by T. M. Smith
“It is. Wait, why do you assume it’s me?”
Taylor chuckled, and Shannon could hear Frank’s muffled voice as well. “ ’Bout damn time he arrived—late as usual, Dupree!”
The gate buzzed and slowly swung open. He didn’t bother to respond to Frank’s comment, instead rolling his eyes and pulling through the gate, waiting until it closed to drive around to the back of the property where the Langford-Moore home was. Thankfully the community the townhouse was in had a large parking area for guests, so Shannon didn’t have to drive around aimlessly looking for a spot. Grabbing the bottle of bubbly he’d brought, he climbed out of the car and headed toward the house. The door was already open as he came up the steps, Taylor, Frank, and Caleb all crowded in the doorway, music and laughter filling the room behind them.
“I knew it was you because everyone else is already here.” Taylor responded to the question he’d asked a few minutes ago.
“You did actually read your invitation, right?” Frank teased, and Shannon rolled his eyes again.
Pushing past the three stooges, he headed straight for the kitchen. “You know how I like to make an entrance.” He smiled, batting his eyelashes dramatically. There were at least a dozen people in the living room sitting and talking, dancing or standing around trying to blend in. He recognized everyone, though he couldn’t remember all their names, except for the man that stood with Blair and Bradley, Taylor’s friends. Shannon made a mental note to ask Taylor who the man was after he got a drink.
“Shan, sweetie, get your sassy ass over here and gimme a hug!” Justine, Caleb’s wife, hollered from her perch on top of one of the counters. For such a tiny woman, she had a tight squeeze, her arms wrapping around him like a snake.
“Why you so late, sweets?” Her words were slurred, polished off with a hiccup and a burp.
Shannon cracked up; he couldn’t help it. “Classy, Justine, real classy.” Grinning, he opened the fridge and added the champagne he’d brought to the shelf with the other unopened bottles, grabbing the opened one to pour himself a glass.
“Jesus, woman, I can’t take you anywhere.” Caleb lifted his wife off the counter, helping her stand on unsteady legs, leading her out to the living room. Caleb Knight was a big man, well over six feet, with copper-colored, wavy hair. His wife, Justine, was barely five feet, and she might weigh a buck twenty-five, maybe. The spry little woman hopped away, balancing on the balls of her feet as she waved to Shannon, telling him to save her a dance, and he responded that he would though he was confident she’d be passed out sometime in the near future.
Taylor shook his head at the couple, moving around them and into the kitchen, walking straight over to Shannon and pulling him into another tight hug. “I’m so happy you could make it, Shan.”
“Yeah, sorry I’m so late. I was gathering all the paperwork and information that the leasing company requested for the rental space.” Shannon had decided he would move to the Dallas area when he graduated in a couple of months. While he loved Austin and had enjoyed his time there, the idea of being part of a family that accepted him was appealing. So, with Taylor’s assistance, he was moving to Dallas and starting his own yoga studio in the Arts District of the city.
Shaylor Yoga and Dance would be opening in March of the new year, and Shannon was excited to start this next chapter in his life. If someone had told him five years ago that he’d be free to live his life out and proud and away from Bruce, he’d have laughed in their face. Not only had he washed his hands of that dark time in his life, he had a best friend through whom Shannon had gained a family. “You have everything you need then? If you need anything else from me, let me know,” Taylor told him.
They talked for a few minutes before Frank nabbed Taylor to come help him get the guest bedroom ready; apparently Justine was trying to dance on the coffee table, and her husband was taking her to bed. Shannon mingled until his glass was empty, sending him back to the kitchen for a refill. “Grab a couple of beers for me and Frankie while you’re in there, Tink, would ya?” Taylor called out from the living room.
With a full glass and two beers, he rejoined the party, Taylor and Frank both thanking him for the bottles he handed them. “So, who’s the hottie with Blair and Brad?” Shannon asked Taylor.
“That’s Rory Landers—he works with Blair at the Bureau. Why? You interested?” Taylor grinned, waggling his eyebrows.
“Jesus, who wouldn’t be?” Shannon eyed Rory Landers from head to toe and back up again, blushing when his eyes met emerald-green orbs. The man in question smiled knowingly, saying something to Blair before crossing the room, coming to a stop right in front of him.
“Who’s your friend, Taylor?” Gorgeous asked, never taking his eyes off Shannon.
“Rory Landers, this is one of my best friends, Shannon Dupree.” Taylor introduced them.
He got lost in the man’s eyes, was mesmerized and speechless. He was a few inches shorter than Shannon’s six foot two, his body toned and lithe, the turtleneck and black jeans he wore hugging his frame perfectly. “Shannon, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
He shook the offered hand, feeling the flush of heat in his cheeks, not really knowing where the shyness was coming from. After spending so many years under the thumb of a domineering boyfriend, Shannon had gone gay-boy crazy when he first arrived in Austin. Grindr was an amazing app that he’d fully utilized to the point he was certain he should have been a paid spokesperson for the company. Hell, it was how he met Taylor almost four years before. “Hi, it’s ni-nice to meet you, Rory.” He finally managed to push a few words out, embarrassed as hell that he was stuttering.
“Well, I’m gonna go find my man and let the two of you get acquainted.” Taylor grinned madly, winking at him over Rory’s shoulder, and Shannon couldn’t keep from giggling.
“So, how do you know Taylor and Frank?” Rory asked, leaning into his personal space so the question could be heard over all the noise in the room.
“Funny story—Taylor and I hooked up once several years ago, before him and Frank. It didn’t work out romantically, but we stayed in touch, saw each other around campus, and became really good friends. Now he’s family,” Shannon explained. Good lord, the man’s gorgeous green eyes were distracting.
Rory listened intently, and he liked that. No one had ever really listened to him before he met Taylor, Frank, and their close-knit group of family and friends. It was a foreign concept to him and had taken some getting used to. “Can we go out on the patio and talk? It’s so loud and rambunctious in here—I can barely hear what you’re saying.”
Shannon had to agree with Rory’s observation. It was colder than a well digger’s ass outside, but there was a chiminea on the porch, and Taylor kept a couple of blankets in the utility closet outside. So he followed Rory across the living room—watching the man’s ass of course—and closing the glass doors behind them after they stepped onto the patio. Fetching two blankets, Shannon offered one to Rory and they pulled a couple of chairs up beside the chiminea that was all toasty and warm with a fire already going.
“My turn. How do you know Frank and Taylor?” Shannon couldn’t tell if Rory flinched at the question, or if he was just shivering because he was cold. Staring into the fire, Rory laid it all out there for him: his job and being assigned to Frank, their relationship and the disaster that ensued when Frank first learned who Rory was. Listening, Shannon remembered a conversation he’d had with Taylor about purchasing a new bed and why and almost laughed out loud.
“I was actually shocked that I was invited to the party tonight, and I almost didn’t come. I’m happy I did though. I got to talk with both of them, and I can’t help but see how in love they are. Frank and I will never be more than acquaintances, but I can see Taylor and I forming a friendship. Besides…” Rory finally looked over at him, eyes intense and certain. “…had I not come tonight, I wouldn’t have gotten to meet you.”
“Oh, yes, that would have been tragic,” Shannon responded playfull
y, happy that he had a hold on his emotions once again. He couldn’t deny he was insanely attracted to the man, and Rory was easy to talk to, but he’d have to get to know the guy better before even considering talking about the past. This was the first man, aside from Taylor, that Shannon thought he could be honest with though. There was a kindness in Rory’s eyes that shined bright, a vast contrast to the near blackness that always glared at him when he was with Bruce.
“Have you moved to Texas now, or are you back in Virginia?” Shannon was enjoying himself and hoped the night would end with a kiss and a date, but he didn’t want to get attached to a man that was just visiting.
“Agent Cummings and I share an apartment in Dallas for the foreseeable future, but we’re still waiting to see if the Bureau approved our transfer here. So the majority of my things are still in storage in Virginia.” Rory added wood to the fire, looking over and smiling at him. Shannon was grateful for the cold and the fire; both could easily explain the flush in his cheeks. Agent Landers was already getting under his skin, and it was taking a lot of strength for Shannon to stop himself from climbing into the man’s lap and kissing him until they were both flushed and sweaty, and not from the fire. But that was the old Shannon, the one that hopped from guy to guy in an attempt to hide his insecurities.
Clearing his throat, Shannon sipped from the hot, steaming mug of coffee with Bailey’s that Taylor had brought them a few minutes ago. “There’s a possibility you might have to go back to Virginia for good then?” Wouldn’t that be just his luck? Find a decent guy with a real job and he’s only in town temporarily.
“Sorry, let me rephrase my previous statement. I’m ninety-nine percent certain we’ll get approved to transfer. We’re still waiting on the paperwork that will make it official though. But we are still traveling a lot between here, Virginia and Washington, where we’re working a case right now.” Shannon almost swallowed his tongue when Rory mentioned Washington. Taking a deep, calming breath, he pushed down the fear threatening to flood his veins. It was just a state—one of fifty that many, many people lived and worked in. “Enough about me. Tell me more about Shannon Dupree.”
Shannon told Rory about college and the yoga studio he would open after he graduated and moved to Dallas full-time. They shared their coming out stories, Rory’s parents always being very accepting, which was the opposite of how Shannon’s rents had acted. “It was hard after that for a very long time. But eventually I wound up in Austin, and then I met Taylor, and my life is so much better now. I know that if I need anything, there are about a dozen people that would drop everything to lend a hand. Growing up with emotionally challenged parents and no friends, it took some getting used to when I was thrust into Taylor’s world.”
Laughing, Rory agreed with him. “Yes, they are a motley crew, but a family nonetheless. Will you hold this for a second?” Rory handed Shannon his mug, reaching for another piece of wood to toss into the chiminea. “Thanks. So, where did you say you were from?”
I didn’t, Shannon thought, seconds away from bolting when Blair slid the patio door open, giving him an out. “Guys, get your asses in here—it’s almost midnight!”
Rory stood, offering his hand and pulling Shannon to his feet, Rory’s hand going to the middle of his back, guiding him into the townhouse. Christ almighty, the protective nature of the man beside him was both welcome and terrifying, and the warring emotions were making Shannon dizzy. Rory stopped, turning to face him, a genuine smile on his face. He could hear Ryan Seacrest in the background as the countdown to midnight rang out in the crowded living room. Nestled in a corner by the front door, Rory leaned in and Shannon closed his eyes, expecting a quick press of lips and nothing more.
The kiss was slow and gentle until Rory slid his tongue into Shannon’s mouth, tilting his head to the side so he could deepen the kiss. Everything and everyone disappeared, his sole focus on the man that was kissing him reverently. Holy fuck! So, this is what a kiss is supposed to be, how it’s supposed to feel. The perfect gentleman, Rory didn’t press his body to Shannon’s or push him up against the wall, which was what Shannon’s inner diva wanted right then.
When Rory pulled back, Shannon slowly blinked his eyes open, gasping when he saw the look of want and need in Rory’s dancing green eyes. “Wow, Shannon Dupree, I could have missed you,” the man whispered, turning his legs to jelly.
Before he could muster up a response, Taylor came over and clapped him on the back, hard, pulling Shannon into a bone-crushing hug and hollering, “Happy New Year, Tink!”
Dazed and confused, Shannon let Rory take his hand and lead him into the kitchen where they accepted the glasses of champagne Frank was passing out. “Everyone, listen.” Frank held his glass high, looking over at the faces of all their friends, smiling. “This past year has been daunting and trying, but it’s also been wonderful, and Taylor and I are so happy that all of you are here to celebrate with us tonight, in our new home.”
Taylor walked around to where Frank was standing, wrapping an arm around him and leaning in for a kiss. The two of them were the picture of happiness, strength, and love. He envied them. God, how he wanted what they had. A strong arm wrapped around his waist, pulling Shannon close and he chuckled, shaking his head and smiling at Rory. “Happy New Year, guys.” Frank tipped his glass, and they all toasted.
When he left an hour later, Rory walked Shannon out to his car, leaving him glassy-eyed and tingling from another kiss. They exchanged numbers and made tentative plans for dinner the following week. He went to bed that night knowing that if he and Rory continued to date and grew closer, eventually he’d have to be honest with him about his past. Shannon prayed for guidance and hoped the sexy FBI agent would stick around when, and if, he opened up about the skeleton in his closet.
Chapter Seven
Rory Spring 2016
“Goddammit, Davis. Would you make up your mind whether or not you want to work on the Langford case or the Columbia River Killer case? Your jumping back and forth is giving me whiplash.” Rory growled. The man was a brilliant investigator, and his ties to the military came in handy, but sometimes he would steer between the two cases—no, more like zigzag, and it drove Rory insane.
“Fuck off, Landers.” Rand flipped him off, standing and shoving his chair back. “I’m going to find Cummings—it’s his turn to buy lunch.” He stalked out of the office. Rory caught himself starring at Davis’s ass and clenched his fists. The man was infuriating, and he had no right to be so fucking sexy. His attraction to the detective pissed him off; the man was a bear, barking orders and bossing people around. Well, that shit didn’t work on Rory, and he told him so. But there were times when he’d find Rand engrossed in something, running his hand over his short, buzzed hair, chewing on his bottom lip, and fuck it all if that wasn’t endearing as hell.
Officially, the Langford case was solved. Taylor’s biological father had killed his mother and the man Taylor thought was his father, Emily and Sean Langford. He’d then spent a decade in prison in Texas before being released and coming after Taylor. But there was something about the case that continued to bother Rory as well as Rand Davis, both of them certain there was so much more they were missing. So they kept tracking people down and following up on leads whenever they weren’t working on other things. Like the serial killer in Washington that they’d dubbed the Columbia River Killer. That was in Davis’s neck of the woods, he had connections at the Naval base as well as the Pentagon, so he was a welcome member of their team. Recently he’d met Rand’s sister, Claire Davis, who was bright, bubbly, and friendly—nothing like her asinine big brother. Rand was furious when Rory asked Claire if Rand was adopted. “Hey, I thought it was hilarious.” Claire giggled when Rand stormed out of the office.
Jesus, thinking about the Washington case put him in a right foul mood. They were up to fifteen young men as possible victims in the case, nine that they’d definitively linked together. And Gonzales was convinced that the drowning victim circled bac
k to the Columbia River Killer as well—but they would need more solid proof to add him to the list. All of the bodies that had been identified by witness, DNA, or medical records were between fourteen and sixteen when they went missing and none were older than nineteen when they were found. Though one fucking person eluded them: Judge Dickhead’s grandson. They had no sightings, no witnesses, and no body to account for Harold Tullor Junior.
The ornery detective had actually been instrumental in linking several of the victims to the Columbia River Killer, and Rory couldn’t be happier that Rand was assisting on the case. He was easy to talk to and able to pull details from witnesses with reassuring smiles and boatloads of charm. However, his mood swings and childlike outbursts like the one just a few minutes earlier, while rare, irritated Rory to no end. The man could be smiling and relaxed one minute then furious and lashing out at everyone within shouting distance the next.
If he were honest with himself, what truly frustrated Rory was the fact that he was insanely attracted to the detective. Damn it all to hell! His phone vibrated and Rory snatched it, pressing the Talk button with more force than necessary. “Landers,” he barked.
“Oh my, someone is having a bad day.” Shannon chuckled.
Relaxing, Rory leaned back in his chair and smiled. “Yeah, you could say that. But it just got a whole lot better.” He and Shannon had been dating since New Year’s and were growing closer with each passing day. Rory was his date for the graduation party Taylor and the Stones threw for Shannon the night after the ceremony in Austin. It was a breath of fresh air to get away from the job and the cases that were wearing him thin and spend time with Shannon and Taylor and the rest of their family. Even Frank had softened where Rory was concerned.
“We still on for dinner tonight?”
“Of course. I’ve been thinking about eating you for dinner—sorry, I meant eating dinner with you—all day.” Rory could see the blush creeping up Shannon’s cheeks in his mind. It was one of the things he loved about his boyfriend, the way he blushed when Rory complimented him. The first time they had sex, he’d gotten to see that flush from head to toe, and it was very invigorating to know he turned Shannon on that much. Just thinking about Shannon, naked and writhing underneath him, made his dick hard, and he wiggled around in the chair to adjust his now tight pants.
