Promises: Part I (Bounty Hunters Book 1) (17 page)

Vaughan woke for the fifth time that night. His alarm clock showed it was just after four a.m.
Great. That time I slept a whole hour and five minutes.
Lying next to a warm, shirtless Duke hadn’t stopped his mind from spinning. He had so much rattling around in his head it was no surprise he couldn’t sleep. One: Duke had told him he loved him and Vaughan was too shocked to even say it back. He’d been wanting to hear those words for over ten years. Now that they’d been said, he hoped they were true. He needed to trust that Duke was an honorable man and wouldn’t deceive him. After having known him most of his life, he’d never heard or seen anything that would make him doubt that trust. Two: Duke’s skin was still warm to the touch, so his fever was still there; in spite of the acetaminophen he took before they laid down. Three: How was he going to survive when Duke finally went back to work and started putting his life on the line again? Four: Work. He needed to get started at his new job or he’d lose it before he even started it.

“What’s going on, baby? You’ve been tossing all night,” Duke asked in a sleepy drawl. His voice was groggy and scratchy as he spoke against Vaughan’s throat. They’d found a sleeping position that worked well for both of them. Duke still had to sleep flat on his back, but Vaughan didn’t have much discomfort lying on his side, cradled into Duke’s warmth, his one good hand wrapped beneath Vaughan’s body, holding him close.

“I’m fine. Just a lot on my mind.”

“Mmm hmm.” Duke sounded like he was already drifting back off to sleep when Vaughan felt rough fingers grazing his spine. It soothed him like nothing ever had. “Everything’s going to be fine, so stop worrying.”

“Who said I was worried? I’m not,” Vaughan protested huskily as Duke’s fingers started to ignite his body to flame: as usual.

“Liar.” Duke chuckled and Vaughan’s cock pulsed in his thin pajama pants. As if Duke could smell Vaughan’s arousal, he leaned in and rubbed his coarse beard stubble along Vaughan’s Adam’s apple. “I can feel the worry.”

“Can you also feel this?” Vaughan whispered, thrusting his rock hard erection against Duke’s thigh.

Duke groaned low in his throat. “Fuckin brat,” he murmured sexily, descending on Vaughan’s mouth, taking what he wanted while making Vaughan forget all about his worries…
Which were...?
Vaughan reached down between them, lightly stroking Duke’s furry belly, carefully tracing the outline of his incision. Duke gasped shallow breaths, keeping his forehead in contact with Vaughan’s while they both looked down between their close bodies.

Vaughan sucked in a sharp breath when Duke started to unbutton his pajama shirt, pushing the sides open so he could look at Vaughan’s chest. He did so much more than just look. Duke followed the same patterns with his fingers over Vaughan’s incisions as he’d done his. Both of them peering at the identical scars on their abdomens. It was still such a shock to see.

“I still can’t believe you did this. No one has ever done anything like this for me.” Duke’s voice was hushed, but full of emotion at the same time, and it drove Vaughan crazy.

“I’d do it again, sweetheart.” Vaughan tried to sound strong but his voice quivered anytime he thought of Duke dying or not being with him. “I’ll do anything if it means keeping you with me. I love you, Duke Morgan. So much more than I thought possible.”

Duke’s lazy smile was infectious
.
After a few minutes, they stopped touching their matching scars to pay attention to other areas that were straining for attention. “Touch me,” Duke moaned so prettily. “I need your hands on me so bad, baby.”

Even though their breathing had accelerated and their chests were rising rapidly, it didn’t appear that either of them were in any actual pain. Vaughan reached down and cupped Duke’s straining cock through his boxers. When Vaughan felt the moist fabric where Duke’s cock had leaked for him he thought he’d lose his load right there.
Oh, my God.

Vaughan knew it was only a couple weeks before they’d be back to their respective lives, so he needed to make love to Duke as soon as possible. Needed that primal, physical oath. That claiming and marking. Vaughan reached inside Duke’s underwear, longing to feel that hardness in his hands again. As his shaking fingers wrapped around the head of Duke’s cock, he felt the hard steely length pulse inside his grip.

“Oh, fuck,” Duke moaned quietly, burying his mouth in Vaughan’s thick chest muscles.

Vaughan gave Duke one long, slow stroke from the base to tip and gathered the precome that had risen to the surface. He refused to let one drop go to waste. Vaughan slowly pulled his hand out, much to Duke’s displeasure, and licked the sweetly bitter fluid from his fingers.

“Jesus,” Duke hissed, his body a hard, thick mass of muscle in Vaughan’s arms as he brought his man almost to the edge before forcing his orgasm back down. Tormenting them both.

Vaughan couldn’t have been more turned on if they were actually fucking. The angst between them was becoming extremely hard to bear. They were men in their prime with needs. Fuck that waiting shit. They couldn’t possibly be the first couple to have shaved a little time off their recovery period after surgery and given in to the palpable need to come together.

Duke grunted again, and Vaughan could tell his man was fighting to keep the pleasure he was feeling from creeping through the walls and reaching his father’s ears. Like a high school kid making out with his boyfriend, who he’d snuck in. If things were different, it would almost be funny.  

After Vaughan was certain that he’d got every morsel of Duke’s essence off his fingertip he moved closer to let Duke kiss him. The moan that tore through both of them when the kiss started was too loud to even think that Quick didn’t hear it. “Shh. Oh god, babe. I can’t be quiet. Feels too good.” Duke groaned again.

Vaughan laughed sexily into Duke’s parted mouth as he gasped for breath. “Why are you shushing me when you’re the one that can’t be quiet?”

“Fuckin’ brat,” Duke said, in that velvety tone that made the word a term of endearment instead of a derogatory term for a petulant child.

Vaughan reached back inside for another feel of his lover, his own cock begging for some attention. But he wanted to give Duke all the pleasure he could handle. Vaughan leaned in and licked a long swipe up Duke’s neck and sucked hard behind his ear. As soon as he wrapped his fingers around Duke’s thick shaft and stroked the ridges of that swollen head, his thumb digging into the seeping slit, Duke’s fist tightened painfully on Vaughan’s shoulder and his hips bucked as he emptied his release over Vaughn’s hand and on to the mattress. A guttural growl followed the second and longest spurt of come and Vaughan clenched his teeth when he felt Duke bite down on his collarbone.

“Duke. Fuck, sweetheart.” Vaughan was panting against Duke’s ear as he waited for his man to come down from his orgasm. He rubbed up and down Duke’s back, hoping like hell that he hadn’t hurt him. After his breathing returned to normal, Duke loosened the hard grip and rubbed a soothing hand over the marks he’d probably left there.

Vaughan tried desperately to take deep, calming breaths and will his cock to go down. He didn’t want Duke to feel like he had to reciprocate right away. He only had one good arm and he was probably worn out after that ill-advised exertion.

********

“Damn.”
That had to be the best orgasm I’ve ever had in my life
. “Felt so good.”

Duke heard Vaughan sigh and he wasn’t sure it was a relief filled sigh or a regretful one.

“Are you okay?” Vaughan inquired worriedly, gently pulling Duke’s boxers back over his flaccid dick.

Duke’s elated chuckle was laced with humor. “I’m better than okay.”

“Mmm. Good. Sleep then. I’ve disturbed you enough.”

Duke grumbled, burying in closer, awkwardly reaching for the elastic on Vaughan’s pants. “Wait. I want to touch you, too. I want you to come.”

“I’m good, Duke. I promise. We still have to be careful.”

“I don’t, but you do. That’s not fair. I want to see you come.” Duke shuffled closer, the best he could, as he gazed at Vaughan’s face.

Vaughan stopped Duke’s persistent hand and tucked it back under his waist, into their sleeping position. “You
will
see me come, I promise. Just not tonight. Now. Com’ere.” Duke was so comfortable tucked against the silky skin all over Vaughan’s body that he couldn’t fight the sleep any longer. He loved that Vaughan had exhibited some of his dominance and shut down their playing. He had no doubt that Vaughan would follow through on his promise soon.

Duke woke to an empty bed in the morning. As he felt around on the cold sheets next to him, he quickly realized how comfortable he was sleeping with someone for the first time in many years. It almost came naturally for the two of them. A quick glance at the clock and he saw it was almost noon.
Fuck!
When was the last time he’d slept that long? His days started early. Crime never slept. Duke got up and went into the bathroom to handle business. When he came out he dressed quickly in a comfortable sweat suit that Charlie had brought over and headed downstairs.

Duke poured himself a cup of juice and went in search of Vaughan. He found him on the phone in Quick’s office and as soon as he walked in he realized his man was talking business, sounded like his employer so Duke eased back out the room and sat in the living room. He thought he might go into the office but he knew his presence wasn’t needed. He hated sitting around not doing anything. He was a productive man, had been since college, he didn’t know how to sit on his ass and do nothing. Maybe a walk around the yard will be good. As soon as Duke stood and zipped his jacket the doorbell rang. 

He was more than comfortable being at Quick’s and answering his door. But he didn’t expect to see Dr. Chauncey on the other side of it with a large black bag at his feet.

The man pulled his shades up into his hair, his bright blue eyes radiating his amusement. “Well. I went to your place and didn’t get an answer so figured I’d come here and check with your friend.”

Duke was still dumbfounded as he moved to the side and let Dr. Chauncey in. He had on his typical tan Dockers, a blue and white plaid button up shirt tucked in to them, and dark brown Oxfords. Now that Duke was really able to see him out of the confines of a stuffy hospital room, the man was actually quite handsome. He had his dirty blond hair trimmed on the sides, the long side burns graying slightly at his temples, the hair on top just a bit longer. 

“Dr. Chauncey, what a pleasant surprise,” Vaughan said, shutting the door to his father’s office behind him. The smile he gave the good doctor was genuine and Duke finally realized that they’d probably built quite a relationship while Duke was laid up.

“It’s okay,” Vaughan spoke up again when the doctor looked back and forth between them quizzically. “He knows now.”

“I figured as much since he was over here.” The doctor came further into the living room casually looking around before he sat down.

Duke couldn’t help but wonder why Dr. Chauncey was there, but that was clarified as soon as the man spoke. “Why aren’t you in bed Duke? I was told you had a slight fever yesterday. How come I wasn’t notified of that until this morning?”

Duke turned and scowled at Vaughan, who quickly threw his hands up, signaling his innocence. “Don’t look at me I only told—”

“Quick,” Duke grumbled, finishing his man’s sentence. If anyone would rat him out to the doc—good intentions aside—it’d be his best friend.

“Yes. He called my nurse today asking some questions about what to pay attention to. He sounded very concerned, so I thought I’d take it upon myself and come check on my patients.”

“I’m fine,” Duke muttered under his breath. “I had a stressful day yesterday. It happens to everyone.”

“Actually. No. People don’t get fevers from stress unless they have a condition called psychogenic fever. Then a person—”

“Okay, okay. I got it. My temperature did spike, but it was temporary.”

“You should’ve called last night,” Dr. Chauncey argued.

“You told me what to call about. Why would I disturb you in the middle of the night? My temperature never got to one hundred, did it babe?” Duke argued in his defense, looking to Vaughan to back him up.

“No it didn’t. And I took his temperature every couple hours.”

“Aww. Look at you two.” The doctor chuckled. “It sounds like everything worked out for you guys, huh?”

Vaughan smiled so charmingly that neither of them needed to reply. Yeah. Things were awesome.

Duke calmed down as Vaughan came and sat down so close to him he was practically on his lap. The doctor didn’t go right into examining Duke, instead they talked about their last couple of weeks recovering and what plans they had coming up. It seemed like they’d been friends forever. The doctor was cool and rather funny. His sense of humor bordered on raunchy, especially when Vaughan mentioned them being allowed to get back to some physical activity in the bedroom.

Dr. Chauncey rolled his eyes. “Young people and their sex drives.”

“Tell me about it,” Duke chimed in, grinning coyly when Vaughan glanced at him in disbelief.

“You weren’t complaining about my sex drive last night.”

“TMI!” the doctor yelled, and all of them laughed loudly. They were still laughing when Quick came through the front door looking like an escapee from
Renegade
.

Duke noticed Quick was in his chasing gear—so he called it. His large frame was encased in head to toe leather except for the black t-shirt that had BOUNTY HUNTER printed in bold letters across his broad chest. His gold star was suspended from a long chain and rested between his thick pecs. Duke was ready to start cursing about Quick going on a bounty alone when he noticed that Dr. Chauncey was gaping at his friend. His sharp blue eyes were traveling hungrily up and down Quick’s body as he made his way into the living room.

Duke covered his laugh with a mock cough, breaking Dr. Chauncey out of his trance. “Um. Dr. Chauncey.”

The man startled at the sound of his name like Duke had smacked him. “Yes. Um. Yeah, Duke. D-did you call me?”

Vaughan stared oddly at the doctor’s sudden fluster but Duke couldn’t wait to tell his man his new theory about Quick and Dr. Chauncey. He hadn’t been sure he’d actually seen attraction in the men’s eyes when they were in his hospital room. But now. He was more than sure.

“I didn’t know you made house calls, Doc,” Quick said casually. Everyone watched as Quick pulled off his mid-thigh leather coat and hung it on the rack by the stairs, now revealing his two holstered chrome nine millimeter handguns. Duke had to admit, they always did look like hot thugs when they were dressed for a chase.

Dr. Chauncey shook his head like he was trying to organize his thoughts. “I don’t. I mean, I do. Well, sometimes… only when.” The doctor took a calming breath and slowly made his way through his sentence. “I don’t typically, but my nurse told me about your call and we’d been trying to reach Duke all morning, so I went to check on him.”

Quick grunted something and kept walking.

“Coming to your house isn’t a crime is it, Roman?” Dr. Chauncey inquired seductively, although Duke didn’t think that’s the tone he was going for. It looked like his friend brought out the fire in the conservative doctor.

Quick spun around, looking the doctor in his eyes with that fierce green glare. “Do you want it to be a crime, Cayson?”

“Dad,” Vaughan blurted, turning to look at Quick like he’d lost his mind. But Duke had a hard time controlling his laughter, especially when his friend’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink before he stormed off to his office and slammed the door.

“What has gotten into him?” Vaughan wondered, looking bewildered. “I’m so sorry Dr. Chauncey, but he never acts like that. I hope there’s nothing wrong.”

Dr. Chauncey was flushed and wore a morbidly embarrassed look on his face. “I never did like my first name much, but hearing him say it like that makes me downright loathe it.” His forced laugh didn’t reach his eyes and Duke felt sorry for him.

“I’ll check on him.” Duke went to stand, but Vaughan grabbed his arm.

“I think Dr. Chauncey wants to check you out so he can get back to the hospital.”

Dr. Chauncey threw his hands up, dismissing Duke. “It’s fine. Go on and check on your friend. I hope I didn’t overstep. Sometimes I just run my mouth with no regard for consequence. Please tell him I’d like to apologize.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. I think he just needs a vacation. He’s been handling everything for everyone and not taking a second for himself,” Vaughan said sadly.

“Hmm.” Dr. Chauncey hummed like he was in deep thought. Right before Duke closed himself in Quick’s office he heard a compassionate, “That’s a shame,” from the good doctor.