Hux
Hux froze. The question burned and flowered and spread throughout his entire being because it meant so much. He forced himself to meet Richard’s gaze. It seemed this man wished to stand in the way of what must be done as much as Zara did. Which meant Hux had to force him away, just as he was trying to do with her. He couldn’t let them burn in the fire he had set and would potentially destroy him now.
“I don’t need protection,” he said. “Not from you.”
He meant it to sting. Richard didn’t even flinch. “Don’t do that, Hux. Don’t pretend to be stone when I know full well that you are flesh and blood, a beating heart, a decent soul.”
Hux turned his head. “Stop.”
Richard caught his chin, his fingers stroking lightly as he forced him back to look at him. “I won’t. You know you can’t stop me. Or her, likely. Just because you spent your life not protected doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it. That you don’t have two people in your life that will doeverythingto provide it.Iwill do everything to provide it, Huxley. Because I won’t lose you.”
Hux stared at him, shocked at what he was offering. Bewitched by the idea of it, at least momentarily. But then reality returned. “You will not dash yourself on the rocks for me, I won’t let you.”
Richard’s expression softened. “And you sayI’mthe innocent. You think this is all or nothing. Destruction for all or only for one. I adore you, Hux, but you are wrong. There are a thousand hues between black and white. And I can see a dozen ways to end this without you being destroyed, her being destroyed. Without you being lost.”
A swell of hope filled Hux’s chest, but he pushed it away with all his might. Hope was never a good thing. Hope could lead to disappointment and damage. He would not entertain it.
“And why would you do that?” he asked, sharp. “This was a lark, Fitzroy.”
To his surprise, Richard leaned forward and kissed him, silencing his words. Hux sank into it for a moment, reveling in his taste, in the pressure of his mouth. But then he shook off that reaction.
“No,” Hux insisted. “It’s a game.”
Now Richard caught his lapels and yanked him harder against him, his mouth more insistent. Huxley felt like he was sinking into warm bathwater and he never wanted to leave. His voice was much weaker when he murmured, “You are a trifle to me.”
Richard dug his fingers into Hux’s hair and tilted his head. Hux couldn’t resist any longer. His mouth opened and suddenly there were no more words or denials. There was only this connection. There was only this man.
There was only their desire that was so tied to their feelings. Hux wanted that desire, even if he kept telling himself it would be one of the last times he could allow it.
He didn’t resist as Richard lowered him to the cushions. As he covered him, letting Hux feel his weight. Hux’s arms came around his back and he made a muffled sound of surrender. He felt Richard smile against his mouth and then the kiss deepened even further.
He dragged his hands down Richard’s back, feeling the firm muscle through his jacket. He cupped his backside and Richard flexed against him with a grunt, their hard cocks rubbing briefly as they rose and fell against each other.
By God, did he want this man. He wanted to feel him shudder around his cock. He wanted to watch him arch with pleasure as he spent. Nothing else mattered in that moment because everything else was too dire and terrifying.
He focused on Richard, grinding him harder against himself as their kiss grew wild and wicked and animal. At last they broke away and Hux panted up at him, “Let me.”
Richard nodded without hesitation. As if giving himself was easy. His body, his soul, his everything. Hux hated him and adored him for that in equal measure. He reversed their positions, shifting to perch between Richard’s legs. He ran his hands down Richard’s body, once again memorizing every line. He didn’t want to forget even one of them later. Later…
He cut the dire thought off again and let his fingers drag down Richard’s stomach. He unfastened his coat, let his hands move down the placard of his trousers. Felt the strain of Richard’s cock growing more insistent with each glancing touch of Hux’s fingers. Richard strained upward, making a demand with his hips.
Hux couldn’t deny it. He lowered the placard and caught Richard’s cock, stroking him once, twice, feeling his blood rise in response. Then Hux met those startling blue eyes of his and held there as he lowered his mouth to Richard. As he closed around him, taking him deep into his throat, Richard moaned. God, he loved that sound. Loved that feeling of this man inside of him. Loved the taste of him.
He was going to lose…
No. He sucked harder to make the thought go away, and Richard jolted. “Hux,” he grunted, his fingers coming into his hair. He was like Zara that way, always tangling his fingers in the curls, demanding more.
He gave it, taking and taking, giving and giving until Richard was trembling, his head thrashing on the pillows. He sat up on his elbows, lifting his hips in time to Hux’s mouth even as he groaned out, “Fuck me.”
Hux stopped his movements and stared at Richard. They had done so much in their time together, but when it came to sex between them, Hux was always the one being taken.
But right now the thought of burying himself in this man was almost maddening. It made him weak and achy and needy in a new and powerful way. He would not deny himself this, because so much would be denied so soon.
“Roll over,” he ordered, hearing how rough his voice was. How hard.
Richard leaned up and kissed him, slow and soft, and then did as he’d been told, shoving his trousers down around his knees as he did so. Hux flipped up the long length of his shirt tails and jacket, peering down at the gorgeous arse before him. He leaned in and lightly licked, and Richard hissed in pleasure.
“Please,” he moaned.
