He wouldn’t.
Javi waited for the rewrite, the reassurance that he’d not meant it like that or that he just loved Cloister’s tight, freckled ass…which he did.It was a bit of a surprise when all he got was nothing.Apparently, he was well aware that he loved Cloister and didn’t need a return on that investment.
It was typical, Javi supposed, that he’d realize that just before he wrecked it.
“Iborrowedyourkey,”Cloistersaid as he let himself back into the apartment.Bourneville shoved between his legs, slip lead scraping along behind her, and padded into the kitchen.She was too polite to put her paws up on the counters, but she stopped in front of the oven to sniff the air pointedly.
Javi paused mid-coffee to give Cloister a mildly disgruntled look.
“Why don’t you just keep it?”he said.“I don’t want the neighbors judging me for letting my deputy sheriff free-roam.”
Cloister considered that for a moment.Apparently, it was close enough to his comfort zone that he could let it slide.He nodded as he padded into the kitchen, excusing himself as he squeezed behind Javi’s chair.Javi couldsmellhim on the way by, all hot sun-warmed skin and fresh, clean sweat.For a second, as he felt heat tickle between his legs, he considered throwing caution and his shower to the wind.
The cold air that washed out of the fridge as Cloister opened it wasn’t quite enough to douse the temptation.It did remind Javi that his current interactions with Kincaid were complicated enough without giving the man more ammunition.
“Did you think about what I said last night?”Javi asked as he shifted around in the chair to look at Cloister.He caught the way Cloister tensed and went still for a beat, hand halfway toward the bottle of water.A quick mental recap of the night before made it dawn on him that he might need to be clear about what part of the conversation he was referring to.“About letting Kincaid handle the investigation.”
Cloister’s shoulders relaxed.He picked up the water and twisted the lid off as he turned.A jab of his elbow behind him swung the fridge door shut again with a heavy thud.
Javi wasn’t sure how to take the fact that his “I love you” might be a more stressful topic than Kincaid.Although it did give him a sour flicker of humor to think how offended Kincaid would be, after all his efforts to get under Cloister’s skin.
“You really thinkKincaidcares about finding Miles Lassiter?”Cloister asked.
“Yes,” Javi said.
The confidence in his voice made Cloister hesitate and cock his head to the side.
“You sound very sure of that,” he said.
“I am.”
Cloister thought about that as he took a drink.He peeled his shirt away from his stomach with his free hand.Javi clenched his jaw and waited for the shoe to drop.If Cloister asked “why” he was going to tell him, and it wasn’t because he was honest.
It was because Javi was a selfish man.
Cloister lowered the bottle and wiped his mouth on his arm.“I’ll think about it,” he said reluctantly.
That…wasn’t what Javi had been expecting.He had already started the inhale for his answer, but this made him deflate.He stood up and curled one hand around Cloister’s waist to pull him closer.
“I appreciate that,” he said.
The doubt on Cloister’s face faded into a smile as he looked down between their bodies.
“I’m going to get sweat all over you,” he said.
“I don’t care.”
“You do.”
He did.Javi grabbed a quick, salt-sharp kiss from Cloister and disentangled himself.He gave Cloister a shove.“Go shower,” he said, and checked the clock again.“I need to go, but…make yourself at home.”
Cloister gave him a wave over one shoulder on the way out of the room that could have been agreement or not.There wasn’t time to obsess over it.Javi picked up his coffee and drained it.As he set the cup back down on the table, he felt a cold nose against his other wrist and looked down at Bourneville.He wasn’t sure how a dog raised eyebrows it didn’t have expectantly, but he could tell she was.
“I skipped breakfast,” he said.“Ask Cloister.”
She sighed and left the kitchen.Instead of jumping up on the couch, she pointedly lay down on the floor.For a big dog, she could curl up into a very small ball of disappointment.
“Tomorrow,” he promised as he headed out.He grabbed his jacket from the door and his phone from the side table.“If I have time.”
