Green got up and turned off the movie he and his date watched after he’d cooked them dinner. She raved over his salmon and was even polite enough to help him clean the dinner dishes. She did look beautiful tonight and Green loved that she didn’t over-dress. She wore a nice pair of form-fitting jeans and a white, silky blouse. They ate dessert together on the couch and she had no problems kicking off her tan boots and settling in. He had to admit that the woman was definitely someone he wouldn’t mind seeing regularly. She was smart and could easily hold his interest in a conversation. She had a Masters in Forensic Science and Green found himself enjoying her animated descriptions of how she viewed a crime scene. But his thoughts kept going to Ruxs. Something was off about him. His partner was running hot and cold. He’d had fun at the park with them today, then when he’d dropped him off at home it was like he couldn’t get away from him fast enough.

Now with the television off, there was only the light from the kitchen, just barely lighting his living room. She’d smoothly inched her way to him and Green’s body reacted. She smelled heavenly. He leaned in and she smiled a sly grin, meeting him halfway. He lightly cupped her small jaw, as she brushed her soft lips against his. The kisses were delicate and teasing until Green cupped the back of her silky mane and pulled her in harder. She grunted in surprise but quickly caught on, opening her mouth for him. She tasted of pie and butter pecan ice-cream.

“Mmm. You taste good.” He moaned.

She smiled against his mouth and easily maneuvered her body over his, straddling him. He was so glad she wasn’t one of those females that believed in ridiculous dating rules. Only sleeping with a man after their five-hundredth date. He slouched down further on the couch, holding her thin hips as she just barely ground her body into his groin. He growled into her mouth, making her jerk back in surprise. He got a firm grasp on her hips and thrust up into her. Damn. He needed this. It’d been months since he’d had sex. Her head fell back and he wasted no time licking a slow path up her neck, biting at her cute, dimpled chin. He held her close to him, her round breast pressing back into his chest. Her soft moans spurring him on. Just when he went for the first button of her blouse his front door burst open, slamming into the small table behind it. The glass bowl that held his keys fell to the floor shattering in a vast array of pieces.

“What the fuck?” he asked, more so to himself.

His date startled at the noise. He quickly flipped her but was careful not to throw her. He settled her on the couch and ran towards the front door. Green’s eyes bugged at the sight of his bloodied partner stumbling into the room, just barely remaining upright. He grabbed at Ruxs’ shoulders steadying him, looking into his heavy-lidded eyes.

“Mark! What happened to you?” Green yelled.

Ruxs looked up at him in surprise as if he was just registering whose house he’d barged into. Ruxs’ eyes were dilated, his speech slurred when he spoke. “Green you’re home. That’s good. I have to tell you something really important. I’ve been having —” Ruxs halted his garbled confession, his eyes going to the woman that was righting her clothes on the couch.

Ruxs yanked out of Green’s hold, frowning angrily at him. “I didn’t think you’d be here.” Ruxs shook his head, grimacing like he was in pain.

“What are you talking about? I live here. Why wouldn’t I be here?” Green stepped in closer to his partner. Ruxs turned, running into the large stair railing, trying to make his way back to the door. “Where are you going? Wait! Ruxs what the hell happened to you? Your head is bleeding, your cheek is bruised. Did you get drunk and get into a fight?”

“Go back to your date,” Ruxs snarled. “I’ll call my cab back.”

Green pulled on Ruxs’ coat. Trying to turn him back to face him. He pushed him up against the wall, but Ruxs was determined to get away. “Where did you just come from? Talk to me. What happened tonight?”

Ruxs didn’t answer. He kept scrambling to get out of his hold, but Green couldn’t let him leave like this. “Ruxs stop it. Just wait. Who did this to you? Answer me damnit!”

Ruxs stopped struggling and yelled in his face, “My fuckin’ mother!”

Reality hit Green like a sledgehammer to his chest. Oh my god. He needed to care for his partner, he needed him, needed him way more than his date did.

“There are you happy now? Now you know how fuckin’ pathetic I am. My dear old mother fucked me up when I arrested her drug-dealer who also happens to be her new boy-toy. But just before she could finish me off, the good guys showed up.” Ruxs’ voice was so dead of feeling; Green was scared he would do something crazy and permanent if he let him go.

“Chris. Is everything alright?” His date’s timid voice asked from just a few feet away. He still had his forearm across Ruxs’ chest. As soon as Ruxs looked up and saw her, he shoved his arm down and went for the door.

Green grabbed for him again and this time Ruxs’ physical protest was stronger than before. “Fuck. Ruxs don’t make me take your ass down. You’re not leaving.”

“Go back to her. That’s who you want!” Ruxs yelled in his face. “You don’t want me! Nobody fuckin’ does!”

Green felt like his heart was being squeezed by Ruxs’ large fist. He thought he actually got it now. He knew why his partner had flipped on him. He knew what had changed. Green threw his body against the front door, slamming it closed.

“Get out of my way, Green. Or I’ll move you.” Ruxs’ forehead was up against his and Green could only imagine what poor Cynthia was thinking. Two very big and heavily muscled men – one extremely drunk – vying to go toe-to-toe.

“I said you are not leaving.” Green hooked his arm on Ruxs’ shoulder moving him out of his way. “Cynthia. I’m sorry but I’m going to have to end our date now.” Green was careful not to say “postpone” or “we’ll get together again later.”

“No. I’ll go.” Ruxs grabbed Green’s wrist off his shoulder and twisted it hard, spinning Green around and pushing his chest against the front door. “Let me go. I don’t even know why I came here.”

Green heard his date gasp. “Oh my goodness. Chris do you need me to call someone?”

Green turned his head to the side, his cheek flush up against the cold metal door. He grinned and spoke in the calmest voice he could muster. “Cynthia it’s alright. We do this all the time. We’re just joking around. Honestly. Can you wait in the living room please?” Ruxs twisted and pulled his arm up higher. Green yelped then busted out laughing. As soon as he was able to contain the situation he was going to make Ruxs pay for this.

“Fuck you. You’re always laughing at me. I’m done with this shit. I’m leaving,” Ruxs said harshly. His speech was still slurred but the venom and pain behind his words were crystal clear.

With Cynthia gone back into his house, he could talk to his partner. “Don’t leave, Mark. I know you’re hurting. Just give me a minute. Let me walk her to her car, I’ll be right back. Let me take care of you,” Green whispered.

Ruxs panted his whisky-laced breath against the side of his face. “No. I know you want to be with her. I can smell her on you. Sorry I interrupted,” Ruxs said nastily, releasing his arm.

“Don’t go, Mark. Please.” Green tried to hold the door closed, but Ruxs yanked it open.

“Veto,” Green said softly, just loud enough for his partner to hear. “Stay. Stay with me.”

Ruxs stilled with his hand resting on the doorknob. Green watched him squeeze his eyes shut. Fighting against Green’s power.

“You heard me. Don’t you dare walk out that door. You can’t and you know it.” Green stood directly behind him. He put both hands on Ruxs’ broad shoulders. “Come on. Just wait upstairs for me.”

Green sighed with relief as soon as Ruxs slammed the door shut and turned back to face him. “Why should I stay?”

Green put his chest to his partner’s and leaned in close to him. Ruxs’ breath hitched and Green knew that he had it right. His partner had fallen for him. He whispered against the side of Ruxs’ mouth. “Stay because I told you to. Now go upstairs.” They stared at each other for a few tense moments before Ruxs finally turned and went up the metal stairs.

Green took a deep breath and turned to retrieve his date. Only she was standing right there, her cashmere coat draped over her arm. When he started to speak she put her hand up and shook her head, as if telling him there was no explanation needed.

“It’s perfectly okay. I understand.” She smiled sweetly.

Green pinched the bridge of his nose, walking over to her. “I’m so sorry. I really don’t know what to say.”

She put her petite palm on his cheek. “Go take care of him. He needs you.”

“Are you going to be okay? I can make sure you get home safely. He’s going to be out like a light in a few minutes.”

She rubbed her thumb along his beard stubble. “Hey, I’m a big girl. I know my way home. And besides, I’m packing a little hardware myself.” She winked, holding up her purse.

He grinned back at her. “You are going to make some lucky man very happy, Cynthia.”

“I know I am.” She smiled teasingly.

Damn. If he wasn’t crazy about his partner. He had a strong feeling that Cynthia could be the one. But his heart belonged to someone else. He put his hand on the small of her back and walked her down to her car. He took her keys, unlocked, and opened her door for her. She kissed him on his cheek and thanked him for a wonderful dinner.

“It was a lovely date, Chris. You just need to work on your closing.” She laughed at her own joke, closing her door and driving off.