Risking It All

by Max Hudson

  Drew wasn’t too sure. Neither were his bosses. But Drew was coming to realize Harry was incredibly stubborn and once his mind was made up, he couldn’t be swayed.

  “My boss isn’t too happy about this, Harry. We shouldn’t be using you to get to Callow.”

  “I’m a cop, Drew.” Harry snapped, crushing the plastic bottle in his hands before tossing it into the bag for the recycling. “I know the risks I’m taking.”

  “But you’re also the brother of the man we’re going after.”

  Harry glared at him.

  “You don’t believe that I want him behind bars as well?”

  “I believe that’s what you want. But everyone else is dubious.”

  Martin had certainly raised objections. However, Drew knew that trying to persuade Harry to do otherwise and go with his family would be pointless. If he couldn’t persuade him, his boss certainly couldn’t.

  “I don’t blame them for that. If I was in their position, I’d think the same thing.” Harry sighed and turned back toward the fridge. “I’m going to make something to eat. You want something?”

  “Okay.”

  It was then that Drew remembered that he hadn’t eaten anything. He had been surviving on coffee since waking up that morning, water while at the gym. Now his stomach was growling, demanding food.

  He settled at the counter island and watched as Harry made his way around the fixing, mixing ingredients together and cooking it without slowing down. The delicious aromas from the meatloaf he had made from scratch floated through the air. It made Drew remember the times when he was a kid and his mother had made meatloaf on a Saturday after his soccer games. That was a moment of nostalgia for him. Sitting here watching Harry looking very much at home in the kitchen made Drew remember watching his own mother cook up a meal with very few ingredients.

  Harry certainly looked like he knew what he was doing. Drew could barely cook toast and a boiled egg. Harry moved around the kitchen almost as if he had been a chef in a previous life. He looked very much at home. Drew couldn’t look away and watched in silence as Harry concentrated on making a batch of potatoes to roast.

  “There.” Harry slid the tray of potatoes into the oven and shut the door. “I need to turn them every now and then, but I don’t need to do anything else for forty minutes, thank God.”

  Drew chuckled.

  “You looked very much at home doing that.”

  “I’ve had to learn fast with no woman in the house. Andrea always made everything from scratch for Jamie and Adam, so I needed to do it myself.” Harry leaned on the counter. Sweat beaded his forehead. “Andrea’s mother was a chef, and I asked her for some help.”

  “You still talk to your in-laws?”

  “Of course. They’re good people and they adore Jamie and Adam.” Harry swallowed. “Neither of them knows who Andrea’s killer is, and I don’t want them to know.”

  “You might not have that option.” Drew reminded him.

  “I know.” Harry sighed. “I just hope they don’t think I’m part of it.” He pushed off the counter and opened the fridge again. “I’ve got a couple of beers in here. I know you’re on duty, but you fancy one?”

  “I’ll stick with water or a soda.”

  “Okay.” Harry took out a bottle of water and tossed it across the room, Drew catching it with one hand. “I hope you don’t mind if I get a little bit drunk.”

  “It’s your house.”

  “And my mess.” Harry grunted.

  He shut the door after taking out a beer bottle. Then he took off the top with a bottle opener and then had a long swig. Drew had to stop himself from staring as his eyes drifted down Harry’s body. Damn, he looked good.

  That’s enough. Less than ten minutes alone and his mind was going into overdrive. Think of something else to talk about, anything.

  “How are your in-laws getting on with the isolation?”

  “Going stir crazy. My father-in-law had some health problems, so he’s got to be inside for twelve weeks.” Harry leaned his elbows on the counter again. “I can understand how he feels. Just a couple of days with my kids and I want to scream. I love them, but it’s difficult to deal with.”

  Drew laughed.

  “I’m sure they’re not that bad.”

  “You wait until you have to live with them day in, day out when there are restrictions.” Harry shook his head. “The only respite I get is when I’m at work. That’s not right, surely.”

  Drew had to concede that. He unscrewed the cap on his bottle of water and took a sip.

  “I’m glad I’m still allowed to work. I’d be staring at four walls otherwise.”

  “You don’t have a partner to keep you entertained?”

  Drew shook his head.

  “Not for the last three years. My ex left shortly after I was injured by your brother. Tried to explain it away that he couldn’t cope, but he was only hiding the fact that he had been cheating.” He shrugged. “I haven’t been with anyone else since. It’s become less of a priority for me.”

  It could be why he was finding Harry attractive now. Three years as a monk, and Drew’s body was going into overdrive.

  “Are you serious?”

  Harry was staring at him like he had grown an extra head.

  “Of course I am. Why would I lie about that?” Drew was confused at his response. “Why do you find that a surprise?”

  “I...well, I…” Harry shook himself. “Sorry, I shouldn’t be so surprised that you’re gay.”

  “You thought I might be straight?”

  Harry shrugged.

  “I can’t guess what anyone’s sexuality is. That’s where my reading of people falls apart. I just thought that, as a good-looking man, you would have a partner waiting for you at home.”

  He thought Drew was good-looking? That made heat bloom in Drew’s chest. Focus. He tapped the bottle lid on the counter.

  “I’ve not been able to trust men since my ex. By the time I realized that I hadn’t slept with anyone, it was a year later. I had just thrown myself into my work and sex became less of a priority.”

  “You became a monk because of one man’s betrayal?” Harry chuckled. “You don’t look like the type who would let a betrayal get you down.”

  “Trust me, what you see isn’t always what you get.” Drew spread his hands. “Think of me as a swan. Graceful on top, floundering away madly under the surface.”

  Harry laughed. Damn, even his laugh sounded good. Maybe Drew should have gotten someone else to sit with Harry and he went with the twins. But Drew knew he wouldn’t have trusted anyone to keep Harry safe except himself. Selfish, yes, but Drew wasn’t about to be swayed. Even though he knew being alone with this man was going to be dangerous.

  “How about you?” Drew cleared his throat, fixing the lid to the bottle. “Any ladies in your life?”

  “Nothing long-term. I’ve had one-night stands, both men and women.” Harry paused. “More men, if I’m honest, than women. But no one wants a man with baggage.”

  “I wouldn’t call your kids baggage.”

  “That’s how others have seen them, I’m afraid.” Harry grunted. “I won’t settle for anyone who may make my heart skip but won’t accept my kids. They come with me.”

  “Good for you.” Drew murmured.

  For a moment, he began wondering if he could manage becoming a stepfather to Jamie and Adam. He hadn’t thought about kids seriously before, not even with his ex. Something always stopped him.

  Inwardly, he groaned. He was going to get himself into serious trouble if he couldn’t keep his mind on the job. Neither of them was declaring undying love for each other or a future together. They were simply together due to circumstance and they had a job to do. It wasn’t to rip each other’s clothes off and explore their respective bodies.

  That got Drew thinking. He had heard about love at first sight. Was this it? It was certainly lust at first sight, but it felt like it was on a deeper level. He barely knew Harry Bry
ant, but his feelings toward him were already strong. It was more than just a base level as well. Drew was scared of the intensity, but he wasn’t backing away from it.

  It would just be his luck to find love at the wrong moment.

  Harry looked at the clock and sighed.

  “The time seems to be crawling. Alex still hasn’t got back to me.”

  “Well, you did only call him half an hour ago to say you had had thought about what he said, and you wanted to discuss it with him. He’s probably figuring out what to do with it and how to treat this call.”

  “Or he’s busy being balls-deep inside Rosalie.” Harry muttered, making a face.

  Drew laughed.

  “At least someone’s keeping him occupied.” He undid the lid of his bottle and took a swig. “You got any ideas what we can do to pass the time once we’ve eaten?”

  “I’ve got some cards.” Harry reached for the oven gloves. “We can play poker. Or you can play a video game. Jamie and Adam aren’t anywhere near it to hog it all the time.”

  “Best stay away from cards, then. I’m a bad loser when it comes to poker.”

  Harry flashed him a grin over his shoulder and he tugged on the gloves.

  “So am I.”

  Chapter Seven

  “I still think this is a bad idea.” Drew grumbled as he settled onto the couch. “I’m supposed to be on duty, not playing strip gaming.”

  Harry laughed. The moment he had suggested, mostly in jest, Drew had gone bright red and had begun shuffling about in his chair. Then suddenly, the joking suggestion became less of a joke and more of an idea. All through dinner, which Drew had praised and even asked for seconds, Harry had found himself watching Drew a little too much. The man was gorgeous, and he seemed to know it. The arrogance of the man was astounding. But it didn’t make him less attractive.

  Nevertheless, Harry wanted to bring that arrogance down a few notches. That he could do.

  He shouldn’t be scheming on getting a federal agent naked when he was supposed to be on duty. He was meant to be working, watching out for Alex in case the bastard decided that he was going to deal with Harry’s phone call by confronting him at home. Not playing a multiplayer game with Harry and stripping every time he lost.

  They were both going to get into serious trouble. But Drew was complaining less and less, and Harry was beginning not to care about it now.

  “Well, you’re not going to be totally stripped.” He brought out his gun and held it up, which he put on the coffee table. “Just keep your gun nearby and we can protect ourselves. It’s just us if Alex manages to get in, so nobody’s going to say anything.”

  “Alex might.” Drew reminded him.

  “And who’s going to believe a manipulative murderer who’s been on the run for years?” Harry turned on the video game machine and brought out the controllers. “We just won’t put in the report that we were naked when we arrested him.”

  “One of us will be naked. And it won’t be me.”

  Harry glanced up. Drew was watching him with a fixed stare. Were his eyes darker than before? He certainly had something radiating from him. During dinner, he had divested himself of his jacket and loosened his tie. His hair was a little rumpled from constantly running his hands through it. It was a good look on him.

  Harry bit back a growl as arousal twisted in his belly. Maybe suggesting strip gaming was not such a good idea. But he had laid down the challenge and Drew had taken it. He couldn’t back out now. Plus, a selfish part of him wanted to see Drew shirtless, if not more.

  Who said sitting around waiting for a serial killer to come knocking was meant to be boring?

  Harry swallowed.

  “Is it not?”

  “Nope.” Drew smirked. He looked very smug. “I don’t lose.”

  “You haven’t played me yet.”

  Harry was looking forward to wiping that smugness off his face. And getting an excuse to touch him.

  This was going to be an interesting day. At least they had the curtains drawn and no sentry across the street. With the virus going on, they couldn’t risk anyone else being outside unless they had to. So they were still back at the office, essentially leaving Drew and Harry alone. Not ideal, but at least they weren’t going to be bursting in.

  Harry turned on the TV and set up the game.

  “This is my favorite one to play with someone else.” He said, sitting on the sofa beside Drew, their thighs brushing. “One race, one item of clothing. Whoever loses has to get rid of one piece of clothing. You can start with whatever you want.”

  “I suppose that’s a slight saving grace.” Drew grunted as he checked the controller. “Do you normally play this with other people?”

  “No, this is the first time.”

  “I find that hard to believe.” Drew raised his eyebrows. “This sounds like how you seduced your wife.”

  Harry laughed.

  “I played strip chess with her.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep. Anyway,” He added, “Who said anything about seduction? I’m just making the day more interesting. Very adult.”

  Drew made a noise, but Harry couldn’t tell what it was meant to be. He could have been trying to hide a laugh or disappointment. He turned to the TV and selected to play.

  It was only a few minutes before Harry realized that Drew was just as competitive as he was. He sat on the edge of the chair, turning the controller as he turned corners, muttering under his breath whenever he hit the wall. Harry had to fight back a smile. This man really was in it to win. Was he that eager to see Harry naked? The thought had Harry momentarily pausing, but then he recovered. If Drew wanted to see Harry strip, he would do so soon enough.

  Using a couple of tricks of his own, Harry managed to win the first race. Drew growled and flopped back onto the couch. Harry punched the air and laughed.

  “I win!”

  “You don’t need to rub it in.” Drew grumbled. “That was lucky. You’ve played this before, I haven’t.”

  “I didn’t say we were having a test run.” Harry gestured at him. “Come on. Off.”

  Still grumbling, Drew took off one of his shoes and tossed it aside, wiggling his toes in his sock.

  “There. Satisfied?”

  Harry wasn’t satisfied. Not by a long shot. He turned back to the TV.

  “We’ll keep playing this race. Make it fair. Okay?”

  “How about we keep changing races?” Drew suggested. “Spice it up a bit. Then I might be able to win.”

  “Okay, then.” Harry selected another race. “Ready?”

  This time, Drew won and the shout of triumph almost deafened Harry. Drew then sat back very smugly and waved a hand at Harry.

  “I think it’s your turn now.”

  “Okay.”

  Time to wipe the smirk off his face, Harry pulled off his t-shirt. He tossed it aside and sat back, resting an arm on the back of the couch. Drew’s laughing died away and his eyes drifted down Harry’s chest. His gaze landed momentarily on the bruise high on Harry’s chest, his nostrils flaring. He had such a hungry look on his face that Harry found himself faltering. It had been a long time since someone had looked at him like this.

  Then Harry saw how his body was affecting Drew. There was a distinct tenting of his pants, which seemed to be getting bigger the more Harry stared at it. God, he was huge. Harry licked his lips. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on Drew’s cock.

  Drew groaned.

  “Don’t do that.”

  “What?”

  “Stare at me like that.” Drew swallowed. “This is not professional at all.”

  “I know that.” Harry smirked at him. “But it’s certainly livening things up, isn’t it?”

  “You don’t want me to answer that.” Drew reached for his controller. His hands were shaking. “Shall we continue?”

  “You just want to get me naked.”

  Drew glanced at him, and Harry saw a slight glint in his eye.

&nbs
p; “Are we going to play or not?”

  Harry picked up his controller. This was certainly going to be an interesting afternoon. And he wasn’t going to make it easy.

  For the next hour, they played a variety of racing games. Harry lost a couple, which had him losing his shoes and socks, while Drew lost even more. An hour after they started, he was sitting on Harry’s couch in just his boxers. And they were doing nothing to hide the size of his cock, which was threatening to escape from its cloth confines. Damn, he really was big. Harry knew his eyes were wide as he took him in. The man looked after himself. Every muscle was carved out and defined. Firm, smooth muscle.

  Had it started getting warmer in here?

  “I’m really in trouble.” Drew muttered as he tossed his controller onto the couch. “Once Martin finds out that I’m sitting on your couch with just my boxers on, I’m going to get an ear full.”

  Harry laughed.

  “I’m not going to tell him. Are you?”

  “Hell, no.” Drew adjusted himself, his hand cupping his cock. “But I don’t do this. I’m always a professional.”

  “Then why did you agree?”

  “I’m still trying to figure that out myself.”

  Harry couldn’t take his eyes off Drew’s body. Damn, he did look good. Very good. He could see the scar on Drew’s chest where Alex had shot him. It was puckered, nasty-looking. From where it was, Drew was lucky to have survived.

  Before he could stop himself, Harry leaned toward him. Drew leaned back automatically, but then his breath sucked in sharply as Harry kissed his scar. His whole body shuddered.

  “Was this a ploy to seduce me?” He gasped. “Because it’s working.”