Gabriel looked up from where he was studying a copy of the blueprints for the Iaso main office building to glance over at Justin. He was stretched out in the chair with his feet on the ottoman and his ever-present laptop on his legs. Two weeks of digging, watching, researching, and hacking had finally given them the opening they needed in the form of a small, local landscaping company. Every Tuesday, workers showed up early in the morning to cut the grass and trim all the trees and bushes. And every Wednesday evening, after all the other employees have left, a worker arrived to water the plants inside of the office building.

Justin had nearly hurt himself in the rush to tell Gabriel of his discovery. It was the perfect window to sneak into the building. While Justin focused on hacking into the company’s computers, Gabriel put all his energy toward following the workers and casing the company’s headquarters. They needed to know everything they could about Mary’s Garden. Gabriel acquired copies of their uniform, logos, and other equipment. He also spent a pretty penny getting a copy of Iaso’s blueprints from the original architect. The building was less than five years old and he was hopeful that the places marked for the chairman’s office and Elba’s office were still in the same place.

Security was tight for the firm, with keycards needed for doors leading to every office and lab. If they broke in through an Iaso worker, there was a good chance that they would encounter limitations. But a landscaper watering plants at night would need to be able to enter every office, conference room, and common area. It was the perfect cover to get them to the two main offices they needed.

Finally, they had the break they needed.

But the tension in the house was growing thicker by the day. Gabriel had thought that it was the number of hours they were spending together. Neither was accustomed to working with a partner any longer. Justin had stopped retreating to the basement after the discovery of the landscaping company, preferring to work in the living room or at the breakfast bar—areas that Gabriel had claimed after moving into Justin’s house.

During the day, they argued about how to get the evidence they needed, how to get all the necessary supplies for the break in, whether or not to simply kill both men and call the job done. But at night, after they finally stopped working, their arguments were forgotten. Once Justin climbed into the shower with Gabriel and they jerked each other off. Another time, Gabriel tackled Justin down on the couch, where they tore off each other’s clothes and rubbed against each other until they came.

Gabriel couldn’t get enough of Justin. When they weren’t worn down by the contract or the fact that they were running out of time, their stolen moments together were amazing. Even after their lust was temporarily sated, they’d lie stretched out, talking about nothing at all, and it was so damn comfortable. Gabriel couldn’t remember ever being so comfortable around another person…not even Ian.

But a heavy weight was hanging over their moments. Time was running out.

They were still waiting to hear from Brianna. Justin had sent the information over to her with the request that she get back to them within two weeks. She immediately called him back and bitched him out for demanding the impossible. Gabriel had spent some time flipping through the reams of data, only to shut it down and walk away. It was a ridiculous amount of information for her to go through in a short amount of time. Dr. Weiss’ notes had seemed helpful when they looked at them, but if the data wasn’t there to support his suspicions, then Brianna was stuck at square one, looking for that needle in a haystack.

A sharp snap brought Gabriel’s eyes back to Justin. He’d closed his laptop and was now scrubbing his hands over his face. They’d been pulling a lot of long days, inching closer to their goal. Nerves were frayed, and they were restless after being stuck inside for so long. They’d largely stuck to the house, except for trips to scout the landscaping company. Justin had suggested that they stay away from Iaso rather than risk being spotted. Gabriel hadn’t wanted to agree, but he had a point. No reason to blow their element of surprise.

“My brain is fried,” Justin groaned.

“Your brain is slow because your body is using all its energy to digest that loaf of garlic bread you consumed.” Dinner had been an easy meal of spaghetti with meatballs. Gabriel had also made garlic bread with three kinds of cheeses melted over it, and Justin had inhaled it.

Smiling, Justin rubbed his flat stomach. “I think I’m growing a little carb baby is my belly.”

Gabriel snorted. “We could always go jogging tonight.” So far, Gabriel had made due each morning with Justin’s collection of free weights and treadmill, but he missed some of the machines he used in various gyms as he traveled, and he preferred to go running outside where he could feel the wind and the unevenness of the road under his running shoes.

Justin put the laptop on the floor next to his chair and lowered his feet from the ottoman. “I’ve got a different suggestion if you’re interested in burning some calories,” Justin offered as he leaned toward Gabriel, a decided leer tilting up his lips.

Lifting one eyebrow, Gabriel struggled to keep from snickering at Justin. “That is not going to burn as many calories as you think.”

“If you’re not burning enough calories to cover your dinner, then you’re doing it wrong.”

Gabriel made a loud scoffing noise and jumped to his feet. “You were definitely not complaining about how I do it.”

“Why would I complain? I’ve never seen you swim.”

Gabriel’s mouth dropped open and bobbed wordless for a moment before he finally got out. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I was going to suggest that we swim some laps in the neighbor’s pool. He’s got a nice, big inground and said I can use it whenever I want.” Justin batted his eyelashes at him, giving Gabriel wide, innocent eyes. “What did you think I was talking about?”

Growling, Gabriel stepped around the coffee table and placed his knee in the chair cushion right between Justin’s legs. With his right hand, he grabbed a handful of Justin’s short hair and pulled his head back. “Sex, Justin Mallory. I thought you were talking about sex. And I immediately remembered that time I fucked you through the mattress and you begged me for more.” Just to make his point, Gabriel leaned down and licked Justin across his Adam’s apple and then bit down on the delicious little spot where his neck met his shoulder.

A low moan rumbled up Justin’s throat. “Fuck. I think I just came.”

Gabriel chuckled and nuzzled Justin’s throat, kissing his way up to his jaw while loosening his hold on his hair. Seconds ago, he’d been ready to throw Justin against the wall and fuck his brains out until they were both a sweaty, panting mess. But there was something about Justin’s goofiness, his little center of joy, that left Gabriel wanting to move slower, to savor the satiny feel of his skin, the taste of his lips.

“You drive me crazy,” Gabriel murmured.

“So, that’s a no on swimming?”

Releasing Justin completely, Gabriel straightened and started to take a step away. “If you’re rather swim…”

Justin snagged one of the belt loops on Gabriel’s slacks, keeping him from moving away. “Sex sounds good to me too. You do come up with good ideas every once in a while.”

They raced up the stairs to Justin’s bedroom, laughing like lunatics, until Justin tackled Gabriel onto the bed. He lie back with Justin on top of him, his hand wrapped around his wrists and pinning them down to the mattress, but the position didn’t trigger a sense of panic or a need to flee. He felt only desire. He wanted to explore Justin’s muscular frame and for Justin to explore every inch if his body. With Justin, there was only a sense of safety and freedom.

“I want you inside me,” Gabriel murmured as Justin bent down to kiss him. But before those wonderful lips could touch his own, Justin stopped sharply, his body frozen.

“We don’t have to…”

“It’s what I want.” It was on the tip of Gabriel’s tongue to say that this might be the last time they were together, and he didn’t want to miss out on it, but he held the words back. They didn’t need the reminder that their stolen time together was running short.

Justin’s kiss was savage. His tongue plunged into Gabriel’s mouth, possessing him in such a way that Gabriel felt as if he was handing over his soul. He’d happily do so if it meant that Justin would never stop kissing him. Muscles relaxed, and he sank into the comforter, letting himself get lost in Justin’s touch. Those strong hands slipped down his forearms and kneaded his biceps before stroking across his shoulders.

With a growl, Justin tore his mouth away and glared down at Gabriel. “Too many clothes.”

“Same goes for you.”

Justin jumped back to his feet and started pulling his clothes off. A shirt flew in one direction and pants in another. Gabriel chuckled softly as he did the same. His pants and briefs were just hitting his ankles when Justin was attacking him again, driving him back down to the mattress. A soft hiss left them both as warm, bare skin met more naked flesh.

“I will never get tired of touching you,” Justin murmured against his neck as his kissed and licked his way across Gabriel’s collarbone.

Reaching up, Gabriel smoothed his hands down Justin’s chest and out to the sides. The stitches he’d placed on his left side had been removed and the wounds was largely healed, but he kept his touch light to the tender area. The feel of his skin was amazing; the smoothness with the small rippled and bump of scars that drew his fingers like braille and the promise of some story. They’d never asked about each other’s scars, but Gabriel found himself wishing that they had more time so that they could swap those stories of pain and recovery.

Justin’s wandering mouth latched on to one nipple and he bit down, making him jerk up. Gabriel met his playful gaze and he licked across the hardening peak. “Just making sure I have your attention.”

“I don’t think that was really in doubt.”

Justin continued to kiss lower but skirted his leaking cock in favor of the soft flesh along the interior of his hips and then to his sack. Sucking in one of his balls, Justin slowly lathed it with his tongue before moving on to the other. Gabriel clamped his hand around his cock, staving off the orgasm that was building.

“Get the damn condom and the lube,” he bit out.

“I want my time to explore,” Justin said and then along the side of his cock. “When you fucked me, you were quite thorough.”

“Fuck. Then at least put it in your mouth.” Gabriel’s snarl was cut off when Justin did just that. This aching hard dick was enveloped by the warm, wet cavern of his mouth. He moved his hand out of the way and gave a little thrust, tapping the back of Justin’s throat. The feel was both relief and torture. He wanted to keep thrusting, to come down his throat. And Gabriel knew that Justin would let him. That he’d let him off of the hook and they’d finish this way yet again.

But it wasn’t enough anymore. If this was their last night together, then he wanted to feel Justin inside of him, wrapped around him.

Grabbing a handful of Justin’s hair, he pulled him off his cock with a groan. “Stop. Get the condom. I’m serious. Need you.”

For once, Justin didn’t argue, and Gabriel was grateful. He released Gabriel and quickly moved over to the nightstand where he pulled out a bottle of lube and a condom. It was while Justin was rolling it on that Gabriel realized that he hadn’t even gotten to touch his dick yet. He’d been too wrapped up in what Justin was doing to him, and he was willing to guess that was exactly how Justin wanted it. Gabriel was so fucking hard that he just wanted some relief, but he was stubborn enough to hold on for one specific thing: Justin inside of him.

He rolled over, resting his weight on his hands and knees. The night he’d been inside of Justin, he knew he’d been pushing things by forcing Justin onto his back, but he couldn’t do that now with Justin. There were too many feelings resting close to the surface that he couldn’t worry about what Justin would see. It was just easier this way.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Justin swore softly just before a hand smooth along his ass cheek and then down his spine. “You are so fucking beautiful.”

Gabriel bent his head down to rest against the bed and nearly whimpered when he felt the light brush of Justin’s lips inching up his spine toward his shoulders.

“I would love to spend hours pounding on you just like this. I want you to feel me for the next several days,” he continued and then paused. Gabriel tensed, knowing there was something heavy coming. “But I need something else, G.”

“Justin—” he started in warning.

“Lay on your side for me. Give me this.”

When he said it like that, Gabriel was pretty sure that he’d give Justin whatever the fuck he wanted. As he laid down, he felt Justin move in behind him. He hooked Gabriel’s top leg over his own, spreading him open. The soft snap of a cap opening echoed through the room over Gabriel’s ragged breathing. Justin reached over and squirted some lube on his cock.

“Touch yourself,” he whispered in Gabriel’s ear. He nipped at the lobe and Gabriel grabbed his cock again, groaning at the slick, easy slide. A second later, he felt two lube-covered fingers circling and pressing against his hole. Not actually trying to enter. Just teasing enough that Gabriel was now panting with need, waiting for Justin to finally enter him. But he didn’t. He just kept circling, teasing those muscles until Gabriel finally moaned and pushed backward. One finger slid inside, and Justin groaned loudly in his ear.

“So fucking hot. Everything about you is so hot. You drive me insane,” Justin growled. He kissed and bit along Gabriel’s shoulder while steadily working the finger deeper inside.

“More. Give me more,” Gabriel begged.

Justin pulled his finger out and then pressed in with two. The stretch and burn were perfect, sending Gabriel pushing back hard until he was sure he’d taken both two the second knuckle. He’d forgotten how good this felt, how much he’d loved having someone touch him like this.

“That’s it, G. Take what you want. Tell me. I’ll give you everything.” Justin twisted his fingers and crooked them just right to brush across Gabriel’s prostate, sending him jerking and shouting as pleasure screamed through his body.

“Yes. Again!”

Justin did as commanded and then pulled out to thrust in again. “Is this what you want? I can make you come just like this. I can you feel so good.”

“No!” Gabriel shouted. He clenched his teeth against another wave of pleasure. Fuck, he wanted to come. “Need you inside me. Now. Don’t want to come until you’re inside of me.”

Justin froze for a moment and then rose up enough to seize Gabriel’s mouth in a blistering kiss that wiped away any lingering worries or doubts about what they were doing. He needed Justin, needed him more than he’d needed anything else in his life.

When Justin’s fingers left him, he heard the snick of the plastic lube cap again and then the slick head of Justin’s cock was pressing against him. Gabriel took a deep breath and pressed back against him. The burn was back, but it was worse than before. Justin moved inside of him inch by slow and steady inch, giving him time to adjust. Sweat dripped down from Justin’s jaw and he could feel it making their bodies slippery where they touched.

“So tight,” Justin growled when he was finally fully seated within Gabriel. Without shifting, he moved one arm under Gabriel’s neck so that he could press his hand to his chest, while his other hand came down to wrap around his cock. Gabriel was wrapped in a perfect cocoon of Justin’s strength. There was no escape, but he was sure there was nowhere else he would ever want to be.

Justin slowly stroked his cock while at the same time, he shifted his hips, pulling out ever so carefully before pushing in again.

“Oh fuck, Justin!” Gabriel cried out. The burning evaporated, and the pleasure was so sharp he was nearly seeing stars. “I’m not going to last.”

“Good, because you’re hugging my dick so tight right now I’m ready to blow.”

Justin started to move. Gabriel was held perfectly captive with Justin working both his dick and ass at the same time. Reaching over his head, he threaded his fingers through Justin’s hair and held on tight. There was nowhere to run or hide from the pure pleasure streaking through his body. No slowing it down. Within only a couple of minutes, his orgasm barreled through him like a runaway train. A scream was torn from his throat as long ribbon of semen landed across his stomach and Justin’s hand.

The moment he started to come back down, Justin released his cock and grabbed his thigh. He lifted his left up just slightly and increased his thrusts, pounding into him hard enough that Gabriel wanted to come all over again. Justin shouted a moment later as his body jerked and his rhythm fell away. And on a sigh, he said, “Gabriel.”

A low, contented sound rumbled from Gabriel and Justin’s mouth stretched into a smile. That was a sound of pure happiness. It wasn’t just pride that bubbled up in his chest when he thought about the fact that he’d created that feeling in Gabriel, it was joy in seeing the sexy man stretched out next to him looking so happy and relaxed. There was something in him that hated the darkness that clung to Gabriel, that hounded his steps and stole away his happiness almost within seconds of him finding it. Gabriel’s nightmares had stopped almost entirely after they’d started fucking. There had been only a few nights that he woken to sounds of sleepy shouting from Gabriel, and he wanted to think that maybe he was helping to keep those ghosts at bay for him.

“I need to move,” Gabriel mumbled against the pillow. He turned his head and blinked slowly at Justin as if he were fighting sleep.

Justin bit his lower lip in indecision and then finally said the words he’d wanted to say for nearly two weeks. “You could stay.”

Gabriel’s eyes opened a little wider and he was definitely more awake than he’d been just a couple second ago. It had been an unspoken rule each night that after all their fun stuff, they’d retreat to their separate bedroom for the night. No actual sleeping together.

Sleeping together in the same space was too intimate. So far, it had only happened once when Gabriel had watched over Justin the night he’d been wounded. But now, sleeping together felt dangerous for a different reason, and Justin still wanted it.

“I don’t think that would be wise,” Gabriel said carefully.

Justin forced a grin and stretched his arm over Gabriel’s bare stomach, as if he could hold the man there when he could already feel him pulling away. “Why? Afraid I snore?”

“I already know you snore.”

“Then why not?”

“Don’t do this. You know we can’t.” Gabriel pushed Justin’s arm off him and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He got up and started hunting for his briefs. Justin lie back and watched his jerky, agitated movements.

“Why?”

“Stop asking why! You’re not a child. You know why.”

“G, it doesn’t have to—”

“Staying means wanting to stay more. It means wanting a hell of a lot more than just sleeping together and that’s not an option for either of us. It’s bad enough that when a contract comes up for your head, I’ll have to pass.”

Justin flashed him a crooked grin. “If someone put a hit out on me, you’d pass?”

Gabriel stopped his pacing at the foot of Justin’s bed and glared at him. The look alone would have shriveled lesser men into cowering balls of fear, but Justin just felt joy. He wasn’t really surprised, but it was still nice to hear that Gabriel at least felt enough for him not to kill him if the money was right.

Justin sat up in bed, letting his smile fall away. “You know that you don’t have to stick with this life until it kills you.”

Gabriel resumed his pacing with a shake of his head.

“Are you really going to tell me that you don’t have an exit strategy already laid out in your mind?” Justin paused, watching the agitation growing in Gabriel. He wanted him to want more, wanted him to have something that didn’t involve a gun and risking his life every moment. He wanted Gabriel to have a life that included himself. “I’ve got mine laid out. Even got my new name. Chris Smith.”

Gabriel stopped and looked over his shoulder at Justin, a small smile pulling at one corner of his mouth. “You might want to keep thinking. You don’t look like a Chris to me.”

“Then think about staying and help me pick out a name. And I’ll help you pick out yours,” Justin said. God, his heart was pounding so hard in his chest. It was like he was balanced out on this thin branch over the damn Niagara Falls, and he was reaching out his hand for Gabriel to join him. It was insane and stupid, but if Gabriel would just take his hand, they’d figure it out.

Gabriel turned to face him, pain clear across his handsome features. An ugly frown was tugging down the corners of his mouth. But before he could answer, the silence was broken by a strange chiming noise. It took Justin a second to realize that it was a cellphone ring.

“That’s not my phone,” Justin murmured.

“It’s mine. It’s Marilyn.”

Pain slashed through Justin’s chest. Of course it was Marilyn. They were close to finishing up this job. She’d be looking to get Gabriel lined up with his next contract, sending him away from Justin.

“Don’t answer it,” he barked.

Gabriel stared at him for a second before starting for the phone that was likely still in his pants pocket. “It’s not what you think.”

He thought it was a job. That’s what Marilyn did. She was a handler. She linked mercenaries and assassins up with jobs. If she wasn’t notifying Gabriel of a job, then he couldn’t imagine what she’d be calling about. Swapping casserole recipes?

Justin flopped back onto his bed, arms folded over his chest. He should have known better. What he had with Gabriel was good, but the key thing was that it was temporary. Just a little bit of fun.

As Gabriel walked to the bedroom door, Justin couldn’t help but overhear Gabriel’s half of the conversation. “Yes…How much?...No, I can finish this…It’s safe for now…It’s time to take care of this…”

The rest of the conversation was cut off by the sound of the other bedroom door closing behind Gabriel as he retreated to his guest room he’d been using. That was an odd conversation. Not the typical job talk. What did he need to take care of? And why?

Justin sighed loudly and rubbed his hands over his face. What the hell was he supposed to do? He’d played his hand and Gabriel just walked away. He’d said no, but his heart wanted to say that it was more complicated than just a sound no. Fucking hell, of course he would start falling for a guy that would be complicated.

For now, the ball was in Gabriel’s court and that really sucked.