by Trina Lane
“I’m sorry, Logan. I promise next time it’s freezing cold, and I have to get home late, I’ll call.”
Logan nodded. “Good.” He looked at his watch then back at Trevor. “So I’ll expect to hear from you in ten hours.”
“Smart ass” Trevor said, under his breath.
“Better a smart ass than an ass that smarts.”
“Okay Milton Berle, we’ve both got jobs to do.”
“Milton Berle? What generation do you belong to, Mitchell? You do realise that you are twenty-eight not eighty-eight, right?”
“Don’t knock the classics, Callen.”
Logan shook his head with a smile. “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Trevor Mitchell, a technophile with a passion for all things pre-1960. You are a walking contradiction.”
“I prefer to think of myself as multifaceted. You never know which one of my personalities may show up. It keeps all my friends on their toes.”
Logan leant in and whispered, “Your personalities don’t talk to each other do they? Because if so, I can recommend a great psychiatrist.”
Trevor laughed, but quickly sobered when he remembered why Logan could give him such a referral. “How are your sessions with Dr. Lincoln going?”
“Really good. I haven’t had a flashback in weeks and I’ve cut down on the anxiety meds.”
“I’m glad Logan. You look good. I’ve noticed that your—”
Captain Fredrick stuck his head outside his office and yelled down the hall, “Callen! Mitchell! Get your asses to work!”
Trevor jumped and smiled at Logan. “Busted.” He glanced down the hall and saw Fredrick’s lean face with permanent worry lines etched in his forehead looking at them. “Yes, sir. Sorry.”
“Ass kisser,” Logan said under his breath.
“Kisser of ass,” Trevor retaliated
“These lips only kiss one ass in this city, baby.”
Trevor gave a shiver. “Please, I don’t think I could handle to hear about you guys’ bedroom gymnastics. A single homosexual’s brain can only take so much stimulation before we explode.”
Logan shook his head. “I’m not even going to touch that one. Now you heard the captain, get to work.”
Trevor saluted Logan then turned and entered his lab to begin another workday.
Chapter Four
Later that night, Trevor sat in the hospital trying to figure out how the day had gone to hell in a hand-basket so quickly. One minute he and Logan were joking about being about being abandoned in the building in the event of an emergency, and the next Logan’s entire world had imploded with Clay being shot at the courthouse. Trevor had recognised the signs of Logan slipping into a flashback the moment he saw Clay hit the ground on the live video feed projected onto the wall of the lab.
Trevor had tried talking to Logan, tried touching his friend to bring him out of the trance-like state, but nothing worked. Trevor knew Logan would need Dr. Lincoln after an episode like that so he’d snagged Logan’s cell and searched for Dr. Lincoln’s phone number.
Moments later the man himself had rushed through the stairwell door, and Trevor’s jaw hit the floor at the sight of the dark-haired Goliath with the deep voice and gentle arms. Had he known just how studly the good doctor was, Trevor would have taken Logan up on his referral suggestion a long time ago.
Now Logan was back with Clay, and Trevor hung around the hospital for no other reason than he wanted to be near the doctor but was too afraid to approach him. Trevor snuck a peak through the flop of hair that had fallen over his eyes and caught his breath at the sight of Dr. Lincoln on the other side of the waiting room. He was stunning. Well over six feet tall and, as the saying went, built like a brick shit house. Trevor wanted to strip the esteemed doctor naked and lick every ridge of muscle he knew the conservative dress shirt and slacks hid from view. As if Dr. Lincoln knew Trevor was thinking about him, his head turned, and Trevor quickly looked down at the magazine in his lap he’d been randomly flipping through. Trevor saw the tips of black dress shoes heading in his direction over the top edge of the glossy paper.
Oh crud, he’s coming over here. I am so screwed.
“Trevor?”
He tried to appear nonchalant as his head tilted back to meet dark green eyes. “Yes, Dr. Lincoln?”
“Please call me Matt. How would you like to get a cup of coffee with me? I doubt we’ll see Logan again tonight.”
Trevor chewed on the inside of his lip for a second in an effort to keep himself from jumping out of the chair and wrapping himself around Matt’s tree trunk of a body as if he were a lemur.
“Sure. Should we go down to the cafeteria?”
“I thought we could go to the Dunkin’ Donuts down the street. It’s open all night. I don’t know about you, but I could go for some fresh air.”
Trevor thought for a second. He did a mental map calculation on how to get home from the hospital, and remembered that he could catch the orange line at the Mass Ave station then transfer to the red line at Oak Grove back to his Dorchester neighbourhood and walk home from there. He knew he’d promised Logan that morning he would stop walking home late at night, but these were extenuating circumstances. Logan needed to be with Clay in recovery, and he didn’t know any of Logan’s friends well enough to beg for a ride. He could call a cab, but he only had five dollars in his wallet and there was no ATM in site.
Oh stop stalling and answer the man already!
“That sounds good. I think the scent of antiseptic has been permanently burned into my brain at this point.”
Matt chuckled. “Yes, it is rather pungent tonight.” He stood and offered his hand to Trevor. “Shall we?”
When Trevor’s hand landed in Matt’s outstretched palm he received a jolt similar to earlier that day when Logan had dazedly introduced them. Matt’s hand was warm. Maybe if they were naked, Trevor could suck up all Matt’s glorious heat by osmosis. As they walked out the sliding doors of the hospital, Trevor shivered. The garage did nothing to buffer the cold night air.
“Where’s your coat?” Matt asked.
“We ran out of the building so fast, I didn’t think to grab it.” He ran his hands up and down his arms. “I’ll be fine.”
They were still a few hundred feet away where they’d left Matt’s car when the sound of an engine starting echoed in the near empty concrete structure. Trevor noticed the motor apparently belonged to Matt’s vehicle and smiled.
“That’s a nifty trick.”
Matt nodded. “Gets the car warm quicker.”
Another cold chill racked Trevor’s body. “Oh, I’m all for that.” He looked up and smiled.
Matt unlocked the doors and reached inside the backseat. He placed a coat over Trevor’s shoulders. Trevor swam in the heavy black leather, but didn’t care because he was instantly warmer and the jacket carried Matt’s scent within the lining. “Thank you.”
Matt opened the passenger side door for him and Trevor slid inside the darkened interior. They quickly made their way down Mass Ave to the coffee house. Trevor exited Matt’s car and quickly made his way into the florescent beacon. The scent of coffee and donuts assailed him and Trevor’s stomach growled. He realised he hadn’t eaten since lunch and it was closing in on nine o’clock.
Matt placed his hand on Trevor’s shoulder. “I think that means we need to feed you,” he said light-heartedly.
Trevor smiled “Apparently the natives are restless. You want a booth or table?”
“Booth sounds good. How about that one in the corner?” He pointed to the far side of the room.
Trevor glanced at the glass case filled with sugary goodness as they passed. He was so going to get a big old bear claw. To hell with worrying about carbs and sugars tonight. He stepped up to the counter and placed his order. When Trevor reached for his wallet, Matt stopped him. Trevor was so taken aback by the feel of Matt’s hand on the right cheek of his ass he didn’t even notice the other man had placed his order and paid for both of them until the de
ed was done.
Trevor looked up at Matt as he collected his large coffee and snack. “Awfully presumptuous, don’t you think?” He grinned to take the sting out of the words.
Matt gestured to their selected booth. “Disappointed?”
Trevor slid onto the bench. “In the free treat? Or the cheap feel?”
Matt doctored his coffee without taking his eyes off Trevor. “Either?”
“Can’t say that I am.”
“Good. So if I can ask, how did you recognise the signs of Logan’s flashback?”
Trevor stirred his coffee for a few seconds then blew on the steaming liquid for a moment before taking a tentative sip. The hot drink warmed his insides the way Matt’s coat still encasing him warmed his outside.
“My father. When I was a kid he used to get them from time to time. He was a Green Beret in Vietnam. My mom used to yell and scream at him when they happened, but usually nothing happened until the flashback ran its course. I didn’t realise that’s what was happening at the time. I just knew that dad kinda flaked out for awhile then got real angry.”
Matt placed his hand over Trevor’s. “I’m sorry. Did your father ever get help?”
Trevor shrugged. “Don’t know. He took off when I was seven. I haven’t heard from him since.”
He expected to see pity on Matt’s face, but instead found nothing but calm acceptance.
“Mom stuck around until I turned eighteen then lit out for greener pastures. I get a postcard from time to time. I think she’s in Colorado now. She never stays in one place for very long.”
“What did you do to support yourself when she left? Did she leave without notice?”
“No, nothing so dramatic. She told me when I was in high school that after graduation she’d be moving on. She gave me enough money for a couple months’ rent, and I had already secured a job working full-time for a video production company so I was able to pay my monthly utilities and stuff.”
“How do you go from video production to working for the police?”
“It wasn’t such a big leap as you would think. I applied and got the job as an A/V technician five years ago, then got my certification in forensic audio and video analysis. When the senior spot opened up, I applied, and since I was already familiar with all the equipment it was an easy transition.” Trevor realised he’d been talking non-stop. “Okay, obviously you’re very good at your job. It’s taken only twenty minutes and you know my entire life story.”
Matt frowned. “It has nothing to do with my job. I like talking to you. I want to get to know you, for purely personal reasons. I’d really like to learn more. Would you have dinner with me tomorrow night?”
Trevor saw the heat simmering in Matt’s eyes and his heart went thumpety-thump. Well maybe it was his cock, but the heart wasn’t far behind. He couldn’t believe this older, well-educated man was interested in him. Trevor wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth though. If Dr. Lincoln wanted to go slumming for a little bit and Trevor got the chance to kiss those lush lips and feel that hard body rub against him then that was fine by him.
“I get off work at six o’clock.”
“Perfect. Tomorrow is the day I finish with patients early. I should be done by five. Do you want me to pick you up?”
“That’s kind, but not necessary. As long as we go someplace I can take the subway to, I can find my way to you.”
“You don’t have a car?” Matt said, surprised.
Trevor shook his head. “Too cost-prohibitive. I’ve been thinking about getting a used one lately. Then again, I do every winter,” he said, smiling.
Matt frowned. “How were you planning on getting home tonight?”
“The ‘T’ stop is only a few blocks away. It’s how I normally get around the city.”
Matt’s jaw dropped and his hand tightened around his coffee cup. “You were going to walk several blocks in this weather? Without a coat? At this time of night?”
“The train takes me most of the way. Once I get to my neighbourhood, it’s only another twelve minutes or so to my apartment.”
“Where do you live?”
“Dorchester.”
Trevor was starting to get the feeling that Matt was annoyed with him. Trevor wouldn’t apologise for taking care of himself though. He did the best he could with what resources he had. He didn’t have the disposable income the good doctor had, judging by his sleek black Mercedes coupe, but he lived comfortably within his means and managed to put away a little bit in savings each month.
Matt let out a pent up breath. He couldn’t believe that Trevor had been going to make his way home by walking and public transportation, and not say a word. It was freezing outside and nearly eleven o’clock at night. There was no way Matt was going to let Trevor find his own way home. Dorchester was in the opposite direction of his own place in Back Bay, but the extra drive was worth it if Matt was certain Trevor made it home safely.
As soon as Matt’s eyes had landed on the smaller man with the shaggy blond hair and wide blue eyes, he immediately thought of Niall’s description of the man supposedly destined to be theirs. The moment Matt’s hand had clasped Trevor’s at police headquarters, a feeling similar to the one he’d encountered with Niall had swept through him.
Unlike the feeling he associated with Niall, Matt experienced a rush of protective instincts when it came to Trevor. Matt didn’t know if that protectiveness came from Trevor’s smaller stature and build, his younger age or something entirely different. Matt didn’t feel as if Trevor was less of a man. From what Matt had learned tonight, it sounded as though Trevor was mature beyond his years.
At this moment, half of Matt wanted to wrap Trevor up in his arms and shield him from the world, and the other half wanted to throw him to the floor and ravish his lithe body till they both screamed.
Oh boy, I need to talk to Niall about this.
“Trevor, I’m asking you to let me take you home. I understand being self-sufficient, and I’m glad you can take care of yourself. However, indulge me tonight. I would feel better to know you got home safe and healthy.”
Trevor narrowed his eyes at Matt. “Just tonight?”
Matt shook his head. “I can’t make that promise. I know we met only tonight, but I feel as though there is something brewing here. You should know that I tend to be a caregiver when it comes to people important to me.”
Trevor’s eyes went wide. “Are you saying I’m important to you?”
“I’m saying you could become very important to me. I hope that our date tomorrow night will help that feeling progress.”
“I’m not sure what to say. I admit I kinda thought you’d see me as an easy trick. I…well I like you Matt, but there’s a big gap here.” Trevor waved his hands back and forth between them.
“Is it my age? I’m thirty-eight, and I’m guessing you’re around thirty.”
“Close. Twenty-eight. I’d make some foppish comment about you saying I appear older than I really am, but I happen to be an unusual gay man in that I don’t plan to start hyperventilating the day I turn thirty. I look good. I know I do, so that’s all I care about. But I got off track. What about the differences in our education? I only have a high school diploma, you’re a doctor. I make less than fifty thousand a year and you… Well, I have no idea how much you make, but I know that car out there costs a smooth seventy grand easy.”
“Fine, let’s look at this one issue at a time. First I’m glad you’re not caught up on the age factor. I’d be shot down before I even got my foot in the door otherwise, and Trev…I’m looking very forward to getting more than my foot inside. Secondly, the education thing. We come from very different backgrounds. I had the backing and expectations of my family to attend both college and medical school. You’ve made a fascinating and challenging profession out of nothing but guts, determination and hard work. That counts double in my book. Finally the economic disparity between us is nothing more than numbers on a bank statement. My income does not make
me the man I am, and neither does yours. While I know there are men out there looking for a sugar daddy, I can see that is the last thing on your mind, and quite frankly if I did get that vibe from you I’d never have invited you here tonight or asked for a second date tomorrow.”
Trevor glanced down into his long-empty coffee cup. Matt waited to see what Trevor’s next words would be. For a man with only a high school education, Trevor was amazingly articulate and Matt was impressed by the younger man’s self-confidence.
It seemed like an eternity passed while Trevor made up his mind, and Matt got an idea of what Niall must have felt the other night when Matt had placed him in this same position. He’d have to call Niall and give the man thanks for his serene patience.
Then he saw Trevor smile.
Matt pressed the button on his key fob to start his car engine then stood and held out his hand. “Let’s go.”
They disposed of their trash and left the brightly lit interior. Matt unlocked and opened the doors to his car. Once Trevor got settled, he closed the door and quickly walked over to the other side. It was freezing outside, and Matt didn’t want to be out there any longer than absolutely necessary.
Matt made his way down Massachusetts Avenue with Trevor beside him. Soft music played from the speakers of his car. He couldn’t wait to tell Niall all about Trevor, and what Matt had learned tonight. He hoped Niall would be fine with it. They’d never set express rules for their search, and Matt had never been in a situation where there was the expectation of someone else out there somewhere, already designated in his partner’s mind. Maybe Niall expected to be the one who would find their third. Hell, he and Niall hadn’t even consummated their relationship, what if everything went to hell?
When Matt made the turn onto Dorchester Avenue from Columbia, he started to get nervous. All night he’d been confident that Trevor was the one, and he’d been ecstatic that he could go to Niall and say “I found him.” Then he, Niall, and Trevor could skip down the yellow brick road and find their way home together. Was Matt kidding himself? The Seaport District wasn’t far from Dorchester. Maybe Matt should stop by Niall’s place tonight and talk things out before tomorrow.
