“Okay,” I said. “Sure.”
Gunner looked stunned. “Really?”
I rubbed my chin. “I’ve thought about the plan a million times,” I said. “I’m confident it’s safe and that it will work. I know Malcolm is a reasonable, smart guy.” I nodded, the idea making more sense as I said it. “If he says he can handle the job, I believe him.”
“That’s great,” Malcolm said, grabbing Gunner’s arm. Gunner smiled and pulled Malcolm a little closer.
I rubbed my hands together, glad to give them what they wanted. “Let’s make it happen,” I said. “Do me proud, boys.”
MALCOLM
We pulled up to the old brick building, the street nearly empty. Huge industrial buildings loomed down the street, casting long shadows.
It looked like I’d be hiding another story from my parents at Sunday dinner that evening.
Gunner turned off the ignition but left the key dangling there. Maddox pushed the door open but stayed put for a second, glancing down the street. With his arm thrown over the back of the seat, he looked so damn sexy, I couldn’t stop thinking about how powerfully he had topped Gunner and how the force of his thrusts rocked me to my core.
“Any questions?” he asked.
“Stay here, keep looking,” Gunner answered, pulling out a cigarette. “Got it.”
He rolled down the window and lit his cigarette while Maddox crossed the street, wandering to the side of the building with a casual strut. I held my breath as he pulled open the door and slipped inside, then released it with a puff.
“Cool,” Gunner said to himself, blowing smoke out the window.
“Yeah,” I agreed, my voice coming out kind of dreamy.
Gunner glanced out of me out of the corner of his eye, then straightened his back. “Do you want to invite him to hang around after we’re done? Maybe try to seduce him back to the bed again?”
I laughed softly. “You ready to take him again?”
Gunner scoffed. “Not quite. Maybe some other time, but I think that’s a special occasion, you know what I mean?”
“Do you think there will be some other times?” I asked. “He hasn’t really said anything to imply that he’s sticking around.”
Gunner turned to me, dangling his cigarette out the window. Then his eyes got wider. “I almost forgot to tell you,” he said. “The other bartender at work has two boyfriends.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! I just met him for a minute last night, but I guess they’ve been together for a while.” He tapped his finger against the wheel. “That’s pretty cool, right?”
I hadn’t even told my parents that I was dating one tattooed guy. I couldn’t imagine how they would flip their lids if I tried to bring home both of them. “I’ve never really considered something like that,” I said. “Not in a real way.”
Gunner reached down, taking my hand and squeezing it. “I mean, I’m into you, Malcolm, no matter what. But if Maddox were up for more, I think I would be, too. Would you?”
I gazed back across the street, studying the brick building. “Yeah,” I said. “I mean, what could be hotter than a guy breaking into some dangerous building just to help me out?”
Gunner stared at me for a second after I said that, and it was like the wheels were spinning in his mind. After a moment, he released my hand and pushed the door open.
“Wait, what are you doing?” I asked as he jumped out of the truck, throwing his cigarette to the ground.
“I just want to see inside,” he said. “I just want to get a look.”
He started walking across the street, and I jumped out of the truck. “Gunner!” I said. “That isn’t the plan!”
Gunner glanced down both streets, which were each as empty as when we arrived. “No one is going to show up,” he said. “Anyway, Maddox is probably done.” He turned to grab my hands, looking me in the eye. “It’s chill,” he said. “I’m just going to stick my head inside and make sure he doesn’t need help moving stuff out or whatever.”
I scrunched up my face and let out a whiny noise. “Gunnerrrrr,” I said, drawing his name out as long as I could. “It’s a bad idea.”
