking, he jumped into motion. He didn’t want any of the conversation he was about to have be in front of witnesses. His stomach churned in anticipation and hope. Excitement thrummed hot through his veins. Tugging on his jacket, he gave Gidget a smile he knew she’d get. Just let it go for now, and keep your mouth shut .

She nodded, but the grin on her lips didn’t leave.

Luckily it was still early. Most of the Ward employees arriving were there for workouts, and they were all too busy to pay attention to Quinn and Shane leaving. Once outside, Shane, still carrying his suitcase in one hand, grabbed Quinn’s arm with his other and tugged him toward his car. “I’ll bring you back to get your car. I’m not letting you out of my sight until we talk this out. I can’t believe you just ran off on me like that.”

But now that he was fully awake, Quinn was in no mood to be pushed around. When they reached Shane’s car, he yanked his suitcase out of his hand and dropped it to the ground. He grabbed Shane and turned them, so he could push him into his car. He burrowed his hands under Shane’s jacket, holding his waist and pressing against him. “I went away on a job. And just what are we talking about here, Shane? Two more days of fucking?”

“Is that what you want? Is that all you want?” Shane cupped the sides of his neck, his hands warm in the cool November air. “Look me in the eye and tell me the truth.”

Heart pounding painfully in his chest, Quinn tightened his fingers on Shane’s sides and stared hard into brown eyes that looked very much like they wanted a hell of a lot more than two days of fucking. So, he took a plunge. “No, it’s not all I want.” He held his breath.

“Good, because I was planning to wear you down otherwise.” Shane tugged his head close until they were a breath apart. “I want more, Quinn Lake. I want everything you have to give me.”

“I thought you didn’t do permanent,” Quinn whispered.

“I’ve never wanted to before. And for a while, I thought this attraction was just so strong, I’d have to fuck it out of my system, but it’s not just attraction—although that’s stronger than anything I’ve ever felt for anyone before.” He rested their foreheads together. “When you took off after that killer, I thought I was going to lose my mind. The absolute terror I felt that something could happen to you shocked me and scared me to death. That’s why I was quiet for a couple of days after we got done with all the police questioning.” He pulled back to look at Quinn again. “But then you ignored me. Avoided me. Even if you didn’t want more, I didn’t think you’d do something so…so…”

“Rude? Cold?” Quinn supplied. His voice dropped. “I was scared, too. Scared that what I’m feeling was only one way.”

“And what are you feeling?”

Sure his poor heart was now trying to escape, Quinn took a deep breath, then another, hating that both were so obviously shaky. He closed his eyes, took one more breath, and then took that last plunge all the way into the abyss. “Love, Shane. I’m feeling love.”

Shane threw his head back, laughter spilling from his lips. He then wrapped his arms around Quinn and pulled him into a hug that left no room for breath. “Fuck, Quinn, I was so damn scared you weren’t feeling that, too. I love you. I know it’s crazy fast, but I’m sure of it. God, I was so pissed when you drove off after that bodyguard. And then when you avoided me.” He turned and pressed his lips to Quinn’s neck. “Don’t ever fucking do that again. You get mad at me or worry about anything, you come to me and we talk. Promise.”

“Yeah, I can do that. I promise.” A knot of joy started in his belly and spread, filling him so full. He turned and nudged Shane’s cheek, rubbing his nose in the light scruff there. “Hey,” he whispered.

This time, when Shane pulled back, there was no mistaking the mirrored joy in those expressive brown eyes of his. “What?”

“Take me back to your place, then do what you promised. Don’t let me out of your bed until we’ve had too much naked time.”

He snorted. “No such thing. Not with you. But fuck, yeah, let’s go. I’ve got two weeks of worry and anger built up, and I plan to work it off on your ass.”

Quinn just groaned and scrambled into the car. He’d spent the last two weeks jerking off to the memory of that last time with Shane. When he’d taken his time, then blew his mind. God, just thinking about it now had him sweating and shaking. He barely paid attention to the drive to Shane’s condo and didn’t even make it out of the elevator before he was pressing Shane into the wall and diving into his mouth. He groaned more when Shane started those long, thorough and drugging kisses that scrambled his mind. Shane held him close with tight grips on his hip and arm. He rubbed his dick against Quinn’s abdomen and Quinn pulled back, gasping air into his lungs.

“You are fucking intoxicating,” Shane said, voice husky with lust. “Come on. Naked.”

He tried to laugh as Shane dragged his ass down the hall and pushed him inside the condo, but he didn’t have enough air. It was all wrapped up in the exhilarating anticipation of feeling Shane inside him again.

As soon as the door shut, he pulled off Shane’s jacket and sweater, dropping them to the floor. His mouth watered at the sight of all that skin and chest hair. He licked his lips, ready to put them all over Shane, but the man had other ideas.

He tore off Quinn’s sweatshirt then crushed his mouth on Quinn’s. He didn’t take it off as he backed them into his bedroom. Quinn barely had time to glimpse the wall of black and white art over Shane’s bed before he found himself shoved onto the soft, maroon duvet.

Shane came down on top of him, their bodies twisting together. Shane dragged his hips side to side, his soft groan going to Quinn’s head. Quinn cried out and started to force his hand between them, desperate for the jeans to be anywhere but on them.

But Shane wasn’t ready to give up any space between them and only held them tighter together as he kissed and bit at Quinn’s mouth, every touch searing, so goddamn hot, Quinn thought he’d lose his mind. He felt like he was drowning in a scorching, swirling sea of desire, totally immersed and gasping for breaths even as he didn’t want his mouth or his body away from Shane’s.

Hands speared into his hair as Shane tugged his head back and put his lips on Quinn’s neck. He licked and sucked and bit down on the muscle leading to his shoulder before he kept going, nuzzling and licking every bit of skin he reached.

Quinn could only hold on to those soft curls as he spread his legs and lifted his groin up into Shane. Shane clutched his ass and ground their bodies together, moving hard against him. Quinn gasped over and over, then he tugged on Shane’s hair. “Ready. Naked. Now.” He expected Shane to laugh at his inability to speak, but the man was too worked up.

He reared back up on his knees and made short work of the rest of Quinn’s clothes before he stood, actually stood, on the bed to tug off his own shoes and jeans. He was back down, this time thankfully naked, on top of Quinn before he could formulate any more half-panted words.

Shane did a sensual roll of his hips as he made the sexiest rumbling noise low in his throat. “Want you. Fuck, I want you so much.”

“Yes,” Quinn panted. “Please.”

When Shane moved away enough to grab the supplies, Quinn turned over onto his stomach and rubbed his dick against the soft comforter.

“Oh fuck, Quinn. Look at you. Your ass.”

Quinn rolled his hips again, doing his best to entice Shane into hurrying. It worked as the man put on a condom and climbed back on top of him. He buried his face in the back of Quinn’s neck and rocked his body along every inch of Quinn’s, making him shout and grab handfuls of the bedding in his fists. He lifted his hips, loving the slide of Shane’s hard cock in his crease.

He had never imagined sex could be like this—this overpowering descent into mind-numbing pleasure, this need to feel Shane against him and on him. And in him. He wanted it so badly, he lifted his ass into Shane’s groin and shamelessly rubbed on him.

Shane was reduced to mumbling gibberish as he moved back onto his knees again. Only every other word sort of made sense but Quinn didn’t care. He could only writhe on the bed and spread his legs, hoping that Shane shoved into him soon.

“Quinn. Shit. Holy fucking. I’m gonna…look at your ass. So. Fucking. Hot.” He worked lubed fingers into Quinn while he rolled out a litany of muttered praises and more. “So crazy about you. Never felt—” He gasped when Quinn did, groaned when Quinn lifted his ass higher so Shane could go deeper with those awesome, long fingers of his. Shane’s other hand ran over his back and ass. “You have the sexiest dip in your spine just over your ass. Fuck.” He stuck his face in that spot, kissing and licking, his teeth moving to nip at Quinn’s ass cheek.

“Please,” Quinn groaned. “Dying here.”

“Yes, yes,” Shane chanted as he finally moved over Quinn. “Trying so hard to go slow.”

“Don’t. I don’t want that.” Quinn arched his back, his ass coming up to meet Shane’s dick as his head turned to meet Shane’s lips. Shane’s tongue slid into his mouth as his cock followed into his body.

“So fucking sexy.” A hoarse laugh barked from Shane’s throat. “You gotta stop rolling your ass like that—in that so fucking sensuous—I can’t concentrate.”

“I like you babbling nonsense.”

Shane nuzzled Quinn’s neck and bit down as he thrust a little harder inside him. “Be there again in a sec.” He groaned and pulled out a little only to push back in a long, solid thrust that put him all the way inside Quinn. It burned but Quinn knew what was coming as his heart raced in anticipation. He loved the absolute carnal nature of the man moving inside him and when Shane thrust in deep again, this time the noise that escaped Shane made Quinn writhe harder because it was the sound of a man losing his mind.

“You good?” Shane rasped into Quinn’s ear before biting it. “Fuck, please be good, cuz I gotta move.”

“Yes,” Quinn breathed. “Move!”

That must have been all he needed, because Shane let himself loose on Quinn and the results were plunges of raw, unadulterated passion as he surged inside him. Over and over. The pain of entry abated and the pleasure that swept through Quinn made him yell and push back up into Shane.

He dropped his weight onto Quinn’s back as he moved inside him. The sweat building between them made their skin slick and hot, and Quinn curled his hands into harder fists in the covers. He moaned long and hard, and Shane stretched up one arm until his hand was on Quinn’s. He threaded his fingers with Quinn’s and held on tight as he thrust into his body. In this position, he was nailing Quinn’s prostate over and over. Quinn thrashed and tightened his fingers on Shane’s.

“Can’t…believe…how much…I love…this,” Quinn panted, turning his head, seeking Shane’s mouth. “Fuck. Love you.”

Shane’s mouth slid wetly onto his and he had no idea who moaned as their tongues met. He spread his legs more and this time, he knew it was Shane rumbling into his mouth as his body picked up speed. They moved together, bodies flushed and slick, Shane keeping up a pounding rhythm and Quinn unable to do more than lie there and take it, his dick rubbing against the bedspread. When Shane pulled his face away and his brown eyes suddenly met Quinn’s, the absolute awe and love and raw lust mixed up in his expression sent Quinn over the edge.

Every muscle in his body went taut as he sucked in as much air as he could before the pleasure drew up in his balls and body, building and building and building until he could no longer keep his eyes open. It broke free in a scream and a rush of white-hot release as he spilled onto the bed, his body still moving with Shane’s.

All he heard then was a growl as Shane reared back, grabbed him by the hips and thrust into him two, three, four more times—his movements ragged and without rhythm—before he went still, fingers digging into Quinn’s skin as he shuddered and moaned and found his own release.

Quinn wished they didn’t have to use condoms right then because he wanted to know what it felt like to have Shane come inside his body. He moaned a little at the thought, clamping down on Shane, who gasped and gripped him hard. He had to be sensitive, but he pushed in and out a little more before he pulled all the way out and bent to rest his face on Quinn’s back. “Stay right here,” he panted against his skin. “Don’t move.”

“Okay,” Quinn murmured, eyes closed. “Like I could anyway.”

Low chuckles sounded behind him and there were other noises—probably Shane getting rid of the condom. He then heard him pad out of the room, murmur soothing nonsense to his cat in the kitchen before he came back. “There’s water on the nightstand,” he said, though he must not have planned to let Quinn have it because he stretched out on top of him again and buried his face in the side of Quinn’s neck. Soft kisses made him smile and stretch a bit to give the man plenty of access.

“You do realize you came without either of us even touching your cock?” Shane murmured into his skin.

“I did.”

“So.” Kiss. “Fucking.” Kiss. “Hot.” One long press of his lips to Quinn’s neck. “You were made for sex, Quinn.”

“If I wasn’t before, I certainly am now.” He laughed softly.

Shane made an annoyed grunting noise and bit down before he soothed the spot with his tongue. “Just for me.”

“Yeah, Shane,” he said softly. “Just for you.” That wouldn’t be a problem because no matter what Shane said, Quinn knew it was this good because it was the two of them. Together, they made fucking magic. “Are you saying you want to be monogamous?”

“I thought I made that clear.” Shane rolled off him and adjusted Quinn’s body until they faced each other on their sides while avoiding the wet spot in the bed. He slid one arm under his pillow and the other he left on Quinn’s ribs. He stroked his thumb over his skin. “Monogamous, together—a couple, you and me.”

“What about the others you sleep with?”

“What others?”

“I saw you with that couple that one night, remember?”

Norma Jean jumped onto the bed and Shane quickly pulled the covers up over them both, probably to protect them from her claws. “I ended that arrangement with them that night, Quinn. I didn’t know I was in love with you at that point, but I knew I didn’t want to be with them or anyone else. Besides, what I had with them was casual.”

Quinn couldn’t stop his grin. “They were so hot, I may or may not have had a few really great fantasies about you with them.”

Shane tugged him closer and slid a leg between Quinn’s. “Oh yeah? I like fantasies so I want to hear all about those. Later. Right now, I need to know that we’re on the same page.”

“Do I look like I want to go anywhere?”

“No,” he answered with a laugh. “But you also look pretty fucked out.”

“I am. I don’t think I still have legs.”

Shane rubbed his hairy thigh between Quinn’s. “Oh, you do. Sexy, sexy legs. Fuck, Quinn, you looked so hot under me.”

He stared at him for several long moments. “I really like being under you. And over you. And I’ll probably love being behind you.”

Shane’s eyes rolled back as he groaned. “Give me a few minutes and I’ll accommodate you anywhere you want to do that.”

He scooched as close as he could, tucking his face against Shane’s chest. “Later. I only slept a few hours here and there on that trip from DC.” Because Shane couldn’t see him, he felt brave enough to admit, “I was so sad at the thought of not being like this with you again. Not being here. I hated it. Hated feeling like that.”

Arms tightened around him. Shane pressed his lips to the top of Quinn’s head. “I felt the same way and I hated it, too. Just so you know, I’d rather you sleep here the nights you don’t want to be in your apartment. Here instead of at the Ward office.” His body shook as he laughed. “I um, bought you some things, hoping to lure you back here to my place.”

“What things?”

“Game systems.”

Quinn pulled back to look at him. “Systems? Plural?”

The shrug he gave was pretty cute along with that sheepish grin. “I didn’t know which one you preferred, so I got them all.”

Quinn sat up. “Wait a second. You bought all of the game systems? There’s no way.” He jumped out of bed and headed toward the living room.

The growl behind him made him grin as he heard Shane grumbling. “I shouldn’t have told him until tomorrow. Come back to bed!” The last sentence he yelled.

But Quinn was too busy standing in his living room and looking at the boxes. He had gotten them all. The newest Xbox, PlayStation, a Nintendo Switch…there was even a small Nintendo NES—one Quinn knew was damn hard to find. There were more. Also games, most of them currently being shoved around the room by a curious Norma Jean. She patted one close to his foot and sat back to look up at him.

“See?” Warm arms came around him from behind as Shane propped his chin on Quinn’s shoulders. “She’s welcoming you to our home, too. I knew that was a smart cat the first time I saw her in the shelter. So, what do you say?”

“To what?” He hugged Shane’s arms close. “You know I have the systems already, right? You can take these back, because I know you spent a fortune here.”

“Nope, they’re staying. That way you don’t have to worry about moving them from your place to mine. You can stay here and play when you want. You can even teach me. I’ve always kind of wanted to learn to play.”

Quinn slumped against him. “It’s too much. You’re too perfect now. Something’s gotta be bad about all this.”

“Let me think.” He licked into Quinn’s ear. “Yeah, I suppose there are some things. I drink out of the cartons in my refrigerator. I forget clothes in the washer and sometimes end up having to wash them three or four times by the time I remember to put them in the dryer. Norma Jean’s litter box can occasionally be a toxic waste dump, but I’ll remember to clean it a lot if it means you come around more.”

“I’ve never even smelled it once since I’ve been here.”

“That’s because I’ve been working hard to impress you. I’ll probably still do that, but I may slip up now and then so just be warned. Oh!” He kissed his shoulder. “There is one other thing you’ll have to get used to. My dad. He’s going to be really happy about this and will probably squeeze the life out of you in one of his crazy-long hugs.”

“Shane, that’s not a bad thing. None of those things are deal breakers.” He turned in his arms. “I work a lot, I get lost in video games and”—he bit his lip—“I can be a little grouchy sometimes.”

Laughter shook Shane’s body. “Yeah, Quinn, I kind of noticed that. It’s not a deal breaker for me either because I think you’re hot as hell when you’re all sullen and mouthy.”

“You do, huh?”

“Yep. And I’m sure we’ll remember more things, but think of all the time we’ll have to find out more? Right now, I can only think of one thing.” He let him go but grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the bedroom. “The two weeks of naked make-up time you owe me.”