Page 76 of Hard Rain

Whip stopped and turned.

“What—”

Axel closed the distance in two strides, spun him toward the wall, and kissed him.

The force of it rattled the framed photos hanging beside the front door.

So did every coherent thought he had left.

The instant their lips met, Axel gripped the back of Whip’s neck, holding him there.

Heat exploded between them.

He angled his head and claimed Whip’s mouth harder, deeper, like he’d been trying to reach it for months without realizing it.

Their lips crashed together amid silent groans, harsh breaths, and the slide of tongues.

Whip tasted like coffee and mint.

Familiar.

Dangerously familiar.

Axel raked his fingers through the long blond hair he’d imagined touching more times than he cared to admit, keeping Whip close as though letting go wasn’t an option anymore.

The kiss only grew hotter.

A low groan escaped him as he instinctively pressed closer, his hips brushing Whip’s.

The answering hardness stole what little common sense he had left.

Whip answered the pressure immediately, one hand fisting in the front of his shirt while he sucked gently on his tongue.

Jesus.

Their cell phones buzzed at the same time.

Reality crashed back into the room.

Breaking apart, Axel couldn’t drag his gaze from Whip’s, pupils blown wide, lips wet from his kiss.

They broke apart at the same time.

Neither one spoke.

Axel dragged his phone from his pocket.

A team-wide message from Boone.

“Take the night off. Resume at 0700.”

Axel let out a short, strangled huff that might’ve been a laugh.

“Of all the damn timing,” he muttered, staring at the screen another second before finally looking up.

Whip was already watching him.

Blue eyes.