Bonded: Book One in the Liminal Space Series

Chapter Thirty-Six

*Robbie*

Gentle touches drew him out of sleep, rousing his heart first, and then the rest of him. Wyl was with him in bed, holding him in his mouth, working his length with his exquisite tongue. "Wyl..."

"It's just me, relax." His lover was unyielding, using every skill he had to drive Robbie towards a fast orgasm. It didn't take long for him to cascade into overdrive, clutching at Wyl as he came. The pleasure swayed his mind, momentarily driving away all anxiety and sleepiness and bathing him in sweet amnesia, leaving nothing but enjoyable aftershocks and the abiding peace that came from getting Wyl's undivided attention.

Body and memory slowly intruded, though, and he pulled Wyl up and onto him as he tried to pull a coherent sentence together. "Wyl. Where've you been, baby?"

"Worked late. Go back to sleep." They kissed, and Wyl was so sweet and pliable and delicious. Robbie held him as he fell asleep, finally relaxed.

Wyl was holding him when he woke up. He was still sleeping, but he was clutching Robbie's right arm, and his head was on Robbie's shoulder. He looked completely exhausted. Robbie kissed his forehead, then very gently eased out of his hold and headed into the bathroom. There was no need to wake Wyl yet.

He headed into the kitchen, made a tea for himself and ordered Wyl a condensed espresso, then got started on breakfast. He decided to make French toast, Wyl's favorite. While he worked he sang, trying to remember the words to La Vie En Rose. There was something about ancient Earth reminiscences that comforted Robbie.

"Il est entré dans mon coeur, une part de bonheur, dont je connais la cause, c'est lui pour moi, moi pour lui, dans la vie..." He had read the translation, but the words flowed so much better in the original tongue. He for me, and me for him...

"You can leave."

Robbie turned and looked at Wyl, standing disheveled in the bedroom doorway. "What?"

"You can go. It's fine."

Robbie frowned. "Where do you think I'm going?"

Wyl averted his eyes. "Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Pretend you don't get what I'm talking about."

Robbie set down the pan he was holding. "I don't know what you're talking about, Wyl. Why don't you tell me?"

"Do me a favor, okay, and don't treat me like an idiot," Wyl said heatedly. "I know about the offer, I know you want to take it, so you should take it. Just take it. I'm fine, I'll be fine, I don't need you to be here all the time. I'm not a child."

"What...did you listen in on my conversation with Garrett?" Robbie didn't know whether to be more worried or angry. "Why didn't you come inside and talk to me?"

"I don't enjoy listening to you guys talk. I didn't stay for all of it." Wyl was avoiding looking at him.

"What the hell?" Anger won the battle. "You eavesdrop on a conversation you had no business listening to in the first place, then you decide what I want and what I should do without even bothering to talk to me. How is that fair?"

"Fair doesn't come into it! Just go and say yes and do what you want!"

"I want to talk to you!"

"But I don't want to talk to you." Wyl finally did look up, and he looked desolate. "I have nothing to say about this. I don't want to think about it. I just want you to go. I'm not going to be a regret to you, Robbie. I'm not going to be a hang-up. I'm not going to keep you from what you want. You miss what you did before, so you should go and do it now. Don't think on me, just go say yes."

"Wyl—"

"Just go!" Wyl shouted. "Stop talking to me and go! I don't want to be involved in any of it, and it's not like I'm going anywhere, so you don't have to worry about me. So fucking go and stop staring at me."

Anger turned to cold reason in Robbie's mind."Fine." He brushed past Wyl and walked over to pull one of hisuniforms out of the closet. "You want me gone, I'm gone." He walkedout of the apartment, some childish part of him making sure to slam the door asit closed behind him. Robbie closed his eyes, took a few deep breaths, thenheaded towards his office.