Bovian Image - 15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Han Lao arrived at Narita airport and made his way through customs quickly. He hailed a cab and gave the driver the address Choi Yang Nan’s assistant had given him. Adjusting his dark glasses, he glanced at the bag he carried with him, and for the umpteenth time wondered if he was on the right track. He’d had so many near misses it was difficult to be hopeful.

Unable to resist, he reached for the bag, placing it carefully on his lap. He removed the picture he’d gotten in New Caledonia and studied it.

The young man in the picture was in his early twenties. He wore his hair long well past his shoulders and dyed blond. He stood at the beach holding a pair of sandals. A white loose shirt framed his tall slender frame, his white slacks stained at the bottom with sand.

Han smiled at the proof that SarEr was alive. The picture was three years old, but it was the first one he had managed to get of SarEr in five years.

“The front entrance is guarded, Sir,” the cab driver said, his tone nervous as they approached a set of high grey gates.

“I’ll speak to them.”

Han returned the picture back into the bag and zipped it carefully. Reaching for his wallet, he pulled out enough money to cover his cab fare and once they stopped for the guards to make an inspection, he handed the money to the cab driver. He took his bag and got out of the cab. The guards stopped his progress to the gate and he handed them a red card from his wallet.

The guards checked it. They waited for the cab driver to drive off before they let Han into the compound.

Han didn’t have time to waste, so he hurried into the large house, walking through the corridors without looking at his surroundings. He was on the fourth floor of the building in minutes. He entered an elegantly furnished lounge glad to find that his contact waiting for him.

He gave the man a short bow of respect.

“I’m Han Lao. It’s my pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sanori.”

“Han,” the young man said with a slight smile. “Please have a seat.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Han said, waiting until Sanori was sitting before he followed.

He placed his bag on the floor and reached into his jacket pocket to retrieve a small red envelope. He gave the envelope to Sanori.

“This is from Mr. Nan. It will explain the nature of my business here and why the urgency.”

The young man took the note with a short a frown. He read the note in the envelope quickly. Once he was done, he placed the note and envelope on a stool beside him. He then took the files Han had placed on the table. Sanori leafed through the files for a moment, pausing when he got to the photograph Han had been looking at.

“Are you certain?” Sanori asked, picking up the picture and holding it up to Han. “This is SarEr?”

“Yes, sir,” Han confirmed. “I’m certain of my source. The picture is almost three years old. I can’t be sure he still looks the same now, he keeps changing aliases.”

“This was in New Caledonia?” Sanori asked with a frown. “That’s a while back, how do you know he is in Japan?”

“There were three options: Tokyo, Paris or Hawaii,” Han said. “I’ve been to Hawaii and Paris in the last two years. I am sure he did not go there. This leaves Tokyo.”

“Tokyo might seem little but it is huge, Mr. Han,” Sanori said with a sigh. “There is also the possibility that the options you have are wrong, and he went another route. It’s obvious to me that he doesn’t want to be found, why the effort?”

“His life is in danger, Mr. Sanori. The longer he remains unprotected, unknown, he runs the risk of being murdered.”

Sanori placed the picture back into the file carefully.

“I don’t understand the danger. Mr. Han, my father asked me to help you because Mr. Choi Yang Nan is the head of the Ashika Consortium. I can’t help you without information. You to tell me what led to SarEr’s disappearance, Mr. Han. This doesn’t look like the case of a rebelling youth. I know Mr. Nan, and his position has only strengthened in the past five years. He has ties in the business world that even my father envies. His son would not afford luxuries like rebelling. The responsibilities are too many for that, so there is more going on here.”

“Time is of the essence,” Han said. “It is a very long story and—,”

“If I know the story, Mr. Han, the faster I can help you. And please call me Ahmon, Mr. Sanori is my father.”

Han stared at the young man seated across him and couldn’t help comparing him to SarEr. If SarEr had remained with his father, he would be in Ahmon’s position. Probably not as rough looking, SarEr would be more refined.

Dressed in a black open collar shirt with matching black slacks, his hair spiky, eyes shadowed with black, and earrings blinking at his earlobes, Ahmon Sanori was definitely a new brand of authority. Judging from that unfaltering gaze, he was also not going to move a finger to help him unless he knew SarEr’s full story.

Han took in a deep breath and looked around the elegant room. He’d been searching for SarEr so long, going back to the beginning was hard.

Difficult, he adjusted that last thought.

Drawing on his memories of the boy he’d protected years ago, he allowed the pain of losing SarEr to sting. The thought of Choi Yang suffering the loss of his son daily added even more to that sting.

Han met Ahmon’s dark gaze.

“SarEr disappeared five years ago from Hong Kong after a series of threats against his life. When the police couldn’t find him that first year, and no calls for ransom came, the investigators decided he was dead and approached his disappearance as a homicide.”

“Obviously, Master Choi Yang refused this conclusion and hired private investigators to look for his son.”

“What happened that last day?” Ahmon asked with a frown. “I mean, why would the police even contemplate saying that SarEr had been murdered?”

“SarEr was friendly with a family that owned a salon in the town close to the estate. After his disappearance, I discovered that the family was also gone, and no one knew what happened to them. All they would say was that the young master had been to visit them that morning in hospital.”

“Also, there was a very large chunk of money missing from SarEr’s private account. Enough money to board a plane and disappear with three people in tow. It was really so suspicious, I initially thought SarEr had run away.”

“What changed your mind?”

“A dead body,” Han said dramatically.

Han pulled off his jacket and laid it over his bag while Ahmon glared at him for that answer. He shifted in the armchair and shrugged.

“The family SarEr was friendly with had a young girl named Mei. She died the same night SarEr disappeared after suffering severe wounds to her chest, of which the doctor kept insisting were due to an assault. She went missing from her hospital bed that night. I later discovered the hospital cremated her right after she died, and there was no autopsy except for the doctor’s testimony. The police insisted that she and SarEr must have been having an affair. The theory is that SarEr killed her and ran away.”

“Why don’t you agree?” Ahmon asked.

“I watched SarEr like a hawk. He wasn’t seeing Mei in any way. Besides, SarEr wouldn’t have needed to run with the Lee family. They would have wanted justice for Mei’s death. I believe SarEr is being threatened and the remaining two members of that family are the reason why he’s keeping away from his father.”

“Someone is forcing him to stay away.” Ahmon frowned. “What would such a person gain from—”

Ahmon stopped and stared at Han for a moment. He stood up and walked to the windows in the lounge. Han watched him think wondering what had caused the abrupt shift. Then Ahmon turned around.

“This could be about the Ashika consortium. Mr. Nan has been Chairman of the consortium for the past ten years. Lately though, he’s been under threat. His assets don’t have a visible heir. There are those who are uneasy that there is no clear line of succession.”

“Mr. Nan wishes that heir to be SarEr Nan. There is no other close blood relative to inherit,” Han said.

“Without an heir, Mr. Nan would have to appoint another head, and his assets with the consortium will go to his secondary next of kin. He has refused to disclose that information. Do you know if he has any other relatives?”

“He had a step brother,” Han said. “A man by the name Dao Ming, but he died years ago. It was the first thing I checked.”

“So, the culprit is in the consortium. Why didn’t you come to us sooner?” Ahmon demanded, his eyes glaring dark fire.

“There is one other thing. The person threatening SarEr is always a step ahead. Every time I’ve come close to finding SarEr, I find he has just left, or had left a week ago. This was something I didn’t know until I met the man who gave me that photograph. I’ve spent the last two years chasing down false leads in two cities because of this person.”

“We have to find SarEr first,” Ahmon decided. “That’s the solution: find SarEr first before the culprit warns him away. That means sectioning off information. We have to assume they’ve compromised the staff working for Mr. Nan, which includes you, Mr. Han.”

“As expected of the Ashika Consortium,” Han said, without batting an eyelash.

He had been expecting this, had even been warned by Choi Yang about it, but their options were running out. If SarEr was in Tokyo, the faster they found him the better. He doubted anyone of them could go another year without finding him.

“I’ll follow your lead. All I ask is for regular updates so that I can report to Master Nan.”

“Of course,” Ahmon said with a sharp nod.

Moving away from the windows, Ahmon came to pick up the file he’d left on the stool.

“Don’t leave the premises until I talk to you again. I need to clear a few things.”

“Of course,” Han replied with a small nod.

Ahmon left the room.

Han reached for the copy of SarEr’s picture he had kept. Looking at the young man staring at the rolling ocean, he wondered what SarEr was doing right at this moment. It was already, eight o’clock at night, waiting around for Ahmon was probably going to keep him up until midnight. He hoped SarEr was at least taking care of himself.

***

“How come you don’t know how to cook?” Cole asked Savan.

They were in his penthouse apartment in Ginza, and Savan was seating on top of a counter in the kitchen watching Cole stir-fry vegetables at the cooking range across him.

“I never learned,” Savan said with a shrug.

Cole turned slightly to stare at him with an incredulous expression.

“What, some of us don’t have the cooking gene. Besides, Liang keeps a fire extinguisher in the kitchen for the moments when madness hits and I try to boil eggs.”

“That bad,” Cole chuckled. “It’s reminiscent of growing up with a team of servants in the house. Were you a spoiled child, Savan?”

Savan frowned and pulled at the fibers of the heavy grey sweater he was wearing, thinking about his childhood.

There hadn’t been time to learn to cook, he thought.

“Hardly spoiled,” he replied with a sad smile.

Glancing up, he wasn’t surprised to find Cole watching him. The man saw too much.

“I was a happy child, Cole. Stop giving me that look. Two days with you, and I’m going to start worrying that you can’t let me just be.”

“I’m glad you’re sharing anything at all,” Cole said, turning off the heat.

Cole washed his hands at the sink, grabbing a dishcloth, he wiped them dry and crossed the kitchen to where Savan sat. He dumped the dishcloth on the counter and reached to take Savan’s hands in his.

Unable to resist the close proximity, Savan leaned forward and kissed Cole sweetly.

“You taste like vinegar and spices.” Savan pulled back and smiled. “Are you really going to do it tonight?”

“Do what?” Cole asked, reaching up with his right hand to push dark strands of hair away from Savan’s left eye. “Why do you hide your face from me?”

“It’s a hair style,” Savan replied with a frown. “And stop evading my question? If you don’t do it today, I’m going to start getting an abandonment complex. Do you know how much I want you, Cole?”

“I don’t,” Cole said with the twitch of a smile on his lips. “Tell me, Savan. How much do you want me?”

Savan grinned and wound his arms around Cole’s neck. Unfolding his legs from under him, he moved closer to the edge of the counter so that Cole was now standing between his thighs. Wrapping his legs around Cole, he moved closer still until his body was pressing against Cole’s apron covered front.

Cole ran appreciative hands down his back and Savan closed his eyes at the sensations caused by a single touch from Cole. His cock filled demanding immediate attention. His breath coming fast, he trailed kisses along Cole’s jaw, before he fit his lips to soft pliant lips. Closing his eyes, he melted into Cole’s embrace as they kissed.

Their kisses always started gentle, then the urgency increased and they turned ravenous. His fingers sunk into Cole’s hair. He wanted relief. He wanted Cole in him right now. Clinging to Cole, he opened his mouth and allowed him to plunder his mouth.

Gods, the man could kiss.

Cole pulled back with a soft chuckle. Brushing lips against Savan’s smooth jaw, he took a step back out of reach.

“We eat first. I just spent an hour slaving away at the stove.”

“I’m going to go insane waiting,” Savan said, touching his thumb to his lips.

He couldn’t remember ever being so needy, was this normal? Maybe there was something wrong with him.

“Savan,” Cole said, forcing him out of his panic. Savan looked up into very dark knowing eyes. “You’re not the only one.”

“Oh, yeah,” he said, jumping off the counter. “This control of yours is going to make me lose my mind. I wish I could make you lose it.”

“We’ll see,” Cole replied with a wide grin.

They ate dinner in the middle of Cole’s living room, laying out the spread of food on the thick rug before the fireplace. Sitting on large cushions, Cole poured Merlot into a glass for Savan, handing him the glass with a flourish.

“Dinner is served.”

Taking the glass, Savan smiled as he took in the stir-fried broccoli and fettuccine Alfredo laid out before him. Picking up his chopsticks, he picked a piece of the broccoli on his plate, and took a tentative bite. The taste of blended spices splashed in his mouth and he closed his eyes in appreciation. This was good.

“Mm…” he said as he reached for more. “I think I’m going to date you on the basis of your cooking skills. I can’t believe how delicious this is. It’s—”

He looked up to find Cole watching him.

“What? Do I have something on my face?”

“You’re making broccoli the sexiest food on earth.” Cole blinked and reached for his own chopsticks. “It’s really quite frustrating. Do you even know that you’re doing that?”

Savan blinked at him and then burst out laughing. Reaching for his wine, he took a sip happy that he was apparently not the only one caught in this lustful web they were weaving.

“Tell me more about Italy,” Savan said, when Cole remained quiet. “Is that where you learned to cook?”

“Yes. My dad died when I was young. Mom was just starting Niad Fashions then, so things were very tough for her and she was worried I would be a latchkey kid. So, my grandparents took me in.”

“It must have been hard losing your dad so young.”

“I suppose, but Mom, my brothers and my grandparents helped me through it. We’ve always been a close bunch. So it didn’t take long before I was a sun-burned teenager running all over Sicily. My grandmother used to call me birichino. Grandpa would stand up for me, which was always an exciting experience. Those two have been together for ages. It was fun watching them bicker.”

“What does that word mean?”

“Naughty, mischievous,” Cole said with a smile.

“I’m not surprised,” Savan returned. “You’re still a birichino.”

“Really,” Cole said laughing. “And how would you know?”

“Do you see yourself when you’re working? You shout at people for tiny small things, nitpicking everything, all because you don’t want them to be comfortable.”

“Hey, that's the only way to get perfection,” Cole said with a shrug.

Savan shook his head at the matter of fact statement. Swallowing his spaghetti, he looked down at his plate and thought about what he’d heard Antonio and Michael talking about in the lounge at Niad the day before. They’d been commenting on Cole acting the way he used to when Danny was still around.

Savan had barely resisted the urge to ask who Danny was. Sipping his wine, he cleared his throat and asked now.

“Who is Danny?”

Cole paused and looked at him with a startled expression. Worried that he might be prying, Savan cleared his throat and shook his head, picking up his plate of noodles. What was he thinking? He could barely talk about his own life.

“Forget I asked. It was something Antonio was saying and I—, never mind.”

Stuffing his mouth with noodles, Savan concentrated on chewing and swallowing for a few minutes.

Cole pressed a napkin to the corner of his mouth and he glanced up. Cole was leaning over, his eyes filled with mirth. Savan pulled back slightly and placed the plate he held on the floor.

“What?”

“You’re going to choke if you keep shoving noodles into your mouth like that. Seriously, Savan, asking questions is how we’re going to get to know each other. Why are you feeling guilty?”

It wasn’t as though he could start talking about his own life. He’d never done this kind of thing before, he had no idea what was right or wrong. Taking the napkin Cole was holding against his mouth, Savan shook his head.

“It’s kind of stupid. You seemed startled, and I thought I was—”

“Danny was my boyfriend,” Cole cut him off gently. “He was my first lover. We lived in Milan together around five years ago.”

“Oh,” Savan said, finally understanding the context of the conversation he’d heard with Antonio and Michael.

Danny was the one who could cheer up Cole without needing to say a word. He was also the one who had inspired Niad’s male casual wear collection. It was the only collection that carried a different label: the Shaw Collection.

“Oh,” Cole mimicked him and Savan gave him an annoyed look. “What is this? Are you jealous, Savan?”

“I am not,” Savan said.

How absurd, why would he be jealous? This man wasn’t even going to be his for long. Reaching for his glass of wine, he drank deeply.

“So, what happened to him? Why aren’t you two together anymore?”

“Danny passed away five years ago,” Cole said quietly.

Shocked, feeling stupid for being jealous and hating on the absent Danny, Savan stared at Cole at a loss for words. Saying ‘I’m sorry’ seemed like an insignificant thing to say.

So he waited for Cole.

Cole placed their empty plates on the tray they’d used to get the food from the kitchen. He left their glasses, and placed the tray on the glass coffee table a few feet away. Settling back on the floor, he added more wine into Savan’s glass.

“I met Danny when I was in school. He was a model, and I was doing design. I always made sure he was on my team during school projects and competitions. I helped Danny when he told his father about being gay. It was a hard time for both of us because his dad was so strict. But, we managed through it. We started out as friends, two years later things changed and suddenly all that mattered in my world was Danny.”

“My mother wanted all of us to join Niad after finishing school, which would mean giving up Danny and moving back to Japan. I couldn’t do it, so I borrowed money from my grandfather, moved to Milan and started a shop selling my designs. Danny came along and we made a life there.”

Savan nodded, wondering what that must have felt like.

Cole had loved before, obviously deep enough to give up a position with his family business. This Danny must have been something to bring out such emotions from Cole.

“How did he die?” Savan asked.

Cole sighed and turned so that they sat facing each other. Cole took his right hand and squeezed it gently. He took in a deep breath let it out in increments before he continued.

“My mother had just found out what I’d done. She came to Milan during one of our shop's fashion shows. I was so worried she was going to be hurt, but she surprised me. It was also the first time I told her that I was gay, so you can imagine the stress.”

“I’ve never told my father,” Savan confessed. Shaking his head, he urged Cole to continue. “How did Mika take it?”

“She was angry at me for keeping it a secret from her. She thought that it was the reason I didn’t want to return to Japan. So, I introduced her to Danny. Mom and Danny became the best of friends. Danny had that effect on people. He was perpetually smiling, happy, and loved life. The only thing that used to get him down was occasional low self-esteem moments. Especially before he walked on the runway, it was a ridiculous thing, really. He was so beautiful.”

Cole sighed and shook his head.

“Two days before my mother has to go back to Japan, Danny went to pick up his motorcycle from servicing at the garage, and a drunk driver hits him on the highway. I couldn’t function for eight months after that.”

“Oh, Cole,” Savan said, thinking of the grief that must have crippled him. He disentangled their fingers and reached up to pull Cole into a tight hug. “I’m so sorry.”

Cole held on to him for a few moments before he pulled back.

“I have to finish this. I need you to know.”

“Are you sure?” Savan stared into pained dark eyes and wondered what he’d been thinking bringing this up. He was a terrible person, what had he been thinking. This was too—

Cole smiled and stroked a hand down his jaw.

“Hush, and let me finish. I haven’t wanted to know anyone like that since Danny. I’ve had flings, plenty of them, believe me. But, you, Savan, you make me want to remember what it was like to care. To want someone day and night, and not be afraid of that feeling. It’s terrifying, and I’m worried you’ll walk away, but what can I do. I want you so much.”

“I want you too,” Savan said in turn getting on his knees.

He pulled off the sweater he was wearing, followed by the t-shirt and wound his arms around Cole.

“I’m yours, Cole.”

***

Cole leaned back and looked into Savan’s dark eyes. He searched them for a sign of hesitation but there was none. He slid his hands over Savan’s back and reached up to pull Savan’s head down for a kiss.

Their lips met in a heated kiss that had him holding on to Savan’s hips, pulling him closer. The kiss continued until they were both breathing hard. Savan moaned when he unbuttoned his trousers and pushed them down to find he wasn’t wearing any underwear. He let the trousers slide down Savan’s hips. He took Savan in his hand and stroked him slowly, teasing Savan’s swollen length. Savan rewarded him with a hot moan his hips bucking into his hand.

Cole captured Savan’s lips in a steaming hot kiss. He slid his other hand to Savan’s ass, sliding his fingers into Savan’s crack. Savan gave a muffled gasp and Cole sunk his tongue into Savan’s mouth. Exploring and dueling with Savan’s tongue as he teased a finger around Savan’s puckered hole, teasing him. Savan clung to Cole’s shoulders, his hands pulling at Cole’s shirt. Savan gasped desperately when Cole’s finger entered him slightly. Cole stroked his cock with his other hand.

“Cole,” Savan cried, breaking the kiss and clamping his hot mouth on Cole’s neck. He spread his legs slightly, the trousers at his knees restraining the movement.

Cole removed his finger from inside Savan and reached up to sink his fingers into Savan’s hair. He pulled Savan’s head back to continue their kiss. He stroked Savan’s cock firmly, his hand moving up the hard length and down again, his grip tight, pausing at the sensitive head to run a thumb over the leaking precum. He kept Savan balanced on the edge, driving him to the brink. Savan’s moans increased, turning into continuous pleading for release, when he got close, his grip on Cole’s shirt got tight and Cole stopped.

Savan cried out unable to cum, needing Cole’s touch. Cole leaned down instead to suck on Savan’s hard nipples. Savan couldn’t help the loud moan that filled the room, the sensations too intense, he felt like he could explode. Cole licked and sucked on his left nipple, his hand still holding Savan’s cock. Savan sunk his fingers into Cole’s hair arching back to give him access. Cole stroked his cock in reward and he closed his eyes, biting his lower lip.

Cole moved his mouth up Savan’s chest to Savan’s mouth again and asked hotly against Savan’s lips.

“Do you want to cum?”

Savan nodded, unable to formulate words. Cole kissed him and said in a heated whisper against his ear.

“Answer me, Savan.”

“Yes.” Savan sobbed out, his body trembling with need. Heat coursing through him, “please make me cum,” he begged clinging to Cole’s shoulders.

“Not yet.”

He let go and suddenly Savan knelt on the carpet alone while Cole picked up their wine glasses moving them to the coffee table.

Savan knelt unable to move, his body trembling. His golden skin covered with a slight sheen, his cock stiff against his stomach, one touch and he was going to come.

He was beautiful, Cole thought.

It was intoxicating, Savan thought through his pleasure-hazed mind.

He watched Cole through lowered eyelashes and decided he could get addicted to this torture. This kind of torture he could take.

Cole pulled off his shirt and dropped his trousers, pausing to pull out several packs of condoms and lube from the pocket. He threw them on the carpet beside Savan. He removed his black boxer shorts and threw those on to the rest of the clothes. Savan stared at Cole’s large erection hungrily.

Cole came to kneel beside Savan and pushed him back to lie down on the carpet. Cole helped Savan pull of his trousers and socks. Savan lay on the carpet, the firelight dancing over his skin turning his skin into a warm golden glow.

Cole traced a hand over Savan’s chest, touching the smooth skin over firm muscles. He moved his gaze up to Savan’s swollen lips. Savan surged into his arms and they kissed wildly, their bodies tangling in excitement. Cole rolled on to his back and Savan broke their kiss to trail his own kisses over Cole’s body. Stopping to lick and suck at Cole’s nipples he didn’t stop until Cole hissed in pleasure. He slid down until he could take Cole into his mouth. Savan enveloped Cole’s throbbing thick length into the hot cavern that was his mouth.

Breathing out his pleasure, Cole sank fingers into Savan’s hair again and held him down as Savan sucked on him. Tracing his teeth along his cock slowly, and then soothing him with his hot wet tongue. Cole felt his hips move involuntarily, pushing in and out of Savan’s mouth. Savan sucked harder, hungrily, Cole groaned and couldn’t help fucking into the hot mouth, faster, driving them both to madness until Cole pulled Savan’s head up and captured those enticing lips in a kiss that had them both moaning.

“Take me,” Savan whispered hotly as Cole pulled him up beside him. Savan reached for the packets of lube on the floor with trembling fingers. He handed it Cole. “Now, do it now.”

Cole pulled him up for a hot searing kiss as he grabbed a condom. He slid one on fast, and took the pack of lube. Tearing it open with his teeth, he poured a generous amount on his thick length, before he soaked his fingers with more lube. Savan turned ready to get on his knees, but he stopped him.

“I want to see you,” Cole said quietly.

Savan got on his back and spread his legs, lifting them up to reveal his puckered hole. Cole moved closer, sliding his slick fingers into Savan slowly.

Savan arched up with a moan his fingers digging into the carpet as Cole worked on slicking him up. Cole added extra lube to his condom covered cock, before he moved over Savan. He moved Savan’s legs higher bringing them up to his shoulders so that he was completely open to him. He leaned down to kiss Savan before he pressed his cock into him.

All Savan could do was feel and breathe through the intense wave of incredible pain mixed in with unimaginable pleasure as Cole sank into him for the first time. Cole pushed in slowly, giving him time to adjust, until he was fully seated. Cole remained still, kissing him, sliding his hands over him turning simmering heat into unbearable torrid fire racing through his body. Savan moved against Cole’s hard body, trying to make him move as heat buildup between them. His cock weeping on his stomach, he pressed his chest closer to Cole’s reveling at the weight of him. He needed for Cole to move. Cole kept up his torture, teasing his nipples, never once moving inside him. Fingers sunk into his hair as they kissed feverishly.

Savan begged, cajoled, demanded, his voice hoarse with desire as Cole finally thrust deep into him, impaling him as he arched up to meet each stroke. His own erection weeping between them from the friction of Cole’s stomach as he took him, Cole’s strokes alternating fast and deep, to slow and shallow, winding him into a greedy need for consummation. Savan screamed when Cole’s cock connected with that spot inside him, hitting it repeatedly with each stroke. Cole kept them in a frenzied race, Savan clung to him every nerve in his body alive, and he threw his head back as Cole came inside him with a loud shout. Each bucking stroke hit his prostate, driving him into his own release. He closed his eyes as ecstasy took over his body, and Cole slumped over him unable to move a muscle.

***

Hours later, Savan sat naked on Cole’s vast bed watching him sleep, simply staring at Cole breath in and out, was becoming a hobby. Dark lashes against his cheeks, curly hair a wild riot on the white pillowcase, the dark shadow on his jaw was entrancing, the urge to reach out and touch was overwhelming.

Savan sighed and wiped a hand down his face.

He was beyond redemption now. Touching his fingers to a tender spot on his neck, he hissed when his cock filled at the thought of how it had gotten there. His entire body had such marks. Cole was passionate about everything—his work, his life, his food…how he made love.

Savan brought his knees up and wrapped his arms around them interlocking his fingers to keep from caressing Cole. Closing his eyes, his brain filled with the memory of their lovemaking. He trembled, still in a state of euphoria. Cole was undoing him piece by piece. Earlier by the fireplace, he’d been anticipating a session of fast satisfying sex, but Cole had held other ideas. Cole had spent hours lingering over every part of his body, kissing, caressing, and teasing him into maddening desperation. By the time they’d made it to the bedroom, he’d been on the verge of spontaneous combustion.

Cole shifted in his sleep, his right hand moving over the spot beside him. Savan watched in fascination as that hand searched for him even in sleep. As if sensing that he was awake, Cole opened his eyes and lifted his head to stare at the empty space beside him. Cole sat up abruptly rubbing his eyes. Pushing hair out of his face, that dark gaze fell on him, and Savan watched relief flood over Cole’s tense shoulders.

“Baby, what are you doing up?” Cole asked in a sleep roughened voice.

He held out his right hand, at the same time opening the covers in invitation.

“Watching you,” Savan said in a whisper, taking the hand Cole held out to him, tangling their fingers together. “Go back to sleep.”

“Not if you’re going to stay awake.” Cole yawned and tugged his hand. “Come back beside me. I was afraid you left again.”

Savan obliged Cole’s tugging hand, he moved up to the spot he’d abandoned an hour ago when he’d woken up to find that he was wrapped around Cole. It had scared the hell out of him. He wasn’t used to needing people, or even clinging to them.

Cole pulled him into his arms so easily, kissing him, stroking fingers through his hair.

“Don’t leave my arms again,” Cole ordered.

Savan rested his head on Cole’s chest, listening to a strong steady heartbeat. Closing his eyes, he allowed his breaths to follow that steady rhythm. He fell asleep soon after.

***

Savan woke the next morning in a warm cocoon. Opening his eyes slowly, he instantly felt Cole’s body pressed to the back of his. A strong arm draped over his chest, and Cole’s head rested against his neck. Each breath the man took reverberated through his body. Pushing the sheet that was over them down, he moved to slide away from the tempting warmth. His thoughts lingering over a night that felt like an endless orgy, he felt sexually overloaded if that was possible. Letting a sigh escape, he started to get out of bed, but the arm over his chest tightened, restraining him.

“I have to go,” Savan said in a whisper when the arm persisted.

Cole didn’t reply, but he didn’t let go either.

Savan rolled over so that he was facing Cole. Running his fingers into Cole’s hair, he combed out the soft curls gently hoping to cajole the man into letting him go.

“Cole—”

“I don’t want you to leave,” Cole said sleepily, his eyes finally opening. Savan had a serious case of bed head and it was so sexy. He leaned over a bit so that he could kiss Savan.

“You’ll try to stay away. You should let me make you breakfast, and then I’ll drive you over to Bovian Image.”

“Being clingy is not very attractive,” Savan responded, his fingers tightening in Cole’s dark strands. Pulling away slightly, Savan smiled when Cole raised an eyebrow at him. “You know where to find me if I try to stay away.”

Savan gasped when Cole retaliated by leaning down to bite his sensitive nipple. He tightened his fingers in Cole’s hair and closed his eyes as his body rippled with sensation from the small assault. Letting Cole’s hair go, Savan tried to get up again.

“I really have to go to the shop.”

“Liang is there,” Cole replied, wrapping his arms around Savan. Cole trailed kisses along his jaw. “He can handle things.”

“I have an early appointment,” Savan said, pulling away from Cole’s sweet mouth.

His body ached pleasantly as he sat up ignoring Cole’s persistent arms and moved to the edge of the bed.

“Liang needs me there.”

“He can live without you for a couple of hours,” Cole said moodily. “Have breakfast with me, Savan.”

Savan stood up heading to the master bathroom.

“I’m not trying to escape. I really do have an appointment. We can have breakfast another day.”

Savan disappeared into the bathroom and went about taking care of his needs. Flushing the toilet, he turned on the shower and was about to step in under the hot water when Cole joined him. Wrapping his arms around Savan from behind, nuzzling his neck, Cole pressed kisses to his ear.

“If we can’t have breakfast, then I’ll just have you in the shower.”

Savan couldn’t help the chuckle as they both stepped under the hot shower. It took longer than expected, due to a passionate session of sex that left him so weak he could barely stand. Cole was hell bent on proving a point, Savan thought as he sat on the edge of the bed with a large towel over his head.

“I’m not going to survive this,” Savan said, when Cole flung the closet doors open.

“You will, I plan on giving and getting more out of you.”

Cole winked at him. He disappeared into the walk in closet only to reemerge holding a hanger with a set of clothes on it.

“I doubt you want to show up at Bovian Image wearing what you had two days ago. Try these on.”

“And whose fault is it that I haven’t been home for the past three days?” Savan rubbed his hair with the towel, before he flung it to the foot of the bed. “Are you going to tell Mika about us?”

“She knows. She’ll get used to it.” Cole pulled on black briefs and returned to the closet for his own clothes. “We’re working together. It makes the situation easier for both of us if people know. This isn’t an illicit love affair, Savan. I want to be with you, no hiding.”

No hiding, huh, Savan reached for the clothes Cole had given him and removed them from the hanger. He was surprised to find that the tailored slim fit trousers and dress shirt fit perfectly. Buttoning the shirt, he glanced up when Cole emerged in a navy polo shirt and blue jeans. His damp hair curling around his shoulders, he looked like a sex god.

“You’re not going to the office?”

“Not yet,” Cole said his gaze running over him appreciatively before he held out a pair of black socks. “I’ll drop you off at the salon.”

Savan took the socks, finger combing his hair. He followed his lover out of the bedroom. In the living room, their dinner plates, wine bottle and glasses were still on the coffee table by the fireplace. Seeing them now, remembering what he’d given Cole last night, he couldn’t help wondering where this was going. It scared him that he wanted it to last. That he wanted to come back to that same spot over and over, and feel all that he’d felt last night and more.

Turning his back to the fireplace, Savan glanced at Cole to find him watching, always watching. His heart squeezed tightly, and he sat down on a carved bench away from the living area.

Savan sighed as he didn’t know what was right anymore.

***