Payton got a sense of déjà vu as Si’s head lifted. The piercing blue gaze swept past Payton, then returned. Si smiled for the first time throughout the entire ceremony.
Dust.
Payton felt like he’d swallowed rocks. His whole focus narrowed to tunnel vision as he caught Simon’s gaze again. His eyes began to water and he looked away.
Better to have loved and lost…
“I heard from the Marchioness of Whiltshire that His Majesty asked the Duchess of Kentwood for her hand,” a whispered voice said behind Payton.
It felt as though a knife stabbed him in the stomach, or what Payton thought that would feel like. It hurt. The air grew heavy, making it hard to draw breath.
“It’s about time he made an honest woman of her,” another voice whispered.
Payton met a pair of wide brown eyes and realized he’d turned in his seat.
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Offering a wavering smile at the ladies, he quickly looked back toward the front.
He watched the rest of the ceremony without really paying attention to it. Then the rumors had been true? Payton’s eyes blurred, making him blink away tears. Why should he care? He knew there could never be anything between himself and Si. He knew this, so why did it still hurt?
Payton glanced around the abbey, looking for the duchess. At the very moment he spotted her, she turned her head as though she sensed Payton was thinking about her.
Grinning, Dru winked at him.
Payton returned her smile before looking away. Hopefully she hadn’t read the tightness in his face. Now he and Si were well and truly over.
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Simon paced back and forth in the deserted locker room. Payton was late. What if he’d already gone back to Regelence? He’d asked Roc to deliver a message to Payton this afternoon and Roc swore he had. Wouldn’t Payton have told Roc if he were leaving today?
Sitting down on the bench, Simon dropped his head into his hands. How had everything gotten so messed up?
“Hi.” Payton’s voice was low, with a hint of sadness in it.
Simon smiled, feeling relieved and tense at once. This would be the last time he saw Payton.
“Why did you want to see me?” Payton shoved away from the lockers. He wore a casual IN uniform and black greatcoat. A five o’clock shadow graced his normally smooth cheeks and his black hair was mussed with snow glistening on it. His eyes were red and heavy lidded as though he was tired, but he looked utterly delicious.
“To tell you goodbye,” Simon growled, hating himself for wanting Payton even now.
“It’s too risky for us to be meeting like this. I can’t afford the scandal if we’re found out.”
He’d had a hell of a time leaving Hollister House. It was hard to be inconspicuous with two royal guards following his every move. With his parents being murdered, security was heightened. He and Aldred were both suffering the affects, but it was necessary until they figured out who’d assassinated his parents and why. He’d left his armed escort at the front gate of the base despite their protests.
Payton’s shoulders slumped and he walked forward until he stood in front of Simon.
“I know.” He looked down at his feet and exhaled audibly. “I’m leaving tomorrow morning anyway.”
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“I’m going to have Hawthorne set up a meeting with the admiral and I’ll discuss things with him personally. I’ll leave your name out of it if you like and just tell him I know Benson was killed trying to save his consort.”
Payton glanced up, his eyes sad. “I’ll talk to Nate and tell him what we’ve found. He doesn’t need to know anything else, just that we met and started working together.” He nodded almost absently, his jaw tight. “This is a good thing.” He didn’t sound convincing.
Simon grabbed Pay’s hand and pulled him onto the bench beside him. When Payton sat, Simon didn’t let go. Turning his body, he faced Payton and tilted his chin up. Simon meant to tell Payton how Simon had to start looking for a wife and father an heir, that this was for the best, but what came out was, “You could stay on Englor.” Galaxy, what was he saying? Now that he was King his days of freedom and fun were over. With the death of his parents no one was going to rest easy until he had another heir besides Aldred.
Right now if something happened to him and to Aldred…
Payton laughed. It wasn’t a nice sound. “You want me to be your paramour?”
“It’s all I can offer you. I have to get married and beget an heir, you know that.”
Dipping forward, Simon brushed a kiss across Payton’s nose, his chin, his lips. “Talk to me, Pay. I’m not trying to insult you.” Payton was pulling away from him, he could feel it.
Shaking his head, Payton dropped his gaze to Simon’s chest. “I know you’re not trying to, but you have. I know how things work here, but on my planet…” Payton exhaled noisily. Lifting his chin, he gave Si a sad smile. “The answer is no. Go marry Dru.”
Oh damn.
Simon’s stomach felt like it was lodged in his throat. That hurt. Even knowing that letting Pay go was the right thing to do, Simon couldn’t quite make himself.
Gathering Payton closer, Simon rubbed his face against Payton’s neck. He smelled so good, so fresh and so…Payton. Galaxy, Si’s cock was already hard. How was he going to forget this man? “No one would know.” They’d make certain of it. They had to. Nuzzling www.samhainpublishing.com 161
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Payton’s neck, Simon let out a grunt of frustration. This could work if only Payton would agree. Simon could marry Dru, keep Payton and no one would find out.
Payton moaned and pressed closer. “
I
would know. I won’t live like that, Simon.”
If Payton was go—
No, don’t think like that, not yet.
“Stand up, Pay. You have way too many clothes on.”
“I—” Payton stood as directed and caught his bottom lip between his teeth. He looked hesitant, but there was no mistaking his interest. His erection pressed against his uniform pants, and his face was flushed with need. “Once more,” he whispered and shrugged his coat off.
Simon groaned. Unbuttoning Payton’s shirt, Simon let the “once more” go for now.
He pushed the linen from Payton’s shoulders then drew him to straddle Simon’s lap. He nipped the lip Payton had between his teeth. “I love when you do that.” After tugging Payton’s shirt off, Simon snuggled him closer.
“It’s a bad habit.” Payton arched his back, putting his hands on Simon’s shoulders, and mashed their pricks together.
“Fuck, Pay.” Latching on to the delicious Adam’s apple mere inches from his face, Simon unsnapped Pay’s trousers. He nibbled and sucked on Payton’s neck as he fished Payton’s cock out. It was hot and hard in Simon’s hand, throbbing at his touch. “Want you.” His other hand slid around and down the back of Payton’s pants, grabbing his tight little arse. He was still slim, but their working out together had definitely had an affect.
Payton’s arse was firmer, more muscled.
Payton started making the mewling sounds he always made and bucked up into Si’s hand. “Then take me.” Lunging forward, Payton took Simon’s lips in a deep, demanding kiss. His tongue thrust in and held him close.
Simon matched him, caressing his tongue against Payton’s until he had to come up for air. Standing, Simon took Payton with him and set him on his feet.
Toeing off his shoes, Payton kicked them aside and reached out, but Simon ignored the elegant hand in favor of tugging down Payton’s pants.
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Bloody hell.
Pay’s pretty cock bobbed free, wet tipped and shining in the harsh fluorescent lights.
Simon’s mouth watered right along with Payton’s prick. Opening up, Simon swallowed Payton down until pubes tickled his nose.
A harsh groan escaped Payton and he wrapped his fingers in Simon’s hair.
Pulling back just enough to get his finger in his mouth, Simon sucked. He got his finger good and slick then slid it behind Payton’s balls, searching for his hole. Simon was always desperate for Payton, but knowing this could be the last time made it worse.
When Simon pushed in, Payton gasped and pushed back.
Simon’s finger hit Pay’s gland and his breath hissed out. “Simon, please.” He rocked back and forth on Simon’s finger.
He pulled his mouth off Payton’s cock with a pop. “You’re not ready, be patient.”
Payton had only done this once.
“Don’t care.
Pleeease
…”
How could Simon resist that breathy little plea and Payton fucking himself on Simon’s finger? He pulled out, stood and grabbed Payton’s discarded clothes. Placing them on the bench for padding, Si pushed Payton’s shoulders, turning him toward the bench. “Put one knee on the bench.”
Hurrying to comply, Payton looked over his shoulder. His yellow eyes grew hazy, then he closed them and his head fell forward, showing off the pale, slender back.
Damn, that sweet arse and back were a sight to behold. Simon dropped to his knees behind Pay. He ran his tongue up Payton’s crease, grabbed his balls with one hand and fumbled with his own buttons with the other. Payton tasted salty and tangy.
Mmm…
“Oh fuck.”
Oh fuck
, was right. Simon had never heard Payton use that kind of language. It went straight to Simon’s cock, making it jerk and his balls pull tighter. He wanted so badly to be inside Pay’s body and at the same time Simon’s mind screamed at him to slow down and savor. His insistent body won out.
He stood and tugged his pants to his knees. Gripping Payton’s hip in one hand and his own cock in the other, Simon put the head against Payton’s hole. Damn that was a www.samhainpublishing.com 163
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nice sight. Steadily he pushed in as Payton pushed back toward him. This time it was he who bit his lip as the heat enveloped him.
Payton stopped suddenly, tensing up. “Oh dust.” His voice shook.
“Breathe, Pay. Push out. Relax.”
Payton’s head bobbed and his back rose and fell. “Trying.”
Try harder, please.
Rubbing his hand over Pay’s spine, Simon held still and gritted his teeth. It felt so bloody good. Payton was so damned snug and hot. Simon’s stomach clenched and his knees felt weak with the effort to wait until Payton was ready. Sweat dripped down his temples, but no way would he hurt Payton. He’d known it was too soon, despite Payton’s protests. “Want me to stop?”
Payton shook his head. “No, just give me a minute.” His voice sounded steadier than before. His muscles contracted around Si’s cock, clamping tight.
Finally, when Simon thought he was going to go insane from the effort to not move, Payton pushed back, nestling his arse against Simon’s hips.
“Ahh…”
Payton’s head bobbed again. “Move, please.”
“Oh thank galaxy.” He gripped Payton’s hips and moved cautiously.
A long, drawn-out, pleasurable moan left Payton, and Simon thrust with more confidence. He leaned forward, his lips finding Payton’s spine, his shoulder, his neck. A tingle ran down Simon’s body. His sweat dripped onto Payton’s pale back and ran down.
The musky smell of perspiration and semen permeated the air as their skin slapped together. Simon groaned and reached for Pay’s cock, knowing it was already dripping.
Payton turned his head, searching for Simon’s mouth.
Thanks to their height difference Simon was able to lean forward and cover Payton’s mouth with his. “Mmm…” Bloody hell, Simon loved this man.
“Motherfucker,” a deep voice growled, echoing in the empty locker room.
Simon jerked away from Payton so fast a wave of dizziness hit him. His heart crawled up his throat, but instinct had him shoving Payton behind him.
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Admiral Hawkins stood inside at the end of the bank of lockers, wearing regulation gym clothes, sweat soaking his massive chest. A tick started in his jaw and his neck muscles tensed. He looked like he wanted to pound someone to a bloody pulp.
Payton’s forehead landed on Simon’s back, rocking back and forth, and a soft, steady refrain of “dust” drifted up to Simon’s ears.
After hitching his trousers up and tucking his still-hard cock back into them, Simon fastened them.
What the fuck?
And why the hell couldn’t he find his voice? Bloody hell, the admiral looked fierce.
“Payton?” Hawkins gritted out.
Reaching back, Simon locked his arm around Payton’s naked back.
“Yes, sir?”
The admiral’s jaw tightened and he glared daggers at Simon.
Enough was enough. Simon opened his mouth to give the admiral a piece of his mind. Admiral or not, he had no business in Payton’s private life. Payton was off duty and—
“Don’t.” The admiral pointed at him. “In my office in ten minutes.” He strode to a locker a few feet closer to them, scanned his thumb and opened it without another word.
Reaching past Simon, Payton grabbed his clothes and began putting them on. Simon did likewise and snagged his shirt off the ground. “Admiral, I—”
Hawkins buttoned his shirt and turned. “Not another word, Hollister.” He shoved his shorts over his hips and stepped out of them, then took his trousers out of his locker, dismissing Simon.
Simon’s jaw clenched.
Son of a bitch
. Yeah, he and Payton should have already talked to the man about what was going on, but Hawkins was blowing things way out of proportion. Hawkins should know enough about Payton to realize Payton wouldn’t be with Simon if he thought he was working with the IN. No way did Hawkins have a problem with gay— Bloody hell, were Payton and Hawkins lovers? No, no, they weren’t, Simon was being ridiculous. But— Payton’s reaction that night in the garden came back to Si. He took a step forward and Payton caught his arm, turning him.
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Payton’s face was white, his eyes as round as saucers, and he shook his head.
A locker slammed, drawing Simon’s attention back to the admiral.