Curtis batted his hand away. “You know I don’t do any of that.”
“I know. I mean don’t be around it, either. If you see someone doing it, leave.” Ruxs opened Green’s back door and let Curtis climb up into the truck.”
“I know, I know. Dad.” Curtis laughed.
Hearing Curtis say that to Ruxs, even though it was a joke, stirred something in Green. He just couldn’t identify it. He looked over at his partner in the passenger seat and saw that it had touched something in him too. The entire task force felt like big brothers to Curtis but the relationship they’d developed with him over the years felt different.
Not Another Date
“Have fun Curtis. Just make sure you behave, okay. Call if you need us,” Green said as Curtis climbed down from his truck. They’d played catch in the park for over an hour and then watched the recreation league play a game before they headed back home.
“Will do. We’re watching the game tomorrow?”
“Yeah. We got some work to do early but we’ll swing by and pick you up after,” Ruxs said.
“Cool. I’ll be back from the hospital by three-ish.” Curtis took a few steps towards his house and turned to add, “What are we having with the game tomorrow night?”
Ruxs grinned and looked over at Green. “He’s talking to you, not me.”
Green rolled his eyes. “Nachos.”
Curtis jumped and whooped in the air. “With the spicy con queso?”
“Sure, bud.” Green shook his head, smiling.
Curtis grinned broadly and ran the rest of the way up his small driveway to the home that he’d once lived in with his mother. Now he lived there alone.
“You spoil him,” Ruxs said as Green pulled off from the curb.
“Do not.” Green looked over at him. “It’s just nachos. How the fuck is that spoiling him?”
“It’s not just nachos and you know it.”
“The kid’s had it rough, dude. He deserves as much happiness as he can get.”
“I understand. But he needs to be a man too. You have to stop babying him. He’s seventeen. He’ll be going off to college next year. He’ll be so used to us helping him with everything; he won’t be able to do for himself.” Ruxs yanked his coat from the back seat, digging in the pocket for his sunglasses. “If you give a hungry man a fish, he’ll eat for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, he’ll never go hungry again.”
Ruxs snapped his head around when Green laughed so hard it made his ears ring. “What the fuck are you talkin’ about, and when the hell did you get so philosophical? Jesus. You sound ridiculous. Curtis has been caring for himself and his mom since he was thirteen for shit’s sake. You really think he couldn’t make it on his own in college without my nachos and cinnamon buns?”
Ruxs didn’t say anything else because he noticed now that Green was dropping him off at his own apartment. Fuck. His date. Green was going out on a date tonight. Ruxs had actually forgotten about it, and now it was bitch smacking him in the face. He glanced a look over at the man beside him. Damn. Has he always been that fuckin’ beautiful? Wayward, jet-black hair. Tousled like he couldn’t be bothered with it. Long enough to pull and control him with. His eyes were just as dark as the long lashes that closed over them. Strong jaw line, covered with stubble that extended down his throat. Jesus. Ruxs wanted to lean over and bury his nose in the crook of his neck and get lost in that intoxicating scent that Green was now so fond of, but completely oblivious to how much it turned him the fuck on. Surely this woman going out with him tonight was going to work overtime to make Green her future husband. Ruxs had no doubt in his mind that his chance was officially over before it’d even begun.
He coughed hard trying to loosen the ache in his chest. It felt like someone had lassoed his heart and was pulling it through his rib cage. Not only was his chance shot to hell before he even took it, but it now meant that Green would most likely have a girlfriend very soon and he’d have very little time for him. He knew it was too early to think like that, the man hadn’t even had one date yet. But Green was so wonderful; strong, and a brilliant detective. As much as he hated to admit it the woman he was going out with was smart and beautiful too. There really was no reason for them not to hit it off. He coughed hard again. Ruxs put his shaking fist to his mouth, trying desperately to play off the almost panic attack he was having.