by Andrew Grey
“They could have been turning around,” Reggie said with a shrug.
“Except they spun their wheels as soon as they came into view of your car and hightailed it. I could see the driver through the window, and he couldn’t get out of here fast enough. It was white with rust, but I didn’t get a plate or anything. I didn’t know I was seeing anything special until it was over.” Willy turned around. “Maybe it was nothing, but it seemed out of the ordinary.”
Reggie couldn’t argue with that and thought about taking off in pursuit, but he didn’t have anything to go on. He couldn’t stop them just for turning around. He needed something more concrete, and with the county line less than five miles up the road, they would be out of his jurisdiction before he could catch up with them.
“Is that a camera?” Willy asked, pointing toward the corner of the building, up near the roofline.
“Yes. If it’s working.” Reggie pulled out his notebook and made a note to see if he could get the footage from the camera from the transportation department. That should be easy enough. Some of that was online now. Not open to the public, but it could be accessed through a secure website. “We can go.” He doubted they were going to see anything else today.
Willy turned to him. “I told my dad that I was going to spend some time with friends from Davis and that I was going to go down there tonight. I have a bag packed in my trunk and…. Sorry, it was a dumb idea.”
“No. I’m off tomorrow, but I have a few hours yet on my shift, and I want to make sure everyone is aware of what I need them to do while I’m off.” Reggie reached into his pocket, pulled out his keys, and handed Willy the one to the house. “If you want some time away, go on to the house. That should unlock the garage as well. Pull your car into the second bay. It’s empty. They’re calling for some more rain, so….” He knew he was deluding himself, saying to get the car out of the weather. Neither of them wanted the car seen, especially overnight.
“I’ll see you in a few hours, then.” Willy glanced at the camera and went back to his car.
Reggie returned to his and drove to the office, both excited and nervous about the evening ahead.
REGGIE KNEW that he was entitled to a private life and that it wasn’t anyone’s business who he spent his time with. He told himself that over and over as he tried to concentrate on his work. He hated that Willy was lying just to be with him. It wasn’t fair. Reggie wanted to be able to stand in the open and say that he liked Willy.
Reggie left the station and walked the main street of Sierra Pines, past the diner with its usual cadre of faces having coffee, the drugstore, and the clothing store. He smiled as he stopped to peer into the knitting shop, where a class seemed to be taking place. He waved in return to a few hands raised his way.
A pair of teenagers walked toward him, holding hands, passing him with a nod. He wanted to be able to do that with Willy. Just seeing his car pull up at the rest area had been like clouds parting. The stress of the day lifted because Willy was there. His heart fluttered and his guts released some of the ever-present pressure that existed because of his job and life. Reggie had had a few boyfriends and a few more encounters, but none of them left him wanting them to come back as soon as they left. With Willy, he couldn’t get enough.
“Afternoon, Sheriff,” a man Reggie didn’t know called as he passed. “Gonna rain, I hear.”
“That’s what I hear. Stay safe.” He returned a smile, and they both continued walking.
Reggie found himself in front of the drugstore and stopped, doing a mental check of what supplies he had at the house. Not that he intended to buy certain kinds of things in town, and definitely not while he was in uniform, but it made him think of it. He went inside, smiling at the woman at the register before heading back through. He ended up in the candy aisle because… well, it was candy, and sometimes he was a kid at heart. Reggie picked up a bag of gummy bears and wandered through the store, getting a few other things.
“Jamie hasn’t been out of the house in days from what I hear. Too ashamed to show his face,” a female voice floated over the counter. “It’s just awful. I know I won’t vote for his father in the next election. Personally I think he should resign. Think of the image that sets for our children.”
Reggie rolled his eyes, grabbing the can of shaving foam he needed.
“I know. My son told me that all the kids in school are talking about it, and he’s in third grade,” a second woman said.
“It makes me sick,” a deeper voice echoed from the other aisle.
“Well, it would. You’re a guy,” the first woman said.
Reggie took his purchases around to where a couple of people in jeans and T-shirts stood in the aisle. One wore house slippers and the other flip-flops. “Afternoon,” Reggie greeted as he approached, treating the group to pointed stares. He smiled, and they stopped talking, all three of them having the grace to blush. One woman excused herself and hurried away, while the other two waited for him to pass, then whispered back and forth between them.
Reggie approached the counter to find a man in his early forties behind the register. “Sheriff.”
“You must be Mr. Webster,” Reggie said amicably. He extended his hand and they shook. “I’ve met an employee of yours, Willy. It’s good to meet you.” He set his purchases on the counter. “Any troubles?”
Mr. Webster shook his head. “Only the gossips who can’t seem to keep their nose out of anyone’s business.” He spoke louder than was necessary, and Reggie liked him already. “People need to let others live their lives without all that chatter.”
“I agree. People have a hard enough time without that kind of judgment.” Reggie pulled out his wallet while Mr. Webster rang up his purchases. He handed him a twenty and got his change. “Thank you.”
“No. Thank you.” Mr. Webster bagged his things and handed them over. “Please stop in again any time.”
“I will.” Reggie smiled and nodded, leaving the store. The sky had darkened, and clouds hung around the mountains in the distance, trapped there until they dropped their burden and could get light enough to pass over. He hurried back the way he’d come and reached the station as the rain began falling steadily.
“I thought you’d gone,” Marie said.
“Just walked through town.” Reggie smiled quickly. “I want people to see me and maybe get to know me.” He stood next to her at the switchboard. “It means they’ll be more likely to call us if they see something suspicious, and it builds a good relationship with the community.”
“We already have one,” Shawn said with a scowl as he passed.
Reggie was really starting to personally dislike the smug man. “You’d never know it from the look of it,” he retorted. “You don’t understand. This is a small town—”
“I know what it is. I was born here.” Shawn scowled, and Reggie pointed to his office, glaring at him. Shawn tromped inside, and Reggie closed the door.
“I know you think you should have had my job,” Reggie said, whirling on him. “But you aren’t qualified.” He crossed his arms over his chest with a half smile. “You’re more interested in your position and how you look than the job you do. The people of this town and the county need to trust us, but they don’t trust you.” Reggie lowered his arms. “You have the makings of a good law enforcement officer, but you’re petty and self-important.”
“And you know all that from being here… what, two weeks?” Shawn sneered. “You put out a few bulletins and think you’ve made a difference?”
Reggie leaned forward. “Actually, that information was in the report I was given by the state justice department when I agreed to take the job. They weren’t going to allow you to be sheriff. They were trying to clean up the problems here, not add to them.” Reggie kept his voice level. “The thing is, you’ve done nothing but confirm that their report is correct.” He hardened his gaze. “I wonder, can you feel the ice under your feet getting thinner and thinner?” Reggie tilted his head toward the door
, and Shawn reached to open it. Reggie waited until he had the door open. “I suggest you consider the type of deputy you want to be and if you want to keep your job or not.” Reggie met a gaze that seared with pure hatred. He waited for Shawn to turn away and then sat down to finish up for the day.
REGGIE PULLED up to his house later than he wanted. The lights were on, and instead of the usual cold darkness, it looked and felt warm, like a home. Reggie parked his car outside the bay where he’d asked Willy to park and went inside, dodging raindrops.
His stomach rumbled and he groaned as his senses went into overdrive. “What are you making?” Reggie asked. The scent was incredible.
“Nothing much. I have steaks to put on the grill, and I made some Caesar salad.” Willy grinned and pressed a cookbook across the counter. “I made my own dressing. I also have rolls in the oven and glazed carrots.”
Reggie hurried over to where Willy stood with a large towel around his waist as an apron. Reggie hugged him, lifting him off his feet, twirling him around. “You’re going to spoil me.”
“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?” Willy giggled, and Reggie set him back down, kissing Willy deeply, the taste of the dressing still on his lips from when he’d sampled it. Willy smoothed Reggie’s hair back, cradling his head as he kissed him, his tongue exploring Reggie’s mouth. Reggie loved that feel and taste.
“You’re temptation personified,” Reggie whispered.
“Me?” Willy asked, chuckling. “I’m temptation? You’re the one with all the muscles and hotness. I’m just a skinny kid from Sierra Pines.”
“You’re a lot more than that.” Reggie held Willy tightly, amazed at how they fit and how quickly he came to treasure their stolen moments together. He had no illusions that this time, their time, was stolen… and he didn’t know how much longer they were going to be able to continue.
“Tell me,” Willy whispered.
“Sweetheart, you’re adorably cute, and you have the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met.” They could have ordered pizza or heated up something, but Willy was making a dinner fit for a king, and Reggie felt like one. “The last person to cook for me before you was my mom.”
“I’m not surprised. Most of the pans and stuff are still new.” Willy slipped away, and Reggie missed his touch immediately. The wind and rain buffeted the windows, and Reggie peered outside as Willy went back to work. “Go get cleaned up, and then maybe you can build a fire. It’s supposed to get cold and damp tonight. I’ll have dinner for you when you come back out.”
Reggie didn’t want to leave the room. One minute away from Willy was a minute too much. He stole another kiss from those sweet, full lips and then hurried down to his bedroom.
He took care of his uniform and gun before going into the bathroom and starting the shower. He stepped under the spray and soaped himself up, hands wandering over his skin. Within seconds he was hard and throbbing, and all it had taken was the single thought of Willy in here with him, Reggie’s hands gliding over that smooth, lithe body. He groaned and gripped his cock hard, sliding his soapy hands over it. “Shit,” he whispered. As much as he wanted to come, he had Willy out in the other room, and he was spending the night. Now, that didn’t mean that anything was necessarily going to happen, but it was pretty clear that Willy cared for him, and….
Reggie needed to think about someone other than Willy so he could finish his shower without coming all over the tile. He twisted the tap to cold to decrease the temperature and rinsed off the soap, shivering. Still, he got his body under control and turned off the water. Stepping out, he grabbed a towel to get warm and dried off quickly to get the cool water off his skin.
In the bedroom, he pulled on comfortable clothes and slid his feet into slippers before joining Willy in the main room, where a fire crackled in the fireplace. “I thought you wanted me to do that?”
Willy grinned. “I had a few minutes and found the wood outside the back door.” Willy motioned for Reggie to have a seat and brought the salad bowls to the coffee table, then returned for two glasses of iced water. “I couldn’t find any wine and I didn’t want to have beer.”
“This is good.” Reggie sat down with Willy right next to him, half leaning against him as they ate. “Man, it’s tangy.” He grinned.
“The anchovy. You don’t have to put a lot in because you don’t want the dressing to taste fishy, but it gives it that tingle that dances on your tongue.” Willy took a bite, swallowed, and then leaned in to kiss him. “See, tingle.”
Reggie bumped his shoulder. “Maybe we should try that again.” He took a bite and repeated the process, kissing Willy. Damned if his lips didn’t vibrate just a little. Reggie attributed it to the man he was kissing rather than salad dressing.
They finished their dishes, and Reggie took care of the bowls while Willy served the next course. “Where did you get all this?”
Willy rolled his eyes. “At the store. Where else?”
“I understand that, but it must have cost a lot, and I don’t want you using your hard-earned money to feed me.” Reggie knew this was tricky, but Willy had just started his job, and the food easily could’ve cost him a good part of a day’s pay, judging by the steaks he put on the plate.
“I didn’t do this to be paid back. But….”
Reggie put his arm around him when he sat back down. “I know. I just don’t want to cause you hardship or make you sad. So I’ll make you a deal—you cooked, so I’ll pay.” He nuzzled Willy’s neck. “Please.” The last thing he wanted was for Willy to feel bad.
“Nobody ever thinks about how I feel.” Willy brought over the plates, and they sat once again after Willy put another log on the fire.
“I’m sorry,” Reggie said.
“I had friends in school who listened to me. They were pretty cool. When I had to withdraw, I lost a lot of that kind of support and contact. I had my own life there, and when I came back here, my family expected me to be the same as when I left, but I wasn’t. My dad seemed to want to make all my decisions for me, just like when I was a child.” Willy blinked. “But he seems happier for me now.”
“Maybe it was because you weren’t independent enough?” Reggie offered. “I mean, your father is a very different kind of man. I don’t think I’ve met many like him… ever.”
“Let’s hope not,” Willy snarked, and Reggie smiled.
“Let me ask you something. What does your father want?” Reggie ate slowly, letting the savory flavor of the meat linger on his tongue, then following it with the sweet of the carrots. It was a sublime combination, and he hummed under his breath, closing his eyes. Perfection.
Willy ate as well. “I know he thinks he loves me and wants the best for me. Or what he thinks is the best for me. I have to question how he goes about it.”
Reggie couldn’t argue with that.
“But he’s been supportive, and I don’t want to say proud of me, but encouraging since I got the job. He still acts like he did.” Willy set down his fork. “At least he’s predictable to a large degree.” Willy forked up another bite. “What’s your dad like?”
Reggie chuckled. “My dad was all about working hard and looking for opportunities. At first he wasn’t particularly thrilled when I wanted to be a police officer. He’d hoped I’d be a lawyer or a doctor. That was his dream. The two of us discussed things, and in the end, he agreed that it was my life. I think he still worries about me a lot. I know my mom does, but they’re proud of me too.”
“Did you see them when you were in the city?” Willy smiled as he chewed a bite of carrots.
“Oh yeah. We went out to dinner and spent some time together. Mom and Dad now have a really busy social schedule. Dad spent so many years as a mail carrier during the day, and he spent his evenings forging knives and things like that. He loved it and still does. Some of his knives go for thousands of dollars. He’s a real down-to-earth man, but we never doubted for a second that he loved us. He was busy, but he was always there to put us in bed when w
e were kids.” Reggie hummed softly as he thought back. “I’d love for you to meet them.” And just like that, he was thinking further out, hoping for more with Willy. That was dangerous, but his heart beat a little faster at the thought.
“What about your mom?” Willy smiled. “You got this look when you mentioned her.”
Reggie chuckled. “My mom is a hoot. She’s one of those mothers who believed that time was precious. Dad had to work a lot and couldn’t always get weekends off and stuff. But Mom was fierce. She took us camping in Yosemite more than once. She loved that place with the rock domes. I swear she would have been a climber if she could have. Yosemite Falls was a favorite spot too. We’d visit and hike all around. She took us to see the sequoia, and then when we came up here, she would organize day hikes on trails and through the woods. Nothing ever seemed to stop her. She wanted Janine and me to love the outdoors and to see as much of the world as possible.” Reggie adored his mother. “She’s, like, my hero.”
“It sounds like it,” Willy said softly. “My mom has grown so quiet. It’s like she’s a different person since my brother died.”
“Maybe she is. That kind of grief doesn’t just go away. It lingers and changes people. You said it changed your dad.”
Willy nodded. “Please… I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He cut a bite of steak and chewed while Reggie got his thoughts together.
“Here’s a good one. My mom went to work when I was fourteen. She got tired of sitting at home and wanted to get out. She took a job in the office of a manufacturer. They made small, detailed parts for airplanes. She answered phones, filed, and basically managed the office because her boss was terribly unorganized, and she kept him productive. Anyway, Mom saved the money she made. She and Dad lived off what Dad made, and she banked what she had. So, when Janine got the chance to go to France with the foreign language club, Mom sent her. And when I got the chance to go to Europe with the band, she paid for that. Mom also helped us with college and made sure both of us got a good education.” Reggie wiped his eyes. “I owe a lot to my mom.” He finished his dinner and set down his fork, leaning back. He closed his eyes and waited while Willy finished eating before clearing the dishes and taking them to the kitchen.
