Spark & Blaze (A Guns & Hoses Novel) Read Online Free Page A

toe when the question left his mouth. The guy was just his type. Just the type he would play in Bradley’s for blow job stakes. Of course, that type of bet wasn’t about to be laid on the table here and for more than one reason. His closet, Wolf drilling holes into his back, and the fact that this was a straight bar were all good reasons to keep visions of Flame’s cousin on his knees in front of him out of his mind.
    “Drinks sound fair to me.” Austin smiled a little too innocently while he chalked his stick.
    “Drinks it is, then,” Brett agreed then let his cue stroke through his fingers to slam into the cue ball.
    They were evenly matched on the table. Brett had every intention to sandbag the first game, but after Austin had a four ball run on his first turn, Brett ditched the plan and played full out.
    Brett was up 3 – 2 and Austin was racking when he leaned his cue in the corner of a chair so it wouldn’t fall.
    “Need the restroom,” Brett told Austin who had just dropped the eight in the middle of the rack so that it was sandwiched between two solids. “Be right back.”
    “I’ll get us another round.”
    Brett didn’t reply when he walked off to the restroom. He did his business, washed his hands, and was heading back into the bar when he spotted a man in a slightly rumpled suit just standing back up from where he was obviously giving Flame a hello kiss. From around the side of his boyfriend, Flame spotted him and called out as he approached.
    “Hey Malone, I want you to meet Tig.”
    The man finished standing and turned in Brett’s direction. Brett stopped dead in his tracks when he recognized Flame’s boyfriend.
    Shit! TPACUFFS that was the guy’s Grindr handle and Brett later found out he went by T when they hooked up in Bradley’s. Fuck. Brett forced himself to start walking toward Flame and T again. No, Flame said his name was Tig.
    The cop clearly recognized him as well and Brett prayed that he wouldn’t acknowledge that their paths had crossed before. Hell, paths that not only crossed, but went down the suck and jerk off road.
    The night he had messaged TPACUFFS through Grindr when they both had been in Bradley’s ended up with them at Brett’s place. There wasn’t any actual fucking, but that didn’t stop the bumping and grinding fest that included several blow jobs given and received. It was a night that had them both exhausted by the time the sun came up.
    “Good to meet you,” Tig said and stuck out his hand.
    Brett shook it and hid the sigh of relief that threatened to escape his lips. There was always the chance that the man didn’t remember their hookup, but Brett knew the thought was just his mind trying to feed him bullshit. The recognition in Flame’s boyfriend’s eyes was too clear and too obvious for Brett to believe otherwise.
    Shit, Brett cursed at himself again and released Tig’s hand.
    “You’re looking a little green there, Malone.” Flame laughed. “Too much booze from beating Austin’s ass on the table?”
    “Yeah.” Brett forced himself to look at Flame. “I’m gonna head out.”
    “Sure thing man, see you next shift.”
    “Tell Austin we’ll pick up where we left off on the table.” Brett turned away.
    “Will do.”
    Brett didn’t remember grabbing his pool cue or cashing out with Shelley. He didn’t remember the drive home either. However, he did remember every detail of the night he spent with Flame’s boyfriend over a year ago.
     

     
    The memory assaulted Brett the moment he laid down in bed.
    He had been shooting pool for over an hour. He hadn’t dumped any money into the table since the first dollar fifty. He half-assed sandbagged the games against several guys, none of which sparked his interest.
    Brett was chalking his stick when he noticed a regular he had seen a few times take a seat at the bar. Come to think of it, every time he had seen the man, the guy had been sitting on the same stool. His back was to the pool table were