Benen opened his mouth to say something, but Evander was pressing Benen’s cock to his ass and stared at him, waiting. Benen took the hint and thrust. He entered most of the way, Evander gasping and practically falling forward on him, so he paused.
“Ev?”
“That tingle…” He pushed himself up with a hand and took hold of his own cock with the other, still slick from the lubricant. Benen watched Evander’s expression as he closed his eyes and stroked himself. “You’re fine. Please. Go ahead.”
Benen put his hands on Evander’s hips, pulled back, and thrust in. The magic-laced lubricant increased his sensation, somehow, and he could only imagine what it was doing to Evander, who tilted his head back and bit his lip. Benen pulled out, pushed in, practically felt Evander’s moan. He wanted to draw this out, make the time he spent buried up Evander’s ass last as long as he could. He shifted to give them both an angle where they could feel more of each other’s bodies. Evander pulled Benen in with his free hand, let Benen kiss his damp skin lightly. Benen supported Evander’s back with a hand, directed with his other. Thrusting like this, with Evander practically in his lap, was more work, but it also drew out their time together.
It was Evander who came first, after a particularly deep thrust. His face tightened, and Benen rocked him on his cock, not daring to pull out as Evander exploded between them, gasping. Benen leaned them both forward, laid Evander down on his back, and decided to finish himself off quickly. Evander moaned as Benen pumped him, the tingle spreading outward from his cock until it was too much; Benen thrust deep and came, hard, before collapsing on top of Evander, damp with seed and sweat.
“Damn,” said Evander.
Benen roused himself to lean up and kiss Evander. The cold was seeping in now their pulses were slowing and he pulled up the blanket.
Evander shifted and leaned into Benen. “I think I’ll sleep better now.”
“Good,” said Benen, but he could hear noise outside the window again and his heart sank. He pulled Evander closer, held him tightly. He didn’t want to have to leave yet, but if the docks were waking up, he’d need to get going. “You oughta rest more after everything.”
“Mmm, I don’t think I like how you said that.”
Benen kissed him, guilt bubbling up. If he left now, he didn’t know where that put them. As much as he and Evander trusted each other now—no, as much as Benen was beginning to think he was in love with Evander, he knew that wasn’t a very practical thing. He didn’t think Thea should even know he’d spent the night here, definitely he couldn’t carry on with Evander. And if Benen had read Marla right yesterday, she was about to welcome Evander back into the family.
There was no place for them together after this room, this night. Benen drew back.
“I have to go,” he said. “Thea wants me in early to write up everything, and I can’t show up wearing yesterday’s clothes.”
“I guess I’m up, too, then,” said Evander. He groaned and opened his eyes, then froze at Benen’s expression. “You’re not going to see me again.”
“It’s going to be more the other way around. You have a life, Ev. Marla’s going to give it back to you. We both know that.” He paused as Evander glanced away, then swallowed and mumbled, “Wish you would’ve called me Ben once, though. Nobody…”
Benen trailed off, shook his head, and got out of bed, leaving Evander alone under the blanket. He pulled on his clothes slowly, methodically, while Evander watched. The last two candles had burned down, but enough dawn was creeping in through the window that it was possible to see a little. Still, Benen kept his back to Evander. When he finished dressing, he lingered at the edge of the bed. If there was something to say, he didn’t know what.
“I was holding on to it,” said Evander as he stood. Benen froze. “I thought…if I never used it, you would stay waiting to hear it. Childish of me, I know.” Evander swallowed so hard Benen could actually hear him. “Whatever happens, I…do still want to see you again. Please, Ben.”
Benen breathed out hard, closed his eyes a moment. He didn’t want to give any weight to the hope that maybe they could have something together, but he didn’t want to dismiss it either. He settled for allowing it to be temporary—the hope they could see each other for a few months, a year, before life would make them part ways. Then Benen wouldn’t get his hopes up, and he’d have permission to see where this led.
“Okay,” he said. “But I’ll find you, Ev.”
And then he left the attic room, and went down to the street.
* * * *
The butler sent him back into Jewylle on Ilben. Benen wasn’t completely surprised, but it hadn’t occurred to him the Fergus family had a home in Jewylle center, nor did it do anything for his nerves. It had been nearly two weeks since he’d walked out of Evander’s room, two weeks that had felt a bit like a lifetime. He had no idea if Evander would even see him now, or if the man had moved on—Benen didn’t have the guts to ask Raldina for any news on the Fergus family he didn’t hear himself.
The Fergus home in the city was smaller but no less impressive, four stories of ornate front, large windows, and a carved double door. Benen rang the magical chime and waited. The door opened, revealing Evander dressed in expensive yet casual clothes, and Benen froze. He felt awkward, out of place. He’d worn the nicest shirt he had and still he looked pathetic compared to Evander, just a nobody on his doorstep. And the blankness on Evander’s face made his heart fall down to his stomach.
Shit. He’d waited too long.
“Please,” said Evander, something in his expression changing, but Benen couldn’t pinpoint it. “Come in.”
Benen did as asked, dreading what was to come. An argument? Evander holding what they’d done over him, turning him against his own coworkers? Benen entered the sitting room and crossed to the far side but didn’t sit; when he heard Evander entering he turned.
Evander was smiling, a broad, wonderful smile. He crossed the room as fast as he had the night he’d ducked out of the way of Benen’s gun in the police station, and before Benen knew what was happening, Benen’s hands were in Evander’s, grip gentle, tender.
“Ben,” he said. “I confess I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”
“Well, work. Busy. Crime. You know.” Benen hated his choppy talk. “How have you been, then? You kept the funerals out of the papers.”
“Marla’s doing. It was better to minimize the family scandal. Luckily, none of this has been too bad for her politics, not when she personally wasn’t involved and when she was—well, she handled it. It’s worked out well for me, too—well, obviously. With our brother and father deceased now and Marla in the capitol, it’s fallen to me to manage the estate, investments, et cetera and what have you. I’m busy all the time, it’s a pain in the, heh, and I’m talking much too much. Will you have a seat? Some tea?”
Benen let Evander lead him to a couch, heartened when Evander sat next to him, although the man didn’t press close.
“What are you doing in Jewylle?” asked Benen, the only thing he could think to ask.
“Oh, I never received much education in the way of finances, as that was to fall to Alasdair,” said Evander, waving the question away with a hand. “I’m down here in the city home to be tutored. Marla lined it up. I’m learning why exactly my brother was never very good at it. Apparently I have more of a head for the numbers than he did, shouldn’t take long to be in a position where I can handle it easily enough. Oh, there I go babbling again.”
Benen smiled, risked leaning in a little. Evander hadn’t tried to push him away yet, so he was going to push his luck.
“Are you anxious, Ev?”
Evander relaxed some. “I thought you were through with me.”
“I was worried you felt the same, especially after how you answered the door.”
“That! I didn’t want anyone noticing just how pleased I was to see you again.” Evander’s grin faded as reality set in. “Of course, that does not
bode well for our future. That we still can’t be seen together. That I still cannot have who I want, love who I want.”
“Whoa, I just showed up five minutes ago and you’re bringing up shit like love.”
“What, the concept you threw around repeatedly only a few weeks ago?” asked Evander.
“You said you loved someone like you didn’t love Graden. I said too much then.”
“Don’t apologize,” said Evander, sounding amused. He put his hand on Benen’s leg. “It was you, you know. If I insinuated I cared for anyone that much.”
Benen gaped at him.
“Oh, Ben. What are we going to do about you?”
“Me?” Benen was still processing, but if there was no other man in the way, that still left the barrier of Evander’s class status. “I’m not the problem. I don’t have a problem fucking—and loving—whoever I want.”
“It’s not my problem, it’s my family’s.” Evander gnawed at his lip, sat back. “Stay here the night.”
Benen couldn’t believe what he was hearing. First Evander was lamenting societal standards and now he was completely doing away with them.
“I don’t know that’s a good idea.”
Evander waved a hand and tsked; Benen couldn’t help but smile. He’d missed that noise, that expression on Evander’s face. He really did wish there was some way to make this work.
“I need police protection. No one would question that. So that’s settled. Now we just need to figure out how to work on Marla. I’d, of course, need her permission, now she’s the head of the family. There has to be some way this can be presented in a more palatable manner. And we can certainly gain her acceptance if we can assure her this won’t create the scandal everyone fears.”
“Slow down,” said Benen, trying not to get wrapped up in Evander’s excitement. It was difficult; he wanted the possibilities Evander was outlining to be attainable. He’d barely been able to think of anything other than Evander the past two weeks—to have Evander always, well, Benen didn’t know how he’d handle that as a real possibility. He was hesitant to hope for it. “You’re getting carried away. First things first.”
“All right. I want to be with you, Ben, always.”
Evander looked over at him, waiting for some sort of declaration, but that could wait. Instead, Benen grinned.
“I meant you should show me around the place. If I’m staying the night.”
“Certainly. We’ll start with the bedroom,” said Evander, eyes brightening.
“About fucking time,” said Benen, and took Evander’s hands. Anything else they had to figure out could wait. He had other things in mind, things involving testing out whatever big, luxurious bed Evander had. “Lead the way.”
THE END
ABOUT GARETH VAUGHN
Things Gareth Vaughn is terrible at: Whistling. Card games. Writing bios. Not adopting cats.
Things Gareth Vaughn is okay at: Snow shoveling. Star Trek trivia. Writing stories. Fishing cat toys from under the couch.
For more information, visit twitter.com/gareth_vaughn.
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The Officer and the Thief Page 11