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by Ella Frank
“I don’t know,” Bailey said, and when Henri's fingers stroked up the back of his neck, he leaned into the touch. “Is it bad that I really don’t care right now?”
Henri trailed his finger back down to flirt with Bailey’s collar, then he flexed his hand over Bailey’s shoulder and tugged him in close. “No. I don’t care either. I just figured I should say something or I’d end up attacking you right here. You’re looking real good, Bailey. This blue brings out your eyes.”
Bailey’s lips parted, and he wondered how much convincing it would take to have Henri do what he’d just said, because he would just about sell his soul to feel Henri’s mouth against his.
But just as he was about to say that, their waiter came up, and when Bailey raised his eyes to look over Henri’s shoulder, they close to fell out of his head when they landed on Robbie Thornton-Priestley.
Chapter Twenty-Two
CONFESSION
Who knew it would take a cop to get a priest out of my mind?
AS HENRI’S EYES roamed over the tight blue shirt that molded to Bailey’s arms and chest, he thought it would be a minor miracle if they actually managed to make it further along on this date than they had on their first.
From the moment Henri sat down, Bailey had been eyeing him like he was the best fucking thing he’d ever seen. Then Henri had put his hands on Bailey—just the slightest touch—and he had responded as though his body had been craving his touch since the last time it’d gotten it.
Hell, at the rate they were going, it just might turn out to be safer cooking meals from one of their homes, because sitting in public next to his cop was becoming a serious hazard to Henri’s health.
His heart raced, his cock throbbed, and he developed a serious case of overheating to the point where he wanted to strip out of all of his clothes. Judging by the way Bailey was looking at him, he was suffering from the same affliction.
It was that raw, honest sexual chemistry they seemed to have that kept pulling them back together, and the more time Henri spent with Bailey, the less he wanted to leave.
Just as he was about to lean in and see if Bailey tasted as good as his memory wanted him to believe, Bailey’s eyes shifted and widened.
“Bailey? Oh my God, hi. I didn’t see you. You must have slipped in while I was out the back.”
Robbie? Priest’s princess? What the fuck was he doing there? And as Henri went to turn, Robbie was off again, talking a mile a minute, as always.
“And who have we got here? Oooh, are you two on a—” As soon as Robbie’s attention zeroed in on Henri, his mouth clamped shut, and his eyes began to ping-pong between Henri and Bailey. “Uh, um, hi?”
Henri straightened and brought his arm down from behind Bailey to rest it on the table. “Hey there, bright eyes. Fancy meeting you here.”
Robbie smiled, sassily cocked his hip, and placed a hand on it. “Fancy meeting me here? I work here. What are you—” Robbie looked to Bailey and seemed to regroup. “Are you two here for, um, dinner?”
Henri smirked at the gossipy little princess. Robbie was nobody’s fool, and Henri had a feeling Robbie knew exactly what they were there for, and dinner was just the beginning.
“Hmm, well, we certainly aren’t here for a business meeting,” Henri said, then, because it was fun—and because he could—he decided to play with Priest’s most recent spouse. He ran a hand down Bailey’s thigh, which flexed under his palm, and just as he’d suspected, Robbie’s eyes flew to the move. Henri winked at him. “Isn’t that right, Bailey?”
Henri turned to Bailey for the first time since Robbie had arrived, and noticed the way he was watching them interact. “Uh, yeah, that’s right. We’re just grabbing something to eat before I go to work. I didn’t think you’d be here. Don’t you usually work, um, nights?”
Ahh, okay, Henri thought. Bailey’s surprise began to make more sense. He’d obviously known Robbie worked here but thought he wouldn’t be in yet. But why would that matter to Bailey? Henri knew why he might not want Robbie to see them together, considering his line of work, but was unclear of the reasoning for Bailey’s discomfort.
“I do usually work nights, yes. But Tate, my manager, he had plans today and switched out with me, and actually…” Robbie’s words faded out as he looked over his shoulder to the door, and then he turned back to face Henri with an apologetic look on his face. “I was just waiting on my ride.”
Oh fuck. Robbie didn’t have to say any more for Henri to know exactly who Robbie’s ride was, and not a second later, the door opened and Joel Priestley stepped inside.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Henri muttered, making Robbie grimace, and Bailey placed a hand on Henri’s leg and squeezed.
Bailey’s awkwardness from a second ago had been replaced with an understanding that Henri wasn’t sure he would be capable of if faced with Bailey’s ex.
“Give me a minute, would you?” Henri said. “Let me go and head him off at the pass.”
As Bailey looked to the door again, so did Henri, and Priest’s eyes were locked on the two of them like fucking laser beams. Yeah, it would be best for all of them if Henri put that flame out before it reached their table.
“I’ll be right back,” Henri said as he slid from the booth. Robbie looked at him with a strained kind of smile, and Henri smirked. “Don’t look so worried. I’ve been dealing with your Priest for a long time. But while I’m doing that, can you take care of my date? Get him whatever he wants, yeah?”
Robbie peered around Henri’s shoulder to his husband, and Henri could only imagine the look on Priest’s face. If he’d been upset about Henri sniffing around Bailey a couple of weeks ago, God only knew what he was thinking seeing them together again now.
Robbie brought his attention back to Henri, concern in his wide eyes. “You do know that Bailey’s a—”
“Cop?” Henri said, and Robbie nodded. “Yeah, bright eyes, I know. Get him what he wants, okay? You know, until he can have me.”
Henri threw another wink Robbie’s way, and he slapped Henri’s arm. “You’re bad…”
“That’s what I keep telling Bailey. Not my fault he can’t stay away. I’ll be back.”
“We’ll be here,” Robbie said, and as Henri took a final look at Bailey, he made a promise to himself to make this up to him any way he wanted.
Henri headed across the main floor with his eyes on Priest, who was now walking down the stairs toward the bar area. In a grey pinstripe suit, with an immaculate black dress shirt and striped tie, Priest looked elegant, sophisticated, and…one hundred percent pissed off.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” Priest said.
Henri grabbed one of the small black straws from the glass cup on the bar in front of them and bit down on it to stop himself from saying something he’d regret. But when Priest looked over his shoulder to Bailey, Henri finally spoke up. “Stop scowling at him.”
“I’m not scowling at him.”
“Yes, you are, and he doesn’t deserve it. So stop it.” When Priest raised an eyebrow, Henri did the same. “You got a problem?”
“I have several, many of which we covered the last time we spoke about this particular matter.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Joel.” Henri took the straw from between his teeth and took a step closer. “Would it kill you to lighten up a little?”
Priest narrowed his eyes, and his look would’ve probably sent most running, but for Henri it was nothing new. He’d known Priest for far too long and in too many ways to be intimidated.
“I’m sorry that I’m not over the moon to see you cozying up to a police officer, Henri. But I happen to care about your future, even if you don’t.”
Henri wasn’t sure if Priest realized he’d moved even closer, but he sure as hell had. Not only could Henri smell Priest’s cologne—and his scent, which was so familiar—but he could feel the warmth emanating off Priest, and where that once would’ve had him yearning for more, wanting something he could
n’t have, right now there was just the intense desire to return to Bailey.
“I care about my future, and I’ll have you know, it’s looking brighter every day.” When Priest glared at him, Henri chuckled. “In fact, I’m in such a good mood right now that if you keep standing this close to me, I bet even you will smile.”
Priest took a step back. “I doubt it.”
Henri turned to look down the bar and gestured to the bartender, then he looked back to Priest. “I don’t. Victor died yesterday.”
As Henri’s words landed between them like a bomb, Priest’s eyes widened a fraction and his mouth fell open. But before he could find any words to respond, the bartender stopped in front of them.
“Hi there, what can I get you guys tonight? Oh, Priest, hi.”
Priest half acknowledged the guy with a nod, but it was obvious his mind was still busy trying to process, so Henri ordered for the both of them. “I’ll have a Heineken, and let’s get him an Old Fashioned, thanks.”
“You got it.”
As the bartender headed off, Priest put a hand on Henri’s arm, squeezing through the material of his jacket. “Victor died?” he asked, as though not quite believing what Henri had said.
But when Henri smiled so widely it nearly slid off his face, Priest’s hand tightened and he pulled Henri into a fierce hug that was as unexpected as it was out of character.
As Priest’s arms wound around him, Henri returned the gesture, the camaraderie they felt in that moment something no one else would understand, as relief and freedom washed over both of them.
Henri shut his eyes and held on tight, somehow knowing this would probably be the last time he shared a moment like this with Priest.
“I’m so fucking happy for you right now.”
“So happy you’re smiling?” Henri said, and when Priest pulled away and looked at him, there was a brilliant smile on those usually serious lips.
The bartender placed their drinks in front of them. Henri grabbed his beer and handed Priest his glass. “To dead motherfuckers who can never hurt us again. May they enjoy an eternity of suffering and pain.”
When he added a demented grin for good measure, Priest shook his head but clinked their glasses. “And to you. May you enjoy your freedom, now that you finally have it.”
The not-so-subtle reminder to be careful with Bailey was not missed, but Henri decided to let it go, as he drank to demons in hell and leaving his past far, far behind him.
“SHOULD I BE…worried about that?” The words were out of Bailey’s mouth before he could think better of them. He looked over to the bar, where Priest was talking to Henri, and his stomach began to slowly tie itself into knots.
He wasn’t stupid, he knew there was history there, but it wasn’t until he saw the two together that it’d really hit home for him. Henri and Priest had been a couple, and looking at the easy way they existed in the other’s personal space confirmed that whatever bond they’d once shared was something deep, something strong. Bailey just hoped he wasn’t fighting a losing battle trying to get closer to Henri.
“Worried about Priest and…Henri?” Robbie let out a choked laugh, and Bailey told himself not to freak out.
He’d been telling himself that ever since Priest had stepped inside and his date had come to a grinding halt. But he couldn’t stop hearing the way that Priest had said “my Henri” a couple of weeks ago, and now here Bailey was on a date with, well, Priest’s Henri.
Robbie shook his head. “I mean, there’s a past there, but they can barely be in a room together for five minutes without wanting to kill each other. Trust me, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried,” Bailey said too quickly. Robbie arched a perfectly sculpted brow. “I’m not.”
“Mhmm. You keep telling yourself that, honey, but I know the green monster when I see him. Been there, killed that.”
Bailey let out a sigh and ran his hands over his face. “I know. It’s stupid.”
“No, it’s not,” Robbie said, not making Bailey feel better in the slightest. “They love each other, and you can see that. But they’re not in love with each other.”
Bailey nodded and reminded himself that he too had a relationship with his ex, and that he needed to trust what Robbie was saying. If he wasn’t worried, Priest’s husband—well, one of them, anyway—then Bailey shouldn’t be worried, right?
“Maybe you should talk to Henri about it. I know I always feel better after I talk to Julien and Priest about my freak-outs.”
Bailey sputtered. “I’m not having a freak-out.”
Robbie leaned over the table and said, “Yeah, you kind of are. But trust me, I’ve never seen, met, or known Henri to go on a date. He’s always been a loner, from what I could tell. So the fact that he’s here with you at all—that’s saying something.”
Bailey got that impression too. When he looked back to the bar, he saw Henri and Priest heading in their direction.
Henri was walking ahead, and as he got closer, his eyes found Bailey’s and his lips quirked into a sensual grin that had all of Bailey’s worries flying right out the window. That smirk was full-on sex, and there was no way he’d be aiming it at Bailey if he was busy pining over Priest.
When they got to the table, Robbie quickly vacated his seat to greet his husband, and Henri slid in beside Bailey.
As their legs again connected under the table, Bailey’s heart began to thump. Henri draped his arm over the back of the booth and leaned in. “Miss me?”
Yes, he really had, but instead of confessing to that, Bailey smiled and shrugged. “Maybe.”
A deep rumble of laughter came from beside their table. Priest said, “Smart man. Don’t give in to his charm too easily, or you’ll never win an argument again.”
The relaxed comment didn’t quite match the expression in Priest’s eyes, and while he didn’t look pissed off or upset, there was something else there that Bailey couldn’t quite pinpoint. Caution, perhaps? But that didn’t make sense—they were friends, so why would Priest feel wary around Bailey all of a sudden?
“I’ll have to remember that,” Bailey said.
Henri rolled his eyes and looked to Priest and Robbie. “If you two don’t mind getting lost now, that’d be great. I think we’ve spent enough time on our date with the both of you.”
Robbie whacked Henri in the arm. “Well, that’s just rude.”
“Yes, it is,” Priest said, and then kissed Robbie’s temple. “But Julien’s got dinner waiting for us, so let’s leave these two be.”
“Fine,” Robbie said, then looked to Bailey. “I hope he’s nicer to you than he is to us.”
“Oh, I plan to be real nice to him, bright eyes, just as soon as you leave.” Henri’s fingers once again found the back of Bailey’s collar, and while Bailey knew he should be embarrassed by that comment, he instead found it incredibly hot.
“Okay, now we’re leaving.” Priest gave a final look to Henri before he turned Robbie around and ushered him away from the table.
Once they were gone, Henri looked back to Bailey. “Now, where were we?”
Chapter Twenty-Three
CONFESSION
He’s making me feel things I never
thought I’d feel again.
Good, scary, exciting things.
HENRI BARELY NOTICED the waiter bringing their food and drinks a little while later, so focused was he on the man beside him. When Bailey first mentioned going on a date, Henri’s initial reaction had been skepticism. He’d never been the kind of guy who believed in happily-ever-afters, but considering his primary role model in life, could anyone blame him?
However, the more time he spent with Bailey one on one, the more he was beginning to realize he liked being there. He liked the sound of Bailey’s laugh, the twinkle he got in his eyes when he smiled. But what Henri liked more than anything else was the shy way Bailey would blush or avert his eyes whenever he got caught looking at him.
“So, what time d
oes your shift start tonight, officer?”
Bailey reached for one of the fried mozzarella sticks they’d ordered and dunked it in the marinara sauce. “Why? Trying to decide between what hours you need to behave yourself?”
Henri chuckled and took a swig of his beer. “Nah. Don’t you know by now I never behave myself? I’m just trying to see how long I have until I have to let you go.”
Bailey grinned and bit down on the cheese stick. “My shift starts at eight, which means I have to arrive by seven thirty to change into my uniform and get to roll call on time.”
“Really?” Henri said, then popped a fry into his mouth. “I just figured you’d show up in uniform.”
Bailey took another bite of the cheese stick and shook his head. “Nope. Wearing your uniform is basically stating you’re on duty. Our department is fairly strict when it comes to changing at the station, unless you’re driving directly from point A to point B. Plus, sometimes it’s nice to just go into a store and not have everyone stare at you like you’re about to arrest them for walking too slow down an aisle.”
Henri laughed as he grabbed the salt to add a little more to his fries. “So what you’re really trying to say is that most people have guilty consciences.”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
Actually, that was one thing Henri really did have an idea about. But unlike the people who avoided Bailey for fear he would see something that wasn’t there, Henri had just gotten really good at ignoring his conscience, as well as his common sense.
“You should see them. The way people won’t overtake you when you drive down the street beside them. Or the way they smile and move aside in a Starbucks as though you deserve to go first, even if they’ve been standing there for thirty minutes.” Bailey shrugged and took a sip of his soda. “I get it. I grew up in a family of cops. I think I was born with a guilty conscience always watching my every step. But sometimes it’s nice to just fade into the background, you know? To disappear.”