Courage In Love (9 page)

“Yeah?” Ross’ voice was a resigned groan and Parker prayed it was a false alarm. Ross’ arm tightened around him and Parker’s heart sank. “Yup. I’ll be there in half an hour.” He stated before he set the phone back on the bedside table. Ross’ lips were warm as they pressed against Parker’s scalp before he rolled them. “I have to go. There’s a key on the kitchen counter. It’s yours. I want you to stay as long as you want. Lock up and leave whenever you’re ready. I’ll call you as soon as I can.” Ross whispered. Parker was momentarily stunned and allowed Ross to slide from his arms.
Holy shit. I have a key.

“Please be safe.” Parker begged as he reached for Ross.

“I will.” He promised before he claimed Parker’s lips for a somehow brief yet lingering kiss. “Go back to sleep.” Ross ordered as he pulled free and backed away.

Parker hugged Ross’ pillow to his chest as he listened to him take a quick shower. In a matter of minutes, Ross was dressed and grabbing a black duffle bag on his way out the door.

Parker’s eyes were wide as they drifted around Ross’ dining and living room area as he leaned on the counter and drank a glass of juice. Everything seemed so much emptier without Ross’ large body and soothing presence.
How does someone so large and strong pull off soothing?
Parker wondered.
Funny, that.
He shrugged as he went to one of Ross’ many bookshelves. Ross had a lot of books. He read everything. Parker’s eyes swept around the room again. There were a lot of pictures. Mostly of Ross and Bryan in various exotic locations. There were a few of them when they were younger, in different uniforms. A bark of laughter burst from Parker at the sight of a young, skinny Ross in a green t-shirt and camouflage pants. He appeared to be polishing boots and he was all ears. He’d definitely grown into those ears. Parker’s finger traced Ross’ face lovingly and he frowned as he set the photo back on the shelf. He looked at the key and a shiver of excitement and mild panic streaked through him.

A key was serious. Keys meant commitment, sharing and trust. Especially with Ross leaving Parker alone in his house. Ross had nothing to hide. He wanted Parker to feel comfortable and in control. Parker’s cheeks puffed out as he exhaled loudly.
You want this. You want him.
Parker reminded himself. He nodded decisively as he went back to the bedroom and grabbed his phone off the dresser. He searched for the nearest lab as he went into the kitchen and poured himself another glass of juice as he scheduled an appointment.

Chapter 18

A small, ancient woman gestured wildly as she babbled and waved at the sky. Ross shook his head in disbelief as he stared at the still smoking pile of brick and charred wood. A few locals were carefully scaling and picking through the rubble and two bodies were stretched out on the dirt, beneath sheets. Mark was hunkered down next to them, holding the end of one sheet as he listened to a young boy describe their demise.

“It was a drone strike.” Hector announced and Ross nodded.

“That’s what it sounds like.” He agreed. He held up his hands and begged the woman to slow down so he could question her about who was in the building the night before. She was stuck on a loop, wailing about the noise and how she thought it was the end of the world. Eventually Ross settled on placating her so he could end the conversation and send her on her way.

“Let’s go.” Mark called as he waved toward the humvees.

“How the hell did this happen?” Ross asked as he dropped into the driver’s seat and Mark shook his head.

“No clue. They had to know we had this site as a target.” He frowned as he scanned the street around them. “Riker’s going to be pissed. His team spent months getting ready for this, now there’s nothing.” Ross nodded as he sped through the small village.

The likelihood of any insurgents remaining was slim, they would have cleared out as soon as their ears stopped ringing, but Ross didn’t want to take any chances. Being out in the open, early in the morning was dangerous. They would have rolled out and took the house at night but they heard that their target had been destroyed and they rushed out to see if there was anything salvageable before the scene was picked over. Instead, they found a smoldering heap of garbage and someone’s opium addled grandmother. Ross’ eyes focused on the buff colored wasteland ahead of them, impatient and bored. There was nothing they could do now, there was no point to them being in this hellscape.

Southern Afghanistan always made Ross restless and depressed. The country and the people felt lost to him; exhausted, wrung dry and empty from decades of war and the Taliban. And opium. It had always been the region’s burden but the Taliban made it a curse. Even the infants were addicted. Ross drove faster, he needed to get away from the heartbreaking squalor of that town, out of Afghanistan and back home as fast as possible. His eyes remained alert, watching for any hazards but his body ached with need. It had protested every moment and every mile that Ross put between him and Parker. The physical memory, the feeling of Parker’s body tangled with his just before he slipped from his bed and left him there haunted Ross. He hadn’t been able to shake the feeling that he was in the wrong place since he boarded the plane that carried him away from Virginia.

“I’m sorry it’s so late.” Ross kept his voice low and soft. He felt terrible for waking Parker but he wanted to check in and he couldn’t wait to hear his voice.

“It’s fine.” Parker mumbled. “Are you coming home?” He asked and Ross’ hand pressed against his chest in reaction to the warmth and the tickle of joy that spread within him.

“I’m in Kuwait City. I’m coming home.” Ross tried to keep his voice soothing, not wanting to wake Parker up completely. “I miss you so much, I can’t wait to see you.” He heard Parker yawn and for a moment, Ross imagined he was in bed next to Parker. His body relaxed and a combination of happy content and need spread through him.

“I went ahead and got tested after you left. I got my results back and I’m clean.” Parker slurred. Ross beat the phone against his forehead and swallowed a groan. The happy content evaporated.

“Ross?” Parker’s voice was a weak echo through the now very cold and uncomfortable hotel room.

“I’m here.” Ross sighed. “That’s great, Parker.” He said as he fell back on the bed.

“You don’t sound very happy about it.” Parker murmured and Ross laughed.

“I’d be a lot happier if I was there.” Ross squeezed his temples, hating that he had to get through the night before he could catch a flight out. Parker moaned softly and Ross clenched his jaw as his body tightened and heat settled in his groin.

“What would you do if you were here?” Parker asked and Ross’ cock pulsed angrily, suddenly hard and straining against the fabric of his boxers. He quickly striped them off and wrapped his hand around his rigid length.

“Right now?” He rasped and Parker hummed seductively. Ross growled softly as he began to stroke. “You’re killing me, you sound so fucking sexy.” He complained and Parker laughed softly. Ross shook his head as his cock throbbed in response. “First, I’d lick every inch of your cock. Your cock tastes so amazing.” He squeezed his erection, trying to hold off the climax that was already building.

“God.” Parker panted and Ross could hear the soft beat of Parker’s hand as it glided back and forth over his thick, hard length. “I love the way you suck my cock, Ross.” Parker whispered urgently. Ross licked his lips, he could practically taste him.

“Oh, fuck.” Ross whimpered. “And your balls. I love sucking on them.” He breathed and his own drew tight as the pressure built and pushed into the base of his cock. Parker gasped and Ross knew he was getting close. “But I really want your ass. I want to get my tongue so deep in your ass, Parker.” Ross’ jaw twinged and his hand pulled faster.

“Tell me about your cock in my ass. I need to hear about that before I come.” Parker begged and Ross cursed silently as heavy, hot pleasure swelled in his groin. “Please, hurry!” Parker whimpered.

“It’s going to feel so good, fucking you without a condom on.” Ross’ toes curled and he arched his back as he squeezed hard, silently praying for a few more seconds. “I’m going to fuck you so hard and then I’m going to come so deep in your tight, perfect ass.” He promised and a loud explosion of breath and voice thundered in Ross’ ear and he let go.

Heat, pleasure and pressure surged up Ross’ shaft and he gasped Parker’s name as come burst from the end of his cock, landing in hot, thick drops and ribbons on his chest and stomach. Parker’s breaths huffed through the phone and Ross’ body shuddered as the last of his climax ripped through him. He twisted on the bed before he stretched and flung an arm over his eyes. His chest heaved as he hung onto the phone, wishing he was pulling Parker against his body and falling asleep next to him. There were words that tried to claw their way past Ross’ lips, that fought to break free from his tongue but he pulled his lips tight and forced his chest to rise and fall in a normal rhythm.

“You need to hurry up and get home.” Parker’s voice was warm and heavy and it was almost a physical pain, how much Ross needed to hold him.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He sat up despite the drowsiness that tugged at his limbs and made his eyes heavy. Ross went into the bathroom and dampened a washcloth before wiping his chest clean. On the way back to the bed, Ross slid his foot under his boxers and kicked them into the air and caught them. “Don’t make any plans for the weekend.” He warned and Parker laughed.

“I know the drill. No clothes and make sure we’re stocked with enough food that we won’t have to leave the house for days.” Parker said and Ross smiled as he pulled on his boxers and dropped onto the bed.

“Sounds like paradise.” Ross shut his eyes and grinned as his body became weightless.

“Yeah. Get some rest and call me when you have a layover.” Parker said and Ross nodded faintly.

“I will.” Ross promised.

“Ok. I’ll talk to you later.” Parker said and Ross wished he could fall asleep listening to Parker’s voice.

“I’ll call you soon.” Ross mumbled.

“Bye.”

Ross ended the call and set the alarm on his phone before he curled his body around it as if it was Parker. If he was lucky, he could get a solid seven hours of sleep before he had to leave for the airport. He knew it was his last opportunity to sleep before he got back to Virginia.

Chapter 19

This was the last time he let Ross pick an activity, Parker promised himself as he stepped over a large branch. He frowned at Ross’ back as he practically floated over the trail, occasionally hopping onto a large rock before happily skipping up the trail like an oversized mountain goat. A really hot, half naked mountain goat. Parker shook his head at the clumsy simile.

“I can’t believe you’ve never been out here!” Ross said as he scaled a large pile of rocks and scanned ahead. “Shenandoah’s one of my favorite places to hike.” He’d already mentioned that fact about half a dozen times but Parker just nodded.

“Yeah, it’s crazy. Who would have guessed?” Parker mumbled. “Everything about me screams ‘Loves hiking at Shenandoah’.” He said under his breath and Ross shook his head and laughed as he jumped down and rushed ahead.

“Come on, you have to admit, the view is stunning.” Ross insisted as he waved ahead. Parker grinned as he stared at Ross’ rock-hard ass and thick, well muscled thighs and calves.

“I am enjoying the view.” He said as his eyes swept up Ross’ glistening back. He’d pulled his shirt off and it hung from the pocket of his shorts. The sight of the long, lean muscles of his back and sculpted abs and pecs were a powerful motivator to keep Parker following. Ross turned and raised a brow skeptically.

“I meant the forest.” Ross said and Parker shrugged.

“I didn’t need to come all the way out here to appreciate natural wonders.” He said and Ross shook his head again and rested his hands on his hips.

“It’s not that bad.” Ross declared and Parker gave him an impatient look.

“If your alternatives are getting poked by sharp sticks all day or clowns doing balloon animals, it’s ‘
not that bad
’.” Parker agreed. “It’s…ugh, bugs.” He waved a large flying insect away as he ducked his head. Ross laughed.

“Bugs are great.” Ross announced as he stepped closer and Parker frowned at him. “I would have starved to death once if it weren’t for bugs.” He said as he pulled Parker close. Parker leaned away and his face twisted in horror.

“Oh, whaaat? Why didn’t you tell me that before I kissed you?” He groaned as Ross’ head tilted forward and his lips brushed against Parker’s.

“Would you prefer that I died?” He asked softly before his tongue traced Parker’s lips. Parker shuddered.

“I would have.” He grumbled before he let Ross’ tongue slide past his lips.

Their tongues dueled playfully before a buzzing by Parker’s left ear had him swaying to the right and cursing. It wasn't that he was afraid of bugs. Parker didn’t mind them in general. It was anything that flew and attacked. He’d endured overly aggressive flies in Africa and giant mosquitos in South America. The mosquitos had almost ended his career in Anthropology. Parker’s body overreacted to anything that bit or stung. Once, half of his arm swelled to the size of his thigh after a mosquito bite. Which was why Parker had taken a heavy dose of antihistamines before they left that morning. Which left Parker a bit less agile and alert so he had to take the trail a little slower and he felt groggier and crankier than usual.

“I don’t get why you picked hiking.” Parker pushed Ross to get him moving again. The sooner they got to wherever he was leading them, the sooner they could leave. “Don’t you do a lot of that when you’re gone? I’d think that all of that was pretty outdoorsy.” He scrunched his nose as he dodged an alarmingly large pile of animal droppings. Ross chuckled as he ducked beneath a low hanging branch.

“It’s extremely outdoorsy but I’m usually in deserts or places with very little trees or grass. Everything’s always in shades of brown and tan. It’s nice to spend a day someplace like this, soaking up all of the green and the trees.” Ross explained and Parker felt a stab of guilt for being so difficult.

“Ok. Well, you soak up the deciduous forest and I’m going to soak up your perfect ass and thighs.” Parker suggested and Ross rolled his eyes as he grabbed Parker’s hand.

“Look.” He ordered as he waved ahead of them. Parker’s eyes widened and for a moment he was speechless. “Dark Hollow Falls.” Ross announced and Parker couldn’t help but be impressed. He nodded as he slid his arm around Ross’ waist.

“It’s beautiful.” Parker said as he rested his head on Ross’ shoulder. Ross’ hand curved around Parker’s cheek.

“I knew you’d love it. We’ll get closer and find someplace to rest before we head back. It’ll be cooler by the water.” Ross grabbed Parker’s hand and tugged. Parker sighed in relief. At least it was half way over.