A Marine and a Gentleman(13)

Brenden slid a hand around the back of Liam’s neck and pulled him in for a hard kiss. The touch of their mouths offered comfort as much as it stirred the embers of banked passion. “You’re a good guy, Liam Gardiner.”

“No, I’m a hell of a guy, worth ten of any you might meet. But I’m a demanding lover and I like commitment. I like—I like knowing someone will be there when I wake up.” He rested his forehead against Brenden’s. “And now you’re thinking, ‘great, I banged the dude who cries when he says goodbye.’”

“No.” Brenden massaged his neck. “I’m thinking I found my best friend again, and now he’s my lover, and how the hell did I get so lucky?”

Liam exhaled a small sigh of relief. “You know, it was hard to let you go before all this. I can’t promise not to be a mess this time.”

“Don’t make me any promises. One of the things I’ve learned is promises are the best of intentions, but you can’t guarantee them. You can’t know for certain you’re coming home in one piece or several. So you make the most of what you have….” Liam silenced him with another kiss, nipping, licking, and teasing until his mouth opened and their tongues could dance.

“Okay,” Liam broke the kiss and whispered.

They were nose to nose, his gaze so close it was all Brenden could see. The intimacy in that moment snuck inside and flipped open the blinds to the blazing heat he always held at bay. “Okay what?”

“Let’s make the most of it….” Liam grinned. The last traces of sleep vanished from his expression. “And I have so much to explore…you just lay there and think of guns or something….” He kissed a slow trail down Brenden’s stomach and his gut clenched in anticipation.



***



The unexpected dinner party invitation left Liam scrambling. A piece of him wanted to board the plane and fly the thousand miles back to Boston, to get away from the man invading his every waking thought. The rest of him didn’t think he could pry himself away with a crowbar. Every day he promised he would go home and then Brenden suggested a movie, a museum, and then the dinner party.

Liam couldn’t leave. He juggled his office schedule and took the vacation time he had accrued. He still handled some calls for his clients—including one while Brenden distracted the hell out of him with his mouth, but as long as Brenden wanted him there—he stayed.

He watched him interact with the retired Marines at the party—he wasn’t allowed to call them ‘ex-Marines,’ he already made that mistake. But the warning growl in Brenden’s voice had been totally worth it.

“Liam?” The feminine voice pulled his attention. Lauren Kincaid stood next to him. Brenden knew the best people.

“Yes, ma’am?” He smiled, trying to not let his distracted gaze wander back over to the gaggle of men laughing together and slugging each other’s arms.

“Brenden mentioned that you liked Shannon Fabray’s work….” Lauren’s comment drew his attention back. A lovely brunette accompanied Lauren. “May I introduce you?”

Gaze flicking to the dark-haired woman, Liam turned all the way to face her and held out his hand. “Liam Gardiner, and a huge fan of your work.”

“Shannon Fabray.” She shook his hand, tentative and almost shy—no, not shy—wounded. An old wound, but it lurked in her gaze. “And thank you.”

“I don’t suppose you work on commission?” He lifted his eyebrows.

“Not typically, no, but I might be persuaded.” Her smile grew. “What did you have in mind?”

“My own Marine.” He rushed the thought, not taking any time to question it. He glanced over at Brenden, his heart squeezing when Brenden turned at the same moment to wink at him.

“I don’t know if I can capture that rakish grin quite so well…but I would be willing to try.” Shannon held out her card.

“Thank you.” He tucked the card into his inner jacket pocket, his genuine pleasure tainted by the bittersweet notion that their time together wouldn’t last. Honor and commitment to duty would pull Brenden away.

“And Mr. Gardiner?”

“Liam,” he insisted.

“Liam. If you ever need to talk…you can call. I know how hard it is to just say goodbye and then wait to see if they come home.” She gave his hand a squeeze.

“That goes for me, too.” Lauren touched a hand to his shoulder.

“And me.” A third woman joined them—Rebecca—if Liam remembered the name correctly. “Any of us really—though Shannon has more experience with waiting for Brody right now.”