Chapter 11

ELEVEN

"I"ll be right back," Jackson fought against the urge to squeeze Barrett"s hand or something equally foolish and jogged off toward the hotel"s entrance.

A small older woman glanced up as he tugged the door open. Her smile reached her dark brown eyes. "Welcome to the Inn on the Mountain! How can I help you? A handsome young man like yourself must be here to do some climbing."

Jackson bit back a cackle. If she only knew.

"Good day, Ma"am," he said, grinning warmly. "I was wondering if you could help me out. I"m in need of four rooms for the night. I swear I"m not alone." Jackson gestured toward the red truck out front.

The innkeeper tsked and looked between Jackson and her computer. "I"m sorry, son," she replied softly, "but we only have two vacant rooms left tonight. We"re booked solid due to the festival happening in town."

Barrett chuckled as he came up behind Jackson and rested his hand on Jackson"s shoulder in comfort. "It"s alright, Jackson. We"ve shared quarters before. It won"t be the end of the world."

Barrett"s low, soothing voice seemed to ease some of Jackson"s concerns. Though the idea of sharing a bed anywhere near him seemed much harder now than it would have been last week.

"We"ll take those two then, please." Jackson handed over his credit card, praying he didn"t wince because there was hardly a balance available on it.

"That"ll be two hundred and twenty-nine." She took his card and swiped it, passing it and two room keys to him a moment later. "You"ll have one room on the second floor, room two ten. The other is just down this hallway, room one-oh-three."

"Thank you, Ma"am." Jackson took the three cards and tried to ignore the way sleep and worry collided in his stomach. "I"m beat. Let"s go get Lark and Thorne and turn in for the night."

Barrett merely nodded, and plucked a key from Jackson"s hands and strolled out the door, forcing Jackson to ignore his worries and jog after him.

Thorne, his muscled frame hunched over as if trying to seem smaller, approached alongside Lark. She adjusted her falcon"s hood, her sharp eyes darting warily about the bustling town square. They exchanged weary greetings, the events of their harrowing journey still fresh in their minds. A glance up showed Mardoc gracefully circling the skies.

"We"ve planted the enchanted beanstalk," Thorne rumbled, his gravelly voice a comforting presence in the sea of unfamiliar faces. "It should be grown to the sky by morning, but I doubt all these people will just not see it."

"Good." Barrett replied, relief etching fine lines around his piercing eyes. "We"ll be long gone by the time it"s an issue with an early wake up." He handed Thorne a card key. "The innkeeper was able to find us two rooms. We"ll have to make do. How do I know which is which?"

Jackson chuckled. "This one," he waved the one between his fingers, " is the second-floor room. Lark, you"re in two-ten. We"ll meet outside no later than three a.m."

Lark quirked an eyebrow, her gaze lingering momentarily on the pair before her. "I suppose we"ve faced worse." She said, her voice tinged with dry humor. "Besides, it"s not like we haven"t seen it all before."

"Aye," Thorne grunted, "We"ve been through the crucible and back, lass. A little forced proximity won"t kill us." His words were gruff, but his eyes softened as he clapped Jackson"s shoulder in a fatherly manner.

With no luggage, they must have looked a strange sight, but they split into groups, with Jackson and Barrett walking back toward the hotel entrance, and Lark and Thorne toward the outside staircase.

Once inside the cramped room, the tension between Jackson and Barrett was palpable. Jackson glanced at the queen-sized bed in the center of the room. It was large enough, but even in the prison cell, they"d had two small cots.

"Well, I s"pose we should get some rest," Jackson said, his voice gruff with emotion he couldn"t afford to let loose. "It's going be a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, tomorrow," Barrett agreed.

Jackson walked over to the window, parting the curtains slightly to look out onto the bustling city in the distance. The lights sparkled like diamonds in the night sky, contrasting sharply with the velvety blackness of the clouds that stretched upward into infinity. He took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air, feeling a familiar pull towards this place that wasn"t entirely welcome.

The room was cozy enough, with a warm fire crackling in the hearth and soft carpets underfoot. But there was an unspoken tension lurking between them that seemed to fill every corner.

Jackson pulled off his boots and socks, rubbing at his aching feet as he contemplated what tomorrow might bring. His shirt was next, tossing to the floor where he"d retrieve it in the morning.

The sound of distant laughter and music drifted up from below, carrying on the gentle breeze that swept through the open window. It was an odd mix of sounds—part human delight and part giant revelry—like an ethereal symphony playing just beyond their reach. He glanced over at Barrett, noticing how his eyes seemed to glow in the dim light from the fireplace. There was something otherworldly about him, something that set Jackson"s heart racing and mind reeling all at once.

As if sensing his gaze, Barrett turned, and their eyes locked.

"Uh, since this is the last time we"re going to really talk, I wanted to thank you again." Jackson knew the words sounded hollow, but the idea of discussing the attraction between them by way of a goodbye seemed stupid.

"It"s I who owe you more than what I did. Your farm could still struggle in the years to come, but I will be free."

Jackson nodded, his jaw clenching tight. He"d already thought of that. "It"s been an … adventure."

"An adventure," Barrett agreed.

Timidly, as if afraid to spook one another, they drew closer. Jackson"s calloused hand reached out, fingers trembling as they brushed against Barrett"s cheek. The prince closed his eyes, leaning into the touch, savoring the roughened texture of Jackson"s skin against his own.

"Jackson," he breathed, and in that single utterance, there was a world of longing and regret.

"Barrett," Jackson whispered back, his voice raw with emotion.

And then their lips were crashing together, the pent-up desire and passion between them igniting like a wildfire. The kiss was all-consuming, their lips bruising, hungry as if they could devour each other whole. Jackson"s tongue darted out, tasting the honeyed sweetness of Barrett"s mouth, and a moan escaped the prince"s lips, spurring him on. Barrett"s hands roamed over Jackson"s firm chest and down to his waist, pulling him closer still.

Jackson tumbled Barrett against the bed, pressing his growing erection against Barrett"s stomach, giving the prince a chance to back out now that he knew what Jackson wanted. In answer, Barrett ground up against Jackson, throwing him into a spiral.

Jackson"s hands roamed over Barrett"s body, exploring the contours of his hips, memorizing every curve and dip. The bedding, once pristine and untouched, soon became a tangled mess, the sheets a testament to their desperate passion.

Lava-hot desire coursed through every fiber of Jackson"s being as he tasted Barrett"s tongue, his mind filling with visions of them entwined in sweet ecstasy. His grip on Barrett tightened as if anchoring himself to this man who"d become an essential part of his life these past few days - whether he wanted it or not. A deep groan escaped from deep within him, vibrating against Barrett"s lips. The sound echoed throughout the room like a primal call mixed with longing and need.

His hands found the waistband of Barrett"s borrowed jeans, and his fingers made quick work of the zipper, tugging the jeans down a moment later before breaking free of the kiss to free Barrett"s erection from the boxers.

Jackson gazed at the beautiful sight in his hands. Barrett"s shaft was long and thick, with a bead of arousal already gleaming on the tip.

Barrett"s breathing was shallow and rapid as Jackson made certain to lock eyes with the prince, waiting for any sign of rejection as he flicked his tongue over the head of Barrett"s cock.

He leaned forward, slowly taking the tip into his mouth, savoring the salty taste and the feel of it sliding down his throat. He bobbed his head up and down, sucking gently as he closed his eyes in bliss.

Barrett"s hips jerked involuntarily, his fingers digging into Jackson"s shoulders as the man panted and urged Jackson to continue.

Jackson sucked harder, groaning around Barrett"s cock as he felt it pulse between his lips. He knew this was wrong - he should be focusing on getting them back home to Earth but couldn"t shake off this overwhelming desire for more.

His mouth worked in a rhythm that seemed to hypnotize them both as he bobbed up and down on Barrett"s erection, taking more of it into his mouth each time until he could take no more and had to pull back for air. Barrett"s moans grew louder as he looked down at him with hooded eyes full of lust and need, his chest rising and falling rapidly with every breath.

Suddenly, Jackson stood again, grasping Barrett"s hips tightly as he stared at him with an intensity that sent shivers down Barrett"s spine. With a newfound boldness, he wrapped one hand around the base of Barrett"s cock while using his other to stroke himself through his underwear. Their eyes locked onto each other during this erotic dance of seduction that left neither man able to look away or control their need for satisfaction.

The mattress creaked under their movements as Jackson took Barrett deeper into his mouth, swallowing around him effortlessly while massaging the base of Barrett"s cock with soft kisses along its length.

Needy hands twisted in Jackson"s hair as Barrett's hips bucked wildly before a strangled cry passed from his lips.

Barrett"s release flooded into Jackson"s mouth unexpectedly, its sweetness overwhelming him briefly before he swallowed it greedily like nectar and he swallowed while looking up at Barrett who watched him intently from hooded eyes filled with lust and something else - something tender that made Jackson feel exposed yet safe all at once.

A groan escaped him as he worked to remove his underwear. His hand went to Barrett"s cock, swirling around the beads of release that were still there to collect on his finger.

It was Barrett who moved first, turning and pressing his knees into the mattress. Jackson nearly came undone at the sight of such a well-muscled man laid out before him.

"Fuck," Jackson breathed out, his hand finding its way to Barrett"s ass cheeks as he pushed them apart.

He dabbed the thumb covered in Barrett"s release against the entrance before slowly pushing it inside, feeling the tight ring of muscle grip around it with delightful tension.

Barrett moaned, arching into Jackson"s touch as he spread his legs further apart on the mattress.

"Do it. . . please." His voice was rough now, void of anything but need as he pushed back onto Jackson"s thumb, taking it in deeper.

Jackson moved his thumb in and out slowly, reveling in the sounds of pleasure escaping Barrett. He was doing this. He made this royal man scream and buck with desire and he would be the one to find release inside of Barrett.

As another bead of pre-cum welled up on Jackson"s cock, he slid down lower once more preparing himself to fuck until neither of them could stand up. Sliding his thumb free, Jackson shifted his hips to set his cock against Barrett. A roll of his hips pressed the head of his shaft against Barrett"s opening.

Without hesitation, Jackson pushed forward, slowly entering Barrett with a low growl. The feeling of being inside this man was indescribable.

Slowly but surely, Jackson began to move, setting a steady pace that had them both gasping and moaning with each thrust. Their eyes never left each other as their bodies moved together in perfect harmony.

He let his hands roam over Barrett"s back, marveling at the tightness of his body. Every thrust of his hips took him closer to the release he craved.

Reaching his hand under Barrett, he stroked against the slowly softening erection until it came to life under his hand. When Barrett"s hand wrapped over Jackson"s, everything vanished into a frenzy of thrusts and desires.

In the flickering light, their bodies moved together in rhythmic harmony, the headboard thudding against the wall in time with their frantic coupling. Jackson"s hands splayed across Barrett"s back, fingers digging into the lean muscles as he drove his hips forward with a primal urgency. The prince arched his hips, meeting each thrust with a wanton eagerness that sent shivers down Jackson"s spine.

Pleasure pulsed through Jackson"s body as he moved in and out of Barrett, his senses consumed by the feel of their sweaty bodies sliding against each other, the sound of skin slapping together.

He could feel himself getting closer to his release with every thrust, but he wanted to prolong it as long as possible. He wanted to make this moment last forever - this moment where it was just him and Barrett, connected in a way that went beyond physical pleasure.

With one final thrust, Jackson felt himself come undone. His whole body convulsed as he released inside of Barrett with a guttural moan. The feeling was overwhelming - like nothing he had ever experienced before.

As their breathing slowed and their heartbeats returned to something resembling normalcy, Jackson pulled away, his chest heaving. "I"m sorry," he panted, self-loathing, clouding his emerald eyes. "I"m so sorry. I shouldn"t have–"

Barrett silenced him with a finger to his lips. "No apologies," he said, his voice husky with emotion. "You are my knight in shining armor, Jackson. My thief of hearts. And I don"t want you to ever apologize for stealing my heart."

At that moment, as they lay entwined in each other"s arms, their worries and responsibilities cast aside, Jackson knew tomorrow was going to be the worst day of his fucking life.