Love is Always Write Anthology Bonus Volume

rolled toward Jacob and slid an arm over his chest and a leg across his thighs. "Yesss." Moments later Daniel's breathing got slower and louder. Jacob felt Daniel's muscles go soft and his weight was heavy on Jacob's hip. Jacob shifted position so his bad leg was free and slid an arm across Daniel's back.
    It was only seven and he was anything but sleepy. In the low light filtering through the curtains, he lay and looked at the man in his arms. This was Daniel, and yet it wasn't.
    The last time they were together, in that sickbay in the Pacific more than two long years ago, there had still been something of the boy about Daniel. Now he was very clearly all man. There were deep pale lines in the tanned skin around his eyes and on his forehead, the legacy of years spent squinting in the Pacific sun. He'd always been fitter than Jacob, but now Daniel's body was fined down. He was too thin, really, but it was all hard sinew and taut muscle, without an ounce of fat. There was a pink healed scar across Daniel's left shoulder, and another one higher on his neck near his ear. Jacob shuddered a little, thinking about all the vulnerable structures that lay under there. An inch up and to the left, and that wound might have hit the artery. Daniel hadn't even mentioned it.
    Jacob realized Daniel hadn't seen Jacob's own scars yet, where they traced his hip and thigh in a cross-hatch of ragged lacerations and neat surgical repairs. No doubt they both also carried wounds that didn't show on the outside. Daniel especially. What had he seen that had taken away the art in his fingertips and put that deep crease between his eyebrows even in sleep? What had he perhaps had to do? Jacob yearned to smooth the frown away, but he didn't want to wake Daniel out of his exhausted slumber.
    Jacob's foot was going to sleep. He wriggled around until he had Daniel spooned against him. Daniel's smooth warm back pressed up against his chest. Daniel's ass was round and firm, pushed into Jacob's groin. And nothing was going to happen for hours. Jacob thought about ice cubes, about girls, about the cut on Daniel's neck that must have almost put the man in a watery grave. That one did it, took just enough of the edge off. He's here. He's alive and in my arms. The rest can wait. Jacob hugged Daniel more tightly, letting his hopeless erection nestle futilely and oh so wonderfully against Daniel's ass, and closed his eyes. This was his new definition of paradise.
    ****

CHAPTER 10
    Daniel woke to a strange, artificial light slanting in through unfamiliar curtains. For a moment he lay still, listening for the sounds of men around him snoring, coughing, talking. He waited for the roll and sway of his berth. But he was wrapped in warmth and unmoving quiet, and one person breathed soft and slow against his hair.
    Jacob. Daniel had been so out of it when he arrived last night, he'd almost wondered if he had imagined it. It could have been just a dream as it had been so many times before, waking to find himself back on board a ship. Except that really was Jacob's arm draped across Daniel's chest, and Jacob's morning wood pressed against the small of his back. And Daniel's own was trapped uncomfortably against the mattress.
    Daniel shifted uneasily. He was suddenly bombarded by a host of sensations. There was his own smell, the rancid mix of sweat and travel on his skin. He hadn't shaved in two days. He needed to pee. And despite the optimistic erections they were both sporting, he suddenly felt off balance. It had been a damned long time since they had turned to each other easily in a motel bed. He needed to think about the sex thing with his brain back in working condition.
    He moved cautiously sideways, easing Jacob's relaxed arm over his hip and down gently to the sheets. Daniel slid his legs out of the bed and sat up slowly. Then he froze as Jacob's eyes popped open.
    "Where y'goin'?" Jacob mumbled.
    Daniel dredged up a smile. "Gotta hit the head."
    "Oh, 'kay." Jacob blinked sleepily and pushed up on one elbow to look at his alarm clock. Daniel followed his eyes. Five-thirty, and Jacob had said he usually got up at seven. They had time for... whatever.
    Jacob's smile was still sweet innocence despite the underlying heat. "Don't take too long."
    Daniel's eyes dropped. "I thought I would shower and shave, you know. I smell rank."
    "Not to me." But Jacob dropped back onto the pillows. "Sure. If you want to go ahead. Use my towel. And my razor if you