“No, actually I had to switch from nights for a few weeks. So I missed all the excitement. Everyone’s talking about you being out with Ruxs and Green now. That’s nuts. I’ve never known you to be out in the field with these crazies,” Vasquez said in a slight Hispanic accent, his tone still laced with sex and a now a hint of amazement. “I wanted to congratulate you and of course, check to see that you’re alright.”
“Of course, I am. Took a shoulder to the gut that first time, but nothing to complain about.” Tech sounded a little offended by the guy’s statement. Steele hadn’t turned to intrude on the conversation and he wouldn’t unless he had to.
“Maybe I should check you out, just to be sure. You wanna go up to the med station and I can get a closer look?” Vasquez said suggestively, and Steele had heard enough.
“Hey! I’m trying to take a goddamn quiz, here,” Steele blurted out before he could think of something a little more intimidating.
Steele heard Day spray his coffee all over his desk and part of God’s while he hacked and coughed through his laughter. Even God had turned away, his big shoulders shaking with his deep chuckling. Ruxs and Green didn’t even try to hold theirs in.
“Maybe you should go finish it in study hall, Steele, where it’s a little quieter.” Syn made fun of him.
Steele ignored the look of shock on the officer’s face and cast his annoyed glare on Tech. He didn’t look amused at all; in fact, he looked a little pissed. “Sit down and finish, Steele. Time is ticking.”
“Yeah, you don’t want afterschool detention,” Day quipped, still stirring up laughter from the team.
“I must’ve missed something.” Vasquez’s nervous laughter was met with more heat from Steele. The officer stood and held his hand out to him. “Ramon Vasquez. You’re the new member, right? I saw you sparring with God a while back. Nice. I didn’t hear God and Day were recruiting. Maybe I’ll apply again – for the fifth time.”
Steele gripped his hand and applied enough pressure to make the man wince and jerk his hand back. Tech narrowed his eyes at Steele while Vasquez shook out his hand. “That’s some grip you got.”
Steele didn’t say a word, just sat and turned back to his monitor.
“I’ll get out of you guys’ way. Tech, I wanted to see if you felt like hanging out this weekend. I know you said you were busy with work before, but I’m nothing if not persistent. Trust me… I’ll just keep coming back,” Vasquez said, adding a slight stroke of his thumb over Tech’s shoulder blades.
Steele shot up out of his seat, but somehow Syn was there, clamping a firm grip on his shoulder and pushing him back down in his chair. “Not in here,” he hissed and kept walking past. Was the guy psychic? Steele wondered how often this guy come in here and poached Tech for a date. It seemed his entire team was waiting for Steele’s reaction as soon as the pretty cop with perfect light brown skin and manscaped eyebrows walked through the door.
“Vasquez if you wanna flirt, do it in someone else’s department.” God finally said something, ten minutes too late for Steele’s liking.
The officer stood and pushed the chair back to the table, his thick biceps bulging under the tight, navy blue polyester shirt. Why did all those guys have to choose their uniforms two sizes too small? So they look bigger. He watched Vasquez’s tight ass make its way back to the door. He turned and looked in their direction. “There’re donuts in the breakroom, Tech.”
“Get out,” God said drily.
After the smooth bastard had been gone for five minutes, Steele was still gritting his teeth, his jaw clenched tight with the urge to pull Tech away and drill him. Was he considering going out with that guy? They hadn’t defined what was between them yet, but that was trivial to Steele. They’d been all over each other for several weeks, that had to mean they were dating but did Tech wanna still be free to see other people? The thought made Steele want to chase after that guy and offer him a sparring match. He’d talk to Tech soon about this… today, actually. Steele was the one in Tech’s bed almost every night. He’d say whatever he damn well felt like saying.
About thirty minutes later the phone rang and Tech notified the bosses that they needed to get over to the DA’s office.
“After we finish there we’re going home for a few hours. Remember, meeting at one,” God reminded them on his way out the door with Day and Syn.
Steele was glad he only had seventeen questions left. He hurried through them, the last few concentrating on the division lines of the precinct zones. When he finished he clicked submit and sent it back to Tech. He turned off his computer and got Ruxs and Green’s attention. With his back to Tech, he motioned for them to leave him alone with Tech for a while.