No Quarter (Bounty, Book One) (7 page)

“You alive in there?” Gar tossed the shirt over his shoulder and peeked around the corner.

Faolan stood naked under the spray, head bent forward. Water ran in rivulets down his back. “Gods, this feels amazing. I always miss my shower when I’m not home on my ship.”

Gar couldn’t help but follow the water’s path as it flowed down between the cheeks of Faolan’s ass, over the smooth skin of his thighs on its way down to the drain in the floor. The stark white of the shower stall made the captain’s tanned skin look even darker. The tattoo on his arm seemed to glisten, making the dragon come alive as Faolan stretched and twisted his body. Faolan chose that moment to look up, bright blue gaze peering out at Gar from between the wet strands of his long brown hair.

“Want to join me?”

There it was again, the note of amusement and lust that the pirate hit so perfectly. This time, Gar couldn’t blame his reaction on the erotigen. He wanted to jerk his suit free from his body and press himself hard against Faolan’s back so he could feel how good the water was on his skin. The normal distance Gar kept from people around him didn’t seem to apply to Faolan. The pirate managed to walk right up to his barriers and push against them. Instead of his normal impulse to run and hide, Gar found he didn’t mind. Shaking those thoughts from his mind, Gar ignored the pang of loneliness in his gut.

No, don’t do this. Don’t get too close or you know what will happen.

Faolan wasn’t easily deterred. With one hand braced against the shower wall, he captured some soap from the dispenser on the wall and pressed the foamy substance to his hairless chest. Small bubbles formed across his pecs, catching on his nipples and the natural divots of his skin. Gar’s chest tightened. He forced himself to breathe in slow, even breaths.

“The water is nice. Good to know you splurged on the system when you got your ship.” Faolan smiled as his hand circled the soap slowly down his chest to his stomach.

Gar swallowed hard. “Have to be some perks.”

Faolan cocked his head to the side as his eyes slid half closed. “Oh, I love it when your accent gets deep like that. Makes me think you’re enjoying the show.”

“What show is that? I don’t see any entertainment.” Gar was surprised at how easy it was to slip into the sexual banter. He liked it—which scared him as much as it turned him on.

Faolan’s answering smirk should have warned Gar, but he was still surprised by the man’s next words. “Well, I do believe I lost a bet to you earlier. Maybe a little entertainment is payment enough? What do you think?”

Gar forced his eyes to remain locked with Faolan’s and not dip down to watch the trail his fingers were making in the soap bubbles around his bellybutton. “Guess it depends on how good you can make the show.”

“I can make it
very
good. Won awards for it, in fact.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

Faolan’s hand stopped barely an inch from where his erect cock now stood hard against his stomach. “How about another bet? I’ll put on a show good enough to make you come in your pants. If I do, I get to do whatever I want to you later on.”

Warning screams ripped through his head as his brain tried to win out over his lust-addled body. “It will never happen.”

“So sure about that? Maybe you really are made of ice.” Faolan licked his lips. “I’m willing to take the risk and find out.”

Gar knew this was a bad idea. Why after all the years of careful planning was Faolan able to blast through his control like this? He’d been alone for years and it had been enough for him. Reaching out to the occasional person when he needed a fuck kept him sane. Why then was Faolan so different? Why did Gar want to sink into his embrace and forget the universe and all the shit it had piled on his shoulders? Still, he’d never met anyone who could push his buttons the way Faolan could, turn him on the way the pirate had in their short acquaintance. It could be fun.

Gar cocked an eyebrow. “And what if I win?” Gar had never been able to back down from a challenge.

Faolan made a show of considering. “What could I possibly offer a man who appears to want nothing? I guess it’s only fair that you get the same. If I can’t do as promised, then I’m yours to do what you want with.”

“Anything?” Scenarios rolled through his head at an alarming rate.

“I’m a man of my word. You should know that by now, Stitt. Anything you want me to do, I’m yours—
if
you win.”

“You’re on.”
Bad idea, Gar. This will end poorly.
Gar was already regretting the mad impulse that had driven him to this contest of wills.

Faolan grinned, adjusting himself by leaning his forearm against the shower stall. Gar took an involuntary step backward until the firm plane of the wall pressed against his shoulder blades.

“Take your jacket off,” Faolan said, his voice a low rumble. “The vest too. Off.”

Without thinking, Gar started working the buttons. The air was heavy with steam, causing a trickle of sweat to bead on the back of his neck and roll beneath his collar. Faolan watched, an intense look on his face. Realizing his actions were having an impact on the older man, Gar slowed his pace, taking his time to slide his fingertip into the holes to pull each button free.

“Gods, those hands of yours…should be illegal.”

“What makes you think they’re not?” Gar freed the last button and slipped the jacket and vest from his arms. Turning toward the bedroom, he tossed the garments on the bed. “There, satisfied?”

Faolan nodded. “Very. Now I can see the wet spot your cum will make when you lose.”

Gar gasped at the lewd image. Stumbling, he adjusted his stance, widening his legs to adjust for his growing erection. “Bastard.”

“You agreed to the bet. I’m just doing my part to make the best temptation possible.” Faolan reached over and grabbed another handful of soap from the dispenser. “I’ll want to make sure I’m nice and clean. Never know when I’ll have to impress someone.”

This time Faolan didn’t stop his downward progress to his cock. Gar watched, slightly awed, as Faolan reached around the bottom of his balls and tugged them gently. He rubbed a small circular pattern across the tightening sac with his thumb, humming pleasantly as he did.

“This would be so much better if it was your hand, Stitt. Those long fingers of yours felt so good wrapped around my cock. You really know how to work a man.”

Gar fought to keep his eyes open and his body still. He couldn’t react or he’d lose control. He never lost control.

“You’re a man of detail, something I really appreciated. Though I get the impression you don’t spent a lot of time with your lovers once you’re done fucking them. Still, the ones you’ve had must have commented on your skill. Eh? How you learned as much as you could about them before running away?”

Faolan’s fingers dipped behind his sac now. The angle was all wrong for him to actually reach his hole, but he must have been close. Gar’s cock was now painfully hard, but he wouldn’t touch it. No, he was stronger than a few suggestive words and the sight of an attractive naked man in his shower.

“Yup, you’d make it your mission to find out all the spots I like to be touched, wouldn’t you?” Faolan shifted his body once more, spreading his legs wide. “For example, I don’t think it would take you any time to find out that I like to have my cock stroked slowly but firmly. Like this.”

Fascinated, Gar watched as Faolan palmed his balls briefly before wrapping his hand around the base of his cock. He squeezed hard enough that Gar could see the darkening of the tip. Faolan let out another low moan, only this time he punctuated it with a gasp as he stroked up the length of his shaft. The older man’s eyes rolled back into his head before he squeezed them shut and his body shuddered.

“It’s so fucking hot having you watch me do this, Gar.”

His hand was pressed to his groin before the sigh left Gar’s mouth. The way Faolan said his name nearly pushed him over the edge.
Gods dammit, how did he get me so close?

“Look at me, Gar. I need you to watch me do this. I want you to learn all my secrets so the next time I’m spread out beneath you you’ll know how to make me scream.”

This time Faolan didn’t hesitate, didn’t slow down. With sure, even strokes, he worked his fist over his shaft. Without realizing, Gar’s breathing increased in rhythm until it came in time with each stroke. Steam from the water billowed around him, making his shirt cling in damp patches.

Faolan grinned, keeping his eyes squeezed shut. “I can hear you over there. You like what you see?” When Gar didn’t respond immediately, Faolan slowed down his stroking. “Tell me you like this. Tell me what it’s doing to you.”

“I…” Gar forced his hand away from his cock and pressed it flat against the wall. “Yes, I like this. I like watching you fist yourself.”

“Tell me what you want me to do. What you’d be doing to me if I were to let you touch me.”

So many things came to mind. “I’d…tug on your balls just hard enough to make you moan.”

Faolan didn’t hesitate. Releasing his cock, he moved lower again until his sac was fixed in the middle of his hand before pulling. Throwing his head back, he opened his eyes, catching Gar’s gaze before letting out a groan. “Don’t leave me hanging.”

Fuck, fuck, dammit.
“Your ass. Use the soap and shove a finger in there. Open yourself up for me.”

Gar would have laughed at the way Faolan’s hand shook as he reached out yet again for the soap—would have laughed if he wasn’t so close to the edge, aching and wanting to fuck. Faolan never once broke eye contact as he reached behind himself and pressed a finger into his ass.

“I’m still loose from when you took me earlier. I bet I still have your cum inside me.”

“Another,” Gar swallowed, gasping for air. “Another finger. Two inside you. Do it.”

“Yes,” Faolan hissed. “Not as good as you. Not as big as your cock.”

“Three then. You can take it.”

“Want you. Please.”

“No. You promised me a show. That’s what I want. Now three fingers.”

Faolan’s lips fell open as he panted, letting water roll down his face and into his mouth. “You must be so hard right now. Remembering how tight I was around your cock. I haven’t let anyone fuck me in a long time. Did you know that? You were my first in years. You felt big as you pushed your way inside. Ah!”

Gar’s body burned as Faolan writhed under his own touch. He needed to touch himself, shove his hand down the front of his trousers and jerk himself off. Shaking his head, he did his best to fight past the blast of lust. He had to win.

Words spilled from their mouths, each trying to talk over and outdo the other with their attempts. Gar’s body vibrated with the need to release, his fragile restraint quickly waning.

“Curl your fingers, Faolan. Spread yourself nice and wide for me, so I could fuck you if I wanted.”

“I don’t want to be too loose. Need to feel every inch of you as you push inside. I love how big and thick you are.”

“Oh, you’ll feel it. Just like you’ll feel it when I jerk you off in time with my thrusts.”

“I’ll squeeze my ass so hard around your shaft you’ll beg me to let you come. Only if you’re good.”

“I’ll fuck you so hard against that wall they’ll hear you scream back on Tybal. Then you’ll be the one begging for more.”

Faolan cried out, pulling his fingers quickly from his ass only to wrap them around his cock. He pushed away from the wall only to mirror Gar’s position, back flush with the shower stall and stance wide. The only exception was he wasn’t attempting to halt his orgasm and Gar was.

“Gods, I wish you could see yourself, Gar. Panting and your skin is so flushed. That cock of yours looks like it’s going to burst through the front of your pants. I bet you’d like nothing more than for me to drop to my knees in front of you and swallow you whole. Maybe I’d tease your asshole. I bet you’d like that a lot. I’d take such good care of you, make you see stars and catch you when you fell. Come on, Gar. Let me hear you. I want you to come for me. Please. Come now. Please, please,
please
.”

He couldn’t stop it. Didn’t want to. The second he pressed down on his erection, Gar closed his eyes and came. The scream that escaped sounded nothing like him. Pulse after pulse of cum shot from him, warm and wet in his already damp clothing.

Only after the rush of pleasure subsided did his legs give out and he slumped to the floor. It took a minute for him to realize Faolan was still watching, still stroking his himself.

“Oh shit,” Faolan muttered. “So gorgeous when you’ve come unraveled like that. Just for me.”

Faolan’s cock erupted, his cum caught by the rush of water from the shower to be washed away. He managed to find enough strength to press the off button, ending the hiss of the water, before he slid to the floor himself. The relative quiet that filled the room was far from unpleasant or awkward. The man on the other side of the room, a man who by all rights should be locked away in the bowels of his ship, had now caught Gar off guard twice. Each time, instead of the crashing disappointment which normally followed such encounters for him, Gar was overcome with an uneasy sense of peace. Maybe Gar had finally found someone who could understand him.

“I won,” Faolan said softly. “Barely.”