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“So what are we doing since you wouldn’t let me plan anything?”

“I got Replicant Battle.”

Quinn’s eyes went wide behind his glasses. “For real? I thought they sold out of it today!”

“My stakeout last night may have included a midnight opening where I picked up a preordered copy.”

Quinn punched his fist in the air. “I can’t believe you got it! So we’re staying in? Gaming?”

“We are. I just want sex.”

“Well, I want that, too.” Quinn chuckled and pressed a kiss to Shane’s lips. “Always want sex with you.” He threw his head back and laughed. “But staying in to game comes a close second.”

“Do I know my boyfriend, or what?”

There was a knock, and Shane pulled out his wallet. “Food’s here, too.”

When the door opened, the smell of Pad Thai filled the condo.

“Thai food and Replicant Battle?” Quinn took the bag. “There couldn’t be a better Valentine’s Day date. Ever. The guys at work are way too fussy with their fancy plans.”

Shane locked the door after paying the delivery man and smiled. “Royce and Dom have big plans?”

“Royce and Marc are in Europe…Hungary, I think.” Quinn gave a little roll of his eyes and smiled. “Dom is taking your dad out for a special night on the Cincinnati Dinner train.”

It was still a little surreal to hear about his dad dating a man, but to know it was Dominic Walsh was even stranger. The reformed playboy was utterly devoted to Abe, and while it might be a little hard to believe at times, Shane had never seen his father happier. “Dad is going to love it.”

“That’s what I thought. Even if we’re spending a night in, we’ve got Sven and Geoffrey beat.”

“What are they doing?”

“Babysitting.”

Shane wrinkled his nose. Not his first choice of activities when it came to Valentine’s Day, not that he’d ever been big on celebrating it. “Come on. I got everything ready upstairs.” Shane grabbed a roll of paper towels, a couple of forks, and the cooler of beer he’d packed earlier. Quinn brought the food.

“You sure you want to be outside?” Quinn asked as he stepped onto the roof deck. “Ooh, we have a fireplace now?” He stood looking at the dishes and blankets. “You spoil me.”

“You’re worth spoiling.”

“We did say no gifts…”

“Replicant Battle is for both of us. So is the food.” He winked. “And the sex.”

Quinn’s slow grin was beautiful and slightly wicked. “We doing that out here, too?”

“Hell, yeah.”

Quinn’s gaze zipped around the rooftop setup, taking everything in. “Where’d you hide the lube?”

“Couch cushions.”

“You’re so romantic.”

Shane snorted. Practical was more like it. The last thing he wanted was to get hot and heavy and have to run downstairs for supplies. And he wasn’t worried about them being seen. They had privacy on the deck because it was clear on three sides and faced an empty warehouse on the fourth. But they’d be under the covers anyway. Shane shivered, set down the food, and lit the wood in the chimenea. It didn’t take long to put out a nice amount of heat.

They quickly filled their plates, the steam from the food curling from each serving and making his mouth water.

Quinn moaned with his first bite. He finished chewing and wiped his mouth. “So, how did that stakeout go last night? Was it another cheating husband?”

“It was. I hate these cases. Caught him cleaning out his car, so I got to dumpster dive.”

Quinn grimaced. “So that’s why you showered at one o’clock this morning.”

“I’d hoped that didn’t wake you. Sorry about that. Couldn’t stand to go to bed without scrubbing down. As it was, the people in line around me at the game store kept giving me dirty looks.”

“Well, I thank you for not crawling into bed with me, then.”

“You’re welcome. Hollis took over watching the guy tonight, since his fiancé had to be at the restaurant, but I’m back on the case in the morning. Tonight is just for us. I’ve missed you this week.”

“Missed you, too. Sure you want to play the game?”

Shane had noticed him eyeballing it several times and he smirked. “Come on, load it up.”

Three hours later, they were still battling it out on Quinn’s game system. They’d snuggled together under both blankets and with the small fireplace, it was actually pretty cozy. Shane was on his third beer, creating a nice buzz to mellow out his limbs and thought. He was also losing spectacularly in the game, and his interest was starting to zero in more on the warm body beside him.

Quinn was so damn sexy.

“You just died. Again.” Quinn chuckled. “Your attention is so not on the game.”

“Hey, I lasted hours this time!” He hadn’t played games often before Quinn had come along.

“You did and I love you for it, but I’m thinking you have something else you’d rather be doing.” He turned off the game and took the controller out of Shane’s hand before setting them both on the coffee table next to their containers of food. He pushed him down on the couch, pulling the blankets over them and making a dark cocoon of warmth. “This interest you more?”


Tags: Jocelynn Drake, Rinda Elliott Ward Security Romance