Page 52 of Throw Down

“Got my attention,” he murmured, nuzzling the tender skin beneath Briar’s earlobe.

Briar shivered, fingers clenching around Derek’s biceps.“Before we get ahead of ourselves, I should tell you something,” he said reluctantly.

“What?” Derek asked, unconcerned, as he sucked a gentle mark into the delicate flesh of Briar’s throat.

“Now, don’t be mad…” Briar said hesitantly.

That caught Derek’s attention.He lifted his head just as Briar reached out and opened the van’s passenger door. A streak of black fur leaped out and shot around the yard like a missile.Sabbath rocketed in ecstatic circles, tongue lolling and ears flapping, kicking up swaths of dust and gravel in her wake.

“She missed you.” Briar smirked, watching as the half-grown puppy shot-putted herself between Derek’s legs before flipping over onto her back and writhing in joy.“Can’t say I blame her. I’d let you pet my belly too.”

Derek glared at him. Undaunted, Briar simply waggled his eyebrows. With a reluctant sigh, Derek crouched and gave the puppy a good, hearty scratch, just the way she liked it.She wriggled happily, grinning all over her doggy face.His throat tightened.

“It’s not that I don’t love her,” he said impulsively.

“I know.” Briar didn't say anything else.He didn't push for more than Derek was willing to give; he only smiled gently when Derek looked up at him.

Time stopped, and Derek swore he felt himself fall.

Briar cleared his throat, breaking the moment, and retrieved a small cooler from the van.“Now, let’s get cooking.”

Derek grunted and led him indoors on legs that felt strangely weak.

Sabbath darted past them and into the cabin, making a beeline for the corner where her old bed still sat.She sniffed and circled the cushion before settling down with a contented sigh.

Briar gave him a pointed look.Derek ignored it and purposely looked away.

“I brought some wine,” Briar said, as if sensing he was pushing too hard.“It sounded like you were having a busy day.”

“Same old,” Derek said, taking the cooler from him and setting it on the counter.“Pulled apart an old skid loader, argued with my wholesale guy about prices.Sometimes it feels like I’m living in a loop—like Groundhog Day.”

“Bill Murray became a genius by the end of that movie,” Briar pointed out.He was opening and closing kitchen drawers, searching for a corkscrew.“Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Nah. I’d be a lot further along on that Jung collection gathering dust on my bookshelf,” Derek said wryly.

He watched Briar fumble in all the drawers and cabinets.There was something endearing about seeing him so out of his element.The kitchen in Briar's apartment was a barren wasteland of dust bunnies and stale poptarts.

Derek loved the kitchen. It was the only place he was allowed to be creative.He’d designed it himself, from the sturdy hand-carved shelves to the cast-iron skillets hanging on the wall.He knew exactly where everything belonged, but even if he’d been a complete layman, he didn’t think he’d ever look for a corkscrew in the warming drawer beneath the oven like Briar was doing.

“Looking for this?” Derek fished the corkscrew from a nearby drawer and dangled it in front of Briar’s face, yanking it up over his head before he could grasp it.“Ah-ah,” he teased. “What are you going to give me for it?”

Briar’s eyes were sparkling when he asked, “What do you want?”

Derek didn’t need words. He hooked a finger inside the hem of Briar’s shirt, twisted it, and used the leverage to pull him close and kiss him.Finally. His mouth was beautifully soft, but sweet and vaguely sticky, like he’d been using gloss again.

“You taste like pineapple,” Derek murmured, licking the taste from his mouth.

“Is that bad?” Briar whispered, staring up at him from under his lashes.His eyes were hazy and dreamy-looking.Derek was so distracted by the pretty gray color that he momentarily forgot to answer.Briar had to repeat the question.

“Not bad,” Derek said huskily.“Nothing about you is bad. You’re perfect.”

Perfect for me. The thought was unbidden.Unwanted. But Derek knew himself well enough to recognize the ring of truth.

Briar was so pleased that he lifted up on his toes and kissed him again.Derek gathered him into his arms and leaned back against the counter, lingering over the kiss until Briar was limp and Derek was the only thing keeping him on his feet.Briar’s eyes stayed closed when they parted, and Derek stole a moment to appreciate the spray of pale freckles he'd never noticed before.

“You’re the first man to kiss me like that,” Briar whispered, lashes fluttering open.“Like it matters.”

“You’re the first man I’ve ever wanted to kiss,” Derek admitted.

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