Up in Smoke (Hotshots 4)

“Yeah, I am. And so are you.” Brandt saluted him with his nearly empty beer. “Way I see it, we’re two good dudes with itchy feet who need to stay put for a spell. Why not enjoy it?”

Why not indeed? All Shane’s reasons were melting away, one by one, leaving only this aching need for more. More kisses. More time together. More discoveries. “How would this work, anyway? We make a to-do list of everything we haven’t tried yet?”

“You’re way too organized.” Brandt laughed, deep and rich, and set down his beer. “Or we could ditch the list. See what comes up. I’m not saying we have to fuck either if that’s something you’re intent on saving for someone special.”

Ha. Shane had given up on that notion several years prior. His music dreams had won out over his romantic ones. He wasn’t ever going to be in one place long enough to fall in love. He wanted more than a one-off, but he also was a realist. And a human, one with needs and wants, even if he usually tried to keep them under lockdown.

“I didn’t say that was off the table.” He tried to mimic Brandt’s cool disinterest and failed miserably as he searched for the right words. “But I need to tell you, when I think about fucking, it’s not... I’m not...usually—”

“I wanna get fucked.” Brandt cut him off with the bald statement, matter-of-fact delivery like he was discussing pizza toppings.

“Uh...” Shane somehow managed to cough and blink at the same time, a combo that left him lightheaded.

“Careful there.” Brandt pushed back from the table, came around the table to rub Shane’s shoulder. “You might want to scoop your jaw off the table while you’re at it. I figured I might as well be direct and save you all the hemming and hawing, but we don’t need you leaking neurons.”

“Sorry. That’s...” It was close to impossible to think with Brandt so close, big hand right there, pressing down. Crazy hot. That’s what it was, but he wasn’t sure he was ready to reveal how turned on the notion made him. “You seem rather sure for someone who hasn’t tried it.”

“Dude. You think I reached thirty and never encountered my prostate?” Brandt scoffed, and Shane didn’t need to glance up to know that he’d rolled his eyes. “I don’t need a partner to know what I like. Hell, I’d say you’re missing out if you haven’t played around at all.”

“I didn’t say...” He exhaled hard, words escaping him because Brandt had added his second hand and started a gentle but effective massage. “It’s more that my fantasies run to...”

“Fucking ripped smoke jumpers? Maybe if I ask nicely?” Brandt was grinning like a puppy with a tennis ball when Shane glanced up. Damn. His usual easy grin was hard enough to resist, but him like this, silly and flirting, was damn near deadly.

“You’re pretty hard to resist.” Shane didn’t even try to hide his chuckle.

“Yep. All this and I come with toys. I’ve got this one prostate massager...” Brandt trailed off with an affectionate sigh. “You can try it, tell me after whether it doesn’t make you stoked about fucking.”

“Toys?” Shane’s brain short-circuited on the image of Brandt reclining on a bed, legs spread, using a toy. God. His brain couldn’t decide what it wanted to see first. “Damn. Warn a guy.”

“I’m not opposed to showing—”

Raaah. For once, Jewel wasn’t all-out wailing, but her awake-and-unhappy battle cry was enough to put an end to all those sexy images.

“Hold that thought.” Brandt immediately dropped his hands as they both hurried back to the crib. Brandt reached Jewel first and lifted her out of the crib. “You’re way too awake for this late. When are you going to learn that sleeping is fun?”

“Lies. And this is Shelby’s kid. Sleep is for the weak.” He laughed as he clucked the baby under her chin. “Heck, she’s your kid too. We’re lucky she’s not base jumping off the side the crib yet.”

“True. It would serve me right to get a pint-size adrenaline junkie.” Brandt positioned Jewel like she was flying, then made a face. “Can you get a diaper ready? And a fresh sleeper?”

“Sure.” Shane went to the top drawer of the dresser. They’d put a little pad on top to change the baby. Sleepers and diapers underneath. In theory. All he came up with was her puppy sleeper. “Did you use up the diapers while I was gone?”

“What? No. At least I don’t think.” Brandt bounced her from side to side. “Didn’t you get some when you got the formula?”

“No. Because I’m an idiot.” Shane smacked his head. He should have realized how low they were getting. “She goes through them way faster than I thought.”

“It’s okay. We’re all learning on the job.” Brandt was far less pissed than a lot of people would have been, shifting the baby so he could pat Shane on the shoulder. “It’s late, but I’m gonna bet that big convenience store near the highway in Painter’s Ridge has something. But we can’t leave her wet in the meantime.”