"Tell me you love me, Anthony."
It
wasn't often that Frankie used Roark's first name so he wasn't sure if the
surprise he saw in the man's eyes came from that or from what he said. But the
tears that filled them were unmistakable.
"I
love you, Frankie," Roark choked out.
Frankie clasped Roark's face between his hands and drew the man closer. "Then
show me," he whispered just before settling his lips against Roark's. He swept
his tongue across Roark's frozen lips. They parted with a deep sigh from
Roark. Frankie pressed his advantage and swept his tongue inside the warm, wet
cavern.
The
first tentative kiss was gentle, sweet, and almost chaste. Frankie felt Roark
open to him and bent lower, mating their mouths together, exploring Roark's
mouth. Their lips parted, only for a brief moment.
When
their lips met again, it wasn't the slow tender and gentle kiss it had been
before. This time it was out of control, frantic, needy. Frankie felt Roark's
groan as a tingle in the pit of his stomach.
He
felt the man's hands grab at him, holding onto Frankie's hips like Roark
thought he might escape. Except that Frankie had no intention of trying to
escape. He had no intention of going anywhere. He was right where he wanted to
be—wrapped in Roark's arms.
"Frankie, baby," Roark whispered against his lips, "please. It's been so long.
Let me touch you. Please."
Since
Roark was already holding onto his hips, Frankie had a pretty good idea that
wasn't what the man was referring to. Frankie was nervous about having sex
after ten years of nothing. He was also a bit nervous about Roark's unit
hearing them. They might be on the second floor above them but they were still
on a balcony. Any noise they made would be heard by everyone.
Still,
Frankie wasn't sure he could deny the deep need he could see in Roark's grey
eyes. He nodded, expecting for Roark to jump him or something. He was shocked
when Roark scooted away from him.
"Wha—"
Frankie's words died in his mouth when Roark stripped off his pack and pulled
out a thin blanket. Roark shook it out and then placed it on the floor. He
tucked his pack under one edge after grabbing something in a small tube out of
one of the pockets.
Once
he was done, Roark held out his hand.
Frankie swallowed hard and then reached for Roark's hand. He shivered when
Roark's fingers closed over his and he was drawn from the bench to the blanket
on the floor. Roark slowly pulled the faded white body suit off of Frankie's
shoulders and pushed it down to his hips.
Frankie felt his face flush when Roark dropped to his knees and continued to
pull the bodysuit off before tossing it to one side of the small alcove.
Roark's eyes never left Frankie's body, not even when his hands began to
shake.
"You
are still so gorgeous, Frankie."
"I'm
ten years older, Roark."
Roark
glanced up, surprise on his face. "And you still look as handsome as you did
they day we met in the hospital." Roark glanced down at Frankie's body,
starting with his chest and working his way down past his abdomen. He stopped
briefly at Frankie's hard cock and inhaled sharply before moving on down his
legs to his feet. "If anything, you're even more beautiful to me now."
Frankie chuckled even though he was delighted by Roark's words. "I think all
of this fighting has warped your brain."
"No,"
Roark whispered as he shook his head and lifted his head to look up at Frankie
again. "After everything I've seen, I've become an expert on beauty, and you,
Franklin James, are the most beautiful damn thing I have ever seen."
Frankie almost preened but that was hard to do when his heart was beating out
of control. He had worried that ten years could have taken away some of the
desire Roark had for him. He was still worried about that.
Hell,
he was terrified that Roark wouldn't want him, that he couldn't measure up to
the man Roark built up in his mind. He wasn't perfect by a long shot, and yet
Roark seemed to think that he was. Not by a long shot.
"I
hope you always think that, even if you are delusional."
Roark
gave a lopsided grin. "I'm not delusional, Frankie."
Desire
burned in Roark's eyes but it was overshadowed by the love Frankie could see
in their deep grey depths. Frankie couldn't help himself. He curved his hand
around the side of Roark's face, rubbing his thumb from the edge of Roark's
nose to his cheekbone.
"I
love you, Roark."
Roark's eyes closed for a brief moment. His head turned and Frankie felt the
man's wet lips press against the palm of his hand. Roark didn't kiss him. He
just let his lips sit there, almost as if he needed the contact. Frankie
almost pulled away and dropped to his knees when he felt a tear land on his
skin.
"Thank
you," Roark murmured as he opened his eyes and looked up. "I swear I will
never abuse that again, Frankie. You'll never have to doubt me in the future.
You might have to beat me off with a stick, but you'll never have to wonder if
I love you again. I'll do everything in my power to make sure that you know
it."
"Shh."
Frankie pressed his finger over Roark's mouth. "Let's not talk about it
anymore. You're here and I'm here. That’s all that matters."
Roark
looked unconvinced so Frankie leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against the
man's lips. That seemed to do the trick. Roark groaned and dragged Frankie
down to the blankets.
Before
Frankie knew it, Roark had stretched out next to him, and half rolled on top
of him. Frankie groaned when Roark's hands started exploring his naked skin.
It felt just as wonderful as he remembered.
"Oh
gods, baby, you smell so damn good." Roark whispered against Frankie's skin as
he started nuzzling the skin at his neck. "Missed this so much, baby, missed
you."
Frankie tilted his head back, giving Roark more skin to kiss. He was happily
rewarded by the feeling of Roark's mouth working its way across the bottom of
his chin and down his neck to his chest.
Frankie shuddered with increasing arousal and cried out softly as Roark's lips
closed over one of his nipples.
The mere touch of Roark's lips on his skin sent a warming shiver through
Frankie. When Roark's tongue stroked across his taut flesh, Frankie cried out
again and gripped Roark's arms with his hands.
"That’s it, baby," Roark murmured, his hot breath blowing out over Frankie's
sensitive skin. "Come apart for me."
|