“Same, except it was Jalalabad.” Rick took the peas and placed them against his forehead, covering his eye. “I’m a thinking your boss is a slave driver.”
“Yup,” Saxon lifted Rick’s feet and sat on the couch, placing Rick’s legs across his lap. “Our team, we’re his family. He looks out for us like we’re his kiddos.”
Rick had heard of Noble so many times throughout his career in SEALs. The man and his swim buddy, Zenko, had set numerous records during BUD/s and SEAL Qualifying Training. Those two were practically SEAL Royalty, especially as some of those records had yet to be broken. “Bauer doesn’t have any family?”
“Yeah, he does,” Saxon worked on the laces of Rick’s boots. “Has a cousin who’s former Delta and another who’s a pilot for a Task Force.” No freaking way was he telling anyone, not even Rick, who Micah and Allie Kennedy were. Unless they gave clearance, he wouldn’t compromise them. “Even so, you know what it’s like. We live together, train together, work together. The commander is tired of burying people. He’s folded more flags than most. So, if he’s a dick, it’s to make sure we stay alive.”
“I get that,” Rick said, then snorted out a laugh. “My boss is similar. Doesn’t make a training run like that hurt any less though. We’d kill for a course like that at home. It’d make prepping for missions a hell of a lot easier, that’s for sure.”
Didn’t most bases have training courses? Especially any associated with DEVGRU, or NSW. But then, his own team hadn’t always been assigned to a US location, so it made sense that Black Squadron may not be INCONUS. “Where are you bas—” Saxon cut himself off. “Scratch that, I don’t want to know.”
Silence filled the room. Normally in this situation, Saxon would be searching for the remote, switching on music or the TV. But right now, it didn’t bother him. Sitting here with Rick was just… what was the word… right? He leaned his head back against the back of the couch and closed his eyes, enjoying the peace between them.
“Well, this is weird.”
“Hmm?”
“We don’t normally lie around on the couch.”
“I can take you to bed and fuck you, if ya want.” Saxon didn’t bother opening his eyes. Rick was more or less voicing what he had been thinking a few seconds before. “But I think we need sleep more than we need to fuck.”
“Preach.”
“You wanna stay here or you want to share the bed?”
“Bed.” Rick nudged Saxon’s belly with his leg. “I’m not as young as I once was. The couch will kill my back if I stay on it all night.” He paused. “You mind?”
“Nah, won’t be the first time we were in the same bed.”
“First time we’ll be sleeping though.”
“You better not snore.” Saxon moved Rick’s feet off his lap and pulled him upright. “Do you snore?”
“No fucking clue, I never spend the night, so there’s been nobody to tell me if I do or not.”
There went that funny feeling in his belly again, rage at the implied notion that Rick had other people.Argh. Jealous again. You’re losing it, man.He had no reason to be jealous. He was a grown-assed man not a teenager. He and Rick both knew the score. Friends, benefits, all that shit. But now, having Rick in his house—this he liked—a hell of a lot more than he should. He brushed aside the crazy thoughts and struggled to sound normal.“I’ll tell you in the morning if you do.”
“Deal,” Rick stretched, reaching his arms up, ignoring the pulling scab on his shoulder. “I’ll let you know if you are a tank in the night too.”
“Asshole.”
“Pretty much,” Rick grinned at him. “It’s probably why you like me. I remind you of you.”
Together, they walked down the hall to the bed. Five minutes later, they’d used the bathroom, stripped, flopped on the bed, and passed out asleep.
In his sleep, Saxon turned over on his side. Rick followed him, curling around him, his nose buried into the back of Saxon’s neck.
* * *
Rick woke slowly,one hand searching under the pillow, looking for the weapon he slept with. He reached out with his senses before he opened his eyes. Other than Saxon breathing behind him, he heard nothing, and nothing tripped his caution radar. He didn’t remember falling asleep, had no recollection if he had woken in the night and if his sleep had been filled with nightmares that for once hadn’t disturbed him. Usually when he slept in a strange place, the noises of the night kept him awake.
What time is it?
He lifted his arm and squinted at the dials on his watch. It was almost 5AM. He wasn’t awake enough to figure out how long he’d slept. He’d had so little of it over the last few days, he could either have just slept a few hours or be missing a couple of days, because he’d slept round the clock. This bed, especially when he was curled up with Saxon… comfiest bed ever.
Sleeping here, like this, sure beats curling up in a fox hole in the back ass of the Hindu Kush, with only my weapons to keep me warm.
In his sleep, Saxon was curled around him. One of his hands curved around Rick’s rib cage. Rick shifted slightly, his boxers were twisted and digging into his balls. If he didn’t move soon, it was going to hurt. Despite trying not to wake his bed mate, his lips curved up into a smile when he felt Saxon stir. A hot breath ghosted over the skin beneath his left ear a second before warm lips left a soft kiss there.
