Tight Quarters

by Annabeth Albert

  “Even the movie this was from is overwrought,” Spencer protested as Del led him on the dancefloor. “I should know. I had to review it.”

  “Careful now. Your inner snob is showing,” Del teased. “We owned this one, and Mom and I would sing along to all our favorite songs. It’s a great love story.”

  “So are we.” Spencer smiled at him, but his stomach trembled, hoping Del felt the same way—he’d been a little distant since their car conversation, as they felt their way back to a good place.

  “Yup. I especially like this part where you’re letting me lead.” Del grinned at him.

  “Don’t get used to it.”

  “Oh I’m not, trust me.” Del raised his eyebrows, his meaning clear in a way that made Spencer’s skin prickle with anticipation. “I want a whole chapter in our story on your bossy ways.”

  “That can be arranged.”

  “Good.” Del tugged him closer. “I like dancing with you, though.”

  “For someone who’s always going on about how tone-deaf you are, you’ve got great rhythm.”

  “You’re still trying to butter me up so that I’ll show you some of my bad poetry.”

  “Guilty.” Spencer laughed. Del had confessed to writing song lyrics and poems but hadn’t yet shared any.

  “Okay, we’re done here.” Del joined his laughter as the song changed to an up-tempo Marvin Gaye number. Spencer happily followed him back to their drinks. “I need to make my goodbyes. Can I meet you at the hotel?”

  “That sounds great.” Spencer tried not to sound too eager and failed miserably. Del leaned in for a fast kiss, which was notable not only for how it revved Spencer’s pulse, but it was their first public kiss, another good sign that they were really back together, that Del wanted this as much as he did.

  That hope powered Spencer all the way to the nearby hotel he’d booked, and it wasn’t long after he’d checked in that Del knocked at the door. He’d evidently left his uniform jacket and tie in the truck, and even in his white dress shirt and navy pants, he looked stunning.

  “You’re here.” He drew him into a tight embrace as the door closed.

  “I missed you,” Del said with an intensity that said he wasn’t only talking about the drive.

  In response, Spencer buried his face against Del’s neck. It felt weird and vulnerable, like he was opening up some hidden compartment of emotions, letting Del see how very much he needed him. But this was all he could do, inhale Del’s familiar scent, let it swarm his senses for long moments.

  Something seemed to break in Del as well, something he’d been keeping in during the past week, as he released big shuddery breaths. “I missed you, Spence, so fucking much.”

  “I know. Me too.”

  “You hurt me.” His words were ragged, and he sounded on the verge of tears, which instantly got Spencer there too.

  “I’m sorry. So sorry.” He kissed Del’s damp cheek. “I wish I could promise never to hurt you again, but I can’t. But never again like this. I promise.”

  “You pushed me away.” Del gave another uneven sigh that broke Spencer’s heart. He hadn’t realized the full extent of how rejected Del would feel. And he should have.

  Repeating his apology wouldn’t cut it, so he went straight for the truth, releasing a shaky breath of his own. “I was scared. Scared to believe in us that much, that quickly, scared to put us first. But that’s not going to happen again, promise. I realize now that life’s too short to not love fully. My priorities were all screwed up—love should always come first. And I do love you.”

  “I know.” Del’s eyes were bright.

  “And I don’t want to hurt you like that again, ever. But I’m new at this unconditional-love business and I might screw it up. I’m going to try my best, though. And try my best to make it up to you.”

  “I was scared too,” Del whispered.

  “And I let you down.” He kissed Del’s cheek again, wishing he had the right words to take his pain away. He, Spencer Bryant, was entirely out of words. He grabbed Del’s hand, bringing it to his mouth, kissing their intertwined fingers. Opening his grip, he kissed Del’s wrist, his palm, each of his precious fingers.

  “That feels nice,” Del whispered.

  “Yeah?” Spencer raised his head, met his mouth in a needy kiss that tried to convey both his love and his sorrow. What if he never fully convinced Del how loved he was? The thought made the already chilly room seem thirty degrees cooler, made his kiss that much more desperate. “Let me love you.”

  “I will. I can forgive you.” Del kissed his forehead. “We were both scared. Not the best at compromise, yet. But I want that, want you to love me.”

  “I do. So much.” Their mouths met again, all the need and want and love swirling around them. Eventually, somehow they stumbled to the bed, ended up wrapped up in each other. It wasn’t their usual urgent kissing that led quickly to sex. Instead, this seemed to be more about comfort, giving and taking. Needing skin, they peeled each other’s clothes off until they were both in boxers, huddled under the covers together, kissing and touching and murmuring apologies and promises every so often.

  Eventually they’d get to the sex. But this felt so much more important, this reconnection, these precious moments together. He loved this man with everything he had, and he wasn’t going to stop trying to convince him of that, make him feel his love, make him know how cherished he was. He was Spencer’s whole world, and he wasn’t ever letting him go.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Del—and he was Del when he was with Spencer, he really was—wasn’t sure how long they kissed and touched. They might have even dozed a while, so wrapped up in each other that they could drift off and not realize it. And each touch, each kiss, each sigh went a long way to easing the ache inside Del’s chest that he’d been carrying around. Spencer loved him, wasn’t going to reject him again, and they had each other to try to find their way past fear and past insecurities to a future together.

  Eventually, heart full of good feelings, his cock finally decided to notice all Spencer’s skin pressed up against his own. He rocked his hips, experimentally, pressing his erection into Spencer’s thigh.

  “Damn,” Spencer said in a sleepy whisper. “I totally missed my chance to blow you in your fancy uniform.”

  “There will be other chances. Promise.” Del laughed. “But if you’ve still got the urge to blow me...”

  “You’re shameless,” Spencer chided.

  “Yup.” Del stretched, throwing the covers back. Impatient, he wriggled out of his boxers.

  “You’re lucky I love you.” Spencer pushed him down before kissing him right in the middle of his chest.

  “I am,” Del said reverently as Spencer kissed a hot trail down his stomach, right to his straining cock. Sometimes Spencer seemed to live to tease him, drive him out of his head with little licks and flutters of the tongue, never taking him deep, but this time he seemed every bit as hungry for it as Del was. His fast, deep rhythm with his free hand doing devilish things to Del’s balls had him on edge far too soon. “Want you to fuck me. You bring stuff?”

  “Yep.” Spencer didn’t seem in any hurry to go get it, leisurely licking up and down Del’s shaft before sucking him in again. His tongue lashed Del’s cockhead, making him curse and squirm.

  “You’re going to get me off. Been too long. Fuck.”

  “Good. You can go again, right?” Spencer raised his head slightly to ask the question.

  “Fuck, yes.” Del knew plenty of people who didn’t like being fucked after orgasm, but he loved it, loved how limp and boneless his muscles felt, loved the aftershocks and how sensitive his prostate was, loved coming a second time. Loved how indulged it made him feel, especially with Spencer. It made him feel like the center of Spencer’s attention, like Spencer truly cared for him, wanted to ensure his pleasure. Made him
feel taken care of, loved, every bit as much as Spencer’s whispered words had.

  His building orgasm felt less like a C-130J readying for takeoff and more like a gentle surge of all the emotion of the past few hours. Spencer sucked hard and continued tormenting his balls, getting him right on the edge.

  “Spencer. Fuck. Wanna come.”

  Spencer didn’t speak, just took him deeper, humming his approval around Del’s shaft. He was particularly good at using his tongue to milk his cock, making Del feel like he might die if he didn’t come.

  “There. There. Fuck, baby. I’m gonna come.”

  “Mmm.” Spencer’s agile fingers rubbed against Del’s hole, and that was it, the push that made all that emotion and tension crest and spill over until he was a shuddering mess, calling Spencer’s name as he shot down his throat. He kinda lost track of time, until, still shuddering, he found himself cradled in Spencer’s arms.

  “We don’t have to... You can sleep if you need,” Spencer murmured.

  “Hell, no. I want you inside me.” He forced himself more awake, not wanting to miss out on this. “Get the lube.”

  Spencer retrieved both condoms and lube from his bag and hurried back to the bed.

  “Need you to go fast,” he said as he reached for the lube, slicked his hole up while Spencer took care of the condom and lube. Sometime soon they were gonna have a discussion about ditching the condoms, but Del was in too much of a hurry to stop and chat right now. “Need you so much.”

  “I can tell.” Spencer growled as he pushed Del onto his back. “This okay? I want to kiss you.”

  “It’s perfect.” Showing that Spencer wasn’t the only flexible one, he drew his legs up high, wrapped them around him. Spencer knew what he liked well enough by now that he started pressing in, a steady but firm pressure on Del’s rim.

  “Oh yeah.” He hissed out a breath as he felt the initial stretch and burn. “Like that. Fuck.”

  “You’re such an adrenaline junkie.” Spencer laughed. Del responded by arching his back, forcing Spencer deeper. “And impatient. Maybe I want to go slow. Make this last.”

  “You can have slow. Later.” He used his legs to draw Spencer closer.

  “Nope. I wanna savor this.” Dipping his head, Spencer kissed him like they had all the time in the world, and maybe they finally did. Del’s body wanted hard and fast but his heart thrilled at Spencer’s gentle lovemaking, the slow slides of his body, the endless kisses.

  Eventually, though, Del’s impatience won out and he tried to wiggle a hand between their bodies to stroke himself.

  “Nuh-uh,” Spencer said against his lips, pinning his hand back against the mattress. “No driving, Speed Demon. You’ll get there, promise.”

  “You’re evil.” Del met his mouth for another urgent kiss.

  “I know, I’m terrible.” Spencer punctuated his words with a deep, hard thrust. “Just...want this to last.”

  “It will.” Del met his eyes and held, tried to tell him he meant way more than the sex. “Not going anywhere, but swear to God, Spence, if you don’t go faster...”

  He used everything he knew about his ass muscles to try to force Spencer to lose control—clenching and unclenching until Spencer muttered a curse and broke his slow, careful rhythm with a series of fast thrusts that perfectly grazed Del’s gland. “Like that?”

  “Yeah. Fuck. Let me touch my cock, please.”

  “Not a chance.” Spencer’s grip on his wrist tightened. “Want you begging for it.”

  “Need it. Fuck. So close. But need more...” Coming untouched wasn’t one of his usual tricks, but his muscles kept tensing like he was close only to have the peak slip maddeningly out of reach.

  “More?” Spencer fucked hard and fast, eyes dark and intense on Del.

  “Fuck. Spencer. Please. Touch me. Touch me.”

  “Not yet.” Spencer let go of his hand to get more leverage, and technically Del could have returned his hand to his cock, but instead he clutched Spencer’s shoulders, holding him tight. “Yeah, that’s it. Squeeze me.”

  “Never letting you go.” Del moaned as the next thrust made his cock throb and leak. Their torsos were pressed together now, and the drag of Spencer’s trail of hair against his cock was almost, almost enough. “So close...”

  “That’s it, let go, Del.”

  “Fuck.” His eyes squished shut. If it was possible to die of anticipation, he was right there, so fucking close and still straining toward it. “Trying.”

  “No try. Do. Trust me. Let go.” Spencer settled more of his weight against Del, more pressure against his needy cock, and Del surged against him.

  “Spencer.” Fuck, he really was gonna...

  “That’s it, baby. Come on that cock.”

  “Oh, God. Fuck. Love you,” he babbled as he came, hot and slick between their bodies.

  Spencer growled and fucked fast, coming in another few fierce thrusts, face a mask of pleasure. “Love you too,” he gasped as he collapsed on Del.

  “Damn. Really didn’t mean for the first time I said it to be sex talk.” Del laughed.

  “But you meant it?” Spencer sounded nervous, so Del pulled him in for a kiss.

  “Every word. I love you, Spencer.”

  “Love you too.”

  “Of course, your shower and your bed and your cooking better be part of the bargain,” he couldn’t help but teasing.

  “You can have whatever you want.” Spencer pressed another kiss to his mouth. “Promise. Want to give you everything you need.”

  “You. You’re all I want. All I need. Just give me you.”

  “You’ve got me.” Spencer held him close, and for the first time, Del really believed him. He had Spencer. That was all that mattered. The future could work itself out as long as they had each other, put each other first, put their faith in what they had together. And he really believed they could do exactly that.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Six months later

  Spencer loved DC, loved its history and unique energy, but as he made his way in his rental car to an unfamiliar Georgetown address, he mainly loved DC because it meant seeing his man again, meant a long weekend in the same city. They managed a fair amount of those, but Spencer wasn’t ever getting enough of Del, and to that end, he had a new plan he was desperate to tell him about. No, make that ask him about, because they made big decisions together now. His stomach wobbled at the thought that Del might hate his idea.

  Spencer was in town chasing a story about the youngest and newest congressional representative, something he’d timed for when Del was at Little Creek for a round of sniper training on some new equipment. Del was driving up, and they were meeting up here at his friends’ apartment for dinner. Tomorrow, they were having brunch with Greg and his husband and some of Spencer’s other DC contacts, and as much as Spencer wanted Del to himself, he knew that this round of meet-the-friends was important too, another layer of merging their lives. But he was far less worried about Del meeting Greg and that crowd than he was about this more intimate dinner with Del’s friends, Wes and Dustin.

  It was more than a little humbling, Del putting enough trust in him to let him meet the people he’d worked so hard to protect, trusting that he wouldn’t go after the story there. He found a parking spot a few blocks away and was juggling his gift of wine when he heard a familiar voice.

  “Spencer! Might be nice if you answered your phone. I’ve been tracking you the last block and half.” Del jogged up. He was in civilian clothes—nice jeans and a thick colorful sweater Flor and Spencer had talked him into while shopping a few weeks back. The narrow stripes of color made his auburn hair gleam and blue eyes sparkle, and Spencer couldn’t resist sweeping him up in a hug.

  Del grinned as he transferred the six pack to his other hand so that they could hold hands the rest of the walk to the his
toric redbrick building with lovely covered balconies that overlooked the canal. The door was opened by a blond giant of a guy cradling the fluffiest white cat Spencer had ever seen.

  “Bacon! You made it!” The guy, who Spencer knew from pictures was probably Dustin, ushered them up to the second level of their condo. He accepted the wine and beer with a broad grin. “Awesome. One of these will go with what Wes is grilling, I’m sure. He’ll tell us whether it’s wine night or beer.”

  “Beer. Always beer.” A laughing slim man emerged from a kitchen at the rear of the unit. “You guys can owe me your eternal gratitude that this one isn’t cooking. I’ve got him graduated to boiling water and assembling salad, but we won’t speak of the time he tried roasting a chicken.”

  “Hey. It wasn’t that bad,” Dustin protested. “And LeeLoo enjoyed it just fine.”

  Wes shook a spatula at him. “Of course she did. You can do no wrong by her.” To Spencer and Del, he said, “I’ve been hoodwinked, y’all. ‘Let’s just visit the adoption event,’ he said. ‘Let’s just play with kittens then go get some food,’ he said. And now look at him. Totally wrapped around that feline’s paw.”

  “Maybe you need a cat, Spencer,” Del teased. “You travel just as much as Wes and Dustin. You could make it work.”

  Spencer wanted all the domestic fluff that this couple seemed to have, but maybe minus the pet, so he made a noncommittal noise. If Del truly wanted a pet at some point, though, then a pet they would have. But first they needed to occupy the same zip code. And that brought him back to his plan, the one he was dying to discuss with Del. Alone.

  “Who needs a drink?” Dustin set the cat down and fetched a bottle opener for the beer. After they each had a drink and were settled on the large leather sectional, he turned to Spencer. “I caught your segment on that podcast Bacon sent me last week. Really nice discussion of China’s rush to find aliens. That must have been a fun story to research.”

  “It was.” Spencer liked that Bacon was sharing his work, and he shot him a private smile. Right now, a lot of his work was behind the scenes, helping Tanisha with the military book and the stacks of research and interviews they both had to sort through. She really was an amazing young writer, and Spencer couldn’t wait for her reviews to start rolling in.