And not just a man…thisman.Was it the way he moved?So lazy and unconcerned on the outside but so fast and ferocious within—a predator…
And what the fuck kind of thing was that for a bloke to think about another bloke?
But Nikolaswasa predator.
Ben had allowed a man to tie him up and hit him, and he ached to feel that loss of control again.Because, of course, once he’d surrendered his power, Nikolas had given it back to him, more than he knew he had, and Ben’s body and mind were in freefall still, revelling in this new self-awareness.
Ben stood and went up to Nikolas who was choosing between different watches laid out on the dresser.Ben picked one up.“Wear this one.”
Nikolas smirked at the choice and fastened it onto his wrist.Ben put his thumb on one of Nikolas’s very prominent cheekbones.He saw an immediate but quickly veiled flinch.Interesting.Out of the context of sex, this man didn’t like being touched unexpectedly.He made a mental note to do it more often, acclimatise him to it.He brushed his thumb idly along the line of bone, holding the dark gaze.His eyes were brown.He’d thought so, butthatnight they’d changed colour: lighter, more feral than this warm chocolate.Responses entirely hidden now, composed, the man was allowing the scrutiny.Very slowly, Ben turned him so they were both facing the mirror on the drawers, side by side.They were the same height.Nikolas was fractionally taller than he was perhaps, but then his hair was much longer.Ben still wasn’t quite used to his own reflection yet.He’d gotten over his oh-my-God-I’m-so-old phase and could see more interesting changes.
Did he look like a man who’d done what he had with this blond man?If he went back to the regiment today would he be accepted?
Was he marked in some way?
Did other men sense these things?
He licked his lips, watching this and not missing the way Nikolas’s eyes also followed the small movement in the mirror.“I’m not gay.”He spoke to the reflection in the glass, and Nikolas replied the same way.
“What prompted that thought?”
“I just want you to know that.I don’t…Do we…fuck other men?Do we, I don’t know, go to gay bars?”
Nikolas sort of scrunched his face, an expression Ben hadn’t seen on it yet, and he laughed at the effect, which broke the tension.Nikolas dragged him away from the mirror and onto the bed, just a friendly falling together with no particular thought for sex.Nikolas was dressed in the most expensively cut suit Ben had ever seen, and he had the very distinct impression Nikolas wouldn’t want to be messed up again.They lay side by side on their backs, feet on the floor, watching clouds scurry across the dull grey sky.“No.”
Ben chuckled.He’d been thinking about other things and had to struggle to remember his question.He turned enquiringly, and Nikolas repeated more firmly, “No.We don’t.”He thought for a moment and added, “Surprisingly, we’ve both been entirely faithful since we began living together.”
“How do you know I have?”
“What?”
“Well, have you had me tagged or something?”
Nikolas glanced at Ben’s watch for a moment then shook his head.“No, but I’d know.”
“How?”
He appeared annoyed and studied his own watch, seemed pleased by what he saw and gave it a small stroke with the tip of his finger.
“It’s getting late.I want to miss the traffic.I must go.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Nikolas sighed and was about to argue, but Ben stated simply, “I can either drive you, or I’ll just follow on my bike.Either way, I’m coming.”
Nikolas muttered something, and Ben guessed it was Russian again, for he didn’t understand it.He made the sudden decision there and then to learn the language.
“When did I learn Danish?”
Nikolas was heading to the kitchen with his bag.
“If you’re coming, get ready.”
“Did I go to lessons?Did you teach me?”
“You went to Denmark and lived there for six months.Where are the keys?”
“Denmark?I lived in Denmark?With all the windmills?”
