Star Runner

Star Runner By Eden Cole Copyright © July 2011, Eden Cole Cover art by For the Muse Designs © July 2011 ISBN 978-936668-25-0 This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this novel are fictitious or used fictitiously. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form. Sugar and Spice Press North Carolina, USA www.sugarnspicepress.com

Star Runner

Eden Cole

Chapter One Damien sat at the table nursing his bottle of beer and let his friends’ conversation wash over him. Tonight wasn’t fun for him. Even though they met every Friday night like clockwork to drink away the stresses of the week, this time, he couldn’t shake his worries. That got to him, along with the fact that he had no one in his life while the others were either in a committed relationship or they passed from one lover to the next. All except Lyda of course because she didn’t know what she wanted. George, who was gay just like Damien, was one of the ones that could always find someone to share his bed. So what was wrong with Damien? Were his standards too high? That was a laugh. Of course they were. In his experience, people did all kinds of things to get what they wanted. Take his boss for example. The man had made it plain to Damien just the other day that his promotion hinged on whether Damien gave him head. His rival apparently had no problem performing, but his boss wanted Damien. Probably because he hadn’t given in once. The other prick had been too pleased to comply. What made it worse was that the head of the medium-sized firm, Jento Industries, claimed to be straight. If only his wife knew what he got into behind her back. Damien sighed, stretched, and rubbed the back of his neck. He raised his bottle to his lips and downed the rest of his beer. When he’d slammed it on the table, he said, “That’s it, guys. I’m heading home.” George pursed his lips. “Aw, what’s wrong, baby? Boss got you down again? Want me to suck his cock for you?” Damien flared his nostrils. “Thanks, no. I can handle my own business. Besides, I don’t think you’re his type.” George looked offended, but as quickly as the emotion rose, it disappeared. That was his buddy all right. Nothing kept him down long. “Yes, he wants a pretty boy.” He rubbed his hand over his slightly protruding belly. “He couldn’t handle all this.” Lyda snorted. “Who could?” 1

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“Hey!” George shoved her. She punched back, and he whined. “Lay off him, Lyda,” Damien snapped. “For your information,” George told her with a superior attitude, “I met a new beau just last night.” He rolled his eyes dramatically. “Do tell,” Kathy and Jeff chimed together. They were Damien’s other two friends who were testing out a relationship with each other. So far so good as it had lasted three months. Before then they’d been jealous of every lover each other had, so Damien thought it was a good thing they had recognized the attraction. And good for the rest of them to be relieved from all the arguing before they saw it. “Well…” George began. Damien stood up among protests. He waved them off and headed for the door. They would get over it. The good thing he could say about his friends that was universal among all of them was that they forgave and forgot the moment they sat down at the table on Friday nights. Next week the fact that he’d skipped out on them and refused to hear George share about his latest conquest would be forgotten. He strolled down the darkened street with his hands in his pockets. Although he didn’t live in a very good neighborhood in terms of beauty, he wasn’t worried about anyone giving him trouble. Half the residents of this side of town were good people just trying to make it. That’s what he liked about it. Last year some unsavory types had tried to move in, but they’d been run back to where they came from. A chill stirred a bit of debris on the ground, and grains of dirt lodged in his eyes. They watered and he blinked a few times while hunching his shoulders in his jacket. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at his apartment, a tiny second-floor place. His first-floor neighbor was a dick, but as long as he stayed out of Damien’s way, he didn’t care. Rather than head upstairs, he paused and went around to the far side of the house where he’d parked his motorcycle. The vehicle sat lonely and forgotten under a tarp chained to a steel pole. In a fit of stupidity he’d bought it a couple years ago but didn’t have a motorcycle license and couldn’t afford the insurance even if he did. 2

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He sighed. The feeling of unrest he’d been dealing with half the night continued, and against his better judgment he decided to take it for a spin. No one would know, and it was late so not many people were out. He started to go in for his helmet but scrapped that idea. The fact that he was even riding it was breaking the law, so a helmet would make no difference. Soon Damien was speeding down a deserted road along a sparse area with no one around for miles. The night air beat against his face, and his hair, cut low, stirred about his head. Nothing beat the sense of freedom he felt, and it was like he’d left the weight of work and his life in general back in town. While he let his mind wander free, deliberately not thinking of anything heavy, something from the corner of his eye caught his attention. He glanced up into the sky. A spark of light, then another startled him. That didn’t look like a shooting star. The small blazes from miles away followed no pattern, and they didn’t appear as if they were falling. “Scrap that,” he whispered, his breath taken away in the wind. One of the lights seemed to descend toward earth while the other zigzagged and zipped away until its illumination winked out in the black of space. He stared. Now that was weird. Damien refocused on the falling light. Still miles away, he decided. No sense driving that way to see if he could have a look at his first meteorite. Besides, the police would get out there soon enough and rope it off. He wanted to be nowhere near a place he could be spotted. Now that he thought of it, without the helmet, he was a dead giveaway and could be pulled over. Then they’d discover he didn’t have a motorcycle license. “Fuck,” he grumbled. Breaking a little, he decided to make a U-turn and head back. This had been fun, but he couldn’t push it. He thought he heard something buzzing or vibrating. His cell phone had never been that loud. And then out of nowhere, light blinded him. Damien hit the breaks too hard. His bike skidded on the dusty road. Just when he thought he had regained control, an explosion and grinding metal next to him almost burst his eardrum. He went down hard, flipping over

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the handlebars of his bike and landed face first in the street. His chin scraped the asphalt, rubbed raw. His teeth ground so tight his jaw hurt. Without moving, he took inventory of his body. The wind had been knocked out of him, but overall he was fine. The fact that he’d been in the act of slowing no doubt saved his life. Pain throbbed in his head, and dizziness assailed him. Damien shook his head. “Damn it!” Okay, so he was all right, but what about the other guy. He hadn’t even heard the other vehicle coming. The road had been dark. What? Had he been driving with his headlights off? Damien worked his way to his elbows and glanced in the direction of the wreckage. All rational thought left his mind. What appeared in front of him could be the result of a brain injury from falling off his bike. The alien—because that was the only apt description—was tall, maybe six and a half feet, if not more. His smooth skin, stretched over rigid muscle was purple, and his ears were pointed. The eyes when he glanced up were different. In the flames behind him, they appeared to have very little white at the sides. The rest was deep and dark like a black hole. Damien shivered. Even as freaked out as he was by the eyes, they could not hold his attention. What blew Damien away was that this alien was naked from head to toe, and his cock was the biggest he’d ever seen. Damien grew tight just staring at him, and he licked his lips trying to pull himself together. While Damien lay on the ground, the alien removed a vial from somewhere in the wreckage. He undid the cap, and only then did Damien notice that the alien had an open gash on his arm. He couldn’t tell what color the blood was. The alien poured some of the liquid in the vial onto the wound, and the gash began to close. Just like that. “Incredible,” he muttered and then slapped a hand over his mouth in case the alien focused on him. He’d seen too many movies where they didn’t come in peace. For all he knew, he could be the first victim.

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While he thought of a plan to escape should the need arise, he continued to watch the alien’s movements. Another gadget appeared from the wreckage. This one had buttons, which the alien pressed in rapid succession. Lights lit up the dial. Damien’s heart froze in his chest. He didn’t have to read the strange code to know it was a countdown, but before he could even struggle to his knees, a small pop sounded and the wreckage began to break down. What the hell? As if a metal-eating virus spread through the downed ship, it began to disintegrate. Not even powder was left in its wake, and when it was done, the fire had been extinguished too. Damien found himself stupidly disappointed that he could no longer see the alien’s naked body. But that didn’t last long. The alien cast some type of illumination, and Damien got a full view of the model cock. He licked his lips and swallowed. If he had any sense he’d be scared shitless, but he couldn’t stop staring. When the alien made its way over to Damien he froze, blinking up at the creature. He stooped, legs gapped apart. His impressive cock hung too near to Damien’s face. The words he uttered were gibberish to Damien. He shook his head, saying nothing. The alien tried again, and then when Damien still didn’t answer the man reached out and jerked his arm so hard he thought it would tear out of the socket. “Ouch, you stupid fuck. What’s your problem?” On reflex, Damien threw out a fist to smash the guy in the face, but the alien’s arm came up with faster reflexes to block the hit. Damien glared. Once the alien assessed that Damien wasn’t going to hit him again, he bent over a small metal device embedded in his arm and punched in a code. He cleared his throat and looked at Damien. “Do you understand me?” Damien’s eyes widened. “Yeah. Yeah, I do.” “I am Garroe.” His gaze swept Damien from head to toe, and Damien followed looking at himself. To his embarrassment, his cock was hard, tenting his pants. The alien gave him a knowing look, and then Damien got another shock. Right before his eyes, the alien’s purple skin tone 5

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began to fade into looking more human. The black in his eyes shrank. Not quite to human standards but close. He reached behind his head and took out the band he had on his hair so that the locks flowed around his shoulders, covering his pointed ears. Damien had never been so attracted to anyone than he was right then. Realizing he was staring with lust in his eyes, he scrambled away from the man and struggled to his feet. Damien busied his hands with brushing the dirt off his clothes and examining a small cut on his elbow. The alien moved close and looked too. When he took out his vial, Damien held up his hands. “Oh no, I’m fine. I’ll heal like normal people. Thanks.” At least it looked like he wasn’t in danger of being murdered tonight if the alien was willing to heal a scratch. Not alien, he remembered. Garroe. Garroe shrugged and put his concoction away. Then he faced Damien again, shoulders back, imposing and so much bigger and harder than any man he’d ever met. “Take me home,” Garroe commanded. “W-What?” Garroe stepped closer, bringing their bodies too close for Damien’s comfort, but he wouldn’t retreat. “Take me home,” he repeated. “With you.”

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Chapter Two Damien squirmed. He couldn’t believe he was riding on his motorcycle with a naked man behind him—a naked alien man. The alien part wasn’t a factor right now. What had him excited, nervous, and on the edge of losing it was the fact that Garroe’s cock was wedged against his ass. The other man had no problem scooting in so close to Damien that air couldn’t squeeze between them. Something told Damien Garroe did it on purpose. And he must be out of his mind to have agreed to take the man home. For all he knew Garroe could have been sent ahead to scout out the enemy before his fleet charged in to enslave them all. He’d go down in history as the horny bastard that betrayed his species for a little cock. No, big cock. Ugh, get your head on straight, Damien! “Can I drop you off somewhere?” he called over his shoulder. “Yes,” came the deep reply, “at your place.” Damien gritted his teeth. Not that he wasn’t curious about this man— who he was, where he came from, and so on. He wanted to know all about him. And some left over immaturity from his childhood days had him wanting to keep Garroe for his own. He didn’t want to share by letting anyone else know the alien existed. From what he had seen, Garroe had used some hi-tech device to clean up the site of his crash. Even if the cops showed up now, they would find nothing. He guessed not even a bit of DNA. That was a cool feat in itself. As he thought of the situation he was in, he glanced down at the muscular arms encircling his waist. To think that he would be the one to discover an alien from another world and that that alien would happen to be gay was too much. Maybe Garroe had been amused at his obvious attraction to him. Or maybe there were no females on his planet. Then again Garroe could be the kind of creature that carried everything they needed to reproduce all in one body. He shuddered with disgust and pushed that idea from his mind.

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They pulled up to his place twenty minutes later, and Damien scanned the block. Not many lights were on in the houses around him, and the few that were had their curtains drawn. No one appeared to look out. He was glad he’d gone with a quieter engine than one of those flashy, noisy kind. Not that he’d had much choice at the time. His vehicle was used. The price had been right. He parked the motorcycle and locked it up before covering it. Heading up to his apartment, Garroe was close on his heels. He could feel the other man’s body heat and wondered if his hard-on would ever soften. Six months was a long time without sex, he admitted. While Damien tossed aside his keys and turned to face his living room, he saw it as Garroe must be seeing for the first time. Tiny, no bigger than eight by eight feet, he’d only furnished it with a love seat and a small arm chair, which he’d bought secondhand. The TV could use upgrading, but at least it worked. And the walls were bare except for a concert poster to the left of the loveseat. He’d been thrilled at the purchase when he got it because the performer was shirtless and glistening in sweat. Now Damien felt embarrassed that someone other than him was looking at it. He’d be thirty next year. He should have a lot more class or at least seem like he wanted more out of life. Then the thought of Garroe spending the night hit him. The loveseat was out of the question, and there was no spot on the floor anywhere in the apartment that would accommodate his size. That left one place. His bed. Damien’s mouth went dry. He swallowed several times, but nothing alleviated his discomfort. Had his erection been on the verge of going down, with the thought of Garroe in his bed, it hardened all the more. He headed into the bedroom and stopped just inside the door. From the sounds behind him, he guessed Garroe had followed. This room was almost as small as the living room, but Damien had made use of most of the available space for his queen-size bed. He had no excuses. They’d both fit. “Uh…” He trailed off, being at a loss. “Maybe the loveseat…”

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Garroe pushed a gadget beneath the pillow on the right side of the bed—Damien’s side—and flopped down on his back. “This will do.” “That’s my bed,” Damien groused. “You can take the loveseat.” Garroe peered at him beneath lowered lashes. Damien wished he’d at least cover up. Damn it, his body looked too good extended there, and he had trouble not picturing himself straddling the bigger man’s hips. “I’m not sure what a ‘loveseat’ is,” Garroe told him, “although it sounds interesting. But here is fine. Come. You can lie beside me.” Damien gritted his teeth. “Thanks for the invite to my own bed.” He stomped around to the opposite side and prepared for bed. Not bothering with modesty since he was bone-weary, he scooted out of his shoes and stripped off his clothing. The fine hair on the back of his neck stood on end as he sensed Garroe watching him. “Keep to your side, and tomorrow you can find another place to stay. How long are you going to be here on earth anyway?” “Until I’m picked up.” Damien twisted around to face Garroe after he sat on the bed dressed in nothing but his boxers. “When is that?” “When it happens,” Garroe said with a matter-of-fact tone. “I landed hard. Since my signal stopped transmitting, an investigative team will be sent out to look for me. I don’t know how long that will be because we’re backlogged.” Damien frowned. “Who is backlogged?” Garroe seemed to search for the right word, and then his handsome face cleared. “The Bounty Hunter Association.” A chuckle escaped Damien before he realized it was coming. “Seriously? You’re a bounty hunter? They have intergalactic ones?” He waited for an answer, but his guest had chosen to close his eyes and give every appearance of being asleep. Damien sighed and climbed up the bed. He decided at the last minute to take a whiz, did that, and then returned to slip under the covers. After he’d clicked off the bedside lamp, he listened to Garroe sleeping. For all appearances, he was no different than a human. The one advantage was that he didn’t snore. 9

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Again, Damien questioned his sanity for bringing the alien to his house, for accepting that he wasn’t going to kill him. Garroe made a small, male sound in his sleep, and Damien’s cock twitched. He reached beneath the covers and gave his shaft a quick stroke. The sensation was nice. While he tugged on his hard-on, he took in a deep breath, pulling in Garroe’s scent. The fragrance wasn’t different than human males, and it wasn’t odd. What Garroe smelled like was whatever made a man a man. He smelled hot and sexy, hard even, and when he shifted on the bed and his thigh brushed Damien’s, it was all that Damien could do not to roll over and explore. Twenty minutes later, he was still awake and frustrated because he couldn’t bring himself to a head. He couldn’t keep up the rhythm he needed because he was too nervous about Garroe waking up. At last he decided he wasn’t getting there, and he moved both hands behind his head. Just when he was dozing off, Garroe moved and flung a hand out to cover Damien’s cock. He squeezed, and Damien bit his tongue to stop the moan. “What the hell,” Damien shouted. He shoved at Garroe’s hand. “What do you think you’re doing?” Garroe’s voice sounded out of the darkness to his left. “You could not get your pleasure, so I thought I would.” “You don’t just go grabbing a man like that.” He heard the humor in Garroe’s tone when he spoke again. “Where I come from we take what we want.” Damien grumbled. “Must be a lot of charges filed there.” “Charges?” Garroe didn’t wait for an explanation. “Our men go after what they want.” “Do you have only men on your planet?” “Of course not.” Garroe laughed. He flipped over until he lay above Damien with only the covers and Damien boxers between them. “I could take you right now if I wanted.” Damien froze. “And I could fight you.” “You would lose.” When Damien said nothing, in the sliver of light peeking through his closed curtains, Damien saw Garroe’s eyes. They 10

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were still not quite right, although they were close to human. This time looking into them, he wasn’t freaked out, but he wondered if the man would follow through with his threat. Garroe was a lot bigger than he was, and who knew what kind of extra muscle tone he had in his body. Garroe’s breath warmed Damien’s neck when he drew closer to it. “You want it. I feel it between us, but you resist me. Why?” Damien licked his lips, a movement that arrested Garroe’s attention, making him think the alien had excellent night vision. “You don’t have a problem sleeping with another species?” “I’ve slept with all kinds.” He felt rather than saw Garroe shrug. “I like sex. I like the smell, the sounds, the actions. My desire is great. Besides, we are both humanoid.” Somehow Damien was a little disappointed. Garroe made it sound like he had no preferences, not men, not human, and definitely not Damien himself. He was being stupid. “If you try, I’ll fight, and it won’t be pleasant for either of us.” “Then I will wait until you beg me,” Garroe told him and proceeded to make himself comfortable by pushing a massive hard thigh between Damien’s. Soon the sounds of sleep emitted from him while he was wedged on top of Damien. Damien had no choice but to sleep the way he was, and oddly enough, he was able to drop off without any trouble at all.

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Chapter Three Damien was both disappointed and relieved to find himself in bed alone the next morning. Since it was Saturday, he could stay at home and catch up on some chores. First, he needed a shower. He’d fallen into bed after his dusty mishap the night before, and that wasn’t something he made a habit of. He got up and stripped the bed, leaving the covers in a pile on the floor to take to the Laundromat. After that, he headed to the shower. Standing beneath the warm spray, he could convince himself that the alien was a figment of a dream, but the fact was he’d heard the TV on in the living room and knew he hadn’t turned it on the night before. Static from some other equipment also reached him before he’d gotten in to the shower, but he figured he’d investigate after he had a barrier of clothing and something for Garroe to wear as well. He would not spend another minute in the man’s presence while fighting not to look at his cock. He lathered his hands facing the wall and then ran his hands over his chest, down over his abs, and then lower to his cock. The shaft was thick and hard, but that was usual early in the morning. In a little bit, it would go down, and he could feel normal. “Turn,” came the command that made him jump. Damien glared at Garroe who had somehow pulled the shower curtain back without him noticing. Now he leaned against the wall, arms folded over a bare chest and eyes locked on Damien’s ass. “Ever heard of privacy?” he snapped. His cock leaped like it had heard the voice of a playmate. He grumbled. “I’ve heard of it,” was Garroe’s quick response. “Turn. I want to look at you. Are you ashamed? Is it small?” “Like hell!” Damien spun around. He knew he was being manipulated, but he didn’t give a damn. No one insulted his cock. He couldn’t fathom allowing Garroe to think he wasn’t well-endowed. If he were, he’d suffer the shame, but he liked his size. Just short of eight inches was perfection, even though Garroe was bigger—and thicker. 12

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He continued to wash his body like he had men in his bathroom admiring his anatomy all the time. Of course, it wasn’t like he didn’t get interest often enough. He did. The problem was the quality, and the fact that most of them just wanted to use him. On top of that, he liked big men, men bigger than he was who would take the top. Because he was a good size himself, it was hard to find a lover that eclipsed him in size. Garroe was that and more. But he’s not an option, he reminded himself with determination. While he ran sudsy hands over his cock, washing it from base to tip, Garroe continued to watch. His expression never changed. No register of desire or excitement ignited in their depths, which pissed Damien off. “Well?” he demanded. “Wash your balls,” Garroe answered. His jaw tightened. He poured more body wash into his palm, worked up a lather, and then did what he was asked. His balls were heavy in his hand, and he maneuvered them carefully as he washed. Garroe never said a word, but he didn’t look away either. Damien had to content himself with the fact that if he didn’t interest the alien, he wouldn’t continue to look. That shouldn’t matter to him, but it did. “I need to get you something to wear,” he said as he stepped from the shower moments later. “I’m tired of looking at you naked. “Liar,” Garroe quipped. “But I will concede. I suppose you humans are embarrassed about the naked body? It’s a shame.” Damien ignored that comment and rifled through his closet. While he did, he heard the static again. “What is that?” Garroe frowned down at his wrist. The square of metal embedded in the skin consumed his attention. “This serves as my communicator and my transmitter. I can speak your language using it. However, it’s having trouble, damaged in the crash. I can’t seem to get a signal home, and I’m not sure how long it will hold up so you can understand me.” “Can’t you just get a part for it and fix it yourself?” A thick black brow rose toward his hairline. “I’m a bounty hunter. I kill things—sometimes. I don’t fix them. Besides, I don’t know how to 13

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translate what’s wrong with it. I’ve been trying since dawn. Basic language is all I have.” Damien considered what it could mean if they lost the ability to communicate clearly. That would not be a good thing. “Well I’m a desk jockey. I don’t do technical, so I’m sorry I can’t help.” “It’s fine. For now.” His gaze swept Damien from head to foot. “Have you changed your mind?” “About?” “About letting me sample you.” His bluntness took Damien by surprise, although by now it shouldn’t. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “Even though we both want it.” He sighed. “Okay, yes, even though we both want it. I admit I’m attracted to you. If you were human, you’d be exactly what I was looking for.” Garroe walked over to him. Damien had tossed him an oversize Tshirt, but Garroe had neglected to put it on yet. His height and size intimidated Damien, but he resisted letting the emotions show. Garroe was so close to him, he could pull him into his arms and… Damien closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was in over his head. “So it’s still about species?” Garroe whispered somewhere above him. Damien kept his head bent not wanting to meet the alien’s eyes. “I could show you what your human men have been cheating you out of.” “N-No.” He cleared his throat. “No! I’m fine. Thanks.” He took a step back and then crossed the room to the doorway. “If you want to explore my city when I go, you’d better put some clothes on. I’m leaving in five.” Deciding that he didn’t feel like cooking, Damien headed for his favorite diner. The laundry he left for later. He’d located some sunglasses in his apartment and passed them to Garroe. From the moment he glanced at the alien with the dark shades, his height, and exotic coloring evaporated Damien’s plans. All he wanted to do was walk down the street with Garroe at his side, showing him off to the world.

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Rather than look like a tourist with neck craning and head bobbing to peer at the sights, Garroe was cool and calm. At his side, Damien could see beyond the glasses and caught the alertness. Garroe took in everything and everyone. What he didn’t understand, he asked Damien who was only too happy to explain. On the busy sidewalk, someone jostled Garroe. He didn’t budge from his position, but the small woman almost toppled before Garroe caught her. Her cheeks pinked, making her prettier to Damien’s jealous eyes. “Oh excuse me,” she said in a sweet tone that grated on his nerves. Garroe bowed his head a little. The woman clung to his arm longer than necessary. Damien clenched his jaw. You’re standing. Now get off of him. He moved into position so she could see him at Garroe’s side. Although he might regret it later, he let his thigh rub Garroe’s suggestively. When Garroe didn’t push him away, the woman’s eyes widened, and she backed off. Her lips formed the familiar word, but she didn’t say it out loud. “Uh, excuse me again,” she mumbled and fled. Garroe looked down at him, amusement in his eyes. “That was interesting.” He lowered his head like he would kiss him, but Damien ducked away. “Are you crazy? Not here.” He abandoned giving the impression that they were a couple and strode at a fast clip ahead of Garroe. The taller man had no problem keeping up. “At home in your bed then,” Garroe suggested. Damien came to an abrupt halt heedless of the people around him. “Do you think of nothing else besides sex?” All eyes turned to stare, and he felt his face growing warm. Garroe was not embarrassed in the least. He too had stopped and put his fists on his hips. The alien looked more like a body double for an action movie hero. “I wouldn’t if you let me have sex with you.” Like he and the alien were playing a tennis match, the gaze on Garroe swung from him to Damien to see what his response would be. Damien turned on his heel to head back home. Apparently, bringing this creature 15

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from another planet out in public was a bad idea. Before he could take two steps, Garroe’s large hand came down on his shoulder. Warm breath teased the hair at his nape, and he stifled a shiver. He would never allow Garroe to cow him. Well not more than he already had. He felt like he’d been running from the moment they met. “If you don’t give it to me, I will get it from somewhere,” Garroe whispered into his ear. Damien knocked his hand away. “I don’t go for threats.” Garroe’s brows rose and fell with no clear indication of what he was thinking. But he didn’t try to touch Damien again or attempt to continue the conversation. When Damien continued walking, Garroe walked alongside him. **** Work that week was grueling. Damien had exhausted himself just trying to convince Garroe not to join him. He couldn’t make the alien see that he was already skating on thin ice with his boss. Bringing his “boyfriend” to work would not make things better. Especially since his boss was still hinting around for Damien to go down on him. He dragged in bone-weary one afternoon to find Garroe in underwear and nothing else sitting on the loveseat cleaning something. Damien paused staring. “What the hell is that? It looks like a weapon.” Garroe glanced up and winked. Damien was annoyed that a simple act like that could excite him. He grumbled under his breath and set his briefcase down to head to the kitchen. A sandwich and a beer might put him in a better frame of mind. “I can’t imagine where you kept it that first night,” Damien went on as Garroe took apart the weapon the shell of which appeared to be transparent. He couldn’t begin to figure out how it worked but wondered if it shot out rays of light like in the movies. He had a good view of it and Garroe’s body from his position behind the kitchen counter. No other barrier separated where he stood from the living room. 16

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Rather than respond to his comment, Garroe asked, “Why are you in such a foul mood when you come home?” “You wouldn’t understand,” Damien quipped. “Try me.” He sighed. “My boss is an ass. A position with a higher pay grade is opening up soon, and only me and one other guy qualifies for it. Me more than the other guy because I’ve been there longer. Instead of going with the obvious, my boss is hinting around that he wants me to suck his cock in order to get it.” “So suck it.” Damien stared at him and then cursed. “You would think that way. You’d do anything for what you want. Hell, you’d probably like it.” Garroe grinned. “Of course. Cock is cock, right?” “Don’t act like you knew the word cock before I taught you.” Garroe would never be embarrassed by anything Damien said. He didn’t know why he tried to get back his own after the alien had made him blush—something he thought he had grown out of when he became a man. “Yes, and I can teach you a lot of things to do with a cock.” I’m sure you can. Aloud, he said, “I’m not attracted to him. Besides, he’s married. I don’t go for that kind of thing.” Garroe watched him for a minute and then went back to cleaning his weapon. “I can kill him for you.” The butter knife in Damien’s hand clattered to the countertop. “A-Are you serious?” “Yes, why not? If he won’t stop bothering you any other way, I can kill him. If you were mine”—his gaze rose and examined Damien as if he could see through the counter to his crotch—“then there would be no payment other than your usual pleasing of me. But I have no qualms about killing this human if he makes you miserable. It’s the least I can do for you allowing me to stay here.” “No, don’t do that.” Damien lost all semblance of an appetite. “No killing of humans. Got it?” He spoke with more bravado than he felt. He had no hold over Garroe. The alien could kill whoever he wanted, and by 17

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the look of his gun, or whatever he called it, he could wipe out half the company with one shot. “I can handle my business for myself.” “Fine. Suit yourself.” Garroe set the gun aside and stood up to stretch. While he was inside the apartment, he let the tint seep back into his skin tone, but it did not take away from his looks. Damien found he couldn’t turn away from the other man. He took in the ripped abs, the strong, muscular thighs. And the underwear were tight. Had they not been stretchy material, Garroe would be giving him a show right now. “Is this your normal routine?” he asked. “To go to work and come home to watch television? Nothing else out of the ordinary? How about some excitement?” “Nothing lately.” Who was he kidding? There was nothing ever. Garroe had seemed content to sit beside him in the evenings watching his favorite shows, and he’d kind of liked it. Explaining basic earth principles and defining words for the alien had been enjoyable, that is when he wasn’t pushing away Garroe’s wandering hands when what he really wanted to do was climb on the man’s lap. “You don’t have to stay here.” “You’re defensive.” Garroe crossed the few of steps to the counter and took the sandwich to down in a couple of bites. Damien frowned. “Did you wait all day to eat again? I told you, you can have whatever you want in the fridge.” “I prefer you to cook for me.” He grinned. “I’m not your maid.” Garroe processed the word, his eyes glazing as he considered the meaning, and then he grinned. “You could be.” “Ugh! Okay, on Friday nights I usually spend time with my friends at a bar. Nothing special. We hang out and talk about the week and our crappy lives. You’re welcome to come. But not like that.” The purple disappeared, and Garroe popped the sunglasses on his eyes. “Sounds like fun. Now, come. Help me choose something to wear.” Garroe ended up searching the closet for more clothes and found jeans he’d never worn. Someone had given them to him as a gift, and they’d 18

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been too big. Rather than throw them out, he’d kept them. On Saturday, he figured they had better go shopping. Garroe couldn’t squeeze into any of his other clothes. The T-shirts worked because Damien liked them big, but still they stretched over Garroe’s chest. When they were ready, they left the apartment. Garroe peered in the direction of the motorcycle. “Not taking that?” “No license or insurance. We walk.” The bar was crowded as usual, but his friends had found a table. While they paused by the door to look around, Damien noticed George’s interest perk up the moment he saw Garroe. Damien clenched his jaw. “There they are.” Garroe followed him to the table and took a seat. He turned it backward and straddled it the way they’d seen a man do on a TV show the night before. Damien rolled his eyes, but George fairly trembled with desire. “Hi, I’m George. Who are you, gorgeous?” Damien cursed. “Damn it, George, give me a chance to introduce him.” “Oh I don’t need help getting to know this one. Tell me you’re not dating my boring friend, Damien,” George insisted. To Damien’s annoyance, Garroe took the offered hand and held onto it. Despite the fact that he was getting looks from the other patrons, Garroe leaned in close to George with the same charming but dangerous grin he’d flashed on Damien every time he was about to make a proposal to get into his pants. “I’m not dating Damien. Are you applying?” George’s cheeks pinked like a green girl’s. Damien resisted punching him in the mouth. “Dating no. Sex we can talk about,” he said. “My kind of man,” Garroe shot right back. “This,” Damien interrupted, “is Jeff and Kathy, my other two friends. Guys, this is Garroe. He’s a…uh…another friend I met recently.” The greetings spread around the table, and then Damien dragged Garroe off to the bar to order a drink. He wanted to demand George keep his hands off of Garroe, but he’d rejected the other man too many times. To treat him like he was his would be wrong. Garroe had already said he 19

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had a high sex drive, and holding out as long as he had been was not something he did on a regular basis unless he was working. “Something wrong?” Garroe asked while they waited for the bartender’s attention. “No, why would there be?” Damien said. Hiding what he really felt wasn’t easy. “You wanted a bit of change. This is it. My friends aren’t much more exciting than I am, so I hope you aren’t disappointed.” Garroe glanced over his shoulder and lowered his sunglasses a little. His narrowed eyes locked on George who preened under his stare. “Not so far,” Garroe murmured. Damien let loose a bunch of curses in his mind. “Put your glasses up, damn it. Anyone can see your eyes.” Garroe’s expression held only amusement. He did as he was asked and took the offered beer. A sip and he smiled and headed back to the table. Damien already regretted bringing him. He should have known a man like Garroe would attract attention—alien or human. Women and men eyed him with interest, and Garroe absorbed the looks as if it was his due. But what bugged Damien more than them was how he and George were getting along. They flirted to the exclusion of everyone else. “Wow, you two are hitting it off,” Kathy said. “But then George always did know how to pick up men. Isn’t that right, Damien?” Damien didn’t answer. “You want to go outside and talk?” George asked Garroe. “No.” Garroe stood up, and George hopped to his feet. “Where are you going?” Damien demanded. His heart raced in alarm. “He’s an alien!” The small group burst out laughing. George laid a possessive hand on Garroe’s arm. “Really funny, Damien. We’ll be back in a minute.” Damien could think of nothing else to say, and Garroe winked at him. He had no choice but to watch the two disappear through the exit door. Conversation flowed around him. Kathy and Jeff shared every detail of their lives for the past week, but she might as well have been speaking in Garroe’s home language for as much as he could follow what she was 20

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saying. His mind was consumed with thoughts of what George and Garroe were doing and if they were actually talking outside. He fidgeted in his chair and drained his beer. When it was done and he had nothing to do with his hands, he tapped the tabletop. Kathy reached across and flattened her hand on his. “Damien, are you listening to me?” He jerked away and scraped his chair back. “I have to piss. Be back in a minute.” The restrooms were in the opposite direction to the one he took. He zipped around tables and reached the door at just under a run. The bar door banged against the wall, and Damien scanned the lot. A few people were coming and going, but no one that looked like Garroe. He hurried to the far side and peered into the dimness. No movement met his eyes, so he tried the opposite direction, and that’s where he spotted them.

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Chapter Four Damien’s eyes widened in shock. George was wedged up against the wall with his head tilted back. Garroe crushed his huge body into him, his tongue down George’s throat while his hand was inside George’s pants. The moans his friend uttered rubbed Damien’s nerves raw. He didn’t think before he rushed at them and tore Garroe away from George. He drove a fist into his friend’s face. Blood gushed from George’s nose as he gaped up at Damien from the ground. “What was that for?” he whined. Damien didn’t get to answer because Garroe threw him up against the wall in his anger. “Calm down,” he growled. Garroe tried grabbing for his face as if the to make Damien look at him, but Damien fought to get free. Somehow he got the alien off him and stepped away from the two of them. Garroe touched his arm, but he shook the hold away. “Find your own way home. Better yet, find somewhere else to live.” He spun on his heel and walked away. He half-expected Garroe to follow and try to make up, but while he didn’t know Garroe that well, he felt like he knew him well enough not to easily admit when he was wrong. And why would he be wrong anyway? They had no commitment to each other. All week, Damien had been telling him no, so why shouldn’t he find another lover, someone willing. Damien stuffed his hands into his pockets. He hunched his shoulders against the sharp night air. Already he regretting behaving the way he did. George would forgive him with a few drinks on Damien, but he’d pissed away a chance to sleep with a sexy alien. Aside from that he could have had a lover, even if it was temporary. He had liked being with Garroe. He enjoyed talking to him and spending time with him. They had great companionship, and his life hadn’t been so lonely with the alien there. At home, he stripped off his clothes and showered. Depression weighed his shoulders down and gave him a cramp in the back of his neck. Later when he lay in bed he figured he’d never have anyone in his life. 22

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Maybe he was destined to be by himself. His life sucked. Slipping out of town without telling anyone began to sound like a good idea. He could start over somewhere else. Still considering it, he drifted off to sleep. **** Damien opened his eyes in the middle of the night. He glanced at the bedside table where his alarm clock sat. Then he remembered that Garroe had moved it because the digital read out annoyed him. This coming from an alien who must be used to hi-tech devices as a normal part of his existence. Thinking of Garroe reminded Damien of what happened earlier. The bed next to him was empty and cold. He shivered despite being buried under the covers. And then he recalled that he woke up to a sound. He stilled and listened. As if on cue, someone leaned on the bed from the bottom. Damien’s heart raced. He would not be caught off guard. He reared up suddenly, his muscles coiled for attack, but then all fight left him. Garroe stood at the bottom of the bed, one knee resting on the mattress. Damien sucked in a breath. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?” Damien wanted to ask why he’d left George’s bed so soon. But then again maybe it wasn’t soon. The night could be farther along than he thought. Aside from that he wouldn’t give Garroe the satisfaction of knowing he was jealous. Garroe watched him in silence and then offered a slow smile that both chilled Damien and put him on alert. “I’ve decided on how best to handle you.” “What do you mean by that?” Damien wondered if he planned on killing him after all. Garroe snatched the covers and dragged them to the floor. He took his sunglasses off and tossed them on the dresser. Then he began stripping. Damien’s eyes widened as he locked them onto Garroe’s broad chest and flat abs. His hunger ignited. He should tell the whore of a bounty hunter to

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get the hell out of his place, but he couldn’t turn down what was coming. Not again. No, I won’t take him after he’s fucked George. He should have stayed gone! When Garroe climbed up the bed, Damien scooted away, prepared to get to his feet. But Garroe captured his ankle and dragged him back. His bulky body came down on Damien and pinned him to the bed. No matter how hard he fought, he couldn’t get out from under the alien. His strength was no match for Garroe’s inhuman one. He thought fast. “Didn’t you get enough with George? If you let him rest in between, he’d be ready to go within an hour.” He knew his statement sounded petty, but he didn’t care at the moment. Garroe’s eyes flashed and changed. “Have you been with him then?” “Fuck you,” Damien growled. Garroe paused. Damien had explained the various ways the word could be used. Garroe’s eyebrow rose. “Once or even ten times would not satisfy my lust.” Damien had hoped he would deny sleeping with George, but he didn’t. Where Garroe came from there seemed to be no such thing as restraining oneself when sex was concerned or who it was done with. Damien fought again to get loose, but now Garroe had encircled both his wrists with strong fingers. He kept him immobile by pinning Damien’s hands at his sides. Garroe kissed along Damien’s chest down to his navel. Damien squirmed. “Don’t do this!” Garroe didn’t answer. He licked and kissed at Damien’s skin as if it were a treat. Damien’s cock grew tight and lengthened. He hated how responsive he was. He couldn’t hide his excitement and say he didn’t want what Garroe was doing and much more. “Why should I? Look how it makes you react.” Garroe raised his head and glanced down Damien’s body. His cock stood at attention behind his boxers. All Garroe had to do was part the material in the front, and he’d be exposed. When he should be thinking of a way to waylay the alien, he 24

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could only imagine Garroe’s thick lips wrapped around his shaft, sucking it in, drawing on the beads of precome he knew were already at the tip. “D-Doesn’t matter,” Damien stuttered. “I don’t want this.” “No?” Garroe teased. His eyes grew darker with less white. Damien shivered. He knew if he really didn’t want Garroe’s touch, he’d be in big trouble because Garroe was beyond giving him a choice in the matter. All at once, Garroe released his hands, but then he went after Damien’s boxers. Damien struggled to keep them up while Garroe pulled downward. He was beginning to feel foolish. If he gave Garroe a sharp command to stop, this could be put behind them, and he could get back to sleep. But the words wouldn’t pass his lips, not with any conviction. The boxers hit the floor. He was naked now with no barrier between them. Garroe’s gaze swept Damien from head to toe. Damien resisted covering his crotch. He couldn’t have gotten it hidden anyway since his cock stood out like it stretched toward Garroe. When the alien went still, Damien jumped at his chance. He yanked his legs from between Garroe’s and started to flip over to crawl away. Garroe was faster. He caught Damien’s legs once again, jerked them apart, and then to Damien’s shock, alarm, and pleasure, he brought his mouth down on Damien’s cock. With one long suck, he took Damien’s cock in and pulled on it from bottom to top. Damien was gone. He could no longer fight. He raised his hips and pumped toward Garroe’s mouth. He swore and planted a hand over Garroe’s head to push him lower. Air hissed between his teeth as he watched the alien suck him off. “Yes, yes,” he groaned and then tried to clamp down on making any sound at all. The words rose to his lips, and he found himself begging, “Suck me, Garroe. Fuck! Make me come now.” Damien wasn’t small by any means, but he marveled at how deep Garroe took him. He couldn’t stop moaning and staring at his cock disappearing into Garroe’s mouth. Why did he fight this? No human man had ever sucked him so hard and squeezed his dick between such powerful jaws. Ecstasy boiled in his veins, threatening to overload. His balls were already tightening although he fought to hold on a bit longer. 25

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When Garroe drew back, he cried out and then clenched his jaw. His alien lover sat back on his haunches. “Move over.” This time Damien wasn’t in the mood to argue. He shifted to the left, and Garroe lay on his back. Did he want to trade places before Damien had even come? He’d go insane if he didn’t reach his head soon. While Garroe shifted into position, Damien reached between his legs and squeezed his shaft. Maybe he could get himself off, although he wanted more of Garroe’s mouth. “No,” Garroe instructed. “I’ll do it. Climb up on my chest. I’m going to drink from you like that.” If Damien had the alien’s abilities his eyes would be glowing with excitement right now. He put his ass on Garroe’s chest and scooted higher so his cock would rest in his face. Damien almost howled when Garroe took him between his lips once again. He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. He eased forward just a little because his balls ached. They needed release. Garroe slipped his hands under Damien and guided his cheeks so that Damien arched forward. Damien braced himself on the headboard and began a slow pump into Garroe’s mouth. “Ah, yes, yes,” he murmured. Garroe grazed Damien’s cock with his teeth. The slight pain added to his pleasure. The orgasm began to build again, and he prepared to give into it. Garroe raised him up like he weighed nothing to free his mouth. Damien fisted the headboard and would have put his hand through the wall if he didn’t think it would break and distract him from the sex. “Don’t be afraid,” Garroe told him. “Pump it fast. I can take all of you.” He let Damien’s cock slide back into his throat. Damien had to take him up on his word. He began to bounce on Garroe’s chest. His cock disappeared between Garroe’s lips at a much faster rate, and still the alien took him without a problem. He thrust forward as he might have done if he’d been pushing into a warm, wet pussy. But this was all male. Garroe’s thick tongue lathered the underside of his shaft, and his powerful jaws drew him in harder than he could have pushed. He forgot about where he 26

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was and closed his eyes. He leaned his head on his hands and just pumped. Garroe took all of him, and when he couldn’t hold back anymore, he came hard and fast. His come splashed the back of Garroe’s throat, and the other man drank him just like he promised—every drop without withdrawing. Damien mumbled his satisfaction, and even while he did, he wondered what other advantages there were to fucking an alien. After Garroe had gathered the last drop, he lifted Damien off of him and flattened him on the bed face down. Damien had one moment to consider whether aliens used lube when Garroe began eating his ass. His cock, which had softened after his release, hardened all over again. Garroe made noises like he was eating dessert, even more eager than he’d done when he sucked Damien’s cock. How the hell had George let him leave the bed? No, he didn’t want to think of that. He didn’t like the thought of anyone getting this but him. He raised his hips a little off the bed and pushed his ass toward Garroe’s hungry mouth. Garroe greedily took the offering and moaned as he licked and sucked. He pushed Damien’s cheeks apart until Damien’s hole ached, but Garroe soothed it with his tongue. When he rose up ready to go in, Damien reached back and grabbed his arm. “Hold on. I’d forgotten how big you are. Let’s ease into this.” Garroe frowned and pushed his hand aside. “Take it like a man.” “It’s not your ass being split!” Garroe nuzzled his neck and pulled him up enough for Damien to bend his knees. His legs were thrust apart, and Garroe scooted between them while bending Damien deeper so his ass would open more. Damien gasped ready to protest, but Garroe had begun to push in. Sweat beaded his forehead. All the strength left his body. He could do nothing but hang from Garroe’s hold while the unyielding man inched his dick into Damien’s hole. “Ah, it hurts,” Damien complained in anger. He stretched beyond anything he’d had before. His head spun, and he tried to relax to take more of Garroe. 27

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“Take it all,” Garroe insisted. “Relax and take all of my cock now.” To Damien’s shame and annoyance, tears wet his eyes, but he buried his face in the mattress and let Garroe have his way. His ass was on fire, and he didn’t know if he wanted this anymore or if it would feel good after his muscle pain eased. Garroe’s insensitive pushing to get what he wanted pissed him off, and if he could, he would have belted him in the face. But all he could do was crouch there at the alien’s mercy. An eternity passed before Garroe was seated to the hilt inside of Damien. Garroe smacked his ass cheek with a light hand and then rubbed it out. “See? Not so bad. You’re so nice and tight—a perfect man. I’m going to enjoy this.” Damien squeezed his eyes shut as Garroe gripped his hips to begin a slow thrust in and a slower pull out. He pushed in all the way and withdrew until just the tip of his cock pierced Damien’s hole. Damien found himself shaking and hating it, but he remained quiet. At long last, his body started to relax, and the ache receded. He felt every invasion of his abused entrance, but now instead of hurting it felt good. He was still weak, so he let Garroe lead. Not like he had much of a choice. Damien warmed his trembling hands with heavy breaths as Garroe took his body, pleasuring himself without seeming to care if Damien liked it. Garroe threw his head back and growled. “Oh, yes, so good. So so good! Your sweet body is everything I could ask for. You’re going to please me all night.” Damien said nothing when Garroe wrapped an arm around his waist and hoisted him higher on the bed without letting his cock slip out. They were closer to the headboard so Garroe could brace himself using it. He increased the speed of his thrusts, and Damien clutched his pillow to his face. His ass was pushed up into the air, and Garroe’s weight ground into him continuously as he pounded deep inside Damien. “Do you want me to fill you?” Garroe whispered. “Go to hell,” Damien said. Garroe chuckled and pumped faster. Damien bit his bottom lip. He reached down between his legs and touched his cock. He winced. His shaft 28

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was sensitive and tight. He was ready to come, and with just a few strokes he’d get there. He might hate Garroe’s selfishness, but he had to admit he was hotter than any other man had made him before. Even without giving himself a hand job, he could probably come. That had never happened. “Stroke yourself,” Garroe commanded. Damien did, and soon he shouted a second release. As if he had timed it, Garroe came with him while moving at a thundering pace. He jerked Damien’s legs out from under him to flatten him on the bed. Their bodies were crushed together with Garroe clutching his chest. Raging pleasure seemed to debilitate Damien, and then he was lightheaded again. The alien come didn’t burn him, but it took him to sexual heights born in fantasies. He felt like he was high. The buzz lasted through Garroe’s hard thrusts and waned gently when he stopped. “There now, wasn’t that worth me pushing you?” Garroe whispered in his ear. Damien didn’t bother answering. He drifted off into a contented sleep.

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Chapter Five Damien woke up before Garroe, took a quick shower, and headed to the kitchen. He searched the refrigerator and cupboards wondering what he felt in the mood for. While he stood there, he couldn’t help smiling to himself. He’d done it. He’d actually had sex with Garroe, an alien from…what planet had he come from? What was life like there? He poured himself a glass of orange juice, and while he sipped it his cell phone rang. To save money and because he just didn’t use one, he’d never had a landline hooked up, so anyone needing to reach him called his cell. The display read his boss’s name, and he sighed. “Hello, Mr. Sty. What can I do for you?” “Damien, I need you to work this weekend. Kevin was supposed to come in, but he had a family emergency, and I need you to cover for him,” his boss explained. Damien frowned. Yeah, an emergency. More like he’d slept his way out of their one weekend a month mandatory overtime. “I’m sorry, sir. I wish you would have given me more notice. I already did my weekend this month, so I made other plans.” He never pushed too hard, but if he gave into everything Mr. Sty asked, he’d end up right where the old bastard wanted him. Damien glanced up to see Garroe walking into the room. He’d bothered to put on underwear but nothing more. Seeing his cock outlined behind the thin material reminded Damien that his ass hole was still sore. Last night had been unbelievable. Garroe moved around the counter and stood behind Damien. He ran big hands over Damien’s chest and on down to his crotch. Damien dipped out of reach and shuffled away. He felt warmth in his cheeks, and Garroe’s amused gaze told him it was visible. “I need you in here, Damien,” his boss insisted. “I know you don’t want to let me down at this crucial time. Not when so much is at stake.”

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Damien gritted his teeth. He peered again at Garroe, and the other man raised an eyebrow. Something told Damien Garroe could guess who he was talking to and that Damien wasn’t happy about it. “Sir, I want to do everything I can…for you…uh, the company, but…” He froze for a minute when Garroe with a snarl was coming toward him with outstretched hand. Damien shook his head and whipped in the opposite direction. “I’ll be in this afternoon. That’s the best I can do. Good-bye.” He and Garroe stared at each other across the counter. Damien knew the alien was disappointed and annoyed. Whether it was because Damien hadn’t stood up to his boss or because he didn’t let Garroe threaten him, he wasn’t sure. Maybe both. The conversation had been mild compared to what he usually suffered, but he was certain he wouldn’t get off that easy later when he went in. He busied himself with preparing eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes for breakfast. Garroe had a big appetite. He thought Garroe might try to feel him up again, but the bigger man kept his distance, sitting on the opposite side of the counter. Damien felt his gaze with every move he made. To be lusted over by a sexy purple alien wasn’t a bad deal. “I realized this morning that I don’t know much about you,” he said when he set a plate piled high with food in front of Garroe. “Like what planet you come from, and I think you said it’s not just men. Are they more accepting of gays there?” Garroe grinned. He said nothing until he’d downed half his food. “It’s called Mirror. Or that’s the nearest word I can come up with in English. I don’t want to fiddle with this device to say it in my language. Do you remember my ship?” Damien nodded. “It was transparent, like all of us. We say what we mean. We hide nothing whether it’s physical or mental. Our word reflects that like a giant mirror.” Damien didn’t quite get it. “So your houses are transparent too?” “For the most part.” 31

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A shudder passed over him. To be that exposed was more than he could imagine or want to experience. He considered what Garroe had told him and what he already knew. “You were naked, and you said you go after criminals. So when you encounter species that are not so…open, what do you do?” Garroe popped a bite of bacon into his mouth before speaking. “There are many uptight species like yours. In that case, I will wear clothes. No sense offending anyone when it could hinder me getting what I want.” He eyed Damien. “Speaking of getting what I want, I want to spend the day with you under me. I don’t like it that you told your boss that you’ll come in. Call back and tell him you’re not coming.” Damien crossed his arms. “I can’t do that.” “I know you want it.” He stood up, and this time, Damien held his ground. He didn’t get why it should embarrass him at how much he desired Garroe. He had been openly gay most of his life. Garroe moved behind him and reached around to unzip Damien’s pants. A hand disappeared below his waistband and cupped his hardening cock. He closed his eyes and blew out a heavy breath through his nose. “T-Tell me more about your home,” he pleaded to distract Garroe. The alien laughed and stroked his cock a few more times before releasing him. “Fine.” He went back around the counter and drank his water. The two of them had discovered Garroe hated coffee, and since Damien had told him previously ten was too early in the morning to start drinking beer, his lover had settled on water. Garroe humored him, because it was obvious who was the more dominant. Damien didn’t mind in the least. Garroe’s roughness and his dominance excited him. “We have women. They are not dissimilar to the women here, except of course they have skin like mine. Deeper colored maybe, or richer. We have those who prefer one or the other sex, or who like both. I have always enjoyed all kinds of people. Although I do prefer men.” He grinned. “Little sexy men I can bend over my arm and have my way.”

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Damien shivered with desire. “I’m hardly little.” George was much smaller. Had he preferred him? He shook away the thought. Garroe was here now, and he had no intention of denying him, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Although Friday night drinking with his friends might be canceled for a little while. He was ashamed of his jealousy but admitted it was there. “Do you have a wife or a husband at home?” “No, as I told you, I keep very busy with work. It often takes me off world to other galaxies. Oh, you asked if my planet was nearby. It’s not. We’re several light-years away. Your scientists would never have found us.” “Have you been to earth before?” “No, or I would have picked up someone like you a long time ago. Most of our men are my size or bigger. It can be frustrating.” Damien rolled his eyes, but pleasure suffused his system knowing that Garroe had had a hard time as he did finding the right lover. “Are you going to flirt all day? I have chores to take care of.” “I will do them with you. The sooner they are done, the sooner I can enjoy you. We will talk more about you not going in to work.” “No, we won’t.” Damien put the last dish in the dishwasher and wiped off the counter. “Yes”—Garroe jerked him into his arms and kissed his lips—“we will.” Damien enjoyed the kiss as long as it lasted, and then he escaped to the bedroom to gather dirty clothes. He’d put off laundry long enough, but it was such a hassle going to the Laundromat. If only they had a machine in the basement of the building where he lived. Remembering something Garroe said, he paused and asked him when he walked in the door, “You said you’ve never been to earth. How does your device know English?” Garroe winked. “I’ve met plenty of species that speak it. Just because I’ve never been here doesn’t mean someone hasn’t.” That thought made Damien nervous. So they’d been visited enough times that other aliens out there in the universe had learned his language, and they knew nothing about it. Unless of course the government was 33

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hiding the visits from regular people. That wasn’t hard to believe. He hauled two baskets to the living room and returned to the bedroom to see if there was anything he’d forgotten. A rapid banging on the front door interrupted him. He left his room to see who it was. When he opened the door, he froze where he stood. No one could mistake the suit. The two men were government agents. Sweat broke out on Damien’s top lip, and he felt moisture in his armpits. His throat was dry, but he swallowed and asked, “May I help you?” “Damien Kline?” the man closest to him said. “Yeah.” “I’m Special Agent Jones, and this is Agent Rogers. We’re with the NSA.” They flashed badges he didn’t have a chance to read let alone identify as being authentic. “Do you mind if we ask you a couple of questions?” The words might have been a question, but the tone said do what I say and you won’t wind up behind bars for the rest of your existence. Knots formed in Damien’s stomach. If the NSA was at his door, it was serious. Had they found evidence of Garroe’s landing? “Uh, right now is not a good time.” He searched his mind for an explanation and stood beside the door, not giving them a chance to come inside. Already, he was sure he looked suspicious. The way the men’s eyes narrowed on him made him sure of it. Special Agent Jones wasn’t being put off. “Did you notice any suspicious lights or hear any loud explosions when you were riding your motorcycle just outside of town ten days ago?” Trick question. To admit that he’d been out on his motorcycle was already in violation of the law. How the hell did he get out of this? “I…” A hand came around from behind him and rubbed his cock. The next second Garroe appeared stark naked without any underwear or shame and cocooned Damien in his embrace. “Baby, come back to bed. I’m horny.” Damien thought he’d collapse in a heap on the floor. Where did Garroe even learn the word “horny”? Was it in his device’s vocabulary list? 34

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Either way, the two agents’ cheeks went stark red. Damien would have thought nothing surprised or embarrassed them in their line of work. Maybe it was Garroe’s presence and his total lack of shame at what he wanted and what he looked like. He nuzzled Damien’s neck and peered over with interest to the agents. Both men took a step back like they already felt the invasion into their tight asses. “No,” Damien said with more confidence. “I didn’t see anyone outside of town because I was busy doing other things every night. I’m sure you get my drift.” Garroe took it a step further. “I’m not opposed to you joining us. Ask Damien, I have a big appetite. I can take all three of you.” “Thank you for your time,” the lead agent snapped, and the two of them disappeared down the stairs. Garroe shut the door and drew Damien into his arms. Damien stayed there for a minute. He wondered if he’d made the wrong choice. Maybe he should have told them who or what Garroe was. But when he looked up into Garroe’s face he knew he’d never have done that. He didn’t know where they were going with this relationship— if it could be called that—but he wanted to enjoy it. He was a little less lonely, a little less pathetic. Garroe tipped his chin up and kissed his lips. Damien closed his eyes and surrendered himself as Garroe pushed a tongue into his mouth. Their soft moans turned hungry as Garroe once again worked his hands inside Damien’s pants. Only when he thought they’d end up in the bedroom instead of getting his chores done did he pull back. “Come on. We need to get this laundry done before it gets too late,” he told Garroe. “We’ve already wasted enough time.” Garroe allowed himself to be pulled over to the baskets, and Damien hefted one into the alien’s arms and then lifted one for himself. They left the apartment and headed down the street toward the strip mall a block away. Annoyed that they’d gotten such a late start, Damien had to wait for an available machine. They ended up in the back of the compact

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establishment, but at least most of the patrons were toward the front. That fact gave Damien a sense of isolation with Garroe. “Hey,” he called to Garroe, who sat on the bench in front of Damien’s. He’d been surprised Garroe didn’t sit next to him, but then he figured out the alien wanted to look at him and find reasons to let his knees bump between Damien’s legs. “Where did you learn the word ‘horny,’ or did you already know it?” “Third Nebula,” Garroe quipped. Damien’s eyes widened, and he lowered his voice. “Somebody out in space who spoke English?” Garroe chuckled. “No, the TV show you were watching the other night. It was called The Third Nebula.” Damien balled a sock up and threw it at Garroe, who caught it with ease and zipped it back. Damien watched him scan the interior of the Laundromat, and he fidgeted like he was antsy. He seemed to behave that way whenever they left the apartment. He wondered if being out reminded him of where he could be and the excitement he could be living instead of the mundane existence Damien led. “You’re thinking of your ride?” he asked. Garroe faced him. “That and the one that got away. I have to catch up to him. He’s worth a lot. Keep the bills paid for a few months with that check.” “It’s not about the money for you.” The alien’s eyes seemed to glitter behind the sunglasses, “No, it’s not.” Damien pulled a cart over to the washing machine he was using and began putting his work pants and shirts on hangers on the bar over the cart. When that was done, he loaded more clothes into the washer. Mentally, he considered how much money he had in the bank. A few dollars could be spared to buy Garroe a couple pair of pants and a few Tshirts. He’d been here long enough that he would need them, and if Damien had anything to say about it, Garroe would be with him and no one else.

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Garroe moved up behind him and pressed his crotch against Damien’s ass. Damien froze and glanced around. “Stop, someone could see us,” he whispered. His lover grinned unrepentant. “That thing is blocking us. Mostly. And who cares. I want you, and I don’t care about these other humans seeing.” He reached around Damien to the button on his jeans while kissing Damien’s neck. Desire flamed to life in Damien, and he found it hard to push Garroe’s hands away. Already Garroe’s cock was hard and pressed to his ass. He wanted it as bad as the alien. He’d give anything for everyone in the place to disappear so his lover could give it to him now, bent over a vibrating machine. “Mm…no, stop, Garroe, we can’t.” “We can.” Garroe found his way into Damien’s pants and began stroking his cock. Damien’s eyelids lowered. He felt his shaft thicken. If he didn’t put a stop to this now, they’d be in big trouble and maybe wind up in jail. Even though the rational thoughts rolled through his mind, he didn’t try hard to get out of Garroe’s clutch. Garroe squeezed his cock head, and Damien bit down on a yelp of pleasure. His heart pounded in his chest. He reached out to jerk the cart nearer. Moisture beaded on his top lip, but Garroe saw it and licked it off. A shudder shook Damien. For a few moments, he forgot the potential audience and curled his tongue with Garroe’s as they kissed. “We shouldn’t be doing this,” Damien told him when he drew back. With Garroe’s arms still around him from behind, he peeked through two pairs of pants. An older man peered toward them. His brows scrunched low over his eyes in a suspicious expression. Damien glanced down to the cart’s basket. He guessed that a small expanse of their legs showed, but it felt like no barrier between the two of them, the old man, and a few other people. “Let’s just get this done.” Garroe lowered his glasses so his dark eyes pierced Damien and made goose bumps pop out on his arms. “Yes, let’s.” Damien’s zipper lowered. The sound might as well have been an explosion, audible above the rumble of the washing machines and the 37

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dryers going at top speed. Garroe wasn’t taking no for an answer. Damien pushed his ass toward Garroe and realized that probably wasn’t the best way to get him to back off. Garroe moaned low in his throat so that only Damien could hear him. “More,” he said against Damien’s ear. “I want a lot more. Let me in your tight ass.” Damien squirmed. He squeezed his eyes shut. His resistance was failing. Garroe pumped his cock so hard and fast, he couldn’t find the strength to push him away. A coolness brushed his ass cheeks. He bit into his bottom lip, and his head dropped forward. Garroe didn’t know his own strength as his arm, wrapped around Damien’s waist, bit into his stomach and hauled Damien almost off his feet. He stretched high on his toes, and he hoped others would think he was leaning deep into the oversize washer. If they looked closely, surely they would see the truth. He should work harder to make Garroe stop, but he didn’t want him to. Garroe stuck two fingers in Damien’s mouth and made him suck them before he pulled them from between his lips and guided them down the back of Damien’s pants. He stiffened. No, we can’t. We’ll get caught! He managed to elbow Garroe hard in the ribs, but the alien behaved as if he felt nothing. The warm, wet fingers pierced Damien’s hole. He gasped. Garroe massaged his back entrance, but didn’t keep his hand there long. To Damien’s shock and ecstasy, the bigger man replaced his fingers with his cock. Damien’s own fingers ached as he kept himself from being crushed into the washer while Garroe ground deep inside him from behind. He shoved all the way to the hilt and drew back only to do it again, over and over. Then he kept his thrusts shallow but rough as he ravaged Damien. All the time, he murmured in his ear and sent chills racing down Damien’s spine. “Oh, yes, you’re so tight, Damien. So good. Open to me. Give me all of that sweet ass.” Damien bit off a cry as he struggled to stay upright, but that only made Garroe a snugger fit, and the alien’s cock was already huge. The

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sensations were overwhelming, but even with the pain, he liked it. No, he loved it. He didn’t want it to stop. The washing machine began to knock, indicating the load was off balance. He needed to open it to move the clothes around. He could do nothing but hang on the end of Garroe’s arm as he pushed into his ass repeatedly. And Garroe wasn’t letting him go until he got what he wanted. Damien wouldn’t be far behind. His cock throbbed, and his balls were tight. “Hey, you going to get that?” someone yelled, indicating the banging machine. “Garroe,” Damien rasped. He couldn’t get more than that out. Garroe ignored everyone and continued to arch his hips into Damien, driving his cock as far as it would go into Damien’s ass. Damien moaned. He hoped no one heard, and in the next minute when his lust climbed higher, he didn’t care if anyone heard. “Hey,” the old man yelled out, closer than he was last time Damien checked. His mind called out impending danger. His body was lost in Garroe fucking him. Damien pushed his ass out and arched his hips so it was higher. Garroe leaned back just a little, putting a bit more room between them and watched himself disappear inside Damien. Seeing Garroe staring at his ass turned him on even more, and then his lover grunted. His come spurted out into Damien’s passage, and he held himself deep inside until he was done. Damien sagged, but Garroe held him in place as he pulled out. He used his other hand to massage Damien’s cock, but Damien wondered if he could even reach an orgasm as tense as he was. The old man could burst through his clothes at any second. Garroe’s hand stroked him from base to tip, faster and faster. Damien clenched his jaw. Oh, he was going to come—and soon! He grabbed a still-dirty pair of boxers and shoved them to the front of his pants. He exploded half in Garroe’s palm and half into the underwear. Garroe’s hands disappeared without warning, and he found himself back to back with his lover while he cleaned himself up. 39

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“This is a family establishment,” the old man groused, so close he had to have breeched their barrier. Damien didn’t dare turn around. He knew Garroe was big enough to block him, and his pants although back up, were gaping open. He swallowed, searching for moisture in his dry throat. “I see no families, old man,” Garroe shot back. Damien clenched his teeth. “Don’t aggravate him more, Garroe.” He fixed his clothes and swung around. “Yes, thanks. We know.” The old man’s eyes swung from Garroe to Damien and back again. Damien could guess he wanted to look lower to see if their pants fronts showed evidence of what they’d just done, but that would be more than the old geezer could take. He didn’t blame him. He’d be offended too if someone was in the Laundromat fucking while he was washing clothes. Of course his feelings would have more to do with jealousy. He’d never done anything so risky in his entire existence. Well, except with his motorcycle, but that paled in comparison. “Just remember what I said,” the old man told them. “I have no problem calling the cops.” “Sure.” Garroe raised his hand to his glasses, and Damien jerked the hand down again, lacing his fingers with Garroe’s. The old man noticed the intimate gesture and frowned in disgust. He must have taken all he could and swung away to head back up the narrow aisle. Damien sighed in relief and rested his cheek on Garroe’s arm. The muscles bunched under his touch, and he breathed in the alien’s heady scent, a mixture of sweat and sex. “I want to do that again,” he said. Damien swore. “Not on your life.” They finished the laundry with Damien swinging his body away from Garroe’s reach, and then headed home without further trouble. When Garroe had gone back to his job as intergalactic bounty hunter, Damien was sure he’d lie in bed recalling every detail of this day and get hot all over again.

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Chapter Six Damien ran a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes. He was exhausted. Turned out he didn’t get any other chores done beyond laundry because when they got back home, Garroe wouldn’t keep his hands to himself. Damien had just made it to work to get in a few hours before the end of the day. He stretched his arms above his head and looked at the clock at the bottom right side of his computer screen. At seven thirty, most of his coworkers who’d come in for their weekend shift had gone home. The company wasn’t open twenty-four hours, but right now he felt like he been there around the clock. His boss’s office door opened, and the older man’s head popped out. He scanned the area. The largish sixth floor was crammed almost to the four walls with cubicles, each with walls tall enough for semiprivacy. There’d been talk of lowering them so that everyone could see each other, but the decision hadn’t been made final. Damien liked the walls even if his cubicle was situated so that his boss could look straight into his space. When the older man was in meetings, Damien could feel like he was alone since Mr. Sty’s office was the only one on this wall. “Damien,” Mr. Sty called. He stiffened. “Just a minute, sir, I’m finishing up this one last call before I head out.” He didn’t have anyone on the line, but his boss didn’t know that since Damien’s body blocked the display. “Get rid of it, and come in here,” the bastard said without consideration. Damien gritted his teeth. He’d hoped to do his time and get out, but he was almost never that lucky. He took the headphones off and set them on the desk before standing. Trudging into the manager’s office, he knew where this was headed— another play for him to be on his knees or bent over the desk. He cringed in disgust. Mr. Sty’s gut alone was a turn off, not to mention his receding hairline, and the smell of Italian lunchmeat on his breath, which he seemed never to get enough of. 41

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“You needed something?” Damien asked when he entered the office. “Shut the door.” He hesitated and then obeyed. Mr. Sty was perched on the end of his desk too near to the visitor’s chair. Damien held his position near the door and waited. “Look, Damien,” Mr. Sty began, “let’s stop playing games with each other.” He pointed to the chair. “Have a seat.” Damien didn’t move. “I’m fine here.” Irritation etched the older man’s face, but he let Damien’s defiance go. “You know what I want, and I know what you want.” “I’m sorry, sir. I wasn’t aware I was playing games. I do my best working for the company, coming in whenever I’m asked and doing my job.” Damien had made the speech before but went over it again just in case Mr. Sty had forgotten how much more dedicated he’d been to getting ahead before all this crap started. Somehow his hard work had backfired. “I do want the promotion. I can use the money, but it wouldn’t be right if I got it by any means other than because I was the best man for the job.” Sty ignored the speech. “You’re gay, aren’t you?” Damien’s nostrils flared. “Does that have to do with whether or not I get the position?” “You have no family. Never had much to begin with, but your mother passed, what, eight years ago?” Damien nodded stiffly. The man was right. He didn’t have any family. He’d hated that because he figured he would be less lonely if he at least had a brother or a sister. He had always thought he would be the favorite uncle, and his siblings’ kids would adore him. Since he was gay, he hadn’t seriously thought of having his own family, even though many like him did. “I have a boyfriend,” he thought it necessary to say. Mr. Sty gave him a doubtful look, and then his gaze swept down over Damien’s body. When he focused on Damien’s crotch and licked his lips, bile rose in Damien’s throat. The pudgy man who came only to his

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shoulder strolled closer. “I can give you a lot more than this promotion, Damien. All you have to do is show me how devoted you are.” “Sir, I’ve worked hard—” “Devoted to me. You would see to my personal needs.” Damien swallowed. “Everyone talks about how great a secretary Jeanine is…” The man swore. “Don’t play dumb, Damien!” He stomped up to Damien and jerked his collar. Their bodies came too close together. Damien tried taking a step back, but he couldn’t get too much space without making the shorter man topple over. That would risk his job. In this economy he couldn’t afford to be out of work, and Garroe ate like an animal. Thinking of Garroe’s appetite, he remembered he needed to go grocery shopping tonight. “Damien!” his boss snapped. A hand settled on Damien’s hip, and Sty smiled ingratiating. The stretch of his lips did nothing to hide his temper. “What others don’t know won’t hurt them.” Damien clenched his fists at his sides. He swallowed a few times trying to control his own temper. “Sir—” His cell phone rang in his pocket, and he dug it out. The display indicated the disposable phone he’d purchased a couple days ago for Garroe. Damien answered, glad for the interruption. “Garroe, yes, baby, I’ll be home soon. I’m just leaving.” “Baby?” Garroe questioned in his ear. “Why would you call me—” Damien hung up. “Sir, I need to go,” he told his boss. “Garroe is planning something special for our anniversary tonight, and he’ll be upset if I don’t leave now.” Garroe hadn’t been on earth a full month, but his boss didn’t know that. Damien extricated himself from the hold on his collar and fled the office. Even as he gathered his briefcase and keys, his stomach hadn’t settled, and the stress hadn’t eased. Tonight, Mr. Sty had gone far beyond his normal hints. He knew if Garroe hadn’t called when he did, Mr. Sty would have spelled out in simple terms what he wanted from Damien, and 43

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then it would have been up to him to say yes or no. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that his answer would be the deciding factor of whether he had a job on Monday. Damien walked into his apartment an hour later, and before he could take more than a few steps, Garroe caught his arm, took the briefcase from his hand, and jerked Damien close. Damien narrowed his eyes at him. His mood was darker than it had been in weeks, and he just wasn’t in the mood. “Not now, Garroe,” he grumbled. Garroe ignored the warning and smacked Damien on the ass. “Tell me why you called me baby. What did you mean by it?” When Garroe didn’t recognize a word or custom, it irritated him. Damien could just imagine how confusing it must be to call a six foot something, burley alien “baby.” Damien tried removing Garroe’s hands from his waist, but they wouldn’t be budged. Garroe’s hold tightened, and he spun Damien so that his ass was wedged into Garroe’s crotch. “Tell me.” He sighed. “What does it matter! I’m not in the mood. That’s all you should get. Now let go!” Garroe ignored the command. “Why are you so angry? What happened tonight? Is the ‘baby’ thing related to work? Did your boss try something?” “Fuck off!” Damien broke free. He was done with people trying to make him do what he didn’t want to do. That didn’t have anything to do with Garroe because every touch from his lover had set him on fire, but tonight wasn’t the night for being bullied. He thumped Garroe in the chest. For his pains, his fist throbbed like he’d smashed it into a brick wall. Garroe was hardly fazed by the hit, but his eyes widened. Damien guessed he was more offended that Damien didn’t want him touching him than anything else. Suspicion clouded his eyes, but Damien turned away from it. Now that he was free, he stomped to the bedroom, changed out of his work clothes, and headed to the door. “I’ll be back later!” He didn’t explain where he was going. He just needed space. 44

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Some unintelligent words came from Garroe, and Damien glanced back at the other man. Garroe’s head was bowed, his expression hard and closed. He punched at the device in his wrist and muttered more unintelligent words. For a minute Damien’s stomach knotted with nerves. If Garroe couldn’t make it work, they might never understand each other. He had no idea if Garroe knew English but couldn’t speak it, or if the device was the translator back and forth. Before he could let himself be drawn into more problems, his anger reasserted itself and he left the apartment. Maybe strolling around the grocery store would cool his jets and he could come back with a clearer head. Some time later, he breathed a sigh of relief as he pushed his cart to the back of the store. Pausing in the beef section, he pondered whether Garroe might like steak. Buying it was a stretch of his budget, but he felt his lover deserved it after the way he’d treated him earlier. Now that he had time to cool down, he had a better attitude. He picked up a package of T-bone steaks and winced at the price. What if this wasn’t enough? Usually when he walked away from Garroe, the alien followed him and wouldn’t back off until he got Damien in the bed naked. Garroe hadn’t even followed him to the store. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. He should call and apologize. A dinner of steak and potatoes with green beans, maybe even strawberry shortcake—Garroe’s new favorite—would make things right between them. Damien was busy considering the state of the translation device when he felt someone staring. He tensed and turned to see a man watching him. Taller than Damien but with a narrower build, the man was more rugged than handsome. His tan was deep and natural like he’d spent a lot of his time outdoors. While his build wasn’t near as stocky as Garroe’s, the man did have a good-size bulge in the front of his tight jeans. The guy smiled and approached. “Hello. I’m sorry I was staring. Anyone ever tell you, you’re beautiful?” Damien noted several amused glances cast his way from patrons passing and hearing this pickup line. Not that he didn’t believe the guy

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was sincere, but ‘beautiful’ wasn’t a description he would use for himself. Garroe fit the description, even as dangerous and hard as he was. “Thanks,” Damien said. He didn’t carry himself as a gay man, so the guy must have sensed it, just like he’d done plenty of times. “Uh, I—” “Belong to me.” Garroe appeared out of nowhere and laid a hand over Damien’s cock. To his embarrassment, Damien’s dick swelled with that small touch and strained against the material of his pants. If he was worried Garroe was angry at him and had lost interest, that thought was gone the way his lover claimed him. “Garroe,” he pushed between gritted teeth, “not here.” The stranger held up hands in surrender. “Sorry. I didn’t know he was taken.” His narrowed gaze swept Damien, and he seemed to lament that he could no longer see Damien’s crotch behind Garroe’s hand. “You’re very lucky.” As he walked away, Damien shifted out of Garroe’s reach. “You don’t have any shame.” Garroe shrugged and followed him down the aisles. “Why should I have? I know what I want. I also know what belongs to me. I usually don’t mind sharing because sex in groups can be very good and very fun.” He smacked Damien’s ass in an empty aisle. “You I’m not willing to share right now. So don’t pick up men unless I say it’s okay.” Damien smirked. He was happy again. They weren’t fighting, and his outlook was positive. “Whatever you say. Now, come on so I can cook for you. It’s late, but I promise you will like it.” “And then bed!” He and Garroe walked up to the checkout line hand-in-hand, and Damien didn’t care who saw him or what they thought.

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Chapter Seven Damien pulled the cake he had cooling out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter. He followed that with the bowl of fresh strawberries, which he’d cut up and sprinkled with sugar the night before. The whipped cream was ready for spreading as well. Garroe leaned a hip and elbow on the counter watching him work. “Why were you upset last night?” he asked. Damien stiffened but didn’t take his eyes off what he was doing. “Just a long day. That’s all.” “No, that’s not it.” Garroe reached out and swiped a little cream to stick into his mouth. Damien paused long enough to enjoy the view of his lover licking his finger. “You were angry, and you didn’t want me to touch you. Why?” “I’m sorry. I never meant to take it out on you, Garroe. Things just got…out of hand.” He floundered for a better explanation, but without going into detail there wasn’t one. He knew how Garroe felt about his issues with his boss. Garroe would want to handle it, and that wasn’t an option. “It was your boss, wasn’t it? The one who upset you?” “No.” “You’re lying!” He snatched the spreading knife from Damien’s hand and slammed it down on the counter. Then he zipped Damien to his chest, holding him in an embrace that made him feel like any second his ribs would crunch. Damien winced and shoved Garroe hard. The other man released him just as quickly as he’d grabbed him. “It doesn’t concern you,” Damien snapped. “Just let it go. I said I’m sorry for how I treated you.” To his surprise, Garroe dropped the matter. They worked in reasonable silence, Garroe still watching his every movement. After some time, he said, “You know that cream would taste good on your cock.” Damien’s cheeks warmed. “I wouldn’t know.”

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Garroe grinned and moved in closer to him. He tugged the front of Damien’s pants toward him, but Damien brushed him off. “Hey, I’m working here.” Garroe pulled again, and the closure on Damien’s pants popped open. His zipper was down, and his jeans down around his hips before he could take a breath. Eyes widened as he watched Garroe take a big glob of whipped cream on his finger, Damien no longer wanted to get away. His lover smeared the sweet white cream on the tip of his hardening cock and then dropped to his knees. Damien hung onto the counter because if he didn’t he’d have lost the ability to stand. All he could think about, all his mind could imagine, was Garroe’s tongue licking the confection off his dick like he’d done his fingers. “Garroe,” he whispered because he couldn’t draw in enough breath to speak louder. “We won’t have enough for the cake.” His cock head disappeared inside Garroe’s mouth, and the alien moaned in pleasure. “Mm, salty and sweet. My favorite.” Damien closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them so he could watch Garroe. Once he’d licked all the cream off Damien’s cock, Garroe took the stiff shaft between his lips. Deeper and deeper it went in, and Damien’s breath was heavy in his chest as he panted. Garroe’s mouth was hot, and his throat tight as he took Damien in. His moans raised goose bumps on Damien’s arms, and he felt his balls drawing up. “Garroe,” he groaned. “I’m going to come.” Garroe drew back. “Wait.” He stood up and shoved the cake and other materials to the side. Damien tried pulling away when Garroe grabbed him around the waist, but he fought a losing battle and found himself hoisted on the counter. His bare ass cheeks were chilled by the surface under him, but he soon forgot the discomfort when Garroe began smoothing on more cream—this time on his balls. Damien was stretched out on the counter with his pants around his ankles. Garroe stood over him, sucking and licking to his heart’s content between Damien’s legs. “Mm, so good. I could eat you all day,” Garroe growled and swallowed Damien’s dick once again. 48

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Damien squirmed and raised his hips. His head dropped back and eyelids lowered. “Yes, yes, Garroe. Suck it!” he encouraged the other man. “Make me come now. I can’t hold it.” Garroe kissed every inch of Damien’s balls and drew them one at a time into his mouth before working his way back to Damien’s cock. He pulled on the thick shaft and licked along the vein at the base. When he reached the tip, his dark eyes met Damien’s. Damien clenched his jaw. He couldn’t hold on another second. Staring into his lover’s eyes, he let go, and Garroe leaned back far enough that Damien could watch his come shoot into Garroe’s mouth. Thick, white liquid landed on Garroe’s bottom lip, and he licked it off before capturing the head of Damien’s cock in one last pull. A shudder passed over Damien, and he fell flat onto his back, his chest rising and falling at a rapid pace. Garroe bent over him and pushed his shirt up so he could kiss Damien’s belly. A wave of warm emotion spread through Damien, and he resisted it. Soon Garroe would leave him, and he would be a lot better off if he didn’t get his heart involved. Something told him, though, it was a little too late for that caution. Garroe raised questioning eyes to Damien like he could guess his train of thought, then his expression turned lustful. “My turn. You’ll suck me, and then ride it.” Damien smirked. “If it’s really your turn, then doesn’t that mean I take you in the ass?” Garroe’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t dignify the suggestion with a response. Damien scooted over to the edge of the counter, and Garroe climbed up. This was so unsanitary, Damien thought, but he didn’t care. He’d never been so wild as to have sex in the kitchen or to use whipped cream to enhance the flavor of come. This was too good to end now. In seconds Garroe was naked, and he relieved Damien of his shirt as well. He kissed his way over Damien’s chest and flicked the tip of his tongue across his nipple. Tremors shook Damien. He moaned and held the back of Garroe’s head as he watched his lover please him. 49

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Garroe raised his head, and they kissed, long and hungrily. Damien submitted to Garroe exploring his mouth, delving deep into his warmth. “Mm,” Garroe murmured, “you taste like come.” “That’s yours,” Damien responded. Garroe flashed a grin. “So?” He lowered himself on his elbows and back, with one leg outstretched and the other knee bent. “Now, suck my cock, Damien.” Damien was about to obey when Garroe stopped him long enough to smear whipped cream on his dick. Then Damien attacked it with eagerness. Just as Garroe had said it tasted good. Licking the sweet cream from Garroe’s hard length excited him. He’d always loved the flavor of a man, but with Garroe it went beyond what he’d experienced before. The leathery smoothness teased his mouth. He lowered his head to take as much of Garroe’s dick as he could, then he squeezed the base and he sucked hard coming up. Over and over, he worked Garroe and massaged his cock in a fist. Soon every drop of cream disappeared under his ministrations, and Garroe added more. Damien brought Garroe to the edge of an orgasm, and then Garroe pushed him back. “Now, I want to get in you.” Damien shifted to his knees. He leaned across his lover’s torso so Garroe could wet his fingers and push them into Damien’s tight ass. Damien gasped, but it didn’t hurt at all. He was more than ready, and Garroe had stretched him wide during the countless times they’d had sex. When he was sure he could take Garroe, he pulled the other man’s arm back and then leaned up to straddle Garroe’s hips. He faced his lover, and they locked gazes as he reached under himself to guide Garroe’s erection inside him. Slowly, he sank down, clenching his teeth to keep from shouting his pleasure. He didn’t want to let go, but he was worked up. Garroe, still leaning on his elbows, devoured Damien with his gaze. He skimmed over Damien’s chest with just a look, and moved down to Damien’s abs, then lower to the dark curls at his crotch. Damien’s cock grew harder. He loved seeing lust in Garroe’s eyes when he looked at him. Garroe never hid what he felt. Not like human men. 50

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At last he was seated so that most of Garroe’s cock filled him. He began a slow rise and fall, arching his hips to raise his ass. He held himself upright with one hand on Garroe’s thigh and the other resting on his stomach. Garroe was rock solid. His stomach was as hard as his legs, and his skin was smooth and unblemished. Not a trace of softness anywhere beneath his fingertips, and it turned Damien on to no end. Sitting on his kitchen counter with the hanging light fixture almost bumping his forehead, Damien rode Garroe’s cock until his strength was gone. His arms ached, and his thighs quivered. Garroe took over, holding him with a force Damien could never match. He pushed Damien up and then let him fall down fast, only to repeat the movements. Damien’s insides seemed to clutch at the alien’s shaft, begging for more. He felt his prostate teased into a second orgasm. “Garroe,” he rasped. His lover’s response was to increase the speed of his thrusts. Faster and faster Damien bounced on Garroe’s dick through no power of his own. He groaned but couldn’t catch his breath. Garroe grunted. “Your ass is so good, Damien, I’m going to come!” “Yes, come for me, Garroe,” Damien told him. “I want you to do it in me.” “Are you sure?” Garroe paused in his movements, and Damien tried to chew off the inside of his mouth. “Yes, yes! I’m sure,” he shouted. Garroe took his hips in a punishing grip, held Damien still, and then ground deep and hard into him. Damien cried out and pitched forward, but he couldn’t go far. Garroe wasn’t letting go. He switched back to the fast thrusts, making Damien bounce faster on his dick. Damien shook all over. He couldn’t lift his chin from his chest, and then he felt it. Garroe’s hot seed exploded inside of him. He bucked hard a few times before he settled down. Damien collapsed on his chest, but Garroe spanked his ass. “Sit up and climb me. I’m going to suck you off again.”

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Damien did as he was told. With little strength left in his muscles, he slid over Garroe’s stomach to settle his ass on the other man’s chest. Garroe didn’t hesitate. He stuffed Damien’s cock between his lips and began sucking. Because Damien had been halfway there, it didn’t take long for him to reach his release. His come spurted out into Garroe’s mouth, and his alien drank down every drop.

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Chapter Eight Damien opened his eyes a few days later in total misery. The reminder that he and Garroe were as far apart as two lovers could be had come flooding back. The proof was in the fact that Garroe’s communication device had died entirely. Neither had been able to understand the other for the entire weekend, and they’d argued. The worst part was that no one would ever win the arguments because neither one of them knew what the other said. Only now did Damien figure out that the translation device had not only given Garroe the English words to say, it gave him the ability to get what Damien said back to him. The pain of their lost companionship felt like more than Damien could bear, and it seemed to be getting worse. The only positive was that they didn’t need words to enjoy each other’s bodies. Their sex life was still unbelievable. But it wasn’t all about sex for Damien. He missed just talking to Garroe. Then again, maybe he should get used to it. Soon Garroe might be gone for good, and he’d have to adjust to his former lonely life. Deciding he couldn’t delay starting his day much longer, Damien rose from the bed and took a shower. When he emerged toweling off, Garroe wasn’t in the bed. He wrapped the towel around his waist and headed to the kitchen. He found Garroe there eating the cake Damien had made the last day they understood each other. Damien hadn’t bothered cutting a slice but served himself from the whole. Damien didn’t mind. He’d made it for his lover, and it gave him a small thrill to watch Garroe enjoy it. He paused beside the counter and leaned against it. A memory of what they’d done there flashed through his mind, and his cock grew semihard. In the next moment, sadness overwhelmed the sexual desire. “I’m going in today,” he announced. They’d had a long weekend together, but now that it was Tuesday, he had to go back to his regular routine. Life sucked. “Are you going to be okay here alone? I mean you can’t understand what’s on TV anymore, and you can’t go out not speaking the language.”

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Garroe glanced up, and Damien thought he saw the same sadness he knew was reflected in his eyes. Greater loneliness swept him because he couldn’t even encourage himself that Garroe suffered from not talking to him. Garroe put the dessert down and stepped over to Damien. He drew him into his embrace, and Damien wrapped his arms around the other man’s neck. “At least we understand this, huh?” He raised his head, and Garroe’s mouth descended on his. They tongue kissed in silence for a few minutes, and then Damien gasped with his eyes closed as Garroe explored beneath his towel. When Garroe’s hand closed around his cock, he curved strong fingers into the alien’s shoulders. “If you do that,” he muttered, “I’ll have to shower again.” Garroe grunted something unrecognizable and ran a huge palm from the base of Damien’s cock to the tip. He ran a thumb pad in a circle around the head until Damien could do nothing but cling to him. Garroe was stubborn. He did what he wanted, and Damien could accept it or…accept it. The towel hit the floor, and Garroe continued to massage his cock. Damien rested his head on his lover’s shoulder and moaned. His cock grew out and thickened. Garroe dipped his head once again and captured Damien’s lips. He gave in, opening his mouth wide enough that Garroe could slip his tongue inside. Damien met it with his own, and they tasted each other until Damien couldn’t hold on any longer. He drew in a sharp breath, and his come shot out. The thick stream partly coated Garroe’s hand, and the rest on his thigh. Garroe released him and knelt down to clean Damien up using his hungry mouth. When he was done, he stood and scooped Damien into his arms. Damien’s heart pounded. They returned to the bedroom, and Garroe laid him face down on the mattress. Garroe reached for the lube, but Damien protested. “I don’t have time for this, Garroe. You’re going to make me late.” He was about to rise, but Garroe put a hand at the back of his neck, holding him down. Damien had tried before. He knew he was no match 54

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for Garroe’s strength. His lover uttered something in his own language. Damien didn’t have to understand to know what he wanted. He knew the routine. While Garroe greased his finger, Damien arched his hips so that his ass rose a little in the air. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes when Garroe began working a finger into his ass hole. He trembled. “Garroe, I don’t…” Another finger penetrated him. And then another. Then Garroe jerked his hand away to replace it with his cock. Damien’s hole stretched around the thick cock, and he cried out. Garroe held him down more roughly and pushed until all of him was buried inside of Damien. “Jarzadggg,” Garroe whispered harshly in Damien’s ear, and he began thundering in and out of Damien’s ass. His hand came down on the bed at Damien’s side, making it sink in under his heavy weight, and he thrust harder. Their bodies slapped together, the friction both painful and pleasurable for Damien. Garroe repeated the guttural word and then pushed all the way to the hilt and held himself there. Damien felt the hot come released inside of him, and he flattened on the bed, panting and trying to wet his dry throat. He had to wait a good ten minutes before Garroe rolled away so he could stumble weakly to the bathroom for another shower. By the time, he arrived at the office, he was more than an hour late. As soon as he walked in, he knew there would be trouble. Mr. Sty happened to be standing outside his office, and he spotted Damien as he rounded the corner. The older man sneered. “What are you back here for, Damien? Come to grovel at my feet?” He frowned, wondering what “back here” meant. This was his normal schedule. He was late, but the response he got from his boss wasn’t what he expected. “Mr. Sty, I’m sorry I’m just coming in at this time. I had some family matters—” “Oh, I’ll bet you had some family matters,” the man exploded. “Sending your pretty-boy boyfriend to threaten me was a bold move. I’ve

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been in this business a long time, and I’m not going to be intimidated by the likes of you or him!” Damien blinked. Pretty boy? A sinking feeling started in his stomach. Sty had to be talking about Garroe. He was sexy and would appeal to a bisexual man. Through the fog in his befuddled mind, he was beginning to guess what had happened and why Garroe hadn’t come to the grocery store right away on Friday. He’d come to Damien’s work place to threaten Mr. Sty. Around them heads began popping over cubicle walls, and a small crowd formed at both ends of the aisle. Damien’s cheeks grew warm at the thought of everyone hearing the argument and concluding like Mr. Sty that he’d put Garroe up to what he did. “No matter what you think,” he pushed through gritted teeth, “I did not send him here. Nor did I tell him to threaten you. Can we talk about this in your office?” Mr. Sty’s face hardened, and his nostrils flared. “There’s nothing to talk about. I left you a message on your phone. You’re fired, Damien. Now leave before I call security.” Damien heard a snicker to the right of him, and he glanced over to see the guy who’d been his competition for the promotion. He guessed it was all his now. The smug expression on the man’s face flared Damien’s temper, but he kept his mouth shut. He’d save it for Garroe when he got home. Without another word to anyone, he left the office and waited an hour for the bus. The entire time, humiliation made his cheeks burn and his lips compress into a straight line. How many times had he told Garroe that he could handle things and he didn’t need him strong-arming Mr. Sty? The fact that Garroe even knew where he worked indicated he’d followed him at some point with the purpose of interfering in his life. And where had all his threatening gotten Damien? Nowhere! Anger rolled in his mind and knotted the muscles in his stomach. By the time he made it back home, he was ready to explode. He stomped up the stairs to the second floor and stabbed the lock with his key. As soon he 56

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pushed the door wide, he scanned the small area for Garroe. His lover sat on the couch and stood when Damien came in. The expression of pleasure on Garroe’s face almost sidetracked Damien, but he recalled how his rival had laughed at him. Damien charged across the room and stopped in front of Garroe. “I told you to fucking stay out of my business!” he roared. “I told you I would handle things on my own!” Garroe’s confusion at his words only fueled his rage. “Sty! You recognize that name?” He fumbled in his pocket for the useless company ID badge and held it up inches from Garroe’s face. “Get it now?” Comprehension dawned in the handsome face, and then he took on an apologetic expression. Damien might have calmed down if Garroe didn’t follow that with a shrug as if it didn’t matter. He raised his hands as if to pull Damien into his arms, but Damien stepped back. Before he knew what he was going to do, his fist came up and plowed into Garroe’s jaw. For a split second before he connected, he had the impression that Garroe would allow him to hit him, and he did. The fact that Garroe would patronize him pissed Damien off all the more. He swung again, but this time Garroe caught his wrist and twisted his arm. Damien let out a grunt of frustration when the alien jerked him around bodily as if he wasn’t a big man in his own right. Damien found himself on the floor face down. Garroe hovered above him, one knee pressed into Damien’s back. He gasped at the ache in his shoulder, although he was sure Garroe didn’t use all the strength he had available. Damien fought to get loose, but he couldn’t get an edge. Garroe barked a few words into his ear, and Damien went still. After a few minutes, Garroe let him go, and he rolled over breathing hard. More humiliation, he thought in disgust. Garroe held out a hand to help him up, but he knocked it away. “Fuck you.” He stood up on his own and trudged to his bedroom. The only satisfaction he could get was in slamming the door in the alien’s face 57

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when he’d followed him. Damien half-expected Garroe to burst in, but instead he heard the front door open and slam closed. He dropped on the bed and buried his head under a pillow. His eyes burned, and he shut them. “Probably going to find someone to have sex with. Like I care,” he muttered. An hour had passed before his misery let him fall into a fitful sleep. **** Damien opened his eyes and looked at the bedside clock which he’d put back in the position he preferred. Two in the morning. The room was dark. He figured he’d better get up and take his clothes off. He’d been sleeping a long time, but that’s what came from depression, he guessed. He tried moving, but a heavy arm kept him in place. That’s when he realized he was in just his boxers, and Garroe spooned him from behind. At some point, his lover had returned, got him ready for bed, and joined him. Damien tried not to let the thoughtfulness matter. While he considered whether or not to toss Garroe’s arm off of him and go sleep on the loveseat no matter how uncomfortable it was, he noticed the indicator light on his cell phone blinking. No one called him regularly. Curiosity made him check, and he was shocked to find that Mr. Sty had called. The voicemail number couldn’t connect fast enough. “Damien. Sty here.” Was that a tremor in the man’s voice? “You can come back to work any time you want….And the promotion is yours if you still want it. No strings attached.” Damien gasped. Now he knew what Garroe had been up earlier that day. He’d gone back to see Mr. Sty to get his job back. How did he get Sty to understand what he wanted without speaking English? Then again, a look from Garroe could speak volumes whether positive or negative. By the fear that was clear in Sty’s tone, Garroe had done things his way. Damien couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. He set his phone down and settled back on the bed. 58

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Garroe grunted in his sleep and murmured something. He pulled Damien around so that his back was flat to the bed and then climbed on top of him. With a knee, he nudged Damien’s legs open, and their cocks met. Damien’s shaft grew tight and hard. Garroe kissed his neck. In a few minutes Garroe would wake and want sex, and now that his anger had cooled, Damien didn’t mind at all. A sound outside the bedroom door made him freeze and Garroe wake to full alertness. The weapon in his hand hadn’t been there seconds before. Damien swallowed, and they both watched as the door swung open. Damien’s jaw dropped at the sight of the two men standing in the opening. Both of them were sexy, with huge muscular builds. Both were well over six feet—and both were purple, naked, and well-endowed. These were Garroe’s people, and when he recognized them, Garroe relaxed and hopped from the bed. His smile was one of genuine happiness, making Damien’s heart sink. The time he’d dreaded had finally come. He dragged a sheet over his naked form and watched the three aliens chat in their language. Several glances from the strangers were directed his way, and he didn’t miss how they lingered at the exact spot where his stillerect cock was hidden. All of a sudden Damien remembered how Garroe told him that his people took what they wanted, and that usually meant sex. The aliens were different from him. He didn’t expect Garroe to give him preferential treatment unless it benefited him. Damien climbed out of the bed holding the sheet up and looked around for where Garroe had tossed his clothes. And then something in Garroe’s tone for whatever reason caught his attention. He signaled for the other two to move to the living room and then turned to Damien. Garroe closed the space between them and took Garroe into his arms. Damien forced a swallow trying to wet his dry throat. “S-So I guess this is it?” he whispered. He felt sick and stared down at their chests so close together rather than look Garroe in the eye. Garroe lifted his chin and planted a feathery kiss on his lips. Damien steeled himself. Garroe being gentle wasn’t something that happened often, but he couldn’t enjoy it. Not when this was the end. They kissed a 59

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few more times, and Garroe stroked his hair. He uttered a few words and then walked out the door. Garroe sank to the floor and knotted his fists at his sides. Emotions raged inside him. He was the biggest fool alive. He’d fallen in love with an alien—a doomed relationship at best. After a while, he stood up and decided to take a long hot shower. Going back to sleep wasn’t likely. He would numb his mind and heart with back-to-back late night sitcoms. Later, he slumped on the loveseat and stared at the screen, flipping from channel to channel without pausing long enough to comprehend what he saw. When the front door opened, he jerked up from his seat in shock. There stood his lover, his dark eyes fully alien, his skin shimmering purple, and a smile spreading over his handsome face. “Finally,” Garroe said in perfect English, “I can talk to you.” He crossed the room and stood in front of Damien. Damien dared not believe his eyes and ears, but he couldn’t deny the touch of Garroe’s rough fingers stroking his jaw. “Do you know how hard it was to be in the same room with you and for the two of us not to understand each other?” Damien blinked. “You mean you left only to get a new translator?” Garroe pulled him into his arms. His breath stirred strands of hair on Damien’s head. He pushed against the hard chest so he could look into Garroe’s eyes this time. “Of course.” Garroe frowned. “Do you think I would have left without us talking? What kind of man do you think I am?” Damien thought about it. “You’re alien. You think differently from human men—from me. I didn’t know what to assume.” He did his best to hide how much it hurt to believe Garroe had left that way, but something told him as incomprehensible as he found Garroe, his lover didn’t have the same challenges figuring Damien out. He suspected he wore his heart for all to see. “I’ve decided I want you to come with me,” Garroe announced without ceremony. The words should have excited Damien, if only to prove to him that he was more than any other human man to Garroe. But he still had doubts. He 60

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moved out of Garroe’s arms so he could think with the head on his shoulders. “I’m not sure we’re a good fit.” When he’d turned his back to Garroe, the alien growled and pulled him around to face him. “What does that mean—fit. Our bodies go well in bed.” Damien almost chuckled. “No, not that. I mean I’m not like you. I feel more.” At Garroe’s frown, he tried harder to explain. “You said your people take what you want. We may travel and you find another man you want to be with. You have no problem having sex with him, whether I’m there or not. You even had George that night you met him.” “You didn’t give me your body!” Garroe snapped. “I know.” Damien sighed around the lump in his throat. He sat down on the loveseat. All the strength left him with his fears confirmed about Garroe and George. “Just please go. I can’t join you. I’d only be hurt. I might love you now, but someday it will fade. I’m not that much of a romantic to believe differently. At least you got my job back. Thank you for that.” The crack followed by the coffee table splintering in pieces made Damien jump and stare at Garroe. The alien’s face was a mask of rage. “I expected you to come with me.” “Well I’m not!” Damien growled. “Accept it.” Garroe jerked him by the arms and dragged him up off the seat. He crushed Damien to him with a powerful arm around his waist. Damien tried to get a hand free to send a blow to Garroe’s jaw, but he was immobilized. Garroe kissed his earlobe and then licked it. He spoke low and deliberate in his ear. “As you said, I take what I want.” Damien shivered. He was angry, scared, and turned-on at the same time. “Let it go,” he pleaded. Begging was the only weapon he had. He could never best Garroe. “You don’t need me. Look at those guys who came to get you. I bet the three of you could have a lot of fun on your trip home.”

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The words were like a stinger falling from his tongue. He shut his eyes as if that would shield him from the pain. “You are a fool, Damien,” Garroe said. “Then let me go.” “You belong to me.” “I don’t!” he shouted. Garroe kissed him, invading Damien’s mouth with his tongue. Damien could do nothing but surrender, and a tremor coursed through his body as Garroe ran a hand over his back down to his ass. Garroe pushed a finger against the material of his boxers and found his hole to massage it. Damien’s cock twitched in excitement. “Don’t torture me, Garroe,” he pleaded when he got his mouth free. Garroe tangled his fingers in Damien’s hair and bent him forward over the back of the loveseat. He pressed in close so Damien could feel his hard cock. “I could fuck you and not stop until you tell me yes.” “Since you consider me yours and think you can do whatever you want, why bother making me say yes? I can’t fight you.” Garroe made a sound of agreement. “Correct. You can’t. You are mine. You will decide what to take with you, but…” He sighed and released Damien. Damien straightened and rubbed his sore arms from Garroe’s earlier roughness. He watched the alien with caution, wondering why he’d let him go. “I want you to want to come,” Garroe admitted. “My job is dangerous. More than a human has ever imagined happens out there. The choice has to be yours, or I will lose you before the year is out.” For the first time, Garroe seemed vulnerable, or at least Damien liked to think so. He saw the desire in the alien’s eyes, the longing. Had he been lonely too while flying around the galaxies looking for bad guys? Or was it just that he liked having sex with Damien, and for now Damien was some kind of new toy? The thought occurred to him that Garroe might collect different species to join him in his space running and then drop them home again when he got bored with them. Even though he had 62

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halfway declared his love to Garroe, his lover hadn’t responded in kind. That hurt more than anything. “I’ll go,” he said, and then was surprised he’d said the words. He didn’t know until then that he had changed his mind. “I want to go. Take me with you.” To Damien’s surprise, Garroe’s face lit up, and it was only then that he realized how unhappy Garroe had been. His anger which he’d displayed when he destroyed the table was his way, not like Damien sleeping the day away because of depression. There was much to learn about Garroe. “Come here.” Garroe held out his hand, and a brighter smile lit his face than the one he’d shown when his fellow aliens came. Damien drifted into his arms, and this time, Garroe didn’t hurt him while he circled his waist. Garroe nuzzled his neck and breathed deep as if he took in Damien’s scent. “I didn’t have sex with him. I didn’t want him. I wanted you.” Damien gasped and lifted his head. “You don’t have to say that if it’s not true.” Garroe kissed him hard. “You still don’t understand anything, do you? No matter. I’m going to enjoy teaching you in our bed on the new ship. Over and over until you beg me to stop.” He rested his lips on Damien’s ear. “I learned the word you said earlier. Love.” Damien’s heart thundered in his chest. He dared not hope for what Garroe was getting at, but he waited in silence for him to continue. “I am different from you. I think differently. We will both learn. But what I know now is I love you, Damien. I don’t want another man. I want you. Come with me, and I will be yours and only yours.” Joy burst through Damien’s depression and loneliness, and he threw his arms around Garroe’s neck. “Yes, yes! I’ll go wherever you go, as long as you want me.” Garroe smiled down at him. “Forever then. Let’s go.” The End

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