Sleepless Knights
Once a Knight #2

Excerpt

North Beach, San Francisco

Never go to sleep angry. His mother's words resonated in Andy's head. Clich�? Maybe. But it worked for his parents. They'd been happily married for twenty years before they died in a car accident.

Andy understood the concept only too well. His unresolved conflicts had been festering to the point where he woke angrier every morning. It was only a matter of time until he or Paul exploded over some minor offense and destroyed their relationship completely.

He stood at the side of the bed and looked down at his lover feigning sleep. How do you fix something when your partner shuts you out? It had been like this for months; Paul claiming exhaustion, going to bed early and pretending to be asleep. They used to go to bed together. Now it seemed like Paul couldn't get away from him fast enough.

Andy never expected things to be easy. Relationships rarely were and he and Paul were polar opposites. He expected their personalities to clash once in awhile, and they did. But despite their totally different upbringings and outlooks they'd somehow made it work; up until now.

They'd been together almost two years and Andy thanked his lucky stars they'd met at all. He'd been grieving his dead partner, hiding from the world in a hunting cabin in rural Pennsylvania. Paul had been visiting his estranged family after a bad breakup with his lover.

Fate stepped in and Paul, stranded in a major snowstorm, had been forced to wait it out in Andy's cabin. Just like that sparks flew. When Paul went back home to San Francisco, Andy followed, and the rest was history. They hadn't been apart since.

Too much togetherness could be part of the problem. Not wanting to come off as clingy, Andy tried giving Paul time and space for himself. After all they were a couple, not joined at the hip.

Now Andy feared he'd given him too much space. He needed to change his strategy before it was too late. Maybe he could use sex to bridge the gap between them. Their sex life had fizzled out into an occasional perfunctory fuck and he hated it. Making love had always made him feel closer to Paul. He missed the intimacy they had once shared.

Andy slipped into bed and curved his body around Paul's. Just his lover's musky male scent was enough to make his cock twitch with interest. He reached an arm around Paul and rolled a nipple between his fingers. Although it stiffened under his teasing, Paul gave no other sign he wanted more.

Tonight Andy refused to turn a blind eye to Paul's icy indifference. No more blocking off his emotions and pretending everything was okay. If Paul needed a little more coaxing, so be it.

Andy stroked the soft hair on Paul's chest and followed the trail to his lover's stomach. He pulled Paul tight against him and pressed his hardening erection into Paul's unyielding ass.

Paul tried to pull away. "I have an early day tomorrow," he mumbled, his words lost in the pillow.

Andy held him in an iron grip. No more excuses. He wanted answers and he wanted sex. At this point he didn't care which came first.

"You always get up early," Andy murmured in his ear. The only response was Paul's stomach muscles rippling under his hand. "And I've missed you so much."

Andy licked a path up Paul's neck and sucked the sensitive spot behind his ear. When he wrapped his hand around his lover's flaccid cock, Paul moaned and leaned back against him. Andy stroked him over and over, slow and easy.

Encouraged by Paul's rising erection, he stroked a little harder. Pre-cum oozed from the tip of Paul's cockhead, coating Andy's fingers. "Do you like this, baby?" He whispered and ran the tip of his tongue around Paul's ear.

Paul arched back against his chest.

"I'll take that as a yes," Andy said hoarsely. He couldn't remember the last time they made love. Already he felt his balls tighten, ready to explode. Pulling Paul with him, he reached back for the condoms and lube on the nightstand.

"Forget the lube," Paul groaned. "Just fuck me."

Surprised, Andy hesitated. He didn't want to ruin the mood, but it had been awhile. "I don't want to hurt you, baby."

Andy ignored Paul's muttered curse and stopped to unwrap a condom. He squirted lube on his hand and Paul gasped as his finger pushed past the tight ring of muscle. Encouraged by Paul's moans, he added another, stretching him slowly.

Paul pushed back against his hand. "Jesus, Andy."

Encouraged by Paul's enthusiastic response, he replaced his fingers with his throbbing erection.

"Mmm--" Paul thrust back against him. "More."

Andy didn't need to be told twice. Since they'd been together, his desire for Paul only seemed to grow stronger while Paul's waned. Maybe this is what his partner missed, a lover who took charge in the bedroom. Craig, his ex, would never have let him get away with excuses. He'd been dominant, even to the point of cruelty.

One determined thrust of his hips and Andy buried himself deep, moaning as Paul's muscles contracted around his cock. The scent of sex and sweat made him crazy. He wanted to slow things down and savor this feeling of intimacy but being inside Paul after so many months just felt too damn good and he knew he wouldn't last long. Determined to get Paul off first, he used every ounce of will power to hold off his own release.

The only sounds in the room were their grunts and groans and flesh slapping against flesh. Andy wanted to hear Paul moan and beg for more like he used to but only Paul's hard breathing indicated he might be enjoying this.

At the point of no return, Andy reached over Paul and took hold of his cock. A few hard strokes took him over the edge. Paul cried out and exploded, setting off Andy's release.

Andy wrapped his arms around Paul, content just to hold him close. Paul's soft brown hair tickled his nose as he murmured in his ear. "Are you okay baby?"

"I'm fine," he mumbled.

"Talk to me."

"I really need to sleep." Paul yawned and burrowed into the pillow. "We'll talk tomorrow."

Andy kissed his neck and let him go. "Sure, tomorrow." Will tomorrow ever come? He got out of bed and walked into the bathroom to clean up. By the time he crawled under the covers, Paul was hugging the far side of the bed. They might as well sleep in separate rooms. Despite the sex, he'd be up all night worrying. Something had gone desperately wrong between them, but he had no idea how to fix it.