In My Arms Tonight (21 page)

www.total-e-bound.com

IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

132

Holy shit.
James’ heart thudded spastically for a moment then settled into a slow, steady rhythm. He felt strange, but in a good way, all light and fluffy and warm and tingly. It took him a moment to figure out that he was happy—really happy, the joyous, stand up and spread your arms and sing mushy sweet love songs kind of happy.

“Holy shit,” he muttered, feeling a smile spread that had to look creepy, it was so big.

“Holy shit!” James bounded up from the couch and managed, barely, to keep from breaking into a Disney happy-ending song and dance. Chase and Xavier were both gaping at him, Xavier holding the phone away from his ear while Adam spluttered away on the other end of the line.

James looked at Chase. He’d have laughed at his friend’s open-mouthed shock if he hadn’t heard Xavier mumble something about Glenn being in trouble because he had a hickey. That kind of acted as a buzz kill and James groaned, closing his eyes just as Chase’s lit with wicked intent. “Don’t start,” he warned, then peeked at Chase as the man snickered.

“Payback,” Chase mouthed and James flipped him the bird, which just made Chase laugh like a lunatic.

James couldn’t help but laugh too, the easy teasing between them familiar and something he’d missed over the months. He reached down and looped an arm over Chase’s shoulders as Xavier rolled his eyes at something Adam said. “Thank you,” James said as he rubbed his cheek against Chase’s silky hair. He knew his friend understood what he meant, especially when Chase grunted then stood and hugged him happily in return.

“I expect professional behaviour from my men at all times.”

Years of just such professional behaviour kept Glenn from squirming in his seat as Ewers skewered him with a glance. Glenn would swear the hickey was throbbing, pulsing, glowing like a Goddamned neon sign, but he didn’t dare reach up and cover it with his hand.

Ewers gaze dropped down a few inches from Glenn’s and the spot itched so much Glenn had to lock his fingers together to keep from touching it. “I’m sorry, Chief, it was an accident—”

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IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

133

“An accident.” Ewers eyes narrowed so that Glenn couldn’t figure out how the man could even see. “So she just happened to fall on you, lips-first and get stuck in some freak suction accident?”

“He,” Glenn corrected before he could think better of it. Not that he thought Ewers would care about the sex of his partner, but correcting the man was never a smart thing to do. “Sir,” Glenn added with a bit of hope that the title would ease some of the displeasure off Ewers face. It didn’t help at all, and Glenn rushed on, his face flaming as he did. “And no, not that kind of accident, although, you know, good one… Sir?”

What followed made Glenn want to melt into the floor, as Ewers started lecturing him on using his brain instead of his dumbstick. Glenn had to bite his lips to keep from asking if Ewers kept his shit together when he was being intimate with Charlene. That was way too much information anyways. Somehow, though, he didn’t think Charlene would be happy with anyone who kept a piece of themselves back.

Ewers couldn’t have been much older than him, yet he came across as an authoritative fatherly figure, and Glenn felt appropriately scolded by the time the man was through with him. His neck was aching from the constant nodding and he was pretty sure he’d said enough yes sir’s to last for eternity.

Ewers leant back and tapped a finger to his chin while he stared at the mark again.

Glenn gave up and slapped a hand over the mark, unable to handle the tickly feeling spreading from his skin under that look. Ewers snorted and darted his glance up to Glenn’s.

“Makeup.”

Glenn blinked. And blinked again. “What?”

Ewers’ slow grin set off warning alarms in Glenn’s head. The chief leant back and crossed his arms over his chest, looking entirely too smug for words. “I said, makeup. Go buy some and cover that thing up. The pharmacy down the street probably has something you can use.”

Glenn sputtered and shook his head. “No. No way! It’ll go away and I’ll tell James to be more careful where—uh, I’ll tell him to be more careful.”

Ewers flushed from his neck to the tips of his ears. “You do that. I don’t want to know where you might have any more of them.” He shook himself and muttered something about www.total-e-bound.com

IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

134

Glenn having no self-control, then he stopped abruptly, both eyebrows climbing up to get friendly with his hairline. “James? You two worked everything out?”

Glenn frowned. Jesus, did everyone know he had it bad for James? Was there a sign on his forehead that said
I’m in love with James Stratton?
Because he was, and he knew it without a doubt, but how the hell did everyone else know?
Bunch of gossipy hens, that’s how.

Perceptive, wonderful, caring—
Glenn snorted. He had awesome friends, and yeah, they probably talked about him in a concerned manner just like he’d done when one of the others had a problem or when he was concerned about them. And he might not have a sign on his forehead, but he sure as hell had a sort of one below his ear.

“Yeah,” Glenn began then he shook his head and sighed. “Well, not everything, but we worked one thing out at least.”

Ewers blanched and held a hand up. “Stop. I don’t want to know. But, I’m glad you won’t be moping around looking like a kicked puppy anymore.”

Scowling, Glenn started to retort when a sharp rap on the door startled him so much he jumped. Ewers rolled his eyes and hollered, “Come in,” and Glenn twisted around in his seat to see who was interrupting—saving him?—from this humiliating conversation.

Becky, the chief’s receptionist, opened the door and came in. “Sorry to interrupt, Chief, but Charlene is here with lunch. I didn’t know if you wanted me to keep her waiting.”

Every bit of irritation and embarrassment fled from the chief’s expression as he shook his head. “No, send her on in. We’re done here anyway.”

“Yes sir,” Becky said, winking at Glenn.

What the hell was that about?

“Glenn, I don’t care how you do it, make that thing invisible before your next shift,”

Ewers ordered, rising from his seat. “Now go on so I can have lunch with—” The office door opened and Charlene walked in carrying a basket full of something that smelt heavenly.

“Charlene,” Ewers cooed, seemingly forgetting Glenn even existed. “Come in and have a seat.” Ewers took the basket from her and dropped a kiss on the pretty blonde’s lips.

Charlene stopped and put a hand on Glenn’s shoulder as he started to rise. He looked into her sky blue eyes, about to excuse himself. “Stay. I brought plenty. I’m sure Howard won’t mind.”

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IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

135

Glenn kind of doubted that, but Charlene was irresistible and lunch smelt so good his mouth was watering. He swallowed and didn’t bother looking at the chief, knowing the man would be trying to encourage him to leave. “If you’re sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all,” Charlene said, her eyes brightening as she grinned. “I’m glad you and James are working things out.”

“What—” Glenn shut his mouth and groaned, dropping his head into his hands.

“Christ, did everyone know?”

A delicate hand thumped him on the back. “Pretty much, yes, and everyone’s happy for you two. You ought to know how much men gossip, but it’s all good stuff. Your friends were worried, about you and James both.” Glenn peeked at Charlene from between his fingers. “You need some lipstick for that.”

Glenn dropped his hands to his lap and gawped.

“Not the actual lipstick itself,” Charlene continued, then the woman actually—and Glenn didn’t know why it surprised him, Charlene wasn’t the least bit timid—had the nerve to cup his chin and tilt his head away so she could poke at the hickey with her other hand.

“Yeah, the regular lipstick tube will do it. I think I have one in my bag.”

Glenn might have argued with Ewers, but he sure as shit wasn’t arguing with Charlene. He watched her, half terrified as he did so, while she plucked a short burgundy tube from her purse and held it out to him. “Here, take this and go to the restroom. Just press and twist like this.” Before Glenn realised what she was doing, Charlene pressed the top of the tube to his neck and twisted,
hard.
Glenn yelped and slid halfway out of the chair. “What the he—heck!” That had smarted!

Charlene snickered and thrust the lipstick at him. “Take it and do just what I did, except try not to be so wimpy about it. You just press and twist until the whole area is bright red, and it breaks the blood up under the surface and helps fade the hickey. You might need to do it a few times, though. That one’s pretty dark.”

Glenn pried his hand open and caught the lipstick when Charlene dropped it. “How’d you learn about this?”

Ewers started mumbling and Charlene tittered. “A trick I knew from when I was a teenager and had to, er, help out a friend. Howard was pretty impressed that it worked.”

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IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

136

Charlene frowned. “I guess I could tell Adam about it now. No way was I telling that boy how to hide hickies when he was a teenager and all hormone-y.”

Glenn was trying not to laugh over the whole bit about Ewers being impressed the stuff worked. But why hadn’t the man said something about it instead of suggesting—

ordering—Glenn cover the mark with makeup?

As if he knew what Glenn was thinking, Ewers shrugged. “Didn’t want to have to explain how I knew.”

“Men,” Charlene snorted. “Go get that taken care of and let’s eat.”

Glenn headed off to the men’s room and went to work turning the side of his neck into a God awful looking mess. He glared at his reflection and was wondering if maybe Charlene wasn’t pulling his leg, because now a good half of his neck was bright red and hurt like a mother. He reached up and poked at the tender skin, hissing when it burned. Maybe he’d twisted a bit too much? Glenn leaned closer. Was it fading, or did the red now surrounding it make the mark look lighter? Glenn couldn’t tell, and he was over the whole trying to tear his skin off bit, at least until he could tell if it worked. Besides, there was lunch waiting and even if he had to sit in the office with Ewers glowering, it’d be worth it to dine on Charlene’s cooking.

He stepped out of the bathroom and nearly collided with Maya Jiminez. “Sorry.

Excuse me—”

Maya’s eyes rounded and she looked from his neck to his hand then back a few times before Glenn remembered he was holding the stupid tube of lipstick. He shoved it in his pocket roughly—too roughly as the lid popped off and he smeared the pink stuff all over his hand and inside his pocket. “Shit!”

“No kidding,” Maya said, sounding angry and resigned at the same time. “I was going to ask you out again, but I guess now I know why you’ve been saying no all this time.”

Glenn’s cheeks flamed but he glared at the woman angrily. Why was it people thought being gay meant wearing makeup and flouncing around in heels and dresses?

“What is that supposed to mean?”

She gestured at his neck. “You got that monster from someone.” She stood on her toes and leaned closer, peering at his neck closely. “I think you were a little too enthusiastic with the cap, though. You’ll be lucky if your whole neck doesn’t look like bruised.”

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IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

137

Glenn was fixing to ask if every woman knew about this particular trick when someone walking in the front door stopped him cold. Two someones, actually. Maya turned and nodded. “Those are my clients, the Strattons’. Seems they want an employee of theirs bailed out.” Glenn forgot about lunch, lipstick and hickies. James’ parents were here, they weren’t ever going to leave the man in peace.

“Gotta go,” he muttered to Maya as he swerved around her. “Les, I need to take off,”

he told his friend, tipping his head slightly towards the Strattons, who hadn't yet noticed him as they were huddled together discussing something.

Les had his stony
, I will tear you to pieces
expression in place as he glanced at James’

parents. “Go on. I'll explain it to Charlene, and she won’t let Ewers shit bricks.”

“Thanks.” Then Glenn was out of the door.

www.total-e-bound.com

IN MY ARMS TONIGHT

Bailey Bradford

138

James had just finished arranging his next therapy session, to be held in Xavier’s office at the club. It was the only place he could think of where he’d have some privacy and it wasn’t
here
, which was important to him. He was going to get past this, and an important step was being able to go places. Today, if he could have, he’d have been up at the police station, although he doubted very much Glenn would appreciate James riding to his rescue like Glenn was some damsel in distress.

Or a boyfriend who couldn’t be trusted not to be seduced by a wily PI. James did trust Glenn, though, and he knew the man didn’t need him trying to defend Glenn against his boss. Besides, James had met Norman when Charlene had brought him over once. Seemed like a really nice guy.

Although he might need to revise his opinion on that, James thought when he looked out the window upon hearing the rumbling of an engine. Glenn was out of the car like a shot, and he looked so distressed James couldn’t get the door open fast enough to suit him. He was almost down the stairs by the time Glenn was at the foot of them, and the relief and tender look in Glenn’s eyes made James want to do something totally corny like fling himself at the man and cling until he couldn’t cling anymore.