STORY EXCERPT

Detective Cooper Thomas slowly climbed the stairs to his apartment. He was tired, so tired his bones ached. Every step he took up the narrow stairwell took effort. His feet felt like lead weights. It was all he could do just to lift his foot for the next step.

It seemed liked forever before he finally reached the top step of the three-story apartment building he lived in. What he wouldn’t give for an apartment with an elevator. But moving took energy, too, and right now, Cooper was all tapped out.

It wasn’t just the long, grueling workday but the entire past six months. Between being kidnapped by that maniac serial killer, Daryl Wallace, Cooper’s time recovering from his injuries, and having his long-lost love back in his life, Cooper felt exhausted.

Cooper chuckled to himself and shook his head. Correction, having his long-lost love reappear and harass him every chance the man got. Alec couldn’t be considered back in Cooper’s life. That implied that they were actually working on a relationship together.

As far as Cooper was concerned, Alec could take a long walk off a short pier. Alec drove Cooper out of his mind. Every time Cooper turned around, Alec appeared. He seemed to magically know when Cooper went out with friends, went to dinner at Jack and Mason’s new house, or even some get-together at Janet and Bob’s.

Cooper felt pretty sure that it was a conspiracy. He knew he had been instrumental in getting Jack and Mason together, and they felt that they were just returning the favor. They weren’t. They were just making Cooper’s life a living hell.

Sliding his key into the lock, Cooper unlocked the door and pushed it open. The moment the lights in the room shone into his eyes, Cooper reached for the gun holstered at his waist. He knew he hadn’t left the lights on when he left that morning.

Pushing the door open a little more, Cooper took a hesitant step into his apartment. Even though he had moved to a new apartment a few months ago, he still got the willies sometimes when he came home. Cooper wasn’t sure he’d ever get the memory of Daryl Wallace attacking him in his old apartment out of his mind.

“It’s just me, Coop.”

Cooper let out the deep breath he held as he recognized Alec’s voice coming from his living room. He dropped his hand from his gun and brought it up to rub over his face. Fuck! He so didn’t need this right now.

Lifting his head, Cooper glared across the room at Alec. “Breaking and entering is illegal, you know.”

Cooper wanted to scream in frustration as Alec raised one dark blond eyebrow. “I didn’t break anything,” Alec replied.

Sarcastic son of a bitch, Cooper thought. Breathtakingly beautiful, sarcastic son of a bitch. He wanted to hit something.

He stepped into his apartment and closed the door behind him. He dropped his jacket over the back of the couch and walked to the fridge. Opening the door, Cooper grabbed a beer and opened it, drinking down nearly half of it at once.

Setting the beer on the counter, Cooper glared across the small space to where Alec sat. “What do you want, Alec?”

“You know what I want, Coop.”

Cooper shook his head. “I’m not going to have this conversation with you.” No way, no how! He finished off the beer in his hand and reached back into the fridge for another one. This would need a lot of alcohol. He was considering going for the stronger stuff in the bottle above the fridge. He just might need it.

He twisted off the cap and tossed it into the garbage bin before taking another swig. Walking back into the living room, Cooper loosened his tie and pulled it free. He tossed it over his jacket. He could feel Alec’s eyes on him.

“You need to leave, Alec.” Cooper sat down in a chair across from where Alec had settled on the couch. He had to admit, with Alec’s sunlight blond hair and bronze skin, the man looked fantastic sitting back against the black leather of Cooper’s couch. Alec had always looked good in black leather.

“Not until we talk.”

Cooper rolled his eyes. Alec pressed the issue every time they ran into each other. He wanted to talk about their past, the things that had pulled them apart. Cooper just wanted to forget it like he had been trying to do for the last ten years.

“There’s nothing to discuss, Alec. You made your choice. You left me without a word, a note, nothing. You just left. I think that pretty much said it all,” Cooper said. If Cooper believed that Alec would drop everything if they discussed their past, he’d do it. But he didn’t.

Alec stared at him a little too hard; his eyes swept over Cooper’s body a little too long. Cooper knew that Alec was still interested. Cooper was, too. Alec had been the love of his life. Still was. Cooper just didn’t know if he could allow his heart to be torn apart a second time when Alec decided he wasn’t worth it again. The first time had nearly destroyed him.

ADULT EXCERPT

Something woke Alec up. He opened his eyes and glanced around the room. Nothing seemed to be out of place, not as far as he could see. It wasn’t his house. For all he knew, everything could be out of place.

Hearing a noise, Alec sat up, his eyes going to the door that led to Cooper’s room. There it was again. What was it? A cry? A whimper? Alec got to his feet and walked over to lean his ear against the door, listening.

Hearing the small whimper again, Alec quietly opened the bedroom door. A shaft of moonlight shone through a small slit in the curtains, bathing Cooper’s restless body. Alec could see him toss and turn in the bed.

Alec walked closer. His breath caught in his throat; Cooper was naked, the cream-colored sheet pushed down to the bottom of the bed. Cooper’s long, muscular legs were all tangled up in the sheet.

Another whimper came from Cooper. Alec realized that Cooper was in the middle of a nightmare. The way Cooper seemed to struggle, Alec was pretty sure he knew what the nightmare was about.

Alec sat on the side of the bed and reached over to shake Cooper’s shoulder. Alec wasn’t prepared for the response to his touch. Cooper started to thrash, his arms swinging around in the air as he fought off an invisible opponent.

Grunting at the impact, Alec reached over and tried to hold Cooper’s hands down. “Coop,” he said loudly. When Cooper continued to fight him, Alec moved over to straddle Cooper’s body. Alec held Cooper’s wrists down beside his head and leaned in close to his face.

“Cooper, wake the fuck up!” Alec said, louder this time. He still didn’t get the response he wanted. Cooper stopped fighting him, but his whimpers grew louder, more heart wrenching.

Frustrated, Alec let go of Cooper’s wrists and cupped the man’s face. He leaned in and claimed Cooper’s lips, demanding a response from him. For a moment, Cooper’s body stilled then strong hands wrapped around Alec’s neck and pulled him closer.

Alec grunted when Cooper pulled him close and the man’s tongue brushed against his. Alec stroked back. He could feel his cock hardening against Cooper’s abdomen. An answering hardness grew and pushed between Alec’s legs.

He wanted to squeeze his legs together, to feel Cooper’s cock pressed tight against his balls. Alec began moving his hips. He pressed himself down on Cooper’s body. Except for the thin cotton of Alec’s boxers, nothing separated them, and Alec could feel every contour of Cooper’s cock against his body.

“Alec,” Cooper groaned.

Alec experienced such relief at Cooper’s word that he felt lightheaded for a moment. Cooper kissed Alec back and rubbed on him as if he were no longer having a nightmare. Alec was overjoyed.

“Coop,” Alec whispered back as his lips moved away from Cooper’s and down the man’s neck. Alec licked, nibbled, and bit the flesh under Cooper’s lips. His hands caressed, stroked, and rubbed as hot skin met hot skin.

Pleasure radiated from Alec. Alec’s senses reeled as if short-circuited when Cooper’s hands slid under the elastic waistband of his boxers and grabbed his ass. Cooper’s legs parted, then wrapped around Alec’s hips, bringing their cocks closer together.

Reclaiming Cooper’s lips, Alec crushed Cooper to him. Alec’s large hands took Cooper’s face and held it gently. His tongue explored the recesses of Cooper’s mouth. Cooper kissed Alec back, sending shivers of delight burning through him.

Alec could feel the pressure building up inside of him. A warm tingle shot down his spine and settled at the base of his cock. His balls drew up tight against his body. Alec knew he was moments away from coming.

He wanted Cooper to come with him, to feel Cooper’s release against his body. Reaching between them, Alec pushed his boxers down and grabbed both their cocks in his hand. His mind swirling, Alec heard Cooper groan beneath him.

“Alec, soon,” Cooper whispered.

“Yeah, soon, Coop,” Alec murmured back. He stroked them both with his hand, his thumb moving over each head, each little slit. He could feel Cooper’s fingers digging into his hips. He knew he’d have marks from it, but he didn’t care. The pleasure he experienced with Cooper was worth it.