Stowaway (27 page)

He drifted into a half-asleep state. Making the most of the time they had left had been taking all of Kit’s and Raine’s free time and cutting into their sleep. Warm and safe in Raine’s arms for the last time, he floated on a cloud of denial and wishful thinking, imagining waking up like this every morning.

After a while, he woke again and looked at the time. Almost 0630. They’d get up around 0700. Damn, he should have woken Raine earlier, because they didn’t have long and Kit had to say good-bye properly.

He turned the lights on, half-strength, and watched Raine’s face change from the relaxation of sleep. Kit stroked Raine’s chest and trailed his fingers downward. He pushed the bedclothes away and ran his fingers over Raine’s belly, following the trail of wiry hair and then along the warm skin of his cock. It stirred under his fingers, and he stroked it gently, like it was a kitten or something. Raine made a snorting sound, and his body arched upwards.

“Dan,” Kit whispered in his ear. “Wake up, sweetheart.”

A conscious Raine would never let Kit get away with calling him sweetheart; he’d scowl and ask him if he thought Raine was his wife. So it felt nice to sneak it in. Kit’s mother had used the word for anyone she believed to be fundamentally good at heart. Someone gentle and kind, however gruff and tough they appeared. Raine
was
a sweetheart.

Raine opened his eyes, and after the momentary confusion of waking, he turned to smile at Kit. “Is it time to get up?” He rubbed sleep from his eyes.

“Not yet.”

Raine lifted a hand and pulled Kit closer to kiss him. “Good morning anyway.” He glanced down at himself, the bedclothes pushed down nearly to his knees. Kit was still stroking his cock, which began to respond rapidly. “Nice wake-up call. Rather cold, though.”

They kept the temperature set low enough to keep Kit from overheating as they slept, so Kit felt he owed him a treat in return.

“Let me take your mind off the cold.”

He straddled Raine, making him shuffle more into the middle of the bunk, then worked his way down, kissing and licking and sometimes nipping. Raine’s cock pressed into him as he moved, first against Kit’s erection, then his belly and his chest, before he reached it with his mouth. Some teasing kisses and licks brought Raine to the point of begging for more, moaning out his pleas for Kit to suck him, oh God, do it.

After teasing him long enough, Kit answered those pleas and dipped his head, engulfing Raine’s cock, taking it in deeply. Raine grabbed the edge of the bunk with one hand, stroked Kit’s hair with the other. Gentle, despite his desire and urgency. A sweetheart. No argument.

As much as he loved sucking Raine, he wanted more for their final time. Today this was only foreplay. He wanted them to be joined, bonded, for the last time and forever. A memory to carry the rest of their lives. He turned his mind from the future and concentrated on the now. When he lifted his head, Raine groaned out a protest, but Kit shushed him.

“Just getting your motor running, big fella.” He reached over to the shelf by the bunk and grabbed the lube. He didn’t grab the condoms. He trusted Raine entirely. If he needed them, or if Raine didn’t trust him, he had only to say something. But he said nothing as Kit began to rub the lube onto his cock.

“I want to ride you,” Kit said and saw Raine’s eyes widen with anticipation. “Gonna ride you like a bull, big man.” Not sweetheart this time. Raine nodded. His cock felt hot enough to burn. Going to be like a red-hot poker up the ass. Kit giggled at the thought.

“Do it,” Raine begged, hips grinding, pushing against Kit’s hand. Kit wasted no more time. He applied some lube to himself, though he thought he might have slathered enough on Raine for the both of them.

He straddled Raine, held him steady, and lowered carefully onto the well-lubed cock, let it fill him slowly, relishing every second. He felt as if he’d never fully appreciated Raine’s cock until now. Not the biggest he’d seen but thicker than average. Even after doing it so often with Raine, it took Kit a moment to get used to the way it stretched him.

Reaching out, Raine stroked Kit. Kit pushed against the hand as he moved up and down on Raine’s cock, and the double pleasure became intense beyond belief. He didn’t even have to think much about the angle anymore. Raine fit perfectly, giving Kit maximum stimulation. Never this good with anyone else. Never.

The thought made him want to weep even as he hurtled toward his climax. There’d never be anyone else like Raine—he couldn’t get this lucky twice. If he escaped, he’d have to take up with men who could offer him at least temporary protection in exchange for his favors. Or he’d spurn anything but casual encounters, unwilling to trust anyone with his name and his freedom.

The prospects were worse if he didn’t escape. He had no illusions about what awaited him in prison. Even awaiting trial, he’d had to fend off advances, and that had been from the guards. The hair would have to go. Cut, even shaved. He’d attract less attention without it.

Stop it
! Here and now, he was with Raine, whom he loved, who loved him. Lover. What a word. What a concept. He bent down, and his hair fell forward to brush Raine’s chest.

“Kit. Oh Kit.”

“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” He smiled, but he loved to hear it. Especially in that sensual moan.

“Say my name,” Raine begged. “Please.”

“Dan. Sweet Dan. My monster.”

“Kit, I love you.”

Kit’s throat closed in a choke; his words came out like a sob. “I love you, Dan. I love you. Never forget me.” He shouldn’t have said that last part, in case he gave too heavy a hint of his plans to run, but Raine didn’t seem to notice. He said no more as he became inarticulate, thrusting and writhing under Kit; his cries of pleasure had no words in them. His hand on Kit’s cock faltered as he lost concentration, and Kit wrapped his hand around it, restoring the rhythm, matching it as he rode for the finish line. Faster, faster, faster.

He shattered into fragments, flying apart and then merging into a ball of white light so bright it blasted his mind blank. Raine cried out, climaxing, as Kit collapsed onto him, boneless, a dead weight, held him as they both panted, chests heaving.

Good-bye, Dan. Good-bye.

Kit closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, he was alone on the bunk. Raine emerged from the bathroom, naked, freshly showered, hair still damp and skin pink from the hot water and the toweling dry. He started to dress.

“I have to go and brief my team,” he said. “Between guarding Taylor, you, and the captain on the station, we’re going to be busy. You can sleep a bit longer if you want.”

“Dan, we need to talk.”

“We’ll talk later,” Raine said. “Meet me for breakfast about 0830?”

“But—”

“The hearing starts at 1000, so that gives us plenty of time. Dress smartly.”

“But, Raine—” Too late. He finished dressing—he could dress annoyingly fast—grabbed his jacket, and left.

Kit sat up, scowling. He didn’t want Raine to be brokenhearted or anything, but he’d like to see at least some evidence he cared they would never see each other again after today. They were going to meet for breakfast, but they could hardly talk privately on the mess deck. Maybe Raine didn’t want to let him say good-bye, because then it would be real. Unless he had some plan, which would surely mess up Kit’s plan—such as it was.

Fuck this bullshit. He couldn’t leave Raine. He hadn’t figured him out yet.

* * *

Raine sent Warner with Sim and Case to accompany Captain Dryden, Kit, and Gracie to the courthouse. Once they were off the ship, he brought Taylor from the brig to the airlock, Knox and Munro on his wings. The Saira police waited there, and after an exchange of signatures, Taylor became their problem. The cops would take him to the courthouse, and the hearing would get underway.

Raine estimated he had an hour. He had to attend the court himself, in case the lawyers called him to give evidence, but he had some time before he had to be there. Time to do what he needed to do.

“Dismissed,” Raine said to Knox and Munro. “Go sign out and take your shore leave.”

They thanked him and hurried off to the bunk room. When they left, Raine went to his cabin and packed a duffel bag. Spacers traveled light. So did Kit, Raine thought, picking up the duffel Kit had packed earlier. He didn’t have much in the way of possessions. Before he left, he turned down the heat, which Kit must have left on high enough for Raine’s comfort. No sense in wasting the ship’s power.

The door closed behind him, and he rested his hand on it for a moment, then he strode off.

Right into Jon Parker, coming back into officer country, probably coming off duty and eager to get off the ship and enjoy the delights Saira offered spacers on liberty. They could have passed each other with only a glower, their usual habit lately, but instead Raine stopped.

“Parker,” he said, making him stop and turn. Raine held out his hand. “I acted like a jerk. I’d appreciate it if you accepted my apology.”

Parker stared at him and mechanically shook the offered hand. “Accepted.” He frowned at Raine, at the two bags. “Chief—”

“No hard feelings.” Raine hefted the bags and walked away feeling lighter. Good to clear the air. At the airlock, he checked out with Celani, on guard duty.

“Spending the night ashore?” she asked, looking at his bags.

He smiled. “Just some laundry.” He wanted to say good-bye properly to all of his team, but he had to act casual. It hurt. But he’d left messages for them to read once they realized he wasn’t coming back.

Half an hour after leaving the ship, he arrived at the courthouse. He’d made a stop on the way and no longer carried the duffels. Taking a seat on a bench, he waited. Only a few minutes after he arrived, the courtroom doors opened, and he rose to greet the captain as she emerged with Kit, Gracie, and the escort Raine had sent.

“Oh hello, Chief,” Dryden said. “You won’t be called to testify. Taylor pleaded guilty. The judge clarified a few points in the witness statements, and it’s all over. He got two years.”

“That’s good news,” Raine said. Kit and Gracie certainly looked relieved. He stood with his arm around her and a wary expression on his face, looking at Raine. He knows something’s up, Raine thought. Probably worried it’s going to mess up his personal plan. As if he needed any help messing up a plan.

“If you’ll excuse me a moment.” Dryden headed for the bathrooms.

“Okay,” Raine said, turning to his security people. “Sim, stick with me. The rest of you can go get some lunch.”

Warner looked somewhat uncertain, but she nodded and spoke to Case. “Come on, then, I’m buying the first round. See you later, Boss.”

“See you, Kate.”

Kit frowned. “What’s going on?” he asked when the escort left.

“Can’t imagine what you mean.” Raine turned to Gracie. “Are you ready?”

She nodded. With tears in her eyes, she turned to Kit and hugged him. “Gotta go do my exam. And I never would have dared without you.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, Kit. I love you. You’re the best.”

“Thanks, Gracie. Love you too, sweetheart. Knock ’em dead.”

She let him go with a last peck on the cheek and turned to Raine, scrubbing her sleeve across her eyes. “Take care of him, Chief.”

“That’s my job.”

She winked, patted her pocket, then ran, blowing him a kiss and giving a last wave good-bye.

“Gracie!” Kit called, plunging after her, but Raine grabbed his arm.

“Let her go.”

“What’s going on?” Kit struggled out of his grip. “You can’t let her—”

“Here.” Raine handed him a piece of paper. “Docking bay number. Codes for the doors. Go.”

“What?”

“Now, Kit! Before they come for you. Go!”

Kit gasped and responded to the urgency in Raine’s voice.

“How do I get out of here?”

“Down that way.” Raine pointed out a corridor. “And to the right. There’s an emergency exit. I’ll follow you as soon as I can.”

“Follow me?”

“Go!”

Raine wanted to grab him and toss him down the corridor. Wanted to yell at him to stop arguing and run. Kit stopped arguing. But he didn’t run yet. He threw his arms around Raine’s neck.

“Never forget me, Daniel Raine.” Kit kissed him hard. Saying good-bye, Raine knew. The sex this morning had been a good-bye too. He’d like to keep on saying good-bye to Kit for some time yet.

“Boss.” Sim spoke in a warning tone, and Raine pushed Kit off.

“Go!”

This time he went.

Raine turned to look at Sim, who was watching the corridor. It had become packed, a couple of the other courthouses letting out for lunch recess. A party of three people emerged from the milling crowd, two of them in the uniform of the local police. Sim, taller than most people, must have seen them approaching. Had they seen Kit leaving? They weren’t running to catch him, so probably not.

The captain returned before the cops reached them. “Oh, we seem to have lost a few of our party.”

“Miss Maddison went to take her food handler exam, ma’am. And I dismissed the rest of the security detail.”

“And Mr. Miller?”

“Went to the bathroom.”

Raine glanced at Sim, whose face remained utterly still. Sim said nothing.

“There they are.” Oh, great, Sullivan, the ore company’s onboard lawyer. She wore a suit and a smirk.

“You Captain Dryden? Of the
Light of Dawn
out of Drexler?” one of the cops asked. Her name badge read Ramsey.

“That’s me.”

“Got a warrant here for a Christopher Miller who’s in your custody.”

“Where is he?” Sullivan demanded.

“Ah, ma’am,” Ramsey said to her. “Thanks for your assistance. We can handle it from here.”

“You assisted the police, Ms. Sullivan?” Dryden said. “How civic minded of you. Mr. Miller’s in the bathroom. I’m sure he’ll only be a moment.”

Sullivan lost her smug expression. Raine hoped she didn’t make trouble for the captain afterward. But he didn’t worry too much. Dryden could handle anything these clowns tried to pull.

“Better go fetch him,” Ramsey said after a moment. Her male colleague crossed the hall to the men’s bathroom. Raine affected the most innocent expression he could muster. The captain began using her Link, muttering about meetings. Sim continued his carved-out-of-stone act. Only Sullivan displayed any sign of agitation.