He knew he had nothing to be ashamed of, and neither did Derek.He couldn’t vocalize what he wanted to and huffed instead.There were times when he was acutely aware of what he’d lost, and this moment was one of them.He desperately wanted to tell Derek how he looked, how hot he made him.Derek was beautiful.
Harm knew that men were usually handsome, but Derek was more than that.He was truly beautiful, at least to him.He continued looking until Derek squirmed on the bed.“What’s wrong?”Derek asked, his arms crossing over his chest.Harm gently uncrossed them, running his hands over his smooth skin.Then he pulled back.
“Beautiful,” he signed, mentally thanking Belle for showing it to him.He smiled and then crawled back onto the bed, lying down next to him.Harm didn’t want to crush Derek, so he tugged him close, kissing him as he stroked his back, taking in each detail.
“I’m not going to break,” Derek whispered, but Harm wasn’t going to take any chances.This was someone he had come to care about, and he didn’t want to hurt him in any way.Instead, he went out of his way to be gentle and caring, kissing Derek and then rolling onto his back, tugging Derek on top of him.“I’m not sure what it is that you want.”
Harm huffed softly, pulling Derek closer, kissing him hard.He loved the way he tasted, all sweetness, and how he felt under his hands, warm, his muscles flexing with each of his touches.
He wanted him badly and instinct threatened to take over, but Harm pulled it back.What he really wanted was for Derek to be happy.If he could talk, he’d ask Derek what he liked, but he was in the dark; he couldn’t.
“Don’t be frustrated.I can feel it.I want the same things you want, and you’re not going to hurt me.So do what you like.I’ll say if there’s something that I don’t want.And if I do, will you listen?”
Harm nodded.
“Then I have nothing to worry about.”He kissed him, and this time it was Derek who did the exploring.Derek may have been beautiful, but his tongue and mouth did wicked things to Harm, making him want… badly.Derek straddled him, undulating his hips, setting him on fire.They both still had their underwear on, and yet Derek was driving him out of his mind.“I won’t stop unless you want me to.”
He groaned and wrapped Derek into his arms, kissing him, easily falling more deeply under his spell, the rest of the world slipping away… only to be dragged back by someone pounding on the door.
Harm stilled as the sound came again.Derek groaned and slid off him.Harm sat up and grabbed his pants, yanking them on before racing down the stairs.If this was William….He reached the bottom of the stairs and yanked open the door, the cold air washing over his skin, but he ignored it in his haste, only to find a kid of about twelve staring wide-eyed.“The trash…,” he squeaked and then pointed.
Smoke poured out of the trash can next to the house as Harm felt Derek behind him.He hurried back inside and found a pan in the kitchen, filling it with water.Then he returned and dumped it into the melting trash can, sending up a cloud of smoke and steam, but the fire seemed to be out.Still, he made another trip and doused the fire completely.
“Thank you,” Derek was saying to the boy.
“He’s scary,” the kid told Derek as Harm set down the pot and smiled, signing “thank you William”.He then stepped back so he didn’t scare the kid more and left to get more water.He wanted to make extra sure that the fire was out.
“We appreciate you telling us about the fire,” Derek was saying as he dumped the last of the water on the melted trash can.It was soaked, and there was no chance of fire reigniting now.He set the pot aside.“Did you see what happened?”
The kid shrugged.“A man was here.He tossed a cigarette into it.”He still seemed wary, and Harm figured he might as well go back inside and let Derek talk to the kid.The last thing he needed was to frighten him.Harm turned away, but Derek gently touched his arm.
“Harm is really a good guy.He just can’t talk.He was injured in the Army.”Derek turned, and the warmth in his eyes stopped Harm in his tracks.
The kid’s mouth hung open and then he nodded.“Like my dad.Well, sort of.He lost a leg in Somalia.That was a while ago, and they got him a steel one.”Now the kid was smiling.“Dad used to look mad a lot of the time too.But he’s better now.”Again Derek looked at Harm like he’d somehow hung the moon, and Harm didn’t quite know what to do with that.“Glad the fire is out.”He turned and headed across the street.
Harm looked both ways down the street-lighted sidewalk, trying to see if anyone was still there.He might have seen someone in the shadows a few houses down, but he wasn’t sure.Still, he was tempted to march down to see, but he was shirtless and barefoot.
“I’ll clean up the mess in the morning,” Derek said.Harm guided him back inside and closed the door.Then he took Derek into his arms and held him as he shook.Fucking hell, this William was crazy, and Harm was going to put an end to this one way or another.He hated that William scared Derek like this.
After calming down, Derek called the police, and they sent someone over.He took evidence and pictures for his report before checking out the area.
Once the officer left, Harm guided Derek back upstairs and got him into bed.The moment between them had most definitely passed.Once Derek was in bed, Harm went back downstairs, making sure all the doors and windows were locked.Then he climbed the stairs and wondered if he should just get dressed and go home.Derek was curled under the covers, and he didn’t want to disturb him or make him think that things needed to pick up where they left off.Not that Harm didn’t want them to, but damn.
“Harm,” Derek said softly, and he went to the bed, sitting on the side.“I’m cold.”
He nodded and stood, slipping off his pants.Then he went to the other side of the bed and climbed in.Derek rolled over and pressed to him, their heat mingling as Derek shivered.Harm gathered him into his arms, and Derek intwined their legs and snuggled right up to him.“I’m sorry.”Harm wanted to ask what for, but he simply snuggled closer to Derek.“This is my fault.”
Harm backed away so he could look into Derek’s eyes.Then he shook his head.This was William’s fault… or whoever had set the fire.Damn, he knew it was fucking William, but they couldn’t prove it.
“Things were supposed to have been special, and then….”
Harm gently stroked Derek’s head.When they were together it was always special.Sex was one thing, but it wasn’t the most important.Being here with Derek was amazing and he wouldn’t trade it for anything.He hated that someone was after him, and Harm intended to look more closely into William and his activities.He had friends from the Army, and all he needed was to remember his last name.He knew the guy lived here in town, and some of his Army friends could look more closely into his background to see what William had to hide.
“What are you thinking about?Your face got all scrunchy.”Derek lifted his head and met his gaze.He was so adorable, and Harm lightly kissed him, coaxing Derek’s head back onto the pillow.
Harm smiled and did his best to relax.He gently stroked up and down Derek’s back to try to get him to settle and rest.Harm had no intention of sleeping.With Derek right next to him, he was wide-awake and would likely stay that way for hours.Which was fine, because even as he soothed Derek to relax, he intended to stay vigilant and make sure nothing else happened.The thought that someone would want to set Derek’s house on fire made his blood run cold, and hurting Derek was something he wasn’t going to allow.Now he just had to figure out what to do about it.
Chapter 9
