"Justin," he said softly, satisfied that it made his lover jump. "Another gripe and I pull the car over."

Justin thought about sticking out his tongue at him, but decided to err on the side of caution and settled into a quiet pout instead.

~~~~~~
"Dulce."

The sound of that voice pleasantly beckoned Justin from his light doze. He opened one eye.

"We're here."

Justin glared out the windshield. "Where's 'here'?"

They were parked on a small patch of gravel. Beyond sat a tiny section of grass that led to a concentration of various-sized rocks that ended at a cliff. Justin's mood kept him from enjoying the spectacular view.

His lover had taken their things from the car and laid them on the ground. He tapped on the passenger side window with his knuckle. "Hey, sleepyhead, you're missing the best part of the day."

"That's a matter of opinion," Justin muttered under his breath.

"Are you coming?"

This time Justin did stick out his tongue.

Choate laughed. "Tempting offer, but you'll have to come out of the car so I can collect."

Justin raised an eyebrow at him, "I feel safer in here."

Choate shrugged, then waved a giant thermos in his face.

Justin rolled down the window. "Coffee?"

His lover smiled at the look of anticipation on Justin's face. "That Turkish blend you like and I packed some those horrible banana and nut muffins."

"Fresh?"

Choate smiled even wider and said lovingly, "Snob, and yes, I took them out of the oven myself this morning."

Justin looked skeptical. "You baked?"

Choate returned the look with calm indulgence. "No, imp, they're Yuan's, but I did cut the melon."

"Cantalope?"

"Cassava and honeydew." He opened the car door. "Come on, before the fruit gets warm and the coffee and muffins get cold."

They perched on a flat rock overlook and opened Choate's bag. As they watched the sky, they fed each other a breakfast of still-warm muffins and fresh melon slices from the basket Yuan packed for them, Justin greedily downing nearly the entire thermos of the strong, hot coffee.

Afterwards, the soldier opened his arms. Justin willingly crawled between the older man's thighs turning so his back rested on Choate's broad chest as the Councilor's Chief Aide caught him in a tight embrace.

Choate held Justin as they watched the colors blooming from the coming dawn. "That's the color you turn just before you cum." The Marine pointed to the golden-blush of the eastern sky. He laughed as Justin ducked his head and kissed the back of the exposed, blush-tinged neck. "And this is the color you turn when I tease you."

After a few moments of snuggling against Choate's ample warmth, Justin turned in his lover's arms. "Make love to me," he said as he raised on his knees to kiss him.

Choate, caught off guard by the request, sputtered, "Now?"

"Why not now?"

"Dulce." Choate took him by the shoulders to push him away so he could look down into his face. "It's barely fifty degrees."

"Come on. A big, strong man like you isn't afraid of a little cold, is he?"

Choate leaned down and kissed him back. "The last time we made love up here, you nearly caught pneumonia."

"We won't get naked." He snuggled closer, throwing his arms around Choate's neck. "I wore the Chinese-red thongs," he whispered against Choate's lips.

The older man's hands quickly slipped from around Justin's waist to beneath the waistband of his sweats. They encountered smooth, bare flesh. "Dammit, Justin! I told you thermals!"

"I have them on, over the thongs."

Choate hissed as he gave the flesh beneath his hands a caring squeeze. For a moment, his resolve weakened. "No!" he told himself out loud. "The ground's too wet!"

"We can spread a blanket."

"Justin, it's nearly mud."

"The car, we can let down the back seat."

"It's too cold, dulce."

"We can run the heater." And when he started to protest again, Justin added, "We won't be cold long." As an added incentive, he rubbed his erection against the older man's crotch. "If you're so worried about me, I'll ride."

"You're incorrigible. . ."

"I'm insatiable. . .when it comes to you!"

"If you can make love with all your clothes on, we can get in the Jeep."

Justin frowned with disappointment. "Get in the Jeep and what, hold hands?"

Choate took one of Justin's hands and slowly brought it to his lips. He kissed the back, turned it over and kissed the palm, then nipped the wrist.

Justin jumped, sucking in his breath sharply. Then Choate soothed the tiny injury with his tongue.

"There are advantages to holding hands, dulce." He licked the wrist again. A long, slow, savoring swipe of his tongue, his eyes never breaking contact with Justin's.

"Ummmm," Justin hummed as his lids drifted closed.

Choate smiled, his voice softly seductive. "Is that a yes?"

Justin began to melt. "Yes."

So they sat in the front seat and necked like teenagers, until Justin suddenly pulled back and clawed open the zipper of Choate's fly. The young Evers snatched the older man's erection from his pants and crammed the entire thing down his throat in one swift movement.

Choate grunted in surprise, arched his back against the bucket seat, gripped the steering wheel and pumped a load of semen deep into the heated darkness of his young lover's mouth.

Justin swallowed, reflexively, then gave the softening organ a final cleaning lap before sitting up to regard the older man, concern shining in his eyes. "Paddy? Are you all right?"

Choate lifted his head from the steering wheel. His pupils almost fully dilated. Reaching down, he took Justin's left ankle and lifted it up and behind him to rest over the edge of the seat. Now, between young Evers' splayed legs, Choate adjusted Justin's hips so he'd rest more comfortably, then slid his sweat pants and thermals down to the middle of his thighs. Taking a moment to admire his lover's hips barely covered in one of his favorite pair of Justin's underwear, he pulled Justin's penis from them with slightly shaky hands tearing the fragile material in the process.

Justin was so engorged, the crown of his erection looked bruised.

"Paddy! I want you so bad it hurts!" Justin his hips moving in tight little circles. "Don't tease. Paddy," He panted, his eyes half-closed.

Choate reached forward and caught the trail of his semen that had leaked from Justin's mouth with his fingers and used it as lubricant. He pushed just the tip of his fingers into Justin as he pulled his hard cock into his mouth.

Justin howled his lover's name as he fired into Choate's mouth like a high-powered, semi automatic.

"Shit! Damn! Hell!" Justin whispered as soon as he could catch his breath again.

"Watch your mouth, little boy." Choate said fondly as he smoothed stray strands of hair from Justin's sweaty face.

Justin reached up, took Choate by the lapels of his jacket, and pulled his face close. "I'd rather watch yours." He kissed him hard. "Do it again, Paddy."

"I want that medal in gold, dulce," he said in mock sternness. "After I do, we go hiking!"

"Do it again and we can go flying!"

So he did it again.

~~~~~~

"Evil man! Mean, evil, wicked. . .don't know why I love him as much as I do!" Justin grumbled under his breath as he trudged behind his lover. "Don't know what could be so interesting at the top of this freakin' mountain! If so important, could've rented a 'copter! Gotten up there like reasonable people! Going to have my head examined when we get back to civilization!"

His love of the weather and scenery helped to keep him from being annoyed with his young companion. Choate smiled to himself as he slowed his pace a little. "Are you all right back there?" He called over his shoulder.

"Great! I'm doing just great!" Justin called out. Then went back to softly grumbling. "Goose-stepping behind the Gestapo! You better be glad I like the view." Then loud enough to hear he said, "How much farther, Paddy?!"

"Just over that rise."

'You can do this, Justin,' he told himself. "Didn't you say that an hour ago?"

"Yes."

"Well, shouldn't the rise be getting closer?"

Choate chuckled to himself. "It is, dulce."

"You coulda fooled me."

As the sun rose, so did the temperature. As it approached noon, the air began to warm pleasantly.

Justin paused to drop his pack and shrug out of his jacket.

"Leave it on," Choate said, knowing his lover well enough not to have to turn around.

"It's hot," he said, as if that explained it all.

"Unzip it then, but leave it on," Choate said as he marched on.

All Justin's good intentions flew out the window. "I'm not one of your troops, you know! You can't just bark orders at me!"

Choate stopped long enough to glance back, his annoyance showing plainly on his face this time. "You're not going to have much luck hailing a cab from here."

'Oops!' Young Evers stopped in his tracks, wisely keeping his distance. "I'm tired, Paddy! This is supposed to be an outing, not a marathon!" The pout came through in his voice.

The older man started walking again. "Just over that rise."

Justin followed letting Choate keep the lead. "You know, mutinies have started for a lot less than this, Mr. Choate."

"Don't think I don't know how to put down a rebellion of one, chiquito" And he disappeared into a small thicket. "It's just a little bit farther."

'Just a little farther' turned into another hour of walking. About the time young Evers had started looking for a rock to chuck at the back of his lover's head, they rounded a large boulder.

The clearing was magnificent, tall, lush grass, surrounded by a thick growth of brush and trees, a small stream of crystal clear water running through the center of it.

Choate took the blankets from Justin's pack and spread them on the ground in the shade of a large tree.

"Well?" he asked, sitting in the center of it.

Feeling totally ashamed of his behavior, he said, "Don't like Marines," Justin frowned down at him, "or Chief Aides."

Choate just shrugged. "Understandable. I don't like brats with emerald-colored, almond shaped eyes that get cranky when they're tired and hungry." He pulled Justin down on the blanket. The passionate kiss shared by the two lovers was spoiled by the loud growl of Justin's stomach. They rested their foreheads together while they shared a laugh. "So, let's see about getting you fed."

"Cranky?" Justin asked, indignantly. "I do not get cranky!"

Choate pulled the lunch basket from his pack. "Food and a nap." And began laying out containers. "Let's see what Yuan packed for us." He opened the largest one. "Chicken." The next largest one, "Ah, his famous potato salad," and another, "Honey-glazed pears in sweet cream for dessert." He tore off a piece of the fried chicken breast and offered it to Justin. "Taste."

Justin shook his head, reaching for the pears.

"No food, no dessert. You like Yuan's chicken. Here, open."

Justin frowned once at the tidbit pressed against his lips, then opened his mouth.

Paddy gently slid the meat inside. "Good?"

Justin closed his lips around his lover's fingers, delicately lapping them with his tongue before releasing them. "Yes." He chewed then swallowed. "The chicken's not bad either," he added with a devilishly crooked smile.

Choate raised an eyebrow, he'd felt electricity from contact with the moist tongue all the way to his toes. "More?"

"Yes."

"Ask nicely." He could tease, also.

"Please."

"You can ask nicer than that."

Justin edged closer. He took his lover's head in his hands and kissed the tip of his nose.

Choate smiled. "Nicer."

Justin kissed each corner of Choate's mouth.

"Nicer."

He pulled gently at the fullness of Choate's bottom lip.

"A little more."

Then Justin took advantage of the parted lips.

"Mmm," Choate smiled when his young lover released his mouth. "Yuan's outdone himself, this time."

~~~

They'd finished all the food, sharing the bounty in the midst of soft kisses and murmured words of love. Now Choate rested his back against the broad base of the tree and watched Justin as he sat at the other end of the blanket, observing the clouds.

Young Evers seemed intent on pushing all his buttons today. Swinging like a pendulum from terror to seducer, as if even he couldn't decide. When Choate decided to look for a comfortable spot and begin 'wearing out' the terror's backside, as he so richly deserved, his pendulum would swing back to seducer.

Choate decided to give him one more chance. He had gotten Justin up before dawn. . .

"Time for that nap now."

Since he knew his lover couldn't see him, Justin's smile lit from the light of undiluted mischief. How far to push this time? "Look how beautiful the sky is. How'd you find this spot?"

Choate sighed softly to himself, all his good intentions evaporating as he faced another mood switch. "It was an accident." He patted the blanket next to his hips. "Nap."

Justin inhaled deeply. "And that air. . .smell the air," he said, hearing his lover shift on the blanket behind him, and his smile grew broader.

Choate raised an eyebrow at the amusement he heard in Justin's voice. In shocked surprise, he realized his young lover was toying with him! "Nap, you little imp!" he said, fighting to keep his own smile from betraying itself in his voice.

Justin brought his legs under him, running his fingers through the grass. "And green. . . everything is so green. . ."

Playing him! "Justin. . ." the menace in his voice sounded sincere.

He could almost feel the tension radiating from the Councilor's Chief Aide. "Like a picture post. . ." the sentence ended in a high squeal as Choate lunged. Justin took off running, his lover not far behind him.

"When I catch you. . ." he growled, not really trying to catch him at all.

"I was teasing!" he squealed again when Choate got too close and took off with an added burst of speed.

"You've been asking for it all day!"

Justin dodged to the left and ducked under his lover's grip. "No! No!" Had he misjudged the mood?

"You are going to be so sore by the time I'm done!"

Justin dodged again and raced around the blanket, behind the tree. "You aren't mad!"

"You think so? Come and find out!"

"No, Paddy! No!" Justin squealed again and raced towards the lake.

Choate played with Evers like a cat with a mouse for about fifteen minutes before finally catching him by the edge of the water and tossing him over his shoulder.

"I give! I give!" Justin giggled.

"Too late for surrender now," Choate growled, caressing Justin's upturned bottom.

"You're not mad!" Justin said, then felt a moment of alarm when he felt his lover drawing back his hand. "Don't spank me!" he begged as he wiggled as far out of the way of that hand as his position would allow.

The older man stopped in mid-swing. "I told you about saying 'no' to me."

"I was gonna take the stupid nap, Paddy! I was just teasing!"

"I should paddle you, just for that!" Choate walked closer to the water's edge. "Maybe I'll just throw you in. . .I wonder how cold the water is this time of year?"

"No! No, Paddy!" Justin began to squirm. "It's cold! It's freezing! Pneumonia, Paddy! You don't want me to get sick, remember?!"

"No, that's right." Choate stopped. "A spanking it is!" he said as he looked around for a spot, "then I won't have to deal with water in the Jeep."

"But, you're not mad! You don't spank when you're not mad!" Justin said, hopefully. "Paddy!" he pleaded in his most pitiful voice.

Choate stopped again, roughly bouncing Justin on his shoulder once. "So, you're gonna behave?" he growled.

"Yes," Justin said meekly.

"For the rest of the day?"

He hugged Choate's waist. "Yes."

Choate took them back to the blankets and eased the smaller man from his shoulder, letting their bodies glide against each other.

Justin steadied himself with both hands against his lover's chest as Choate lowered him to the ground and looked up just in time to see his lover smooth the smile off his face. Justin gave a mock scowl up into the older man's stern face. "Bully," he said fondly.

Choate returned the scowl in kind and said, just as tenderly. "Brat."

And they kissed, a long, slow exploration of palates with questing tongues. Demanding caresses followed, Justin's hands finding their way under his lover's shirt, his leg wrapped around Choate's strong calves. The older man's hands burrowing into Justin's hair.

Justin wiggled against him.

"Don't you ever get enough?"

"I'm sorry, Paddy, I got to pee."

The Chief Aide stared at the younger man in stunned surprise. "If that isn't a mood breaker."

"It was all that coffee." Justin started to dance a little.

"That's what you get for being greedy." Choate shook his head. "Well, imp, pick a tree."

Justin looked around with disdain. "You watch, I don't want to 'flash' anybody," he said as he turned to walk away.

"Don't go far." He waited a moment then followed. Justin had pulled his sweatpants down until half of his butt was showing. Choate watched the teasing view of the twin globes for the span of two heartbeats before slipping up behind him.

"Paddy!" Justin yelped as strong hands encircled his cock, momentarily interrupting the flow.

"Just keeping you warm," he said as he kissed him gently on the side of the neck.

A park ranger on patrol interrupted their play to warn them a family with three young children was headed their way and remind them that this was a public area. The two grudgingly thanked him, packed their belongings and decided it was time to head back.

It seemed to take longer to reach the bottom than it had to reach the top. The sun had begun to set by the time they got back to the car. On the ride back, Justin moaned softly but didn't whine about aching muscles, Choate silently approved. He also managed to stay awake until they reached home. As a reward, the older man had set his young lover in a tub of hot water to soak.


Now they were sitting in his favorite chair. A warm, dry, relaxed Justin wrapped around his body like an afghan, his head resting over Choate's heart, the edible roundness of his rump resting in the juncture of his thighs, and his feet tucked up against the older man's right knee, sound asleep.

Choate watched the peaceful face resting against his chest, lips open slightly, lashes dark against the golden-cream of smooth cheeks, and felt a stirring. . .first in his heart, then, settling lower. . ."Stop it, man!" he told himself sternly, "The kid's exhausted from trying to keep up with you all afternoon, and you're thinking about jumping his bones!"

Choate shifted his weight in the huge lounger to ease his erection from contact with the tempting warmth, the movement jostling his precious cargo.

"Am I getting heavy?" The sleepy question whispered softly just before the speaker stirred and shifted to get up. "I'll move."

Choate tightened his grip until his young lover settled back into his curled ball, "I'll let you know when you get heavy." He stroked the long, slender back until Justin lowered his head and it again rested against his chest.

"Ummm," he purred softly and hugged Choate tight before nuzzling into his chest, "you smell so good."

"You just want me to keep rubbing your back," Choate said in hushed tones.

Justin stretched like a cat before settling back down around his lover. "There is that. . . but you do smell good."

Choate smiled before reaching up with his free hand to pull the tight club of hair at the base of Justin's skull. Threading his fingers through the foundation, he popped the clasp and began to work the braid loose.

Justin was surprised the soldier hadn't done it before now. "Paddy! Now I'll have to braid it all over," he scolded, affectionately.

Choate let the heavy tresses slide through his fingers and spill over him and his lover. "Not tonight you won't." He wrapped his fist in it and gently pulled Justin into a deep kiss, nudging his lips apart to enter the warm opening beyond. Sliding his tongue inside, he felt Justin's retreat, teasing, daring him to follow. He took the challenge, deepening the kiss.

Just as the blood began pounding in both men's cocks, the phone rang.

Young Evers tore his mouth away to hiss, "Dammit, Councilor!" And he rested his head back on his lover's shoulder to pout.

"He's been asleep for hours, dulce. Besides, he'd use the comm." Choate reached over behind Justin's back. "See, it's not your father."

Justin looked down to the object in Choate's hand. "Shit!" he hissed angrily. "The Bat Phone! That's even worse!"

Choate scowled at him.

Justin ignored the look as his lips tightened into a thin line. "Do I have to leave?" he asked, sitting up.

Choate answered by tightening the grip he had on his annoyed, young lover, while flipping open the small phone with his free hand. "Choate," he said as he rested the instrument between his cheek and shoulder to free his hands so they could resume their place in Justin's hair.

"Viper, Li'l Man's dead."

There was a short, surprised pause, as his fingers stilled. "Brown?"

"He's been briefed."

"The others?"

"They know."

"Cause?"

"Heart attack."

"Legit?"

"Seems so."

"Verified?"

"Brown ordered tests. The Estate finished 'em this afternoon."

"Who's got the file?"

"Probably Mother."

"Get me copies."

"Done."

"Fine." Choate looked down at Justin watching him with troubled eyes. "Ozzie's? Twenty-two hundred hours?" he said into the phone, not breaking eye contact with his concerned young lover.

"Affirmative."

"I'll be there." He closed the phone with an efficient snap of his wrist. Quickly losing himself in thought.

"Not again, Paddy." A soft voice whispered close to his ear.

He refocused on Justin's face. "Not again, what?"

"Every time you answer that damn phone, you get like this."

Choate watched Justin, his expression carefully blank. He was worried and Choate could almost see the questions rising to the surface. The Councilor's Chief Aide leaned in for a powerful yet tender kiss. "I'm all right, dulce," he said softly, after Justin pulled away.

Justin released a heavy sigh of aggravation. "No. You're not."

Choate kissed him again, this time taking the younger man by the scruff of the neck to control the pressure and duration of their contact.

"You're not going to talk about it, are you?" Justin asked when Choate let him up for air.

"No." The Councilor's Chief Aide said as he tried to resettle Justin on his lap. The smaller man squirmed from his grip.

Punching the firm muscle of his lover's chest, Justin danced several feet away, out of reach. "I hate it when you do that!" he growled angrily.

Choate rubbed at the injury, more for dramatics than to sooth away any pain. "What?"

"Go all silent and macho on me!" He placed the bed between them, his arms folded tightly across his chest.

"Macho?" that word always seemed to distract the soldier.

"Well, dark and dangerous, then. Intimidating, like, if I keep pushing. . ." he hesitated.

"Like if you keep pushing?" Choate asked as he rose from the chair, taking a few steps forward.

"Something'll happen," Justin said as he took a step backwards.

"Something like. . ." Choate watched him, tracking his movement with his eyes.

Justin felt like a mouse being hunted by a snake. "Like I usually wind up nailed good and proper, until I can hardly think straight."

Amused at his choice of words, Choate repeated, "Nailed?" Then asked, "As in hammered?"

"Yeah, to the mattress, to the headboard, to the chair, to the floor."

Choate smiled at his lover's expression of trepidation. "To the wall."

Justin blushed. "I forgot that one."

Still smiling, he asked, "And your point?"

"You do it to distract me," Justin accused, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"Sometimes. But, that's not the only reason," he said, the smile melting away as he pitched his voice lower for maximum effect, letting his intentions display themselves in his eyes.

And it worked. Justin felt its timbre in every fiber of his body, but fought against being distracted by either the tone or the look. "They do not love who give the body and keep the heart ungiven," he quoted.

Choate watched him curiously for a moment, then finished the quotation, "Nor they yield the soul and guard the body. Love doth give the whole; its range being high as heaven, as ocean deep. Wide as the realms of air or planet's curving sweep."

Justin's eyes became wide in astonishment.

"Surprised your Neanderthal reads poetry or that he reads at all?"

Justin smirked in embarrassment. "I know you read, Paddy, it's the talking part I have a problem with."

The older man folded his arms across his chest. "I'll talk to you about anything, dulce."

Justin held his hands stiffly at his sides. "Anything, but conversations on the Bat Phone."

"Anything, but," he said, shaking his head.

"And your life before us?"

He shook his head again. "Not that either."

Justin's lips became a tight line. "Why not?" And he frowned.

Choate drew a long, deep breath. "I don't want it to be part of us."

"If it's a part of you, it already is," Justin hissed angrily.

"No, dulce." Choate's voice defied argument.

Justin threw up his hands. "Fine then!" And strode angrily towards the door.

Annoyed, the older man unfolded his arms and took a step forward. "Where are you going?"

"Back to my street corner," he snapped, over his shoulder. "Your hour's up, I'll send you a bill."

"Justin!" he called, clearly irritated with the turn of events.

But he had slammed the door. Choate didn't have the strength to go after him, and, he knew in his heart the validity of Justin's anger.

~~~~~~

Young Evers lay awake most of the night listening, waiting, hoping Choate would come through the door of his room.

Usually swift to resolve any difficulties he and Justin had, Choate always dealt with tantrums immediately. Justin knew his lover was wrong, and he knew what level of persuasion he needed to get him to see it. The man was stubborn, but not unfair, but for someone who showed no fear in fighting, his lover behaved like a man frightened to death in love.
All he could do was wait.

~~~~~~

Loren Evers looked up from his paper as his son entered the dining room. "Good morning, Justin."

"Morning," he answered, listlessly. "Have you seen Paddy?"

"He left about an hour ago. Said he had some errands to run."

"Did he say when he'd be back?"

"No. But he talked to Vincent before he left. Is something wrong?"

"We had a fight."

Loren lowered his paper. "You want to talk about it?"

Justin startled. Who was this man, and where was the real Councilor Evers? "The Bat phone," he replied at last.

"Excuse me?"

"That other cell phone he carries, the secret one that rings and he disappears sometimes, or changes into someone I don't know, or I'm not sure I even like." Justin looked at his father. "Do you know anything about it?"

Loren shook his head. "He's as closed-mouthed to me as he is to you."

Justin watched his father a moment, speculating just how far he should take this conversation. "You don't think it's anything illegal, do you?"

Councilor Evers shook his head again. "No, I've known Choate for a while, Justin. I'm certain he's an honest man, as far as honest goes. And his credentials come from some very influential people. People I trust."

"Then why won't he talk to me?"

"Talk about what?"

"About his past?"

"I don't know, son. But, just because the man has secrets, doesn't mean he's dishonest."

"But it could mean he's dangerous."

"I didn't say the man wasn't dangerous. He was in the service, that I do know. I wouldn't want to be on his bad side. That I also know."

"Seems like I'm on his bad side all the time."

"It's not the same, Justin."

"Why not?"

"You two care for each other, don't you?"

"Are you all right with that?"

Loren shrugged slightly. "I'm not going to lie to you, son. This isn't exactly what I had in mind for you."

"Because he's a man?"

"You haven't exactly chosen the easy path."

"That sounds like something my mother would say."

Loren smiled a sad smile. "She wouldn't have cared whom you loved, as long as you were happy." He relaxed a bit. "I guess you could do worse."

"Well, thank you," Justin said in wry humor.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do. Do you think he's dangerous?"

"Of course he's dangerous, Justin!"

"If he's so dangerous, why do you keep him around?"

"Because being dangerous doesn't mean he's not a good man. I trust him with my life. Don't you?"

"It's not my life I'm worried about. It's my heart."

Vincent entered the dining room then "Mr. Justin. I didn't know you were up. Will you want breakfast this morning?"

"I'm not really hungry, Vincent. Right now I need to know where Paddy went."

"He didn't tell me, but he did ask me to pick up his dress uniform from the cleaners. Said, he'd need it before eight."

"His dress uniform? Are you sure he didn't say suit?"

"His dress uniform. I'm certain."

"Before eight?"

"Yes, Mr. Justin. Eight today."

"Thanks, Vincent." He started out the door.

"Justin," his father called to him. "I don't know what you're planning, but if he wanted you to know, he'd tell you. A man like Patrick Choate values his privacy. You could be jeopardizing your relationship with him. Make sure what you want is worth the price you might have to pay."

"I'm not the one keeping secrets. He tells me to be open and honest with him, then I can't get him to talk to me."

"Do you think he's being dishonest with you?"

"I'm afraid he's being dishonest," Justin clarified, "and he's not doing anything to placate those fears."

"You could have a little faith in him, Justin."

"When he doesn't have enough faith in me to trust me with his secrets?"

"Some secrets may be too dangerous to share, son."

"But he won't give me any. What relationship can survive a thing like that?"

"Not many," Councilor Evers agreed, after a moment's thought. "You're right, son, not many at all."

Justin left the dining room making a mental note to check the basement for an alien pod.

~~~~~~

At the far end of a popular sports bar of downtown Cascade, six men, all dressed in Marine "Class A" uniforms, sat in a booth. Several pitchers of beer sat in the center. Half of them nearly empty. They were all that were left of a covert government strike force. Classified as Omega 3766-4398A, code name 'Desandrando.'

To the far left sat Aces, their machinist. On either side of him was Hook, the radioman, and Stealth, the Aussie, crazy as a fox, who usually handled point. Then came Hoss; big, not too bright, all muscle, harmless unless provoked, then was virtually unstoppable, followed by Clutch, their demolitions' expert, he could blow up anything with anything. On the opposite end sat their squadron leader, code name, Viper. His specialty was weapons, weapons and death. Rumor in Ops had it that Viper was an expert of human physiology and he knew 396 ways to maim, destroy or pleasure it.

They were mourning the loss of the youngest of their team, Li'l Man. MadDog and Stub were KIA five years ago. The rest considered themselves lucky this many of their team had survived this long. Many covert groups hadn't made it out of their missions at all.

Their squadron leader raised his half-filled glass. "To those gone on."

In unison, the remaining five said, "To those gone on."

Aces took a long pull at his beer. "Mad Dog, Li'l Man, Stub. We miss you."

"To a better place," Stealth said solemnly.

"Here, here," Clutch added.

A moment of heavy silence followed.

Suddenly, Hook sat up straighter. "Hey guys, they wouldn't want to be remembered like this."

"Yeah, Li'l Man especially," Aces said. "He'd want a party."

Stealth smirked at the group. "Yeah, I know what kind of party he'd want, too."

Clutch turned accusing eyes at his teammate. "You should talk! Corruptor of the innocent! He'd still be a virgin if it wasn't for you!"

Stealth raised his hands defensively. "Hey, how was I to know? How many twenty-two year old virgins do you know?"

"No twenty-two year old virgin's safe around you!" Clutch retorted.

"Aww, who made you his lord defender? It wasn't as if the kid didn't have a good time! Lighten up, will ya?"

Their friendly banter was interrupted by Hoss' soft whistle. "Will you look what's checking me out from the bar?"

"Hooters or cock?" Aces asked, craning his neck to see.

"Since when did it matter to Hoss?" Clutch chuckled.

Stealth said, "Or both, like that time in Bangkok."

The big man turned a bright shade of red. "When are you guys gonna shut up about that?"

"Can you see?" Hook asked.

Aces nodded. "Yeah! Cock sighting at one o'clock."

Stealth looked over Hoss' shoulder in the designated direction. When he spotted the subject, he said. "You think he's coming on to you?" He made a rude noise. "Then you woke up."

"I tell you, he's been eying me for about fifteen minutes."

Lightly cuffing him on the back of the head, Stealth continued, "Probably wonders who opened up your cage and whether he should call Animal Control."

Hoss caught Stealth in a headlock. He held him there, lightly banging his head on the tabletop, while his attention again centered on the bar, as he said, "Damn, he's pretty. Kinda small, but I like the hair."

At the mention of hair, Choate glanced over his shoulder to the object of Hoss' affections and nearly choked on his beer.

Justin was leaning against the bar watching the little group of Marines. He wore his hair loose, like Choate loved it, thrown back over his shoulder on his left side to reveal the old diamond stud in his ear instead of the green-stoned transmitter. A subtle message from his wayward lover? Could he still be angry about last night? What kind of game was he playing?

Justin wore the black silk shirt he'd given him for his birthday. The one with tiny jet buttons down the front. The one that always set his blood racing.

The first four buttons opened to reveal a smooth expanse of chest gleaming golden in the dim light. The shirt tail tucked into a pair of black jeans so tight, Choate wondered how he breathed. Pantcuffs tucked into a pair of highly polished black boots with brass ankle chains.

"He's dressed like a top," Hoss said, still holding the struggling pointman. "But I think he's too small to be a good top. He reminds me of a little China doll."

"Dammit, Hoss, let go!" Stealth hissed, beating at the big man's back. "You're drooling on me!"

"Maybe we can play 'house'." Hoss released his captive with a short bark of laughter. "Sure like to undress him, see if he's anatomically correct."

Stealth sat up, rubbing his neck. "It's scary the way your mind works sometimes, you know, mate?"

"He plays house very well. And he can top, but he prefers bottom."

The entire table turned to stare in astonishment at the statements, but only Hook had balls enough to ask, "How do you know?"

"'Cuz he's mine," Choate replied, not without some pride in his voice.

"Oh, shit, man!" Hoss apologized hastily, "I didn't know. You didn't come in here with him."

Clutch shook his head. "Damn, Viper, you always did know how to pick 'em."

"Pick 'em, hell, they come to him. Men, women. . ." Aces said, enviously.

"Damn, speaking of come. . ." Hook piped up.

"Hey, sailor. Buy you a drink?"

Choate turned an incredulous stare up to find Justin standing behind him. Wearing a half-smile on his face and a gaze that made him hungry. . .

After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, Hoss said, "Actually, it's soldier, sir, sailors are the Navy, we're. . ."

"He knows the difference, Hoss." Choate said, without turning from Justin.

"Oh?" Hoss said really confused now, "then, why'd he call us. . ."

Choate held up his hand to the group for silence, then addressed Justin. "What're you doing here, little boy?"

Justin cocked his head to one side the smile dimming to one of innocence. "I'm sorry, I didn't know this was a private club."

'Dammit, he reminds me of an angel when he looks like that!' Choate thought, but said, "You know it isn't."

"I came in to get dry."

"You followed me."

"No. I was riding my bike, and it started to rain. I'd heard this place was nice and I was close by, so I came inside seeking shelter. I'll admit, when I saw you from the bar I was more than a little intrigued and thought, 'Damn, he's hot, I'd really like to get to know him.'"

"Because you think I'm hot?"

The hunger-invoking smile crept back. "Well, that's one reason."

"There's more?"

A tiny sliver of pink moistened the bud in the center of Justin's top lip. "Oh, there's a lot more."

"Do you make it a habit, picking up men in bars?"

"Not lately. I made an exception for you."

"Why?"

"Something about you told me you were worth an infraction of the rules."

"You have rules?"

Justin smiled seductively. "You might be surprised by some of the things I have."

Choate raised an eyebrow in surprise, but that wasn't all that was beginning to rise. . .

"So, about that drink. . .soldier."

Choate fought the urge to clear the hard lump of lust from his throat. "Well, I'm in the middle of something right now. Maybe later?"

"Sure." Justin leaned forward, letting his hair caress Choate's face and arm, before pressing something into his hand. "Definitely later." And he started away, stopped and turned back. "By the way, my name is Justin, Justin Evers. Sometimes my friends call me J.C."

Choate had to swallow this time, the lump now too large to breathe around. His brow furrowed in a frown. 'What game are you playing, little boy?' he thought, but answered, "Choate, Patrick."

Justin rewarded him with a dazzling smile. "Unusual name. Pleased to meet you, Choate Patrick. Gentlemen," young Evers nodded to the group, "have a good evening." And he walked off, leaving six men to gape at the vision his retreating form made.

"What was all that 'mine' stuff, Viper?" Hoss asked. "You shittin' me, or what?"

"He didn't even act like he knew you," Clutch leaned in close.

Aces was more interested in, "What'd he put in your hand?"

Choate opened up his fist to reveal a hotel key.

"Damn!" Hook whistled in admiration.

"Damn is right!" Stealth's smile was beyond admiration. "Way to go, Viper! Mission on the ready!"

~~~~~~

Justin walked the circumference of the hotel room for the hundredth time. In his mind, he'd formed and discarded endless scenarios of how the evening would play out. How to set the scene? In one: he lay across the bed. Should it be clothed or unclothed? In another he waited by the window. In another: standing in the center of the room. Should he order an elaborate dinner, or just wine and cheese, or maybe just wine? He wanted desperately for this to be perfect!

Why the obsession? He never obsessed enticement before. It came easy. All so easy before the Marine he never questioned. But did it all matter so much then as it did now?

He sank down in the room's only chair and watched the door. It'd been hours. . .

Justin looked up at the sound of the key in the lock. He'd almost given up hope. "I didn't think you were coming." He smiled as Choate shut and locked the door behind him.

Choate had stayed with his team a little longer than he had to, fielding countless questions about the mysterious J.C. Images of that tight, bubble-butt, encased in black denim and that exotic face surrounded by the cascade of ebony hair had made him empty too many pitchers of bad beer.

He wasn't staggering drunk, just mellow and feeling no pain. "Why not?"

Justin shrugged his shoulder. "Too good to be true?"

"You think you and me together'll be good?"

"I know I'm good. If you're not, I want my money back."

Choate moved deeper into the room. "You've got a smart mouth, little boy."

"I've been told I'm talented." Justin laughed aloud, the glint in his eyes full of devilment again. "Is that a request, soldier? I haven't had any complaints so far, but I usually don't do that kind of thing on the first date."

He took two more steps closer. "Just how many guys do you slip your hotel room key?"

The innocent smile should've been a clue. "Give me a period."

But the request still rattled him. Choate went still to ask, "Excuse me?"

"How many guys have I tried to pick up tonight, last week, this year?"

The older man carefully placed the hotel key on the table near his hand. "If you're trying to be funny. . ."

"No. I'm trying to be honest."

Choate took a deep breath. The game turning ominous. "Tonight?"

"Counting you?" At Choate's nod. "One."

An inner demon made him ask. "Last week?"

"Counting you?" Another nod. "One."

'Quit while you're ahead, the voice of reason whispered, but the inner demon said, "This year?"

"Counting you?" A third nod. "Two."

"Two?"

This time Justin nodded.

Choate felt such a strong wave of jealousy that it staggered him a moment. "Who was the other one?"

"A delicious anthropologist." Justin's eyes sparkled.

Choate relaxed visibly, advancing two more steps closer to his goal as he asked, "What happened?"

"His SO found out."

"You flirted with someone already involved?"

Justin looked at him from beneath lowered lashes, sufficiently contrite. "Yes."

"Did you know?"

Justin raised his head at that question. "That he was already involved? Yes."

"And you went after him anyway?"

"Yes." A pause. "But I don't do that kind of thing anymore."

"What makes you so sure I'm not involved?"

"If you were, you wouldn't be here."

Now, standing over Justin, Choate said, "Maybe I'm flattered."

"Why?"

"That a sweet, young thing like you would even be interested in someone my age."

"Your age? And just how old are you?"

Choate touched his fingertips to Justin's cheek. "Old enough to be your father," he said sadly.

Justin smiled as he toyed with the buttons on Choate's uniform jacket. "I doubt that. I'm older than I look."

There was a touch of fear in his voice as he asked, "But, you are looking for a father figure, right?"

Justin shook his head. "I already have a father, and he's nothing like you."

"So, I'm the father you wish you had?"

"Maybe a little."

"What if I'm not comfortable with that?"

Now Justin's smile metamorphosed into something provocative. "But my attraction to you has absolutely nothing to do with anything parental." His fingers worked loose the bottom button.

"You're sure?"

Justin nodded as he loosened the next button. "Trust me. There's nothing Oedipal about this."

Choate caught Justin's busy hands. "You're moving kind of fast for someone I just met, J.C."

Young Evers raised up on his knees in the seat of the chair until his eyes were level with Choate's lips. "But I don't feel like I just met you."

Choate gave him an indulgent half-smile. "No?"

Justin shook his head as he leaned his lips closer. "No. I feel like I've been in love with you forever," he said, intensely.

"Love, but not know?" he asked, picking up on the nuance.

Justin shook his head again and said solemnly, "I hardly know you at all."

"But you love me?"

Justin's lips moved closer. "With all my heart."

"You're sure about this?"

"I've never been more certain about anything in my whole life," Justin assured him with conviction.

Choate released his captive's hands and took him by the shoulders to lift him closer. "Good. I feel the same way," he said as he slated his mouth over Justin's and took total and complete possession.

By the time he released his young companion, all Justin could do was flow bonelessly back into the chair. "Wow," he murmured, as his eyes drifted closed.

That received another small smile. "Wow, yourself."

Justin looked up at him, an answering tiny smile on his face. "But at least you're still standing."

The older man shrugged off the statement. "Military training."

"I always knew I'd like a man in uniform."

Choate snorted. "Now that's the first time I've heard that line."

The mischievous smile was back in place. "But I think I'd love the man out of his uniform better."

"Sounds like you're trying to seduce me, Mr. Evers."

"Justin, call me Justin. And, yes I am. Is it working?"

Choate kept eye contact with the young man as he slowly finished unbuttoning his coat.

"Oh." Justin whispered as the jacket came off to land behind them on one of the beds, the cap followed. By the time the blouse and undershirt were off, Justin whispered, "Oh, my. . ."

Choate was thoroughly enjoying himself as he slowly unbuckled his belt and undid the button of his pants. Justin's eyes followed the track his zipper made as he slowly slid it downward. By the time the Marine stepped from them, he didn't think the young Evers' eyes could get any bigger.

"Well?" Choate asked, his voice husky and deep in the now silent room.

Justin tore his eyes from the erection dancing in front of him to look at Choate's face. He swallowed hard. Did the soldier say something? "Pardon?"

"The man, out of uniform, does he meet with your approval?"

Justin's eyes had drifted back below Choate's navel again. "Mmm." He all but licked his lips.

Choate had to smile. "I'm sorry, I didn't get that." He raised Justin's head with a finger under his chin. "I'm up here."

Justin blushed a delightful shade of peach. "Oh, sorry." But he didn't sound sorry at all.

"See something you like?"

A shy smile. "Umm, yeah." The blush ripened. "I'd like some of everything."

"Greedy, aren't you?"

The smile became not-so-shy, "Umm, yeah."

"I like an honest man."

Justin's eyes had drifted south again and he answered absently, "Yeah, I know."

"You know?"

Now Choate had his full attention, "I mean, you look like a man who values honesty."

Choate leaned forward and captured Justin's mouth again. "So, I guess, now I should carry you to the bed over there?"

"That depends on what you intend to do to me when we get there."

Choate's look turned serious. "First, I intend to open you like a present."

Justin blinked at him owlishly. "Oh."

"I mean, the wrapping is good, but I have a feeling I'll like what's underneath even better." Choate had swung Justin into his arms while he was talking and gently deposited him on the bed.

Justin stretched out, watching his lover with hooded eyes.

Choate told him, "You are beautiful."

"Women are beautiful," Justin scoffed.

"Are they? I haven't paid much attention lately."

"Why not?"

Choate knelt on the bed. "Do you have to ask?"

"Yes, I do."

"Why?" he asked as he slipped his hand underneath Justin's shirt to explore the smooth expanse of his belly.

Justin shuddered. "Because you haven't told me."

Choate freed the bottom button of the shirt with his thumb and index finger. "I have to say it to you?"

"Of course you have to say it! I can't read your mind, you know!"

"You are doing pretty well, so far." He slipped the next one free. "And, besides, anything I tell you could be a lie."

He shook his head. "I would know."

Choate's fingers stopped at the third button and he looked into Justin's eyes. "No, you wouldn't."

Justin felt a chill from the dangerous look in Choate's eyes.

"The first thing Ops taught me was how to lie."

"You would lie to me?"

"No."

Justin thought of something, "Is that a lie?"

"No."

He sighed. "But you'd omit what you don't want me to know."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I want certain parts of my past to stay there."

"Why won't you tell me?"

He sat on the bed next to his young lover. "Why is it so important for you to know?"

"Why is it so important for you to keep it from me?"

Choate hung his head for a moment. "When did you become so stubborn?"

"I learned from the master."

He glanced up to catch the gleam in Justin's eyes. "Little boy," he said, using his level two warning voice. "You've been just asking for a hot bottom all day."

Justin shrugged, "If it got you to talk to me, it would be worth it."

Choate saw the look of determination on his lover's face. Spanking him would postpone this talk, but Justin would not give in, no matter what. He took him in his arms. "It's complicated, little boy."

"You mean about the Marines or the Ops?"

"Both."

"What about your life before?"

"The Ops invented a lot of my life before, chiquito."

The young man's eyes widen in shock. "Then you were an agent?"

"Justin. . ."

"I'm not asking about the secrets," he said quickly.

"'l'll tell you what I can, Justin, but not now, and don't push. Be happy with what I give you, and know that it's all I can give you. All right?"

Justin studied his lover's eyes. They pleaded with him for understanding, and his lover never pleaded. "Why not now?"

"Because, I'm starving."

Justin's face fell a little, "I'm sorry. Didn't you get dinner? Do you want room service? I'll call them, they have an excellent. . ." He stopped, noticing the predatory look in Choate's eyes. "We aren't talking about food, are we?"

Choate popped the remaining button and slid the shirt from Justin's body. "I wasn't."

Justin's lips formed into a silent, "OH!" as Choate bent him back over his arm and his mouth swooped hungrily down on his left nipple.

Choate worried the tiny nub with his tongue as his hand worked loose the catch of Justin's tight pants and tugged them free. "No underwear, little boy?" He asked as he cast the jeans aside.

"Well, I had on a beautiful pair of red ones, but somebody tore them."

"Did you make them promise to buy you a new pair?"

He shook his head. "He'll just tear them too," Justin raised his hips a little, pushing into the hand that held him.

"Maybe if you didn't make him crazy, he wouldn't tear your underwear."

"It doesn't matter! I only wear them for him, anyway."

"Is that why aren't wearing any now? Because I'm not him?"

He quickly shook his head. "I just forgot! It's just a waste of time, anyway." Justin whimpered as Choate's fingers closed around his cock. "They make him take too long sometimes."

"Take too long how?"

"Admiring me in them. This way we can get right to the good stuff."

Choate tried not to laugh. "The good stuff?" He said as he stroked the cock in his hand.

Justin arched into his lover's grip and spread his legs apart. "Ohhh, the good stuff, yeah!"

"Definitely the good stuff, amante," he asked, continuing the slow, lazy strokes.

Justin's eyes were cloudy with desire, but he had enough reason to ask, "Amante?"

Choate smiled, as he began stroking him again. "Sí, amante."

The circles Justin's hips made were getting larger. "Not. . .dulce?"

"Always. . .Siempre, dulce. Sweet." He leaned forward to kiss him just beneath his navel, "y amante. Lover."

"Yes, lover. . .Oh, more."

"More. . .this?" He stroked Justin's balls, tickling the perineum lightly with the nail of his pinkie.

Justin arched trying to bring the hands closer to his center. "Yes! No!"

Instead, Choate grasped the younger man's erection in his free hand. "No?"

"Don't. . .stop, but more. . .words? Amante. Please. . ."

And began to stroke, slowly. "Seducción con palabras. En Español?¹"

"Yes, please."

"And will you understand me, dulce?" he asked, as he cupped Justin's scrotum sac with the other hand.

"I. . .don't care. It sounds so nice."

"¿Sí?"

"¡Sí!" Justin writhed under the intensity of Choate's ministering. "Spanish. . .how do you know. . .?"

Choate paused, letting his young love catch his breath. "I learned it. . .from my mother." Then his hands began again.

Justin drew a ragged breath, "Your mother. . ."

"Was from a little town just outside Acapulco." He squeezed firmly on a downward stroke.

"Father??" Justin squeaked.

"From a very upstanding family in Britain. He was on a businessman's holiday when they met."

The younger man's coherent thought began to shred like gossamer. "Fell in love?"

Choate snorted. "Hardly. When they call me a bastard, it's the truth in every sense of the word."

"Choate?" the word ended in a low moan.

"His name was Sir Oliver Patrick Wendell Choate III. It amused him to give me his name. But when it was time to go, he walked away and never looked back."

Justin opened his eyes to look at him. "Oh, Paddy, I'm sorry."

Choate's hands stilled again as he regarded the intense look from his young lover. "Don't be, dulce."

"Did you ever see him again?"

Releasing the scrotum sac, he took Justin's cock in both hands. "About twenty-three years later."

Young Evers had to struggle just to form one word. "And?"

Choate paused a third time. "And the son-of-a-bitch was relieved I didn't look like her, except for the eyes. He forgave the eyes."

"Was he happy to see you?"

"He was sick. He had no other family, except for the two nephews who were plotting to put him away for his estate. He didn't want to, but he had no choice. He made me his heir."

"You're royalty!"

The smile was lopsided. "Hardly."

But Justin still returned it. "Does this mean I have to kneel?"

Choate leaned forward slightly and resumed his stroking as he lowered the tone of his voice to say, "There's only one reason I want you on your knees in front of me, dulce."

Justin shuddered.

He stretched out beside the thrashing young man. "Tell me what you want."

"Oh!" Justin closed his eyes and whimpered, "You. . .are. . .doing. . .fine. . ."

Choate increased the pressure slightly and Justin's hands became fists full of bedclothes. "But I know there's something else you like," he whispered close to Justin's ear.

"I. . .I. . ." Justin drew a deep breath and turned his head to the side, offering the long column of his neck.

"Is this a hint? ¿Un alude indirectamente?²" Choate leaned forward, not breaking the rhythm of his strokes, and licked his tongue across Justin's jugular. "Right here? Aquí mismo³?" Justin nodded. "Muy bien⁴."

The soldier placed his mouth there, at the tender part of his neck, the first place he had placed a love bite, the night of the gala, how long ago? Since then that spot had been a trigger. If Choate worked it right, he could even make Justin cum.

Justin felt the rasp of his lover's rough tongue again and squirmed. He knew the tease, his Marine would make the spot sensitive to stimulus with his tongue just before bringing it into his mouth. And his lover had such a wondrous mouth. He squirmed again and tensed as he felt Choate shift for a better angle before the mouth descended.

"Sssssst! Oh! Paddy!"

He tortured him a moment before he asked, "¿Sí, mi alma y corazón⁵?"

"Please. . .Paddy!"

Choate placed tiny kisses down the neck, starting at the small red spot he had just created, across his chest, to latch on to a nipple.

Justin bowed off the bed. "Please. . .Paddy!"

"¿Qué, el que me conforta, mi alegría⁶?"

"Oh! Oh! I. . .Paddy!"

"Hmmm," Choate blew his breath across the already taut nipple and watched it shrink even more. "I like the way you say my name. Did I ever tell you that? Especially when I have you like this. Please, what, Justin?"

"Please! More!"

Choate loosened his grip. "Please, more, what?"

"Paddy, don't tease!"

"But I don't know. You have to tell me."

Justin fidgeted, trying to make Choate press his cock harder. "Oh! Paddy, I don't want to play anymore! Please!"

"No, little boy. You started this little game. Now you finish it." He took his hands away.

"Paddy!"

"Where's J.C., that little tease from the bar?" Choate eased the sting from his words with a kiss. "Where is he?" He pinched a nipple.

"Like. . .him?"

"Yes, very much."

Justin shifted his weight. "Here. . .he's still here. . .he wants. . ."

"What does he want?"

Justin went still and he looked up into Paddy's face. "Tú. Quiero tú."

Choate stared at him, wide-eyed himself a moment before he began laughing out loud.

The young Evers blushed slightly, the response not one he expected. "Did I say it wrong?"

"A little. Un poco. You say, dice, 'Te quiero.'" Choate took the much loved face in both of his hands. "Pero, no esta inquieto, chiquito⁷! I understood you. Entiendo." He kissed him soundly then threw his arms up and fell over on his back. "¿Me quieres? ¡Tomame!⁸"

Justin smiled as he crawled up his lover's prone body. He might not have understood the words, but he understood surrender when he saw it. He poised, his lips just inches from his Marine's. "Would you teach me?"

Choate looked at him suspiciously. "Teach you what, little boy?"

"The words. I like the way they sound, the way you say them. If I ask, will you tell me the words?"

"¿Palabras de amor? Love words? ¿Sí?" At Justin's nod, he said, "Pregunta⁹."

"How do you say. . ."

"¿Cómo se dice. . ."

Justin laughed softly, then descended on his lover with a hard, passionate kiss, his tongue thoroughly exploring the contours of his captive's mouth.

"Chupeteo¹⁰."

"I thought you said beso?"

Choate kissed Justin gently on the lips. "Beso." Then carded his fingers through the thick black hair and brought his mouth down for a kiss that left them both weak and breathless. "Chupeteo."

The word touched him like a caress, tingling across his senses until all he could only say,
"Oh."

"¿Algo más¹¹?

"¿Más? More?" At Choate's nod he moved down to place a kiss on his neck, then nipped the flesh sharply.

"Cuello."

Justin kissed down to Choate's nipple, then licked it.

"¡Ah, dulce, este es un pezon!¹²"

Justin dug into the deep well of Choate's navel with his tongue.

"Ombligo."

Then he took his lover's cock in his hands.

"Picha," the last syllable spoken harshly as Justin stroked his bludgeoning erection. He drew a ragged breath to gasp, "o pene."

"Picha. I like the way that sounds." He smiled before devouring it whole, then sliding it from his mouth inch by inch. Swirling his tongue from base to head. He repeated this several times until Choate began to moan deep within his chest.

"¡Deme una buena mamado¹³!" The older man's hips bucked high off the covers as Justin closed his mouth around the head and sucked passionately. "¡Estoy a. . .caba. . .do¹⁴!" He cried as he came with an intensity that left him winded.

Justin pulled enthusiastically at the throbbing erection in his mouth, siphoning off the semen as it pulsed from his lover's body, draining him dry.

Fingers, lubed with moisture from his mouth, Justin tentatively began probing Choate's cleft. His lover didn't really care for penetration, not like Justin did.

"Meteme su dedo¹⁵." Choate raised his hips, pushing them towards his young lover. "Adentro. . .inside."

Justin took the limp member in his hands and again began to stroke as he pushed his finger inside the tight opening.

Choate shoved harder against Justin's fingers. "¡Te necesito adentro de mi¹⁶!" he said urgently. When Justin looked at him confused, he raised up, pushed Justin's fingers away and took his erection in his hands. Forcing himself closer, Choate placed it at the crevice of his ass. "¡Junteme, dulce! ¡Hazlo ya!¹⁷"

Justin looking into his eyes. The emotion he saw there unreadable. "You don't like it, Paddy."

"No, but you do."

Justin clarified the statement with, "Being inside you? Not really."

"My being inside you." Choate whispered.

"Yes. Yes, I like it very much."

"Why?"

Justin slightly lifted one shoulder, "I don't know, Paddy, I never really thought about it. It makes me feel close to you. It makes me feel loved, special, protected. . .I don't know."

"I want to feel that, from you."

"I try to make you feel that every day, Paddy."

The big Marine startled. This was not going well. "I didn't say that you didn't."

"You just want something. . .more."

"Not more, different. I don't know myself, dulce." He sounded so despondent.

"But it won't be the same, you don't like it."

"Try."

"I. . ." Justin wanted to help.

Choate got up. "On the bed or over the couch?"

The images from his question formed in Justin's mind. Paddy'd taken him over the couch before. The position was highly erotic for him, but for his Marine, it seemed too submissive. Justin couldn't get the picture to stablize in his mind

"Let's stay in the bed, Paddy."

Choate turned on his stomach. "You got lube?" He asked over his shoulder as he tucked the pillows under his stomach.

Justin stared at the hard muscles of Choate's ass, slightly elevated by the pillows. There wasn't as much curve it as there was to Justin's and the muscles where harder, tighter. But the sight was still desirable and made Justin want him. Justin retrieved the small tube from the nightstand and sat next to him. Trying one last time. "Paddy, are you sure?" he asked, looking down at him.

"You don't want me?"

"I'll always want you."

"Then, I don't know how much more of an engraved invitation I can give you."

Dropping down to his knees between Choate's open legs, Justin used his fingertips to gently touch the slope of his lover's asscheeks. He caressed him, touching his balls, massaging them until the Marine began to squirm.

Leaning forward, Justin used his hands to push the tight cheeks apart until he could insert the tip of his tongue in Choate's anus. Sliding the point around the circumference of the small opening until he felt his lover begin to relax, he slipped inside. As soon as he felt Choate begin to move away, he quickly replaced his tongue with a finger.

"Enough." Choate shifted his hips away. "Do it now, dulce."

"But. . ."

His voice had sounded harsh, he softened it to say, "Please."

Justin rose to his feet, his erection beginning to flag from his reluctance. This didn't feel like lovemaking. It smacked of rape.

Choate glanced back in time to see his young lover's distress and sat up on the bed. "It's all right, chiquito. Let me help." He took Justin's semi-erection in his mouth, pulling on the tip. When he had him hard again, he resumed his place facedown on the bed.

Justin lubed himself quickly, took up position and began pushing. "Tight, Paddy. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't, dulce. Push."

Justin took a deep breath and leaned in strong. Once he had his groin resting against Choate's butt, he reached around his lover to stroke him in time with his thrusts.

Choate, not wanting Justin to feel his own flagging cock, pushed his lover's hands away.

Justin froze. Confused from the mixed signals he received. "Paddy?"

Choate started to push back against his lover, create a rhythm that would finish him quickly, but just as he felt Justin finding a balance, his stomach began to rumble. Bent nearly into a bow, he tried to reach Justin's balls. His stomach lurched again. "Hurry, love."

Sensing something wrong, Justin whispered, "Paddy?"

Too late. Choate pushed back hard to gain his feet. Justin lost his balance, and slid to the floor. The soldier raced to the bathroom to vomit leaving a stunned young man miserable by the bed.

Returning to the room with a washcloth in his hand, his heart lurched at finding Justin curled in to a fetal ball where he fell. Kneeling beside his young lover, Choate reached out to touch him lightly. "Justin?" he asked in a hushed voice.

Justin shrugged him away. "Leave me alone, Paddy. You think I can forget that me making love to you was so horrible it made you sick?" he said, hurt, angry and very near tears.

He tried to touch Justin again. "No, love. The tension of the past day and the beer made me sick."

"Don't treat me like a fool," Justin snatched violently away, curling tighter.

"Justin, it was the beer. I lost a good friend. That's what the group was doing in the bar, it was a farewell to good friends who've left us too soon. I drank too much cheap beer. You know what it does to me. Come on, straighten out so I can clean you off."

"No! You go back to your Ops/Special forces friends!"

"Dulce. . ."

"That's where you want to be."

"I am where I want to be."

"But you're not happy! I can't make you happy!" Justin willed himself not to cry, but the tears colored the tone of his voice.

"Amante, you're all sticky. You'll feel better if I clean you off. Turn over for me." He made an attempt to straighten his lover. Justin offered a token resistance. "Please, dulce."

Justin obeyed, reluctantly. Straightening out until he sat upright on the floor.

Choate lovingly stroked him, making certain every inch of him was clean. The warm washcloth felt good against his genitals. Slowly, the younger man began to relax.

Justin watched his lover as he bent to his task. "Did you like it at all?" he asked plaintively.

"I liked that it was you touching me, chiquito¹⁸. But I'm afraid I don't make a good submissive, amante." Choate took him in his arms. "I could have made you believe I liked it, but I don't want to act with you."

"You picked a fine time for honesty, Mr. Choate." He paused as he regarded his lover. "Why'd you make me do it?" Justin pulled away. "If you want a different kind of lover, Paddy, just say so and let me off the hook! I love you, but I don't know who you want me to be."

"I want you to be who you are."

"No, you don't. That's what this's all about. You wanted me to be someone else. Someone more butch. More macho. More masculine! Instead of, what did your big friend call me, a little china doll?"

"Hoss didn't mean you weren't masculine."

"There's nothing masculine about a china doll, Paddy."

"You're masculine enough where it counts, dulce." He pulled Justin closer. "I love my 'china doll'."

Justin snorted. "What you love is that butch flirt from the bar!"

Choate nodded. "I admit I like him, too. But he's just another part of what makes up you."

"You're treating me like a fool again. I know I'm small, Paddy, I like my hair long. Compared to you and your friends at the bar, I might as well be a girl."

"Stop it, Justin," Choate said gently.

"Why? You don't want to hear the truth?"

"That's not the truth."

"That I'm feminine and a flirt?"

"I said that's enough! What just happened didn't have anything to do with the way you are!"

"Of all the parts you say make up the whole of me, this wasn't." He gestured towards the bed. "I don't like doing things to you I know you don't like, Paddy. Why'd you make me do it?"

He sighed heavily. "I was. . .feeling nostalgic."

"For rape?"

Choate shook his head. "For dominance."

This surprised him. "What?"

"Missing a time when I was younger, smaller. When things were different. When I was different." He touched Justin's face. "A little more like you."

Surprise quickly replaced by a surge of jealousy. "When you were with someone else?"

"Yes."

"That guy on the Bat Phone?" The feeling intensified now that it had a name.

"Yes."

And ended in an ugly thought. "You want him back?"

Choate shook his head. "We're different people now."

Placated somewhat, Justin had to ask, "But you miss him?"

"Sometimes."

"You still love him?" he asked, holding his breath as he waited for the answer.

"Yes."

Willing the hurt to go away long enough to ask, "More than me?" He pulled his lower lip inside his mouth to keep it from trembling. 'Please, say no, Paddy! I don't want to lose you!'

Choate saw the play of emotions that ran across his lover's face and took Justin tightly by the shoulders. "Dulce, there isn't anything I love more than you!" He pulled the young man hard against his chest and hugged him in a tight embrace. "I love you so much it scares me!" Rubbing his face against the tangled mass of hair, he said, "Can you understand how that makes me feel? Like I don't deserve you! Like I'll wake up and find this is all a dream, or that someone'll realize how happy I am and take it all away." He set Justin away so he could make eye contact. "Look at you! You're young, you're beautiful, you could have anyone you wanted."

Justin's heart sang as he confessed, "I want you."

"But, why?"

Now, young Evers saw the truth. "You ask that like I shouldn't! Is that what's wrong? You think I shouldn't love you? That you aren't desirable?"

"I know I'm desirable, dulce. I've used that enough in the past. I understand why you'd want me, I just don't understand why you'd want to stay."

Justin lost his temper then. "Dammit it, Patrick Edward Choate!" He said as he pounded on his lover's chest. "What do I have to do to get through to you?!"

"Ow," Choate said in surprise at the force of that blow. He released Justin and pulled back a step.

He hit him again. "I could just take you and shake you sometimes! What did that Ops group do to you?"

"Ow, Justin!" Choate realized his little lover was truly angry.

"Don't you know I think you are the most wonderful, desirable, exquisite, powerful," Justin punctuated each adjective with a sharp rap of his fist on Choate's chest, "stubborn, pigheaded, insecure, infuriating--"

"Ow, Justin!" Choate finally caught his hand. "All right! You've made your point. I was wrong! There, I said it." He took the fist in his hand and brought it to his lips. "Now, can I make it up to you?"

Justin's entire body relaxed. He looked at Choate speculatively. "I don't know. Can you?"

The soldier regarded him solemnly. "I can try."

"You're going to have to do a helluva lot more than try!" Justin said in exasperation.

Choate laughed as he pulled the smaller man closer to him. "Watch your mouth, little boy."

Justin sighed as he lay his forehead against his lover's. "You understand I love you and I'm not going anywhere?" he said softly.

"Sometimes."

Justin drew back and hit him again. "Sometimes!!"

Choate caught the hand again. "Most times," he amended.

Justin pulled to free his hand. "Paddy!!"

"Bueno, chiquito! ¡Calmete! I'm doing my best here. You can't change years of insecurities in one night."

Justin stopped struggling. "Okay, I'll give you until tomorrow, then."

That made the soldier laugh out loud. "The Marines teach us to improvise," Choate said as he kissed a knuckle. "But, I think I know what I can do."

"Pretty sure of yourself, soldier."

"Considering the course of events for the last forty-eight hours and having a good sense of what I need to do to complete the mission. Yes."

"So this is a mission now?"

"With clear parameters."

"And the parameters are?"

"The parameters are to make you happy, dulce."

"And what do you think you need to do to complete the mission?"

Choate smiled evilly at his young lover as he held up the small tube of lubricant. "This and the couch."

"What?"

Choate led the young man over to the couch. "About face."

"Uh, Paddy, I. . ."

Choate took Justin by one shoulder and spun him around until he was facing the back of the couch, his back to the older man.

"No foreplay?"

"The entire day's been foreplay, dulce," he said as he put his hand between Justin's shoulder blades and pushed lightly until the younger man was leaning over the back of the couch.

Justin felt Choate's hand beneath him, lifting him, then a pillow slid between his body and the couch, lifting him until he balanced his weight on the floor with his toes, his butt high in the air. He raised slightly, with his hands against the cushions of the couch. "Paddy?" Apprehension heavy in his voice.

He felt the warmth behind him.

"Right here, love."

"I did apologize for my behavior yesterday, didn't I?"

"My little brauillas¹⁹ nervous?" He smiled as he caressed the curve of Justin's hip with his fingertips.

"Yes."

"Good!" he asked as he began smoothing the palm of his hand over the fleshy part of Justin's ass.

Justin stumbled off his toes and barely regained his balance. "Oh, Paddy, damn!"

"Like that?" He felt the muscles twitch and added strength to the massage.

"Ohhh, shit!" Justin started to move against the pillow, his backside following the petting strokes of his lover's hand.

Now Choate was teasing at the dark crevice that divided the mounds of his lover's ass. Justin's bucking began to grow stronger.

"Paddy, inside me."

"My finger?" he asked as he began tracing deeper inside the cleft, pausing to dip into the center, grazing the tight, puckered opening, before skimming to the surface again.

"Ummm." Justin pushed off the floor with his toes to raise his butt higher.

"Like this?" he asked as he pushed the tip inside, turning it around the rim. "Or like this?" he asked as he pushed it in as deep as it would go and pulled it back out slowly.

"Inside me or I'm gonna scream!"

"You'll scream anyway, dulce. Before I'm done, I promise, you'll scream anyway. And it will be my name." Choate took his time, teasing his fingers inside his love slowly, one until he begged, then two until he hummed. By three, he had to ask, "Dulce, are you humping the couch?"

Justin's nails had started making little snags in the fabric. "Paddy, please, inside me!" He buried his face in the couch cushions.

Paddy had pity on the quivering mass beneath him and took his fingers away. Justin sobbed his dismay, but before the sound dispersed into the air, Choate had placed the flared head of his engorged organ against the now pulsing opening and began to push.

"Oh!" Justin bounced hard and began to thrust back against the pressure. "Please, Paddy, hurry! Please! Ohpleaseohpleaseohplease!"

"Justin." Choate warned and started to pull back.

"No! So close! Got to have it! Please!" He started pushing against the couch again.

Choate slid his hands beneath his lover and lifted him back against his chest. "Sorry, dulce, but that couch is out of luck. I don't share." He held the young Evers still as he pushed deeper into his body.

Justin's spinchter resisted entry. "Ow, Paddy."

"I know, love, wait." He turned Justin's hips and angled his own body differently and pressed again. "Dammit, love, I swear you have a self-healing hymen. Stop!" he said as Justin pushed down against him.

"It just hurts for a few seconds, Paddy."

"I don't want it to hurt at all. Stay still for me, I know it's hard." He tightened his grip. "Stay still, Justin."

Young Evers fought to comply, but he knew if Choate would just let him. . .

"Justin, if you don't stop, I will." Choate said calmly.

That threat cut through the lust-filled fog surrounding his brain. Justin took a deep breath and froze.

Choate lifted his young lover up tighter against him as he pushed. The angle brushed the tip of his erection against Justin's prostate.

"Oh!" Justin jumped. "Ahhhh!" he moaned and bucked at the sensation.

Choate felt the flared head of his erection slip pass the barrier and pushed himself deep into the molten heat up to the hilt. He began to ease Justin back over the edge of the couch.

"NO! Paddy! This way! I love the feel of you around me!" He wrapped his arms around his lover's arms supporting him.

"Justin, I can't pull back this way."

"Don't, then."

So Choate rested his lover's weight on his thighs and pushed as hard as his confines would allow.

"YES!"

"I'm not hurting you?"

"No! NO! More!"

Choate began to buck against the weight of his lover --

"Harder."

-- Hard enough to cause Justin to bounce. Pressing down firmly on Choate's hands, Justin offered no resistance to the pressure that was building inside him. He felt as if the swollen head of his lover's cock was pressing against the back of his belly button.

"All day!" Justin said between thrusts. "Wanted. . .this. . .all. . .day! Ummm! Oh! Like that, Paddy, please, don't stop!"

Choate moved his hands to stroke Justin's now full penis.

"No! Leave it alone!" Justin batted his hands away. "Hold me!" he panted. "Tighter! Push, Paddy! Hard!"

Choate pushed down on Justin's Mound of Venus, then held him down as he drove up into him.

"OH! OH!" Justin drew a long, deep breath and Choate felt the muscled of his sphincter tighten. He stopped the piston motion of his hips and began rotating them in a circle, undulating, thrusting powerfully upward when the arch was completed. "SHIT!"

Justin came, arcing his back in a bow against his lover, squirting cum against the back of the sofa. His inner muscles spasmed near painfully tight around Choate's erection. The heat, the pressure, the friction and the deep, low strum coming from his young lover pushed the Marine up. . .up. . .up and over the edge. The older man barely managed to catch both of them and ease them to the floor as his legs gave out. Justin was a welcomed dead weight against him.

"You okay, chiquito?"

"I'm better than okay."

"Want to take a shower with me?"

"In a minute, I'm basking in the afterglow."

Choate held him close and listened to his heartbeat.

"You know I love you, don't you?" Justin asked softly.

"I think I heard a rumor to that effect."

Justin half-turned and raised his fist. "Damn you, Paddy."

Choate caught it. "I'm going to have to do something about that mouth," he said as he turned his young lover so he could cover his lips with his own.

Spanish Translations:

¹Words of Seduction? In Spanish?

² A hint?

³Right there.

⁴ Good.

⁵ Yes, my soul and heart?

⁶What is it, my comfort, my joy?

⁷But, don't worry.

⁸What do I want? Take me!

⁹Ask.

¹⁰French kiss.

¹¹Something more?

¹²Ah, sweet, that's a nipple.

¹³You give great head.

¹⁴I am coming.

¹⁵Give me your finger.

¹⁶I need you inside me.

¹⁷Fuck me, sweet! Now!

¹⁸Little one. ¹⁹Brat