Chapter Seven
“ I t’s just paperwork.”
That’s what he’d said to TJ when he pulled the folder from the cabinet.
That’s what he’d said to Taylor when he raised his eyebrows and asked if he wanted him to come along.
That’s what Miles had said to himself in the cruiser as he drove down Maple and saw the Fernsby place at the end of the street.
A couple of days shouldn’t have changed anything, but somehow they had. He’d gone back to that house in his head too many times. Tanner at the door, holding it almost shut to keep Miles out while also shielding Savannah. Tanner’s eyes softening for her, then hardening the second he looked at Miles.
And the way Tanner had looked at him. Miles hadn’t missed that.
He also hadn’t missed his own reaction. That had been the real problem.
Two days later and he could still picture Tanner standing there barefoot, a couple of inches shorter than Miles’ six feet, long blond hair loose around his shoulders, mouth tight, eyes tired and watchful and too young for the weight he was carrying.
Miles had no business noticing any of it, but he’d noticed anyway.
Miles being into men wasn’t new. He was bisexual, so that part wasn’t some surprise. This was different, though. It was too soon and badly timed.
Tanner was tall and lean, and had stayed on Miles’ mind longer than he should have. Those light blue eyes were worse. Too direct. Too watchful. Every time Tanner looked at him, Miles had the uneasy sense he was being read right back.
He parked two houses down again and sat for a moment with the engine off, staring at the folder on the passenger seat. It contained forms, utility numbers, and a list TJ had told him to pass along.
With a deep sigh, Miles picked it up and got out.
Mrs. Hemsworth’s curtains moved when he stepped onto the sidewalk. Her porch light was on this time. She opened her door before he reached the yard.
“She’s with me,” she said quietly. “Savannah’s fine. She’s had dinner. She’s asleep.”
Miles nodded. “Thank you.”
Mrs. Hemsworth’s mouth tightened. “He didn’t want to let her out of his sight.”
“I know,” Miles said.
“He let her go anyway.” Her eyes stayed sharp on Miles. “So don’t you go in there and make a mess of it.”
Miles didn’t argue. “I’m not here to.”
Mrs. Hemsworth stepped back into her house without another word and shut the front door.
Miles walked to the Fernsby porch, the folder tucked under his arm, knocked once, and waited for Tanner to open. When he did, he only opened the door a crack. His eyes narrowed when he saw Miles.
“What?”
Miles kept his hands visible. “Paperwork,” he said. “I’m not here about anything else.”
Tanner’s stare stayed hard. “What kind of paperwork?”
Miles lifted the folder slightly. “Utilities. Taxes. The stuff you said you didn’t have answers for.”
Tanner didn’t open the door any wider. “Leave it.”
“I can, but there are a couple pages you’ll fill out wrong if no one explains them to you.” Tanner’s eyes narrowed more, so Miles added, “We can do it on the porch.”
Tanner held the stare another second. Miles kept his own expression neutral, but his pulse had already started kicking harder for reasons he didn’t want to examine.
With a grunt, Tanner unhooked the chain. “Fine. In and out.”
Miles stepped inside. The house was dim and cold, the air stale like it hadn’t been lived in properly for a long time. He kept his hands visible and his eyes on Tanner.
Tanner shut the door behind him and stayed between Miles and the rest of the house for a second, as if reminding both of them where the line was, then he sighed. “This way.” He jerked his head toward the kitchen.
Miles followed him in, trying to force his eyes away from Tanner’s body but failing. The kitchen was cold too, and quiet in a way that made every small sound stand out, like Tanner’s breathing and his own heartbeat.
Miles placed the folder down and opened it. Tanner stood on the other side of the kitchen, watching him like he expected something to happen.
Maybe that should have made it easier to ignore the attraction, but it didn’t. “Savannah settle okay with Mrs. Hemsworth?” Miles asked.
Tanner’s jaw clenched. “She’s fine.”
Miles nodded. He wrote in the date, slid the page across, and tapped where Tanner needed to sign. “Name and phone number here.”
Tanner stared at the line, then uncrossed his arms and stepped forward. He came in close enough that Miles caught the clean scent of soap. It got under Miles’ skin and made him heat up inside. With some effort Miles managed to get his response to Tanner under control.
Tanner took the pen but didn’t write. “This doesn’t go to CPS?”
“No.” Miles shook his head. “It stays at the station. It’s so if someone calls in about the house again, we don’t treat it like a break in.”
Tanner lifted his gaze. Those sharp blue eyes held him in place. “You swear?”
Miles met his eyes. He should have looked straight back at the paper, but he held Tanner’s stare for a second too long. “I swear.”
Something shifted in Tanner’s face. Tanner looked back down at the page, but he still didn’t write. Miles could see the pulse in his throat. He could also see that Tanner was close enough now that stepping back would be noticeable.
Miles should have put more space between them but instead he leaned closer. “Sign there,” he said. His voice came out lower than he intended, and it was clear Tanner heard it.
Tanner’s hand tightened slightly on the pen. He glanced down, then back up. His eyes lingered on Miles’ face for a second too long before dropping. Miles felt it, the moment Tanner’s gaze moved over his chest and farther down.
Arousal hit hard and rushed through Miles’ body. His jaw tightened before he could stop it. Tanner saw that too, his eyes moving over Miles’ face.
Miles drew a breath and reached for the next page, trying to drag the moment back under control. His fingers brushed Tanner’s where he held the paper steady. Tanner didn’t move his hand right away and neither did Miles.
When Miles looked up, Tanner was already watching him.
There was nothing soft in that stare. Nothing uncertain either. It was wary and tense and hungry in a way that sent a hard pulse through Miles before he could shut it down.
“Tanner,” he said. It was meant to be a warning only it didn’t sound like one.
Tanner’s eyes dropped once more. Not as low this time. Just to Miles’ mouth, and Miles felt his own gaze slip in response, down to Tanner’s mouth and back up.
That did it.
One second Miles was holding the paper, and the next Tanner grabbed him by the front of his jacket and kissed him.
Miles froze for half a second, then his body caught up and he grabbed Tanner back, pulling him in hard. Tanner’s mouth was hot and demanding, his hands already working at Miles’ jacket.
The folder slid on the counter and the papers scattered. Miles tried to breathe, tried to think, tried to remember he was in uniform and this was a bad idea, and Tanner was nineteen and this was a kitchen and—
Tanner broke the kiss just long enough to drag in air, then kissed him again, rougher this time. Tanner’s knee pressed between Miles’ legs, his knee brushing Miles’ erection and Miles’ head went blank.
“Tanner—” Miles managed to get out, but it didn’t sound like a warning.
Tanner’s hand tugged at Miles’ shirt and Miles sucked in a breath, fingers tightening on Tanner’s hips. Tanner’s other hand shoved the jacket off Miles’ shoulders, and it landed somewhere behind them. Miles didn’t care where right then.
Tanner kissed down Miles’ throat, his teeth scraping lightly against his skin, and Miles swore under his breath. He grabbed Tanner’s hair and Tanner made a low sound like he liked it.
Miles tried again, quieter this time. “Are you sure?”
Tanner kissed him and murmured, “Don’t stop.”
After that, Miles lost the rest of his control. Tanner kissed him again, his hands unbuckling Miles’ belt and then working on the zipper of his pants. A hard jerk had them down around Miles’ knees along with his briefs.
Tanner dropped to his knees in front of him.
Miles was hard and thick already, flushed at the head, and Tanner took hold of him and licked it.
Miles hissed, his hips punching forward as Tanner sucked.
His hand gripped Tanner’s long blond hair, urging him closer as Tanner ran his tongue long his shaft.
He came back up to the head and sucked it again, his tongue running over the spongy flesh.
Miles opened his eyes when Tanner stood then moaned into the kiss Tanner took. He heard Tanner’s clothing rustle then his legs were pushed as far apart as his trousers would allow. When Tanner’s wet finger rubbed over his hole, Miles gasped.
“What?”
“In my jeans.” Tanner kissed him again as his finger slid inside, causing Miles to groan. A second finger quickly followed, and he scissored them, making Miles gasp.
Suddenly, Tanner spun him around and Miles bent over the counter, hearing the rustle of the condom wrapper. A few seconds later he felt cold lube over his hole then Tanner’s body leaned over his and the head of his dick brush his ass.
“Ready?”
“Yeah.” Miles groaned when Tanner eased inside, bending over and pushing his ass out. The burn had him dropping his head and he breathed deeply, waiting for it to pass. When Tanner was fully inside, Miles panted then nodded.
Tanner pulled out then pushed back inside and Miles moaned at the fullness he felt. Tanner kept repeating the move and Miles moved with him, pushing back when Tanner slid inside. It wasn’t long before Tanner picked up speed and his thrusts became harder.
Miles grunted, his hands gripping the edge of the counter. Tanner moved faster, grunting with every thrust, then his hand gripped Miles’ hard cock and began to stroke it. Miles shuddered, his balls pulling up. “Tanner,” he gasped. “Close.”
Tanner didn’t say anything, but his hand squeezed Miles’ dick as he pumped his hard flesh.
Miles whimpered, his body moving with Tanner’s, as pleasure built inside.
He could feel his orgasm growing, and he moaned Tanner’s name, hearing Tanner groan behind him.
Seconds later, he came, his body bowing as his orgasm exploded through him.
He shuddered and held onto the counter as Tanner continued to pound his ass.
A loud groan filled the air and Tanner thrust in, his hands gripping Miles’ hips before pulling out then sliding back inside. Miles could feel Tanner’s body shake as his own came down from its ecstatic high.
What felt like minutes later, Miles opened his eyes. He stood with his hands braced on the counter, trying to get his pulse and breathing under control. Tanner stood behind him, his soft pants of breath ghosting over Miles’ skin.
Miles swallowed then straightened and dragged a hand over his face. “This was not why I came here.”
Tanner’s laugh came behind him. “Yeah, right.”
Miles turned and looked at him then and felt the same problem he’d been fighting for days. It would have been easier if it was only attraction, but it wasn’t feeling that simple anymore.