by BA Tortuga
“Oh. Well, then, we’re good to go.” He grinned, giving another kiss, a reward. “Tell me where to get it, and we’ll go to town.”
“It’s in the box under our bed.” They had a sweet setup, their cabin all windows.
“Well, let’s go there.” Pulling MJ up, he dragged them both to their cabin, not wanting to lose momentum. He pushed MJ down on the bed and kissed the man hard enough that his ears rang.
MJ moaned, sucking on his tongue, legs spread wide, just giving it up to him. He touched MJ there, his hand sliding down over cock, balls, slipping back to stroke the skin behind, pressing from the outside.
“Yours.” MJ’s eyes were on him like white on rice, never wavering even a bit.
“So mine.” Damn, look at that man. Flushed, wanting, fucking desperate. Sonny moved away for half a second, finding the tubes of lube.
He grabbed one, worked it open. He could smell MJ, smell the way Precious needed him.
“Gonna feel you, Precious. Need you.” His slick fingers slid right back behind MJ’s balls, pushing against that sweet hole.
MJ bore down, taking two of his fingers in without so much as a flinch. “Yeah. I know about needing.”
“You do?” Grinning, he stroked that flat belly with his other hand, feeling muscles quiver for him. Muscles quivered for him in other places too. Made him moan like a dying man.
“I do.” MJ stared at him like he was fucking magic. “Going to wear your ink. Going to let you in deep.”
“You know it. Fucking love you, Precious.” He put three fingers in, moving them in and out, making MJ feel him so good. God, that was hot and tight but so ready for him. So ready.
“Yeah. Love.” One of those muscled legs bent, spread MJ wide. Goddamn, look at that.
He stroked that fine belly, soft and easy like, relaxing MJ even more. The man’s cock never flagged, even when he put four fingers in, and damn, he had to touch it. Just pulling. That got him a moan, a deep, low sound that sort of vibrated between them. MJ squeezed his fingers, rolling up toward his touch, fucking his palm.
“Jesus. So fucking pretty, MJ. I can feel you, man.” He was working his fingers in and out, slipping in the lube, letting go of MJ’s cock to squirt more on. He was gonna need it to get his thumb inside.
“I hope so. Can feel you, deep inside.”
So deep. So right.
“Yeah. Yeah.” God. He pushed and pulled back and eased in, his thumb sliding past the impossibly stretched hole, so tight that he didn’t think it would go. Then whoosh. He was in.
“Sonny.” The word was shocked, stunned, hands opening and closing on his arms.
“Mine.” He figured it was worth saying again, even if it did take all the breath he had left. Christ on a crutch. His whole hand was inside MJ. He had the man in the fucking palm of his hand.
“Yours.” MJ reached down, stroked the ink on that flat belly, stroked where his hand was.
“Oh God.” All he could think was that MJ would wear him on his skin soon, just like MJ’s body held his hand now. He almost lost it, but Jesus, he had to stay steady. Not hurt. MJ’s eyes closed, and he stretched, so careful, so easy. Those muscles around his hand just fluttered like crazy. Sonny opened and closed his fingers, watching MJ’s muscles quiver. Watching the flush that spread up.
“Full of you.” MJ’s lips were parted, tongue flicking out to wet them.
“Got all of me. Every bit.” His hips started to move, his cock against MJ’s leg. He was gonna explode like one of MJ’s pipe bombs.
MJ nodded, one hand actually reaching for his prick.
“Yeah.” Okay, yeah. Circle of pleasure and all that. Sonny moved just right, and they were flying. His hands were both busy, his cock in MJ’s grip, and that was just too fucking good. And not enough. MJ kept whispering his name, over and over, the sound like some weird-assed prayer.
“Love. Fuck.” He was on a roll himself, just grunting and cussing and all sorts of stuff, telling MJ everything.
Everything.
They were fucking insane, the two of them. They found a rhythm, found a way to move, to touch. Sonny fought to keep his eyes open, fought to keep staring right down at MJ, those hot eyes making him crazy.
“I need. Fuck. Sunshine. Please.”
“I know. I know.” They couldn’t keep ratcheting up. There was no way they could fly higher than this. Groaning, he let his hand twist just the tiniest bit, let himself fill MJ just the tiniest bit deeper. MJ’s cry sorta filled the whole room, spunk spraying, spreading over MJ’s belly.
“Oh fuck….” Sonny just… he lost it, coming so hard he thought he might black out. He kept himself upright, kept his hand still, but everything else shorted out.
MJ was limp, quiet, the only real motion those eyes, watching him, staring at him.
Sonny panted, holding himself up on his shaking left arm. Staring right back. “Just this, Precious. This is the important stuff.”
He got a nod. “Just…. Just this.”
“The rest we can figure out.” He squirted more lube around his wrist, needing it to work free.
“Uh-huh.” MJ squeezed him. “Going to feel you for days.”
“Good. Want you to remember that whenever you start to freak out. Got it?”
“I don’t freak out.” MJ’s eyes rolled when he moved his hand.
“Uh-huh. Okay, hold still, Precious.” He had to move. Had to, even if he didn’t want to. He started to slowly pull out.
MJ groaned, going stiff, panting low as he stretched that tiny ring.
“Shhh. Breathe, babe. Just breathe.” He petted that flat belly, fingers working in circles.
“Breathing….” MJ’s toes curled, muscles relaxing as he took a deep breath.
Sonny worked free, both of them sighing as his hand slid out. He let himself flop down on the bed, knowing they both needed a bath but just too tired to move right away. MJ scooted closer, just enough. Just right there.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
NEIL WAS rather… stunned.
The storm of emotions from abovedecks would have been bad enough, heaped on top of MJ’s private movie reel of his youth. But what else had happened after. Gracious. That was something he wished he could have blocked out.
He was trying valiantly to hide his… his what? His utter amazement? His rather fascinated revulsion, from Paddy.
He wasn’t sure how well. But still.
Of course, Paddy was still wandering about in quite a state, thoughts flittering from one bit to another without the slightest hesitation. Neil thought it quite possible he could turn into a slavering beast and Paddy might simply stare a moment and then move on.
“Paddy? Love? Would you mind helping me make some tea?” That ought to distract them both.
“Tea? Is there tea? Is hot tea made with the same tea as iced tea, because I’ve seen Sonny drink iced tea but not the other, and….” Paddy blinked, tilted his head. “You lost your magic bag with all the tea things.”
Paddy looked at him a moment, then turned toward the little sink and cupboard, muttering under his breath about water and cups and fault and tea and china. Bless his heart. Thank God the racket above had ended. Now he could concentrate on Paddy. He went and put his head on Paddy’s shoulder, his arms circling the sturdy waist below.
Paddy stilled a moment, those thoughts on him, on love and need and things that Paddy didn’t have words for. Yes. Kissing just under Paddy’s ear, Neil hummed. “Tea, and those funny biscuits, and more Pop-Tarts.”
He got a chuckle—low and deep and so sweet. “More Pop-Tarts.”
“Yes. There’s more in the box.” That was what he needed to hear. He could handle anything if Paddy would only laugh for him.
“What happens after we leave here, Neil? Will you go home?”
“Well, I’m afraid I’m something of a vagabond. I had hoped I might hitch myself to you and go.” He wanted that badly. More than he wanted to admit, though he couldn’t hide it from Paddy. Not when the
y were this close.
“Oh.” The word would have worried him had he not felt this crushing wave of relief, of agreement.
Of a pure pleasure.
“Yes, oh. I’m in this for good or ill, love. With you.”
“Okay. Okay. That’s good. Good.” Paddy relaxed, slumping in his arms. “I didn’t even know I was worried until now.”
“Well, now you needn’t worry on that.” He hugged tightly, just smiling against Paddy’s skin. “Everything else, yes. That, no.”
That earned him another laugh, full-throated and honest, Paddy tickled, deep down.
“Come here, love.” He turned Paddy gently, easing his lover around to take an easy kiss. Oh, much better. Paddy was there, with him, engaged.
“I didn’t know I was hurting people, Neil. I was just playing. I was. I just wanted to make things.”
“I know that, sweet. I knew it the minute I met you.” He pulled back to look into bright green eyes. Staring. He needed Paddy to know he meant it. “You didn’t deserve this.”
“No?” Paddy held on tight. “I would have stopped. Did everybody else know? Am I stupid?”
“No, love. Ninety percent of your coworkers had no idea. Your Bethy knew what you were about, I’m afraid.” Paddy needed the truth.
“But why…?” Paddy’s mind clicked along, putting this and that and this together with a maddening speed. No, his Paddy wasn’t stupid, not even a bit. Once the connections started, Paddy could stun him. His eyes actually crossed at the flood of ideas and little hot bursts of anger. This whole situation had him on overload. The constant flow of MJ’s thoughts didn’t help.
Of course, when everything stopped—Paddy’s fingers framing his face, Paddy’s lips on his, Paddy’s mind insisting that Neil feel and focus—he couldn’t decide whether to moan or just allow his brains to leak out of his ears. Blinking, he smiled a bit, hugging Paddy again. “You are amazing, sweet.”
“Oh, good. That worked.” Paddy shifted until those legs could wrap around his waist. “You looked like you were going to explode. That would be bad.”
“Yes, indeed.” This time he was the one to laugh. “I was contemplating dribbly brains. Not a pleasant thought.”
“No. No dribbling. There’s nothing fun about dribbling.”
“No.” He squeezed again, listening to the thump of Paddy’s heart. What a sweet sound.
Love. Love. Love. That’s what Paddy’s heart said. To him.
They rested together, and thank God, the two up above were drifting off. The noise was going down, the endless thump of thoughts easing.
“We’ll be okay. I promise.” Paddy held him, fingers sliding down his spine. Such an odd mixture of lost and strong in one mind.
“We will. I think I need to talk to MJ again, though.” He had a ghost of a plan. If he was very lucky, it might work.
A rush of worry opened between them again. “Don’t let him hurt you.”
“I won’t. I’m going to give him what he wants.” He grinned, hands sliding up and down Paddy’s back.
“What? What does he want?”
“He wants to know if he was set up and by whom. I have no idea if he was, but I know who he should talk to.”
“Oh. Okay.” Paddy wasn’t even curious, not really. It was actually quite odd, the way Paddy avoided.
“I can tell him, and hopefully he’ll set up a meet….” He let it trail off, knowing Paddy would hear the rest of his thoughts.
It didn’t take Paddy even a second to catch on, agree. Yes. A meeting where they had to go to ashore.
Land.
A chance to run.
Yes, he thought. A chance to get away.
And to start over.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
PADDY SPENT all afternoon—evening—whatever, digging through the boxes down in the bottom of the boat. MJ had interesting storage.
Detonators.
Ammo.
Clothes.
A box of science-fiction novels.
Ah. A toolbox.
Paddy found a screwdriver and a pair of needle-nosed pliers and tugged a chair over to climb up to unscrew a lightbulb from the dangling fixture.
Neil had just been watching him up until now, between pacing and cussing MJ for not talking to him. Now Neil looked over at him, eyebrows climbing. “What’re you up to, love?”
“Making a bomb.” Well, trying to. He hadn’t made one in a very long time, and he really only had half of the things he needed. MJ had to have his stash separated.
“A bomb. We are still on the boat, love. Blowing it up might be detrimental to our health.”
“Oh.” Yeah, that could be problematic. Still, he’d really like to see if he could do it. Maybe a little one. Just enough to scare MJ.
“What if…?” Neil came over and ran a hand up and down his leg. “What if you built it and then waited until we could run to set it off? As a distraction?”
Ooh.
That sounded fun.
Paddy nodded, climbing down. If he was going to do that, he needed something sturdier than a lightbulb.
Bombs going off in his pockets would be….
Bad.
Really, really bad.
“The only thing I want going off in your pocket is me.” Oh, hey. Wow.
Paddy let himself have a minute of just pure, indulgent fantasy involving him and Neil and a beach.
Neil’s eyes widened, the dark ring around the outside of the iris really standing out. “Oh. Yes.”
He looked over, nodded. He wanted that. He wanted to be naked and happy, sucking Neil off, having Neil’s hands on him.
Neil leaned in and kissed him, hard enough to sting. Desperate. Needy.
Oh. He blinked up, caught in it, heart pounding for a minute before he wrapped his arms around Neil and kissed back with all he was.
They stumbled over the chair and missed the little bunk by a mile, sinking right down on the planks instead, hands and mouths moving. God. Neil was thinking right back at him. Umbrella drinks and coconut oil and bare skin. Yes. Yes. He wanted Neil inside him; he wanted sunshine and laughter and Neil.
Neil yanked at his T-shirt, just scrabbling at him, practically shouting his name without ever moving out of the kiss. His name. Over and over.
Everything sort of swayed, his head full of Neil, swelling with that voice, with Neil’s need. Holding him up, Neil kissed him again, mouth open so he could push in and taste. Salt. Sea. Neil. More. He could feel it all bearing down on him, Neil’s body and mind. Both of them, together. Happy. Home. Needing. Paddy groaned into the kiss, eyes seeing nothing but Neil. Nothing.
They toppled over, then stretched out so they could touch and kiss and all that stuff without having to stay upright. Neil seemed pretty intent on touching him everywhere. Fortunately he was all about touching. Tasting was good too. Diving in deep. Paddy was easy.
“Mm-hmm. Tasting.” Neil murmured it against his skin, licking along his collarbone, lips and tongue tickling and not tickling at all. He shivered with it, with Neil’s voice and with more of those shared thoughts.
“Taste….” Neil started working his T-shirt off, his nipples drawing up tight, trying to get Neil’s attention.
“Everywhere.” Neil bent and licked his nipples, tongue working first one, then the other before those lips closed around one and started sucking.
Neil. Neil.
He wasn’t sure if he was talking, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was the electricity that just slid down his spine. Working down, Neil pushed at his sweats, mouth on his belly, hot as a brand. Heat he knew, in all its scientific applications. This? This was pure feel.
“Need you.” Everything in him felt like it was stretching, reaching for Neil’s mouth.
“Love. I… oh.” That hot mouth closed right around the tip of his cock, lips sealing around the head. Paddy groaned, heels slamming down, hips bucking up without him even being able to breathe. Neil loved him so good, licking and sucking and just mak
ing him crazy. Everything he needed was right there, Neil filling up his mind. Everything went white and bright, Paddy holding on tight and just accepting everything Neil would give him.
When Neil cupped his balls, he lost it, that hot mouth sliding all the way down, just really taking everything he had right back. Paddy’s whole world was Neil, just for a minute, just long enough to heal things that had felt so hurt.
Neil smiled at him when he came back up for air, leaning in to kiss him, holding on for long moments. Just rocking him.
“I….” He blinked a little, head all goofy and loose on his neck. “You need?”
“I’m fine, love. Brilliant, actually.” Neil sounded happy and dazed and right there with him.
“Brilliant.” Paddy nodded, gathering Neil in close. Yeah. Yeah, he was feeling….
“Good. We should rest now. Then you can start on your bomb.” Neil’s long eyelashes tickled his cheek as Neil snuggled in, heavy against him.
Yeah. He could make something loud and bright, something that wouldn’t hurt anything.
Something distracting.
Something….
Neil’s voice drew him down into dreams, tempting him away from his plans.
Plans. Well, at least they had one now. Kinda. It was enough.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
HE LET Sonny have his piece, his knives. Hell, MJ let Sonny give him a Xanax.
Then he sat down and let Sonny bring Neil and Rick up.
See him.
See him be firm but calm.
Cool.
Collected.
Smooth.
Not even a bit homicidal.
Go him.
Rick looked different. Calmer too. Neil just smiled, that fucking little…. Zen. He wouldn’t even let that little shit get to him, with those funky eyes dancing and the smug…. Cool. Collected.
Sonny stood behind him, hands on his shoulders, fingers massaging. MJ let that touch ease him, down to the bone. “We have to find a common ground between us. I need to know who set me up.”
Calm.
Easy.
Not freaked-out.
Neil nodded, meeting his eyes. “I can tell you who you need to meet with, I believe. That ought to be a start. You can understand that we want this resolved as well. Yes?”