“Yes. Jack wanted to keep it quiet, but by the afternoon, thanks to Kristen, the story had spread to just about everyone on the force.”
Edward groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. “I didn't mean to cause Jack so much trouble. It's bad enough my dog bit him.”
“Jack, huh?” Rush raised an eyebrow. “Not Chief Whittaker?”
Edward blushed.
Brian told Rush, “Edward asked me if Jack was gay.”
The fire in Edward's face burned all the way to the roots of his hair. He had no idea what to say, so he just sat still and waited for the moment to pass and the topic of conversation to change.
“That's an interesting question, Edward.” Rush grinned. “Any reason why you'd think so?” The cowboy sure wasn't giving Edward any answers, just more questions.
Edward bit his bottom lip, unsure what to say.
The men waited.
“Okay. You know, when a guy looks at you like he wants to gobble you up? Like he hasn't eaten in days and you're bananas Foster?”
“Uh-huh,” Rush said.
“You got that look from Jack ?” Brian asked as one eyebrow rose.
“I think so. When we first met on the side of the road. After my dog bit him. And again in his office, right before he threw me out.”
Rush let out a low whistle. “Well, I never knew it, that's for damn sure. Of course, I was pretty deep in the closet myself until I met Brian and found a damn good reason to come out. Maybe Jack's in there too. What do you think, darlin'? You work with him every day.”
“No way.” Brian shook his head. “I've never seen the man do or say anything that even hinted at being gay. Sorry, Edward.”
“That's okay. I must be nuts to think... ” Edward sighed.
“To think what?” Brian urged him to finish.
“To think a man like Jack Whittaker would want someone like me.” Edward ran his hand through his hair and stared out the window. It was nuts.
“What's wrong with you?” Rush asked. “From what I see, you've got a lot going for you. Especially that cute butt of yours.”
“Thanks.” Edward grinned as Brian elbowed his partner.
“You're not supposed to be checking out other men,” Brian growled.
“I'm all yours, darlin', but a man can still look.” Rush laughed and ruffled Brian's hair, then gave him a peck on the cheek.
Edward shrugged. “Thanks for noticing my ass. I just wish Jack had noticed it too. What I meant was, I'm nothing like Jack. He's all male and alpha and strict and sexy and... ” He exhaled. “Not gay. He told me so.”
“You asked?” Brian sat back.
“No.” Edward sighed. “This is so embarrassing. Please promise me you won't mention a word of this to anybody, especially Jack.”
Brian held up his hand as if taking the oath in court. “I promise.”
“Me too,” added Rush.
“I sort of came on to him. I'd been flirting with him since the stop, but last night at his house— ”
“Wait. You were at Jack's house?” Brian interrupted.
“Yes. I went there to bring Winston some dog food. Anyway, I came on to him. I thought... I felt... he... Anyway, it doesn't matter. He told me to leave him alone and that he wasn't gay. I was so mortified.”
The men nodded their understanding.
“I'm usually right when it comes to these things. But this time I was so wrong.”
Edward caught the look that passed between Rush and Brian, but they said nothing more until Rush pulled up in front of Olivia's.
Rush spoke as Edward got out. “We're having some friends over on Wednesday evening. Why don't you join us?”
“That's a great idea, babe,” Brian chimed in. “Come out to the ranch, Edward.”
“How sweet of you! I'd love to. Is it a real ranch?” Edward wasn't sure about going to a ranch or what he'd find there. He had a vision of trying to drive the Miata through a herd of cows. What if there was a stampede? In those old westerns, the cattle always charged right over a cliff.
“Yep. Got horses and cattle.”
“But no cliffs, right?” Edward asked.
“No. No cliffs. Most
Edward groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. “I didn't mean to cause Jack so much trouble. It's bad enough my dog bit him.”
“Jack, huh?” Rush raised an eyebrow. “Not Chief Whittaker?”
Edward blushed.
Brian told Rush, “Edward asked me if Jack was gay.”
The fire in Edward's face burned all the way to the roots of his hair. He had no idea what to say, so he just sat still and waited for the moment to pass and the topic of conversation to change.
“That's an interesting question, Edward.” Rush grinned. “Any reason why you'd think so?” The cowboy sure wasn't giving Edward any answers, just more questions.
Edward bit his bottom lip, unsure what to say.
The men waited.
“Okay. You know, when a guy looks at you like he wants to gobble you up? Like he hasn't eaten in days and you're bananas Foster?”
“Uh-huh,” Rush said.
“You got that look from Jack ?” Brian asked as one eyebrow rose.
“I think so. When we first met on the side of the road. After my dog bit him. And again in his office, right before he threw me out.”
Rush let out a low whistle. “Well, I never knew it, that's for damn sure. Of course, I was pretty deep in the closet myself until I met Brian and found a damn good reason to come out. Maybe Jack's in there too. What do you think, darlin'? You work with him every day.”
“No way.” Brian shook his head. “I've never seen the man do or say anything that even hinted at being gay. Sorry, Edward.”
“That's okay. I must be nuts to think... ” Edward sighed.
“To think what?” Brian urged him to finish.
“To think a man like Jack Whittaker would want someone like me.” Edward ran his hand through his hair and stared out the window. It was nuts.
“What's wrong with you?” Rush asked. “From what I see, you've got a lot going for you. Especially that cute butt of yours.”
“Thanks.” Edward grinned as Brian elbowed his partner.
“You're not supposed to be checking out other men,” Brian growled.
“I'm all yours, darlin', but a man can still look.” Rush laughed and ruffled Brian's hair, then gave him a peck on the cheek.
Edward shrugged. “Thanks for noticing my ass. I just wish Jack had noticed it too. What I meant was, I'm nothing like Jack. He's all male and alpha and strict and sexy and... ” He exhaled. “Not gay. He told me so.”
“You asked?” Brian sat back.
“No.” Edward sighed. “This is so embarrassing. Please promise me you won't mention a word of this to anybody, especially Jack.”
Brian held up his hand as if taking the oath in court. “I promise.”
“Me too,” added Rush.
“I sort of came on to him. I'd been flirting with him since the stop, but last night at his house— ”
“Wait. You were at Jack's house?” Brian interrupted.
“Yes. I went there to bring Winston some dog food. Anyway, I came on to him. I thought... I felt... he... Anyway, it doesn't matter. He told me to leave him alone and that he wasn't gay. I was so mortified.”
The men nodded their understanding.
“I'm usually right when it comes to these things. But this time I was so wrong.”
Edward caught the look that passed between Rush and Brian, but they said nothing more until Rush pulled up in front of Olivia's.
Rush spoke as Edward got out. “We're having some friends over on Wednesday evening. Why don't you join us?”
“That's a great idea, babe,” Brian chimed in. “Come out to the ranch, Edward.”
“How sweet of you! I'd love to. Is it a real ranch?” Edward wasn't sure about going to a ranch or what he'd find there. He had a vision of trying to drive the Miata through a herd of cows. What if there was a stampede? In those old westerns, the cattle always charged right over a cliff.
“Yep. Got horses and cattle.”
“But no cliffs, right?” Edward asked.
“No. No cliffs. Most
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