“No, I mean who’s he the favorite of?”
Phantom wiped his mouth and tossed the napkin on his tray. “If you think Captain Hughes’s son doesn’t have this in the bag, then you’re clearly delusional.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Panther freeze. He clearly heard what Phantom was laying down, but he was choosing not to say anything.
I didn’t play quiet too well.
“How’s your eyesight, Phantom?” I asked.
“Perfect, as mandated. Why?”
“Just curious, since you seem to have somehow missed the beatdown I gave to Lieutenant Hughes in the sky yesterday.” I swallowed some of my water and shrugged. “Maybe you should be calling me the favorite.”
“You? The favorite?” Gucci snickered. “Hell would freeze over first.”
“It could happen. Climate change and all.” Feeling Panther’s gaze on me, I looked over to where he was slowly unclenching his mangled roll. His face had reddened slightly, and he seemed to be trying to get himself under control, maybe forcing himself not to walk over to Phantom and bash his head with a tray. As he took a deep breath, he gave me the subtlest of nods and then reached for his drink.
“Oh shit, you guys.” Whiplash gaped at her watch, her barely eaten wrap dropping onto the tray. “We gotta go.” As she jumped to her feet so fast her chair fell back, the rest of us stared at her until she said, “We’re late. It’s two after.”
Chaos erupted, all of us scrambling out of our seats, curses ringing out as we realized we were in for some serious shit for missing even a few seconds of our training class. It was a race through the halls, but my mind wandered, an idea forming that had nothing to do with what we’d be learning from Commander Levy today.
As the rest of my fellow officers filed into the room, I hung back, and before Panther could follow the others, I blocked his path.
“Can I talk to you?”
“Yes, but not right now,” he said, but before he could move past me to open the door, I stepped in front of him.
“What’s the rush? We’re already late.”
Panther hesitated and then gestured for me to go on, and I felt a small victory at making him break a rule.
“You like Mexican food?”
His brow furrowed. “That’s what you’re making us late for? To find out my food preferences?”
“Another minute isn’t gonna kill us. So…?”
Panther rubbed his forehead and sighed. “Yeah, I like Mexican food, why?”
“I’ll be at Salsa’s off Boundary around six.”
Seconds passed as Panther stared at me like he was waiting for the shoe to drop. “Is that your way of asking me to go?”
“Why else would I tell you?”
“Well, you couldaskme.” Amusement played on his face, making his lips curve.
“Fine. Maybe you should be at Salsa’s off Boundary at six.”
“I think I’m busy then.” Panther moved past me, but before he could open the door, I grabbed his wrist and made him face me.
“Grant, I’m going to be fucking starving and ready to devour something delicious around six, and I’d like it if it could be you.” When Panther’s mouth fell open, I smirked. “I mean, I’d like it if you could join me.”
Panther’s eyes dropped to my mouth, and when he swallowed, all I could think about was the way he deep-throated my dick, and damn if that didn’t make me hard right then and there.
It was gonna be fun walking into class with an erection, said no one ever.
“Gentlemen, is there a reason you’re standing outside the classroom instead of in it?”
