tanned skin, and the broad planes of his face sported stubble that could grow to a full beard. In fact, Jai was nearly hairless compared to the profusion of hair that covered Tarin's arms, legs, and chest.
It was what he could not see he remembered now. The massive shaft that swung between those legs was a thing to be feared. As capable as Jai knew himself to be in combat, Tarin was simply too strong to be defeated.
Grim lines formed to bracket his mouth, and he asked tersely, “You would challenge me? Why now? What prevented you before?"
Tarin was slow to answer and seemed to be feeling out the words as they were spoken. “It is not the challenge that I desire.” He paused and looked away. “I do not want to fight you, Jai."
For a moment, Jai was genuinely confused. The other man would not meet his eyes, and there was nothing aggressive or taunting in his manner now. He almost seemed embarrassed, and long minutes passed in silence as Jai struggled to grip the situation.
Finally, something in Tarin seemed to snap. His ham-like fists clenched, and he met Jai's eyes with a defiant shame. “Can you truly not understand?” He flung one hand in the direction where Mieli waited. “I hunger for what I saw. Is that clear enough?"
Hot rage boiled in Jai, and he fell into a fighting posture. “You are mad if you think I will turn her over to you. You would destroy her, and she would never recover."
"You utter fool!” Tarin charged him, and Jai braced himself to fight.
But there was no attack. The larger man gripped him tightly and pressed his face to Jai's in a clumsy attempt at a kiss. Understanding dawned, and Jai held himself still, uncertain what to do. It was clear that Tarin knew as little of kissing as Jai had before Mieli had taught him.
When they parted, there was only the sound of harsh breathing. Jai could see how this revelation had cost his friend. Shame and longing were evident in his expression, and memories of their shared past seemed to hang in the air. They had known each other so well, for so long, and yet there was a gulf between them now that had nothing to do with their friendship.
There had always been a bond between them, and if the truth were told, it was more than it should have been. In the competitive atmosphere of the Tribe, their affection and camaraderie should have turned to jealousy and distrust. That it had survived was a testament to the strength of their loyalty.
He had known, whether or not he admitted it at the time, that Tarin hid a distaste for the combat-challenges. He'd hated his big body. The yearning for a tender touch was one Jai could better understand now. After Mieli. Across the small distance that separated them, he could feel the big brute's desperation, and with a new comprehension of his own nature, he could not turn him away.
Jai closed the small gap between them.
TARIN DIDN'T KNOW what he'd expected. Rejection, disdain, amusement. Any one of those seemed probable. But there was only silence at first, and then a touch on his arm. He lifted his eyes from the ground to see Jai right in front of him. The look he gave him was not unkind.
"I'm sorry, Tarin. I did not know."
"I didn't want you to. I just—” He drew a ragged breath. “Just wanted you to look at me that way. Just once.” Tarin didn't get a chance to say anything else.
Jai pressed his lips to his, and the firm, light pressure was bliss. Tarin closed his eyes on a moan, and he slid his hands around Jai's shoulders. Over and over those hard lips slanted with deepening pressure until their tongues touched and danced erotically. Almost as if it were planned, they pulled apart and began to strip.
Tarin was nervous and barely met Jai's eyes once he was nude. But it was still Jai, his friend, and he felt only mildly ashamed of his ungainly size. In silence, they lowered their attention to each other's bodies.
No longer hidden under the roughly mended uniform, Jai's body had some new scars, but the
It was what he could not see he remembered now. The massive shaft that swung between those legs was a thing to be feared. As capable as Jai knew himself to be in combat, Tarin was simply too strong to be defeated.
Grim lines formed to bracket his mouth, and he asked tersely, “You would challenge me? Why now? What prevented you before?"
Tarin was slow to answer and seemed to be feeling out the words as they were spoken. “It is not the challenge that I desire.” He paused and looked away. “I do not want to fight you, Jai."
For a moment, Jai was genuinely confused. The other man would not meet his eyes, and there was nothing aggressive or taunting in his manner now. He almost seemed embarrassed, and long minutes passed in silence as Jai struggled to grip the situation.
Finally, something in Tarin seemed to snap. His ham-like fists clenched, and he met Jai's eyes with a defiant shame. “Can you truly not understand?” He flung one hand in the direction where Mieli waited. “I hunger for what I saw. Is that clear enough?"
Hot rage boiled in Jai, and he fell into a fighting posture. “You are mad if you think I will turn her over to you. You would destroy her, and she would never recover."
"You utter fool!” Tarin charged him, and Jai braced himself to fight.
But there was no attack. The larger man gripped him tightly and pressed his face to Jai's in a clumsy attempt at a kiss. Understanding dawned, and Jai held himself still, uncertain what to do. It was clear that Tarin knew as little of kissing as Jai had before Mieli had taught him.
When they parted, there was only the sound of harsh breathing. Jai could see how this revelation had cost his friend. Shame and longing were evident in his expression, and memories of their shared past seemed to hang in the air. They had known each other so well, for so long, and yet there was a gulf between them now that had nothing to do with their friendship.
There had always been a bond between them, and if the truth were told, it was more than it should have been. In the competitive atmosphere of the Tribe, their affection and camaraderie should have turned to jealousy and distrust. That it had survived was a testament to the strength of their loyalty.
He had known, whether or not he admitted it at the time, that Tarin hid a distaste for the combat-challenges. He'd hated his big body. The yearning for a tender touch was one Jai could better understand now. After Mieli. Across the small distance that separated them, he could feel the big brute's desperation, and with a new comprehension of his own nature, he could not turn him away.
Jai closed the small gap between them.
TARIN DIDN'T KNOW what he'd expected. Rejection, disdain, amusement. Any one of those seemed probable. But there was only silence at first, and then a touch on his arm. He lifted his eyes from the ground to see Jai right in front of him. The look he gave him was not unkind.
"I'm sorry, Tarin. I did not know."
"I didn't want you to. I just—” He drew a ragged breath. “Just wanted you to look at me that way. Just once.” Tarin didn't get a chance to say anything else.
Jai pressed his lips to his, and the firm, light pressure was bliss. Tarin closed his eyes on a moan, and he slid his hands around Jai's shoulders. Over and over those hard lips slanted with deepening pressure until their tongues touched and danced erotically. Almost as if it were planned, they pulled apart and began to strip.
Tarin was nervous and barely met Jai's eyes once he was nude. But it was still Jai, his friend, and he felt only mildly ashamed of his ungainly size. In silence, they lowered their attention to each other's bodies.
No longer hidden under the roughly mended uniform, Jai's body had some new scars, but the
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