Page 61 of Into the Fire

“Three of them were the same.”

“Yes, that’s my point.”

“A man died, Dante.”

“And the ones who kept going wrote this.” He gestured at the window. “Case closed.”

Then he started dancing.

He was still in his bare feet, and he danced the way a man flags an aircraft into a ramp spot, all arms and no shame.

“We don’t have—”

“It’s expression, Boone.”

He kept dancing, eyes half closed. I wanted him. “Fuck,” I mumbled. “Marty will have to deal.”

I walked into the living room. He saw me coming and didn’t stop dancing. I caught him with one arm and kissed him.

He was still moving when I did it. The laugh erupted against my mouth.

He tasted like that damn caramel creamer. I told him how awful it was, and he said, “Then stop sampling.” I didn’t stop.

I walked him down the hall. He came willingly, working my buttons as we went, and we managed the doorway better than the first time. The bed was still unmade.

His T-shirt came off over his head. I kissed the side of his neck, and he stopped talking.

“You’re smug like this,” he said.

“I can be. I’m thorough.”

“You’re—” I kissed the spot again, and he stopped arguing.

We got the rest of our clothes off. His cock was hard, and he pressed it against my hip. He shoved me down onto the bed and followed with all of his weight. His knees bracketed my thighs, and he smiled down at me as if the dance had never stopped.

“Like this?” he asked as he wrapped his fingers around my cock.

“Yeah.”

“Harder?”

“Please.”

He stroked faster, and my hips rose off the bed. The only sounds were my grunts and the speakers in the distance—“Regret.” I nearly laughed at the implication.

I rolled him over under me and worked my way down his chest and stomach before taking his cock into my mouth.

“Fuck.” He pushed his head back hard against the pillow. “That should carry a warning sign.”

I pulled off.

“No—don’t stop—”

I kept up the pace of my stroking, and Dante started laughing and swearing at the same time. He came howling “Bastard.”

I wiped my mouth on the inside of his thigh and slid back up to face him. He kissed me and wrapped his fist around my cock. It didn’t take long. It never did with him.

I settled beside him, breathing hard. We were happy.