Chapter Seventeen

John

It had been seven days since John caught a ride to the shop with Jason. It was a marked improvement from always having Stryker attached at the hip. Of course, Stryker would stop in at the shop and hang out for a bit during the day, but that was acceptable, even wanted. The twenty-four/seven always-on-alert was what drove John up the wall.

It had been a long but productive day in the shop, and John had finally finished the oak table. His shoulders ached from moving the table around and having it packaged for delivery. Once back in the apartment, he made for the bathroom. He needed a hot shower to find relief for his tight muscles. His walking had improved greatly to the point where he no longer needed his cane, which made him happy. Things were moving forward.

The store was successful. They'd had over a dozen orders since opening and sold several pieces in the showroom. Word had gotten out far and wide about their little shop, and it always amazed him and Jason when a new customer walked in from cities hundreds of miles away to see their work.

John heard the bathroom door open to their ensuite and smiled, knowing Stryker would likely join him under the hot stream of water. Sure enough, the shower door opened moments later, and a gloriously naked Stryker stepped into the steam-filled space.

It never ceased to amaze John that this tall, muscled Navy SEAL was his to love and touch as much as he wanted, and boy, did he want to.

"Your shoulders feeling any better?" Stryker asked.

"They're starting to loosen up under the heat."

Stryker turned John around to face the wall and began massaging his shoulders under the hot spray of water. It felt glorious, and John couldn't help but groan with satisfaction.

"Starting to feel better?" Stryker asked.

"Oh yeah, this is helping. I'll give you an hour before you stop," John joked.

Stryker chuckled and dutifully continued massaging John's shoulders and back. John couldn't help his body's response to his lover's touch, and soon, he was aching to have Stryker's hands all over his body. John reached behind him, taking hold of Stryker's hard cock and leisurely stroking it as the man continued to massage his shoulders. It was only fair that they both got some pleasure out of this, he thought.

Stryker moaned, spurring him on until he couldn't take it anymore. He turned around to face Stryker without saying a word. They both dove in for a kiss, exploring each other's mouths thoroughly with their tongues while their hands roamed each other's bodies at leisure. There'd never been anything this hedonistic in John's life, and he doubted there ever would be without Stryker in his arms.

"You know I love you, right?" Stryker asked.

"Yes, you don't have to say it for me to know. I can feel it in everything you do. I love you as well."

Neither had come out and said the words before that moment. There never seemed to be a need. They knew how they felt about each other, and no flowery words would change that.

"How did I get so lucky?" Stryker mused.

"I could ask the same thing, but I suggest we just take the gift at face value and keep it safe."

"Agreed. I've got everything I want right…here." Stryker's fingers brushed against John's cock as he took John's lips in another passionate kiss. The steam from the hot shower encircled them and made them feel like they were in their own world. A world of acceptance and safety, love and caring, all things John had been missing for so very long.

Stryker's hands roamed up and down John's body, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. As his need grew, so did his moans, and soon, both men were lost in their passion. Stryker grabbed the waterproof lube they kept on the shower shelf and reached around to prepare John. The moment Stryker's fingers touched his hole, John moaned louder and spread his legs, giving Stryker full access.

First one, then two fingers slid inside him, sending waves of passion and need through John's body. When Stryker found his prostate, he brushed it with every stroke, sending John into a world of ecstasy where only raw need was present. Soon Stryker was turning John around and lining up his hard cock with John's hole. Inch by glorious inch, he slid himself inside, nerve endings lit on fire as the man he loved buried himself deep inside him.

The moment Stryker pulled back and thrust into John, he braced himself onto the tiled walls to stop his world from spinning as desire swamped him over and over again until all that remained was the two of them at this moment as both raced toward release.

Stryker reached around and took John's cock in his hand, pumping it in time with his thrusts, and John's legs weakened. Stryker easily held him up with his strong arm around John's waist. He lifted the smaller man a few inches off the ground before changing angles so that now he was pegging John's prostate with every thrust.

John clawed wildly at the tiles as fire raced down his spine, through his balls, and he came, crying out Stryker's name. Moments later, Stryker drove deep and stilled, filling John with his come.

Nothing had ever felt so wild, complete, and right in John's life.

***

Stryker

Stryker lay in bed as John slept. It was almost dawn, and Stryker had woken up less than twenty minutes before. In the calm of the predawn darkness, all felt right in the world to him, and Stryker wished it could remain that way.

However, he knew sooner or later, the Noah Group would be making another move. The only question that remained was when and where. They'd received a report of a Noah Group facility on the East Coast that appeared to be up and running.

Spencer had now identified the driver of the delivery truck that brought the explosive device to their home. Sure enough, the man had a dubious criminal background and deep associations with less-than-reputable organizations in the same city as the suspected facility. This all proved to them that the Noah Group had sent the package and their team had become targets of the fringe group.

Was it time to take the fight to them? Was there a way to ensure the people who remained in Fire Lake were safe while raiding the suspected facility?

"What's got you thinking so hard?" John murmured sleepily as he stretched out beside Stryker.

"Trying to decide if I should go along with the team on this mission."

"To check out that East Coast facility?" John asked.

"Yeah. Maybe it's best if I stay here."

"I think it would be best if you went on the mission," John declared. "The sooner we put these people out of business, the sooner we can return to a normal life. Besides Elias and all his deputies, Bryan, the ranch staff, Harris and his sister, and Detective Woodley and Gator should be more than enough people to keep an eye on things around here for a few days."

"But what if we miscalculate and the Noah Group shows up here while we're gone?"

"Then we'll kick their asses," John stated without any sign of doubt. "I'm not an easy target anymore. Have a little faith in me."

"I do have faith in you," Stryker said as he pulled John closer.

"Then prove it. Go on this mission, put those assholes out of business so that we can get on with our lives."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'm positive. Everything's going to be fine here while you're gone. We're more than capable of holding down the fort and protecting ourselves. Besides, we have the entire town of Marshall on our side. I don't think anybody could sneak in without someone noticing. Hell, whenever a new customer comes in from out of town, the sheriff knows before they even walk into the shop. We're safe here. Probably safer than I've ever been anywhere."

"You're right. Okay, the team will spend the day preparing and packing for the mission, and then we should be on our way the following day once all the logistics are finalized. But promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks while I'm out of town."

John rolled over on top of Stryker and kissed him. "I promise not to take any unnecessary risks. I don't want you to worry about me when you're there. Take care of yourself because I expect you back without so much as a scratch on you. Understand?"

Stryker wrapped his arms around John and hugged him close.

"Yes, sir."

***

Stryker

They arrived in Wilmington, North Carolina, late in the night and set up a command center in a rented house five miles south of the probable Noah Group location. So far, they hadn't been able to dig up the location of the four remaining task force members, but they had feelers out and Spencer said he hoped something would turn up soon.

They'd already run recon on the suspected building, and Brick was currently meeting with the local authorities, keeping them apprised of the situation.

The FBI had sent out a few field agents to help coordinate, but as far as Stryker could tell, they were simply suits following orders. The team consisted of himself, Gunner, Conor, Brick, Fletcher, Spencer, Jason, and Shaw. At the moment, Gunner and Shaw were monitoring the location while the rest of the team set up.

There hadn't been a lot of action in and around the building; only a couple of cars came and went, though multiple container trucks had made deliveries. He was curious to see what was in those containers and planned a field trip to look around the property later that evening.

This was the first time Stryker was away on a mission with a partner at home. Now he knew what the other team members felt like. It was an odd position for him, considering he'd never been in a relationship like this before.

He wasn't some teenage boy head over heels in lust with someone unable to keep his cool or think rationally, but it was territory he'd never traversed before. Typically, when he'd been on a mission, all the people he knew and cared about were on that same mission with him. There was no one ever left behind.

"I wish I could say it gets easier," Shaw said from across the dining room table.

Stryker looked up from his laptop. "What doesn't get easier?"

"The worry over the people you've left behind. However, knowing they're at home waiting for you makes all the difference."

"I don't know, I'm new at this. I keep thinking about him there alone and something happening that I can't stop."

"There's a whole town full of people watching out for the family we love back home. They're safe, even if it doesn't stop you from wishing you could be there," Shaw said.

"I'm not sure how active-duty members do six-month tours or more when I'm already antsy, and we've only been two days out. It's a hell of a situation. You love your job, protecting your country and its people, but you also love that family you must leave behind every time. How do you choose?"

Shaw shrugged. "It can't be a matter of choice. You give your all when you're here, and then give your all when you're with them. You have to believe it's strong enough to withstand the distance, but we're fortunate our missions don't take us away for extended periods. Now we've retired and only take jobs here and there, we have the luxury of spending more time with the people we love."

"You're right. I couldn't imagine being on active duty and leaving John behind for Lord knows how long."

"Exactly, and that's what you need to be thankful for and concentrate on. It could be worse."

"It could always be worse," Stryker agreed.