2 Stupid Move, Wren

 

Deputy Wren Gramble clenched his hands around the steering wheel of his Jeep until his knuckles turned white. He’d signed out ten minutes ago and was headed home to his apartment across town. Two years there or not, being the new guy sucked, he always got the shit assignments and shifts. Although he couldn’t complain too much about staking out a gay bar in the middle of nowhere. The scenery was damn nice.

Everyone complained, and the barely veiled homophobic comments couldn’t be missed. It wasn’t everyone, and he liked some of the guys he worked with, but sometimes he wanted to knock the fuck out of them. He’d already been transferred from his last job for his problem with authority. Power was the end of the line. Eight years in law enforcement and he was about to have to look for a new line of work.

He pulled off in front of a diner deciding he wanted breakfast before he crawled into bed. Several motorcycles were lined up outside. He recognized one of them, the sexy Hunter Black. The man he’d pulled over in the wee hours of the morning. Okay, he’d been a bit of a stalker the last six months. He’d noticed him one night, Hunter the last one to leave and had set on his bike tapping out some message on his phone. The man was frowning, and he’d wanted to rid the man of the sadness—he didn’t know why he found the man so irresistible.

Wren got out of his vehicle and jogged up to the door and pulled it open. He was in a hurry to catch sight of Hunter during the day. He had only ever seen Hunter in the shadows.

“Dude, I didn’t piss him off.” A big man with dark skin scowled. “It’s your fault he won’t feed us.”

“I didn’t mean to drop his cake.” The familiar voice whined, and he caught sight of Hunter sitting at a table with familiar faces, they were all employees he’d seen at Brawlers.

“You never mean…” A huge blond he recognized as the guy who worked the door shook his head and tore into an overflowing plate of food. “My man wouldn’t even cook for me.”

“You could fuck up breathing.” A massive graying man scowled.

Wren growled at them ganging up on Hunter. The man’s head was lowered, and his long hair shielded his face as he picked at his own breakfast.

“This is loving on my husband time and what am I doing? Sitting here with you bastards,” the blond huffed.

“I think Twitch’s ass could use a break. What would this be round three for the day,” Hunter asked.

Wren almost laughed as he took a seat at the counter closest to their table.

“You have seen my husband, right?”

“Didn’t you tell me you’d burn out my eyes with Bull’s welding torch if I looked at him,” Hunter asked.

“True.” a brutal smirk tilted the blond’s mouth proved he’d go through with it.

Wren had witnessed the viciousness of these men over the few years he’d been assigned to watch the bar. They didn’t take any prisoners.

“How Twitch puts up with you amazes me,” the dark-skinned man quipped with a snort.

“My boy loves everything I do to him.”

“Yeah, we’ve heard enough of it over the last year and a half. Gregory’s stocked the nightstand with a year’s supply of earplugs.”

“Hey, I don’t want to hear it, you two ain’t any better. I hear him yell Daddy one more fucking time, I’m going to shove screwdrivers into my ears to bust my eardrums. That’s fucking disturbing.”

“Hey, Wren, what can I get ya?” Heidi, the normal morning waitress, asked him with a smile.

“Coffee and my usual please.”

“Sure, honey, ignore that crew, they’re pissed Twitch is refusing to cook for them.”

“Twitch?”

A picture of a short brunet man who leaned a bit toward the androgynous side flashed in his head. Beautiful and delicate, and he always saw the man plastered to the blond’s side.

“Crave’s husband. Hunter dropped a cake that Twitch was making as a sort of audition for a part time job for Ben, Psycho’s husband, at the man’s bakery.”

She talked about husbands like it wasn’t a big thing. He tended to forget that the good people in town outnumbered the bigots. It was one of the reasons he’d started to love living there.

Her smile was filled with fondness as she glanced at the table filled with the huge, mean looking men.

“They’re like big babies.” She raised her voice.

“Hey,” four gruff voices said in unison.

“Don’t hey me, at least once a week y’all are up in here bitching about those men of yours. You just better be grateful y’all got men.”

He turned to glance over his shoulder to find Hunter watching him. Eyes so pale blue you could barely distinguish between the whites and the irises stared into his. His smile turned to a frown as the man looked away finding his almost full plate fascinating.

“You’re the new deputy, right,” Crave asked.

“Not so new, been around a few years.” He stood to turn and extend his hand.

“Huh, didn’t think you were stuck on Brawler duty that long.”

“I’ve been posted out at Brawlers about the last year.”

He shook each man’s hand as they introduced themselves, except for Hunter who didn’t reach out to shake. Hunter almost seemed to be avoiding touching him. He didn’t understand why that hurt as much as it did. It wasn’t like he knew Hunter, but he kind of wanted the man to like him.

“Thanks for not being a dick like the rest. They take every opportunity to bust our balls.” Psycho finished his plate and pushed it away.

“It’s not a bad gig. Boring most nights.”

“Join us.” Bull’s voice held authority.

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“Sit your ass down unless you don’t want to be associated,” Bull asked with a raised, thick gray brow.

Wren took the seat Psycho kicked out, and Heidi set his coffee and plate in front of him. He realized instead of at the end of the table Psycho chose the one right next to Hunter. He looked at Psycho to find the man smiling at him. Not really smiling, it was more of a grimace, but probably as good as it got. The man didn’t have laugh lines beside his dark eyes.

“Eavesdropping on the pathetic married men, Deputy,” Psycho asked.

“Y’all ain’t the quietest bunch.”

“Can’t deny that, except for our Hunter here. Not much of a talker.” Bull smiled at the man.

These men gave each other shit as a pastime activity. He still didn’t like Hunter being the focus of it though. Wren was being stupid. Clearly, the man wasn’t interested.

“Why haven’t you come in for a drink yet? You probably get the shit hours, but they can’t work you seven days a week?” Bull waved at Heidi to get her attention.

“I’ll be right there, everyone need a refill?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Wren started eating as the conversation continued around him. Did these people not know what polite conversation was or inside voices? He nearly choked on his food several times.

“Best not to eat when this crew or the Twirled one are together,” A soft, slightly raspy voice came from his right.

He turned his head to see Hunter smiling at him through a curtain of dark hair. Wren glanced at Hunter’s plate to see it untouched.

“I learned my lesson when I nearly choked to death,” Hunter’s voice was serious.

“That bad huh?”

“Sometimes.”

“Do you want to move to another table?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know, maybe talk?”

“Okay.”

The guy was nervous as hell, and he didn’t know why. Hunter stood and slung the strap of his backpack over his shoulder, then picked up his plate and mug. Wren grabbed his own and followed Hunter to a table in the far corner. Hunter’s steps were slow and careful, then even slower until he set everything down.

“You seem a bit shy or is it just me,” Wren asked with a smile.

“You.”

The blunt answer took Wren by surprise.

“Don’t like cops?”

“Not exactly fans of me or the crew.”

“True, they seem to think y’all are pains in the ass.”

“Among other things.”

“Do you work every night?”

“No, my usual days off are Wednesday and Thursday, weekends are all hands-on deck.”

“Want to get dinner maybe Wednesday?”

He didn’t know where the offer of a date came from, but he didn’t regret it.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, where do you want to meet? Somewhere out of town?”

“No, give me your phone.” Wren held out his hand, and after unlocking it, Hunter handed it over. “I’m going to put my number in, and you can call me later, then we can decide when I should pick you up.”

He entered his info and saved it, he called his own phone so he’d have Hunter’s number just in case the shy man had second thoughts. Which if the nervous shifting of his food around the plate and the quick peeks were any indication, he was in for a challenge. Good damn thing he was stubborn.

“Finish eating, Hunter.”

Hunter nodded and started eating. Wren slid the phone across the table and took the opportunity to study the man. To be honest, he’d pulled the man over on purpose that morning. He could’ve found some excuse, but Hunter swerving gave him the perfect one. It was a stupid move, now Hunter feared him.

Maybe a date without him in uniform would ease Hunter’s fears. Wren hoped because he sure as hell was getting some time alone with the handsome and quiet Hunter.

“Matty, I said no, don’t even think about it,” A deep, frustrated voice drew Wren’s attention.

He turned his head to look back over his shoulder to find a muscular man trailing after the cutest little redhead. The kid’s chunky legs moving faster than his upper body. The kid, Matty, made grabby hands and headed straight for Heidi. She held out a cookie.

“Heidi, don’t fucking think…shit.” The stranger dropped his broad, scruffy jaw to his chest and sighed. “You know he’s spending the night with me, right?”

“Yes, Priest was in earlier, and gave me all the information on Lucky and his romantic plans.”

“So, you just had to give the little former parasite sugar?”

“You know it.”

“Why do you hate me,” the masculine man whined.

“I don’t hate you, you’re one of my biggest customers. Speaking of that, what do you need?”

“I just need a coffee to go, Matty and I will be back for dinner. Right now, I was going to take him to the office with me so I could finish this week’s security assignments.”

“Buck up, Linus, it’s not that bad. A little sugar never hurt anybody.”

“Um, have we forgotten a certain pretty brunet?”

“Don’t call my husband pretty,” Crave yelled.

“Ease up, Crave, you know that man doesn’t have eyes for anyone but you. As much as I hate to quote my brother, you didn’t have to Golden Shower…”

Wren snorted, and narrowed eyes turned toward him.

“Matty, come here, don’t make me get the leash.”

Wren swore the little boy rolled his eyes.

Linus turned toward him and started for the table, while Matty headed in the opposite direction. Wren didn’t look away until Matty had crawled into Bull’s lap and leaned back, gnawed on his cookie.

“Hey, Hunter, new friend,” Linus asked suspiciously.

“Hi, Linus, this is Wren, Wren, this is Lucky’s—”

Linus grunted.

“Lucky’s not that bad.”

“Says the gorgeous man who didn’t grow up with him.”

Wren darted his gaze between them, he didn’t miss the interest in Linus’ eyes.

“I’m not…”

“Shut up, what’s the rule?”

Hunter rolled his eyes. “The Trentons, unfortunately, can’t tell a lie, so shut up and take a fucking compliment.”

“Exactly.”

Strange eyes that were an odd swirling of bright blue and a dark forest green met his, and he suddenly wanted to shift uncomfortably in his seat.

“Linus, you’re the newest criminal of the Powers Sheriff Department,” The man, Linus, said.

“I think the title is Deputy.”

“Naw, corruption runs deep among the criminals behind their badges.”

“Not a fan of law enforcement?”

“Don’t let him fool you, Wren, he used to wear a badge.”

“Briefly, before I realized I’m not much on rules, and Internal Affairs liked to bust my balls.”

“Substantiated claims?”

“Not really, they didn’t like the company I kept, in particular, my mother.”

“Lily is just a free spirit.”

“She’s a menace.”

Hunter chuckled, and Wren turned to take in his bright, humor-filled eyes. Okay, he thought he’s feeling jealousy for the first time. Which was stupid, these men seemed to be friends, maybe just friends on Hunter’s side but not Linus’.

“What’s your latest blanket?”

“Tits.”

Hunter barked out a loud laugh.

Wren stared at Linus. He was lost in the face of an apparent inside joke.

“He doesn’t get the reference, care to enlighten him, Hunter?”

“Linus plus blankets equals…”

“Oh shit, no.”

Who the hell would do that to their child? It opened the kid up to a lifetime of jokes.

“My parents and siblings take great pleasure in my birthday and Christmas blankets, each one more inappropriate than the last.”

“The less risqué ones he passes out to the homeless every year.”

“What about the risqué ones?”

“Hunter gets them.”

“Why?”

“He’s always cold at night.”

The man said it like Wren was a moron.

“I don’t want the tits one.”

“Didn’t think you would, it’s in my guest room closet with the rest of the ones you wouldn’t take.”

“If you don’t want them, why don’t you throw them away?”

“My family is all shades of fucked up, but they’re family. Hunter,” Linus’ voice carried an odd tone.

“No.”

“Come on, baby, my mother loves you. Don’t make me say please.”

“Oh, I know how painful to your blackened soul politeness is but the answer is still no. Last camping trip, I don’t know how I ended up sandwiched between Damon and Lily.”

“You were shivering.”

“No excuses, your dad poking me was very…awkward.”

“Fine, make me spend three days in the middle of bumfuck nowhere with the screamers while we commune with nature and align our Chakras and chant.”

“You’ll have fun.”

“Whatever you say, now, have you seen Trouble?”

“Give it to me.”

He watched as Hunter held out his hand and a small black bag was placed on his palm.

“You got the pliers?”

“Yep.”

Wren narrowed his eyes as he took in the scene in front of him.

“If you’d leave the damn things in…”

Linus cut Crave off with an absently thrown middle finger.

“If Matty starts doing that, I’m going to kick your—”

“Keep cussing, old man, see who gets in trouble first.”

He slumped back in his chair as Linus sat down, his thick thighs bracketed Hunter’s as the man fumbled with the bag.

“You sure you want me to do this?”

“Quit, you’re fine. You’re not a fuck up. You’re just…clumsy.”

Hunter sighed loudly, and Wren took it all in. Hunter carefully replaced eyebrow, lip, and septum rings. He didn’t fail to notice Linus had his hands on Hunter’s thighs and was stroking them with his thumbs. Hunter seemed calm and focused. Maybe dating Hunter wasn’t such a good idea. It seemed he already had a man interested in him and they had history. Linus didn’t have the badge that made Hunter so nervous.

“Wren asked me to dinner,” Hunter spoke quietly.

“He did, you’ll have fun.”

Hunter might be oblivious, but he wasn’t, Linus didn’t like the mention of a date. The man was gorgeous and sexy, he had that asshole personality some men liked. It wasn’t his thing, but he couldn’t deny it turned him on a bit. He grimaced at the thought, he had only moments ago asked Hunter out, now he was checking out the man who appeared to be his competition.

“All done. Now, leave them in.”

“I got an operation in a couple of days, so I needed to blend, after that they’re gone.”

“Only to have to hunt someone down to put them back in the next time. Vest.”

“It was a flesh wound, you made too much of a deal about it.”

“Whatever.”

“Yeah, whatever. I got to get moving. A new client needs twenty-four seven, and I’m short on bodies.”

“Hire more people.”

“I’ll try.”

“You always say you’ll try and what happens?”

“Don’t start, Hunter, we talked about this.”

“I’m not fighting with you. I won’t come to the hospital next time.”

“You’ll be there.”

Hunter looked down at his lap, and his hair fell to conceal his face, Linus raised his hands and tucked it behind the man’s ears. Linus bent until the man could stare into Hunter’s eyes.

“Don’t worry so much. Have fun, don’t worry about tomorrow, okay?”

Firm, full lips brushed Hunter’s forehead. The caress innocent enough in appearance, but there was also an intimacy to it. A familiarity and he wondered how many times Linus kissed Hunter—touched him. He shook his head and pushed the thoughts away. The only thing they brought him was a sense of hesitancy that hadn’t been there before Linus walked through the door of the diner.

“Okay.”

One minute, Linus was there and the next he was gone. Did Hunter not see that Linus was head over heels for him?

Hunter turned back to the table and picked at his food.

“I better get going myself.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll call you about that date or text me with a time you’re free.”

“It was nice seeing you again, Wren.”

“You too.”

He didn’t know why he was being so short with the man, he wanted Hunter, but it looked like someone else did too. He was too tired to analyze it. If Hunter called, he called. He said his goodbyes and paid his check. He headed toward the exit without looking back. Why did it feel like he was walking away from the one person he’d been searching for?