“Yeah. Very.”
They didn’t speak again until they approached Willow Street.
“You’re staying at your house? Not with your friends?”
Colson’s smile was wry. “I love my friends, but they have two little kids, and one night was enough. They don’t need me underfoot, and I’d prefer not to be.”
Harper’s stomach twisted in a knot. “You don’t like children?” David might be an adult in years, but the responsibility was as all-encompassing as caring for a baby. He’d thought Colson Delacourt was different, especially after what Luis had said earlier.
“Funny enough, I love their innocent way of looking at things and the way they have no filter. They say the truth about what’s on their mind. But they live in a two-bedroom, and I’d be on the couch. Seems silly when I have the big house.”
“Makes sense.”
They passed Millie Johnson’s brownstone. “I got her the video camera this morning and set it up.”
“Now she just has to remember to use it.”
Colson laughed. “Exactly. I also put a new lock system on my door.” At the foot of the stairs, they stopped. “I appreciate the walk home, but it wasn’t necessary.”
“Are you sure?” He raised a brow and met Colson’s eyes. Desire, as dangerous as a live electrical wire, sparked between them, and when Colson didn’t answer but mounted the steps, Harper decided to follow. Once inside, Colson dropped his keys on the table by the door.
“What—”
Harper dipped his head and settled his mouth over Colson’s, cutting off his words. Every nerve ending sprang to life, and he wrapped an arm around Colson’s waist, hauling him closer.
Colson shoved him to the wall and thrust his tongue past Harper’s lips. Surprised but excited by the passionate response, he grunted as their teeth clashed and tongues battled. Thoughthey were of similar height and weight, Colson had given him the impression of being much more passive.
Damn, was he wrong. And glad of it.
Colson’s weight pressed him harder, while his mouth ravaged Harper’s in a kiss that sucked all coherence from his brain, leaving him unable to think. Only feel.
And what he felt was the thick, heavy prod of Colson’s dick against his, and he ground his hips into Colson’s, all while hungrily sucking his tongue and biting his lips.
Colson flung his head back. “Fuck,” he muttered, blue eyes glittering as Harper scraped his teeth along the strong cords of his neck.
“Oh God, yeah, that’s gonna happen,” Harper rasped before crushing their lips together again. Jesus Christ, he was an animal for this man.
Colson groaned, and they bucked and humped each other. Colson’s tongue, slick and wet in his mouth, blew Harper’s self-control apart, and his toes curled. This wasn’t what he’d expected from the paradox known as Colson Delacourt. Tattooed, gruesome-murder author. Apple-pie baker, helper of sweet old ladies. Greedy tongue sucker, whose kisses stole the breath from Harper’s lungs. For fuck’s sake, he didn’t even like kissing all that much, but he couldn’t keep his lips from mauling Colson’s.
They stood together, foreheads touching, chests heaving, Harper a hair trigger away from exploding. He gathered what was left of his brain.
“Aren’t you a surprise?” Harper murmured, trailing kisses along Colson’s jaw and sucking his earlobe. Colson shivered, and Harper tightened his hold on him. “Cold?”
Colson stepped away from him, ignoring the question. “You thinkI’ma surprise? Seriously?” He folded his arms, and Harper wanted to know how much more ink covered his body. And where. “First you treat me like a criminal—”
“Justifiably, I might add.” He smirked. “If you’re going to talk in a public place about murdering your neighbor, you better expect the consequences. Plus, you were ruled out pretty quickly.”
“Only to become a victim.” Colson touched his lips, and Harper’s tongue moistened his own. They felt swollen and puffy, and if they looked anything like Colson’s, he’d need to fix that. Fast. Luis would never let him live it down. Hopefully he’d be asleep by the time Harper returned home.
Colson had a funny expression on his face.
“What?” Harper asked.
“Is this something you do often?”
“What? Kiss men? News flash. I’m gay. I’ve kissed men before.”
Colson’s blue eyes darkened to stormy midnight, and Harper grinned to himself. He enjoyed riling the man up. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re hot stuff. I mean, have you done this with other gay male victims?”
