“Protecting? Why do I need protection?”
Aurel sighed as he heard the ice creep into Seb’s voice. He had hoped to avoid this. “You really did come at the worst possible moment. We think you were seen. Your presence could have been misconstrued and we couldn’t take that chance. I went to see you and-”
“You didn’t warn me.”
“I tried to stay away from you! It’s not in your best interest to be anywhere near me.” Seb tried to leave but was stopped by Aurel’s grip on his wrist. “I should have said that itwasn’t in your best interest. Past tense. Now, it really doesn’t matter; you are already linked to me. The best we can do is go forward.”
“You can go forward all by yourself. I can’t believe this! I don’t need your protection.”
“But I need you.”
“Bullshit.”
Sebastian found himself inexorably pulled into Aurel’s arms again. Seb was expecting a fight, and was totally disarmed by what he found instead. This time was softer, less frantic. It was an exploration, savoring the subtle shift and play, plumbing every nuance of lovemaking. The teasing nips and soft sting of teeth to lip; laved well by a healing tongue. Instead of gripping lust, it was a caress, instead of a fight for dominance, they both battled to submit. This time, Aurel broke the kiss first, cradling Seb, staring into his eyes to the raw hurt he tried to shield.
“I do need you, and I’m sorry.”
“Then call them off.”
“I can’t do that. You have no idea what they are capable of.”
Sebastian’s face was a mix of conflicting emotions that passed too quickly for Aurel to discern. He almost had a heart attack when Seb pulled his face down for another kiss; a passionate kiss that threatened to erupt into a conflagration. Seb broke away much too soon though, still looking unsure.
“I’m not doing this right now. I have to think. I don’t like having decisions made for me. I’m not sure if I want to be involved with someone that arbitrary.” He put even more distance between himself and Aurel, straightening his appearance. Aurel could feel him pulling away from him; in all ways. He reached out to touch Seb, to anchor him, but he sidestepped neatly.
“No! I mean it. I need to think. You should think too. I’m not going to be treated like a little woman.”
“I’m not-”
“It might not seem that way to you, but it sure seems that way to me.”
“Damnation! Do you want to die?”
“No. But I don’t want my choices made for me. I’m not exactly a lightweight; I’ve got quite a bit of training. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Muay Thai. Sambo.” They glared at each other before Seb’s eyes softened.
“Look, this isn’t goodbye. Just think of it as an I’ll-see-you-later. I can live with that if you can.”
“That depends.”
“On what?”
“Do I get an I’ll-see-you-later kiss?”
“Well…” Sebastian never got to finish what he was saying. It was quite a while before he got a chance to speak again.
***
Seb was remarkably cheerful on the way home. He still had guys following him, and he wasn’t too happy about it, but even that paled in comparison to…
Hot damn, could that boy kiss!
He went to sleep happy. He even woke up happy, something that never happened. He had been the only kindergartener to miss Saturday morning cartoons due to morning crankiness, and here he was, whistling while making waffles. Waffles! He should probably see a doctor.
Sebastian smiled big and said hi to a neighbor as he left, who just returned his smile with a glare of suspicion. The birds were singing, the car was shiny and smelled like dime store evergreen. The air was…O.k., the air was still foul, but the sky was great. He had read that pollution made for nice sunsets, so that was something.
Seb turned onto the main road and threw on some music, upbeat and happy, a complete turn around from the morose, dirge-like stuff he had been dieting on lately.
He had just leaned over to fast-forward a song when his back windshield imploded in a shower of glass.
***