Chapter 26 Lover Boy
TWENTY-SIX
Lover Boy
RYKER
Ryker’s body curled around Tia’s lithe frame in the small one-person bunk. They were naked, and the scent of sex lingered in the air. He brushed his lips against her shoulder and pulled her against the hardness of his morning erection. If heaven were a place, then he’d found it right here.
How many times had he awakened next to her in the field, aching and filled with longing, only to have to crawl out of his sleeping bag to find somewhere private to relieve the heavy ache in his balls?
The desolate desert environment of Afghanistan made that task nearly impossible, but he’d learned the art of discretion as he jacked off to thoughts of Tia in his arms.
She rolled her shoulders and stretched, which pressed her glorious ass against his dick, making it ache and come alive. Like him, it was an insatiable beast for anything Tia related.
“Good morning.” She reached behind to stroke his cock. “Do you ever get soft?”
“I’m constantly hard around you,” he said and shamelessly pressed his dick against the crack of her ass. “Any idea what time it is?”
“Honestly, I don’t care,” she said. “I could stay here forever.”
“You’d like that?” Stay with him? Forever? Tia in his arms forever sounded perfect.
Her fingers grazed his erection, and her nails bit into the sensitive skin.
“Mmm,” she said. “I’d like that very much.”
“We have nowhere we need to be,” he said, grinding against her ass. “We can stay here for as long as you like.”
She rolled over. Dark lashes swept over her sculpted cheekbones, and her chocolate eyes swirled with a depth of emotion mirrored in his heart. Lifting her hands over her head, she grasped the U-shaped metal tubing that served as a headboard. “If that’s the case, I guess I’m all yours.”
“You need me to tie those in place, or are you going to be good and keep them there for me?”
They’d barely scratched the surface of their fantasies last night.
Too hungry to devour each other’s bodies, they’d fucked until exhaustion had them collapsing in a tangle of arms and legs.
Blissfully satiated from the evening activities, he’d slept like the dead, which left him full of energy and eager to fuck with the coming of dawn.
She gripped the rail and giggled. “Take me; I’m yours.”
A growl ripped from his throat as he twisted in the too-small bed and positioned himself over the toned expanse of her body. “Brave words. Be careful what you wish for, Tia.”
“I have no need to be careful,” she said. “I trust you.”
She proceeded to show him exactly how far that trust extended.
Morning became noon and passed well beyond lunch.
During that time, he introduced her to a world she’d never experienced.
And he liked that. He fucking loved being the one to show her something that belonged solely to him.
But the time eventually came where exhaustion pulled at them both—that, and hunger for food.
They had to strategize his exit from her room without getting caught. That consisted of her heading out, shower supplies in hand. Once she verified no spying eyes, she would return and rap on the door. That would be his signal to make his exit.
With his ear to the door, he waited. The soft rap of her knuckles came less than a minute later.
He counted to ten, giving her time to move away, and slipped out.
His barracks were nearly halfway across base, and it would be a bit of a hike but well worth it.
He fisted his hands deep into his pockets and wandered to find his things.
With his head down, his thoughts drifted to last night, thrilled and a little stunned at the eagerness Tia had displayed.
What he hadn’t counted on was running into Forest or seeing the recrimination in Forest’s eyes.
“Lover boy!” The deep rumble of Forest’s baritone carried across the air, pulling Ryker up short.
“What’s up?” And why did Forest look like he wanted to rip Ryker limb to limb?
He glanced down for a quick look at his uniform.
He and Tia had dressed quickly, and she’d left him one last lingering memory as she knelt before him, drawing him deep into her mouth where she drove him insane one last time.
Insatiable in bed, she’d surprised him with her appetite for sex.
He’d never found a woman whose hunger rivaled his or who had the physical conditioning to keep up with his demands.
Many things surprised him about Tia, and he hoped to spend the rest of his life uncovering her secrets.
“Come with me,” Forest growled. His arctic eyes hardened and froze Ryker in place.
There was no way to refuse without making a scene, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try.
Gesturing in the direction of his barracks, he attempted escape. “I need to get back to my bunk.”
Forest closed the distance, his long legs devouring the space between them. Pulling up to a stop, Forest gave him the once-over. Then, he sniffed. “You smell like sex.”
“That’s a bit intrusive,” he countered, offended by Forest’s overbearing manner nearly as much as the assumptions rolling off the giant.
“You’re going to fuck up her life at the rate you’re going,” Forest said.
“Excuse me?”
“Look, I’m not military, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know what’s off-limits. You and Tia—”
“Whoa,” Ryker called out, “you’d better think very carefully about what comes out of your mouth next.”
Forest arched a brow. “Funny, I was going to say the same about you.” He locked an arm over Ryker’s shoulders and sniffed again. “I smell her on you, and if I do, everybody else will, too. Be smart, Technical Sergeant Ryker Lyons, and fucking follow me. I’ve got your best interests at heart.”
“Do you?”
“I already got Ash to get your stuff. You’re coming to the VIP barracks. We’re getting you showered”—Forest took in Ryker’s appearance with a disapproving scowl—“and shaved before anyone is the wiser.”
“You took my stuff?”
“Ash took your stuff. You’re working for him now.” Forest huffed a low laugh. “Actually, you’re kind of working for me, which means you’ll do as you’re told.”
“Sorry, big guy,” Ryker asserted, “but you’re a bit confused. I don’t know you, and while I dig Ash and the guys, I was pretty clear last night about playing for them.”
“Right, you were all blustery and polite as fuck,” Forest said.
“That means shit, by the way. Angel Fire wants you. Colonel Vane has requested you. You belong to us for the next two weeks. Like I said, all your stuff has been brought over. You’ll take a shower and rinse off the smell of sex, shave your scruff, and put on a nice, clean set of BDUs. ”
Ryker had to crane his neck to glare at Forest, a tall man. He didn’t like that one bit. “I thought I’d made myself crystal clear. I’m not doing shit until I speak with Bent.”
“Well, that’s where I was gonna take you”—Forest made a show of sniffing again—“but you need to get her scent off your pathetic self.”
Ryker stopped in his tracks. “How did you know where to find me?”
“Wasn’t that hard,” Forest grumped. “Ash and I headed to your barracks. One look at your gear, packed up all nice and untouched and shit, and I knew exactly where to find you.”
He didn’t think he and Tia had been that obvious. “Who’ve you told?” It gutted him to have to ask, but Tia would freak once she found out that others knew about them.
Forest never paused. The giant continued to walk away, but he looked over his shoulder. “Don’t sweat it, lover boy.”
Jogging to catch up, Ryker ground his teeth together. They’d been so fucking discreet. “Easy for you to say,” he ground out. “This is a big deal.”
“Then, why’d you fuck her? If it’s that big of a deal, why not keep it in your pants? You’re risking destroying her career.”
He didn’t have an answer, except for a very personal and selfish one. Not that it mattered. It was time for damage control.
“Who have you told?” he demanded.
“Me?” Forest said with a snort. “Why the hell do you think I’d go and tell anyone?”
“Because…”
“Who you fuck or don’t fuck means shit to me. That means I’m not likely to go blabbing shit that’s none of my business.”
That should reassure Ryker, but his heart rate spiked. “It’s a big deal, dude. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything.”
This time, Forest came to a stop. Dry dust billowed around them as a passing breeze kicked up sand. The desert air sucked the moisture out of his lungs, making his mouth dry. Despite that, his insides seethed, and sweat beaded his brow from the heat building beneath the afternoon sun.
“Look, you got something for Tia,” Forest said.
“I get that. Don’t think for a second I’m going to do anything that might jeopardize Tia or her career.
I don’t know you, but she’s family. I suggest you zip it and get control of yourself.
If not for you, then for the woman who stands to lose everything.
” Forest’s attention turned back the way they’d come.
He squinted, and Ryker turned to see what or who had caught his attention, but there was no one.
“You don’t understand,” Ryker said.
“I understand pretty damn well,” Forest said with a sniff. “You’re fucking my friend. Just don’t fuck with her career.”
“Does Ash know?”
Forest said Ash had been with him.
“Nah, I told him I had an idea where you might be. He grabbed your gear and headed back.”
“Why the rush to find me?”
“Vane wants to do a concert tonight. After the convoy was hit, he says everyone’s been on edge. They’re looking for Angel Fire to jump ship. This tour is a big deal. Ash doesn’t want to be a pansy-assed rocker who can’t handle what you all live with every day. He wants to give something back.”
“So, give back. You don’t need me.”
Forest arched a brow. “We don’t have a bassist, asshole, but we do have you.”
“Not without Bent’s approval.”
“Bent’s going to kick your ass for being such an obstinate asswipe.
And I don’t think you understand the guys very well.
They’re not just tight, not just brothers.
They’re something else entirely. They’ve been through hell and back.
Having a guy stand in for a couple of weeks isn’t exactly this big threat you’re making it out to be. ”
“Doesn’t matter,” Ryker asserted. “I still want to talk with Bent.”
They approached the VIP barracks. Forest waved him in. “I suggest you hurry. Ash wants to do two shows tonight. You’ve got a couple of hours to get ready.”
Inside the VIP quarters, Ryker found himself more than a little shocked.
All the lodging on base rated utilitarian at best, barely livable at worst. What he walked into was luxury at its finest. A gathering area with a clustering of leather sofas and chairs occupied the center of what looked to be a main room.
Beyond that, a long conference table stretched to the far wall.
In a world without personal cooking facilities, there was even a small galley kitchen, replete with a full-sized refrigerator, stove, and small countertop lined with four barstools.
All the stools were occupied. Ash sat in the middle with Bash.
Spike and Noodles flanked them. The four of them pored over papers spread between them.
Bash glanced up, followed by the others, who greeted him with friendly smiles.
Bash waved him over. “Hey, come take a look.”
Forest’s meaty hand gripped Ryker’s shoulder, holding him back. He steered him toward a hallway to the right. “Ryker’s gonna freshen up a bit. Seems these Air Force Special Ops folks have a thing about working out in full battle gear. He fucking reeks. Give him a few.”
Spike gave a chin bump. The piercings in his lips flashed in the light. “Dude, hurry up. We’ve gotta get you up to speed.”
Noodles turned back around without a word.
Bash crossed his arms over his chest and blew out a deep breath. “Yeah, hurry up. We don’t have a lot of time.”
Something passed between Forest and Ash, a rapid-fire silent language of eyes cutting back and forth. Evidently, Forest wasn’t the only one who knew where he’d spent the night.
Lifting a hand, he headed for the hall. “Um, where’s my stuff?”
“Second door to the left,” Forest growled. “Bathroom is all the way at the end of the hall.”
“Okay, won’t take me long.”
Forest gave him a push and joined the members of the band. “Whatcha looking at?” His deep baritone thundered through the room.
The rest of Angel Fire’s conversation was lost to Ryker as he tracked down his ruck and headed for the bathroom. He had to find a way to speak with Tia. She was going to freak out.