Page 49

I nodded and pulled off, merging into traffic. Even at nearly five in the morning, New York was bumper to bumper. I caught Tex shivering in the passenger seat and turned the heat on as we rode in silence.

Before I knew it, we were pulling up to my apartment. Tex had dozed off on the drive, and I was reluctant to wake him. Lines creased the corner of his eyes as he groaned in his sleep.

I parked in my reserved spot and turned the car off. We sat there for another minute before I woke him.

“Tex.”

He jumped, his eyes bugging out as he looked around. He slowly settled down once our eyes met.

“Come on.”

Tex didn’t argue as I helped him to my floor and into my place. He took a step toward the stairs, and I grabbed him before he could walk any further.

“What?”

“Clothes off,” I demanded.

Tex sighed as he yanked his shirt off and shoved his pants and boxer down his legs.

“Socks as well,” I said, pointing to them.

“Fuck, you’re so anal.” He crashed against the wall as he attempted to balance on one leg. He finally pulled them off and tossed them onto the pile.

“Do you need help showering?”

“No!”

“Go get cleaned up.”

Tex flipped me off but headed for the steps. I watched transfixed as his firm ass flexed with each step. That stupid tattoo was even pleasing to look at.

I shook my head and went about cleaning up before joining him upstairs. I showered in the guest bedroom, giving Tex some space, although all I wanted to do was go in there and chain him to my bed and tell him he was stuck with me now.

As appealing as that was, it wouldn’t be easy making a cop’s son disappear. There would be too many questions.

I headed for my bedroom and found Tex sitting on my bed with nothing but a towel around his waist. His upper body was on full display as he sat there staring at his hands.

“I tossed your clothes.”

“What the fuck for?” Tex growled.

“You were sitting on that disgusting floor.”

“That’s what washers and dryers are for.”

I shook my head, walking further into the room. “No amount of disinfecting could have gotten them clean enough to my liking.”

“What the hell do you do when you spill blood on your clothes?” Tex’s shoulders tensed as if he’d just realized what he’d asked.

The tension in the room thickened to a choking level, and I forced myself to continue to the closet. “I get rid of them.”

“What?” Tex turned on the bed as I stepped out with a black pair of sweats for him and my blue pajama bottoms. I tossed him the pants as I slipped mine on.

“Keeping them is like asking to be caught. There is a lot of evidence in DNA. Even if I were to clean them, would it be enough?”

Tex’s mouth hung open as he stared at me. “Are you seriously telling me this?”

I shrugged. “Put some pants on.” My gaze traveled from top to bottom of Tex. Heat swirled in the pit of my stomach, and my cock hardened. Even now, I want him.