Sebastian
Seb laid in bed,the latest issue of a research journal open on his laptop and electronic music humming through the speakers. The sun was just finally up in the sky, but he’d woken when it was still dark and hadn’t been able to fall back asleep.
He sighed and kicked his feet under the blankets. There was nothing Seb hated more than being distracted, but the past couple of days, he had barely been able to think about object-oriented programming. Instead, every time he turned a page, his mind would wander, and he’d start fantasizing about the man sleeping down the hall.
He curled his fingers, knotting the sheet, then gave in to temptation and grabbed his cock. He pushed two fingers back behind his balls, rubbing closer and closer to his hole as he stroked, stiff with the thought of Declan.
Maybe Alexandria was right. Maybe he did need to consider finding a guy to date because it was not like Seb to start lusting after a man with tattoos and scars and guns. Men like Declan had always terrified Seb, but for some reason, when he thought about the hair on the back of Declan’s hand, or the leathery smell that lingered when he walked away, or the thick muscles on his neck…
Visions of Declan gripped Seb, spilling over his body. He imagined Declan bursting through the door, kicking it open with his heavy boots, then taking Seb in his arms. Seb imagined the rough grip of Declan’s hands, painful but somehow good, too, and the filthy things that man would whisper to him as he bossed Seb around, and claimed his body in every room of the sprawling, cavernous house.
Seb groaned. His balls tightened up close to his body, and his hole clenched tight as he shot jets of cum into his palm.
“Damn,” he mumbled. “That was quick.”
It was silly of him, anyway. He was just confused because Declan was his security for the time being. If push came to shove, Seb knew Declan would only use those muscles because he was getting paid to, unlike in Seb’s fantasies, where Declan promised over and over again that he would protect Seb to his dying breath. Where Declan rubbed his thumb across Seb’s lips and swore he would claim him forever.
Seb pulled himself out of bed. Illogical thoughts like that meant it was time to start his day. He jumped into the shower, then brushed his teeth in the steamy room. By the time he was dressed and making breakfast, he was almost able to get his head around the day’s work.
The front door slammed open, and a moment later, Declan stepped into the kitchen.
“Oh, good morning,” Seb said, straightening his back. “I didn’t realize you got up this early.” Considering the amount of beer Declan had been working through at night, Seb kind of took him as a late sleeper.
“I do a perimeter walk every morning,” he answered. The rumble of his voice was rich, and it sent little trembles down Seb’s spine to think of Declan out there, trudging through the snow to keep him safe.
“Anything to worry about?” Seb asked.
He shook his head. “The snow makes it easy to check for tracks. It looks clear.”
“I’m glad you agree that the threat isn’t much.” Seb poured a cup of coffee into a mug without really thinking, then slid it to Declan. He’d seen the man down enough cups of black coffee in the past week that he knew it would be appreciated.
Declan nodded and accepted the mug. “Like I said, the crew that made the threat can barely get their shit together enough to move their product, as far as I can tell. There’s no way they can pull something like this off.”
Seb cracked his knuckles. As much as he still believed it was a good idea to keep space between himself and Declan, curiosity itched at the back of his thoughts. It wasn’t unlike when he stumbled on a new question in his research, perplexing but also fascinating. “How did you learn that? Do you work with some kind of law enforcement, FBI or something?” Corporate types like Seb’s father usually hired former military, but Declan lacked that sense of rigid discipline.
Declan barked a laugh. “Seb, you think I’m FBI?” He had a funny way of talking. His voice was always loud, almost rumbling, like there was a threat in everything he said. And Seb could have sworn that every time he felt that rumble in his body, his crush grew a little stronger, grabbing him from the inside.
But still, there was something warm in the voice, too, something that made Seb want to trust the man.
He chuckled. “No, I really don’t think you’re FBI.”
“I’ve worked a lot of jobs,” Declan answered. “Some I’m proud of, some I’m not so proud of. But trust me, you don’t want to hear about my family business, no more than I can understand whatever it is you’re getting up to in that laboratory. As far as you’re concerned, I’m just the guy who knows how to shoot a gun.”
Seb bit down on his bottom lip. There was definitely more to the story about the family business, whatever that meant. Maybe Declan thought Seb was a wimp who couldn’t handle the truth of what Declan did.
And probably, Seb realized, he would be right about that.
His heart thumped a few times as he gripped the coffee mug. “Well, I’m the guy who doesn’t even know how to throw a punch, so I’m glad you’re around, either way.”
Declan barked a laugh. “Seb, you’re all right, you know that?”
Seb laughed nervously. “I guess so.”
Declan jerked his head toward the window and the expanse of mountainside that stretched to the distance. “There’s a whole lot of nothing out there, but I’ll keep you safe from it. Don’t worry.”
“Thanks,” Seb answered, the word coming out close to a whisper. He lingered by the counter for just a minute, his heart reaching out to Declan, wanting to find something more in him, but soon enough, he managed to pull himself back to reality.
“Off to work,” Seb said. “Enjoy your day.” He turned to walk away before he said something embarrassing, but a breath later, Declan lurched forward and grabbed his arm across the counter. Something jolted through Seb when Declan tightened his grip, and his feet froze to the ground.
