Sparks Read Free Page A

in. But not too much. Have to keep up the rep of being a law-abiding citizen,” Hector said.
    “Speak for yourself,” Malik replied.
    “Whatever it is, I don’t want to know,” Miguel stated.
    “Please. You’ll be the one leading the mischief,” Tomas said.
    His brothers flanked around them. They watched the dancers.
    “What’s up with you and Bernie?” Miguel asked.
    Tomas took a drink. “I don’t know what you mean.”
    The other men snorted in disbelief. Ignoring them, Tomas watched Bernie dancing with man after man. He slammed his mug on the bar and went over to Bernie. Pushing between Bernie and his dance partner, Tomas glowered at the man. The man backed away. Tomas looked back at Bernie.
    “Let’s go,” he growled.
    He strode off the dance floor. Tomas waved at Mackenzie and his brothers, heading for the door. He pushed out the door and went to his car. Bernie’s soft tread came behind him. Pushing the button to disarm his truck alarm, he went to the driver’s side. Getting in, he slammed the door. Bernie got in beside him, closing the door softly. Tomas got them on their way. The ride was silent. In a short bit, he pulled up in front of Bernie’s condo. Impatiently, he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.
    “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It won’t happen again.” Bernie’s voice was soft.
    Tomas glanced at him. His head was turned away, a blush staining his cheeks. He got out of the car and went up the drive to the steps. There was a slump to his shoulders. He tripped, then righted himself, rushing up the steps and into the house. Tomas sat a while, looking at the door.
    “What am I going to do with you, kid?” Tomas asked.
    Shaking his head, he drove automatically to his house.
     
     
    T OMAS drove the trowel into the dirt. Leaning back on his heels, he wiped his forehead with his bandanna. Although it was only almost the end of April, it was already shaping up to be a very warm spring in Mapson. Rolling his shoulders and neck, he looked down the line of roses he was planting. They were looking very nice. Thankfully, the job wasn’t too complicated, and he was working alone. Malik had tried to change the schedule so they could work together today, pulling the old gambit that he was co-owner of Rodbro—their landscaping business—and thus could change things if he wanted. Tomas knew why he had wanted to switch.
    Since Tomas was also a co-owner, he had made sure once Malik left to switch with Allen for this job. He knew Malik and Link, who also worked with them, would be surprised to see Allen when he went to the job. After last night, Tomas didn’t want to hear the ribbing he would get from Malik or Link. His thoughts turned, as they had all day, to Bernie—specifically, to how he had moved on the dance floor. He had been sexy. There seemed to be more behind that geeky exterior than Tomas knew.
    Do you even want to go there? Tomas unclipped his canteen from his waist, uncapped it, and drank deeply. He lowered it, recapping it slowly.
    “Nah. He’s just a kid,” Tomas said.
    He remembered the blush and Bernie’s soft apology. When he saw Bernie on Saturday, he would have to make sure Bernie understood there was nothing to be sorry for.
    “Maybe I should go by today.” As soon as he said it, he dismissed the thought.
    Friday was Bernie’s movie night with Alex, Robert, and Simon, if he was in town. Tomas didn’t impose on it. Usually, he spent the night at home catching up with things at his house, or sometimes going out with his brothers. The sound of a car coming up the drive caught Tomas’s attention. Frowning, he stood as the squad car pulled up. Striding over to it, Tomas leaned down as the window lowered. Surprised, he studied the man in the car. Immediately Tomas thought something had happened to Miguel, but dismissed the thought as soon as it formed. He would have gotten a call, not an in-person notification.
    “Ramirez. What are you doing here?” Tomas