“Of course not.” Daniel gently touched his shoulder, the contact making Samuel shudder as they looked at each other.
Daniel brushed his brown hair back and Samuel took the time to notice how good-looking he was. He was strong, but not huge with bulging muscles, just naturally fit. Samuel didn’t see many men like him, and even if he did, they didn’t have the caring nature which came with their build, and no man made his heart beat as fast as it was doing.
They were interrupted by his lunch arriving and his friendly nurse hovering by the door, motioning for Daniel to join her outside. Samuel held his chest and took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart rate and stop himself from breathing so fast. Daniel was a nice man, one who helped him, risked his own life to find him in that burning building. One who thought he was a girl until he came here last night, and Samuel shouldn’t confuse kindness with anything else. Not that he was even sure what he was feeling. Samuel had never felt like this before over anyone.
“I won’t be long, Samuel. I just need to say goodbye to Kirsty before she goes home. You eat up. Those sausages look good. I may steal one.”
Daniel waved then closed the door. Samuel bit his nails, watching them both talk outside for a few nervous moments before his stomach turned his attention to the plate of food in front of him. The sausages did look good.
Chapter 5
Daniel took a deep breath as soon as the door shut and met Kirsty’s eyes. “He looks like a different person.”
“He’s eaten and relaxed a little. Now’s a good time to go over the options we talked about this morning. Try to get him in somewhere safe. I wish I could stay, but I'm knackered and I’m back here in a few hours. I need sleep.”
Daniel bent down and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Thanks for helping him. You’ve done far more than you’re supposed to.”
“You too. I’ll probably see you tonight when I get back in for my next shift.” Kirsty pulled on her coat and gave him a little wave before she hurried off home for some well-earned sleep.
Daniel picked up the leaflets and notes she’d left on the counter for him and looked through them while he came up with a good way of slipping this gently into the conversation. He didn’t want to spook Samuel and make him run. Him leaving was the worst thing which could happen, and Daniel wanted him close by. He had his preferred shelter, one which was just a short drive for him to get to if Samuel needed him.
Daniel rubbed his face roughly with his palm. Six years on the job and he’d never felt like this for someone he’d helped, but then Samuel wasn’t like anyone else he had ever met. Seeing him awake and all clean really affected Daniel in a way he hadn’t felt since he first saw Milo, and he never thought he’d feel like that for anyone else. He knew there was no way he could act on those feelings, and he was pretty confident it was some kind of reverse survivor feeling he had and not the real thing, but even if it was, Samuel was someone who had to be treated with kid gloves. God only knew what he’d gone through before this, and Daniel didn’t want to scare him, or take advantage of him in any way.
He drifted off into his own little world, remembering the look in those big blue eyes as they stood motionless staring at each other, remembering the jolt he felt when his thumb connected to Samuel’s cheek.
“Urgh, God.” Daniel closed his eyes and shook himself.
He felt stupid and irresponsible. Even if the look in Samuel’s eyes was what he wanted it to be, he couldn’t trust it. He had enough training to know people in Samuel’s position felt things for the people who rescued them, and that in time, it would slip away. Even without all the other issues in his past, that one reason right there was the one Daniel would force to the front of his mind.
Daniel took a deep breath and made his way back into the room, still reading through the notes and numbers Kirsty left him. Her writing was worse than his.
“Hey, enjoy—” Daniel turned around abruptly when he discovered Samuel half naked, the skinny fit black jeans still hanging too low on his hips as he slipped them on, and his bare, slim chest only covered by his long hair cascading around his frame. “I’m so sorry, Samuel. I should’ve knocked.” Daniel took a deep breath and cursed his cock for betraying him and getting semi-hard.
“It’s okay. I’m not naked or anything.” Samuel chuckled softly and it made Daniel’s confused cock get harder hearing the throaty, sensual sound rolling through those pink lips. “You bought me new clothes. Thank you. You can turn around now.”
Daniel glanced over his shoulder and saw Samuel shimmying the thin sweater he’d picked up for him down his chest and rolling it over his flat stomach. “I’m glad…” He cleared the low growl from his voice by coughing then smiled. “I’m glad they fit. I totally guessed the size. You look good—they look good… on you. They look good on you.” He shook his head and took a deep breath.
“You didn’t have to do this for me.” Samuel ran his fingers down the soft material of the sweater and Daniel followed every tiny movement of them, noticing how long and elegant they were and how the sweater fitted him a little too snugly for his liking. He should have bought big baggy stuff which didn’t enhance every line and shape of Samuel’s body. He didn’t like the thought of other men seeing what he saw right now. “These are so pretty. Thank you.”
“There’s no need to thank me. I wasn’t sure if you lost your things in the fire.” Daniel didn’t want him to think he was a charity case. “I’ve seen people after losing all their belongings in a fire too many times. I thought it might cheer you up a bit. Besides, look at you—me being able to see you in them and looking so happy, that’s a gift back right there.”
Yes, happy. Not sexy, or mind-blowingly attractive. No. Happy.
“So…” Daniel sat down hurriedly, leaning forward, crossing his arms on his knees and hiding his excited state. “You look through your bags? Everything okay? You got everything you need in there?” Deep breaths, Daniel.
“Yes, it’s all there.” Samuel turned and looked out of the big window, staring at the city below him. “I keep saying thank you, but I feel there’s so much more I should be saying to you. It doesn’t feel like enough. You saved my life and I can’t ever find the words to say which would describe how I want to express my gratitude for that. You stayed with me all night, bought me these.” Samuel played with the tips of his hair, twisting it around his fingertips as he spoke. “I don’t know how I could ever repay you for what you’ve done for me.”
He turned to the side and Daniel’s heart stilled in his chest when he caught sight of Samuel’s profile—the sun shining behind him cast some sort of hypnotizing glow around him and he shone like an angel.
For fuck’s sake! An angel? Really, Daniel. Get a grip.
“You being alive is good enough for me. That, and you letting me help you. That would make me happy.”
Samuel turned slowly and sighed. “I knew you were going to say that.”
“You don’t want to make me happy?” Daniel tilted his head and pouted playfully at him.
“Yes.” Samuel smirked a little. “But I can’t let you help me. It’s too… much. I’m okay.”
“Okay is far from what you are, Sweetheart.”
Samuel lifted his gaze from his feet and peeked through his heavy lashes, still twirling his hair around his fingers. “You called me that the first time you saw me.” Samuel bit his lip, looking like he was thinking hard about what to say next.
“Just ask me anything. I won’t be offended.”
“It’s just, well, you thought I was a girl.” He sighed heavily. “I let you think I was one. I wasn’t sure you’d help me if you saw me as male. I thought you might be angry. And the nice names… You don’t have to do this for me.”
“If me calling you sweetheart bothers you—”
“Oh, no. It doesn’t.” Samuel frowned a little and Daniel smiled at how cute he looked. “I just thought… well, it might bother you, so you don’t have to do it. If you’re one of those people who
use those names all the time, then—”
“I don’t use them all the time.” Daniel bit his tongue when that slipped out. “I mean, sometimes, not really…” Urgh. “I’m sorry, I’ve not had much sleep and my brain isn’t working on full power. Can we start again?”
Samuel laughed softly as he sat on the edge of the bed. “You want to help me do what exactly?”
“Find somewhere to live while we sort out everything else.”
“Everything else?” Samuel folded his arms across his chest and looked at his toes, wriggling them in front of Daniel.
A cold sweat began to cover Daniel’s entire body as he watched Samuel. He thought about touching those perfect toes, rolling them in his fingers, taking each one into his…
“Well, I mean something more permeant.” Daniel cleared his throat. He didn’t want to say he knew about the scars. That was too personal. “You mentioned someone was trying to find you. I’m guessing you don’t want them to, and I'm here to help you if you want it.”
“I really don’t think you should get involved with me, Daniel. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Daniel leaned forward and tilted Samuel’s head back, his finger gently caressing the soft skin on Samuel’s chin. “I don’t think you’d be capable of hurting anyone.”
“You’d be surprised.”
Daniel cupped Samuel’s chin in his hand, gently rolling his thumb over his cheekbone. Those lips were so pink. Samuel’s breathing picked up as they stared into each other’s eyes for a few intense moments. “Still don’t buy it, Sweetheart.”
“I'm not sweet.” Samuel delicately removed Daniel’s hand from his face and held it for a moment before he let it go. “Don’t be fooled by how I look. I'm no angel. I'm not good.”
Daniel fisted his hand by his side and stood up, turning to get the paperwork from the table behind them and calming down. Whoever made Samuel feel like he was bad was going to get his fist in their face when he found them. He was a good judge of character and nothing could make Daniel think Samuel was anything but good, no matter what happened to him before they met. And Daniel had some pretty horrible thoughts about what he’d gone through running through his mind right then.
“You're good. And if I want to think of you as sweet or angelic, I will do. That won’t change, no matter what. I'm going to help you whether you want it or not, Samuel. I can’t let you just leave like this. It would be on my mind forever.”
“I know, but… Daniel, please. You have to let me go. I need to leave before the police come.” He sighed heavily, moving to stand behind Daniel and gently placing a hand on his shoulder. “They always come.” His light touch made Daniel breathe slower. Samuel’s slight caresses calming him a little. “You’ve done enough, more than you should. Be happy with that and let me go.”
“I can’t,” Daniel whispered as he clutched the leaflets in his hand.
“Why? I’m sure you’ve rescued people before. I'm no different from them. Let me be one of those and get on with your life.”
Daniel turned around, cupping Samuel’s cheek in one of his hands, the other running down his soft hair. “I don’t want to let you go.”
“Daniel…” Samuel’s big blue eyes covered by those heavy lashes peeked at him. “I’m just going to cause you loads of trouble and complicate your life. You don’t need that.”
“Don’t tell me what I do or don’t need. I know what I want. I mean… what I want to do.” Daniel stepped back and held out the leaflets quickly before he lost control of himself and leaned in to kiss those pink lips. “Just read them and tell me what you think while I get some coffee and snacks.”
Daniel was out of the room and hurrying to the bathroom down the corridor. He slammed the cubicle door shut behind him and banged his forehead on it. What the fuck was wrong with him? One moment he was thinking about the horrors which lurked in Samuel’s past, and the next he wanted to grab hold of him and kiss him like some randy teenager who couldn’t control his dick. He had to get back in control of himself. Shame his cock had other ideas and stayed hard.
Samuel was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. His mind was literally full to bursting with dirty thoughts about him, and no matter how hard he tried to get rid of them, more just seemed to appear.
His tight jeans made his cock ache and Daniel cupped it in his hand, rubbing himself and moaning quietly. It was like his body wasn’t his anymore. He’d lost control and just had to get rid of his erection. Coming was all he could think about as he unzipped his jeans and rolled them to his hips, taking his cock out of his shorts and just staring at it in his hand, wondering why on earth he was so fucking hard. It had been a month since he had sex with Milo, which could be part of the issue. Even then, it wasn’t his cock being thrust into some tight, hot place. It had been six months since that happened with some guy he’d picked up for the night, one whose name he couldn’t even remember the name of.
He ran his thumb over his leaking slit, leaning his head on the door as he slipped his fist down his shaft. He closed his eyes, seeing Samuel writhing naked underneath him, feeling how good he was as Daniel pushed his cock into Samuel’s tight arse, grabbing that long hair in his fists as he rode him hard. The look in those big eyes, Daniel’s name being moaned in that sexy voice. Samuel’s body—light and delicate against him. All the time he thought about Samuel, he pulled his cock, getting harder and thicker, balls lifting, legs shaking with the beginning of his orgasm.
“Fuck!” Daniel spun around and came hard, pointing his cock at the toilet and spurting his cream in the basin. “Shit!” He held onto the wall so he didn’t fall over.
That had to stop. Daniel couldn’t help Samuel with such perverted thoughts running around his head. He was burning up with shame by the time he got outside the cubicle and splashed cold water over his face. He was a horrible person. He felt like punching himself, or maybe finding someone else to do it for him.
Chapter 6
As soon as Daniel left, Samuel slipped his trainers and coat on and was grabbing his bags, watching him rushing down the corridor through a small gap in the door. He knew Daniel wouldn’t just let him walk off, and neither would his friendly nurse Kirsty when she came back tonight. He had to run away now while he had the chance, and before Daniel crept any further into his life.
Samuel ran as soon as Daniel disappeared, heading for the stairs and speeding down them. He made it to the exit on the ground floor and paused for a breath while he got his bearings. He had no idea where he was, but he saw the city in front of him and headed for it. He could lose himself easily there. Manchester was a big place, one where he could lay low for a couple of days then make his way to another city. London was too far and too close to them, so that was out, but there were other options. He would head further north. He wanted out of England, and Scotland seemed like a great place to start over again.
He hooked a bag over each shoulder and ran, but his chest still hurt and breathing wasn’t easy, so he had to stop and cough while he caught his breath. He could see the road ahead, and if he just got out of the parking lot, it would make him feel better.
He stuck to the path, tying his hair back and tucking it under his coat before pulling on a cap and ducking his head as he watched his feet hitting the ground. He’d got to the end of the road ten minutes later when a car pulling up next to him made him jump. Its tires screeched to a halt. He turned and gasped when he saw Daniel jumping out of the car.
“You ran!” Daniel threw his arms in the air. “I can’t believe it.”
“I can’t stay there, you can’t make me. I don’t want to be there and I don’t want to be with you.”
“You can’t just…” Daniel sucked in a deep breath and held his palms up to Samuel. “Okay, I'm sorry. I don’t want to force you to do anything you’re not okay with, but I need to make sure you’re safe. Please, Samuel. Just give me another night.”
“I'm not staying in there. The police will come, they always do, and I'm not talk
ing to them anymore.”
Daniel’s shoulders sagged and he looked to the sky. “Come home with me.”
“What?” Samuel took a step backwards.
“Just for the night. You can give me one night. Just to talk. Nothing more.” Daniel met his gaze and gave Samuel the most pleading look he’d ever seen.
“Urgh, Daniel.” Samuel looked at his feet and sighed. “I don’t want to talk about the stuff you need to hear.”
“All I need to hear is how to help you, nothing more. Just let me try to do that. I promise you don’t have to speak to the police. Just talk to me. I'm a good listener. And I can order food like no one else you’ve ever met.” Daniel grinned. “I can’t cook for shit and the house is a real mess, but it’s better than a cold night sleeping on the ground while it rains. And your chest still isn’t right—get a cold now and you’ll be stuck with it for ages.” Daniel placed his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels. “Did I do something to make you run? Because I feel like I did, and I want you to know I didn’t mean anything wrong.”
Samuel shook his head and gently held Daniel’s arm. “It wasn’t anything you did, just what you wanted to do.”
Daniel’s eyebrows hit his hairline and he paled. Samuel didn’t know what he'd said wrong, but he tightened his grip and smiled.
“I meant by you wanting to help me, that’s all.”
“Okay.” Daniel ran his fingers through his hair and nodded. “I just want to help, that’s all. I understand you don’t know me, and you may not trust me a lot, but I promise I’m a good person and I would never break your trust by doing anything you didn’t want me to do.”
Samuel bit his lip and looked to his feet. Was he that easy to read? Had Daniel guessed his past already? “I trust you.”
“Then come home with me. I’ll call Kirsty up tonight and let her know you’re alright. I won’t tell her where you are. I won’t tell anyone, okay?” Daniel moved closer, gently tilting Samuel’s head back so they looked into each other’s eyes. “Please, Samuel.”
Manchester Ménage 01 - Saving Samuel Page 4
