***
Rocko
He stood dumbfounded at the stockpile Apollo and his team had amassed over the years.Any military munitions specialist would be impressed by what Rocko found before him.As he wandered around the room, Rocko could tell where parts of the existing stone walls had been chiseled away with a jackhammer and other parts built with a mixture of cement and metal beams.This place could double as a bomb shelter.
“If there’s ever an emergency, the team knows to bug out to this bunker for safety,” Apollo said as if reading Rocko’s mind.“There’s a second way out over there.”
Rocko turned toward the back of the facility.“You’ve accomplished a hell of a lot in twelve months.The team and you should be proud of yourselves.”
“Thank you.It was a hell of a lot of work, but it’ll all be worth it in the end,” Apollo said as he slowly moved closer to Rocko.
Rocko could smell Apollo’s earthy cologne, or it might have been his normal scent.Whatever it was, he smelled damned good, and as he got closer, Rocko had no intention of backing away.Thoughts of last night’s kiss fanned the flames of desire, heating up in his body the closer the sexy man came.Apollo stopped directly in front of him, his dark eyes looking down at Rocko, and he couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in his mind.
“There’s something wrong with me,” Apollo said.
“What’s that?”
“I can’t seem to stay away from you, and it has nothing to do with your calming effect on my mind.”
“And that’s a problem?”Rocko couldn’t see the issue.After all, he wanted to be close to Apollo.
“Yes, it is.This has never happened before,” Apollo growled while cupping the back of Rocko’s head and pulling him in for a deep, all-consuming kiss that had Rocko moaning in under five seconds.
For a man of Apollo’s size, he was surprisingly gentle when he wanted to be.The kiss overpowered him in the best ways, and Rocko had no intention of stopping or slowing down.His hands traveled over Apollo’s muscled chest, and all he wanted to do was remove the offending fabric so that he could get even closer.Apollo’s growl was all the incentive he needed to search out the hem of his shirt and push it up out of his way to explore more freely.
The handsome man’s hot skin and growing bulge had Rocko edging closer to losing the last bit of his control.Damn, had anything felt this good in his entire life?Rocko doubted it as Apollo slowly broke the kiss and released him.
“See what I mean.That’s the problem,” Apollo said.“You’re driving me crazy.”
“I don’t see the problem.”
“If I don’t control myself, I’ll end up taking you to my bed and never letting you out of my sight again.Considering you’re returning to Florida soon, that might not be the smartest idea.”
Before Rocko could reply, the hidden door opened, and Griffin walked in.Instead of breaking apart, Apollo pulled Rocko closer as if staking his claim.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Griffin chuckled.“But our visitors will be here in under one hour.”
“Thanks,” Apollo said.“We’ll be back up to the house in a few minutes.”
“Got it.”Griffin grinned before walking back out without a comment, which Rocko found odd.
“We have important things to take care of today.We should go,” Rocko said, not wanting to get in the way of what needed to be done.
“You are important to me.We’ll pick up this discussion once we care for Frank and his family.”
“We have to ensure their safety.That’s the priority,” Rocko agreed.
Apollo leaned down and kissed him one last time before leading him to the door and back into the real world.At times, it was far too easy for Rocko to forget everything when Apollo was around.He had to remember to keep his priorities in place.He and Apollo might be attracted to one another, but other things in play took precedence over their own needs.Rocko had to remember that, as well as the discussion he’d overheard.Was this a way of convincing him to stay?Even as he thought it, Rocko had a gut feeling that wasn’t true.Time would tell.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Rocko
The barbecue was in full swing with trays of food, drinks, music, and lively conversation and laughter.It was good to see the team relaxing for once, enjoying themselves.Apollo was never far from Rocko, and for the first time, he saw the leader relaxed and the team behaving even more like a family.Rocko would miss this.Miss him.
For a moment, Rocko thought that perhaps Frank, Mary, and Asher wouldn’t show up, even though they’d left a balloon tied to a tree by the road so the small family could find the laneway onto the compound.However, when their truck pulled in, Rocko could feel relief among the team as if it matched his own.This would be their opportunity to explain who they were and how they could protect them.He hoped the family would accept their offer to help.
Rocko followed Apollo up to their truck as the family stepped out.Rocko imagined they’d had a long conversation with Asher before arriving, explaining why the little girl couldn’t use her mutation in front of strangers.
