The Venetian and the Rum Runner: A 1920s Gay Historical Romantic Suspense by L.A. Witt

Author:L.A. Witt [Witt, L.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781642300932
Published: 2020-09-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

The moment Danny walked into the office, Carmine couldn’t breathe quite right. Danny didn’t say a word besides “here’s the chits from the last run,” but there was something in his eyes that had Carmine less steady on his feet than usual.

Carmine moistened his lips and refused to notice the way Danny watched his mouth. “Another run already?”

“Aye.” Eyes locked on Carmine’s, Danny handed over the chits. Carmine took them, but he held Danny’s gaze because… because…

Lord, he never wanted to look away, but something was definitely different this time. Danny had long since stopped being—or at least seeming—intimidated by Carmine, but he’d never been quite so…bold? Intense? Carmine couldn’t put his finger on it. And he still couldn’t look away from him. It was like Danny had come here on a mission, and not just to get paid, and Carmine had no idea if he should be… Well, he was definitely nervous, but nervous like he thought Danny might brandish a knife or a gun? Or nervous in an entirely different way?

Am I seeing what I want to see?

Because God forgive him, Carmine had had dreams about Danny looking at him exactly the way he was now.

But Danny couldn’t possibly mean what he’d meant in those dreams.

And Carmine was still standing there like an idiot with the chits in his hand. Clearing his throat, he broke eye contact and thumbed through the chits. Another impressive haul; if he’d known this crew was this good at hijacking and rum running, he’d have hired them the moment the Volstead Act had gone into effect.

I’d have hired them anyway. Especially their man in charge.

It took Carmine three tries to count out the cash. By the time he gave it to Danny to count, he was strangely flustered, and as their fingers brushed when Danny took the money, Carmine’s heart jumped. From the way Danny’s lips turned up just so, it hadn’t been by accident. What in the world…?

The office was silent except for Carmine’s heartbeat and the whisper of cash sliding against cash while Danny counted it. Then Danny handed it back. “It’s all there.”

“Great.” Their fingers brushed again. That had to be deliberate. It had to be. Especially with the hint of a grin and that wicked sparkle in the blue eyes Carmine dreamed about most nights.

He shook himself, wrapped the cash as he always did, and finished it off by tying a string around it. “There we are.” He held it out to Danny again. “Payment for today’s score, and money for the next one.”

“Thank you.” Danny reached for the wrapped cash, but he also stepped closer. A lot closer. So close Carmine could almost feel his body heat, but he could absolutely feel his presence.

Carmine gulped. Whatever he’d felt when Danny had walked in, it hadn’t been his imagination after all, and now something in those eyes dared him to come even closer. Carmine could’ve been imagining it, but he was sure he could see—hell, feel—a glint of desire in Danny’s gaze.

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