Green watched Ruxs begrudgingly walk Sarah to her car after ordering him to wait for him by his truck. Ruxs’ shoulders slumped as he walked. His footsteps were heavy. Probably because his wallet was one hundred eighty dollars lighter.
Green sat in his dark cab and watched the two of them under the lights of the restaurant’s parking lot. Sarah turned and said something to his partner but Ruxs turned his head and looked up at the sky.
Uh oh. That’s not good. Green knew that mannerism. Ruxs was not happy and praying that God didn’t let him do something stupid.
She leaned into Ruxs and brought her hands up his ample chest. Green bristled in his seat. He admitted that the way he and Ruxs behaved did look like they were more than just partners on the force, but Ruxs was his best friend and he knew him the best. It happened when you worked so closely with someone and trusted them with your life every day. He chalked up the feeling he was having to simply not liking Sarah. She was bitchy and rude. What woman orders the most expensive shit on a menu just to be spiteful? Ruxs deserved better. He better not kiss her. He knew it’d been a while since either of them had had a date. A man could only use his right hand for so long before he craved some additional contact. Some warmth.
Ruxs took her hands from his chest. He leaned over to open her car door for her and she swooped in to steal a kiss. Since he was so much taller than her, her mouth ended up landing on the bottom of Ruxs’ jaw. Ruxs put a large hand on her shoulder and guided her into her car.
Green was still laughing when Ruxs clumsily climbed up into his truck. He fumbled getting his seat belt on. He was so angry and Green was sure that his laughing wasn’t helping.
“Alcohol only intensifies anger.” Green grinned, desperately trying to hold in another laughing fit. “Maybe you should’ve held off on that fifth shot of Jack, huh?”
“I had to do something, man. Drinking was the only way to keep me from cursing her ass out. And she had the nerve to ask if I wanted to go out next weekend. What the fuck?”
Green let it rip. He was half leaning over onto his partner, he was laughing so hard. “Jesus. Are you shitting me?”
“Hell no. Then she tried to kiss me. Her breath smelled like seafood and vodka.” Ruxs’ anger was waning and he was starting to smile, since Green was still practically laying in his lap laughing. “Get off me. Drive. I’m ready to go home.”
Green hit the gas and drove them home. To his place.
“Come on, man. Fuck, you’re fuckin’ heavy. Next time you want to go on a date with Sybil, leave me out of it.” Green huffed, while practically carrying Ruxs’ drunk ass up the stairs to his front door. He propped Ruxs on the rail beside him, holding one hand to his solid chest, and fumbling the keys with his other hand. Ruxs pushed his hand off his chest and draped his huge six-foot-two-inch frame over his back. They were exactly the same height and it put Ruxs’ mouth at the side of his neck. His breath was so damn hot, Green fumbled the keys again.
“Thank you for coming tonight. I know you didn’t want to, but I was happy to see you when you got there.” Ruxs’ voice was hoarse and slightly slurred. He seemed to be pressing Green into the door, making it impossible for him to get his key in the bolt lock.
Green laughed deep in his chest. “Yeah. That big ass hug you gave me kind off tipped me off that you were happy.” Green tried to push back but froze when he heard Ruxs take a long whiff right under his ear.
“Wow. You smell so good. What is that you’re wearing?” Ruxs held on tight to Green’s waist and buried his nose even deeper. Green tilted his head just a touch, wanting more of Ruxs’ lips so close to his sweet spot. What the hell am I doing? This is dangerous.
Green pushed hard, dislodging Ruxs from his back. He looked over his shoulder, and did a double-take at the clear look of lust shining in those light green eyes. Jesus Christ. He jammed the key into the lock and hurried inside. He let Ruxs stumble his way in on his own. Tossing the keys in the dish on the table, he moved further into the loft, flicking on the lights as he went. He was in the kitchen pulling out the carton of orange juice when he heard the light switch flick again, putting him back into darkness. The street lights shone through the large windows, casting shadows all over the place. He turned the carton up to his mouth, figuring that Ruxs had hit the light by habit and was already in his room, probably face down on his bed.
Green shoved the juice back in the fridge and closed the door. He turned around and ran into a brick wall. Ruxs’ chest. He was standing directly behind him, quieter than a mouse in a room full of cats.
“Fuck! Ruxs, what the hell are you doing?” Green barked. Looking directly into Ruxs’ heavy-lidded eyes.
Ruxs didn’t say a word. He didn’t smile. He didn’t laugh it off or say it was an accident. He just stared him down.
“What. Are. You. Doing?” Green said with more irritation in his voice.
Ruxs took a couple steps forward and Green instinctually moved back. The refrigerator was at his back and Ruxs’ arms slowly came up and caged him in. Their faces were only inches apart. Damn he was acting so weird. But Green was going to let him play out his little game so they could go to bed.
“Something on your mind,” Green said through clenched teeth.
“Actually, yeah.” Ruxs finally grinned and Green got the confirmation that it was just Ruxs being his usual asshole-ish self. “Why do you think so many men are gay?”
Green resisted the urge to put Ruxs on his ass. “Are you shittin’ me right now?”
“No. Really. I was just wondering that.”
“Oh. You were just wondering that?” Green gave him a bullshit look.
“Yeah. I mean we work around all these big motherfuckers that are head-over-heels in love with other men. God and Day. Syn and Furi. Ro and Johnson. All these badass men. Queer as a three-dollar bill. Highly respected.” Ruxs leaned in closer and whispered softly, “In fucking love. Why is that? What’s so great about it?”
Green gritted his teeth. “When you see God tomorrow, why don’t you ask him? I’m sure he’d love to give you the answer. Just make sure I’m there. I’d hate to miss that.”
“Why are you mocking me?” Ruxs growled low and Green stood up straighter.
“I’m not mocking you. But you’re being ridiculous and I’m tired. Now move.” Green knocked Ruxs’ hands down and shoved him back with his own chest. They were the same height, same build. Evenly matched. Ruxs dug his heels in and stopped them. Ruxs put his heavy hands on Green’s shoulders and begin to squeeze them. Green sighed heavily, wondering when this madness was going to be over.
“You’re so damn wound up. You want a massage?” Ruxs asked nonchalantly like he was offering Green a piece of gum.
Weirdly enough, massages were pretty common. Ruxs rubbed Green’s shoulders all the time. Sometimes he had to rub cramps out of Ruxs’ calves after they worked out. After a good sparring match, Ruxs usually ended up working the kinks out of Green’s lower back. But neither one of them were in any pain right now. Except Ruxs being an annoying pain in his ass. He was exhausted and they had to be to work early.
“No. I don’t want a damn massage, Ruxs. It’s after fuckin’ midnight, get your damn hands off me.” Green knocked those very talented hands off his shoulders and maneuvered around his partner. Thank God, this time Ruxs let him go.
He was half way up the stairs when he looked back and saw Ruxs still standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter. It was too dark to see his face or his eyes, but his body language spoke volumes. Green damn sure wasn’t going back down there to get him. Ruxs was being silly, he was drunk, and Green wasn’t going to entertain another minute of it. His partner was a big boy. He could make his own way upstairs and get in his bed and sleep it off.