Waterborne (Wanderlust 3)

Chapter Twenty

It was still dark when Tanden woke up.

Despite how the evening had started, they had ended up in the captain's quarters. Tanden stared at the ceiling for a long time, watching the way the moonlight flickering off of the water outside flashed across the wood. Enjoying the weight of Soren's arm over his chest. Feeling the gentle swaying of the Wanderlust. Trying his best to not dwell on everything Soren had said the previous evening.

But it was impossible not to dwell, when everything Soren had said was so accurate. Not for the first time, Tanden wondered if he was really giving Soren everything he wanted. Everything he deserved. Tanden didn't want to be the type of person who only ever took.

He rolled onto his side to face Soren. He didn't want to think, but he was too awake to fall back asleep. So there was really only one option. He lay a hand on Soren's cheek, prickly from a few days' worth of stubble.

"Soren, mate?" He shifted a little closer to kiss Soren's forehead. "Are you awake?"

Soren grunted in reply.

"Interested in going for another round?"

Without opening his eyes, Soren smiled. "Reckon I could manage."

"Don't make me sound like a chore, mate."

Soren rolled, tugging Tanden along with him. Tanden found himself straddling Soren, the blankets tangled around and between them. With an annoyed huff, he pulled the sheets out of the way. Soren didn't help other than to move an arm out of the way for a moment, before he rested his hand on Tanden's hip again.

Once the blankets were out of the way, Tanden slid his hands over Soren's warm chest. His previous concern came back unbidden, and his hands went still.

"You are my equal."

Soren half-laughed, half-groaned, resting his head back on the pillow. "I talked too much, and now you're thinking too much. I know." His hands left Tanden's hips to slide up over his chest. He rubbed the ivory pendant on Tanden's necklace, then slipped his hands over Tanden's shoulders. He tugged and Tanden obliged, leaning down to meet Soren's lips.

"I know I'm your equal," Soren said, as their lips broke apart. "Now stop thinking, and fuck me."

One of those was easier to do than the other, but Tanden did his best to stop thinking and let his body take over. His body knew what to do, even if he couldn't get his mind to cooperate. Instead of dwelling on their earlier conversation, Tanden tried to focus on Soren—his cues, the words he was moaning, the ways he was moving. Tanden tried to give Soren exactly what he wanted.

They weren't quite finished when Tanden heard what sounded like a shriek. He froze, and beneath him, Soren propped himself up on his elbows. There was a moment of silence, while Tanden tried to decide if it had truly been a shriek, or if it had been more of a laugh. Some of the men, maybe, still drunk and enjoying their celebration.

Then they heard it again, echoing across the still waters of the night. Followed immediately by other alarmed shouts.

They were out of bed in an instant, pulling on clothes as they hurried across the room. Out of the corner of his eye, Tanden saw Soren grab a cutlass and almost thought of grabbing one himself. Then he opened the door to the captain's quarters and was stopped in his tracks by a sword pointing at his chest.

The first thing he really considered was how unprepared he was. Hastily pulled on pants and a tunic with trailing laces. No knife, no sword. He wasn't even wearing boots.

The second thing that occurred to him was that it was Rico at the other end of the sword, and that there were strangers standing behind him.

Tanden held up his hands, part placating, but mostly blocking the doorway so Soren couldn't push around him. "Rico." He said the name steadily. He may have not been sure how to act around Soren these days, but being a leader nearly always came easily. He was well trained. He smoothly slipped into what he jokingly called his 'lord act'. "We can discuss this without the sword pointing at my chest. I'm unarmed."