Ben’s hand went almost automatically to Nikolas’s jeans, but Nikolas caught it, holding it still. “I’d lie you down,min skat, and take you from now until the end of time but…it’s cold?”
Ben hugged him instead, nodding. It was all he could do coherently.
It wasn’t until they returned to the house and Nikolas had built the fire higher that Ben had the time and space to fully understand Nikolas was back, Nikolas was fine—more than fine. He couldn’t believe how young, how healthy he looked. Nikolas obviously sensed Ben’s intense scrutiny as he brought some beer over to the fire and sat down, cross-legged across from Ben, for he kept casting him small, amused glances. He handed Ben a bottle. “Tell me what you’re doing in my house, Benjamin Rider.”
Ben took a swallow of beer. “Fate.”
“Ah. You’re very lucky with your fate.”
“I am. What’re you doing here?”
“I came to arrange for everything to be sold. New beginnings. It was time.”
“Sold? Why?”
Nikolas shrugged. “It’s all old history now. I have a new life.”
Ben nodded, saddened for some reason, but he sensed this wasn’t the time or place to argue. “So…” Nikolas switched to Danish and fired off rapidly, “How long have you been on the island; where are you staying, and how good is your Danish really?”
Ben raised an eyebrow and fired back just as fast, “My Danish is absolutely perfect, thank you, and I’ve been here since you left, and I’m staying with an old teacher of yours, Ingrid Paterson.”
Nikolas began to laugh and declared in English, “Your accent is absolutely horrible.”
Ben took a breath of outrage to argue but decided to kiss Nikolas instead. They weren’t cold now. Nik pulled away just long enough to lock the door, and then he returned, shedding his clothes as he came toward Ben. Ben stood, and when they came together, he couldn’t find enough skin to touch, enough time to breathe between the kisses, and then not enough words to say in any language how much he needed what they were doing. It was over the first time far too quickly. He was slightly embarrassed but laughed when he realised such eager spill only provided answers to questions he’d not yet dared to ask.
Nikolas just looked ruefully at Ben’s belly and said, “So, you can see, I’ve had no fun; being so fat, no one wanted me.”
Ben ran his hands across Nik’s ridged, hard abdomen and up across his broad, strong chest. He levered himself up and lay on Nik, propping himself up on one elbow. “Was it very bad?”
Nik turned his face. “Yes. I wouldn’t wish to be that sick, ever.”
“It scared you.”
Nikolas turned back, frowning. “I’m afraid of nothing. What do you mean?”
Ben gave him a look. “It scared you into eating and taking care of yourself, maybe?”
Nik pursed his lips. “I’ll never smoke again, that’s for sure.” He switched to Danish. Ben wasn’t even sure if he noticed. “And you, why is your hair so long and all this stubble? Kissing someone with stubble is very…”
Ben helped him assess what it was for a while until Nikolas held him off. “Restorative must be the word I was looking for.” He rolled them, lifted Ben’s thigh and entered him for the first time in so many months. Ben arched in pain, crying out. Nik put a hand lightly over Ben’s mouth and continued until the cries turned to ones of pleasure and Ben licked along the palm and bit the finger. Nikolas eased up for a kiss, gentling his strokes, running his hands over Ben’s warm skin. “That’s what I wanted to know.”
Ben nodded, understanding. Then Nikolas made it very good for him, holding him just on the brink of coming, catching with the head of his cock the place inside that made Ben’s pulse rise and his whole body coalesce to one point, one gradual, inexorable climb to intense pleasure. He came first, his cock jerking unrestrained on his belly, shooting small jets of milky white fluid onto his tanned skin. Watching the spill, Nikolas swore softly and stilled, arched and taut, and released as well, deep into Ben’s body. He eased himself down onto the sticky mess on Ben’s belly. They were face-to-face, hearts still racing, breathing deeply. Nikolas returned his palm to Ben’s stubble, rasping it some more then laid his head down very slowly on Ben’s chest. Ben heard a chuckle and pulled the blond head up with a questioning look.
Nikolas shrugged. “I can no longer tell you all the things I feel about you, for you’ll understand my Danish.”
“You mean you won’t be able to swear at me and rant at me for hours.”
“Ah, that’s only what you thought I was saying. I mixed it up. So, come, we can’t stay here. I’m in Odense. A hotel.” He rose and held out his hand for Ben. Ben took it and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet.
“I need to tell Ingrid I’ll be gone tonight.”
Nikolas frowned. “Not just tonight. We’re leaving now.”
Ben pouted, picked up his clothes and began to dress. He followed Nikolas out of the house and then led the way to where he’d parked the car. Nikolas stopped in his tracks then went up and ran his hands lovingly over the obsidian black. “You bought it!”
Ben had forgotten Nikolas hadn’t seen the car. He grinned, cheered up now. It was at moments like these he couldn’t understand why every bloke didn’t sleep with other men. It was so convenient having everything tied up in one package, best mateandlover. Nikolas wanted to drive, and he knew where there’d most likely be some snow and ice, so they took a run up through the forest and tested the off-road ability of the vehicle. It was very, very good. Eventually, Nikolas pulled it to a halt. “It’ll be getting dark soon. We must collect your things and leave for Odense.”
Ben picked at the seam of his jeans, glanced in the mirror for some moral support from Radulf and ventured, “I don’t want to leave yet, Nik. I like it here.”
