The Reunion Page 10

  “Oh, you do, but I don’t think we can defrost the steaks in time to eat them tonight.”

  “Thank God. You shouldn’t be hungry, anyway. We just ate supper.”

  “Over an hour ago, and we walked forever afterward.”

  “Do you want to go curl up and nap with Argyle?” Neil asked, teasing him.

  “I think I’ll pass, thanks.” Kev filled bowls with ice cream while Neil poured coffee and they went into the living room to have their dessert. “Someday we’ll be doing this in our own place,” he said. “Maybe sooner than later, now that I seem to have moved down on the detective’s suspect list.”

  Neil liked that he was planning ahead. Sure, it’s only been a little over a week since we’ve become a couple, but we’ve known each other for much longer than that. Hell, we could have become roommates if we’d wanted to. We were good enough friends it would have worked. Or maybe not for him, all things considered. Impulsively he hugged Kev.

  “What was that for?” Kev asked.

  “You’re here, we’re more than friends now, you’re very special, and, well, just because.”

  Kev smiled, hugging him back. “I can’t argue with that.”

  “If we do get a house,” Neil said after taking a couple of bites of his ice cream, “we’ll need to make sure it’s got a fence around the back yard.”

  “So Miss Argyle can have a safe place to play?”

  “Yes. And…” Neil grinned, “That way we can sunbathe in the raw.”

  Laughing, Kev replied, “It had better be a real tall fence.”

  “Of course. We can have a garden, too, and some fruit trees.”

  “Only if they came with the house,” Kev pointed out. “Otherwise we’ll doddering old men by the time they actually produced fruit.”

  “True.” Neil finished his ice cream and put the bowl down before resting his head on Kev’s shoulder. He sighed happily when Kev put his arm around him. “This is the way it’s going to be from now on, isn’t it?”

  “If I have anything to say about it.” Kev tipped Neil’s chin up to kiss him. The kiss deepened and Neil was sorely tempted to take things farther. He didn’t, though. He has to decide when he thinks he’s ready and that won’t happen until he knows he’s safe because Zeke’s killer has been arrested.

  “If you didn’t have to work in the morning…” Kev murmured against Neil’s lips.

  Neil’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you saying what I think you are?”

  Kev nodded. “I was being stupid, or scared that we’d do it and it would be the first and last time. I was wrong. I want to know what our making love will be like. I have the feeling it will be pretty damned fantastic.”

  “I know it will.” Neil leaned back in Kev’s arms, looking at him. “I don’t have to be at work at the crack of dawn, you know.”

  “True, but if we wait until Friday then we’ll most of the day Saturday—” Kev winked, “—to recover.”

  Frustrated, but knowing he wasn’t likely to change Kev’s mind, Neil nodded. He wanted to strip Kev naked right that second, and after glancing at the bulge in Kev’s jeans he had the feeling Kev was of the same mind—but too stubborn back down on what he’d just said. “You’re not making this easy.”

  “I’m being practical.”

  Neil snorted. “Is that what you call it?”

  Rather than answer his question, Kev kissed him softly. “I’ll make dinner first.”

  “Something that can be reheated. We might not get a chance to eat it until much later if I have my way.”

  Kev grinned. “You’ll walk in the door and drag me straight to bed?”

  “Well, I might kiss you first, but yeah.”

  Hugging him, Kev said, “I think Friday is going to be a memorable night.”

  “That, my love, is the idea.”

  “Your love?” Kev started to pull away.

  Neil cupped Kev’s face with his hands. “Maybe it’s too soon to say it. It probably is, considering it’s been such a short time since we even admitted we wanted to have a relationship. That said, I think, no, I know I’ve fallen in love with you. Not on the rebound, I promise. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt this way and known for sure it was the real thing, not infatuation.”

  Kev sighed deeply. “Thank God. I’ve loved you for way too long, never expecting anything would come of it. Before you say it, yes I was stupid for not opening up to you. I’ve admitted it more than once. If I’d thought you’d have reciprocated, I would have told you everything ages ago.”

  “Now you know.” Neil gazed at him, smiling slowly. “Good things come to those who wait. Isn’t that what they say? Well, you waited and now…” He kissed him, putting his whole heart into it. Kev returned it as given, with love.

  When they finally parted, Kev said, “We’re still not going to do more than this until Friday.”

  “I was afraid of that,” Neil replied, laughing. “So you’d better get out of here before I do whatever it takes to make you change your mind.”

  “I’m a stubborn man. That wouldn’t happen.”

  “Don’t I know it.”

  Neil walked him to the door, they kissed goodnight, and Kev left.

  Now I have to survive and stay sane for the next few days and pray that Detective Payne can prove Jan killed Zeke and arrests her.

  Chapter 9

  “Mr. Deering?”

  “Yes,” Kev replied cautiously. He knew it was Detective Payne because of the Caller ID.

  “I thought you might like to know that we’ve arrested Mr. Hale’s killer.”

  “Thank God! Who was it and why hasn’t it been on the news?” He knew it hadn’t been because he’d watched it while eating breakfast.

  “The arrest happened late last night, in Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Monroe has already lawyered up and his attorney is fighting extradition.”

  “Mr. Monroe? Like Tyler Monroe?” Kev asked, feeling bemused to say the least.

  “Yes. If you recall the woman you told us about who was in the hallway.”

  “I do. Teal dress, dark hair.”

  “Yes. She came forward yesterday afternoon to tell us about something she saw Saturday night. It seems that she was waiting for her friend to finish in the ladies’ room when a man dressing in coveralls came into the hallway via the back door. She says she thought he was a janitor, since the coveralls had the college logo on the pocket, so she didn’t think anything of it. Then—” Payne paused and Kev could imagine him shaking his head in disgust, “—over a week later, she begins to wonder if he really was a janitor because, as she put it, he looked vaguely familiar.”

  “She couldn’t come up with his name?”

  “No. We did a photo lineup with pictures of Mr. Riley, Mr. Monroe, and several other men who had been at the dance, including you. She picked Mr. Monroe out immediately.”

  “Okay, but how can you prove he was the one who killed Zeke?”

  “Our crime scene people are experts. They lifted every finger print inside the room, including ones on the door handle, obviously.” Payne chuckled sourly. “Of course, given that every employee who works for the Student Union dining room goes in and out, that was quite a few. There were some that didn’t belong to any of them, including two partials on the door handle and a full one on the underside of a shelf. As soon as she told us what she’d seen and then identified Mr. Monroe, we asked the Richmond police to check if he’d ever been arrested there. He had, on two DUIs, so his prints were on file. As soon as we compared them and made the match, we asked them to pick him up.”

  “Whew. We didn’t even think Tyler was at the dance. At least we didn’t see him there.”

  “From the people have said that we’ve talked with, no one did, which means he must have planned ahead.”

  “Having the coveralls sort of confirms that. Did he say why he killed Zeke? Okay, probably not.”

  “No. He hasn’t said a word since he was arrested other than ‘This is Neil’s fault’, bef
ore he asked for a lawyer.”

  “Maybe he did want to take up again with Zeke and was shot down hard. Especially if Zeke made some comment like, I don’t know, Tyler wasn’t even a close second to Neil. Something like that,” Kev said.

  “That would be my presumption. Well, not about what was said between them, but that Mr. Hale made it clear he wasn’t interested. You’re correct, though; Neil must have been mentioned for Mr. Monroe to have said what he did. All right, I have other cases to take care of. I just thought I’d give you a heads-up that you’re no longer a suspect.”

  “Thank you.”

  The second they’d hung up, Kev was dialing Neil’s number. “They got him,” he said the moment Neil answered.

  “Got who? Wait, you mean whoever killed Zeke? But we thought, Detective Payne thought it was Jan, or maybe Greg. Is that who you mean?”

  “Nope. It was your replacement, Tyler.”

  “You have got to be shitting me. He wasn’t at the dance. At least not that anyone who knew him saw.”

  “He was there,” Kev replied. “The woman in teal saw him come in by the back door, dressed like a janitor.”

  “Well, damn. He must have planned the murder ahead of time. Then…how did he get Zeke to go into the storage room?”

  “My bet is, he said he was you. Payne and I think Zeke shot him down, maybe at the ice cream social, or who knows where. The only thing Tyler said when he was arrested was ‘This is Neil’s fault’.”

  “Mine?”

  “If we’re right, he wanted back in Zeke’s life. It’s the only thing that makes sense. If he saw you and Zeke talking Saturday afternoon, maybe he came on to Zeke after we left. Zeke, being Zeke, makes a fool of him for even thinking that could happen. Tyler is beyond upset, finds or steals a janitor’s uniform and takes it from there, probably pretending to be you to lure him into the storage room.”

  Neil sighed. “Zeke would have a lot to answer for, if he was still alive. Why didn’t I, any of us, see what he was like when we were in college?”

  “He was good at conning people.” Kev chuckled. “No wonder he became a lawyer.”

  “Ouch. Not sure I’ll class all lawyers as conmen.”

  “Well, maybe a third?”

  “Maybe.” Neil paused then said, “I’m glad they caught Tyler. Now you can breathe again.”

  “I plan on doing more than breathing, but not until tomorrow night.”

  “Then…we celebrate.”

  “You had better believe it!”

  * * * *

  “What’s this?” Neil asked late Friday afternoon when Kev appeared in his office with a bouquet of wildflowers.

  “Wooing you,” Kev replied seriously, handing them to him.

  “You don’t have to. You’ve already got me.” He sniffed them, smiling as he said, “No one’s ever done this for me.”

  “Good. I like being the first. Are you ready to leave?”

  “You bet.” Neil took time to kiss him before asking, “Your place or mine?”

  “Yours, so you can change into a suit and tie. We’re going out to dinner.”

  “We are?” Neil finally realized Kev was definitely dressed up, for him, in black slacks, a pale green shirt and a darker green and black striped tie. He figured Kev’s suit coat was in his car.

  “Yep. At first I thought about the fast food place down the block.” Kev grinned. “Then I decided fancier would be nice, so we’re going to Jackson’s.”

  “Kev! Damn. That place is where all the movers-and-shakers go. We’ll never get in.”

  “Oh, ye of little faith. I made reservations two days ago, so hustle or we’ll be late.”

  Neil hustled, which involved convincing Argyle to get moving as well. When they got to their cars he asked whose they were taking to the restaurant.

  “Mine, of course,” Kev replied. “Remember what I said, way back when? The asker always has to provide the transportation.”

  “Yeah, I do.” Neil smiled. “That was our first date, although it really wasn’t an actual date-date.”

  “Well, this one is. So go change, and don’t take all night deciding.”

  “Come up and help me choose and I won’t.”

  Kev debated, then nodded. “You have to behave, though.”

  “Well, hell.”

  “Before dinner, not after.” Kev patted his ass, they got into their cars, and a few minutes later were at Neil’s place. As soon as they were inside the apartment, Neil filled Argyle’s bowls, which kept her busy, and they went into his bedroom.

  “Which shirt?” Neil asked holding up two of them.

  “The blue shirt. It matches your eyes.”

  Neil shot him a look, because he was holding two blue ones, one pale, the other darker. “You’re no help,” he grumbled.

  Kev pointed to the darker shirt then began going through Neil’s small collection of ties, handing him one. In no time at all, Neil was ready to go. He stopped at the kitchen door to tell Argyle to behave. The look she gave him almost made his suggest they should bring her with them. He might have if restaurants allowed dogs. “We’ll be back in a couple of hours, I promise.”

  Kev chuckled. “I guess I know who’d place we’re ending up at.”

  “This is the first time she’s been alone since I got her. If I’m gone all night…”

  “I understand. In fact, I was figuring that’s what would happen.”

  “You’re sure you’re all right with it?”

  “You have to ask?”

  “I do. It’s part of being together. Making sure we’re both okay with something that involves the two of us.”

  Kev gave him a quick kiss. “I’m definitely down with that idea. I’m also getting hungry and we’re due at the restaurant in…” He checked the time. “Ten minutes.”

  Dinner was, in Neil’s words when he thanked Kev afterward, ‘spectacular and fantastic and…’. Kev laughed, saying, before Neil could come up with more adjectives, “I think you’re giddy from too much wine.”

  “Am not. I only had two glasses.” Neil took Kev’s hand as they walked back to the car. “I’m happy, because it’s a beautiful night and I have a wonderful man to share it with—all the way until morning.”

  Kev arched an eyebrow. “Only until morning?”

  “You know the answer to that.”

  “I do,” Kev replied softly.

  As they rode up in the elevator a few minutes later, suit jackets slung over their shoulders, Neil said. “I hope Argyle behaved.”

  “Of course she did. She’s probably sound asleep, dreaming of…whatever dogs dream about.”

  She wasn’t asleep, or if she had been the sound of the key in the lock woke her. She greeted Neil as if he’d been gone forever, dancing around him and Kev excitedly as they dropped their jackets on the sofa.

  Neil pointed to the floor and said, “Sit.”

  Much to their surprise, she did. That rated her a good scratching behind her ears by Kev, and a dog treat from Neil, which she devoured in two bites before prancing to the door with a backward look over her shoulder.

  “Okay. A quick walk,” Neil told her.

  “When we get a house we can put her in the yard, instead,” Kev said, patting her head while Neil attached the leash to her collar.

  The walk was quick, down to the corner and back, because the men had something more pressing on their minds. As soon as they were back in the apartment, Argyle got one of her toys, taking it to her blanket.

  “I think she knows,” Kev said as slid his arm around Neil, walking him toward the bedroom.

  “Dogs are smart that way. They can read emotions and ours are definitely out there.”

  Kev didn’t bother to reply. Shutting the bedroom door, he enfolded Neil in his arms, devouring his mouth in a hungry kiss.

  “Wow,” Neil exclaimed long moments later before instigating another equally as passionate one.

  Kev ended it when he stepped back enough to start unbuttoning Neil’s shirt.
“Damned tie,” he grumbled, loosening it enough to pull it over Neil’s head before going back to work on stripping Neil of his shirt as well.

  “My turn,” Neil said, pausing to kiss Kev again before getting him naked to the waist. “Very nice,” Neil murmured, running his hands over Kev’s chest. “But…”

  “Still more to go.” Kicking off his shoes, Kev made quick work of getting out of his slacks and briefs—as did Neil.

  “Very, very nice,” Neil said, eyeing Kev’s hard, erect cock. “Sit.” He pointed to the bed.

  Kev laughed as he did. “First Argyle, now me.”

  “Hey, it seems to work for both of you,” Neil replied with a grin as he got condoms and lube from the nightstand. Tearing the wrapper off one condom, he sheathed Kev’s cock then dropped to his knees, taking it slowly into his mouth.

  Kev hissed in a breath, tangling his hands in Neil’s hair. “You’re playing with fire.”

  Neil released him long enough to say, “You’re definitely hot, so…” and then went back to work.

  “One more suck and I’ll come,” Kev told him. “Then it’ll take a while before I can screw you.”

  Neil sat back on his heels, eyeing Kev. “I figured you were a top.”

  “Is that going to be a problem,” Kev asked with a worried frown.

  “Nope, not at all.”

  “Whew. Great.” Kev sprawled across the bed, holding out his arms.

  Neil went into them, gazing down at Kev. Leaning close, he kissed his eyelids, the tip of his nose, and then nibbled one earlobe, eliciting a gasped “That’s one of my…” from his lover.

  “Sweet spots?” He bit the other lobe lightly. “How about this?” He slid down to lick one of Kev’s nipples.

  “You are asking for it,” Kev growled. He rolled them, ending up on top of Neil, and set to work to find out what turned him on. Not that he wasn’t already, but some foreplay on Kev’s part was in order before they got down to the business of why they were there.

  Between heated kisses, they tormented each other until Kev called a halt, saying, “On your hands and knees. I need to be in you before I die of frustration.”

  “Can’t have that,” Neil said, giving him one more kiss then suggesting it would be easier if Kev moved—a logical request since Kev was lying on top of him.