Accounting for Luke

Excerpt From: Accounting for Luke

Bryce Mann scribbled notes down on a pad of paper while occasionally flashing glances at his partner, Luke Garcia. To break up the pattern, every once in a while he took a slow, deep breath to keep his emotions under control. He'd hidden his longing for Luke for two years now. He could do it longer...maybe forever. After their one disastrous encounter had left his heart shattered, Bryce had vowed to never get romantically involved with the gorgeous Latino again. Unfortunately, his body didn't agree with that plan at all. His wayward heart still skipped a beat and his cock hardened at the mere sound of Luke's voice. He knew, if he didn't have Tim, he'd have given in to his weakness and accepted whatever terms Luke might have offered.

Thank God for Tim.

"I think Mr Whithers is cheating on his wife," Luke said, spying out of the window. "What kind of man would do that to someone who loves him just to get a younger piece of ass?"

Bryce gave a cynical laugh. "The fact you can still ask that after over a dozen investigations of cheating spouses is more surprising than the fact Mr Whithers is clichéd enough to screw his secretary. Besides, if there weren't cheating men and women, I doubt we'd have jobs. There are only so many bodyguard positions available and Tucker wants to make sure the agency offers a variety of services."

Luke sighed. "I guess. It's just depressing, you know? Is there anyone loyal out there anymore?" He continued talking, not waiting for Bryce's answer. "I like it better when we get to be bodyguards instead of spies. I mean, security is way superior to spying. I always feel slimy after these stakeouts."

"Yeah," Bryce agreed as he popped a toothpick in his mouth, clamping down on the wood to suck out the minty flavour.

"How's your stopping smoking coming along?" Luke asked.

Bryce shrugged as he slid the toothpick out of his mouth to speak. "Okay, I guess."

"Why're you quitting anyway? Not that I don't think it's a good idea, but what made you decide to finally do it?"

"Tim won't kiss me if I smoke." Bryce hadn't known how forceful Tim could be until after Tim had seen Bryce smoking. The man had flat out refused to make love to him until Bryce had given the things up. Normally, he'd tell off any guy who told him what to do. No man controlled Bryce by his dick. But Tim's blue eyes had silently begged, even as he'd refused to bring his mouth anywhere near Bryce's. Tim had even listed all the health reasons why Bryce should quit, his accountant brain running a mile a minute as he'd tallied up statistics faster than Bryce could understand what he'd been saying. After that lecture, which had ended with Tim close to tears, Bryce had sworn to never touch another one.

"Tim who?" Luke's eyes widened. "Not Tim Warren. Please tell me you aren't fucking the company's accountant."

Bryce scowled at his friend. "I'm not fucking him. We're dating. I like him." He said the last part defensively even though he knew he didn't have anything to defend himself against.

"He's too sweet for you," Luke argued. "You'll break his heart."

Those words from Luke were almost too much to take. "I wouldn't do that intentionally, and, unlike you, I'm looking for something permanent."

"What if you get injured on the job?" Luke persisted, brushing off Bryce's implication.

"Then I'll be injured. I might also get in a fatal car accident. Anything could happen, Luke—I'm not a fortune—teller. That doesn't mean I shouldn't try to find some happiness," Bryce snapped.

"Yeah, you're right," Luke conceded.

Bryce wondered about Luke's attitude. After one night together, Luke had been quite clear that he didn't want anything long term... Painfully clear.

"Anyway, I thought you'd be happy I'm quitting smoking. You've been complaining about it for years," Bryce pointed out.

Luke opened his mouth and then closed it again as if reconsidering his words. "I guess I never thought you'd quit over some guy."