Feel the Fire (Hotshots 3)

“Wow. Enough kisses like that, and I might stop caring about who lives where.” Laughing, Luis rested his head against Tucker’s. “We can stay right here.”

“Ha. Let’s not get arrested for making out in your car all night.” Tucker nudged him with his shoulder.

“I’m willing to risk it.” Voice playful, Luis dramatically slumped against him. Tucker was ready to not have to tangle with the console to properly hold him.

“I know we don’t have all the answers yet, or even a solid plan, but...come back with me? Maybe we don’t have to settle everything right this second.”

“I’ve missed you. So, so much. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to not feel that way again.” Back to solemn, Luis’s eyes shone. There was pain there, and Tucker felt it, deep inside his chest. He’d hurt Luis, and he wanted to do the work to make sure he never did that again.

“Ditto. Whatever it takes.” He held Luis as close as the cramped quarters of the car allowed. And then because the moment felt almost too heavy, he added, “My bed misses you almost as much as me.”

“Is that right? I suppose I can come back, get reacquainted with it.” Luis gave him a fast kiss on the cheek before adjusting his position, rebuckling the seat belt he’d lost at some point. “And I don’t mean sex necessarily. I want to hold you for a while and have it not be so sad this time.”

“We can do that.” Tucker appreciated how cautious Luis always was about not assuming that he was up for sex, but right then, they were on the same page. He wanted Luis back in his bed, in all senses of the word, wanted to hold him and never let go. He had to believe they’d figure everything else out in time.

Chapter Twenty-Four

On the way back to Tucker’s house, Luis felt a thousand pounds lighter than he had earlier in the day. They still didn’t have all the answers for how to make this work, but he now believed they would, which was a marked improvement.

“Okay. Dad duties done for the day.” Looking up from his phone as Luis turned down his street, Tucker gave a boyish grin. “Wade’s over at Heidi’s playing a game on his tablet. Apparently, he ate an entire second dinner with them when Isaac cooked late.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised. And the other twin?” Luis parked next to Tucker’s SUV.

“Walker’s on his way back from Mary Anne’s, and Heidi says she’ll text when he’s back for the night.”

“So I can race you to your bed?” Luis waggled his eyebrows at Tucker as they made their way up the walk. Joking was far easier than returning to the heavy conversation and all the surprising revelations like Tucker being willing to move. Luis simply couldn’t unpack that offer right then, needed the humor to take the edge off all his roiling emotions, most of which he couldn’t even name.

“You can absolutely race me to my bed.” Tucker all but beamed as he unlocked the door, then right when Luis was going to drag him close for a kiss, he slipped around Luis and headed for the stairs. “But I’m going to win.”

“We’ll see about that.” Careful to not actually knock Tucker down, Luis jostled him as they bounded up the stairs. He overtook him at the landing, but then Tucker took the remaining steps two at a time, leaving Luis to play catchup in the hallway. Both of them flat-out sprinted for the bed, diving for it and landing in a heap of limbs and laughter.

“Beat you.” Tucker was breathing hard and Luis couldn’t wait to make him pant for other reasons if he got the chance.

“It was a tie.” Luis had ended up half on top of Tucker. Peering down at him, he gave him the softest of kisses. He didn’t need sex. Just this closeness, them together blanketed by their resolve to find a solution.

Of course, his body wasn’t going to turn something other than cuddling down, and when Tucker growled and kissed him back with a ferocity that made Luis’s blood hum, he more than welcomed it. Tucker this kind of aggressive was exactly the vibe he was craving. He generally loved being the one calling the shots, but there was also something intoxicating and freeing about letting Tucker set the pace. He liked how Tucker meandered along, trying different ways of kissing, but slowly ramping the heat up at the same time.

Tucker paused from exploring Luis’s mouth to pluck at his shirt buttons. “Too many clothes.”

“At least you got a chance to change after work.” Sharing the urge for skin, he pushed at Tucker’s T-shirt.

“Hazard of cooking with Wade.” Tucker untangled their bodies before gesturing at Luis’s clothing. “Less talking, more stripping.”

“Yes, sir.” Luis had to laugh because bossy Tucker was the best Tucker. He got busy on his buttons before adding, “And you too.”