Summer Lovin'

//Tonight// Lass mentally promised himself.

****

The two men spent the next day in Barcelona, simply wandering around and sight seeing and enjoying the unhurried ambience. They took in the magnificent cathedral and ate tapas at a small café. Wherever possible, they touched and kissed, their eyes sending unspoken messages. It took all of Nye's self control not to simply pounce on the younger blond, drag him somewhere quiet and ravish him senseless. They were now ambling back to the ship and Nye could see Lass was building up to say something. Taking a fortifying breath, to keep his wayward libido under control, he pulled Lass into a secluded alley.

"What is it, sweetheart?" he asked, concern darkening his blue eyes.

"I...I love you, Nye," Lass began and moaned softly as strong arms cradled him close.

"You don't know how much it means to me to hear those words, baby," Nye murmured against gold silk. "I love you, you know that don't you?"

The incandescent smile put the blazing sun to shame and the eyes were clearer and bluer than the open skies above them.

"I want you to love me, Nye. I...I want you to ...to claim me as yours. Make love to me?" Lass stumbled through his speech.

"I want you, baby," Nye said hoarsely. "I've wanted to claim you as mine for days. But it can't just be for the holiday. I can't reach heaven only for it to be taken away from me in a week's time. My firm isn't tolerant of 'alternative' lifestyles. But if you love me as I love you, then we can work this through. I know we'll have something really special, something worth keeping. I've never felt this way for anyone else, Lass. But it's your choice, love."

Lass gazed into darkened eyes. He didn't like the thought of a secret relationship, but Nye had worked hard to get where he was. His choice. He saw the hint of worry that Nye strove to hide and his heart melted. He loved Nye, could deny him nothing. He'd lost his heart to this man and he was willing to make this work, whatever it took.

"I would prefer to be open about our relationship, Nye," he said softly. He placed a slender finger against Nye's mouth to stop the older man from interrupting. "But my love for you is unconditional. I want there to be an 'us'. I want to be at your side once this cruise is over and my tenure here ends."

"I can't imagine my life without you in it," Nye groaned. "In a year or so I can open my own practice, get away from the firm."

"I love you, Nye," Lass murmured against Nye's lips, effectively silencing the bigger man. "Take me back to the ship and make me yours."

For a moment the two men gazed heatedly at each other before Nye pulled Lass impossibly tighter, devouring the smaller blond's mouth. He grasped tightly to Lass' slender hand and began to lead him back to the ship, unaware the scene had been silently recorded.

Back aboard ship, Nye locked his cabin door and strode purposefully to his smaller mate.

"Going to make you mine, Lass," he growled, his voice like dark liquid silk caressing the other blond's ear. He gave a feral grin at the shudder his words elicited. His hand cupped the smooth chin; he ensured Lass could see the love and desire that blazed in his eyes. "Going to bury myself so deeply inside you, there'll be no way to tell where you end and I begin. So deep inside you, you'll be able to taste me when I come. My seed, claiming you forever, baby." As he spoke, Nye had been removing the thin t-shirt and unfastening the canvas pants. All Lass now wore were small, baby blue briefs. Nye's hand cupped the enticing bulge. "Mine," he rumbled. He squeezed, engendering a small gasp as Lass instinctively bucked. He slid his hands into the underwear, one stroking satin encased steel, the other probing between taut nether cheeks. "Mine," he repeated before swinging Lass into his arms and laying him on the bed. He stripped away the tiny briefs and swooped on the hard, damp flesh that sprung free.

"Nye," Lass choked out, but was helpless to do more. Pinning Lass' hips, Nye enveloped the straining erection from root to tip immediately sucking powerfully. His nose pressed into the musk-scented nest of blond fur at the base of Lass' organ. He hummed as he hollowed his cheeks, increasing suction and was rewarded by Lass' liquid essence pouring into his ravenous maw. He swallowed repeatedly, then licked and sucked as Lass went limp. Only when satisfied the younger man had nothing left to give him, did Nye release the sated shaft. As Lass lay spent, Nye removed his own clothing. He rummaged in his locker drawer and removed the lubricant, leaving it where it would be easily accessible. Nye remembered Lass saying he'd never had a steady boyfriend. He was certain the younger man wasn't promiscuous, but with safety in mind, he pulled out a packet of condoms.

Lass watched from half-lidded eyes. He felt his body react to the sight of Nye naked. The powerful physique sent a frisson through the lithe body. He looked at the lube and condoms and saw the question in Nye's eyes.

"I was tested before coming aboard ship," Lass said quietly. "I'm clean. I haven't slept with anyone since joining the crew and I've never let anyone...." Lass stopped to take a deep breath. "I've never loved anyone enough to want to do this. If you feel the need for condoms, that's fine, but I don't plan on doing this with anyone but you ever again. I'm committed to us, Nye."

The older man listened and swallowed past a lump in his throat. He stroked the pale golden hair and he locked eyes with his brave, young lover.

"My firm insisted I was tested when I joined them. I was clean. I haven't had a real relationship since; I was too busy with my case. It's a beautiful gift you offer me. I can promise I've never been bareback with anyone. I want to make love with you and feel just you."

"I want that, Nye," Lass whispered.

Nye moved to lie alongside his young lover. They kissed and caressed, Nye's hands stroking the smooth cheeks and curves of taut buttocks, getting Lass used to his touches.

"Roll over, sweetheart," Nye whispered. He moaned softly at the sight of Lass on his stomach, honeyed limbs spread apart. The younger man looked over his shoulder smiling encouragingly.

"I'm yours, Nye," he added, to leave the older man in no doubt of his desire.

Nye pulled at a pillow and arranged it under Lass' hips, ensuring the smaller man would be able to harden again in comfort as well as raising the slim hips for Nye's delectation. The older blond took a kneeling position between the smooth limbs.

Lass sighed as Nye's strong, warm hands roamed freely over his back, across his shoulders, down his legs and kneaded his nether cheeks. The touches were a mix of soothing, arousing and possessive. He felt the older man's teeth nip gently, marking him and Lass moaned his approval. Fingers massaged at his lower back before siding lower to his buttocks. Then, as Nye leant over the supine form, Lass' hips were pulled back and guided to press against Nye's erection and the younger man mewled softly. Nye's hardness nestled in the cleft between Lass' cheeks and the slighter blond whimpered as his body screamed its need. Instinctively, Lass hips rose as his cheeks were parted and his hidden opening exposed. Lass wriggled as he was teased, fingers probing gently before cool gel made Lass start.

Nye blanketed his smaller lover, nuzzling to make Lass turn to face him. His tongue plundered the willing mouth as a single lubricated finger slid to breach virginal flesh, pushing past the protective, muscular ring. The moan Nye swallowed was not one of pain and so the older man pumped his finger: in ...out ...in ...out. He pressed a hand to Lass' lower back as he inserted a second finger. This time he concentrated on encouraging his mate to open and stretch, taking care not to move to fast or too roughly. He could feel Lass relaxing and his heart soared. He reached under the slender hips and growled with primal triumph. Lass' flesh was hard and wet with arousal. He pulled on the resurgent erection as a third finger entered the precious body. Nye's fingers probed deeper, twisting and rotating till Lass' scream heralded the discovery of the untouched sweet spot. The bigger man's grin was wide and feral as his lover pressed back seeking more of the pleasurable sensations.

"So tight, so hot and all mine," Nye growled into a tiny ear.

Shifting his hips, Nye pressed the head of his weeping erection against the glistening and stretched portal. His knees forced Lass' thighs even wider and he pushed forward. Nye groaned as the head of his shaft was surrounded by slick, incendiary tightness. He held himself immobile as Lass became accustomed to the intrusion and then pressed further forward inch by inch until fully imbedded in the beloved body.

"All of me, baby," he panted. "You have all of me."

Lass' hand reached back and stroked at a furred thigh.

"Make me yours, Nye. Come inside me."

The words made Nye groan. He moved slowly at first, but soon became lost in mind-fracturing pleasure. He urged Lass to his knees, gripping the slim hips tightly and driving deeply into the velvet channel. He reached under the lissom body to tweak at one nipple then the other, relishing each incoherent cry that spilt from Lass' sweet lips. He began to pump relentlessly as he felt his control slip away. He moved harder, faster, deeper, his hand pulling on Lass' swollen flesh to bring his lover to a simultaneous release. He heard Lass' scream of his name and he became lost in a maelstrom of erotic ecstasy. He felt warm wetness cover his hand and the sheath that enveloped his shaft clenched and squeezed relentlessly, milking him of the last vestiges of his control. As Lass' body bucked and trembled in his climax, Nye threw back his head and roared in a mixture of primitive possession and unbridled passion. He thrust as deep as possible into the still spasming channel forcing Lass down onto to his stomach. His seed erupted, flowing deep into the unresisting body beneath him. Nye's mouth latched onto the junction of Lass' sweat damp neck and shoulder, sucking hard as his hips continued to desultorily thrust even though his organ had nothing left to give. Finally he stilled, the only sounds in the room were those of open-mouthed panting as both men recovered from intense climaxes.

Nye licked his way across Lass' shoulders, nuzzling at the nape of the smaller man's neck. As he felt his organ soften, he carefully pulled back. The hiss from his mate had his protective instincts fully alert.

"Don't move, love," he urged. "Let me get a wash cloth."

He carefully cleansed Lass' reddened entrance, relief flooding him as he saw that despite his loss of control, there was no damage to his lover. "Did I hurt you, Lass?" Nye asked worriedly.

"It's a good ache, Nye," Lass murmured. "It tells me I'm yours."

"I love you, baby," Nye groaned pulling Lass to drape over his chest, settling the younger man's head on his shoulder and cradling him close. "You are mine, Lass," he growled. "Mine forever."

"Forever," Lass whispered. "I like the sound of that."

****

The next couple of days were idyllic for the two men. Nye was happy to simply be around his young lover when Lass worked and as soon as he was free they went back to Nye's cabin. There they drank, chatted, danced and made love and neither man had ever been as content. The couple were passionately entwined when there was a knock on their door. Nye opened it to see an apologetic Liz.

"I'm sorry, Nye," she said sincerely, "but a couple of staff have taken ill and I could really use some help from Lass."

"I understand. Lass it's Liz," he shouted into the cabin to alert his young lover. Nye was disappointed as Lass immediately agreed to work an extra shift, but knew it had to be. He kissed his lover and waved them off as Liz escorted Lass back to his own quarters to change, chatting animatedly as they went.

A couple of minutes after she left Lass she spotted something on her agenda that was uncovered and hissed angrily. Certain she could rely on Lass she returned to his room but stopped just around the corner as she heard a malevolent voice she instantly recognised.

"I'll make it very easy for you to understand, pretty. Nye's firm would sack him instantly if they saw the pictures I've taken. Nice pictures of you and he all over each other. You come with me right now, to my cabin, do as I say and as I want and I'll delete them. Otherwise I send them and your boyfriend loses everything he's ever worked for. Who would employ a faggot solicitor, especially one sacked from our firm?"

Liz edged her head around the corner to see a slumped-shouldered Lass, being led by Emmet, disappearing from view. Her heart in her throat she raced back to Nye's cabin and swiftly explained what she'd seen and heard, so distressed she could barely manage to make herself understood.

As realisation swept through Nye he gave an animalistic cry of denial and disbelief before following Liz through the ship. In their haste, neither saw the pair of concerned eyes that had reacted to the cry of grief, nor the owners of those eyes trailing in their wake.

Liz used her master key to open Emmet's door and the pair dashed inside. Liz gasped and Nye growled ominously.

Lass was on his hands and knees, naked. Tears streaked his cheeks and he was shaking so hard, it was almost impossible for him to remain in position. Behind him sat Emmet, stroking himself through his open fly. His hand stopped as his eyes widened in fear at the sight of the enraged Nye.

Liz yanked at a blanket from the bed as she helped Lass to stand, trying to cover the shivering young man. She was peripherally aware of Nye striding past her to deliver a solid punch to Emmet's jaw, standing over the brunette ready to strike him again.

"Send your damn pictures, you bastard," Nye snarled furiously. "If they sack me, so be it. I love Lass and he's worth more to me than any bloody job."

As Nye raged at the stunned Emmet, he was unaware of Liz rapidly explaining the situation to the two men who had followed them into the cabin. The older man made a cursory check of Lass, who shook his head, before turning his attention to the other men in the room. He stepped forward to lay a hand on Nye's shoulder.

"I'll take charge of things from here, Mr Morgan," he said authoritatively. "I believe Mr Williams could do with your comfort."

Nye started to speak, then saw it was the ship's Captain. He registered the last of the older man's speech and, with a choked cry, moved to enfold the silently weeping Lass into his arms. Nye held the shaking form as tightly as possible, the other blond's head burrowing into the warmth and safety of the broad chest. Nye recognised the man at Liz's side as the ship's First Officer. The man gave a nod in Nye's direction before squeezing Lass' shoulder.

Lass looked up briefly from the harbour of Nye's arms. He could see the question in the eyes of the ship's second-in-command. He gave a shake of his head and nestled closer to his mate. Nye saw the relief in green eyes and the coldness in his stomach dissipated slightly.

"I believe there is a cellphone on which are some photographs taken of Mr Morgan and Mr Williams without their knowledge or consent. Where is it, Mr Emmet?" The Captain's voice was cold and clipped.

"Top drawer of the locker," Emmet said sullenly. "I think he may have broken my jaw," he added, glaring balefully in Nye's direction.

At the answer from the brunette, the First Officer immediately opened the drawer and checked. Retrieving the phone, he activated it and ran through the pictures expertly. He glanced up to see the Captain looking over with a raised eyebrow. He gave a curt nod.

"Very good," said the Captain. "Is this the only device that holds these pictures, Mr Emmet?" he continued.

"Yes," came the muttered reply.

"Mr James, please give the device to Mr Morgan. I'm sure he'll deal with it in the most appropriate manner."

Nye nodded his thanks as the phone was passed to him.

"That's my property, you can't do that," Emmet cried, his voice raised in disbelief.

"I am the Captain and, on board this ship, *I* am the law," The Captain growled in reply. "We will be docking in Ajaccio in a couple of hours. By that time, Mr Emmet, you will be packed and ready to disembark. You are no longer welcome aboard my ship and can make your own arrangements to get home. I will, of course, inform your firm as to the reason I refuse to have you on my vessel. I take a very dim view of sexual assault and harassment." He turned to fix Nye with warmer grey eyes. "I will not mention names in my initial report, Mr Morgan," he added quietly. "However, I expect your firm will want to speak to you. I will leave it to your discretion how much you tell them."

"Thank you, Captain. I appreciate your concern."

"Will Mr Williams be returning to your cabin?" the Captain asked, receiving a nod in reply. "Miss Taylor, go to the ship's doctor and have him visit Mr Williams in Mr Morgan's cabin."

"Yes, Captain," Liz said and raced from the room.

"I will have a couple of my crew stationed outside your cabin, Mr Emmet. You will remain here and be escorted off my ship when we are safely berthed.

****

As ordered by the Captain, once the ship was berthed Emmet was off the ship. In Nye's cabin Lass lay lightly sedated sleeping in their bed and the older man sat alongside him, holding tightly to a slender hand. Tears slid silently down Nye's cheeks. He'd been prepared to force Lass into a clandestine relationship; Lass had been prepared to sacrifice himself for the sake of Nye's career. Nobody had ever shown such love and selflessness for Nye before and it awed and humbled him. The thought of Emmet's depravity sent a shiver throughout the bigger frame and he stroked the warm satiny skin of Lass' shoulder, assuring himself repeatedly that his lover was safe. He made a silent vow that nothing in his life would ever come before Lass and their mutual happiness ever again. A tap at his door had Nye check Lass was sleeping peacefully before he crept away to answer it.

"Mr Morgan," the Captain nodded at Nye as he opened the door, alongside him stood Liz. "Your firm are putting a call through to the private line in my office," the older man explained. "I have not mentioned any names, I leave it to your judgment how much you tell them. Liz will stay with Lass," he said, his voice softening. "I thought you would welcome the privacy my office would offer. I'll be on hand if you have any problems."

"Thank you, Captain," Nye said sincerely. "I appreciate everything you've done."

In his office, the Captain kept a discreet distance from Nye as the blond spoke animatedly on the phone. He had offered to go into his small anteroom, but Nye had insisted he remain present. He tried to focus on his computer and not listen in, but it was clear that Nye was not happy. As he heard the phone being replaced, the Captain turned and saw Nye looking almost as angry as he had in Emmet's room and it was obvious the other man was trying to calm himself.

"Is everything ok?" he asked. "Is there anything I can help with?"

"I was speaking to one of the most senior partners," Nye growled. "He wanted more specifics than you had given to make a decision about Emmet. It turns out the partners had heard the rumours about him, but as nobody had made an official complaint, they preferred to ignore the 'insubstantial' in favour of his successful casework. However, because he has now 'sullied' the firm's good name, they will be 'dispensing with his services.'" Nye had been pacing, but now stopped and took a cleansing breath. He glowered at the Captain before resuming his tale. "They were aware of my 'preferences' before they hired me, but as I was 'discreet' it was allowed to pass. They expect me to negotiate 'suitable recompense' with Lass. But since he is the 'catalyst' for this 'debacle', it is expected that any 'association' with Lass ends with this cruise. They don't even care that he is the innocent victim," Nye ground out angrily. "Just like that, pay him off and pack him off."