I.N.E.T 1

by Brenda Cothern

  “You owe me five minutes, Knight,” Slade called out.

  Knight ignored the agent as he slammed through the locker room door. He grabbed his towel, toiletries, and stripped down before heading to the showers. He had no doubt the asshole would follow him.

  Slade trailed Knight into the locker room and didn’t see the man. He undressed, wrapped a towel around his waist, and made his way to the showers where he knew the cop would be washing off their workout. The sight caused him to pause, his breath caught in his throat, and his dick took notice. Again.

  Detective Michael Knight stood with his back to the locker room. His arms were braced against the pale green tiles and his head was bowed as water cascaded down over his taut neck and shoulders.

  Slade’s eyes were glued to Knight’s tattooed back. Another scenery covered Knight’s broad shoulders. The mountains from his arms continued until they formed a range that connected the tattoos on the cop’s arms. Stunning colors, reds, oranges, and purples displayed the transition from day to night. Rocky outcrops and trees reflected the light of the sky and merged into rolling hills that were covered in wild flowers before the scenery ended just above Knight’s firm, muscular ass.

  The tattoo was beautiful and looked like a piece of living art while Knight stood deadly still. Slade couldn’t help but wonder about the story behind Knight’s ink. Rivulets of water from the shower cascaded over the landscape and traveled further south to run over the cop’s ass before running down his legs and dripping to the floor. The shower gave the illusion of seeing mountains on a stormy day.

  Shit, this is a bad idea. Slade wasn’t sure which ‘this’ he was referring to, but it didn’t matter. Confronting the guy while Knight was naked or being so turned on by his soon to be new partner and wanting to do something about the ache in his balls wasn’t a good thing. Still, after a groan rumbled in the cop’s throat, Slade could do nothing but step closer to Knight.

  Five

  “You’re starting with INET on Monday and will be my new partner after completing the INET training courses,” Slade cut to the chase and didn’t wait for Knight to reply even though the man straightened. “Get over what that asshole Daniels said. You’ve already started the process that will have his balls in a vice and my director, your new boss, will ensure he gets what’s coming to him once I report in on Monday.”

  Knight wasn’t sure what to wrap his mind around first. The fact that he had been recruited to the International Narcotics Enforcement and Tracking agency, the narcotics undercover unit that was more elite than the DEA, the sexy as fuck agent that was going to be his new partner, or the fact that said new partner claimed that his new boss would have his back to ensure Daniels got what was coming to him for all the shit the homophobe let slide when the rest of the unit harassed the hell out of him.

  Knight’s body made up his mind when he sensed Agent Slade behind him. His cock hardened again against his will. As much as he wanted to pinch the fucker to make it go down or stroke himself until he achieved the same result, he kept his palms pressed firmly against the tile.

  Slade stopped behind Knight. Close enough to touch and to be sprayed by the warm water that beat off the man’s inked skin. His instinctive nature to take care of someone, make everything alright, almost caused him to lay a reassuring hand on the mountain range across Knight’s shoulder blades and back. Almost.

  “You’re my partner?” Knight asked without looking back over his shoulder at Slade. He hadn’t had a partner since he worked patrol and wasn’t sure he wanted one now. Especially one who stirred his cock the way Agent Slade did.

  “Officially once you complete training. Unofficially, starting Monday,” Slade clarified and waited for Knight to relax. The cop didn’t. Every muscle, every tendon, in his body was still tense as fuck.

  “With INET?” Knight asked for confirmation. He never aspired to be part of the international agency, even though he knew he was intelligent enough to join any of the alphabet agencies. Still, he couldn’t deny the pride he felt at being recruited to join the undercover bad asses, especially since he never even applied.

  “With INET’s North American Southern Division to be specific,” Slade clarified. “And you won’t have any of that bullshit about being gay like those assholes gave you about being gay.”

  Slade’s comment finally caused Knight to look over his shoulder and raise an inquiring brow. The statement was made with conviction and sparked Knight’s curiosity.

  Slade grinned at Knight and met the man’s gaze steadily when he replied, “Director Fisher is gay, along with a few others in INET. Who we sleep with on or off the force has nothing to do with the job we do.”

  Knight wasn’t sure he heard the agent correctly when he said ‘on or off the force,’ but that didn’t stop his eyes from roaming over the man’s bare chest. He wasn’t embarrassed about his blatant appraisal of the agent or when his eyes took in the tented towel wrapped around Slade’s waist.

  Slade felt like he was being visually fucked. He couldn’t stop his cock from twitching, but did manage to swallow the noise that threatened to escape his throat. He took half a step closer to Knight before he caught himself. If they were in the bathhouse down in Ybor, he wouldn’t hesitate at the invitation Knight’s eyes issued by being glued to his groin. But this wasn’t the bathhouse, and Knight wasn’t a trick that he would never see again after a hookup. Detective Knight was his partner, or would be after he finished INET training and became Agent Knight. Slade needed to remember that.

  Fish didn’t care if partners fucked around together. In fact, his philosophy was that it made a team work better if they were emotionally invested on a deeper level than just work partners. In the Tampa office, Bethany and James had been screwing for over a year, and there was a pool going in the Orlando office on when Daren and Bobby would finally stop dancing around each other and just get to it. Still, his co-workers were established partners in the agency. They all worked together first. The last thing Slade wanted to do was complicate his or Knight’s job because he screwed his partner before he even knew if they could work together at INET.

  “Really?” Knight asked and wasn’t sure what came over him when he continued. “So, if I pushed you to your knees or bent you over and fucked the shit out of you, it wouldn’t be frowned upon at work?”

  Knight grinned when he noticed Slade’s cock twitch beneath his towel again. He turned around and leaned back against the now warm tiles. Knight did nothing to hide his erection. In fact, he placed his hands behind him, between the wall and his ass, to give the agent a clear view of his arousal and interest.

  Slade enjoyed Knight’s sexy smirk, his confidence, and the gauntlet his new partner just threw down. He wasn’t opposed to Knight’s suggestion, especially as hard as his cock was at the moment, but he had other ideas. Ideas about what he wanted to do to the man that involved more than sucking him off or being fucked. Ideas that involved rope and leather, but those would have to wait to become reality.

  “Frowned upon at work, no, unless you’re doing it at work.” Slade grinned and closed the distance between them until he was standing under the shower spray, chest to chest with Knight. “But you’re assuming you’ll be the one doing the fucking.”

  Knight sucked in a gulp of warm air before a hiss slipped through his teeth when Slade’s towel covered groin brushed against his rock hard cock. Instinctively, Knight raised his hands to rest on Slade’s hips and his fingers dug deeply into the warm flesh above the terry-cloth. Before Knight could reply, Slade’s lips crashed onto his.

  Slade hadn’t intended to attack Knight’s mouth. It just happened the moment he felt the cop’s hands grasp his waist. It was like a switch had been flipped. He gave no thought to his reservations or his intentions to make sure they could work together at the agency before they started fucking around. The only thought that filled his mind was tasting more of his new partner and feeling more of the firm muscles he pressed against.

  The loud sla
m of a gym locker echoed through the locker room and reminded both of them where they were. The reminder was needed because even though they were only kissing and pressing against one another, there was no doubt where the encounter was headed.

  Slade stepped away and enjoyed the feel of Knight’s fingers ghosting over his skin before he put some distance between them. Knight held the same look of lust filled hunger in his eyes that Slade knew was shining from his own. He took two more steps back until he was out of the shower stall and made no effort to hide adjusting his hard cock under his now soaked towel. Putting his jeans on was going to be a bitch and it had nothing to do with not having another towel to dry off with.

  Knight heard a locker slam again and didn’t stop the agent’s retreat. He knew the man wasn’t moving away because he was ashamed of his attraction. No, Slade moved away because nobody wanted to see anybody fucking in the gym showers regardless of how hot porno plots made it seem. Knight turned off the water and grabbed his towel. Under Slade’s watchful gaze, he dried off while he walked to his locker.

  “Use this,” Knight offered his damp towel to Slade, which was drier than the one wrapped around the man’s waist.

  “Thanks.” Slade accepted the towel and watched Knight dress while he dried off.

  Knight’s cock still hadn’t settled down from feeling Slade against him in the shower. Perhaps, it was because of not being laid in so long, or the pressure from his cock pushing against his button fly, that he threw all caution to the wind. He knew that it was a bad idea to pursue what they had started in the shower since according to Slade, they would be unofficial partners at INET starting on Monday. Then again, according to Slade, partners’ fucking around wasn’t a big deal at INET

  “I owe you five minutes.” Knight grinned when Slade’s eyes settled back on his face.

  “You do.” Slade smirked and didn’t continue until after he pulled his T-shirt over his head. “But if you think five minutes will cover it, you better think again.”

  Knight grabbed his gym bag and chuckled before he replied, “I’d be disappointed if it did.”

  “Well, I’d hate to disappoint the Rookie then.” Slade picked up his dirty gym clothes and new sneakers.

  “Rookie?” Knight frowned and felt the tendrils of anger attempt to grip him again. He hadn’t been a rookie in over ten years, and the dig pissed him off.

  Slade knew calling Knight a rookie would get in his caw. That was why he did it. There was just something sexy as fuck about his new partner’s anger. He wasn’t sure when he realized that, but it was true.

  “You’re a rookie at INET, Knight.” Slade gave his partner a smirk that he was sure would piss the guy off more. “I’ll take what you owe me at your place.” Slade pushed Knight to get him moving out of the gym.

  He was surprised when the cop didn’t say anything before he climbed into his truck and peeled out of the parking lot. It was a good thing that Slade knew where Knight lived because the cop didn’t even wait for him to get to his bike and follow.

  Six

  The drive to Knight’s house in Land O’Lakes cooled Slade’s arousal and cleared the fog of lust from his mind. This is a bad idea, Slade reminded himself. He knew that they shouldn’t start screwing around before Knight even started with INET. The last thing he needed was to fuck his new partner, and then find out the guy was an asshole on the job or worse, that he really did have anger management issues. Anger management issues that could get both of them hurt or worse, killed, even though Knight’s anger did shoot lust straight to his balls.

  It would also add a layer of resentment to their working relationship that neither of them needed. It would be rough enough learning to work with a new partner; learning each other’s style and quirks. Slade knew it was going to be worse than normal for them both to begin with since according to Knight’s file, the man hadn’t had a partner for the last six years and Slade had been flying solo for much longer than that.

  Yeah, so fucking around is definitely a bad idea. Still, Slade caught up to and followed Knight’s jacked up black Silverado. Need to give him his INET paperwork, Slade rationalized while he followed Knight up US-41. I’ll just give it to him then leave.

  At least that was the plan when Slade pulled his bike into Knight’s driveway and parked behind the cop’s truck. He removed a manila envelope from his saddle bag and turned to find Knight staring at him. Knight’s tight T-shirt hugged the muscular chest that Slade had appreciated at the gym and he could just make out part of Knight’s tattoos peeking out from under the sleeves. His black jeans and combat boots added to his sexiness and Slade’s plan to just leave flew right out the preverbal window.

  However, the heat and lust filled hunger no longer shined in Knight’s steel-blue eyes, which was a good thing because it reminded Slade why doing anything sexual would be a bad idea. It seemed like the cop’s arousal had cooled down, too. Knight’s gaze shifted to the envelope in Slade’s hand before he spoke.

  “You coming in?” The question held no heat of desire or anger. It was just a question.

  “Got a beer?” Slade asked as if that was the deciding factor to whether he was staying or leaving. Maybe it was, but Slade had no idea where the question came from.

  Knight snorted as if the agent’s question was the stupidest thing he had ever heard. Of course he had beer. What self-respecting vice cop didn’t?

  “Yeah.” Knight turned and didn’t wait to see if his new partner followed. He left his front door open and made his way to his kitchen. Instinctively, he knew Slade would follow and shut his door.

  After tossing his keys on the breakfast bar, he pulled two bottles of Bud from the fridge. Knight turned and handed one to Slade before motioning with his bottle to the living room. Neither man spoke before they sat down and took a few swigs from their bottles.

  “So, you’ve,” Knight started and was about to say ‘got five minutes,’ but he caught himself before the words slipped out. He still caught a flash in Slade’s dark blue eyes. The guy knew what he was about to say if the smirk on his face was anything to go by.

  “Got paperwork for me?” Knight nodded to the envelope Slade still held in an effort to recover.

  “Yeah. New employee shit.” Slade tossed the envelope with the INET paperwork on the pale oak coffee table between them. “Fish… Fisher, your new boss, wants you ready to start training ASAP. The sooner you get this taken care of, the sooner you can start training.”

  Knight frowned. It wasn’t because of the paperwork. He was actually one of those rare cops who enjoyed that aspect of his job. Filing reports gave him a sense of closure on his cases. No, his frown was because Slade indicated he needed training like some police academy recruit.

  “I don’t need training,” Knight growled. “I’ll go over the paperwork, get the policies and procedures memorized, and have it ready to turn into HR on Monday morning.” Between his speed reading and eidetic memory, he wouldn’t even need the weekend to cover what was in the thick envelope on his table.

  Slade raised a brow. His reaction was a combination of doubt about Knight memorizing the documents in the three inch thick envelope and thinking he would have all the paperwork finished by Monday, but mostly it was because his new partner didn’t think he needed any training.

  Everyone who joined INET needed and received training because INETs training surpassed any other organization in the world. It was on par with the CIA and MI6. Knight might know city drug vice, but he sure as hell didn’t know worldwide drug vice.

  “One,” Slade began and leaned forward until his arms rested on his knees and held up a finger. “HR has given you a week to turn in your paperwork because it will take you that long to fill it out even after you start training on Monday. So, I suggest you take it and enjoy your last free weekend for a long time to come, which brings me to number two.” Slade held up a second finger. “Everyone and I mean everyone, from the mail kid to the receptionists who just answer the phones, gets basic INET training.
Regardless of your track record with Tampa’s drug vice and regardless of how much you think you know and think you are trained, you don’t know shit.”

  Knight bristled. He knew INET worked internationally, but he knew vice. Maybe not worldwide vice, but he still knew how to do his job. The undercover ops he had been a part of had resulted in busts. Sure, he could always learn more about drug vice and he was sure he would from INET, but it still pissed him off that his new partner assumed he was incompetent. Especially since the asshole didn’t know shit about him.

  Slade knew his words would spark Knight’s anger. It was a sexy-as-sin look on the guy, but seeing the fire of anger in Knight’s eyes wasn’t Slade’s motivation for his comment. His words weren’t meant to be a slap to the guy’s ego either, but it seemed they had. Nevertheless, he said what he had because it was the truth.

  Knight finished his beer and stood. He stormed to his kitchen to grab another and spat his reply over his shoulder. “Fuck you, Agent. I may not know everything, but I am fucking good at my job.” Knight yanked open his fridge and grabbed another beer. When he stood and slammed the door shut, he was practically toe to toe with Slade. “If I wasn’t,” Knight closed the small distance between them. “Then you wouldn’t fucking be here.”

  Slade let Knight get in his face. He didn’t have a problem with the guy’s close proximity or with the cop’s anger and aggression. No. His problem didn’t occur until Knight poked him in the chest, again, to emphasize his point. It was the second time today that Knight poked him and it would be the last.

  Shouldn’t have done that, rookie. Guess your training will start early, Slade thought before he reacted.

  Slade grabbed Knight’s wrist, spun a hip into the cop’s groin and easily flipped Knight over in a move that put his new partner face down on the floor. The sound of Knight’s full bottle of beer shattering on the tile floor didn’t even cause Slade to pause. His one knee pressed between Knight’s shoulder blades and his other between the man’s legs to pin one of Knight’s thighs to the floor.