King inhaled sharply and blinked his eyes. He wasn’t sure when but somehow, he had nodded off to sleep. But what had woken him? He glanced around as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and that’s when he heard it: a quiet sniffle.
He shot to his feet and cradled Row’s head, “Baby? You’re awake?”
Row head moved in a nod but then King felt the sobs that shook his body. He pulled back to find tears streaking down the side of his face and pooling on a soaked pillow – how long had the man been crying?
“Row, babe, what’s wrong?”
“Th-th-th-they weren’t f-f-f-flowers.”
King’s heart broke for this man all over again, “No, baby, they weren’t,” he whispered.
“Did, did any of them die?” he choked out on a sob.
King gripped both sides of Row’s head in his hands, “No, babe. None of them died. You saved them, Row, you saved them.”
“Oh, god,” he sobbed. “What’s going to happen to them now?”
“We’re going to find their families and reunite them.”
“You promise?”
King nodded, “I swear on my life, babe.”
Row was quiet for a few minutes. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
King frowned, “What for?”
“I, I can’t do this Row, this job. I’ll look for something nearby so you can still do it but I’m not cut out for this.”
King pulled back and looked into his eyes, “Hey, we’re a team, remember? Where you go, I go. Neither one of us is cut out for his shit. I was freaking the fuck out while you were inside. It’s one thing to get shot at sometimes. It’s a whole ‘nother to have to pretend you’re somebody you’re not. I have great respect for JD, Brent and all the guys on this team who do that but it’s not for us. I know that, you know that and Drake knows that. But he also wants us to stay.”
“Why?”
King leaned down and pressed his lips to Row’s forehead, “Just trust me, okay?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Row whispered, “Okay,” and nothing could’ve made King feel better.
“You concentrate on getting better so we can get you out of here, we’ll figure out the rest later.”
“Sounds good. I love you, King.”
“I love you too, Rowan Bates, so much.”
********
JD walked into Brent’s room carrying a large coffee, “Hey, babe. How are you feeling?”
Brent’s knees were bent, JD had noticed that when he walked in, but the man remained silent, his eyes tracking every movement that JD made.
JD frowned, “Babe? Are you okay?”
Brent slowly shook his head, “No.”
JD was at Brent’s side in a flash, “What’s wrong? Do you need me to call the nurse? Are you in pain?”
“No nurse. Yes, pain.”
“What’s with the me, Tarzan talk? What is wrong, Brent? Talk to me.”
Brent slowly lowered his legs, revealing the source of his pain….that was currently tenting the sheet….big time.
JD stared at the covered appendage for a few silent seconds before he dragged his eyes back to Brent’s face, “Um…..”
“Take care of it.”
“Now? Here? Somebody could walk in!”
Just then somebody did walk in, or actually they sashayed in, and Brent quickly re-bent his knees.
“Good morning, darling! How is my favor…..oh. You’ve got company.”
JD’s eyes narrowed as he took in the soft flowing black hair with pink and blue tips, the shiny red lipstick highlighting full lips, the blue eyes rimmed with black eyeliner so perfectly that they popped, and sexy stubble lining the chin.
JD glanced down at Brent to find him beaming at this, this…..fucking sexy man, damn it. Fucking hell, he hated jealousy but as he realized that his hand had reached out to clutch Brent’s without him even realizing he’d done it, he had to face the fact that, yep, he was pretty fucking jealous right now.
“And who might you be, you handsome thing?”
Brent laughed, “Casey, this is my husband JD.”
Casey gasped dramatically with a hand to the chest, “Your, your husband? But, but I thought I was the one for you? You never mentioned a husband.”
JD’s hand tightened around Brent’s and his eyes narrowed as he glared.
Casey’s head flew back as laughter flowed out, “Oh, sweetheart. I can practically hear your growl. Relax. Of course, this adorable hunk of man mentioned you. In fact, you are all he talks about, unless…” he gasped with wide eyes as he turned to Brent, “he is Cowboy, right? Or is Cowboy some other hunk of meat you have on the side?” he whispered out of the side of his mouth.
JD was fighting his smile as hard as he could.
“You stop being naughty, Casey. Tell me what you came in for because I was just working on getting a blow job from my man here when you interrupted.”
Casey gasped again, “Brent Whitman! Don’t you ever call me a cock-blocker. That is not acceptable!”
“Well, I did have an epic hard-on when you walked in and now it’s gone so…..”
“Hurtful, babe, so hurtful. Now I need to go paint my nails so I feel better. What color do you think I should do? Purple? Black?”
“Well, how are you seeing yourself today?”
JD frowned and looked at Brent.
“Casey sees gender as fluid. Sometimes he’s a he and sometimes she’s a she.”
Casey put a hand on JD’s arm, “Don’t worry, sugar. If you say the wrong one I don’t get mad, I just correct you is all.”
A non-manicured nail came up to tap Casey’s lips, “Today I’m feeling more masculine.”
Brent’s eyes scanned up and down Casey’s body, “How about black with one purple nail on each hand.”
Casey fanned his face, “Oh, darling. You’re so perfect for me. It’s so tragic that we can’t be together.”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe JD would be up for a Casey sandwich,” Brent said with a grin and a waggle of his eyebrows.
JD frowned, “I, uh, um….”
Brent squeezed his hand, “I’m kidding babe. Sorry Casey, our days of sharing are long gone. JD is the only man for me now.”
“Sweet Jesus, I nearly creamed my scrubs. You are a tease, Brent Whitman. No sponge bath for you!” Casey said as he turned to leave.
“Wait, that’s what you came in here for?”
“Yeah, why?”
Brent smirked as his eyes moved between Casey and JD.
“Oh, you want me to give JD a sponge bath too? Well, it’s not normal hospital policy but I suppose I could bend the rules just for you. Drop trou, Cowboy.”
“Um….”
Brent barked out a laugh, “Now who’s being the tease, Casey? You are not touching my man. Bring him the basin and he can give me my sponge bath, that way it can have a happy ending.”
“What’s wrong with my happy endings? You seemed fine with the one I gave you last time.”
“What the f..”
Brent’s hand moved from JD’s hand to grip his wrist to keep the man from flying across the room. “Casey,” he growled.
“Does nobody have a sense of humor around here?” Casey mumbled as he threw his hands up in the air, “No, I did not give your husband a hand job with his sponge bath, even though he begged me to,” he said with a grin and a wink at Brent.
Brent rolled his eyes.
JD’s jaw was clenched tight as he said, “Wonderful to meet you, Casey but I need you to go now.”
“But,” Casey mumbled as he pointed to the wash bin that was still empty.
JD shook his head, “Nope, I’ve got it.”
“O-okay. Soap is on the counter. Don’t get the water too warm, you don’t want to hurt any important bits.”
“I won’t. Thanks for the advice, Casey.”
Casey walked to the door, “Rounds are at three so I’m thinking you have about forty minutes of privacy,” he said with a wink and then he walked out.
<
br /> “Do you want him?” JD said the second the door was closed.
Brent lowered his legs, “Would my dick be like this if I did?”
JD glanced down at the flat sheet resting over Brent’s torso.
Brent’s hand slid up JD’s stomach, over his chest and stopped to cup his cheek. “Stop doubting, babe. You’re the one I want, the only one.”
JD’s eyes closed as he leaned into Brent’s hand, “I’m not doubting, it’s just…..”
“Casey’s really sexy.”
“Yeah, he is.”
“Do you want him?” Brent asked.
JD’s eyes opened, “No. But he sure is pretty to look at.”
Brent’s hand moved to cup the back of JD’s neck, “He is. Babe?”
“Yeah?” JD said as he looked at Brent.
“Fucking kiss me.”
JD’s mouth closed over Brent’s. They alternated sucking each other’s tongue as their lips opened and closed. When JD yanked his mouth away to suck in air, Brent groaned, “Touch me, babe, please touch me.”
JD’s mouth closed over Brent’s again as his hand slid underneath the sheet and wrapped around Brent’s rock-hard dick. He used his thumb to spread the pre-cum around and then slid his hand up and down a few times. Brent’s hand tried to reach down to pull JD’s zipper down but with the IV tube and pulse monitor on his finger, he couldn’t move very far.
“I’ve got it,” JD mumbled into Brent’s mouth as he continued to devour it.
He pulled his zipper down and freed his cock.
“Catch it.”
“What?” JD whispered into Brent’s mouth.
Brent groaned, “Fuck. Catch it, babe. I want it.”
JD nodded against Brent’s lips and then pulled his mouth away while shoving the sheet to Brent’s knees.
Brent tried to grab JD’s hair to stop him, “Wait, babe, I’m, no shower, days, gross, oh god,” he groaned when JD’s mouth closed over his dick.
It didn’t take but a few sucks before Brent was groaning, “Fuck, babe, I’m gonna,” and then he was shooting his load down JD’s throat.
JD grunted as he swallowed and Brent knew that his man was coming too.
JD hummed on Brent’s cock as he slowly slid it in and out of his mouth, milking every last drop out of it. JD’s left hand moved and Brent knew that he was tucking his own cock away and then he kissed up Brent’s body as he replaced the sheet.
“Best sponge bath ever,” Brent said with a grin just before JD’s mouth closed over his again.
The door behind them opened and JD spun around, putting both hands palms up behind his back as a very stern looking Nurse Maggie walked in, “I heard groaning, is he in pain?”
“No, ma’am,” Brent said from behind JD’s back and then JD felt Brent’s tongue on his hand and he had to bite back his groan when he pictured Brent licking the cum off of his hand.
“What’s behind your back? Did you sneak food in here? You look like you’ve been eating something, your lips are wet and swollen. Did you bring something in here that he’s not supposed to have?”
JD would’ve snorted a laugh but this woman scared the shit out of him, “No, ma’am.”
“Did you get your sponge bath, Brent?” she said as she peaked over JD’s shoulder at Brent.
“Oh, I most certainly did, ma’am.”
“I better not catch you going outside the rules,” she said with a glare.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, ma’am,” JD said as he bit the inside of his cheek.
She walked out the door and the second it closed, JD spun around and pressed his forehead to Brent’s, “Holy fucking shit, I just saw my life pass before my eyes. She’s terrifying.”
Brent chuckled, “Go get the doc and find out when I can go home. I need to get the fuck out of here.”
Forty-Eight
“How long have you traveled with this?” Colby said as he smoothed his hand down the plastic covering the dress uniform beneath it.
Jaden was running a towel over his hair to dry it as he stepped out of the bathroom, “Since the day I left.”
Colby turned to look at Jaden, “You’ve had this with you for over a year?”
Jaden glanced at it, “Yeah. I had every intention of dealing with this. Every recruiting office I passed I thought about walking inside and turning myself in but something always held me back.”
Jaden walked over and unzipped the cloudy white plastic and spread it open.
“Holy shit, Jade,” Colby whispered as he reached his fingers towards the awards pinned on the breast plate. They didn’t quite touch, almost as if Colby was afraid he’d soil them and then his eyes caught on the gold pin above them, “Jade,” he whispered as his fingers hovered, trembling slightly.
Jaden wrapped his arms around Colby from behind and pressed a kiss to his shoulder, “Yeah?”
“That’s a Navy SEAL pin, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Wow, that’s just, wow.”
“It’s just a pin, babe.”
Colby reached down to clasp one of Jaden’s hand and brought it up to his heart, “Do you feel that? Do you feel how my heart is pounding?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“That’s not just a pin, babe. It’s terrifying and awe-inspiring. That is a sign of respect, of teamwork, of brotherhood. I,” Colby spun around and cupped Jaden’s cheek, “Thank you for your service,” he whispered as he pressed his forehead to Jaden’s.
Jaden’s breath hitched in his chest. Colby was almost certain that the man was going to say something to downplay what Colby had said but after a few seconds he wrapped his arms around Colby’s waist, put his check on Colby’s collarbone and whispered, “Thank you.”
“Let’s get you dressed, babe,” Colby said as he stepped back.
As Jaden began pulling the uniform from the bag, Colby dropped his slacks and stepped out of them, “What are you doing?”
Colby walked over to his bag and pulled something out, “Well, since I can’t wear jeans to tame my dick, I’m going to wear this so I’m not walking around with a hard-on,” he said as he held up the black and turquoise jockstrap.
Jaden slid his leg into his pants, “You need to tame your dick?”
Colby snorted a laugh, “Duh. You’re going to be walking around in that? I’m going to be hard as a fucking rock.”
Ten minutes later, with Colby’s hand at the small of his back grounding him, the two of them walked down the hall to find Case waiting for them. He was in a sharp gray suit with a white shirt and navy-blue tie that he filled out like it was tailor made for his beefy body.
“Damn, dude, nice suit.”
Case’s cheeks turned bright red as he brushed his hand down his tie, “Thanks, uh, yeah, thanks,” he mumbled.
Colby reached out to squeeze Case’s huge bicep, “At least this looks like it fits a little better. I was kind of worried about that Henley you were wearing the other day. I’m surprised it made it through the afternoon.”
Case chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Shall we head out?”
“Good luck, guys. If we’re not home when you get back, you have the codes to get in, right?” Morgan said.
“Yeah, we do. You got a lead on Bas?”
Colby noticed Case stiffen next to him at the mention of his law partner’s name.
“Possibly.”
“Good luck then,” Colby said as he stuck out his hand.
“You too,” Morgan said as they shook.
The three of them walked out to Case’s Audi. Colby opened the door for Jaden to sit in the passenger seat then he slid into the back.
As they were pulling out past the gates, Colby said, “Were you and Bas ever a thing?”
Case’s eyes snapped up to the rearview mirror. He looked like he was grinding his molars. “Bas is and always will be my best friend.”
Colby’s eyes softened, “Got it.”
After driving a few miles in silence, Colby said, “Sorry about
your friend, Case. I hope Morgan finds him soon.”
Case looked at him through the mirror again and nodded his head once.
Case exited the highway, made a few turns and pulled up to the gate at…
“Army?” Jaden said as he looked at Case.
Case nodded as he rolled down his window and handed his ID to the guard.
After they were waved through, as Case’s window rolled up he said, “We’ll be in the administration office, appearing before a military judge only.”
“Oh, okay,” Jaden mumbled and then he began biting his lower lip.
Colby knew there wasn’t anything he could really say to calm Jaden’s nerves so instead, he just reached forward and placed his hand on Jaden’s shoulder, silently letting him know he was there for him.
Jaden leaned his head down and pressed his cheek to Colby’s hand.
Case ushered them inside and as they walked down a long hall, Colby could see four men seated on a bench. Two of the men were dressed exactly like Jaden.
Jaden inhaled a gasp and his feet faltered.
“Jade?”
Tears swam in Jaden’s eyes, his lips clamped tight as he swallowed, his adams apple dancing in his throat.
“Did you call them?” he whispered so quietly Colby barely heard him.
“No. They called me. They insisted on being here for you,” Case said.
Jaden’s feet began carrying him forward as the two men stood, slow at first and then he was running until he threw his arms around one of the men. The other, a tall, dark and dangerous looking man who Colby could see had tucked his longer black hair into a small bun hidden inside his hat, put his arm around Jaden’s back and leaned in to whisper something. Jaden released the man he was hugging and wrapped his arms around the tall man.
Case and Colby walked forward until they reached the group.
Jaden was wiping his eyes when he stepped back and realized Colby was there. The smile he gave Colby lit up Jaden’s entire body.
“Guys, I want you to meet someone,” Jaden started to reach for Colby’s hand but then frowned because he remembered where they were and even though being gay in the military was technically okay now, that didn’t mean you could walk around holding hands and waving your rainbow flag.
“It’s okay, Jade,” Colby whispered and he watched as Jaden’s body relaxed and the smile returned to his face.
Thunderstorms on the Horizon Page 21