Page 52 of Tooth and Nail

Eoghan lowered the mug, looking him up and down, smirking. “Are you saying you don’t want to mop?”

“I—no, I—you know what I mean—I think,” Ari sputtered, frowning deeply.

“You’re so easy.” Eoghan chuckled. He sobered quickly. “I know what you mean, so this is how it is. Yes, I want you to stay, no, I don’t expect you to mop, yes, I’m very attracted to you, and if you kissed me again, I probably wouldn’t push you away.” He spun on his heels, walking over to a cabinet to take out a can of cat food.

“Youkissedme.”

“What?” He turned around.

Ari was smiling as he leaned back against the counter in a relaxed stance, holding his coffee cup and looking way too gorgeous with one ankle crossed over the other.

“I said,youkissedme. I just kissed you back, Eoghan, and if I’m obliged to say so, I’d have to admit, you’re a very good kisser.”

Eoghan snorted. “Thanks…I think.” He emptied the canned wet food into Bear’s bowl before putting it next to his water dish under the built-in oven. He washed his hands in the sink before pointing to the box that held the sweet corn muffins he’d picked up at Costco. “Breakfast?”

“Let me take a quick shower and then you’ve got a deal,” Ari said, setting his empty coffee cup in the sink before brushing past him—the palm of his hand ever-so-slowly gliding across his ass—startling Eoghan.

By the time he’d glanced up, all he could see was his retreating back…but he was almost sure he heard a deep, low chuckle as he disappeared down the hall. He shrugged his shoulders, feeling a wide smile creep onto his face as he turned back to the coffeepot and poured himself another cup of liquid courage. When he looked down and saw the mess his shirt was, he groaned and headed off to the bedroom to change, coffee mug in hand.

They’d just finished up a second cup of coffee and eaten their muffins when Eoghan’s phone buzzed. He pushed away from his kitchen table, and snatched the phone up from the raised bar, startled at the display as he glanced at the kitchen clock. The cuckoo clock was one he loved. A little girl sat on a bouncing swing beneath the clock as she ticked off the seconds. It was only seven-thirty in the morning, and theyweren’t due into the office until nine, so he was slightly surprised when the chief’s name and number came up.

“Sapphire here,” he said, answering the call as he swung around to look over at Ari who sipped his coffee and watched him with a question in his eyes.

“Sapphire. We have a situation. Please get a hold of Brown and get into the office right away. I’ll brief you as soon as you’re here. How long will it take?”

“Not sure. Half an hour, ma’am?” he replied.

“Good. Contact your partner and get him in here too.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said to dead air. She’d already hung up.

He glanced over at Ari.

“We need to go?” Ari asked, standing up.

Eoghan nodded. “She says we have a situation. I have no idea what that means but she’s anxious that we get there as soon as possible. We’d better hurry.”

“Okay.” Ari stepped close to him, looking down at him. “I’d like to continue our conversation from last night later on if it’s okay with you.” He glanced at Eoghan’s lips.

He chuckled nervously. “Do you think this is such a great idea?”

“I think it’s something we need to at the very least, talk about, Eoghan,” Ari said. “We have a connection and it’s not only this partnership.” He reached out and cupped his shoulder. Eoghan watched his hand slide down to grasp his bicep. When he tugged him close, staring into his eyes, he waited for him to answer.

“I think so too.”

“Good,” Ari said, leaning down and brushing his lips over Eoghan’s before quickly pulling back with a rakish smile. “Time to go to work.”

God, the man was too beautiful for his own good. Eoghan felt one side of his mouth turn up at the corner.

“Ass.” He stepped back. “Grab your shit. We need to leave.”

“Okay, but one question first.”

Eoghan frowned. “What?”

“Do I bring my spare Glock or leave it here?” He pointed to the gun in its holster, in the open suitcase he’d set against a wall by his TV.

Eoghan smiled. “Bring it. Although I don’t normally carry unless I know the bullets I’m armed with will work on whatever we’re after.”

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