Something in the Way He Needs (Family 1)

“Uh.” Daniel blinked and tried to focus on the alarm clock. “Just a little after six, I think.”

Asher kissed him one more time and then rolled onto his back. “Fuck,” he said with a sigh. “Gotta get up and go in.”

“Now? It’s still early. And you got home in the middle of the night.”

But Asher was already climbing out of bed and walking into the bathroom. “I know. Fucking sucks, but if I don’t go now, I might have to miss dinner tonight. Go back to sleep, sugar. I’ll call you later.”

With those words, Asher closed the bathroom door and Daniel lost yet another opportunity to talk to him about Burning Wrath and Indignation.

“Damn it.”

Chapter 19

THREE cases had blown up at work Monday night, so Asher had practically lived at the office for the rest of the week. When he was able to get home at night, Daniel was already in bed and Asher was too tired to wake him up to fuck. He slept for a few hours, then got up and started the cycle over again. Between the stress, the sleep deprivation, and the lack of sex, Asher was irritable as hell.

He went in early on Thursday because they had the BWI concert that night and he was taking Friday off. But despite his best efforts, he was stuck at work longer than expected.

“Hey, Ash. Are you on your way?” Daniel asked hopefully as soon as he answered the phone. “Because I was hoping we’d get a chance to talk before the concert tonight.”

“Afraid not,” Asher said. “There’re a few things I have to get done before I leave for the night. I’ll meet you at the restaurant and we can talk there.”

“Oh.” Daniel sounded disappointed. “Okay.”

It wasn’t as if he was happy about working so many hours either, but when shit hit the fan, he was the one responsible for cleaning it up. Getting a guilt trip about that from a man who didn’t work for a living just pissed Asher off even further. By the time he was finally done with the most urgent things on his desk, he didn’t have time to go home and change. So he took off his tie, unbuttoned the top two buttons on his dress shirt, and headed out to Salvador’s, where he was meeting Daniel, Oliver, and Shirley.

The host walked him through the dimly lit restaurant to a table in the back. When Daniel spotted him, he stood up and smiled. Asher’s jaw dropped and he forgot to breathe. Holy shit. Daniel looked gorgeous.

He was wearing a black button-down shirt made out of a material that clung and shimmered, dark black jeans that hugged his lithe body like a second skin, and black leather boots. His always unruly hair was neatly combed back, the blond streaks gleaming. Without the usual shield of hair, Daniel’s angular face was clear of any obstructions, making his brown eyes look even bigger than usual. Asher was certain that he had never seen a more beautiful man. In real life or otherwise.

“Hi!” Daniel said as he reached out toward Asher. When Asher was close enough, Daniel tilted his face up for a kiss.

Asher heard a whimper followed by a clanking sound. Glancing toward the noise, he saw the host raking his gaze up and down Daniel’s body and licking his lips, his eyes burning with lust. The menu he had been holding lay on the floor by his feet.

Kiss forgotten, Asher grasped Daniel’s arm and pushed him toward the seat farthest from the aisle, where he’d be obstructed from other people’s views by the table and by Asher’s larger frame. “I’m all set,” Asher growled at the host, hoping the man would take the hint to go back to work.

Unfortunately, even in the low lighting, with just his upper body and face showing, Daniel couldn’t be missed. Not with that shirt accentuating his hard chest and exposing a long expanse of glowing skin. And with his hair combed off of his face, Daniel’s cheekbones seemed higher, his eyes brighter, his lips more plump. Apparently, the host was well aware of the enticing picture Daniel presented because he hadn’t moved an inch and his mouth was practically hanging open as he leered. Thirty more seconds and he’d be drooling.

“I’ll have a beer,” Asher snapped, sure that a task would get him on his way. But the man didn’t seem to hear him. He was too damn busy ogling Daniel. Asher felt his temper rise.

“Uh.” Daniel darted his gaze from Asher to the host. “Can we please have a beer?” he asked.

“Sure!” the host replied enthusiastically, his ears making a remarkable recovery. He stepped as close as he could to the table and completely ignored Asher’s presence as he leaned in toward Daniel. “What kind? I’m happy to get you anything you want.” His husky tone left no doubt that the last sentence wasn’t referring to drinks. Asher wanted to snap his hand out, grab his throat in a chokehold, tear his head off, and spit into the bloody stump left behind.