by Ella Frank
Both our hands were working his erection now, and when he began to thrust his hips at a faster pace, fucking down into the mattress, my brain nearly short-circuited.
Xander was splayed out half on his side, half on his stomach, with one of his legs angled up toward his chest. Not about to miss out on getting as close to him as possible, I let go of him for a second and tugged his briefs free of his ass.
Once the material was out of my way, I jerked my own down, then wrapped my hand around him again, my bare cock quickly finding a home between his tight ass cheeks.
“Damn, Xander.”
“Ahh,” he panted, and shoved back against me.
Christ. His entire body was practically vibrating like a live wire. When I picked up the pace, so did his hips. Not about to risk re-injuring myself, I let Xander do most of the work, encouraging him to use me in the most primal way.
I kissed my way along his bare shoulder and up his neck. “Lately I’ve been thinking about how good it’s gonna feel when I finally get inside you, and I gotta say, if this is the warmup, you just might kill me.”
“Fuck,” Xander said, and then tensed.
I bit down into his shoulder and rolled my hips forward. “Soon, Xander. Soon, I’m gonna get better, and when I am, I’m gonna get inside you, and you’re gonna teach me exactly what you like.”
“Yes…”
Xander’s body shook, and when his cock pulsated and cum shot out over our hands, my body responded. I gave a final thrust between his tight cheeks, and imagined how it would feel to do that buried deep inside him.
I had no point of reference when it came to sex with a man, but I had to believe it would be unlike anything I could dream of. Xander was all taut, lean muscles, his entire body attuned to me in ways I never imagined possible. So I could only imagine that that final connection would blow my mind, and it was that image that sent me over the edge.
As the harshness of our breathing settled, I slowly let him go and ran my sticky fingers over the curve of his naked hip. His skin was smooth, his body warm, and when Xander turned his head, his satisfied smile made my heart really fucking happy.
“Hey.”
“Hey. That was…”
I leaned in to him and whispered against his lips, “Perfect?”
“Mhmm.” His eyes fluttered shut and then quickly reopened. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
I chuckled at his worried expression. “No. But it would’ve been worth it. Damn, that was… It was really fucking hot.”
Xander pushed the covers back and sat up on the edge of the bed. “Where are you going?” I asked.
He ran his eyes over me and smirked. “To clean up. Somehow, I ended up a mess all over.”
As he walked around the end of the bed, my cock, unbelievably, stiffened. “Should I apologize?”
Xander licked his lips. “Never. I loved getting messy with you.”
Fuck…
“Sean?” Xander said when he reached the bedroom door.
“Yeah?”
“When do you think you’re going to be…better?”
As my words from a minute ago ran through my head, I reached down to palm my reawakened cock.
“As soon as possible is the plan.”
Xander eyed my hand, and then the sexiest, flirtiest smile I’d ever seen in my life curled his lips. “Good, because I can’t wait to teach you all of the things that I like.”
I groaned as he disappeared down the hall, and all I could think was: I can’t fucking wait to learn.
19
Xander
“ONE PIECE OF toast or two?”
I stuck my head out of the bathroom and called down the hall to Sean, “One, please,” then moved back in front of the mirror to look myself over a final time.
Today was my first day back at work, and if anyone could’ve seen me right now, they would’ve laughed. I was as nervous as an intern on his first day.
Sean was pretty much back to his usual self. No more meds, and no more pain. I was finally getting more than a few hours’ sleep at night, and after rearranging his kitchen cupboards and painting his living room wall a light blue, I was sure I wasn’t the only one ready for me to be out of the house.
I looked at my watch and grimaced. Unlike my old schedule, where I’d be up at five and scouring the news online to see what was going on in the world, I was running a little late. Not that I was complaining; it wasn’t easy to get out of bed when there was a warm body tempting you to stay. And Sean’s brand of coercion was one I was finding more and more difficult to resist.
As it was, it was coming up on nine, and I’d need to leave in an hour or so if I was going to make it into the city without breaking any laws. A final once-over told me this was the best that things were going to get right now, and I just hoped Cynthia brought her A-game today, because she was going to have to work some magic to make me look like I hadn’t been to hell and back.
I headed down the hall, and smelled eggs and toast, and my stomach rumbled. “I could get used to this,” I said as I walked into the kitchen, where Sean was dishing out breakfast.
There were two glasses of orange juice and utensils sitting on the bench, and next to those, a variety of condiment choices. I smiled at the spread and began picking up the items and moving them to the small table in Sean’s living area.
“What, having someone make you breakfast?”
I paused with the hot sauce in my hand. “Not someone. You.”
Sean came out of the kitchen, his smile full of promises I wanted him to make good on. He was so effortlessly sexy. His hair was all mussed up from bed, his white t-shirt looked like he’d pulled it from a drawer where it had been shoved for God knows how long, and the soft cotton shorts that sat low on his hips molded to the bulge between his legs.
How I was just noticing all of this now, I had no idea.
“You’re staring, anchorman.” Sean slid a plate in front of me. “Not that I’m complaining. But if you want to go to work, you need to stop or I’m gonna make you really late.”
I licked at my lips. “Then you should sit far, far away from me.”
Sean chuckled but did as I suggested, his control clearly no better than mine this morning. “You sure you have to go in today?”
I picked up my knife and fork and nodded. “It’s either that or we start moving the furniture in your bedroom so I can paint the walls in there next.”
“Wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Sean said as he piled some eggs onto his toast. “I don’t think it’s been painted since the place was built twenty years ago.”
I laughed and took a few bites of food before shaking my head. “As much as I’d enjoy making you stare at a fuchsia wall in horror, I think it’s time I got back to work.”
Sean fell silent and frowned as he shoveled another bite of eggs into his mouth.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
I put my fork down and reached for my juice. “Doesn’t seem like nothing to me.”
Sean sighed. “Do you promise not to get upset?”
Okay, that didn’t sound good. “Yes?”
“Yeah, you sound really convincing.”
“I’m blindly promising you something. I’m not good at giving over that much trust.”
Sean’s eyes roamed down to my lips. “You give over much more than that every time you let me touch you.”
“That’s different.”
“How? It all involves trust.”
“Yes, but with that, I know what to expect.”
Sean took a sip of his juice and then sat back in his chair. “I was just going to say, don’t you think it’s a little soon to be going back to work?”
I’d had a feeling that was what was bothering him. He’d mentioned something similar the day we’d gone to his doctor’s visit. He was worried I was rushing things.
“I’m fine,” I said, and went back to eating my breakfast.
“Physically, yes. But mentally…”
&
nbsp; I eyed him closely. “Oh yes, please finish that sentence.”
Sean’s mouth opened and then shut, as though he were thinking over his next words carefully. “All I’m saying is that sometimes we think we’re okay and then something will trigger us. I just don’t want you to rush this. Maybe you should talk to someone first, a professional.”
I put my knife and fork down and reached across the table for Sean’s hand. “Thank you for worrying, really. But you don’t need to. If I didn’t feel like I could go back, I wouldn’t. I promise.”
Sean rubbed his thumb over my knuckles and nodded. “Okay. As long as you feel like you’re up to it. But I’m sure they could handle one more week with you out.”
“They probably could, but I feel like this might help, that being back at the station will give me some sense of normalcy. Does that make sense?”
“It does. Trust me. This time out has made me realize I’m not very good at doing nothing.”
I smiled and picked my utensils back up. “Me too. And I really do think this will be good for me.”
“That’s all I want,” Sean said, and took a bite out of his toast. “And if for some reason it’s not, you call me.”
“Promise.”
Sean pinned me with his no-nonsense cop stare, and it’d been so long since I’d seen it that the impact was paralyzing.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I. If I need you, I will call. But that goes both ways, you know. This will be the first time you’ll be on your own since you’ve been out of the hospital. Will you be okay?”
“Bailey is stopping by with groceries this afternoon, and it’s not like I’m about to run a marathon. I’m pretty sure I can manage.”
Finished with my eggs, I picked up my toast and took a couple of bites. “Are you sure? Because if you’re trying to get me to stay home because you’re worried—”
“I sit in a recliner all day. What’s the worst that could happen?”
I finished off my toast and shrugged. “You could pull the foot lever and fly backwards right out of it.”
Sean’s eyebrows almost hit his hairline before he let out a loud laugh. “Gee, thanks, Xander. Now that’s all I’m gonna think about every time I reach for the fucking lever.”
I laughed as I got to my feet, came around the table to take his empty plate, and kissed his cheek. “Well, if that happens, be sure to call me, and I’ll be right here.”
“My own personal hero.”
I straightened and stroked my fingers along his jaw. “Seems fair, since you’re mine.”
“Xander?”
“Hmm?”
“Go to work, or you’re gonna end up on my lap.”
I glanced down at his shorts that were doing nothing to hide just how excited he was about that idea, and then picked up his plate.
“Hold that thought. I like it.”
“Oh yeah?”
I said nothing as I backed away, because I liked it a whole damn lot. So much so that I was going to take him up on that one day very soon.
20
Xander
“WELCOME BACK, XANDER.”
“Mr. Thorne, it’s so good to see you around the station again.”
“How was your time off? Are you feeling better?”
“Is Sean okay? No one’s told us anything.”
The questions came hard and fast the second I stepped off the elevator at ENN. I’d expected nothing less, considering the dramatic way I’d upped and left for a two-week vacation, and the familiar hustle and bustle of the keyboards, phones, and stories being volleyed back and forth across the newsroom was a welcome distraction from everything else going on inside my brain.
“Oh my God, they said you were back, but I didn’t believe them.” Ryan stood at his desk just outside my office.
I came to a stop beside it and smiled. “Back and ready to get to work.”
“Yes, boss.” He looked as though he wanted to hug me but wasn’t quite sure he’d be welcome. So I took the guesswork out of it for him and pulled him into an embrace.
“Thank you for everything you did while I was out. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”
Ryan chuckled as I let him go, then picked up a notebook and grimaced. “For the past two weeks I’ve answered phones and taken messages. You coming back is thanks enough, trust me.”
“Well, picking up clothes for me while I was at the hospital was above and beyond your work duties. So, thank you.”
Ryan swiped a hand through the air. “Please, I was just happy to be of use. Speaking of the hospital, how is Sean?”
I smiled, and Ryan slowly nodded.
“I’ll take that as good?”
“Yes, he’s…he’s doing great, considering everything he went through.”
“Thank God. I mean, who knows what might’ve happened to you if he wasn’t there.”
I didn’t even want to think about it. Especially after finding out about the other two men Kyle had gone after.
“I heard that he wrestled the guy to the ground with his bare hands, and that’s how he got stabbed. If that’s true, what a hero. And that cop who shot him, Nichols? Ugh, you’re both so lucky he was there.” Ryan rubbed a hand up and down my arm. “I’m just so glad you’re both safe. And you tell Sean that because of him, my standards are set really high now when it comes to boyfriend material. I need one all strong and protective like he is.”
I laughed as I walked to my office door. Once I was inside and the door was firmly shut behind me, I set my briefcase down on my desk and let out a deep breath.
I’d been curious what kind of gossip had been floating around the station in regards to Sean and me. There’d been a lot of commotion that night, people running for the doors as soon as Kyle made a rush for me. But it seemed my secret was safe.
Marcus was the only one who knew the real reason Sean had been hanging around, and that he’d been the one to fire the shot that saved me.
As far as everyone else was concerned, Sean was my brave—and lucky—boyfriend, something that was fast becoming a reality, if I was reading the signals right.
I switched on my computer, and as I waited for it to boot up, my phone vibrated on the desk. Glancing at the screen, I smiled when I saw Bailey’s name flashing across it.
“Hey there, Bay.”
“Good morning, Mr. Thorne. A little birdie told me you were back at work today, and I thought I’d call and say hi.”
One guess as to which little birdie that might be, and I had the distinct impression this call was more about checking up on me than a general hello. Since it was all done out of love, though, I wasn’t about to complain. The Bailey brothers had a way of looking after one another. It was silent and under the radar, but it was there all the same.
“In that case, hello. How are you doing this morning?”
“I’m good, I’m good. I just got into the office and found Henri threatening bloody murder against Ghost for climbing up the curtains. I tried to tell him he needed to be stricter, but Ghost has his number. Henri yells, Ghost rolls over and gives him this I’m so cute look, and Henri caves.”
I laughed, thinking about big badass Henri being swindled by a ball of fluff, and when Bailey joined in, I relaxed. It’d been a while since the two of us had hung out, and I made a mental note to change that as soon as everything settled down again.
“So, you and Henri got any big cases you’re working on right now?”
“No, it’s pretty quiet for the most part, but it is only Monday.”
“What, criminals take the weekends off now?”
“No, we do. But I’m sure something will roll in. It’s got to be before one, though, since I’m heading over to see Sean. What about you?”
“You caught me just as I was about to go through my mountain of emails. I swear, this job never sleeps. You leave for two weeks and it takes a good month to catch up on everything waiting for you when you get back.”
“I do not envy you.”
“Neither do I. In fact, I think I might put it off and call the run-through a little early. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to sift through the news and write up a draft. My brain is looking forward to the challenge.”
Bailey laughed. “What, hanging out with Sean hasn’t been simulating enough for you?”
The question was innocent enough, and back in the day I would’ve likely made a wisecrack in response. But the truth of the matter was that I’d found hanging out with Sean was highly stimulating to both my mind and body.
“No, I just missed getting down and dirty in the trenches. You know me, classic workaholic.”
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me twice. Trying to get you to take a day off when we dated was like trying to pull teeth.”
I winced at the reminder, but knew he was right. I’d been bad about that with him, always taking for granted that he’d be there. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Bailey scoffed. “I’m just playing with you. It’s all good. It was a long time ago.”
Yes, but that didn’t make me feel less shitty about it. “Still, I should’ve taken more time.”
“Um, what’s going on with you right now? Did this time off make you reflective or something?”
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. “I guess so. Look, we’ll have to catch up soon. I found out a lot of things this week, and I just miss hanging out with you.”
“Me too. You let me know when life gets back to normal and you want to get together.”
“Will do, and when you see Sean, let him know I’m fine.”
“How’d you know he asked me to call?”
“Because he’s still in bodyguard mode even though there’s nothing to worry about anymore.”
“Could be worse, he could’ve reverted to ‘dick’ mode.”
I wasn’t sure why, but something about that comment bothered me. Not wanting to raise any eyebrows, though, I decided to just change the subject. “I’ve got to go; work’s calling. Do you mind if I call you back later?”
