by L. A. Witt
“My place?”
“Your place.”
Somehow, we made it back to the car, across town, and into my apartment without just giving up and fucking right there in the back seat. Neither of us said anything. I kept a hand on his leg in the car, and the tension in his thigh muscles had me fidgeting the whole way home. I could not wait to have this man in bed.
Finally, he was dragging me down onto the mattress by my shirt, and he stripped that off as soon as he didn’t need to hold on to it anymore. Kissing and groping, we yanked off clothes until we were both naked, and then we kept right on kissing and groping.
I loved how needy he was in bed. I loved the idea of Dalton fucking Taylor needing me this badly. Couldn’t think of anything that had ever turned me on more than knowing I turned him on like this. And that was all before he’d told me he loved me—now it was like being so giddy I was about to burst out laughing and so horny I couldn’t contain myself.
I pushed him onto his back again and leaned down to kiss his neck.
Dalton arched into me. “Oh fuck . . .”
“Like that?”
“I love everything you do to me,” he purred.
I grunted softly, then nibbled his earlobe. When I finally found some breath, I whispered, “Tell me what you want me to do.”
“Fuck me,” he pleaded without hesitation, pressing his dick against mine. “Before I go crazy.”
“Hmm, I don’t know. Kind of like watching you go crazy.”
Dalton growled in frustration and dug his nails into my sides. “Ass.”
I laughed and bit his neck. “You really want to rush?”
“Who’s rushing?” he panted. “If we go too fast, we can just do it again in twenty minutes. C’mon—I want you. Bad.”
Far be it from me to argue with that kind of hunger. I sat up and reached for the lube bottle. On my knees between his legs, I paused to slick myself up. Then I pushed his thighs apart and guided myself in.
Dalton closed his eyes, breathing slowly and evenly, and when the head of my dick slid into him, he gave the most amazing little moan. He always did. He loved that moment of penetration.
So I pulled out and gave it to him again. Then again. And again.
“Fucking tease,” he growled. “Give me all of it.”
I could’ve kept teasing him, but I wanted him too much, so this time I slid deeper, and it was my turn to moan as my cock sank all the way into him. Dalton exhaled. I rocked my hips again, and now I was moving easily, sliding in and out of his tight hole.
Dalton licked his lips. “Oh Jesus. You feel perfect.”
“So do you. You always do. Fuck, Dalton . . .” I withdrew and pushed in again. I could go so much deeper in other positions, but like this, I could kiss him, and that was what mattered tonight. I wanted to be able to see him and taste him while I was in him.
“Faster,” he whispered.
I pushed myself up a little and moved faster, finding that rhythm we both loved. Not quite slamming into him, not pounding him into the mattress, but bottoming out hard enough to make his breath hitch. I hooked my elbows under his knees, and the moan he released made me break out in goose bumps. His spine arched, and he tilted his head back as he screwed his eyes shut and swore. Even as I slowed down—slowed way down—he didn’t protest. He just writhed and murmured, “Yeah . . . yeah . . . oh yeah . . .”
I couldn’t get enough of the view. Every inch of him—of us together—was so mind-blowingly sexy, I didn’t think porn would get so much as a twitch out of my dick ever again. Not when I had a mind full of Dalton laid out and open to me. Fingers clawing at sheets and shoulders and whatever he could get his hands on. Every stroke registering in his expression—lips parting, eyes widening, breath hitching. My cock sliding in and out while he just about sobbed for me not to stop.
Everything was happening in super slow motion but still felt like it was going to be over too fast. Every stroke I took inside him seemed like it lasted half the night—long enough to savor every languid slide, and long enough for me to pray I could hold on for one more. A condom would’ve dulled the sensation enough to hold back my orgasm, but I wasn’t giving up this tight, slick heat for anything.
He reached up and pulled me down to him. I let go of his knees, and he wrapped his legs around my waist as I sank onto him, and then we were kissing while we moved together. If this wasn’t my favorite thing in the world, I couldn’t imagine what was—riding him, kissing him, getting completely tangled up and lost in him.
Dalton broke the kiss with a gasp and shuddered under me. He lifted his head like he was going in for another kiss, but then let it fall back with a long moan.
“You are so gorgeous like this,” I slurred. “You know that?”
“You’re one to talk, baby.” He slid his hands up my chest, gazing up at me with heavy-lidded eyes. “God, I love you.” His whispered words were thick, like he was on the verge of choking on them.
“I love you too.” I kissed him, and the soft contact of his lips sent a shiver right through me. My back arched, driving me deeper inside his hot body, and we both moaned, breaking the kiss for a moment before we found each other’s mouths again.
Dalton whimpered. I knew that sound, and I loved it—he was close. Coming unraveled. Ready to paint both of our stomachs with cum and make sure my neighbors knew how good he felt.
Gritting my teeth against my own release, I thrust a little harder, just the way he loved it, and he rewarded me with a strangled half sob. A second later, cum shot across his tense, trembling abs, and then I was shooting inside him, coming without making a sound because I couldn’t even breathe anymore.
I slumped over him, head spinning and lungs screaming for more air than I could find. I tried to say something like that was amazing or holy fuck, but all that came out was a breathless whimper as I touched my forehead to his collarbone.
He held me close, arms and legs wrapped around me, my cock still buried inside him, and we stayed like that until I started going soft. Then I pulled out and . . . we stayed like that anyway. We were sticky with sweat and cum, but I didn’t care.
“Want to grab a shower?” he asked after ages had gone by.
“We probably should.” I lifted myself up, looking down at the mess we’d made. “You know we’re going to wind up like this again, right?”
He flashed a Cheshire cat grin. “I’m counting on it, actually.”
“Perv.” I laughed and kissed the tip of his nose.
We got up long enough for a shower, then tumbled back into bed. Neither of us was getting frisky quite yet, and for all I knew we’d end up going to sleep before one of us woke the other with an under-the-covers blowjob. Either way worked for me.
Long as I’m in bed with you, I’m happy.
That was an understatement. Even the nights when we were too tired or his head was bothering him and we didn’t fool around? Perfect. Nights like this where we’d probably be lazily fucking and napping until we finally crashed? Heaven.
“Mmm.” He squirmed a little. “I’m gonna fall asleep like this.”
“Then fall asleep.” I ran my fingers up and down his arm. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know.” He smiled sleepily and met my eyes. “But I want to fuck again.”
“We will. Even if we go to sleep.”
He made a happy noise and cuddled closer. He was so cute when he was fighting between tired and horny. Like he wasn’t adorable the rest of the time. And hadn’t been since the day I’d met him. I’d drooled like an idiot the day he’d walked into coxswain training. One look at him, and I’d wanted him. Then we’d become friends, and that want had turned into something a hell of a lot deeper. Back then, I’d have sold my soul just to think I had a shot at holding him in my bed. He was the first man I’d ever fantasized about where the fantasy didn’t end with the money shot. I’d jerk off to thoughts of having sex with him, and then lie there, blissed out and satisfied, imagining . . . well, this.
I swallowed. “Can I confess something?”
“Sure.”
“All that time I had a crush on you?” I smoothed his wet hair. “I wanted this—what we’re doing now—even more than the sex.” It sounded corny as soon as it came out, but Dalton just smiled.
His palm drifted up the middle of my chest. “I’m not going to say no to this any more than I’d say no to the sex.”
“Same here. And I mean it—I love you.”
“I love you too.” He kissed me softly, then rested his head on my shoulder. I loved how we fit together. His body molded easily to mine, and I could spend the whole night with my arms wrapped around him like this.
Smiling to myself, I closed my eyes. I couldn’t imagine I’d ever get tired of his warm, solid presence cuddled up against me. It had been ages since I’d had a boyfriend, even longer since I’d had one as affectionate as Dalton. Who was I kidding—no one compared to Dalton on any level. The affection. The sex. The way just looking at him made my heart hurt because I loved him so fucking much.
Please, God. I kissed the top of Dalton’s head. Don’t let me fuck this up.
I had a pleasant ache through most of my body as I headed to the HPU building from the parking lot the next morning. Next to me, Chris was walking kind of stiffly too, and I had to suppress a smile. I wondered how many people noticed whenever that happened. Or hell, maybe they thought we were getting old. Damn kids.
My smiled faded as we started up the stairs to the main room. There was a vibe coming from up there, a buzz of conversation I recognized from a mile away. Half-excitement, half-gossip. Half-depressed, half-relieved.
I swore under my breath as I trudged up the rest of the stairs to where the activity was coming from. I didn’t have to ask—advancement results had posted.
Chris put a reassuring hand on the small of my back. “Moment of truth, right?”
“Yep.”
At the landing, I paused for a deep breath. Then we stepped into the room.
As soon as we did, MA3 Powers shot me a sympathetic grimace, and my stomach dropped into my boots so hard, I was amazed no one heard it.
I didn’t think it could get worse, but it did—Powers looked past me, and that grimace turned into a grin. “Congrats, Ingram!” Powers came over to give Chris’s shoulder a hearty pat. “Now we’ll finally have an MA1 who isn’t a complete dick.”
Oh.
Fuck.
My.
Life.
My lunch threatened to come up my throat, and I focused on tamping it back down. It wasn’t like this was a shock. I’d known since the day of the exam that I wasn’t getting promoted this time around. The confirmation hurt like hell, though. And it was terrifying. I had one more shot at making MA1. One more, or I was getting booted.
But I wanted—needed—to be happy for Chris. His career was secure now. He never had to get promoted again, and he could retire at twenty years.
He deserved it. He’d worked his ass off and should’ve been promoted ages ago.
So, I forced a smile and joined everyone in congratulating him, but as soon as he met my gaze, I knew he saw right through me. The way his forehead creased and his eyebrows lifted—yeah, he knew. But he didn’t say anything. Not yet, anyway.
He waited until the excitement had died down and everyone had dispersed. Day shift was heading home. Night shift was doing boat checks and getting ready to go out on watch. Half an hour after we’d walked in, Chris and I were alone in the main office.
He put an arm around my shoulders and kissed my cheek. “Hey. I’m sorry. I know it’s—”
“It’s okay. I knew after the exam . . .” That thought didn’t need to be finished. I shook my head, then looked up at him, and when I smiled, I meant it. “Congrats. You deserved it.”
“So did you.”
I shook my head. “Not after I bombed that exam.”
“Look, you’ve got tons of time to study for the next one. And your head’s getting better.” He lifted his eyebrows as if to ask, Right?
I nodded.
“And nobody’s going to get in your head like Lasby did. If I have to send an armed escort in with you, I will. Nobody fucks with you.”
I couldn’t help a quiet, sad laugh. “You already sound like an MA1.”
Chris smiled, but it was halfhearted.
“I’m serious. You’ll be good at this.” I brought his hand up and pressed a kiss to his fingers. “And I mean it—I’m happy for you.”
“I know you are. I’m just . . . I’m worried. About how things are going to play out for you.”
“I’ll be fine.” I swallowed. “You know he’s gonna make you LPO, though, right? Anderson hasn’t been anywhere near HPU since this whole thing started, and now you’re the only MA1 in our section.”
Scowling, Chris nodded. “I know.” He squeezed my arm. “We’ll find a way to make this work, okay? I’ll talk to Lasby, and we’ll see if we can get switched to opposite sections. Means we won’t be working the same shifts anymore, so our sleep schedules will be off, but—”
“I don’t care about that. I just don’t want to have to split up.”
“That is not going to happen.” He said it so sharply I jumped. “Jesus, Dalton. Don’t even talk like that.” He paused, and his voice softened. “We’ll be okay. I’ll work something out with the chain of command. You focus on studying like hell for the next advancement exam.”
I managed to smile. “Yes, MA1.”
Chris rolled his eyes. “Shut up.” He sighed. “Listen, I need to go down and do boat checks before turnover. We’ll catch up later, okay?”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He glanced around, then stole a quick kiss and a long look before he headed out.
While Chris headed down to the pier, I went into the locker room to collect my thoughts. I tried not to think about what had happened in here that day after Lasby had threatened me and Chris. I loved that memory—not the part with Lasby, but when Chris and I had kissed for the first time—but it was too painful right now. It felt too much like something that was going to get yanked away from me because I had once again failed to make rank.
I leaned against a locker and closed my eyes. My shoulders were heavy. My head was throbbing. I didn’t even know if that had anything to do with the nagging aftereffects of the concussion or if this stress was giving me a headache. I just knew my head hurt. I felt miserable and pathetic and like it didn’t matter what I did now. I had one chance left to get promoted, and who was to say I wouldn’t blow that one too? I’d had my shit together this time around right up until a boat had smacked me upside the head and a chief had threatened me for good measure. With the way things were going, I could study ten hours a day between now and the next exam, and I’d be abducted by aliens on the way in to take the test.
That thought couldn’t even make me laugh. I didn’t imagine there was much that could.
Fact was, I had one shot left to stay in the Navy. Considering the last few weeks hadn’t exactly been glowing eval material, I didn’t have a lot of faith that I really had that shot. My physical recovery seemed to be going okay, but how would I do when I tried to run a Physical Readiness Test? My brain felt more or less like my own again, but what would happen when I sat my next—and last—advancement exam? Even if I didn’t have my chief there to sabotage my concentration at the last minute?
I closed my eyes, letting my head fall back against the locker. It was time to do some serious thinking about my post-Navy career. I had the GI Bill. I could always go back to Nebraska. Live at home with my dad and grandpa while I went to school. Grandpa was getting a little fragile anyway—he was in his late eighties now—so maybe they could use the help.
A lump rose in my throat. As much as I would love to be closer to my family, the thought of letting go of this career was even harder to swallow now that I was one step closer to having no choice.
Fuck. I swiped at my eyes. Everything
was getting pulled away from me, and I didn’t know how to stop it.
I was going to lose the Navy.
I was going to lose being a coxswain.
And deep down, I couldn’t help being scared to death that somehow I was going to lose Chris too.
“I need to talk to you, MA1.”
I winced. One of the drawbacks of being an MA1—now I was the one the chief would come to when he wanted to pass something on to the section. One rung higher on the ladder meant I was the rung between Chief and everyone else. Fuck.
On the other hand, I needed to talk to him anyway. See about getting me or Dalton transferred out of our section. I hadn’t had time to bring it up yesterday, but now was as good a time as any. So, as I always did, I pulled myself together, put on a professional face, and then turned to him. “What’s up, Chief?”
He motioned for me to follow him. That wasn’t good. This was a private conversation. One for his office.
Inside the office that was basically his, he closed the door. He didn’t even hold out for his usual long, awkward silence to unnerve me. The door had barely clicked before he started. “Listen, as you know, MA1 Anderson is out of Harbor Patrol indefinitely.” There was an undercurrent in Lasby’s voice that I didn’t like. Not one bit. “So without him, we don’t have an LPO.”
My stomach knotted. Oh shit. I knew where this was going.
“So, with you being the only MA1 in the section, looks like you’re my new LPO.”
Any other time, that would have been great news. Getting a lead petty officer position right after making rank always looked good on an eval, and it was never too early to start looking like someone who should advance to chief. But being LPO muddied some waters even more than getting promoted had already done.
“Uh, Chief.” I cleared my throat. “There might be a small problem with me being in charge.”
“Oh?” He sipped his coffee, watching me the entire time. As he lowered the mug, he asked, “What problem is that?”
“I’m . . .” I hesitated, not sure how to phrase it. “My relationship with MA2 Taylor. That could—”