Page 65 of The Arrangement

“Specialist Weathers, are you aiming to have your dick sucked?” I crooned before nipping at his neck.

He drew in a sharp breath, but the smile didn’t leave his voice. “Maybe.”

“What happened to wanting to climb me like a tree?”

He groaned again, palming my ass and forcing me against him so I could feel how hard that idea made him. “It’s not exactly something I planned for. Not tonight, anyway.”

I chuckled and ran my hands down his torso, loving how he arched into the touch. “Works for me, though I think I’m still getting the better end of the deal. After all, you are my favorite treat.” His throaty laugh turned to a gasp when I squeezed his dick through his jeans. “You gonna fuck my face, Weathers?”

He groaned, and I squeezed a little harder. “Sir, yes, sir,” he gasped.

I tsked and shook my head. “Color, Specialist.”

“G-green, sir.”

“That’s my good soldier.” His sigh was more of a moan as I tasted his lips and flicked his button open. As much as I wanted to feel the weight of his dick on my tongue, I wanted to play with him more first. “You feel so good, Weathers,” I whispered in his ear as I stroked his length over the unforgiving denim.

He bucked into me, his fingers clawing into my biceps. I couldn’t help the throaty chuckle at his whine when I stopped touching him to yank my shirt off. As soon as I was free, I returned to what I’d been doing, this time sucking bruises into the side of his neck while I tortured his confined dick.

“Honeysuckle,” he panted, burying his fingers in my hair.

Much as it didn’t feel like he wanted me to switch things up, I’d gotten used to him substituting flowers for colors, and honeysuckles were yellow—some of the time, anyway. So I abandoned his neck to seal my mouth over his once more and slipped my hands beneath his shirt to feel his ridged stomach. His workouts weren’t nearly as intense now that he wasn’t active military anymore, but the slight softening was a great look on him and felt even better.

I continued to coast my hands up his torso until I had no choice but to break the kiss so I could pull his shirt free. Then his hands were back on me, touching everywhere and driving me absolutely wild. At this rate, I’d blow before I ever got his dick in my mouth, and we couldn’t have that. Smiling against his mouth, I grabbed his wrists and pressed them against the wall over his head before he could think to react. Instantly his body stilled, and I went on high alert.

“Marc?” He whispered something that might have been a color, but it was so soft I couldn’t make it out over the sound of my heart beating. “Marc, talk to me.”

His whole body began shaking violently, and I loosened my grip on his wrists, my alarm spiking. Then he said in a stronger whisper, “R-red.”

I immediately let go of him and took a step back to give him space to breathe. I watched in horror as he crumpled in slow motion like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Panic wrapped around my heart and sliced clean through as I dove to catch him before he hit the floor. He landed on top of me in a boneless heap at an awkward angle that wasn’t doing my knee any favors.

I maneuvered around until I had him cradled in my lap and brushed the hair back from his face. Shaking still wracked him from head to toe, and he’d broken out in a sweat. “Marc, baby boy, please talk to me.” The tightness in my throat made talking painful, but I’d be damned if I was just going to sit here and not try to reach him.

I looked from his shadowed face to the dimly lit room. Light, I needed light. And a cool towel for his face. I looked down at him again. Even in the dark, I could tell his expression was vacant. I was loath to let him go, but I couldn’t get any of the things I needed and still hold him. Okay, I could do this. It would only take a minute.

“Listen, baby boy,” I said softly, gently tracing my fingers along his jaw, “I’m going to set you down and get a few things. I will berightback. You hear? Right back.” He didn’t respond and my heart might as well have been in my throat.

I set him on the floor with exaggerated care, wishing I had something to rest his head on, but of course I’d tossed both of our shirts too far to reach. I’d have to grab a pillow while I was up. After one last concerned look, I slowly got to my feet and walked backward into the kitchen, trying hard to keep him in sight. The shaking seemed to have subsided somewhat, but his borderline catatonic state was freaking me out morethan anything, as was the fact that his breathing seemed to be shallower by the second.

I flicked on the kitchen light, wincing against the sudden brightness, and grabbed a glass down from the cabinet. While it filled with water, I fished out a fresh hand towel from the drawer and wet it. Once that was finished, I glanced at Marc again to make sure he was okay, or at least hadn’t gotten worse, then darted into the bedroom to grab the comforter off the bed and a couple of pillows.

Feeling like I finally had a handle on things, I returned to the living space and promptly dropped the bedding. Marc was gone. My gaze darted to the door, but it was still shut, and I doubted he’d have gone that way. Then I noticed the end table by the couch had been knocked askew. I tentatively walked around the sofa to get a better look.

“Marc?” I called softly, wary of spooking him. “Are you there?” A slight scuff was the only sound to betray the presence of anyone other than myself. I stepped closer to the lamp, taking a second to move it more securely back onto the end table before flicking it on. At the far end of the room, a figure huddled deeper into the shadows.

My heart broke at the sheer panic shining in Marc’s eyes, and it took absolutely every ounce of training I’d ever had in my life not to rush to him. I took a ragged breath and slowly stepped toward him, leaving the bedding behind. As for the water and towel, I’d come back for them once I knew he was okay. Right now my priority was making sure Marc didn’t hurt himself.

“Marc, do you know where you are?” I asked softly, inching closer.

His gaze darted to me, but all he did was shake his head.

“That’s okay. I want you to know you’re safe.”

He shook his head more emphatically and shrank against the wall. To my dismay, there was a loud noise outside, and he joltedas if shocked, his gaze swinging to the window in alarm. I took the opportunity to get a little closer, then, to my surprise, he spoke in a hushed voice.

“They took the others. I don’t know where. But… but I can hear them scream.” The light from the kitchen caught on a tear as it tracked down his face. He swallowed and glanced at me as I got close enough to reach out and touch him if I really tried. “They scream so loud.”

“You’re safe now,” I repeated.”