Alexei tugged him closer, wrapping his arm around Sean’s torso while pressing a lazy kiss to his temple. He still hadn’t opened his eyes. “Is tooearly.”
“You’re not going to tell me what you’ve been calling me,areyou?”
“Can teach you Russian,ifwant.”
“Sure. You can start with the pet name you’reusing.”
“Can teach you Russian later,” Alexeigrumbled.
He still didn’t seem like he was in any hurry to get up. The idea of lying in bed and maybe indulging in another round of sex sounded wonderful right up until the moment Sean checked the time on his bioware. The number 0913 shined through the skin of his left wrist, making him swear softly. If what he’d learned in London still held true, then the other three were probably already up. The members of Alpha Team never slept in this late in the middle of amission.
Sean gently elbowed Alexei in the side, trying to wriggle out of his strong grip. “We need togetup.”
Alexei finally cracked open his eyes, staring at Sean with a sharp focus that was only a littleunnerving. “Why?”
“It’slate.”
“Is not 1300. Can sleepstill.”
“I’m hungry and we need to check out the casino before the lunch meeting. We haven’t got eyes onanythingyet.”
Alexei muttered something under his breath Sean couldn’t understand before suddenly propping himself up on one elbow. The look in his eyes was intent, and Sean didn’t fight him on the morning kiss, despite the sour taste in both their mouths. It was easy and gentle, unlike the kisses they’d exchanged last night. Sean wasn’t complainingeitherway.
“We really do need to get up,” Sean murmured against Alexei’smouth.
“Shower?” Alexei asked with a slylittlegrin.
Sean shoved at his shoulder before squirming out of Alexei’s arms. “I’m showering.Alone. Sleep in for another fiveminutes.”
Alexei actually pouted at him, gray eyes half-lidded as he watched Sean get out of bed. He made no move to stop him, though Sean could feel Alexei’s eyes on him all the way to the bathroom. Sean palmed the door closed once inside, needing just a little privacy to get his head screwed onstraight.
The bathroom was huge, the tile warm underfoot with built-in heating. The walk-in shower looked big enough for two people, while the separate tub could have doubled as a jacuzzi. Sean stopped in front of the closest sinks, reaching for his toothbrush. He froze when he caught sight of the bruise on the right side of his neck that he had forgottenabout.
Sean lifted a hand to touch a finger to the heat there, tracing the outline Alexei’s mouth had made. There was no way he could hide it under a shirt collar, the bruise a brand everyone would notice. He knew he should be angry about it and request a quick-heal patch from Trevor’s med-kit, but the thought of walking around with Alexei’s claim on him made him hot under the skin. Sean hadn’t ever felt like this before—wanted for himself and not an identity thatwasn’treal.
The door slid open, Alexei very obviously ignoring Sean’s desire for privacy. Sean stared at Alexei in the mirror, acutely reminded of their activities last night and trying not to let itaffecthim.
“You’re a menace,” Seantoldhim.
Alexei pulled Sean’s hand away from his neck to press a soft kiss over the bruise before heading for the other sink. “Notlike?”
“No, I just think you don’t need to be soobvious.”
Alexei shrugged and passed his hand under the faucet to activate the water flow. “Like markingyouup.”
Sean chewed on the inside of his cheek, trying to ignore how those words made him feel. “Next time don’t do it in such anobviousspot.”
Alexei only smirked at him in the mirror around his toothbrush, promising nothing. Sean sighed and realized he was probably fighting a losingbattle.
They finished up at the toilet and sink, and Sean just went with it when Alexei joined him in the shower. There was room enough for both of them within the steam-filled stall, but Alexei proved to be just as clingy there as in bed. The slippery touches didn’t ask for anything beneath the warm spray of water as they soaped up and got clean, more to remind each other of their presence in the steamy stall. Sean honestly wouldn’t have minded if Alexei had started something, but the faint growls coming from both their stomachs nixedthatidea.
Still, it was nice sharing space with someone else for once, in brushing up against a warm presence that wanted to be with him. They didn’t talk at all while in the shower, though the lingering touches and glances they shared kept Sean warm even after they finished up and gotdressed.
He chose a medium-gray business suit in preparation for their meeting later. Sean finished knotting his tie around the same time Alexei finished getting dressed in a much more casual suit without a tie. Sean watched him tuck a ceramic knife up his sleeve but opted not to say anything about the weapon. Knowing that Jansen might still be in town made him wish they could justify being armed with guns, but that’s what the other members of their teamwerefor.
They were also there to mercilesslymockthem.
It was a form of camaraderie Sean was still getting used to, having spent the majority of his career alone in the field until the mission was completed or his cover was burned. The moment they stepped outside the bedroom and were confronted with the smell of a large breakfast spread courtesy of room service, Trevor, Annabelle, and Madison all looked up from their platesatthem.
