Page 34 of Zero Divergence
“Have some fond memories from the club, huh?” Royce asked. It took a monumental effort on his part to stifle the jealousy rising inside him.
Sawyer braked at a red light and looked at Royce. “If by fond memories, you’re referring to meaningless sex where both parties get off quickly and without emotion, then yes. I didn’t make the kind of connection there that Jonah made with Kendall.” Sawyer briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I wouldn’t trade what I have with you for an army of waiters dressed in those uniforms or endless nights of meaningless, emotionless sex.”
Royce chuckled, making Sawyer frown. “The light is green.”
Sawyer shifted his attention back to driving. “You don’t believe me. Is that why you laughed?”
“Of course, I believe you,” Royce said, reaching over to cup the back of Sawyer’s neck. “I’m the second half of this whole, so I know damn well what we have is precious and rare.” He chuckled again. “I just can’t help thinking The Cockpit’s uniform sounds like something a tribute band would wear while paying homage to The Village People.”
Sawyer laughed so hard he cried. He was still wiping tears from his eyes when they pulled up to the ridiculous guard shack at the fancy-schmancy gated community where Randy Dagger and State Senator Jack Vincenzo lived. The liveried dude guarding the wrought iron gates looked like he couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag. The man’s thick mustache weighed more than the rest of him.
Sawyer held up his badge, expecting the guard to unlock the gates immediately. Instead, Mustache Man picked up a clipboard with a pen attached to it by a string. The guy fumbled around with the dangling pen for a good thirty seconds before he outsmarted it—an inanimate object incapable of thought or evasive maneuvers. Royce sent up a prayer of gratitude this man wasn’t armed.
“I need to write down who you’re here to visit.” Mustache Man’s nasally voice and attempt at bravado grated on Royce’s nerves.
“This badge says you don’t,” Sawyer countered. “You may write down our badge numbers and the time we enter or leave, but I am not required to state my business to you. You’re more than welcome to call the station and confirm our identities. If you’re not going to pick up the phone, then open this gate right now, or I’ll arrest you for obstructing official police business.”
Mustache Man let out a nervous squeak as he released the gates.
“Have a nice day,” Royce yelled through Sawyer’s open window as they drove off. To Sawyer, he said, “I’m so turned on right now.”
“The mustache does it for you, huh?” Sawyer quipped. “You’re imagining it tickling sensitive areas, aren’t you?”
Royce shuddered hard and not in a good way. “And there goes my arousal.” He might like having Sawyer tickle his inner thighs with a mustache, but not the idiot back at the guard shack.
Sawyer laughed. “Probably a good thing.” He glanced over at Royce before taking a left at a fork in the road. “Care to tell me what got you so worked up?”
“Your forcefulness back there with Mustache Man. It does for me what those little aviator uniforms do for you.”
“Shut up about the uniforms, will ya?”
“You know I love you, right?” Royce asked.
“Um, yeah, but I’m not sure I like where this is going.”
Royce reached over and placed his hand on Sawyer’s thigh. “Last night, as I drifted to sleep, I told myself there was nothing I wouldn’t do to please you. I’ve had a change of heart.”
“Okay, Idefinitelydon’t like where this is going.”
“I discovered the one thing that’s off-limits,” Royce continued.
“Just one?” Sawyer asked sardonically.
“I will not put on the aviator uniform for you and parade around.”
Sawyer burst into another round of laughter. “I get the impression you think I’ve lived a much more exciting life than I’ve actually led. I have never once asked anyone to dress up and parade around to please me.”
“Not true,” Royce emphatically said, waggling his finger. “You asked if I still owned my Marine Corps dress blues.”
“I did, and the idea of how you’d look in that uniform makes my eyes roll back in my head.”
“Not while you’re driving, GB,” Royce warned.
Ignoring the last part, Sawyer continued. “But I never mentioned you parading around in it. I only wanted to strip it off you.”
Royce’s mouth went dry again, or maybe it hadn’t fully recovered from Sawyer’s show of muscle with Mustache Man. “Is this a good time to mention I dug out the uniform from the closet to see if it fits?”
Sawyer made a noise that was part growl and part hum. “And did it?” he asked hopefully.