Confessions (11 page)

“I guess you should first decide what’s more important

to you. Because if it’s not that man with you, you’d both be

better off backing away. Brac’s the most important thing in

my life. If it came right down to it, I’d give up everything for

one more day with him.”

Priest knew he couldn’t say the same, not yet anyway.

Although he thought he might be fal ing in love, he wasn’t

ready to put Luke before the sense of self-preservation

he’d always carried. “So that’s it? Al or nothing?”

“You’re not like most men, Priest. You don’t have the

luxury of taking your time with Luke. Every minute you’re

with him, he’s in danger. Ask yourself one question. Are you

wil ing to die to save him?”

The answer hit Priest like a ton of bricks. “I need to

go.” He hung up without another word and tossed the phone

on the counter. Throwing open the sliding door, he walked

out onto the deck. The December chil quickly settled into

his bones as he stood naked, looking out at the val ey

below.

What kind of man was he? He’d risked his life for

years for his country but couldn’t say he’d do the same for a

man he cared deeply for. Mad at himself and the

circumstances that had made him what he was, Priest

screamed his frustrations at the top of his lungs.

He was so caught up in self-loathing he didn’t hear

Luke until he burst through the open door, shotgun in hand.

Priest reacted on instinct and quickly ripped the gun away

from Luke. “What the hel are you doing?”

Luke panted while rubbing his chest. “I thought you

were in trouble.”

“So you run straight toward it with a gun?” The gesture

was a reminder of everything Luke was and everything he

wasn’t.

Luke took a step back. “Wel , yeah.”

Priest pushed past Luke and went into the house. He

removed the shel and placed the gun back into the duffle

bag. “There’s been a change in plans. I’m going to drop you

by an airport and send you on home.”

“But I thought…” Luke sputtered.

“That’s the problem, kid. You’re starting to think too

much. I’ve got a job to do, and it’s something I have to do

on my own.”

“Is this because of what I told you earlier?”

“It has nothing to do with that. I just need some space

to sort out a few things.” Priest wasn’t sure what to do with

himself. He was tired and quickly becoming out of sorts, but

going to bed didn’t feel like the best thing to do.

“Where does that leave me?” Luke asked.

“In Cattle Val ey where you belong,” Priest growled.

“Then why wait? Why not drive me to the airport right

now?”

It was the first time Priest had seen a true spark of

anger come from Luke. For some reason the unexpected

emotion jarred Priest. The last thing he wanted was for

Luke to end up hating him. Dammit, he just needed time.

Priest sat heavily on the couch and threw up his

hands. “I don’t want to argue with you. I can think of a much

better way to spend our last night together.”

“Oh, so you want me to shut the fuck up and bare my

ass hole, is that it?”

The madder Luke became, the hornier it made Priest.

With his cock as hard as steel, Priest jumped to his feet.

He marched across the room and towered over Luke. “This

situation has gone far beyond anything I’m comfortable

with. Forgive me if I wanted the chance to hold you once

more before I go toe to toe with an entire agency of paid

assassins.”

Priest retreated to the bedroom. Horny or not, he’d be

damned if he’d beg for sex from anyone, let alone Luke.

Luke counted to thirty before fol owing Priest into the

bedroom. He leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his

arms. “Wil I ever see you again?”

Already under the covers, Priest rol ed over to face

Luke. “I hope so.” He reached out to Luke. “You’re the first

person I’ve ever said that to.”

Luke uncrossed his arms and stepped towards the

bed, taking Priest’s hand in his. He sat at Priest’s side and

ran his free hand over the top of the man’s bald head. “Let

me make love to you.”

Priest started to shake his head no, but a hand to his

chin stopped the motion. “That’s something I don’t do.”

“Ever?” Luke questioned.

“Ever.” Priest grabbed Luke’s wrist. “Why would you

ask that?”

“Because I want to know I matter to you. I want

something you’ve never given to someone else.”

Priest lifted Luke’s hand to his mouth and kissed it.

“You’ve already been given so much more than anyone I’ve

ever known. Greedy?”

Luke took the opportunity to slide under the covers.

He turned onto his side and pressed himself against Priest.

“Maybe I am greedy. Does that make me a bad person?”

Priest’s hand slid to the swel of Luke’s ass, pul ing

him closer. “Despite what you think of yourself, I know there

isn’t a bad bone in your body. A few moments ago you ran

naked out into the cold with a shotgun because you thought

I was in trouble.”

“You would’ve done the same.”

Priest’s grip on Luke’s ass tightened. “We’re not

talking about me.”

Luke reached between them and wrapped his hand

around as much of Priest’s cock as he could. “Why are we

talking at al when we could be doing other things?”

“Because you said…”

Luke shut Priest up with a kiss. He delved his tongue

inside the warmth of Priest’s mouth, hoping to prove to

Priest without words how much the two of them were meant

to be together. He squirmed as Priest’s finger brushed

against his hole, seeking entrance. Breaking the kiss, Luke

pul ed back enough to stare Priest in the eyes. “Lube.”

Priest groaned and released Luke. “I think we left it in

the van.”

Luke grinned, remembering their erotic night in the

back of the minivan. He vaguely recal ed the bottle of lube

rol ing under the front seat. “Luckily I brought my own

supplies.” He rol ed out of bed and fished through his duffle

bag until he came up with a box of condoms and a smal

tube of lube. Holding them high above his head, Luke

jumped back in bed. “Only three condoms, so you’l have to

take it easy on me.”

“Unless I get desperate and make a run out to the

van,” Priest corrected, taking the tube from Luke.

The thought of spending hours on a plane with a sore

ass flashed through his mind, but Luke decided it would be

worth it. He’d final y met a man who cared about him.

Despite what Priest said about needing space, Luke knew

Priest cared more than he was letting on.

The tip of Priest’s finger found Luke’s hole and slowly

pushed inside. “What would you do with me if I showed up

in Cattle Val ey once al this was over?”

“You mean besides this?” Luke began fucking himself

on Priest’s hand.

“Yeah. I’m not the kind of man who can just settle

down and get a job like Jessup did. I’m not exactly cop

material.”

“We’l think of something.” Luke rol ed to his back,

while Priest continued to stretch his hole. He wasn’t naïve

enough to think a future with Priest was a certainty. Not only

did the man have a very dangerous mission ahead of him,

but boredom was a real possibility if he moved to Cattle

Val ey. “Where wil you live?”

Priest paused in the process of rol ing a condom

down the length of his cock. “I have a house on eighty acres

outside of town. I guess if I have the time, I’d like to tear that

down and build a new one.”

Although Priest hadn’t mentioned the two of them

living together, Luke tried to hold onto the dream that they

could get to that point. Pushing Priest into something he

wasn’t ready for would only make him bolt.

Luke spread his legs and welcomed Priest’s weight

on top of him. The first kiss of Priest’s cockhead against

his hole sent shivers racing up Luke’s spine. He held onto

Priest’s muscular back as his body slowly accepted the

impressive length. The burn was pain Luke happily

welcomed, but the distant expression on the big man’s face

worried him. Perhaps Priest was lying about their future

together. It wouldn’t be the first time Luke had been lied to,

probably wouldn’t be the last.

Looming over Luke, Priest final y made eye contact,

regarding him with an unreadable expression.

“What?”

Priest continued to stare for several seconds before

shaking his head. “Nothing. Feels good.”

Luke nodded. “Yeah, it does.” His worry crept to the

back of his mind as Priest withdrew and surged back

inside. Live in the moment, he warned himself. With a man

like Priest, it would become crucial for Luke to remember

that.

“You with me?” Priest asked.

Luke tried to hide his private thoughts with a grin. He

looked down his body to the point where the two of them

were connected. “I’m right here,” he said in return.

With a satisfied grunt, Priest’s rhythm increased in

speed and power. With each thrust, he captured more of

Luke’s attention, forcing him with exquisite pleasure to

forget the self-doubts stil clinging to the hope he carried in

his heart.

I deserve this, Luke said to himself. He wrapped his

legs higher around Priest’s torso, al owing for a deeper

penetration. “So good,” he moaned. When his skin broke

out in gooseflesh, he knew he was close.

Luke reached between them and squeezed his cock.

“I’m coming.”

“So am I,” Priest growled.

It was the first time the two of them had been so

closely in accord. Luke held back until he saw the screwed

up look on Priest’s face that signal ed his climax. Luke let

go and rode the wave of pleasure only Priest could deliver.

“James!” Luke screamed, only realising he’d used

Priest’s real name after it had already left his mouth. He

stil ed. “Sorry,” he panted. Priest had reluctantly told Luke

his real name during the drive to Virginia, but made Luke

promise to never use it.

“Don’t be.” Priest remained inside Luke for several

moments before withdrawing. He took care of the condom

before pul ing Luke to him. “I’ve never heard my name

cal ed out like that.”

Luke kissed Priest’s chest. “Once you leave the

agency wil you continue to identify with your nickname?”

“What’re you real y asking?” When Luke didn’t answer

right away, Priest rol ed to his side. “I’ve told you everything.

I know you’ve got questions, so ask.”

“I’d like the chance to get to know James Evans. I

guess I want to believe Priest wil retire eventual y.”

“You wanna know if I’m going to kil people after I

break ties with the agency?”

“Yeah.” Luke held his breath. The answer was the key

to everything.

Priest sat up and swung his legs over the side of the

bed. With his back to Luke, he rested his forearms on his

thighs and lowered his head. It was a very tel ing reaction to

Luke’s question.

Without a word, Luke climbed out of bed, retreating to

the bathroom. He’d been a fucking idiot to believe Priest

could leave his life behind and settle down. Pipe dreams.

Luke had fil ed his life with them, always searching, always

left broken-hearted.

He turned on the shower and stepped inside before

the water had a chance to warm. The cold spray against his

heated skin was the slap in the face he deserved. He’d left

the safety of his home to travel across the country with a

man he barely knew, only to find himself fal ing in love

before they reached their destination.

“And here I stand. More alone than ever,” he

mumbled. He’d made concessions for Priest’s past, tel ing

himself it was a job that needed to be done to ensure the

safety of his country. But the idea of Priest continuing in his

present line of work was more than Luke could handle.

By the time he finished his shower, Luke knew there

was only one thing left to do. He wrapped a towel around

his waist and entered the bedroom. He wasn’t surprised to

find the room empty.

Luke wasted no time getting dressed. He shoved his

dirty clothes into the duffle along with the lube and condoms

Priest had set on the bedside table. It would have been so

nice to spend a couple of weeks hidden away from the

outside world with Priest at his side. Unfortunately, it wasn’t

going to happen. He’d thought he could live in the moment

and enjoy the time they had together but that was before his