Chapter Twelve
By the time Deke finally got himself untangled from the red tape of resigning from the Coast Guard, it was three Fridays later and he was about to crawl out of his skin. It had been bad enough on his own, but Jake had called Thursday night to let him know that Bryan was in rough shape and everything inside him had gone into overdrive. It took everything in him not to simply shift into his dragon form and fly to his soul mate. Even now, only five minutes away, he wanted to do that.
He needed to be home. He needed to be with Bryan. And the longer they were apart, the more he wanted to throw up.
He pulled up in front of Bryan’s place, put the car in park, turned off the engine and took off at a run for the front door. He wasn’t even sure whether or not he’d closed the car door. Jake opened Bryan’s door without a word, and he growled in thanks.
“In the pool,” Jake told him. “He’s in a bad way.”
Of course his boy had gone to the water for comfort. Even without knowing. Deke nodded and shot through the house to the backyard, diving from the deck into the pool, disregarding his clothing.
He found Bryan floating limply in the water, so pale he looked like a ghost of himself.
Deke roared and pounced, his mouth covering Bryan’s almost before he was holding his lover. He let them sink into the water as he wrapped as tightly around Bryan as he could.
Something inside him gave as he kissed Bryan—the pain and worry and panic that had been filling him in the last weeks disappearing like a pin had popped it. His. His own. His boy. His.
Bryan wrapped around him, holding him, those dark eyes staring into him.
He kissed Bryan forever, letting the water surround them completely. Eventually he felt the need for a breath and he kicked, sending them up out of the water. He didn’t stop kissing until the air touched his skin.
Bryan gasped, holding him, fingers tracing his face. “You came.”
He kicked off his sweats and tore at his T-shirt so he was as naked as Bryan. “Of course, I came. I never should have left. Not when I knew—”
Bryan interrupted him. “It’s a bug. You couldn’t have known I was going to get sick. And you probably shouldn’t kiss me.” Bryan smashed their lips together. He would have laughed at the juxtaposition of words and actions, but he was too busy kissing his soul mate.
Their lips parted, and Bryan was glaring at him. “I’m mad at you. You hit me with crazy right before you left.”
“I know, and I’m sorry. I really screwed everything up. My only excuse is that I’ve never done this before and I didn’t realize the change was already happening.”
“Change? What?” Bryan curled his hands into fists and beat on Deke’s shoulders. “I’m sick. Everything hurts and I don’t know how to make it better!”
“I do.”
Bryan looked at him, face a mix of hope and suspicion. “You do?”
“I do. Trust me?”
“That’s not so easy, Deke.” Bryan blinked hard, tears clearly threatening.
“I swear this will help. Aren’t you feeling a little better already, from us being close, from our kisses?”
“Me feeling better and you being here are not necessarily linked.”
“Bryan...please, baby. Let me try this. You can be mad at me again after.” He’d rather Bryan wasn’t, but surely at that point he’d have proven that he knew how to make Bryan feel better.
“I guess if you want to risk getting whatever I have, it’s up to you.”
“I already do.” He pressed their lips together again and Bryan opened up for him, let him in just like that, clinging to him like a limpet.
He slid one hand down along Bryan’s spine as they kissed, and pushed two fingers into the hot hole when he reached it, spreading Bryan’s ring of muscles.
His boy needed to be taken, fucked, turned inside out. Needed it. Needed him. And he needed their joining, needed to know Bryan was his, body and soul.
He spent precious little time opening Bryan up, a quick few thrusts and twists of his fingers, and he spread them wide before tugging them out.
Bryan cried out, ass pushing back, following his fingers. “Please. Not yet. Don’t leave me empty yet.”
“I’m giving you something better than my fingers, baby.” He kicked them to the side of the pool so he could hold on with one hand while he held Bryan with the other hand and tilted him.
Finally, he found Bryan’s hole with his cock and he pushed.
Bryan’s cry rang out, sharp and sweet, low and raw as he buried himself. Using the pool wall as leverage, he pushed into his boy over and over, taking that ass like he should have been for the last week. The heat and silk of Bryan’s body was perfect without the latex separating them, just perfect.
“Going to turn you inside out, baby boy. Going to claim every inch. Make you mine.”
He didn’t get any argument from Bryan—he hadn’t expected to. He kept on pounding in, trying to bury himself permanently, sink into Bryan and stay.
“Never leaving you again, baby. Never. I swear.” He’d learned his lesson. Besides, now he knew the bonding had already started.
“No lying...”
“Not.” He slammed in, hitting Bryan’s gland hard. “No matter what it takes, won’t do that to either of us again.” It had been awful for him and he knew it had been worse for his boy. They needed this—the time, the pleasure, the connection. His seed inside Bryan’s body.
They needed each other.
He took Bryan’s mouth again, joining them every way possible.
Love. Love. Love. Bryan’s words echoed inside him.
Fuck. Oh, fuck. So good. So amazing.
Love you, baby.
Bryan’s eyes went wide, and he shook his head, obviously confused, then Deke thrust deep and the moment was past, lost in pleasure.
He kept thrusting, sending them both toward orgasm. A shared orgasm. Their orgasm. Bryan threw his head back, arching almost back into the water. He bent and wrapped his mouth around Bryan’s throat, slowly letting his teeth sink in, marking Bryan and making him feel every inch.
Mine. You hear me, baby? Mine.
“Deke...” Oh, Bryan heard him. Bryan really heard him.
“I know, baby. Come for me.”
“I haven’t... You... I haven’t since you left.”
“I know. I only managed once—that first day. Do it now, though. Now. For me.”
“For you.” Bryan’s body squeezed him like a fist.
“Yes. Come on.” He needed it so badly, needed to feel Bryan orgasming around him, needed to know his baby was right there with him. Taking him.
He swore he felt Bryan’s coming as if it were his own. It was followed by his own orgasm pouring out of him, his spunk pushing deep into Bryan’s body, where it belonged. He relaxed, the tension melting out of him in a rush.
He pressed their foreheads together, feeling so much better now that he was with his soul mate.
“Deke. You came. You came home.”
“Yeah. I did. Took me three fucking weeks to muster out, but they finally signed my paperwork.”
“You... You what?” Bryan blinked at him. “I’m sorry, I don’t follow. It’s been a tough few weeks.”
“It’s been a shitty few weeks and that’s my fault. I knew you were my soul mate, but I didn’t think we’d bonded. I should have realized it and made sure we both had what we needed. I should never have left.”
“I... Let’s relax together. Please.” Bryan held him close. “I’m afraid I’ve been sick as hell.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I did that to you. I didn’t realize it or I would have stayed.” There’d have been a whole set of problems if he went AWOL but he would have dealt with them to be with Bryan, to spare him from this.
“Shh. Don’t be silly. I was... Shh.”
“Needing me. I imagine you’re feeling a lot better now, hmm? Hungry maybe.” He hoped to hell there were steaks in the fridge.
“Shae kept feeding me protein shakes.”
“Did he now? I bet they made you feel better, too?”
“A little, yeah, but... I might be able to eat a little, yeah.”
“We’re together again. Everything’ll start easing now that we’re making love, sealing the bond. I told you this would work.”
“I missed you.” Bryan cupped his cheek, thumb rubbing his bottom lip. “Oh, you’re here. I thought that I’d chased you away for good.”
Turning his face, he kissed Bryan’s palm. “I missed you, too, baby boy. There was a piece of me missing.”
“I don’t know whether to apologize or say thank you.”
He frowned. “There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
“I don’t know. I was so silly and now I’m weak and sick.”
“I told you that’s not your fault. And we can talk more about it after we’ve eaten a lot of meat and made love at least twice more.” Deke thought maybe he wanted that to be four or five times more. He was sure it was going to be that long before either of them felt closer to 100%.
“I think I’m going to get fired from my job, but... You’re right. We can talk after we make love.”
He wished he had a plug handy so he could leave his seed inside Bryan, but if they were going to eat and make love again, he could do it then. There were plugs packed with his stuff in the car. So he let himself slip out, shivering with the knowledge that his seed was seeping out of Bryan. Next time...
He climbed out of the pool and hauled Bryan up and out, too.
“So strong,” murmured Bryan, hands sliding over his muscles.
He flexed in response—it was all for Bryan. Then he stopped and breathed in, sniffed. Steak on the grill. On Bryan’s deck, at that. Someone was being good to them.
“Those smell good...” murmured Bryan. “I didn’t even know I had any steaks.”
“I imagine your neighbors have something to do with it.” He headed for the deck, and sure enough there was Jake and Shae, turning these enormous steaks over.
“Perfect timing,” Jake noted. “And we’re not staying so nobody get worked up about nudity. Shae wanted to make sure you had steaks ready when you wanted them.”
“Yep. We’ll be next door. If you need us, text.”
“Thanks, Shae.” He drew Bryan in close, protecting his boy despite the fact he hardly required protection from Shae and Jake.
“Eat the steak before you indulge those feelings, brother. You both have to have the sustenance.”
He resisted the urge to give Jake the finger, but only because there were ready-to-eat steaks.
“Oh, the bag with your clothes in it is in the bedroom.” Jake grabbed his bonded, lifted Shae into his arms, and disappeared next door. Deke was beginning to understand why they were the way they were. He and Bryan were going to give them a run for their money as Most Into Each Other couple ever, he was sure.
He grabbed the plates of steak and took them inside to the kitchen. “I’m going to jump your bones as soon as we’re done eating, so we might as well already be inside.”
“Smells good.” Bryan’s mouth watered, and Deke didn’t mention that the beef was considerably more rare than Bryan normally liked.
They sat and ate quickly. It was so good, just what he needed. Just what Bryan needed, too, he was sure. His poor baby was changing. Was changing and he hadn’t been here. He should have taken Bryan and run. They could have gone up to the lair in Labrador and stayed for a hundred years or so before coming back and reinventing themselves.
As it was, there was no telling if he’d complicated things for them, if he’d harmed the bond by leaving like that. He hadn’t realized he’d already started the process of changing Bryan by letting Bryan swallow him down.
He pushed the worries away, finishing up his steak before turning his full attention to his boy. There would be plenty of time to worry about that.
“Come to bed? Please?” Bryan begged. “We can just hold each other, but...”
“No, we can do a lot better than simply hold each other, baby.” He was going to tear Bryan up.
“I shouldn’t feel up to it, but... I feel so much better.” Bryan stood, held out his hand. “Now?”
“Yesterday would have been better, but now will do.” He grabbed Bryan’s offered hand and took the lead, glad they’d come inside. The bedroom was only a short walk away and he knew Bryan was shy about loving where they could be seen. He opened the door, wincing at the scent of sickness and sweat, and Bryan went to open the windows.
“Sorry. Sorry, I’ve been ill.”
“Easy, baby, we’re going to make everything right again.” To that end, he tilted Bryan’s head and took his mouth.
He could fix this. He could. He cupped one hand behind Bryan’s neck, holding on. He would love the sickness and pain away. Even if it took him a couple of years, or longer.
Bryan stepped in, pushing them together from hip to shoulder. He wrapped his hand around Bryan’s ass, holding him there as he finished walking them to the bed.
“At least the sheets are clean. Shae’s a good guy.”
“He knows how we’re feeling. He’s been through it himself.” He brought their mouths back together again, and dropped down to the bed.
Bryan kissed him with a fury that he felt in his balls. He returned it, needing this more than he needed to breathe. Every second it lasted, the more Bryan relaxed.
They rubbed together, not focused on the pleasure yet, but on the connection, on the way their bodies fit together.
He could hear a soft mantra running through Bryan’s mind. He’s home. He’s home. He’s home.
I am. I’m here with you. Where we both belong.
Bryan searched his eyes, clearly confused.
He smiled down into Bryan’s gaze, but didn’t stop kissing, touching. Trust me.
There was a mixture of lust and panic in his baby boy and Bryan reached for him, held on. That was the perfect reaction, the one that would stand them both in good stead.
He kissed Bryan harder, pinching one nipple lightly. That shattered the worry, leaving Bryan gasping into their kiss. He stayed on the same nipple, pinching over and over.
Bryan shook his head, but didn’t pull away. Deke refused to back down—they had to have this, both of them. He continued to work that nipple. Then he switched to the other one, twisting it. He could feel the zing move through Bryan as if it was inside his own body. Groaning, he did it again, then again. He’d never felt anything like it and he wanted more.
“No more...”
Oh, he knew better. He could feel the ache, the pleasure, the arousal.
Right from the beginning, he’d pushed Bryan over this, made him feel more than he thought he could. And despite having a safeword, Bryan had never used it. Deke saw no reason to back off now.
In fact, he thought it was even his duty.
His pleasure.
Their joy.
He broke off the kiss, moving down enough to wrap his lips around Bryan’s left nipple so he could suck. The little nub of flesh drew up beneath his tongue, getting harder.
He bit a little, sensitizing the tip and making Bryan groan. The sound went straight to his balls, and he wound up biting down harder.
“Deke! No more!” Don’t stop. The thought was clear as a bell, sounding loudly inside him.
“I won’t stop, baby. I’ll never stop.” He would love Bryan forever, love on him forever, too.
“I—” Bryan moaned and arched underneath him, lips parted, hunger pouring off his baby in waves.
He took Bryan’s mouth, giving Bryan everything he was, and Bryan took it, peace easing the worry on his face. As they kissed he went back to playing with Bryan’s sweet little nips.
Bryan grabbed his wrists, and at first he thought Bryan was trying to tug them off his chest, then he realized it was exactly the opposite, Bryan was making sure he didn’t stop.
“That’s right, baby. This is all mine.” Every damn inch and now he was going to treat it that way.
“I—”
“Shh. Let me make it better.”
Bryan didn’t have to admit he liked it out loud, everything inside Bryan was shouting it.
Bryan needed this. Shit, Deke needed it.
He cupped Bryan’s cheek, staring into those dark, lovely eyes. Bryan glanced away.
Let me in, baby boy. Trust in me.
Bryan’s lips parted, and his chin dipped in a nod. He wanted to roar in triumph, but he didn’t. Instead he sucked on Bryan’s tongue while he continued to play with Bryan’s little nipples.
He growled softly, filling Bryan’s mouth with his breath, filling Bryan’s mind with his song.
Rolling to the side, Deke stretched up for the lube and murmured, “Yes!” in triumph as he found it.
“I kept trying to jack off,” Bryan admitted. “Hell, my dick is raw.”
“Then maybe I should kiss it better, hmm?” To make up for leaving in the first place, for not realizing how far things had gone between them. He might never forgive himself for putting Bryan through this, but he hoped Bryan could. He hoped Bryan would.
“Fuck yes. Please, love.” Bryan spread a little wider, hips arching up.
He did love the way Bryan begged, so he moved down Bryan’s body, searching for his boy’s fine cock. The tip was rubbed raw, swollen and red.
He made a soft noise. “Baby, I don’t want you touching yourself once in the next week. Your prick requires attention, you come see me.”
“Hopefully you’ll keep me busy enough I won’t have to.”
“That’s the plan.” He grinned at Bryan, and rolled his balls.
Bryan spread again, and he cradled the heavy sacs. Someone had been manscaping, the dark bush trimmed to a neat line.
“Is this for me?” He stroked the strip of hair left behind.
“I wasn’t sure what was hotter—a strip or totally bare. I had to do something. I was going crazy. That helped.”
“This is pretty hot, baby.” He licked from the base of the strip all the way up.
“Thank you.” Bryan’s cock nudged his cheek, begging for attention.
Smiling, he turned his face and licked the poor cock, starting at the base and ending up at the tip.
One of Bryan’s knees drew up like it was attached to a string. “Fuck.”
“No, this is suck.”
“Ha ha. Punny man.”
At least they were laughing, right? Finding a way to ease the tension, the pain from being separated.
He wrapped his lips around Bryan’s cockhead and began to suck, pulling at his boy’s heat. Immediately his lover began to babble, to cry out and call for him.
Right here, baby. And he wasn’t going anywhere.
“I swear I can hear you. I’m losing my mind.” There was real anguish in Bryan’s voice and it pained him. That was his fault. He shouldn’t have been so blind to what they were doing when Bryan sucked him off.
“It’s the bond, baby. There’s nothing wrong with you.”
“Nothing wrong... Please don’t stop.”
“I won’t.” He nibbled at the tip, using his lips and his tongue to work the lovely cock, keeping the touches light. Though he had to admit he didn’t mind the idea of making Bryan burn a little. He sucked even harder, pushing his tongue into the slit.
Bryan shook his head, but grabbed him, fingers digging into his scalp. That was his boy. He worked the pretty cock harder, determined to make this time the best ever.
“Making me lose my mind.”
He hoped so, yes. “That’s the plan, baby.” He wrapped his hand around Bryan’s shaft, squeezing right under the tip, making the slit form an O. He pointed his tongue and pressed it into the hole.
Sliding his hand upward, he aimed for Bryan’s nipple at the same time. Bryan was holding his breath, waiting for him, anticipating.
He bit lightly at the tip of Bryan’s cock, not hard, only a little sting, and he got a gasp and a twist for his trouble.
Trust me. He had no intentions of damaging his boy.
“I do. I mean. I—Deke, please.”
He bobbed, taking all of Bryan’s cock into his mouth before sliding his lips up to the tip, then he repeated the motions, his cheeks hollowed out. Bite. Suck. Lick. Squeeze. Bite. Suck. Lick. Squeeze. It was a fantastic rhythm and it looked like his boy was right there with him. Bryan arched and bucked beneath him.
He could sense it when Bryan stopped thinking and simply felt and flew with him. He sucked a little harder at that point. He was going to make Bryan come like this, give his boy such pleasure.
“Love! Oh, fuck. I missed you!” The words rang out, shockingly loud.
He knew because he felt the same way, because despite their last argument, Bryan was his. Still, that didn’t mean he didn’t want to hear it. Didn’t mean that he didn’t love to hear the desire in Bryan’s voice.
Come for me, baby.
Bryan stiffened, spine arching as he shot, filling Deke’s mouth with salty seed. Deke swallowed it down, feeling it all the way to his belly, where it seemed to melt.
Bryan melted, too, boneless and lazy beneath him. Oh yeah, that’s what they’d both needed. He wasn’t finished by any means. They had three weeks to make up for. Three weeks of neglect and damage. But this was a very good start.
“Love you,” Bryan moaned. “You’re home.”
“I’m with you, that means I’m home. It only works if we’re together. And I love you, too.” He smiled at Bryan before bringing their mouths together, sharing Bryan’s taste with him.
His boy was almost asleep, worn out and staying close. He kissed Bryan softly, then settled with his boy in his arms. They could make love after Bryan had slept. He would find the plug and leave his seed inside his boy so the healing and changing could begin. But for now, Bryan could sleep. After all, it was hard work, being a dragon’s soul mate.