Glenn, Stormy and Hagen, Lynn - Pax's Blues [Lady Blue Crew 2] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) (2 page)
Authors: Lynn Hagen Stormy Glenn
Colt growled again and clenched his fists. Pax looked at him worriedly, making Colt feel like a jerk. He’d be that and more because he didn’t want another man’s scent on his mate. He didn’t care who the guy was.
“No one touches Pax without his permission.”
“Huh?” Anok tilted his head to one side. “Don’t you mean without
your
permission?”
“No, if I meant that, I would have said that. Pax belongs to himself. It’s not my right to say who can and who cannot touch him.”
Colt knew it was the truth, although he seriously wished otherwise. Something had happened to Pax to make him into the timid man he was now. Colt knew to gain back who he was, Pax needed to be in control of his life. Colt just wanted to make sure he was standing close to help him and make sure it happened on his terms.
Anok scratched his head. “But you just did.”
Colt chuckled when he saw Anok’s point of view. “I did, but ultimately, the decision is up to Pax.”
Anok’s neon-green-haired head tilted to the side. “You’re an odd duck, aren’t you?”
“Hawk,” Colt growled.
“Huh?” Anok’s eyebrows scrunched together again.
“I’m a hawk, not a fucking duck!”
“Yeah, yeah.” Anok waved his hand in dismissal as he turned toward Pax. “A bird is a bird is a bird. You still have feathers.”
Colt growled again. He could see that Anok was not going to be his best friend. He’d strangle the guy first. Maybe he should introduce Anok to Livewire. Those two would be perfect for each other. They were both fucking nuts.
“Can you find the items on our list or not?”
“Since it’s Pax, I’ll do it for fifteen credits but not a credit less.”
Colt rolled his eyes. Hadn’t the man already tried that? “Five now and five when you’re done.”
“Deal!” Anok grabbed the list and the credits Colt held out to him then disappeared into the crowd.
Colt glanced down at Pax. He was concerned with the way Pax was standing. His body posture was so stiff Colt wondered if he’d break in half. Colt laid a tentative hand on Pax’s shoulder, sighing deeply when Pax jumped and jerked away.
“Are you okay, Pax?”
“I’m fine, thank you.”
When Pax started to walk away, Colt stepped in front of him. He reached down and grabbed Pax’s chin and raised his face. Pax’s eyes remained downcast, his thick black eyelashes brushing against his paler-than-normal
blue cheeks.
“Paxton, look at me please.”
Pax slowly raised his eyes. The frightened look in them nearly broke Colt’s heart. No one, especially his mate, should have that look of fear in his eyes. Colt wanted to shout, to rage, to tear something apart. Instead, he caressed the side of Pax’s cheek as gently as he could.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, little bird. You know that, right?” Colt had to know that Pax knew he was safe with him. “I’ll never let anyone hurt you.”
“You don’t have an aura.” Pax’s eyes widened as if he suddenly realized what he had blurted out.
“I don’t?” That was a surprise.
Pax shook his head.
Colt frowned. “Is that why you’re frightened of me?”
Pax shrugged and quickly looked away. Colt didn’t know what to say to that. He knew next to nothing about auras, but he was pretty sure everyone was supposed to have one. Not having an aura obviously meant something meaningful to Pax. This was something Colt would have to think on.
“I don’t know why I’m without an aura, but I can tell you that you’re safe with me.” Colt reluctantly released Pax’s chin, but not before running his fingers across it. Pax shivered, and Colt’s cock began to fill. He took a step back but not too far. “Is there anything
you
want while we’re here?”
Pax looked up at Colt from beneath a fringe of black hair, his vivid blue eyes setting Colt’s heart to hammering. The hawk shifter knew in that one moment, with that one innocent and seductive glance, Pax was forever in his blood.
“Nothing that I can think of.”
Colt looked down at Pax’s hands as they twisted together. Dragging his gaze back up Pax’s body, Colt met the smaller man’s eyes. “If there’s anything you ever want, all you need to do is ask.” Colt drew in a ragged breath as he tore his eyes away from his mate before the entire market witnessed him claiming the pale blue man. It would be a close thing as it was.
“Let’s head back to the ship. If your friend is trustful, he should be there in a few minutes.”
“He is,” Pax said as he started walking along side of Colt. “I’ve known Anok for a while. He’s a little odd, but he’s basically a good guy.”
Colt glanced at Pax out of the corner of his eye. “Do you mind if I ask how you know him?”
“I…we…”
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, Pax. I just wondered.” He wanted to know something about Pax’s life before he joined the Lady Blue. The man’s lips were closed tighter than an airlock.
“We worked together for a while.”
“Running errands for people?”
“Something like that.”
Colt snapped his eyes straight ahead when Pax gave him a guarded look. He had a pretty good idea what Pax had done before he was found by the crew of the Lady Blue, and Colt wanted to tear something apart every time he thought about it.
He didn’t blame Pax in the least for his past. It wasn’t a blame thing in Colt’s book. Pax had done what he needed to do to survive. Colt just didn’t like the idea of others touching his mate.
“Does Anok need a safe place to go?” Colt had to ask. If Anok was one of Pax’s friends, Colt wanted to help. No one should be forced into a life he didn’t want because he had no other choice.
“Really?” Pax whispered. “You’d do that?”
Colt smiled at Pax and trailed his fingers along the side of his mate’s jaw. “I’d do anything for you. Don’t you know that?”
Pax’s smile was tentative, but it was there. “I suppose I could ask him.”
“If that’s what you want, little bird.”
“I’m not sure he’d agree, though.” A little frown worked its way across Pax’s forehead as he looked ahead. “Back on End of the Line, Anok liked the life we lived, the freedom to go where and when he wanted to. Although, what he’s doing here I haven’t a clue. Last time I saw Anok he was working as a runner on End of the Line.”
“Well, we can leave it up to him if that’s what you want to do.”
“Yeah.” Pax smiled up at Colt. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, little bird.”
Chapter 2
Gigi laughed as he ran to Pax and Colt. “We beat you back. Dinner is on you,” he teased and danced around. “I get a night off.”
Pax rolled his eyes as Colt trailed behind him to take the groceries into the kitchen. He set aside the items for the hydroponics. He’d give those to Gigi when the man wasn’t dancing around and rubbing his victory in. Pax was feeling a little depressed at the moment, and Gigi’s bouncy attitude was grating on his nerves.
He was still smarting a little from Anok refusing to go with them. He had been sure the man would want to escape the life they had lived, but Anok seemed to be perfectly happy right where he was. Pax just wasn’t sure where exactly Anok was or what he was doing. The man never did like to discuss his business, which might be why he was in such high demand. He could keep his mouth shut.
“So what are we cooking, little bird?” Colt asked as he opened the packages.
“I was thinking of making a dish I learned a long time ago.” Pax had been craving it a lot lately and was dying to impress everyone with it. He just was too chicken to say anything to Gigi. But now that the chore of cooking rested squarely on his shoulders for one night, he had free reign. The commander and Gigi hadn’t specified what they wanted.
Colt rolled up his sleeves and walked over to the sink to wash his hands. Pax pushed the empty packages into the recycle bin before doing the same. He stood at the sink with Colt as he poured a small amount of liquid soap into his hands. Pax lathered them up as Colt began to rinse his off.
Pax stood there stunned for a moment when Colt splashed him with water. The water dripped from Pax’s eyes as he tried to figure out why Colt had done that. Pax submerged his hands under the water and then turned to Colt, tossing the drops of water at the shifter’s head.
“Oh, you wanna play?” Colt growled playfully before resting his hand under the faucet, aiming the spray at Pax’s face.
Pax threw his hands up, trying his best to block the assault as he sputtered. His hair and shirt were soaking wet now. He could hear the rich laughter coming from Colt as the shifter refused to let up. Pax squealed and ran around the counter, trying his best to get away.
Colt laughed, chasing him down with a bowl full of water. “It’s not over.”
Where the heck had the bowl come from? Pax hadn’t even seen Colt grab and fill it. Some of the water spilt on the counter. Pax’s hands skidded against the slippery surface as he tried to grab on, rounding the counter to get away from Colt.
It was impossible to grab wet chrome. Pax went down with a loud thud and an even louder grunt. He just laid there on the floor blinking up at the ceiling.
“Well, that was graceful,” he murmured as he drew in a deep breath of fresh air.
“Sweet hell, Pax, are you okay?” Colt shouted as he skidded to a stop next to Pax and dropped to his knees. “Do you hurt anywhere? How’s your head?”
Pax squirmed as Colt began feeling up his legs. The closer Colt’s hands got to his groin, the harder he became. All of a sudden, Colt froze. Pax’s face flamed with embarrassment as he peeked up at Colt through his lashes. The man was staring right at the tent in Pax’s pants. Colt swallowed hard then glanced away, starting back in to check Pax.
“Colt,” Pax said as he grabbed the man’s thick arm. “I’m fine. I just slipped in the water.”
“Are you sure?”
Pax nodded and smiled at Colt. “I’m fine.”
Colt stared at Pax for another moment then got to his feet. He held his hand out to Pax. “Come on, little bird, if we don’t get started on this meal, it’ll never happen.”
Pax grabbed Colt’s hand. He was amazed at the strength in the man when he was pulled right up to his feet. But just as his feet landed on the floor, they hit another patch of water. Pax yelped. Colt grabbed for them. They both went down.
Pax blinked when he realized he was lying on top of Colt’s body. He could feel every delicious inch of the man’s powerful frame beneath him—especially the hard cock pressing up against his. Pax swallowed hard and closed his eyes for a moment. Keeping away from Colt was becoming harder by the second.
When he opened his eyes, Colt was staring up at him. Something intense flared in Colt’s sapphire-blue eyes. Pax leaned into the hand Colt pressed against his cheek. He wouldn’t have been able to stop even if the ship was going to crash.
“I’d very much like to kiss you, Paxton.”
Pax opened his mouth to say no until he saw the disappointment starting to grow in Colt’s eyes. Instead, he closed his eyes and leaned forward to press his lips against Colt’s. The instant explosion of arousal that shot through Pax was enough to make his eyes snap open.
Colt was watching him. He hadn’t closed his eyes. Pax pulled away just enough that he could feel Colt’s breath blowing across his face. Colt was so close Pax could see the man’s eyes start to darken.