Assassin's Return

by Marie Medina

  Quentin mulled those words over. “No more missions?”

  “I would still like for him to be one of Julianna’s protectors if she travels without me, but he’d never be alone in that duty. But no, no more missions of the kind he was doing. I believe we can replace him before someone is needed for that again.”

  “So he’d only be training others and managing the information? Planning, not doing?”

  “Yes.”

  He turned to Samuel. “Is that what you want?”

  Samuel met his gaze. “It’s much safer.”

  “That’s not what I asked.”

  Samuel seemed hesitant.

  Quentin touched his hand and said, “I said I don’t care where home is. What you do.”

  “You said that after you saw me bleeding.”

  “I love you. And I want you to be happy. You can say all you need is me and Jesse, but you have to have something else in your life.”

  “I do want a change like this. One day.”

  Quentin looked to the king. “Then he accepts. And he’ll start this new job … one day.”

  Samuel leaned forward and said, “We can think about it, Quentin. We can—”

  Quentin held his hand up. “You signed a contract with the king. Isn’t it treason to break it?”

  Samuel blinked, seeming surprised. “Well, you’ve never expressed a desire to travel. You love the country. And there’s the farm to think of. Don’t you want more time? Even if you have changed your mind about what I do?”

  “It can be sold. Or my rich lover can pay a caretaker.” Quentin actually rolled his eyes. “We’ll figure it out together because we’ll be together.”

  “But would you really want to live there? In such a big, noisy place with so many people?”

  “I want to be by your side. I think we’ve wasted enough time. And Jesse will get to see so much more of the world.”

  “And get spoiled by me,” Jareth said. “He’ll love it there. I already know what to get him for his birthday!”

  “Stop joking,” Samuel said.

  “I’m not! I have a beautiful spotted pony with unusually short legs. Just the size for a toddler.”

  Samuel groaned but then turned to Quentin. “We don’t have to decide tonight.”

  “Why not? It makes the most sense. You’ll need something besides milking cows and chopping trees to give you purpose.”

  “But what will you do?”

  “Probably roam the palace all day looking for Jesse,” Quentin said with a grin.

  “I’m serious.”

  Quentin tilted his head. “Your Majesty? Any jobs that need filling?”

  “We can certainly find something. And there is a dairy farm about a mile from the palace, to the south. It’s very large, so I’m sure they could use an extra pair of hands.”

  Quentin turned back to Samuel and said, “It’s your decision, I guess, but you’re making this harder than it has to be.”

  “Am I?” Samuel said softly.

  Quentin nodded slowly. “Yep.”

  To Jareth, Samuel said, “Then I guess you should plan on us going back with you. We can work out the details later.” Then he took Quentin’s hand and pulled him up.

  “An excellent plan,” Jareth said, smiling at them and lifting his glass to his lips.

  “What’s your rush?” Quentin asked as he was dragged to the door.

  “What do you think?” Samuel said under his breath.

  Quentin allowed himself to be hustled down the hallway and into their room, where Samuel had him pinned to the door the moment it was closed.

  ****

  Samuel kissed Quentin deeply and pressed close as relief washed over him. He let Quentin break the kiss so they could both breathe, but he continued kissing Quentin’s face and neck.

  “Why did you rush us out of there?” Quentin asked.

  “Because I was so happy about your response I knew I couldn’t keep my hands off you much longer. I know you said you’d changed your mind, but I thought you’d jump at Jareth’s offer.” He paused and held Quentin’s face a moment. “It means so much to me that you gave me a choice. That you want me to be happy in every way.” He yanked Quentin’s robes open, needing to touch more of him. “And I want to be sure of something before we leave here.” His tongue traced a trail across Quentin’s body before teasing one of his nipples.

  “Sure of something?” Quentin gave a husky laugh as Samuel’s hands and lips moved over his body. “You’ve ravished me every chance you got for the past three days. I think we’re covered there.”

  “Two days,” Samuel said, correcting him. “You were fussing over me after I was injured and wouldn’t let me do all the things I wanted to that night, even though you’d just said you loved me and I practically begged you.”

  “I won’t apologize for being concerned.” Quentin poked Samuel’s shoulder. “I wanted our first time to be perfect. And it was.”

  Samuel drew Quentin into his arms again and kissed him. Their first time had gone far better than he’d expected, Quentin’s nervousness evaporating quickly as they touched and explored. He’d been unable to get enough of the man since sliding into him for the first time. He released Quentin and stroked his cheek. “It’s something else I wish to be sure of.”

  As his lover looked at him with curious eyes, Samuel knelt and pressed his forehead to Quentin’s stomach, kissing his flesh gently. He looked up and said, “Will you marry me?”

  Quentin’s mouth fell open. “I … I was only teasing earlier. I don’t expect you to marry me just because I’m coming with you.”

  “But what are we waiting for? We know all we could ever need to know about each other. And you love me, right?”

  “Yes,” Quentin said, a shaky smile on his lips.

  “And I love you. I hesitated too long, questioning myself and my feelings too much. It was stupid. You knew we were right together within a few days, even with the doubts and fears you had. I want to marry you. Really be a family with you and Jesse.”

  Quentin grinned and nodded. “All right then.”

  “All right then?” Samuel rose, watching Quentin try to control his laughter. He pinned his lover to the door again. “You did not just answer my marriage proposal with all right then.”

  “I believe I did.” Quentin brushed their lips together. “Take it or leave it, tough guy.”

  Samuel hoisted Quentin into his arms by reaching under his ass and lifting him off the floor. “I’ll take it. And you.”

  Quentin wrapped his arms and legs around Samuel and looked into his eyes. He ran one hand into Samuel’s hair as Samuel lowered him to the bed. “Still a little surreal,” Quentin said softly. “But amazing.”

  “Me? Or the huge cock up your ass?” Samuel asked with a grin, unable to hold back his happiness.

  “Everything. How stuff works out.” He continued caressing Samuel’s hair. “We’re pretty damned lucky. And I see what a fool I was.”

  “We are lucky, and you aren’t a fool. You’re my little worrier who always needs a plan. I think we’ll balance each other nicely.” Samuel stripped his own robes off, ripping them in one place in his haste, and then he climbed on top of Quentin again. “Hope there’s some oil around here. I can’t wait to be inside you.”

  Quentin chuckled. “I’m sure the king has some.”

  Samuel rolled his eyes. “And you were scared of him a week ago.” He shook his head and looked around, spotting a bottle on the dresser. He rose and grabbed it, uncorking it to make sure it was what they needed. It smelled strongly of lavender, but at the moment he didn’t care what it smelled like. He set it on the nightstand and then knelt by the bed to suck Quentin’s cock.

  Quentin gave the sweetest little gasp and thrust gently as Samuel took him deep. Samuel let his fingers stray to Quentin’s pucker, playing with it tentatively as he sucked. When Quentin began to moan, Samuel rose and twirled his finger in a circle. “Hands and knees, baby.”

  Quentin
smiled and eagerly obeyed, though he cried out when Samuel spread his cheeks and licked up and down the length of his crack. Quentin had his face partially buried against a pillow by the time Samuel’s tongue slid into him. Samuel stroked Quentin’s cock as he rimmed him, and his lover was leaking so much pre-cum he could wait no longer. He quickly slicked himself and then prepared Quentin, teasing him and moving his fingers in and out as slowly as he could manage.

  After wiping his hands, Samuel rolled Quentin to his back and climbed onto the bed, hooking Quentin’s legs over his elbows. What he loved most about entering Quentin was the look of trust in his eyes. Samuel had never before seen such sweet vulnerability in a lover’s eyes.

  Samuel entered slowly. Even though Quentin hadn’t been reticent about anything they’d done in bed yet, Samuel took care with him, never wanting to cause him any discomfort. Quentin unhooked one leg and wrapped it around him and then linked his hands behind Samuel’s neck. Samuel moved his now free arm down to stroke his lover’s cock.

  Quentin’s eyes rolled back, and he bit his lip as he came. Samuel felt his own body quicken as he looked down to watch Quentin’s cum spilling from his cock. The way Quentin’s hole spasmed around him almost made him lose control. He carefully pumped every drop from him, chuckling as he nuzzled Quentin’s neck. “You respond to me so fast,” Samuel said, grazing his teeth over Quentin’s neck. “Wanna fuck you so hard right now.”

  ****

  Quentin opened his eyes and looked up at Samuel. “Do it. Fuck me until I’m hard again. Until I come again.”

  Samuel moaned. “Don’t wanna hurt you.”

  “You won’t,” Quentin said, his body already desperate for more. The feel of Samuel’s hard length buried inside him was already driving him wild. His body had slowed its spasms, but his channel still throbbed around Samuel’s cock. He grabbed Samuel’s hand and licked the cum off two of his fingers. “Take me again.”

  Samuel shuddered as he began slow strokes. To encourage him, Quentin squeezed his channel and arched into his strokes. The emotions washing over him were just like their first time. The sense of being loved and accepted overwhelmed him. When they were joined, they were part of something bigger than either of them. He hadn’t said as much yet, but he believed Samuel felt the same, especially given the way Samuel looked down at him now.

  “I love you,” Quentin said.

  Samuel pressed their foreheads together. “Love you, too.” His thrusts became more erratic as his breath came out in pants.

  Quentin moved in time with Samuel’s strokes as best he could, loving the frenzied pace. He came again, the hot cum spurting over his chest once more. He always came before Samuel, but he knew the other man liked it that way. They gazed into each other’s eyes as Quentin’s trembling hit its peak and Samuel’s was only just beginning. Quentin moaned at the feel of the cum filling him. Nothing had ever felt so good or so right before.

  Quentin sighed sleepily as Samuel cleaned him up, both with his tongue and with a towel. Then they settled on top of the covers together, Quentin leaning close to listen to Samuel’s strong heartbeat.

  “When I left with the king all those years ago, I thought I’d probably never marry at all,” Samuel said.

  “What did he tell you all those years ago?” Quentin asked.

  “He said I would have lots of adventures and live a life that would be worth remembering. He promised I’d be proud of my work.”

  “And that’s what hooked you?”

  “Sort of. It was good money. And a position with the king. You can’t rise much higher than that.” He paused. “And there was a guy.”

  “I’d wondered about that, given some of the stories you’d tell.”

  “He was one of Jareth’s grooms. A few years older. Good man, but it didn’t last.”

  “You were never with a woman at all? You missed out, if you didn’t even try.”

  Samuel chuckled. “No. What am I missing?”

  “Breasts are pretty nice. All the other soft curves, too. The way they sigh and smell.”

  Samuel rolled to his side and put one finger on Quentin’s lips. “You trying to make me jealous?”

  “No. Just saying.”

  “Mmmm hmmm.”

  Quentin took the hand Samuel held at his lips. “But it’s not about any of that. I wouldn’t trade any experience for what we have.” He settled his head on the pillow he’d been gripping earlier. “It is surreal, like I said, because you were something else to me for so long. But I wouldn’t be here like this if I weren’t sure.” He kissed Samuel’s hand. “I’m excited about the three of us being together every day.”

  “But you have to tell me if you aren’t happy. At any time. About anything.”

  Quentin smiled. “I will.” He looked at their joined hands. “We’re gonna need rings.”

  Samuel sighed, looking happy and relaxed. “We are. And I don’t want to hear a word about the cost.”

  “Hmmm. All right. But just with this. In future, I’m only going to let you get away with spoiling Jesse. I don’t need fancy things.”

  “But you’re going to get them.”

  “Says you.”

  Samuel rolled him to his back. “Yes. Says me.”

  “Aren’t you tired?” Quentin asked softly, even as his body responded to the feel of Samuel against him. He’d never imagined himself with this kind of stamina, but somehow, he always responded to Samuel’s touch.

  “Not at all,” Samuel said before capturing his lips.

  Epilogue

  Samuel waved one final time as Jareth’s carriage pulled away. The king would be returning in six weeks with Julianna and many of Samuel’s friends to attend his wedding to Quentin and help the two of them with their move to the royal dominion. Samuel had been shocked the king was giving him so much time off, but he wasn’t about to question it.

  A crash came from behind him, and Samuel turned back to the house and dashed inside. He found Jesse in the middle of a pile of crates, looking completely innocent somehow.

  “What’s going on in here?” Samuel asked.

  Quentin gave him a strained smile. “He’s making a fort with the crates, but he’s then knocking them down. I wish I’d never taught him to make a sand castle. It’s given him destructive tendencies.”

  Samuel laughed. “At least you’re both all right.”

  Quentin looked around. “I don’t know where to start packing.”

  “We have plenty of time.”

  “But we have a wedding to plan. That’s going to take lots of time and effort.”

  “And we’ll get it all done. Anything that doesn’t have special value can be left. Whoever buys the farm might need it.”

  “But then we’ll have lots to buy when we move.”

  Samuel crossed his arms. “I have a home there, you know. And I cook. We’ll be fine.”

  Quentin smiled, looking apologetic. “Sorry. I’m a worrier.”

  Taking Quentin into his arms, Samuel said, “Well, now you have someone to share all your worries with.”

  “I do. And that’s good because I have a ton.”

  “A ton? I wouldn’t go that far.”

  Quentin’s eyes went wide as he tore from Samuel’s arms and pushed past him, reaching the small dish cabinet just before Jesse leapt off it. He drew the little boy into his arms and hugged him before giving him to Samuel. “Go with your father. It’s time he pulled his weight since he’s been claiming you all these years.”

  Samuel shifted Jesse to his other arm and paused. “So, what do we tell him one day?”

  Quentin looked at them both and then drew them into a hug. To Samuel, he said, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. But I think he’s going to be so loved he won’t care either way.”

  Samuel smiled. “I hope so.” He kissed Quentin and then headed for the door. “Come on. Let’s get out of Uncle Quen’s way.”

  Once they were outside, Samuel let Jesse down and took his hand. “Glad I took
your advice, little man. I should’ve gone for it a long time ago.”

  Jesse pulled his hand away and took off running. After one last glance back at the house, where Quentin stood by a cabinet sorting dishes, Samuel smiled again and took off after the little boy who’d changed everything for all of them without even knowing it.

  The End

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  Other Books by Marie Medina:

  www.evernightpublishing.com/marie-medina

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