Promises Part 1 (Bounty Hunters #1)(50)

Vaughan got his lunch tray, and after he was back on the bed eating his salad, Duke got up to shower. He leaned in and whispered in Vaughan’s ear, “Yes, I’m crazier about you than I ever was about Judge, and he can already see it, that’s why he baits you, handsome. And just so we’re clear. I was never in love with Judge. Not like I already am with you.” Duke cupped Vaughan’s cheek and oh so gently pecked him on his kiss-swollen lips before closing himself in the bathroom. Leaving a speechless Vaughan behind on the bed.





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.