Stevie Woods Other Worlds 3 Best Policy

EST

OLICY

…When Adam awoke and heard Rafe’s voice, he’d been confused,

still imagining he was lying in Rafe’s bed, in the arms of the man he
loved. But as the fog in his mind slowly cleared, he realized he really
was looking up into Rafe’s face and knowing then it could only have
been a dream. Oh God, if only it could’ve been real.

Only, of course, it wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Adam had to rely on

his fantasies because he knew that was all he would ever have of
Major Rafe Wheaton. Rafe being here with him was just being a good
friend, looking out for a member of his team, for his buddy. Adam
rubbed a hand across his forehead, trying to erase the pain throbbing
through his skull. Adam knew he needed to concentrate, listen to Rafe
and try to discover what the hell was going on.

Damn this headache!
As he became more aware of his surroundings, he realized, with

dismay, just where he was lying—half across Rafe’s lower body with
his head resting against Rafe’s abdomen—and he tried to move. This
was too tempting and his defenses were down.

“What’cha doin’?” Rafe asked in a concerned voice, his hands

gripping Adam tighter.

“Trying to…find my water bottle,” Adam replied creatively. He

didn’t like lying, but he couldn’t admit the real reason for trying to
move away from Rafe. He couldn’t tell him this closeness was just too
hard to cope with when he felt so low.

“Huh, sorry, I have it. Here,” Rafe said, passing it over to Adam.

“Just a few sips, though.”

On second thought, Adam realized a drink would be good about

now and, taking the bottle, he gratefully sipped the water, as, to his
shame, his treacherous body leaned into the support Rafe offered…

LSO

TEVIE

OODS

A Favor For A Friend

Lightning Strikes

More Than Chains To Bind

Other Worlds

BEST POLICY

STEVIE WOODS

MBER

UILL

RESS

, LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

EST

OLICY

MBER

UILL

RESS

OOK

This book is a work of fiction.

All names, characters, locations, and incidents are products of the

author’s imagination, or have been used fictitiously.

Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locales,

or events is entirely coincidental.

Amber Quill Press, LLC

http://www.AmberQuill.com

No portion of this book may be transmitted or

reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in

writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief

excerpts used for the purposes of review.

ISBN 978-1-61124-117-4

PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BEST POLICY

CHAPTER 1

Damn this ever-increasing rain! Where the hell was it all

coming from? One minute the sky was clear, the next thick black
clouds had appeared and, without warning, a deluge hit. If it wasn’t
for the fact they weren’t on Earth, Rafe might have thought it was
a replay of the great flood. Then again, how could anyone compare
Delta to Earth? The ball of rock was only about two-thirds the size
of Earth, and from orbit it looked like nothing more than a
spinning circle of brown and beige. It even made Alkya look good.

Rafe pulled his hood farther forward, but it was already so

heavy with water that the stuff just sluiced off and ran down his
face. You’d think by now someone could have invented anti-rain
gear that actually worked, instead of ending up with you even more
fucking wet. ’Course, this was all Adam’s fault. Rafe slipped a

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hand into his pocket and fingered the rolled-up notebook he’d
stuffed in there as he’d left the tent at their campsite. The man was
a linguist, yet his handwriting looked worse than the scribblings he
studied. How on earth he made sense of the stuff was beyond Rafe,
but then he was a simple soldier, not one of the science types he
looked after. But the lieutenant had been adamant he needed his
notebook—now—and as there was no one else available, and as
Adam had queried in that innocent way of his, what else did Rafe
have to do really?

He looked up the hill and saw he didn’t have far to go to reach

the plateau on which the towering temple sat. Well, they still
weren’t positive it was a temple, but it sure did look regal perched
up there, all tall columns and arches with a domed roof. Adam was
pretty convinced it was a temple though; he’d identified what he
called a sacrificial basin in one of the inner rooms. Rafe couldn’t
help but smile as he recalled the excitement in Adam’s voice as he
explained it to him. Not that Rafe was really taking it all in; he was
happy enough just to watch the way Adam lit up when he got all
hot and bothered like that.

The last few feet of the climb were the hardest. His boots kept

sinking in the increasingly boggy earth. The sucking sound as he
pulled his feet free yet again seemed to mock him and only added
to his frustration. It was with relief that Rafe finally set his feet on
the plateau. He took a moment to get his breath, then began
walking again. He hadn’t gone very far when he heard a deep
rumbling; he felt it, too, under his feet. He stopped, looking down
at the earth for a moment before lifting his gaze to the hill rising
above and behind the temple. The noise came again, but this time it
was followed by a loud, harsh creaking sound. Rafe knew, he
didn’t know how, but he knew. It began little by little, almost in

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slow motion. He began to run.

“Adam!” he yelled, his eyes tracking the movement on the hill

above. “Landslide! Get out!”

Rafe didn’t even know if Adam could hear him. The man was

working inside, near the rear entrance. God, Adam would probably
be too caught up in his work to hear him anyway. Rafe had never
known anyone with such focused concentration.

“Adam,” he screamed, “for God’s sake, run!” The landslide

was hurtling down the hill, and Rafe was too far away. He knew it
would reach the rear of the temple before he did. He did the only
thing he could, he flung himself against the front of the temple,
praying its height would shield him from the tons of earth and mud
thundering down from above.

Rafe waited only long enough to be sure it had passed either

side of the huge building. He was grateful to find the front entrance
untouched and he rushed inside, careening through the myriad of
small rooms to reach the rear where Adam had been working. He
slid to a halt when he saw the debris and mud filling the back
entrance. Only the tip of the stele where Adam had been working
was visible.

“Adam,” he murmured. “Adam!” He couldn’t lose him, he

couldn’t. Nothing meant more to Rafe than Adam. If he hadn’t
known before, he knew in that instant he loved Adam Deacon to
distraction. Where was he? Oh, God, please!

It was the flash of color amidst the sea of grey muck that

caught his eye. Just a few inches of bright blue. One of Adam’s
quirks was that, along with his trusty brush, he always carried a
few blue cloths with him to clear away dust and dirt. Rafe realized
he was seeing one of Adam’s legs with the cloth peeking out of his
pocket. Soon he was scrambling to shove the clinging muddy earth

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aside and drag Adam free. Luckily, Adam had been working close
to the rear wall between it and the stele, so when the landslide had
surged through, he had been caught up in the edge of it. If he had
been working on the forward side of the stele, it was likely by the
time Rafe found him he’d have been long dead.

As it was, Adam was unconscious. From what Rafe could tell,

the surge had shoved Adam against the far side of the stele and it
looked as if he had struck his head on the stone. He had been lying
face down and his mouth and nasal passages were clear. A cursory
examination showed Adam’s pulse was steady and his breathing
seemed normal. Rafe scrabbled to find his pack, which he had left
with Adam, but he couldn’t find it. Cursing, he knew it had to be
here somewhere. He uncovered Adam’s pack, but it’d been
slammed against the wall and was in a bad state.

Fuck, where is it? Please let the comm-unit be in one piece.
He finally dug out his pack, sighing with relief when it looked

a damn sight better than Adam’s. He took out the comm-unit.

“Alkya, Wheaton here. We have an emergency.” He waited for

a response, but nothing happened. “Alkya, come in. Major
Wheaton reporting from Delta. We need help.” He tried twice
more, only to be greeted by the same silence.

The rain was still coming down heavily outside and Rafe didn’t

know if another landslide would be forthcoming. Staying in the
temple wasn’t an option. He thought about carrying Adam to the
campsite below, but he thought it possible, even likely, that the
landslide had swept it away, too. Rafe wasn’t sure if he could carry
him down anyway; he would likely be following the same path as
the landslide and it could be impassable. No, he needed somewhere
out of the line of the landslide, but not far and under cover. He
could take a better look at Adam and hopefully get the comm-unit

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working.

There was only one place—a small cave Rafe had found when

he first checked out the area shortly after their arrival. Rafe picked
up Adam, cradled him to his chest and moved out.

* * *

“Wake up, Adam. Please, come on! Open those eyes, please.”

Rafe knew he sounded desperate, but how else was he supposed to
feel when his best friend had been out for hours and showed no
signs of waking? Rafe had used one of Adam’s blue cloths to clean
his face and rub the muck from his hair. Walking through the
heavy rain from the temple to the cave had washed away some of
the mud. Now, absently stroking Adam’s brow as the young man
lay across his lap, Rafe continued to speak to him, trying to send
comfort and support. After what seemed an eternity, Adam stirred
a little.

“Adam, come on, come on…that’s it,” Rafe said, joyful relief

filling him as Adam finally showed some sign of waking, even if it
was only the flickering of eyelids. It had been the first movement
he had made since the landslide almost twelve hours ago. “It’s
me—Rafe. Open your eyes…” Please! Rafe wanted to shake him,
but was afraid to add to any brain injury he may have already
suffered.

“Mmm…”
The first sound from Adam’s mouth had Rafe sighing. He often

wanted to shut Adam up, but now, all he wanted was to hear his
voice.

“That’s it,” Rafe murmured, gently stroking Adam’s cheek.
“Shhh…let me sleep now.” Adam gave a languid smile, his

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eyes still closed. “You can”—he laughed, trying to squirm closer
against Rafe’s thigh, which was doing nothing for Rafe’s already
shaken self-control—“disturb me again in the morning.”

As if the movements weren’t enough, the sultry tone of Adam’s

voice jolted Rafe. He realized Adam must be dreaming, and what a
dream, if his tone was any indication. Rafe couldn’t help
wondering who was sharing Adam’s dream to make him sound
like that. The very idea someone other than he could make Adam
feel so good tightened Rafe’s gut. He shook his head. Now was so
not the time for such thoughts.

“No, Adam, now. Wake up now!” Rafe demanded, speaking

close to Adam’s ear, hoping to get through to the man.

“Veerry pushy…you already wore me out.”
“What?” Rafe gritted his teeth. Oh God, I wish it could be me

he was dreaming about. “Adam,” he shouted.

“Raaafe…tired, so tired…” Adam’s eyelids flickered and, for

the first time, Rafe saw a hint of blue, but all too soon they drifted
shut again.

“Aw, I know, Adam but you can’t sleep now. Open your eyes,

damn it!” This time Rafe resorted to slapping Adam’s cheek, and
the younger man muttered in one of his many languages. Rafe
smiled, imagining what the words would have been in English.
Adam could curse fluently in each language, as Rafe knew from
long experience.

At last, Adam’s eyes blearily opened and he frowned, trying to

focus.

“That’s it, that’s it. Can you see me?” Rafe asked, peering at

his friend.

“Can’t see anything but a grey fuzz. Turn up the light.”
Rafe sighed, hoping it was just a lack of light and not a

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symptom of a serious concussion. “Sorry, Adam, there’s no more
light at the moment. We’re in a cave and the only light we have
available is from the small fire I started. I had hoped for the
addition of some moonlight, but there isn’t any tonight.”

“We’re not at the Alkya base?” Adam sounded puzzled and

looked around, trying to see what he could in the gloom, but it was
obvious from the way he was squinting he couldn’t see much.
Then his gaze settled on Rafe and he looked more confused than
ever. His mouth opened, but no words were forthcoming.

Rafe felt Adam squirm a little against him, followed by the

squishing sound of cloth rubbing on cloth. “What’cha doin’?” he
asked.

* * *

When Adam awoke and heard Rafe’s voice, he’d been

confused, still imagining he was lying in Rafe’s bed, in the arms of
the man he loved. But as the fog in his mind slowly cleared, he
realized he really was looking up into Rafe’s face and knowing
then it could only have been a dream. Oh God, if only it could’ve
been real.

Only, of course, it wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Adam had to rely

on his fantasies because he knew that was all he would ever have
of Major Rafe Wheaton. Rafe being here with him was just being a
good friend, looking out for a member of his team, for his buddy.
Adam rubbed a hand across his forehead, trying to erase the pain
throbbing through his skull. Adam knew he needed to concentrate,
listen to Rafe and try to discover what the hell was going on.

Damn this headache!
As he became more aware of his surroundings, he realized,

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with dismay, just where he was lying—half across Rafe’s lower
body with his head resting against Rafe’s abdomen—and he tried
to move. This was too tempting and his defenses were down.

“What’cha doin’?” Rafe asked in a concerned voice, his hands

gripping Adam tighter.

“Trying to…find my water bottle,” Adam replied creatively.

He didn’t like lying, but he couldn’t admit the real reason for
trying to move away from Rafe. He couldn’t tell him this closeness
was just too hard to cope with when he felt so low.

“Huh, sorry, I have it. Here,” Rafe said, passing it over to

Adam. “Just a few sips, though.”

On second thought, Adam realized a drink would be good

about now and, taking the bottle, he gratefully sipped the water, as,
to his shame, his treacherous body leaned into the support Rafe
offered.

“There. That better?” Rafe asked. “I don’t think you have any

major injuries, but you’ve been out for hours. How’s the head?”

“Aching, but not too bad. Still feel a bit hazy. Hours?”
“Yeah, over twelve hours since you were hurt.”
Adam frowned. So long? Damn, he couldn’t even remember

getting hurt. What had happened this time? He shook his head in
dismay, which proved a mistake as he immediately felt dizzy and
nauseous. He groaned, and Rafe supported him, holding him even
closer against his chest.

“Well, that was stupid,” he admitted, and Rafe’s gentle laughter

resonated through his body. Adam couldn’t help the feeling of
well-being that suffused him being held by the man who meant
everything to him. He couldn’t find it in himself to be sorry that he
reveled in the enjoyment of sensations of which he could never get
enough.

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Rafe grinned as he replied, “Yeah, that wasn’t very smart for

someone with a possible concussion.”

“Guess it should be elevated to a probable concussion,” Adam

replied ruefully.

“You want a painkiller?”
“Nah, it’s not a nail-in-the-head pain, just a regular ordinary

hammer-to-the-temple, so I’ll save the painkiller ’til I need it.”

Rafe snorted. “That’s my boy.”
Adam smiled, then frowned. “What’s that sound?”
“Sound? Do you mean the rain?” Rafe asked, sounding

worried. “You sure your head is okay? How about your hearing?”

“My hearing? It’s fine. Just that I thought I could hear rain. I

like the rain,” Adam replied, not understanding the concern he
heard in Rafe’s voice.

“Adam, I know you enjoy the rain when you can watch it

through a window, but I don’t think you’d like this rain. It’s heavy
and has been coming down since thirty minutes or so before the
landslide.”

“Landslide?”
“You don’t remember a thing, do you?”
“No.” Adam was puzzled and even a little scared. He hated

feeling so out of it. The idea his mind could be affected and his
memory wasn’t to be trusted also scared him. “The last thing I
clearly remember was having dinner with you on Friday.” His face
fell as unwelcome fear gripped his heart and he asked nervously,
“That wasn’t a dream was it?”

* * *

Rafe’s gut clenched at the doubt and apprehension in Adam’s

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voice, and yet he knew why Adam was unsure of the memory.
They had, indeed, shared dinner in his apartment on Friday, the
day before this fateful mission. It had been the first time they had
spent any time together outside of work in weeks, and it had been a
slightly strained attempt on both their parts to get their friendship
back on track.

They’d had a short talk the day before, following a particularly

difficult mission briefing. Adam had approached Rafe afterward,
pulling him to one side as he had been about to leave. He could
still see the confusion in Adam’s eyes and hear the pain in his
voice as he spoke.

“Major Wheaton, I can’t go on like this any longer and it seems

clear you don’t want to either. If you…” Adam had dropped his
eyes for a moment, then raised them again to stare at Rafe. He’d
lifted his chin and continued, “If what you really want is for me to
ask for a transfer, then I have decided I will comply. I’m sure any
number of teams would be happy to make use of my expertise. I’d
be prepared to move to another of the Other World bases if that is
what is needed.”

Rafe had been shocked. He had never entertained the idea of

Adam transferring to another team, let alone another world. In fact,
he had done everything he could think of to keep Adam working
with him, going as far as backing off when he realized he wanted
more…so much more than simple friendship.

Falling in love with his language specialist was never

something he thought he would do, said specialist being a man and
all. However, Adam Deacon was special in more ways than one,
and Rafe had been helpless against his charms. When Rafe came to
terms with his desires, he had decided it was better Adam never
knew of his feelings; he didn’t believe the man could share them

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and, thinking to protect them both, Rafe had pulled back. Now, as
a consequence, Adam was offering to transfer, to walk out of his
life.

What have I done? Rafe hadn’t understood just how far back he

had pulled, or what walls he had unintentionally thrown up
between them. Was it too late? It couldn’t be; Rafe had to make
him change his mind.

“Transfer? Leave the team? God, no, Adam. What the hell gave

you that idea?” He realized his voice was harsh and his attitude
would hardly convince Adam of his sincerity. He took a deep
breath and started again. “Look, Adam, I know we’ve had”—he
shrugged and grimaced—“are having problems, but believe me, I
don’t want you to transfer. Damn it, you try and I’ll put every
block in your way I can think of!”

For a moment, Adam was speechless, his eyes flashing, and he

was clearly on the edge of anger. Then his frown cleared as Rafe’s
disquiet registered and, as the real meaning of his message got
through, a slight smile touched Adam’s lips.

Then it faded. “Well, what’s wrong then, Rafe? Why is it that

while you acknowledge my expertise, you find fault with whatever
I do or say? Today was the last straw; you shot me down at every
opportunity during the briefing. Lord, even the general called you
on it. Why? What’s going on?”

Instead of answering the questions, Rafe pointedly looked at

his watch. “Look, I agree we need to talk, but you couldn’t have
picked a worse time.”

“Talk, or the lack thereof, is one of our main problems and I’m

not speaking of your—” Adam stopped, having no desire to start
another argument. “I’m talking about real communication. We
seem to have stopped talking or, maybe even more importantly,

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we’ve stopped listening to each other. All we seem to do now is
snipe and yell at each other.”

Rafe stared at Adam seeing, perhaps for the first time because

he really looked, just how stressed his friend was, and he said
carefully, “Adam, will you come to my place for dinner and I
promise I’ll try and straighten out this whole mess. I can’t see you
tonight; I have a meeting with General Banks and Major Archer.
Will you come tomorrow evening?”

Adam lifted an eyebrow and chewed on his lip, clearly giving

the suggestion serious thought and finally he gave Rafe a tentative
smile. “Okay, your place on Friday night it is. But Rafe, if we can’t
sort something out, well, something has got to give. I meant what I
said about transferring if that’s the only way. It’s not what I want,
but I will do it.”

Rafe nodded, determined that, come Friday evening, he would

convince Adam not to consider transferring, and he hoped to make
the man believe he really was still his friend and wanted to mend a
few bridges.

Now the injured Adam’s confused question about whether their

dinner together had been a dream also made a little more sense in
conjunction with his other odd, disjointed statements on coming
round a little while ago. It was now the next Thursday and Adam
seemed to have lost almost a week of memories.

Rafe’s own memory slipped back to Adam’s dream on waking

and he couldn’t help an unreasoned jealousy of whomever Adam
had been dreaming about, whoever wore him out. He envied the
unnamed woman who gave his best friend such dreams.

Rafe couldn’t help thinking—wishing—it might have been him

whom Adam dreamt of as his name was the only one Adam had
mentioned, but Rafe knew that was all it was—wishful thinking.

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“No, Adam, dinner with me on Friday evening wasn’t a

dream,” Rafe told him firmly, “but we’re not on base now. We’re
on a survey mission on ALK1d. The ruined temple site on Delta.
Remember?”

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CHAPTER 2

“Survey? Temple?”
Adam was still stuck between his dream world and what Rafe

was telling him was his present reality, and Adam so much
preferred his dream where he was sharing his body and soul with
Rafe. Deep inside he knew it was a forlorn hope, but hope was all
he had left. Or so he thought until Rafe’s words sank in and he
belatedly remembered their time together on Friday evening. Rafe
had been as determined as he to get their friendship back on track,
being very eloquent at expressing his regret at his actions. His
pleasant memories of that evening made Adam relax.

He recalled how nervous he had been when he’d first arrived,

but Rafe had been at pains to make him feel at home, the way he
used to do when they habitually spent quite a lot of their free time

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together. Rafe had prepared one of Adam’s favorite meals; nothing
fancy, just good spaghetti bolognaise topped with cheese and
served with fresh-baked garlic bread and a tossed salad. Rafe had
made him laugh the way he used to, and Adam had been happy to
enjoy dinner and not push about the serious talking until later.

They’d been sitting in front of a warm fire with a glass of good

whisky each when Rafe had finally opened up and begun to speak.
“I know this will be hard for you to understand, but please just hear
me out. I guess it’s fair to say I became afraid of just how close our
friendship was, afraid I allowed it to be become too important. You
recall how hard I took it when you got hurt. That my… I believed
it was interfering with my ability to do my job properly.”

Adam had been frowning, but he’d kept quiet as Rafe had

talked, letting him have his say.

“I’m not sure I exactly made a decision to pull back, but I

found myself putting space between us, building a wall around
myself as if it could somehow protect me.”

Adam had been shocked to hear that, but still he’d said nothing,

waiting to hear what else Rafe would say.

Rafe had dropped his head as he’d continued, “I never realized

just how far I’d gone with my…self-preservation until you pulled
me up short with your offer to transfer.” Rafe had looked up then,
squarely meeting Adam’s gaze. “I’ve spent every minute since
then going over the last few months, and I’m ashamed of how I
treated you, the man I claim as my friend. Adam, can you forgive
me? Can you give our friendship another chance?”

Adam had wanted to jump at the chance, but the part of him so

hurt by Rafe’s attitude had made him ask instead, “And what
happens next time something goes wrong, Rafe? The next time I
get hurt? It will happen. It goes with the job. Is this all going to

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start again?” Adam had known he couldn’t go through this again,
so if Rafe couldn’t convince him…

“God, no. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll do the same thing I used

to always do, sit by your bedside and hope you get better.” Rafe
had stood and moved to stand in front of Adam. “I was only
fooling myself because I didn’t hurt any less over the last few
months when you ended up in the infirmary. All I did was throw
away the right to be at your side and all that did was add to my
anger, which I then took out on you.

“I also remembered it’s the same for you. I’ve seen the

expression on your face when I’ve been hurt and wakened to find
you sitting by my side. It’s the risk you take when you allow
someone to get close, I guess. Looking back, I wonder you put up
with me as long as you did!”

And here they were on their very next mission, and he’d been

hurt again. He turned to look at Rafe, wondering if his friend was
remembering his own words from that evening, but instead he
found himself looking into a pair of wickedly sparkling eyes.

“Well, we thought it might be a temple based on the probes

we’d sent. Big huge site, on a plateau halfway up a mountain…you
were in heaven.” Rafe was grinning as he explained about the
survey, bringing Adam’s thoughts back to the subject they were
supposed to be discussing. “I can still see how excited you were
when you first saw the pictures gathered by the latest probe. You
were almost dancing with joy.”

Adam felt the heat rise in his cheeks and he wished he could

refute Rafe’s claims as outrageous, but he was well aware how
excited he could get. Instead, he just grimaced. “Prick!”

“I’m shocked at such language, Lieutenant Deacon!” Rafe

grinned. “We’ve been here six days and you had me fetching and

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carrying for you, while Sergeant Schofield was helping Lieutenant
Davis collect all his various geochemical samples. He was pretty
happy, too. Do you remember any of this?” Rafe anxiously asked,
realizing Adam was still confused.

Knowing him as well as he did, Adam guessed Rafe would be

wondering just how bad Adam’s headache really was. Adam had
no wish to correct him just then and tell him what he was really
thinking about.

“I think so, maybe. Six days? I clearly remember Friday

evening,” Adam smiled at Rafe, but quickly moved on. “I
remember the probe images and asking the general if we could go
as soon as possible… it’s fuzzy after that. A few images maybe.
Six days though…” He tailed off, thinking. He looked around
again as it occurred to him he hadn’t seen the rest of his team.
Frowning at Rafe, he asked, “Are Lieutenant Davis and the
sergeant still surveying or something?”

“Afraid not. They’re not here any longer, Adam.”
“What?” That was the last thing he expected to hear.
“Like I was saying, the lieutenant was very pleased with his

results. He’d already found lots of useful minerals and then he
discovered something he’s never seen before. Apparently its
properties were way off the charts—just don’t ask me what charts
’cause I have no idea, but he was in raptures about all the
possibilities. He wanted to go back early with his results, run some
tests and stuff, but you wanted to stay longer to study the temple
markings. Not for the first time, you two almost came to blows.”
Rafe smiled as Adam ducked his head.

“I can imagine,” Adam admitted, smiling up from under his

lashes.

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* * *

Rafe’s heart was still slamming against his ribs from that

unintentionally seductive glance Adam had given him from under
his lashes. He was then forced to cough to clear the sudden lump
that had formed in his throat. Belatedly realizing his hand was
moving to caress Adam’s cheek, he diverted it to squeeze his
shoulder instead. “You look and sound better.”

“Yeah, I feel a bit better,” Adam agreed. Then, he asked, “So,

what did you do?”

“Do?” Rafe queried, distracted by the abrupt sadness in

Adam’s eyes, wondering what had caused the look.

“To solve the presumably good-natured disagreement between

Chris Davis and I?”

“Ah, I spoke to the general and he agreed they could take the

ship back to base early and check over the samples in the lab.”

“The general didn’t want us all to go back right away?”
Rafe shrugged. “Well, sure, he did make the suggestion, but I

argued it would be unfair to you because you’d just begun your
investigation, and your work was at least comparably important as
the lieutenant’s, so the general agreed to let us stay for a few more
days and he’d send the ship back for us.” Rafe remembered how
grateful Adam had been and he guiltily kept the fact to himself he
had done it just to see that smile on Adam’s lips. The same rather
sweet smile Rafe had single-handedly wiped from Adam’s face
some months earlier when he’d started being a bastard to his best
friend.

“He knew I’d be safe with you.”
“That was the theory,” Rafe muttered under his breath.
Adam smiled. “I bet I was very happy with you about then.”

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Rafe was embarrassed to feel an unaccustomed flush creep up

his cheeks and hoped Adam hadn’t noticed. Odds were Adam
would be naive enough to ask what caused it. Rafe plastered a grin
on his face for a second and then it faded as he went on,
“Unfortunately, things didn’t go according to plan.”

“Do they ever?” Adam shrugged. “So, tell me what exactly

happened. I still can’t remember anything about a landslide.”

“Do you remember the layout of the area?”
Adam frowned, thinking, but after a few moments he said,

“Not very well. There’s a mountain, right?”

“Kind of. It’s more accurate to call it a really big hill. Halfway

up it was a large plateau, which you thought might be man-made,
dug out of the hillside. The temple sits on the plateau. The survey
ship had landed on a flat meadow just to the west of the hill and we
set up our camp at the base on the hill on the western side. After
the general gave permission for the lieutenant to leave early, the
sergeant piloted the ship out. That was a couple of days before the
landslide.”

“Which happened twelve hours ago?”
“Yeah. You’d been having the time of your life. You were

working on a stele just inside the rear exit of the temple, and I was
just on my way back from our campsite with your notebook. You’d
left it in the tent instead of packing it in your backpack and, of
course, you needed it urgently to check on some notes you’d made
the day before.”

As Rafe explained, Adam frowned as if he was remembering.
“I grumbled at you, said something about how you’d planned

it…you’d known the bad weather was on the way. I don’t think
you even heard me, you were so wrapped up in a particular line of
very annoying script, per your quote at the time.”

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“A new script is always annoying until I believe I can decipher

it,” Adam said.

Rafe cocked his head to one side and regarded him, a twinkle

in his eyes. “Anyhow, I got soaked, even through my wet weather
gear. Gotta say when it rains on this rock, it rains! I was almost
back at the temple when I heard it first, before I saw it. Horrible
sound.” He shuddered. “I yelled for you to get out, but I don’t
know if you even heard me, and I realized I was too far away. I
began to run, but I knew I was going to be too late. The damn thing
was hurtling down the hill like a…like a…” Rafe stopped, shaking
his head at the memory. “Do you remember any of this?”

“I’m not sure. I do have what I suppose you could call flashes,

bits and pieces. Thick gray light, and I know how weird that
sounds. There was a feeling of not being able to breathe, of weight
pressing on my chest.”

“It was damn lucky you’d moved inside that morning to work

on the markings there.” Rafe knew he’d have nightmares about
Adam being outside when those tons of rubble and mud had
slammed into the temple. “Most of the place is still standing, but
the landslide piled some of the loose rubble ahead of it and surged
inside any opening it could find. You were knocked for six before
the damn stuff swallowed you. I found you with just your legs
sticking out. It sure was no fun digging you out of the mud.”

“You pulled me out? You saved my life. Thanks, Rafe.”
Rafe could still remember the numbness he felt as he saw the

landslide racing toward Adam and knowing he was too far away to
help him. In that split second, he had been sure Adam was going to
die right in front of him. Rafe didn’t say how he’d prayed and
begged that Adam would still be alive as he struggled to pull Adam
from what could have been his grave.

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“How much longer before help arrives?” Adam asked.
Pushing the morbid memory away, Rafe replied, “Ah, well, no

one knows what happened here.”

Adam looked confused.
“Both of the packs were inside the temple with you, except for

your notebook, that is. Everything got buried with you. I dug those
out, too, and while most of the contents were okay, sort of, the
comm-unit wasn’t.”

“You mean we can’t contact base?”
“Nope. From what I can tell, the comm-unit still works over

short range, but it can’t reach as far as Alkya. We have to wait for
them to come back for us. They’ll be concerned fairly soon now
because we’ve already missed last night’s regular check-in. When
we miss tonight’s as well they’ll know for sure something is
wrong.”

“Damn, why did I take both packs inside with me? I should’ve

left yours outside. What was I thinking?”

Rafe frowned. “Adam, don’t be so hard on yourself. You had

no way to know there was going to be a landslide. And left it
outside where? The landslide surged past the temple and carried on
down the hillside. I’m pretty sure it took out the campsite, too. If
my pack had been outside, we’d probably have lost the comm-unit
altogether.” Rafe decided to try a different tack. “I admit I was
really worried at first when I didn’t know how badly you were
hurt. How are feeling now? You were out for hours, and I’m pretty
sure you have a concussion, though, thank God, it seems a mild
one. Unless you’re doing your ‘I’m fine’ crap and keeping things
from me?”

“No, no. I have a headache, sure, and my memory of the

landslide is virtually non-existent, but that’s it. I can see and hear

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fine.”

“How many fingers am I holding up?”
“Three, Rafe.”
“Three?” Rafe said looking at the two fingers he was

displaying.

“One on the other hand,” Adam said.
“Just checking.” Rafe grinned.
“Don’t ever change,” Adam said softly.
“What?” Rafe said, touched by the simple comment.

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CHAPTER 3

Adam could have bitten his tongue off. Why on earth had he

said that aloud? Sometimes he could be such a flake!

Deciding to play on his concussion, Adam chose to ignore

Rafe’s question. He didn’t want to answer any questions on his slip
of the tongue and instead said, “So, we’re trapped here. You sure
there’s no way of fixing the comm-unit?”

“Uh, no. At least I can’t. My pack was slammed against a wall

and the comm-unit took quite a hit. I struggled at first to get it
working at all. I tried all I know. Maybe our resourceful sergeant
could’ve fixed it.” Rafe shrugged. “For now, we just have to wait
until the ship comes back for us.”

“At least we’re together, Rafe, and there’s no one I’d rather be

stranded with.” What’s with me today and my runaway mouth?

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“Aw, that gives me such a warm glow,” Rafe said, theatrically

putting his hand over his heart. “Ah, and, of course, you couldn’t
bitch at Chris or John the way you do at me.”

“No, I’m not as at home with them as I am with you,” replied

Adam without thinking and, in a flash, he snapped his head up to
see how Rafe reacted. It seemed the link between his brain and his
tongue wasn’t working; he was saying all the wrong things. Or the
right things, because every word he said was true. Perhaps his
subconscious was trying to tell him something?

“Well, thank you for the kind compliment,” Rafe said softly.
Ruefully, Adam smiled. He just seemed to be putting his foot

in his mouth again and again today. He wished he had the courage
to admit the truth, but he had just gotten back his friendship with
Rafe and he couldn’t—he wouldn’t—risk that.

“Damn, imagine letting that slip. Obviously, my concussion is

worse than I thought.”

Rafe guffawed and hugged Adam to him. “I’ve missed this. It

was worth getting stranded here with you for a couple of days just
to hear that.”

His head hidden against Rafe’s chest, Adam flushed with

pleasure and bit his lip to hold in the gulp the tender words brought
to his throat. He needed to change the subject.

“Why are we in this cave rather than back at the campsite?”

Adam asked.

“Two reasons. This cave was a lot nearer and there was no way

I could carry an unconscious man through this slimy mud all the
back to camp, especially with the rain coming down heavier by the
minute. For all I knew, there could be another landside, so I needed
to get both of us someplace reasonably safe. And second, I doubted
very much if the camp would be in a viable state. I was pretty sure

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it was washed away.”

“Oh, of course, it’s downhill from the temple site.”
“Yeah. I’ll take a look in the morning, now I know you’re all

right.”

“I’ll come with you.”
“If you’re sure you’re up to it.”
“I’m sure.”

* * *

As the night passed and dawn slowly began to break, the light

in the cave improved. The fire was dying and Rafe was doubtful he
would be able to keep it going without any more fuel. However, he
also doubted he would be able to relight it because the only wood
available would be soaked. Even if it did burn, it would only fill
the small cave with smoke.

He planned to go and check out their campsite, but he didn’t

hold out too much hope any of their stuff would be usable any
longer. If it was even still there. He just wasn’t sure the cave was
the ideal place for them to stay until help arrived.

Adam had dozed on and off most of the night, and Rafe had

stayed awake, partially to keep a guard against any wild animal
wanting to use the cave, but mostly to watch over Adam. Adam
said he was feeling better, and Rafe didn’t doubt his word, but he
knew how misleading concussions could be and he felt more
comfortable keeping an eye on his friend. They had stayed close,
Adam leaning against Rafe to sleep. Rafe had suggested it as the
best way for them to keep warm, and though it was necessary for
that reason, Rafe couldn’t deny his own pleasure at the close
contact.

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A reluctant Rafe eased out from underneath a peacefully

sleeping Adam and went to the cave mouth. The rain had stopped
sometime after dawn, but everywhere was dripping wet and the
sky still seemed heavy with rain, though Rafe thought it could be
clearing from the west. Even now, he didn’t understand where the
storm had come from yesterday; the dark clouds had appeared
from thin air. He thought now the hill above the temple site must
already have suffered from earlier storms. The land mass had come
down too easily to have been a result of just yesterday’s storm. It
had collapsed too quickly after the rain had begun to fall in earnest.

Hearing a sound behind him, Rafe turned back to find Adam

twisting and turning under the blanket. Rafe had managed to find
one reasonably dry blanket in his pack. Adam’s own pack had been
pulled from the muddy mess in considerably worse shape than
Rafe’s, the contents soaked through. Rafe replaced the blanket
over Adam, hoping his friend’s restlessness wasn’t a sign of
illness. He was relieved to realize Adam was dreaming again,
though this was clearly a less pleasant one.

Deciding it was better to wake him up, Rafe gently shook

Adam’s shoulder, but he just moaned and tried to move away.

“Come on, Adam. Wake up.”
Rafe’s voice seemed to stir him and almost immediately Adam

opened his eyes.

“Rafe?” he asked warily, “what’s wrong?”
“Nothing except you were having what I think was an

unpleasant dream and you were starting to thrash about. I didn’t
want you knocking that hard head of yours any more than you
already have.” Rafe smiled.

Adam rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and sat up. “I see the fire

is nearly out. No coffee then?” Adam said, not referring to his

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dream at all.

Rafe recognized Adam was trying to come across as

philosophical, but really he just sounded sorry for himself and Rafe
had to laugh. “You are so predictable!”

* * *

Ah, if only you knew! Adam attempted to glare at Rafe, but

failed miserably when he couldn’t help but smile at the huge grin
on his friend’s face. “Bastard!”

“Ah, but a nice bastard because I did manage to keep the coffee

pot hot, just for you. Couldn’t risk your temper!”

“Temper? What temper? Who said I had a temper?”
“Anyone who’s seen you pre-coffee.” Rafe beamed as he

handed Adam a hot mug of coffee. “You sound even better this
morning.”

“Yes, you’re right. I feel better. The headache is just a lingering

fuzziness now. I think I got all my memories back, too. I remember
sending you for my notebook and it wasn’t because I was
frustrated at a new script. It was because I thought I recognized the
script. I’ll have to double-check, of course, with my notebook, but
I’m pretty certain some of the script here is the same as we found
on the main dig on Alkya.” Adam suddenly had a thought and
stared at Rafe. “You do still have my notebook? I mean, you didn’t
lose it in the landslide, did you?”

“It’s somewhat the worse for wear,” Rafe admitted with a

grimace, “but I’d shoved into my pocket, so I have it, yeah.”

“Show me.” Adam was chewing his lower lip and forced

himself to stop. It wasn’t because he didn’t have the exact same
information back at base, but that notebook had been his “totem”

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for the last two years.

Rafe fished in his pocket and looked decidedly uncomfortable

as he brought it out, dog-eared, creased, filthy, Adam reached for
it, sighing as he opened it. The top edge was water-stained, but as
he skipped through it Adam was relived to see the content was
pretty much intact. Adam was sure Rafe thought his attachment to
the book was just another idiosyncrasy of his. Adam, however,
could still remember his excitement when he had first arrived on
Alkya, assigned there with other linguists to investigate the
unknown language of the mysterious, long-since-disappeared
people who had once inhabited this area of space. He had been
captivated by what he had seen and longed to learn more of this
enigmatic race.

Progress had been slow and the linguistic department still

struggled to decipher the markings left by the race commonly
known as the Alkyans—a random, inappropriate title as the
planet’s name had been formed from its designation of ALK1a.
The actual name of these people was still unknown. Each of the
linguists had also been assigned to one of the exploration teams
and, whenever they weren’t away on a mission, the linguists
brainstormed and continued to do their best to find the
breakthrough that would help them finally understand the ancient
language. The powers that be believed there was much to be
learned from a race whose influence seemed to extend beyond their
own solar system and out into the surrounding space. They didn’t
even know yet just how far the “empire” of this ancient race
extended.

Adam’s concerns were less far-reaching and much more

personal. And everything he learned and felt was there in his
notebook.

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“Thank you,” he whispered.
“You’re welcome. Now I was just thinking we need better

shelter. You feel up to walking back to camp with me and see how
it fared?”

“Yes, sure. What if it’s as you expect and the camp is ruined?

We stay here?”

“I’ve been thinking about that. I’m not really happy with the

cave, but the only other option would be trying to find somewhere
in what’s left of the temple of yours. Neither is ideal.”

“At least it shouldn’t be for too long. Damn, I wish I had some

dry clothes.”

“I probably have a shirt you can use,” Rafe said.
“You need it yourself.”
“Nah. I put on a fresh one last night. I have another one in

here.” Rafe dug into his pack, pulled out a crumpled shirt, and
tossed it to Adam.

Adam caught it and had to control a sudden urge to sniff it,

angry at himself for feeling this way. He shucked his damp one,
but still hesitated to put on Rafe’s shirt. He slipped his arms into
the sleeves, momentarily feeling as if Rafe was wrapping his arms
around him. Stop it, you fool!

“For God’s sake, just put the damn thing on and stop being a

martyr,” Rafe snapped, and Adam was taken aback at the tone of
his voice.

“A martyr? That’s a bit harsh.” Adam frowned and stared at

Rafe, who was looking at the ground. “You’re not going to go back
on your word, are you?”

Rafe’s head jerked up. “Go back on my word? What the hell

are you talking about?”

“Your promise all the bullshit between us was over? I thought

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we were going to be honest with each other.”

Rafe’s mouth dropped open. He swallowed and said, “Hell, no.

I—” Rafe sighed. “Sorry, Adam. That was harsh and I didn’t mean
a damn word. I’m not mad at you. I’m just not happy with this
whole damn mess. But, I swear, the bullshit is over.”

* * *

Fuck, why can’t I control my big mouth? Rafe berated himself

for his stupidity. He just had Adam feeling comfortable around
him again and he almost messed up the whole thing. He
concentrated on making sure he stowed everything they needed in
his pack and then led the way down the hill toward their campsite.

They walked in silence, each lost in his own thoughts. Rafe

was busy thinking—worrying to be more accurate. Whirring round
inside his head and just out of his control was his continued
annoyance at himself. He acknowledged he needed to get over
himself and get back on an even keel or he risked spoiling
everything he was trying to rebuild. He took deep breaths and let
his mind drift a little.

He thought it was a shame he and Adam were only going to be

alone on this planet for another couple of days. This could be the
ideal opportunity for him to open up to Adam, tell him how he felt.
He could almost feel Adam in his arms, pressing against him.
Damn, but he couldn’t think of anything more erotic than his hands
on Adam’s body. Keeping his hands off was getting harder each
day, and here, just the two of them alone… Rafe groaned softly.
No matter how much he wanted to admit everything to Adam, this
was one area in which Rafe had to admit he was a coward.

He glanced over at Adam, ostensibly to ensure the lieutenant

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was all right, but really Rafe wanted to see if his friend was
picking up on his unease. He and Adam had this uncanny knack of
sensing each other’s moods; they even used to joke about finishing
one another’s sentences as if they could read the other’s mind. But
that had been before he had spoiled things between them.

At the moment, though, Adam just seemed to be calmly putting

one foot in front of the other and watching carefully where he was
walking in this mud-swathed world. Rafe guessed he, too, was lost
in his own thoughts, and that brought to mind what Adam had said
only a short while earlier. It hadn’t been anything startling—just
Adam being Adam—but no less thought provoking for all that.

I thought we were going to be honest with each other. Of

course, Adam was scrupulously honest, even on occasions when
Rafe wished he weren’t. Rafe was struggling with the notion he
had been dishonest with Adam for a long time now. Hell, he hadn’t
even been honest with himself until a few months ago when he had
finally pulled his head out of his ass and admitted how he felt
about his friend. And what about last Friday when they’d shared
dinner? He’d only told him part of the truth.

Just what would Adam do if Rafe were to tell him how he

really felt about him? What would it do to their friendship, a
friendship they were only just getting back on track after his recent
stupid behavior? Honesty was something Adam treasured, and
with a clarity he had been missing for so long, it occurred to Rafe
that even if Adam didn’t reciprocate his feelings, Adam would
never hold it against the man he considered to be his best friend.

No, Adam wouldn’t turn against him or discard their friendship

for a feeling Rafe had no control over. If Adam didn’t—couldn’t—
feel the same way for Rafe, then Rafe would just have to prove to
Adam that he could control his emotions and keep his feelings

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under wraps. After all, he had managed to do so very successfully
all this time and he would never, ever do anything Adam didn’t
want.

Feeling pleased and relieved at this, this revelation, he smiled.

He would tell Adam. God, is it that simple? After all this time of
wondering, doubting himself, questioning his own emotions and
then months of wallowing in angst, he could decide just like that. I
will tell him.

He realized how stupid he had been. A stupid, blind fool! Well,

no more. When they reached the campsite, or maybe the temple if
the camp was ruined, he would tell Adam the truth. He would tell
his friend he was in love with him.

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CHAPTER 4

Adam was very aware of Rafe walking beside him. He knew

his friend was worried about something and he didn’t think it was
the damaged comm-unit or the fact they had to wait until help
arrived. He didn’t know why he felt that, but he knew he was right.
Something else was preying on his friend’s mind. A sudden fear
swept through Adam. Could he possibly have said something while
he was out of it? In his delirium, perhaps? What if he had said
something that made Rafe realize how he felt?

He did have a vague memory of the erotic dream he’d had

while he had been recovering. He knew, of course, it had been
about Rafe because they always were. He had a sudden flash of
hands touching his flesh, caressing him, kissing him, touching him
the way no man ever had…loving him. He closed his eyes against

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the image, afraid of it and yet wanting to keep it safe.

He had tried so hard, for so long, to keep his feelings under

control and never to allow them free rein. It wasn’t because he
didn’t want to—he did, very badly and had for a long time—but he
was afraid of Rafe’s reaction. His first fear when things had gone
sour between them was that Rafe had sensed something of Adam’s
feelings and didn’t like it. Adam was grateful Rafe had finally
acknowledged the damage their relationship had suffered and was
working hard to get things back on an even keel between them.
Rafe had been a good friend who would do anything for him, and
Adam knew they could have that back, but he didn’t expect
anything more, not really.

He found it hard to believe Rafe could feel anything remotely

as strong for Adam as Adam did for him. Rafe kept his sex life
very secret, and Adam had no idea of his proclivities. But even if
Rafe were gay, why would he settle for someone like Adam? Rafe
could have anyone he wanted. Adam was too afraid to risk what he
had by trying for something he believed was beyond his reach; he
just had a keep a tight grip on his emotions.

They were almost at the campsite and Adam tried to bring his

mind back to the mission.

He wasn’t surprised to find the campsite almost ruined. What

little was visible of the tents was in tatters, with some of the
material still attached to the flattened, bent poles, but the rest of it
trailing off and disappearing into the thick brown mud. He saw
evidence of smashed and flattened bits of metal and other debris,
which was all that was left of their gear.

The most important loss was their food supply. All they had

left was what was salvageable from what they had each carried in
their packs. It was fortunate Rafe had kept his few perishable

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supplies in a metal canister so they were pretty much okay, though
it wasn’t exactly food, just a few snacks.

Adam usually carried his coffee and some chocolate with him

and he kept it in a narrow plastic box. Rafe had found it in the
remains of his damaged pack, somehow misshapen, as was the
chocolate inside, but rather miraculously, it had remained airtight.
The chocolate was still edible and his precious coffee was safe and
dry.

“Well, I guess that answers that,” Rafe said heavily. “Do you

think we could find a good place to set up camp in the temple? The
cave is not ideal if we want to have a fire.”

“And we must have a fire,” Adam said. “I can survive without

much food, but I need my coffee. I think the right side of the
temple is the best place to set up camp. At least it was.” Adam
glanced at Rafe.

“That part is pretty much as it was. The temple must’ve been

really well built; there was relatively little damage to most of the
structure.”

They checked the campsite thoroughly, but found nothing

worth salvaging so they made their way back up the hill to the
temple. They checked the structure and, other than the rear section
where Adam had been working, they saw little evidence of damage
from the landslide. Adam led the way to the most intact part of the
structure where they could safely make camp.

* * *

Rafe allowed Adam to pick the best spot to hunker down; after

all, Adam had spent five days exploring the place and he knew it
inside out. Adam had been enraptured over some of his

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discoveries; Rafe had just been enraptured over seeing Adam so
happy.

“Adam, I know this place is important to you, but we really

must build a fire. So much of our stuff is wet and we need to get it
dry, and besides, we don’t know if it’ll rain again.”

“I wouldn’t risk our safety, Rafe. I noticed how heavy the

clouds look up there. It could even be the start of a rainy season. I
chose this particular spot for a campsite because it’s the ideal place
for us to create a fire pit without doing too much damage. And I
know where there’s tinder in here for a fire. A lot of brush and
other debris blew in here over the centuries and I pushed it all into
one place. It’s out in the corner of the corridor beyond”—he waved
to indicate somewhere behind Rafe as he spoke—“so we should be
fine, at least for a while. And don’t forget, I want my coffee.”

Rafe watched as Adam knelt beside a large slab of stone not far

from where Rafe had dropped his pack. The slab was crisscrossed
with cracks and one portion had already lifted. Adam began to try
to get some purchase on one of the broken pieces. Rafe recognized
that working together, even without tools, it would be fairly easy to
remove the broken pieces of stone. After they’d moved enough,
they used their hands to dig a few inches into the earth below and
then they lined the pit with pieces of the broken slab.

A short time later, they had broken fingernails and scratched

hands, but they also had a fire pit. Adam stood back to admire their
handiwork. Rafe couldn’t help but grin, knowing Adam would
have never suggested such a thing if it had been part of the flooring
in the main chamber. That was apparently a particularly
complicated mosaic design on which Adam wouldn’t even allow
Rafe to walk.

Adam had earlier pointed out a sacrificial basin in one of the

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other rooms. Part of the roof was missing overhead and rainwater
filled the basin. There were leaves and bits of other debris in it, but
it was still clean, fresh water, and they salvaged some, which, once
boiled, would be good for drinking and making coffee. They also
managed to give their hands and faces a hasty wash and, for two
men caked with dirt and mud, it proved wonderful.

Eventually, what little they had was squared away, and by the

time night fell, they had made two reasonably comfortable beds
out of their now dry blankets and spare clothing. By mutual,
unspoken consent, they set the beds side by side, not too far from
the safety of the fire pit.

They made themselves comfortable sitting on their beds and

shared some of Rafe’s snacks and Adam’s chocolate along with
coffee. Rafe still felt hungry, but as Adam hadn’t remarked on it,
neither did he.

In fact, Rafe was a little concerned by how quiet, even distant,

Adam seemed to be.

“You feeling okay? You’ve been silent for a while,” Rafe said.
“Nothing special. A bit tired maybe,” Adam replied with a

slight shrug.

Adam’s ability to lie was almost non-existent, and Rafe knew

there was something else running around in that head of his. Rafe
wondered if it was possible Adam knew or sensed something was
bothering him. Deciding this was fate telling him to talk to his
friend, Rafe lifted his gaze from the stone floor he’d been staring at
and looked over to Adam. He wasn’t surprised to find his friend
watching him, nor was he surprised when Adam’s eyes slid away
quickly when he realized Rafe was gazing back at him. Whatever
was going on in Adam’s head was clearly bothering him. Enough
was enough. Bite the bullet, Wheaton.

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“Adam,” he began carefully, waiting until the other man looked

his way again. “You know this talking thing isn’t really what I do
best.” Rafe hesitated as Adam frowned a little, but realizing he had
Adam’s full attention, Rafe plowed on. “You mentioned earlier
about wanting us to be honest with each other. Well, the truth is, I
haven’t been.”

Adam stared at him, eyes wide in disbelief. “Rafe?”
“We’re friends, right, and have been for a while, but then

things went wrong. It was my fault. I…I didn’t cope very well
with— Oh fuck!” It was all very well to decide to tell Adam, but to
actually say the words!

“What is it, Rafe? You can tell me anything.” Adam sounded

concerned, and Rafe felt even guiltier.

“Yeah, I know, I just hope—” He stopped, pursed his lips and

blew out a long breath. Go for the jugular. After licking his lips,
Rafe began again. “Adam, I love you.”

Adam’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“I guess I have from almost the moment we met. I’ve never

known anyone like you; never thought I could fall for a geek.” He
gave a wan smile. “It was all right at first. I managed to put it
aside, not let it interfere, but it—you—really got under my skin a
few months back and I couldn’t cope with being so close to you
and not being able to… I… Well, I pushed you away. I didn’t lie to
you on Friday, but I didn’t tell you the whole truth either. I didn’t
tell you why. I should’ve told you everything, but I was afraid.”

Feeling a little braver now that it was out in the open, Rafe took

a step closer to the surprisingly silent, but obviously flushed Adam
Deacon. “Tell me I shouldn’t have been afraid, Adam. Tell me I
was right to be honest now because, whatever else you might feel,
you understand.”

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Adam stared at him, mouth opening and closing. Then Adam

snapped his mouth shut, his face paled before flushing once again,
only this time his face really went red, and, to Rafe’s dismay, a
clearly angry Adam careered past him and marched out into the
corridor beyond.

Rafe stood where he was, watching as Adam paced up and

down outside the entrance to their temporary quarters, and all he
could think of was this wasn’t the reaction he’d expected. Adam
waved his arms about and ranted, but Rafe had no idea what he
was saying because whatever language Adam was speaking, it
wasn’t English. Then again, Rafe recognized a curse when he
heard one, even if he didn’t know the precise words or phrase.

He debated going out and confronting Adam, but decided

caution was the better part of valor. He hoped Adam was just
venting and he hadn’t taken Rafe’s confession as badly as it
seemed. Rafe had such hopes Adam might, possibly, share his
feelings, but he could live with not having his love returned as long
as he could keep Adam’s friendship. He hated to admit how afraid
felt right now. He wondered if perhaps, in this case, honesty was
not the best policy.

Just then, Adam stormed backed in and stopped right in front of

Rafe.

“Since we met? Two years!” Adam roared.
Rafe decided he should step back. “Er, yeah, well pretty

much,” Rafe replied quietly, thinking one of them had to keep
calm.

Adam stepped forward again until he was almost toe-to-toe

with Rafe.

“Bastard!” he snarled. “You knew all that time and never said a

word. All that wasted time—two years. You managed to put it

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aside? Why the hell didn’t you say something?” He grabbed hold
of Rafe’s coat and yanked Rafe to him before shoving him back
again and walking away to pace the room.

With an inward smile, an elated Rafe understood Adam was

only angry because Rafe had never said anything earlier. It was
pretty obvious now that he shared Rafe’s feelings, but Adam didn’t
seem to realize he’d never said anything either. So much for being
honest! But, Rafe was a strategist, so…

With an evil grin, Rafe said, “Er, Adam, you don’t have to get

mad, just get even.”

Adam stared at him, eyes flashing fire. Rafe could hardly keep

still as he stared at the sexy figure prowling about the room. Rafe’s
cock was hard and throbbing and his heart hammered against his
ribs.

All at once, a slow smile crept over Adam’s face and, without a

word, he launched himself at Rafe, who just managed to stay on
his feet as he staggered backward with an armful of very excited
linguist.

“Rafe, Rafe,” Adam murmured as he brushed his lips against

Rafe’s.

With a moan Rafe, opened up to allow him entry.

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CHAPTER 5

Oh, this was just so perfect. Adam had dreamed and fantasized

about this for so long it was difficult to believe he was actually in
Rafe’s arms and it was Rafe he could taste.

He couldn’t believe he had been angry with Rafe for finally—

finally— admitting he loved him. How fucked up was that? He
belatedly realized he had been no more honest. He’d been just as
afraid, for just as long as Rafe had. Realizing how strong Rafe had
been to admit his feelings openly, Adam broke the kiss and leaned
back a little so he could see Rafe’s face and stare into those
gorgeous eyes.

“I love you, Rafe, and I always have.” He let the man he loved

see everything he felt.

Rafe stared back at him, searching his face, looking deep into

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his eyes until, suddenly, with a growl, he crushed Adam to him and
kissed him with such passion he mashed Adam’s lips back against
his teeth. Adam didn’t care; just to know he made Rafe feel so
much was liberating for him. He wanted to give everything he was
to his soon-to-be lover.

Gasping for breath, they broke apart again, and Adam dropped

his head onto Rafe’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry I was such a coward,” Adam murmured. “I’m

grateful you had the courage.”

“Adam, it was your words that made me realize how stupid I

was being.”

Adam snorted. “My words?”
“About being honest?” Rafe prompted.
“Ah! So much for my words,” he replied sheepishly. “I guess

there’s some truth in the saying: there are none so blind as those
who will not see.”

Rafe smiled. “Have to say, though, I did wonder if being honest

had been the way to go when you ranted and railed at me.”

Adam laughed. “Yep, sorry about that. Guess I was in shock.

But I think it’s confirmed now—honesty is the best policy.” Before
Rafe could reply, Adam embraced him again and was soon kissing
his neck, pulling back his collar to get better access as Rafe arched
his neck, allowing Adam better access.

“Can we get rid of this?” Adam asked fingering the shirt.
“What do you think?” Rafe started to unfasten Adam’s buttons,

too.

It wasn’t very long before they were both gloriously naked.

Rafe reached out and took Adam’s hand, drawing him down on the
quickly pushed together makeshift bedding. They lay face to face
and took their time getting to know the feel and the taste of each

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other’s skin. They wanted to know how each of them liked to be
kissed, where each was most sensitive, where each was ticklish. It
proved particular fun for Rafe as Adam giggled when he was
tickled and he seemed to be ticklish in the most wonderful places,
leaving him gasping and panting as he tried to beg Rafe to stop,
while his eyes sparkled with joy.

Rafe was all set for more exploration when the comm-unit

squawked, “Major Wheaton, come in, please. Major Archer here.
Come in, please, Delta planet. Major Wheaton, Lieutenant Deacon,
respond, please.”

Groaning, Adam bleated, “No, no, not now!”
Giving him a quick kiss, Rafe muttered, “Shush, love,” as he

reached over to recover the comm-unit. “We’re about to be
rescued.” He grinned.

Adam quivered at the endearment, said so casually, so

naturally.

Rafe clicked the comm-unit on. “Wheaton here, Major Archer.

It’s good to hear your voice, but where are you?”

“Rafe, good to hear your voice, too,” the major replied, relief

plain in his voice. “The general was concerned when we couldn’t
raise you. He decided to send the cavalry, so Captain Hilton and I
are here with the rest of your team. Is Lieutenant Deacon with
you? Is everything okay?”

“Let’s just say we had an exciting time. Lieutenant Deacon was

injured, but he’s recovering well. Our comm-unit was damaged
and only works short range. We’ve been waiting for Lieutenant
Davis and Sergeant Schofield to come back for us. I’ll explain
more fully when we see you.”

“Hang on.” There was silence for a moment, and Rafe glanced

at Adam.

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“Got someone here anxious to speak to you,” Archer said, the

amusement clear in his voice.

“Good to hear you’re well, sir,” Lieutenant Davis said over the

comm-unit. “You said Adam was injured. Is he okay? I hope he
wasn’t hurt too bad this time?”

Grinning, Rafe passed the comm-unit to Adam, who grumbled,

“Did he have to make it sound as if I get hurt on purpose?” before
he spoke into the comm. “I’m fine thanks, Chris. Rafe said I’m
lucky to have such a hard head.”

Rafe clamped his hand over his mouth when he heard those

words from a very naked, aroused Adam and his eyes were
dancing as he looked at Adam’s cock. Adam saw his glance and
flushed furiously as he came to realize what he had said. He waved
a hand at Rafe, who grinned back at him devilishly.

“I doubt Ira will be pleased to hear you have yet another head

injury,” Chris told him, and Adam could actually hear the smile.

“True, but he’d have been even less happy if I’d drowned under

a sea of mud.”

“Me, too, Adam, me, too. See you both soon when you can

explain that comment.”

Rafe took back the comm-unit. “Archer, I imagine you’re

taking advice from Sergeant Schofield about the landing site?”

“Yep, I’m following the same flight plan…should be down

soon.”

“Not a good idea. There was a bad storm here a couple days

after Schofield flew out of here. It caused a landslide, which
brought half the hill down on us. Our original campsite was
washed away. We’ve managed to camp out inside the temple. I
think it best if you land a little farther to the west.”

“You think the earth might be too soft for us to land where you

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did last time?”

“Not sure, but it’s not a risk I want you to take. We’ll pack up

here and begin to make our way west. Let us know when you’ve
found a good spot to land.”

“Very well, Wheaton. I’ll send you the coordinates when we

touch down.”

Rafe dropped the comm-unit back onto his pack and lay back

down beside his lover. Adam smiled at him and said softly, “Now
where were we?”

“Here,” Rafe whispered, smiling as he pointed to his mouth.
Inch by inch, Adam leaned toward him and kissed those

tempting lips, gently at first, moving his mouth over Rafe’s until
Rafe opened up and welcomed his lover inside. Their tongues slid
against each other and then separated as Rafe lazily mapped
Adam’s mouth. Adam moaned as Rafe’s kiss evoked
overwhelming sensations in him and he clung to his lover. Rafe
pulled back and stared into his eyes and then, turning them both a
little, he pushed Adam onto his back before continuing with his
previously interrupted exploration.

* * *

Rafe couldn’t believe he was creating such a reaction in his

friend, his almost-lover. Adam squirmed and moaned as Rafe
moved lower and lower down his body, kissing each inch of hot,
velvety skin. Adam’s nipples were erect and taut from where Rafe
had playfully nipped them one after the other, and the skin around
his navel was shining from where Rafe had licked swirls in and
around it.

Adam clung to him, his hands alternately digging into Rafe’s

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shoulders and biceps, as he kept curling up and planting kisses
anywhere he could reach.

“Rafe, please, please,” Adam gasped. “I need…I need…”
“What, love? What do you need?” Rafe asked, lifting his head

from where he was licking a path along the crease between
Adam’s thigh and his groin.

“You, oh God, I need to feel you…everywhere…now. Please.”
Rafe knew just what Adam meant. The sensations flowing

through his body each time they came together were electric and,
with a smile, he lifted himself over Adam and lowered himself on
top of his lover so they touched everywhere they possibly could.
At the contact, Adam sighed and brushed his hands up and down
Rafe’s back, resting them on his ass as Rafe took his mouth again
in a passionate kiss.

“I’m gonna show you how much I love you.” Rafe breathed

into Adam’s mouth, and Adam moaned deep in his throat as his
hands gripped Rafe’s buttocks tighter, trying to pull him even
closer, as if they could both share the same skin.

Perspiration coated their bodies to make their slide against one

another easier, Rafe pushing down into his lover. Their leaking
cocks rubbed against each other, creating a fire between them.
After a minute or so, Adam opened his legs, allowing Rafe to slip
in between them, with Adam planting his feet and lifting his hips
in counterpoint to Rafe’s movements. Soon they were rocking and
sliding against each other, moving faster and faster. Adam
wrapped his legs over Rafe’s thighs, gliding his feet over his
lover’s calves.

Rafe released Adam’s mouth and kissed and nipped along his

jaw and down the side of his neck, Adam turning his head to allow
him easier access. Rafe began to nibble the tender skin where the

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neck joined the shoulder, the sensation making Adam moan as he
arched up into Rafe. In response, Rafe pounded against Adam’s
willing body. Rafe felt his balls tighten as his orgasm began to
gather and, in that instant, Adam shuddered beneath him. Rafe felt
his lover’s essence pour out between them. The feel of the hot
stickiness between them pushed Rafe over the edge. He bit down
hard into Adam’s shoulder, causing the spent man to cry out, his
voice mingling with Rafe’s own cry as his seed merged with his
lover’s.

“Adam, Adam,” he murmured, nuzzling into his neck, tenderly

licking where he had bitten his lover.

“Oh, Rafe, it was wonderful. I never knew it could be like that.

I do love you.”

Never knew. Rafe’s eyes opened wide. He couldn’t mean what

it sounded like, surely. “Adam, what are you… Are you saying
you’ve never been with a man before?”

* * *

Still feeling as if he were flying, Adam smiled at Rafe. “I’ve

been curious, but never met anyone who made me want to take that
step, not really, not ’til I met you. Now it’s all I can think of. I
want so much with you. I want everything.”

“Oh, Adam, me, too. I’m not… Well, I’ve been with men

before, more than I want to confess, but it has never been serious. I
mean I’ve never loved a man before; in the past it was just sex, a
way to get my rocks off, I guess.” Rafe blushed, looking a little
embarrassed, and then he smiled the crooked smile that could melt
Adam’s insides before he kissed him on the forehead. “But with
you, it’s so different. Special. I loved the feel of you moving

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beneath me, the thudding of your heart echoing my own. I want to
be inside you, Adam. I want to feel you surrounding me. I have
never felt such a need before. It’s like…” Rafe frowned, looking at
Adam and shrugged.

“God, Rafe…and you said you have difficulty expressing your

feelings? That was”—Adam grinned—“very sensitive.” Adam
stared at him, looking deep into his lover’s eyes. “I think I know
what you’re trying to say, Rafe. You want to own and be owned, is
that it? To know there’s a place you’ll always belong?”

“That’s it, exactly. I’m home.”
Adam rolled over, half on Rafe and half by his side, while Rafe

fastened his arms around him, holding him tight. Adam draped his
free arm across Rafe’s chest—his other arm was trapped against
Rafe’s side—and laid his head on his beloved’s chest.

Rafe kept one arm around him and the other one he drifted

down Adam’s back, his hand coming to rest on Adam’s ass, which
he cupped possessively. It felt perfect to Adam as he lay there. He
was where he belonged and he’d fight with everything he was to
stay there.

As if trying to prove him wrong, the comm-unit beeped,

reminding him they had to return to reality soon where they would
have to be the major and the lieutenant as far as everyone else was
concerned.

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CHAPTER 6

Taking one last look at each other until they could be alone

together again, Major Wheaton and Lieutenant Deacon walked
side-by-side toward the survey ship sitting on a slight rise in the
ground a little way ahead.

“Have you thought how appropriate it is the general sent

Archer and Hilton to rescue us?” Rafe said.

“Appropriate?” Adam grinned. “I guess it’s one way of putting

it, though I doubt very much that their relationship had any bearing
on General Banks’ decision to include them in our rescue
mission.”

“Okay, how about coincidental then? Does that fit better, oh

Master Linguist?” Rafe doffed an imaginary cap at Adam, who
thumped him in the shoulder by way of an answer. Rafe laughed.

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Rafe could well remember the terrible accident in the

underground base on Alkya a couple of months ago in which
Captain Bart Hilton had been trapped by an explosion and had
almost died. His team leader, Major Jake Archer, had been
distraught when the captain had been missing after the explosion.
When Hilton had been found, trapped in the wreckage of Jake’s
office, Jake had then been instrumental in Bart’s rescue. It hadn’t
exactly been a surprise when the two men let it be known a little
while after Bart recovered from his injuries that they were in a
relationship.

Rafe also remembered his own thoughts at the time, his own

wish he could have such a relationship with Adam. He had
dismissed it as mere fantasy back then, but now that dream was his
reality. He smiled at the thought.

He looked up and saw the rescue party heading to meet them,

Chris Davis and John Schofield in the lead, with Archer and Hilton
bringing up the rear.

Lieutenant Davis greeted them with smiles of relief, while

Sergeant Schofield shook their hands and gave them a mock salute.
Major Archer watched the reunion with a smile, moving forward to
shake hands.

“Glad to see you both safe and sound,” Archer said.
Bart Hilton stepped up and, rather to Rafe’s surprise, pulled

Adam into a hug. “And Jake calls me a trouble magnet,” Bart
commented.

Adam laughed. He leaned close to Bart as if to speak secretly,

but his words were loud enough for all to hear. “I think it’s easier
for them to blame us than to accept the responsibility themselves.”

“It’s always the same,” Jake said sadly. “No matter how much I

do for him, he still finds fault. Watch yours, Rafe. Give him an

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inch, and he’ll take a mile.”

Rafe was sure Jake was referring to Adam as a team member,

that he didn’t mean yours the way it sounded, the way Rafe now
thought of Adam. Before he could say anything, though,
Lieutenant Davis spoke up.

“Let’s get them home. I’m sure Doc will want to check you

out, Adam.”

“That’s all I need,” Adam grumbled, following the lieutenant

into the ship. “Why does no one believe me when I say I’m fine?”

* * *

General Banks walked swiftly to greet them as they entered the

briefing room. Major Archer and Captain Hilton didn’t accompany
them as a rescue hadn’t really been needed and it was decided to
let Major Wheaton give a full report to the general.

“Welcome home, gentlemen. It’s good to see you both safe and

well. We were quite concerned when we were unable to contact
you. You’re feeling well, Lieutenant Deacon?”

“Yes, sir, I’m fine now.”
The general relaxed. “I’d still like Doctor Walden’s

confirmation of that, so if you’d both report to the infirmary, I’ll
see you back here in one hour for your reports.”

Rafe walked with his team to the infirmary. It seemed

Lieutenant Davis and Sergeant Schofield weren’t ready to leave
them yet, and he understood the sentiment. He calmly withstood
his examination at the hands of Doctor Arnton, while Adam was
seen by the chief of medicine, Doctor Ira Walden.

Rafe couldn’t get the thought out of his mind that they had

been fortunate he hadn’t made love to Adam the way he’d wanted

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to. If Ira Walden was as thorough as he usually was, there would
have been no way to keep it a secret. Rafe hadn’t yet talked with
Adam about whether he wanted their relationship public
knowledge or not. Even though same-sex relationships were
accepted quite openly, not everyone wanted to parade their
sexuality for everyone’s curiosity. He’d have to talk to Adam
about how he wanted to handle things. And the sex thing.
Definitely the sex thing.

And that was before he took into account the surprising fact

Adam was a virgin. God, that’s such a turn-on. He hadn’t even
thought in such terms until now. He had been so surprised by
Adam’s confession, yet he was only now really having time to
realize what it meant. Just thinking about it made Rafe feel warm
all over. He so wanted to show Adam how wonderful sex with
another man could be, how wonderful it was to feel someone
inside you, or to drive your cock into another man—then it hit him,
it would be the first time he had ever made love to a man, too. Hot,
sweaty sex just to get his rocks off didn’t count.

Rafe could hear his lover from behind the closed curtain just

across the way as he was speaking to Doctor Walden, and he
wondered what Adam would think if he knew what Rafe was
planning. He smiled as he remembered Adam telling him he
wanted everything. He hoped Adam wouldn’t think it was too
soon, though if he did, Rafe would wait until he was ready. There
was no way he’d let his impatience spoil their newfound
relationship; it was much too important to him.

It didn’t take long for Doctor Arnton to clear him for duty, and

Rafe sat on the bed waiting for Adam to finish up with Ira. He
heard Adam’s voice raise a little, then he heard Walden’s firm,
clipped voice in reply. Uh-oh, don’t say Doc wants to admit Adam.

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No way! They had plans for tonight and nothing was going to
interfere with them. Rafe got to his feet and plastered his best
ingratiating smile on his face.

In the end, despite both Rafe and Adam’s protestations and, in

Adam’s case, begging, Ira Walden was determined to keep Adam
in the infirmary for observation for twenty-four hours. He wasn’t
happy Adam had been unconscious for over twelve hours and,
though Doctor Walden found nothing specifically wrong with
Adam, he wouldn’t back down. No matter how many times, or in
whichever of his varied tones of voice he used, Adam couldn’t
convince Doc he was well enough to leave. Rafe was disappointed,
but he wasn’t really surprised. Ira Walden was nothing if not
thorough.

“But, Ira, you’ve carried out every test you wanted and I am

fine. You know that,” Adam insisted, puppy dog eyes begging for
all he was worth.

Watching, Rafe had no idea how Ira could possibly resist

Adam at his most charming.

“Give me a break, Adam.” Ira sighed. “Your head might be

hard, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be hurt. You both had a
stressful time and a few hours of rest would do you a world of
good. This time tomorrow, you can go home.” Doctor Walden
turned to Rafe, appearing momentarily puzzled by the grin on his
face, but dismissing it as just another of the major’s foibles, fixed
Rafe with his steady gaze. “Isn’t it time you were going to the
briefing room, Major?”

Rafe jumped up quickly. He had almost forgotten; he was still

enjoying his interpretation of Doctor Walden’s unknown verbal
slip. His vision of Adam’s hard head was on a different part of
Adam’s anatomy than the one Doc referenced! “Yes, thank you,

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Doc. I’ll be back in a while and I’ll bring us dinner,” he said,
smiling at Adam.

“Dinner?” Ira asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, yes please.” Adam smiled back, glancing at Ira with those

puppy dog eyes.

Rafe was beginning to believe Adam knew exactly what that

look did to those on the receiving end.

“After two days of damp, squashed supplies, even commissary

food would be good,” Adam continued.

“Damp supplies, huh?” Ira questioned, cocking his head to one

side.

“Very damp. Did you ever drink damp coffee?” Adam replied

with a very straight face, and Rafe couldn’t help but laugh.

Ira struggled not to smile as he said to Rafe, “Nothing too

heavy, Major, and I’ll only allow you to stay for an hour. You both
need a good night’s sleep.”

“Yes, Doc,” Rafe replied, throwing a spectacularly sloppy

salute at Ira, his eyes on Adam. “See you later.”

Rafe informed the general of Ira’s instructions regarding Adam

and then proceeded to give a thorough and succinct report to the
general of their time without any contact because of the landslide.
General Banks asked that they both submit a written report within
forty-eight hours.

“Sir, Adam was very impressed with the temple and he still has

lots more work to do on the site. He said he has good reason to
believe there’s a link between the markings found here on Alkya
and what he saw in the temple there on Delta. He’s going to want
to continue the survey.”

The general sighed. “I knew you were going to say that. But

there’s no way I can let you go back there until I can be sure we’ve

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minimized the risk. The best I can do is send out a few probes at
regular intervals and when we get a clearer picture of the weather
patterns on Delta, we’ll take a look at the situation again. I’m
afraid the linguists will just have to continue working with what
they have for the time being.”

“You talking weeks or months, sir?”
“Tell him probably months. He’ll just have to suck it up. If I

get clearance sooner, I’ll let you know.”

“Yes, sir.” As Rafe left the general’s office he wondered if he

might be able to calm Adam down with a different kind of sucking.
He grinned at the thought, but the grin faded as he knew how
disappointed Adam was going to be at the delay on his return to
Delta and his investigation of the linguistic possibilities.

Rafe hurried to the commissary where he piled up a tray with

enough food and drink for both of them. He’d find a way to cheer
up Adam. He wondered if he could sneak in a kiss behind a closed
curtain.

* * *

Glancing at the time, Adam couldn’t decide if he was glad or

troubled the twenty-four hours were almost up. He should be
happy at the promise of seeing Rafe and going home with him, but
the last few hours had been filled with plaguing questions and
concerns. Ever since he’d awoken early this morning from a
strange dream, a dream even more disturbing because he could
remember none of the details, but the feelings that had swept
through him were startlingly clear. Even now, hours later, he could
still recall the misery and distress, sense the dread and,
frustratingly, he had no idea of the cause. For some reason he

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couldn’t explain, he had the distinct feeling the misgivings the
dream generated related to Rafe– or perhaps he could explain his
disquiet following Rafe’s visit yesterday evening.

As promised, Rafe had returned following the briefing with the

general and brought food for both of them, but he had been
uncharacteristically subdued and Adam had been very
disappointed Rafe hadn’t stayed for the full hour Ira had allowed.

When Rafe had quietly gotten to his feet after only about forty

five minutes and piled the plates and glasses back on the tray,
saying, “Busy day tomorrow, Adam,” Adam had been
disappointed, but Rafe’s gentle smile had eased his heart.

“Must you go so soon?” Adam had asked.
Shrugging, Rafe had replied, “I want to get an early start

tomorrow so I can be back to take you home in the afternoon.”

Adam had watched him go, puzzled, but telling himself it was

understandable. They’d had a trying few days, but he’d managed to
go to sleep looking forward to the next day. The dream had
changed that and left Adam uncertain and unhappy all day for he
had begun to doubt himself and, most especially, doubt Rafe’s
feelings for him.

Had Rafe had time to rethink his budding relationship with

Adam? Things would be more complicated now they were back on
base. It had seemed so much easier when they’d been all alone.
Sadly, Adam could understand if Rafe was having second
thoughts, but he would just hate to lose the relationship, to lose
what he had craved for so long. Could he just go back to being
Rafe’s friend if that was truly all Rafe wanted now?

Adam finished dressing, knowing Rafe would be there any

minute and he would find out the answer soon enough.

“Hi, Doc.” Rafe’s voice reached him from beyond the

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curtained cubicle. “Is Adam ready to go home?”

“Exactly on time, Major, and yes, he’s ready and waiting,”

Doctor Walden said, throwing back the curtain as he spoke.

“Rafe,” Adam said softly. It was wonderful to see him, but

Adam couldn’t help the underlying uncertainty tainting his mood.

“Ready and waiting indeed.” Rafe grinned. “Your rescue is

complete,” he added, giving a mock bow and a sweep of his arm.

Giving a smile of thanks to Ira, Adam led the way out of the

infirmary and headed for the elevator, which came almost
immediately. Adam wished he didn’t feel like he was going to his
own execution.

Once inside, Rafe leaned against one side of the car opposite

Adam, studying the younger man. After a moment, he asked,
“What’s wrong?”

“Wrong? Nothing,” Adam replied, just a little too quickly.
Smiling, Rafe said, “No? Sure you’re not thinking too much

again, Adam?”

Adam frowned and looked down at his feet, refusing to answer.
Suddenly, Rafe laughed, and Adam looked up, wondering what

on earth he could find to laugh at. “Oh, my friend, you are so
transparent.”

Adam waited for Rafe to explain the comment, but the major

didn’t say another word. Instead, he turned to face the door,
whistling off-key and rocking on his heels.

Frustrated, Adam said, “Rafe?”
“Yep?”
“What did you mean?”
“Later.”
Rafe’s tone was firm, and Adam knew he wouldn’t get another

word out of him until he was ready. Sighing, Adam raised his eyes

BEST POLICY

and it was only then he spied the camera and decided Rafe didn’t
want to say anything else until they left the underground base.

Five minutes later, they were well clear of the base and moving

steadily through the small town toward the housing complex where
they both lived.

“Will you talk now, Rafe?” Adam asked, deciding he couldn’t

stand the suspense any longer. Whatever Rafe wanted to say,
Adam wanted him to get it over with.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? You’re the one who’s been

over-thinking things again. What’cha worrying about this time?
Could it be because I didn’t stay after dinner last night?”

Adam flushed. “Well, I was disappointed. An hour wasn’t long

enough, but you didn’t even stay that long. You seemed in a hurry
to leave. And you…you were different.” He couldn’t look at Rafe,
afraid of what he might see. He was surprised when Rafe slowed
the transport cart, pulled over to the side of the road and parked.

“Adam, look at me.” Rafe waited until Adam turned toward

him. “I’m sorry if I—” Rafe stopped as Adam squeezed his eyes
shut and took a deep breath. “Adam?” Rafe queried.

“It’s okay. I understand. I had the feeling it was going to come

to this. I should’ve known it was too good to last. I never—”

“Wait, Adam! What the hell did you think I was going to say? I

was apologizing for confusing you is all. It seemed so easy at first
to visit with you in the infirmary, but as I was getting our trays in
the commissary, I realized we had never discussed what we wanted
to do about our relationship once we returned to base. I didn’t want
to…to reveal we were lovers if you wanted to keep it quiet. If you
want it to be something we can only be to each other in private.”

Adam just stared, his heart pounding, his gaze held by the

passion in his lover’s eyes. “I was afraid,” he admitted softly, “that

BEST POLICY

now we’re back at base, I wouldn’t be enough for you.”

“Enough for me? When will you ever learn to stop putting

yourself down? You mean everything to me, Adam, and if I
haven’t convinced you of that yet—”

“Well,” Adam interrupted, the outrageous, demure expression

on his face totally belied by the twinkle dancing in his eyes, “there
is one way.”

Before Adam could say one more word, Rafe grabbed him and

kissed him. He released him quickly, saying, “God, Adam, don’t
tempt me.”

“I like tempting you. And to answer your question, I’d be

proud if the whole universe knew you loved me and I love you. Do
you mind if everyone knows?”

“I don’t give a damn who knows, but I don’t want to give

anyone a show. What happens between you and me is private. I’m
a selfish bastard and I want you all to myself.”

Adam laughed. “Take me home then and you can be as selfish

as you want.”

BEST POLICY

CHAPTER 7

As they walked down the hall together to his apartment, Rafe

glanced at Adam, finding it hard to believe how a man with so
much going for him could be so unsure of himself. Still not really
understanding what on earth Adam saw in him, Rafe believed he
was the one who should worry about the possibility of losing his
lover, but all Adam could see was that Rafe wouldn’t consider him
worth taking risks for. If only Adam knew just how far Rafe would
go to keep him by his side. It was up to Rafe to show him.

An hour or so later, they were sitting side by side on Rafe’s

sofa, comfortably relaxing with coffee after enjoying a good
dinner. Putting his coffee mug down on the side table, Rafe
reached across and caressed Adam’s cheek. He turned into Rafe’s
palm and kissed it with fervor, looking up at Rafe from under his

BEST POLICY

eyelashes.

Rafe shook his head, grinning. “You really aren’t as naive as

you pretend, are you? You know just how to get me all hot and
bothered.”

In answer, Adam smiled as he began to suckle on each of

Rafe’s fingers in turn until Rafe was uncomfortably aware of how
tight his pants were. Using his free hand, Rafe pushed Adam down
on the sofa and lay on top of him, their eyes meeting for only a
second, but it was enough. Adam surged up as Rafe leaned down
and their lips met in heated passion as their arms entwined, each
man trying to pull the other closer and closer still.

They broke apart gasping for breath, desperately trying to

remove the last obstacle to feeling skin on skin as shirts and pants
were dispensed with in record time. Rafe stared down at Adam
lying beneath him, drinking in all the wonderful silky skin that he
could, at last, touch with impunity. He looked at Adam and found
his lover staring back at him, fire in his expressive eyes as he
reached up to caress Rafe, twisting his finger in Rafe’s chest hair.

“I think we should take this to the bedroom,” Rafe rasped out.
“Don’t want to move,” Adam replied, brushing his hand lower

down Rafe’s body.

Breathing hard, Rafe grabbed his hand. “Adam, not here. I

want… I want to”—he stopped smiling—“convince you… if you’ll
let me?”

Adam looked into Rafe’s face and, from the man’s expression,

Adam understood just how much this meant to Rafe. Adam kissed
their still-joined hands, turned his hand within Rafe’s grasp and
firmly gripped. Pulling Rafe to his feet, Adam said, “Lead the
way.”

Not letting go of Adam, Rafe led his lover into his bedroom

BEST POLICY

and turned Adam so his back was to the bed. Adam was like putty
in his hands as Rafe ran them over his body before pushing him
down on the bed. Rafe lay down alongside him, feeling lucky
Adam seemed to be relaxed; it would make it so much better for
both of them if he didn’t tense up. Rafe knew how hard the first
time could be and he was determined to make this good for Adam.

Still caressing his lover, Rafe kissed him and Adam responded

with passion, sucking Rafe’s tongue into his own mouth, as his
hand wove an intricate pattern on Rafe’s back. Never breaking the
kiss, Rafe turned them on their sides facing each other. He stroked
along Adam’s back until he reached his partner’s ass, where he
slowly brushed his fingers along the cleft. Adam shuddered and
moaned softly as Rafe’s fingers moved deeper inside and circled
the sensitive opening to his body.

Breaking the kiss, Rafe slid a little lower on the bed and he

kissed, licked and nipped his along his lover’s neck and chest. He
paid particular attention to Adam’s nipples, gently biting the hard
nubs until Adam was moaning and squirming. Kissing his way
down Adam’s body, Rafe at last buried his face in Adam’s pubic
hair, breathing in that oh-so-special scent.

“Oh God, Rafe, what are you trying to do to me?” Adam

muttered.

Rafe’s only answer was to smile as he licked along the

underside of Adam’s rigid cock and then mouthed his balls one
after the other, liking the feel of their weight on his tongue.

“Oh God, oh God, oh God,” Adam gasped harshly. “Rafe!” He

groaned as his lover swallowed him whole.

As Rafe continued to use his tongue to pleasure him, Adam

arched his back and began to lift his hips. Rafe pushed him down
again, slowly pulling back to kiss the tip of his cock, licking at the

BEST POLICY

pre-cum pooling in the slit. Adam was still muttering something,
but Rafe had great difficulty distinguishing any of the words.
Knowing his lover was nearing climax, Rafe went back to work on
him, sucking and licking for all he was worth. Adam’s hands
flailed. Rafe reached up and placed them on his own head, but
Adam dropped one hand onto his shoulder, absently caressing
Rafe’s sensitive skin. The other hand he entwined in Rafe’s hair as
his lover went back down on him.

Adam’s thighs shook, and Rafe felt the vibrations begin in his

lover, so held him down firmly as he swallowed him whole again
and continued to drive Adam crazy until Adam’s hot semen filled
his throat, Adam crying out Rafe’s name as he came. The sound
was like music to Rafe’s ears and a feeling of utter contentment
flowed through him as he held his lover close to him while Adam
shuddered through his orgasm.

Rafe murmured, “Turn over, Adam, while I get you ready.”

Adam looked at him through glazed eyes, and, smiling, Rafe
added, “It’ll be easier for you this way the first time.”

Giving a dreamy smile, Adam turned to his stomach, lifting his

hips for the pillow Rafe shoved under him. Turning his head
toward Rafe, Adam watched as he opened the drawer beside the
bed and took out a small tube.

Flipping the cap open, Rafe squeezed some onto his fingers

before moving between Adam’s legs, using his own knees to
nudge them open a little farther. Enjoying how relaxed his lover
was, Rafe leaned over and kissed his neck, licking up toward his
ear where he whispered, “Just so you know, Adam, I’m not going
to do anything you don’t like. If you want me to stop, you only
need to say and I’ll stop immediately. I won’t do anything you’re
not comfortable with. I love you and I want to show you how

BEST POLICY

wonderful it can be between two men, but if you…”

“No, no,” Adam said breathlessly. “I do want this, but it feels

so…different. Everything we’ve done so far has been wonderful
and I really want to know what being penetrated by you is like.”
He smiled. “I’ll be fine.”

Rafe laughed. “I hope I can take that more seriously than your

usual claims to being fine.”

Dropping his head on his arms, Adam laughed, and Rafe chose

that moment to push one finger against the ring of muscle
protecting the entrance to Adam’s body. Adam lifted his head to
look over his shoulder. Rafe pushed again and the finger popped
inside as his lover gasped at the unexpected sensation, dropping his
head back to the bed and lifting his hips a little as he did so. Rafe
continued with the preparation, taking his time to allow Adam to
become used to all the new feelings, which had to be
overwhelming him. He squirmed and moaned as Rafe stretched
him, and Rafe peppered Adam’s body with kisses as he worked
inside him until he finally withdrew three fingers.

Adam turned to look at him again and, from the expression on

his face, Rafe knew he was missing the awareness of having Rafe’s
fingers inside him. Smiling, he looked at his rock-hard cock
dripping with pre-cum and thought, Just wait until he feels this.
Rafe lined himself up and took his time as he firmly pushed into
him, Adam gasping as Rafe’s length steadily filled him. When he
was fully seated, Rafe waited to give Adam time to adjust to the
new sensation.

“Ready?” Rafe asked.
“Yes,” Adam gasped. “I feel so full.”
Rafe smiled as he pulled out and thrust back in, creating a

rhythm.

BEST POLICY

“Oh God! It feels, it feels…oh…ah…” Adam’s mouth fell open

and his eyes widened as Rafe brushed his sweet spot. “Oh, do that
again!”

Grinning, Rafe complied, striking the spot over and over as he

stroked in and out of his lover.

Adam was shivering almost constantly now, muttering, “Oh

God, oh God,” or “Again, again,” more or less continually
interspersed with Rafe’s name, and Rafe reveled in the knowledge
he brought such pleasure to him. He felt his own orgasm begin to
gather deep inside and race through him, setting all his nerves on
fire.

He pulled nearly all the way out, saying brokenly, “Now,

Adam…coming. I’m gonna…” He thrust back in one smooth
stroke hitting Adam’s prostate and causing him to call again, even
as Rafe gasped, “Oh God, Adam!”

As Adam collapsed on the bed breathing heavily, Rafe fell with

him, gasping and shuddering. His mind floated high above, lost in
his dreams of perfection.

It was only Adam’s groaning and squirming that brought him

back to the here and now, where he realized his not inconsiderable
weight was squashing his lover and he rolled off him.

“God, Rafe, I’ve heard of dying from ecstasy, but I don’t think

it was meant to be like this,” Adam muttered.

“Oh, crap! Sorry. I was kinda…well, wow…”
“Yep, I think wow does describe it quite accurately.” Adam

grinned. “You said it was different between two men, but I had no
idea. Can we do that again soon?”

Laughing, Rafe said, “Whenever you want!”
“I’m going to want that with you, a lot,” Adam said, a blush

coloring his cheeks. “Er, you seemed to be having a really good

BEST POLICY

time, too. Do you suppose that one day I might…”

“You want to be inside me?” Rafe asked quietly.
“Well, yeah, when you think I’m ready,” Adam said. He looked

uncertain. “Unless…you don’t want that?”

“Honesty is the best policy, yeah?” Rafe asked, and Adam

frowned, appearing disconcerted about where this might be
heading. He nodded anyway. “Okay, I’ve never really wanted to
have another man inside me. I only allowed it once—a long time
ago—but I didn’t think it was for me,” Rafe admitted. Adam
lowered his eyes, but Rafe reached out to lift his chin, needing
Adam to see his eyes. “But that was before I fell in love with you
and I want everything with you, too. Just tell me when you are
ready.”

Staring so deeply into his eyes that Rafe thought perhaps Adam

was trying to look into his heart and soul, Adam said, “I’m ready
to spend the rest of my life with you. As for the other”—he grinned
wolfishly—“the sooner the better.”

TEVIE

OODS

Stevie is a Brit living in the Northwest of England and has recently
been able to leave her day job behind—though it’s a quandary that
there still doesn’t seem to be much more free time in her day!

A long-time avid reader of romance with a dash of adventure,
Stevie only stumbled over “slash” pairings a few years ago and
was an immediate convert. Having dabbled with writing on and off
for years, Stevie was tapping away on the keyboard not long
afterward, inventing stories around two hot guys, gaining her first
publication in the summer of 2007.

Stevie likes reading stories with a good strong plot and believable
characters and does her best to create them in her own work.

Stevie has a soft spot for Historical settings but also thoroughly
enjoys Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Paranormal and Contemporary, finding
the similarities as intriguing as the differences. Stevie already has a
variety of novels, novellas and short stories released by various
publishers.

To learn more about Stevie, please visit her website at
http://steviewoods.com, or email her at stevie@steviewoods.com.

* * *

Don’t miss A Favor For A Friend

by Stevie Woods,

available at AmberAllure.com!

On Alkya, a planet a long way from Earth, the Division of
Investigation—Other Worlds—has set up a base where hundreds of
personnel live and work. Among them are two men, Major Jake
Archer and Captain Bart Hilton, who are part of one of the survey
teams.

One evening, Jake asks Bart to do a work-related favor for him,
requiring the other man to remain in the underground base.
Needing information to complete the report he’s preparing, Bart
goes to Jake’s office just as a huge explosion rips through the
base.

Jake is horrified and riddled with guilt when he learns that Bart is
missing and was last seen approaching Jake’s office before the
explosion. Unsure if Bart is still alive, Jake and his team are
forced to wait for the engineers to dig out the man Jake secretly
loves.

In pain, unable to move, Bart lies amidst the rubble, sliding in and
out of consciousness. During his lucid moments, he lets his mind
drift to better times, most of them spent with his friend Jake. And
he also fears the roof will finally come down and kill him before he
gets a chance to resolve his greatest regret—telling Jake how he
really feels about him…

MBER

UILL

RESS

, LLC

OLD

TANDARD IN

UBLISHING

UALITY

OOKS

OTH

RINT AND

LECTRONIC

ORMATS

CTION

DVENTURE

USPENSE

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www.AmberQuill.com

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www.AmberAllure.com

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