No Quarter (Bounty, Book One) (22 page)

Smooth, Gar.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve been with anyone for an extended period of time. Hell, you’ve been around me consecutively longer in three weeks than Jason had for the past three years.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

He knew Faolan didn’t understand the need to be on his own. If Gar had learned nothing else about the man over the past few weeks, it was his need for constant companionship. Not that Faolan was any more forthcoming on the personal information than Gar, but he seemed to thrive on the need to have people cling to his side.

It drove Gar insane. “I think I’ll move back to the
Geilt
.”

“It’s in no condition for you to be living there.
You’re
in no condition to be living there. What if there is a problem and you need Doc?”

“The
Geilt
is tethered to your ship. Not exactly a long distance or far-flung galaxy. If I need Doc she can get to me fast enough.”

Faolan crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance. Gar now knew this was his typical
I’m the captain and you damn well better listen to me
pose. “I’m not going to risk the well-being of my crew to accommodate an asinine request.”

Gar cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me? Not a member of your crew, Wolf.”

Faolan waved the protest away. “Of course you are. Jason betrayed you, where else will you go? You’ll stay with us.”

Of all the conceited, arrogant presumptions. “I prefer to be on my own.”

Faolan opened his mouth to respond, reconsidered and snapped it shut. He poured another two fingers of the brandy, downing it in one gulp. “No one should be alone, Gar. Not even you.
Especially
not you.”

Dropping his chin to his chest, Gar sighed. “You presume to know me very well.”

“Better than you think.”

“I’m not like you, Wolf.” Two different men from two very different backgrounds. Gar wasn’t sure if he could take the step forward necessary to bridge the gap to take them to the space that resided beyond friendship. “I’m too used to being on my own.”

Faolan tapped the tabletop with his finger before pulling his shirt off and padding barefoot over to the bed. He didn’t reach for Gar or make any move to sit beside him—he stood and waited, hands on hips.

“What?” Gar asked when he couldn’t take the unusual silence any longer.

“How are we different?”

What the hell?
“Do you want a detailed description or will a short list be sufficient?”

Faolan frowned. “Shut up and listen for once. I asked you a simple question. Answer it.”

“I don’t understand.” They didn’t have even a passing resemblance.

“Look at me.” Faolan held his arms out wide, causing the muscles of his chest and stomach to pull taut. “How am I different?”

Gar bore down hard, grinding his teeth together. “We’re different people…and I’m not talking physically.”

“Neither am I.” He didn’t move, spread out for inspection. “Question still stands.”

Not one to admit when he didn’t understand what the hell was going on, Gar rose to his feet, careful not to brush against the other man. Faolan’s long hair kissed the tops of his shoulders, calling out to Gar to touch, grab hold of, tug. Resisting the urge, Gar circled around behind Faolan’s near-naked body, surprised by the amount of body heat coming off his skin.

“Have you figured it out yet?” Faolan spoke with a lover’s voice, soft and low.

Gar hadn’t. The first touch of his fingers along the muscles of Faolan’s back elicited a gasp from the older man. Holding his position, Faolan allowed the exploration, giving silent permission for Gar to do what he willed.

Four pink nail tracks marred the flawless skin as Gar scratched down to the base of his spine. The answering gasp gave him a clue to what Faolan was getting at.

“Skin,” Gar muttered. “Holds everything inside.”

Placing both hands on Faolan’s hips, he pressed his thumbs into the small of his back.

“Muscles.” Underlying strength keeping them moving. Gar knew how hard it was for Faolan to continue on, a small measure of pride that he’d been chosen to be the older man’s confidant.

The top of Faolan’s pants hung neatly on his hips, held fast by the belt. Gar reached around to fumble with the buckle, needing to feel the heat of Faolan’s body completely pressed against his. It didn’t feel right having a barrier between them. Not after everything they’d been through.

When had the conversation shifted to seduction in his mind? Gar couldn’t be sure. One more talent Faolan possessed—that of misdirection.

“Clothing?” Faolan offered in an amused tone.

“Mine’s better.”

“Agreed.”

Gar popped the final button on Faolan’s pants, giving him the access he wanted. Holding his passions in check, he slid his hand up instead of down, enjoying the quivering muscles beneath his touch. The strength of the other man, a match for Gar in every way.

Gar pressed his mouth to the shoulder before him and whispered against the skin. “Stomach.”

Faolan sighed as he leaned back against him. “Yes.”

Gar found Faolan’s nipples easily, rolling the hard nubs between his forefingers and thumbs. “We both like this.”

“Gods damn you.”

Gar bit down where he’d kissed a moment earlier. “I’m answering your question.”

“Answer faster.”

The pad of his thumb brushed across Faolan’s collarbone and up to fill in the hollow of his throat before caressing his Adam’s apple.

“Neck.”

“Go…lower.”

“No.”

“Gar—”

“
No.
”

Faolan’s body started to shake from the strain of holding his arms in place. As much as he enjoyed the tremble, Gar knew there were better things for those talented hands to be doing.

Breathing open-mouthed against Faolan’s skin, Gar shifted his hands so they slid along top of Faolan’s arms to gently pull them back down to his sides.

“Touch me.”

Faolan’s fingers hooked into the top of Gar’s pants. He hadn’t been able to put on any of his suits, most of his clothing having been ruined along with his ship. Faolan had managed to salvage a few pairs of pants and several shirts. So when he jerked Gar’s hips hard, tearing at the fabric, Gar hissed.

“If you ruin those I’ll have nothing to wear.”
I’ll be exposed for the universe to see the man I really am.

“Leaving you naked? I can live with that.”

Gar growled and bit Faolan’s shoulder as he grasped his now-straining erection. “You’re interrupting.”

“Sorry,” Faolan said in between pants. “Continue.”

“Thank you. I believe I was right about here.” Gar squeezed Faolan’s firm shaft. “Cock.”

Faolan’s head fell back, landing on Gar’s shoulder. “What does this tell you?”

“It doesn’t mean we’re the same.”

Faolan turned in Gar’s arms. Hips and erections pressed together. He reached up and pushed the palm of his hand to Gar’s chest. “Heart,” Faolan whispered.

The steady rhythm in his chest increased, making it difficult for Gar to catch his breath. Faolan leaned in and kissed his forehead. “Mind.”

“Faolan—”

“Voice.” The kiss silenced any further protest.

Gar’s growing emotions made it difficult for him to see past why getting closer to the captain was a bad idea. Faolan was the most passionate man he’d ever known. How could he possibly leave him behind when there was so much potential between them? Tongues clashed, teeth nipped at sensitive flesh, fingers clutched and pressed deep into heated skin. Gar knew he was sinking deeper into a place he couldn’t easily escape. A cosmic force so strong he’d be bound to this ship and the people on board for a very long time.

“Naked,” Gar finally managed after breaking for air. “Now.”

The normal cocky grin didn’t materialize on Faolan’s face. “Only if you promise to stay with me. To give us a chance.”

Gar began to shake and let his gaze fall away. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“What?” Faolan gently lifted his chin with his hand. “Nothing’s going to happen to me. Not because of you at least.”

“You don’t understand—”

“You’re right, I don’t. Right now, I don’t want you thinking about whatever curse is hanging over your head. In this room there’s just the two of us. Okay?” To reinforce his point, Faolan rolled his hips, grinding their cocks together.

Gar groaned and reached blindly to pull Faolan’s pants off. “I think I mentioned naked.”

This time there was no protest.

Deft hands made short work of their remaining clothing. Gar let himself be pushed down to the bed, spreading his legs wide to make room for Faolan. His skin tingled as Faolan’s gaze traveled the length of his body.

“I’ll never get tired of seeing you like this.”

“I’m sure you say that to all your lovers.” Gar didn’t look away even though he was scared to see the painful truth.

Kneeling between Gar’s legs, Faolan braced a hand on either side of his head. It was easy for Gar to see the sincerity swirling deep in his eyes. “I may flirt with anything that has a heartbeat, but it doesn’t mean I’m not faithful to those who are important to me. I don’t sleep around and would never do anything to hurt you.”

Gar thought his heart would burst. Swallowing, he did his best to blink back the tears threatening to build in his eyes.

“I believe you,” Gar whispered. Leaning up, he gently sucked on Faolan’s bottom lip. “I believe you.”

Faolan slid his arm beneath Gar’s head, lifting him up to give him better access to his neck. Bodies fully pressed together, their hips took on a life of their own, canting small thrusts against each other in a bid to gain more friction. Gar gasped at the head-to-toe warmth enveloping him. His body relaxed even as his brain tried to adjust to what was going on.

“That feels so good, Gar.”

It did—better than anything else he’d ever experienced. Gar wanted more.

Bending his legs so his knees hugged Faolan’s sides, Gar ignored the slight pain in his leg as he tilted his hips and rubbed his balls against Faolan’s shaft. “Show me how we’re alike.”

Faolan stilled, pulling back and looking into Gar’s eyes. “What?”

Gar looked away as a hot flush crept beneath his skin. “Fuck me.”

Faolan’s eyes rolled shut as a powerful shudder rocked him. “Gods. You’re going to kill me.”

With the plea out there, Gar couldn’t hold back. He grabbed Faolan’s hips, pulling him hard against his body. “Please, show me what it’s like. I don’t want it to be anyone else but you. You wanted me to beg, well, I’m begging.
Please
, Faolan. I want to feel you inside my body. Now.”

Letting out a growl, Faolan rolled off Gar to his feet, strode across the floor to a small drawer and jerked it open. Confused, Gar was about to ask what he’d done wrong when Faolan turned, holding an object up for his inspection.

“I’m going to make this so good for you, you won’t think of taking another lover for the rest of your life.”

If his heart had been beating fast before, now it was an outright gallop. “Don’t take too long or I might change my mind.”

Faolan licked his lips. “Don’t even think of leaving. Not until I’ve fucked you senseless.”

“Better hurry up and stop me then.”

Rather than climb back on top of Gar, Faolan dropped to the side of the bed between Gar’s thighs. Hooking his arms beneath Gar’s knees, he pulled him forward until his ass was flush with the edge of the bed. Heat from Faolan’s breath teased the sensitive flesh of his engorged cock, sending shivers and gooseflesh exploding across his skin.

“First things first,” Faolan muttered.

Gar arched off the bed as Faolan took the tip of his cock into his mouth, swirling his tongue around the sensitive crown before sucking hard. Gar groaned, hands flying to Faolan’s head. He threaded his fingers through the silken strands of his hair.

“So good.” Gar turned his head and buried his face into the sheets on the bed. The combined scent of Faolan and himself assaulted his senses, dragging another moan from his chest as Faolan took him all the way down his throat.

Muscles contracted around Gar’s shaft, the scrape of teeth as Faolan slowly pulled himself off. “Best thing I’ve had to eat in days.”

Gar fought against the chuckle, but lost. “I don’t believe you.”

“This is meant to be enjoyed, savored like the best alcohol or finest food. It doesn’t have to be serious to be any less meaningful.” Before Gar could respond, Faolan lowered his head and sucked Gar’s balls into his mouth.

Quick flicks of his tongue launched Gar high into the realm of pleasure. Any last remnants of loneliness Gar had felt were chased away by the care with which Faolan was loving him. So distracted by Faolan’s wicked mouth and his own torrent of emotions, Gar didn’t noticed the slicked-up finger pushing into his ass until the tip breached the tight ring of muscles.

On instinct, his body tightened against the intrusion, bucking away. Faolan was ready for the reaction and pushed Gar’s hips back down, keeping him in place. Faolan didn’t move his hand as he returned his attention to licking a stripe the length of Gar’s cock.