Playing The Hero (2 page)

“I’m coming over!” She announced and he heard her running up stairs. Carter’s brows pulled together.

“I don’t know… It might look bad and he’ll think I don’t want to be alone with him.” He mused. Abby laughed.

“I just want to make sure he’s not the type that tucks his junk and is all ‘Would you fuck me? I’d fuck me.’” It was kind of unsettling, how good her Jame Gumb impression was. “If he’s cool, I’ll be out of there fast. If he’s bad news, I’ll have a few drinks and pretend I’m too drunk to drive home and ask if I can crash on your couch. Then, I’ll be super awkward until he can’t stand it and leaves.” She sounded out of breath and Carter knew she was shimmying into a pair of jeans that were probably a size too small.

“Are you doing this for me or is this an excuse to get away from the family and drink my alcohol?” He teased. He heard her snort again.

“I’m legitimately worried about your safety. And I could use a break. Jemmy got one of my shoes stuck in the toilet and I’m kind of over listening to Mark swearing in the bathroom. They can deal without me for a while.” Abby declared. “I’ll be there in half an hour.” She said and Carter could hear her hopping, probably pulling on a pair of shoes.

“Fine.” He sighed.

“Ciao.” Abby sang before she hung up.

Carter actually felt relieved. Abby could read anyone and she knew that each of his ex’s was a train wreck within moments of meeting them. This time, he would listen.

Chapter 2

It was a beautiful evening. Reid decided to walk to Carter’s house to try and calm the odd fluttering in his stomach. He’d had a moment, when he held Carter’s hand in his before Reid took his phone. It felt like he’d swallowed a hummingbird before getting on a roller coaster. That never happened to Reid. He was a neurosurgeon. He thrived on pressure and adrenaline. Confidence was as vital to his success as any of the skills he learned in medical school. It was that nervousness that had Reid so intrigued, it was like a new drug.

When he first noticed Carter, Reid was instantly drawn to his height and his sleek, slender, muscular build. Carter was always in jeans and a t-shirt. Those tight fitting superhero t-shirts made Reid crazy. Every now and then, he’d see Carter reach for something and his t-shirt would stretch and hug his pecs, abs or the long muscles of his back. Once, Carter pushed his hands through his hair as he was waiting for his iced green tea and his shirt rode up and Reid caught a hint of a light brown trail of hair that disappeared beneath the waist of his jeans. Reid wanted to follow that soft current of hair and disappear in Carter’s jeans too.

That first day, Reid almost made his move. He got in line behind Carter and just as he was about to tap Carter on the shoulder, Carter’s phone rang. As soon as Reid heard Carter’s voice, he was screwed. The smooth, clear baritone slid through him, warm and low and Reid’s legs turned to jello. He backed away and jumped in the next line over. Reid’s heartbeat slowed and he clung to every word as he shamelessly eavesdropped. Carter's voice rolled through Reid and made his body hotter and tighter. After that, Reid decided to wait and let Carter come to him. This was new and for the first time, Reid was enjoying the tension and anticipation.

Reid would have kept waiting if he hadn’t seen Carter staring so hard at his ass. The back of the refrigerated wine and beer case was mirrored and Reid looked up as he stood and Carter’s eyes were locked on his ass and he looked like he was in love. That look. Reid felt it in every cell in his body and the urge to answer it was overwhelming. Carter tried to play it off and ran.
Oh, no you don’t,
Reid decided. He waited until Carter was in the quiet, less traveled spirits aisle to approach him.

If Carter had flirted or tried to have a sensible conversation, Reid would have been at the mercy of those foreign flutters. Instead, Carter had been adorably flustered and Reid wasn’t sure if he wanted to soothe him or mount him. But, poor Carter! Who gets dumped on their birthday? It would probably have put Reid off of dating too. Not for four years though. What the hell had Carter done for the last four years?

After a quick shower, deciding what to wear was an unusually drawn-out exercise for Reid. He knew Carter was already in jeans and a t-shirt. Should he go uber casual and make it feel as little like a date as possible? Or, would Carter think that Reid didn’t think he was worth any effort? Reid didn’t own any graphic t-shirts, so he settled on a grey v-neck. Jeans were obvious. He grabbed a darker grey cardigan, thinking it would give him more of a cozy, gentle vibe. For a moment he debated, as he looked in the mirror. Was this a little bit Mr. Rogers? That might put Carter at ease but it might also take things in the wrong direction.
You don’t want to get friend zoned because you tapped into the puppets and trains part of his subconscious,
Reid warned. In the end, he kept it, erring on the side of relaxed and comfortable. He realized he was probably overthinking things after debating over shoes for ten minutes. Reid stepped into a pair of casual black, leather loafers and went to check his hair and brush his teeth before he left for Carter’s.

By the time Reid knocked on Carter’s front door, the flutter had subsided. He’d admired the large craftsman home every time he drove by. Reid was curious to see if it was as well maintained on the inside as the outside. Being greeted by Carter’s guard hag before he could even knock was reassuring. A ferocious friend meant Carter was somewhat normal and probably a decent person. Flaming red hair and cutting green eyes swept Reid from head to toe as he smiled brightly on the doorstep. She crossed her arms over her chest and chewed her lip.

“You’re a doctor?” She asked skeptically. Reid nodded.

“A neurosurgeon, even.” He stated and her head tilted. She was starting to approve. Reid saw her eyes sweeping the street behind him.

“Where’s your car?” She asked warily. Reid cringed and leaned on the doorframe.

“It turns out, I live at the end of the street, six houses down.” He explained as he pointed toward his house. Her mouth fell open and she leaned out and looked down the street. She frowned as she looked back at Reid.

“That could get awkward.” She mumbled. Reid shrugged and her eyes narrowed even more as she searched his face.

“Abby!” Carter called from behind her. “Let him in!” He begged. Abby held up a hand, quieting Carter as she continued to study Reid. He knew what was up.

“I never go more than two days without calling my mother.” Reid said and Abby’s eyes widened briefly and her lips tugged up at the corners but she fought off the smile. Reid leaned forward. “Rustic farm wedding with drinks served in Mason jars.” He stated and her eyes became very wide. Abby nodded and stepped aside. When Reid stepped into the house he had to pull his lips in to keep from laughing as Carter scowled at Abby.

“Sorry, she decided to come over and…” Carter stopped when Reid laughed.

“…make sure I wasn’t a serial killer or a creep.” Reid finished as his eyes swept around the house. The woodwork was beautiful and the royal blue walls popped against the warm wood tones. The living room was being used as an office and a large desk sat before the windows. There was a lot of really nice comic book art, mostly framed prints. Carter was a Marvel fan. Reid had been a DC fan back in the day. Hopefully that wouldn’t be too much of an issue. He grinned at Carter before he looked at Abby. “So, what was the plan? Was Abby going to tell me some terrible secret, like you’re into yiffing to scare me off or was she going to fabricate an emergency and lose her car keys?” Reid asked. Carter’s lips pulled tight and his eyes flicked to Abby’s. She grinned wickedly.

“I was going to get obnoxiously drunk and have to crash on the couch. I was considering a tactical vomit in your lap.” Abby explained and Reid couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Solid.” He said and Abby laughed. She grabbed her purse off the counter and kissed Carter on the cheek.

“I’m out.” She announced and Carter’s brows rose in surprise. “You better not call me until
late
tomorrow morning.” Abby commanded as she went out the door. It shut behind her and Carter stared at it for a moment before turning to Reid.

“Did I miss something?” Carter asked as he pointed at the door. Reid shrugged.

“She likes me and I passed.” He explained. Carter looked even more confused as he leaned against the counter that divided the dining area from the kitchen. Reid stepped closer and felt the flutters return. “I call my mom four or five times a week. Women put a lot of stock in how a man treats his mother. And my dream wedding is romantic and informal. I
have
a dream wedding. I’m clearly interested in more than a one night stand.” Reid explained as he watched Carter’s lips open and close as he tried to decide on his next question.

“How can you be so sure you’ll want more than a one night stand?” Carter asked carefully.

Reid didn’t bother to drag his eyes from Carter’s lips. He reached for Carter’s neck as he stepped closer and pulled Carter’s mouth to his. Reid’s lips brushed back and forth, slowly across Carter’s. They were warm and soft and Reid felt Carter’s chest expand and lock as he held his breath. Reid hummed as he teased Carter’s lower lip and a gasping exhale poured into Reid’s mouth as his tongue swept between Carter’s lips. Carter tasted crisp, slightly bitter and clean. A gin and tonic. Reid moaned as he wrapped his hands around Carter’s face and angled his head, lapping at Carter’s tongue. He felt Carter’s hand twisting the back of his cardigan as he pulled Reid closer and his tongue tangled with Reid’s.
I should probably go to church on Sunday,
Reid thought as he fought against some very wicked urges. He withdrew hesitantly, letting his lips cling to Carter’s as he groaned. Reid could have stayed there for the rest of the day. He blinked rapidly and Carter’s eyes were heavy as Reid released him.

“I’ve wanted to do that for weeks, Carter. One night isn't going to be enough.” Reid whispered. Carter nodded faintly.

“Ok.” He mumbled as he stared at Reid. He was silent for several moments before he looked around, as if he was trying to remember where he was. “Can I make you a drink? I don’t have a lot to choose from, I mostly drink gin and tonics and the occasional beer.” Carter explained as he slid around the counter and went to the fridge. Reid smiled as he went to a stool and sat.

“The gin and tonic tasted divine. I’ll have one of those.” He said and Carter froze for a moment. A blush creeped up his neck and his lips twisted as he pulled out a bowl of sliced cucumbers.

Reid watched as Carter filled a tall glass with ice and two slices of cucumber before pouring a very liberal amount of gin and then Schwepp’s tonic water. Reid raised a brow as Carter pushed the drink across the counter. Carter shrugged.

“It’s not like you have to drive home.” He said as he made himself another. Reid grinned as he raised the glass to his lips.

“At the time, the proximity to the hospital was this neighborhood’s biggest selling point.” He winked as he took a sip. It was perfect. Carter rolled his eyes as he turned on the oven and pulled the tray of prepared apples out of the fridge. Reid frowned. “I was hoping I’d get to help.” He said and Carter shrugged again.

“They took about five minutes. Dinner won’t be too long either.” He said as he pulled the foil off a plate of grilled chicken. Reid nodded and stood.

“This is a great house.” He said as he wandered around the dining room then into the living room area. Reid was impressed. Most of the furniture appeared to be Stickley and the comic book art worked really well in the space.

“The woodwork is all original. I had it cleaned and restained when I bought the house. I updated the bathrooms and the kitchen but otherwise, the house was in perfect condition.” Carter explained as he sliced the french bread. Reid’s eyes swept along the moldings, banister and the large fireplace appreciatively before they fell on three boxes of books and a bookshelf. He moved closer and saw that the shelf was dedicated to various versions of The Thunderstone Birthright books and merchandise. The boxes were filled with hardback copies of each book in the series.

“You’re really into this Thunderstone stuff.” Reid observed as he picked up an action figure. He heard Carter laugh softly.

“You could say that. I wrote it. I’m W.E. Carter.” He said as he set their salads on the table. Reid’s eyes flared as he set the toy down and went to the table.

“Those books are huge! Aren’t they working on a movie?” Reid asked as he sat down. Carter nodded as he placed the bread between them and sat.

“It’s in the early phases, so I’m told.” He said as he started poking at his plate. Reid looked around the house again.

“So… you’re probably…” He picked up a fork and waved it in front of him and looked at Carter expectantly.

“Pretty much retired. After this last book, I don’t have to work again.” He said before he took a large bite of his salad. Reid nodded as he stabbed at his plate.

“But, like retired and driving a golf cart in Florida, retired? Or, retiring on your private island, retired?” He asked. Carter grinned as he swallowed.

“I’m not private island rich yet. Somewhere in between.” He said. Reid shook his head in disbelief.

“That’s incredible. Congratulations.” He pointed at his plate with his fork. “This is delicious.” Reid announced and Carter nodded.

“Thanks. So, you’re an actual brain surgeon?” He asked and took a long drink. Reid laughed.

“Brain, spine, nervous system…” He explained and Carter’s eyes narrowed as he leaned forward.

“What does the brain feel like?” Carter whispered. Reid grinned mischievously.

“Raw chicken breast.” He whispered back. Carter’s lips twisted as he considered. Then, his eyes flicked down to his salad. He looked very thoughtful for a moment before he nodded and hooked a piece of chicken with his fork and ate it. Reid laughed and shook his head. “I get asked that question all the time and people usually complain that I’ve put them off of chicken.” He said and Carter shook his head gently.

“I’ve eaten brain before. Not a human’s. But, I’m not squeamish about food and I don’t have a weak stomach.” He explained and his eyes lingered. “Can I ask you another question?” Carter asked softly. Reid nodded and took a drink.

“Sure.” He said as he set his glass down. Carter bit his lip before he exhaled loudly.

“Why aren’t you in a relationship? You seem like you’re perfect and you want to get married and settle down. Why haven’t you?” He asked. Reid cringed as he traced a line through the condensation on the outside of his glass.

“On a good week, I work about fifty hours. On a really good week, I can work about eighty.” Reid said carefully. He had hoped to sell himself and get a real date, not confess his worst faults as a boyfriend right out of the gate. “It doesn’t take long for schedules to start conflicting and my hours to become annoying. I’m perfect for a handful of dates and then someone more available comes along and it just isn't worth the hassle of dating me.” Reid admitted. Carter frowned as he pushed a piece of lettuce across his plate.

“I don’t have any sort of schedule that would conflict with yours. I just work whenever I want. Right now, I work all the time because everything’s flowing and I don’t have anything else to do.” Carter’s voice was low, almost as if he was talking to himself. Reid felt another flutter and he angled his head so he could find Carter’s eyes.

“So, we’re perfect for each other?” Reid offered. Carter’s eyes flicked up and he looked dubious.