Chapter 3 #3
“You got that, man,” Josh told him. “You’ll be one of the most valuable and trained guys in the entire state soon.”
Relief and pride filled Brad at Josh’s sure tone. Intellectually Brad knew it was the truth but that little niggle of doubt that lived inside him was always there.
“Now you’ll have to decide where you want to finally settle down,” Josh said, voice low but filled with curiosity.
Snapping his head around, Brad frowned at his friend. “What do you mean?”
The look that Josh sent him wasn’t one that Brad had seen before. Brad shuffled closer.
“Don’t treat me like an idiot,” Josh snapped.
“I’m not,” Brad replied. He was confused.
“There has been rumors since you’ve arrived. With this final certification, your abilities, and overall willingness to overwork yourself, every department in the state is fighting for you. The offers will flood in as soon as the paperwork is complete.”
Brad wasn’t an idiot either. He’d heard the same rumors. Been told that by the people that helped Brad get to where he was. “Oh.”
“Sorry.” Josh hunched his shoulders forward. “I don’t mean to be an asshole.”
“You haven’t been.”
“Whatever you need, man.” Smacking his shoulder, Josh then squeezed. “Wherever you want to go. It’s for selfish reasons that I want you to stay. But I’ve got your back whatever you decide.”
“You want me to stay?” Why did that make Brad’s heart thump faster? Make him smile.
Josh grunted. “You fit. I wasn’t sure at first since you and Luca can’t stand to be in the same room with each other for more than a few minutes. Except, I trust you. I didn’t realize that until today.”
“What do you mean?” Brad questioned.
“You’ve seen how we bring in guys from other departments to get us through this weekend.
This is the first year we’ve had them fill in at the station, allowing our crew with you and James to be out here.
I’ve always had to do my job protecting those in the water and whoever I was partnered with since they aren’t used to the heat, sun, and crowd.
It was different today. I could focus on what I should, knowing that you wouldn’t miss something important. It…it’s nice having you here.”
Brad’s throat tightened. Acceptance. That was what this felt like. “Thanks.”
“Yeah.” Josh pushed off the side of the ATV. “No problem. I’m going to walk around.”
Since Josh looked a little embarrassed, Brad didn’t stop him.
He was still reeling at what Josh had said.
Brad knew he was filling a hole that their department had but Josh wanted him to stay.
No one ever wanted him to stay. Okay, that wasn’t true.
Brad’s supervisors always had kind words for him when Brad decided it was time to move on.
He had friends, guys he’d worked with, hung out with, yet none of them had ever asked Brad to stay.
Not that Josh had actually asked. Just said that he wanted Brad to stay.
Did Brad want that? He hadn’t put an application in anywhere else, knowing that he had options.
Would always have options. Even the five-year plan that Brad was working off didn’t rely on any particular location.
Just the goals that Brad wanted to accomplish.
Peering around at the beach, the people, all the way out to the crystal blue ocean, Brad searched his heart. Surf City. Was this where Brad was meant to be?
He caught sight of familiar black hair and a toned body strolling through the crowd. Luca. Turning, Brad followed the younger man’s progress as Luca was most likely headed to one of the tents sent up for the surfers.
Luca, like always, waved and called out to people he knew. A sharp reminder that Surf City already belonged to someone. Luca was a fixture in the city. Someone who the residents and tourists loved.
Brad watched Luca until he disappeared out of sight.
He licked his lips.
The urge to go, to move, to track down Luca rode Brad hard.
They just needed to talk. That was all. No big deal.
Brad had possibly blurred the line between them the night before.
He confessed his previous relationship to Luca, which he hadn’t shared with anyone else yet.
Then like an idiot Brad hadn’t been able to help himself from touching Luca.
Sucking him. Kissing him. It wasn’t fair to Luca.
Not after Brad had told him moments before that they couldn’t be anything.
Striding forward, Brad dodged through the crowd as he kept his eyes on the tent to make sure that Luca didn’t slip away. A buzzer sounded for another round and Brad had to pause to allow a group of surfers to head out of the tent. Luca wasn’t one of them.
Brad waited until most of the crowd that had been hanging around the entrance followed behind the surfers before quietly slipping between the two thick flaps into the dark coolness the tent provided.
“I said to back off,” Luca growled.
Brad froze as he went on high alert. Luca sat on one of the massage tables with his legs dangling down while a tall, slim blond man was leaning over him.
“Come on, baby,” the blond said. “I’ll make it good for you. Just get on your knees. Or better yet bend over that table. I’ll hurry.”
Fury roared through Brad. His protective instincts pushed to the surface when someone harassed his boy.
Luca’s entire body was stiff, clearly uncomfortable with the blond in his personal space.
“I said no, Todd. Get the fuck away from me,” Luca ordered, low and dangerously.
Brad had never heard that tone from Luca. This was different than the sharp barbs Luca had used with Brad.
Todd, the blond man, scoffed. “Don’t play hard to get. I’ve seen you at the club. Strutting around in those shorts. You want someone to play Daddy with you? I don’t mind your little freaky side.”
That was it! Brad strode forward with the intent of putting that blond asshole in his place. Being a little didn’t make Luca a freak. The Daddy and little dynamic was precious and serious. Important to those that indulged. Nothing to be sneered about.
Brad was halfway across the room when Luca moved.
Luca shoved the blond away then jumped off the table. Luca grabbed the hand that Todd had put on Luca’s chest, twisting it behind Todd’s back. Todd dropped to his knees while a rough grunt escaped.
“I said to back the fuck off,” Luca said threateningly. “No means no.”
Brad stopped and grinned. He’d been ready and eager to step in and protect Luca and it turned out that Luca hadn’t needed it. At all. Damn, Luca was even more sexy like this.
“If I hear from anyone that you pull this shit with them, I’ll break you into pieces. And if I can’t, I know someone who would be perfectly happy to make you disappear permanently,” Luca warned. He yanked Todd’s arm up higher, causing Todd to cry out. “Got it?”
“Fuck! Fine,” Todd spat.
Luca shoved him forward. “Stay the hell away from me.”
Todd didn’t waste any time scurrying out of the tent, leaving Brad alone with a pissed-off Luca.
Luca was still cursing under his breath as he turned. He let out the cutest yelp spotting Brad close. “What the—”
Brad motioned to where Todd had literally run away. “I thought you might need some help.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Obviously I was wrong.”
“You saw that?” Luca winced.
“I wanted to flatten the asshole.”
Luca grinned. “He gets that reaction a lot. Todd is an asshole but he’s not usually that bad. The heat must be getting to him. Maybe it melted his brain.”
“So this isn’t unusual for him?” Brad asked. That was good to know. As much time as Brad and his unit spent around the area, Brad would make sure that they kept an eye on Todd. A predator in the middle of the innocent residents and tourists didn’t sit right with Brad.
Roughly, Luca rubbed his hands over his face. “Not usually that bad. Fuck! That was weird. The guy just wouldn’t back off. No clue why.”