Chapter 13
Dash fought the alpha pinning him to the tiled floor, water sloshing all around them.
He let out a roar, pushing with all of his might, but he wouldn’t budge.
From his position under the hulking man, he was at a disadvantage.
His bare heels sought purchase on the slick surface, trying to gain an advantage.
Before he could manage it, he was flipped onto his stomach and shoved against the hard, wet floor. He scurried forward but was dragged by the ankle back under the man. Weight crushed him and he struggled to breathe, his lungs burning.
“Nooooo!” Dash screamed, shoving both fists against the man holding him tight.
“Dash! You’re having a nightmare!”
Dash continued to shove the man away—until the realization that he was in bed, not the showers, finally hit.
“You’re having a nightmare!”
Dash stilled. He panted, looking up at Emerson’s worried expression.
Emerson caressed the side of his face. “You’re okay. It was just a nightmare.”
Dash blinked a few times, hating that Emerson had witnessed one of his nightmares. They didn’t happen as often as they used to, but perhaps their wild escape or their night shared together had brought it on. He hadn’t felt in control last night, which sometimes was a trigger.
Shaken, Dash pulled away from Emerson.
“Don’t do that,” Emerson murmured. “Come here.”
The fight wasn’t in him. Dash went limp, allowing Emerson to drag him closer. Instead of his anxiety rising as he’d expected, he melted into the alpha, his muscles loosening. Emerson tucked Dash’s head under his chin and rolled over onto his back. He pulled Dash with him.
Dash laid over Emerson’s warm body, his breathing slowly re-regulating.
His ear rested over Emerson’s steady heartbeat, and his own soon matched it.
Dash closed his eyes, dragging in a deep breath and letting it out slowly.
Minutes ticked by with nothing said. Emerson simply held him, running a soothing hand over his back.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Emerson asked.
Dash tensed. “No.”
“I won’t force you,” Emerson whispered. “Relax.”
Dash allowed his muscles to loosen again, focusing once more on Emerson’s heartbeat. He wasn’t sure how long they lay there in complete silence. He wasn’t sure if he hadn’t drifted off for a bit, either. All he did know was he’d never felt more at peace in his life.
How fucking cliché was he? A broken man suffering nightmares like some child.
Now made better because an alpha had entered his life.
Emerson’s hand stilled on his back. Dash sensed his breathing slow. He’d fallen back to sleep. Dash took advantage, lifting his gaze. His breath caught. Emerson was even more handsome with his features softened by sleep.
Why does he have to be so damned attractive?
Dash released an unexpected sigh. Heat filled his cheeks.
Talk about cliché. Now he was sighing like some lovesick pup.
The heat on his cheeks only burned hotter as Dash replayed all the many things he’d done with that attractive alpha the night before.
Lust grew along with the replay, his cock soon rock hard.
He slid off Emerson and stretched his well-fucked body, smiling and wincing at the tender spots.
Tender or not, a shiver raced through him, his body ready for another round.
The one he’d hoped he’d get the night before, but Emerson had seemed perfectly happy to cuddle. And they’d had to cuddle considering the narrowness of the mattress. He’d been sure he’d wake up on the floor.
He fought back a smile. No floor. He’d woken in an alpha’s arms—albeit amid a nightmare, but at least he’d had someone there to talk him down from it quickly.
So quickly. Dash frowned, a bit disconcerted about how easily Emerson seemed capable of calming him.
It wasn’t the only thing rattling him a bit.
Emerson’s commands that night had been strange.
Not the commands themselves, but his reaction to them.
While he’d followed orders at the Black Guard, he wasn’t in the habit of giving in without a fight when it came to anyone else.
He lived by his own set of rules and didn’t take shit from anyone.
Yet he’d almost wanted to submit to Emerson’s dominance.
Luckily for him, the commands Emerson had barked had all been in his best interest.
But what if that changed down the road?
Dash wouldn’t be taken advantage of.
Period.
After another stretch, he cuddled closer, relishing Emerson’s warmth.
The boat was cold. Not freezing, but cold enough that without Emerson’s furnace of a body, he was chilled.
That heat leeched into him. Emerson’s pheromones must have, too.
The longer he lay there, the hornier he got.
Emerson rolled onto his side and draped an arm across Dash, tugging him even closer.
Dash fought a sigh rising up his throat.
He rolled his hips, tempted to climb back on top of Emerson and take that cock deep one more time before he had to leave.
Considering the slip-up the night before, he didn’t need Emerson to see anything more than he’d already noticed.
Dash needed to stop lazing about and thinking about sex.
He had a missing alpha to find and wasn’t going to find him in Emerson’s bed.
Moving carefully, he attempted to extract himself from under Emerson’s heavy arm wrapped around him.
If he could get away before the alpha awoke, he could avoid the weird, awkward morning after bullshit, too.
He hated awkwardly searching for his clothes and dressing while someone watched without knowing what to say.
He was thisclose to being free when a boat’s horn sounded not too far from them.
Emerson growled and pulled him back, eyes still closed.
Dash’s head ended up tucked under Emerson’s chin, and all that delicious body heat warmed him through again.
He spread his palm over Emerson’s muscled chest, reveling in how comfortably they fit together.
Stop! This can’t go on…
“Morning,” Emerson murmured, his voice gravely from sleep.
Why did it sound so hot?
“Morning,” Dash replied, his voice barely over a whisper.
“Did you get a little more sleep?”
“Yeah,” Dash said. He eyed the pale morning light coming in through the small round window across the cabin. “I should get out of here before it gets any later. We don’t need to arouse suspicion.”
“There are much better things we can arouse,” Emerson said before claiming Dash’s lips.
Dash’s eyes opened wide, the sudden onslaught unexpected. It only took a couple of minutes of Emerson’s hungry mouth to turn him into a groaning puddle of need.
“I thought…” Dash paused to catch his breath.
Emerson took advantage and kissed a hot trail down his throat. When the hoodie got in his way, Emerson dragged it up and over Dash’s head, along with the t-shirt.
“I thought I was… too sore… for more?”
“Are you?” Emerson asked before continuing down to his shoulder.
“I… I don’t know,” Dash said, back arching as Emerson stroked his hard cock.
“We can just touch,” Emerson said. He nuzzled Dash’s shoulder before licking a path back up to just under one ear. “Lick… bite… suck…” He chuckled, the rumbling sound causing Dash’s hardened nipples to ache. “It’s not always about penetration, you know? We can have fun other ways.”
Another tremor washed through Dash. His body approved of all of that—but he ached to have Emerson back inside him, too. It was a new delight, and he was being greedy.
“I rather liked you inside me,” Dash said, his eyes closing as Emerson bit the spot where his neck met shoulder.
“I noticed,” Emerson growled before rising to pull Dash’s sweatpants off.
They were flung to the floor, soon followed by Emerson’s t-shirt and pajama pants, too.
When he was done, Emerson pinned Dash to the mattress. He captured Dash’s gaze. “Let’s not push you too hard, too soon, hmm? It was your first time.”
“Not really,” Dash argued. “I told you I’ve used toys.” He writhed against Emerson. “Plus, this might be our last time.”
Emerson paused, hovering above him. He stared down at Dash, eyes narrowing. “This won’t be our last time, and you damned well know it.”
Dash searched Emerson’s face. “It’s too dangerous.”
“What’s new? We both work with danger looming over our heads every day. We minimize the risk, and we find a path through.”
Dash shivered and rolled his hips under Emerson. “Do you really want to tempt fate?”
“Why not? Fate brought you to me,” Emerson said.
Dash looked up into Emerson’s unbothered face, hesitant. He wished he could feel as confident about things as Emerson did.
“We’d risk too much,” Dash said. “This has got to be the end.”
Emerson moved to his knees and spread Dash’s thighs apart, clearly agitated. “Then let’s give you what you want. A final farewell fuck.” Emerson reached across the bed and pulled the lube out again. After pouring some into his palm, he coated Dash’s entrance.
Even though he’d seemed irritated, Emerson’s touch was gentle. He coaxed a finger inside Dash, stretching him. Dash winced, a bite of pain coming at first, but within a few strokes, he sighed with pleasure. He rolled his hips, hungry for more.
“Fuck me,” Dash pleaded.
Emerson frowned, brows deeply furrowed.
“What?” Dash asked.
“Nothing,” Emerson said, shaking his head. He withdrew the finger and then aimed his shaft towards Dash’s hole.
They came together easily, Emerson’s fat shaft opening him with one, heavy thrust. Dash moaned, his head falling back on the pillow as Emerson moved in a slow pace, driving in and out.
“I’m not hurting you?” Emerson asked.
Dash opened his eyes and met Emerson’s worried gaze. “Noooo. Go faster.”
Emerson’s brow tensed more, but he did as Dash demanded. They came together over and over, their moans filling the small cabin. Their scents merged in the soon humid air. Emerson leaned over with a growl, his teeth nipping Dash’s neck.