Up in Arms

The realization of how much Reed envied his duvet hit him hard. He desperately wanted his body to be the blanket covering this man right now. The thought struck odd, and he quietly chuckled to himself. Reed was never one for cuddling when he slept. Hell, if truth be told, Reed never slept with another before, ever. But he could feel his need growing to be lying wrapped tightly in Trevor’s arms. He knew without question his past sleeping patterns were about to change as he watched the handsome man sleeping in his bed. His heart filled with a depth of love he never knew existed. Bending again for the fifth time in a matter of minutes, Reed carefully kissed Trevor’s soft, sleeping lips. He couldn’t seem to keep his lips or hands off Trevor West.

Chapter Nineteen

Stretching out his long body, Trevor turned slightly in the bed, breathing in Reed’s cologne. The smell sent goose bumps along his arms. A faint reasoning tried to force its way into his dream. But, oh man, did he love this dream. Refusing to stir fully awake, Trevor sensed Reed surrounding him completely. Reed’s face took shape in his mind. A grin spread across his lips as Reed stood before him. His toned, muscular body was completely naked. His long hard cock jutted out, begging for Trevor’s touch.

He licked his lips in anticipation, getting ready to draw Reed’s cock into his mouth. Trevor wanted this for so long. This would be Trevor’s first time to give a blow job, and he desperately wanted to please Reed. Out of nowhere, the bed jerked out from underneath him. Everything around them began to change. Trevor fell with Reed grabbing for him, calling out his name. Reed now stood, struggling to keep his own balance while desperately trying to grab for Trevor. Carlos Mendez appeared at Reed’s back. Evil poured from Mendez. It was a tangible thing, snaking out, encompassing Reed like a thick fog. A sneer tore from Mendez’s lips as he lifted a knife toward Reed’s neck. Trevor couldn’t stop the attack, and Reed focused only on him, not seeing the one behind him.

A gun appeared in Trevor’s hand. Perfect! He would kill Carlos for thinking of hurting his Reed, but in a flash, his hands were gone and the weapon fell to his chest. His arms flailed. There were just stumps where his hands had been before. Trevor tried to scream for Reed to move, but Carlos reached out, grabbed the back of Reed’s head, and the knife slashed forward, slicing across Reed’s neck.

“Trevor, Trevor, wake up! Trevor West, I need you to wake up!”

Jarring awake, fear gripped Trevor. His heart slammed wildly. His mind raced. His eyes remained out of focus. He woke ready to fight, forcing his body past the pain, gripping the material of Reed’s shirt in his right fist. The left side of his body resisted the sudden movement, shooting pain across his chest and shoulder. The sudden pain caused him to jerk his body backward, slamming his head against the headboard. Reality slowly sank in. Trevor looked all around the room, trying to gain his bearings. Finally, he wrapped Reed in his arms, pulling him to his chest.

“He had you! Damn it, I couldn’t get to you.” Trevor’s breath shuddered as parts of the dream mixed with parts of the night at the compound. Wave after wave of memory came crashing back, all overloading his mind. He pulled Reed tighter to him. His heart pounded in his chest, threatening to beat straight through. He remembered firing on Carlos. In slow motion, Trevor’s mind replayed the moment the bullet hit the dead center of Carlos Mendez’s forehead, dropping him where he stood. Thoughts of crashing through the compound window with broken glass splintering around him rushed forward. The children’s screams of fear pierced his heart. The hard blow and searing burn in his shoulder when he took the first bullet intended for the child crying under his window. The memories pummeled his body now, as if it were happening again. Trevor remembered falling, trying to brace himself while the bullets kept driving into his arm and leg.

Another shudder came racking through his body. Trevor lowered his head to Reed’s shoulder, tucking his face into his neck, just breathing him in. Reed stayed quiet, holding him. After a time, Trevor began running his hands up and down Reed’s back. Reed gave him more comfort than he remembered having throughout most of his adult life.

After several long moments, Trevor sensed the toll this whole experience took on him. He was afraid, and this fear felt more desolate than any he ever experienced before. All the memories were back, and he wasn’t sure how he lived through it all. He became helpless to the onslaught of emotion pouring through him. Without question, Trevor knew Reed remained his light in the deep, dark turbulence of this storm he couldn’t seem to break free from. And although Trevor was completely unworthy of the man, he said a prayer of thanks for being here with Reed right now. What could he have been thinking to send Reed away from him in Germany?

“After I fell, I could see it all coming down on me. I couldn’t get my body to cooperate, and didn’t have time. I hate that they beat me. I can’t believe that fucking coward insurgent beat me.”

“Babe, he didn’t beat you. You got him. He was a coward and died a coward’s death. You made sure of that. The reports of what actually went on in that compound sound horrific. Those men deserved to die for what they did to their women and children alone. Not to mention the horror and pain they caused around the world. They didn’t beat you, Trevor. Actually it’s quite the opposite.”

Trevor stayed quiet, comforted by Reed’s deep, rich, soothing voice and kind words. He kissed Reed’s neck and turned his head, laying it again on Reed’s shoulder.

“I woke up while they were taking my leg. The pain was so bad, Reed.”