Page 1 of Tangled in Red

Chapter One

Brett was stacking boxes of cute teddy bears—each wearing a tiny hospital gown—on the shelves in the gift shop. His shoulder ached whenever he reached too high, making him wince a bit. As he tried to loosen up his arm, a gray-haired lady walked in. He put on his customer-service smile. “Need help finding anything?” he asked, his voice cheerful out of routine more than anything else.

“Just looking,” she said, barely glancing at him.

Brett went back to dusting, working his way down the shelf. His phone buzzed in his pocket—another text from Diablo. His heart did a little flip despite the pain in his arm. They’d been texting a lot since Brett had been brave enough to call him. Chatting with the guy just felt easy. Something about him made Brett feel grounded, even just through a screen.

He sneaked his phone out when the lady moved to another aisle.

How's your day going, cariño?

Brett’s cheeks felt warm. Diablo’s Spanish pet names always caught him off-guard. He looked around before typing back.

Shelving teddy bears. Very manly work.

Diablo replied right away. I bet you make it look good.

Brett bit his lip to hold back his grin. It was silly how a text could make his heart race like he’d run up a bunch of stairs. Even sillier how he’d memorized Diablo’s face from the one time they’d met.

“Are you okay, young man? You’re quite flushed.”

Brett almost dropped the bear he was holding. The elderly customer was in front of him, looking concerned as she held her purse.

“Yes, ma’am. Just... warm in here.”

“Well, I need a birthday card for my grandson. Something funny but not too crude.” She wiggled a finger at him like Brett would show her to some back room where they kept their X-rated stash. It was a hospital gift shop. The crudest card they had featured a dog in a tutu with a cigar sticking out of its mouth.

Brett slipped his phone back into his pocket and led her to the card section. Focus on work, he reminded himself. Not on tattooed arms or that voice saying “cariño” in a way that makes your insides flutter.

After she left, he pulled out his phone again, glancing around to make sure no more elderly grandmas were looking over his shoulder.

Another text from Diablo.

Still on for coffee tomorrow?

Five simple words made Brett forget about the ache in his shoulder. He quickly typed back a “yes” before putting his phone away. Adjusting his name tag, he moved down the aisle with a feather duster in hand. The gentle background music of the gift shop couldn’t quite drown out the hospital noises—the distant intercom calls, the squeaky wheels of gurneys, and the quiet conversations about prognoses and visiting hours he heard just outside the door.

The music couldn’t distract him from thinking about Diablo either. That one in-person meet made him feel on top of the world, even if he’d blushed his way through it. Over the phone or through texts, Brett was so much braver, able to say things he couldn’t bring himself to in person.

And now they were meeting up tomorrow morning. After weeks of texting and chats over the phone, Brett would finally see him again. He wanted to do a little dance but didn’t want it recorded on the security camera.

His phone buzzed in his hand, making him nearly drop it.

You free?

He quickly replied, For what?

Three dots appeared. Brett held his breath. For Diablo, Brett would make himself free. Wait, that didn’t sound right.

See you in two.

Two what? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Lightyears? Had he just jumped from time to distance?

His heart did a little dance in his chest as he smoothed his hair and straightened his polo then winced as it rubbed against his bruised shoulder.

The automatic doors opened with a soft hiss. Brett’s jaw dropped.

Diablo seemed even bigger and hotter than he remembered, filling the doorway with those broad shoulders and a confidence Brett wished he had. Dark jeans and a fitted, sleeveless black T-shirt showed off his tattoos.

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