“Yeah. Great meeting you, Jamie.” Zane waved and closed the door after them. “What are we doing first? Where are we going?”
“I thought you’d want to stay out of sight for a while. Your…friend has probably arrived by now.” Dillon kept moving toward the opening of the alley because if he stopped, he might succumb to his urges and kiss the man. When he reached the end, he glanced both left and right, freezing when he spied the group of strangers at the far end of the square. Zane came up behind him and they both gazed at the five men. “Is that him?”
“Yeah. Hell, what am I going to do? I can’t go back. I want more. I want a life.” Desperation colored the genie’s voice. Heartfelt longing that made Dillon want to offer him the moon and stars and quite a lot besides.
For an instant Zane’s fear was palpable then the genie straightened with decision. “I’ll have to go back through the café and make a run for it.”
The genie boss looked nothing like the man Dillon had imagined. He’d expected a rotund man with a jolly smile and icy cold eyes. He’d expected a man wearing white robes with a round hat sporting a tassel on top, not this urbane man wearing a designer suit. Yes, he appeared soft around the middle but no one would make the mistake of thinking him harmless. Four men flanked him, their sharp gazes surveying the square and the people still browsing through the market. They also wore suits but seemed less imposing, despite their obvious size and muscle.
“There’s my sister and her friend,” Dillon said, an idea forming. “Follow me.” With long strides he caught up to Susan and Jennifer, dragging the resisting genie with him.
“What are you doing?”
“Saving your butt. They’re looking for one man. See how they’re not paying much attention to the people in groups?”
“Dillon,” Susan said in surprise. “I thought you’d gone.”
“This is an old university friend. He’s come to visit,” Dillon said easily. “Jennifer, I promise not to bite. You don’t have to look so terrified. I’m really sorry about the other day. I was pissed with Susan and took it out on you. Forgive me?” The genie was in way more trouble than Jennifer. Zane, he’d love to bite, while the woman didn’t interest him in the slightest.
“Do you want a ride?” Susan asked. “It will be a squeeze but I can drop you home if you want.”
“Thanks, that would be great.” Even though they were taking their lives in their hands accepting a ride with his sister, she was the lesser of two evils. Dillon set a steady pace until they were out of the open and walking down the aisles between the different stalls. Most of the stallholders were packing up, ready to go home. Another successful day in the office.
“My god,” Jennifer said, horror coating her voice. “Look at that girl’s face.”
Dillon looked and took a mental note of her name. Another one for the list. It was becoming longer by the minute.
“Oh the poor girl,” Susan said, making sympathetic clucking sounds.
“Maybe she’s allergic to something?” Jennifer mused.
“There are more people with the same rash on their faces,” Dillon said. Oh boy, he should have worded that wish a lot better than he had. It was hardly the genie’s fault he’d taken him literally.
Susan picked up the pace, circling the inflicted people carefully. “I certainly hope it isn’t contagious.”
“Oh do you think it’s catchy?” Jennifer touched the tips of her fingers to her flawless skin, a moue of distress wrinkling her forehead. She stuck closely to Susan, as if she feared touching one of the diseased by mistake.
He couldn’t resist. “I’ve noticed several people with the same rash.” In fact, his sister’s face looked decidedly red. He decided not to mention it and hoped he was wrong. “Some look worse than others.” And at a guess he’d say those inflicted worst should go to the top of his list because he figured they’d obviously spread more viruses than those where the infliction appeared mild.
“But—” Zane broke off when Dillon dug him in the ribs and placed a finger to his lips.
“We should probably leave as soon as possible,” he said to his sister. “No point taking any risks. I didn’t notice any rashes when we arrived this morning. It seems fast-acting. Maybe it’s airborne.”
Two of the strangers searching for the genie appeared from between a SUV and a market stall. Dillon kept moving and they walked right past them without a hitch. As he’d assumed, they were looking for a single man on his own and since they were part of a group and were obviously together, they didn’t rate a second glance. Acting confidently plus the hat and borrowed sunglasses helped as well.
“Do you own this car?” an irate woman demanded when they hurried up to Susan’s red bubble-shaped vehicle.
“Yes,” Susan said. “I’m terribly sorry. I’ll move straight away.”
“Well, I really!” the woman said with an indignant huff. “I’ve been waiting here for half an hour. Some people have no consideration for others.”
Susan ignored the woman’s irritation and turned to Jennifer. “We were right to leave so quickly. The rash must be contagious. Look, this lady has it as well.”
“Rash? What rash?” The woman peered into the side-vision mirror on the driver’s side of her car and gave a screech of horror. “Oh! God! A doctor. I must see a doctor.”
Susan unlocked her car, opened the door and pulled forward the seat for them to climb into the back. After placing the bag of silver in the rear, he gestured for Zane to get in first and clambered in after him. It was a tight squeeze. Cozy. Their legs rubbed together and Dillon bit back a groan, wriggling about on the backseat, trying to move away from temptation. It just made things worse. The genie’s masculine scent combined with his citrus aftershave and wound through his senses, teasing and taunting. Hell, he was gonna be so screwed if this was a one-sided attraction. Yes, the genie had admitted to checking him out but that didn’t mean he had considered moving into close and personal territory. Dark humor burst out in a bark of laughter. Yeah, he’d be screwed if he found the genie didn’t want him. Huh! Bad word choice. There wouldn’t be any screwing at all. It would be a solo deal and would do nothing to quench the gnawing ache currently writhing through his belly.
“How long are you staying with Dillon?” Susan asked, backing from her parking spot.
The genie glanced at him before looking away again. “I’m not sure yet.”
At Zane’s words, his head jerked up. Dillon stared at the genie. Surely he wasn’t going to leave—not before they’d had a chance to learn about each other?
His sister zoomed from the parking lot, pulling out in front of the mayor’s wife. The woman braked and Dillon glanced back to see her face pale with shock. Normally his sister’s driving took his mind off everything apart from the need to survive. Not this time. All he could think about was the feel of Zane’s leg cozying up to his and the heat coming off the genie’s large, muscular body.
They arrived at his house with a screech of brakes. Susan switched off the ignition and climbed out so they could exit. Dillon grabbed the bag of silver and brushed a quick kiss on his sister’s cheek. “Thanks for the ride.”
Susan looked from him to the genie and back. “Where are Zane’s bags?”
Hell, his sister was too clever for her own good. She didn’t miss much. “I—”
“They’re inside. I left them here before the taxi dropped me in the square,” the genie said with scarcely a blink. “I’m lucky the house wasn’t locked. I figured I’d come back later and hopefully Dillon would be here. It was a stroke of luck running into him at the market.”
And that was no lie. Dillon was extremely thankful he’d run into the man. Now if only Susan would leave so he could get to know him better. “Thanks for the ride,” he said again.
“Maybe Zane could come to Mum’s birthday party with you.” The gleam in Susan’s blue eyes told him his sister was adding two and two and coming up with an answer before he’d done more than think about it. “M
um and Dad don’t believe you’re gay. They think you’re having me on. I’ll admit I had my doubts, but not anymore.” Her glance toward the genie was meaningful.
Man, his sister was full of it, always analyzing and dissecting people. She didn’t know jack. “Bully for you. Go away and let us catch up.”
“Sure. Thanks for the ride, Susan,” she mocked.
“I said ‘thank you’,” Dillon said in exasperation. “Twice.” With a casual wave of his hand, he headed up the narrow concrete path leading to his front door. “Come on in.” He ushered Zane inside and closed the door firmly once the man had entered. Alone at last.
They stared at each other for a long intense moment.
The need to touch thrummed through Dillon but he turned away, determined to take this slowly. He removed his boots and socks, and Zane followed suit. “Want a beer?” No need to rush things and drive the genie away.
Zane frowned before nodding. “Sure.”
Dillon heard the genie’s measured footsteps following him into the kitchen. The bag of silver rattled when he set it down on the veneer bench top. A beer. Alcohol. Something to ease the tension and help them both kick back and relax. He jerked open the fridge with a trembling hand and peered inside, his jeans tightening over his ass. It was difficult to remember the last time he’d felt this nervous.
Zane drew in a sharp breath, the air hissing through his teeth in a distinct whistle. He’d seen the human checking him out—he’d have needed to be blind not to notice. And he returned the interest. In the past he hadn’t had much time to pursue sexual inclinations, but maybe while he was hiding out…as long as there were no wishes involved…
The decision was easy to make.
Seize the opportunity.
“We can sit outside and come up with a plan,” Dillon said.
Yeah, bugger the consequences.
When Dillon turned to hand the beer over, Zane moved close and kissed him hard. A surprised sound whooshed from the man but he didn’t fight or shriek with horror. Good. Zane’s cap sort of jammed between them, getting in the way. Impatiently, he wrenched it off, tossing the annoyance aside before kissing the human again. Zane softened the kiss, giving instead of taking. The contrast of hard muscled body and firm lips kissing him back made him want much more, but he kept it slow and easy, letting their tongues tangle together. Discovering. Exploring. The human groaned, the rough sound reverberating between them and he pulled away, panting, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he stared in shock. Zane smiled and briefly cupped the human’s cheek before moving into his personal space. A shiver slipped down his body when their erections brushed for a sweet moment. When they repeated the move, shockwaves ricocheted through him. More. Urgently, he backed Dillon up so the countertop halted retreat. Now he had him. Thigh met thigh. Groin brushed groin, and Zane sighed at the firm friction of cock against cock. They were both big men, of a similar height. Good matches physically, which was great because he had designs on this man’s body. He nipped at a bottom lip then soothed it lovingly with his tongue. Two beer cans thudded to the bench top and arms clasped him close. A moan slipped from Zane at the additional heat and the total acceptance of his advance. Dillon caught the sound with his mouth, sliding their lips together again.
His kiss, Zane thought, smoothly taking control again. His hips moved at the same instant he slipped his tongue into the warm recesses of the human’s mouth. Sweet. So sweet. A hint of coffee danced across his taste buds, fragrant with a hint of spices and dark chocolate and underscored by the essence of man. The hot, wet slide of tongues moving together sent blood crowding painfully into his cock. Chills raced across his skin at the rightness of it and the knowledge the genie boss and his mercs were searching for him propelled him onward. This might be the last time for a while. His cock jerked. Sex and danger—the perfect combination.
“Enough.” Dillon jerked his mouth away, breathing hard.
“You mean stop?” They’d barely started.
“I didn’t bring you here for sex. Tell me about genies. Can anyone become one?”
Zane stepped away, shock shooting his erection down. Fuck, he hadn’t considered that possibility. A man who didn’t like to rush. A man with scruples perhaps. “I guess. These days Hasim likes to advertise on the Internet and receive online applications. The applicants aren’t really sure what sort of job they’re applying for until they attend an interview. If he interviews someone who turns out unsuitable, he simply wipes their memories and they’re returned to their homes none the wiser.” He frowned. “You don’t want me?”
A rude snort sounded and Dillon reached down to cup his bulging erection without shame. His brown eyes glittered with banked passion. “Does this look like a disinterested man? I mean, we have time to get to know each other first.”
“And what if Hasim and the merc-magicks track me here? What if they take me and all we’ve done is chat?”
“I see your point.”
“Yeah.” Zane flashed a quizzical smile. “Does that mean you’re going to reconsider? Am I going to get lucky?”
The human studied him for a few tense seconds before nodding and holding out his hand. “Might as well do this in comfort. My bedroom is this way.”
Stark relief filled Zane, followed immediately by a bolt of fiery lust. Grinning, he clasped Dillon’s hand and followed him across the tiled floor to a door on the other side of the room. It led to another short passage and he caught glimpses of the rooms they passed. A lounge room. Messy with lots of books covering the large brown leather chairs. A computer. Flat screen television. Large, he noted with approval, before they moved on, passing a bedroom with a single bed. The next door was another bedroom, masculine with a huge bed covered with some sort of purple-reddish cover with swirls of gold and embroidery. It reminded him of the Far East, and the dark ebony furniture and the bamboo prints on the wall highlighted the Oriental feel. Dillon tugged him inside, pausing to let Zane look his fill. Sunlight spilled into the room through large windows. Curtains hung but they were pulled back to maximize the view. A sigh of appreciation escaped. Green, as far as the eye could see. Grass, trees and a bright blue sky. A river curled lazily through the paddocks, passing near the house. Animals—sheep, cows and horses—grazed and slumbered. After confinement in his vessel, it was a slice of heaven. During trips to the court, genies stayed in the palace apartments. There was nothing like this. They never left the court or traveled into the vast deserts surrounding the palace.
“You are a lucky man.”
“I know.” The human opened the windows and Zane realized they were doors.
“It truly is paradise.” There were even tubs of bright red and white flowers on the tiled area outside the doors along with small trees with lush and spiky leaves.
“Yes. I’m very lucky I don’t have any close neighbors. It’s totally private.”
“Can you swim in the river?” Everywhere he looked there was freedom without the intrigue of court and genie politics. Freedom. Zane decided if he managed to evade capture, he’d find a place like this. His tastes were simple—food, a bed, his painting and drawing materials and a plentiful supply of sex with someone who cared about him.
“Sure, we can go swimming later or if it gets too cold, we can sit in the hot tub and watch the sunset.”
The thought pleased him. Maybe he could paint the scene later. Grinning with pleasure, he turned to Dillon and nodded. “Yes, I would like that.”
“Good. That’s settled.” Masculine hands curled around his shoulders and warm breath feathered over his ear. “Close your eyes.”
“But I want to—”
“Close your eyes,” the human repeated.
Zane followed the instructions, his pulse rate soaring. Normally he liked to give the orders when it came to his sex life. It was an instinctive gut reaction against genie law, a chance to exercise control instead of following another’s bidding. Somehow Dillon made him feel secure, drew instinctive trust even though he hardly
knew the man. Weird, but for once he intended to follow intuition. Chill bumps prickled across his chest, his arms and legs while he waited anxiously for Dillon’s next move, every sense hyperaware and alert. He smelled the perfume from the flowers he’d noticed growing in tubs outside the sliding doors, heard the human’s soft breathing and the scrape of fabric against skin.
A gentle kiss landed on his mouth. A sharp nip followed, arrowing pleasure straight to his dick. Dillon trailed kisses across his jaw, biting and sucking on the tender skin of his neck. Zane gasped, his cock reacting with enthusiasm, filling and lengthening until it pressed firmly against the fly of his jeans. And still his eyes remained closed, the sensations layering one on top of the other. Warm lips tugged at his earlobe. A tongue traced the whorl of his ear and finally he felt Dillon tug on the end of his ponytail. Slowly the human drew off the rubber band and Zane’s hair fell around his shoulders.
“You have beautiful hair. I can’t wait to feel it on my skin.”
The longing in the musical voice tugged at something inside him. “Undress me. Take off my shirt.”
“Ah-ah. I’m doing this slowly. I haven’t been with anyone for a long time—almost a year now. I want to unwrap you slowly, savor the experience. You’re an early Christmas present.”
Zane’s chest expanded with his inhalation, his heart knocking against his ribs with real urgency. Unwrap. He loved the sound of that. Dillon pressed another kiss to his lips, probing the seam of his mouth and silently demanding he open to allow access. Fine with him. Their tongues lazily stroked and tangled. Dillon drew him close, pressing their chests together. Zane leaned in and their cocks brushed. An electric pulse arced through him at the intimate contact, even though they were both fully clothed.
“How long are you going to make me wait? It’s been a while for me too. I don’t wish to spend myself too soon.” Zane opened his eyes so he could see the other man’s reaction, read his body language.
A smile curved the human’s mouth. “In that case I’ll move a little faster. We have the rest of the afternoon and night. Tomorrow.”
Last Wish Page 4