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A Matter Of Necessity

CHAPTER 1

They were going to die. FBI Special Agent Alex Ware had no doubts on that. He’d always rather suspected his death would come in the line of duty; he’d had too many close calls, too many narrow escapes and just plain lucky breaks. Regardless of the cliché used to explain a combination of luck, skill, and happenstance that allowed him to survive bullets and bombs, his allotted supply had run dry. And this time he’d take teammate and friend Shawn Matthews with him. He had only to look into eyes a shade or two brighter than his own more stormy blue to see Shawn realized that as well.

Alex sent a faint smile to his cohort and Shawn gave a shrug both to him and to their erstwhile murderer. “I told you, mate, Alex is a bit shy, that’s all.” The big Australian draped an arm over Alex’s shoulders. He was one of the few men Alex knew tall enough to do so. His long legs stretched out as they relaxed in the open, lounge-style booth next to the man who could order their execution at any moment.

James “The Jam” Ronnecker smiled in return, but the heavy suspicion on his rather saturnine face quite effectively sealed their death warrants.

“He’s cute that way.” Shawn continued as he leaned in to place a lingering kiss just below Alex’s earlobe. The faintest whisper escaped the lips pressed to the tender spot behind his jaw. “Let me handle this and don’t say anything. And, for the sake of our lives, don’t resist.”

Resist. That was the problem. Alex had known this undercover wouldn’t be easy when he took the assignment, but he’d thought he could carry it through. Infiltrating a new ring supplying weapons, possibly weapons of mass destruction, to whoever would pay their price wasn’t new or unusual. Dealing with a ring leader who didn’t trust straight men was. God knew David couldn’t pull it off. The gay-dar meter on that boy pinged so far over into straight it read as “flaming homophobic Neanderthal so unsure of his masculinity a pink shirt is a threat.” Mark was too old for this sort of field work. There wasn’t another female agent in the unit to team with Terri. That really only left Shawn and Alex. Luckily both were perfectly secure in their own sense of masculinity and not threatened by empty kisses in the name of national security.

And they’d done so. Kisses, hugs, mild groping. All the things a teenager would equate to getting to second base with some ventures toward third. And Alex found himself fine with it. Kissing Shawn neither repulsed or sickened him. It simply was. The job required it just as it required he put on a suit those mornings when he’d be more comfortable in casual clothes. Clinches with Shawn were little different. The other man fit him as comfortably as his tailor-made suits.

However, full out sex was a different matter. Penetration terrified Alex, the thought making him physically ill. He was willing to attempt it to save his life, of course. The adage “I’d rather die” being rather meaningless under the actual circumstances. But he felt quite sure he wouldn’t be able to convince a radically gay man he was familiar with the act and enjoyed it. Nevertheless he tilted his head to make it easier for Shawn and sighed a breathy affirmative. Please let the Aussie Wonder have a plan that would work. Alex really didn’t want to die right now.

“He’s cute alright, but too stiff for a party like this.” Ronnecker nuzzled his own boyfriend, an effeminate black boy probably far too young to be in the glitz, flash, and smoke of a hard-edged dance club. About the weapons dealer, other couples, gay and lesbian, danced and kissed and coupled openly, Ronnecker being a strong proponent of public displays of affection. Especially if it annoyed the straight community. Denizens of the club scene in general didn’t fit that criteria, especially the older sort who’d made it a lifestyle. Still Ronnecker liked sitting up in his VIP booth looking down on lesser mortals while being as outrageous as he possibly could.

“It’s that upper class New England upbringing. He’s from Boston.” Shawn trailed kisses along Alex’s jaw line. “I love that superior, better-than-the-hoi-polloi attitude. It’s adorable.” Alex could almost believe he meant it. “It makes it so much more fun when he forgets to be all restrained and proper.” Bright blue eyes sparked as a smile spread his generous lips. “It really turns me on.”

Something in the Australian’s voice sent a shiver through Alex. “Glad to hear it.” He swallowed and tried not to think of how Shawn would look with a bullet in the back of his head. For some reason that visual troubled him far more than imagining himself in the same state.

Shawn chuckled. “Yeah. And I know what turns you on, too.” His hand strayed to Alex’s fly. “You see, my very handsome darling here likes being loved. I don’t mean just sex. A man like him can get that anywhere. He likes being adored, knowing someone cares about him.” That wide, smiling mouth went soft. Damn, Shawn was a good actor. So good a tingle built in the pit of Alex’s stomach.

Baby blues met his square on. “Like I care about him. Always have. More than he can imagine.”

Alex’s breathing sped as a strong, broad hand freed him from his jeans and underwear. He couldn’t look away from that open, familiar face. Maybe that was the secret, just pretend there was no one around but him and Shawn. Just his friend. His teammate. A man he trusted to have his back regardless of what they faced. He swallowed as that hand wrapped about him.

“God, I love how you feel.” That breathy rumble shot straight through Alex, removing the doubts that he’d be able to work up some sort of desire. He was hardening already for the other man. Lips descended on his in a kiss as gentle but urgent as the fingers squeezing him and the thumb teasing his tip. Shawn pulled back, eyes burning with an intensity Alex had only seen there a few times.

“I love doing this. Touching you, watching you.” He pulled at Alex’s lower lip with his teeth for just an instant. “You have the best mouth.” That nearly obnoxious, too-wide grin appeared again. “Let me remind you how good mine is.”

Dear God! Shawn wouldn’t actually… Alex gasped when that broad mouth closed over him. Sweet merciful heaven! He could only stare and pant. Amusement glittered from Shawn as he caressed Alex with his tongue. He drew away with aching slowness.

“Now that’s the reaction I wanted.” The grin went slightly wicked and he licked at Alex’s tip before he drew the cock back into his mouth with that same slow virtuosity.