Oliver’s head dropped back against the headrest. “I can’t believe he was inside my apartment. I can’t believe it.”
“He wasn’t in there for as long as he’s going to be in a jail cell.”
“Can they arrest him? I know it was him. I’m a hundred percent sure he was there. I know that voice.”
I didn’t want to take the wind from Oliver’s sails, but he had to hear the truth. “It’s still not enough. I need more before I go to the police. I need evidence. Solid, undeniable evidence.”
Oliver shook his head and looked out the window. My driveway light was flooding the space in bright white light, shining down on the row of bushes that lined the path up to my front door.
“Do you think it was Juan and Mario? Or Juan and someone else…”
The question had been bothering me since I considered it. Truthfully, I didn’t have enough evidence to point me directly toward Mario, but just by association, he appeared guilty.
“You need more evidence?” Oliver said, answering his own question. “Jesus, Mary, and Mariah fucking Carey. I need to meditate or something.”
Maybe the time didn’t exactly call for it, but I couldn’t help it. I laughed. The sound echoed in the car as if it had turned into a cavernous space.
Oliver laughed, too. An exhausted type of laugh, but a laugh all the same.
“Seriously, though. I do. My head’s spinning out of control.”
“Aren’t there things you can download on your phone for that?”
Oliver shot me a look. “Yes, there are apps for that, but I need the real stuff. Will used to bring me to this secluded spot at the Port of Authority, right behind cargo bay seven. It’s a small offshoot of the port, and it’s surrounded by tall reeds with a tiny office that’s never used by anyone. You see the entire bay and feel like all of Miami is gone. And it’s such a different vibe than the beach, too. Like, you can meditate for hours there.”
“You’ll have to take me there, then. I’ve never been one for meditating, but I’m up for trying.”
“I’d like that.” Oliver closed his eyes. “I used to go there a lot after losing Derrick. Sometimes I’d just read until I fell asleep; other times I’d actually meditate. I’d feel better every single time.”
“Then we’ll go for sure.”
Oliver smiled, eyes still closed.
“What got you into this detective work, Beck? Into chasing down thugs and rescuing little princesses like me.”
“I got into it for the princesses of course.”
Oliver opened his eyes and looked to me. I shot him a wink. “It was a friend of mine who got me started. He had an agency and offered to sponsor my stay in the States by working for him. He taught me everything I knew, and he passed on his love for investigating to me. I was twenty-three when he hired me, I think. The youngest detective in all of Miami, and soon enough, I was also the one closing the most cases.”
“I believe that.”
“It was exactly what I needed in my life. Before Gio took me under his wing, I was floating around aimlessly. Fucking guys in bathroom stalls and dodgy hiking trails, just wanting to pass the time somehow. I didn’t really have a purpose.”
“I’m glad you found it. And I’m glad your purpose is to help so many other people.” Oliver’s fingers danced up and down my arm, sending warm chills down my back.
I closed the distance between us and found his lips with mine. We kissed, long enough for the driveway light to click off, plunging us into the dark. An undeniable heat was building between my legs, my dick twitching in response.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go inside. I need to get washed up. Can’t believe I’m still wearing my kickball uniform.”
“I love it,” Oliver said as we got out of the car. He gave me a cheeky little slap on the ass when we got to my front door.
My dick twitched even harder.
Inside my place, I could barely wait to get my lips back on his. I kissed him, hard, pressing him back against the closed door. I held his head in both my hands as my tongue probed his mouth, claiming it for myself.
My cock gave a hard throb between us.
“All right, get comfortable. I’m going to take a quick shower.”