by Ari McKay
“Only if I get to lick it off you,” Drew replied. He reached up with both hands, framing Finn’s face. “You’re sweet enough without embellishment. And I’m starving for the taste of you.”
With a soft moan, Finn swooped in to capture Drew’s lips in a deep, hungry kiss as if he, too, hungered for something only Drew could provide.
Drew parted his lips and let the taste and heat of Finn flow over him. Maybe it had just been too long since he’d had a lover, and Finn was like every fantasy he’d had in the last two years come to life. But something was whispering to him that they could have something more. Something special, something that could last. As a man who’d lived by his senses and instincts, depending on them for survival, Drew wanted to trust his gut, but he knew he wasn’t the one who would make the decision. Finn was the one with something to lose, and in the end, it might come down to whether Finn could possibly need Drew as much as he needed Joe.
Drew had no idea what Joe was like, but he had the feeling he was going to find out. He just hoped that one of them didn’t end up heartbroken in the process.
4
Finn didn’t expect that Drew would need much training, more like an introductory course on how working for Hercules Security differed from working for Lawson & Greer. The biggest difference, of course, was that most missions wouldn’t take Drew into an active warzone, although there were always exceptions.
For example, the first mission involving their current client, Senator Ellen Paxton. Geo Kensei had been one of the Hercules Security reps assigned as her bodyguard back when she was a Congresswoman. Geo had accompanied her for what should have been a routine diplomatic visit, but civil war broke out in the host country and derailed the whole thing. Geo’s partner had been killed, but Geo had gotten the senator out safely, and now she worked exclusively with Hercules Security for personal protection. In fact, Herc had picked up a fair bit of new business thanks to her recommendations.
Finn and Drew had been sent to DC to serve as her temporary bodyguards while her regulars took leave. It was an easy gig, one that would introduce Drew to what to expect during a typical security detail without much risk of anything going south.
Senator Paxton lived just over the Maryland state line. Her home was located in an upscale neighborhood attached to a small town that catered to the politicians who wanted a more quiet and remote place to settle down away from DC. Finn and Drew hadn’t seen much of the area. They were pulling the night shift, which was considered the easy detail, so their view consisted of the grounds of the Paxtons’ McMansion and the interior of the three-car garage from their surveillance van.
About the most exciting thing that had happened so far was the night a possum meandered onto the Paxtons’ lawn, and Finn and Drew had spent a good fifteen minutes watching it and placing bets on which way it would go. But Ellen Paxton was a model client—she treated her mercs with respect—and Finn thought Drew needed an introduction to the tedium that was bodyguard work, anyway.
“Think we’ll see that possum tonight?” Finn swiveled away from the monitors long enough to wink at Drew.
Drew smiled, slow and hot. “Want to make a bet about it? Winner gets to pick what we do when we get back to the hotel.”
Finn leered at Drew in return. “You’re on,” he said, feeling a familiar ember of arousal kindling in his belly.
Any thought that they might fuck it out of their systems in a matter of days was long gone. If anything, Finn wanted Drew even more now that they had developed a familiarity with each other’s likes and dislikes. No one since Joe had sparked and sustained such potent chemistry with him, and he was enjoying every minute.
“I say no,” he added. “I’m willing to bet someone called an exterminator or animal control on Mr. Possum by now. I can’t see folks in an area like this tolerating something as pedestrian as a possum on their property.”
“Now, now, do I hear a bit of judgement in your tone, Mr. Finnegan?” Drew asked. “For shame. One of the fine people in this development could be one of D-Day’s cousins. Maybe they trapped and ate Mr. Possum. Or rescued him from the dangers of a suburban lifestyle. But I’ll say yeah, we’ll see him. They’re crafty critters, you know, and I suspect the fruit trees around here are particularly tasty, what with everyone having gardeners.”
“It’s a bet.” Finn held out his hand and gave Drew a challenging look.
“So I better get to scanning, hadn’t I?” Packed as it was with electronics, the interior of the van was pretty confined. As Drew slid his hand into Finn’s, he suddenly tightened his grip, pulling Finn half out of his seat. Drew leaned forward at the same time and pressed his lips against Finn’s in a hard kiss.
As much as Finn wanted to part his lips and surrender, maybe even straddle Drew’s lap, he couldn’t. They were still on the clock, so he tried to satisfy himself with a little taste to tide him over until their shift ended.
“I reckon you better,” he said, sounding breathless as he pulled back.
Drew gave Finn’s hand a final squeeze and released it. “I want to win, and I have just the forfeit I want in mind, too,” he said, his blue eyes gleaming. “But I’m not going to tell you what it is. You’ll just have to hope I win.”
“I think we’ll both win whether the possum shows up or not.”
Finn had never been less interested in staring at monitors, but he was a professional with a job to do, and so he focused on the video feed from the front of the house and the street view, while Drew monitored the back and sides of the house.
Time slowed to a crawl, though they kept each other awake by talking about the movies Drew wanted to see now that he had the chance to catch up on the things he’d missed while in the field. At just around two o’clock in the morning, Drew sucked in a startled breath.
“Finn… there’s movement at the back, and it isn’t Mr. Possum. I think we have an intruder creeping along at the property line, moving low and slow.”
Finn tensed as he swiveled around and checked the monitor. Drew was right. “Call it in,” he ordered, a surge of adrenaline bringing him fully alert at once. He drew his gun as he stood. “I’ll check it out, see if the guy runs when he realizes he’s been seen.”
“On it.” Drew’s voice was as crisp and professional as anyone Finn had ever worked with, and Finn knew Drew had been in far more intense situations than this. He quietly opened the sliding door and stepped out into the garage.
There was a door at the rear of the big room that led out into the backyard, and he awarded Drew points when the door’s alarm was silently disarmed as Finn approached, a light beside it blinking from red to green. He opened the door and then nodded, knowing Drew would catch it on the monitors, before he slipped out into the dark, quiet night.
The Paxtons’ yard was a bit larger than most of the others in the neighborhood, but like them it was bordered by a high privacy wall and meticulously landscaped. The intruder had to have come over the wall where it abutted a neighbor’s yard. It was possible the person was just some teenager sneaking out of his girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s house, but Finn had to treat the situation as one with deadly intent. The lives of the senator and her family depended on Finn’s judgement.
Having trained with a former Mossad agent in stealth, Finn knew how to move across grass in virtual silence. He doubted the intruder had any night vision equipment, but he couldn’t bet on it, so he kept as many of the bushes and trees between himself and his quarry as possible while he moved up behind. Whoever he was pursuing wasn’t anywhere in Finn’s league when it came to stalking, and Finn actually heard the man curse quietly as he stumbled over something in the dark.
Now that Finn’s eyes had adapted, he caught the movement of the intruder no more than ten feet in front of him. He crossed the distance in three long strides and pressed his gun against the back of the man’s head.
“Stop where you are and surrender, or I’ll shoot,” he said.
The intruder let out a startled breath and
started to turn. Despite his warning, Finn didn’t want to blow away some kid, but he couldn’t take a chance that the guy was about to attack, either. So he flipped the safety and turned his hand, smacking the butt of his gun against the intruder’s head.
As Finn had intended, the guy dropped like a rock, knocked out cold. He was just starting to bend over to check his quarry when he felt something small and cold pressed against the back of his own skull. Somehow someone had gotten the drop on him, and now the tables were turned.
“That wasn’t very nice,” a harsh voice said close to Finn’s ear. “Knocking my partner out like that. I guess I should return the favor before I pay a little visit to the senator.”
Finn froze in place, not wanting to piss the guy off and possibly take a bullet to the head. He was still trying to come up with a plan of action when the pressure of the gun was removed, and he heard a grunt and angry muttering behind him. He whirled to find that someone had yanked the intruder away and had the guy in what looked to be a sleeper hold.
“He dropped his gun,” Drew said, appearing untroubled by the struggles of his captive, which became weaker as the man was deprived of oxygen. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” Finn said, awash in relief. Drew was there. Drew had his back. Just like Joe would have. “Thanks.”
“Anytime, partner.” The man he was holding sank to his knees, and Finn saw a flash of white teeth as Drew grinned. “Saw this asshole come over the wall just as you passed by. Figured that it was safer to sneak up behind him than get you trapped between two opponents. Check and make sure there isn’t a third, okay?”
“On it.”
Finn searched the grounds for any other intruders while Drew secured the ones they’d found, but if those two had any backup, they’d done the smart thing and bailed. He finished his investigation about the time their own backup arrived, and he returned to the van to give his report.
Drew joined him a few minutes later. “The police are here. We’ll have to give statements.” He smiled at Finn, but there was worry in his eyes. “You were as cool as a cucumber when that guy got the drop on you. Nice job. Some guys just can’t keep their heads in a situation like that, and it usually gets them killed. You okay?”
“I’m fine.” Finn was amused but also touched by Drew’s concern. “I’ve been in worse situations.”
“Yeah, I know. You were on that nuke adventure with D-Day,” Drew replied. He stepped closer, reaching out a hand to brush his fingers over Finn’s cheek. “Just wanted to be sure, okay? It matters to me.”
Finn’s heart softened, and when it reformed, he realized part of it had given itself over to Drew’s keeping. He leaned into the touch and offered a smile full of the new warmth and affection he felt. “Thanks. I do appreciate it.”
“Sure.”
Drew said the word softly. With a sigh he closed his eyes and leaned in to claim Finn’s lips. The kiss was gentle, yet somehow full of promise. Finn rested his hands at Drew’s waist, lingering over the moment of connection.
There was a sound from outside the van, and Drew released Finn, stepping back with a crooked smile. “I guess we’d better talk to the police. Once we do, we’re off the clock according to Herc.”
“Let’s get it over with.” Finn moved away, but he paused long enough to smirk over his shoulder at Drew. “Maybe once we’re off the clock, I’ll let you perform a hands-on examination, so you can make sure I’m okay.”
Drew chuckled. “Let me? I was going to insist. It’s only wise to be checked out after a physical confrontation. You’re a medical man. I’m sure you know that.”
“Oh, of course.” Finn chuckled as he went to join the police officers, more than ready to give his statement and finish up all the paperwork so he could go home with Drew and receive the most enjoyable physical exam of his life.
5
By the time Joe stumbled off the plane at Raleigh-Durham International airport and into the car sent for him by Hercules Security, he’d been on the move for over forty-eight hours straight. He’d done worse trips in his life, but it had been a few years since he’d had anything quite as bad as the past month. Infiltrating a segment of the sex-trafficking ring that had become one of Cade Thornton’s personal missions had been difficult, but it was worth it to see the scumbags who dealt in the misery of women and children brought to justice. But however good Joe felt about what he’d helped accomplish, he felt dirty. Contact with such human filth was terrible, and he couldn’t wait to have a hot shower and see Finn. There had been times when the thought of coming back to Finn’s arms had been the only thing that kept him going.
“Here you go, Morrissey.” The driver of the big sedan was a young merc called Steel, and he looked at Joe with something akin to reverence, no doubt because of his age and longevity in the field. Joe glanced out of the window, surprised to see that they’d already arrived at his house on the outskirts of the city. “Do you need any help with your bags?”
“Nah, thanks. I’ve got it.” Joe unfurled himself from the back of the sedan, grabbing up the small travel bag that was all he’d brought back. It held only two things of real value, both of them gifts for Finn. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Any time!” Steel smiled warmly, a gleam in his dark eyes. “If you ever need a lift, I’m always available.”
Joe smiled back and waved Steel off without saying anything else. It was only when he was halfway up the walk that he realized Steel had probably been hinting at something beyond just transportation from the airport. He shrugged it off. The young merc was good looking, but Joe considered himself taken. Permanently.
His house was dark, and he wondered if Finn was still out on assignment. He hadn’t been able to keep in regular contact with Finn, but he’d gotten one message that Finn was training someone and had gone to DC. It was a disappointment, but Finn had his job to do, the same way Joe did—and Finn wasn’t the hearth-and-home type anyway.
The front door had an electronic lock, which opened to Joe’s code. The house alarm started beeping, and Joe moved to the wall, disarming it. He wished, right then, that he’d called his neighbors and asked them to drop Ezekiel back off, so that there would have been someone there to greet him. It was rather depressing to come home to a cold, empty house after so long an absence.
He climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to his bedroom. The door was open, and when he stepped inside he suddenly stopped short, arrested by the sight of Finn stretched out on his king-sized bed. Finn wore only a pair of gray sweatpants that left the rest of his sleek, toned body on display. He had a book in front of him, and Joe didn’t miss the fact that there were condoms and lube placed at the ready on the nightstand.
“You’re the best sight I’ve seen in my life,” he said softly. “God, I missed you.”
Finn’s face lit up, and he tossed his book aside. He bounded off the bed and over to Joe like an eager puppy, and he flung his arms around Joe’s shoulders. “I’ve missed you, too. Are you okay? Everything still in good working order?”
Joe wrapped his arms around Finn’s waist, pulling him close so that he could bury his face against the side of Finn’s neck. He breathed in deeply, immersing himself in Finn’s beloved scent. “Yeah, ’m okay,” he murmured, pressing his lips against Finn’s warm skin. He pushed his hips forward, letting Finn feel his growing arousal. “I hope things still work. Not that I had a chance to use them.” Or would have if even if he’d had the opportunity—not that he’d say that to Finn.
“Let me take care of you.” Finn’s breath was warm against Joe’s ear. “Whatever you want. I picked up a couple of steaks. I can fire up the grill while you relax, or I can scrub your back in the tub. Or, if you’re too tired for any of that, we can take a nap and have an X-rated celebration when we wake up.”
“I’m not sleepy. Or hungry.” Joe lifted his head and smiled at Finn, just happy to be in his presence. “How about a bath? I can wash off the travel grime, and we can see where it goes from there.�
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“I thought that might be appealing, so I put a couple of towels on the warmer bar.” Finn slid one hand down and patted Joe’s ass before pulling away. “I’ve got those sandalwood candles you like in there, too. We can dim the lights and have some atmosphere going. Are you interested in any bath salts or bubbles? If you’re sore anywhere, the salts might help.”
Joe smiled. Finn was so thoughtful and always seemed to be taking care of him. “Sure, the salts sound good. And maybe I can talk you into giving me one of your incredible massages afterward? I think I’m starting to feel the approach of forty—sleeping on planes isn’t as easy to shrug off as it used to be.”
Grinning, Finn pointed out the cinnamon massage oil waiting on the nightstand. “Way ahead of you, buddy. You’re getting the royal treatment.”
“Sounds great.” Joe reached out to caress Finn’s cheek. “You really do take good care of me. I missed that. It was cold and lonely without you.”
“I missed you, too.” Finn drew Joe into a warm kiss and parted his lips, inviting Joe in. Unable to resist, Joe pulled Finn close once again, kissing him deeply, exploring his mouth and reacquainting himself with Finn’s taste. It seemed like a lifetime, rather than a month, since he’d felt this safe, and he held nothing back, moaning against Finn’s mouth.
Finn tightened his arms around Joe as he yielded to the exploration willingly, and he pressed against Joe as if he wanted to merge their bodies.
It was tempting to just tumble Finn onto the bed and ease the growing ache of arousal, but Joe didn’t want their reunion to just be a fast fuck. He wanted to take time and make sure he was pleasing Finn, to indulge them both in long, leisurely lovemaking. Not that he would ever admit as much to Finn, but he wanted every time they were together to be special, because to Joe, every time truly was. Even after more than eight years, being with Finn meant the world to him, and if he could never say how much he loved Finn with words, lest it scare Finn away, at least he could do it with his hands, his body, and his mouth.