The Magic in Your Touch (8 page)

Shane flashed his perfect teeth in a brilliant smile that made his dark green eyes crinkle at the corners. His hair was a lighter shade of blonde than Nathan’s, gelled into tousled order. From where Bran was sitting, it was obvious Shane was on the make.

“Afternoon, Sheriff,” he said in a husky voice that made Brandon grit his teeth. “Here’s your coffee. I know you take yours black, but I wasn’t certain about your friend, so I brought milk and sugar just in case.”

“He takes his black, too.” Brandon did his best to keep the irritation out of his voice, but it was getting damn hard to do.

 

“So what can I get for you, Sheriff?”

 

Brandon ordered his usual: a BLT, fries, and a glass of sweetened ice tea. Then it was Nate’s turn.

 

“So what can I get for you. . .I’m sorry, what did you say your name was?”

 

Nathan extended his hand. “I didn’t, but it’s Nathan. Nathan Morris.”

Shane shook Nate’s hand a little bit longer than necessary to Brandon’s way of thinking. “I’m Shane Haskins. You’re the new doctor everybody’s talking about. I heard you were cute, but no one told me you were such a babe.”

Much to Brandon’s disgust, Nate actually blushed. “Uh, thanks. I. . .I think I’ll have the same thing Bran is having.”

 

Shane said, “Good choice,” but made no move to leave the table. “So, I guess you haven’t had a chance to get to know many of the folks here in Reed, what with being new in town and all.”

 

“Not really, no.”

 

“Well, if you aren’t busy Friday night, maybe you’d like to—”

 

“Shane, do you think you could put that order in now. Nate has patients waiting and I need to get back to the office.” Brandon used the same tone with Shane that he used on unruly suspects.

 

“What? Oh, sure thing, Sheriff.” He left, but not before winking at Nate.

 

Nate gave Brandon a look of disapproval. “Did you have to be so rude? The guy was just being friendly.”

 

Brandon snorted into his coffee. “Friendly, my ass. He was two steps away from asking you out.” “Is that a crime here in Reed?” He didn’t expect an answer, and he didn’t get one.

The rest of their meal was spent in silence. Brandon had never felt jealousy like this before, not even when he came home and caught Jeff screwing around on him the first time. He did his best to keep the seething anger he was feeling under control, but when Shane brought the check and slipped Nate his phone number, Brandon’s patience reached an end.

He threw his money on the table, growling when Nate reached for his wallet.

 

“I invited you to lunch. I’ll damn well pay for it.”

 

Nate said nothing. He followed Brandon out to the SUV and was about to get in when Bran put his hand on his shoulder and stopped him.

 

“Throw it away.”

 

“What?”

 

“Shane’s phone number. I want you to throw it away.”

 

“Why? He seems like a nice guy.”

 

Brandon took a step closer, placing Nate between the SUV and himself. “I don’t care how nice he is. No way are you going out with that guy.”

 

He could tell that Nate was starting to get mad by the flush of his cheeks.

 

“Who are you to tell me who I can and can’t go out with?”

Brandon took a deep breath, but it did nothing to cool his anger. “I’ll tell you exactly who I am. I’m the guy who’s watched you go to the guest room every night when what I really wanted to do was drag you across the hall to my own bed. I’m the man who’s kept his hands off you because I promised you we would let things happen naturally, the whole time fighting the urge to strip you down and run my tongue over every square inch of your body. For a solid week, I’ve been going out of my mind wanting you and trying to keep my distance. You want to know who I am? Here, let me show you.” He pushed Nathan up against the side of the truck and covered his mouth with his own.

At first Nate was too stunned to react, and Brandon was too angry to notice. Pretty soon, though, anger and shock gave way to desire as Bran devoured Nate with his mouth. When Nate wrapped his arms around Bran’s neck and parted his lips, Brandon moaned and swept his tongue inside. He ground his hips against Nate, his erection threatening to break the zipper of his jeans. Headless of anyone who might be watching, Brandon kissed Nate until they were forced to pull apart from lack of air.

Nate groaned. “Don’t stop.”

 

Brandon rested his forehead against Nate’s. “I’ve got to, baby. I’m about two seconds away from having to arrest myself for public indecency.”

 

Nate reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Here.”

 

Still reeling from the kiss, Brandon said, “What’s that?” “Shane’s phone number. I won’t be needing it.”

 

Brandon laughed as he helped Nate into the passenger seat. “I hope all of our arguments end like this one.” Nate’s smile was answer enough.

 

Brandon got behind the wheel and started the engine. As he was buckling his seat belt, Nate reached over and took his hand.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Letting things happen naturally. Was I wrong, or did you just declare ownership back there?”

 

Brandon pulled the SUV out onto Main Street but kept a firm hold on Nate’s hand. “That all depends on whether or not you liked it, and whether or not you mind being declared ‘private property.’”

 

“Yes, I liked it, and no, I don’t mind.”

 

“In that case, consider yourself off the market.”

 

Nate got quiet for a minute.

 

“Bran?”

 

“Yes, baby?”

 

“What about sex?”

 

“Does it scare you?”

 

“Maybe a little bit.”

Brandon brought Nate’s hand up to his lips and kissed the palm. “How about if we keep it light until you’re ready? You’ll keep sleeping in the guestroom and we’ll confine all our physical activities to the ‘making out’ category.”

Brandon could almost see the tension ease out of him. “Thank you for understanding.”

 

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to be able to handle watching other guys make a play for you, Nate. I may be a jealous ass, but I’m afraid there’s not much I can do about it.”

 

“I don’t want anyone else, Bran. I hope you believe that.”

They had just pulled back up to the doctor’s office. Brandon got out and met Nate over on the passenger side. “I believe you, Nate.” He looked down at his watch. “I should go. The driver of the eighteen wheeler that overturned last week is coming by to sign off on the accident report.” He leaned in and gave Nate another kiss, only this time his touch was gentle and unhurried. He was really starting to get into it when he heard a noise behind him and turned to see Amy standing there with a big grin on her face.

“Well, it’s about time. If Mike had waited a whole week to kiss me, I believe I would have taken matters into my own hands.”

 

“Do you tell her everything?”

 

Nate whispered “almost” in such a sexy voice that Brandon was tempted to kiss him again. When he saw the look of concern cross Nate’s face, he stopped.

 

Nate was watching Amy. “What’s wrong, girl? You look like somebody just peed in your sandbox.”

 

Amy shook her head. “Not exactly, but close enough. While you and Brandon were at lunch, you had a visitor. He’s in your office waiting for you. I came out here to give you a heads up.”

 

Without even thinking about it, Brandon moved his body in front of Nate’s in a gesture of protection. Nate grasped his hand like a lifeline.

 

“Who is it Amy?”

 

“It’s your brother, Nate. Seth is here to see you.”

 

Chapter 4

When Nate thought back to that night six years ago when he’d ceased to be a brother and a son, he always pictured someone else, a man who existed in another lifetime. The new life he’d worked so hard to carve for himself offered a certain amount of insulation against the pain of his abandonment. Walking into that office and seeing Seth again would rip away all the layers of protection he’d built up. Nate wasn’t sure if he was ready to have his shell torn open again.

Amy went back inside the office, but Nate just stood there, his mind refusing to tell his feet to move. He heard Brandon dial a number and tell the person on the other end to handle things at the Sheriff’s department for the rest of the afternoon. Then he felt a pair of iron-strong arms wrap around him and pull him close.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?”

 

“I don’t know. After all this time, what could he possibly have to say to me? Why now?”

Brandon just shook his head and held him tighter. Nate wasn’t sure how long they stood there like that, but he was thankful he and Amy had a private parking spot where patients and passersby couldn’t see them. Within minutes, the warmth from Brandon’s body began to sink into his own, causing his muscles to relax and his head to clear. He was reluctant to break their embrace, but he knew he would have to face Seth sooner or later. He might as well get it over with. He pulled away and took Brandon’s hand.

“I think I’m ready now.”

 

“Are you sure?” “No, but I don’t have a whole lot of choice. Will you go in there with me?”

 

Brandon nodded. “If you want me to be there, then I’m there.”

 

“A few minutes ago, when you said I could consider myself off the market, did you mean that you consider us a couple now?”

 

“That’s how I see us.”

 

Nate pulled him towards the office. “Me, too.” He stopped before he got to the back door, the one only employees used. “Before we go in, there’s something I need to tell you.”

Brandon led him over to the picnic table that sat just outside the doorway. He and Nate sat across from each other, Nate holding his hand in a death grip. “You can tell me anything. I think you know that by now.”

“I’m learning.” Nate took a deep breath. “Remember how I told you my dad got a restraining order forbidding me from contacting either my parents or my brother?” He Brandon said yes, Nate went on. “Well, since Seth was a minor when my dad took out the order, it expired when he turned eighteen. After that, it was up to him to take out another one.”

Brandon gave his hand a squeeze. “You went to see him, didn’t you?”

“On his eighteenth birthday. I found out where he was from some mutual friends. See, I convinced myself that the only reason he wouldn’t see me was because my dad wouldn’t let him. Don’t worry, though; he set me straight. Well, maybe straight isn’t the right word. Let’s just say, he let me know in no uncertain terms just exactly what he thought of me.”

The sympathy he saw on Brandon’s face was almost his undoing. “What happened, baby?”

“He started screaming at me, telling me to get away from him. He said his brother was dead, that he died the day I decided to become a fag. He said he only hoped that someone would come along and put me out of my misery before I decided to molest a child or something.” When he saw the anger that reddened Bran’s face, he quickly added, “He was only repeating what me father said the night he found out. My dad said it was a good thing I would never have children because a pervert like me would end up raping them myself or allowing another pervert to do it. Anyway, the day after I went to see Seth, he filed his own restraining order against me. That was four years ago. I haven’t heard from him since.”

Bran crossed over to Nate’s side of the table and pulled him close. “You don’t have to see him, Nate. I’ll go in there right now and tell him he has to leave.”

 

“No. I can handle it, as long as you’ll stay with me.”

 

Brandon kissed him tenderly on the lips. “I’m not going anywhere. Face it, babe. You’re stuck with me.”

 

* * *

Part of Brandon’s training, first as a profiler, and then later as sheriff, was never to let his emotions get in the way when dealing with a case. Nate may have started out as a case, but he’d been more than that from almost the minute Brandon laid eyes on him. The thought of anyone hurting Nathan made Bran want to hide him away from the rest of the world and stand guard at the door. It was hard to hate a man he’d never met, but the things Seth Morris had done to Nate made it difficult for Bran not to despise him.

When they walked into the office, Seth was seated in one of the chairs in front of Nate’s desk. Nate teased him about how much he and Keith favored, but the resemblance between the Morris brothers was startling: same dark- blonde hair, same chocolate eyes. Nate was a couple of inches taller and a touch more muscular, but there was no mistaking the fact that they were brothers. What bothered Bran the most was how someone as sweet and gentle as Nate could be saddled with that bunch of losers he called family.

Seth stood up when he saw them. He started towards Nate, but Bran positioned himself between them. Seth stopped short and looked at his brother.

 

“Nate. It’s been a while, huh?”

 

“Four years. You aren’t supposed to be here, Seth. You’re violating your own restraining order.”

 

“No, I dropped that about six months ago.” He looked up at Bran’s hardened jaw. “Uh, Nathan, do you think we could talk? Alone?”

Nate put his hand inside Bran’s larger one. Brandon’s fingers closed around his immediately. “Seth, this is Brandon Nash. Sheriff Brandon Nash. He and I are seeing each other. That means that what concerns me, concerns him. He stays.”

Seth didn’t seem to like having an audience, but at least he was smart enough not to say anything. Nate said, “There’s a small sitting room upstairs. If we’re gonna talk, we’ll have more privacy up there.” He turned to Brandon. “Will you take Seth on upstairs while I ask Amy to cover my patients?”

“Sure, babe.” He started towards the stairs, leaving Seth to follow.

The upstairs sitting room was little more than a landing with a couch and a couple of armchairs, but at least it was private. Brandon sat down on the overstuffed sofa. Seth settled himself into a chair, and the two waited for Nate in awkward silence.

Finally, Seth said, “So, you and my brother, huh?”

 

Brandon crossed his legs, right ankle over left knee. “Yeah, me and your brother. You got a problem with that?”

 

Seth leaned forward like he was sizing Brandon up. “You don’t exactly seem like Nate’s type.”