Out to Protect (9 page)

Grant nodded, uncrossed his arms, and stepped over the threshold.

Parker decided to gather a few things while Grant made himself comfortable with the new surroundings.

He went to his dresser, leaned down, and pulled out the bottom drawer of the cherrywood bureau. Parker lifted some clothing and retrieved a long metal box. He carried it over to the bed and placed it on the nightstand. He then pulled out a set of keys from the nightstand and unlocked the box.

“What do you have in there?” Grant had moved closer to him. Curiosity got the best of him.

Parker lifted the lid and exposed the contents.

“Seriously? You hide your lube and condoms in this steel box?”

“Look, I’m not you. I’m not out of the closet.”

“It doesn’t mean you have to hide lube and condoms. Men and women use these products for sex too. Men aren’t the only people who experience sex.”

Grant had a point, but it didn’t make Parker want to keep them out in the open. If anyone ever came to his apartment and wanted to snoop around, they’d never find any evidence of his sexual activities, though they were nil in the last few years.

“You have your ways; I have mine.”

“I’m not pressuring you to tell the world that you’re gay. You can keep it secret for as long as you want. I told you before I’m not looking to expose you or your secret. I came clean because it was the right time for me. Shit, let’s not talk about this anymore. I thought we were going to enjoy each other’s company.” Grant moved his hand to Parker’s shoulder and squeezed.

“That’s what I want. Forget about what you saw here.”

“Sure thing,” Grant said.

The closeness of Grant had Parker’s juices flowing. His balls ached, and his cock pulsed.

Grant moved his hand down Parker’s arm. The heat grew with intensity as Grant worked his way to Parker’s hips. He snaked his hand around Parker’s waist and consumed his dick with his fingers.

Parker sucked in a deep breath.

“What do you do for fun in the bedroom?” Grant whispered into his ear.

Parker thought he’d melt to a puddle on the floor.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you like toys, role-playing, and pain?”

“Pain?” Parker wasn’t sure what he meant by pain.

“You know, like a good ole spanking, nipple clamps, or being tied up.”

Parker felt so green when it came to this. He’d never tried anything more than sexual intercourse and a few slaps on the ass. He wasn’t for or against spanking.

“I’m open to trying new things.” His honesty surprised him more than Grant.

“Maybe another time.”

The way Grant brushed off the subject startled Parker. He’d just offered to come out of his shell and try something new, and Grant basically shut it down.

“Yeah, sure, another time.” Parker wasn’t sure they’d ever have another night together, and straight-up sex was fine with him. He was horny, and Grant was ready.

“How about those condoms? Are you ready to put them to use?” Grant had nestled his body against Parker’s.

Parker couldn’t deny the feel of Grant’s hard cock against his ass drove him mad with desire. He longed to feel Grant’s dick inside him.

“Absolutely.” Parker pinched a string of condoms between his fingers and held them up.

Grant snatched them from Parker.

“Time for me to cover up.” Grant moved away from Parker.

Parker turned to see his new lover stripping all his clothes off.

He shook his head in disbelief while Grant whittled away his clothing. It didn’t take long for Grant to strip down to his birthday suit. The only apparel was the condom he now had fastened nicely over his extended cock.

If I can’t beat them, I’ll join him.
He shed the rest of his clothing in record time. Grant moved closer. Parker wondered how they’d do this. Would Grant want him bent over the bed, kneeling, or some crazy position he’d never thought of?

He didn’t have to wait long to find out. Grant climbed on the bed and settled himself on the pillows. His cock throbbed, waiting patiently for Parker to ride it.

“Don’t forget the gel,” Grant said.

Taking a deep breath, Parker picked up the bottle and joined Grant on the bed. He handed it to him.

“Turn around,” Grant instructed.

Parker didn’t argue. He turned and bent, allowing Grant total access to his ass. The cold gel slid down the crack and over his hole. Grant used a finger to spread it around the rim. He slipped the tip of his finger into Parker’s puckered skin. Parker moved forward, unprepared for the intrusion. Yes, he knew Grant would be fucking him, but he hadn’t expected the digit.

“You okay?”

“Fine,” Parker said, and he was. His ass quickly adjusted to Grant’s finger. Grant added another digit and moved them like a pair of scissors. Parker felt his ass stretching, readying for Grant’s hard, thick cock.

When Grant removed his fingers, it left Parker feeling empty and yearning for more.

“Why don’t you climb up?” Grant suggested.

Parker turned his head to see what Grant was talking about. He pointed to his hard dick.

This position wouldn’t be new to Parker, but it always intrigued him. He found it to be a more personal position, something he thought two people in love would share.

There was no denying he had feelings for Grant. He didn’t want to admit it, but he did. Grant had a hard exterior at times, but underneath he was a softy. He had a heart of gold, and Parker knew that once someone had his trust, Grant would give his life for that person. Which made him wonder once again if he’d let Ralph escape on purpose.

“Parker?”

Parker shook his head to clear the thoughts. He couldn’t concern himself with the Ralph business, not when he had a gorgeous older man with a delicious-looking cock waiting for him. Parker straddled Grant. He hovered over his dick. Grant reached between them and took the cock in his fist. Parker felt the tip nudge his outer rim. He rested his hands on Grant’s strong chest. The sprinkle of hair lining his chest felt soft under his palms. When Grant broke through the barrier, he removed his hand from between them.

Parker used his hands to straighten his body. He slowly eased down Grant’s dick, taking it in inch by glorious inch. He didn’t care that Grant was stretching him beyond belief. His balls tightened, and his cock hardened to the point that Parker thought it would explode all over Grant’s stomach.

Once Parker had finally sat completely on Grant’s cock, he moved his hands over his chest hair. He roamed up and down the other man’s chest and stomach. Taut muscles met with his strong hands. Grant obviously took good care of his body. Parker did his share of working out at the gym. He enjoyed going a few rounds on the punching bag, along with lifting weights. Maybe they could work out together sometime. Who the hell was he fooling? They wouldn’t be doing much together outside of looking for a killer. Once Ralph was arrested, they wouldn’t be partnered up any longer. Parker couldn’t risk his sexual orientation being exposed. He believed that Grant would do what he could to keep it safe, but if anyone caught an exchange between the two of them, they’d see a spark there. No matter how much Parker wanted to deny it, he had a growing attraction to Grant, and hiding it would be his number one problem.

Grant moved underneath Parker, bringing him back to the present. Tomorrow he could daydream about what he could or couldn’t do with Grant. Tonight he was going to do what he knew he could—get fucked by him.

Parker rolled his hips in response. As he rocked his hips, his hard cock rubbed along Grant’s stomach. His hard abs did amazing things to his tempered dick. Grant reached up and tweaked Parker’s nipples. Surprisingly Parker relished the feeling. Jolts of electricity soared through his body to his groin. His cock reacted by springing up and then down again.

Parker towered over Grant’s body, his hands on either side of the man. He leaned down and placed a kiss on Grant’s lips. He eased back to judge the other man’s reaction. A smile formed on Grant’s lips. He moved his hands from Parker’s hips to his face. Parker rested his cheek in Grant’s soft hand.

“This is beautiful.”

Parker opened his mouth to respond, but found he couldn’t form any words. He didn’t know what to say to such an incredible statement. He found it moving beyond words.

He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of Grant’s hands on his face. Grant lifted up, plunging his dick even farther into Parker. When his cock pressed against Grant’s stomach, he just about lost his mind.

“I need to come again,” Parker confessed.

Grant moved his hands away from Parker’s face and moved them to his legs again. Parker’s fingers clutched the down comforter. This was going to be a bumpy ride.

As soon as Grant had latched on to Parker’s legs, he began moving with quick thrusts. Parker followed suit. He moved his body up and down the length of Grant’s cock. Within moments they found an easy rhythm.

The steady motion stirred Parker’s juices, and he knew it wouldn’t be long before he unleashed his seed all over Grant’s abdomen.

“I’m so close, Parker.” Grant’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Me too.”

A few more rocks, and Parker felt Grant’s cock start to pulse inside him as his own dick contracted between them. Beads of hot pearly white cum shot out, coating both bodies. Parker’s ass contracted around Grant’s penis, milking it for every last drop of semen.

The sound of heavy breathing filled the room. The smell of sex wafted to Parker’s nostrils. Hot bodies, mixed with sweat and sex, melded to one. Grant pulled out, leaving Parker’s ass empty. Neither made an attempt to move. Instead Parker rested his body on top of Grant.

Grant’s arms snaked around Parker’s frame, embracing him closer. Parker felt Grant’s heart beating. The easy
thump, thump, thump
lulled him to a place of peace and serenity.

Chapter Six

The double ringing of phones startled them from a state of peace. Grant popped up in a panic. Parker looked at him, confused, his green eyes intense.

“Our phones are ringing.”

“Oh shit.” Parker pulled out of Grant’s embrace and frantically looked for his phone.

Naked and disoriented, Grant did the same.

“Fuck, it’s the station,” Parker said.

Grant turned to see him looking at his phone.

“What do I do?”

“Answer it,” Grant barked. He didn’t mean to sound so angry, but why the fuck was Parker asking him what to do? Grant found his phone just as it stopped ringing. He looked at the call log to see it was the station.

“Hello,” Parker said in the background.

Grant silently cursed. What the fuck was going on that they were calling them both? He prayed they hadn’t missed something important.

“Right. Right. Okay.” Parker furiously nodded while Grant watched.

Grant tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for Parker to hang up and explain what the emergency was. It took another full two minutes for Parker to finish the call.

“Well?”

“The killer struck again. This time two men.”

The severity of his words stung Grant to the core. Ralph had had enough time to kill two more men while they were here enjoying the company of each other.

“How pissed is Heslin?” He cringed as the question left his lips.

Parker snickered.

“That bad?”

“I don’t want to run into him unless we have Ralph in custody and proof that he’s our killer.”

“Are you beginning to doubt that Ralph could’ve done it?” Grant hoped he was having doubts. It’d feel good to have backup on the situation.

“No, and I’m still pissed that you allowed him to get away. While I don’t believe you’re involved with his crimes, you are aiding and abetting a criminal by helping him escape.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Grant stormed over to his pile of clothes and haphazardly put them on. He wasn’t about to stand there and listen to this shit. “Where did the murders take place?”

“Chief said they were dumped in the same spot as the last one. It’s basically a statement being made.”

Grant shrugged. He didn’t know what to think at this point.

“You don’t think it’s Ralph laughing in our faces?”

Grant shook his head. He hated to believe it, but it was really starting to look that way. He just couldn’t bring himself to speak it out loud. “Time will tell.”

“Chief wants us at the scene ASAP.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Grant rushed into the bathroom to wash up and straighten out his clothes. Once he finished he went to the living room to wait for Parker. As much as he’d prefer to head off on his own, he knew if he didn’t show up with his partner, the chief would be asking way too many questions. Grant wanted to be present if Parker decided to throw him under the bus about letting Ralph slip away from them. Technically he didn’t do it on purpose. He’d been so pissed off at Parker for having his gun pointed at Ralph he overreacted. His actions caused Ralph to slip away in the night and potentially murder two more guys.

Fuck. How much could one man take?

“Ready?” Parker asked, coming out of the bedroom looking forlorn.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

The two walked out to the car lost in their own thoughts. Grant wasn’t sure what was running through Parker’s mind, but he wished he knew how he felt about the time they shared. Was he regretting having sex with Grant? He hoped not. Grant was drawn to Parker more than he wanted to be. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t want to turn to Theo for relief. He wanted to experience every moment with Parker.

That was the moment when Grant knew he was screwed.

* * * *

The crime scene was crawling with cops, Ralph included. He was talking to the chief, who didn’t look too pleased. As Grant approached the duo, Ralph turned and spit on the ground, but he didn’t leave the chief’s side.

“Grant,” Ralph muttered.

“Ralph. Chief.”

“Nice of you to join us, Matteson. Should I ask what you were doing?”

“Sorry, Chief. What can you tell me about the scene? Is it the same MO?” Grant hated speaking about the murders in front of the one guy they suspected to be committing the crimes.