“I know I said we need to follow your treatment plan, but I wanna call your doctor in the morning, see if we can get clearance to practice at a shooting range. We’re all the backup we have in this deal. Sinacola’s thirty minutes away. Colt and Jace need us to be our best.”
“I feel great. I have good range of motion. I feel solid,” Cody encouraged, nodding to reaffirm the words.
“I know you keep saying that, but I’d just feel better hearing it was okayed after they look over the latest PT reports. If it’s still not a good idea, we need to know the risk so we can make an informed decision. Being here, the threat seems too real to me. I might just feel that way because you’re involved. I don’t know. I gotta talk to Sinacola. He’s the instinct guy. He’ll tell me if I’m off base,” Mitch said, reaching his free hand behind Cody’s neck, drawing him forward for a light but lingering kiss. Cody soothed his heart. He had to stop being balls to the wall and talk to his mister before every knee-jerk reaction.
The door opened and a blast of cold air swept over them.
“Get a room,” Colt said cheekily, walking to the sink to wash his hands. Mitch was slower to move away from Cody’s full lips, but when he did, he winked at Cody. His guy’s soft smile froze and his eyes widened before he immediately shook his head no. Mitch ignored the very clear instruction.
“My guy here’s a good one. He’s agreed to inviting Jace to join us for a… Well, you know.” Mitch waggled his eyebrows at the group now looking his way. He felt lighter already.
“Do you see? If I give him a break, that’s the thanks I get. I can’t live with that for the next week, Jace,” Colt heatedly complained. He’d wheeled around so quickly to face Jace he was dripping water on the floor in front of the sink.
“He’s kidding, Colt, and stop getting water all over the floor. You know he’s not serious. He loves to yank your chain,” Jace said, and Mitch barked out a laugh as Jace and Colt bent in unison to the floor, almost knocking each other in the head to clean up the spilled water. Colt effectively made a bigger mess as his hands continued to drip as he started to step away. “Baby, stop! Don’t move. The dirt on your shoes is gettin’ the floor muddy. Hands in the sink!”
“Jace, just for the record, I’m not interested in yanking on anything Michaels has to offer, but now you, on the other han…” Cody’s elbow went to Mitch’s ribs as the comic show of Jace and Colt played out right in front of them. Colt’s eyes grew even bigger and his mouth dropped open in silent protest at his last comment. “Okay, okay. That’s my one time. Honest. I think I got it out of my system. I swear. I’m willing to call a truce,” Mitch announced to the room, lifting his hands in a gesture of surrender.
With a huff, Colt grabbed the paper towels and wiped his hands before dropping them to the floor and scooting them with his foot. Jace was bent over, cleaning the floor with a hand towel and stopped what he was doing as he watched his mister from behind. He looked over at Mitch and Cody, giving them a dramatic eye roll.
“We’ll call a truce after I call your pop, Knox. He told me to call him if you got out of hand,” Colt added smugly, still pushing the beat-up paper towels with his shoe.
“I’m calling Dr. Knox,” Jace said firmly, reaching up to knock Colt off balance to get the paper towels out from under his foot. “He told me to call him when you got out of hand too, mister. Who does this?” Jace said, lifting the dirty, torn paper towels for everyone to see. That had all of them laughing as Jace shook his head and went for the pantry, presumably to throw the mangled paper into the trash.
Chapter 10
“Knox said they fixed enough dinner for us,” Kreed mentioned to Aaron as he took a quick turn onto a side road, leading them deeper inside a stately tree-lined neighborhood.
“What’re they having?” Aaron asked. He lifted the cover to the mirror on the visor; small lights popped on, and he cupped his fingers to work his hair in place.
“I didn’t ask. You don’t seem picky,” Kreed teased, watching the street addresses on the mailboxes until he found the one he was looking for and pulled into the long driveway. “You don’t ever get that pretty for me. I’m butthurt.”
“I’ve heard Knox talk about Jace being a vegan. I generally like some form of meat in my food,” Aaron said, completely ignoring Kreed’s last remark as he flicked the visor up then reached over the seat to grab his coat. “And you aren’t the real MVP. Colt’s one of the biggest names in sports history and he came out. He’s a game-changer, and besides, Colt and his boyfriend are hot.”
Kreed had started to put the gear in place, but abruptly stopped as he listened to Aaron’s explanation. He glanced at the man as he finally gave some sort of real clue about his sexual orientation.
“So you’re gay? Or at least Bi?” Kreed blurted out, finally asking the question that had been plaguing him for the last two days.
“What’s it matter? You don’t do your partners, remember?” Aaron repeated Kreed’s own words back to him in a teasing way before quickly opening the door and hurrying out of the rental.
For a second, Kreed stared after Aaron, realizing the kid might actually be incapable of answering a direct question. Kreed placed the gear shift in park, and his gaze followed Aaron as he shut the door and moved to the front of the SUV. A smile slowly spread across Kreed’s face as he turned the ignition off. A more interesting thought occurred. Aaron was no more intimidated by Kreed than his own parents were. That never happened. His size mixed with all his ink usually got some sort of fear factor going before he ever said a word, but not from Aaron Stuart. With his inability to figure Aaron out, he’d missed they were playing a very strategic game of cat and mouse, and Aaron was the clear victor so far. Damn.
Game on, kid.
Aaron would give him a run for his money; no question there. Hell, the chase was already on. Kreed laughed as he slid out of the vehicle and shut the door behind him.
“You know, this whole I’m-irritable-all-the-time thing you do? It’s kind of hot. I like to be put in my place,” Kreed called out, taking long strides to catch up as Aaron took the front porch steps.
“I’m certainly not trying to attract you,” Aaron retorted, not even bothering to look back as he reached for the doorbell.
“That makes it even better. I like a challenge,” Kreed drawled, tucking his hands inside his jacket pockets. “We’re in Texas. How the hell’s it so cold?”
The front door opened, and Jace stood there, holding a napkin in his hand with a big smile on his face. “You guys made it just in time. Come in.”
Though Kreed had seen Jace’s picture over and over throughout the entire length of the original investigation, nothing prepared him for the nice-looking man who stood in front of him now. And that smile and demeanor exuded a warm-hearted personality too.
“Jace?” Kreed asked, because he didn’t know what else to say.
“I am. You must be Kreed, and this must be Aaron. Please, come in.” Jace moved back, holding the door wider as Kreed let Aaron enter first. The door shut behind them as he stepped inside to see a beautiful, open home with a winding staircase right up front. Kreed stuck out a hand, shaking Jace’s. “Mitch talks so much about all the effort you two put in to getting this case closed.”
“I can’t imagine Knox saying too many nice things about anything,” Kreed said, and Jace’s smile turned into a laugh, changing his face…making it more handsome, if that were possible.
“Let me have your coats. I hope you’re hungry and you like meat; Colt insisted you did. I think my cholesterol spiked just breathing the air with all the sizzling beef being served at our dinner table.” Jace took Aaron’s coat and hung it on the coatrack by the door. Kreed shrugged his off and did the same.
The noise of conversation drew Kreed’s attention to the dining room right off the entryway. The first thing Kreed noticed wasn’t his best friend standing or Cody wearing a big grin. It was the table filled with steaks, hamburgers, and grilled chicken, all wrapped in bacon. H
e’d heard the story about the big bacon meltdown the last time Mitch had visited. He guessed, for Colt, having Mitch and the team over meant they could pull out the big guns—a ten-pound slab of bacon.
“Hey, man!” Mitch eased around the table to extend his hand to Kreed. He took it, but got pulled into the brotherly hug they always shared when they were apart for any real length of time. Mitch was family to him, more so than anyone else on this planet.
“Your boy looks good,” Kreed said, looking at Cody from over Mitch’s shoulder.
“He’s doing good. Won’t listen to doctor’s orders, though.”
Kreed separated from Mitch and walked around the table to shake Cody’s hand.
“I hear congratulations are in order,” Kreed said, grinning at Cody. He’d gone with Mitch the day he bought the ring, not too long after Cody had come home from the hospital. Really, the length of time it took Mitch to ask Cody for his hand surprised him most.
“Yeah, that was pretty big.” Cody’s smile was as broad as Texas. The happiness reflected there warmed his heart. More than anything, he was really happy for his partner and Cody. They fit well together.
“And who the hell are you?” Mitch’s voice boomed from across the room, turning both Kreed and Cody toward the uproar. “I don’t even recognize you.”
Mitch had moved toward Aaron, who was in the process of meeting Colt. “This was Sinacola’s doing. Per him, I look more like a church boy.”
“I didn’t even know you owned a brush. I thought nonchalant-mess was your signature style. Clean-cut looks good on you,” Mitch said, shaking Aaron’s hand. “Good to see you outside of a monitor.”
“Yeah, we need to talk about that. Helping a friend out’s way different than going full-scale undercover. I mean, seriously, what do I know about anything other than killing zombies?” Aaron remarked. A smile split Aaron’s lips as he spoke, so different than the irritable guy Kreed had spent the last couple of days with. Aaron’s comment had Mitch barking out a real laugh.
As Kreed watched their exchange, another complicating consideration occurred. What if he brought out the worst in Aaron? For some reason, every step forward Kreed made in figuring Aaron out seemed to follow with two steps back and a slap of reality that the kid genuinely didn’t like him.
“Yeah, you got Sinacola looking out for you. I think you’ll do fine.” Mitch gave a good-natured slap on Aaron’s shoulder before going back around the table toward his chair.
“Have a seat everybody,” Colt suggested from one end of the table. Kreed made his way to the table to officially meet Colt, then turned back to Jace. The stress of the last few months melted away. For the first time, Kreed experienced the driving force in Mitch’s determination to solve this case. Instinctively, Kreed felt at ease in their home.
“We don’t want to intrude.”
“I think Aaron’s past the point of caring,” Mitch said with a laugh, nodding toward the kid. Aaron had taken one of the two empty chairs at the table, his attention on the food, eyeing one of the steaks while placing his napkin in his lap. No question, the guy had good table manners, but after all these shared meals between them, he understood that was more for respect of the dining experience than anything else. Aaron loved food.
“Smart boy can eat. You might not have enough here for him,” Kreed joked. It was a large table, easily seating ten to twelve comfortably, but the shear bulk of muscle took up most of the room. Tall and well-built, Aaron was the leanest man there and Kreed had to squeeze in beside him. The move caused him to brush against Aaron and he held back his groan at the touch. He liked physical contact. Kreed glanced over to Aaron. The kid didn’t move, actually didn’t even seem to notice Kreed entering his personal space, so Kreed didn’t adjust his chair, he just stayed right there next to Aaron.
“I don’t know where he puts it,” Mitch answered, reaching across the table to place a T-bone on each of their plates. That was just Mitch’s way.
“I didn’t expect all this. I’ve listened to Mitch complain about Jace not letting Colt eat… Wait. Whoa.” Aaron stopped in the middle of what he was saying, even throwing out a hand to help stop his words. A blush ignited across his cheeks. Kreed had just picked up a plate of foil-wrapped baked potatoes when an awkward silence fell over the table. Kreed’s eyes shot to Mitch’s who was looking between Colt and Jace with a giant grin plastered across his face. He then turned his gaze toward Aaron.
“Oh, damn! Aaron has no chill. Why you blasting Knox like that?” Kreed teased, he couldn’t help the smile he gave at the huge lack of judgement of Aaron’s words. With a thud, he dropped the wrapped potato on Aaron’s plate.
“No, I said that all wrong…” Aaron started, but Colt stopped him.
“No, go ahead, I think I’m gonna love this,” Colt said, encouraging Aaron to continue.
“I didn’t mean it like that might’ve sounded, and I’m pretty sure I can’t finish that thought without possibly making some of the table angry,” Aaron reasoned, looking apologetic.
“You won’t piss me off,” Kreed added. He so wasn’t going to let the opportunity to give Aaron shit slip through his fingers.
“You aren’t helping,” Aaron shot back.
“No really, keep going, Aaron. I think it’s probably about the same conversation we have now just about every day,” Colt added.
“Why’re you putting him on the spot?” Jace asked Colt from across the table.
Uh oh. This just became a little more serious. Kreed and Aaron both glanced back and forth between the couple to make sure Aaron hadn’t started a fight between the hosts of their dinner. Jace’s smile was too big and Kreed cocked his head toward Colt, who looked positively ready to burst from wanting to say something.
Ah, man, they were cute together.
Not even here for fifteen minutes, and he got why Mitch was so taken with the lives of these two men. Their joy was contagious. In these few short minutes of being inside this house, Kreed now understood why Mitch had started to believe in fairytales.
“I’ll say it, to save our guest the embarrassment,” Jace spoke up as his gaze fixed on Colt’s. Probably for dramatic effect, several seconds passed in their little showdown before Jace finally spoke again. “Aaron, last year when Colt came back into my life after dropping me on my ass and leaving me for ten long years…”
“Okay, I don’t like the ugly turn this conversation’s taken,” Colt interjected, interrupting Jace. Colt held the steak knife in the air, pointing the tip in Jace’s direction. Jace sat there with his mouth open, clearly waiting to continue, and Mitch was laughing hysterically now. Kreed wasn’t sure exactly what was going on at the moment, and judging from their looks, Cody and Aaron weren’t either.
“He was so kind and considerate while trying to get his foot back in my door. I would tell him my eating habits were my own. He didn’t have to eat what I ate. But I’ll have you know, the very same man that picked out several hundred dollars of grade A prime beef for this evening, the same guy who is stupid crazy for bacon… Yes, Colt Michaels insisted he would eat vegan with me. And he actually still does most days.” Jace smiled a telling grin at Colt as he spoke.
Mitch pulled out his wallet and placed five one-dollar bills in front of Colt, tapping the center of the stack with his index finger. “That’s my portion of dinner.”
“Whatever. You know I worried about your protein intake, Jace,” Colt said without missing a beat or the chance to pocket Mitch’s money.
“I’m not finished. Even though we eat about the same, that refrigerator in there is always filled with meat—all sorts of meat. And most we just throw away because no one eats it.” Jace made a show of lowering his brow at Colt. Kreed relaxed a little, deciding this wasn’t turning into some earth-shattering fight. With his eyes still drawn to the scene unfolding in front of him, he slowly picked up his silverware and speared a broccoli floret, placing it in his mouth, waiting for Colt’s explanation.
“No, our refrigerator�
�s filled with yogurt and fancy fufu tofu that doesn’t ever seem to last until expiration. Have I told you I don’t really like tofu? It feels like a sponge in my mouth.” The knife was back in the air, pointing directly at Jace as Colt spoke. “Now, bacon… That’s the good stuff.”
“Colt’s also trying to move away from vegetables. It’s hard to be a vegetarian and not eat vegetables.” Jace lifted a glass of water, taking a drink, his eyes still on Colt. Wow, the Montgomery-Michaels duo provided entertainment with their meal. Kreed reached over and handed Aaron the condiment tray for the baked potato, encouraging him to eat.
“What’s this then?” Colt motioned to the baked potato on his plate.
“A baked potato filled with artery clogging butter, cheddar cheese, and full-fat sour cream doesn’t fall anywhere near the vegetable category. And please don’t start on how since the cow eats vegan, it makes the meat vegan,” Jace said, turning to Cody now. “He actually argued that point with me once.” Jace took a big bite of broccoli. Kreed looked over to see Mitch enjoying the show as much as he was.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny. Are you finished?” Colt asked, playfully tossing a roll across the table at Jace.
“No.” Jace chewed quickly, lifting a finger for everyone to wait. Once he swallowed and took a small sip of water, he continued, “So I keep telling Colt to pick out his funeral plot and make the arrangements before it’s too late and the arteries in his chest become solid. Now, I’m finished,” Jace said, laughing at his own joke, clearly one that Colt had heard before.
“You aren’t getting rid of me for a very long time, so stop planning your single life,” Colt added. Kreed got the distinct impression from the way those two were looking at each other, if they were seated closer together, they’d be kissing right now.
“I’ve had to sit through this for the last year. Normally they have these little spats then they make out until I’m the only one left in the living room,” Mitch spoke directly to Kreed. “Oh shit, that reminds me. I have a gift for them.”
Nice Guys Collection With Added Bonus Material Page 82
