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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Strangers in the Night
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction AU
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 3,306
Summary: Andrej’s driving home from Phoenix late at night when he spots something – or possibly someone – on the side of the road.
Author’s Notes: Written for the bingo challenge at 1_million_words. Note, this prompt – hitchhiker – wasn’t on my card, but it spoke to me so I wrote it anyway.
He hated this stretch of US 93 between Phoenix and Las Vegas. It was long, lonely expanse of desert that, while boring in the daylight, became a touch sinister once the sun went down. If he ran off the road tonight, it could take days, possibly weeks, before someone found him. Hell, he could stop for a hitchhiker and get murdered, and no one would be the wiser.
Or maybe he watched too many slasher flicks when he couldn’t sleep at night.
Not like there were any hitchhikers this far between cities. He’d passed Kingman twenty miles ago, meaning there was still another seventy miles or so until the outskirts of the Las Vegas valley. No one in their right mind would be out here at this time of night. Especially not with a storm brewing.
Something moved off on the side of the road just up ahead, catching his attention. Probably just an animal, he thought, writing it off to the darkness and cloud cover. A flash of lightning lit the sky and he saw it move again, more clearly this time around. No, that was definitely human. Damn, what was someone doing out here after midnight? Trying to get themselves killed?
Slowing, he debated whether he should stop or keep on driving. He was due at work in the morning, so the sooner he got home, the better. But what if this person on the side of the highway was injured? Lost?
What if he’s a serial killer, he asked himself.
That’s it, he wasn’t going to stop. He didn’t have time for this crap tonight. It was late, he was tired, and he was craving a night in his own bed for a change. A peal of thunder rolled through the air, followed by a quick flash of lightning. Fuck, he thought, hitting the brakes and pulling to the side of the road, his best intentions be damned. Cursing himself, he rolled the window down a couple inches as the dark silhouette jogged towards him.
“Hey,” a sultry voice with a sweet southern accent said, “thanks for stopping, man. I was afraid I was going to spend my night under a Joshua tree getting soaked.”
The face leaned closer, and he got a whiff of damp, desert air tinged with something spicy and male. He was handsome, with a strong jaw, dark, wavy hair, and brilliant green eyes. When he smiled, he looked like something out of an old Hollywood movie. Andrej felt his heart skip a beat.
Pulling himself together, he asked, “Where are you headed?”
“Anywhere but here,” the stranger said. “I’ll ride as far as you’ll take me.”
Yeah, that wasn’t the best wording, he thought, feeling his body react to the suggestion in the stranger’s words. “Get in,” he said. “I believe this storm is about to break soon.”
The stranger grinned. “Thanks,” he said, trotting around to the passenger’s side and climbing in. He tossed his backpack into the back seat before reaching out a hand. “Zayne Reyes.”
“Andrej Zeklos,” he replied, unable to take his eyes off the man sitting two feet from him. “I am heading for Las Vegas,” he said. “It’s where I live. If you’re wanting to go farther, I can get you to a bus station or the airport.”
“Right now, I’m just happy to be out of the elements,” Zayne said. He pulled his seatbelt on and clicked it into place. “We’d better get moving. Once the rain starts, we’ll have to pull over. Visibility is shit here at night.”
Carefully, Andrej pulled out onto the highway and started towards home again. Rain sprinkled lightly on the windshield, obscuring his vision. “It is annoying when there is enough rain to muss your windshield but not enough to use your wipers.”
Zayne smiled. “I like how you talk. You’re not from around here, are you?”
Andrej glanced at him and frowned. “I said I was from Las Vegas.”
“Not what I meant, honey.”
Frowning harder, he shook his head. “I am from Romania although I have been in the US nearly as long as I was in my homeland now.”
He nodded and stared out the windshield. “It’s an interesting accent. I like how exotic it is.” A few drops of rain hit the glass a bit harder than they had before. “Shit. Keep your eyes peeled for a motel or gas station.”
“Why?”
“Because the heavens are about to open up and drop their fury on us, baby.” Zayne started scanning the stretch of road ahead, praying for a safe place to pull off and wait out the storm. “There,” he said, pointing. “I think that’s a motel right there.”
Flipping on his turn signal, Andrej pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of the dingiest building he’d ever seen. He’d barely parked the car when the storm broke. Zayne hadn’t been kidding either. He could barely see the lines on the asphalt marking the spaces. Figuring no one else was likely to pull in after them, he parked as best he could.
“Told you,” Zayne said, grinning. “I guess we wait it out now.”
Folding his hands in his lap, Andrej waited. The rain pounded the hood of the car, the thunder shaking the ground beneath them. It had felt like forever and still, the rain came down. “I am beginning to think that we might have to make a mad dash into the motel lobby. It does not look like it is going to let up anytime soon.”
Leaning forward, Zayne listened to the thunder, jumped when a flash of lightning hit. “I think you’re right. By my estimation, the storm’s not even fully here yet. It’s only going to get worse.”
“What should we do?” His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly. The smart thing would be to get a room so they could stretch out and get some sleep. But he wasn’t sure sharing a room with a stranger was such a good idea. Especially when the stranger was as charming and handsome as this one.
“A room might be our best option,” he said. Turning, he grabbed his backpack from where it was on the floor behind him. “I don’t have much cash, but I can give you something towards the room.”
Andrej shook his head. “Do not worry,” he said, surprising himself. He took the keys out of the ignition and sighed. “I will go get us a room.”
He waited for the closest thing to a break in the storm before darting out of the car and into the rental office. While he waited for the night clerk to get off the phone, he thought about the stupid thing he was about to do. Hadn’t he just been thinking about serial killers? It’d almost be worth it to be the next victim if – no, he stopped that line of thought there. It didn’t matter how damn attractive the guy was, no sex was worth getting murdered over.
His cock was inclined to disagree.
“Thank you,” he said, taking the key from the clerk and running back out into the wet night.
“Took you long enough,” Zayne teased. “You get a room?”
Andrej nodded, droplets of rain flying from his head as he did so. “He was on the phone so it took a bit longer than expected. However, we are in number four, which is to the left.”
They ran for the safety of the awning over number four, getting soaked in the process. Andrej slid the key into the door and unlocked it, pushing it open so Zayne could follow him inside. The room wasn’t much, but it had been cleaner than expected. A bonus in Andrej’s eyes. Looking around the room, he discovered a major issue.
“There’s only one bed, honey,” Zayne pointed out.
Yes, yes there was only one bed. And no couch. “I can sleep on the floor.”
“The hell you say,” Zayne laughed. “You can share the bed with me. I promise I won’t bite. Well, I mean, unless you’re into that.” With a wink, he took his backpack and disappeared into the bathroom.
Andrej looked down at the bulge pressing against the front of his jeans and called his cock a whore. “You will get excited for any pretty face, won’t you?” Shaking his head, he opened his small suitcase and took out a pair of pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt. Making sure he was dry and changed before Zayne emerged from the bathroom was his top priority. Right up there with seeing how sexy the man was in his pj’s.
“Are you okay,” Zayne asked, appearing in nothing but a pair of flannel pants. “Well, I mean outside of the obvious.”
Squinting, he noticed that Zayne’s pants were covered in little black cats. “Obvious,” he stuttered, unsure what Zayne was referring to.
“Ya know,” Zayne said, parking his ass on the foot of the bed, his wet hair sticking up playfully. “Being forced to spend the night alone with a stranger? You could be a serial killer for all I know. A cute serial killer, but psycho all the same.”
Laughing, Andrej shook his head. “I had the same thought about you.”
“That I was cute but homicidal?”
“No,” Andrej spluttered. More like smoking hot and dangerous. “That you might be a serial killer.”
Zayne patted the mattress next to him. “I’m not a serial killer. I’m not even a one-time killer. You’re safe with me.” He eyed Andrej’s body appreciatively. “Or, mostly safe with me.”
Flushing to the roots of his hair, Andrej crossed his arms over his chest. “Do not tease.”
“Hmm, it’s been a minute then, eh?” Zayne tilted his head and frowned. “You’re pretty hot and seem to be really sweet. How is it you don’t have anyone?”
His arms fell limply to his sides. “I work too much.”
“Ah,” Zayne said. He patted the mattress again. “Sit. Do you overwork by choice?”
With a sigh, he sat. “No. I am a homicide detective with Metro in Las Vegas. The overtime comes with the territory.”
“I understand. Used to be with the department in Austin until I couldn’t deal any longer.” He looked at Andrej’s curious face. “My partner got killed while undercover. Haven’t had the heart to go back – to both Austin and police work. She was my only family.”
“I am sorry,” Andrej said, reaching out a hand and hesitating. He didn’t know this guy, he could be lying but there was something in his demeanor that told Andrej he was being honest. Screw it, he thought, and let his hand rest on Zayne’s thigh.
“Thanks, man,” Zayne said, allowing his hand to cover the top of Andrej’s, engulfing it. “I - shit.”
Before Zayne could finish his sentence, they were swallowed by darkness.
“The power must have gone out” Andrej said needlessly.
“Guess we have no choice but to go to bed now,” Zayne teased. “Come on, I promise I won’t take advantage.”
Using his cell phone’s flashlight app, Andrej lit the room until they were both under the covers on opposite sides of the bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
“Hey,” a voice whispered, a strong hand gripping his shoulder. “Wake up.”
It took a long, quiet moment before the events of earlier came back to him. The man in his bed was Zayne Reyes, an ex-cop from Austin. Tall, dark, and more handsome than should be legal. “What - what’s the matter?”
“You’re shivering,” Zayne said. “I don’t think the rain’s stopped since the power went out and it’s a tad bit nipply in here. These blankets are useless.”
As if on cue, another shiver wracked his body. “I did not grow up in a warm climate,” he muttered. “You would think that this would not be an issue.”
“Yeah, but once your body gets used to being warm, it’s hard to convince it that it ever put up with the cold. It’s why I moved to Arizona when I left Texas. Not quite so humid, but warm.” He brushed his fingers against Andrej’s arm. “Come here. If you’re closer, my body heat might help keep you warm.”
“I am not comfortable with this,” he said, “however, I am freezing.”
Zayne chuckled, low and rich. When Andrej was close enough, he wrapped his arms around him, pulling his rescuer’s back into his chest. “Don’t fight me, it’s the only way either of us will stay warm.”
Andrej wiggled until he was more comfortable. Relaxing back against Zayne’s embrace, he stilled. “I have a feeling we are both a little too warm at the moment.” A long, thick line of hard muscle pressed against Andrej’s back. The man wasn’t just gorgeous, he thought, but also packing a deadly weapon in his pants. The last thing Andrej didn’t need to know. But fuck if it didn’t stir something inside him.
“That’s another way we could keep warm,” Zayne drawled, his voice like honey to Andrej’s ears. His lips brushed Andrej’s neck. “You game?”
“I do not even know you,” Andrej stuttered. On one hand, he was appalled at the suggestion. On the other, very lonely hand, he was tempted. Swallowing his worry, he turned in the stranger’s arms until he was facing him. “So, why do I want to say yes?”
Zayne leaned in closer, his breath hot on Andrej’s skin. “Because who will ever know besides you and me?”
Andrej squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, debating. Then, before he could think any better of it, he bridged the miniscule distance that separated himself from paradise. Pressing his lips against Zayne’s he made his choice.
Grunting, Zayne rolled Andrej onto his back, pressing him into the mattress. “You sure about this?”
“No,” Andrej gasped, arching into the grind of Zayne’s hips. “But I am going to say yes anyway.”
Chuckling, Zayne divested them both of every last shred of clothing they’d been wearing. They explored each other in the dark the only way they knew how – with fingers, lips, and occasionally teeth. Touching, kissing, and nipping their way along each other’s skin until they knew each other by heart.
Andrej buried his face in the pillow, one of Zayne’s hands on his back, the other gripping his hip tightly. Crying out into the flat, tired pile of feathers, Andrej allowed himself to be used by this handsome stranger. Taking eagerly every inch of cock that was being offered and begging for more. Zayne hadn’t been wrong in his assumptions before, it had been a long time since he’d felt another’s touch. But even when he’d still been with his ex – an attractive redheaded attorney he’d met on the job – it hadn’t ever been quite like this. Rough, passionate, desperate.
His arms gave way as he came, dropping him onto the mattress, Zayne’s strong body landing heavily on him. They panted hard, each too wrecked to utter a word. Zayne brushed a sweaty lock of hair out of Andrej’s face and kissed his temple.
“That was fucking something, wasn’t it,” he asked. He moved himself off Andrej but didn’t move away. “Gotta admit, I’m warm as hell now.”
The ridiculousness of the situation caught up with him and Andrej started to laugh. He rolled onto his back and smiled at Zayne. “I am hot and wet and exhausted if you want to be precise.”
“Precise can be a good thing,” Zayne agreed. Yawning, he rested his head on Andrej’s chest and fell asleep.
Toying with Zayne’s hair, Andrej watched him sleep. He knew that in the morning, everything would go back to the way it had been. He’d drive Zayne into the city as he’d promised, but then, they’d part ways. More than likely, they’d never see each other again. Weirdly, Andrej wasn’t sure how he felt about that possibility. With a jaw-cracking yawn, he decided he could reevaluate that thought in the morning.
Andrej’s heart dropped at the sight of the sign marking the Las Vegas City Limits. For the hell of it, he and Zayne had gone for a second round of sweaty sex before departing the motel. He'd figured why not, right? It wasn’t like he hadn’t already fucked the guy. Might as well give him a proper farewell. And yet, it ate at his soul knowing that in less than an hour, he’d be leaving this sweet and sexy stranger at the bus station.
“Where are you going to go,” Andrej asked. He didn’t want to know, wasn’t sure he could bear to know, but felt the need to ask anyway.
“No clue,” Zayne replied, staring out the passenger window. “I don’t have any family any longer and no job prospects. So, it’s not like it matters in the end.”
But it did matter. It mattered to Andrej, even if he couldn’t put his finger on why. “Are you positive you never want to work in law enforcement again?”
Zayne sighed. “I don’t know. It's been six years since I lost Hil, and some days, I think I can do this shit again.”
“But?”
Zayne shrugged. “But I just don’t.”
He gripped the steering wheel tightly, reminding himself of the night before. Taking a deep breath, he offered up a piece of information he never thought he’d venture. “There is an opening,” he said. “In the homicide department where I work. You would not be my partner; however, Trish is pretty fantastic. I think you would like her.” He glanced at Zayne and smiled. “That is, if you are interested?”
Zayne licked his lips, watching Andrej intently. “Would you act like you didn’t know me?”
“I am not sure I could even if I wanted to, Zayne.” He shook his head. “I am not sure if this,” he waved his hand vaguely at the desert in front of them, “is such a good idea, but I have become very fond of you in the last twelve hours.”
“Does that mean there’s a chance?”
“A chance of what?”
“Of this continuing, if I stay?” He tapped his fingers on the car door, eyes focused on the city emerging before them.
His grip on the steering wheel relaxed. “I should say no because I still do not know you.” He tilted his head to the side for a second. “However, you are undeniably irresistible.”
“And?” Zayne’s grin widened until it was as large as his home state.
“And I am not sure I have the ability to tell you no.” He chuckled at how odd this whole trip had been. “What is worse, even though we haven’t even known each other for a full day, I am not sure I want to say no.”
Zayne nodded and stared out the windshield.
“What do you think, Zayne? Do you feel like returning to the world of law enforcement?”
“I’m not sure,” he said, reaching out a hand and letting it rest on Andrej’s knee. “However, I think that I could be persuaded.”
“And what would it take to persuade you,” Andrej asked. He got off the freeway and headed towards his home. It was stupid to let a stranger know where he lived, but he had a feeling Zayne wasn’t going to stay a stranger for long.
“Tell me you want me to stay.”
He glanced at Zayne and saw the need in his eyes. That desire to be wanted was strong, it was something Andrej felt himself, even more now since James had left. This stranger, the hitchhiker he’d picked up on a deserted stretch of highway, had lost everything. Was this his chance to rebuild it all and be happy again? There was only one way for either of them to find out.
“I want you to stay.”
Fandom: Romani Detective Original Fiction AU
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Zayne Reyes
Rating: NC-17
Word Count: 3,306
Summary: Andrej’s driving home from Phoenix late at night when he spots something – or possibly someone – on the side of the road.
Author’s Notes: Written for the bingo challenge at 1_million_words. Note, this prompt – hitchhiker – wasn’t on my card, but it spoke to me so I wrote it anyway.
He hated this stretch of US 93 between Phoenix and Las Vegas. It was long, lonely expanse of desert that, while boring in the daylight, became a touch sinister once the sun went down. If he ran off the road tonight, it could take days, possibly weeks, before someone found him. Hell, he could stop for a hitchhiker and get murdered, and no one would be the wiser.
Or maybe he watched too many slasher flicks when he couldn’t sleep at night.
Not like there were any hitchhikers this far between cities. He’d passed Kingman twenty miles ago, meaning there was still another seventy miles or so until the outskirts of the Las Vegas valley. No one in their right mind would be out here at this time of night. Especially not with a storm brewing.
Something moved off on the side of the road just up ahead, catching his attention. Probably just an animal, he thought, writing it off to the darkness and cloud cover. A flash of lightning lit the sky and he saw it move again, more clearly this time around. No, that was definitely human. Damn, what was someone doing out here after midnight? Trying to get themselves killed?
Slowing, he debated whether he should stop or keep on driving. He was due at work in the morning, so the sooner he got home, the better. But what if this person on the side of the highway was injured? Lost?
What if he’s a serial killer, he asked himself.
That’s it, he wasn’t going to stop. He didn’t have time for this crap tonight. It was late, he was tired, and he was craving a night in his own bed for a change. A peal of thunder rolled through the air, followed by a quick flash of lightning. Fuck, he thought, hitting the brakes and pulling to the side of the road, his best intentions be damned. Cursing himself, he rolled the window down a couple inches as the dark silhouette jogged towards him.
“Hey,” a sultry voice with a sweet southern accent said, “thanks for stopping, man. I was afraid I was going to spend my night under a Joshua tree getting soaked.”
The face leaned closer, and he got a whiff of damp, desert air tinged with something spicy and male. He was handsome, with a strong jaw, dark, wavy hair, and brilliant green eyes. When he smiled, he looked like something out of an old Hollywood movie. Andrej felt his heart skip a beat.
Pulling himself together, he asked, “Where are you headed?”
“Anywhere but here,” the stranger said. “I’ll ride as far as you’ll take me.”
Yeah, that wasn’t the best wording, he thought, feeling his body react to the suggestion in the stranger’s words. “Get in,” he said. “I believe this storm is about to break soon.”
The stranger grinned. “Thanks,” he said, trotting around to the passenger’s side and climbing in. He tossed his backpack into the back seat before reaching out a hand. “Zayne Reyes.”
“Andrej Zeklos,” he replied, unable to take his eyes off the man sitting two feet from him. “I am heading for Las Vegas,” he said. “It’s where I live. If you’re wanting to go farther, I can get you to a bus station or the airport.”
“Right now, I’m just happy to be out of the elements,” Zayne said. He pulled his seatbelt on and clicked it into place. “We’d better get moving. Once the rain starts, we’ll have to pull over. Visibility is shit here at night.”
Carefully, Andrej pulled out onto the highway and started towards home again. Rain sprinkled lightly on the windshield, obscuring his vision. “It is annoying when there is enough rain to muss your windshield but not enough to use your wipers.”
Zayne smiled. “I like how you talk. You’re not from around here, are you?”
Andrej glanced at him and frowned. “I said I was from Las Vegas.”
“Not what I meant, honey.”
Frowning harder, he shook his head. “I am from Romania although I have been in the US nearly as long as I was in my homeland now.”
He nodded and stared out the windshield. “It’s an interesting accent. I like how exotic it is.” A few drops of rain hit the glass a bit harder than they had before. “Shit. Keep your eyes peeled for a motel or gas station.”
“Why?”
“Because the heavens are about to open up and drop their fury on us, baby.” Zayne started scanning the stretch of road ahead, praying for a safe place to pull off and wait out the storm. “There,” he said, pointing. “I think that’s a motel right there.”
Flipping on his turn signal, Andrej pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of the dingiest building he’d ever seen. He’d barely parked the car when the storm broke. Zayne hadn’t been kidding either. He could barely see the lines on the asphalt marking the spaces. Figuring no one else was likely to pull in after them, he parked as best he could.
“Told you,” Zayne said, grinning. “I guess we wait it out now.”
Folding his hands in his lap, Andrej waited. The rain pounded the hood of the car, the thunder shaking the ground beneath them. It had felt like forever and still, the rain came down. “I am beginning to think that we might have to make a mad dash into the motel lobby. It does not look like it is going to let up anytime soon.”
Leaning forward, Zayne listened to the thunder, jumped when a flash of lightning hit. “I think you’re right. By my estimation, the storm’s not even fully here yet. It’s only going to get worse.”
“What should we do?” His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly. The smart thing would be to get a room so they could stretch out and get some sleep. But he wasn’t sure sharing a room with a stranger was such a good idea. Especially when the stranger was as charming and handsome as this one.
“A room might be our best option,” he said. Turning, he grabbed his backpack from where it was on the floor behind him. “I don’t have much cash, but I can give you something towards the room.”
Andrej shook his head. “Do not worry,” he said, surprising himself. He took the keys out of the ignition and sighed. “I will go get us a room.”
He waited for the closest thing to a break in the storm before darting out of the car and into the rental office. While he waited for the night clerk to get off the phone, he thought about the stupid thing he was about to do. Hadn’t he just been thinking about serial killers? It’d almost be worth it to be the next victim if – no, he stopped that line of thought there. It didn’t matter how damn attractive the guy was, no sex was worth getting murdered over.
His cock was inclined to disagree.
“Thank you,” he said, taking the key from the clerk and running back out into the wet night.
“Took you long enough,” Zayne teased. “You get a room?”
Andrej nodded, droplets of rain flying from his head as he did so. “He was on the phone so it took a bit longer than expected. However, we are in number four, which is to the left.”
They ran for the safety of the awning over number four, getting soaked in the process. Andrej slid the key into the door and unlocked it, pushing it open so Zayne could follow him inside. The room wasn’t much, but it had been cleaner than expected. A bonus in Andrej’s eyes. Looking around the room, he discovered a major issue.
“There’s only one bed, honey,” Zayne pointed out.
Yes, yes there was only one bed. And no couch. “I can sleep on the floor.”
“The hell you say,” Zayne laughed. “You can share the bed with me. I promise I won’t bite. Well, I mean, unless you’re into that.” With a wink, he took his backpack and disappeared into the bathroom.
Andrej looked down at the bulge pressing against the front of his jeans and called his cock a whore. “You will get excited for any pretty face, won’t you?” Shaking his head, he opened his small suitcase and took out a pair of pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt. Making sure he was dry and changed before Zayne emerged from the bathroom was his top priority. Right up there with seeing how sexy the man was in his pj’s.
“Are you okay,” Zayne asked, appearing in nothing but a pair of flannel pants. “Well, I mean outside of the obvious.”
Squinting, he noticed that Zayne’s pants were covered in little black cats. “Obvious,” he stuttered, unsure what Zayne was referring to.
“Ya know,” Zayne said, parking his ass on the foot of the bed, his wet hair sticking up playfully. “Being forced to spend the night alone with a stranger? You could be a serial killer for all I know. A cute serial killer, but psycho all the same.”
Laughing, Andrej shook his head. “I had the same thought about you.”
“That I was cute but homicidal?”
“No,” Andrej spluttered. More like smoking hot and dangerous. “That you might be a serial killer.”
Zayne patted the mattress next to him. “I’m not a serial killer. I’m not even a one-time killer. You’re safe with me.” He eyed Andrej’s body appreciatively. “Or, mostly safe with me.”
Flushing to the roots of his hair, Andrej crossed his arms over his chest. “Do not tease.”
“Hmm, it’s been a minute then, eh?” Zayne tilted his head and frowned. “You’re pretty hot and seem to be really sweet. How is it you don’t have anyone?”
His arms fell limply to his sides. “I work too much.”
“Ah,” Zayne said. He patted the mattress again. “Sit. Do you overwork by choice?”
With a sigh, he sat. “No. I am a homicide detective with Metro in Las Vegas. The overtime comes with the territory.”
“I understand. Used to be with the department in Austin until I couldn’t deal any longer.” He looked at Andrej’s curious face. “My partner got killed while undercover. Haven’t had the heart to go back – to both Austin and police work. She was my only family.”
“I am sorry,” Andrej said, reaching out a hand and hesitating. He didn’t know this guy, he could be lying but there was something in his demeanor that told Andrej he was being honest. Screw it, he thought, and let his hand rest on Zayne’s thigh.
“Thanks, man,” Zayne said, allowing his hand to cover the top of Andrej’s, engulfing it. “I - shit.”
Before Zayne could finish his sentence, they were swallowed by darkness.
“The power must have gone out” Andrej said needlessly.
“Guess we have no choice but to go to bed now,” Zayne teased. “Come on, I promise I won’t take advantage.”
Using his cell phone’s flashlight app, Andrej lit the room until they were both under the covers on opposite sides of the bed. He was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
“Hey,” a voice whispered, a strong hand gripping his shoulder. “Wake up.”
It took a long, quiet moment before the events of earlier came back to him. The man in his bed was Zayne Reyes, an ex-cop from Austin. Tall, dark, and more handsome than should be legal. “What - what’s the matter?”
“You’re shivering,” Zayne said. “I don’t think the rain’s stopped since the power went out and it’s a tad bit nipply in here. These blankets are useless.”
As if on cue, another shiver wracked his body. “I did not grow up in a warm climate,” he muttered. “You would think that this would not be an issue.”
“Yeah, but once your body gets used to being warm, it’s hard to convince it that it ever put up with the cold. It’s why I moved to Arizona when I left Texas. Not quite so humid, but warm.” He brushed his fingers against Andrej’s arm. “Come here. If you’re closer, my body heat might help keep you warm.”
“I am not comfortable with this,” he said, “however, I am freezing.”
Zayne chuckled, low and rich. When Andrej was close enough, he wrapped his arms around him, pulling his rescuer’s back into his chest. “Don’t fight me, it’s the only way either of us will stay warm.”
Andrej wiggled until he was more comfortable. Relaxing back against Zayne’s embrace, he stilled. “I have a feeling we are both a little too warm at the moment.” A long, thick line of hard muscle pressed against Andrej’s back. The man wasn’t just gorgeous, he thought, but also packing a deadly weapon in his pants. The last thing Andrej didn’t need to know. But fuck if it didn’t stir something inside him.
“That’s another way we could keep warm,” Zayne drawled, his voice like honey to Andrej’s ears. His lips brushed Andrej’s neck. “You game?”
“I do not even know you,” Andrej stuttered. On one hand, he was appalled at the suggestion. On the other, very lonely hand, he was tempted. Swallowing his worry, he turned in the stranger’s arms until he was facing him. “So, why do I want to say yes?”
Zayne leaned in closer, his breath hot on Andrej’s skin. “Because who will ever know besides you and me?”
Andrej squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, debating. Then, before he could think any better of it, he bridged the miniscule distance that separated himself from paradise. Pressing his lips against Zayne’s he made his choice.
Grunting, Zayne rolled Andrej onto his back, pressing him into the mattress. “You sure about this?”
“No,” Andrej gasped, arching into the grind of Zayne’s hips. “But I am going to say yes anyway.”
Chuckling, Zayne divested them both of every last shred of clothing they’d been wearing. They explored each other in the dark the only way they knew how – with fingers, lips, and occasionally teeth. Touching, kissing, and nipping their way along each other’s skin until they knew each other by heart.
Andrej buried his face in the pillow, one of Zayne’s hands on his back, the other gripping his hip tightly. Crying out into the flat, tired pile of feathers, Andrej allowed himself to be used by this handsome stranger. Taking eagerly every inch of cock that was being offered and begging for more. Zayne hadn’t been wrong in his assumptions before, it had been a long time since he’d felt another’s touch. But even when he’d still been with his ex – an attractive redheaded attorney he’d met on the job – it hadn’t ever been quite like this. Rough, passionate, desperate.
His arms gave way as he came, dropping him onto the mattress, Zayne’s strong body landing heavily on him. They panted hard, each too wrecked to utter a word. Zayne brushed a sweaty lock of hair out of Andrej’s face and kissed his temple.
“That was fucking something, wasn’t it,” he asked. He moved himself off Andrej but didn’t move away. “Gotta admit, I’m warm as hell now.”
The ridiculousness of the situation caught up with him and Andrej started to laugh. He rolled onto his back and smiled at Zayne. “I am hot and wet and exhausted if you want to be precise.”
“Precise can be a good thing,” Zayne agreed. Yawning, he rested his head on Andrej’s chest and fell asleep.
Toying with Zayne’s hair, Andrej watched him sleep. He knew that in the morning, everything would go back to the way it had been. He’d drive Zayne into the city as he’d promised, but then, they’d part ways. More than likely, they’d never see each other again. Weirdly, Andrej wasn’t sure how he felt about that possibility. With a jaw-cracking yawn, he decided he could reevaluate that thought in the morning.
Andrej’s heart dropped at the sight of the sign marking the Las Vegas City Limits. For the hell of it, he and Zayne had gone for a second round of sweaty sex before departing the motel. He'd figured why not, right? It wasn’t like he hadn’t already fucked the guy. Might as well give him a proper farewell. And yet, it ate at his soul knowing that in less than an hour, he’d be leaving this sweet and sexy stranger at the bus station.
“Where are you going to go,” Andrej asked. He didn’t want to know, wasn’t sure he could bear to know, but felt the need to ask anyway.
“No clue,” Zayne replied, staring out the passenger window. “I don’t have any family any longer and no job prospects. So, it’s not like it matters in the end.”
But it did matter. It mattered to Andrej, even if he couldn’t put his finger on why. “Are you positive you never want to work in law enforcement again?”
Zayne sighed. “I don’t know. It's been six years since I lost Hil, and some days, I think I can do this shit again.”
“But?”
Zayne shrugged. “But I just don’t.”
He gripped the steering wheel tightly, reminding himself of the night before. Taking a deep breath, he offered up a piece of information he never thought he’d venture. “There is an opening,” he said. “In the homicide department where I work. You would not be my partner; however, Trish is pretty fantastic. I think you would like her.” He glanced at Zayne and smiled. “That is, if you are interested?”
Zayne licked his lips, watching Andrej intently. “Would you act like you didn’t know me?”
“I am not sure I could even if I wanted to, Zayne.” He shook his head. “I am not sure if this,” he waved his hand vaguely at the desert in front of them, “is such a good idea, but I have become very fond of you in the last twelve hours.”
“Does that mean there’s a chance?”
“A chance of what?”
“Of this continuing, if I stay?” He tapped his fingers on the car door, eyes focused on the city emerging before them.
His grip on the steering wheel relaxed. “I should say no because I still do not know you.” He tilted his head to the side for a second. “However, you are undeniably irresistible.”
“And?” Zayne’s grin widened until it was as large as his home state.
“And I am not sure I have the ability to tell you no.” He chuckled at how odd this whole trip had been. “What is worse, even though we haven’t even known each other for a full day, I am not sure I want to say no.”
Zayne nodded and stared out the windshield.
“What do you think, Zayne? Do you feel like returning to the world of law enforcement?”
“I’m not sure,” he said, reaching out a hand and letting it rest on Andrej’s knee. “However, I think that I could be persuaded.”
“And what would it take to persuade you,” Andrej asked. He got off the freeway and headed towards his home. It was stupid to let a stranger know where he lived, but he had a feeling Zayne wasn’t going to stay a stranger for long.
“Tell me you want me to stay.”
He glanced at Zayne and saw the need in his eyes. That desire to be wanted was strong, it was something Andrej felt himself, even more now since James had left. This stranger, the hitchhiker he’d picked up on a deserted stretch of highway, had lost everything. Was this his chance to rebuild it all and be happy again? There was only one way for either of them to find out.
“I want you to stay.”
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no subject
Date: 2021-04-19 02:44 am (UTC)Ooops. Damn hands.
Hahaha... that at least wasn't Spotify, it was the radio. And it was rather appropriate at least.
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Date: 2021-04-19 02:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-04-19 12:24 pm (UTC)