In His Hero's Shadow

Trauma nurse Chauncey and paramedic Brody have only ever agreed on one thing in life—that they share a mutual hatred for one another. While they may have to work together, they’ve never gotten along. Brody sees Chauncey as nothing more than a bossy, jerk whereas Chauncey thinks Brody is a cocky, brat who needs a good slap on the nose. What neither one of them is willing to admit is that they share a secret mutual attraction. One night they lose control and give into their passion. When they find themselves waking up in each other’s arms, they have to face one of the biggest decisions of their lives—do they give love a chance or are their differences just too big to overcome?

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In His Hero’s Shadow Copyright © 2011 Stephani Hecht ISBN: 978-1-55487-952-6 Cover art by Martine Jardin

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In His Hero’s Shadow EMS Heat Nine By Stephani Hecht

To all those who died on September 11th. May we always remember your bravery.

Chapter One Since his day had already trotted down the path to sucksville, the last thing Chauncey wanted was to have one more crappy thing happen. Yet, that’s what occurred when he received the last call of the day. As a mobile trauma nurse, Chauncey liked to think he was always prepared for the worst. Car accidents, chemical spills, fires—he’d take any of them over the disaster he was about to face. While those calamities may be scary, they in no way compared to one certain Brody Wiseman. Chauncey disembarked from the copter and immediately scanned the small stretch of freeway that now housed the scene of their call. PD had blocked traffic so the only thing surrounding the

crashed metal that used to be a minivan and SUV were various EMTs and fire personnel. Chauncey’s gaze immediately located and honed in on one of them—Brody. All-in-all, he didn’t look to be much of anything. Sure, he was cute enough with his spiked sandy blond hair and big, puppy dog brown eyes. He wasn’t even that tall. Standing at just over five-six, Chauncey would be surprised if the guy tipped the scales at one twenty-five. Looks could be deceiving because under all that aren’t-I-just-a-cutie lay a tongue so sharp it could cut through metal and glass. Not only that, but Brody possessed a cocky attitude that never failed to grate on Chauncey. Sometimes it got so bad Chauncey contemplated taking Brody over his knee so he could finally spank some manners into the brat. The only reason Chauncey held back was because, knowing Brody, he’d like it and then that would just defeat the purpose. Brody knelt beside a patient. He wore his usual paramedic uniform of navy pants and dark, long

sleeved tee. On the back of the shirt, the name of his ambulance company was written in bold, yellow letters. The patient lay strapped to a backboard, her head encased in headblocks. While the blood marring her face made it difficult to be sure, Chauncey guessed her to be about seventeen or eighteen. “Is this the one who’s being transported?” Chauncey asked as he approached. While there were numerous victims in the accident, they’d only called him for the most critical. Sometimes even a few minutes could be the difference between life and death and his copter got to the hospital faster than the ambulance. Brody nodded as he quickly and efficiently began to start a second IV in the patient’s arm. As he slid in the needle, Chauncey noticed the girl didn’t even flinch in pain. Either she didn’t have an issue with needles or she was so deep into shock

that pain didn’t register. “We have a seventeen year old female who was involved in a head-on collision with a SUV. While her airbag went off, she wasn’t wearing her seatbelt,” Brody said as he set the IV drip rate at wide open. Chauncey winced as he mentally ticked off all the injuries the female may have sustained. He crouched down so he could examine her face more closely. She had her eyes shut and gave no indication that she was alert. She didn’t even startle when one of the fire crew started up the Jaws of Life a few feet away as they extracted another victim from the van. The patient had multiple cuts and scrapes on her face. A face that was so young a bit of baby fat still lingered on her freckled cheeks. Her once pert nose was swollen and dripping blood. “What are her vitals?” “Crappy. Her BP is so low that it’s hard to get a

good reading and her pulse is weak and thready. I’m trying to get more fluid into her, but it’s not helping. If I had to guess, I would say she has a pretty big bleed somewhere internally.” Chauncey nodded in agreement. “Help me get her loaded up.” They each took one end of the backboard and raced to the copter. It was already running in anticipation for a quick take off. Brody nodded to the pilot, Tanner, who returned the gesture. As they strapped the patient in place, Chauncey couldn’t help but be amazed that Brody hadn’t fired off a bratty comment. Sure, the situation was pretty tense, given their patient’s condition, but that never stopped Brody before. Just as Chauncey allowed himself to relax his guard, Brody leaned in and yelled, “I kept her stable this long. Don’t blow things and let me down.”

Oh, no. He did not just say that! Chauncey

glanced up and glared at the medic. “Thanks, I got it from here. Why don’t you go play with the firemen?” “Now, we both know that’s my favorite thing to do,” Brody called before he turned and walked back to the scene. After Chauncey arrived at the hospital and transferred the patient over to the ER staff, he ran down to the pharmacy to restock his drugbox. When he got back to the EMS room and found Tanner MIA, it didn’t come as much of a surprise. Tanner had a major crush on a guy from radiology so he was probably prowling around in hopes of bumping into the man. Not that the delay mattered since their shift was technically over. So Chauncey made himself a cup of coffee and sat down at one of the two round tables occupying the cramped room. He didn’t know how much time passed before the door opened. Expecting Tanner, a dash of

disappointment went through Chauncey when he saw Brody walk in instead. He sighed. “Oh, it’s you.” Brody pulled a face. “Hey, that’s not cool. In case you forgot, your cousin is my partner so that means he’s here, too. Therefore, you should be happy to see me.” Chauncey was never happy to see the little shit and decided not to say that aloud. The last thing he wanted after a hard day was to finish it off by getting into it with Brody. “Where’s Kiefer?” “He’s giving a report to one of the nurses.” “Did you bring in the driver from the other vehicle?” Brody nodded as he began to pour himself a cup of coffee. “The asshole was drunk so of course he wasn’t that injured. How is our girl

doing?” “Last I checked, there was no change. I think they’re rushing her into surgery.” “So you managed to follow my orders and get her here in time.” Brody smirked as he dumped a ton of sugar into his coffee. “Yes, because we both know how I just live to please you,” Chauncey drawled as he rolled his eyes. He didn’t know how his cousin, Kiefer, could stand working with Brody. Not only that, but they hung out when they were off the clock, too. Chauncey was sure had he been saddled with Brody as a partner, one of them would be dead by the end of their first shift. Brody dropped into the chair opposite Chauncey. A look of pure mischief danced through the medic’s eyes. “If you only knew how many guys said that to me.”

“Is that before or after they forgot your name?” “Who says I even tell it to them in the first place?” Now, that didn’t shock Chauncey. Brody had a bit of a reputation for being a bed hopper. Okay, maybe it was more than a bit. To say Brody liked to play around would be an understatement. At least that’s what Chauncey heard. Other than Kiefer, they didn’t share too many mutual friends, nor did they hang out together. So Chauncey never saw Brody in action. “Is that all you want in life? One quick, nameless hookup after another?” Chauncey asked. Brody took a sip of his coffee, then shrugged. “Sure, it’s less messy that way. Besides, what’s the big deal? I don’t see you with anybody special. So your way must not be working either.” “Who says I’m looking?” “Sweetie, your kind is always looking for their

one true love.” Chauncey stared at Brody. He knew the medic was twenty, which made him four years Chauncey’s junior. Brody was way too young to be so jaded. “I’m not saying that I agree with you, but if I were looking for that special somebody, why would that be so wrong?” “Because there’s no such thing. All love does is make you weak and vulnerable.” A stunned silence filled the room. “Wow, Freud would have a fucking field day analyzing your mental stability.” Brody swirled his coffee as he appeared to be thinking that one over. “You may actually be right about something for once. I’m so messed up, I could be the official spokesman for Crazy Town.” Stunned that Brody would actually admit that, Chauncey was momentarily at a loss for words.

Lucky duck that he was, Brody decided to fill that void. “But then again, maybe that’s not a bad thing. A lot of guys like my eccentricities.” “Really? And here I thought you were just a brat who needed a good slap on the nose.” Brody’s eyes flared with anger before he schooled his features and flashed a cocky grin. It occurred to Chauncey that the medic did that a lot. Almost as if he was afraid to show his true self or something. Brody opened his yap for what was probably going to be yet another one of his irritating comments, but the door opened, interrupting them. Kiefer poked his head in. He impatiently ran his hand through his dark hair and let out an aggravated huff. “Come on, Brody. We have another call.” Brody started. “Already? We haven’t cleared the hospital yet.”

“Yeah, I told them that, but I guess we’re the only rig they have.” “What’s the call?” Brody stood and tossed his cup into the trash. “It’s Mrs. Roberts again.” Even though he wasn’t on a ground crew, that name was still familiar to Chauncey. An elderly woman with COPD and diabetes, she was a frequent flyer. Still she was sweet enough that most of the crews liked her. “Shit,” Brody groaned. “It’s only been a couple of days since she last had to go in. It seems like she’s only getting worse.” Kiefer gave a sad smile. “Dispatch said she was asking for you.” Brody’s normal smirk, softened. “Really?” “Why should that come as such a surprise? You know how much she likes you.”

For a brief moment, Brody’s glance flickered in Chauncey’s direction as if he expected a disagreement to Mrs. Roberts’ opinion. Chauncey just gave a small shrug. While he may find most of Brody’s behavior infuriating, for some reason females of all ages seemed to gobble it up. Brody nibbled on his bottom lip, not looking too sure of himself for once. Once again, Chauncey found himself wondering how somebody so young could already feel so damaged from life. “Well, I guess we better get going. If she wants us, then we shouldn’t keep her waiting,” Brody finally said. Kiefer gave Chauncey a wave before they left. Brody on the other hand, didn’t even bother looking in Chauncey’s direction again. Not that Chauncey expected any differently. The two of them had known each other for a little over a year now and in all that time, they’d only managed to

agree on one thing—that they hated each other with a deep-seated passion. Which was too bad, really. Under different circumstances, Chauncey would have made a play for the guy. With those cute eyes and even cuter dimples, he was the type of man that Chauncey normally went for. If only it weren’t for Brody’s bratty attitude and smart mouth, he would have been perfect.

Chapter Two As they rushed into the ER bay, Brody headed to the passenger side of the ambulance and climbed in. As Kiefer slid in behind the wheel, Brody caught the confused furrow marring his work partner’s brow. Not that Brody could blame Kiefer for his confusion, given that Brody never gave up navigation duties. “I have a headache,” he lied before he keyed up the mic and let dispatch know they were on their way to the call. Brody let out a sigh of relief when Kiefer didn’t call him out on the fib. Still using the pretext of not feeling well, Brody closed his eyes and rested his head against the window.

Damn Chauncey. Damn his superior attitude. And most of all, damn him for being so appealing despite all those faults. No matter how hard he tried, Brody had yet to find a flaw in the nurse’s physical appearance. A hum of arousal went through Brody as an image of Chauncey popped into his head. From his dark, almost midnight hair to his deep, blue eyes and cover model good looks, he was the perfect male specimen. It didn’t hurt that he came from one of the richest families in the nation either. Not that Brody gave a rat’s ass about how much money a guy made. Yet, he couldn’t help but notice that Chauncey had a refined edge to him. It was obvious from his impeccable table manners, excellent grammar, perfect posture and elitist attitude that he’d been raised by the best money could buy. Brody, on the other hand, grew up in a culture of weekend bonfire parties, Friday night football games and public school education. He knew that

put him in a completely different league than Chauncey. Hell, the two of them weren’t even on the same planet. “How come you’re nothing like your cousin?” Brody asked, not opening his eyes. “What do you mean?” “Even though you were both raised in the same environment, you still act more like…well, the rest of us.” “And Chauncey doesn’t?” Brody cracked open one lid. “No, you’re normal where he acts so privileged you’d think he had a branch from the Kennedy family tree stuck up his ass.” Kiefer let out a snort of laugher. “God, I don’t know where you come up with some of these terms.” “It fits though.”

“Not, really. I hate to break it to you, but this hate-hate thing you have going with Chauncey is just as much your fault.” Outraged, Brody fully opened his eyes as he sat up straighter. “How in the hell do you figure that?” “Don’t play coy with me. We both know you go out of your way to piss him off.” Brody briefly considered denying that, but decided to just keep his mouth closed. He’d never been a liar before so there was no reason to start. Besides, he had a feeling Kiefer would see right through whatever excuse he came up with. “Only because he makes it so much fun. Seriously, who could resist? The look of shock on his face when I deliver a zinger is just priceless. Even you have to admit that.” Kiefer turned into Mrs. Roberts’ neighborhood. “Are you sure that’s the only reason why you’re

doing it?” Brody slowly shook his head, confused at the weird turn in the conversation. “What other reason could there be?” “All I’m saying is sometimes you two are almost too vocal about your dislike for each other.” “That doesn’t even make any sense.” “You know how they say there’s a thin line between love and hate.” “They also say that McDonald’s is bad for you, but you don’t see me giving up my McNuggets,” Brody snapped. The corners of Kiefer’s lips twitched. “Did you just compare my cousin to fast food?” “Yeah, and make sure you share that piece of info next time you see him. I would love to see how Mr. Country Club reacts to that.”

“That’s not fair. Chauncey is separated from our family, just as I am. In fact, I just found out that they cut off all financial support and are refusing to speak to him.” Brody froze, shocked by that bit of information. “Since when?” “Since he sided with me. It was already bad enough that he was gay, but when he went so far as to support me when I stood up to my parents, the entire family turned their backs on Chauncey.” Some of Brody’s animosity slipped, replacing it with respect. “Wow, that’s huge. I know how it feels to be cut off from family.” While Brody still had his mother—at least to a certain extent—the rest of his own family hadn’t bothered with him in nearly a decade. While it’d been a while, that rejection still held the same sting. They reached Mrs. Roberts’ house, dropping the conversation as they both got out and began

to collect their equipment. As they walked up the wheelchair ramp, Brody’s heart broke as he noticed new bullet holes marring the elderly lady’s siding. Her home had once been in a pretty decent neighborhood. As the economy and city fell on hard times, crime had continued to creep into more parts of Flint. Now, Mrs. Roberts lived in one of the worst areas. Her caregiver met them at the door. She’d been with Mrs. Roberts for years so she recognized Kiefer and Brody immediately. “Thank God it’s you boys. While I love the other crews, too, she really loves you two the best.” “How is she doing today?” Brody asked as they struggled to get the cot through the front door. After a couple of jiggles, they managed to get it inside her tiny, cramped living room. The normal furniture had been pushed aside to make room for a hospital bed, which included various other pieces of medical equipment.

The caregiver shook her head. “Not well at all. I’ve had to give her numerous breathing treatments and her sugar has been low.” “How low?” Brody demanded, alarmed. It was bad enough that her COPD was acting up. The last thing they needed was for her to go into diabetic shock on top of it. He exchanged concerned looks with Kiefer. “It’s so low, the meter won’t even read it,” the caregiver confessed. He glanced down at his patient, his gut clenching when he noticed the glassy expression in her light blue eyes. Reaching out, he touched her paper-thin skin, wincing as he noted how cold and clammy it felt. Brody quickly started an IV, using some of the blood to test the levels on his own machine. When all he got was a blinking Low light, too, his heart raced. Shit, not good at all.

He and Kiefer began to work in perfect sync, getting a line started, the patient hooked up to the monitor and some oxygen started. Brody pushed some glucose through the IV, but it didn’t seem to help. If anything, Mrs. Roberts appeared paler. “Let’s get moving,” Kiefer said as he began to stuff their supplies back into the jump bag. Brody nodded his agreement as he tried to calculate how long it would take them to get to the ER. He guessed it would be around five minutes, but that was still too long for his comfort. They put her onto the cot and wheeled her out of the overcrowded home. Once they reached the rig, Kiefer nodded to open the rear doors. “Here, let me drive. If she wakes up it may do her some good to see you.” Brody helped load in the cot before hopping into the ambulance. Kiefer shut the doors and made his way over to the driver’s seat. As the rig began to back out, Brody took

another set of vitals, his heart sinking as he noted her breathing rate had dropped to nearly nothing. He grabbed a rescue breather and assisted with ventilations, all the while keeping a wary eye on the heart monitor. While he hated to admit it, even to himself, they would be lucky if Mrs. Roberts didn’t go into full arrest before they got her to the hospital. As the ambulance rushed down the road, the lights and sirens going, Brody spoke soothing, encouraging words to his patient. He didn’t even know for certain if she could hear them or not, but he knew he had to at least make the effort. When the familiar site of St. Anthony’s came into view, Brody was so relieved, he would have wept if he’d been the kind to give into tears. Giving the bag another squeeze, he murmured, “Hold on, sweetie. We’re almost there.” Kiefer pulled into the bay and raced around to the back of the rig. As he opened the rear doors, the heart monitor let out a long beep.

“No,” Brody cried in protest. He turned to look at the screen even though he knew he wouldn’t like what he saw. When he spotted the straight line, his heart sank even lower. He began to do compressions as a handful of the ER staff rushed out to help. It wasn’t easy to do CPR while crawling from the back of the rig, but Brody managed. Once they got out, Brody braced his feet on the bottom rail of the cot so he could continue compressions while they wheeled in the patient. Kiefer began to rattle off the report, which was a good thing since Brody was already feeling winded. Running a full arrest was always a workout no matter how fit the EMS person may be. Sweat began to trickle down his back as a burning sensation built up in his arms and his shoulders screamed for relief. “Come on, you can beat this,” he urged the patient, his words coming out in gasps.

They wheeled the cot into the largest trauma room since it had the most space to hold all the staff. Then the hospital personnel began to assist in the code. As always, a full arrest was equal combinations of a highly orchestrated dance and fucked up chaos. Mrs. Roberts’ clothes were cut away as X-rays were shot, additional IVs started, defibrillation pads put in place, an intubation tube inserted and more drugs were pushed. The entire time, Brody continued with the compressions. Not only did he not want to leave Mrs. Roberts’ side, but none of the staff moved forward to relieve him. A lot of them saw a medic as nothing more than trained muscles. Usually that sort of assessment annoyed Brody, but at that moment he was too upset about losing his patient to care. After what seemed like forever, yet not long enough, the lead doctor glanced at the clock. “How long have we been working this?”

“Forty minutes,” a nurse replied. As soon as he heard that, Brody knew it was over. He continued CPR even though he knew it was an exercise in futility. All other activity in the room ceased as the rest of the medical personnel waited to hear the doctor’s order. Letting out a sigh, the doctor said, “Okay, people. Let’s call this. Time is nineteen thirty-five.” Brody pulled his hands back, but didn’t step away as he gazed down at what had been his favorite patient. She didn’t even look like herself anymore. All the procedures had given her face a bloated appearance. The tape holding the endotracheal tube in place further marred her features. Yet, some things remained the same. Her nails were still polished and impeccably filed. Her graying hair was still pulled into a French twist. Most bittersweet of all—she still wore her wedding ring…the one that she’d once confided

had never left her finger since the day she married. Kiefer came up behind Brody and put a hand on his shoulder. “There’s nothing else we could have done for her.” Brody shook his head, his gaze still resting on Mrs. Roberts. “I should have anticipated her respirations would have dropped that quickly. If I had, then maybe I would have been more prepared for the full arrest.” “You followed protocol and did everything right. We’re medics, not psychics.” God, how Brody wanted to believe that. He really, really did. Yet some part of him still couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he could have done things better. Maybe if he’d made wiser choices in his treatment she would still be alive. Kiefer gave Brody’s shoulder a gentle tug. “Come on. We need to write our report and clean the rig.”

“Who will take care of her?” It was a stupid question. Brody knew full well the hospital’s procedures for preparing the deceased. It just didn’t sit right with him to leave her. After all, she had requested him. So shouldn’t he see her through to the end? “It’s okay, they’ll make sure she’s treated right,” Kiefer urged. This time when Kiefer tugged, Brody allowed his partner to pull him away. He gave one last regretful glance to his patient before he peeled off his examination gloves, tossed them in the garbage and then followed Kiefer back to the EMS room. As they walked in, Brody’s attention drifted to the table and the now empty chair that Chauncey sat in earlier. He wondered if the more experienced trauma nurse would have failed Mrs. Roberts.

Brody sank in the chair. His body felt numb as his brain tried hard to process all the emotions swirling through him. Anger, hurt, disappointment, plus the normal adrenaline crash that always followed a full arrest vied for center stage in his mind. “Somebody needs to tell her husband,” Brody finally said. Kiefer poured him a cup of coffee and brought it over. “I’m sure somebody will go over to his nursing home to inform him.” Not that Mr. Roberts would remember the conversation. One of the reasons he had been moved from his own home was because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. “She got her wish.” Brody took a sip, barely registering the slightly bitter taste. “What was that?” “She didn’t want to live longer than her

husband.” Brody gave a sad chuckle. “She told me that she didn’t know how to survive without him.” “I guess that makes sense. Ray and I have only been together for a little while and I know I’d be lost if anything were to happen to him.” A pang of hurt sliced through Brody. Yeah, he knew from personal experience what losing a loved one could do to somebody. He’d seen it bring out the worst and the best in people. “And yet, Chauncey seems to think that we all should have somebody special in our lives,” Brody snorted. “He doesn’t realize how much it hurts to be left behind.” Kiefer’s gaze softened. “He doesn’t know about what happened to your family. Maybe you should tell him.” “Why? With as much as he hates me, the last thing he would want is to have to hear about my life.”

“I know he can be mean sometimes, but so can you. Have you even once had a civil conversation with him?” Brody fiddled with the lip of his cup. “Not unless it concerns you.” “Why don’t you try to be nice to him? I know my cousin. He would be very open if you just give him the chance.” “I’m sure he’s just dying to go slumming with me.” “Has Chauncey ever once held it over your head that he has more money than you?” After mulling that over for a moment, Brody had to admit that Chauncey had never been guilty of at least that crime. “No, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking it. Besides, I’ve seen the guys he picks up at bars. He always goes for the big, smooth, rich types. I’ve never seen him hook up with somebody like me.”

Kiefer narrowed his eyes. “Who ever said anything about you guys getting together that way? I was just pointing out that you two should be more civil to each other.” Heat came over Brody’s face as he realized just how revealing his little slip-up was. He opened and closed his mouth a few times as panic made him stupid. “I…what I mean is…I was just pointing out what type of people Chauncey likes to hang out with. If he’s only friendly with his hook-ups, that’s not my fault.” “Of course not.” The corners of Kiefer’s mouth twitched. “In fact, that’s kind of slutty behavior on his part. You may want to talk to him about that.” “Funny, and here everybody thought you were the slut.” Had that comment come from anybody other than Kiefer, Brody would have been insulted. Although, to be perfectly honest, up until a year

ago, it’d been damn accurate. While not proud of the fact, Brody had never been able to say no to any request if it came from a sexy, hot bodied guy. Then Chauncey had to go and ruin that too, damn him. Now, whenever Brody saw another guy, instead of checking the man out, all Brody could do was compare him to Chauncey. Every time the other guy came out on the loser end. “You do have a point about my sluttiness. Chauncey makes sure to always bring that topic up, too.” Brody pasted on his best saucy grin. “Besides, what’s wrong with a little variety in life? Not all of us want to find our happily-ever-after and settle down like you.” Kiefer grew pensive. “I worry about you sometimes.” “I can take care of myself. I’ve been pretty much doing it for ten years now.” “News flash! When you say stuff like that, it only

makes me worry more.” Brody finished his coffee and tossed the cup into the garbage. “You needn’t concern yourself at all. I’m perfectly happy with the way my life is.” He quickly got up and left the room before Kiefer could figure out that Brody just told him the biggest lie ever. Because Brody knew deep down that he’d never been more miserable. Things were only going to get worse, too. Because it was only a few weeks until Brody had to remember the worst moment of his life, September 11th, the day his father died and Brody’s family was forever shattered.

Chapter Three

God, what in the hell possessed me to come here tonight? Chauncey scanned the inside of the bar. It’d been several months since he’d last visited this particular establishment because whenever he’d wanted to go to a gay bar this was always the last place on his list. Not only was it smaller than all the others, but it looked as if it hadn’t been cleaned in the past decade. The floors were so filthy and crusted over that nobody could decipher the original color of the tiles. The walls were equally filthy—the yellowed, peeling wallpaper and dented wood paneling looking as if it hadn’t seen the business end of a cloth in ages.

Several tables dotted the cramped space. Most of the chairs were mismatched and broken. A large dance floor took up the front of the building. Save for one couple, who were slow dancing, it was empty. “Again, why in the hell am I here?” Chauncey grumbled under his breath. Oh yeah—because of Brody. Now it seemed as if the brat was fucking with Chauncey’s personal life instead of just his professional one. This particular incident was proof enough. It all started off innocently enough. Just a simple call coming into his cell phone. By the time said call had finished though, Chauncey had been pissed and certain that his night would be a wash. Chauncey swept his gaze over the place, looking for the brat. When he finally spotted the medic sitting at the bar, Chauncey let out a huff of aggravation. Just as the caller had promised, Brody wore a devastated expression as he

nursed a drink. Which confused and annoyed Chauncey all the more since Brody shouldn’t legally be drinking for another year. Chauncey made his way to Brody. Along the way, Chauncey had to elbow past a few guys who were eyeing up the medic like he was a chumsicle and they were Great Whites. As he studied Brody, Chauncey noted the man wasn’t dressed up for a night on the town. True, they were in a dive, but he’d never known Brody to step out unless he was dressed to the nines and his hair was styled perfectly. Now, however, he wore a pair of baggy jeans and a loose fitting, bright red, FDNY tee shirt. The front of his hair drooped over his eyes and he seemed oblivious to all the attention he was receiving. “Hey,” Chauncey said as he sank down on the stool next to Brody. Brody glanced up. While he had a few empty glasses in front of him, his eyes seemed bright and alert enough. “What are you doing here? I

would think that somebody like you wouldn’t be caught dead in a dump like this.” “Tanner called me.” A smirk crossed over Brody’s lips. “Is he still pissed because I told him to fuck off when he tried to get me to leave here an hour ago?” “No, he’s worried about you.” Brody spun his glass in a tiny, neat circle. “There’s nothing to be concerned about.” Chauncey pointedly looked at the empties. “Are you sure about that?” A spark of anger went through Brody’s eyes. “Yes, I just had a shitty day at work and wanted to unwind. It was just a few drinks, nothing more. I’m not one of those weak types who drown their troubles in booze.” The venom in Brody’s voice took Chauncey aback. Though they snipped at each other all the

time, Brody never spoke with such disgust in his tone. Chauncey held up a hand. “Okay, got it. Sorry if I insulted you, Skippy.” Brody tipped his head to the side as he gave Chauncey a speculative glance. “Since when were you ever sorry about that? You live to cut me down.” Chauncey almost snapped that the insults went both ways, but clamped his lips shut. Brody wasn’t likely to listen to reason on most days so he sure as hell wouldn’t be amicable when he was down. Brody took another sip of his drink, a slight shiver going through his small body. “So what was Tanner doing here anyway? He’s almost as uptight as you are so this bar really isn’t his scene either.” Chauncey tilted his head into the direction of the bartender. “Colton is his brother.” A flicker of surprise passed Brody’s face as he

blinked at the worker. “Really? Who would have thought that somebody as dull as Tanner could be related to a sex god like that?” A flare of jealousy slammed into Chauncey. It was so unexpected and strong that it took him a few seconds to realize that the one he was feeling possessive over was Brody. Which was crazy. They hated each other so why in hell should it hurt so much to think of the man being with somebody else. Brody gave a wicked chuckle. “Did you know that Colton has a ten-inch dick?” Okay, now there was no denying it—Chauncey was jealous as hell. He curled his hands into tight fists as he fought to keep his expression impassive. “Is that so?” After giving a small shrug, Brody replied, “At least that’s what I heard. You know how rumors can be though.” “So you’ve never seen it for yourself?”

“No.” Brody gave the top of the bar a small scowl. “Just because I get around a bit, doesn’t mean I’ve slept with everybody.” “Just ninety-nine percent of them.” As soon as he saw the hurt in Brody’s eyes, Chauncey wanted to take the comment back. Brody said something in return, but it got lost in the dull roar of the bar. Chauncey leaned in closer. “What was that?” “I’m not a slut. At least, not so much anymore. In fact, I haven’t slept with anybody in almost a year.” Chauncey couldn’t have been more surprised had Paris Hilton announced that she was joining a convent. “Are you bullshitting me?” Brody shook his head, a blush coming over his cheeks. “I’ll admit that I used to play around a lot, but I’ve been trying to be better.” “Why?”

For a second, it looked as if Brody were going to answer that. He even opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, just shook his head again and kept silent. Chauncey almost pushed the issue, but decided to let it go. If Brody wanted to keep it a secret, why begrudge him that right? “I heard about Mrs. Roberts,” Chauncey said. Brody’s face briefly crumpled before he took in a sniff and seemed to compose himself. “I should have been able to save her.” “From the sound of it, you did everything you could. Sometimes it’s just their time to go and nothing we do can change that.” The medic glanced up, his eyes wet with unshed tears and a lost expression on his face. It made Chauncey want to gather Brody up in his arms so he could hold the man tight and make him feel better. “You would have been able to help her.”

Chauncey’s chest grew tight with emotion. He’d never seen Brody so open, so raw, so vulnerable. “I don’t think so.” “I do. I know I razz you sometimes, but you’re damn good at your job. You’re a whole hell of a lot better than me.” It finally became too much and Chauncey had to reach out for Brody, even if it was just to touch the man’s hand. Brushing his thumb over the back of Brody’s fingers, Chauncey said, “You’re a great medic. Not only have I seen you on scene before, but Kiefer talks about how good you are all the time.” “All I’m good at is fucking things up and being a colossal disappointment.” The practiced way Brody said those words made Chauncey wonder just how many times they’d been tossed his way in the past. Worried that maybe he’d added to that pain, Chauncey said a silent prayer the he’d never used them

against Brody. “Why don’t you let me drive you home?” Chauncey offered. Brody gave a nod and they both got up and headed for the door. No words were spoken as they walked to Chauncey’s car. He opened the passenger door for Brody before going around and getting in behind the wheel. “So where do you live?” Chauncey asked as he put the key in the ignition. A long, heavy silence filled the car. Chauncey stared at Brody, waiting for an answer, while Brody just stared at the dash. Chauncey repeated the question, yet Brody still didn’t reply. Instead, he ran his tongue over his lips in a nervous, yet sexy gesture. Then, just as Chauncey was about to repeat the question a third time, Brody moved in. Twisting his body to the side, he tilted his head up and pressed their lips together in a hard, hot kiss.

Chauncey froze, desire and shock coursing through his body at the unexpected move. Then Brody’s tongue darted out and caressed the seam of Chauncey’s lips, begging for admittance. That broke down all of Chauncey’s control. With a low growl, he reached out, cupped the back of Brody’s head and began to return as good as he was getting. Brody made a frustrated little sound as he squirmed around, his hands floundering as if he couldn’t find a comfortable position. Finally, he tore his lips away and ordered, “Scoot your seat back as far as it will go.” Lust had made Chauncey incapable of doing anything other than obeying. He reached down and pulled the lever, pushing his seat away from the wheel. As soon as the space was available, Brody filled it, his small body squeezing onto Chauncey’s lap. The movement caused the most delicious friction as their hard, denim-covered cocks

rubbed together. Brody’s eyes fluttered shut as he let out a soft sigh, a look of pure bliss on his face. His hands finally found a place to rest, his fingers curling around Chauncey’s shoulders. “This is stupid. We could get caught,” Chauncey breathed even as he skinned his tongue up the front of Brody’s neck. Brody tilted his head back, a long moan coming from his full lips. “Yes, it is. The cops are always watching this parking lot. They could come rolling through at any moment.” Chauncey grabbed Brody’s waist and thrust up so their cocks ground together. Pleasure shot up his spine as they both moaned together. “Those cops would probably recognize us on sight, too. Everybody in the EMS community would know what we’d been up to.” “Can you imagine how shocked they’d be?” Brody laughed as he rocked his hips in a slow sensual rhythm. “They all know how much we hate each other.”

Funny, at that moment, Chauncey couldn’t imagine how he’d ever been able to get mad at the sweet thing in his lap…especially when Brody took his own bottom lip between his teeth, a soft whimper coming from him as he continued to grind against Chauncey. While it did feel damn good, Chauncey knew they couldn’t continue to carry on inside his car. Brody might be small, but there was still not enough space and Chauncey wanted to really take his time to explore the other man. He leaned in and licked Brody’s neck—the salty, yet sweet taste making Chauncey’s hard cock throb with need. “Do you still want me to take you home?” Brody paused, and for the first time ever, Chauncey saw a flicker of uncertainty on the younger man’s face. “Do you mean my house so I can go to sleep alone?” “No, I mean my bed so we can spend the rest

of the night fucking our brains out.” Brody smiled…a real, genuine smile that didn’t have any snarkiness or attitude behind it. Chauncey had never seen anything more beautiful either. It made Brody look younger and almost innocent. “I think I can get behind that plan,” Brody crooned as he leaned down for another long, lingering kiss. When they broke for air, Chauncey gave him a tiny pat on the ass. “Get back in your seat and buckle up. While it may be fun to have you in this position, I don’t think it’ll make for safe driving.” “I guess we have to put safety first, given what we do for a living,” Brody agreed with a mock pout. He slid off and put his safety belt on. Chauncey moved his seat forward and turned the key in the ignition. It was only then that he noticed a slight tremble in his hands.

He was really going to do this…with Brody. Chauncey felt a thrill of excitement, but at the same time, the moment had a surreal feeling to it. After having so much animosity between them, he could scarcely believe that they’d just been making out like a pair of horny teenagers. He only lived a few minutes from the bar and neither one of them spoke. It was almost as if they were both afraid of breaking the mood and sending them back to their battling ways. When Chauncey pulled up to his modest, two-bedroom ranch, Brody let out a soft gasp. “You live here?” “Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?” Brody gave a half-shrug. “I just thought you would have something bigger.” Chauncey thought back to all the times Brody had mentioned them coming from two different worlds. It irked him that Brody always just

assumed that since Chauncey came from a wealthy family he should act a certain way. Especially since that same prejudice didn’t carry over to Kiefer. Though they were cousins, they’d both come from the same upbringing, yet Brody never once called Kiefer rich, spoiled or over privileged. “Sorry,” Brody whispered as he nervously dug at his thumbnail. “I didn’t mean to be a jerk just now.” That surprised Chauncey more than anything else that’d gone down in the past hour. In all the time they’d known each other, Brody never once apologized for anything. The fact that he’d just done so, melted away all of Chauncey’s anger. He leaned over and brushed a kiss across Brody’s cheek. “It’s okay. Why don’t we get inside?” A tiny smile came over Brody’s lips. Chauncey turned off the car and they got out, then he led the way up the front walk. Brody shoved his hands in

the front pocket of his jeans as he swept his gaze over the surrounding homes. “I think I’ve had a couple of calls in this neighborhood.” That didn’t surprise Chauncey. While the crime rate was pretty low in this section of Pontiac, there were a lot of retired autoworkers. Many of whom now were getting up in age and had various medical conditions. Not a week went by when an ambulance didn’t come rolling down these streets. He opened his front door and ushered Brody in. The inside was no more impressive than the out. Although it was far from a dump, the décor was simple and there wasn’t much room. “I know it’s kind of cramped in here, but I figured I didn’t need much since it’s just me,” Chauncey felt compelled to explain. “This isn’t cramped. You should have seen the apartment my family had when we lived in New

York City.” “I didn’t know you came from there.” “Yeah, my mom and I moved back here ten years ago.” Chauncey tossed his keys on the coffee table. “So can I get you anything to drink?” “No, I only want one thing,” Brody declared as he reached out and grabbed the front of Chauncey’s shirt. He tugged Chauncey closer and then stood on tiptoe so he could press their lips together. As Chauncey wrapped his arms around Brody’s waist, he couldn’t help but notice how nicely they fit together. In fact, the more he thought about it, they’d make a perfect couple, were it not for the fact that they usually couldn’t stand to be in the same room with each other. But then again, they seemed to

be getting along perfectly at the moment. Maybe the trick was to keep Brody’s mouth too occupied for him to fire off smartass comments. Lucky for them, Chauncey could think of so many ways to keep those fine lips occupied. He had a feeling this was going to be a night that neither one of them would forget any time soon.

Chapter Four As they continued to kiss, Brody’s mind spun.

Holy shit, I’m actually doing this. Chauncey is really holding me in his arms. While many of Brody’s dreams featured a scene such as this, he never allowed himself to believe that it would actually happen in real life. Yet, here he was, in Chauncey’s living room, the man’s hard body pressed against him. Arousal buzzed through Brody as he noted how muscular and strong Chauncey felt, as if nothing could ever take him down. It made Brody feel a bit overwhelmed since he was on the small side, but it also made him feel safe, if only for that moment. “If you only knew how long I lusted over this ass,” Chauncey growled as he reached down and

gave Brody a firm squeeze. Brody yelped. “I didn’t even know you looked at me.” “I’ll admit most times I was sizing you up for a muzzle, but from time-to-time, I did notice your finer assets.” A wicked grin came over Chauncey’s face. “Speaking of which, I think maybe we need to invest in a nice ball-gag for you.” “You wouldn’t dare.” As a way of an answer, Chauncey spun Brody around and bent him over the back of the couch. Draping his body over Brody’s back, Chauncey whispered, “Something tells me that you’d let me do pretty much anything I want to you.” Oh, that was so true. Just the thought of being at Chauncey’s mercy made Brody want to whimper with desire. He’d die before he admitted that aloud though. He shot a dirty look over his shoulder. “I’m not another one of your groupies

who live only to please you.” All too often, Brody had sat back and watched as both men and women fawned over Chauncey. Not only was he hot as hell, but it was a wellknown fact that his family was flush with money. While Brody would never admit it to anyone, it’d hurt to watch all those people pawing Chauncey. Chauncey gave a dark laugh as he reached around and began to fumble around in Brody’s pants pockets. “No, you’re nothing like them.” Brody frowned, not sure if he’d just been insulted or not. “What are you doing?” “Looking for some lube and condoms.” “Don’t you have anything here?” “Yeah, but it’s in my room.” “Well, there’s nothing in my pockets either.” Chauncey paused. “Really?”

Miffed, Brody tried to stand up, only to have Chauncey push him into place again. “I didn’t expect to hook up with anybody tonight. It’s been a really long dry spell for me.” God, while Chauncey could be hot as hell, sometimes he could be really aggravating. Then again, why should that ever change? That still didn’t mean they were anywhere in the same league though. While Chauncey was grade A material, Brody was C+ at best. Brody should just get up and walk away before his heart became any further involved. Unfortunately—or was it fortunately—Chauncey began to rain soft kisses down Brody’s neck and Brody forgot all about being angry. He even tilted his head to the side to give Chauncey better access. “Your bedroom,” Brody said, his body humming with desire. “Hmmm…” Chauncey moaned. Sweet mother, Chauncey’s lips had to have

been a special gift from the gods. They managed to be hard and soft at the same time as they ghosted a hot path down Brody’s flesh. “Where is your damn bedroom?” Brody all but growled. Instead of directly answering him, Chauncey spun Brody around again. Brody was seriously beginning to feel like a toy top or a ballerina. He started to bitch, but yelped instead when Chauncey picked him up into a fireman’s carry. Brody’s head spun again, only this time it was from being upside down. He pushed himself up as best he could as Chauncey raced down the hall. “I can walk on my own,” Brody protested. “Not really. I’ve noticed how easily you get distracted. I wouldn’t want you to get lost on your way.” Brody laughed. “I think even I could manage to

find my way in a house this size.” “I’m not taking any chances.” Once they reached the master bedroom, Chauncey finally set Brody down. It took Brody a few seconds to regain his balance. In that small amount of time, Chauncey grabbed the lube and condoms. Brody cocked a brow as Chauncey tossed them on the bed. “Wow, I think that’s a speed record.” Chauncey pulled off his shirt, revealing a body so perfect it looked as if it came from the pages of a fashion magazine. Brody licked his lips as he thought about all the things he wanted to do to that fine physique—biting and licking being the two items at the top of the list. As Chauncey reached down to undo his pants, he gave Brody a pointed look. “This is where you get naked, too.” Brody reached for the hem of his shirt, but then

hesitated. “Are you sure you don’t want to turn the lights off or something?” “Since when have you been shy?” A heat came over Brody’s face. Usually, he was the last one to play timid. Hell, if the situation had been any different, he would strut around and show off some of his best stripper moves. However, this was different because it was Chauncey. The man who Brody wanted so badly that he’d sworn off all others. If Chauncey found him lacking, Brody didn’t know if he could ever recover. “I just know the type of guys you normally sleep with.” Chauncey rolled his eyes. “You’re not going to go on about how I only like rich men, are you?” “No, but I’ve seen who you usually go for and it’s not skinny shrimps like me.” “What makes you think that I don’t find you

attractive? Haven’t I spent the last hour basically mauling you?” “Yeah, but I wasn’t naked then.” Chauncey’s face softened with understanding as he slowly walked forward. Brushing Brody’s fingers away, Chauncey took Brody’s shirt off and tossed it to the side. As the cool air brushed against his exposed flesh, Brody had to resist the urge to cover himself up. “You’re so beautiful,” Chauncey declared as he ran fingers down Brody’s sternum. Brody shivered at the contact, his cock growing hard, despite his stress. “You’re just saying that because you want to get into my pants.” “You just always have to argue with me, don’t you?” Chauncey chided softly. “Why change my habits now?”

“Brat.” “Bastard.” Brody tilted his head up, silently begging for a kiss. Chauncey gave it to him, his tongue sliding out to trace a lazy path around Brody’s lips. With a whimper, Brody opened his mouth so he could slide his own tongue out to join in the fun. Kissing Chauncey was everything Brody had dreamed of and so much more. The man tasted wild, yet there was a bit of spice, too. Brody got so caught up in the moment he didn’t realize his pants were being lowered until he felt the soft caress of fingers circling his cock. “See, at least I’m not little everywhere,” Brody felt compelled to point out. Chauncey laughed. “No, you’re not.” “Fuck me, please.” “Please? I didn’t think I’d ever see the day that

you used that word.” Chauncey gave him one more kiss. “Fine, finish getting undressed. I want to see every inch of you.” Brody toed off his shoes, then kicked them and his pants to the side. He crawled on the bed so he could watch as Chauncey peeled off his jeans. A groan of desire ripped from Brody’s throat. He’d seen some good strip shows in his life, but not one could compare to the show Chauncey was giving. The best thing about it was that Chauncey wasn’t even trying to be sexy. He was just being himself and in Brody’s opinion, that was perfect, though he’d never be brave enough to admit that aloud. Once Chauncey was nude, Brody took the time to look his fill. Crap, even the guy’s cock was flawless. Long, but not too thick, it curled up toward Chauncey’s stomach. Brody held out his arms. “Are we going to do this or not?”

Chauncey stroked his own dick, the movement making Brody’s mouth water in anticipation. “Are you always this romantic in bed?” Brody continued to track the movement of Chauncey’s hand. His own cock throbbed for attention, but Brody refused to touch it. He was already so close to the edge, he knew it wouldn’t take much to push him over. After waiting this long to have Chauncey, Brody was going to be damned if he’d blow it now. Pun intended. “Only when I see what I want,” Brody said, his voice thick with need. “If you want it, then come and get it.” Well, who could refuse an offer like that? Brody got onto all fours and crawled over to the edge of the bed. Sticking his tongue out, he gave the head of Chauncey’s dick an experimental lick. The tangy, salty taste of pre-cum exploded over Brody’s taste buds, making him instantly want

more. He let out a happy hum as he ran his tongue over his lips. “You taste so good.” He gave Chauncey another lick, at the same time reaching between the man’s legs so he could fondle his balls. Chauncey ran his fingers through Brody’s hair, causing Brody to shiver in pleasure. Even though it was just a simple touch, it felt so damn good, Brody let out an unmanly whimper. “Damn, you look so hot on your knees like that,” Chauncey crooned. Since there wasn’t any rancor in his tone, Brody knew Chauncey hadn’t meant the comment to be snarky or condescending. He really liked what he saw, which made Brody want to please him all the more. Brody twirled his tongue over the crown, gathering up some more pre-cum before sucking all of Chauncey’s length in. The one serious boyfriend Brody ever had used to say that Brody’s only decent talent was sucking cock. Brody

decided that he’d show off all that skill and then some. That way, come morning, when Chauncey went back to hating him, at least the whole incident wouldn’t bring back bad memories for the man. “Damn, babe. You’re good at this,” Chauncey praised as he used his free hand to rub Brody’s back. Happiness pooled in Brody’s gut. Encouraged, he redoubled his efforts, his cheeks hollowing as he sucked harder. He continued to massage Chauncey’s balls, marveling as his action brought out a long groan of pleasure from Chauncey. Finally, just as he could sense Chauncey was on the edge, Brody pulled back Chauncey’s cock, making a loud popping noise as it slipped free. Chauncey let out a growl of frustration as he shot a questioning look at Brody. “I want you to fuck me now,” Brody explained, slightly breathlessly.

“Turn around but still stay on your hands and knees. You look so perfect that way.” Brody obeyed, his ass nearly hanging over the edge of the bed like some kind of wanton offering. He tensed as he heard the cap of the lube being opened a second before a slicked finger was pressed to his hole. “I should take this opportunity to give you the spanking you’ve been begging for,” Chauncey threatened as he slowly began to sink the finger in. Pleasure shot through Brody. He gasped, his back arching slightly. “You wouldn’t dare.” That comment earned him a slap on his right cheek. While it didn’t sting, it did shock him. Brody yelped as his hands curled into the sheets. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing?” That garnered him another slap, this time to the left. It stung, but as strange as it seemed, it also felt good. So much so, that Brody tilted his ass up

for more. Chauncey let out a dark laugh before he delivered two more blows, each one landing on an alternating cheek. “Looks like my brat knows what he deserves.”

My brat. How was it that an annoying nickname could all of the sudden sound so nice when it had a simple m y attached to it? Brody let out a choked sob because of the emotions whirling around inside him. The sob turned into a gasp when Chauncey thrust a second finger inside him. “Fuck, you should see how pretty and red your ass looks right now.” Chauncey ran a palm down the warm, stinging flesh. “Please, Chauncey. I need it now,” Brody panted as he dropped to his elbows. “You need what?” Brody let out a snarl. Was the dork really going to be like this while they were in the middle of fucking? Brody turned his head to snap back a comment, but instead let out a wail of pleasure as

Chauncey plunged in a third finger, this time twisting his wrist so he brushed against Brody’s sweet spot. “I need your cock. Please, give it to me.” Brody felt certain he’d feel some shame for begging like he was, but at the moment, he didn’t care. All he could think about was how he could convince Chauncey to fuck him senseless, finally. “I guess since you said please so nicely, I can reward you,” Chauncey said. Brody wanted to weep with relief when Chauncey pulled his fingers free and grabbed the condom. Brody reached down and stroked himself as Chauncey put it on, adding some slick before he lined up the tip to Brody’s opening. “Give it to me,” Brody repeated as he began to stroke himself faster. Chauncey’s hand came down once more and Brody let out a cry that morphed into a groan as

he felt Chauncey’s cock slowly filling him. Brody threw his head back, the burn from being stretched mixing with the heady feeling of finally having Chauncey inside him. “God, you weren’t kidding when you said it’s been a long time. You’re so damn tight,” Chauncey moaned as he slowly began to thrust in and out. “Not so long that I’ll break if you give it to me hard. Fuck me like you mean it.” “You really are bossy.” Despite the admonishment, Chauncey relented and gave Brody what he wanted. Using one hand to grip Brody’s hip in a bruising hold, Chauncey began to pound into him. Brody shouted his pleasure as he began to rock back to meet Chauncey halfway. “Yes, just like that,” Brody panted.

Chauncey stretched out his free hand and grabbed Brody’s hair. Brody arched his neck back, his hand faltering on his cock for a moment before he recovered and got his rhythm back. “Come for me. Scream my name,” Chauncey growled into Brody’s ear. That ripped the last bit of Brody’s self-control to shreds. Shouting Chauncey’s name, he came. All the breath left his body as Brody shot off, his cum splashing over his hand and Chauncey’s expensive looking sheets. “Beautiful,” Chauncey growled. He gave one last thrust, before he stiffened, Brody’s name a whispered praise. A shiver went through Brody at the sound. Usually, whenever somebody used his name, there was some animosity attached, but this time it sounded almost tender. Chauncey collapsed on top of him, the man’s heavier weight forcing Brody to the mattress. He

let out a hiss of pain as the contact pressed against his freshly spanked ass. Chauncey let out a knowing chuckle. “Bastard,” Brody mumbled without any real conviction. “You have twenty minutes.” Brody froze as confusion and a bit of anger filled him. Was Chauncey trying to tell him he had only twenty minutes to gather his shit and get the hell out? Surely, not even he could be that cold. Sure, they had some bad blood between them, but that still didn’t mean he had the right to toss Brody to the curb like he was last week’s TV Guide. “Twenty minutes?” Brody echoed dumbly. “Yeah, that’s how long you have to recover before I fuck you again.” Brody smiled as relief flooded him. Now that really was a plan he could get into.

Chapter Five Chauncey held Brody in his arms and tried to process all that’d gone down in the past few hours. They’d made love a second time, yet Chauncey realized he didn’t want Brody to leave. Instead, he found himself savoring the sensation of having Brody curled up against his side. What’s more, Brody didn’t seem inclined to leave either. When they’d agreed to this hookup, Chauncey fully expected the medic to treat the encounter as a quick, fuck and leave. While their chemistry may have been on for this one evening, usually Brody acted as if he couldn’t stand to be in the same room with Chauncey for more than a few moments.

At the moment, though, nothing could be further from the truth. Brody even let out a contented sigh as he idly traced patterns on Chauncey’s arm. In turn, Chauncey studied the younger man’s face. While the stress lines were gone from Brody’s face, his large eyes remained troubled and bleak. “What’s bothering you? I know it’s more than Mrs. Roberts dying,” Chauncey asked. Brody tensed and for a moment, Chauncey thought he was in for one of the medic’s trademark fuck-you’s. Then Brody shocked him yet again by letting out a small sigh before he swallowed a few times. If Chauncey hadn’t known better, he would have sworn Brody was holding back tears. “It’s always bad for me this time of year. The anniversary brings up so many emotions for me.” Chauncey blinked a few times in confusion, feeling as if he’d missed an important part of the conversation. “What anniversary is that?”

“September 11th,” Brody answered shortly. “Oh,” Chauncey replied for lack of something better to say. Sure, that date affected him, too. There wasn’t a person in the EMS world, or most of the civilian community for that matter, who didn’t have strong emotions over that date. Still, they didn’t go into a deep depression like Brody was experiencing. Then something Brody said earlier came back to Chauncey and it all became so sickeningly clear. You should have seen the apartment my

family had when we lived in New York City. Yeah, my mom and I moved back here ten years ago. Then just as quickly, Chauncey recalled the words written on the shirt Brody wore that evening. Damn, all the clues had been laid right there for any fool to see, yet Chauncey still managed to miss them.

Chauncey tightened his grip on Brody. “Why did you and your mother move back to Michigan?” Brody lowered his head and fell silent for so long that Chauncey didn’t think he’d get an answer. Just as he was about to call back the question, Brody sniffled and said, “I was in school that day, when my Uncle Walter came to tell me about my dad.” “How old were you?” “Ten.” The soft, forlorn way Brody said that made Chauncey’s heart clench. He pressed a soft kiss to Brody’s temple. “What happened?” Chauncey already had a pretty good inkling, but something told him it would do Brody some good to talk about it. “Dad was a New York City firefighter. He was on duty the day the Towers were struck.” Brody

took in a heaving breath. “I never even got to say goodbye to him.” “I’m so sorry, babe.” Brody gave a slight shake of his head. “No, you don’t get it. The morning that it happened, I was running late for school. I had a nasty habit of sleeping in and that day was no different. So, I rushed out the door without saying goodbye.” After taking in another shuddering breath, Brody went on, “I used to always tell him, goodbye and I love you, but I forgot that day and now I can never tell him.” “I’m sure he knew.” “Maybe, but he still deserved to hear it, and I let him down.” “You did not let him down. You were just a kid at the time.” “They said that he went inside to help out some

trapped victims. He was still inside when the first Tower went down.” Chauncey could only imagine how painful it must have been for a young kid of just ten to lose a parent that way. Brody sniffled again then said, “A lot of guys from his company were with him at the time so all the families waited for the news together. That was the toughest part at first—the not knowing. All I could think about was the possibility of my dad trapped under all the mess. How he must be so scared and hurt.” “How long was it before they found him?” Chauncey asked. A single tear slipped from the corner of Brody’s eye and fell down his cheek. “They never did technically find him. While they did manage to identify some of the bodies from the guys in his company, they never found any…” Brody floundered for a moment. “…they never found any parts that were from my dad. We know for sure he

went in with the rest of the guys because there were several witnesses. In fact, one of the survivors from the building snapped a picture of my dad as he was walking up the stairs in the building.” Chauncey recalled seeing pictures like that on some the various documentaries he’d watched about the event. He shivered as he recalled seeing those men bravely going up to fight the unknown. How they ran toward the danger so they could help rescue the innocent victims. Brody wiped away the tear before continuing, “We finally had a memorial service for him, but all we had to bury was an empty coffin.” Helpless, but needing to do something, Chauncey pressed another kiss to Brody’s temple. “How long after that did you return to Michigan?” “A few months. We had a lot of funerals to go to first. There were so many that they all blurred together after a while. Eventually though, they

were all done with and Mom took me back to her hometown so we could live near her parents.” Something about the way Brody said that tugged at Chauncey. The man seemed sad, yet a bit angry, too. Almost, as if he resented his mother or something. “How did your mother take losing her husband?” Brody gnawed on his bottom lip a moment before saying, “She did the best she could, given the circumstances.” Chauncey had a feeling that there was a lot more to the story, but he decided to let it go for the moment. “Are you going back this year to visit his grave?” “Why bother? Like I said, it’s just an empty box. My father’s not there.” “How about going to Ground Zero?”

Brody shivered. “No, I never want to see that place again. I won’t even watch the ceremony on TV. I know it sounds stupid, but all I can think about is how my dad is still there somewhere, all lost and alone.” “That doesn’t sound stupid at all.” “I know it really wasn’t the buildings’ fault, but I can’t help but hate them. Which is crazy. What kind of person hates inanimate objects?” Chauncey ran his palm up and down Brody’s arm. “One who went through a huge loss.” They fell silent for a moment before Chauncey asked, “How come I never heard about all this before? You and Kiefer have been partners for a while now and he never mentioned anything to me.” “Because I never told anyone all the gritty details, I just told them how my dad died. I didn’t want to go any deeper into the subject with another person. That is until tonight.”

It humbled Chauncey to know that Brody trusted him, and him alone with such an emotional confidence. Brody tilted his head to look up at Chauncey. “I just thought that maybe I should explain why I was such a shit to you earlier at the bar.” “Since when do you apologize for being a brat?” Chauncey teased gently. Brody started to pull away. “I should get going.” Chauncey dragged Brody back into place. “What’s the rush? I thought tomorrow was your day off?” “It is.” “Then why are you trying to rabbit on me?” A blush covered Brody’s cheeks. While that kind of reaction usually was uncharacteristic for the in-your-face medic, he’d done it a few times that evening. Chauncey found the new trait very endearing.

“I just didn’t want to overstay my welcome. I know how you feel about me.” “If I didn’t want you here I never would have invited you in the first place.” Brody rolled his eyes, some of his normal spunk peeking through. “You were horny at the time and not exactly thinking with the right head.” “That still doesn’t mean I don’t want you here now.” “I don’t need your pity,” Brody snapped as he tried to get up again. Once more, Chauncey pulled him back in, earning an aggravated glare from Chauncey. “Stop being such an ass.” “Stop being a brat.” “Can’t you think of any other insults? I think you’ve used that word a thousand times already

tonight.” “I can think of plenty of things to call you, but none of them are more fitting than brat. Now snuggle in and go to sleep already.” Brody snorted in disgust. “You did not just order me to cuddle.” “I sure did. Now shut up and go to sleep.” When Brody obeyed, Chauncey hid his grin. Brody still grumbled about the situation, though. “This is so ridiculous. We can’t stand to be in the same room with each other for more than ten minutes without driving one another crazy. We’ll be lucky if we don’t make it through the night without strangling each other.” “So long as you clamp your yap and go to sleep, we’ll do just fine.” Brody gaped at him a moment. “Why would you ever believe that?”

Chauncey captured Brody’s lips in a sweet, sensual kiss that left both of them breathless. Pressing their foreheads together, Chauncey said, “Because when we do that, it feels so right.” “You’re just desperate for a good lay,” Brody fired back. Chauncey didn’t allow himself to get insulted by the comment. Instead, he continued to press, “You know you can’t deny it. You like being held by me.” Brody narrowed his eyes. “Maybe I just like your excellent fucking skills.” “If that’s the case, then I’m going to have to make sure to fuck you on a regular basis.” “What makes you think that I’m going to let you back in?” Chauncey ran his fingers down Brody’s side, eliciting a shiver from the younger man. “The way you react to my touch is a pretty good tell.”

“Seriously, we both know this is never going to happen again. Come morning, we’ll be back to hating each other. A couple of blowjobs and good fucks aren’t going to change that.” While he knew Brody probably had a valid point, Chauncey didn’t want to dwell on it at the moment. He just wanted to take what he could and savor what little time they may have together. “Let’s worry about that tomorrow. Tonight, let’s just enjoy each other.” Brody finally gave a nod as he snuggled back into place. “I’m sorry about being such jerk when we were on scene today.” “That’s okay, I’m used to it.” In fact, it would have unsettled Chauncey had Brody acted any differently. They were so used to the same pattern of snippiness, it would be odd to have anything different. Which, just went to show how dysfunctional they both were.

“No, it’s not. You’re a damn good trauma nurse and I shouldn’t have hinted otherwise. Fact is, when I see you coming to help me out with a call, I’m glad.” “Why? Because then you have somebody you can abuse?” Brody gave Chauncey’s arm a mock slap. “No, because I know that my patient is going to be getting the best care available.” “Did you just actually just compliment me?” “Yeah, don’t get used to it.” **** As soon as he cracked his lids open the next morning, Chauncey knew their short-lived peace agreement was over. Brody sat, fully dressed, on the edge of the mattress. Since all he could see was Brody’s back, Chauncey didn’t know what expression Brody had on his face. Going by the

tense way he held his body, it wasn’t good. While the brat had yet to speak a word, he was giving all kinds of tense and back-off vibes. “Just give me a second to get dressed and I’ll drive you home,” Chauncey offered gruffly. Brody fiddled with the corner of the blankets. “You don’t need to bother. I already called a cab.” God, but it was too early for this crap. Chauncey rolled his eyes as he pushed the covers back and sat up. “Call back and cancel it.” “No.” Chauncey ran a hand through his hair. “Can you at least hold off being childish until I’ve had my first cup of coffee?” “I’m not being childish, just practical.” “Just call the damn cab company.” Brody turned his fury on Chauncey. “In case

you’ve forgotten, I’m not one of your simpering groupies who jump when you snap your fingers. So stop ordering me around.” Yeah, the peace was definitely over. That short time line had to set some kind of record. Crap, even the deals in the Middle East, or between Nicole and Paris lasted longer. “I don’t know why you keep throwing that in my face. I’ve never had groupies.” Brody snorted. “Sure, whatever.” “I’m telling the truth.” Brody bent over and began to pull his shoes on. “Are you trying to tell me you don’t notice that guys and girls are always fawning all over you? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Chauncey couldn’t remember a time he felt so confused. One second, Brody was mad at him, chasing after every available ass, and the next he was accusing Chauncey of being naïve about

being attractive. Chauncey wanted to reach out and grab Brody so he could either shake some sense into him or kiss him until he was too breathless to talk anymore. A honk sounded from outside, making them both start. Brody tilted his head toward the window. “That’s my cab. I’ve got to go.” “Fine, don’t let me stop you.” Brody got up and made his way to the bedroom door. As he reached the threshold, he paused and turned back around. “Thanks for…well, you know, listening to me last night.” “Anytime.” “Also, I was wondering if you could keep all that stuff between us. Not that I’m ashamed of my dad or anything, it’s just I don’t want everyone to treat me like I’m some kind of pity case.” “Don’t worry, both your secrets are safe with me.”

Brody gave him a tiny smile before turning and walking out of the room. A few seconds later, the sound of the front door closing, echoed through his home which had suddenly become too quiet. Funny, since Chauncey always wanted Brody to shut his mouth. Now he found himself missing the medic’s banter. Letting out a groan of frustration, Chauncey flopped down on the bed. That proved to be a mistake since his face landed on the pillow Brody used the night before. Without meaning to, Chauncey breathed in deep, taking in Brody’s scent. Fear sliced through Chauncey as he realized just how royally screwed he’d become, and not in a good way either. Like him or not, Brody had somehow managed to squirm his way under Chauncey’s skin and he now knew that one night with the medic wasn’t going to be nearly enough. Now, the big question was how in the hell did Chauncey go about convincing Brody that they

belonged together?

Chapter Six Brody slammed back his third cup of coffee of the day, repressing a shudder at the dark, bitter taste. The stuff had to be at least three hours old and was only semi-warm. In other words, pretty on par to what he usually found in St. Anthony’s EMS room. While they may be a great ER, their coffee making skills left a lot to be desired. Kiefer wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Why are you drinking that crap?” “It’s free and, on our salary, beggars can’t be choosers.” Brody got up and poured himself another cup. He dumped in a liberal amount of creamer. His stomach curdling when the powder clumped

instead of dissolving. Gross! Brody stirred the white globs for several minutes in a vain attempt to make them go away, only to give up when they stubbornly persisted. He still brought it up to his lips and took a sip. “Why are you so tired anyway? You’ve been foggy for the past few days. Have you being staying out too late or something?” Kiefer demanded. Brody rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry, Ma. I promise I’ve been a very good boy.” Instinctively, his free hand went back to rub his ass. The one that had been so thoroughly spanked as punishment for his bratty behavior. While it no longer stung whenever he sat down, he did have a few interesting bruises. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Kiefer narrowed his eyes at Brody. No, Brody wasn’t okay. If anything, he was the exact definition of the opposite. When he wasn’t

being torn awake by nightmares of being buried alive in rubble, he was tossing around as thoughts of Chauncey filled his mind. Damn Chauncey for being so good in bed. Double damn him for actually being a decent guy, too. A warm feeling pooled in Brody’s stomach as he recalled the tender way Chauncey had held him. How he’d seemed so understanding as Brody unloaded all his emotional baggage. “I’ve just had a lot of stuff on my mind lately,” Brody half-answered. He knew that wouldn’t be enough to appease Kiefer, but he had to at least try. Sure enough Kiefer pressed, “What kind of things.” “Just family stuff. It’s no big deal.” “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it? If anyone can understand family drama, it’s me.”

“Nah, it would only bore you. Thanks anyway.” Brody drained his cup and turned to fill it again. The door to the EMS room opened as Chauncey and Tanner strolled in. Shocked by the appearance of the man who’d been haunting his dreams nearly 24/7, Brody jumped in shock. Coffee had splashed over his hand. While it wasn’t that hot, it still startled him. He let out a gasp and he almost dropped the pot. All eyes turned toward him. Kiefer’s brow creased in confusion while Tanner wore a knowing smirk. “Damn it,” Brody cursed, more embarrassment than anything else.

from

Had Chauncey told Tanner what happened? Sure, Chauncey promised to keep everything a secret, but that didn’t mean anything. In Brody’s experience, people broke their word all the time. So why should he believe that Chauncey would be any different? Chauncey rushed forward and took Brody’s

hand. “Shit, are you okay?” He took Brody over to the sink and began to run cold water over the area. “I’m fine. It wasn’t that hot,” Brody assured. “It’s still red.” Chauncey ran the pad of his thumb over the stinging skin. Although he tried his damndest to fight it, a shiver of desire went through Brody’s body. Worried that somebody may have caught his reaction, he darted a quick glance over his shoulder. While Tanner still wore that damn smirk, Kiefer looked as oblivious as ever. “I’m fine. I promise.” Brody jerked his hand away and walked back over to the table. While he knew he should sit back down and act as if everything were normal, his racing heart just wouldn’t allow for it. All of his brain cells were screaming for him to run before he did something stupid like blurt out to Chauncey

how much he’d been thinking about him. That he regretted leaving that morning and how he’d been wanting to go back ever since. Brody took in a shaking breath as he ran a hand through his hair. “I think I’ll go clean out the rig.” Kiefer frowned. “Are you sure? It’s my turn.” “Yeah, I need some fresh air.” “But you usually hate cleanup duty.” After giving a quick shrug, Brody began to back away to the door. Now that he had an escape plan of sorts, it was taking all he had not to give in to the urge to bolt away at full speed. “No, I don’t.” Kiefer shot him an are-you-kidding me look. “Okay, enough of this crap. What’s been up with you lately?”

Tanner crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, what’s been up with you?” Horrified and more than a bit angry, Brody turned on Chauncey. “You told him! You asshole.” Kiefer threw his hands up in exasperation. “Told him what?” Brody ignored him, choosing to keep his glare directed on Chauncey instead. A thousand questions bounced around his head. Why would Chauncey break his promise? Why did that hurt Brody so much, since he knew that Chauncey never liked him in the first place? Had the whole thing been just a joke to him? Was it all some sadistic game between Tanner and Chauncey? Did they laugh it up over the stupid medic who’d so easily given it up? “Fuck you,” Brody hissed at Chauncey. Brody tossed down his clipboard and stormed out of the room, fully aware that he’d left the last vestiges of his self-respect behind him. He

rushed outside and over to his rig. Taking refuge in the space between the side of the ambulance and the wall of the bay, he finally stopped to catch his breath. Leaning his back against the rig, he fought to get himself under control. How could he have been so stupid? After all the times Chauncey made it clear that he couldn’t stand him, Brody had still foolishly allowed himself to believe that there could be anything between them. Brody should have remembered that they were from two different worlds and that they’d never be able to mix. Sure, it happened with Kiefer and his boyfriend, but that had been a onetime thing. An anomaly that would never happen again. In other words, a fairy tale that wasn’t going to be repeated. Especially for somebody like him. He looked down at his scuffed work boots as he fought to get a grip on his emotions. Kiefer would be coming out to join him soon and the last thing Brody wanted was to have to deal with more questions.

“What in the hell was that all about?” Chauncey demanded as he rounded the ambulance. Brody jumped in shock, then flushed as he realized that was the second time he’d done the scared kitten stunt in less than a half hour. Recovering, he shoved his hands in his pocket, then casually kicked at a pebble. “I’d tell you, but then you’d probably go blab it all over Pontiac, you big, fat tattle tale.” Chauncey stormed over, not stopping until they were inches apart and facing each other. That still didn’t seem to be enough for the nurse. He braced his hands on either side of Brody’s head and leaned in until their noses were almost touching. “I didn’t say a word to Tanner,” Chauncey growled. “Then why was he giving me the whole I-knowwhat-you’ve-been-doing look?”

“Because with the way you usually act, he thinks he does.” Outraged, Brody tried to shove Chauncey away, only to find the nurse wouldn’t budge. Brody silently cursed fate for giving him such a scrawny build as he huffed in irritation. “Are you calling me a slut?” “You told me yourself that up until a few months ago that you were,” Chauncey pointed out. “Are you going to use everything I said last night against me?” After the way he’d opened himself up to Chauncey it would destroy him if the man turned on him that way. Brody had shared things with him that he’d never told another living soul. Chauncey’s expression grew tender as he cupped Brody’s face. “Babe, I would never do that to you.”

“Why should I believe you? I know you can’t stand me.” “If I couldn’t stand you, I wouldn’t be out here now, trying to make you feel better. Do you honestly think I’d do that unless I cared for you?” Brody shook his head. “I don’t know what to think.” “Then don’t think.” Chauncey leaned down and lightly brushed their lips together. “Just feel.” Desire coursed through Brody as his damn libido betrayed him yet again. His cock played the role of traitor, too, as it grew hard and pressed against the fly of his uniform pants. “I don’t want to get hurt,” Brody finally admitted. “I know I’m not good enough for you and that lit will only be a matter of time before you figure that out for yourself and dump me.” “Why do you think so little of yourself?”

“I don’t think, I know.” Brody gave a bitter laugh. “A lot of people have gone out of their way to make sure I know exactly what I am—an airheaded slut who’s only good for one thing.” Chauncey stepped back as if he’d been slapped and Brody didn’t blame him. He knew they were both recalling when Chauncey himself had tossed some of those very words in Brody’s direction. “I didn’t mean it. Not really. They were just words spoken in anger.” Brody forced himself to give a crooked grin. “No hard feelings. You were just speaking the truth.” “I never wanted to make you—” A sound came from the rear of the rig, making Chauncey cut his sentence short. They both jumped apart guiltily right before Kiefer came around. He stopped and gave them a confused look. Something he’d been doing way too much

for Brody’s comfort. “I thought you said you were going to clean the rig,” Kiefer said, his gaze going from Brody to Chauncey and then back to Brody again. Brody straightened, his heart hammering from fear of Kiefer discovering them. “Yeah, I was just getting to that. Sorry.” Kiefer let out an aggravated sigh. “You didn’t get it done because you were too busy arguing with Chauncey. I really wish you two would knock that crap off. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to have to listen to you go on like two kids fighting over a shovel in the sandbox?” Brody brushed by Chauncey then went to the rear doors of the rig and pulled them open. He climbed inside and began to gather up the trash, and used equipment. As he worked, he could hear Chauncey and Kiefer arguing. “You need to cut him a break,” Kiefer said.

“What makes you think I was giving him a hard time?” Chauncey countered. “Because you always ride his case. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you had a hard on or something for him.” Brody froze, hand halfway to the garbage can as he waited for Chauncey’s reply. “I do have to admit he has a cute, bratty thing going about him.”

Bratty. Despite himself, Brody couldn’t help but smile now whenever Chauncey used that word in conjunction when speaking about him. It’d almost become a pet name between the two of them. “Just try to be nicer to him. I have a feeling his home life isn’t that good so he can use all the friends he can get.” Brody wanted to snap back that he didn’t need any help and he could take care of himself. That would mean, however, he’d have to reveal he’d been eavesdropping so he held his tongue. Which wasn’t an easy thing for somebody like him

to do. “What do you mean his home life isn’t good? Did he tell you anything?” “That’s just it…he never talks about his family. The only reason I know anything at all is because one of our crews responded to his house one day. He still lives with his mother and I guess she has some major issues.” Brody felt as if his whole world were colliding in on him. He sucked in a breath as he waited for Chauncey’s reply, but stayed silent as Kiefer continued. “The crew was pretty tight-lipped about it. All I do know for certain was that they took Brody’s mom to St. Anthony’s fifth floor.” The fifth floor was where they housed and treated the mental patients and every person in Pontiac’s EMS community was well aware of that fact. Brody angrily crumpled up a piece of paper. As soon as he found out which crew had spilled

the truth, he was going to go kamikaze on their ass. The sad thing was, he had a lot of suspects to go through since his mom had more than one episode in the past. Honestly, he was kind of surprised the truth hadn’t come out before now. Sure, medical personnel were legally obligated to keep their patient’s confidentiality, but that didn’t mean they always played by the rules. Another rig pulled up, the diesel engine drowning out Chauncey’s reply. Brody sank down on the bunker seat, a lump forming in the back of his throat. Now that Chauncey knew the truth, he’d realize that he really was too good for the airheaded, slut medic. It was Brody’s worst fear come true.

Chapter Seven After pulling a double, the last thing Chauncey wanted to do was spend the night playing poker, yet he still found himself making the drive to his buddy, Forrest’s, house. All because there was a small chance that Brody would be there. It’d been nearly a week since they’d last seen each other and with each passing day, Chauncey felt himself growing more frustrated. He’d even broke down and called Brody, but the brat sent him to voicemail every damn time. They hadn’t worked any calls or bumped into each other at the hospital either. Chauncey let out a low whistle as he pulled up in front of Forrest’s home. He’d heard the medic was living with his doctor boyfriend, but Chauncey

hadn’t expected anything this nice. While Chauncey grew up with a lot of wealth and opulence, this home somehow managed to look classy, yet welcoming at the same time. Something that none of his many childhood homes had ever managed. As he parked and got out, he found himself scanning the cars, looking for Brody’s Tracker. When he didn’t see the vehicle, Chauncey felt more than a little disappointed. Now, he could only hope that maybe Brody was running behind and would show up later. Forrest met him at the door and led him into the living room. A thinner, younger guy with floppy dark hair, Forrest had a cute, yet injured vibe going. Which, which made sense since he’d been the victim of a gay bashing not too long ago. Forrest hadn’t let that incident drag him down, though, instead. Instead, he’d rebuilt his life and now was happier than ever. There were still times when Chauncey caught a haunted look going through the medic’s eyes. Granted they were

brief, but it still showed how much the incident affected him. A lot of the guys were there. Mostly medics and firemen who came from Flint and Pontiac. While the cities were nearly an hour drive from each other, the men had all bonded and became friends because they had one thing in common— they were all gay. In the EMS world that wasn’t always an easy thing, so they supported and protected each other. Chauncey’s stomach did a happy flip when he spotted Brody sitting at one of the card tables. While the rest of the group all waved hello, Brody only gave him a weak smile. Chauncey decided not to let that put him off and went over to the table, taking the one remaining vacant seat. A blond medic from Flint, named Matt, sat across from them. He flashed a grin and Chauncey tensed, already knowing what was coming his way. While Matt was a nice enough guy, he had a mouth on him a mile wide. Sure enough, Matt didn’t disappoint, “Well, if it isn’t

Nurse Betty. How’s tricks?” “They’re just ducky,” Chauncey replied. “Does your boyfriend know about the nickname you gave me?” Matt lived with a nurse who worked for one of Flint’s bigger hospitals. Matt glanced over at his boyfriend. “Yeah, he wouldn’t let me use it on him though.” “I can’t imagine why not,” Chauncey drawled sarcastically. Brody glanced up from his small pile of chips. “Are we going to play or not?” Matt made a big show of rolling his eyes. “You’ll have to excuse Sir Buzzkill here. He’s been a crappy egg all night.” “I just want to play,” Brody replied in a tight voice. “And I just want to chat so we can catch up on

everything.” Matt blinked innocently. “Besides, what’s the big rush? We all know that you’re just going to end up losing all your money to me.” “And how are you so sure of that?” “Because you always lose. I hate to break it to you, Gidget, but you have a sucky poker face.” Brody’s jaw dropped in shock before he demanded, “Why do I get stuck being called Gidget.” Matt nodded to Chauncey. “Because he already took Nurse Betty. What else am I going to call you?” “That doesn’t even make any sense. I’m not a nurse.” Brody threw his hands up in exasperation. He turned to Lucas. “Can’t you do something about your boyfriend?” “Nope, I gave up trying a long time ago. All the effort just made us both tired and cranky.” Lucas never even glanced up from his cards.

“That’s true. Plus, if my baby’s going to be tired, I want it to be for all kinds of different reasons,” Matt replied with a wicked grin. Chauncey let out soft laugh. “You really are a piece of work.” “So I’ve been told.” Matt held up the deck of cards. “Do you want me to deal you in?” “In a second, I need to talk to Brody first.” Brody’s head snapped up, turning in Chauncey’s direction, the man’s brown eyes even wider than normal. “Why?” “It’s private so I’ll tell you when we’re alone.” “No.” “No, I won’t tell you or no, you won’t go with me?” “Take your pick, because neither of them are happening.”

The room fell silent as every eye turned in their direction. Chauncey took a deep breath and very slowly counted to ten so he didn’t give into his anger and do something stupid. “Stop being such a brat.” “Stop trying to boss me around.” “Why can’t anything be easy with you?” “Why can’t you leave me alone?” “Why can’t we just play cards?” Matt cut in. They both ignored him. Brody pushed back his chair, then stood up. “I don’t have to put up with this crap.” That did it, like it or not, Chauncey was going to teach Brody some manners. Letting out a growl, he reached out, grabbed the medic and threw him over his shoulder. “Oh, we are so not doing this again,” Brody

yelled as he began to wiggle. “Again?” Several of the guys echoed. Chauncey gave Brody’s ass a firm slap. “Stop struggling.” “Then put me down.” “I will once we’re alone.” Chauncey glanced over to Forrest. “Is there someplace we can talk in private?” Forrest pointed to the hall. While he wasn’t outand-out grinning, the corners of mouth twitched. “You can use the guest bedroom. It’s the second door on the left.” Chauncey thanked him, then turned and walked down the hall. Brody continued to struggle, his feet kicking helplessly in the air. “This is really ridiculous,” Brody seethed. “I agree. You should have just came when I told

you to.” “Who made you the boss of me?” Chauncey delivered another slap to Brody’s perfectly rounded ass. “Don’t make me spank you again.” That threat seemed to work because Brody stopped struggling. Unfortunately, he did continue to work his mouth. “You do realize that everybody is probably back there talking about us right now?” Chauncey used his foot to push open the door. Setting Brody down, Chauncey reached behind him, then shut and locked the door. “Surprise, brat. They’ve been talking about us for a while now.” Chauncey toed off his shoes. Brody did the same, his eyes flaring with anger and lust. The combination making for a sexy appeal. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, he pulled it over his head, then tossed it to the side. “What in

the hell was so important that you had to make such a scene to get me back here?” Chauncey lost his own shirt, then began to unbutton his pants. “Why have you been avoiding me?” Brody gave a mock pout even as he lowered his own pants, revealing a pair of red and black underwear. “What? Did it hurt the big, bad trauma nurse’s feelings to know that he was being rejected?” Reaching into his front pocket, Chauncey pulled out a condom and a small, travel-sized bottle of lube. Waving them like a prize, he then tossed them onto the bed before he stripped off his pants and underwear. “No, it pissed me off to know that the snotty, little medic was having temper tantrum.” Brody took off the rest of his clothes and went over to the bed. Lying down on his back, he wrapped his fingers around his hard, cock and gave it a few strokes. “Snotty? What happened to

brat?” Chauncey climbed into the bed and crawled over Brody. Batting the man’s hand away from his cock, Chauncey took over the task of jacking him off. “I’m beginning to think you like that word too much.” Brody let out a soft cry of pleasure as he thrust his hips up. “In your dreams.” Still stroking Brody, Chauncey leaned down and crushed their lips together in a hot, carnal, shut-him-the-hell-up kiss. At first Brody was unresponsive and kept his mouth clamped tightly shut. Then Chauncey gave his bottom lip a not-sogentle love bite and Brody became cooperative in record time. He let out a gasp that soon became muffled as Chauncey thrust his tongue inside his mouth. Brody wrapped his arms around Chauncey’s shoulders and eagerly began to return the kiss. “Fuck, I’ve missed you,” Chauncey confessed

between kisses. He continued to stroke Brody’s cock, loving how it elicited the most delicious sounds from the medic. Brody even let out a couple of whimpers before he replied, “Missed you, too.” “Then why the hell didn’t you answer the damn phone when I called?” Chauncey let go of Brody’s cock and reached for the lube. Cracking it open, Chauncey slicked his fingers up. “Because I didn’t want your pity. I heard you and Kiefer talking the other day. I didn’t want you to think you had to be with me because you felt sorry for me over all the crap life has thrown at me.” Sliding one finger inside Brody’s ass, Chauncey briefly closed his eyes as he savored the tightness of his brat. “I feel a lot of things for you, Brody, but none of them are pity.”

“Really?” “Really.” Chauncey added another finger, marveling at how easily Brody opened for him. Almost as if they had been made for each other. Maybe that was because they d i d belong together and maybe, deep down, Chauncey had always known that. Because, despite the fact that Brody may drive him crazy and make him so frustrated that he wanted to tear out his hair, Chauncey couldn’t imagine life without him. “The other day when you told me that you weren’t looking for that special somebody, did you really mean it?” Brody shook his head, frustration evident on his face. “Really? We’re going to discuss this now? Can’t we just fuck?” Chauncey thrust in a third finger, curling them so they brushed against Brody’s prostate. Brody let out a cry of passion so loud it probably carried

over to the other room. “If you want me to fuck you, you better answer me. I could easily get up and leave right now.” “You wouldn’t dare.” Brody’s eyes grew large with alarm. “We both know I would.” Chauncey pulled out his fingers and waited patiently for Brody’s answer. After nibbling on his bottom lip for a moment, Brody finally said, “Maybe I’m not looking because I already found him.” The fear lurking in Brody’s gaze spoke volumes to Chauncey. Yes, his little medic really did care and was just scared as hell of being hurt again. Chauncey knew then he had to do everything in his power to prove that he was worth the risk. Leaning down he gave Brody a long, slow kiss. “I’m scared, too. I’ve never felt this way about somebody. But I know if we don’t take the chance, we’ll both regret it for the rest of our lives.”

Brody’s eyes grew moist with emotion. “What if I end up disappointing you?” Chauncey gave him another tender kiss. “Babe, that’s not possible. Nothing you do can ever change the way I feel about you.” “You do realize that I’m probably still going to drive you crazy? A day isn’t going to go by where we won’t fight.” “I’m counting on it.” That finally got Chauncey a smile. Brody let out a soft laugh. “Life sure won’t be dull.” “No, it won’t and I’m going to love every minute of it, too.” Brody swallowed hard before saying, “Me, too.” Happiness flooded Chauncey. “So does that mean you’re going to give us a chance?” “Only if you’ll make love to me right now. I’m so

horny, I think I’m going to bust if you don’t get inside me soon.” Chauncey chuckled. “We can’t have that. It would be rude to make a big mess in Forrest’s guest room.” He reached for the condom and handed it to Brody. “Put it on me.” With shaking fingers, Brody grabbed the wrapper and ripped it open. Taking out the condom, he clumsily slipped it on Chauncey, his fingers leaving behind the most delicious tingles as they skimmed over Chauncey’s length. “There, it’s on. Now fuck me already,” Brody ordered loudly. “Now who’s being bossy?” Chauncey added more slick to his cock before he lined the tip to Brody’s opening. Brody’s lids fluttered shut, but Chauncey was having none of that. “Look at me while I take you.”

Brody slowly opened his eyes. The emotions lingering there were so raw, it clawed at Chauncey’s heart. “I promise, I’ll never let you down.” After making that vow, Chauncey thrust inside Brody with one hard move. Brody screamed his pleasure, the medic’s legs going up to wrap around Chauncey’s waist. “That’s it. Just like that,” Brody yelled as he threw his head back against the pillows. “Give it to me hard.” Grabbing onto Brody’s shoulders for support, Chauncey began to pound into him. “Is that hard enough for you?” Brody let out a wail of pleasure, letting Chauncey know that it was indeed hard enough. “I better never see you flirting with another guy. You belong to me now,” Brody panted. “I only flirted with them to get a rise from you,”

Chauncey confessed. “Jerk.” “Brat.” “I really do like it when you call me that.” Chauncey started to laugh, only to have it cut short as pleasure snapped over his body. At the same time, Brody screamed out Chauncey’s name one more time. Chauncey gave two more hard thrusts, before his pleasure crested, his cock filling up the condom. Brody shivered as he found his own release, hot seed splashing between them. He continued to cling to Chauncey the entire time, almost as if he were afraid to let go. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me forever,” Chauncey assured him. “Good, because I don’t think I’m capable of letting you go,” Brody replied.

Those words had to be the sweetest thing Chauncey ever heard. As he pressed a kiss to Brody’s sweaty brow, he allowed himself, finally, to believe that things would work out.

Chapter Eight They quickly cleaned up and got dressed again. Brody took the time to strip the bed so he could put the dirty sheets in the washer. While his mother may have her moments, she had taught him some manners. On occasion, Brody even made a point of using them. Chauncey waited while he completed his task before he took Brody’s hand and led him back out to the living room so they could face their friends. As they walked out, every gaze fell on them. A nervous feeling settled in Brody’s stomach as he studied all the shocked expressions in front of him. He slowly concluded that they’d probably heard every detail of his and Chauncey’s encounter.

Then Matt smirked and asked, “So, Brody, did Chauncey give it to you hard like you wanted?” A heat spread over Brody’s face. “You heard that?” “You were screaming so loud the entire neighborhood probably got an earful.” Then the room came to life as everybody took out their wallets and began to pass around money. “Damn it, I was hoping they’d hold out for at least another week.” “Are you kidding? I was lucky they made it this long. I nearly lost twenty bucks.” “What are you whining about? I lost my money two months ago when these two wouldn’t get off their asses and get together.” “I tried to warn you that they could be stubborn.”

Brody exchanged looks of horror with Chauncey as the truth suddenly dawned on him. “You guys bet on our love life.” Matt cocked a brow. “Well, technically it was your lack of a love life.” “What made you guys so sure that we’d end up together?” Kiefer rolled his eyes. “Please, we all knew how you two really felt about each other. The only ones who were ignorant to the fact were you and Chauncey.” Brody glanced back up at Chauncey. “Can you believe these guys? And here I thought they were our friends.” Chauncey laughed as he pulled Brody into his arms. “Had I’d known there was a betting pool going on, I would have put twenty on next week.” “You really are a jerk,” Brody replied, even as he snuggled his cheek against Chauncey’s chest.

“Ah, but I’m your jerk.” “Yes, you are.” They moved to the couch and sat there, cuddling like a pair of teenagers while they watched their friends play cards. Brody realized that they should get up and be more social, but he didn’t want to leave the comfort of Chauncey’s arms. Just as Brody allowed himself to believe that the night would be perfect, his cell phone went off. Pulling it out of his pocket, his heart sank when he saw the incoming number. “What is it?” Chauncey asked, his brow furrowing in concern. “My mom. She’s calling me.” “Are you going to answer it?” Brody shook his head, his gaze still fixated on the readout. “I don’t need to, there’s…there’s only

one reason why she ever calls me. She’s drunk and needs me to come home and clean her up.”

Damn it, why did this have to happen? Just when everything had been going perfectly, too. Chauncey gave him a comforting squeeze. “Okay, I’ll go get the car.” Shocked, Brody finally looked up. “You’re going to drive me there?” “Of course I am. It sounds like you’re going to need my help.” Brody hesitated. While he really was tired of having to deal with his mother on his own, at the same time, he felt a bit of shame, too. He didn’t want Chauncey to have to see just how bad things were. “Are you sure? It’s not exactly pretty when she gets like this.” Chauncey pressed a kiss to Brody’s cheek.

“That’s all the more reason for me to be there for you. Now tell everyone goodbye while I get the car.” Numb, Brody nodded and did as ordered. The entire drive there, Brody said a silent prayer that maybe this time it wouldn’t be so bad. That maybe he’d walk into the house and his mother would be all happy, alert and smiling, just like she used to be ten years ago before his father died. Even as Chauncey pulled into the drive leading to Brody’s mother’s tiny ranch home, Brody knew that prayer would go unanswered. While he’d yet to see what condition his mother was in, Brody knew what he’d find inside. After Chauncey turned off the car, Brody hesitated, hand on the door handle. “I should warn you. She can be mean sometimes.” Chauncey cupped Brody’s cheek. “That’s okay.

I know how it can be when dealing with an alcoholic. Just because we had money doesn’t mean that my own family didn’t have their issues. Not a holiday goes by that my Aunt Susan doesn’t get drunk and make a scene.” God, how could Brody have ever thought that Chauncey was a self-centered jerk? The man had a heart so pure and kind that Brody felt damn lucky to have him in his life. It made Brody wonder how anybody could ever think ill of the man. “Kiefer told me that your family disowned you for standing up for him. I’m so sorry,” Brody said. “It’s okay.” “I know what it’s like to be alone. It must hurt you so much.” Chauncey fanned his thumb over Brody’s cheek. “But I’m not alone any more. Neither are you. We have each other now.” Those words lifted a huge weight off Brody’s

shoulder and it suddenly felt as if he could breathe again. He nodded, “Yes, we do.” “Now, let’s go in and help your Mom out.” Brody nodded as he finally allowed himself to feel hope. What’s more, he allowed himself to feel worthy. If Chauncey still found him desirable, even after knowing all his worst fears and secrets, then maybe Brody wasn’t such a loser after all.

September 11th, 2011 Brody sat in the comfort of Chauncey’s arms as they snuggled together on the couch in Chauncey’s living room. The place was more cramped than usual since all of their friends were there as well. They’d arrived early that morning so they could show their support to Brody. For the first time ever, Brody was watching the news as they covered the anniversary. It was tough having to see the continuous footage of them replaying the videos of the attacks, but at the same time, it felt cathartic, too.

“Are you doing okay?” Chauncey asked. “Yeah, thanks to you.” Brody stared at the screen, his chest growing tight as they showed the first Tower collapsing.

That was the exact moment my dad died and my life changed forever. “Did you know that I wanted to be a fireman, like my dad? I was too small though,” Brody confessed. “Instead you became a damn great medic and the world is better because of it. I may not have ever met your father, but I know he’d be damn proud of you. God knows I am.” Brody craned his head so he could gaze up at Chauncey. “I’m so lucky to have you.” He was, too. Not only had Chauncey helped him through the past few difficult weeks, but he’d managed to find a rehab center for Brody’s

mother. While Brody knew his mother had a difficult road ahead of her, he finally had hope that she’d overcome her problems. Brody looked back at the TV. On the bottom of the screen the station ran a ticker that displayed the names of those who died that day. Brody’s heart leaped as one stood out to him, “Hey, look there’s my dad’s name, Barney Wiseman.” “I see it.” Chauncey kissed the top of Brody’s head. “I want to go there next year,” Brody suddenly decided. “You mean to Ground Zero?” Brody nodded. “I think I’m finally ready to face it.” “Are you sure?” Brody looked back up at Chauncey. “Yes. I wasn’t before because I wasn’t strong enough,

but now that I have you, I know I can face anything.” Brody paused, as he nervously nibbled on his bottom lip. “That is, if you promise you’ll go with me.” Chauncey gave Brody another kiss, this one landing on his cheek. “Brat, I’m always going to be by your side. Nothing could ever pull me apart from you.” Happy, Brody snuggled back into position. As he continued to watch the television, he realized that for the first time in ten years, he felt whole again. Of course that still didn’t mean he wasn’t going to use every opportunity he had to drive Chauncey crazy. Just because he was madly in love with the guy, didn’t mean he got off easy. Some things just should never change. “I love you,” Brody whispered, fully aware that it was the first time he’d spoken the words aloud.

Chauncey gave him a tight squeeze. “I love you, too. Even if you are a brat.” Brody smiled, yeah. Yeah, some things were definitely going to stay the same and that made him all the happier. About the Author Stephani Hecht is a happily married mother of two. Born and raised in Michigan, she loves all things about the state, from the frigid winters to the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. Go Wings! You can usually find her snuggled up to her laptop, creating her next book or gorging on caffeine at her favorite coffee shop.