Despite the Chris Isaak-esque title, this story was written to a soundtrack of every version of Poe's "Hey Pretty." Damn fine song, that. Find it if you can. Thanks go to Emerald, Karma, Dementia, and Meli for betaing above and beyond, and to Nomi for helping this vanilla sex woman with the necessary research. The mistakes that remain are solely mine.

The voice reached him first, a blend of smoke and honey that insinuated its way into his brain and stroked sensual fingers across his libido. It was perfect, just the mood he'd been looking for tonight, and Ben Krieg smiled as his feet took him farther into the nightclub without conscious thought. This was a little trendier than his usual hangouts, the crowd a little younger, but there was no denying the appeal of that sweet-husky voice or the lean, warm bodies that brushed up against his as he made his way to the stage in the corner. Men and women alike smiled at him invitingly, but he couldn't stop yet. Not with that voice drawing him on.

The stage wasn't that high and the dance floor was tightly packed, so all Ben saw of the singer was the top of a blonde head. Then there was a break in the sea of dancers before him and his view of the stage was momentarily clear. The singer certainly fulfilled the promise of the voice. Vivid blue kohl-rimmed eyes scanned the crowd with lazy heat as the sensuous mouth formed words of love and hunger. The slender body swayed, each movement accentuated by tight black leather pants. An untucked, mostly unbuttoned silk shirt the exact color of the eyes shifted and moved with the body, allowing glimpses of firm, pale gold flesh. Ben had never seen anything so hot in his life. Which was exactly the problem.

His gut twisted with the mixed signals of his heart trying to find its way down to his feet and his cock announcing its intense interest in something it had no business being interested in. Then the crowd cut off his view of the singer again, and his brain kicked in.

What the hell are you doing, Lucas?

He stood rooted to the spot, staring in the direction of the stage while bodies undulated all around him. He felt a few light touches, dancers testing his interest in joining them, but when he could move again, he found himself stumbling forward, at last finding a location where he could see Lucas again unhindered. He could not make himself look away from this vision. Lucas in tight leather and loose silk and black eyeliner. Lucas singing, and Ben remembered all the times he'd idly wondered how that dangerously smoky voice would sound doing just this, crooning into a microphone with all its seductive potential realized. He should have known better.

Careful what you wish for, Krieg....

Lucas locked eyes with him. Ben watched recognition dawn, only to be chased away by a slow burn of mischievous challenge. Lucas was singing to him now, was dancing and posing for him and daring him to look away. Out of the corner of his eye, Ben saw the redhead on guitar frown, and he suspected it was at the sudden focus of Lucas' attention. The redhead sidled up closer to Lucas, pressing into his side. Lucas went with it, melting into the contact with boneless ease, hamming it up for an audience that was vocally appreciative. But his eyes never left Ben's until he tilted his head back and gasped the last lines of the song as if in the throes of passion, leaning heavily against the guitarist. It was almost enough to make Ben lose it himself.

It was a hell of a reintroduction after not seeing the kid for a year. He wondered what Lucas had planned for an encore, and firmly clamped down on his own body's eager suggestion. This was Lucas. Never mind that he was legal now, never mind that Ben had dreamed of him for the year since they'd last seen each other, never mind that Lucas was looking at him again with such a clear invitation in his eyes....

That stopped all thought for a moment.

Where had Lucas learned that look? Did he have any idea what it meant? Was that why the redhead looked so baleful, he was tired of rescuing Lucas from strangers who misinterpreted that look? But no, the redhead was definitely looking more possessive than protective, and when Lucas' eyes moved away from his, it was to regard the rest of the room with rather smug disinterest. Lucas was targeting him.

He'd seen Katie do this once as a distraction He missed most of her performance, but he saw enough to remind him of one of the many reasons he had married her. Katherine Hitchcock was an undeniably beautiful woman, with more than enough appeal to floor a whole roomful of men when she put her mind to it. And still she hadn't affected him like this. As Lucas began the next song, it seemed his voice had made a direct connection to Ben's groin, bypassing his ears entirely and plugging straight into the rising pulse of desire.

He couldn't stop looking. He tried and failed to make himself turn away, even going so far as to envision how Bridger would react to this whole scenario. It did no good. Bridger wasn't here, Lucas was, and Lucas was looking at him the way he'd never admitted even to himself that he wanted Lucas to look at him. Everything else faded into the background as he allowed himself to surrender to the fantasy for at least the duration of the song.

Lucas watched him with slitted eyes now, purring into the microphone. The dancers around him settled into the slower, more sultry rhythm, their movements becoming decidedly suggestive as the mood of the song poured into their bodies, carried on the molten voice of their golden god. Ben had to wonder if Lucas wasn't trying to incite an orgy on the dance floor. Then he had to wonder if Lucas would participate if he succeeded....

God, Krieg, when did you turn into a dirty old man?

Except he wasn't that much older than Lucas. Not quite twelve years, most of which vanished in the face of his...youthful attitude and Lucas' unique upbringing. Lucas was used to being surrounded by people at least a decade older than himself, and had once confessed to Ben he wasn't entirely comfortable trying to relate to people his own age. Even other geniuses, most of whom had not had to contend with a parent's position and wealth on top of their own intellectual prowess....

He was talking himself into it. Or maybe he was just preparing for the inevitable outcome of the evening. Lucas was keeping tabs on him, Lucas was watching him with both challenge and hunger, and he knew without a doubt he was going to give Lucas whatever Lucas wanted, just like he had when he'd been stationed aboard the seaQuest.

Some things you were a fool to fight. Ben Krieg was many things, but he had never considered himself a fool.

The redhead had once again molded himself to Lucas during the course of the song, flashing Ben a poisonous look from dark, hot eyes. That was fine, he understood the sentiment, but if this kid hadn't learned yet that it was Lucas' show, he was in for a hell of a revelation.

And there it was. Lucas half-whispered the last note of the song, the dancers broke from their group grope long enough to express their appreciation, and the band started to head offstage. The redhead wrapped an arm around Lucas' waist, but Lucas shrugged him off, stepping off the stage without looking at him. A few people tried to catch Lucas' attention, and one young woman even grabbed him and kissed him on the lips. He returned the kiss, lingering over it, and Ben knew it was all part of the game. Already he could taste that mouth himself, feel the moisture of that tongue against his, hear the sounds Lucas would make when he stroked that soft palate just so. This might be Lucas' show, but Ben would be damned if he wouldn't be the star performer by the time the night was over.

At last Lucas broke the kiss, moving his head to breathe something into the girl's ear. She laughed, soft and low over the piped music that had started, then melted back into the crowd, probably sharing the taste of her prize with several willing partners. Ben kept his eyes on Lucas, who moved toward him with such sinuous grace it could hardly be called walking. More proof that he was being allowed to see a whole new side to Lucas.

He was surprised when Lucas didn't stop upon reaching him, but continued in the direction of the bar. He stood for a moment, wondering if he'd misread the signals, when Lucas stopped and turned, looking back at him with smoldering eyes. At last Lucas cocked his head toward the bar and started walking again. This time, Ben followed.

They took adjacent stools and the bartender popped the cap off a long-necked brown bottle and set it down in front of Lucas. Lucas raised it to his lips slowly, never breaking eye contact with Ben, as though daring him to object. But Ben had given Lucas his first beer at sixteen, so he just smiled and turned to the bartender and said, "Make that two."

It wasn't beer. Or at least, not any beer he'd ever had before. It tasted like smoke and cream and honey. It tasted like Lucas sounded, like Lucas looked. And then the fire hit, a quick flame on his tongue that burned itself out as it danced down his throat and curled warm in his belly. Again, he was reminded of Lucas, the shock of seeing him on that stage and the resultant stir of interest in his cock. He took another sip, holding Lucas' eyes, and he must have passed some kind of test because he was rewarded with a slow-building smile that made the fire in his gut move a few inches down.

"I'm Chris," Lucas said, leaning close, leather hugging him with each movement. "Chris Holt."

Ben blinked, opened his mouth to object, then thought better of it. Lucas' game, Lucas' rules. At least for now.

"Ben Krieg," he said instead.

"Your first time, Ben?" He wasn't sure what look crossed his face, but Lucas' smile widened and he suspected he'd just lost points. "I haven't seen you here before."

"I'm not in town much." He let a smile of his own cross his features, settling into the game. "They know me in DC."

"I'll bet they do."

"And you? How often are you here?"

Lucas' eyes went shuttered at that, and he turned with casual grace on the stool, stretching his legs and leaning back on the bar to stare out into the crowd. "It varies. I'm not in town much either."

Ben started to answer that, then caught sight of the redhead guitarist emerging from the back door. The man stopped and scanned the crowd. "Looks like your friend missed you," he said, and Lucas turned his head to see what Ben meant.

"Hmmm." Lucas shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid Sean has a hard time taking no for an answer."

"Especially when the answer is sometimes yes?" Ben guessed, and Lucas shot him a look from under lowered lashes, raising one eyebrow before setting his bottle back on the bar and oozing off his stool to stand right next to Ben. Lucas placed one hand one Ben's thigh, then leaned into his side, the silk of the blue shirt brushing against Ben's bare arm.

"And what answer are you interested in hearing?" Lucas breathed into his ear, then leaned back against the vacated stool, crossing his arms and waiting for an answer.

Ben took another drink from the bottle, then turned deliberately and stood, a maneuver which brought him chest to crossed arms with Lucas.

"I was under the impression I was the one being asked, here," he murmured, smiling down into Lucas' eyes, calling his bluff.

Lucas uncrossed his arms and straightened, undulating against Ben for the briefest of moments before leaning in once more to speak into Ben's ear. "You were being given the opportunity to ask."

There was no way Lucas could have not felt the effect his voice had on Ben's cock, and the young man smiled, shifting his hips a bit until Ben sucked in his breath.

"Now," Lucas purred, "you can either find us someplace more private to continue this...conversation. Or you can watch me leave here with Sean, and try to calculate the chances that we'll both be here at the same time at some point in the future. Tell me, Ben, how well do you take no for an answer?"

They stood face to face for a long moment, the gauntlet thrown down. Ben felt Lucas pull back slightly, and knew he'd meant it. He would go back to Sean, let Sean have him, rather than admit his own need for this.

Now that was the Lucas he knew.

"I don't usually get that answer," Ben said at last, throwing the battle to get the chance to win the war. He dared to reach out at last, brushing one hand lightly down Lucas' side, not quite touching the silk and leather as he watched Lucas' eyes go opaque. Then he borrowed a page from Lucas and expanded on it, leaning into one ear and letting lips brush skin as he spoke. "And I don't think I'm in the mood for it tonight. You need to grab anything before we leave?"

"Just a couple of things," Lucas said a little breathlessly. "Wait for me here."

Lucas pulled away and turned, making his way through the crowd back toward the door where Sean had been standing. Sean was at the bar now, had been watching their exchange with narrowed eyes. Ben could see that red hair out of the corner of his eye as Sean made his way over.

"So golden boy makes another conquest, huh?" Sean looked him over disparagingly. "Funny, I didn't think he was into sugardaddies."

"You'd be surprised what he's into," Ben murmured, returning the appraising look. Sean looked only a few years older than Lucas, taller, paler, a little more bulky. They looked good together on stage, and Ben bet they looked even better in bed. Too bad he didn't do threesomes. Not that Sean seemed inclined to share, anyway.

"And how would you know?" Sean challenged him, raising his chin. "You're picking him up in a nightclub!"

Ben smiled, letting his eyes slide back to the door through which Lucas had disappeared. "Tell me that isn't how you met him."

Sean fell silent at that, and Ben let him drop from conscious thought as Lucas reappeared in a black leather jacket that matched the pants and enhanced the color of the shirt. They moved toward each other and met between two tables. They stared at each other for a long silent moment, and it suddenly struck Ben that this was happening. He was doing this. He was taking Lucas back to his hotel and he was going to have sex with him.

Chris Holt, he reminded himself, visually tracing the line of the leather jacket where it lay unzipped down Lucas' chest. Call him Lucas and the whole game will be off.

"I need to pay for my drink," he said suddenly, both for something to say and because it was true.

"Vic will put it on my tab," Lucas said dismissively. "You drive here?"

"Taxi."

Lucas smiled, a promise in his eyes. "Taxi is good."

They stepped out into the balmy Miami night and Ben flagged down a cab. He opened the door and waved Lucas inside, then slid in himself and closed the door, sealing them into relative privacy.

"Where to?"

"The Ocean Blue," Ben said without looking at their driver. He saw Lucas' eyes widen and used the surprise to take control of the field. He slid over in the seat until he had Lucas trapped between himself and the door, then slid his hand under the leather jacket and silk shirt to brush against the warmth of Lucas' skin. Lucas opened his mouth and Ben took that as an invitation, raising his other hand to tip Lucas' head just so and finally, finally tasting those lips.

Lucas tried momentarily to struggle against him, to regain the upper hand. But despite Lucas' performance thus far tonight, Ben suspected he was still more experienced at this, and milked the advantage for all it was worth. He used his greater size and strength to hold Lucas in place for a slow, aggressive tease of lips and tongue, ignoring the impulse to delve into that open mouth in favor of a thorough exploration of the surface.

The taste of Lucas and whatever they'd been drinking in the club blended perfectly. He savored the combination as he licked and nipped and sucked, finally settling on grazing the lower lip with his teeth as he lightly stroked Lucas' flat stomach with his hand. He was rewarded with a breathy moan, and only then did he allow himself to dip inside, drawing Lucas' tongue into the game in a playful, sensuous duel. He stroked across Lucas' soft palate, across the smooth hardness of Lucas' teeth. The taste was even more pronounced here, sweet salt shot through with the fire of alcohol and richness of cream. He took his fill, sucking on Lucas' tongue, encouraging it inside his own mouth, trading the taste back and forth.

When Ben felt Lucas trembling against him, he knew he'd won. He began to draw away but Lucas followed, sliding one hand up Ben's inner thigh and leaning in to recapture his mouth. It would seem that Lucas wasn't willing to surrender this battle quite yet.

Ben stopped trying to disengage and changed tactics. Gripping Lucas by the upper arms and hauling the young man onto his lap, he thrust up against the crotch of the leather pants and broke the kiss to drop his head and nip at the spot where Lucas' neck and shoulder joined. Lucas gasped and tried to return the favor, lips brushing against Ben's ear, but Ben had a point to prove and he slid his hands down Lucas' arms, at last reaching Lucas' hands and clasping them, forcing them behind Lucas' back. That arched Lucas' chest into him and tipped Lucas' head back, baring a long expanse of throat. Ben pressed his lips there, just barely letting his tongue flick out at odd intervals as he traced an oral path from the hollow of Lucas' throat up the right side to where Lucas' pulse beat just below his chin, then around to the small patch of skin below his right ear. Lucas hissed involuntarily, then rocked his hips in retribution. Ben swallowed the groan as the movement created friction over his already rock-hard cock, then took both Lucas' wrists in one hand and raised the other to slip loose a few of the buttons on Lucas' shirt. Then he fisted that hand in Lucas' hair, forcing Lucas' head back farther, forcing Lucas to lean back into his grip, and brushed aside the fabric with his nose to fasten his mouth over one rosy nipple and lash it with his tongue as he had Lucas' throat.

"God!"

That was what he'd been waiting for. Before the game went too far, Ben pulled Lucas close for one final, hard kiss, then twisted to let him fall back against the seat. Lucas did so with abandon, settling onto the vinyl with his legs still entwined with Ben's. He looked up at Ben with half-closed eyes, blue glinting beneath the long, black lashes, and licked at his kiss-swollen lips. Even now, after all that, it appeared Lucas didn't intend to concede.

Before Ben was forced to decide how badly he wanted to win, the driver cleared her throat. Ben met her eyes in the rearview mirror, and she didn't even try to hide her grin as she announced, "The Ocean Blue Hotel."

"I believe that's our stop," Lucas said. His tone was cool, but his voice was even huskier than usual. He pushed himself up on the seat, untangling himself from Ben and reaching for the door. He stepped out of the cab and leaned against the side, lounging in just the perfect spot to give Ben a car window-framed picture of his leather clad ass.

Ben swallowed and forced himself to look away. He was going to have to do better than this if he expected to carry the night. "What's the fare?" he asked the driver, and was pleased that his own voice was under control.

She told him, still grinning. He added in a generous tip and handed her his account chip. She plugged it into the reader, then met his eyes in the rearview mirror again as she waited for it to process.

"Thanks for the show," she said, and winked. "My boyfriend thanks you, too."

Ben laughed and returned the wink, taking back his chip. "In case you didn't notice, it was my pleasure."

He stepped out of the cab and Lucas pulled away from its side, moving to stand beside him on the sidewalk. Lucas waited until the cab disappeared around the corner down the street, then turned to Ben and raised an eyebrow.

"You're staying at the Ocean Blue and you don't have a limo to cart you around?" he asked teasingly. Ben wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him toward the entrance where the doorman patiently waited.

"I prefer not to attract that kind of attention when I'm here on business."

"I see. In that case, do you think your hotel room is a good idea?"

"The hotel's not part of the travel package." Ben grinned as Lucas looked up at him quizzically. "I always stay here when I'm in town, and the rest of my...group stays wherever we're booked. The owner owes me a few."

"That's convenient."

"Very. Makes my free time that much more...free."

Lucas grinned at that, his own arm creeping around Ben's waist as he snuggled closer. The doorman didn't even blink, simply holding the door open for them.

"Evening, Mr. Krieg."

"Thank you, Matthew."

Lucas waited until they'd passed through the elegant, understated lobby and were alone in the penthouse elevator before pushing Ben against the wall and pressing full-length against him.

"So what was that the code for?" Lucas breathed, nibbling at the ear he'd already shown a marked preference for.

"What do you mean?" Ben slid his hands up under the shirt and jacket to hold Lucas lightly at the waist, his thumbs brushing the hot skin just above the waistband of the leather pants.

Lucas laughed, a low, soft chuckle that was an aural caress. "Come on, Ben. I know a code when I hear it. What's he sending up for us?"

"You like surprises?"

"Oh, yeah," and Lucas placed a hand on his chin and turned his head to capture his mouth in a mindblowing reversal of what Ben himself had done in the taxi.

Somehow he managed to keep himself from hitting the emergency stop button and finishing it right there. Instead, he hooked his leg behind Lucas' and twisted until he was free and Lucas was the one against the wall. He pulled away and pressed his fingers against Lucas' lips, holding him in place.

"Feeling a little impatient, are we?" he gasped, grinning. Lucas just blinked at him, a slow lowering and raising of those impossible lashes, then smiled smugly under his hand.

"Are we?" Lucas purred and let his tongue brush against Ben's fingers. He locked eyes with Ben, daring him to look or pull away as Lucas sucked the tip of Ben's index finger into his mouth, laving it with slow strokes. Ben allowed the maneuver, letting his other hand wander up Lucas' chest toward the nipple he'd suckled earlier. He could feel Lucas' muscles tense in preparation, and Lucas raised both hands to Ben's arm, holding it there as he increased the intensity of his assault on Ben's fingers. Ben smiled....

And dropped his hand from Lucas' nipple to cup him through the leather pants, kneading gently.

The elevator stopped and opened with a soft dinging sound. They stood frozen like that for a moment, then Lucas dropped his hand, watching him with eyes more naked than they had been all evening. Ben lingered a moment, feeling something indefinable and dangerous poised to crash over them both. Then he released Lucas and stepped back, back into the safety of the game.

Lucas strolled past him casually, pausing long enough to spot the bed before moving over to it. He watched Lucas turn in the low, warm light, shadows chasing each other across the leather, pooling in the folds of the silk. He met Lucas' eyes, moving closer to man and bed, and saw that Lucas had regained his composure. Watching him coolly, Lucas shrugged the jacket off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. When Ben was just a few feet away, Lucas sat down on the bed and leaned back on his elbows, letting his legs fall open.

"The penthouse, no less. Nice."

"Better than some," Ben agreed, stepping between Lucas' legs and staring down at the young man, pulling off his own jacket and letting it fall beside Lucas'. Lucas sat up straight, reaching for his waistband, but he intercepted Lucas' hands and leaned forward, pressing Lucas back against the bed, trapped hands stretched above his head.

"You're going to have to move faster than that if you want that trick to work," Ben chided.

"Who says it hasn't worked?" Lucas jerked one leg in, knocking Ben off-balance. There was a dizzying moment of movement, and then Ben found himself sprawled on the bed with a surprisingly heavy Lucas grinning smugly down at him.

"That fast enough for you?"

"Well, now...," Ben began, but was interrupted by the soft chiming of someone at the door. Lucas leaned in close as though to kiss him, but stopped just short of touch.

"Bet that's my surprise," he breathed, then rolled off Ben and pushed himself up to lounge against the pillows stacked at the head of the bed. Ben stared at him upside down for a moment, then rolled onto his own stomach and stood up, moving to the door and opening it with deceptive calm. He accepted the closed wicker basket with a murmured "thank you," taking the moment to pull himself back from the edge once again.

No one had ever come so close to making him lose it so many times, not even his ex-wife. But then, Katie had never liked these games.

Ben sometimes wondered if he didn't like them maybe a little too much.

He moved back toward the bed, and Lucas raised an eyebrow as he spotted the basket.

"Midnight picnic?" he guessed drolly.

Only if you're the main dish. "They're very discreet here." Ben set the basket down beside the bed, pulling it open to look inside. He smiled in satisfaction, then closed it up again. Not time for toys just yet. "Wicker baskets are much more innocuous than plastic wrapped bundles and replica treasure chests."

"So what's in there?" Lucas looked over the side of the bed, reaching out with one hand. Ben caught it and brought it to his mouth, kissing each finger as he massaged the palm. He could tell when Lucas' eyes darkened that he'd found a sweet spot, and he smiled against one elegant finger.

"What will you give me if I tell you?"

Lucas watched him a moment longer without answering, then disengaged and leaned back once more.

"You into pain, Ben?"

"What?" He tried to catch up with the sudden shift in conversation. How could Lucas think that of him?

"I asked if you're into pain." Lucas' voice was casual, but his body language was tense, and Ben could tell by his eyes it was a serious question.

You know me better than that. It was on the tip of his tongue to say it, but then it occurred to him that maybe Lucas didn't. As well as they'd known each other a year ago, they hadn't known this about each other. A year ago, Lucas might not have even done this to know.

"My tastes aren't exactly vanilla," Ben said at last, "but I've never gone that dark. I'm afraid I just don't see the appeal." He was silent a moment, watching Lucas slowly relax, then finally asked. "What about you?"

Lucas stretched, his whole body arching and undulating in long, sinuous lines. While Ben was still trying to catch his breath from that little display, Lucas shifted onto his stomach until his face was barely a hair's breadth from Ben's.

"I think," he murmured, "that not nearly enough people practice the fine art of teasing anymore. Doesn't matter how you like the main event, if there's no buildup or afterglow, you might as well just jerk off in the men's room."

Ben blinked at the blunt statement and the accompanying image, then forced himself to recover. Thinking about Lucas jerking off was not going to give him the upper hand here. Instead, he met Lucas' eyes and whispered, "And do you like being teased as much as you like teasing...Chris?"

Lucas grinned. "What will you give me if I tell you?"

"What would you like?" Ben leaned in and Lucas pulled back, moving the game incrementally back onto the bed.

"Guess."

"I'm a terrible guesser."

"Then the practice will be good for you."

Ben set the basket within easy reach on the nightstand and looked blandly at Lucas for a moment.

"Then I hope you don't mind if I take the hands-on approach," and he pounced, pressing Lucas back into the pillows and once again tasting that sweet, wicked mouth.

Lucas allowed the kiss, pliant under him for a handful of breaths before launching his own attack. He opened his legs and Ben settled down between them, their cocks rubbing against each other through fabric and leather. Ben couldn't quite prevent a groan from escaping his throat and he felt Lucas smile against his lips. Lucas rolled his hips up into Ben, creating friction, and Ben reached down to clasp those hips and hold them still before he lost the game entirely. With his hands occupied, he couldn't stop Lucas from reaching up under his shirt, one hand lightly tracing his vertebrae, the other creeping slowly up his chest. He pressed down to stop the frontal assault, but Lucas only changed tactics, no longer moving his hand but brushing his fingers across Ben's skin in short, light strokes. So Ben tried a new tactic of his own, breaking for air and lifting onto his elbows so he barely touched Lucas' body. He began sliding down, out of his shirt and away from Lucas' hands. Without leverage, Lucas could not hold him, and he was soon bare-chested, tugging at Lucas' boots. He looked up to see Lucas toss the shirt over the side of the bed, and then he had one boot free. Lucas' foot was bare inside, and the lack of a sock made Ben wonder what else Lucas had gone without tonight. Deciding that would be next on his list of discoveries, he pulled the other boot off, then turned and slid to the edge of the bed to attend to his own footgear.

He could feel Lucas watching behind him as he bent over, removing shoes and socks. He knew Lucas would try something as soon as he straightened up, so he twisted as he rose, protecting his back. Lucas anticipated the move, however, and came in from the side, managing to press up behind Ben and wrap his arms around Ben's chest, beginning the stroking touches once more.

Ben raised his hands to still Lucas', and Lucas pressed closer into his back, brushing lips lightly over the nape of his neck.

"Tell me what you want."

Ben controlled his reaction to the feeling of Lucas' breath on the sensitive spot and raised one of Lucas' hands to his mouth. Lucas tried to curl his fingers into a protective fist, but Ben held the hand open as he spoke.

"I want to taste you," he murmured and licked at the tip of one finger. Give Lucas credit, he didn't react except for a fine tremor Ben would not have felt had they not been pressed so close together. Ben smiled and let his tongue tease at each finger, tasting sweat and lotion and Lucas. Lucas slowly relaxed behind him, growing used to the sensation. Time for step two.

"I want to suck you off." He didn't give Lucas the chance to process the words before he engulfed the young man's index finger in his mouth. Lucas gasped, his hold on Ben loosening just enough. Ben released his finger and turned, bearing him down to the bed.

"I want to come inside you," Ben continued, moving one hand down to caress Lucas' ass through the leather. "I want to find that spot that makes you scream and hit it until you pass out from pleasure."

"That might be a problem," Lucas said with perfect calm. "I don't scream."

Ben grinned as he moved his hand around to the front of Lucas' pants, wiggling a finger inside the waistband. "You don't or you just haven't yet?"

"And what makes you think you'll be the one to find out?"

Pure insolent challenge in that voice. Ben loved it. He'd pegged Lucas as a pretty boy with an attitude the first time they'd met, and had waited a long time to express his appreciation for that particular combination.

Lucas' pants were too tight to get his finger in very far, and he already knew there was no way he could get the zipper down all the way one-handed. He considered their angle on the bed, then worked his free arm under Lucas' back. Keeping hold of Lucas' wrists with the other hand, he rolled them both up closer to the head of the bed and the wicker basket he'd placed on the nightstand. Lucas tolerated the manhandling, craning his head as Ben freed his arm from around Lucas' waist, then reached up and hooked the basket, pulling it down to the bed beside them. Ben popped the clasp and reached inside. He smiled as his hand encountered cloth, and he pulled free one long silk scarf. Lucas' eyes sparked and Lucas moved under him, but it wasn't as fierce a struggle as he suspected it might have been, and he won it in the end, looping the scarf around Lucas' wrists and then winding it securely around one of the wooden slats of the headboard.

"How do you like your surprise?" he murmured, hovering over Lucas with a hand to either side of the young man's chest.

Even now, Lucas was far from surrendering. He tugged experimentally at the bindings and then smiled up at Ben in a decidedly unsubmissive way. "Tying me up so soon, Ben? And you've had practice with your knots. I would never have pegged you for such a lightweight."

"Hardly," Ben snorted. "Sounds like you've been letting yourself get tied up by the wrong people, my boy."

"So you're going to show me the error of my ways."

"Among other things."

He didn't give Lucas a chance to argue it as he leaned in for a long, deep kiss, applying all his expertise. He shifted, moving to his knees between Lucas' legs. Lucas bent his own knees, placing his feet flat on the bed, and Ben rewarded the cooperation by running his hands down Lucas' inner thighs toward the zipper of the skintight leather pants. He broke the kiss, licking and sucking down Lucas' throat as his fingers moved, sliding the zipper slowly and carefully down.

Bare skin brushed his knuckles and he hid a smile at the lack of surprise that Lucas was going commando this evening. He pulled back far enough to get a look at his prize, and almost lost himself in the picture of Lucas bound beneath him, shirt unbuttoned, pants undone, skin flushed and cock erect. It was an image straight out of one of his more illicit fantasies.

"Like what you see?"

The voice was sultry, but when Ben looked up, the eyes were less certain. Again he felt it, the truth of what they were doing pushing at the boundaries of the game. It was the game Lucas wanted, though. It was the game Lucas had initiated.

It was the game Ben would finish for him.

"If I didn't like what I saw," he said, leaning down to touch his tongue to the hollow of Lucas' throat, "we wouldn't have made it this far."

"It's always possible you're just being friendly."

"Well, I have been told I'm a pretty friendly guy, but...," he spread Lucas' shirt farther open and began trailing his mouth down the lean golden chest, "this isn't exactly my usual method of making strangers feel at home."

Lucas laughed a little breathlessly. "This is supposed to make me feel at home?"

Ben followed his gaze toward the scarf binding him to the bed, then returned to his own task of mapping a meandering path from Lucas' collarbone to his left nipple.

"That," he murmured, "is to keep interruptions at a minimum while I guess."

"Are you so easily distracted then, Ben?"

Easily? You underestimate your own talent here, kid. But the question had been asked with a smugness appropriate to the game, and so he answered in kind.

"Not so easily, no." He ran his hands provocatively down Lucas' inner thighs once more, letting one thumb brush the side of the cock waiting for him. "I just like the way you look tied up for me."

Lucas sucked in a breath, jerking reflexively toward the intimate touch, but his eyes narrowed and he smiled slightly at the words. "Liar," but it was said without malice.

"It's not wise to call the man names who has you tied up in his bed."

"Then maybe he should find more interesting things for me to do with my mouth."

Another challenge. Lucas was full of them tonight, and Ben understood he would only win this by his best effort. It had been a long time since that had been required. He wondered if it had ever before been required of Lucas.

He raised his thumb to Lucas' lips, lightly stroking their softness, then met Lucas' eyes.

"Lick it."

Lucas did, that clever tongue lapping at the pad until Ben judged it sufficiently wet. He saw Lucas' eyes change, knew Lucas was about to suck his thumb in earnest, and smiled as he pulled his thumb away and dropped it down to rub lightly at one nipple while he dropped his head to suck at the other. Lucas arched up into him, muscles tense, involuntary gasp echoing in the air. Ben backed off enough to blow gently across the nipple he'd just had in his mouth, rolling the other between thumb and forefinger. Lucas shuddered, the smallest of tremors, a tiny moan escaping his open mouth.

Ben moved up to cover Lucas' mouth with his own, claiming his victory whether Lucas conceded or not. He reached down and pumped Lucas' cock once, twice, then reached into the basket again, pushing objects aside until he touched fur. While he'd already deemed most of the basket's contents unnecessary for the night, Lucas' responsiveness to tactile stimulation was a weapon he'd be a fool to ignore.

So not enough people practice the fine art of teasing anymore, huh? Well, I do believe in supporting the arts.

There was a feather in its own compartment somewhere in the basket, but he'd start with the fur glove. Synthetic--but everything was these days, even Lucas' leather--it was high quality enough to meet even his exacting standards, and he maneuvered it onto his hand with a smile against Lucas' mouth. Timing it precisely, he brought the glove up and brushed it lightly, teasingly across Lucas' chest, caressing both nipples in the sweep as he slid his lips away and over Lucas' chin. Lucas' moan was louder this time, though still quieter then Ben himself would have been at this stage in the game. The involuntary movement of the body beneath him made restraint seem unlikely, which meant....

Which meant Lucas might well be right about not screaming.

Only one way to test it, and this was definitely a case of the thought counting, anyway.

"Like that?" Ben murmured, letting his hand and his mouth glide lower.

"It has its perks," Lucas managed, but the dryness of the words was spoiled by the huskiness of the tone. Ben smiled again, then shifted aside enough to gently engulf Lucas' cock in synthetic fur.

The sound Lucas made at that was very nearly a sob, and Ben looked up to see him bite his lip so that nothing more escaped. Pushing, Ben nuzzled at Lucas' ear and whispered, "I want to hear you."

Lucas' body stilled, and Lucas turned his head to look at Ben with dark, hot eyes. He sounded both breathless and defiant when he spoke. "How does it feel to want?"

"Allow me to demonstrate."

Ben sat up between Lucas' legs, and moved the gloved hand up to the more neutral territory of Lucas' stomach. His other hand free of his weight, he grazed it down Lucas' side, keeping the touch light, his fingers barely brushing skin. Lucas could not help but react, muscles rippling minutely under flesh, but he remained stubbornly silent, staring up at Ben with no hint of breaking.

That was fine. Ben didn't want to win this too easily.

Ben let both hands roam, careful not to exert too much pressure. His bare hand brushed Lucas' shirt, and in a moment of inspiration he gripped the shirttail, gliding the fabric fleetingly along Lucas' side, dipping into Lucas' navel, ghosting it just above the root of Lucas' cock. He could see Lucas' breathing growing less even, could see the tremors running through the fine, taut body. He released the shirt and leaned forward again, propping himself on one elbow as he once more brought his mouth into play, nuzzling at Lucas' chest and moving down, down to trace the path he made with the fur glove.

He lingered when he reached the navel, his tongue flicking out to taste the indentation as he moved his gloved hand back up to Lucas' chest. He heard a soft sound, quickly stifled, and dropped his head down to nibble at the flesh just below the navel, momentarily ignoring the cock that bumped him under the chin and left a damp trail on his throat as he moved.

Lucas hissed in a breath, muscles jumping under Ben's mouth. Ben glanced up through his lashes to see Lucas watching him, eyes dark and hungry. He swallowed a smug grin and made a show of enjoying what he was doing, humming softly in the back of his throat. It was a trick he'd learned the first time a lover had played at stubborn silence. Not only did the faint vibration increase his partner's pleasure, but the almost subvocal sound seemed to encourage reciprocal sound. And even if Lucas held out against it, it would put him that much closer to the edge for the next step.

The ploy was partially successful. There were no more moans or soft cries, but every breath was a gasp now and Ben knew it would take only one small thing....

This time, he caught and held Lucas' eyes as he abruptly moved down and plunged his mouth over Lucas' cock. That earned him the wordless cry he'd been aiming for, ending on a long moan as Lucas' eyes closed and his head fell back, hips thrusting up involuntarily toward liquid heat. Ben allowed it for one moment, savoring the heady, abundant mouthful, then withdrew. He moved back to suckling Lucas' lower belly, lazily stroking the fur glove over Lucas' chest, ostensibly keying down the stimulation as he began to hum again, waiting.

Like my guesses so far, pretty boy?

But Lucas seemed past the point of smart remarks, and Ben didn't want to derail their progress. Not when he was wondering how much longer he could hold out himself. This was more than he'd expected. Lucas was more than he'd expected, and the fact that he didn't know when or if this would ever happen again only made it more intense.

Whether Lucas gave in or not, he was nearly done with teasing.

And apparently Lucas was never too far gone for a smart remark, because Lucas looked at him with incendiary eyes and said in the huskiest voice Ben had ever heard, "I thought you weren't into pain."

That at least told him he wasn't the only one close to the edge here. Time to get down to business. "I want to hear you."

"I told you I d-God!"

"What did you tell me?" But Ben wasn't waiting for an answer. That was the second taste he'd had of that gorgeous erection and he wanted more.

Now.

He stripped off the glove and tossed it aside, curving his hands around Lucas' hips. His fingertips brushed oily leather rather than firm, satiny skin and he considered stripping Lucas of his pants altogether. But he wanted that taste again more than he wanted the feel, and there would be time to get Lucas completely naked later. There would be time for all kinds of things later.

Somehow, he managed to keep from sucking too hard and ending it there, allowing his tongue and lips the leisure to explore. He was rewarded for his patience and attention to detail as Lucas writhed under his ministrations, helpless, breathless, pleasure-wracked noises bathing him in sweet, sweet sound. Still soft, but volume didn't mean much. It was the sincerity that was important, and Ben doubted Lucas had ever been more sincere.

It was his own growing arousal that drove him to finally take Lucas deep and get down to business. No way was he going to orgasm until he'd made Lucas come at least once. That would lose him this game right here. So he tightened his grip on Lucas' hips to control the rhythm, opened his throat until each downstroke had his nose brushing wiry curls and then, when Lucas' noises had taken on a frantic, pleading edge, he swallowed.

He had just enough time to register that all sound stopped before Lucas' body seized beneath him and his mouth was flooded with Lucas' come. Sour and salty, and he loved that flavor, swallowed it down and swallowed it down and reveled in the sheer volume of it. Finally, finally to get enough, and he used his tongue to coax out the last few drops as Lucas shuddered against him and went bonelessly limp, soft, rapid gasps of air confirming his suspicion that Lucas hadn't even breathed while coming.

So Lucas really didn't scream. He did something even better.

Releasing Lucas' spent cock, Ben moved up to close his mouth over Lucas'. Lucas opened willingly to him and he licked deep into that wet heat as he tugged at the leather pants, maneuvering them off slim hips and partway down lean thighs before he was forced to sit back and let Lucas straighten his legs. After that, they came off far more easily and Ben tossed them off the bed, then turned to get rid of his own pants and boxers.

"What, I don't get to watch?"

Ben's hands paused on his waistband, then he twisted around slowly and stood up at the foot of the bed. Lucas watched him through half-lidded eyes, cobalt gleaming beneath lush black lashes. Ben let his own gaze travel down the length of Lucas' body, gold and cream skin flushed rose against the bed's black comforter. Holding onto control with both hands, Ben returned his eyes to Lucas' and did not let them stray again as he finished undressing, making a show of it for his avid audience. As he finally stepped free of his boxers, Lucas broke their mutual stare, darting a glance down to Ben's naked cock and lingering there. Then slowly, deliberately, Lucas licked his lips.

With a momentary stab of regret for all the toys they would not be using yet, Ben climbed back onto the bed, fishing in the basket for one of the bottles of lube. His fingers closed on one and he drew it out, but before he could uncap it, Lucas' voice stopped him again.

"Untie me."

No plea in that husky voice, but two words spoken with every expectation of obedience. Ben paused, seeing no plea in those mesmerizing eyes either. What he saw instead was pure hunger to match the demand, and it was enough to make him set aside the bottle of lube, to stretch out on top of Lucas, skin to skin, to begin loosening the silk ties. He tasted Lucas while he worked, eyelids, throat, chin, mouth, the sensitive lobe of one ear he'd learned earlier was a hotspot. Lucas hissed, arching up into him, and he felt Lucas recovering already, almost ready for the next round.

Perfect.

He had Lucas free and he reached out for the lube once more, but Lucas' hand was already there, Lucas snatched it away from him and there was that movement once more that ended with him on his back looking up at a ferally grinning Lucas. Lucas sat up, straddling him, then opened the bottle, grabbed his hand, and squeezed thick, slick liquid onto his fingers. Dropping the bottle, Lucas grabbed Ben's hand in both his own and began spreading the lube, warming it with the movement, unconsciously--or perhaps consciously--imitating the stroking of fingers with the rocking of hips. And Ben struggled to hang onto his control as Lucas pulled his hand back and back, fingertips sliding between the cheeks of Lucas' ass, and there, right there....

Ben sank one finger into Lucas' tight heat and they both gasped at the sensation. Ben wiggled his finger experimentally, then with a bit more deliberation as Lucas moaned softly. Lucas' eyes were on him, hot and dark and so, so blue, and he slipped another finger in, curling it to brush against Lucas' prostate. Lucas' eyes closed at that, his head snapping back as he arched into the touch, coming down hard on Ben's fingers. Ben would have smiled at that, but he was too close himself, and he was about to pull his hand away and bodily move Lucas into position when he felt hands on his cock. Lucas' hands, still slick from the lube, accompanied by a slight pinching pain, the pressure of something encircling sensitized skin.

"What--" he managed, and fell silent when Lucas once more fixed him with a hungry, predatory look.

"Cockring," Lucas said, his voice breathless in a way that Ben would triumph over. Later. "It fell out when you took out the ties, so I palmed it. If you want to make me pass out, I think you're going to need some help."

Ben bit back a groan. He could come, but he'd stay hard as long as the cockring was on him. It would be a test of endurance, then. How long he could stand to wear the thing against how long Lucas could hold out.

Lucas held his eyes, raising up and sliding back, and then Lucas was working him in slowly. Too slowly, but he couldn't bring himself to move, not when Lucas was so tight and so hot it was almost painful. Lucas was giving them both time to adjust, and he took it, forcing himself to take deep, slow breaths, to watch those gleaming eyes, to not thrust up as he felt himself slide home inside Lucas and his animal brain screamed for movement.

Not yet. Not yet. They still had a long night ahead of them.

Lucas' lips had parted in a soundless gasp as he took Ben in, and now his eyes dipped closed for just a moment, his tongue flicking out to ghost along his lower lip. When Lucas opened his eyes again, they were darker, almost black. Ben stared into them, aware in his peripheral vision of Lucas reaching both hands down to steady himself on Ben's body, then one hand straying back up to wrap around Lucas' own engorged cock. Even as Ben's eyes slid down to take in that sight more fully, Lucas began to move.

The slow, careful rocking was almost maddeningly gentle, and Ben already knew it wasn't going to be enough, good as it felt. They both needed a faster pace, and his angle wasn't quite right. Even as he thought it, Lucas rose up again, shifting slightly before settling once more. There was a sharp intake of breath as his cock rubbed across that particular spot inside Lucas, and Ben couldn't say which of them uttered it. This was better, this was perfect, and he couldn't move as Lucas' hand wandered up from his own engorged cock to tease his own nipples, dark rose against the gold of Lucas' chest. Ben was mesmerized by the lazy, patternless movement, so similar to the pace Lucas was setting in riding him.

Lucas made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a laugh, and Ben glanced up to see compelling blue eyes watching him with something like smug triumph in their depths. Lucas' mouth curled upward wickedly, and that hand was coming back down, skimming Lucas' chest, Lucas' stomach, lightly pumping Lucas' cock once before brushing against Ben's stomach and up to Ben's chest. Lucas leaned forward a little, and the movement and the feel of that hand on him broke Ben's paralysis. He reached up, settling his own hands onto Lucas' hips, raising his knees to give himself more leverage, and took control.

He pumped up twice, hard and purposeful and precise against Lucas' prostate. Lucas made a small, breathless sound at that, muscles tensing with pleasure. Ben moved in that moment, rolling them both without disengaging, so their positions were reversed once more and he hovered over Lucas. He held Lucas' hands down against the bed and began to move, keeping the strokes slow and firm and deep, deeper in this position, and Lucas arched upward, fighting for more, fighting for faster. But this was his show now, and he wanted Lucas to know it.

Lucas' erection brushed against his stomach with each stroke, and Ben reached one finger down to trace a line along it teasingly, then moved with lightning speed to recapture Lucas' hand as Lucas attempted to give himself a firmer grip. Lucas met his eyes then, wrapped powerful legs around his hips and squeezed, pulling him in deeper still. That was all it took, and he was coming harder than he ever had, rhythm completely shattered as his muscles clenched and he heard his own voice loud and unrestrained in the room. Lucas came with him, arching up against his hold, long black lashes falling down over eyes that had become all pupil. For a moment Ben feared he was going to pass out, but he held on and started pumping again as soon as he could, ignoring the desire to just fall limply onto the bed. He could do that later, after he'd answered Lucas' challenge.

The cockring became a kind of sweet pain against the pleasure if being inside Lucas. And Lucas was breaking, eyes completely closed now, breath coming in sobbing little gasps, body moving to meet his as if it couldn't remember ever doing anything else. Testing, he released Lucas' hands. Lucas reached up to pull his head down and kiss him, hard and long. It changed his angle again, and when he reached down once more to gently caress Lucas' cock with his hand, Lucas stiffened in his grip and came before passing out.

Third time's the charm, Ben thought with vague smugness as Lucas went limp beneath him. He took a few moments to savor the sensation of having this young man unconscious in his bed, but the cockring was becoming too much now, and he carefully pulled out, rolling it off gingerly. Lucas stirred just as it came off, blue eyes blinking lazily. Ben settled down beside him, sighing in relief at the lack of constriction and smiling.

"So, how did I do?" he asked, letting his confidence in the answer color his tone.

Lucas returned the smile, but said only, "Go to sleep, Ben."

"Give me a minute and I'll clean us up."

"What, did I wear you out?" Lucas had his own supply of smugness, it seemed, and he certainly wasn't afraid to use it. He sat up before Ben could answer and slid to the edge of the bed. "I'll do it before I go."

"Go?" Lucas gave him an inscrutable look over one shoulder, and Ben knew he'd just lost major points in the game both with his surprise and disappointment. He tried again. "I was thinking maybe you could stay the night and we could try this in the morning. With a few changes, of course." The idea of waking up to Lucas, of having Lucas inside him before breakfast, certainly had its appeal.

Lucas shook his head and rose, heading for the bathroom. "Fun as that sounds, I can't." His voice turned sly. "You know what they say, places to go, people to do...."

I don't want you doing anyone but me, pretty boy. The vehemence of the thought startled Ben. He could only imagine how Lucas would react if he shared it. He got up from the bed and followed Lucas into the bathroom. "Not a lot of places to go this time of night, even this city sleeps sometimes." He pressed up against Lucas' back as Lucas stood at the sink and breathed into his ear, "And I thought I was offering someone to do."

Now that he was touching Lucas again, he felt the young man trembling. Fatigue, maybe? He would hope so. Nobody should be able to just shake off passing out from three orgasms in one night.

Lucas was running a washcloth under warm water. Ben reached around to take it, squeezed the excess water from it with one hand, and then began slowly wiping away the streams of drying semen that trailed down Lucas' stomach. He held Lucas' eyes in the mirror as he worked, searching for clues as to what this night meant to the man. He wanted to believe this was more than the game for both of them, but he recognized that was just years of suppressed lust driving his pride to demand reciprocation. He wanted Lucas to want him, wanted to know he was more than just a convenient body who'd answered the questions right.

You're getting sentimental in your old age, Krieg.

Lucas wasn't giving anything away, returning his stare in the mirror blankly without saying a word. Ben slid the cloth purposefully down. There, a flicker, and Lucas reached down to catch Ben's hand by the wrist, stilling it before it could reach the obvious destination. They watched each other in silence, and then Ben raised his other hand from where it was braced against the bathroom counter and pressed it to Lucas' chest, pulling the man back against him as he straightened. Lucas allowed it, but he did not release Ben's wrist and he did not relax.

"Stay," Ben breathed, breaking their mirrored eye contact to brush a kiss against the sensitive spot under Lucas' ear. Lucas sucked in a breath, then released it on a hiss. Then, gently, he pulled away from Ben and turned to face him, smiling.

"If I could...," he began, then laughed, the wicked look coming back into his eyes. "If I could, Ben Krieg, I'd stay and see how loudly I could make you scream. From the sample I got, it sounds like you've got real lung capacity."

Ben forced himself to return the smile, to slip back into the charade of casual strangers. "You haven't heard anything. I was just getting warmed up."

Lucas' smile widened, and then Lucas sidled past him, heading back out into the main room. "I may have to track you down again, just to hear you in full voice."

"Don't know when I'll be back this way." Ben's voice was carefully neutral, but the look Lucas gave him over one bare shoulder told him the man wasn't fooled.

"Don't know when I'll be back this way either, but I've been known to visit DC on occasion. I'll find you, unless you're not as popular as you led me to believe?"

Ben had to swallow hard at the sly teasing in that voice, and his voice was still husky when he answered. "You'll find me."

Lucas turned fully around at the tone, meeting his eyes for one long heated moment before slowly looking down. Ben knew what he was looking at, and fought hard not to blush under his gaze.

"Got something there you want me to help you with?"

Before Ben could answer, Lucas oozed across the room and wrapped one long-fingered hand around Ben's renewed erection. Ben gasped, grateful he was still close enough to lean against the wall as Lucas began to work him expertly. For a minute, there was no sound but his own harsh breathing and slick skin against skin, and then Lucas leaned in and breathed against his ear.

"I want to hear you."

He felt Lucas begin to pull away, saw Lucas begin to kneel down, and he reached out to stop it. He put one hand behind Lucas' neck and pulled Lucas in for a deep kiss as he dropped his other hand down to cover Lucas' on his erection. Stunning as he had no doubt a blowjob from this man would be, he liked Lucas right here, doing exactly this.

"I thought you had to go," he gasped against Lucas' mouth when he was forced to break the kiss and breathe. Lucas moved to nuzzle against his ear, and he felt the curve of a smile.

"Is that a complaint?" Lucas purred.

Ben slid his hand in a lazy glide from the back of Lucas' neck down to the small of his back, then lower to begin a slow, teasing massage just above Lucas' ass. He pushed forward into their combined grip on his cock and smiled. "Does it feel like I'm complaining?"

"Then scream for me."

Lucas began stroking again and Ben groaned shamelessly, then caught his breath as Lucas changed the pace slightly.

"You can do better than that," Lucas breathed warmly against his ear, and incredibly that delicious grip began to loosen. "Unless you'd rather take care of this yourself...."

He tightened his own hold, keeping Lucas' hand in place as he thrust up once more, sighing loudly at the sensation. Lucas laughed softly, the sound rich and dark, and then Ben couldn't hear anything anymore but his own pleasure. He moaned and begged and gasped, each sound coaxed out by Lucas' skillful touch. He pressed his own hand against the wall to hold him up, trusting Lucas not to let go now, not when he was giving Lucas an earful. God, it felt so good....

And then Lucas bit lightly at the side of his throat. He shouted and jerked, light exploding behind his eyes as he came and came hard. Floating over the echo of his shout he could hear Lucas' laughter again. Lucas released him, stepping back, and he sank slowly to the floor. He opened his eyes to see Lucas standing over him, half-erect. He thought he should probably do something about that, but Lucas didn't seem in any immediate need, and he wasn't sure he could coordinate the water that was currently passing for his muscles into movement, anyway. Lucas smiled at him, then raised a semen-spattered hand to lick lazily at one finger.

"God," Ben groaned, and was rewarded with more laughter as Lucas padded past him to the bathroom. He heard water running, then Lucas returned, kneeling down beside him to clean him up. He wanted to say something, do something to convince Lucas to stay until he could recover enough for another round, but all he could think of was to raise a hand to the blond head bent over him and bring Lucas close enough for a long, languid kiss, tongues twining with lazy heat. He remembered something, and began to quest for Lucas' cock, but Lucas pulled away, standing again.

Ben forced himself to his own feet as Lucas returned to the bed, bending to pick up the black leather pants and ease them on. Desire spiked through him at the sight, but his cock didn't even twitch. He suspected he was going to have to sleep before his body responded satisfactorily again, and Lucas would be gone by then.

You're a lucky bastard to have this much, Krieg. When did you get so greedy?

That was easy. The moment he saw it was Lucas singing on that stage.

"I'll call a cab and ride down with you," he offered, reaching for his own clothes. Lucas grinned at him, re-buttoning the eye-catching shirt, pulling on the boots, and leaning down for the leather jacket.

"All this and a gentleman, too. They probably cry in DC whenever you leave town."

"Rivers." He winked and Lucas laughed, then shook his head.

"Go to sleep, Ben. I'm a big boy, I can ride the elevator by myself."

Ben straightened from pulling on his own pants and moved right into Lucas' personal space. "And if I'd rather keep you company?"

Lucas was slightly shorter than he was, and once again he was treated to blue eyes watching him through a fringe of black lashes. "I'll call the cab. You finish getting dressed."

He reached for his shirt, pulling it back on as he listened to Lucas on the phone. He debated putting on shoes, then decided against it. It was a warm night in Miami, and he wasn't going to be out long.

"You ready?" Lucas asked behind him, and for answer he stood up and went to the elevator, holding the doors open as he stepped inside and turned around. Lucas sauntered toward him, stopping just inside the doors. Ben pressed the down button, and as they began to move, Lucas leaned toward him. Ben pulled him close, moving to prop them both against the back wall, and then they were kissing again, the taste of Lucas still sweet and intoxicating and what he wouldn't give to start the night all over again....

They didn't break for air until they reached the lobby, and even then they had to push the doors back open to get out. The man at the front desk gave them a friendly nod, and Matthew was there to hold the door open for them as they stepped back into the night. Lucas grinned at the doorman as they passed.

"Thank you, Matthew," he said with genuine warmth, and Matthew nodded, humor in his eyes.

"Have a good evening, sir."

The cab pulled up at that moment and Ben kept his moment of regret to himself. "I'll be back in a moment, Matthew."

"Yes, Mr. Krieg."

He walked Lucas to the cab and Lucas let him open the door with tolerant amusement, moving in for another deep kiss before settling onto the seat. "Next time I'm in DC, Ben Krieg, maybe I'll look you up."

"What, I only rate a 'maybe?'" he said with mock outrage, and Lucas laughed again.

"If I have any free time, make that a 'definitely.'" The laughter faded from Lucas' face, that same shadow moving across his eyes once more. "But free time isn't always a given. I think you know how that goes."

"Yeah." Ben nodded, mutual and unspoken understanding hanging heavy in the air between them. "Yeah, I do. Don't let them work you too hard...Chris. And don't wait too long, or I may just have to do some looking up of my own."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

He leaned down and in until his face was a mere breath from Lucas'. "Think of it as a promise."

Lucas closed that last bit of distance, his lips brushing lightly against Ben's. "If you're going to challenge me like that, I may have to make you find me."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

Lucas laughed and pulled away. Ben straightened and closed the cab door, but not before he heard Lucas call out softly.

"Sweet dreams, Ben."

He waited until the cab was down the street before answering.

"Sweet dreams, Lucas." Until we meet again.

~END~