Closer: Bay City Paranormal Investigation, Book 4

yourself lately. And I’ve been worried.”
The corners of Bo’s mouth lifted. “So you’ve said.”
“Yeah, well.” Sam tongued the healing cut on his bottom lip. He’d never been so nervous in his life. “Okay, there’s no easy way to ask you this, so I’m just going to ask. Are you on drugs?”
Bo’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you serious?”
Sam didn’t say anything, but evidently the look on his face was answer enough.
Bo’s mouth dropped open. He closed it again and shook his head. “I almost asked where in the world you’d gotten that idea, but I think I can see it. I have been acting irrationally lately. Especially last night.”
Sam didn’t bother to deny it. “So, you’re not still taking those pain pills they gave you after your surgery?”
Smiling, Bo pulled Sam close and kissed his chin. “No, I’m not.”
Sam stared into Bo’s eyes, searching for any sign of deception. He found none. Bo met his gaze without flinching.
Relieved, Sam rested his forehead against Bo’s. “I didn’t really believe it, but I couldn’t just let it go without knowing for sure. Dean—” He stopped, wincing.
Damn. The last thing he’d wanted was to bring up Dean’s part in this. Bo hadn’t been angry yet, but knowing Sam had talked to Dean about him just might do it.
Sam’s fear melted away when Bo hooked one arm around his neck and pressed his cheek to Sam’s. “So Dean’s the one who told you I might be hooked on narcotics?” Bo laughed, the sound soft against Sam’s ear. “I wondered if that might be the case. The man has a suspicious mind.”
“And a medical background.” Sam drew back enough to look into Bo’s eyes. “You’re not mad at me?”
“For thinking I was on drugs, or for talking to Dean about me?”
“Both.”
“No. I know you and Dean are close friends. I know you confide in him. Of course you’d talk to him about this. And I know I gave him plenty of reasons to suspect what he did.” A lock of hair came loose from Bo’s braid, the wind whipping it around his face. He tucked it behind his ear. “I’m not angry. What I am is ashamed, and embarrassed. I’ve been absolutely awful the past few days. The way I treated you last night was unforgivable. It…It shook me to realize exactly how terrible I had been. The fact that you were willing to look for a reason instead of simply leaving me for good makes me love you even more.”
Something hard and tight in Sam’s chest loosened. He cupped Bo’s cheek in his palm. “You weren’t the only one out of line last night. I know I hurt you. I didn’t mean to, and I didn’t want to. I hope you know that.”
“Of course I do.” Bo gazed at Sam, eyes gleaming in the dimness. “I know you feel bad about what happened, Sam, but you shouldn’t. It hurt, yes, but a part of me liked it very much. That scares me a little. But I can’t deny that it excited me for you to take me that way.”
Sam didn’t know what to say to that. He’d been positive that whatever inner demon was riding Bo last night had made him do things he would never enjoy under normal circumstances. It disturbed Sam—and, to his mortification, intrigued him—to learn that Bo really did get off on an act that was more violence than sex.
“I don’t want to do that again,” Sam admitted. “Not like last night. If we play rough again at some point, I just…I don’t want it to be that way. Angry. You know?”
“I know.” Bo stroked Sam’s cheek, thumb tracing his jawline. “No more anger. No more fighting. I don’t know why I’ve been behaving the way I have lately. I’ve just been…I don’t know. I’ve felt very strange, and I’ve been completely out of control. But it ends right here, right now. Our last days here are going to be all about the two of us.”
It was far better than anything Sam had expected to hear. A wide grin spread across his face. “I like that plan.”
“Me too.” Bo’s smile was seductive this time. “Kiss me.”
Desire pooled in Sam’s belly. Tilting his head, he leaned in and sealed his lips to Bo’s. Bo’s mouth opened beneath his. Their tongues slid together, sending a rush of heat through Sam’s blood. He let out a low moan and dropped his hand down to caress Bo’s ass.
“Let’s go inside,” Bo whispered, his voice low and rough. “I want you.”
Unable to speak, Sam drew back, took Bo’s hand and led him across the darkening beach to the house.
They climbed the stairs in a silence which was no