Equation for Love (12 page)
Skye glanced up at him, then shrugged. "I don't know. After tonight, you'd think I wouldn't have it in me to get embarrassed, right?"
Liamshook his head. "Not at all. I'llbe honest...this is a step outside my comfort zone, too. I'm a little nervous."
Skye let out a rushofbreath, smiling. "Really? Well, thank God because my stomach's flipping like an acrobat."
Liamlaughed and they both relaxed some now that the proverbialice was broken. It was a testament to the strange nature of their situation that--even with everything they'd already done together--there was still ice to break.
Then Skye met his gaze, his dark eyes warm and sort of expectant, and Liam grinned. That look could melt anyice left over.
"What do you want, my own?" he asked, voice lowering.
Skye shivered and slid his arms around Liam's neck. "You, Sir. I want you."
Liam hauled Skye closer, one hand sliding up into his hair, the other curled on his narrow waist. "More specific, wanton Skye. You know the rules by now, don't you?"
Skye's breath hitched and he nodded. "I want...I kind of want a shower. With you." He pressed closer against Liam, his expression eager and almost unknowinglyseductive.
Liam doubted Skye had any idea just how appealinghe reallywas yet. Yet.
"Naked and wet and slippery...yes, Sir, I want that, please."
"Lord, you're good at this,"Liamgroaned.
Skye panted softly, swaying against him, all pliant surrender and hazyeyes. "Good at what?"
"Beingmine."
Skye moaned as Liam grabbed his hand and made for the hallway and, he assumed, bedrooms. Skye shook his head, tugging in the other direction. "The master is upstairs this way."
Liamfollowed Skye instead, around the corner and up a set of spiral stairs to the second floor, which was more of a massive, open loft bedroom. The bathroom opened in the corner, and Liam beelined for it, turning to walk Skye backward, kissing him and tugging at his clothes.
By the time they got to the bathroom, despite being mostly naked then and with the imminent promise of slippery, wet bodies, the tone wasn't as much sexual as it was sensual. There was a big difference, in Liam's experience.
Instead of bites and bruising grips, they exchanged hot, deep kisses and gliding touches. Instead of frantic need, there was a building hunger Liam feared needed more than rutting to sate it. Despite the fear, though, he couldn't stop if his life depended on it. Skye was his right now, and Liam soaked up every second of it. He turned on the triple head shower and smiled as he backed into the stall, leadingSkye forward.
He was gorgeous wet. He was gorgeous all the time. But now, hair blacker thanever and spikywiththe water, lashes inky against damp cheeks and his skin flushed from the heat, Skye took his fucking breath away. Liam must have done something really right at some point inorder to get so damnlucky.
Then again, maybe not so lucky in the end.
Because, inthe end, Skye would walk awayand belong to someone else. He'd take what Liam taught him and give it to another man. Liamhad never hated anyone so much as he did that future, faceless man. And when he pinned Skye against the tile a second later and took his mouth in a demanding, possessive kiss, it might have had a lot to do withhis pointless jealousy.
Later, though, when they lay damp and tangled on Skye's bed, and Liam made a hundred excuses to himselfwhy he didn't have to leave, he realized it wasn't about jealousy.
It was about sorrow. Because he'd been stupid enough to find the one thing he'd always wanted in the one manhe couldn't have.
Love.
* * * *
It was Friday. It was five P.M. It was their roomat the MGM Grand, same as every other time they'd met. But Liamwasn't here, and Skye was beginning to think he wasn't coming.
In fact, he'd begun thinking so on Wednesday morning when he'd woken up alone with Liam long gone. He didn't even know when Liam had left. Skye hadn't planned on falling asleep, but suddenly it was nine hours later and he woke up naked, slightly sore and alone in his bed. Calls and texts hadn't been returned, and Skye hadn't beensure what to do.
So he got the hotel room today, like always. He waited, like always. He waited some more. Liam was an hour late and still not answering texts or calls. Skye plopped down on the floor next to the mini-fridge, yanking it open and grabbing a five-dollar candy bar and tearingit openas he dialed Liam's number again.
This time he let the voice mailkick in.
"So this is what being stood up feels like. What number lesson is this, Liam? I've lost count. Well, your thorough teaching style is appreciated, so I'm going to leave now and I expect Monday you'll have a new lessonfor me. Please do not repeat this one."
He hung up and tossed the phone onto the floor. He'd just finish his candy bar and go home. He tried telling himself Liam had just gotten busy or he'd forgotten...but that wasn't the truth and Skye knew it. The problem was, he didn't know
what
the truth was. Maybe Liamjust didn't want to see himanymore.
That thought was most depressingofall.
Liam sat on his motorcycle, staring up at Skye's condo. He was beinga fool. He knew it and he worried very soon Skye would know it, too. Of course, Skye was just inexperienced enough not to recognize the absolute absurdity of Liam falling for him. Hell, Skye damn well might think it was--God forbid--a good thing. He hadn't missed all those soft looks, the way Skye asked if their time together was business or maybe more. Skye was falling, too, but at least he had the excuse of naïveté to fall back on. Liam knew how the world worked, this one inparticular.
And yet here he sat, about to be an idiot and go up there and layclaimto the manallover again.
Well, ifhe was going to go down like a captain with his ship, he might as well enjoy the ride to the bottom. He climbed off his bike and strode past Skye's garage and up the walk to his door. Liamhad no doubt he was home. He'd seen lights come on and go off a couple times while he'd been debating his own downfall there bythe curb.
He strode up to the door and knocked with as much authority as he could. He'd been told he had a cop's knock. The kind you didn't dare ignore because it sounded bothurgent and intimidating.
A couple of seconds later, Liam saw a shadow move across the peephole, followed by a muffled thud against the door. He couldn't help it; his lips twitched because he was pretty sure Skye had seen him and immediately flattened himself against the door in surprise. Liam could almost
see
the wide eyes and the openmouth.
Mmm, open mouth.
"Openthe door, Skye. I know you're inthere."
Another few heartbeats and the door cracked open, safety chain still on as Skye peered out at him. Liamlifted his brows.
"This is not the 'open' I meant, myown."
Skye narrowed his eyes impudently. "Well, if I just flung the door open, I have a pretty good idea what would happenand, since I'mnot sure I'mevenspeaking to you right now, you get the safety chain." He licked his lips. "What do youwant?"
Oh, what a loaded question.
Liamleaned closer, and even with the door and the chain between them, Skye's breath quickened. "I want youto let me in. Openthe door, Skye, now."
Skye hesitated, then pursed his lips and shut the door. The chain rattled briefly and a second later, the door opened, Skye peering at him with a mixture of uncertainty and obvious annoyance. Oh, he was peeved, for sure. And beinga brat about it, too.
Had Skye forgotten how much Liam liked a bratty
as he did, kicking the door shut. Skye's eyes widened and he brought his hands up against Liam's chest, as if he was going to shove at him, but instead just rested themthere, staringinto Liam's eyes.
mouth, breathfanningacross his parted, beautifullips. "I was an asshole. Say you forgive me, my own," he whispered, tongue slipping out to touch Skye's lower lip. "Sayyou're stillmine."
Skye trembled, the stiffness seeming to flow right out ofhimand he sagged between Liamand the wall. "I forgive you,"he breathed.
Liam smiled, triumph rushing through him, and he pressed closer, his knee nudgingbetweenSkye's thighs. "And?"
"And I'mstill yours..." Skye let out a rush of breath and wrapped his arms around Liam abruptly, breathing harder. "OhGod, I thought..."
Liamshook his head, reaching up to press his hand against Skye's mouth. "Whatever it was, you were wrong. So was I."Liamdecided in right then that loving Skye wasn't a crime he had to avoid. He could love him--only if he was willing to let himgo. He just had to love him and let him go when the time came. Until then...untilthen, Skye was allhis.
Liam was determined to love him so fucking good that when he was old and someone asked about the first man who'd ever loved him, Skye would go all wistfuland soft-eyed and think ofLiam.
But loving himwasn't all Liamhad to do. He had a job to do as well. He smiled as he slid his hand from Skye's mouth up into his hair. "Since we've missed your last lesson, I thought maybe a little home study would be inorder. Are youup for it, myown?"
Skye nodded, breath quickening. "Definitely. What...what lessonis this, Sir?"
Liam tilted his head, brows knitting as he thought about it, then chuckled. "I think I've lost count again. But either way, I assure you it's a very important lesson."
Skye laughed, dark eyes no longer wary or hurt, but lit up and warm with arousal. "I'm sure it is. By all means, Sir, your pupilis eager to learn."
"Well, first things first...you're special, Skye. And if a guy ever stands you up again, and if you decide he's worth a second chance, make sure he makes it up to youina bigwayfor beingsucha jerk."
Skye grinned, eyes dancing with mischief. "Does this mean
you're
goingto do proper penance, Sir?"
After the last two days ofstruggling with what to do and emotions he didn't want to feel, Liam would welcome absolution. He nipped Skye's lower lip gently, brows lifting as their eyes met. "What sort of penance do youthink is appropriate, myown?"
Skye leaned his head back against the wall, arching against Liam. "I don't know. Shouldn't it involve you beingonyour knees, though?"
Under normal circumstances, Liam would balk at the idea of going to his knees for a sub. For anyone. But Skye wasn't just anyone, and there were allsorts of beautiful, favorite parts of his lover available at that level. Which was, he thought, exactly what Skye was
murmured, and began kissing his way down. His hands slipped down along Skye's sides, then back up, shoving his shirt out of the way to bare pale, flawless skin that was warm and sensitive beneath Liam's lips. When his lips brushed along the waistband of Skye's pajama pants, Liam settled on his knees, hands splayed on Skye's hips. He glanced up at the young man, lifting one brow. "You were very right, my own. This is where I want to be right now."
Before Skye could respond, Liam pressed a hot, open-mouthed kiss against the hard ridge of Skye's cock through his pants, and he let out a shuddery halfcry, hands sinkinginto Liam's hair.
"OhmyGod..."
Liam scraped his teeth against the cotton-covered
ridge and glanced up at him. "That's right, my own...exactly what I want to be to you." His god, his world, his breath. Even if it was temporary. Maybe especiallybecause it was temporary.
Skye didn't think he had any choice in the matter. Liam was rapidly becoming all-consuming. It was frightening, but exhilarating at the same time. He'd longed for something special, something romantic and wild and sexy...which was what he'd gotten. It wasn't logical in the least, but Skye was starting to see there was far more to the world than only what was logical and easily understood. He didn't understand Liam or the way Liam made him feel, but that was okay. He didn't feel the need to pull it all apart and examine it to figure out how it worked. And that was just as new as allthe emotions and needs and new thoughts inside him.
Oh God, the heat and dampness of Liam's mouth through his pants. He was a little bit embarrassed Liam was seeing him in his pajamas, but at the same time grateful because the thin cotton of his pajama pants allowed Liam's searing mouth to be far more thoroughly enjoyed than otherwise. His brain started to wander down the path of the different heat transferring properties of cotton as opposed to other fabrics, but Liam's tongue was suddenly on his lower abdomen and Liam's hands were dragging his pajamas down and Skye forgot what he'd beenthinkingabout.
"Ohhh..." He shuddered, breath hitching. The pajamas ended up bunched around Skye's thighs and his cock sprang free--hard, and slick at the tip, and seeming to beg Liam's mouth to pretty please suck it. Or maybe it was onlySkye's imagination.
Liam grinned up at him, lips brushing almost chastely across the head. "You did miss me last night, didn't you, my own?" He licked his lips, and Skye's knees went weak at the expression on Liam's face-what does it taste like? His mouth watered remembering what Liam's cock tasted like. Did he taste as good to Liam?
"I did...I don't think that's anything to do with my, um..." He gestured, shrugging. "I don't think I can be held responsible for that."
Liam laughed, shaking his head as he wrapped his fingers around the base of Skye's cock. "Is that my fault, too? More penance, I think, then. I'mjust racking up the sins, it seems."
Skye opened his mouth to respond, but whatever he'd been about to say flew out ofhis head when, in the next moment, Liam's hot, wet mouth engulfed his cock from base to tip, and Skye almost fell over. Would have, if not for the wall holding him up. God bless the
slipped out of Liam's mouth with an obscene, wet sound made Skye
die
inside. It was dirty and sexy and he didn't even know what else... It was alljust so much.
"Can we what, my own?" Liam's hands started stroking, almost idly, like he couldn't stop himself from touching Skye, making him feel good, even for a few seconds.