“Fuck!” Bryn gave him a panicked glance.
Gunnar surveyed their position. It was farther back to the building than to get to the first row of cars in the parking lot. He pointed at the nearest car. “Keep low.”Crouching down, Bryn scuttled over to the car with Gunnar close behind him. Another shot took out the car’s wing mirror, which exploded with a spray of glass shards. Gunnar dragged Bryn to the other side of the vehicle. He scanned the surrounding buildings and a caught a brief glint of light from a rooftop. “Shooter’s over there. We need to get more obstacles between us and him.”
“Yeah.” Bryn had a hand pressed against his cheek. Blood oozed from between his fingers.
“You’re hit!”
“No. Piece of mirror caught me. Nothing serious.”
“Okay. You stay behind me and we’ll make our way to the back of the lot.” They crawled and crouched their way through three rows of cars but they were beginning to thin out and there was less cover. “Lie flat. I’m calling this in.” Gunnar made sure that his body was always between Bryn and the shooter’s position then made the call. No one else had emerged from the building and he couldn’t catch any more flashes of light. “I think he’s gone but we don’t move until the cops have cleared the rooftops. Let me look at your face.”
Bryn rolled onto his back then took his hand away from his cheek. “Stings a bit. I pulled the shard out.”
“I don’t think it’ll need stitching. It’s messy but not too deep. Those shades of yours may have saved an eye.”
“You think this is The Hammer’s doing?”
“I don’t want to jump to conclusions but yeah, probably. I also don’t think the shooter was trying to kill you, or me for that matter. We were completely exposed when we came out of that building. I think hewas a very good shot and those bullets hit exactly where he planned. It’s a message.”
“Most people send a fucking email.”
“Yeah. They do.”
Bryn sat with his back to a car door and Gunnar sat next to him. Distant sirens grew closer.
“It’ll be okay.” Gunnar attempted reassurance.
“Will it?”
Gunnar locked eyes with Bryn. The world around them faded away, leaving just the two of them. He reached out and brushed a stray lock of dark hair from Bryn’s eyes. “Is this okay?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Bryn nodded.
Without another word, Gunnar cupped Bryn’s face, pulling him closer, and their lips met in a lingering, gentle kiss. Gunnar drew back but Bryn chased him, demanding more. Gunnar got rougher, grazing Bryn’s cheek with his stubble. He rested his forehead against Bryn’s. “Not quite the location I had in mind for our first kiss, but hey, whatever works.”
“I got blood on you.”
“My ass is wet and there’s a bit of gravel sticking in it.”
Bryn burst out laughing. He leaned his head on Gunnar’s shoulder. “It was still good. Really good.”
“Yeah. Yeah, it was.”
Chapter Sixteen
Bryn awoke with a yawn and long stretch. When he checked the time he saw it was almost ten. The previous day had turned into a long drag waiting for the cops to do their work at the hospital. It took manpower to clear the surrounding buildings though eventually it had been confirmed that Gunnar had spotted the correct location for the sniper. The cops found bullet casings and scuff marks showing someone had been there recently. There hadn’t been any attempt to conceal the evidence.Was it really only yesterday he kissed me?The one bright spot in a shitty afternoon. That kiss. Wow.Bryn’s cock responded at the thought and he touched his lips before heading for the shower to deal with it.Wish Gunnar was here to help.
Dressed and dry, he went to find his partner. Gunnar was in the office at his computer and Emmett was there too. Bryn paused at the door, enjoying the comforting, familiar scene.
“Good morning, sleepyhead. How are you doing this morning?” Gunnar rose from his seat. He’d left his hair down and Bryn’s thoughts strayed to what it might feel like to run his hands through it.
“Hey, are you in there?”
“Just daydreaming. Thanks for letting me sleep in.”
“Hmm, thought you might have picked up a concussion I didn’t spot yesterday. You needed the rest and you’re not that late.” Gunnar walked across to him and peered into his eyes. “Have you eaten?”
“No, not yet.”
“I put a box of donuts in the kitchen,” Emmett said. “They’re from Kane’s.”
