Wrench in the Engine

Excerpt

​Chris was stunned. At least that’s what it looked like, as he just stared at Steven. “I just want to be close to you even when we’re apart.”

That was not what Steven wanted to hear. “Then why leave?” Oh stars, he didn’t want this, but he couldn’t stop it. Not now. “Why are you leaving? If you want to be close to me, stay with me!”

The tears finally fell, and Steven felt the shame of them sting deep. Still, he couldn’t hold back now that he was going. Chris had opened something, and Steven couldn’t figure out how to close it.

“Don’t leave me,” Steven begged. “I-I-I lo—” Chris kissed him hard, cutting him off. Steven cried as he clung to Chris. He didn’t want it to end like this. He’d planned to see Chris off at the hangar with a smile and a gentle parting kiss, not this rough, hungry claiming.

“Don’t say it,” Chris pleaded, parting from Steven and resting their foreheads together. “I’m sorry, Steven. My selfishness is hurting you, so please don’t say it. I don’t deserve those words.”

Steven cried harder as he collapsed against Chris’s chest, his fists bunched in his shirt. “I hate you,” he said, but it was a lie. “I hate you. I hate you!”

Chris wrapped his strong arms around Steven, and Steven could almost swear he felt tears fall on his head, but he ignored them. This hurt, and it wasn’t fair. Why couldn’t this work for them?

“You have me, even if I’m not here,” Chris whispered before lifting Steven’s face and kissing him again.

Whimpering, Steven tried to pull Chris closer, but he seemed intent on keeping this kiss shallow. Steven knew it—this was it. Chris was saying good-bye. When they parted here, he would leave and Steven could do nothing to stop him.

Slowly, Chris stepped back, and Steven wanted to scream at the love he saw shining back at him in those steely eyes. “Thanks for the memories, kitten.”

The second the door closed behind Chris, Steven fell to the floor, sobbing. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried like this. Probably when his father beat him for the first time. No, this hurt worse. It was as if his heart were being ripped from his chest.

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Wrench in the Engine: Galaxia Pirates 3

[Siren Classic ManLove: Erotic Alternative Futuristic Sci-Fi Romance, M/M, HEA]
Steven, the head mechanic of the pirate ship Galaxia, is frustrated that he is unable to repair the ship's engines on his own. He’s further irritated when his captain hires outside help to assist him.
Chris is one of the two original creators of the engines used on the Galaxia, but he’s been retired—so to speak—for years now. When Steven arrives requesting his help, Chris is instantly intrigued by the young man and takes the job just to get a chance at him. Before they can even start, however, the Galaxia comes under attack by the military, and Chris is identified as a deserter.
With no choice, Chris joins the crew and sets out to find a way to fix the engines and avoid his own arrest. During the trip, Chris and Steven must come to terms with their mutual attraction—and whether or not to act on it.
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