Page 77 of In His Sights

“Do Ineedto be prepared?”

Gary’s grin was all the answer he required.

Tuesday, June 5

GARY SURFACEDfrom sleep. A warm body lay in his arms, and his nostrils were filled with the scent of clean hair and bed-warmed skin. He didn’t want to know what time it was.

Then he remembered, and his throat seized, an ache spreading through his chest.

It was time to say goodbye.

Dan stirred and rolled over to face him. “Hey.” His voice was soft.

“Good morning.” If it hadn’t been for Cory’s funeral, it would have been the perfect morning.

“Did you sleep okay?”

Gary pushed the hair back from Dan’s face. “Better than I have for a long while.” He kissed Dan’s forehead. Dan tilted his head, clearly seeking his lips, but Gary chuckled. “Nope. That’s all you get. I didn’t bring a toothbrush.”

“There’s a wonderful goodie bag in the bathroom,” Dan told him. “I think there’s a toothbrush in it.” He searched Gary’s face. “No regrets about last night?”

He smiled. “Only that it had to end.”

“And do you want it to end?”

Another soft kiss to Dan’s forehead. “No.” There was a rightness to waking with Dan in his arms that he couldn’t deny.

“I’m glad.” Dan sighed. “And about today….”

He’d been thinking about that too. “You know it’s the funeral.” Dan nodded. “Well, I’d feel happier if you didn’t go to the precinct today. Stay here.”

“I wasn’t intending to go there.”

Relief flooded through him. “Oh, good.”

“I was thinking of going with you.” Dan’s eyes focused on him. “If that’s okay.”

Gary didn’t say a word, but pulled Dan into his arms and held him tightly.

Dan’s lips grazed his ear. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

He breathed Dan in. “Thank you.” Gary released him. “So when we’ve had breakfast, come back with me to my place. I’ll need to change.”

“I don’t have a black suit, only the dark blue one.”

Gary smiled. “Cory wouldn’t have minded. I wasn’t going to wear a black one either. I can hear him now. ‘Bitch, please. Where are the rainbows, the sequins?’”

Dan laughed. “He was a character, wasn’t he?”

“You would’ve liked him.” He shook his head. “And none of this would have surprised him.” His chest tightened.

Dan sat up. “You. Bathroom. Now.”

“Are you always this demanding first thing in the morning?”

His eyes sparkled. “When I’m getting impatient for my first kiss of the day? You bet your ass.”

Gary swallowed.

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