Oliver muffled his groan by biting at Liam’s shoulder, clenching down on Liam’s cock. “Make me.”
Liam swore and tipped them toward the bed again, still fucking Oliver as they went. Oliver cried out at the change in angle, hands digging into Liam’s shoulders. Liam didn’t stop, picking up the pace until the bed shook, until the only sound in the room was their skin slapping together, the headboard banging against the wall, and their own harsh, desperate breathing.
Oliver’s mouth dropped open, eyes squeezing shut as he finally came with a cry, shuddering hard. Liam fucked him through his orgasm, kissing him until Oliver shook and gasped for breath as Liam found his own release.
He buried his face against the curve of Oliver’s neck when he came, thrusting a few more times before he stilled. Oliver clenched weakly around him, breathing hard. Liam kissed his throat, feeling the beat of Oliver’s pulse beneath his lips.
They didn’t move, not for a long few minutes. When Liam finally managed to pry himself away from Oliver, he didn’t go far. He got up and grabbed a wet flannel from the bathroom, bringing it back to clean them both up before dropping it on the floor.
The temperature in the room was warm enough that they only needed to slide beneath the sheets, kicking the duvet farther down the bed. Liam pulled Oliver close, smoothing back his sweaty hair to kiss him softly on the mouth.
When they broke apart, Oliver pressed his fingers to Liam’s mouth, tracing the shape of his lips. “You promised me delivery.”
“I promised you a fry-up as well, and I keep my promises,” Liam muttered, wrapping an arm around Oliver’s waist. “I’ll call in an order after a kip.”
Oliver’s gaze searched his, never blinking. “You’ll be here when I wake up?”
Liam lifted his hand, stroking the backs of his fingers across Oliver’s cheek. “I’m not leaving, Ollie. I’m not walking away, not for anything.”
Something like wonder settled in Oliver’s gaze, and Liam drew him down for a soft kiss, holding him tight.
As new beginnings went, a second lease on life was always a gift.
NOW
2287
___________________
23
Stay in the Moment
“Next timewe need to do winter fighting in the Highlands, let’s not do it near a loch,” Tariq grumbled as they walked off the transport jet after arriving back at UMG headquarters. London wasn’t much warmer than where they’d been fighting in the north.
Tariq was still damp from having fallen into icy water, though he’d been rescued before hypothermia had set in. Still, it was straight to medical for him and no getting out of it. Oliver was just glad Tariq had fallen through thin ice in a shallow area rather than deeper waters. November in northern Scotland was brutal even without the threat of hypothermia.
“Winter fighting in general isn’t fun,” Abigail complained. “I need a spa day after that mission. Who’s with me?”
“Count me in, but only after debrief,” Samaira said.
Abigail groaned. “I’ll write my after action reportaftermy spa treatment.”
“I’m not sure the chief will allow that,” Oliver mused.
Glenn shrugged. “This was an easy mission. We can swing written reports, can’t we, Samaira?”
Samaira sighed in a put-upon way. “I’ll take one for the team if that’s what you’re asking. After action reports need to be in by tonight. I’ll debrief the chief.”
Abigail pumped her fist in the air before speeding off, the wind of her exit buffeting Oliver as they continued to the ready room to get out of their uniforms. He was still getting used to being on a team and learning how he fit in with them. The Royal Legion had been more than welcoming when the decision had been made at the beginning of the month to add him to the roster. His photon blasts came in handy in a fight, and the team seemed more settled with him in the field.
Six months since he had been turned into a metahuman, and Oliver’s life was drastically different these days. Training had encompassed many of those months, all of it needed. These days, Oliver no longer lived in fear of the power he wielded. Getting comfortable with the changes he’d gone through had taken time, but the one constant through it all was Liam.
While Liam was no longer active duty and had no direct supervisory position over the Royal Legion, he’d made clear to Oliver they weren’t going to hide their relationship. Forms had been filed with the UMG to keep everything aboveboard, and they went home together on nights their schedules allowed it.
“Tariq, I thought we banned you last year from falling into bodies of water?” Liam said when he entered the ready room a few minutes after they’d arrived.
“Have the brass send us to a desert next time. I could do with some warmer temperatures,” Tariq retorted.
