He wanted Colton to ‘just say’ things to him every day. “It’s a taste thing. Coffee feels like mornings and activity. Tea makes me sleepy and relaxed.”
“I might have to try some hot tea when Momma stresses me out.” He laughed to himself and then set his cup down. “Granddaddy says he wants us to come over and play some today. He’s got most of the family and a few old friends coming. He’s real excited to show you off, I think. Do you mind? It would mean a lot to him.”
Colton started digging around in the fridge, and Zach couldn’t speak. The man wore a pair of jeans like he was born to it. “I… um…”
Pulling back with something in his hand, Colton glanced over his shoulder, brow knitted. “You okay?”
Zach struggled to remember what they’d been talking about. “I’m totally good. I was admiring the view and forgot the question.” Heat flooded his cheeks. “Which is so wrong of me to say. I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? For what? Looks are free. And entirely welcome.”
Flushed and ashamed, Zach avoided Colton’s gaze. “After how good you’ve been to me, I need to be better.” He sucked in a breath. “Yes. I’m happy to play with your granddad.”
“Hang on.” Colton shut the door and set a loaf of bread on the counter. “Be better? What are we talking about? Did you put sugar in my gas tank or something?”
He was too nice to call Zach out on his bad behavior. “I need to stop flirting so you don’t get in trouble. You deserve better from me.”
“How is flirting with me….” Zach saw the moment Colton understood. “You heard me and Momma didn’t you?”
It made him sound like a sneak, but they’d been loud. “You said something about your uncle. Colton, I’m not worth getting fired over. No one’s ever been this good to me without trying to get my clothes off. You’re the most decent man I’ve ever met, and I’m repaying you by tempting you to do something that could cost you your job. I’m sorry. I really am. It’s just you make me feel so good the way you treat me. It’s hard not to want you. And because I’m a shitty person, I repay that kindness by trying to get you fired.”
“Whoa there. What’s all these words flying out of you?” Colton reached for him, but Zach stepped back, shaking his head. “You haven’t done anything wrong, and I’m not in trouble.”
He was still protecting Zach, which added to his guilt. “You said your uncle bitched at you.”
“Yeah, for not turning on my camera when I was working.” When he inched closer, Zach stayed still. “Right now I’m not working, and we did nothing wrong. If I was guarding you or you were a suspect, that’d be different. Besides, a little flirting isn’t us getting busy.”
Flirting was the temptation that led men to think with their dicks, not their brains. “You’re trying to be professional, and I’m trying to lead you astray.”
“C’mere.” Colton closed the distance between them and pulled Zach into his body. “First, you aren’t leading me astray; I want you just as much. Second, we’ve been good, mostly. We stayed in our rooms, and we’ve kept our clothes on. Well, otherthan when you had your shirt off, and I nearly came in my pants.”
“Shut up.” Zach hated being short and skinny. “I’m nothing special to look at.”
“See, honey, that’s where you’re wrong.” Colton tilted his head up. “You’ve got this tight, hot body that does all kinds of things to my insides. My point is, we’ve been good, but we both made our interest clear. And to make sure you know where I stand, when this is over, I plan to court you so hard.”
Zach laughed because he’d heard getting laid called many things, but not ‘court you so hard.’ “Is that law enforcement code for sex?” He winked to act as if he wasn’t still flirting.
Colton laughed and hugged him. It took all Zach’s self-control not to do more than hug back as Colton’s thick, hard cock pressed against him.
“At least you know the feeling is mutual.” Colton released him, his face as flushed as Zach’s felt. “Back to breakfast. If you want to help, how about you make the toast? Consider it a step up from fetching, toting, and cleaning.”
He smiled, not because it was something he could—there was still a good chance he’d mess it up—but because it meant they made breakfast together. “I’m on it, Deputy McAllen.”
“The things you do to me, Zach,” Colton distracted himself getting their food organized. “I’m not sure how we’re going to make it an entire afternoon with my grandparents and not embarrass ourselves.”
Zach didn’t care what happened so long as he did it with Colton.
“We’ll manage.”
