A Marine Affair (6 page)

Relief and anxiety tangled for supremacy. Rick opened his mouth to respond, and then snapped it shut again. He wanted to open up about their relationship, but they hadn’t really made any decisions. They still had a year of repair to make up for and other choices to make. But he’d told his mother?

“You okay over there?”

“I think I’m stunned.”

“You kind of look a little sick.” Worry deepened his frown. “You wanted this, right?”

“You didn’t.” Guilt burned in Rick’s gut. “You had your reasons, but you shouldn’t have….” God, he’d been such an ass. If Eli screwed things up with his family, how the hell would they ever get past it?

“Rick.” Eli’s hand came down on his thigh again. “Breathe, man. She knew. Apparently she’s known for years, and respected my privacy. But I’m glad she does, and I’m really glad she knows about you. You’re not my dirty little secret. You never have been.”

“I think I’m having a heart attack.” He tried to keep his voice calm, but with his emotions playing ping pong on the inside, that was hard. Capturing Eli’s hand, he squeezed it. “I thought I would be…over the moon, but I’m nervous as hell.”

“It’s the mom thing. She has this way about her. But she’ll love you.”

“Glad you think that.” One perk to their solitary relationship was the lack of parental interference.

“You’re scared.”

“You don’t have to sound so amazed. Meeting parents is a step we’ve never actually achieved and you’re close to your mom, so if she hates me….” How ridiculous the thought in his head didn’t quite measure the absurdity of saying it out loud. Would she hate him? Would she blame him for Eli’s choices? Was he to blame for Eli’s choices?

Instead of responding, Eli kept tossing him the oddest looks.

“What?” Rick’s nerves stretched past the breaking point.

“I’ve never seen you get this worked up—even when we fight, you’re always the calm one.” It sounded as though he wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or upset by the reaction.

“Screw you. Why don’t I call my mom right now and tell her about you and then see if she wants to meet you?”

Eli laughed.

“It’s not funny.”

“It is—a little.” He continued to chuckle.

“You’re an ass.” Rick grumbled, but a laugh interrupted him.

Eli squeezed his hand, amusement lighting up his face. “I love you, too.”

The surgeon finally went to sleep about an hour out from the cabin. Despite his laughter, Eli found Rick’s anxiety over meeting his mother endearing. It eased his fear over that potential meeting. Two of the most important people in his life—face-to-face for the first time? Yeah, he had his doubts. But his mother’s open acceptance humbled him.

They’d talked for hours the night before—about Rick, about Mitch, about the Marines, about her life—about all the things they never talked about before. He always thought his mother a smart woman, but her compassion and humor put a number of his fears to rest. Shocking as it might seem to some, and to himself, at thirty-five, he still believed his mother when she said it would be okay.

First things first, he needed to repair the injury he’d done to his relationship with Rick. He also needed to confide in his sister. But Rick had to come first, and Christina was still recovering from giving birth. If she had problems with the relationship—he’d take care of it. He didn’t know how the night before had gone for Rick, but the man’s exhaustion existed in the vehicle like a tangible presence.

It reminded him of the long years of Rick’s surgical internship. They were lucky to get two hours together. On his days off, he slept through most of it even if Eli was home. As turbulent as those days were, they made it through them because those few, precious hours together were worth the sacrifice. The last year had been hard on them both—Eli thought they were over and he hadn’t expected to see Rick at the airport.

Not true
. His conscience called him on the uncharitable thought. He dreaded seeing Rick at the airport. Rick had been the better guy, he thought everything through, forgave quickly, made up to Eli even when he could be a dick, and put up with his moods. He preferred quiet and solitude, Rick favored neither of those things, and Eli missed him like he would miss his arm.

At the cabin, he let him sleep while he unpacked the truck and loaded some groceries into the fridge. Once everything was inside, he opened the passenger door and laid a hand on Rick’s shoulder. He opened his eyes and for that brief second between sleeping and waking, his mouth curved into a soft smile. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Eli didn’t give him time to wake the rest of the way up. He’d missed one thing more than anything else in their separation. Closing the distance between them, he slanted his mouth across his and kissed him. The simple friction sent a sizzling awareness along his nerves. One day, one month, one year—it all blurred away, leaving the two of them alone.

Rick cupped his face, opening his mouth and meeting the kiss with a surprising ferocity. Their tongues dueled for supremacy. The bristles on his face prickled Eli’s skin. Fisting Rick’s shirt, he dragged him out of the truck and they leaned against it, sealing the space between them.

God, I’ve missed him…missed this
.

Rick dragged his teeth against Eli’s lower lip and they broke apart, panting. His cock swelled, straining behind the confines of his zipper. He wanted to say screw it and just fireman-carry Rick inside and fuck until they couldn’t walk. Sex was the one thing they always got right.

Rick smiled. “I can almost hear the caveman going through your head right now.”

“Yeah? What do you think it’s saying?” He leaned in to nuzzle the man’s throat, nibbling kisses from his ear to his collar. Rick had to pass his physical every year, so he didn’t doubt his fitness—but he wanted to pop the buttons open and get a good look at him.

“Get naked. Now.” Rick groaned. Eli gave into the urge and flicked open his shirt. He wanted to palm the very real bulge pressing the front of his jeans, but if he went for his cock, they wouldn’t be talking.

Or at least not discussing what they needed.

“Hmm-hmm.” A touch of clean soap underscored the spicy, masculine scent of Rick. Freeing all the buttons down to Rick’s navel, Eli let go of his good intentions. He needed to feel him. He’d never be as good with words as Rick, or as open with his emotions—but he could damn well show him what he meant to him.

Rick caught the back of his neck and urged him up. Their mouths collided in a hot, wet kiss. His skilled surgeon hands cupped Eli’s ass and ground their pelvises together. Eli’s cock begged for release.
Talk
—he tried to stuff all that desire back down.
We have to talk
. “We’re supposed to….” He attempted to say around Rick’s mouth taking his, because Eli sure as hell didn’t have control of the kiss anymore.

“Fuck talking,” Rick growled. “Get in the cabin. We can talk after I welcome you home properly…and you make up to me for being a prick.”

“Yes, sir.” He hadn’t quite meant to respond that way—technically he ranked higher than commander—but only barely. Rick lifted his chin, a knowing look on his face, but not before Eli saw the flash of his smile.

“Marine, do I need to repeat myself?”

“No, sir, Commander—sir.” Eli rolled his title over his tongue, imagining it was Rick himself. The faint spice of his skin did wild things to him.

Inside the cabin, he stripped off his clothes and went for Rick’s, but their mouths met in a hard, demanding kiss. Rick was wilder than before and far less submissive—if he ever had been. Rick stroked his hands up Eli’s sides, exploring his skin. Fingering a scar over his hip bone, he pulled back.

“What happened?”

Eli didn’t answer right away, playing with his waistband. He kissed Rick’s neck, lapping tiny circles with his tongue. Rick gave him a gentle pull, turning him around again to look at Eli’s body. The cabin air was cool against his flaming hot skin but his breath was warm and enticing. Eli’s cock stiffened even more painfully.

He didn’t want to play doctor—he wanted to play
with
the doctor.

“What happened?” Rick asked again, tracing his finger along the length of the scar, which according to the medic who treated him, stretched about four-and-a-half inches in length and a couple of centimeters thick.

“Would you believe me if I said I tripped?” He glanced over his shoulder. Rick’s expression tightened and his jaw flexed. He looked very commanding.

“No. This had to be deep and they used the wrong kind of stitches….”

“Field dressing for a week.” He had to stop him before he went all med school on some poor corpsman. Turning around, he pulled Rick into his arms. “Running drills, smoking out insurgents. I got on the bad side of a knife. I’m fine. It didn’t nick anything important and I was only down for three weeks.”

“Elijah.” Rick never used his full name.

“Oh, say it like you mean it.” He kissed him, taking over from Rick’s lead. He wanted to be together more than he wanted to talk about old wounds or bad injuries. It happened. He’d healed. They could move on.

“I want to inspect all of you.” The words sent a possessive thrill through Eli, but he ignored it.

“Only if you touch and play.” Eli helped him out of his shirt. He was all sinewy shoulders and lean muscle mass. His hands were firm, well-shaped and incredibly skilled. They had a surgeon’s dexterity. When Rick wrapped a hand around Eli’s cock, he reminded him that he had other skills, too.

Hips thrusting forward, he drove into Rick’s grip. They made it to the bed and Rick turned the tables, giving him a little shove. He stripped out of his pants, having abandoned his shoes somewhere else. Soaking up the view, Eli could have come right then.

“Damn. I missed this.” He loved the way Rick’s cock stretched, filled out with need and bounced against his belly. Rolling over, he caught his hips and held him still. Tracing his tongue over the tip of Rick’s erection, he felt and heard the other man’s deep sigh.

Eli worked his mouth around the rigid shaft, swallowing him as deep as he dared. A year of celibacy fell away. He’d had a few offers—none he wanted.

None from the man he wanted.

He might have walked away and fallen for his own bullshit that they were over. But like Rick, he’d never given up, never stopped wanting him. The man was hot as hell and Eli moaned. Between the use of his hand and his mouth, he managed to suck most of the length. He worked another hand between Rick’s thighs, teasing the soft, sensitive skin between his balls and cock.

It tripped Rick’s trigger and he began to thrust, pushing deeper. Eli wanted him to come, and he wanted to swallow every drop. Tears flushed his eyes, the loneliness of the past months washing away and he dared a look up and found Rick staring at him—his face tight with pleasure and wonder.

Giving his nut sack a soft squeeze, Eli clamped his mouth and swallowed hard, increasing the suction. Head jerking back, Rick shouted, coming in a hot spurt, and Eli held onto him, milking his pleasure even as his own balls tightened up unbearably. He wanted to make it last.

Collapsing onto the bed next to him, Rick dragged Eli to him for a kiss. He deserved a cuddle, but rolled over onto his belly. “You bring the stuff?” he teased and presented his very tanned, very firm ass.

“Yeah, but I thought maybe you’d want to rest…” Eli couldn’t help drawing a finger down his back. The muscles jumped and twitched, flexing under his touch.

“What I want is for you to suit that cock up, and fuck me. I’m ready—you don’t need to do a lot of prep.”

Aroused and more than a little curious, Eli slid his finger along his crack. An anal plug sat tucked neatly between his cheeks, stretching his anus. It had to be the sexiest thing Rick had ever done for him

“Oh, fuck me.” A drop of pre-cum beaded along the tip of Eli’s cock. He launched off the bed for the condoms and lube he’d packed, and it only took a moment to retrieve both. Suited up, he toyed with the plug.

“That was the idea.” Rick groaned. “It’s been so long—I thought I wanted to make it easier for both of us.”

Eli paused. He knew he hadn’t—had Rick? “So no one else?”

“No.”

Leaning forward, Eli kissed him hard. “I love you.”

“I know.” He laughed.

Easing the plug out, Eli added lube to slick the wheels. He hoped Rick really was ready, because he ached so bad he didn’t think he could afford anymore foreplay. He slid the crown of his cock into the softened ring of muscles, desire cranking a vise around his balls, and he thought he might lock up there, but he kept pushing, easing forward in short bursts.

Rick’s body accepted him, dragging him forward and it was tight—so damn tight. A hot, slick clasp massaging his dick with every push. Pulling Rick up onto his knees, Eli barely restrained the thrust of his own hips. He was close—way too damn close to wait.

Beneath him, Rick vibrated with a growling groan. Eli fought to hang onto his control, to keep the thrusts even. No matter how prepared he was, he had no intention of hurting him. Pleasure coursed through him and turned his spine into liquid iron. He came in a hard rush, the world exploding before he collapsed on Rick’s back and sagged. Dizzy from it, he lay there.

“Welcome home,” Rick murmured beneath him and Eli laughed softly.

Yeah, it was damn good to be home.

Chapter Six

Waking up before Eli the next morning afforded Rick the opportunity to watch him sleep. They hadn’t really talked much the night before. Instead, they’d fallen back into each other’s arms and stayed there. They laughed, had sex, and watched a game. And when Rick went to sleep, Eli pillowed his head against the man’s shoulder, the rich musk of their combined scents filling his nostrils.

He went to sleep happy.

So why had he woken with doubts?

Because we still haven’t figured out what the hell we’re doing, that’s why
. Rick sighed. He’d managed to inspect most of Eli’s new scars—four of them to be exact. A knife injury on his hip, a puckered rash of scars down the back of his right thigh from sliding down an outcropping, and two deep nicks behind his left ear from hitting the rocks below when he landed. The casual delivery of the incidents spoke volumes.