pulled back the sheets and climbed under the covers. A quick video on the iPad would might do him some good. He was a little wound up after his trip with Brody. Maybe a few episodes of âSteam Room Storiesâ on You Tube? They always put a smile on his face. Hot boys doing silly sketch comedy, why not? Either that or a Food Network cooking show. He finally decided on the latterâa cooking show. No need to get himself worked up again watching sexy men. Heâd had enough of that for the evening. Brody in Chi Chi Larueâs definitely bordered on things Mylesâ should not be replaying in his head this late at night.
***
Brody handed the food truck vendor a twenty and told him to keep the change. The sun was shining, birds chirping. Beautiful Los Angeles, Brody thought. Another day in paradise. He and Richard grabbed their tacos and sat on the hood of their cruiser, both in full uniform. Another day on the job as LAâs finest.
âI canât believe you make me eat here,â Richard complained, not that it stopped him from shoving the food into his mouth.
Brody rolled his eyes. Richard didnât like to try new things, and food trucks werenât excluded. âAre you kidding? Everyone knows the best food in LA comes from food trucks.â
âYeah, so does e coli.â He took another bite and then turned toward his partner. âIâm Mexican. I know how this is made!â
Brody chuckled. âAdmit it; itâs delicious, and this is my new favorite spot, so youâre just going to have to deal with it.â Brody reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a plastic egg. âHey, Myles and I went toy shopping last night. I got you something. Itâs a sex toy.â
Richard took it and looked it over. âIf this goes where I think it does, you and I are about to have a problem, partner.â
Brody laughed. âIt doesnât. Itâs a sleeve you use to cover your junk when you jerk off. Just trust me on this. Youâll like it. It feels amazingâbetter than the real thing.â
Richard looked at him as to say, âReally? Better than the real thing?â
Brody knew he was probably thinking about boundaries and how Brody ignored them. Well, Brody was honest about it. Not everyone could handle this sort of thing, but Richard could. This was one of the things that made him choose Brody as a partner years earlier.
Brody could read his expression like a third grade textbook. He and Richard were great partners and friends. There wasnât anything that Brody didnât know about Richard and vice versa. Two men who had been partners on the force as long as they were and who spent whatever free time they both had together were inevitably going to form a bondâalmost as strong as the bond Brody had with Myles.
He responded to Richardâs look, âOf course not as good as the real thing, but definitely a close second and certainly better than your hand!â
Richard just shook his head.
âI took Myles shopping to try to cheer him up. He just broke up with his newest boyfriend. I bought him a bunch of toys and thought Iâd pick you up a little something too,â Brody said.
âMyles broke up with another one? I feel so bad for that guy.â
âMe too, Myles is a bit much.â
âNo. I meant Myles.â
Brody was surprised. âYou feel bad for Myles? Donât! If you want to pity someone, try me. Myles and I made a deal ten years ago that if we were single by the time weâre thirty-five, weâd be a couple! What am I going to do?â
Richard laughed. âThatâs ridiculous. Myles is a successful, smart lawyer. He can do so much better than you!â
âRight. I⦠What?â
Richard got a cheap shot in at Brody, who was surprised yet pleased at Richardâs cleverness. Brodyâs sense of humor definitely was rubbing off on him.
âBesides, I donât know