Read Ellery Mountain 1 -The Fireman and the Cop for Free Online

point.
“Dinner tonight?” Max said.
“I’m on duty at ten,” Finn admitted.
Max tilted his head then shrugged. “Barring emergencies, I’ll be home at six.”
Four hours. Well, three hours and fifty minutes, giving ten minutes to get dressed again. Wait. It was an invitation to dinner, not an invite for no-holds-barred sex. Groaning inwardly at the path his brain was taking, he nodded. Jeez, the guy was so big and tall—fuck, did Finn really have to wait until six? He shifted his stance and his free hand grazed Max’s thigh. He pulled the hand back like he had touched fire. Lust sparked inside Finn and at that moment, if Max had grabbed lube and condoms from the next aisle and bent Finn over the fruit and vegetables, Finn would probably let him in.
That would certainly disprove the closet idea.
“You’re in one of houses off of Main, aren’t you?”
Max raised an eyebrow at the question. “Good detective work,” he said softly.
Finn narrowed his gaze. Was Max accusing him of being up in his business or actually praising him for being a cop and knowing what was happening in his town?
“I’ll be at yours for six,” Finn said instead.
When Max grinned, he knew he was just being teased. Probably six oh one…or maybe a bit before six just to be on the safe side .
“Do you need me to bring anything?” He swayed towards Max then just as quickly realised what he was doing. Standing there surrounded by lemons and melons, he was reacting with visceral need to whatever the hell Max was suggesting.
“Just yourself,” Max responded. He smiled and the smile reached his beautiful eyes.
Beautiful? Since when did I see things as beautiful?
The two of them stood for a few moments looking at each other, and it was only when Mitzy on the tills called for a price that they moved apart. The grating nasal sound asking for assistance for cashier three was enough to break the spell that had woven its way around them. Max chuckled, looking left then right, and sauntered away towards the cereal aisle, leaving Finn bereft.
Finn deliberately went the opposite way and wasn’t sure where he was heading. He was only a little shocked when he realised he was standing right in the centre of the pharmacy aisle—nose to nose with condoms. Should he take some with him? Was that what he wanted? Hell yes, that was what he wanted. What would the cashier think? What if it was Mitzi—who for all intents and purposes was something like a cousin, their mothers were so close? Normally he bought that kind of thing in Knoxville, simply because that was where he had sex.
He didn’t want to make a big thing in Ellery about being gay. No one gave him grief but buying condoms from the town main store would not go unnoticed, and then his mom would find out. He wondered if he would be having the same feelings if he were his brother. Josh was in a new relationship with a girl at college. No one would bat an eyelid if Josh bought condoms, right? Resolving to say the hell with it, he scooped his usual brand into the basket and quickly left the pharmacy aisle to grab the rest of what he needed. Five minutes later, with the condoms safely hidden for the time being under milk and bread, he joined the short queue at the only manned till. Mitzi’s till.
Max had long gone, it seemed. So any condom purchase was going to be something Finn could keep to himself if Max only wanted dinner, or worse, friendship. When his turn came, he was lucky. There was no one behind him and Mitzi appeared distracted. She didn’t even hesitate when the small box was scanned and bagged. Finn paid with a thank you and had very nearly made it away from the checkout with no talking at all.
“I’m gonna have to call for a restock on those,” she said with a wink.
“Sorry?”
“Between you and the new guy there’ll be nothing left for the straight guys.”
Finn wasn’t entirely sure how long he stood there with his mouth open and not knowing what to say. The new guy? That had to