by Mia Watts
“And that tells me to keep you out of my mom’s kitchen, and that Mrs. Lindgarden was actually a little off-balance.”
“Drunk, actually. It was pretty funny.”
“Wow, Trick, you’ve got a twisted sense of humor,” Nathan noted, but he was still laughing so Trick didn’t think it could be considered a reprimand.
* * * *
Trick propped his head in his hand, his elbow on the armrest. Lazily he wrapped his finger in one of Nathan’s dark curls from where he looked up at him on Trick’s lap. Morning light seeped through the plantation slats, and they’d found the easy silence after hours of conversation. Trick just had one more thing to ask.
His forever guy had no idea what was coming. He had no inkling that a decision needed to be made. After a full night of talking, Trick hoped for all the things they could keep talking about, but he knew what he was. Trick looked like a thug. He walked and talked and laughed like he was a guy accustomed to long nights in a bar. He had perpetual stubble and hair salted a good ten years too early for his age, and he looked old. Or older.
He was the guy that men looked at for a challenge either in a brawl or in the sack. He wasn’t the kind of guy someone looked at and said, “I want to wake up next to that every day.”
“Nathan…”
Nathan smiled as he waited for the rest.
Trick didn’t think he’d ever been this nervous about anything. Not a drug bust, not a gang war. Yet those trusting brown eyes, the sweet paused smile and the quiet sigh left Trick terrified.
Nathan reached up and stroked Trick’s jaw. “Yes?”
“I told you I’m going to be called to testify in the Jerome Linder case when it goes to trial.”
“Yeah, you said,” Nathan answered.
“It could be months to a couple of years before the case is adequately built against him.”
He could see the minute Nathan understood. The softness left and a calculating look entered the brown depths. “You’re going away,” Nathan guessed correctly.
“Out of reach. I’m being given a new identity for a while, and set up somewhere to start over. I won’t be able to call you or see you,” Trick continued.
Nathan sat up and scooted close. “When?”
Trick glanced at his watch. “Today. About four hours from now.”
“And you’re just telling me this now?” Nathan’s near shout surprised him.
Trick couldn’t look at his face and see disgust, and he was sure that’s what would be there in about a second. “I wanted to ask—to see—if you’d come with me.”
“Yes.”
Trick’s head jerked around, incredulously. “You wouldn’t see your family or talk to them. I don’t know how long it would be. No friends, no contact, nothing. Just me.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of it?” Nathan said, a curious smile smoothing into place.
“No. God, no.” He grabbed Nathan in a hug. “You’ve said yes. I’m not letting you back out.” He pushed Nathan back out to arm’s length. “Wait. You’d come with me as my boyfriend right? Not just some adventure or lark or thing that’ll run you away from the family FBI drama?”
Nathan laughed. “You don’t think spending the next undetermined time with you is an adventure? We’ve just met, but I know more about you than some of my own family. If you want me there enough to ask, I want to be there with you.”
“But…”
“Shut up,” Nathan demanded softly, kissing him as though to make his point.
Trick couldn’t believe his good luck. A guy who didn’t want to run for the hills. His guy. His forever guy.
“But nothing,” Nathan said when the kiss ended. “We’ve just started this thing between us. I’d like to see how it plays out, and I’m not willing to wait a couple of years to do that. My family will understand eventually. They have their lives, and I have mine. Going into hiding isn’t permanent, but we could be. I think that deserves a chance, and so do you or you wouldn’t have asked.”
“Who knows? Maybe your dad will think of this as FBI protection,” Trick teased.
“The only protection I need is a stash of non-latex condoms. C’mon. I should wake my parents and say good-bye properly. It’s gonna be hard on them and they’re going to want these last few hours.” Nathan stood, pulling Trick to his feet with a hefty tug.
“I can share you for a few more, I guess.” Trick pulled Nathan into his arms. “Thank you for saying yes.”
Nathan loosely wrapped his arms around Trick’s middle. “You say that now,” the big man said. “Just wait until you’re stuck with only me for company.”
“I can think of a lot of ways to keep that interesting. Look. I’ve got my very own detective all tied up in knots,” Nathan murmured, remembering the motel room. “Now I need to pack my cuffs.”
Epilogue
Seven months later…
Nathan tangled his fingers in Trick’s hair. He’d never have guessed that it would grow out straight and blond. Pre-mature graying gave him streaks of white that looked like a surfer-boy sun-bleached look. That’s probably why they’d been dropped off in Hawaii. As far as witness protection, things could’ve been worse than being trapped in paradise with the love of his life.
Trick snored softly, and Nathan couldn’t help but admire his robust lover. He rarely saw Trick work out, yet the man had muscles for days. The Hawaiian sun had tanned him, and Trick had discovered the benefits of waxing his chest. Fortunately, some of it had grown back in, and Nathan dropped his hand there to touch the wiry strands.
So much man and he was all Nathan’s. God, when had he gotten so lucky?
Not able to resist the urge, Nathan leaned over and brushed his lips along the ever-present stubble on Trick’s jaw. He loved the feel of it on his skin and just that small tickle to his mouth and tip of his tongue brought Nathan’s cock to full-mast.
He tried hard not to laugh, but he’d slept with Trick every night and he knew the man well enough to know when he was faking. Trick laid perfectly still, softly snortling as he had only minutes ago, but the tension in the air was different. So was the undeniable tenting underneath the sheets.
They’d said, “I love you” already, but the temptation to show his man over and over again, never faded. They belonged together. Following Trick had been the best decision of his life.
Nathan eased between the sheets and Trick’s larger body. He held himself over Trick and slowly sank between his legs. He rested his cheek on Trick’s chest content to listen to the steady beating of his heart for several seconds, while his hands found places to touch. Warm, pliable flesh over solid muscle tingled his finger pads on their sightless examination.
Those were the arms that held him every night. Those, he thought, moving to his hands and mentally imagining the tattoo there, were the hands that dried and put away dishes for him. These were the shoulders, he thought, moving his exploration upward, that he leaned on when he missed his family. They never turned away.
These were the ribs that heaved when he was scared for Nathan, or when they made love and sometimes the two cried because they couldn’t believe they’d found each other. And these legs brought him home to Nathan every night.
Nathan linked their fingers, feeling the gentle bite from Trick’s matching metal ring on his left ring finger. He squirmed down Trick’s body, dropping soft kisses as he went. Trick’s full cock nudged Nathan’s chin as he got to the large man’s pelvis. Already it was slick, and Nathan looked up.
Trick gazed down at him. His fingers tightened on Nathan’s as his eyes spoke all the words that Nathan had just been thinking. He smiled, and Trick smiled back.
“Good morning,” Trick murmured sleepily.
Nathan gripped Trick’s shaft. He took his time giving the tip an open-mouthed kiss. He pulled off and winked. “It’s about to get very, very good.”
About the Author
Mia makes her home in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she divides her time between a job an
d spying on people. Mia enjoys long walks in Como Park, daisies, dancing in the snow...(Delete prior sentence, meant for personal ad)...
Mr. Perfect may apply in person for a thorough evaluation and trial. All others will be towed.
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