by Viki Lyn
“When was his appointment?”
“Ah, seven…”
“Damn.” William shoved the towel in Nate’s hand. He yanked up his briefs and then his pants. It was impossible to look pressed and professional so he stuffed his tie in the inside pocket of his jacket.
Nate’s grin widened as William frantically dressed. “Don’t think we can hide it. It smells like two men had sex in here.”
“Don’t you have incense or something?”
“This isn’t a fortune teller’s tent.”
William rolled his eyes. “Will this Mike guy know?”
“Yep. He’s gay.”
Jealousy flared in William. “You ever date him?”
“Hell no, he has a partner.” Nate picked up the condom and tossed it in the trash. “The last of the evidence.”
William shook his head, surprised the couch had been spared any stains. He was just putting his shoes on when the client walked in.
“Hey, sorry I’m…” Mike stared at William. “Well, well, where have you been hiding him, Nate?”
“Mike, this is Dr. Ryner. William, Mike Sellis.”
“Nice to meet you,” William said. “I’ll be off, then.”
Mike smirked. “Again?”
Nate lightly punched Mike in the arm. “Mike, be nice. William, I’ll see you out.”
Once in the foyer, Nate took William’s hand. “Don’t go. This will only take an hour. There’s a coffee shop on the corner. I’ll meet you there. We can talk.”
Oh God, it had just gotten awkward. They still had the white elephant in the room that wouldn’t go away. “I have to get ready for tomorrow’s rally.”
Nate’s eyes darkened. “You’re still going to do it.”
“And that’s why I have to leave. That will always come between us.”
Nate stepped back, and their hands slipped apart.
William hated seeing the hurt in Nate’s eyes. A pain he put there. All he had ever wanted was Nate’s happiness.
“I need to go.” He hurried out the front door and skipped down the steps.
Don’t look back. Don’t look back. Don’t look back.
Once William hit the sidewalk, he turned around, but Nate had already closed the door. He stared at the barrier. It didn’t feel like they’d gotten closure between them; just the opposite. He’d been shown how much he’d missed Nate. How he never had gotten over him. That he still loved him.
Yet, he had dismissed Nate’s warning as having no merit in an insulting fashion. He would have been furious if Nate had treated his profession in that way. Sure, at the time, William had believed he’d been right not to give, certain that Nate would return. But he’d been wrong, and now, his actions just seemed prideful.
And fuck his reputation; William didn’t give a damn about what his peers thought of him. He felt like a first-class bastard, fucking Nate and then leaving. He’d had a second chance at getting it right between them and had blown it. And it didn’t feel very good.
He slowed as he approached his car. There had to be a way around this problem of his. He was a scientist. Scientists worked with data in order to form a theory or make a correct decision. There was one person who could help him when it came to Nate’s supposedly psychic nature.
William turned from his car and headed in the opposite direction. He had one more stop to make before going home.
Chapter Six
NATE HELD BACK FROM THE STAGE AREA, scanning the crowd for a shady character wearing an orange baseball cap. Not an easy task when the city’s baseball team wore orange and black.
It took the entire taxi ride to Golden Gate Park for Nate to make up his mind whether or not he should attend the rally, but in the end, he had no choice. He couldn’t erase the scene of William lying dead in a pool of blood. The nightmare had persisted, and this morning, he’d awakened drenched in sweat. Three times in a row meant he wasn’t wrong about this.
And if Nate could prevent a tragedy, he would.
There were too many people, milling around the plaza and huddling under shady elm trees to avoid the sun. Nate’s throat was parched from nerves, his stomach queasy. He wasn’t sure what he would do if he spied the gunman. Tackle him and play the hero, proving to William his sensory perception was real?
His gaze wandered to the stage. William sat on a metal chair patiently listening to the woman addressing the crowd, looking completely at ease in his navy suit and pale blue tie. That was his William: handsome and self-assured. Some terrific guy would snatch him up, and they’d live happily in their black-and-white world. Jealousy tore through Nate as he fought back that dark thought.
Applause ripped through the air. As the roar died down, William was introduced by the Master of Ceremonies. He confidently strode to the lectern and fanned out his notes. Nate never grew tired of listening to William. He had a wonderful stage voice—clear enunciation and resonance. He could make a grocery list sound Shakespearean.
Nate left the seating area and made his way around the large fountain and toward the back of the plaza. Hurrying down the gravel path, he kept his eyes peeled for suspicious behavior. A man wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt was bent over a trash can, rummaging through the garbage. It wasn’t a baseball cap, but close enough. The man pulled out an object as a ray of sunlight hit the metal surface, and Nate’s adrenalin kicked in.
It had to be the gun!
As his nightmare sprang to life, Nate sprinted toward the gunman. His muscles burned from over-exertion, but he wouldn’t let up. Everything around him blurred except for the orange-hooded killer. No way would he allow this bastard to take a shot at William.
Almost on top of the gunman, Nate vaulted into the killer, slamming into his legs. He grunted from the shock of impact. They rolled together in the dirt, the gun flying from the killer’s hand.
Nate pinned the man in a wrestling hold. “I have you now, you fucker.”
The man whimpered, his eyes wildly darting back and forth. Nate caught a whiff of pungent body odor as he took in the dirty, craggy face and the toothless grimace. The guy’s sweatshirt was patched in several places, and his dirt-caked jeans fell below his bony hips. What the fuck? The killer looked homeless.
Nate spied the gun and flushed, realizing his idiotic mistake. The “gun” was nothing but an aluminum beer can.
He scrambled off the guy, apologizing as he helped the man stand. “Ah, sorry…” Nate fished out a few dollars from his wallet and shoved them in the man’s hand. “Please take this.”
The man glared at him as he brushed off his sweatshirt. “You buying me off?” he complained, but pocketed the money.
A policeman strode up and eyed them. He turned to the homeless man. “Hey, Sal. You’re here for the rally?”
Sal pointed at Nate. “He tried to kill me.”
Nate knew the policeman, which only made the situation worse. “Ah, Officer Bidden…I thought he might be the—” he coughed “—gunman.”
Officer Bidden turned to Sal. “You’d better move along. Wait until the people clear out before coming back.”
Sal grumbled but moved on.
Officer Bidden smirked at Nate. “It’s better to leave these things to the police.”
“Yeah, I saw the orange hood and jumped to conclusions.” Forget about explaining how he’d thought the can was a gun. He’d never hear the end of it. It just went to show how the eye could play tricks.
“I know you’re worried about your friend, but we’ve got it covered, okay?”
“Yeah, okay.”
Nate slunk to a park bench and sat, feeling like a school kid who’d been slapped on the knuckles with a ruler. Lost in thought, it took him a moment before realizing people were filing out of their seats. The rally was over. William remained on the stage, talking with the other speakers, perfectly safe.
Nate’s shoulders sagged. His heartbeat settled back to normal, but his stomach was still in knots. Nate closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. The ache in his
heart wouldn’t go away. After yesterday, he still wanted his “ever after” with William. Sex between them had been wonderful; they just fit. But that wasn’t all. He felt comfortable yet energized by William’s presence and had secretly hoped that after the rally, they’d reconcile their differences and try again.
If there had at least been an attempt on William’s life, then William might have seen Nate’s psychic gift had merit. Instead, his premonition had cost him a second chance with William. He knew it for sure. Nate groaned in his hands. It was sick that he wanted to prove his worth to William so much, he was willing for him to be in real danger.
Someone slid next to Nate, disturbing his pity party. Damn. He kept his eyes closed, hoping they’d take the hint and leave. Nate wanted to wallow in his pain, alone. Then he caught a whiff of cologne, and his hands clenched. William. Fuck, how he wanted to escape, but Nate had too much pride to turn tail.
William tapped Nate’s arm. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Nate opened his eyes. “You came to gloat?”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re in one piece.”
William laughed. “Me, too.”
William’s laughter faded. He fidgeted with the pristine knot of his tie. “I want to apologize for yesterday.”
The desperation in William’s voice made Nate pause. He had no idea where William was going with this. “What for? We both wanted it.”
William rested his hand on Nate’s thigh, making Nate’s heart race. Nate should swat it away, but it felt too good. And wasn’t he a fool for caring so much.
“I was convinced I’d be fine with never seeing you again,” William went on. “But the farther away I walked, the more miserable I became.”
But William still thought of Nate as a fraud, which gave them no chance in hell. “Nothing’s changed between us.”
“You’re wrong. Everything’s changed.” William removed his jacket, then his tie. He started to unbutton his shirt.
Nate stopped William, grabbing his hand. “What are you doing?”
“Taking off this damn vest. I’m sweating like a pig.”
Nate’s eyes grew round as William removed his shirt, revealing a heavy, black padded vest. “Is that what I think it is?”
“Yep, it’s body armor. Your detective gave it to me yesterday.”
Nate was gaping like a fool, but what the fuck? “When did you see Cooper?”
“I went to the precinct after I left your office. We had an interesting discussion about how much you’ve assisted the force on certain cases. He convinced me it would be in my best interest to wear one of these.” William smiled as he removed the vest and replaced it with his shirt. “You were right. I liked the guy. A straight shooter.”
Flutters rippled in Nate’s belly at William’s confession. “What changed your mind?”
William cupped Nate’s cheek. “Because, damn it, I love you. I knew if we were to have a second chance, I had to change the way I perceived your career.”
Nate could barely breathe, he was so happy. “You can honestly say you don’t think I’m a fraud?”
“Well, there wasn’t a mad gunman after me, but frankly, I’m relieved. And we all make mistakes. The important thing is you warned me, even knowing I’d ridicule you for it. That takes guts.” William leaned in and brushed his lips near Nate’s ear. “Nate, I need to hear it again.” He kissed Nate’s jaw, moving toward his mouth. “Say it.”
Nate kissed William, glad he hadn’t buttoned his shirt, and petted the soft chest hair as he deepened the kiss. Behind him, he heard someone clear his throat, and he reluctantly pulled back.
William blinked in surprise as he clutched his shirt together.
Detective Cooper peered at them. “Ah, sorry for breaking up the love fest, but I thought you’d like to know we nabbed the perp.”
Nate felt the blood rush from his face. When he glanced at William, his usual olive complexion also paled. “You mean there was a gunman after William?”
“Yeah, a real nutcase.”
William’s eyes took on a wild look. “Are you sure I was the target?”
Detective Cooper sat and shifted his bulky frame on the bench. “The guy was fired from SynGen about three weeks ago.”
“But no one from my department was let go.”
“Yeah, but he knew about SynGen’s involvement with the rally folks. And from what I can see, he doesn’t like gays. Since you’re out, he probably targeted you. I doubt it was personal.”
Nate shot up. “Shit. Not personal? It’s personal to me.”
William weakly smiled as he reached for Nate’s hand. “Thanks to you, they caught him.”
Nate gladly took William’s hand. He wouldn’t let it go for quite some time.
Detective Cooper heaved up from the bench. He grabbed the body armor and slung it over his arm. “We’ll talk later. Come to the precinct tomorrow.” He grasped Nate’s shoulder. “Good work.”
Nate sat down. “I almost lost you.” He shivered. William’s life had been in danger. “From here on out, you will heed my warnings.”
“I don’t have a choice, do I?” William playfully poked at Nate’s cheek. “God, I love your dimples.” He kissed one, then the other.
Nate grinned. “I love you, too. Let’s go home, and I’ll show you how much.”
Chapter Seven
WILLIAM DUBIOUSLY LOOKED ACROSS THE TABLE AT SABRINA. He liked Sabrina; the redhead was funny and charming and intelligent, despite her profession. What made William nervous was the Tarot. Raised in a strict religious family, he had been told the cards were the work of the Devil. Not that he believed in that rubbish, but he wasn’t comfortable about someone predicting his future.
What if the cards said Nate would leave him again? Not that he would believe that.
Sabrina had her hair in an updo, and her bright eyes sparkled. She wore a tailored suit, and he wondered if that was really her personal style. Nate had told him about Sidney and his insistence on professionalism among his tenants.
“So, William, what’s your question?”
He sat a little too stiff in his chair. That grin of hers made him suspect she sensed his nervousness. “Will Nate and I make it?”
“You really don’t know the answer?”
“I’m here because of a silly bet, okay? Let’s get this over with,” he grumbled, still upset over losing to Nate on something he should have won.
Sabrina impishly smiled as she picked up the deck. The cards seemed too big for her delicate hands, but she deftly shuffled, cut them into three piles, and then stacked them into one.
Ten of Cups, Nine of Rods, Seven of Cups, and she laid two more on the bottom row—Ten of Rods and the Sun.
She grinned as she pointed to the Sun card, brilliant yellow with an exuberant image of a sun. “That’s the ultimate ‘yes’ card. I’d say you have a very good chance of staying together.”
“Great.” He went to stand, but Sabrina shook her head.
“Sit,” she ordered. “I’m not done. You still need to work at it.”
“Oh.” He scanned the cards, wondering what she saw in the symbols. The Ten of Rods didn’t look positive next to the shining Sun card. It showed a man bent over, carrying a bundle of rods in his hand. It looked like quite a burden.
“You both want harmony in your relationship, that’s the Ten of Cups, and are determined to succeed. But you’ll have to work at it. See the Ten of Rods, and this seven card here?” She pointed at the last card in the top row.
He took in the last card with the image of a pyramid formed by seven goblets filled with shining objects. “What does it mean? It looks like we have a lot of choices.”
“With the Seven of Cups, there’s the risk of illusion. You need to separate what is real from what is illusion.”
“I already do that in my life.”
She patted his hand. “Yes, and you’re good for Nate. You’ll keep him grounded, and he’ll help you s
ee that sometimes, castles in the sky have the potential to become real.”
William got it. They would have their share of arguments, but he was willing to work hard at understanding Nate. Nate brought him joy and a sense of wholeness he had with no one else. With Nate, he enjoyed life.
“Thanks, Sabrina. I’ll work at it.”
“Tell Nate that he has to do the same.”
“See reality?” he joked.
“No, work at it, too.”
William left for Nate’s office, finding his lover behind his desk, typing on his laptop. He paused and took a moment to admire Nate. When Nate looked up, William smiled. “Hey, want to go to lunch? My treat. I don’t have to be back at the office today.”
Nate grinned. “Great, I’m starving. Let’s try that Thai place down the street.”
“Let’s go, then.”
Nate shoved on his jacket and walked up to William. He straightened William’s shirt collar and pressed down his suit jacket. “You look nice.”
“You told me that this morning.”
“Yeah? Well you look just as good with clothes on.”
William kissed Nate, his hunger turning into something else. He pulled back and touched Nate’s shoulder. “Maybe we should order in?”
“Slut. I’m too hungry.”
William laughed, knowing he had lost to Nate’s stomach. “Okay, lover boy, let me satisfy you with food.”
Halfway down the street, Nate stopped in mid-stride. “Hey, what did Sabrina say about us?”
“I’m surprised you waited this long to ask.”
“Well…”
“We’re not going to last a year,” he lied, curious to hear what Nate would say. Not that he was testing him—more like teasing.
Nate went rigid. “That’s bunk.”
“So you admit the cards can be wrong.”
“Nothing is infallible. Not even your precious science.”
“Then what is your prediction about us?”
“I’m determined to make it so.” Nate mimicked Captain Picard’s voice.
William rolled his eyes. Nate was a Star Trek fan from way back. “You know that show has nothing to do with real science.”
