Untouchable (LGBT - SciFi - Romance)

Chapter 22

Despite his best intentions, Michael Banner found himself drifting off to sleep as he sat waiting for Alan. Too much Orion brandy! He stood up and stretched. Maybe a shower would help. He sent Alan a message on his wristcom to please come and see him, whatever time he got back, then stepped into the shower. Five minutes later he got out, feeling somewhat refreshed, and wrapped a towel around his waist, his mind finally made up.

As he waited, he gave himself a twisted smile, he'd never expected he'd be the one doing the seducing. He let the towel dip a fraction at the back. He'd been told often enough by the last man that his backside was his best feature.

Although he felt exhausted, Alan Stewart was happy to get the message from Banner. He wanted nothing more than to cuddle up to him and go to sleep. He wondered if he would let him stay the night if he promised no sex, just sleep. He flashed his ID at the door, eager to see him. The door opened and his eyes widened at the sight of Banner, naked in front of him, just a towel around his hips. He couldn't tear his eyes away from his smooth chest, the two brown nipples begging to be licked, the edge of the white fluffy towel dipping low over his hips, almost exposing ... He swallowed. What was going on?

Banner smiled. "Come in, I've been waiting for you." He turned away, giving the other man a good look at his taut, curved buttocks, a perfect 'm' showing above the line of the towel. Without being conscious of his feet moving, Stewart found himself across the room, standing only centimetres behind Banner. His hands were cupped, ready to mould themselves around his bottom. He couldn't believe this was real. What had happened to make Michael throw all his caution to the winds?

Banner stood there waiting for Alan to grab him and pull the towel off. He took a deep breath as Alan hesitated. "It's all right, if you want to fuck me," he said in a low voice, bracing himself.

Until that moment, Stewart had thought his arousal couldn't get any harder. He put his hands on Banner's shoulders, amazed to see they were trembling slightly.

"Are you sure?" he whispered, becoming aware of the rigid tension in the muscles under his hands. He took another look at Banner. He didn't look like a man overcome with passion. To be honest, he looked exactly like a man steeling himself for something ... unpleasant. What was going on here? Didn't he want to make love with him?

Apparently not.

He stayed there, unmoving for a moment, looking down at the beautiful man he had fallen in love with, the man who might love him as a friend, but was evidently not in love with him. It simply wasn't fair. How could he realise he was in love and have his heart broken on the same night?

Very gently, he stroked Banner's shoulders one last time and stepped back. "You know what? I'm really tired and I'm sure you are too. Maybe we should leave the sex, just get some sleep tonight." He turned Banner around to face him and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. Then he started towards the door.

Banner stared after him in disbelief. What had just happened? What had he done wrong? Didn't Alan want him anymore? His heart felt like a lump of ice in his chest, the coldness gradually seeping out to fill his whole body. He could have sworn Alan was on fire for him, but now he was just walking away, back to his own room, for god's sake.

"Alan? Don't go. Please."

Stewart froze, his eyes tightly clenched shut. He didn't know if he could do this, not tonight. Now Michael was going to tell him it had all been a mistake. That all he really had to offer was friendship. Or worse, he was going to offer his body again, under some sort of misguided sense of obligation. He thought of Michael lying beneath him, stoically enduring his caresses. He couldn't bear it.

He got in first. "It's all right, we can still be friends," he said rather incoherently. "I just ... I need to be alone tonight. I've got a lot to think about, a lot of decisions to make."

Banner could only think of one thing that had changed since Alan offered to leave his job for him. "Is it Lang?" He forced the words out. He had to know.

"What?"

"Is it Captain Lang?"

"Yes," Stewart answered, thinking about the events of that evening.

"I see." Banner pulled the towel up around his waist and tightened it rather viciously, painfully self-conscious. So much for Mr. Irresistible! He was struggling hard to keep his emotions in check. He didn't know whether he wanted to hit Alan or throw himself at his feet and beg him not to leave. How dared he say he loved him in one breath and that he was dumping him for another man in the next?

"Go, then!" Without waiting to see Alan leave, he turned and went into the bedroom, and stood with his back against the door for a long time, letting the tears run down his face.