1
The old-fashioned landline rang as Joe was pouring iced tea into a glass. He carefully placed the pitcher on the counter before reaching to pick up the receiver.
“Morrissey.”
“Hey, M. It’s D-Day.” The caller didn’t have to name himself, since Joe had recognized Daryl Greer’s distinctive growl on the first word. “I’m gonna be headin’ out to the lake this weekend to fish, ‘cause Doc has a conference in New York. You interested?”
Normally Joe would have been glad to accompany Daryl out to his camp on Jordan Lake for some quiet, peaceful relaxation away from people. It wasn’t that Joe was antisocial, not exactly, but he often felt out of place in big crowds, and his taciturn nature wasn’t suited to the pursuits of a social butterfly. Spending time with Daryl was different, because he was almost as quiet and reserved as Joe himself. They got along well.
“Can’t,” he replied. “I’m starting a mission tomorrow, but thanks for the invitation.”
“Well, damn.” Daryl sighed. “Guess I’ll have to go alone. You gonna be out of town?”
“Yeah.” A motion outside the big picture window overlooking his yard caught Joe’s eye, and he watched as Brian Finnegan came around the side of the garage. Finn was dressed in nothing but a pair of cutoff denim shorts, riding low enough on his hips to give a glimpse of a dark treasure trail. His tanned torso gleamed with sweat, and his dark hair was damp, an errant curl straying over his forehead. Black grease was visible on one of his cheeks—a single streak—no doubt the product of his labors on Joe’s HVAC system. As Joe watched, Finn pulled a wrench out of his back pocket and went to work on the compressor unit, loosening the bolts at the top that held the fan motor in place. His movements were precise, and the slight curve of a smile on his lips made Joe wonder what Finn was thinking about.
“Morrissey? You there?”
D-Day’s voice’s brought Joe out of his reverie. “Uh, yeah. Sorry.”
“Am I interruptin’ something?” There was an edge of amusement to Daryl’s tone. “You and Finn weren’t gettin’ busy, were you?”
“No.”Not yet. “He’s fixing my heat pump.”
Daryl gave a snicker. “I thought you said you weren’t gettin’ busy,” he drawled, and Joe’s cheeks grew warm. It was a sign of how distracted he was that he’d unknowingly handed D-Day a perfect set up. “I’ll let you get back to it. Later.”
“Later,” Joe replied, absently replacing the phone on its hook. Finn was wrestling the fan motor out of the compressor, and he couldn’t help but watch, admiring the flex of muscles beneath Finn’s smooth skin.
Finn placed the motor on the ground and bent over it, positioning himself so that Joe got an unobstructed look at his firm, denim-covered ass. It had to be deliberate, but it also had the desired effect. Joe’s mouth went dry, and a zing of arousal shot down his spine.
Finn straightened and rested both hands at the small of his back. He pivoted to present a three-quarters view, making Joe wonder what he was up to. With his eyes closed and lips parted, he arched his spine and let his head fall back, exposing the long, clean line of his throat.
The zing became a full-fledged thrum as Joe caught sight of the dark bruise on the side of Finn’s neck. He remembered very well how it had gotten there, the way that Finn’s skin had felt as he’d bitten down on it, then drawn it between his lips to suck. Finn liked being bitten, and God knew Joe loved to mark him. It was the only sign of possessiveness he dared show.
Lacing his fingers, Finn stretched his arms high over his head and twisted his torso back and forth as if working out an ache, but was that a flirty smile peeking from behind the curve of his bicep? Given it was Finn, the answer was probablyyes.
Knowing that Finn was teasing him only increased Joe’s need to do something about it, so he moved back to the table and picked up the glass of sweet tea, its sides already dripping with condensation. He headed to the back door, stepping out into the rapidly heating July morning, moving toward Finn.
He stopped a couple of feet away, not bothering to hide his admiration as he let his gaze travel over Finn’s body. They were close in height, though Finn was lean and rangy, while Joe had wider shoulders and more muscle. This close, Joe could see the brilliant green of Finn’s eyes—they gleamed with mischief—and spot the dimples that creased his cheeks. Joe knew he was good looking enough, but Finn was strikingly handsome, his features boyish and his mouth always curved in a ready smile.
They were opposites in so many ways, and sometimes Joe wondered what Finn saw in him, even if they were only friends with benefits. Finn was outgoing, with a warm personality that drew people in like a magnet, where Joe was quiet and reserved, often fading into the background without notice. Finn’s wit was keen, his laughter bright and infectious, while Joe rarely more than chuckled. Joe was quietly methodical, his house neat and organized, while Finn’s apartment always looked like a tornado had just run through it.
Strange as it was, they somehow made a natural team. They’d met at Lawson & Greer, where Finn had signed up after a couple of tours as an Army field medic. Joe had joined only a week earlier, after mustering out of the Navy Seal program, and they’d been paired together for training. Later, they’d left the company together to join Cade Thornton when he’d founded Hercules Security, and that’s when thewith benefitshad been added to their friendship. In the eight years since, things hadn’t progressed any further, at least on the surface. Joe was a homebody, and even if he never admitted it, there wasn’t anyone else in his life—and he wasn’t looking for anyone. Finn wasn’t the type to be tied down. He had the occasional fling, but Joe was always there waiting when the flavor of the moment was gone. Joe would always be there for Finn, no matter what.
“You look hot,” Joe said, meaning the double entendre. He held out the glass of tea. “Thirsty?”
Finn accepted the glass and pressed it against his flushed cheek, his lips curving in a tempting smile. “I’m a little heated.”
Joe took a step closer. “When you’re done, you could cool off with a shower,” he replied. “Then, if you wanted, I could heat you up again.”
“I’m just about done,” Finn said, holding Joe’s gaze as he ran the glass along the side of his neck, leaving a wet trail in its wake. “I need to put the motor back in and bolt it down, but I’ll definitely be ready to cool down soon.”
“All right.” Joe took yet another step, close enough now to feel the warmth of Finn’s body. He lifted a hand, trailing his fingers through the cool path left by the glass and then brought them to his lips so that he could taste Finn’s clean, salty sweat.
Finn’s eyes darkened and a hum of approval rumbled in his chest. “It’d help if I didn’t have any distractions,” he said, even as he rested one hand on Joe’s hip.
Joe tilted his head to one side. “Would it help if I went and got in the shower? The thought of me waiting for you wouldn’t distract you, would it?”
“No, but it sure as hell would motivate me to finish up as fast as possible,” Finn said, dimples flashing as he shot a mischievous grin at Joe.
