“Have you slept outside before, Justin?”
Nikolas had to turn away, or he’d have laughed at the effort Ben was making to keep a straight face.“Once or twice in cadets.”
Nikolas added helpfully, “And the time you fell down drunk, cruising old men in the park.Remember that, Justin?”
There was a hushed intake of breath, but Ben shook his head fondly.“He’s joking, aren’t you, sweetheart?”He ruffled Nikolas’s hair.“My sweet little daisy.”
Nikolas was effectively silenced.
He lay back on the hard ground, contentedly smoking, and wondering if it would be in character for Nigel to pound Justin mercilessly into the ground, despite probably being on night-vision scopes.If their observers had thermal imaging, he imagined some parts of his body would be giving off a more distinct heat signature than others.
Gradually, the chatter fell silent as the men sank into their own thoughts, watching the fire.James and Mark had the near-naked Samuel squeezed between them to keep him warm.
Ben lay down on his belly alongside Nikolas, teasing him with a twig, drawing patterns on his face, until Nikolas batted his hand away, rolled over and kissed him.Ben was clearly astounded.They were entirely visible to the whole group and presumably to the psychologists observing them.Nikolas snorted softly against his ear and whispered in Danish, “I’m liking Nigel Stannis more and more.I had forgot how liberating playing a role can be.Come, let’s move away from the fire.We don’t need its heat.”He rose to his feet, offering Ben his hand.There were some amused, ribald comments and some wolf-whistles from the group, but Ben took the hand and let Nikolas pull him to his feet.Nikolas made a mock bow to his audience.
“Goodnight, gentlemen.We’re going to find a place to…sleep.I suggest you all do the same.”They moved away from the firelight and were soon swallowed by the darkness.
* * *
Chapter Nine
Once away from the fire, their eyes quickly adjusted to the dark.They made their way into the trees and stopped a few feet into the tree line where they could still hear the group around the fire.Nikolas made himself comfortable against a tree and pulled Ben down to sit in his arms.It was cold, and he wrapped his arms tightly around Ben’s strong, muscular body, grateful for the heat radiating back from him, warming his chest.He propped his chin on Ben’s shoulder and continued speaking in very soft Danish, “I’m tempted to see if we are actually being observed.”
“I’m tempted to see how far I can ram a—” Ben switched back to English.“What’s night vision scope in Danish?Anyway, one of those up a psychologist’s arse.”
Nikolas chuckled.“Not very far.They’re too full of bullshit.Oh, by the way, I’ve worked out why some of the previous clients killed themselves.Can you imagine having to admit to anyone you’d spent a night doing this?”
Ben sighed, pulling Nikolas’s arms even more securely around him.“I’m hungry.”
“We’ve just had dinner!”
“I was trying to stay in character—eat politely.”
“Not your usual hoover from one end of the table to the other?Poor Benjamin.I have something you could eat…”
“That would look good on the monitors.”
“That’s your trouble.You don’t take your cover seriously enough.Justin and Nigeldon’t know they’re being observed…do they?”
Ben snorted softly and twisted around in his embrace.“Seriously?You want me to…even thoughyouknow they’re watching.”
Nikolas pretended to be theatrically wounded.“Not me,min skat,Nigel.Since when would I behave in such a manner?Forget it.I can’t expect you to have the dedication to your cover I—” He always found it hard to talk at first touch.Ben’s fingers found his clothed, rigid penis, investigated to find and release the zip, eased him out, cold touch to warm flesh…The pleasure and anticipation was always overwhelming, but now…being watched…knowing the doctor would see the beautiful Justin pleasuring him in the dark…It was too much.Nikolas’s brows rose.His head tipped back.He stifled a groan, and then it was over.
Ben rose after a moment.“Is that it?”
“Ack, in character…see?—eventhatI can do entirely in— Ow.”Ben settled back comfortably once more into his arms.
“I’m still hungry by the way.”
* * *
It was an incredibly long night.No one slept at all.When first light came, they looked like a scene from a horror movie—campers menaced by chainsaw-wielding mutants all night.Hard ground, no sleep and the cold can do that very quickly to men taken from home comforts.They were unshaven, dirty, ragged.It always amazed Nikolas how quickly people went down.Even Ben was more ragged than he ought to be—he’d had his contacts in for twenty-four hours, his eyes now gritty and red, and his new ear piercing was slightly infected from twisting the stud around with dirty fingers.
John was the first one to spot the box just to one side of the clearing when he returned from taking a piss behind the trees.He carried it to the remains of the fire and opened it up, everyone crowding around, hoping to find some food and perhaps a vehicle inside.Unfortunately, there was only a map, a compass, and a piece of paper with a grid reference on it and underneath:breakfast will be cleared away - 1000 hrs.Every single one of them glanced immediately at their watches.Four hours.
Mark voiced the obvious.“Does anyone know how to use a map and compass?Justin?”
Ben glanced at Nikolas then shrugged lightly.“Cadets was a long time ago, but I’ll give it a go.”
