Page 76 of Sapphire Sunset

Now it felt like there was a live wire connecting them, andConnor kept expecting Logan to break eye contact. To look to the floor or offera polite but brusque nod, but for a moment that felt like an eternity, theystared at each other across the warmly lit, carpeted distance.This isalready hard, and doing it with him might make it even harder.

“I should go,” Logan whispered, but he didn’t move a muscle.In his mind’s eye, Connor saw them grappling across the plush carpet to the bed.Or maybe that was his penis’s eye. Or maybe the fact that penises didn’t haveeyes was why they always got men into so much trouble.

Did Logan see it too? Is that why he swallowed and noddedand slowly, ever so slowly, backed out of the room and drew the door shutbehind him, all without breaking eye contact?

For only the second time in his life, Loganwas fighting a stubborn erection while in uniform. Once more thanks to ConnorHarcourt.

It was his smell that did it, the same smell he’d inhaled thatlong-ago night in the sea caves, the one that emerged from under Connor’scologne, strong and potent enough to compete with the salty ocean air, a smell likefreshly baking bread with a hint of sugar and a trace of masculine musk. Therewas also the snug and perfect way Connor had fit inside of Logan’s embrace, theheat that had come off him.

Logan hadn’t requisitioned the penthouse suite for Connorbecause he thought he’d need it. He’d done it because Connor deserved it. Butyeah, there’d been a small part of him that had fantasized they’d finish offthis day together in its king-sized bed. And they’d come close. Damn close. Andif Connor had asked him not to leave, if he’d so much as gestured to thecomforter, Logan would have laid him flat and spent the rest of the nightfinding out if every inch of him tasted as good as he smelled.

But it was better this way, he reasoned. Better to finishoff the night with a long hug and the nice little accomplishment of serving Connorone of his favorite meals. These things had done as much to push their painfulhistory away as their conference room showdown.

God, had it really been that afternoon?

It felt like a week ago now.

He’d been sure he’d bone down by the time he reached themanagement offices, but no such luck. It was the smell that was doing it. Thedelicious, intoxicating smell of Connor Harcourt all over his clothes. Heneeded to brief J.T. and Scott on the basics of the graveyard shift. He had atext that said they were waiting for him in the security department’s lockerroom, where they’d also set up some trundle beds so they could take nap breaks.Under normal circumstances, one security agent was enough for most overnights.But the hotel was currently filled with emotionally strained people who weren’texactly there for a romantic getaway, so Logan thought it best to make suresecurity was beefed up. The stress of worrying about their homes might causesome of their guests to lash out in crazy, unexpected ways. Especially ifthey’d brought their own booze.

But he couldn’t talk to the guys in this condition. With hiskhakis tented, all blinking and dazed with lust.

He needed to hit the head. He ducked into the private bathroomright off the management offices to catch his breath. Braced his hands againstthe counter, bent forward to avoid his own crazy expression.

Memories of combat. A bad car accident he’d once seen on the5 Freeway heading into LA late one night. Puppies. None of his usual bonershrinkers did the trick. He was bowing his head, that’s why, and bowing hishead brought his nose close to his shirt, and that’s where Connor’s smell was.

Jesus Christ,am I really doing this?

But the Logan who controlled his limbs wasn’t listening tothe Logan who’d posed this question. The former Logan had already unzipped histrousers, freeing his cock into the bathroom’s cool air. That Logan was alreadyleaning against the wall, bringing the patch of his shirt that smelled mostlike Connor to his nose, close to his lips. Smell, he’d read somewhere, wasconnected to memory in the brain. And these memories were supercharged. Firingacross a distance of five years, meeting up with the fresher memories of theirrecent embrace and Connor’s sultry look, unleashing thunderous pulses throughhis chest, his head, his balls.

The Mr. Reasonable voice in his head kept reminding him thathe hadn’t done something like this since he was a teenager. Beating off insecret in a semi-public place. Choking breaths back to keep from being heard.But Mr. Reasonable was apparently not on the guest list for this adventure. That,or Mr. Reasonable, like the ocean air inside the sea caves so long ago, wasn’tstrong enough to overpower the scent of Connor Harcourt.

A quick, furtive wank like this usually resulted in furiousstrokes, but his hand moved steadily and expertly across his shaft, lingeringbriefly over the head at the top of each stroke. He’d only been at it for a fewseconds and already he was at the edge of eruption. But his hand wasn’t to thankfor that. For that, he had Connor’s smell and his tempting, dangerous proximitya few floors away.

He was building toward a climax more satisfying than anyhe’d managed in the messy bedrooms of strangers these past few years.

He gritted his teeth and punched the wall when he came. A crazymove, but it kept him from roaring so loud they’d hear him in the lobby.

He crumbled against the wall, eyes closed. Wishing he wascrumbling onto Connor, their bodies tangled in the sheets of the penthousesuite’s big, creamy bed. Hard bodies floating on a heavenly cloud dappled withtheir mingled sweat.

You better cool it, dude.

Mr. Reasonable was back, sounding all measured and adult asusual. Maybe Mr. Reasonable was a scared little boy playing dress-up in adultclothes, and it was time to make fun of the fact that his glasses were fivetimes too big for his face.

“Dude, you okay in there?” It was J.T., the Southernsweetheart, no doubt drawn by the sound of Logan punching the wall.

“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks, buddy,” Logan croaked.

“Sorry, man. I know it’s been a tough day.”

Oh, you have no idea, brother.

An hour later, Logan walked through the front door of hisapartment to find the lights already off. Donnie was sawing logs on the sofa,and Brandon was passed out on an air mattress on the floor. Until thingsquieted down, whoever was off duty would crash at Logan’s to avoid making thecommute from San Diego.

Once he was locked in his bedroom, he opened his closet tomake sure the cowboy boots Connor Harcourt had given him five years ago were inthe same corner where he’d kept them ever since moving into this apartment.

13

In the assistant general manager’s office,directly behind reception, Gloria Alvarez and Connor were having their first extensiveconversation since his return. The office was spacious and had a window lookingout on to the motor court that allowed in a warm spill of sunlight. Unliketheir former general manager, Gloria didn’t need the privacy of a windowlessoffice to day drink and orchestrate criminal conspiracies.

---