Page 22 of More than Need

“I’m the one that’s supposed to give orders here, not you.”

Gideon tore the page off and stuffed it into his pocket, not trusting that Riley wouldn’t burn it for good measure. He lowered Hudson to the ground. “Can you do me a favour and go get my jacket? You know where my desk is. Give Quinn a high five and come straight back, and then we’ll leave, alright?”

“Okay!” Hudson bolted, almost running into the first desk he encountered before swerving around it. Memories of his first steps and the way he used to run, tilted forward, gave Gideon an unpleasant shiver.

Riley stared impassively. “Say what you want to say.”

“A hasty fuck off feels good now, but it won’t feel good later. He’s not your sister, or your sibling, and he knows her. I think it’s enough of a removal from that space, don’t you? What’s the harm in learning more about her through him?”

“I don’t want to know anything about her,” Riley said, scowling. “I never wanted her to walk in my door. Ihavesiblings. Plenty of them, in fact. I don’t need more.”

Gideon sighed. He closed the door behind himself and then circled the desk, stepping between Riley’s legs. He ran his fingers through the hair at Riley’s temple. “Okay. If that’s what you want, I’ll drop it.” He couldn’t resist leaning down to kiss Riley softly. The floodgates were open now. Gideon wanted hands on him again. Wanted tofeel. Riley gave him that, and more.

“He couldn’t keep his eyes off you,” Riley murmured.

Dawson hadn’t exactly been a hardship to look at himself. Even drunk last night, he’d been stunning.

“He was looking at you too,” Gideon felt compelled to point out. The looks had been equal opportunity and half admiring, half stunned. Riley had that effect on people.

“He was extremely hungover.”

Gideon grinned. Yeah, he’d noticed that. “You think he was still wearing the alcohol goggles? Thinking you’re a ten, when you’re really a two?”

“A two?”

“Don’t worry, I think you’re a ten.”

“Are you coming to work drunk as well?”

Gideon shifted in closer, and Riley’s arms went around his waist, settling there with a pleasant weight. Fucking hell, Gideon had missed this so much that he ached for it. The comfort of touch. A simple hug. All of it. “Are you flirting with me?”

“I don’t know how to flirt.”

He did a damn good job at pretending, then. “I like it. You should keep doing it.”

Whatever Riley might have said got lost because Gideon kissed him again. Riley opened beneath him and pulled him closer, their bodies pressed tightly. Maybe they were making a mistake, but Gideon couldn’t bring himself to regret it. Riley kissed like he’d turned it into an art form, and being the sole focus of a man like that made Gideon dizzy.

“What are we doing?” Gideon asked.

Riley didn’t answer, but the look in his ice-blue eyes said it all.

I don’t know.

Chapter 4

An hour later, Riley’slips still burned from the memory of Gideon’s kiss. He now knew what the man tasted like, sounded like,feltlike against him. A fantasy come true, only to be snatched away. Nothing good could come of this. Gideon’s position as his detective put this firmly in the restricted zone.

Riley had no right to touch him, and he had nothing of worth to offer. He didn’t do relationships, and Gideon deserved better than that. Not to mention that if they were found out, not even Riley’s father’s position as chief superintendent would keep them out of hot water or save their careers.

He checked the time again and then gathered his things. He’d agreed to meet one of his closest friends, Sebastian Devlin, for an afternoon coffee, and if he didn’t leave now, he’d be late. Sebastian’s job as a high-profile criminal defence lawyer meant he had even less time for social calls during the day than Riley did, making it important to be prompt for such occasions.

He didn’t bother taking any of his work with him; he’d be coming back here afterwards. No use carrying it all around with him for no reason.

Riley only made it as far as the relatively quiet alleyway beside the precinct. As soon as he saw Dawson sitting in a car by himself, head down, looking at something, he knew he couldn’t keep driving. He should have been long gone.

He swung into the lot and parked a few spots away.

Dawson didn’t look up, even when Riley stood directly at his window. He tapped on the window, and Dawson’s head jerked up. His face fell, and he opened the door a fraction. “What do you want?”

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