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“So,areyougoingwith the traditional flowers and chocolates, or are you being a bit more creative?”
Talon blinked at Gael, having no earthly idea what he was talking about. “Please don’t tell me you forgot,” Gael said flatly.
Talon paused, his mind going a mile a minute. It wasn’t Finn’s birthday. “Fuck,” he swore succinctly. Fucking Valentine’s Day was tomorrow. Gael slapped him on the back, grinning.
“He’s a guy,” Talon said defensively after a few seconds.
“Who’s a guy?” They both glanced up as Vance came down the corridor toward where they were standing outside the medical bay.
“Finn, apparently,” Gael drawled.
“Huh?” Vance looked from one of them to the other in confusion.
“I mean, he’s not going to be into all that stuff, flowers and shit.” But even as Talon spoke the words, he knew it was a lie. Gael just raised an eyebrow. Vance barked out a laugh.
“You forgot Valentine’s Day.”
“You could just take him out for dinner,” Gael suggested.
“When?” Talon nearly wailed, not even attempting to disguise hisI know and freely admit I’ve fucked upvoice.It was nearly ten p.m. They had just finished up a really long day and they’d all eaten take-out earlier. “He’s doing that crime scene forensics course tomorrow, and I have no idea what time he’s gonna be done.”
“There are one or two places that will be open late in Ybor,” Gael mused. “Although, Friday andValentine’s Day? It’ll be a zoo.”
Talon nearly growled in frustration. He hated eating out. Hated the stares, the whispers when they saw the mark on his face. The fear and mistrust many didn’t bother to hide. “Gianelli’s,” Vance pronounced, naming their favorite Italian restaurant. Gianelli’s had a private back room, where they had originally gone to celebrate Doctor Natalie’s engagement. The doc had gotten Gael the private help he had needed when he was diagnosed with skin cancer and had kept it away from the bureau. When she’d asked them to come, they couldn’t say no. They’d all been eating and suddenly heard the sound of raised voices in the main dining room. It had turned out there was a birthday party going on, except the boyfriend of the birthday girl had objected to her ex thinking he could turn up and it had quickly become a fight. Talon and Vance had just grabbed each man by the collar and hauled them outside. It had been over and done with in a few seconds, and the owner was so grateful his restaurant hadn’t gotten wrecked, they’d all drunk complimentary champagne. It was the only place the team ever went to eat out now, not including Betty’s Diner.
Talon pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number. Of course, it was packed. Three restaurants later he gave up in disgust. Everywhere was slammed. The others didn’t take bookings but were expecting wait periods of at least an hour and not knowing what time Finn was going to be back made the two early slots he was offered impossible to accept.
“Can’t you stop and get him something on the way home?” Vance asked.
“The truck’s in for service. We’re both in Finn’s.” In fact, any second his boyfriend was going to come out of the locker room looking for him. As if Finn had heard him, the door opened at the end of the corridor and Finn came out with Sawyer. Finn was laughing, and Sawyer was shaking his head in amusement. Finn looked up, and Talon met his green eyes. Everything in him soothed instantly. He wanted to do something special. He didn’t want to do just chocolates and flowers, and yeah, he’d stuffed up the chance for both anyway because he’d forgotten. Forgot Finn was normal, and he was anything but. Forgot his boyfriend was and would always be the very best thing that had ever happened to him. Forgot he wasn’t supposed to take him for granted. His lips curled upwards in the answering smile to Finn’s soft one.
“You done?” Finn said softly and gasped as Talon drew him in close to his body. Finn looked around, alarmed.
“Everyone’s gone home,” Talon murmured, desperately wanting a kiss.
“Well, we haven’t,” Sawyer groaned, turning and following a chuckling Vance. Gael threw him a pointed look and then ruffled Finn’s hair.
“Knock ‘em dead, tomorrow, kid.”
Finn’s eyes sparkled, all eager. “I can’t wait.”.
Talon smiled indulgently. He couldn’t imagine anything more boring than discussing the nuances of directional blood-spatter, but he knew Finn had just bought a book by a famous forensic scientist in preparation for the course and Talon had already been lectured by his boyfriend on the value of it. Apparently, the book – Forensics for Fiction – had been written for authors, but Finn had raved about it and had even gotten their boss Gregory interested. Their team didn’t have the experience to handle murders in any way, and to be honest, they were having enough problems with the living, but Gregory was trying as hard as he could to plug all the numerous gaps in their training.
And Finn was an asset Gregory had recognized when Talon had been too stupid to. No, he had to get Finn something special…
Talon was fairly pleased with how things were going so far. He’d deliberately turned off Finn’s alarm and woken him up with breakfast in bed. Unfortunately just a little too late to have Finn worrying about anything other than ramming down his chocolate chip muffin and racing in and out of the shower. He’d arranged for Gael to pick him up as he was still without the truck. After Finn had disappeared in an eager blur, he showered and was ready for Gael when he showed. Gael had quizzed him immediately when he arrived, but Talon just said everything was in hand. Gael had grinned and called him a lucky bastard. Which he knew.
He had a dozen stops to make when he got his truck back but was waiting outside the training area next to the Tampa PD building when Finn came out of the door. Finn looked surprised when Gael took his keys from him and promised Finn his “baby” would be safe and sound in their parking garage when he needed it tomorrow. Talon steered a bemused Finn to his truck and got him settled in.
He started the truck and turned around. “You thought I’d forgotten, didn’t you?”
Finn opened his mouth, then closed it, and Talon smiled at the pink flush that started in his neck. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Finn’s, satisfied when he felt Finn’s hands creep around his back. He pulled back and then nearly—for a split second—thought to hell with the plan and wanted to drive Finn home and carry him to bed, but he didn’t.
“I hope you’re hungry.”
Fifteen minutes later they pulled up outside Betty’s Diner. “What are we doing here?” Finn asked in astonishment. Talon grinned and jumped down from the truck and was at Finn’s door before he’d recovered from his shock enough to open it. Betty served breakfast and lunch six days a week, closed at 3 p.m., and it was the first place Talon had ever taken Finn to. To be honest, the diner looked closed. All the shutters were down, and it looked like the usual emergency lighting was on when you glanced at the door.
Talon just smiled and clasped Finn’s hand, which he almost never did. He led Finn solemnly to the door and opened it. “I screwed up and forgot to book anywhere early enough.”
