Read Dangerous Ground 2: Old Poison for Free Online Page B

a part of your life I don't know anything about.”
    “You don't need to know anything about it.”
    That took Will a second to absorb. “Okay,” he said evenly.
    Taylor flicked him a look under his lashes. “Sorry.”
    Will nodded coolly. He was used to Taylor's ratty temper—and more curious than ever now.
    Taylor sighed. “It wasn't a great time for me, okay? I was twenty-four, it was my first overseas posting and I was homesick and lonely. Japan is…different.”
    As opposed to Afghanistan? Or Haiti? Taylor didn't mind discussing either of those postings.
    He said slowly, “Sure.” It was weird thinking of Taylor as homesick and lonely. But he'd been in the DS ten years; safe to say he hadn't started out a worldly, all-knowing sonofabitch.
    Will had taken a different career path. College, then the marines, then the DS. So far he'd had one overseas posting—Afghanistan, though years after Taylor had been there. When he'd returned to the States, he'd been partnered with Taylor.
    He opened his mouth to ask, well, he wasn't even sure what he was going to ask, but he never got the chance because Taylor rose abruptly, saying, “You feel like watching TV?”

    Dangerous Ground: Old Poison
    31

    Not waiting for Will's reply, he took his plate in the den and turned on the news; they generally avoided the news on the weekends. They got enough bad news about the world in their day jobs. Will listened to the blast of international bad news from down the hall.
    “What do you think?” Will asked Riley. Riley cocked his head, tongue lolling.
    “Me too,” Will said.

    * * * *
In bed that night it was complicated. And quiet.
    They were being too polite with each other, but better that than the alternative.
    By now they were comfortable enough that they knew where the other wanted to go without having to read a road map. Will wanted to fuck Taylor, but he was afraid it would be a mistake to ask that tonight. He'd said a couple of things he regretted earlier that day, implying that Taylor was behaving like a jealous teenager. Taylor was always very generous in the bedroom, and Will didn't want to be viewed as taking advantage of that tonight.
    The fact was, he did enjoy topping more than bottoming. Not a big deal, just a personal preference. In particular he enjoyed topping Taylor. Having Taylor submit to him was the sweetest thing in the world because it was entirely voluntary. Taylor matched him strength for strength, so that willing capitulation seemed so tender, so generous, so loving.
    He wanted—needed—Taylor to offer, but Taylor didn't. Neither did he ask for a repeat of the night before. Instead, they settled for some energetic rubbing and stroking. Friction. It's a good thing. And it was good; it was a very enjoyable substitute for the real thing. The other thing. Through the net of his eyelashes Will watched Taylor's mobile, exquisitely pained face; it never ceased to thrill and amaze him that it was Taylor on the other end of this. Taylor. Beautiful and intense in sex as he was with everything.
    Did Taylor honestly believe he had more invested in this relationship than Will? Because that was funny. Sometimes it scared Will how much he felt for Taylor. Nobody should need anyone that much.
    It wasn't safe.

    32
    Josh Lanyon

    Chapter Four

    “What do you think I should do with this?” Taylor asked, holding up the bottle of snake wine.
    It was Monday morning—and all too soon. They'd managed to fall back into sync on Sunday, and they'd spent the remainder of their weekend companionably working on stripping and sanding the last of the front room woodwork.
    Will studied the cobra weaving gently in the bottle as Taylor tilted it. “Mix it with orange juice?”
    “Funny.”
    “Probably chock-full of vitamin C and antioxidants.”
    “I'll stick to my Flintstones Plus.”
    “You mentioned something about it being an aphrodisiac.”
    Taylor extended the bottle. “Feeling insecure?”
    “You