SFPD detective Gabriel Sandalini might as well have put a gun to his own head. One red-hot sexual encounter in a bar’s back room has put two years of deep undercover work in jeopardy—two years of danger and deception as he worked his way into crime boss Ricco Botelli’s inner circle. Gabriel can’t afford emotional entanglements. Hell, he can’t afford emotions. But that was before he had a name to pin on that anonymous one-off—Miguel Ortega. Miguel Ortega doesn’t trust anyone, but tough, street-smart Gabriel brings out the conquistador in his Spanish blood. But distractions are nothing short of deadly right now, not with his boss’s impending marriage to Botelli’s sister, which will ensure peace—and massive drug profits—for both families. On a trip to Mexico to set up drug supply lines, a violent confrontation proves they’ve got each other’s backs—to a degree. Then one savage act changes everything, testing not only their fragile bond, but Gabriel’s will to live.

Reluctant to have his Latin lover, an ex-FBI agent, leave on an mysterious assignment, Gabriel, a blind ex-police detective, gives Antonio a reason to remember to come home. (This short story is also part of the Wet Skin Anthology. Foreword: "This short story, first published in 2007, was the inspiration for the CRIMES & COCKTAILS Series. Portions of the story as you read it here don’t fit the story line that evolved when the series became a collaboration with mystery writer Josh Lanyon, but it’s still a hot tale of wet fun. An expanded, modified version of it will be incorporated into the second book in the series, TEQUILA SUNRISE. If you want to taste the full passion of the men in this series pick up a copy of book #1, Mexican Heat, a 2009 Lambda Literary Award Finalist as of the printing of this anthology.)