“Two.”
Gar nodded. “It will take some time. The Geilt is fast, but the engines need time to reset.”
The idea of being alone with Gar for the next few days suddenly didn’t seem so painful. “So how long do we have to wait until we can make it to the next gate?”
“Ten hours.”
Not nearly enough time for what Faolan wanted to do—peel away Gar’s layers and examine what was beneath. He had a feeling no one had managed to get far below the surface of this guy in a long time. Perhaps Jason, but Faolan doubted he wanted to screw Gar. Maybe he did—who knew anymore. Faolan had a feeling he could spend months with Gar and still not know much about the young man. He’d have to make the most of the next few days—it would do, for a start.
Running a finger down the length of his throat, Faolan gave Gar his most seductive grin. “Whatever shall we do to pass the time?”
He kept his gaze fixed on Gar, knowing the other man wouldn’t miss the invitation. Part of Faolan hoped he’d take him up on it right away. With the erotigen still lingering in his system, the sex would be amazing. Surprisingly though, there was another part of him that hoped Gar would say no. The chase was proving just as entertaining as the catch—a rare occurrence in Faolan’s considerable experience. For the first time in a long time, he wanted to find out more about a lover. Shit, this was the first time in years he actually wanted to be with someone more than once. And wasn’t that an interesting twist of events.
Gar seemed to be fighting his own internal battle, if the frown on his face was anything to go by. It made him look much younger than he had earlier. Rarely did Faolan ever see such rigid adherence to rules, combined with such deadly determination and precision in one who did his best to look ageless. It was off, wrong and Faolan couldn’t imagine what had happened to make Gar this way.
“How old are you?” Faolan asked as he slipped the seat’s restraint from his body.
Gar’s eyes snapped open wide and he twisted to face him. “What?”
Faolan chuckled. “You’d think I’d just asked you to fuck your grandmother. How old are you? It shouldn’t be that challenging a question.”
Gar opened and closed his mouth several times before shaking his head. “Why do you want to know?”
Faolan rolled his eyes. “Thought it might be nice to get to know you a bit, hunter. But if it’s that big a deal, forget I asked. I’ll take advantage of the time to have a shower.”
He didn’t wait to see if he had Gar’s permission to use the facilities. He knew they were located on the other side of the secured door. It didn’t even matter he didn’t have the security code to gain access either—a locked door had never stopped him in the past. Getting to his feet, he left the cockpit, smiling when he realized the door didn’t slide shut as he left.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Faolan didn’t have to turn around to know there was a scowl on Gar’s face.
“Shower. Remember, you promised I could use it once we jumped?”
“I told you, you can’t go—”
Faolan spun on his heel. “Right, your bloody fucking rules. Do you honestly expect me to sit here on this ship for three days and stay in this room? No shower, no clothing, no food?”
Gar’s teeth were clenched so hard, Faolan could hear the grinding from across the room. “I expect you to respect my home.”
“How many times do I have to say it? Respect is—”
“Earned, I know. I’ve been a gracious host.”
“Hello, knife to my throat?”
“You were snooping in my things.”
“Gods, you’re bitchy.”
“Fuck you, pirate.”
“You’ve already done that, hunter. Not sure if I want a repeat performance if this is how you are afterward.”
Faolan crossed his arms and leaned against the wall beside the door that led to the private quarters of the ship. They weren’t at an impasse so much as he refused to give Gar a way out. In many ways, the younger man reminded him of how he’d been after escaping his home planet years ago—scared to death to let anyone get too close. Keeping people at arm’s length hadn’t helped though. The sooner Gar realized that then the sooner he’d be able to lead a somewhat normal life. As normal as a bounty hunter who roamed the far reaches of this galactic sector could at any rate.
Gar’s hands were balled tight by his sides. Faolan knew he’d put the concealed blades back on, but wasn’t sure if he was now debating using them or if the twitch of his wrists was an unconscious habit when he felt threatened.
Faolan thrust a hip out to the side, the dried cum on his skin stretching and cracking, causing him to frown.
“Look, I’m sorry I’ve thrown such a glitch into your perfectly working system. If you want to contact Jason and have someone else deal with this that’s fine by me. But if you’re going to see this through, I’d like to have a shower. Maybe steal a clean shirt from you. I’ll let you watch me the whole time, if it makes you feel any better. No tricks, no games.”
Gar muttered something sounding unsurprisingly like a curse before he marched across the room and pressed a code into the panel. “If you touch anything—”
“I’ll cut my own balls off and hand them to you. You won’t have to worry about a thing.”
He rolled away from the wall and went to move past Gar when a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Looking up fast, he was surprised by the openness he saw in Gar’s eyes.
“I’m twenty-four.”
Gods almighty. “You’re just a kid.”
“Hardly.” Gar motioned with his chin. “Shower is through there, Captain.”
Faolan found it hard to reconcile Gar’s reputation with the man standing before him. At twenty-four Faolan himself had barely gotten a position on a ship, let alone earned the reputation Gar had achieved.
“Captain?” Gar frowned, his hand slipping from Faolan’s shoulder.
He mentally shook himself and forced a grin. “Better have enough hot water on this bucket. I hate it when it runs cold halfway through. I plan on taking my time. Been ages since I’ve had a good long shower.”
Gar rolled his eyes, but otherwise didn’t respond. Instead of puzzling over the man himself, Faolan concentrated on uncovering the secrets of his ship. He followed Gar down a short, wide corridor lined with four doors. One had a red light above it, indicating the passageway to systems and engineering. Gar led him to the last one on the left. Instead of a code, he pressed his thumb to a panel.
“DNA scanner?” Faolan crowded him to look over his shoulder.
“Thinking of cutting off my thumb?”
“I would rather die than damage those talented digits.”
That earned him another chuckle. Faolan rested his chin on Gar’s shoulder, mirroring their earlier position. “You should do that more often.”
“What?”
“Laugh. It sounds…nice.”
Gar turned and cocked an eyebrow. “Nice?”
“I’d say sexy, but I’m fearful of my life.”
Gar’s lips twitched, but he managed to hold back the smile. “I’ll accept sexy over nice. I’m not a nice man.”
Neither of them moved for a moment. Faolan wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Gar and hold on. Fuck, what the hell was wrong with him?
Straightening, he pulled back, not wanting Gar to notice his reawakening erection. “Where’s the shower again?”
Gar cleared his throat. “Yeah. Right through here.”
Back straight, Gar moved stiffly through the room. It took Faolan’s brain a little over fifteen seconds to realize they were in Gar’s bedroom. By the time he was ready to take advantage of the location, they’d already walked through to the bathroom.
“Shower is there. It’s recycled water heated by the ship’s engines, so you won’t have to worry about it getting cold. It’s also purified so you won’t have to worry about catching anything. I’ll get you a clean shirt and bring it in.”
; “Not going to watch?” Faolan winked at Gar, sliding the jacket from his shoulders. “I can be quite entertaining when I need to be.”
Again, Faolan preened as Gar stared at his naked chest. He popped open the fly of his pants, giving his hips a shake until they slid down over his hips.
Gar looked away, bracing his hand against the doorframe. The reach was high enough, his suit jacket pulled tight across his biceps. “I’ll get that shirt.”
Before Faolan had a chance to tease him further, Gar moved and left the room.
Shit.
Chapter Five
Gar’s head ached. His balls ached too, which was surprising considering how hard he’d come only a short time ago. With his back to the shower room, he made his way over to the wall closet. Pressing the button to release the clothing drawer, Gar rummaged through until he found a clean undershirt. It wasn’t new, but he didn’t think Faolan would be comfortable in one of his dress shirts. The image of the older man wearing one of the crisp shirts sent an involuntary shiver through him. Closing his eyes, he sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm the chaos in his head.
Faolan had only been on his ship for a few hours and Gar felt like his life was splitting apart. No one pushed him like the pirate—no one had ever looked beyond the suits and the blades enough to know how. Even Jason, with all of his lessons over the years, hadn’t bothered to get too close. Gar was a tool, a means for Jason to accomplish whatever ends he determined relevant. While Jason certainly had been there for him, offering a certain measure of support and guidance since his father’s death, there was still a barrier between them. Not that it mattered to Gar—he liked the solitude.
He wasn’t ready for anyone to get through.
His fingers bunched tight around the cloth and he shoved the drawer shut, marching back toward the shower. For the sake of his sanity, he really needed to get Faolan off his ship before he did something he’d regret. The sound of water echoed in the small room. Gar slowed his approach as he heard Faolan let out a low moan. What the hell?
“You alive in there?” Gar tossed the shirt over his shoulder and peeked around the corner.
Faolan stood naked under the spray, head bent forward. Water ran in rivulets down his back. “Gods, this feels amazing. I always miss my shower when I’m not home on my ship.”
Gar couldn’t help but follow the water’s path as it flowed down between the cheeks of Faolan’s ass, over the smooth skin of his thighs on its way down to the drain in the floor. The stark white of the shower stall made the captain’s tanned skin look even darker. The tattoo on his arm seemed to glisten, making the dragon come alive as Faolan stretched and twisted his body. Faolan chose that moment to look up, bright blue gaze peering out at Gar from between the wet strands of his long brown hair.
“Want to join me?”
There it was again, the note of amusement and lust that the pirate hit so perfectly. This time, Gar couldn’t blame his reaction on the erotigen. He wanted to jerk his suit free from his body and press himself hard against Faolan’s back so he could feel how good the water was on his skin. The normal distance Gar kept from people around him didn’t seem to apply to Faolan. The pirate managed to walk right up to his barriers and push against them. Instead of his normal impulse to run and hide, Gar found he didn’t mind. Shaking those thoughts from his mind, Gar ignored the pang of loneliness in his gut.
No, don’t do this. Don’t get too close or you know what will happen.
Faolan wasn’t easily deterred. With one hand braced against the shower wall, he captured some soap from the dispenser on the wall and pressed the foamy substance to his hairless chest. Small bubbles formed across his pecs, catching on his nipples and the natural divots of his skin. Gar’s chest tightened. He forced himself to breathe in slow, even breaths.
“The water is nice. Good to know you splurged on the system when you got your ship.” Faolan smiled as his hand circled the soap slowly down his chest to his stomach.
Gar swallowed hard. “Have to be some perks.”
Faolan cocked his head to the side as his eyes slid half closed. “Oh, I love it when your accent gets deep like that. Makes me think you’re enjoying the show.”
“What show is that? I don’t see any entertainment.” Gar was surprised at how easy it was to slip into the sexual banter. He liked it—which scared him as much as it turned him on.
Faolan’s answering smirk should have warned Gar, but he was still surprised by the man’s next words. “Well, I do believe I lost a bet to you earlier. Maybe a little entertainment is payment enough? What do you think?”
Gar forced his eyes to remain locked with Faolan’s and not dip down to watch the trail his fingers were making in the soap bubbles around his bellybutton. “Guess it depends on how good you can make the show.”
“I can make it very good. Won awards for it, in fact.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
Faolan’s hand stopped barely an inch from where his erect cock now stood hard against his stomach. “How about another bet? I’ll put on a show good enough to make you come in your pants. If I do, I get to do whatever I want to you later on.”
Warning screams ripped through his head as his brain tried to win out over his lust-addled body. “It will never happen.”
“So sure about that? Maybe you really are made of ice.” Faolan licked his lips. “I’m willing to take the risk and find out.”
Gar knew this was a bad idea. Why after all the years of careful planning was Faolan able to blast through his control like this? He’d been alone for years and it had been enough for him. Reaching out to the occasional person when he needed a fuck kept him sane. Why then was Faolan so different? Why did Gar want to sink into his embrace and forget the universe and all the shit it had piled on his shoulders? Still, he’d never met anyone who could push his buttons the way Faolan could, turn him on the way the pirate had in their short acquaintance. It could be fun.
Gar cocked an eyebrow. “And what if I win?” Gar had never been able to back down from a challenge.
Faolan made a show of considering. “What could I possibly offer a man who appears to want nothing? I guess it’s only fair that you get the same. If I can’t do as promised, then I’m yours to do what you want with.”
“Anything?” Scenarios rolled through his head at an alarming rate.
“I’m a man of my word. You should know that by now, Stitt. Anything you want me to do, I’m yours—if you win.”
“You’re on.” Bad idea, Gar. This will end poorly. Gar was already regretting the mad impulse that had driven him to this contest of wills.
Faolan grinned, adjusting himself by leaning his forearm against the shower stall. Gar took an involuntary step backward until the firm plane of the wall pressed against his shoulder blades.
“Take your jacket off,” Faolan said, his voice a low rumble. “The vest too. Off.”
Without thinking, Gar started working the buttons. The air was heavy with steam, causing a trickle of sweat to bead on the back of his neck and roll beneath his collar. Faolan watched, an intense look on his face. Realizing his actions were having an impact on the older man, Gar slowed his pace, taking his time to slide his fingertip into the holes to pull each button free.
“Gods, those hands of yours…should be illegal.”
“What makes you think they’re not?” Gar freed the last button and slipped the jacket and vest from his arms. Turning toward the bedroom, he tossed the garments on the bed. “There, satisfied?”
Faolan nodded. “Very. Now I can see the wet spot your cum will make when you lose.”
Gar gasped at the lewd image. Stumbling, he adjusted his stance, widening his legs to adjust for his growing erection. “Bastard.”
“You agreed to the bet. I’m just doing my part to make the best temptation possible.” Faolan reached over and grabbed another handful of soap from the dispenser. “I’ll want to make sure I’m nice and clean. Never know when I’ll have to impress
someone.”
This time Faolan didn’t stop his downward progress to his cock. Gar watched, slightly awed, as Faolan reached around the bottom of his balls and tugged them gently. He rubbed a small circular pattern across the tightening sac with his thumb, humming pleasantly as he did.
“This would be so much better if it was your hand, Stitt. Those long fingers of yours felt so good wrapped around my cock. You really know how to work a man.”
Gar fought to keep his eyes open and his body still. He couldn’t react or he’d lose control. He never lost control.
“You’re a man of detail, something I really appreciated. Though I get the impression you don’t spent a lot of time with your lovers once you’re done fucking them. Still, the ones you’ve had must have commented on your skill. Eh? How you learned as much as you could about them before running away?”
Faolan’s fingers dipped behind his sac now. The angle was all wrong for him to actually reach his hole, but he must have been close. Gar’s cock was now painfully hard, but he wouldn’t touch it. No, he was stronger than a few suggestive words and the sight of an attractive naked man in his shower.
“Yup, you’d make it your mission to find out all the spots I like to be touched, wouldn’t you?” Faolan shifted his body once more, spreading his legs wide. “For example, I don’t think it would take you any time to find out that I like to have my cock stroked slowly but firmly. Like this.”
Fascinated, Gar watched as Faolan palmed his balls briefly before wrapping his hand around the base of his cock. He squeezed hard enough that Gar could see the darkening of the tip. Faolan let out another low moan, only this time he punctuated it with a gasp as he stroked up the length of his shaft. The older man’s eyes rolled back into his head before he squeezed them shut and his body shuddered.
“It’s so fucking hot having you watch me do this, Gar.”
His hand was pressed to his groin before the sigh left Gar’s mouth. The way Faolan said his name nearly pushed him over the edge. Gods dammit, how did he get me so close?
“Look at me, Gar. I need you to watch me do this. I want you to learn all my secrets so the next time I’m spread out beneath you you’ll know how to make me scream.”
No Quarter (Bounty, Book One) Page 5