Chapter Thirteen

T he setting sun bathed the vineyard and the rolling hills and mountains beyond it in a golden light that stole Keegan's breath. "Utter perfection," he whispered.

But he'd been thinking that a lot over the past month, existing in a blissful dreamlike state. Keegan finally understood what it felt like to flourish professionally and personally. Debbie had taken him under her wing and taught him so much about what hospitality means in the restaurant industry. Cash had included him in the process of choosing an architect and scouting potential locations. His mentor listened and encouraged his ideas. Keegan no longer felt like an aimless extra on the ranch who just filled in wherever the crew needed a body. He had a purpose and a future that made him proud.

And the universe was finally easing up on Kerry. Chuck the Fuck hadn't made a nuisance of himself since the night of the semitruck accident on the bridge. As for the lawsuit, Vinny told Kerry not to worry about it, so Kerry didn't. The deposition was coming up on Monday, and Vinny expected Bozeman to drop the lawsuit when he saw the evidence they had on him. Without those stressors, Kerry had more free time to give to Keegan. The dates, overnight stays, and the long phone calls when they couldn't be together just entrenched Kerry deeper and deeper into Keegan's heart. Yet a not-so-small part of himself waited for someone to pull the rug out from under him or to jump out from a hiding spot and declare this had all been a colossal practical joke.

His next inhale hurt, and Keegan realized he'd been holding his breath…again. It happened every time he basked in the new joys he'd discovered about himself and the man he fell harder for every day. This is too good to be true. The thought would invade his happiness like an infectious disease, tainting his joy and killing his mood. And like with any sickness, the side effects were often just as painful and, in his case, took the form of additional mean thoughts. You're being too clingy. Careful, your desperation is showing.

All the things he feared attacked him when he seemed to be happiest, like cuddling against Kerry after sex. He'd move to give Kerry space, but a big hand would haul him back and tuck Keegan tighter against his body. That should've been an antidote to cure his fears, but it felt more like slapping a bandage on a bullet wound and hoping for the best. Keegan tried the techniques he learned in therapy to silence the negative voices, but he'd only turned down the volume so far.

"Yes, you are." Kerry's husky voice caught Keegan by surprise, and he turned from the wall of windows to find him standing there with a wineglass in one hand and a bottle of water in the other. Kerry had switched to water after a glass of wine since he was driving. His responsibility was almost as sexy as the rocking body he'd covered with slacks and a white dress shirt for their vineyard date.

"I'm what?" Keegan asked in confusion.

Kerry studied him for several seconds with a wry smile that dragged Keegan's attention to his mouth. "You don't even know, do you?"

"Apparently not."

Kerry set the drinks on the table beside them. He settled one hand on Keegan's hip and cupped his face with the other. Keegan leaned into his caress, much like Kerry's beloved cat did, and relished the warm palm against his cheek. Then Kerry moved, a gentle sway to the live music at the opposite end of the large room. The slow dance didn't make his turbulent musings vanish in a puff of smoke, but the remaining tendrils were faint enough for Keegan to pretend they weren't there. Kerry leaned in close for what Keegan thought was a kiss, but he put his mouth to Keegan's ear instead. "Just now, you were gazing out the window at the beautiful sunset, and you called it utter perfection. And I said, ‘Yes, you are.'"

"Oh," Keegan said breathlessly. "I didn't realize I'd spoken out loud." How often did he do that? And did he talk in his sleep? His insides curdled at the thought because that's when the insidious thoughts lashed at him the hardest, invading his dreams and putting Keegan back in his place after he'd dared to climb too high. "I'm not perfect."

The joy in Kerry's gaze dimmed a little, and two lines formed between his brows when he narrowed his eyes. "You are perfect for me." Kerry leaned in and softly kissed his lips. "I think we're perfect for each other." He rubbed his nose against Keegan's. "Your courage is the reason I've decided to seek therapy. I still have so much shit to work through, and I want to give you the best version of myself."

Keegan pulled back and stared into Kerry's dark eyes. "I'm so proud of you, and I will support you however I can. Always."

Over the past month, they'd spent hours sharing their deepest, darkest traumas and fears. Kerry talked about losing his sister and father with a naked vulnerability that stole Keegan's breath. He understood why Kerry had protected his heart so fiercely. And Kerry never shied away from Keegan's trauma. He didn't back away from the tears or express pity or disgust. He sometimes had to work through anger on Keegan's behalf, but that usually ended with them getting naked in the home gym. Kerry made him feel cared for and seen for the very first time in his life, and it was both exhilarating and so fucking scary.

Keegan closed his eyes and savored the warmth of Kerry's body pressed to his. He allowed himself to get lost in the music as they swayed in the fading sunlight. Soft lips pressed against his, and he parted to let Kerry in, and they kissed until they were breathless. When Keegan stared into Kerry's beautiful brown eyes, he vowed never to take beautiful moments like these for granted.

"Do you think you've taken enough notes for Cash?" Kerry's husky tenor left no doubt about some alternative activities he had in mind.

He took Kerry by the hand and led him across the floor. "Let's get out of here."

"I had a wonderful time," Kerry said once they stepped outside. "I'm trying all kinds of new things with you, and I really like it."

"Glad you feel that way because I packed an impulse buy in my bag. It's for couples, and you might think it's lame."

"Sounds intriguing," Kerry said. "Give me a hint."

"It involves nudity."

Kerry tugged his hand and walked faster. "I'm tickled pink anytime I get you naked."

Keegan smiled at a reference Kerry wouldn't understand until they got back to the hotel room, and he revealed the couple's activity he'd purchased on a whim. They were strapped in and heading down the vineyard's long gravel drive in record time. Keegan watched the venue fade into the side mirror through a small cloud of dust stirred up by Kerry's tires. He wasn't driving fast or reckless, but the man was definitely on a mission.

"Can I have another clue?"

Keegan considered it and shook his head. "It will be too easy to guess." But he had something else on his mind that he finally felt brave enough to broach. "I don't want to use condoms with you anymore."

Kerry had reached the end of the drive and stopped the truck. There wasn't another vehicle in sight, but he didn't pull onto the road. He turned to look at Keegan, eyes blazing with an intensity that sparked a response low in his belly. "I've wanted that since the first time our lips met. I hate anything separating us, but are you sure? I've always used condoms, and I get tested regularly. I could undergo another round if it makes you feel better."

"I had a full round of screenings during my hospital stay after I escaped the compound. I've maintained the testing, even though I wasn't having sex until recently. I started taking PrEP after discussing my readiness for intimacy during therapy. I…um, didn't intend to have unprotected sex with strangers. I wanted a backup." Keegan swallowed nervously. He'd stepped this far out of his comfort zone and didn't want to stop now. "I need all of you, and I want to get downright filthy with you tonight."

"Hold on." Kerry faced the road and punched the gas hard enough to make the rear tires spin. He whooped like a wild man as he fishtailed out of the driveway and sped down the deserted road.

Keegan threw his head back and laughed at Kerry's antics.

"Told you I was a mess," Kerry said, but he sounded proud of it for the first time. "And we're about to get a lot messier." He glanced over at Keegan with a quirked brow. "I believe you said downright filthy."

"You have no idea," Keegan replied.

They made it back to the hotel without incident, crashing through their room door and slamming it shut behind them. Kerry paused from undressing Keegan long enough to engage the locks. "Where's the couple's surprise?"

Keegan tripped over his pants as he walked backward, but Kerry snatched him before he fell. "In my bag."

Kerry divested Keegan of his clothes and laid him out on the bed. He stripped naked in record time before he unzipped Keegan's bag. It didn't take much rifling to find the rectangular box he'd tucked under his clean clothes and toiletry bag. Kerry grinned wickedly as he studied the exterior photos. He tore one end of the package open with the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning, then tipped it so a plastic pot with pale pink liquid fell into his palm. Kerry held it up and read the label at the top. "Tickled Pink body paint."

Keegan sat up and stroked Kerry's erection, eliciting a throaty moan from his man. Kerry closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Keegan continued to stroke him until a bead of precum gathered at his slit. Keegan swiped his thumb over it and used the moisture to massage Kerry's frenulum.

"So good," Kerry moaned.

Keegan released his cock and waited for those dark eyes to open before he licked Kerry's essence from his thumb.

His big man inhaled shakily, and his expression promised Keegan retribution. He set the pink pot on the bed and read off the other five pastel colors, all of them with playful names. "Blue no more," he said with a snicker as he held up the light blue paint. Keegan had told him all about the blue ball painting he'd created during his first attempt at art therapy, so the paint color put an extra gleam in his dark eyes. "Got that right." Kerry unfolded the canvas that came with the kit and shook it out. It was a fraction of the size of a drop cloth painters would use, but it was large enough to cover the hotel bed so they wouldn't ruin the linens.

Keegan got off the bed and spread the canvas over the duvet. "A sexier version of wine and painting night at the art center." Something wet and cold landed on his ass before he could straighten up.

"Pink is definitely your color." Kerry's large hand warmed the paint as he spread it all over Keegan's right cheek. He braced himself with a hand on the bed and enjoyed the massage. "Fuck, art is fun," Kerry said with a sexy growl. "Too bad it's not edible because I want to lick you everywhere."

"And I want your tongue everywhere." Keegan made a mental note to find or create an edible version of body paint that wouldn't stain their skin for all eternity. Before he finished the thought, Kerry dropped to his knees behind Keegan and buried his face between his ass cheeks. "No fair." His protest was as weak as his knees, but Keegan twisted out of reach at his first opportunity and reached for the lime paint color.

"Come back here," Kerry demanded. "I wasn't done." The pale pink smears on Kerry's face and in his beard were a sensual work of art that made Keegan's pucker quiver in anticipation of more, but he wanted to get in on the action.

Keegan shook his head and stood up. "I need to spread some of these paint colors on your gorgeous body to paint the canvas. He swiped a finger through the pink paint on Kerry's face and showed it to him. "Unless you want me to shove you face-first down on the bed."

Kerry randomly selected a paint pot and handed it to Keegan. "We haven't tried that yet."

"Have you ever…"

"Bottomed? No." Kerry snaked a hand out and hauled Keegan up against him. "I'd try it with you, though."

Keegan had considered himself a dedicated bottom, but he might like to try topping someday. He dipped two fingers into the plastic pot and scooped out a generous amount. "I'll keep that in mind." He smeared the lime-green paint over Kerry's tight pec, lingering on his nipple before dragging his fingers lower to create a wiggly line over taut abs. "This is a great color for your skin tone."

"Looks too much like the slime from the Nickelodeon channel," Kerry said.

"Oh, I'm going to slime you all right. Downright filthy, remember?"

Kerry playfully tackled Keegan to the bed, and the festivities began in earnest. They kissed and smeared paint all over each other without getting it all over the bed and floor. They rolled and played, being sure to thoroughly decorate the canvas with their passion. Kerry wisely kept one hand clean so he could slick his bare dick with lube and slide deep and snug inside Keegan. They stayed like that for several moments, holding on to one another while staring into each other's eyes. Kerry shuddered and groaned when he moved inside Keegan.

"Feel different?" Keegan whispered.

"So intense. Hotter, tighter, and so fucking sweet." He inhaled sharply. "I probably won't last long."

"Don't hold back." Keegan used his heels to spur Kerry into action. "Give me all of you."

Kerry snapped his hips forward, scooting Keegan up the bed with his thrusts. "Like that."

"Yes. Fill me up. Make me yours."

"You are mine." Their bodies slapped together loudly, and the bed squeaked as Kerry set about proving it. Despite his doubt, he lasted much longer than he predicted, working Keegan into a shattering climax before Kerry joined him.

"I feel you," Keegan whispered in his ears as Kerry pinned him to the bed and rutted through his climax. "So hot and slick inside me."

Kerry eased out and sat back on his haunches. He pushed Keegan's knees toward his chest to raise his ass up. Kerry eased a finger inside and growled when he felt his release inside Keegan. He came back down on top of Keegan, and they kissed until they were breathless. Kerry rolled off Keegan, and they looked at the mess on their bodies. Keegan's release had rehydrated the drying paint and smeared the colors into a hue neither of them could name. "Kinda looks gray?"

"I was thinking beige," Keegan said. "What's the color that looks both gray and brown in different lighting?"

"Taupe, I think, but I'm the last one you should ask about colors." Kerry laughed and ran a hand through Keegan's hair before he realized his mistake. "Oops. Sorry about that." His cheeky grin said otherwise.

"Sven will kill you if you've messed up his handiwork. He spent hours making my highlights look natural."

"Hours?" Kerry scoffed. "You don't have that much hair."

"It's this entire process of separating the strands with a comb, then bleaching some and wrapping it in foils. He uses toners and hair masks, and it's just an extensive process." Keegan rolled his eyes upward as if that would allow him to see Kerry's damage. He snorted at his silliness and asked what color paint was in his hair.

"Well, it's like the color on your stomach but darker since it wasn't diluted with your spunk."

Keegan slapped Kerry's shoulder, signaling for him to move. "I better wash this off."

Kerry nestled closer, nuzzling his nose in Keegan's neck. "But this feels so good."

And he groaned because it was better than good. "Amazing." His shower was all but forgotten when Kerry kissed him deeply. Their phones both went off at the same time with incoming FaceTime calls. If one of their phones rang, they could ignore it, but both? Kerry rolled to the side, and Keegan fumbled through the pile of clothes until he found one of their ringing devices. "Sven is calling me," he said as he searched for Kerry's phone. He snagged it off the floor and tossed it to Kerry.

"And Dom's calling me, but that's Sven's face."

Mindful of the phone's angle, Keegan accepted the call. "Sven, what's up?"

"Oh good," he said breathlessly. Kerry's phone immediately stopped ringing, so Sven was calling both of them from his and Dom's phones. "I was afraid neither of you would answer." He squinted into the phone and leaned closer. "Why is it so dark there? Are you in a cave?"

A snort came from nearby Sven, and then Dom said, "They're at a hotel during a lover's getaway, Stevie. Why do you think it's dark?"

"Oh. Ohhh. I didn't expect you to do it with the lights off," Sven replied. "Turn on a light and cover your bits. This is an emergency."

"What are the two of you doing together?" Kerry asked while Keegan turned on the bedside lamp. He joined Kerry on the bed and positioned the phone so they could both see the screen.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Sven teased and batted his eyelashes.

"Quit teasing him, Stevie," Dominic growled. "Sven is helping me with a case, which is why we're calling."

"But first," Sven said, "what's smeared all over your skin? Why is Kerry's beard pink, and what's in Keegan's hair? What kind of freaky getaway are you two having?"

"Let me see," Dom demanded. Sven moved the phone over, and Dom's handsome face came into view. It was clear he was driving, but he glanced over long enough to see what Sven had described. "Holy shit. You kinky little fuckers."

"The nature of the call, please," Kerry demanded. "Maybe we weren't done getting our freak on."

Sven sighed. "Unfortunately, you are."

Kerry and Keegan sat up straighter. "What happened?"

"Vinny put me on another case with short notice," Dom said. "I started my investigation last night and already asked questions around the bar. I didn't want to make any of the regulars suspicious, so I called Sven to help me."

"Sven?" Keegan and Kerry said at once.

The man in question snarled at them. "Neither of you recognized me when I trailed Keegan on his date." They conceded his point graciously and encouraged them to talk. "So, I went into this bar to get pictures and details for Dom's case. I looked so hetero that some hot ladies tried to pick me up."

"Focus, Sven," Dom said.

"Hang back," Sven told Dom. "He's going to notice you're following him. Put more car lengths between us."

"I'm the professional here," Dom replied dryly. "You just bring Kerry up to speed."

Sven sighed heavily. "While I was gathering evidence for Dom, which I bagged in record time, I noticed Chuck the Fuck ranting and raving at a nearby table. His dumb ass wouldn't recognize me if I'd come in my usual fabulous attire, but I took advantage of my disguise to secure a table close to his so I could eavesdrop and snap a few discreet photos."

"Sven, you shouldn't have risked your safety," Kerry said.

"You'll be singing a different tune when you find out what he overheard," Dom replied.

Sven preened for a few seconds. "As soon as I heard him say your name, I turned on the video recorder on my phone. The quality probably isn't great with all the bar noise in the background, but I caught every word of his plot."

"What plot?" Keegan and Kerry asked.

Sven made puppy dog eyes and covered his heart. "Could you guys be any cuter?"

"Sven!" Dom growled.

"Right! The plot. I recorded a lot, but the gist is that Chuck told his buddy that you ruined his career twice, and he was going to get even. The fool is planning to sabotage the vehicles in your lot so that the crew can't respond to emergencies. He plans to ride in and save the day."

"How do you want us to handle it?" Dom asked.

Kerry ran a hand through his hair. Luckily, the paint had dried. "Is he headed to my station now?"

"Seems so," Dom said. "But we're thirty minutes away. Plenty of time to get someone in place and catch him red-handed."

"That's what I want to do," Kerry said. "I'm willing to sacrifice minimum damage if it results in an arrest that will forever get this asshole out of my life. Do you mind calling the local police?" Kerry asked. He would prefer to call Seth, but Kerry's station was situated in an incorporated zone patrolled by the township cops. The county boys would provide backup if needed, but the township officers needed to make that call. Kerry would make some enemies if he went over people's heads to involve his cousin.

"No problem," Dom said.

"Then I'll call the guys at the station and give them a heads-up. I don't want any of you confronting Chuck. He's clearly not in a good headspace, and there's no telling what he's capable of doing."

"Fair enough," Dom said.

"Now, if he tries to light the building on fire or something, then maybe you take him down as best you can," Kerry said. "What do you know about the guy he was talking to at the bar?"

"I haven't seen the pictures or heard the recordings yet," Dom said.

"The conversation sounded like it was about a business deal that had gone wrong," Sven said. "The guy just kept yelling at Chuck and reminding them they had a deal. There was a lot of money on the line, and he'd put himself out there for Chuck. It was pretty loud in the bar, so I didn't hear everything. I'm not so sure how great the recording will be either. Do you have software to clean up the background noises, Dom?"

"Somewhat," Dom told him. "We suspected that Chuck had a silent partner, but I couldn't legally get my hands on bank records and transactions," Dom said. "Only Chuck's name is registered to the business."

"I think we all know who the mystery man is," Kerry said. "It's Keith Bozeman."

"I called it," Sven said. "The timing of Chuck's new business was too suspect."

"The timing of this confrontation is more so," Kerry agreed.

"Bozeman doesn't have money to invest in Chuck's business," Dom said. "That dude is dead broke."

"Maybe he knows somebody," Keegan said.

"We could guess all night long, or you can send me the picture," Kerry said.

"Will do," Sven said. "Sorry if we ruined your weekend, Ker."

"You probably saved me a lot of headaches," Kerry replied. "In fact, I might not even need to come back if things don't get out of control."

"We'll get everyone in place," Dom assured him.

"Catch you in a bit," Kerry said before he disconnected the call and called his station. "This won't take long."

Keegan kissed his bare shoulder and stood up. "Take as long as you need. I'm going to clean up. The paint is getting itchy."

"I'll join you as soon as I can."

Keegan turned on the shower and surveyed the damage in the mirror. Kerry's voice came through the door, but he couldn't make out what he said. He spoke for a few minutes before he ended the call. Keegan tested the water, but it was still barely lukewarm. He was just about to throw caution to the wind and step into the shower when he heard Kerry's phone chime with an incoming text.

"I fucking knew it!" Kerry shouted.

Keegan turned off the shower and ran into the bedroom. "Is it him?"

He looked up from his phone with a smug expression on his face. "Sven was right." He turned the phone around to show two men in a dimly lit bar. "That's Bozeman and Chuck."

Kerry's dark eyes glittered with fury. "This should make our deposition on Monday even more fun."