Make Me Whole

by Marguerite Labbe

  Nick shot him a sympathetic glance and set another journal aside. “Getting frustrated with dusty old books and bad handwriting?”

  “I reached my limit an hour ago.” Galen stretched, and his back popped in several places. “I don’t think I’m going to find any answers in those. I wonder if I could jiggle the museum’s accounting books enough to scrape together some funds for a translation. How about you, have you discovered anything significant?”

  Nick grimaced and pulled out a folder. “I’ve been looking at a couple different versions of the myth to see if I can find any answers there. I know it’s a long shot, but what the hell. They’re almost as confusing as the journals. They mention a test, but I think most mythic tales have a test. And they talk about Dexios’s reincarnation making an offer to Lykon’s, and that offer has to be accepted. But that could mean anything. I don’t see how it applies to us or how that first statue changed. I could offer you anything, but I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be certain things.”

  Galen raised an eyebrow as he took the folder Nick handed out to him. “That is pretty broad. Well, at least we know it isn’t sex based. Dexios said it had nothing to do with him kissing me, and the first one was made whole before we saw each other again, much less kissed.”

  He glanced through the contents of the folder and tossed it down on the cluttered table with a sigh. The myth wasn’t going to help him either. The tale seemed to end after Lykon was charged with caring for the statues.

  “Why don’t you tell me what you’re looking for? I know those journals pretty well, and something’s been bugging you for a couple of weeks now.” Nick came to sit next to him and urged Galen to turn so his back was to Nick. Galen sighed as strong hands started to knead the muscles of his back. “You’re tense all over.”

  Galen closed his eyes and sank into the comfort of Nick’s ministrations. It wasn’t how he wanted Nick’s hands on him. He’d much rather have naked-skin-to-naked-skin contact. Sometimes he thought his vow of celibacy got to him more than it did Nick. “I’m tired of Lykon trying to take over. He wants to push everything as fast as it’ll go, and I think it’s a mistake, but he won’t stop fighting me. Is there a timetable I don’t know of to break the curse?”

  Nick’s thumbs worked down Galen’s spine, and despite his irritation, tension started to ease from his body. “I doubt it. Some of those journals go on for years about the statues. Lykon’s probably reacting out of sexual frustration. I can sympathize,” Nick said in a teasing voice. Well, that answered the question; Galen wasn’t the only one thinking of taking their relationship to another level.

  Nick kissed the side of Galen’s neck, and a shiver of yearning went through him. Two weeks of dating and some really hot make-out sessions were putting a dent in his resolve. To be honest, just looking at Nick and remembering some of those long, sensual nights almost broke that resolve in half.

  “Though in all seriousness, I think it’s more likely that Lykon misses Dexios and is impatient to be reunited and have the nightmare over,” Nick continued. “I can’t begin to imagine loving and waiting for someone that long.”

  Galen could imagine it. He didn’t remember too much about his dad; still, he knew his parents had been happy, enough that his mom had shown no interest in remarrying. She’d always said that if she found someone who gave her what his dad did she’d consider it, but she didn’t want to search only for the sake of not being alone. Her life was full enough. His aunts and uncles were still married after decades of being together, and that was the kind of relationship he wanted. And the more time he spent with Nick, the more he thought about that kind of a lifelong commitment.

  “Did you ever wonder what would happen if you stopped fighting Lykon?” Nick asked, his hands stilling on Galen’s waist.

  A chill went through Galen, and he looked back over his shoulder at Nick. “Too many times. The way I figure it, I’d either find myself naked with Dexios or you, and in both cases it would be my body, but not me, and I refuse to be used that way.” Galen twisted around and cupped the back of Nick’s neck. “When you and I get naked, I want to remember every detail.”

  Nick skated his hands up Galen’s back as they kissed and his tongue thrust into Galen’s mouth. He loved the way Nick kissed him, as if he wanted to stake a claim on him, bind Galen to him. It made him go all soft inside even as it excited him.

  “I have a suggestion,” Nick said against his mouth. “How do you feel about skinny-dipping?”

  Galen pulled back to see if he was serious, and the wicked glint in Nick’s eyes answered him. “I don’t think the weather has warmed up enough for that. It’s not even April yet, unless you’re talking about dancing naked in the rain.”

  “No, however, that gives me other ideas. I have access to an indoor pool, and I guarantee that nobody will be there at this time of night.” Nick grinned and gave Galen a nudge. “So what do you say, you up for it?”

  A hot sizzle of naughty anticipation hit Galen. It had been years since he’d last gone skinny-dipping. “And how do you know nobody will be there this time of night?” Galen nudged Nick back. “Is this something you do often?”

  “Swimming, yes; I do laps about four or five times a week. I like going at this time because I’m usually wide awake and I have the pool to myself.” He stood up and stretched, then scooped up his keys. “Besides, we’ve been bent over these books for hours. We need a break.”

  Why the hell not? Galen was game. If he looked any longer at these books he’d go cross-eyed. Seeing Nick naked for the next hour would no doubt haunt his dreams that night. Still, doing it would be well worth the torture.

  Nick tossed Galen his jacket and drew a light sheet over the cockatiels’ cage. Amy and Rory seemed to be fast asleep, their heads tucked over their shoulders and their eyes closed. “It’s not far. We can walk there from my apartment.”

  The air was cool and damp and the neighborhood quiet, with most of the windows dark for the night. Galen took Nick’s hand as they walked, something he hadn’t done with anyone in a long time. With Nick it felt right. “So how many laps do you normally swim?” He considered himself a fair swimmer, though he’d rather lie on a beach than fight the waves. He knew Nick did some wreck diving, but he wasn’t sure how serious he was about the hobby.

  “About sixty to eighty. It depends on my mood and how much frustrated energy I need to work out.”

  “You’re kidding me, right?”

  Nick grinned and shook his head. “Nope. I hate the gym, the thought of getting up early in the morning to go jogging makes me gag, but swimming, I could do that forever.”

  “I’d be lucky if I got five laps in before quitting.”

  “You’d be surprised, you build up stamina quick.” Nick tugged his hand free and stuck it in his pocket. “So how’s Suzane doing?”

  Galen missed the warmth of Nick’s touch. He hadn’t missed the little ways that Nick would pull away sometimes, and he never could pinpoint what triggered the reaction. He seized on the change of topic, eager to share his worries with someone who wasn’t emotionally invested in the situation. “To be honest, I’m a bit worried about her. These last couple rounds of chemo are kicking her ass.”

  “She’s got a lot of fight in her. I’m sure it’s wearying, though. Didn’t you say she’s almost done with that part?” Nick touched a hand to the small of his back, and the touch comforted Galen.

  “Yeah, thank God.” At least he’d managed to convince her to take some time off. She hadn’t fought him that hard, which indicated how worn out she was. “One more after this last one. Her sister took her to a family retreat for a week. Just the two of them near the water.”

  Nick turned toward a low, darkened building and took out his keys. “I predict she’ll return with as much fire as she’s always shown, and she’ll give you hell if you hover over her.”

  “I believe it too, I really do. It’s just sometimes hard to watch.” As Nick opened the door, Galen felt the humid heat, and
the scent of chlorine washed over him. “My dad wasted away. I don’t remember a lot, but I remember enough.” The endless waits at the hospital, the scents, the heavy pall of sorrow and worry. He also remembered his dad’s eyes, though. He had kind, smiling eyes.

  “Sounds like you need to get your mind off your worries.” Nick led him to the long square room that held a good-sized pool. The ropes for making lanes were coiled off to the side, and the building held a hushed, still quality. Most of the lights were doused, the corners of the room draped in shadows.

  “How’d you get a key?” Galen asked in a hushed voice.

  “I know the guy who runs the place. We’ve gone diving together a couple of times.”

  Galen glanced at Nick. He didn’t seem at all concerned about being there after hours. “Don’t they frown on people swimming by themselves like this?”

  “It’s swim at your own risk. They only have staff on-site at peak hours.” Nick shrugged out of his jacket and tossed it down on the bench. He winked at Galen with a grin and his shirt followed. “If they caught us here naked I’d probably get kicked out, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

  He kicked out of his shoes, and he put his hand to his belt. Galen shivered and turned aside as his cheeks heated. Nick made him think the craziest thoughts sometimes, thoughts he’d believed he’d buried. He began to get undressed, folding his clothes on the bench as he went, and watching Nick out of the corner of his eye. The other man was soon naked, and Galen turned to watch him dive cleanly into the water. He swam with powerful, sure strokes, and now Galen could believe that Nick swam as many laps a day as he claimed. It explained those broad, muscled shoulders and the lean, taut waist.

  Nick reached the other end, smoothly flipped under water, and headed back toward him. His head popped up near the edge, and he folded his arms on the tiles as he looked at Galen. “Why aren’t you naked?”

  “Sorry, I was too busy watching you.” Galen shrugged out of the rest of his clothes and folded them on the bench to give himself a moment to recover from the sudden spate of nerves. He had no reason to be shy. After all, Nick had seen him naked on more than one occasion. This time was different, and he couldn’t figure out why.

  He heard Nick get out of the water, and his pulse jumped. An arm slipped around him and pulled Galen back against a very warm, very wet body. “You’re stalling. Did you change your mind?”

  Galen shook his head, unable to speak. He repressed a shudder of longing as he clutched at Nick’s arm, and he wondered what the other man would say if he knew what he was thinking. It had been a very long time since someone had awakened those deeply buried fantasies of being bound or spanked. It wasn’t a desire that Bryan had understood. Hints from his past with Nick made him think he might be more open to the idea.

  As if he read his mind, Nick’s hand slid down to squeeze his flank. Galen’s mind spun dizzily, and his breath came faster. He had the urge to lean over and lay his hands on the bench and spread his legs apart. He wanted to hear the sound of a wet palm against skin echo throughout this otherwise still chamber.

  The shyness returned tenfold, and he finally realized why. Nick mattered. He hadn’t been with anyone who had mattered to him in such a long time. He wanted to win Nick back, but he also wanted Nick to fall for who Galen really was, the whole package. Not the mess that he had been before, but who he was now with all of his obsessions with his museum, his inability to be still for any length of time, and all those other bits and parts of him that he hadn’t let show before.

  “What do you want?” Nick asked close to his ear, hot breath sending a shiver through him. “Tell me.”

  Galen wanted Nick’s hands on him rough and hard. He wanted Nick to make him expose himself so that he felt vulnerable and safe at the same time. He wanted Nick to take him back to his place and have crazy sex until they were both exhausted, and then he wanted to wake up next to Nick in the morning.

  The words remained locked in his head, unable to make their way to his tongue. As much as he tried, he couldn’t seem to get past the last hurdle and open himself up to Nick more. And right now, feeling the hard press of Nick’s cock against him made it very hard to think, period. The man got to him on such a visceral level.

  “Not ready yet?” Nick asked, and his lips curved against Galen’s ear. “No worries. I’ll keep waiting for you, but for now, it’s playtime.”

  Before Galen could react to that statement and the shock of lust it sent through him, he found himself hauled back toward the pool. Oh crap. His surprised cry of protest echoed shockingly loud off the walls. Too late he tried to twist away, only to find himself falling toward the still surface of the pool with Nick’s arms locked securely around him. The smooth, silky water engulfed him, the sensation very sensual against his bare skin.

  Galen emerged and shoved his wet hair out of his eyes to the sound of Nick chuckling. He turned to see Nick swimming backward away with a shit-eating grin on his face. “The look on your face, sweetheart. Come on, swim with me.”

  “Okay, it’s on, Nicholas. Just wait till I catch you.”

  Nick laughed again and stopped a few lengths out of reach. “You’re sexy when you’re wet. Bring it.”

  The smile on Nick’s face and his playfulness eased Galen’s worry that he was shoving the other man away. Maybe Nick could see that he was working on it. Maybe he could open up to him, let him know about what happened with his last relationship without Nick freaking out and putting distance between them because he didn’t want to be the rebound guy. Those were thoughts for another night though, because tonight, Nick needed a kiss and a dunking.

  “FIFTEEN more minutes, and then I swear I’m outta here,” a testy voice cut through the air as Nick walked through the museum’s front entrance the following Saturday.

  “I can get it done in twenty if you’d frickin’ stay still.”

  The sound of a heated discussion came from the workshop, and Galen kept peering toward it with his eyebrows drawn together in mild concern as he rang up customers in the gallery. Several others browsed the shop, and a couple was disappearing down the hallway toward the exhibit. It didn’t look as though he would get a break anytime soon to eat the lunch Nick had brought for him.

  Nick caught his attention, pointing toward the workshop, and relief crossed Galen’s face. “Could you rein it in for me? Thanks.”

  “No problem.” Nick poked his head into the workroom. There was only a handful of kids in there and one rather bored-looking model who kept getting distracted by the people walking by outside. He guessed that being the object of an artist’s muse wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be. The source of the argument seemed to be between him and the young, pimply faced man painting him.

  “Almost there, just move your hand back and stop twisting around, please,” the artist said, sounding like he was striving for patience.

  Several pairs of eyes turned toward Nick, some curious, others disinterested as they went back to what they were doing. “Hey, are you Mr. K’s boyfriend?” the model asked, sitting up as the artist hissed in annoyance and then turned a glare on Nick.

  “That’s me. I’m Nick Charisteas.” This time all activity stopped as the rest of the room focused their attention on him. “I take it the rumor mill has been going strong.”

  “Knox told us he was seeing someone.” Nick’s lips twitched in a smile as the model sized him up. Looked like someone had a case of wishful thinking where Galen was concerned.

  A long table was set up on one end of the room where most of the artists were gathered working on various projects. The model lounged on a dais, and the painter sat at his easel. There was plenty of room for more people to set up their own projects, and with the bay doors, Nick imagined lighting was rarely a problem.

  “Galen wants you two to take it down a notch,” Nick said with a pointed look at the both of them. “If people can hear you in the gallery and shop, it’s an issue.”

  “Sorry.” The model grimaced w
ith a shrug. “We’re almost done here anyway… right?”

  “I’m done now,” the artist replied, tossing his paintbrush into a cup of water. “This is a damn mess. Next time, I’m taking a picture and painting from that. You’re the worst model ever.”

  The model opened his mouth to protest, his eyes flashing hotly, and Nick interrupted him before he could start. “Don’t. Galen’s made a real nice place for you here. He’s alone today and frazzled, so don’t abuse his trust in you. Got it, guys?”

  “Got it.” The artist started cleaning up his brushes with a quick, disgusted glance at his model. “I promise, no more yelling.”

  “Thanks.” Nick wanted to linger and take a look around to see what everybody else was working on, but he sensed that he was an unwelcome distraction, so he backed out instead and left them to get back to their projects.

  It had started to rain, the drops making a soothing background murmur against the skylights and huge, glassed-in bay doors. Galen was wrapped up with the final customer, so Nick found an out-of-the-way spot to watch and wait. He liked how animated Galen got when he spoke, always gesturing to emphasize points. Galen didn’t just speak with his hands; his whole body gave away his feelings on a subject.

  Watching Galen was how Nick knew he was holding back on several levels. Galen hadn’t mentioned the accident that had killed the last man he’d loved since he last brought it up. Sometimes Nick was okay with that, and sometimes he couldn’t help wondering when Galen was going to backtrack because he didn’t know if Galen had completely dealt with that loss. There was something left unspoken, something that still bugged Galen. Nick had tried getting him to talk a couple of times, and somehow the subject always ended up changed. And until Nick knew what other hurt Galen held onto, he couldn’t be certain of where he stood with him.