by Nora Phoenix
7
Connor woke up at o’dark thirty the next morning, as usual. He’d always been a morning person, but ever since basic training, his internal alarm clock would wake him at 05:00. Even now, in a strange bed, he was instantly awake at that time.
Josh was still deeply asleep, his warm body snuggled up against Connor’s. His head rested on Connor’s right arm, and he’d draped his knee over Connor’s right leg. His warm breath tickled Connor’s skin, making him all weak inside. A body could get used to this easily, he thought.
He’d never woken up with someone else in his bed, in his arms. Not that he minded. Hell, no. Josh was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Being needed, wanted, craved even, it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Connor had no intention of letting Josh go, not even with the whole Indy situation.
Indy’s safety was the key in all this. He needed to find a way to keep Indy safe while bringing his family to justice. Both Noah and Josh had made clear the boy’s wishes came first. Connor could respect that, but there had to be a way to accomplish both. Staying hidden was an understandable short-term strategy, but as a Marine, Connor had been taught to always take the long view. Indy would never be safe until Duncan and those loyal to him were either in prison or dead. But the only way Duncan would ever be sentenced to jail was if Indy testified against him, which would put him in incredible danger. The question was: how could Connor help bring his family down while at the same time keep Indy safe?
Now that he had formulated the problem, he let it go. His mind worked best in the background, mulling things over quietly while doing something else. So he focused on Josh and the mind-blowing sex they’d had the day before.
God, it had been amazing how Josh had not only taken him in all the way but had loved it. He’d come so hard from being fucked without even touching himself. What had Josh been thinking about that last time he’d come? Connor had mentioned punishing him, and Josh had erupted seconds later. It had been a heat of the moment, impulse remark. Connor had read about edging and how denying yourself release for a prolonged time would make your orgasm so much more intense. Since he had no chance in hell of doing it himself at this stage—fuck, the overwhelming sensation of being buried completely inside Josh was far too much of a turn-on to not come—he’d figured he’d let Josh give it a go. Obviously, he needed to work on his Dom skills. Or had Josh come because the idea of being punished turned him on rather than off? Hmm. That definitely opens up all kinds of kinky shit we can explore.
Fuck, there was so much he wanted to try with Josh, so much he longed to experience for the first time with this man. Would he get the chance? Would they ever get the opportunity, as a couple? He understood so much more about the relationship between Josh and Noah now, had seen how deep their love ran. It brought back all the reasons why he’d been hesitant to pursue Josh in the first place, this deep conviction that he had so little to offer the guy.
You can’t compete with Noah, with the history they have, not even with the sweetness Indy has. They’d be better off as a threesome. It makes way more sense than Josh choosing you. And if they ever find out what you knew, they’ll never want anything to do with you ever again.
A sliver of desperation danced down his spine. He’d tell them, but later. When they’d had a chance to get to know him, to trust him. If he told them now, he’d throw away any chance of a future with Josh. And fuck, he couldn’t lose him. Not when he’d only gotten him.
Connor turned his head to watch Josh sleep. It was still dark outside, but the room was light enough he could make out Josh's face. His full lips were almost pouting, begging to be kissed until they were all swollen and wet. His dark stubble contrasted with his skin. It had rasped deliciously against Connor’s thighs and stomach when Josh had sucked him off, had kissed him everywhere. Connor sighed softly. Josh was so cute, so undeniably hot. What could he possibly offer him?
Well, there was the Dom/sub dynamic. Josh craved to be dominated, that much had become clear. Peace had shown on his face, in his eyes, when he’d submitted to Connor. And fuck, it had turned Connor on. He definitely needed to get more experience so he could bring more pleasure to Josh. And to himself, but in all honesty that did come second. Maybe that would be enough to keep Josh interested? Because other than that…
Connor frowned. He was boring. His life was boring. Being a cop was fulfilling to a degree, but outside his job he had little that excited him. Meeting Josh had changed that. He’d not been able to put him out of his mind after their first meet. His sweet, shy glances in that store, his awkward conversation, and the light banter with Indy. Maybe love at first sight did exist because if he’d been attracted to Josh initially, what he felt after spending one night with him was infinitely more.
Josh let out the softest sigh, and the pink tip of his tongue peeked out of his mouth to moisten his lips. The sight shot straight to Connor’s balls. He wanted to kiss him until they ran out of breath, had to come up for air, and then do it all over again.
He reached out for Josh, gently pulled him closer and brought his mouth to Josh's lips for the softest kiss. It was a butterfly, feather light, a tickling tease of his tongue and lips. Josh moaned in his mouth, still half-asleep, and Connor kissed him again, with slightly more pressure. Josh melted against his mouth, opened up. Connor slipped his tongue in, probed and coaxed until Josh responded.
He never opened his eyes, but Connor felt him wake up, become aware, then deepen the kiss. He rolled on his back, pulling Josh on top of him. There was something about the sensation of Josh on top of him that fired up every nerve in Connor’s body. It felt so right, so perfect. Every hard angle of their bodies fit, naked skin teasing naked skin. Connor let his hands travel south, put them on that perfect ass he had pounded the night before.
Finally, Josh opened those crystal clear blue eyes. “Damn, Connor, that’s how I prefer my wake-up call,” he whispered against Connor’s mouth after minutes of soft, moist kissing.
“I know it’s still early, but I couldn’t wait anymore,” Connor confessed.
His words brought the sweetest smile to Josh's mouth, his lips curving and his cheeks dimpling. He cupped Connor’s cheek in a tender gesture, and Connor kissed his hand.
“You’re ready for another round?” Josh teased.
“No!” Connor was way too loud, and Josh quickly put a hand over his mouth. Connor nodded he understood, and Josh took his hand away. “No, Josh, that’s not why…I wanted to spend time with you, that’s all.”
Five minutes. Josh was awake for five minutes, and already Connor was messing it up again. He sucked so badly at this.
“I know. I was teasing you,” Josh said softly.
“I don’t ever want you to think that it’s about sex. Ever.”
“But you liked the sex, right?” Josh asked, furrowing his brows.
“Fuck, yes. Shit, I’m fucking this up completely. I love the sex with you. You know it was mind-blowing. I just don’t want you to think I’m here only because of that. I like you for you, not because you…”
He swallowed as images from the previous night flooded him. Josh's mouth on his cock, milking him till the last drop. Josh on top of him, lowering himself on Connor’s cock. Josh leaning over the bed, Connor fucking the living daylights out of him. The two of them completely spent in each other’s arms. As if his body wanted to fuck up the situation even more, he grew rock hard instantly, his cock dangerously close to Josh's ass.
Josh chuckled. “You were saying?” he said, rubbing his crotch against Connor’s.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Connor said, somewhat deflated.
“I think the Beast disagrees with you on how much you want another round.”
“The Beast?”
Josh kissed him, smiled. “Your cock. I dubbed it the Beast.”
“You named my cock the Beast?” Connor didn’t know whether to laugh or be insulted in some way.
“Aptly named, right?”
“Ye
ah, but shouldn’t the honor of naming it fall to its actual owner, you know, me?”
“Did it have a name?” Josh wanted to know.
“Erm, no, not really.”
“Then I think the honor falls to the guy taking it up his ass. The Beast it is.”
Connor couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, you win. But you do understand considering the fairy tale, this makes your ass the Beauty, right?”
The expression on Josh's face was priceless, and Connor laughed again. Josh's look changed, softened. “You should laugh more often,” he said. “You’re damn sexy when you do.”
For breathless seconds, they looked at each other. Then Josh lowered his mouth to Connor’s and kissed him senseless.
Josh was still catching his breath after coming all over Connor’s hand when the door of their room suddenly opened. The click of crutches gave away Noah’s presence. What the hell did Noah think he was doing, barging in like that?
“Noah, get the fuck out of that room,” Indy shouted.
Josh shot up in bed, covering Connor with the stained and crumpled sheets in a reflex.
“I just want to…”
It was clear Noah wasn’t talking to them but to Indy who was apparently in the hallway.
Indy yelled, “I don’t give a flying fuck what you want. You don’t barge into someone else’s room when you damn well know they’re busy. If you need Josh that urgently, you can knock and wait for him to answer.”
“But I need him to…”
“Don’t fucking lie to me. There’s no reason why you need Josh right now, except for this ridiculous urge of you to storm in and catch them in the act. Seriously, Noah, get the fuck out, or I won’t let you touch me for a week.”
“You wouldn’t…”
Josh grinned despite his stress levels being sky high. “He totally would,” he mouthed to Connor, who was equally tense.
“Try me.” Indy’s voice was cold as steel.
Two seconds was all it took before the door closed. “I’m sorry, baby.” Noah’s voice was muffled, making Josh suspect he was hugging Indy. Indy’s reply was too soft to hear, as was Noah’s low voice back.
“Sorry, guys!” Noah then called out, his tone not quite convincing.
Josh lowered himself again on his side, forcing himself to exhale and let out the tension in his body. “Noah doesn’t stand a chance against Indy when he puts his foot down.”
Connor relaxed visibly. “I didn’t think Noah ever backed down from a fight.”
“He doesn’t, but Indy knows his weak spots by now. Plus, he’s steel covered in a small, pretty package. He calls Noah out on his shit.”
“It seems they’re well matched then.”
Josh smiled. “They are. Honestly, Connor, I’m happy for them.”
Connor searched his face, then nodded. “I’m afraid we made a bit of a mess of this bed.”
Josh shrugged carelessly. “That’s why we have a washing machine. We have tons of sheets and covers for exactly that reason.” He blushed fiercely when his own words registered with him. Damn, he had to be more careful around Connor and not remind him constantly of the sex with Noah.
“It’s okay, Josh,” Connor said.
Josh swallowed, composed himself. “Noah left the door unlocked. You wanna grab a shower?”
“Together?”
It wasn’t what Josh had intended, but now that it was on the table, the idea appealed to him. Immensely. After all, Connor had jerked him off, but Josh hadn’t been able to repay the favor because of Noah’s interruption.
“Yeah. We’ll use the master bathroom. It’s got a huge shower that’s big enough for the Beauty and the Beast,” he added, laughing.
There was that smile again, that big grin on Connor’s face that made Josh's belly all weak and fuzzy.
“Lead the way,” Connor said, still smiling.
Josh got out of bed, groaned when his body protested. He flicked on the lamp on the night table, stretched slowly to work the kinks out of his stiff and achy body. Connor gasped.
“Josh, I’m so sorry.”
Josh turned around, found Connor sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at him with eyes wide open. He quickly looked down to see what had the man so flustered. He found his waist was covered in bruises, ranging from light to a few darker ones on his lower back. They perfectly matched Connor’s fingers.
“I bruise easily,” he shrugged. The slight throb of the bruises bothered him way less than the sting in his ass. Yup, he was now paying for the sloppy prep before their last fuck. It was a painful reminder he needed to do a better job loosening himself considering the size of the Beast.
Connor was studying him in silent horror, his shoulders sagging and his hand rubbing his chin. “Connor, it’s okay,” Josh said.
“How can it be okay? I hurt you. Damn it, Josh, you should’ve said something.”
Josh stepped in between Connor’s legs, put his hands under Connor’s jaw to make him look up. “I loved every second yesterday. I didn’t feel these when you made them, I swear. And if I did, it only contributed to my arousal. I wanted you to be rough, and when you fucked me that hard, I saw stars, okay? A few bruises seem like a small price to pay.”
Connor’s eyes narrowed. “You’re walking carefully, which means you’re hurting inside as well.”
Josh should’ve known nothing escaped the observant cop. “Yeah, my ass stings. But I did that myself, okay? You told me to loosen myself and prep, and I rushed it, was impatient to get fucked. That turns out to be a bad idea considering your size. Lesson learned.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
Josh leaned in, kissed Connor softly. “What if I want you to?”
“Do you?”
“The idea of you spanking me made me get off yesterday… Baby, I like a bit of pain with the pleasure.” Josh bit his lip. Would Connor think he was perverted? You are. Shit, he has no idea of what you want him to do to you.
“You want me to spank you?” Connor’s voice was hoarse, but it wasn’t disgust on his face. It was pure, unadulterated lust.
Josh nodded.
Connor dropped his hands to Josh's ass cheeks, rubbed them gently. “Here?”
Josh could barely breathe, nodded again.
“Okay.”
Josh stilled, searched for Connor’s eyes, insecure he’d understood correctly. “Yeah?”
“Yes. What else would you like, baby?”
Josh cast his eyes down, shivers dancing on his spine. Connor had reacted well to the spanking. Maybe he was into this shit as well? Could he risk it?
“Maybe tie me up?”
“Okay.”
Emboldened, Josh raised his eyes. God, Connor’s eyes were on fire, practically devouring him. Josh asked, “You’d like that?”
“Fuck, yes. You have no idea what I want to do to you, with you. But I wanna do this right, so we’ll do research, okay? We’ll figure it out together.”
“Together,” Josh repeated, pretty sure he had the goofiest smile ever on his face.
“Now get your beautiful ass in that shower so I can stare at it some more. Haven’t had my fill quite yet.”
It took them half an hour to shower, get dressed, and show up downstairs. It would’ve been way less if they hadn’t gotten distracted by hand jobs and kissing and more rubbing and jerking and kissing. They were like teenagers who couldn’t keep their hands off each other, Josh mused as they finally made their way downstairs.
Noah was in his usual spot, reading the paper, while Indy was carefully cutting up ingredients for an omelet, the tip of his tongue sticking out between his lips. In the months Josh had been teaching him to cook, he’d gotten quite handy in the kitchen.
Josh walked over, hugged him from behind. “Hey, gorgeous,” he said. Indy leaned back, turned his head sideways and kissed him on his mouth, as they so often did. They both stilled as they became aware of Connor.
“Sorry,” Indy said, stepping away and shooting an apologetic
look Connor’s way. “Force of habit.”
Josh cringed, realized he hadn’t quite filled in Connor on the details of his relationship with Indy.
“It’s okay,” Connor said, much to Josh's surprise. “I understand that Josh is kind of a package deal with you and Noah.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Noah asked.
Josh held his breath, waiting for Connor’s answer. “Yes. But Josh has to ask me for permission if he wants to do anything more than kiss either of you.”
Damn, Josh felt Connor’s authority reach deep inside him, pushing all those needy submissive buttons.
Noah raised his eyebrows, looked at Josh. He wouldn’t accept Connor’s words at face value, would want to make sure this was what Josh wanted. “Does he now?”
Josh didn’t hesitate for even a second. He nodded happily. “I do.” He turned to Connor, shot him a look of pure gratitude. “Thank you.”
Connor merely held out his hand, and Josh stepped in, took it, allowed himself to be pulled close to his man. Because that’s what Connor was, his man. He was communicating in crystal clear terms that the pecking order had changed and that Josh was his now. And damn, if that didn’t make Josh all gooey and giddy inside. But would Noah accept it?
Josh found Noah’s green eyes studying him and Connor, assessing. Josh tensed. Please, be okay with this. He couldn’t do it without Noah’s blessing, even if it was implicit. If Noah and Connor would be bickering all the time, it would be impossible for Josh. He couldn’t live with that kind of constant friction.
“Okay, then,” Noah said. He focused on Connor, narrowed his eyes.
Connor sighed dramatically, rolled his eyes. “I know. If I hurt him, you’ll feed my balls to wild dogs or something equally appealing. I get it.”
The corner of Noah’s mouth pulled up. Josh smiled. Noah liked Connor, even if he hated him a little bit at the same time. They were two alphas determining a pecking order when it came to Josh, and that wasn’t easy.
“I’m glad we understand each other,” Noah said, not quite pulling off the menacing look he was aiming for.
