Colin huffed out a surprised laugh that quickly turned into a groan as Liam entwined their wet bodies together and kissed Colin hard and fast.

  “Tease,” he growled playfully, rolling onto his back, one leg straight, the other bent at the knee, his head pillowed on a crooked arm, the other draped over his damp chest, looking over at Colin.

  Colin gave him a smug grin that quickly turned into one of almost wonder, his mouth parting slightly.

  “Don’t. Move.” Colin told him.

  Liam’s brows drew together in confusion, but he remained still. “Why? What’s wrong?”

  Colin shook his head slowly, his eyes sweeping over Liam’s body. “You’ve no idea what you look like, do you?” he said quietly.

  “What are you on about?”

  “Let me draw you. Right now. Just like this.”

  Liam’s eyebrows shot skyward. “Draw me? Naked?”

  Colin’s blue eyes were shining. “Please, Liam. Let me… Let me capture you like this.”

  It was on the tip of Liam’s tongue to refuse, but the passion in Colin’s voice stopped him. “On one condition,” he replied.

  “Anything,” Colin replied quickly.

  “You show me when you’re through,” Liam said, his voice softening. “You rarely share your art with me. With anyone. You’re good, Colin.”

  Colin looked uncomfortable at the praise but he nodded. “Deal.” He pointed his finger at Liam. “Now don’t move. Be right back.” He made to stand but then stopped and kissed Liam gently. “Thanks,” he whispered against Liam’s lips.

  Liam smiled to himself, closing his eyes, letting the sun dry his wet skin as Colin took himself off to the cottage for his art supplies.

  Liam had never thought much about his own body. He kept himself fit, but wasn’t vain, rarely admiring himself in front of a mirror. But if Colin found his body inspiring enough to want to draw him, the least he could do was indulge him. It was flattering, really. Though he still felt incredibly uneasy lying here posing, naked, even if it was only the birds, and Colin, that could see him like this.

  The sound of the cottage door opening and closing drew Liam’s attention and he opened his eyes to see Colin hurrying toward him. He had obviously scrubbed a towel over his hair, which was fluffed now, but still damp, and he was wearing the tiny pair of very tight, white shorts that he normally wore to play squash. He was juggling an easel, his large sketch pad and a box of pastels, with a rag thrown over one shoulder.

  He made his way across the lawn and set the sketch pad and box down on the bench and then set up his easel. He turned the bench slightly to better face Liam and opened his sketch book, flipping to the first blank page and propped it up on the easel.

  “Need anything before we start?” Colin asked and Liam shook his head.

  “I’ll be as quick as I can,” Colin told him, opening up the box of pastels.

  “Take your time,” Liam replied. “I’m quite comfortable.”

  Colin gave him a smile. “Can see that. Should’ve gone into modeling, mate. You’d’ve made a fortune.”

  “And give up the glamorous world of SecTen?”

  Colin chuckled as he picked up a pastel. “You can close your eyes if you want.”

  Liam nodded but kept them open. While it probably would’ve been easier to not watch Colin drawing him, he couldn’t look away. He had seen some of his partner’s sketches and paintings over the years but he’d never actually watched him creating one. For some reason Colin tended to keep the creative part of himself private. Which was a shame because he hadn’t been lying earlier. Colin really was talented.

  Liam saw the instant the artist in Colin took over. His expression changed to one of intense concentration as his blue eyes swept over Liam’s body. He took a long pause, his pastel poised above the sketchpad and then began to draw.

  Liam forgot all about his initial uncertainty as he watched Colin. His hand danced across the page, his long fingers deftly wielding one colored pastel after another. His brow was slightly furrowed, his bottom lip caught between his teeth, his tongue peeking out every so often.

  And his eyes… It was clear Colin was in another world, caught up in his work. Liam had never been the subject of such piercing focus and attention before as Colin studied every inch of his body, starting at his face and working his gaze steadily downward as his hand continued to move across the page. Liam was mesmerized and it sent a slow shiver down his spine, bringing with it a flush of heat, centered at his groin.

  Colin wasn’t even touching him, but this was the most sensual, arousing experience Liam had ever had.

  It was obvious when Colin reached the private parts of Liam’s anatomy. His gaze turned smoky, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. It took all of Liam’s willpower to stifle a groan but he was helpless to stop his cock from responding, feeling it begin to fill and lift under Colin’s visual attention.

  He heard Colin pull in a tiny breath and Liam looked away from his partner’s face, down his bare chest to his groin, where a growing bulge was pushing against the tight fabric of his shorts.

  Liam had once jokingly accused Colin of being crotchless when he said he wasn’t the least bit affected by all of the nude models in his life drawing classes. He told Liam it was completely impersonal. Like doctor and patient.

  Looked like someone was telling a fib.

  Liam didn’t try and stop his body’s reaction, unconsciously pleased to show Colin the proof of how this was affecting him. So instead, he let himself drift in the sensations, losing track of time, hypnotized by Colin’s wide, blue eyes.

  He was almost startled when Colin set down his pastel and stood, wiping his hands on the rag. Liam blinked, coming back to himself as his partner moved over to him, dropping down onto the blanket. Liam relaxed his pose, rolling fully onto his back and straightening out his leg. Colin straddled him, his gaze still heated and there was no mistaking the bulge in his shorts. Liam cupped him through the thin material, feeling his hard shaft and Colin groaned, pushing into the touch.

  “Impersonal, eh?” Liam teased. “You lying little sod.”

  Colin’s eyes widened. “In the face of all this? You must be joking! I am only human,” he winked. Then he leaned down, his voice a gruff whisper against Liam’s lips. “But you, sunshine. You are divine…”

  Liam tasted Colin’s arousal in his kiss as his partner rolled his hips, dragging the hard ridge of his erection against Liam’s. Liam pulled and tugged at Colin’s tiny shorts until he swept them away. Nothing between them now, he rolled them onto their sides, their mouths meeting once again as Liam reached between their bodies and took them both in hand, their cocks pressed tightly together.

  Colin groaned sharply as Liam stroked them both, reaching down to curl his hand around their shafts as well from the opposite side, his hand overlapping Liam’s. Their mouths slanted across each other’s as they worked together, stroking long and quick, their foreskins sliding and rubbing together, setting off tiny sparks up and down Liam’s spine.

  It wasn’t long before Colin’s body trembled against Liam’s. A low, keening noise in the back of his partner’s throat rumbled through Liam’s chest, pulling a groan from him as he felt his own body shiver.

  Colin exploded first, breaking their kiss with a gasp and a moan as he came, burying his face against Liam’s shoulder as he shuddered through his climax. The combination of Colin’s cock pulsing and throbbing pressed so tightly against Liam’s own, and the thick streams of his partner’s release coating both their shafts was Liam’s undoing. He came with a deep, blissful groan, his seed mixing with Colin’s on their bellies.

  They panted softly together for long moments, wrapped in each other’s arms under the warm sun until they settled. Colin lifted his head, his expression peaceful and content, a small smile on his face. He leaned in and kissed Liam long and slow.

  “Thank you,” he said sincerely when they eased apart. “For indulging me. For letting me draw you.”

  Liam smiled in return and brushed his fingers through Colin’s soft hair. He tipped his head toward the easel. “Give us a look, eh?”

  Colin said nothing, his expression fairly unreadable, save for a hint of nervousness in his demeanor as he grabbed his discarded shorts to first clean them both up before leading Liam over to the easel.

  “What d’you think?” Colin asked shyly.

  Liam’s mouth parted at what he saw on the paper. He wasn’t even embarrassed by seeing his own nude body, so taken aback at sensuous beauty of the drawing.

  This… This is how Colin saw him?

  Liam swallowed. “Colin…I…” he trailed off, unable to put into words how the artwork had affected him.

  Colin moved behind Liam and wrapped his arms around him, resting his head against Liam’s. “D’you like it?”

  “Like it? Colin, it’s stunning.” He turned in Colin’s arms. “And now I realize how odd that sounds since I’m talking about meself.”

  Colin’s grin was well pleased at Liam’s praise. He glanced down Liam’s chest and back up. “Never understood why you always keep all this covered up. Now I’m glad you do.” His voice dropped. “‘Cause no one gets to see this but me.” He captured Liam’s mouth with his own as his hands roamed possessively over Liam’s bare skin for long moments.

  Liam cocked his head at his partner when they let the kiss end. “What’ll you do with it now you’ve captured me au naturel?”

  “Give it to Lockwood for Christmas, of course.”

  And with a pinch to Liam’s arse, Colin took off at a run. Liam yelped and gave chase, their laughter as bright as the sun.

  ~*~*~*~*~

  They dined at Enzo’s again that night, much to the Italian man’s delight. He served them hearty portions of lasagna, accompanied by a salad and garlic bread and a bottle of red wine.

  Pleasantly full after their meal, Liam and Colin lingered over generous pieces of tiramisu for dessert. The restaurant was more than half full and Liam let his gaze wander as he sipped his wine. Most every table was occupied by a couple, a man and a woman, talking quietly, smiling at one another, some holding hands across the tablecloth or leaning in for a quick kiss.

  Liam felt a pang of envy as he watched them. His relationship with Colin could never be that visible. Not in this day and age. Not with working for the British government. They would always be hiding.

  He turned his gaze back to his partner, to see him gazing softly back and Liam’s chest warmed. He might be jealous of the more traditional, socially accepted couples, but he would rather be with Colin in private than not with him at all.

  Colin took a sip of his wine then set his glass down, cocking his head at Liam. “What’ll you do after SecTen?”

  Liam blinked at the unexpected question. “Never thought that far ahead.”

  “Why?”

  Because I don’t expect to survive this job, Liam thought. And it was the honest-to-God truth. Not many SecTen agents lived to make old bones. As much as he wanted to be with Colin, he also, unfortunately, expected their relationship to have a short expiry date. It was, sadly, the nature of the dangerous life they lived. But it sounded like Colin didn’t subscribe to that belief.

  Liam shrugged. “What about you?” he asked, turning it around, not wanting to voice his inner, depressing thoughts. “Wait.” He held up his hand. “Let me guess—open your own art gallery.”

  Colin looked thoughtful, then a grin spread across his face. “Might just do that. And I know the perfect pièce de résistance to put in the front window,” he smirked.

  Liam groaned and dropped his head. “That drawing is going to haunt me for the rest of my days, isn't it?”

  “Oh, indeed it will, my son. Indeed, it will!” Colin laughed. He took another drink of his wine, studying Liam intently. “C’mon, you must’ve some idea what you want to do. Can’t continue on with this mob indefinitely. Age will catch up to us sooner or later.”

  Or a bullet. Liam pushed the morose thought aside. Colin wasn’t going to let this go. “Could do with being an instructor, I suppose,” he answered, thinking on the fly. “Like Radford.” Then he frowned. “No, actually. Don’t think I could take seeing all those fresh faces, wishing it was me going out into the field. Too depressing.”

  He sat back in his chair, willing himself to believe in Colin’s vision of life after SecTen. “We could open our own security firm. Or personal protection. We certainly have the skills for it.”

  Colin’s expression went soft. “We?” he said quietly.

  Liam leaned forward, wishing he could take Colin’s hand. “Yes, we. Still not a fling, sunshine,” he smiled tenderly, reassuringly.

  Colin’s throat worked and lifted his glass toward Liam, his voice a bit gruff. “To us, then.”

  Liam touched his glass to his partner’s, believing for the first time there would be a life for him beyond SecTen. With Colin by his side. “To us.”

  ~*~*~*~*~

  Having cleaned their plates of the delicious dessert, Liam and Colin were on their way to the front door of the restaurant when Enzo caught up with Liam, stopping him with a hand on his arm as Colin continued on.

  “Thank you, Signore Liam,” Enzo said sincerely.

  “For what?”

  Enzo looked toward Colin and back. “Our Colin, he’s usually tired when he comes out here. Like the weight of the world is on his shoulders.”

  Sometimes it is. Literally. On both of ours, Liam thought as Enzo continued.

  “I haven’t seen him this happy, this relaxed, in a long time.” He squeezed Liam’s arm, giving him a knowing look. “You’re good for him.”

  As Enzo walked away, Liam smiled to himself, looking over at Colin, now standing at the door waiting for him. We’re good for each other.

  Liam joined Colin out on the pavement in front of the restaurant under the stars on the beautiful summer night.

  Colin hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “Fancy a pint and a game of darts?”

  “Darts, eh?” Liam grinned. “Want me to win you another toy?”

  Colin smacked his arm. “Prat. C’mon, I’m buying.”

  “Well, now I definitely won’t refuse,” Liam replied, still smiling, and followed his partner into the pub.

  It was such a friendly atmosphere inside the White Swan that Liam wished this was his and Colin’s local back in London. Everyone was so much more laid back and relaxed here, so far removed from the hustle and bustle of Town. A place where everyone knew everyone but even a stranger like himself was welcomed warmly.

  Colin made his way to the bar to place their order and Liam crossed the lively pub to the dart boards. One was in use, but the other was free. He collected up the darts—green for himself and blue for Colin, of course—and had just set them down on the table when his partner appeared with their drinks.

  Liam took his and touched his glass to Colin’s. “Cheers, mate.”

  They both drank then set their glasses down and gathered up their darts. But Colin hesitated before stepping up to the line. He turned a curious glance at Liam.

  “What did Enzo say to you?” he asked. “Spilling another embarrassing tale about me as a lad?”

  Liam smiled and shook his head. “No. He wanted to tell me he thought I was good for you.”

  Colin blinked and a soft smile touched the corners of his mouth. “We’re good for each other.”

  Liam tipped his head close to Colin’s. “That’s exactly what I thought, too, when he said that.”

  There was warmth in Colin’s eyes. “Even though chalk and cheese we may be?”

  “Wouldn’t want it any other way, sunshine.”

  Colin leaned in even closer and for a moment Liam was sure he was going to kiss him, but he cleared his throat and stepped back. “Shall we play?”

  While billiards was clearly Colin’s game, darts was most definitely Liam’s. But he was feeling generous tonight and deliberately let Colin win more than once. If his partner knew Liam was throwing the games, he didn’t call him on it, having too much fun as he played and drank.

  Liam had driven that evening, so he kept himself to the single pint while letting Colin drink his fill. Not that his partner was aiming to get drunk. It would take a lot more than a few pints to accomplish that.

  Colin was always cheerful when he drank. No matter if it had been a bloody rotten day, he had the ability to let it all go when they walked into a pub. Liam was the opposite. He tended to get moody and broody when he drank, which is why Colin rarely let him drink alone and stew. And Liam was glad of it, since Colin’s cheerfulness was always infectious, never failing to pull him out of a bad mood.

  But tonight, it was more than the drink making Colin cheerful. Now that Liam knew what Colin had been hiding all these years, it was easy to see the change in his entire demeanor now. Everything about him seemed…lighter.

  And more playful. They might not be able to show their affection for one another in public, but that didn’t stop Colin from flirting with him. He deliberately rubbed his body up against Liam’s as he moved aside to let Liam take a turn, he discretely brushed his hand over Liam’s arse as he moved behind him, licking his lips over the rim of his glass, his blue eyes filled with a pointed invitation.

  His actions were purposely designed to drive Liam to distraction and it worked like a charm, Liam’s body singing with want until he finally grasped Colin by the hip.

  “Shall we get out of here?” he asked gruffly.

  Colin’s gaze was heated. “Thought you’d never ask.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Liam barely recalled the drive back to the cottage, his entire focus on Colin’s hand nestled in the crease where his leg met his groin, his fingers rubbing ever so slightly against Liam’s cock, bringing it to attention, trapped within his trousers.

  Liam grit his teeth against the sensation, his hands flexing on the steering wheel. “You’re a little devil,” he muttered.

 

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