Under Lock and Key
by Silk
Part 9
"Is the room secure?"
Greg nodded.
"Let's do it."
"Umm...."
"You having trouble processing again?" Birkoff asked, not unkindly.
"I...um...I...." Hillinger dropped his eyes. He was so terribly excited
and yet...he wanted this to be about more than *fucking*....
He must have murmured this out loud because Birkoff's eyes gentled as they took
in Greg's wistful expression. So unguarded now, so oddly vulnerable, Hillinger
had no defenses left against the dream that languished within his heart.
"Greg...." Birkoff began to kiss Hillinger, his slender, well-shaped hands
framing the younger man's face.
"Birkoff..." Hillinger answered huskily.
"Seymour..." Birkoff corrected.
"You don't like being called that," Hillinger said, managing to look endearingly
confused.
"I changed my mind."
"When?"
"Right after I heard the way *you* said my name when you realized who I
*really* was."
Hillinger grew tearful in remembrance. "I love you," he said, a bit surprised
at how the words felt in his mouth.
"I know." Birkoff threaded his fingers through hair several shades darker
than his own, each strand he touched so silky-soft.
Hillinger's breath caught in his throat. Midway between the most rampant desire
he had ever felt in his life and the most urgent need to confess his love, he
couldn't speak for several seconds. "I never thought I would see you
again."
Birkoff nodded, his dark eyes somber.
"I never thought...I'd get a chance to tell you. How much...how much...you
meant to me." Hillinger looked almost frightened.
Birkoff kissed him, partly out of the longing that was spiraling out of control
inside him, partly out of the fierce need to reassure both Greg and himself
that he *was* alive and well and finally able to act on that longing.
Hillinger's hand clutched at Birkoff's neck, involuntarily seeking to pull the
Comm op even closer. Birkoff's kisses were suddenly hotter, deeper, wetter....
Reluctantly dragging his mouth away, Birkoff rested his forehead on
Hillinger's, gasping for breath. "God, this is crazy," Birkoff whispered.
Hillinger broke into a shy smile that made Birkoff's heart ache. "You love
me, too, don't you? Just a little?"
"I didn't know you would feel like this," Birkoff admitted
helplessly.
"I could say the same thing," Hillinger said, clasping Birkoff's hand
in his. He pressed a fervent kiss to Birkoff's palm, and Birkoff was lost.
"Christ, this is so fucking dangerous," Birkoff said, as much to himself
as to Greg.
"That *just* occurred to you, Seymour?" Hillinger held his breath, impatient
to see where this was yet to go.
Birkoff began to nod, imperceptibly at first, but more intently as moments
passed. "If I say this is about *way* more than fucking, will you hold it
against me?"
"Forever, if you'll let me."