creepy, so maybe James should have guessed something weird would happen.
Horse grabbed the guy's arm. "Officer Rob. This guy is with the stalker."
The guy started struggling, but Horse held on.
"No shit?" Officer Rob--who, okay, looked like Howdy Doody--turned to James. "You're sure?"
"I am. That's Andy Johnston's lover."
"Sir, you're going to have to come with me," Officer Rob called into his radio. "Base, this is 9-17. I've got a suspect in the GABA case."
Andy's doctor began to struggle and was handcuffed for his trouble.
Horse came back to James; he put an arm around his shoulders. "You okay?"
"Take me home. Take me the fuck home, Horse." He was going to lose his shit.
"You got it." Horse waved at the guy from the restaurant, who waved back, and they headed out.
Officer Rob called out after them, and the lady administrator did as well, but Horse just kept moving. Thank fucking God.
James kept walking, kept going, one step after another. Just kept walking.
Horse's truck was out there in the parking lot, another car next to it with an old lady leaning against it, smoking a cigarette.
"Here's your arm, man. The two of you need to come back and have dinner on me sometime." Barton handed over his arm, then settled against the car, next to the old woman.
"Thank you." James was beginning to shake, to crack down the middle.
"Thanks, Barton." Horse nodded stiffly. "We owe you."
"You can owe me another one. Mom and I'll follow you."
Horse shook his head. "You don't have to do that, man."
Barton snorted. "But I'm going to. We're going to make sure no one's there waiting for you."
Barton's mom nodded. "I don't like this bullshit."
No, neither did he.
Horse got James into the truck, his arm resting across his lap. Then they were off, driving through the night. James didn't even know what time it was. He closed his eyes, swallowing over and over. He had to breathe. Just breathe.
Horse's hand landed on his leg, solid and warm.
"You want to go home or to a hotel, Horse?" James would pay for the room.
"I want to go home, Jim. I want to get into our fucking bed and hold you."
Oh, thank God. "Works for me."
"Good."
There was a state trooper vehicle outside the house, and Horse frowned as he parked the car. Climbing out, Horse went and spoke to the driver, then returned in short order to open Jim's door for him.
"Everything's okay. They wanted to put someone outside the door, just in case." Horse helped him get down, his legs still not the steadiest.
"I feel like a newborn colt," James admitted.
"Yeah, you seem a little unsteady on your feet. Best get you horizontal, ASAP." Horse's arm sat, solid and warm, across his back, supporting him, and James couldn't miss the teasing tone.
"We didn't get our dance."
"Well, I have a music player in the bedroom."
"That works. And it's a soft place to fall."
"I'm not going to let you fall," Horse promised.
Horse unlocked the front door, then very firmly set both locks once they were inside. They made their way down the little hall to Horse's bedroom. To their bedroom. They'd moved all James' shit into the master bedroom days ago.
Horse put his phone in the dock and picked a slow song. He turned to bring James up against his solid body. James leaned in hard, letting himself feel every inch, every bit of strength. Horse's arms were around him, keeping them together as they rocked to the music.
His lips were on Horse's throat, resting there and every breath he took was flavored with his lover. He swore he could feel Horse's heartbeat beneath his lips, thudding a strong, even tattoo.
"I called you my partner tonight," Horse told him.
"Yeah? That cool with you?"
"Yeah. I know we haven't talked about stuff really, but...well, it was the best fit for what you are."
"Yeah." That satisfied him down to the bone. "It is. I'm in it for the long haul."
Horse squeezed him tight. "Me, too, Jim."
"Cool." And it was. It was cool as hell.
"This is better than dancing at the
Horse grabbed the guy's arm. "Officer Rob. This guy is with the stalker."
The guy started struggling, but Horse held on.
"No shit?" Officer Rob--who, okay, looked like Howdy Doody--turned to James. "You're sure?"
"I am. That's Andy Johnston's lover."
"Sir, you're going to have to come with me," Officer Rob called into his radio. "Base, this is 9-17. I've got a suspect in the GABA case."
Andy's doctor began to struggle and was handcuffed for his trouble.
Horse came back to James; he put an arm around his shoulders. "You okay?"
"Take me home. Take me the fuck home, Horse." He was going to lose his shit.
"You got it." Horse waved at the guy from the restaurant, who waved back, and they headed out.
Officer Rob called out after them, and the lady administrator did as well, but Horse just kept moving. Thank fucking God.
James kept walking, kept going, one step after another. Just kept walking.
Horse's truck was out there in the parking lot, another car next to it with an old lady leaning against it, smoking a cigarette.
"Here's your arm, man. The two of you need to come back and have dinner on me sometime." Barton handed over his arm, then settled against the car, next to the old woman.
"Thank you." James was beginning to shake, to crack down the middle.
"Thanks, Barton." Horse nodded stiffly. "We owe you."
"You can owe me another one. Mom and I'll follow you."
Horse shook his head. "You don't have to do that, man."
Barton snorted. "But I'm going to. We're going to make sure no one's there waiting for you."
Barton's mom nodded. "I don't like this bullshit."
No, neither did he.
Horse got James into the truck, his arm resting across his lap. Then they were off, driving through the night. James didn't even know what time it was. He closed his eyes, swallowing over and over. He had to breathe. Just breathe.
Horse's hand landed on his leg, solid and warm.
"You want to go home or to a hotel, Horse?" James would pay for the room.
"I want to go home, Jim. I want to get into our fucking bed and hold you."
Oh, thank God. "Works for me."
"Good."
There was a state trooper vehicle outside the house, and Horse frowned as he parked the car. Climbing out, Horse went and spoke to the driver, then returned in short order to open Jim's door for him.
"Everything's okay. They wanted to put someone outside the door, just in case." Horse helped him get down, his legs still not the steadiest.
"I feel like a newborn colt," James admitted.
"Yeah, you seem a little unsteady on your feet. Best get you horizontal, ASAP." Horse's arm sat, solid and warm, across his back, supporting him, and James couldn't miss the teasing tone.
"We didn't get our dance."
"Well, I have a music player in the bedroom."
"That works. And it's a soft place to fall."
"I'm not going to let you fall," Horse promised.
Horse unlocked the front door, then very firmly set both locks once they were inside. They made their way down the little hall to Horse's bedroom. To their bedroom. They'd moved all James' shit into the master bedroom days ago.
Horse put his phone in the dock and picked a slow song. He turned to bring James up against his solid body. James leaned in hard, letting himself feel every inch, every bit of strength. Horse's arms were around him, keeping them together as they rocked to the music.
His lips were on Horse's throat, resting there and every breath he took was flavored with his lover. He swore he could feel Horse's heartbeat beneath his lips, thudding a strong, even tattoo.
"I called you my partner tonight," Horse told him.
"Yeah? That cool with you?"
"Yeah. I know we haven't talked about stuff really, but...well, it was the best fit for what you are."
"Yeah." That satisfied him down to the bone. "It is. I'm in it for the long haul."
Horse squeezed him tight. "Me, too, Jim."
"Cool." And it was. It was cool as hell.
"This is better than dancing at the
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