Chapter 1

"You mean birthday boy? The one with the perpetual frown?"

Zach couldn't believe that Tom Sherwood—one of the firemen who played against him on Mesa's cop versus firefighter softball league—was suggesting he approach Daryl Richards to see if he might be interested in getting together on a date. The dude was known by all public servants as the crankiest man on the planet. Fire Marshal Daryl made curmudgeons seem jolly.

Zach, on the other hand, liked to have a good time. Share some laughs. Enjoy life. With that in mind, hooking up with Daryl didn't sound like such a great idea. Even if he only wanted to get laid, he didn't see the appeal. However, Zach's former, more carefree outlook on the dating scene wasn't what he sought anymore. One and done was no longer on his dance card.

"He's actually a really nice guy." Tom cleared his throat. "Once you get to know him."

Zach smirked at Tom. "Uh-huh. I'm sure he is. Except I'm not into those sadomasochistic types of relationships."

Tom frowned. "I don't think that's fair. He's been without anyone for a long time. I heard he really got his heart broken and hasn't been the same since."

"That's shocking."

"That he got his heart broken?"

"No. That he has one."

Tom crossed his arms with a scowl. "Fine. Be that way. But you're the one who sounds heartless right now."

Zach sighed and bent down to pluck a soda from the cooler that Tom and his partner, Eric, had brought to the park. He straightened, then popped the can open and took a noisy sip of the cola. The sounds of kids playing, the happy laughter of families and the sizzle of barbeques surrounded him. The October day was warm, and a slight breeze blew the leaves around, keeping the tablecloths fluttering. Cover from the trees in the section of the park they were in made the ever-present Arizona heat tolerable. What right did he have to complain?

"Okay."

Tom had also helped himself to a soda. "Okay what?"

"I'll…go talk to him."

Tom shrugged. "Whatever. At the last softball game, you were bitching because you said that trying to find someone to get serious about is next to impossible."

Zach snorted. "Yeah, get serious about. Not someone who was serious."

Tom rolled his eyes and popped the tab on his drink. Zach wasn't trying to be a dick about the whole thing, but when Tom had said he knew the perfect guy for him, Zach had gotten his hopes up. He couldn't imagine being in a long-term relationship with someone who looked like he wanted to spit on him every time he was near. Zach didn't take it personally. Daryl looked at everyone like that.

It really was too bad in other ways because Daryl was one fine male specimen. The guy was a little rough around the edges, which only made him hotter. His nose had obviously been on the receiving end of someone's fist at one point in his life and there was a small stripe of missing hair at the edge of an eyebrow that was likely from a cut. His cheekbones were defined, chin strong and his honey brown eyes were set deep in his face.

Daryl also sported a scruffy moustache and close-trimmed beard which was the same chestnut brown as his hair and also accented with streaks of gray. Of course, that just happened to be another tick on Zach's hottie checklist. Not to mention that Daryl's hair was the perfect length for him to hold onto for cock-swallowing purposes.

Damn.

He hadn't even had a chance to dwell on Daryl's well-built body yet, and already he was about to make an ass of himself by getting a chubby at the combination softball and birthday barbeque.

"There you are, Tom."

Speaking of well-built men.

Eric Anderson—Tom's boyfriend and West Mesa's Fire Chief—approached Tom and casually draped his arm on his hip. He leaned over and whispered something in Tom's ear, and the young firefighter laughed. They looked so happy together, so unconcerned about what others may think.

Zach couldn't deny his envy.

Everyone knew of Tom and Eric's relationship—it had been plastered all over the news the previous year when they'd been outed during an arson investigation. But Tom and Eric hadn't let the decision to come out as a couple being ripped from their hands to lessen their bond. Zach was glad. He lived openly as well, even when it had been difficult for him at the police precinct when he was first starting out.

"Isn't there someone you need to go talk to?"

Zach shook his head in resignation. "I can see you're not going to let this go."

Eric appeared confused. "Talk to who?"

Tom lowered his eyes as he shifted from foot to foot. "No one."

Zach scrunched his eyebrows together. "No one? I thought he was going to be the fucking love of my life?"

Eric sputtered out a laugh. "Oh, now I gotta know."

"Tom wants me to put the make on Daryl over there. Mr. Happy Birthday Boy."

Eric bent over laughing, slapping his knee. He straightened, wiping a finger under one eye. "Oh, my God. You're killing me." He turned to Tom. "Babe, what on earth made you think Zach should get together with Daryl of all people?"

Tom slammed his fists on his hips. "You're both asses. Just because a guy's not laughing it up all the time doesn't mean he might not be a good prospect."

"Yeah, a good prospect at ripping my dick off," Zach muttered.

"Fine. Screw you both."

"Ah, babe, c'mere. I'm sorry."

Eric grabbed Tom by the waist and tugged him closer, chuckling. Tom playfully pushed him away then seemed to forgive Eric as he leaned against him, the hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Zach thought of Tom and Eric as two of his closest friends, but sometimes he wanted to punch them. They were so damn cute and cuddly all the time.

Jealousy sucks.

He sighed, deciding he might as well get it over with. After downing the rest of his soda, he tossed the can into the recycling bin then wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Okay, cover me. I'm going in."

Eric grasped his shoulder and squeezed, an overly grave expression on his face. "Should it all fall apart, I'll be sure to notify your next of kin."

Zach snorted and Tom pressed his lips together, frowning. No doubt, Eric would be at the receiving end of more ire from his partner. Zach nodded and clasped his hands as if in prayer, shaking them at Tom and Eric. Eric laughed and Tom glared.

Daryl stood by the table that held the party food located near the softball diamond. There was a second game going that had started after the cake had been brought out and Daryl had been serenaded by everyone. Or rather, Daryl had tolerated being serenaded.

I wonder if it's like what my mom used to say when I would cross my eyes. Maybe Daryl's face really will stay like that if he keeps on frowning.

Fortunately, there was no one else around. The stragglers who hadn't left the party already were either watching the game or playing in it. Zach had planned on leaving as well, but Tom had thwarted his exit by suggesting he approach Daryl. It would just be the two of them.

Awesome.

Zach sighed. Right as he was about to reach where Daryl stood, he was reminded of how hardcore sexy the fire marshal was. He wasn't sure how old Daryl might be, but he guessed the guy probably had at least a decade on Zach's thirty. Not that it mattered one way or the other. As soon as he checked Daryl off his list as a romantic prospect, he'd go sign up for an online dating service.

Arriving at the picnic table, he experienced a moment of awkwardness where he felt as though he had no idea how to start a conversation. Typically, he was a laid-back, social kind of guy, so it unnerved him a bit. Zach cleared his throat. Daryl turned his head slowly, regarded him, then turned back to the game, a can of soda in his hand.

"This cake any good?"

Cake. That's brilliant.

Daryl shrugged, not even bothering to glance his way. He took a swig of his soda.

Zach pursed his lips. "So that means what exactly? It was okay? You've had better? You don't give a shit?"

Daryl whipped his head around, angling his body towards Zach.

"The last one."

A snort of laughter burst out of Zach. His reaction seemed to garner some interest from Cranky Pants. Daryl looked him up and down so quickly that if Zach hadn't been paying such good attention, he would have missed it. Daryl also had the slightest curl at the corner of one side of his mouth.

"Yeah. I guess this whole birthday thing caught you off guard, huh?"

"I don't get caught off guard."

Zach resisted the urge to frown. And possibly throw cake at him.

"So, you showed up anyway to prove to everyone you aren't frightened of birthday celebrations?"

Daryl faced Zach. He made a sound that Zach could almost interpret as a chuckle. Either that or he was in pain—it was hard to say.

"Zach, right?"

"Yeah. Daryl, right?"

"Well, we know each other's names. Why aren't you playing today?"

"Oh, I fucked up my shoulder last week chasing a suspect. Asshole ran off with the cuffs on, and when I tackled him I hit the ground the wrong way. It'll be all right. I just need to take it easy for a couple weeks."

"Too bad. You've got the best pitching arm between the two teams." Daryl kept his gaze trained on Zach.

Not sure. Could be flirting.

"I'm resilient. I'll be throwing balls again in no time." Zach had to work extra hard to keep a straight face.

Daryl tipped his soda back and finished it off, while continuing to stare at Zach. He set the can down on the table, then crossed his arms in front of him.

"Good to hear." He glanced in the direction of Tom and Eric. "But I doubt you came all the way over here to ask me about cake. I saw you speaking with Tom."

Zach coughed a little. "What's Tom got to do with anything?"

"You tell me. All I know is that he's always on me about going out with this guy or that guy."

Zach arched his eyebrows. "How devastating. I thought I was the only one Tom was willing to sacrifice to the dating gods. So much for feeling special."

"Oh, I'm sure you're special enough."

Daryl quickly glanced away, rubbing the back of his neck and acting as if he had suddenly become immersed in the game again. Except for the part where they were between innings and no one was playing. He sighed then turned back to Zach.

Zach forced himself to conjure up a reasonable facsimile of a smile. "Good to hear. I guess sometimes Tom gets a little insistent, but he means well."

Daryl grunted. "Just because he's a walking advertisement for a gay Hallmark card, doesn't mean he has to torture the rest of us with it."

Zach's jaw dropped. "Whoa, wait a minute. Where'd that come from? You know, Tom's a nice guy. He's only trying to help."

"Yeah, well I don't need anyone's help."

Zach couldn't hold back his irritation. "What's your problem, huh? This wasn't supposed to be a big deal. I came over to say hi, see if we might like to hang out sometime. So what if Tom gave me a little push? It's all good."

Daryl averted his gaze. "Whatever. He acts like I'm supposed to go along with every suggestion he makes. I'm an adult. If I decide I like a guy enough to chance being treated like shit again, then I'll go after him myself."

Zach marveled at his ability to keep from throwing all the cake at Daryl. "Wow. You are one hostile asshole. You're right. You don't need anyone's help. It's obvious you can alienate people all by yourself."

There had been one millisecond where Zach thought a little spark of something had passed between them. Then Daryl had taken whatever that was, smashed it on the ground then pissed all over it. Zach didn't wait for any response from the dickhead, he simply marched off. He was so infuriated by the whole exchange he considered forgetting about dating for a while. Possibly for ten or twenty years.

Deciding he'd had more than enough of the park for the day, he went to say his goodbyes to Tom and Eric. It was likely they could tell from his expression that the dating mission had failed.

Tom winced as Zach approached. "Well?"

Zach shook his head grimly then regarded Eric. "Call my next of kin and tell them there's nothing left to bury."