Page 20

“Am I hurting you?”

“No. No, I’m thinking too much. I—my scars aren’t pretty.”

“Well, let me see them, and we’ll get that part over with.” Just as logical as shit and full speed ahead, wasn’t he?

Luke bit his lower lip, then nodded. Okay, why not? That way, if it was all over he was done now and not when he was too far gone and had blue balls.

Rory knelt on the floor and worked Luke’s boots off, so fucking careful, and he found himself trembling. Rory grabbed one foot, thumbs sliding over the bottom as he stared up. “You tell me if I hurt you, man. I’m not into pain.”

“No, me either.” He could do this. Hell, he wanted this so bad he might bust. So he needed to suck it up and breathe. Luke did, in and out.

The few minutes it took for Rory to take off his jeans, to bare him, were some of the longest of his life. He caught himself squeezing his eyes shut, not even breathing as he waited for Rory to say something.

The words didn’t come, though. Touch did. Rory ran deliciously warm fingers up along his thighs, not avoiding his scars, the horrible places where muscle was gone, ripped and torn up.

His heart slammed, rocketing against his ribs, and he fought his urge to shove Rory away, cover up. Scream. He’d been a soldier, damn it. He’d been able to do anything and now he was this scarred fucking freak and…

“God, you smell like heaven.” Wet heat slid up his inner thigh and his eyes popped open.

He stared down at Rory, who seemed completely absorbed in him, not at all put off. His heart thundered, but he couldn’t look away, couldn’t stop the rise of his cock.

“Is this okay?” Rory spread his thighs, hands gentle as fuck. The touches never stopped, lighting his nerves up with fingers that never asked for more than pleasure.

“Yes. Yeah, it’s good.” His voice sounded blown. Raw.

“Rock on.”

The sight of Rory wrapping wet lips around his sac and sucking one ball hit way before the sensation.

Then both kicked in, and he panted, his body going into overdrive. “God. Rory. That feels so good.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Oh fuck . He felt that sound everywhere. Every-fucking-where .

Luke arched as much as he could without pulling anything tender. Now he had a new goal at physical therapy.

He wanted to fuck Rory’s mouth, take those sweet parted lips good and hard. Luke wanted to do all the things, but he knew he had to take it easy this time, just take what Rory gave.

And Jesus fuck, Rory was giving and giving. Once he was done with Luke’s balls, Rory started sucking, working his cock like he was a Popsicle.

He’d never had the time or safe space to… This felt like a serious indulgence. Like the most perfect moment ever.

Best of all of it was the way Rory moaned and hummed, working him like it was the only thing he ever wanted to do. That voracious mouth was gonna kill him, and what a way to go.

Luke pushed one elbow into the couch to give him leverage. That way he could thrust a tiny bit.

Rory pushed his hands under Luke’s ass and pulled in a long, gentle arc.

His whole body loosened a little, all but his cock. That was hard as a rock, dripping and aching. His ball sac was tight, pulled up close to his body.

Luke was ready. Really ready. He tapped Rory on the shoulder. “Gonna come, babe.”

Rory’s answer was to swallow over the tip of his cock.

The motion around his flesh made Luke shout, his ears ringing with it when he shot. Pleasure buzzed up his spine and burst in his brain.

His entire world lit on fire.

“Shh. That’s it, Luke. That’s perfect.” Rory licked him clean as he came down, petting his hips and thighs, which eased his quaking muscles.

He found himself staring at the ceiling, absolutely fucking dazed .

Lifting up on his arms, Rory kissed Luke’s belly. “You good?”

“Uhn.” Come on, man. Say words. He nodded, hoping he wasn’t drooling or something.

“Excellent.” Rory’s hand was heavy on his thigh, just resting there on his mangled leg like it was no big thing.

Maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t a huge deal to Rory. That idea gave Luke a serious fit of joy. “You’re amazing.”

“Yeah? Thank God, because if you’d said I sucked hairy donkey balls I might have cried. I totally want the chance to do it again.”

“Get up here with me. I need to sit up.”

“You got it.” Rory pushed onto the sofa and got him repositioned. “Better?”

He clenched his teeth for a moment, every part of him throbbing. Then it faded and he nodded. “Whew. Good.”

“Cool. You want your Coke? I can reach them.”

“I would love that.” So weird and casual. Like they were lovers who had just snatched an afternoon delight.

“I have to tell you, Luke. This was the best first time ever.”

“It was for me, too.” He was half-ashamed to say even half-laid-up it was really his best time. No shame, no hurry, no hiding.

And Rory was into him and didn’t hide it one bit.

He sipped his drink, but he couldn’t stop grinning. His urge, in fact, was to bounce. “Your leg okay?”

“Tender, but it was completely worth it.”

“Mmm. Tylenol for all.” He thought that was a fine idea, for real. They were gonna be sore, even if they hadn’t indulged in heavy gymnastics.

“I can get some.” Rory started to ease away.

“Not yet. Let’s do some afterglow.” He caught Rory’s hand in his. “Thank you.”

Rory gave him a quizzical look. “What for, honey? ”

“For everything. For not freaking out. I expected you to.”

That wicked grin made him smile back. “I never do what’s expected of me, Luke. You’ll figure that out.”

“I’m a fast learner, I swear.” He toyed with Rory’s fingers. “I mean it, though. This has been the best day I’ve had since I got home.”

“Well, shit. I hope so! Blow jobs are fabulous things.” Fuck, Rory made him cackle.

“Hopefully hand jobs rank right up there, or I’m behind one.”

“You have cowboy hands. You know how hot that is?”

“Every time you say that it makes me want to look over my shoulder.” He laughed a little. “I mean, I feel totally out of place still.”

“Really?” Rory arched one eyebrow in a weirdly Spock sort of way. “It doesn’t show.”

“That’s good, I guess. I’m making like a duck. Calm on the surface. Never let them see you paddling like mad.” He kept touching Rory, just little bits of contact that made him happy.

“That I understand.” Rory answered the touches, tracing random shapes over his chest and belly. The best part, weirdly, was the scars. Rory didn’t ignore them, but he didn’t linger, either. They were just what they were.

Part of him.

Luke blinked.

“You okay?” Rory asked.

“Uh-huh.” He’d kinda quit breathing for a moment.

“Good. You have a lot of thoughts. I like that in a man.”

Luke thought Rory had a lot of trapped thoughts of his own. Like, way more than he did.

It was a cliché, but Rory was totally an onion or something. Peel back a layer and you got another layer. He petted that poor leg right below the stitches. Those muscles were tight as bowstrings. “I reckon we ought to get that Tylenol.”

“I can do that.” Rory levered himself up, limping and stumbling a couple steps before getting his balance. “You want to borrow some shorts?”

“Please? I stuffed myself into those jeans for you, but I’m not sure I’m up to them now. I’m all relaxed.” He was lucky he didn’t have baby head the way Rory had taken care of him.

“I’m on it.” Rory headed off toward the hallway, then turned back. “Thank you, huh? For coming to play.”

The words sounded young, somehow, vulnerable, which were two terms that he didn’t use for Rory.

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world, babe. As long as you’ll drive me home, that is.”

“I promise I won’t leave you stranded. You have my word.”

“I believe you.” No, if Rory was gonna stop in the middle of a highway for some lost horses, he wasn’t gonna leave a guy hanging. Trust established.

Now he just had to take some Tylenol and see how Rory McConnell felt about snuggling. He was taking bets that the man was all over that shit.