Kane, Samantha - Brothers In Arms 4 (12 page)

Major Randall’s voice had gone cold.

“She’ll throw the both of you out on your arses, that’s what going to happen,”

Derek predicted with pity. “Mark my words, you’re only in for heartache if you pursue this.”

“It is what we wish, Derek.” Major Richards looked at him hard. “You of all people should know and understand how short life is, both you and Ian. Jason and I believe that it’s too short not to pursue that which we desire most. We’ve been here too long.”

He shook his head sadly. “We’ve seen too much death and too much heartache.” He looked over at Major Randall. “But we’ve been together so long that the idea of living apart is unconscionable.” He looked back at Derek. “So we shall pursue Kate and win her together. We will not be denied this happiness. We have earned it.”

“Has she got the kind of courage it will take to defy all the rules of society in order for you to have that happiness? Have you?” Derek asked the question seriously. “I don’t know anyone who has. No one ever really gives everything up for love, Major.

That only occurs in fairy tales and Shakespeare.”

“And what kind of Englishman can’t quote his Shakespeare?” Major Richards asked with a sad smile. “Goodbye, Derek. I hope to see you again back in England. I think you’re going to be very interesting when you grow up.”

“If I grow up anymore I won’t fit in England,” Derek joked, taking the olive branch he offered. They all laughed, though it was a little forced, and shook hands before the two older men left.

Derek offered Ian some of his hot dinner and they ate in silence. Afterward they finished off another bottle of wine outside, watching the sun set. When the sky was the purple-gray of almost night, the bath Derek had ordered arrived.

“What’s this?” Ian asked idly, setting his glass aside.

Derek stood up to direct the men where to put the tub in the tent. “I almost forgot I hired MacAllister’s trull to wash out our things. Then I figured if our clothes are going 58

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to be clean, we might as well be.” He looked down at Ian as the men went for some hot water. “I know you stink, so I must be as bad if not worse.”

Ian leaned over and sniffed under his arms. He came up blinking. “Bloody hell, I reek. A man forgets among the stench of an army camp, I suppose.” He struggled to his feet. “What the hell. I’ll do it for you, since you’re the only one who gets close enough to smell me.” He stumbled a little going into the tent and Derek caught his arm.

“How much have you had to drink today?” he asked in surprise. He couldn’t recall ever seeing Ian the worse for drink.

Ian smiled at him crookedly. “Apparently too much.” He laughed, although the

sound was strangely without humor. “It was that damned Richards, and Randall too.

They spent half the day here maundering on about how awful this war was and how they couldn’t wait to get back to Mrs. Collier. Those two will drive a man to drink.”

Derek barked with laughter. “Well, don’t come crying to me tomorrow with your

headache. I’ve warned you about drinking that god-awful shit.”

“Oh, shut up, Derek.” Ian collapsed on his cot. “You take the tub first since you ordered it. Then I’ll wash.”

Derek shrugged. “Seems fair. I’ll wake you when I’m done.”

The men were back with water and the tub was steaming by the time they left.

Derek told them to come for the tub in the morning and closed the tent flap behind them. He undressed and was about to climb in the tub when a voice called in to them.

“’Ere now, have ya got them smalls for me, Lieutenant?”

“Oh Christ, it’s MacAllister’s girl. Ian, will you hand her my things? And yours too.” He called out to her. “Hold on, Millie. The captain needs to take his off. Then he’ll hand them to you through the flap.”

There was a cackle of laughter through the tent walls. “’Ere now, I don’t mind if’n I have to come in there, dearie. Are ya both in the buff then? Who wouldn’t mind that, I tell ya? You two luvs are the best thing to look at around ‘ere with your clothes on, never mind off.” She laughed again and Derek joined her.

“Never you mind, Millie. MacAllister would come looking for us to be sure if we stole his girl. You stay respectably on that side of the tent if you please.” He smiled at Ian and sobered when he saw the strange look the other man was giving him. “Hurry up, Ian. The poor woman probably has to pick up several things all over camp.”

Ian shook his head and undressed quickly. He wrapped his blanket around his

waist and took their things to the flap. Derek heard Millie on the other side.

“Well bless your ‘eart, Captain, aren’t you the shy one? Got something Millie ain’t seen yet, have ya?” Derek smiled at her comment.

“Thank you very much, Millie,” Ian told her quietly. “We appreciate it very much.”

The woman was obviously flustered when she replied. “Oh, well then, it’s how I

make my livin’ then, isn’t it? I’ll take good care of ya, Captain. Have ‘em back by tomorrow.”

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“Don’t worry, Millie,” Derek shouted out at her as he stepped into the tub. “We’ve a set to wear already. We won’t be needing those for a couple of days.”

“All right then, Lieutenant,” she called in to him, her voice receding as she walked away, “thank you very much. You’ll have ‘em by Wednesday.”

Ian turned back into the tent with a frown. “We have another set?”

Derek didn’t bother to look at him as lowered himself into the water. “We do as of today. I was collecting, remember?”

“Ah,” Ian said. Derek heard him walk over and sit back down on his cot.

The tub was too small for Derek by far. He was practically eating his knees in there, and was splashing around trying to wash himself.

“Why don’t you just stand up?” Ian asked, his voice flat.

Derek glanced over in surprise. Ian appeared asleep laying there with his ankles crossed. It was hard to tell in the low light of one lamp but his eyes looked closed. “I thought you were asleep.” He got up but felt a little self-conscious standing there nude in front of Ian. He knew it was stupid. Ian had seen him naked plenty of times, but something seemed different now. Perhaps it was just that he was different. He wanted Ian so much it was making him awkward. He hated it, and as usual any kind of

weakness on his part pissed him off. He scrubbed himself hard and splashed around, rinsing himself off. He sat back down to wash his hair.

“Do you want me to pour some water on your head?”

Derek dropped the soap he was so startled. “God damn it, Ian! Are you or are you not asleep?”

“Clearly I am not.” Ian was amused, and Derek got even angrier. He was in an

agony of want and awkwardness and Ian was enjoying himself at Derek’s expense.

“Then yes, get over here and help me rinse this soap out of my eyes.” Derek

lathered his hair once more, rubbing the top of his head as he watched Ian stand up out of the corner of his eye. From Ian’s vantage point it must have looked as if Derek couldn’t see him, because for the first time since Matilla Derek saw emotion flashing across Ian’s face like lightning. Longing, sadness, desire all tumbled in his eyes and pulled his mouth into a thin line as he stared at Derek in the tub with a burning intensity. Derek felt the smoldering fires inside him ignite. He was suddenly an inferno of need, conscious of his own nakedness and Ian’s under the thin cover of his blanket.

“Hand me the bucket,” Ian said, his voice emotionless. But he couldn’t fool Derek anymore. He felt the same things as Derek, wanted the same things. Here was his chance and Derek didn’t know what to do. How did one go about seducing one’s

reluctant best friend? He slowly picked up the bucket and started to fill it from the tub, but at the last minute handed it to Ian empty. “Here, you fill it. I’ve got soap in my eyes.”

From under his lashes he watched Ian take a deep breath, and as he moved to fill the bucket with water his hands were shaking. Ian’s eyes wouldn’t rest on one part of 60

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Derek. Instead they kept darting from one spot to another. Nervous, unable to believe his own daring, Derek parted his legs as if making room for Ian to dip the bucket there.

Ian froze. Derek tried to be nonchalant. “Is there room? Here, I’ll move.” He came to his knees, the water dancing just below his semi-erect cock, his legs spread. “There. Hurry up, Ian, before the water gets cold.” He watched Ian close his eyes for a moment and came close to feeling guilty for deliberately enticing him, but the moment passed and all he felt was elation. He was so close, Ian was almost his.

Then in one swift movement Ian filled the bucket and dumped it over Derek’s head.

Derek was sputtering as Ian dropped the bucket and backed away.

“There,” Ian said, “you’re done. Get out and get dressed.”

Derek stood and shook himself like a wet dog. “What the hell did you do that for?”

he bellowed, rubbing the soap and water out of his eyes for real this time. “Hand me a cloth, you fool.” Some rough linen was shoved into his hand and he wiped his face off.

When he could see again he glared at Ian. Ian stared dispassionately back at him. Just as Derek was sure he’d missed his chance he saw Ian’s gaze dart down and then back up as if he couldn’t stop himself.

Derek took a deep breath and he saw the pulse in Ian’s throat leap. He slowly

wiped the cloth down his chest and Ian’s eyes followed. Very slowly and very

deliberately, Derek dried himself off, running the cloth up and down his arms, his chest and stomach. He stepped out of the tub and dried his legs, and as he stood he placed the cloth just beneath his cock, in the thick mat of pubic hair between his legs and rubbed slowly. He looked up at Ian surreptitiously and saw sweat beading his upper lip as his eyes locked on Derek’s hands. He thoroughly dried his cock and balls and then turned his back to Ian and held the cloth out.

“Would you dry my back?” He looked over his shoulder and saw Ian take a step

forward, his eyes glazed. He jerked to a stop.

“No,” he croaked.

“Why not?” Derek asked, injecting his tone with just the right amount of petulant confusion.

“Dry your own damn back,” Ian snarled, and Derek had to turn away to hide his

smile. Oh yes, he was going to have him. Before this night was through Ian would be his.

“Fine,” he grumbled, making a great show of flexing his muscles as he tried to

reach his back. He turned this way and that, giving Ian a show. Ian turned away abruptly when Derek faced him.

Derek couldn’t stop the sharp little grin from cutting across his face. He wiped it off before he spoke. “Well, get in,” he told Ian harshly. “I’m not paying good money for you to let the water get cold.”

He saw Ian’s shoulders rise as he took a deep breath. He walked over to the tub, and keeping his back to Derek, Ian dropped the blanket from around his waist and 61

Samantha Kane

stepped into the tub. He lowered himself to sit and found he had the same problem as Derek.

Derek let him flounder for a minute or two as he retreated to his cot. It was

strategically placed in front of Ian, who watched Derek in dismay, clearly regretting his miscalculation.

“Just stand up like I did,” Derek suggested, keeping his tone neutral.

“Get dressed,” Ian ordered him, his voice quiet but firm.

“I’ll get dressed when I feel like it.” Derek sat on the cot facing Ian. He spread his legs wide and placed his elbows on his knees. He leaned his head to one side and rubbed his hair briskly with the linen, drying it. He pretended he couldn’t hear Ian’s ragged breathing cutting the air.

When his hair was dry enough, Derek threw the cloth on the cot next to him and

slowly leaned back, resting his weight on his hands. Without looking at Ian he spread his legs farther apart, aware of how his body was displayed, his cock now hard and erect. He reached one hand down and idly adjusted it, rubbing his balls slightly. He could feel each beat of his heart there in his engorged sex. It pulsed in time to Ian’s breathing. He forced himself not to look at Ian, to continue to stare at his own erection.

He ran his thumb over the slit in his cock head and shuddered. He had to stop touching himself then. He was too close. He could feel Ian’s eyes burning into him like a brand.

Casually he ran his hand up his stomach and rubbed it over his chest, pebbling his nipples. He shifted his gaze to Ian without warning and caught him staring, his nostrils flared like a predator sensing the wind.

“Would you like me to rinse you too?” Derek asked, his voice deliberately casual. “I know how damned hard it is to maneuver in that tub.” Without waiting for a reply he rose and walked over to pick up the bucket. He made sure to stand in front of Ian, his cock right in front of his face. Let’s see what he makes of this, Derek thought smugly. “I won’t drown you as you did me,” he teased.

Ian finally looked up into his face. “No.” Derek understood he was talking about more than the rinsing, but he chose to act as if he misunderstood.

“Don’t be such a ninny. Get up on your knees and let me rinse you. I swear I won’t toss it in your face.”

Ian was left with two choices—either to directly address the sexual tension choking the air or to do as Derek asked and pretend it was just about the rinsing. Derek was betting on the second choice and he won. Ian rose to his knees.

“Let me fill the bucket,” Ian said, reaching for it.

“No, that’s all right,” Derek responded, pulling it out of reach and then dipping it quickly into the water between Ian’s legs. His breathing became as ragged as Ian’s as he saw the other man’s huge cock full and hard, riding his stomach he was so aroused.

When he pulled the bucket out of the water he let his arm “accidentally” brush the hot, engorged flesh and Ian shuddered with a gasp.

“Derek,” he choked out, a warning in his voice.

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“Close your eyes,” Derek told him quietly, his voice soothing. Ian obeyed. Derek slowly poured the water over Ian’s head, gently rubbing the silky strands of his hair to wash the soap out. He ran his hand down the back of Ian’s head to his strong shoulders and brushed along the smooth, firm skin there, caressing him in the guise of rinsing him off. Ian’s hands gripped the sides of the iron tub. When he was done, Derek put the bucket down on the floor.