“What’s going—” With a yelp, Saint dove out of the way a heartbeat before Chip zoomed by. Had he not, Chip would have sent the big man hurtling through the air like a bowling pin. “Holy shit.” Saint pressed himself against the wall, a hand to his chest. “He’s lost his doggie mind.”

  Sacha chuckled. “It happens at least once a day. Don’t worry, he’ll tire himself out in a sec.”

  As predicted, Chip decided he’d gotten enough wiggles out and flopped onto his side on the cool tile floor of the kitchen, his eyes closed as he panted happily.

  “Now that I know you won’t get sucked up by the furry tornado, I’ll go back to my room. Let me know if you need anything.”

  “Thank you, Saint.”

  Standing, Gio stretched. Chip sat up suddenly, ears up and on high alert. A knock sounded on the door, one of the security agents calling out.

  “Mr. Galanos, your room service is here.”

  Sacha opened the door for the waiter, who wheeled in the cart.

  “Where would you like it?” the young man asked.

  “By the dining table,” Gio replied, removing some cash from his pocket and tipping the waiter as soon as he was done. When the guy left the room, they sat down to eat. “This smells amazing. Great choice.”

  “I thought you’d like it.”

  What Gio liked more than the food was getting to spend time with Sacha. Even the idle chitchat they made while they ate was nice. Considering how spirited Sacha was, he had a calming presence, at least for Gio.

  Once they’d finished dinner, Sacha stood. “I’ll get this cleared away. You go do whatever you gotta do.” He shook his head, an amused smile on his face when Gio started helping him clear their plates and cutlery away on the cart. As Sacha rolled it to the door, Gio removed his phone from his pocket. Feeling a little frisky, he scrolled through his apps until he found his favorite music app. The Bluetooth speaker system came to life, a classic song from the seventies filling the room with its upbeat notes.

  Gio stretched, aware of Sacha following the movement out of the corner of his eye. Pretending he hadn’t noticed, Gio loosened his tie and removed it, then tossed it onto the couch. He swayed with the music as he undid the top two buttons of his dress shirt, then started rolling his sleeves up his forearms. Sacha’s nostrils flared, his pupils dilating, and his fingers tapped his thigh as he walked over to the couch. With a smile, Gio started dancing, and Sacha snorted out a laugh. He shook his head at Gio.

  “Now I know you’re not right.”

  “Mm, yeah.” Gio put his arms up and thrust his hips.

  “Oh no, no, no. Don’t make those noises. I never knew my grandfather, but I bet he danced just like that.”

  Gio laughed. “And you can do better?”

  “Pft. Fuck yeah. Give me some music that doesn’t suck and I’ll show you what real dancing is.” Sacha stood and motioned for Gio to toss him his phone. Gio did, amused as Sacha scrolled through the different stations. He tapped the screen, and the music changed to something modern and upbeat.

  “You think you’re that good, huh?”

  Sacha rolled his eyes and motioned to himself. “Baby, this body was made for dancing. Now I’m no Bruno Mars, but…” He started dancing in time to the popular tune, and Gio was mesmerized. He’d briefly seen Sacha out on the dance floor in Sapphire Sands the few times they’d both been to the club with the rest of the group. But not enough to appreciate the hypnotizing way he moved his body. Was there nothing the man couldn’t do?

  Chip barked at seeing his person dancing around, and Sacha held his hands out to his furry friend, his smile wide when Chip got on his hind legs and placed his front paws in Sacha’s palms. Gio laughed as Sacha danced with Chip, who stood as tall as Sacha, taller if you counted Chip’s huge ears. Chip barked happily, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his tail wagging as he bounced around with his favorite person in the world. Gio could watch them all day. He loved the way the two doted on each other. There was no one Sacha was more himself with than Chip.

  Jack might be Sacha’s brother, but Chip was very much his best friend. The sheer joy that filled his face when he was with Chip made Gio’s heart swell. He’d never seen anything so sweet, so genuine. For all his gruffness, Sacha loved Chip with all his heart and an openness Gio doubted few got to see. He scratched Chip and kissed his face while Chip returned Sacha’s love. Chip was more than a companion. He was a fiercely loyal protector, a dear friend, and a warm presence. Gio needed someone like Chip in his life, and if he had someone like Sacha, all the better. Okay, maybe not someone like Sacha, but the man himself.

  Sacha lifted his gaze to Gio’s, and his cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. Not wanting him to feel self-conscious, Gio cleared his throat.

  “How do you do that?”

  “What?”

  Gio motioned to his body. “Move your hips like that?”

  “I’m very bendy.”

  “Oh, I have no doubt.” Gio had spent many a night thinking about just how bendy Sacha might be. The intensity and heat in those blue-gray eyes threatened to set Gio on fire. “But seriously, I’ve been doing yoga for years, and I’m not as fluid as you are.”

  Sacha shrugged. “I did a lot of gymnastics when I was a kid.”

  “Really?”

  “Yep. I loved sports. Anything that pushed me to my limits, I was all in, and I was good at it.”

  “Is that why you joined the military? To push yourself to your limits?”

  Sacha’s smile dimmed. “It’s one of the reasons.” He came to stand next to Gio. “Here. Do what I do.” He lifted his arms and rotated his hips.

  “You make it look so easy,” Gio said with a laugh as he attempted to mimic Sacha’s moves.

  Chip barked and pranced around them as they danced, the music switching over to another upbeat song. Gio couldn’t remember the last time he’d danced around like this for fun. Usually, his downtime consisted of non-downtime activities like work. He’d research, send emails, answer emails, watch documentaries. Good God, when was the last time he’d had any fun? He used to find time during his travels to enjoy the places he visited, immerse himself in the local culture, but over the last few years, he’d lost that joy, working himself into exhaustion with little sleep.

  A sweet love ballad came on over the speaker, and Gio turned toward Sacha, ending up close to him. Sacha gazed up at him, lips parted, his chest lightly heaving from his exertion. He was so damned beautiful. Gio brushed the backs of his fingers down Sacha’s stubbled jaw, making him draw in a sharp breath.

  “I, um, I should probably go.”

  “You don’t have to,” Gio said softly. He cleared his throat and took a step back. “I, um, I’ve got some emails to send out if you want to take a load off. Hang out and watch some TV. I mean, your dog is snoring.” Gio motioned to Chip, who lay on the floor on his back, paws up. “I’d hate to wake him after all that.”

  “Yeah, he works hard at being a nut,” Sacha replied with a smile. “Okay. Just a while. You know, for my dog.”

  “Of course. I’m going to grab my laptop from my room. Be right back.” Gio went into his bedroom. He’d send off some quick emails and then join Sacha in watching some TV. He enjoyed spending time like this with Sacha and Chip. Quite frankly, he would take all the time he could get with Sacha, didn’t matter what they were doing.

  Sitting on the couch, he opened his laptop, smiling to himself as Sacha flipped through the channels, stopping when he came across one of the Avengers movies.

  “Do you like superhero movies?”

  Sacha shrugged. “Yeah, of course. Good ones, though, not shit ones. Jack’s the comic book nerd, though. Always was. In high school, his backpack weighed a ton because it was always crammed with comic books.”

  “And what did you have in your backpack?”

  “A horror show,” Sacha replied with a snort. “My backpack was the black hole of backpacks. I shoved everything in there. You could see my teachers physically bracing themselves when I handed in my homework, because they never knew what state it would be in. Meanwhile, Jack’s homework was pristine, kept in separate color-coded folders. He was such a nerd.” He scrunched up his nose in the most adorable way. “He still uses color-coded folders. Nerd.”

  Sacha went back to watching his movie, and Gio returned to his emails, his eyelids starting to feel heavy. He was not going to fall asleep with Sacha here. A few more emails and he’d join Sacha in watching his movie.

  Gio stirred. Damn it. He must have dozed off. He opened his eyes to find Sacha frozen above him, a blanket clutched in his hands. He’d stilled midmotion, his hands over Gio’s chest and his expression the perfect impression of a deer in headlights. Not wanting to spook him further, especially after the sweet gesture he’d been about to make, Gio remained unmoving despite his racing pulse. He’d have given anything to know the thoughts running through that sharp mind. Gio’s heart thundered in his ears, and he held his breath as Sacha leaned in, laying the blanket on Gio without a word before he started to pull back and hesitated.

  It seemed like an eternity, and just when Gio thought Sacha would close the distance, Sacha straightened and turned to leave. Desperate for him to stay, Gio sprang forward and took hold of Sacha’s fingers, the blanket falling at Sacha’s feet.

  “Sacha…” The name left Gio’s lips as a whisper.

  The world seemed to slow, neither of them moving until Gio couldn’t remain still any longer. Slowly, he rose to his feet, his gaze locked on Sacha’s and their bodies so close he could feel the heat between them. Sacha pulled his fingers out of Gio’s hand and turned, his jaw clenched tight and his brows drawn together. Despite his narrowed gaze, Sacha didn’t step away.

  Taking a chance, Gio cupped Sacha’s cheek, his touch light as he rubbed his thumb over Sacha’s bottom lip. You’re so damn beautiful.

  As if hearing his thoughts, Sacha’s expression softened, and he swallowed hard. He brushed Gio’s hand away from his face, and Gio’s heart sank. With a small smile, Gio made to turn, and before he knew what the hell was going on, Sacha took hold of his face and kissed him. In a whirlwind of movement, the back of Gio’s legs hit the sofa, and he fell back onto it with Sacha quickly straddling his lap, their lips once again joined in a scorching battle for dominance.

  Gio had never tasted anything more sinful. Hunger and desire threatened to overwhelm him, his entire body ready to combust from the inferno of want that was Sacha Wilder. Gio dug his fingers into Sacha’s slender waist as he allowed Sacha to maul his mouth. Sacha had fistfuls of Gio’s hair as he held on tight. He was in control, and Gio would allow it. This time.

  The sound of their heavy breathing filled the air, followed by low moans and cursing as Sacha thrust his hips down against Gio, their rock-hard erections causing the most delicious friction. Heat exploded through Gio, and he slipped his hand from Sacha’s waist to his ass. Sacha gasped and pulled back, but not completely. Instead, he moved back enough to let his brow rest against Gio’s. His eyes were closed, his breath ragged. He lifted his head. His pupils were blown wide, his lips beautifully wet and swollen from their kissing. He poked his tongue out and ran it over his bottom lip as if needing one last taste of Gio.

  Why was Sacha so determined not to give in to his evident desire? Gio waited, and when Sacha made to get up, Gio slipped a hand around the back of Sacha’s neck, bringing him in for a quick, hungry kiss. Knowing he couldn’t hold on to the wild and beautiful man, he released him.

  Swallowing hard, Sacha shook his head ever so slightly. He moved away, and Gio closed his eyes, hearing the soft sound of the door closing behind Sacha as he left. He was gone.

  With a heavy sigh, Gio ran a hand through his hair and fell back onto the couch. Fuck. Never had he had such an intense experience in one kiss. A slow smile spread across his lips, and he touched them. Sacha had kissed him. Hope was not lost.

  FIVE

  He could do this.

  “I mean, how hard can it be, right?” Joker glanced down at Chip, who stared up at him. Chip tipped his head to one side and whined. “Fuck it. Let’s do this.” Pressing the button, Joker waited.

  And waited.

  And… waited.

  Hm.

  “What the fuck’s wrong with it? It’s on.” He pointed to the little red light. “See. It’s on.”

  Chip looked from him to the machine and back, then whined again.

  “Don’t worry. We got this.”

  The machine started rumbling on the counter like it was getting ready to take off or explode. Chip bolted.

  “Okay, I got this.” Joker shook his head. “You sniff out bombs for a living, but you can’t face a coffee machine? You embarrass me. Shame on you.”

  An argumentative bark resounded from the bedroom.

  “Don’t you sass me!”

  Why wasn’t this working? He removed his phone and did a web search. This was the first time he’d attempted to use the damned thing since he bought it last week. “Right. Let’s see here.” For fuck’s sake. He’d spent years entering hostile territory and rigging countless explosives of varying complexities; he could work a fucking coffee machine. He probably shouldn’t have thrown away the instructions.

  Watching a quick online video revealed his mistake. “Oh, right. Water.” In his defense, he’d never made a damned cup of coffee in his life. Someone had always made it for him. He lived in the apartment he was in because it was within walking distance of several cafes and restaurants.

  In the mornings, he stumbled out of bed and zombie-walked his way to Las Palmitas Cafe just a few feet away. The owners and regulars were used to seeing him in his pajamas with his hair looking like he’d stuck his finger in an electric socket. They’d have his coffee and a breakfast sandwich ready, and he’d grunt a thanks and shuffle his way back home.

  Muttering to himself, he poured the required amount of water in the designated area and tried again. This time, the weird noises led to the smell of coffee and dark liquid trickling into his mug. Grabbing the creamer from the fridge, he poured himself a generous amount and took a sip. Not cafe-quality exactly, but not bad.

  He took his coffee into his bedroom and stopped in the doorway, frowning at the clothes and shoes littering the floor. Chip lay on the rumpled bed, head on his paws as he observed Joker.

  “It’s kind of a mess, huh?”

  Chip wagged his tail as if agreeing but didn’t move from his spot.

  “Yeah, okay.” After clearing a space on his dresser to place his coffee cup, Joker started picking up discarded clothes. Jesus, was there anything left in his dresser? “Look at that,” he muttered, removing a mound of dirty work pants and T-shirts. “It’s a laundry basket. I didn’t know we owned one of those.” Now that he thought about it, he remembered Fitz bringing over some stuff a few weeks ago. He narrowed his eyes, and his phone rang. Speak of the well-groomed devil.

  “You need to stop sneaking shit into my apartment,” Joker said by way of greeting. He tossed the dirty clothes into his new laundry basket.

  Fitz snorted. “Joker, sweetie, I put that basket in your room three weeks ago, and you only just found it? What does that tell us?”

  “It tells us I didn’t have a laundry basket because I don’t have a washing machine.”

  “I know that because we do, and your laundry is in it. As much as I love washing your underwear, it needs to be transported in something other than a garbage bag.”

  “Fine. And don’t think I didn’t notice all the new scented plug-ins.” He glared at the happy little plastic succulent with some kind of lemon scent thing attached to it sticking out from one of the electrical sockets. How the hell had he not noticed Fitz plugging shit into the walls around his apartment? There were at least five more that he knew of.

  “They’re organic and pet friendly,” Fitz informed him.

  “They’re a fire hazard. Also, Chip is a dog. He’s supposed to smell like a dog.”

  “Who said anything about Chip?”

  Joker laughed and grabbed his coffee mug. He sat on the end of the bed. “You’re such a shit.”

  “I love you too.”

  “Why are you calling me?”

  “Because I’m wondering if I need to call Jack and ask him to come home right away to start preparations for the apocalypse.”

  Joker shook his head in amusement. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Jack.”

  “Well, we do live together.”

  “Can you do it or not?” Joker asked with a grunt. It had taken him three failed attempts to send that damned text.

  “Can I, a hairstylist with over a decade of hairstyling experience, who has styled hair for supermodels and celebrities, cut your hair? Let me think about this a moment.”

  “You’re an ass.”

  Fitz chuckled. “I would very much love to get my hands on your hair.”

  “Now I’m terrified.”

  “How soon can you get here?”

  “Just going to finish my coffee.” He held back a smile as Chip slowly crawled down the length of bed—as if Joker couldn’t see his big furry ass moving—and placed his head on Joker’s lap.

  “You ventured out early today.”

  “I, uh, made the coffee.”

  Silence. Then, “I’m confused.”

  Here we go. Joker sighed and gave Chip the scritches he wanted. “It’s not a big deal.”

  “You made coffee? As in, you purchased coffee grounds and a coffee machine, put the two together, and made yourself something you’re able to consume?”

  “I’m perfectly capable of using a coffee machine.” No one needed to know about the water incident. Fitz hummed like he knew something. Smartass.

  “I’ll see you soon.”

  “Fine. And don’t tell your stupid boyfriend. He’ll just give me shit about it.”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  “I don’t believe you.”