Another kiss.
Cam never corrected Nic’s assumption, nor did he rise to the bait again, intentionally laid or not.Between his new role as San Francisco ASAC, and his new two-fifty-a-soda life in the Bay Area, which his government salary did not cover, his plate was already full of complications.And there was also the matter of Nic having once dated Aidan Talley, who was both Cam’s new partner and his best friend’s new husband.All signs pointed to danger.
So of course his fucking dick wanted to run straight to it.He’d had those impulses, that other side of himself, under control.Work hard, play hard, but not like the punk kid who’d sacrificed something precious for what he’d wanted or the hotshot college athlete who’d fucked his way through every fraternity and sorority at Boston College, still wild and desperate to blot out the past.Before he’d found the FBI and Atonement Avenue.Now, he worked hard as a kidnap specialist, rescuing himself and others in trouble, and limited his play to the occasional man or woman in his bed.That was how he stayed focused at work, how he avoided distractions that ended in tragedy.
Then into his life walked Dominic Price, and Cam wanted to throw all his rules out the window.
And look what that distraction might have cost them today.
Groaning, Cam scrubbed his hands over his face, trying to block out the sight of Kristic in his hospital bed and the memory of his wife bleeding out, only to have the object of his distraction appear in the vending room doorway.Nic stood over the threshold, all six feet plus of him looking cool, calm, and perfectly suited, not a brown or gray hair on his head out of place despite the rough-and-tumble morning.
No, no thinking ofrough.
And definitely no thoughts oftumbling.
“Bowers is here,” Nic said.“In the waiting area.”
Cam’s thoughts instantly righted.“Fuck.I thought he’d at least wait ’til we got back to the Federal Building.”
Nic shook his head.“We interrupted his day on the greens.He came straight here from the club.”Nic’s asshole boss was going to be extra salty.“I can deal with him myself,” Nic offered.
“No.”Cam pushed off the wall.“This is a joint op.”
“And your charm seems to have worn off where my boss is concerned.”
“He likes you any better?”
Cam wondered if San Francisco’s US Attorney had always been chilly toward his best AUSA or if he’d only become frigid in recent months as Nic’s ties to the FBI grew stronger.Both agencies were under the Department of Justice, often working side by side, but Bowers liked to think he was top dog.Since taking the helm as Special Agent in Charge, Aidan had disabused Bowers of his top-dog notion frequently.And Cam, whom Bowers used to like, had taken his partner and friend’s back.As had Nic.Their names had since skyrocketed up Bowers’s shit list, which Cam didn’t doubt was long.
“Conceded,” Nic said, holding an arm out toward the hallway.
Cam strode past, ignoring the other man’s tempting body heat.“Why is he all over our asses on this one?”Even given their shit-list perch, this was more oversight than usual.
“High-profile, Aidan’s gone, hoping DOJ doesn’t reappoint him.Take your pick.”
“Lot to pick from,” he said as they made their way down the hallway to the waiting area.“How do you want to play this?”
“Like any other debrief.We did nothing wrong.”
“Tell that to Stefan Kristic.”
Nic paused mid-stride and turned directly to him, blocking Cam’s path.“You ran a clean op.We had no indication of other parties on the scene.”His conviction was fierce, and Cam appreciated the support, especially as Nic had wanted to run the operation himself.
“We should have checked the surrounding areas more closely,” Cam said.“Or dug deeper into Becca’s background.”
“One, the third parties came up through the BART tunnels after we’d cleared the area.Two, all we’ve done for months is dig into background.There was no indication Becca had turned against Scott.You know that as well as I do.”
Cam cast his gaze aside, rubbing a hand over his rough jaw, long past shave time.“We must have missed something.”
Nic’s hand at his elbow, gently tugging it down, startled him out of his self-recrimination.“We didn’t miss anything,” he said, voice soft, comforting, like his thumb caressing the inside of Cam’s elbow was probably supposed to be.And it was.But it was more too, and Cam’s body reacted, his rampaging pulse doing its best to pump all his blood south.
“Price!Byrne!In here now!”
Nic’s eyes flashed—equal parts desire and fury—before he snatched his hand away and turned, putting himself between Cam and Bowers.“On our way,” he returned.Cool, calm, all trace of fire gone.He’d tucked it away behind that smooth professional mask.
Cam marveled at the skill, so much more refined than his own, while also appreciating the extra time to compose himself.Rolling down his shirtsleeves, he buttoned the cuffs and caught up to Nic outside the waiting room.They entered together, a united front.
“Where’s Talley?”Bowers barked, beady eyes staring them down.
