“It’ll come back,” Aidan said. “Give it time.” He reached down and ran his hand lightly over Liam’s groin, where his dick was already half hard. “There’s something you can still do.” He looked up at Liam’s eyes and grinned.
“There’s that,” Liam said. “Come here, you.”
He pulled Aidan close, Aidan resting his head on the bigger man’s shoulder. His own dick began to rise as he felt Liam’s body so close to his. The doctor had told them that Liam was no longer contagious, so when Liam leaned down to him, he turned his face up for a kiss. Liam responded with surprising ferocity, opening his mouth wide, his tongue reaching out to Aidan’s.
Aidan felt like he was being devoured, his body melting under Liam’s touch. But then he pulled back. “Easy, tiger,” he said. “You’re still not up to full strength.”
“Strong enough to do this.” Liam reached one hand under Aidan’s ass and scooped him up. Reflexively, Aidan wrapped his arms around the bodyguard’s neck and held on as Liam carried him through the living room to the bedroom, Hayam following behind.
By the time Liam laid Aidan down on the bed, he was panting for breath, but that only fed his ferocious desire. He unbuttoned Aidan’s shirt with fumbling fingers, snatched open the Velcro tab on Aidan’s shorts and tugged them down, then dropped his head to Aidan’s stiff dick.
“Slow down, baby, slow down,” Aidan said. “You’re going to kill yourself.”
“What a way to go, though,” Liam panted, pulling off Aidan’s dick for a quick breath.
Aidan couldn’t enjoy the blow job, because he was so worried about Liam. He summoned all his strength to pry the bigger man off him. “What?” Liam said. “I’m not an invalid. Don’t treat me like one. If I want to blow you I will.”
That’s what you get, Aidan thought, for loving men who always had to get their way. He laid back against the pillows and let the sensation to his body take over. Liam was right; Aidan had been treating him like a patient, when Liam wanted—needed—to be treated like a man.
Liam raked his teeth up and down Aidan’s dick, sending tremors through his body. Liam’s mouth was drier than usual, only a little saliva easing the passage of his lips, and Aidan caught his breath a few times at the roughness of Liam’s lips.
Liam pulled his head back from Aidan’s dick and howled, the sound transforming into a cough. He fell sideways onto the bed, and Aidan took control. “You want a testosterone battle, pal, you’ve got it,” he said. He jerked Liam’s shorts down, exposing his stiff dick, and without ceremony or preparation, Aidan sat down on it.
The pain nearly broke him in two, but he didn’t care. He began bouncing up and down on Liam, clenching and releasing his ass muscles, and the pain urged him forward, ratcheting through his body so he could hardly breathe, until Liam’s dick had lubed itself enough with precome, and Aidan’s ass opened.
Liam grabbed Aidan’s dick and began jerking it, and Aidan howled himself, just as Liam had done, ending with a little yip of pleasure as Liam’s dick pressed against his prostate. Liam laughed, then caught his breath, and Aidan was worried he’d start coughing again, but then he felt Liam shoot off in his ass, and he closed his eyes and focused on that rough hand on his dick, and he came a moment later.
“You really think you can boss me around?” Liam said, smiling, a little later, as they snuggled in bed together, Hayam on the floor next to them.
“Of course,” Aidan said. “And you’ll like it, buster.”
Liam laughed out loud, and this time the laugh didn’t lead to a cough. “You’re a handful, you know that?”
“You haven’t seen a handful yet,” Aidan yawned. He rested his head on Liam’s chest, curved one leg over one of Liam’s, and slid off to sleep.
The next morning, waking up in Liam’s bed, Aidan announced that he was going to stay in Tunis for a while. “You need someone to look after you,” he said. Liam didn’t say anything, just smiled. Later in the morning, Aidan hailed a cab so they could visit Liam’s doctor, who pronounced that he was healing as best he could.
He made appointments for Liam each week until the Cipro was due to run out. When they got back to the house, they both napped through the hot afternoon. Liam still tired easily, and the Cipro still upset his stomach, so he could only eat the blandest of food.
“I’m watching you, you know,” he said, as Aidan prepared rice and steamed vegetables for their dinner. “I remember that trick you played on Blake.”
“What trick was that?” Aidan asked, slicing broccoli into tiny florets.
“You said when you were mad at him, you made his food spicy.”
Aidan laughed. “You remember that?”
He reached out for Aidan’s waist, and pulled him close. “I remember everything.”
“I’m not sure I’m happy about that,” Aidan said. “God knows what I told you when I thought you weren’t paying attention.”
He had gotten accustomed to life with Liam. He’d begun studying Arabic, so that he could tell the shopkeepers what he wanted. He’d already cleaned the little house from top to bottom, and supervised the construction of a wooden fence around the shower.
Two days after Liam sent the report to The Counter-Terrorist Foundation, there was a substantial wire transfer, more than Liam would have made the entire year. He had Aidan set up an account with a US bank with a branch in Tunis, and transferred half the money there. “You can’t give me that much,” Aidan protested, when he looked over Liam’s shoulder at the computer screen and saw his new balance. “I was just along for the ride.”
Liam shook his head. “Nope. You came up with most of the ideas, and I carried them out. We were a team.”
Aidan couldn’t help hearing that use of the past tense. As a teacher, after all, he was accustomed to listening for nuances in word use. “You can always send some money to the desk clerk at the hotel in Tataouine, if you want, and something for his cousin, too,” Liam said.
“I’ll do that.”
“I’ll take care of Ifoudan,” Liam said. “I’ve got a buddy who says the camel caravan went as far as Ghadamis, on the Libya-Tunisia border, and they’re on their way back to Remada now.”
Hayam began to bark, jumping up from her place on the floor next to Liam, and rushing to the front door. A few seconds later there was a knock on the door. “Expecting someone?” Aidan asked.
Liam shook his head. “Stay there.” He pulled his Glock from the desk drawer crossed to the door.
Aidan worried that Liam hadn’t returned to his full strength. Who could it be at the door? They had been unable to find out what happened to Wahid Zubran or Hassan el-Masri after the attack at the Tagant School. Had one of the Tunisians tracked them down? Someone else unhappy with what had happened at the Tagant School?
Liam stood by the door and called out, “Who is it?”
The voice was so familiar to Aidan, and yet so out of place, that he was stunned. “I’m looking for Aidan Greene,” the voice said. “My name is Blake Chennault.”
Liam looked over at Aidan, who was already rising and walking toward the door, and he stepped back. Aidan crossed the room and opened the door.
Blake looked like he’d been traveling all night. His shirt was wrinkled, and he had a five o’clock shadow. “Aidan! Thank God you’re all right.” He stepped in and embraced Aidan.
That was even more startling. Blake wasn’t a physical man; in the eleven years they’d been together he’d hardly hugged or kissed Aidan, at least not without prompting. Aidan awkwardly put his arms around Blake’s back as his former partner began to cry.
“Come on now, it’s OK,” Aidan said. This was a Blake he didn’t know. Probably the long flight had unnerved him.
“I thought you were dead,” Blake said, pulling back from the hug and wiping his eyes. “After you left, I realized what an idiot I was and I wanted to tell you, I wanted you to come back. I got a buddy to check flight records and I found you came here, to Tunis.”
Aidan led Blake to the table and
pulled out a chair for him. He saw Liam slip out the front door, but before he could say anything the big ex-SEAL was gone.
Aidan sighed as he sat down across from Blake. Here he was again, a place he thought he’d never go back to. Looking after Blake Chennault.
“I checked your activity on the computer,” Blake said. “I contacted that Abboud woman but she couldn’t tell me anything other than that you’d walked out of her office. And the place that rented you the apartment said you’d gone. There was no trace of you.”
“I had no idea you were looking,” Aidan said.
“You wouldn’t believe the strings I had to pull,” Blake said. “Finally somebody told me you’d been on a military transport from Sicily to Tunis, that you were with this bodyguard named McCullough. As soon as I could get McCullough’s address I got on a plane.”
Aidan reached down to stroke Hayam’s head. “Why all this trouble? You’re the one who kicked me out.”
“I told you, it was a mistake. I didn’t realize how much I missed you until you were gone.”
Again, Aidan caught the word choice. Missed, not loved. Had Blake missed him, or just all the things he did? And where had Liam gone?
“I came here straight from the airport,” Blake said. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be here or not. I’m just so glad to see you.”
“You want something to drink?” Aidan asked. “Some tea?”
“Tea would be great.”
Aidan got up and set the water boiling. “It’s Tunisian tea,” he said, as he poured some leaves into the strainer. “Not exactly what you’re used to.”
“You have no idea what you’ve put me through,” Blake said. “The sooner we get out of here and back to Philadelphia, the better.”
Aidan didn’t say anything, just waited for the water to just begin to boil, then poured it into the pot and lowered the strainer. There was honey in the cabinet; Blake liked honey with his tea. Aidan brought him the mug. “It’s still hot,” he said.
Blake looked around. “You’ve been staying here?” he asked. “Not in a hotel?”
“I’ve been staying with Liam.” Aidan saw the little house through Blake’s eyes, the rough walls, the simple furniture. But he didn’t miss the luxury of Blake’s apartment, the sofas upholstered in floral patterns, the crystal chandelier, or the glass-fronted china cabinet housing Blake’s late mother’s collection of china birds.
“Do you even get phone service here? We’ll need a cab back to the airport.”
“Blake, we need to talk,” Aidan said.
“I know I haven’t been as sensitive as I could be. But you’ve got to remember, I have a high-stress job. I can’t pay attention to every little mood you have.”
“Blake, I’m not going back to Philadelphia,” Aidan said, the words spilling out before he even knew he was saying them. “I’m staying here with Liam. I appreciate that you tracked me down—I’m flattered. But our relationship was on life support anyway. You just killed it quickly.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Blake said. “You can’t stay here in this hell hole. And this guy—McCullough. You’d be surprised at all the things I’ve learned about him. He’s some kind of mercenary, a soldier of fortune. He could be dangerous.”
“He is dangerous,” Aidan said. “I’ve seen him in action. And you know what, I think that’s sexy. He’s smart, and he’s gorgeous, and he’s dynamite in bed. And when I talk to him, he listens. I’m in love with him.”
Blake just stared at him. “But... but...”
Liam opened the front door and said, “I’ve got a cab waiting out here for Mr. Chennault,” he said. “Express trip to the airport.”
“Guess it’s time for you to go,” Aidan said, standing up. Hayam sat up, too, and barked once.
Aidan kissed Blake on the forehead, the way he had so many times back in Philadelphia. “Have a good trip. And keep in touch, all right?”
Blake stood up. “You’re making a mistake, Aidan. I won’t wait around for you to come to your senses.”
“Good,” Aidan said. “Get back into the dating pool. There are guys in Philly who’ll jump at the chance to join your world. It’s just not for me anymore.”
Blake stalked out, and Liam closed the door behind him. “You sure about that?” Liam asked. “You can still catch him, if you want.”
“I know what I want, and it’s right here, in Tunis, in this very room.” He crossed the room to Liam and they embraced, their mouths merging in a long, deep kiss. Then Liam’s cell phone rang.
Aidan started to laugh. “If I didn’t know better I’d say that your phone is jealous of me.”
“It’s probably one of Blake’s buddies, trying to pry you away from me.”
“Not going to happen. But you’d better answer it. Might be a new job.”
Liam frowned. “I’m not interested.”
Aidan picked up the phone from the desktop and flipped it open. “Liam McCullough’s office.”
Liam crossed his arms and frowned as Aidan listened to the caller on the other end. “Mr. McCullough’s not available at the moment, but if you’ll give me the details I’ll make sure he gets the message and gets back to you.”
“Aidan,” Liam said, but Aidan was busy listening and writing.
“My name is Aidan Greene, and I’m Mr. McCullough’s associate,” Aidan said into the phone. “Yes. OK. All right. I’ve got the information, and I’ll have Mr. McCullough get back to you ASAP.”
“I can’t take on any new jobs right now,” Liam said, when Aidan had finished the call. “I’m not back to full strength.”
“It’s a simple job,” Aidan said. “Meet this Spanish businessman at the airport, drive him to his appointment, wait around for him, then drive him back to catch a plane. He’s not even staying overnight.”
He hesitated, but knew he had to plunge on. “We’ll work together,” he said. “That is, if you want to?”
Liam smiled. “You think you can work with me?”
“I think so. Somebody’s got to keep you in line.”
Liam grabbed Aidan by the waist and pulled him close, kissing his cheek. Hayam jumped up, trying to get in on the action, and Aidan reached down to pet her. “I love her name,” he said. “Madly in love. Just like I am.”
Aidan closed his eyes and savored every place where his body and Liam’s touched. “You know, I’ll need some training,” Aidan said. “I’ve been reading about these bodyguard schools. Five-day programs—defensive driving, CPR, tactical skills. What I want most is to learn to move the way you do.”
“Oh, baby,” Liam said, nuzzling his cheek against Aidan’s. “Let me show you some moves.”
Want to see how Aidan and Liam work together? Check out the second book in the series, Dancing with the Tide. Here’s the first chapter:
Dancing with the Tide – 1 – Game On
My assailant came at me fast, his right fist clenched, his left arm extended. He was taller than I was, bigger, and stronger, and I felt an adrenaline-laced surge of fear as his beefy arm wrapped around my neck in a choke hold.
But I remembered my lessons, lowered my head so it was below his jaw, then surged upward.
He broke the hold as his head slammed back, and he staggered for a moment. But there was no room for me to escape, and he came at me again, this time keeping his head down. I couldn’t help noticing the two brown coins of his nipples against his sleek, bare chest, the way his biceps rippled and his broad shoulders led down to his narrow waist.
He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close to him again, though keeping my head down. His skin was slippery from oil and sweat, and it was hard to get a purchase on him.
I was shirtless and slippery too, though, and I tried to slide out of his grasp. But he was too quick, and he kicked my legs out from under me. We fell to the faded mat below us, him on top, pinning me to the ground. With one last surge of energy, I brought my knee up to his groin.
“Not that again,” he said, moving out of reach at th
e last minute.
He was focused on my knee, so he wasn’t watching my mouth. I grabbed one nipple between my teeth and bit down.
“Oh, you fucker,” Liam McCullough said, pulling back, then flopping down next to me on the mat. “You can’t turn every fighting lesson into sex play.”
“It got you hard,” I said, reaching over to stroke his dick through the skimpy nylon shorts we both wore for practice. I could feel the vein that ran down the side of his dick and the mushroom cap, already leaking juice.
“Everything about you gets me hard, Aidan,” he said, leaning back against the stucco wall of the living room in the small house we shared. “But if you want to learn to be a bodyguard, you’ve got to focus on training, not on sex.”
“Maybe train some more later.” I reached over and skinned down his shorts, letting his stiff dick bang up against his belly. His flesh was hot and smooth, the muscles of his abdomen rippling. I leaned down and licked my tongue up the length of his dick, which made him shiver. He rested his hands on my shoulders – a subtle pressure to let me know he liked what I was doing.
He shivered as I took the head of his dick in my mouth, pursed my lips around it, and inhaled, creating suction. His dick tasted of sweat and the lemon soap we used in the outdoor shower behind our small house, a few blocks off the Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.
We had met a few months before, when I fled a failed relationship in Philadelphia and ended up following Liam, a professional bodyguard, into the desert on a crazy adventure. We fell in love against a backdrop of terrorists, camels, and endless sand, and I decided I wanted to be a bodyguard too.
Since my only previous work experience had been teaching English as a Second Language, I had a lot to learn when it came to self-defense, weapons use, and moving silently the way Liam did. I had just returned from a five-day training course in Atlanta, where I renewed my CPR certification, learned defensive-driving skills, demonstrated excellent marksmanship, and studied close-protection tactics.
I didn’t need any training, though, when it came to sucking dick. I’d been doing that since I was nineteen, and though I’d been out of practice for a long time, going through a dry spell with my former partner, riding a dick was a lot like riding a bicycle. It came back to you.
Three Wrong Turns in the Desert Page 25
