Page 10 of Blood and Bone

Eoghan glanced over at him and nodded. “Statistics would support that school of thought. So, you’re saying you think Riversong left with her kids this time because she somehow felt threatened again.”

“All I’m saying is that it’s possible,” Ari confirmed.

“Okay, well, I guess we’re going to find out when we get to her place and talk to the tribal police.” He pointed to a 7/11 on the corner, slowing the car. “Is that okay for breakfast?”

“That’s great.”

Eoghan pulled in and parked in front of the store. As Ari started to get out, he reached over and grabbed his forearm. When Ari turned to look at him, Eoghan smiled. “I wasn’t kidding about the Takis.”

Ari groaned. “But the Fuego ones aresogood and they perfectly balance out eggs, fruit, and coffee.” He stuck out his lower lip and batted his eyelashes.

Eoghan snorted. “I’ll give you a banana.”

Ari leaned close and pecked him on the lips. “I’ll take your banana anytime.”

Eoghan laughed as he pulled away. “You’re ridiculous.”

“You are.” He struck out his tongue, laughing.

“And you love me for it.”

Ari stared at him for a second before nodding. He wasn’t about to argue with the truth when it was staring him right in the face.

Chapter Three

By the time they got to Tahoe, Ari was tired and sore from sitting in the car all day. He knew Eoghan wanted to make good time so he’d encouraged him to keep driving, stopping only to grab lunch at a small diner and only one other time to fill up and use the men’s room at a truck stop. Otherwise, they’d driven straight on through. They’d spoken to tribal police chief, Joe Two Trees, while they were on the road and arranged to meet him in the morning along with his deputy. When they finally pulled into an Embassy Suites in Tahoe, Ari got out of the Charger and cracked his back loudly. Eoghan started laughing as he unfolded himself from the driver’s seat.

Ari shot him a frown as he looked at him across the top of the car. “I’m almost six foot three. You think it’s easy for a guy my size to fold themselves into a car seat and drive for four hundred miles without aches and pains? I can’t feel my butt.” Ari massaged the area with both hands.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I suppose it’s easier being a mere five ten, but don’t think my ass hurts any less than yours,” Eoghan said, making a face of his own.

Ari tried not to smile but lost the battle. “I’ll believe it when I see it. Let’s go check in and once we’re in our room, I’ll give it a good look see. The last thing we need is your poor abused ass cutting into our playtime.”

Eoghan smirked as he stared at him, hugging himself. There was a cold snap in the air up here in Tahoe. “Wow, your concern for my poor butt is really touching. Thanks, partner.” He slammed the car door as Ari did the same. He joined himon his side of the car, and they walked to the motel’s office together.

“I am very concerned about your poor ass,” Ari said, pulling open the door for Eoghan to let him in first. “I hope you know I was only kidding…about the playtime thing, I mean.”

Eoghan stopped and turned toward him before walking through the door. “I know you have tons of feels for me, Ari. I also know they don’t all involve my sore ass.” He laid his hand over Ari’s heart. “You can tell me all about them later…in sexy detail.” He dropped his hand but not before gifting him with a hot stare. “Now, let’s get a room, find out where we can get some food, and then get a good night’s sleep.”

Ari rubbed his belly, finding the suggestion extremely appealing. “That sounds like a great idea.”

After checking in, they collected their duffel bags from the trunk, and headed upstairs to their room. As soon as they were inside, Ari used the facilities, washed his hands, and sat on the bed, waiting for Eoghan to do the same before heading out. He thought about the cases they’d had in the two months since they’d been partners. After Derwin, the honeybee, there’d been albats, space faeries, and at least five others, all involving road trips for fugitive recovery and handoff…and all of them out of town.

Of course, they still had the ongoing vampire case with King John Townsend and his flight from the Flagstaff clan’s new leadership and the man who’d usurped him as king simmering on the back burner as well. On the rare day they had in the office, they’d kept their eyes on Tillis Bradshaw, the scummy methamphetamine dealer. They’d learned that he’d spread the tendrils of his organization, branching out to become one of the top drug dealers in underground vampire clubs throughout the Southwest.

Ari wished he’d had more time to follow up on the case but as shorthanded as they were, free time was precious and rare. Following an ongoing case when it wasn’t actual marshal business—except for the fact that King John wasstillconsidered a fugitive—was hard when other cases like missing opossum mothers and children always seemed to take precedent. Overall, though, Ari was glad he’d decided to make the move from Lexington to Los Angeles. Learning about a whole new world was as exciting as it sounded but honestly, it still freaked him out at times. Then again, if he hadn’t taken the leap to change his future, he wouldn’t have met Eoghan, and that thought was simply inconceivable. He smiled to himself as his boyfriend walked out of the bathroom.

“What’s that look on your face?” Eoghan asked, walking over to him and coming to stand between his spread knees. Ari slid his arms around him, pressing his cheek to his man’s flat belly and sliding his hands up under his shirt to feel the smooth ridges of his back muscles. He shut his eyes when Eoghan’s long fingers threaded into his hair, tenderly rubbing his scalp. It felt so good, he didn’t want it to end.

“I was just thinking about the changes that have happened in my life in the last two months. I moved across country, started a new job in a crazy place, and—” He looked up into Eoghan’s downturned face. “And I met you.” He swallowed hard, knowing what he wanted to say but also knowing it was way too soon to say it. Embarrassingly, he felt tears pricking the back of his eyes, so he shut them tightly and let go, standing up and pulling Eoghan into his arms. Before he could protest, Ari lowered his mouth and kissed him soundly.

The sensation of Eoghan surrendering to his kisses as he rested his weight against Ari’s taller frame was as incredible as was the way he kissed him back. Ari forced himself to pull away, noting the dreamy way Eoghan’s half-lidded eyesappeared as he blinked up at him. The blue of his eyes was clear, bright, and filled with emotions of his own. He leaned down and pecked his lips one last time before letting go.

“If I don’t eat now, I’ll never have time to digest my food before bed,” he said, clearing his throat when his words came out shakily.

They found a pub called the Lucky Beaver which sounded amazing. It promised to serve meals until midnight with the best pub food in Tahoe. That sounded perfect to Ari. He never turned down good pub food with a craft beer to go along with it. Lucky for them, at this hour, the dinner crowd had cleared out and they snagged a booth in the back. After ordering homemade pizzas from their woodfired ovens and pale ales, they discussed anything but the case. They’d talked it to death on the nine hour drive up north and were both aware that there was nothing else to say until they got a look at Riversong’s house in the morning.

Ari sipped his ale, hearing his stomach growl as Eoghan scrolled through his phone. When he finally looked up at him and met his eyes, Ari canted his head toward the device. “Something exciting going on?”

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