Page 31 of Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters
“Can you show us where you saw it?”
The answer was a vague wave toward the river, followed by swimming motions with his sleeves.
“Swimming,” Vikash confirmed. “Did it come ashore?”
Leather Jacket pointed to the side of the Sedgely Club opposite the lighthouse where the beautifully kept lawn unobstructed by shrubs ran down toward the river. Kyle did a quick walk through while Vikash ‘talked’ to the jacket, an odd minuet of half sentences and expressive gestures. If the monster had left prints, they’d been washed away or obscured by greenery, so Turtle Rock didn’t seem to be a regular landing place.Good to know.
Kyle mentally filed that away, though Vikash probably had detailed notes, and they said goodbye to Mr. Jacket. He seemed to have promised, at least according to Vikash, not to engage in any more vigilante activity. The rest of the day ambled quietly by, strangely peaceful both out in the streets and back in the squad room. Despite the general air of calm, Kyle discovered that he’d lost every ounce of courage he’d ever possessed.
He shook out his damp palms while Vikash started packing up for the day. “Hey, um, Kash?”
“Hmm?” Vikash’s attention was on his backpack as he fished out his keys.
“You…” Kyle’s voice actually cracked. This was ridiculous. He’d already slept with this man, knew how much Vikash wanted him, and here he was waffling, afraid of a change of heart, a change of mind, a careful reconsideration after a couple of days in the harsh daylight. “Wanna stop over my place for a beer? I’ve got, um, all the extended Lord of the Ringsmovies?”
“Geeks,” Amanda muttered on her way out.
“But they’re our geeks,” Carrington admonished as he jogged to catch up with her. “Do you have time to look at my car, Manda?”
They breezed past, oblivious to the churning in Kyle’s stomach and the odd look Vikash was giving him.
“Ellie’s expecting me,” Vikash said quietly.
“Yeah, um, she’s a cat. How would she know if you’re a little late?”
Vikash gave him an almost smile. “She knows. Bring the movie. And the beer.”
“To your place?”Damn it, stop squeaking. “Oh, sure. Great. See you in a bit.”
With a mock salute, Vikash left as well, leaving Kyle to try to locate his jumping heart before he followed.He said yes. He said to come over. What’s wrong with you?The fact that Vikash had neatly sidestepped following Kyle home shouldn’t have mattered. It didn’t really. “He’s just cautious. Not a big deal,” Kyle muttered as he shut down his system.
What was he trying for here, anyway? A little house in the suburbs with a picket fence? A puppy? Not that Ellie would probably allow a puppy, but Kyle put his desperation to call this a relationship down to being alone so long. He had a good partner now. They got along and that they so far got along in bed too was just a bonus. He wasn’t going to push and ruin a good thing. What he did manage to do, instead of staring at his desk as if zombies had made his brain into an afternoon snack, was to get his ass home, get changed into civvies and drive to Vikash’s place.
“This should be easier this time, right?” Kyle parked and banged his head against the steering wheel a couple of times, just to see if he could knock anything loose, or back in place, or whatever the hell was wrong with his head. “Idiot. Going up there. Having a beer with a friend. If something happens, it happens. If it never happens again, you’re gonna have to deal.”
That right there was the problem, wasn’t it? Now that he’d had Vikash’s hands on him, had kissed him, had watched that gorgeous face while Kyle made him come, there was no way Kyle would ever get him out of his system.
“And now you’re staring at the door. Good, Monroe. Doing great.” Kyle shook his head and pushed the buzzer beside that cheery red door.
This time Vikash seemed a little out of breath when he opened the door, not quite askew exactly, but was his hair still wet. He’d showered? “Hi.”
Kyle held up the six-pack carton. “Beer. Hop Devil. And movie, as commanded.”
“Suggested.” White teeth made an appearance in Vikash’s smile. “Come on up.”
The warm welcome and the sight of Vikash in jeans and a blood-red, body-hugging Henley pummeled some of Kyle’s nerves into submission as he trudged up the stairs behind his host. Either that, or his brain simply shut down.
“Snacks? Did you eat?” Vikash asked as he went straight to the kitchen.
“Um…” Kyle stopped in the living room to let Ellie sniff his shoes. He obviously met some standard since she didn’t run and hide this time. “No?”
Vikashtskedas he started pulling things out of the fridge—several bright blue bowls, a platter of artfully arranged things Kyle couldn’t make out from across the room. He wasn’t sure if he should be annoyed that Vikash had assumed he’d forget to eat or gratified that his partner already understood him so well.
“Out,” Vikash murmured as he took the beer and shooed Kyle toward the couch. “Before you hurt yourself.”
“Hey! I’m not incompetent in the kitchen.”
“You impaled yourself loading the dishwasher.”
