Page 15 of The Keeper

Seth chuckled. “I know that sound too.”

“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t call for dirty talk or to breathe heavy in your ear?”

“Yes,” Seth replied simply. “So, why did you?”

“You’ve just been on my mind. Your entire family has, actually. I know tonight must’ve been so hard for all of you.”

Seth inhaled deep and slow. “It was, but we found comfort in the love that surrounded us. People created beautiful video montages of Natalie. We laughed, cried, and remembered her through hours of shared stories and love. She was so damn special.”

“Runs in the family.”

“I don’t know about that,” Seth replied. “Where are you calling me from?”

“Um, I’m using an unregistered prepaid phone I bought with cash.”

Seth was silent for so long Rueben thought he’d disconnected until a soft chuckle reached his ears. “You bought a burner phone?”

Heat bloomed in his cheeks. “You make it sound so shady.”

“Because it is.”

“No one will know it’s me if I don’t register it,” Rueben said.

“Checking the cell tower pings will narrow the suspect pool. And what about security cameras in the store you bought it from?”

Rueben grimaced. “I told you once that I made an awful criminal.”

“That you did.” Seth sighed. “I am so glad to hear your voice, though.”

“So, you won’t mind chatting a little longer?”

“Maybe for a few minutes.”

That turned into a few hours, and it was well past midnight when a huge yawn cracked Rueben’s jaw.

“Sounds like it’s bedtime for you.” Seth’s voice was the sleepy softness Rueben loved. “Thank you for checking on me.”

“My pleasure.” Rueben’s words held a little purr in them, but neither remarked on it.

“But you’re not going to call me again, right?” Seth asked.

“Of course not.”

Seth groaned huskily. “Liar.”

Rueben bit his lip to keep from laughing. “You don’t have to answer.”

“And I won’t.”

“Liar. Good night, Seth.”

“Night, baby.”

Rueben didn’t catch Seth’s slip until the echoes of their goodbye woke him the next morning. He glanced at the clock and saw it was only six. Rueben picked up the burner from the nightstand and caressed it like it was his lover. “One more phone call just to hear his sexy morning voice. Then I’ll smash you under my boot.”

Seth’s words from the previous night taunted him. Liar.

Seth cracked one eye open and checked the time on the clock. Again. It was only ten minutes later than the last time he looked and still too early to call Rueben. But damn, his dick was hard enough to pound nails, and Seth was dying to know if the butt plug Rueben had inserted the previous night was still in place. For the past two weeks, they started and ended their days talking on the phone. They’d spent hours getting to know each other on a deeper level. Sometimes, they buddy-watched TV series or movies on streaming sites, and other times, they talked about the tragedies that had shaped their lives. Seth noticed Rueben’s accent became heavier when he talked about Rosa, Lily, and his beloved abuela. The way he rolled his Rs made him think of Rueben’s skilled tongue, but they didn’t touch the sexual topics or engage in buddy-jerking for almost a week. Looking back, that seemed like a pretty big miracle because their chemistry had always been electric, even through a wireless connection.

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