he smashed the bridge of one captor’s nose, wrestled loose from the man’s weakened hold, and twisted the wrist of the second man holding the knife. He heard the crack of bone and the man’s scream as Vance gained control of the KA-BAR. He buried the knife to the hilt between the second man’s third and fourth ribs. Vance shoved the dead man aside and stumbled for the door. “Aimee!”
“No! Vance!” Aimee’s screams were silenced by an explosion just beyond the doorway.
Vance woke, his breath frozen in his lungs. He remained in place with his body still, listening to the sounds around him. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut and counted to ten before opening them. The darkness was different from the murky shadows of his dreams. Vance waited. The guilt was there. As he sifted back through the dream, Vance recognized the sensations of triumph and satisfaction he‟d experienced when Aimee climaxed as being similar to the feelings he‟d had when Ben came. The memory shattered the calm he‟d gained.
But how could that be right? His time with Ben had been mutual and consensual, so his feelings of contentment made sense. That hadn‟t been true with Aimee. So why had the same emotions that came to life with Ben been stirred with her as well? How could the control he‟d surrendered to the man he loved mirror his loss of control with Aimee and still be a good thing?
52
Qwillia Rain
Vance shook his head, more confused than he‟d been the night before when Ben stepped into the room, but he wasn‟t sure if the bafflement stemmed from the feelings churning inside him or the lassitude his orgasms had generated.
Moving past that thought, Vance took a moment to focus and fully wake up.
Unsure if he was still dreaming about regaining control or if it had really happened, he took stock of his surroundings.
There were things different from his usual nightmares. A soft, comfortable bed cushioned him rather than the rock-and-sand floor of the hut. Silk sheets covered his nude frame. Even the aches he felt were altered, better. The warm body wrapped close to him helped to push the nightmare away and brought back pleasing memories of the previous evening.
Ben.
Vance relaxed into the pillows and closed his eyes as he savored the feel of Ben in his arms. The smell of sex with the faint antiseptic scent he‟d always associated with the man beside him had Vance smiling in the darkened room. Shifting slightly, he eased his arm from beneath Ben‟s head without waking him. As he lay on his side with his upper body propped up on his elbow, he watched his friend sleep, enjoying the quiet moment before reality set in.
His morning wood made its wants known, but Vance ignored the demand. His desire, his need, was back, but with Ben‟s help, his ability to exert control had returned as well. Waking Ben for another bout of lovemaking wasn‟t going to get him any further in his plan. The ache in his left wrist and hip as well as along the bottoms of his feet only emphasized what he had to face. Through the gap in the heavy black suede draperies, he could see the first hint of sunlight. The watch Ben had left on the nightstand only made him curse beneath his breath. It was later than he‟d thought.
Damn, he wanted to stay. Needed to stay. He was sure Ben would have no problem cutting through the tangle of thoughts clogging his head, but it would have to Diablo Blanco Club: Under Control
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wait. Vance closed his eyes and leaned down, warming himself with the heat radiating from Ben‟s body.
He needed more time. He should have met with his CO before he left for San Diablo, but Vance hadn‟t been able to wait, hadn‟t been able to stay away from Ben a day longer. Now he had to leave and didn‟t want to.
Suck it up, soldier. You have a mission to complete.
Untangling his legs from Ben‟s, making sure not to wake him, Vance eased from the bed and gathered his clothing. He needed to stop by his apartment before heading for the