Chapter Twenty-One

Kyler watched Andrew sleep. He knew it was creepy, and he didn't do it for some perverted reason. His worry was so thick he didn't know how not to hover. So he lay on his side, staring at Andrew just to make sure he was okay.

When Andrew had first come in, he'd looked so worn down. He could have fallen asleep standing up. Worse, he hadn't said much even when he had showered, and Kyler sat on the closed toilet lid, worried Andrew would somehow fall into the shower drain. He'd gone to bed in the afternoon and hadn't woke up even though it was late morning.

So yeah, Kyler fretted like a mother hen, and nothing would lift the weight of it except Andrew's reassurance. He wouldn't wake him, though.

Andrew lay on his back with his face turned in Kyler's direction.

When Kyler slid closer, Andrew wrapped his arm around Kyler's waist and pulled him into his side. Andrew kissed the top of his head.

"You smell good," Andrew mumbled.

Kyler chuckled. "I showered."

"Good call." Andrew turned to his side, facing Kyler, but didn't open his eyes or speak right away. When he did, it was after a yawn. "How long did I sleep? I feel like it's been a long time."

"Does that mean you feel rested?"

"Mmhmm. And I feel other things too." Andrew pressed his hard cock into Kyler's.

"I also feel that." Kyler kissed Andrew when he chuckled, not caring about morning breath. He didn't deepen the kiss enough for bad breath to be a big problem anyway. When he pulled away, he said, "Are you hungry? I can make eggs and potatoes. Not very good at much else, though."

"How about you make eggs and potatoes, and I make pancakes?"

"Deal." Kyler sat up, folding his legs. "Do you know how long it's been since I've had pancakes? My mom used to make them for me every weekend. Royce makes breakfast for dinner when I go to his house, but it's been a while since he's made pancakes."

"So, how did that relationship come about?"

"He caught me fighting with some kid behind the garage. I know. Not the most discreet spot, but I didn't pick it. The other kid did. I don't know if you're aware, but I have a big mouth that gets me in trouble."

Andrew chuckled. "I never had a clue."

"Anyway, Royce came out and ran everyone off, including me. He saw me walking home from school the next day and asked me why I didn't have a coat. When I wouldn't answer, he told me to get in his truck and drove me to my aunt's house. He asked her but didn't like her answer when she said she wasn't going to give my freeloading ass anything. After that, he took me to a store and a restaurant to eat. At the restaurant, he told me to come by the garage every day. I wasn't sure why at the time, but now I realize it was to make sure I had all I needed."

"How old were you?"

"Middle school age."

Andrew pushed the hair off Kyler's forehead. "I'm glad you have someone like Royce."

"Yeah, me too. What about you? What's your family like?"

"Big. Annoying. Mami's the heart. She keeps us together. She had a fit when I moved to Pickleville, but my sisters still live with her, so that takes some of the heat off."

Kyler couldn't keep the look of surprise off his face. "You lived with her until you moved here?"

"Yeah." Andrew narrowed his eyes.

Kyler grinned. "You're a momma's boy. That's so cute."

"I'm a hard-nosed cop, carino. Hard-nosed cops can't be Mami's boys."

"You're accent gets thicker when you're annoyed." Kyler chuckled.

"I'll show you thicker." Andrew moved so quickly it made Kyler's head spin.

Kyler was on his back with Andrew digging his fingers into his sides, making him roar with laughter before he knew what hit him. At some point, the tickling stopped, and Andrew held Kyler's hands above his head.

Andrew smiled right before he went in for a kiss. The kiss consisted of soft little pecks designed to drive Kyler to the edge of lust but not kill the mood with morning breath. They did their job well.

Their playfulness took a turn when Andrew moved the kisses off Kyler's mouth to his jawline and neck. Kyler tilted his head to give him more room. They moved against each other, rubbing their hard lengths together. It felt sensual, even with the clothing between them.

Andrew's phone rang where it sat on the nightstand. Instead of answering, he placed a wet kiss just under Kyler's jawline.

"Are you going to answer?" Kyler sounded breathless. Even to his own ears.

"It's my sister, Teresa," Andrew spoke while kissing his way to Kyler's chest.

"What if it's important?" Kyler closed his eyes when Andrew descended far enough to lick across Kyler's nipple. The sensation went straight to his dick. "Oh, God. Do that again."

"Like this?" Andrew did it again.

The phone stopped ringing.

Andrew moved farther down, kissing down the center of Kyler's chest. The anticipation revved him up.

Then the phone started again, deflating his lust-filled energy. Andrew stopped kissing, his forehead resting on Kyler's chest. "She's going to keep calling. She gets like this when she thinks something is important."

"Just answer it." Kyler chuckled at the way Andrew sounded so put out.

"She's been a pain in my ass my whole life. You answer." Andrew whined.

Kyler reached over, picking up the phone and pressing the talk button. "Hello."

"Did I call the wrong number?"

"You didn't if you're trying to reach Andrew."

"Oh, good. I thought I was going insane."

Kyler chuckled. "He's right here. Hang on."

"Wait. Who are you?"

"I'm Kyler. Andy's boyfriend." He knew heat rose to his cheeks.

Andrew lifted his head and met his gaze with raised eyebrows.

She must have held the phone away from her ear. He could still hear her say, "Oh my God, Andy has a boyfriend." She said something else in Spanish that Kyler didn't understand.

Andrew kissed him on the forehead as he moved off the bed. "I'll make breakfast, carino."

Kyler watched Andrew walk over to his dresser, pulling open the top drawer. "Hang on," he said into the phone. To Andrew, he said, "What are you looking for?"

Andrew's ass in his boxer briefs was perfection. "The pajama pants and T-shirt I left here."

"They're in the dirty laundry. Just wear some of mine." Kyler pointed to a drawer Andrew had just opened. "Pajamas are under the T-shirts."

Andrew pulled on a pair that was baby blue and had panda bears all over them. "Good thing we're close to the same size."

Kyler wanted to lick him all over. The sentiment was there even after he left the room. But then he remembered he was on the phone with Andrew's sister. "That's so sweet. He's making you food," she said to him. To the rest of the family, she said, "Andy likes him. He's making food and wearing his boyfriend's clothes, Mami."

Kyler chuckled. It was funny just knowing the very serious chief came from a family who got into his business. "Would you like to talk to him?"

"Oh, no. I was just calling to yell about not calling Mami. But now it doesn't matter. We'll be there in a few hours. Mami wants to meet you."

Oh shit. With Andrew stressing over the case, Kyler wasn't sure if he'd appreciate a visit from his family. And Kyler wasn't ready to meet anyone today, not with him worried about Andrew.

"Just a second, hon." The calmness of his voice did not reflect the rest of him. He put his hand over the phone and climbed out of bed. When he found Andrew in the kitchen, he practically threw the phone at him.

Andrew's brows drew together, and he put the phone to his ear. "What the hell did you say to him, Teresa?" A few seconds later, the scowl changed to a smile. "This weekend would be better…I'll call her later…She calls the station and we talk every other day…I can't help that she thinks every other day isn't enough, Teresa." The rest of the conversation was mostly in Spanish, with a few English words thrown in here and there.

Andrew winked, even as he spoke to Teresa.

Kyler hopped up onto the counter, right next to the bowl Andrew was currently using to mix pancake batter.

Andrew already had a pan on the stove—he turned up the heat and made a flipping motion with his hand at Kyler. Kyler understood that Andrew was asking where he kept a spatula.

Andrew made an affirmative noise into the phone, effectively having two conversations at the same time.

Kyler licked his lips and grinned right before he opened his legs to reveal the drawer below him. "Teresa, I have to go. Tell Mami I love her, and I'll see you this weekend." He said a couple more things in Spanish, then pressed the end call key and set the phone down beside Kyler's hip. "You're so sexy."

Andrew moved into the groove of Kyler's legs. He wrapped him up until they both meshed together.

"It turns me on when you speak Spanish."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Andrew leaned in and whispered something Kyler didn't understand. After he finished, he licked the side of Kyler's neck, just below his ear.

"What does that mean?"

"I said my family will love you as much as I do, so don't worry about meeting them. And I also said I want to lick maple syrup off your balls."

"Do you mean that?"

"Oh, yes. You are much tastier than pancakes."

"Not that. The other thing. You think they'll like me?"

Andrew pulled back and searched his eyes. His expression was the most serious Kyler had ever seen him. "What's not to love, carino?"

Kyler stole a kiss. "Speaking of family, Greg and Neil sing at TJs tonight. Wanna go watch?"

"As long as you promise to come home if I get called out."

"Deal. I wouldn't want to be there without you, anyway. Not today."

Andrew's eyebrows drew together. "Why? What's wrong?"

Kyler sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "I'm worried about you. You didn't sleep for way longer than a day, and then when you finally came home, I could tell you were struggling. I don't know what happened yesterday, but it got to you. I just want to stay close in case you need me. It's why I took the day off work."

Andrew buried his face in Kyler's neck. He stayed that way until the pan started smoking and had no choice but to save it.