Chapter 17 #2
Tex groaned. “Whatever this is.” He pointed between us. “Is… I don’t know, done.”
I ate up the distance between us in four easy strides. My hand circled his neck as I pulled him close. “I thought I made myself clear; I am no longer giving you chances to leave me.”
Tex’s eyebrows dipped. “And when you go to jail?” He cleared his throat and stood up taller. “I’m a cop. You’re the bad guy.”
I stared into his eyes. “You weren’t very good in school.”
He blinked at me. “What, why would you say that?”
I let him go no matter how much I wanted to march him upstairs and ruin him until he couldn’t think of anything but being under me.
“You’re shit at listening.” I grabbed another box and handed it to him. “I’m never letting you go, Tex Caster.”
* * *
“Okay, got the last piece up. What are you making?” Tex asked.
He peeked over my shoulder as I stirred the food.
“Fuck, it smells good.” He groaned in my ear.
My body heated instantly, my cock stiffening. His chest was pressed against my back and I could make out the hard ridges of his body through the thin t-shirt.
“Step back,” I said.
Cool air greeted my back, and I almost asked for him to come back. Black hair flopped over Tex’s eyebrows as he moved to the side. His gaze was heavy on the side of my face, and I fought not to react.
“Why?”
“You distract me, and risotto is a delicate dish.”
“I’m distracting you? How?”
I sighed. “You being so close makes me want to bend you over the counter and fuck you as I hold a knife to your throat.”
Tex sucked in a sharp breath, and I glanced his way momentarily. His pupils were blown, and he looked more than ready for that to happen.
“I’m not against it, but I’m a little shocked you’d use your kitchen knives.”
My mouth turned down in a frown. “I wouldn’t. I have a knife on me at all times.”
“That’s… Fuck, that’s hot.”
“Go check on Penelope,” I ordered.
“Fine, he’s never been a lock-me-away cat. He hates that shit.” Tex headed toward the downstairs bathroom, and I heard the tinkling of a bell shortly after.
“He’s free and zooming around the place,” Tex said.
I made a mental note to order more lint rollers and an air purifier.
I kept an ear out, listening to Tex whisper to the cat and cheer him on to try his new scratching posts.
It was strange to have someone in my personal space that wasn’t family.
Even then, I sometimes waited for them to leave with bated breath.
Tex and Penelope playing relaxed me further, and I found myself engrossed in the dish I was making.
I dried my hands and placed the plates on the table before heading to the living room. Tex tossed one of the silvervine balls up on the cat tree, and Penelope chased after it. I watched him for a moment longer.
“You being a creeper?” Tex asked.
“Dinner is ready.”
He smiled and got up. “Good, I’m starving.” He stopped short of entering the kitchen. “If you want me to move any of the setup, let me know. I wasn’t sure if anything would feel out of place for you.”
It was new, but I found I was more accepting of it. “I’ll let you know.” It took my brain a little longer to tell me if something wasn’t right sometimes. Part of me enjoyed the fact that Tex was concerned about my comfort.
We both got washed up and sat at the table. Tex’s face lit up as he took in the creamy shrimp risotto with mascarpone, a dish I’d perfected over the years.
“Can’t believe you made this,” Tex said.
“There are a few things police files won’t teach you about me.”
Tex paused with the spoon halfway to his mouth. His blue eyes flicked up to me and widened. “Did you just make a joke?”
I shrugged and spooned my food. “I can make them on occasion.”
He reached across the table and touched my forehead. “Are you sure you aren’t sick?”
I smacked his hand away. “Eat.”
Tex laughed as he dug in. The most alluring moans came from Tex as he ate. I wanted to hear them all the time. They were better than jazz. My cock stiffened, and I was forced to adjust as we sat there and ate.
Ringing broke the moment between us. Tex reached for his phone, and his smile dimmed slightly. He chewed on his bottom lip as he stared at the screen.
“Who is it?”
“My friend.”
I peaked at the name Chelsea. “That’s her third time calling today.”
Much like the other times, Tex forwarded the call. His shoulders slumped the moment he put the phone away.
He was silent for a long bit, and I let him be.
Something was bothering him, but I couldn’t figure out what.
I bet Giancarlo could. He was fantastic at reading people.
Even Benito could understand other people.
People’s actions and words were nothing more than a constant jigsaw puzzle for me to put together.
I never had all the pieces, and it left me confused and guessing.
“She’s calling because the other day, I was kind of spirling.” Tex shook his head. “Maybe a little longer than that.”
I grabbed his plate, and he followed me over to the sink. He leaned against the counter, not looking at anything in particular. I kept my mouth shut, waiting for him to finally tell me what happened the night I picked him up off the dirty floor of the bar’s bathroom.
Tex rubbed his arms as he spoke. “I’ve been wild my whole life.” He let out a dry laugh. “That’s an understatement. I was the kid other parents warned their children to stay away from. The ultimate fuck-up.”
I handed the rinsed plate over and he grabbed it and placed it in the dishwasher.
“I got into everything, and I mean everything. Soon I found alcohol wasn’t doing it, and I got into drugs.”
My back stiffened. Brycen’s face fluttered to the surface of my psyche for a second, but they were so different from each other. Brycen had never told me about his problem. Tex didn’t need to. I hadn’t asked for anything specific, but he was giving it to me all the same.
“Nothing on your record indicated that you were that bad. A few graffiti incidents but nothing more.”
Tex laughed. “Why am I not surprised you looked into me?” He didn’t sound upset. “My dad was a big-shot detective, and he pulled strings anytime I got caught.”
“The same dad that left a mark on your body?” I barely contained my rage. My hand tightened around the glass cup. Before I knew it, pain erupted over my fingers.
“Shit, Enzo.” Tex grabbed my hand, jerked it over to the other side, and turned on the water. “The fuck is your problem? Be careful.”
The cuts were shallow, and I’d had worse. Tex yanked me around the kitchen anyway until I was forced to sit down. No one had ever cared if I got hurt besides my brothers.
Tex ran around the kitchen, grabbing paper towels. “Where is your first aid kit?”
“Top right cabinet.” I was so stunned all I could do was answer him.
He grabbed the first aid box and was in front of me in seconds. I held out my hand for him, and he meticulously inspected it.
“It’s not too deep,” I said.
“Are you a fucking doctor?”
I blinked at Tex’s anger and the worry rolling off him in waves.
“No, but—”
“Then shut it. I’ve taken a first aid course.”
Warmth blossomed over my chest, and I found it hard to breathe as Tex checked over my hand. He picked out tiny pieces of glass. With every piece he pulled out, he stopped and stared up at me. I was too lost in the overwhelming possessiveness and want trying to consume me.
“Tex.” My voice was soft even to my ears. What was he doing to me?
“Does it hurt?” Tex asked, his blue eyes scanning my face as if he’d find the answer.
It didn’t hurt but something felt strange and it only intensified every time Tex was near me. I shook my head, my mouth too dry to speak.
“I’m almost finished.” Tex went back to cleaning the wound before bandaging it. “All done.”
The moment he dropped my hand, I gave in to the screaming voice in the back of my head. I grabbed Tex and crushed our mouths together in a heated kiss. Tex groaned, submitting to me.
I pulled back, my heart racing as the need to be inside of him dragged me further into the abyss of desire.
“And now?”
“And now what?” Tex asked breathlessly.
“Are you still spiraling?”
He stared at me for a long second that felt like an eternity. “Probably.”
I audibly swallowed. He wrapped his arms around my neck, and his fingers wove through my chocolate brown strands.
“But I’m not craving drugs or even alcohol.” He licked his lips as his eyelids lowered and his pupils dilated. “I found something far more intoxicating and just as deadly.”