Whatever It Takes

by Barbara Elsborg

  “And you started off so well.” Roman ate another chip. “I can’t think that far ahead when I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next few days. It may be that I have to go into some sort of witness protection. They might need to arrest me, when they arrest the others, to keep my cover in place. I could be out of circulation for a while. Maybe even prison though that wasn’t part of the deal. Nor was extradition. But what I want and what I’ll get aren’t necessarily going to match up.”

  Zain’s heart gave a painful flutter. He couldn’t eat any more. He might not want to listen to Roman’s warning but he’d heard it.

  “Don’t you want the rest of your food?” Roman asked.

  “Have it, if you want.”

  Roman took the rest of Zain’s fish and chips. “Since this is a date, even though you’ve not showered, would you like to go to a club?”

  “Music, dancing, strippers?”

  “Definitely the first two and maybe the third, I don’t know.”

  “Okay. You could strip if no one else is doing it. See if that’s a future possibility.”

  “I could but I won’t. Let’s go shopping.” Roman screwed up the fish and chip papers and pushed to his feet.

  “What do we need to buy?”

  “It’s a surprise.” Roman tossed the rubbish into a bin. “Can I have your phone?”

  Zain switched it on, put his password in and handed it over. Roman looked something up then switched off the phone and gave it back.

  “We have to hurry.” He held out his hand to Zain and Zain took it.

  They ended up at a place where tattoos and piercings were carried out but it was also a store that sold edgy clothing. When Roman pulled Zain inside, Zain realised it sold a lot more than that.

  “Stay here. I’ll be back in minute.” Roman strode to the back of the shop.

  Zain was next to a display of jewellery. Oh, not jewellery. At least not the sort he’d thought it was when he’d first looked. Studs for noses, clamps and bars for nipples, studs and bars for bellies, a lot of I don’t know what the hell they are…things. Ouch, ouch and ouch. Zain glanced beyond the display and looked through a glass window to see a woman tattooing a tiger on a guy’s arm. It was beautifully done but Zain preferred to admire someone else’s inkwork rather than have it on his own skin. Though when he spotted a pack of temporary tattoos on the counter, he bought them. He was just pushing them into his pocket when Roman came back carrying a plastic bag.

  “What’s in there?” Zain asked.

  “Surprise. I’ll show you back at the hotel. What did you just buy?”

  “Surprise. I’ll show you at the hotel. Are we going back now?”

  “Yep.” Roman took his hand. “I’ve had a club recommended. We’ll go out again later.”

  “Two dates in one day?”

  Roman squeezed his fingers. “Aren’t you lucky?”

  “Depends what’s in that bag.”

  “Try and guess.”

  “Something to wear?”

  “Yes. Is yours?”

  “Yes.” Zain sighed. “Well, that didn’t take long.”

  They headed back along the seafront.

  “Am I going to like wearing it?” Zain asked.

  “I hope so. Will I like wearing yours?”

  “I hope so.”

  They both laughed.

  Zain chewed his lip. “Do I wear it on the bottom half of my body?”

  “Top half. What about yours?”

  “You can wear it on the bottom half of your body.” Or the top.

  Roman frowned. “What colour?”

  “Multicoloured. And the item in the bag?”

  “Black mostly. Some silver.”

  “Want to guess?” No way would he get it right.

  Roman chewed his lip. “Sexy underwear? A jockstrap? A posing pouch? If it’s that or a mankini, I will kill you.”

  “None of those. Is mine a T-shirt with I like to fuck dragons on it?”

  “No.”

  They were still chuckling when they reached their room. As Roman was about to open the door, he stopped. “Promise to wear what I’ve bought?”

  Zain hesitated.

  “I really want you to,” Roman whispered.

  “I’ll promise if you’ll let me put yours on you.”

  “Okay.” Roman held out his hand and they shook.

  Once in the room, they shrugged off their coats and kicked off their shoes. Just the bedside lights were on and the room had a pale glow.

  “I’ll start the bath running,” Roman said.

  Once the warm water was pouring into the tub, they exchanged bags. Roman laughed when Zain handed him the packet of temporary tattoos. Zain tipped up Roman’s bag and a tangle of studded strips of leather fell out. Not belts.

  “Oh God. Are they reins? I told you I’m not sure about being a pony.”

  “It is a harness, but not for a horse. And there’s a collar.” Roman groaned. “Even thinking about you wearing them is making me hard.”

  “Is there one for you too?”

  “There might be. But not a collar.”

  “I think I’d like to put that dinosaur tattoo on your dick. A T-rex seems the most appropriate.”

  “Er…”

  Zain gave a heavy sigh. “Fine. Then a brontosaurus on your dick and a rubber duck on your neck.”

  Their laughter finally ebbed away to leave them staring at other, smiles on their faces, fingers interlaced. Roman lowered his head, Zain raised his and they kissed. For Zain, every time they kissed, it was like being hit by lightning. There was tightness in his stomach and groin, a shower of sparks in his chest that made his nipples hard and erect, while his heart raced. Roman cupped Zain’s head with his hands while he trailed his tongue along Zain’s lips. The kiss was everything Zain wanted it to be and more. He slid his hands under Roman’s shirt and spread his palms over his back, trying to hold on tight but feeling his fingers slipping.

  Don’t leave me.

  Keep wanting me.

  We can make this work.

  Don’t give up on me.

  Roman’s hand dropped from Zain’s head to his shoulders then down his back, stroking his muscles. Finally, he pulled up Zain’s T-shirt and caressed the skin at his waist with his fingertips. Zain heard a strangled groan and knew it had come from him. Roman tilted his head to get a deeper angle to his kiss, fucking Zain’s mouth, and his bones melted.

  When they finally parted, gasping for breath, Zain had no idea how much time had passed.

  Roman’s chest was heaving. “Maybe we shouldn’t go out.”

  “No, we’re definitely going out. You’re going to kiss me like that in the club and make everyone jealous.”

  Roman’s faded-denim eyes looked glazed. Zain could feel Roman’s breath hitting his face, and inhaled his warm scent. Somehow, and he wasn’t sure whether it was by chance or deliberate, their breathing matched, the rhythm identical.

  “The bath,” Roman croaked.

  Zain spun round but the water hadn’t come over the top. He turned off the taps, tested the temperature and stripped where he stood. When he turned to look at Roman, he hadn’t moved. Zain went back to him and took off his clothes.

  “Your body…” Zain whispered. “You are so…honed, toned, boned. Do you go to the gym three times a day?”

  “I run. Usually. I keep getting distracted.” He stared at Zain.

  Zain dropped his gaze only to find himself locked on Roman’s erection. “Maybe before we get in the bath I could…”

  “Could what?”

  “Read that Bondage for Beginners book.”

  Roman laughed. “Or?”

  “Not the one on Sussex Interiors.” Zain groaned.

  “Tell me what you want to do. Tell me what you like.”

  “You’re going to make me say it?” Zain widened his eyes.

  “Yes. In detail. Don’t leave anything out. Bind me with your words.”

  Zain pulled at his bottom lip
with his teeth. “I want to wrap my lips around your cock. I want to suck it. I like the way it throbs and jerks in my mouth. Hard and soft at the same time. I like that you’re so big. I like you holding my head and fucking my mouth.”

  He’d meant to tease only to find he’d turned himself on. Roman stared at him intently.

  “I like the way you groan when your cock hits my throat and the way you groan louder when I swallow against you. I like the way you tense just before you come and that cloudy look in your eyes as you fall. When you come in my mouth, I feel powerful. I made you do that. Me. You spurt so hard and hot. I have to swallow fast.”

  Zain slipped into Arabic. He knew Roman wouldn’t have a clue what he was saying but it felt as if he were emptying his soul. Then he couldn’t stop repeating the same phrases over and over. I love you. I adore you. In a language Roman didn’t understand.

  Roman kissed him silent. Zain shook in his arms.

  “Bed, not bath,” Roman whispered. “We’d drown.”

  He scooped Zain up and a moment later, they were lying top to tail. Zain had his hand around the base of Roman’s cock, his mouth tight around the head, flicking his tongue against the slit, pressing into it as Roman did the same to him. Zain lapped up the precome, trailed his tongue down the largest vein, then licked up again before swallowing Roman down and down.

  Roman’s mouth and lips worked their own magic, and as they did, Zain faltered, struggling to cope with the overload of sensations. He arched his hips to push his cock into Roman’s mouth and Roman did the same.

  They were both mumbling, moaning, groaning, the room filling with ragged breathing and hoarse sounds. Then with one last thrust, Zain came, spilling into Roman’s mouth, his come racing out of his body in desperate spurts and even as Zain was still coming, Roman came too, filling his mouth and Zain swallowed and swallowed and couldn’t swallow it all.

  I am undone. Lost.

  For a long moment, neither of them moved. They lay breathing heavily, limbs leaden, hearts thudding. It was Roman who hauled Zain up so they were face to face. Roman’s face was flushed, his chin smeared with come. It had dripped from his mouth.

  “Lick me clean,” Roman said.

  Zain licked.

  By the time they’d made it into the bath, they needed to add more hot water. There was enough room for both of them and it felt decadent to be sitting in front of windows looking out at the sea. Zain lay back against Roman’s chest, their hands interlinked on Zain’s belly.

  “Do you think we could go and live in another country?” Zain whispered.

  “Where did that come from?”

  “I’m just looking for a way out.” For you.

  “I thought you wanted to train to be a doctor in London? Do you need to do anything more for the test on Monday?”

  “No.” That wasn’t the answer Zain had wanted. He was shocked at himself though. The intention to do his medical training in London had been part of his life for so long and he’d never let anything, or anyone, stand in his way. All he’d endured, all he’d done, had been with one purpose. Yet he’d arrived at a point that now made him question his singlemindedness.

  It didn’t have to be London. He hadn’t yet sent his application in. There were lots of cities with medical schools if they stayed in the UK. I could apply outside the UK. But Zain changing his mind about where to study wasn’t what Roman wanted and shock at his willingness to compromise turned to bitter disappointment.

  He knew he was hoping for too much in thinking Roman might show commitment. Roman had been clear about the sort of guy he was though Zain had thought he’d changed. Roman had said he had but maybe he hadn’t changed enough. Zain wasn’t a quitter. He’d fought hard to get this far and he wasn’t going to give up. He had to make Roman see how much he meant to him, to show him how happy they could make each other, that they could have a future together.

  How are you going to do that? You can’t make him do anything. He has to see it for himself.

  Change the subject.

  “Do you need a nap before we go out?” Zain asked. “You’re a lot older than me. I don’t want to wear you out.”

  He yelped when Roman pinched his nipple. Zain wriggled and Roman grabbed his hips to keep him still.

  “Oh God. You’re going to kill me.” Roman lifted him out of the water and dropped him on the towel. “Get dressed and we’ll go for a drink.”

  “But before that… Welcome to Nasty Tattoos.” Zain pulled out the plug and dropped a facecloth into the water. “Oops. I mean Nasry Tattoos. As soon as you’re dry, lie on back and close eyes.” Zain tried to do a Russian accent.

  Roman smiled. “Have you done many tattoos?”

  “I work years and years. Very experienced.” He counted on his fingers. “Seven.”

  “Seven years?”

  “Seven tattoo. Only six customer complain. Two spelling mistakes. Two I misunderstand what client ask for. Two gave up after six hours.”

  Roman lay on the bed laughing.

  Zain leaned right over him. “It hurt. My fault. I sadist in spare time.”

  Roman shut his eyes and shook as he continued to laugh.

  “You won’t find amusing in moment.”

  Zain slipped to the bathroom, pulled a belt from the loops of one of the bathrobes and tied it around Roman’s eyes. “Better not look. Needle very sharp.”

  “Er…”

  “Quiet or I put other belt around mouth,” Zain snapped.

  Roman’s demeanour changed in an instant and his cock swelled. Oh you like me taking control sometimes? Even with a shaky accent.

  “Don’t move,” Zain said. He picked out a few of the tattoos from the packet and went to get the facecloth from the bath, wringing out the excess water.

  Once he’d peeled off the backing, he placed the first strip of paper on Roman’s cock, wrapped the facecloth around it and held it in place. “Don’t move. Precision work. Require great skill.” Zain cleared his throat. “Been anywhere nice on holiday?”

  Roman shook as he chuckled. “Brighton.”

  “Weather good?”

  “I have no idea.”

  Zain took off the wet cloth, checked the edge of the paper and when he was sure the tattoo had taken, he peeled the paper away, then blew on Roman’s cock. “Oh dear.”

  Roman tensed.

  “Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Well, never mind,” Zain said. “It still look like maggot. Lie still.”

  “You bastard. It better not be a maggot.”

  “Don’t sunbathe naked. You attract seagulls with that on your cock.”

  Roman opened his mouth and closed it again. The barbed wire tattoo Zain had put on looked fantastic. As did the red heart on the wrong side of Roman’s chest, the fire-breathing dragon below his navel and once he’d turned over, the words Fuck You on one arse cheek, Fuck Me on the other and Fuck Here in the middle on his lower back. Roman might kill him for that.

  “Enough,” Roman said.

  Zain whined. “I am artiste. You are my creation. You only half-done. I need to put dolphin on left pec, line of ants on foot and cute elephant with long trunk on stomach.”

  “No more.” Roman pulled at the blindfold.

  Zain caught his hand. “Okay but wait. Let me stand you in front of the mirror.” He’d dropped the accent.

  When he had Roman in position, Zain pulled away the belt.

  Roman laughed, then turned to check out his backside. “Zalupa! You are such a…”

  “Your cock looks brilliant,” Zain said. “Surely it wouldn’t hurt that much to really have it ta—”

  “Not going to happen,” Roman said. “How long do they take to wash off?”

  “Three to four months.”

  Roman gaped at him. “What the fuck?”

  “Not really. A week or so of normal showering. Maybe less if you scrub hard. I could do that for you.”

  Roman rolled his eyes. “At least you put most of them where no one can see them.”

>   Zain pouted. “This isn’t a club where we take all our clothes off? That’s a bit disappointing.”

  “Would you take all your clothes off in a club?”

  It was a serious question and Zain thought about it. “Maybe if I was with you and you took yours off. First.”

  Roman reached for the leather straps and helped Zain put on the harness. It stretched across his chest and over his shoulders to cross and fasten on his back.

  There was a D ring at the centre front and Zain tugged at it. “What’s this for?”

  “Whatever you want it to be for.”

  “Attaching a pony?”

  Roman rolled his eyes.

  When Roman was wearing his harness, Zain swallowed hard. “You can see the Fuck here.”

  “Reserved for you.”

  Zain smiled. “I’ll let you explain if anyone asks. You look like a gladiator. I look like someone who hasn’t a clue what he’s doing.”

  Roman pulled him into his arms. “You look great but if you’re uncomfortable, you can take it off. We’re only dabbling at the edges of this. I don’t think I’d want to do more but… I have this for you too.”

  He held up a narrow collar. It was made of black leather, studded with blue stones and had a lock.

  “The lock means you’re taken,” Roman said. “That you have a partner, owner, handler, committed boyfriend, Dom, master, sir or if you’re into it—a daddy.”

  “Not a daddy.” Zain sucked in a breath. “The committed boyfriend sounds good.” But for how long?

  Roman smiled. “We can chuck it away after tonight, but I want you at my side in the club. I don’t want anyone else putting their hands on you. The collar will keep you safe.”

  “But not from you.”

  “No, not from me. My cock is already thinking about where my hands are going to go.”

  Zain wore eyeliner, applied by himself, Roman didn’t. They both wore black trousers. The top of Roman’s dragon showed over his waistband and it made Zain laugh, particularly when Roman kept yanking up his trousers to cover it because they didn’t cover the Fuck here on his lower back. With their coats on, Zain’s fastened to the neck, no one would have guessed what they wore beneath. Phones were left behind, as were wallets. Roman zipped the hotel room key into an inside pocket of his coat.

  “I’m putting everything of value in the room safe,” Roman said. “If you’re taking money, only take a small amount.”