Pax almost said something when a strange man came running into the room and hurried over to Colt. Pax even took a step forward, ready to tell the man to stay away from his mate, until he realized the man was a doctor and trying to treat Colt’s wounds.
“Get this fucking ship off the ground!” Remy shouted. “And I want the cargo secured. Now move, damn it!”
Tank flew out of the room along with Crank and Blade. Gigi bounced from foot to foot looking like he was about to pass out. He suddenly darted for the door.
“I’m going to go make something for everyone to eat.”
Pax moved farther into the corner as Gigi ran past him. He knew that Gigi could use his help, but he wasn’t about to leave the sick bay until he knew whether Colt was going to live or die. And if Colt died, there would be no reason to leave. Pax would just curl up next to his dead body and pray that the darkness took him quickly. His heart would never recover from losing Colt.
Pax sank down to the floor and drew his knees up to his chest as he watched the doctor work on his mate. His muscles felt like they were locked in place. His lungs didn’t want to work. Pax could barely breathe as it was, and it was getting harder with each breath.
“Please don’t die,” Pax whispered to himself. “I need you.”
Colt groaned. His throat felt like someone was sanding it down, making it gritty and dry. His shoulder was killing him, and his head was pounding out a staccato beat. “Pax.” He croaked the name out from his fuzzy mind.
“Right here, Colt. I’m right here.”
Colt heard his little bird’s voice speaking to him from his right side as his hand was folded into a smaller one. That wasn’t right. His little bird sounded like he was crying. Colt tried desperately to open his eyes, but his head splintered when the bright light shone into them.
“Relax,” a voice Colt didn’t recognize tried to instruct him.
Colt may have felt like he’d been run over by a shuttle, but the knowledge that his mate was in the same room with a stranger penetrated the light haze his mind was swimming in. Colt’s hand shot out, his eyes remaining closed, as he pulled Pax to his side, his arms wrapping tightly around his mate.
“Mine!” he growled as much as his scratchy voice would allow.
“Yes, yours. I am well aware of that since the young man hasn’t left your side for one moment. Now please release him before I have another patient. He’s turning blue.”
“He’s already blue,” Colt growled, even though it hurt his throat to do so. He loosened his grip on Pax but just enough for the man to breathe. Until he could open his eyes, Pax wasn’t going anywhere. And if the stranger tried to force his mate from his side, Colt was going to show the stranger how well a hawk shifter could fight with his eyes closed.
A hand ran down his chest, the feeling making his feathers lie down flat. He was no longer ready to tear the stranger apart, although Colt wasn’t going to totally relax.
“He’s the doctor, Colt. His name is Imlay,” Pax said soothingly. “Don’t eat him.”
As bad as Colt’s body hurt, he began to chuckle. Leave it to his mate to make him laugh with his strange way of thinking. “I won’t, as long as he stays away from you, little bird. Remember, no one gets to touch you.”
“But you,” Pax added with a sigh.
Colt felt his mate’s head rest on his non-wounded shoulder, and Colt finally relaxed. “But me,” he agreed as he ran his hand over his mate’s hair.
“As touching as this is, I really need to take a look to make sure your wound is healed. I’m told you are a hawk shifter, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out why you didn’t shift to heal,” Imlay said from somewhere above his head.
“We always revert back to our human form when injured, doc. It’s harder to treat a hawk than it is a human.”
“Then it doesn’t seem to do you much good to be a shifter, now does it?”
“Are you always this cheery, or have you met the crew?” Colt asked as Pax’s fingers traced along his collarbone. The gentle touch made the hawk want to caw. He could feel himself getting hard, and he wanted the doc to vamoose. Colt needed to stake his claim on Pax again, and the doc did not get the privilege of witnessing it.
“You’re in no shape for that, so knock it off.”
Colt growled at the doctor. He blinked several times as he cracked his eyes open and looked up at the man. “Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do with my mate.”
The doctor’s pristine eyebrow arched. “Fine, then bleed to death. No skin off my nose. I’m just a passenger on this hunk of junk.”
Colt heard Pax whimper and turned to look at his little mate. Pax was paler than usual. His eyes were red and puffy as if he had been crying. Colt started crooning as he pulled Pax to his side.
“I’m fine, little bird, nothing that a bit of rest won’t cure.”
“Rest, my ass,” the doctor snorted.
Colt leaned his head up and growled at the man. “Leave.”
Imlay tossed his hands up in the air and spun away. “Dumbass! Don’t come crying to me when you’re dead. I won’t want to hear it then.”
Colt’s head dropped back down to the pillow when he heard the sick bay doors swoosh closed. He turned his head toward Pax and nuzzled into the side of his head, inhaling the sweet scent of his mate.
“Are you okay, little bird? Did you get hurt?” Colt frowned when Pax’s fingers clenched in his shirt. “Pax, answer me.”
“You can’t—” Pax’s words were broken by a small sob. “You can’t leave me.”
“Oh, baby, I’m not leaving you,” Colt whispered quickly. “I’m right here, little bird. I’ll be good as new as soon as I rest.”
“You were shot!”
Colt’s eyebrows shot up at the vehemence he heard in Pax’s tone. He never actually heard Pax shout before. He was intrigued and strangely aroused. It was hot watching his mate get pissed.
When Pax struggled to get away, it was all Colt could do to hold onto the little man. He was strong, but he had been weakened by his injury. Besides, he only had the use of one arm. When Pax continued to struggle, Colt rolled over on top of him, resting his body on his good arm.
“Knock it off.”
Pax pressed his lips together and glanced away.
“Look at me, little bird.” Colt waited patiently for Pax to look at him. He smiled when Pax finally did. “I’m not going anywhere, Paxton. I promise. Fate gave you to me, and I’m not going to do anything that would take you away from me. I love you.”
The blue in Pax’s eyes darkened as his mouth fell open in a shocked look. “You love me?” he gasped. “But, you know what I’ve done, what I’ve been. You know what I am. You said my past was my past but… but, how can you love me knowing what I’ve done?”
“Because you are you.” Colt couldn’t caress the side of Pax’s face like he wanted to so he leaned down and placed a small peck on his mate’s lips instead. “You make me laugh. You make me enjoy the world in a way I haven’t since I was a small child discovering life. The wonder you see in everything amazes me.”
If anything, Pax’s mouth fell open even more. Colt chuckled at the stunned expression on the man’s face. He loved being able to shock his little mate, but he wished Pax wasn’t quite so shocked that he was loved. Pax should expect it, not be amazed by it.
“You, my beautiful little bird, bring joy to my heart with every breath you take. You—no, no, Pax, no tears.” Colt quickly leaned up and kissed away the tears that started trickling down Pax’s blue cheeks. “No crying, little bird. I never meant to make you cry.”
“But no one has ever loved me before,” Pax murmured.
“Good, then I’m the only one.” Colt grinned when Pax’s eyes widened. “I like being the only love in your life. It makes me feel special.”
“But you are special,” Pax said quickly. “You’re wonderful. You’re so strong and good, and you take such good care of me. My life before was horrible, and you do everythi
ng to make it better. I couldn’t ask for a better mate than you, and if anyone thinks you’re not special then they can kiss my ass because—”
Colt claimed Pax’s lips, partly to shut the man up but partly because Pax was saying all the right words except three—the three that Colt really wanted to hear. Colt kissed Pax until he felt the man settle then slowly raised his head.
Drawing on every bit of courage he had gained over the years, Colt voiced the one question he wasn’t sure he wanted an answer to. Pax’s reply could send him to heaven or drop him into the pits of hell.
“Do you love me, Pax?”
Pax sputtered as Colt’s words penetrated his brain. How could the hawk not know how he felt about him? Wasn’t it obvious to Colt how Pax felt about him? He’d lowered his defenses and let the man in, gave his mate a part of him that no one had ever possessed.
Pain and sorrow were apparent in Colt’s sapphire-blue eyes as he rolled to the side of the bed. Pax couldn’t understand why his mate was suddenly so sad. Hadn’t he just told Colt how wonderful he was? Didn’t Colt believe him?
“You’re hurt. You can’t get up.” Pax reached out to grab Colt’s arm, but his mate shook off his hold. Pax lay on the med-bed wondering what he had said so wrong that Colt would aggravate his injury.
“You should go to your quarters, Pax,” Colt said as he sat on the side of the bed. Pax got to his hands and knees and crawled across the bed, trying to gain his mate’s attention.
“Colt?”
“Go, Pax,” Colt said in a deadpan tone.
Pax wasn’t sure what was going on. He didn’t understand how Colt was joyous one moment and then standoffish the next, but Pax hadn’t opened his heart, let his defenses down, and given himself fully to this hawk shifter to be turned away and quickly dismissed.
Pax climbed down and walked around the bed, standing directly in front of his mate. “If you don’t tell me what’s wrong then I can’t fix it. I may not be the smartest man on this ship, or even the best looking, but I think I should at least know why you don’t want me anymore!” Pax stabbed his index finger into the palm of his hand as he glared at his mate.
He was too angry right now to care that he was speaking harshly to Colt. Pax had feelings, too, and he’d be damned if his mate could show him the galaxy and then take it back. Pax’s heart couldn’t take that.
Colt’s head snapped up and then cocked to the side as he gaped at Pax. Okay, maybe that was a little too harsh. Pax gulped as he stood his ground. He was scared as hell, but he wasn’t going to back down.
“What makes you think I don’t want you? And what the hell do you mean not the smartest or best looking?”
“But—”
Colt held his hand up, stopping Pax from speaking another word. “You are the smartest, brightest, sexiest man I have ever laid eyes on. I’m hurt because I was waiting for you to…never mind.”
Pax was standing there hanging onto every word Colt was speaking to him when he finally understood something someone was saying. “You think I don’t love you?” he whispered to his mate. “Is that what you think?”
Colt just shrugged his good shoulder as he stared across the room. Pax threw his body at Colt’s, hanging onto him for dear life. “I love you with everything in me, Colt,” Pax cried. He jumped back when he felt Colt wince. “I’m sorry.” His hand hovered over Colt’s injury.
Colt chuckled as he clasped Pax’s hands in his. “Hearing you say that was worth it.”
Pax blushed as he smiled up at his mate. “I love you,” he repeated for good measure. There was no way he’d ever let Colt go a day without him knowing how much happiness he’d brought to Pax. “Do you really think I’m smart and sexy?”
Colt gave Pax a sexy little growl. “Come here, and I’ll show you.”
Pax grinned and started to move closer when his eyes fell on the white gauze wrapped around Colt’s shoulder. Oh, he wanted to be loved on by Colt, but maybe now wasn’t the best time.
“Uh, maybe we should—”
“I’ll tell you what we should do,” Colt said as he hauled Pax closer then lay back against the pillows. “We should find a new and interesting way for me to claim you again.”
Pax had a few ideas. As much as he didn’t want to remember anything about his life before Colt, he had learned a few things beyond blowjobs. Maybe now was the time to teach his mate just what he knew.
“Lay back all the way,” Pax said as he scooted to the side of the bed. Getting Colt’s shirt off wouldn’t be a problem as the doctor had already cut it away. Pax unbuttoned Colt’s pants then moved to the bottom of the bed to pull them off.
Colt’s eyes widened when Pax dropped them on the floor and started stripping his own clothes off. His usual sapphire-blue eyes were darkening, turning a deep midnight color as they filled with lust.
“Damn, baby,” Colt groaned. “You are so fucking beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
Pax felt incredibly nervous as he stripped his clothes off and dropped them onto the floor. He’d never purposely stripped for someone or tried to be sexy, but he wanted this for Colt. He wanted to show the man how much he meant to him.
Once he was naked, Pax searched the cupboards until he found a small tube of gel. It wasn’t lube, but it would work for his purposes. He carried the gel back to the bed and arched an eyebrow at Colt.
“Do you want to watch or—”
“Watch!” Colt shouted and then flushed fiercely.
Pax giggled and climbed up onto the bed. He lifted his leg and straddled Colt, facing in the opposite direction. Pax’s heart thundered in his chest as he squirted a bit of gel out on his fingers. Pax dropped the tube on the bed beside him then reached back with his hand and spread the gel between his cheeks.
“Fuck, little bird, that’s…that’s—”
Pax shuddered as Colt grabbed his ass cheeks and pulled them apart. He was totally on display, and he knew it. Colt was leaning so close that Pax could feel the man’s breath blow out across his heated skin.
Colt groaned loud and clear when Pax’s fingers moved over his hole. “Push it in, baby, fuck that beautiful ass.”
Pax could feel his breathing speed up as he pressed his finger into his tight hole. He was starting to get into things, Colt’s arousal wrapping around him and filling every cell in his body until Pax thought he might explode just from the sound of the man’s voice.
Pax pressed in another finger and then another, hoping he was giving Colt a good show. By the sounds of Colt’s rapid breathing and the tight grip the man had on his ass cheeks, Colt was enjoying every bit of it.
Pax nearly jumped out of his skin when Colt leaned forward and gently bit his rounded ass. In all of his years, all the things he had done, no one had ever bit his ass. And damned if he didn’t want it to happen again.
“Colt,” Pax groaned. He couldn’t even see his mate, and he was so aroused he thought he might pass out.
“I need, little bird,” Colt panted. “How do you want to do this?”
That was Pax’s cue. He pulled away from Colt and turned around, pushing the man back down onto the pillows. He wagged his finger at Colt, chastising him for exerting himself. “Stay there or I leave. You let me do all the work.”
Colt grinned. “Yes, sir.”
Pax snorted and moved his ass up into the air. He reached down between their bodies and grabbed Colt’s cock in his hands. With his eyes glued to Colt’s, Pax slowly lowered himself onto the man’s big, fat cock, one glorious inch at a time.
“Damn, how did I ever not know about this position?” Colt groaned.
Pax blinked astonishment. “You’ve never done it in this position before?”
“No!” Colt’s eyes closed for a moment. His hands tightened around Pax’s hips as he bottomed out inside of Pax. “Never really thought about it before.” Colt panted. “I guess I always needed to be on top, to be in charge.”
“Well, that was stupid.” Pax snickered.
Pax grinned. “Yeah, stupid. You missed a lot.”
To prove his point, Pax lifted his hips then let them drop, impaling himself on Colt’s cock. A broken grunt fell from Colt’s mouth, a sound Pax enjoyed so much he did it again, and then again and again. Pretty soon, he worked up a good rhythm.
By the time Colt got in on the act and started thrusting up into him, Pax was panting heavily. His cock was so hard that it ached as it bobbed around. Pax planted one hand on Colt’s chest for leverage. He grabbed Colt’s good hand with the other one and brought it to his cock.
“Touch me.”
Pax’s eyes rolled back into his head when Colt began to stroke his hand up and down his cock, slow at first then with increasing speed. Had anything ever felt so good in his life? Well, besides being claimed by Colt?
Pax was close. He could feel his balls starting to draw up close to his body. He needed Colt to come with him. Pax moved his hands and grabbed on to Colt’s nipples, gently twisting them as he moved up and down on the man’s cock.
Colt shouted and stiffened, driving his cock so deep inside of Pax’s ass that he was almost tossed off the man’s body. Hot liquid spurted into Pax’s ass, driving him over the edge and mingling his cries of completion with Colt’s.
Breathless, Pax collapsed down on top of Colt, making sure he landed on the uninjured side. He planted a couple of soft kisses on Colt’s chest then snuggled his head under the man’s chin. There wasn’t another place in the world he wanted to be other than where he was at right now.
“That was fucking fantastic, little bird,” Colt murmured against the top of Pax’s head.
Pax smiled at the praise and then patted Colt’s chest. “Rest.”
“Can you reach the blanket without moving from where you’re at?”
Pax lifted his head and looked around for the blanket Colt was talking about. He followed the direction of Colt’s fingers until he spotted a green blanket folded at the bottom of the bed. Pax grabbed it, shook it out, then spread it over the both of them.
Glenn, Stormy and Hagen, Lynn - Pax's Blues [Lady Blue Crew 2] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 6