The Good Thief

Excerpt

Nate stood adrift in the barren yard. He should just walk away. He'd pissed the guy off and that was that. But there was no way he was going to leave it there. At the very least he was going to apologize properly. He'd rather get a phone number and a date, but he'd live with not leaving things completely fucked up. Hell, if Caesar had treated Nate, the way Nate had treated Caesar, he'd be pretty damn mad, too. Swallowing his pride, he turned the knob and stepped in.

The door opened onto the scent of sawdust and oil. A yellow light hung from the rafters, throwing shadows into the corners. Lathe, table saw, jig, Nate hadn't seen half those tools since high school woodworking class.

Caesar settled onto a stool as he grabbed a piece of sandpaper and a bit of wood. The little dog darted between Nate's legs and crawled onto a pillow under the work bench. It looked like Caesar spent a lot of time in his little shop. Nate shut the door, crossed his arms and leaned against the frame. "Look, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Caesar didn't look at him.

Damn, the man was going to make this hard. "For being an ass. That was shitty, the way I treated you Sunday morning. I'd be pissed, too. I wasn't feeling good and, fuck, I haven't had anyone over in ages. It really freaked me out, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you." Caesar just kept sanding the surface of the wood. Shit, shit, shit. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Like what?" Caesar slammed the board on the workbench. Turning on Nate, his eyes were dark and narrowed. "Thanks for the lay, get the fuck out of my garage?" They stared at each other for a while. Finally Caesar looked away. He grabbed a peg and some wood glue, twirling the end in the sticky yellow goop before jabbing it into a hole drilled along the edge.

Nate watched as Caesar picked up another narrow piece of wood. "What are you making?"

Without looking up, Caesar answered. "A TV cabinet." He squeezed more glue into the holes in the end of the board.

"You do a lot of those kinds of projects?"

"Some." Caesar sighed. It was one of those, why haven't you left yet sighs. "My dad taught me how."

More tense silence stretched between them. Nate broke it. "Okay, look, I was a jerk. I said I'm sorry. But, I had fun, and I want to get to know you better."

Slowly Caesar set the glue back up on his work bench. He put his hands on the surface and pushed back. "You and me, not a good idea, okay?"

"How do you know?"

"You're a fucking cop." It looked like Caesar was thinking hard. Finally, he spat out, "Look around you. This is Avenidas' territory. You think that blue uniform and blond hair is going to go over well around here? They'd pop you just because. Nobody bugs me because I stay low. I just try and live my life and stay out of people's way. Being seen with a cop ain't staying low."

"I thought you liked my blond hair?" The moment he said it, Nate regretted the words. Caesar was trying to give him some serious reasons and he was cutting up. "Look, I guess I should have told you what I do, but a lot of gay guys don't like cops. They want to buy the fancy uniforms at the Pleasure Chest and play dress up, but meet some guy who wears the real thing and they're gone."

That earned him another glare. "Gee, I wonder why? Wouldn't have anything to do with the blue gang being notoriously homophobic, would it?"

"Obviously, I'm not." Nate cocked his hip against the work bench and crossed his arms over his chest. "Give it a chance and see how things work out. Maybe after a couple of dates we'll find out we really don't get along, but maybe we will." Tilting his head and smiling with his eyes, he added, "Give me your phone number."

Caesar went back to fiddling with the wood. "Why?"

Up-close Nate realized it was part of a door frame. Caesar would probably fit it with glass when he was done. "So I can have your number, so I can call you." For some reason he really liked that Caesar worked with his hands. It made him so much more down to earth than the actors and production assistants Carol always introduced him to. The neighborhood, too, it just fit that Caesar wasn't all uppity about working in the industry. He tried to remember exactly what his sis said Caesar did at the studios, but couldn't bring it to mind. Set construction, maybe that was it.

"Why would I want you to do that?" Caesar was stubborn. Nate liked guys who were stubborn. With his tough guy build and blond looks, he didn't have to go after many guys. The working out was more of a defensive strategy. Even if someone in the department figured out he was gay, the fact that Nate was built like a brick wall made them keep their opinions to themselves. The few times he'd hit the scene he'd had men drooling all over him. But the kind who came chasing after him, Nate didn't really want.

"Okay, be that way." Nate pulled the pen from his pocket. Leaning over Caesar's shoulder, he scribbled his home phone on the wall. "Now you have mine." Then he tucked the pen back in place.

Caesar reached for a clamp. "My landlady's gonna love you for that." Nate grabbed the end of the board to steady it while Caesar fitted a plastic bar clamp where it would be most effective. "Thanks." Quick squeezes of the trigger tightened it down.

"No problem." Nate's chest was still pressed up against Caesar's back. He could feel the warmth through the heavy cotton of his uniform shirt…at least the portions not swathed in Kevlar. God, the man was sexy, even with wood glue dripping off his fingers. Voice low, seductive, Nate whispered, "You know I've been thinking about you a lot since Saturday."

"I don't date cops, Nate." Each word was given separate emphasis.

"Why?"

"Cause it's just gonna cause a lot of trouble." Caesar dropped the piece he was working on onto the counter. Then he propped one elbow on the edge and put his forehead against his palm. There was still glue on his fingers. Now it was also in his hair. "It's not you personally. I just don't need that kind of trouble." There was an undercurrent of fear in his voice. Living in Highland Park, Nate didn't doubt Caesar was worried. Still, he knew cops who'd grown up avoiding the Avenidas. If you wanted to, you could survive it.

"So I won't come around here in my uniform." With his head dropped forward, thick, black hair fell about Caesar's face. It hid his eyes, but exposed the warm brown skin of Caesar's neck. Nate pressed his lips against that sexy flesh and whispered, "Give me a chance."

Caesar hissed. "It's not a good idea." Then he shook himself out from under Nate's kiss. "Besides, I'm still upset about you."

"Then let me apologize." Nate purred, pressing his lips against Caesar's neck. Caesar tried to pull away, but it was a half-hearted gesture. Desire drifted off his skin. Nate's touch snaked down the soft, thin cotton of Caesar's t-shirt. Pulling the fabric up, he stroked Caesar's belly. The fingers of his other hand worked along the muscles of Caesar's arm. Then he ran his palm over Caesar's crotch. Yeah, Caesar was getting hard…. "Don't you want me to apologize to you?"

Caesar's voice was tight. "What do you think is going to make up for what you are?" It lingered somewhere between fuck me and get the hell out of here.

Yeah, he'd been a jerk, but that wasn't who he was. If Caesar would give him one chance, Nate would prove it to him. "I bet I can think of something." He fumbled with the button on Caesar's jeans.

"Shit." Caesar sucked in his breath. He reared back and grabbed Nate's wrist.

"I know you want it." Nate didn't let it stop him. Not that Caesar was making much of an effort. The grip on his arm was loose. "You just don't want to admit you want it." He moved between Caesar and the workbench, pushing the stool back with his knee. Dark maple eyes brooded under heavy brows. Caesar's lips were full and turned down ever so slightly at the corners. The barest feathering of a mustache and goatee contrasted nicely against his cinnamon skin. It was more like he'd forgotten to shave for a week, than he was actually cultivating facial hair. All of it was so sensual.

Nate went down on one knee. Concrete, pressing against the heavy-duty fabric of his uniform pants, was rough on his knee. As he moved, he drew Caesar's zipper down. Both men sucked in their breath to the tune of metal clawing against metal. Slow and easy, Nate spread the denim and freed Caesar's cock. Half-stiff, and still slightly trapped under denim, it begged for Nate's kiss. He used his tongue to drag it the rest of the way out. As he caressed that hot flesh with his tongue, Nate could feel Caesar swell. It was so erotic having a guy come alive under his fevered kisses. He sighed. "Oh fuck, your taste."

His own cock was throbbing under the polyester. Damn, that heavy belt, slung with cuffs and pistol and radio, was in the way. The weight of it pressed against his erection. It was too much trouble to take it off. Too many things were clipped to it and then to him. Nate unzipped his pants and pulled himself free. The cold buckle caught his head and he gasped. One hand pumping his own prick, the other wrapped around the base of Caesar's cock, Nate started to lick. "You taste so good. I've been dreaming about this dick in my mouth." He loved being down on his knees in front of a guy. It was one of those things he really got off on.

Nate looked up at Caesar. The thick prick lay against his cheek as Nate sucked on the side. Deep, musky, God, the man even smelled like sex. Caesar's eyes were fogged with lust. The rest of his expression was unreadable. "Then put it in there and suck." Caesar ordered. Oh yeah, a man who knew what he wanted and asked for it. Nate shuddered and twisted his own prick in his hand.

Nate ran his tongue from base to tip. Then he dipped it in the slit, tasting the salty bead hiding there. "See, I knew you wanted it." His mouth roamed all over Caesar's cock. Nate loved playing with the area just below the head because every time he did, Caesar would tremble.

Caesar's fingers were dancing across the back of his neck sending sparks down his spine. Combined with the heat he was stroking into his own skin, Nate's senses were rolling. And there was something deliciously dirty about doing it while he was in uniform. That just threw fuel on the fire.

When Nate's mouth was watering he knew it was time to suck. First, he tickled the tip of Caesar's prick with his tongue. Then he wrapped his lips over the head, sliding down the shaft, long and slow. He used his lips to drag the skin back up over Caesar's head. Each time he did, Caesar would moan. Nate's own hips were bucking into his tight fist.

Caesar's ass was coming off the seat. For the first time, Nate heard him drop into Spanish. "Chulpalmae." Caesar panted... Suck me. Hell yes, Nate was going to suck him. Caesar's fingers clawed into Nate's scalp as he drove between Nate's lips. Nate loved the feeling of Caesar's prick filling his mouth. The thought that something could be that hard and that soft, all at the same time was incredible. Nate worked Caesar's balls in his hand. Pulling and sucking that tender flesh, Nate felt the cock in his mouth swell.

Then Caesar was thrusting uncontrollably. His hand yanked Nate hard onto his prick. With a grunt, he filled Nate's mouth with his flavor. As Nate jerked himself hard, he sucked the last of Caesar's spunk down. He twisted his cock once, twice through his own tight fist, then he went over the edge. Grinding his face into Caesar's thigh, he blew all over his uniform.