Rise & Fall (THIRDS 4)

“Did I wake you?”

“Jesus, Austen.” Sloane let out a heavy sigh and lowered his arm in relief. He returned the Glock to its padding and closed the case. “What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“What?” Austen strolled in with a bag of Cheesy Doodles in his hand. He popped one in his mouth and dropped down on the armchair. With a grunt, Sloane stuck the secured gun case back in the drawer.

“Never mind. Took you long enough.”

Austen munched on another Cheesy Doodle. If Dex were here, he would have made a stupid joke about Chester the Cheetah Therian eating his Cheesy Doodles. Wonderful, now he was starting to think like Dex.

“I had to wait,” Austen said around a mouthful of cheese snacks. “Your boy sat in his car for like ten minutes.”

“Doing what? And don’t talk with your mouth full.”

Austen swallowed. “I don’t know. Staring up at the bedroom window. He looked worried.”

“You sure it wasn’t guilt?” Sloane grumbled. Damn it, his partner was going to ignore him and go after Hogan. He just knew it.

“Maybe. You should have seen his face. Looked like a sad puppy.” He looked around the room before wriggling his eyebrows at Sloane. “So, almost a year now.”

“Yeah,” Sloane murmured. “Thanks for checking up on us at the hospital. He didn’t make you.”

“Told you. I am the master. Besides, when he wasn’t fighting sleep, he was lost in his own little world. I thought he might have recognized me the first time he walked in, but then he saw you, and well….” Austen sighed. “He’s got it bad, huh?”

Sloane nodded but couldn’t bring himself to comment. Sometimes he still found it hard to believe Dex loved him.

“Damn. Is it serious?”

Sloane ran a hand over his stubbly jaw. He really needed a shave, and to not have this conversation. But if there was anyone he trusted to keep a secret for him, it was Austen. “Yeah.”

Sloane’s relationship with Dex had been a challenge from the beginning, but if he really thought about it, the signs had been there from the start. From the moment they’d met, Sloane couldn’t fight how bad he’d wanted Dex. The more he got to know Dex, the more he wanted to know. With every conversation, every joke, smile, tease, outburst from Dex, Sloane got in deeper. It was fast, but Dex had put himself out there, risking his heart, and although it took Sloane some time to catch up, he was glad he did. Otherwise he’d be missing out on something amazing. He’d tried to be sensible, but lately his heart had started speaking louder than his head.

“He’s in love with you, isn’t he?” Austen asked.

Sloane nodded.

“You love him?”

Why was everyone asking him that? “It’s… complicated.” Man, was it complicated.

Austen gave him a knowing smile. “Love is only as complicated as you make it, Sloane.”

Why was everyone giving him relationship advice? Or presuming to know what he felt or would feel? They sat in silence until Sloane couldn’t keep himself from asking the question swirling around in his head. “Does anyone else know? And don’t get any crumbs on there. It’s where we put our clothes.”

“Among other things.” Austen wriggled his brows and Sloane groaned.

“Have you been spying on us?”

Austen rolled up the cheese snacks and put them to one side before getting up and heading for Dex’s nightstand. He pulled it open, reached in, and plucked out a wet wipe from the packet inside. How the hell did Austen know they were in there?

“I like to know what goes on with my team. The other guys are fun,” Austen closed the drawer and dropped onto the bed next to Sloane, a wicked smile on his face, “but you two? Best free porn ever.”

“You’ve watched us have sex?” Sloane gaped at him. Austen didn’t seem the least bit bothered.

“Like I said. Free porn. Your boy has a mighty fine ass. And he’s so energetic. Seriously. Do his batteries ever wear out?”

“No more spying on us. Now answer the question.”

“Everyone around the office thinks you’re bosom buddies. A budding bromance. Like Tango and Cash.”