CHAPTER 4

Previously: It was then I felt my whole body warm up and tingle. I held Nasir tighter against me, burying my nose in that fucking divine hair of his, and realised the feeling coursing through me was love. I had fallen in love with the funny, smart, kind, and beautiful Kiwi man sitting on my lap. I never thought it would be possible for me to feel so strongly about someone, and my chest ached with the intensity of the feeling.

~~SR~~

Nasir's chuckling brought me out of my mind's haze.

"Mind telling me what's so funny?" I couldn't help but smile against his skin as I pressed my lips against its salty sweetness.

Breathless, he pulled back, his smile a mile wide. Strong hands clutched my jaw and deep brown eyes filled with lust, hunger, and longing looked into mine.

"That was a long time coming, pardon the pun," he said with a light laugh, then sobered. "I don't want this night to end."

Pecking him on the lips, I shifted underneath him and grabbed my shirt before cleaning us both off. Tossing the shirt on the floor, I gripped his arse before lifting us both off the lounge. "Well, it's not over yet. Not by a long stretch."

The two of us laughing, I carried him to my room and threw him on the end of the bed. Quickly toeing off my canvas shoes and stripping, I was so desperate to be with this beautiful man I was about to burst. Soft lamplight filled the space, the fresh white sheets and matching heavy cotton bedspread stark against the richness of Nasir's skin and hair. Leaning over, I pulled off his joggers and socks before tugging off his jeans and boxers and chucking them on the floor.

Easing his way up the bed, Nasir settled his head on my pillow and inhaled deeply before letting out a long sigh. The boy before me, cock heavy and resting on his hip, legs spread in invitation, looked nothing short of spectacular.

My eyes followed his hands as they trailed down his chest and I groaned when he pinched his nipples. His chest was bare, but as my gaze reached the light dusting of hair on his belly and the trimmed thatch of curls surrounding his cock, I couldn't wait to touch him again.

"Hāere mai ki konei," he urged with a crook of his finger.

Getting the gist of his request, I settled between his legs before kissing him slow and deep, my unhurried movements defying the urgency to conquer. I wanted to taste every inch of his skin, savour my lover like a fine wine, but at the same time I couldn't wait to be buried deep inside him.

Unable to wrench myself away from tasting his delectable mouth, I fumbled one-handed with the bedside table drawer until I found the supplies I needed and tossed them on the bed.

"Need you to fuck me," Nasir whispered as he licked my lips and thrust his cock into my hip. Repositioning myself, I ground into him, each of our hardening lengths rubbing deliciously against the other. I let out a needy moan. Like a horny seventeen year old, I was more than ready for round two. "Please. Ka murimuri aroha."

I wasn't sure what he'd just said, but had a fair idea. Pulling back, I stared into the swirling depths of his eyes, so filled with desire that my breath caught in my throat. Reaching for my face, he caressed my cheek, and I turned my head until my lips met with the palm of his hand.

"Anything for you," I whispered in a low, growling voice as I moved down his body, peppering kisses across his chest. What I didn't have the guts to say was that we wouldn't be fucking. We'd be making love.

"Yessss!" Weaving his fingers through my short-cropped hair, he thrust his chest upward as I sealed my lips around his left nipple. With the way Nasir was squirming beneath me as I sucked the tight nub into my mouth and flicked my tongue against it at the same time, I knew they were extra sensitive.

"And then later…" I blew a breath over his damp skin as I worked my way lower, his grip on my hair tightening as I lavished attention on as much of him as possible. "You'll fuck me."

"Jesus."

Once I was at eye level with my lover's cock, I ran my hands over his inner thighs and pushed against them, urging him to lift his legs. Following my head, Nasir grasped his knees and pulled them toward his chest.

The second I saw his hole, pink and perfect, I wanted to devour him.

Taking his cock in my hand, I licked the tip before trailing my tongue downward. "Agron..." Nasir whispered like a prayer as he rocked his hips. Stroking him languidly, I took one of his balls into my mouth, sucking and swirling at the delicate flesh before giving the other the same attention.

Moving lower, I nuzzled his sac and breathed in his manly scent before running my tongue along the sensitive flesh of his perineum. Nasir moaned long and loud in response.

I hummed as I sucked the skin between his balls and hole, enjoying the tiny, panting noises he was making. My grip on his cock tightened as I increased the pace of my strokes, my own neglected and needy dick seeking friction against the rough cotton of the bedspread.

"Agron," he chanted once more.

Smiling against Nasir's skin, I again crawled up his body for a kiss. He let go of his legs and held my face in his hands while his tongue played with my lower lip.

"Yeah?" I teased him by nipping his tongue and moving my hips against his in slow circles.

"Now." His eyes bored into mine, pupils wide, irises so dark they seemed almost black.

Without another word, I reached for the lube. Continuing to kiss and touch my man, I moved to his side and slicked up my fingers then reached between his legs. He groaned and lifted his hips, fingers tangled in the top of my hair. I sighed as I slid the first finger inside. He felt so fucking good.

There was no way I would ever hurt Nasir intentionally, so I took my time getting him ready for me. The noises he was making were setting my blood on fire, making me want to draw out the moment for as long as I could.

One finger turned to two as I continued to stretch him open, slick, wet sounds and our heaving breaths the only noises filling the room. By the time I'd added a third finger and pushed in, Nasir was bearing down on my hand, his hot, tight tunnel feeling so good as it drew me in deeper. His eyes rolled in the back of his head, words I couldn't make out falling from his kissable lips.

After a few moments, his hand flew down and grasped my arm, effectively stopping my movements. "Please, Agron. If you don't fuck me now, I'm gonna come."

He didn't have to ask me twice. Carefully removing my fingers, I took the condom, opened it with my teeth, and rolled it on. Nasir dripped some lube in his hand and stroked me, slicking me up for him.

"Holy shit," I sighed, removing his hand once I was ready. Moving back between Nasir's legs, I kissed him languidly before reaching down to line myself up. My man gazed into my eyes with a slight smile and minute nod of his head.

Pushing forward, I breached my lover for the first time. The resulting groan that fell from his parted lips nearly made me blow right then. I pulled back a little and pushed again, each thrust drawing me into his body a little deeper. I was panting, my muscles straining as I tried to concentrate on not coming right away.

Once I was fully encased within him, I buried my face in Nasir's neck to try and calm down a bit from the amazing rush of feelings coursing through me. He was so tight, so warm, and as he wrapped his arms and legs around me and pulled me impossibly closer, I felt like I'd come home.

"You okay?" I whispered as I pressed my lips to the column of his throat.

"Y-yeah," he answered, his breaths shallow against my shoulder as they cooled my overheated skin. Digging his heels into my ass, he nodded and added a whispered, desperate, "Please."

I drew nearly all the way back out before pushing back in, the feeling of him surrounding me so bloody fantastic I was worried I'd shoot my load in ten seconds flat.

"Fuck me dead," I chanted as I shut my eyes tight, pulled back, and thrust inside him once more. The sting as he scratched his nails down my back was nearly my undoing. "Feels so good."

"Feels autaia," Nasir whispered right before letting out a breathy moan. The sound of him using his native tongue again caused my entire body to tingle.

Picking up the pace, I was so out of breath I felt dizzy. Pushing one knee under Nasir's thigh, his hard cock pulsing and slick with sweat and precome between our bellies, I thrust deeper still, the change of angle causing a loud cry to fall from my lovers lips. It was then, as I lost myself in his eyes, that the three most pivotal words in existence invaded my mind.

I love you.

"I-I..." Before I could say another word, Nasir had pulled me to his mouth, his teeth-clashing, lip-crushing kiss sweeping me so far into the abyss, I knew I'd never recover. My thrusts quickened, as did my love for Nasir while euphoria bubbled within me. I knew I was close to reaching the pinnacle...seconds away from exploding inside the beautiful man beneath me and declaring what I longed for him to know.

"Harder," Nasir groaned, once again scratching down my back, his lips and tongue moving against my shoulder in messy kisses.

With renewed energy, I fucked him hard, just like he'd asked, and he grunted with every powerful movement of my hips.

There was no way I could hold off anymore. My blood reached the boiling point and I cried out against his neck while thrusting hard throughout my orgasm. Nasir dug his nails into my shoulders, keening in my ear as he reached his bliss as well. The feel of his warm come spilling between us was fucking divine.

It took a couple of minutes for both of us to regain our wits, and I raised up to press a gentle kiss against Nasir's smiling mouth.

"One minute," I said. "Let me clean us up." Reaching down, I grabbed the base of my cock and slipped out of my lover's body. He made a soft sighing noise. I moved off of the bed, got rid of the condom, then cleaned both of us up with a clean singlet I found on the back of the desk chair.

I slid back into bed and pulled Nasir against me. He cuddled into my chest and heaved a contented sigh.

"All the torture of our dates was so worth this." He chuckled.

"It really fucking was," I answered, threading my fingers through the top of his sex tousled hair.

We were quiet for a few moments, enjoying the closeness of each other, when Nasir raised his head to look at me.

"I don't want to go back, Agron," he said softly, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

I touched his face. "I don't want you to go either, but we both know you have to."

Nasir nodded sadly. "I know, but…"

"But?" I asked, smoothing the crease between his brows with my finger.

"I te whaiāipo," Nasir uttered, so quietly I barely heard him.

"That sounds beautiful. What does it mean?"

A light blush stained my lover's cheeks. "I love you."

My breath caught in my chest at hearing the very words I longed to say earlier come from Nasir's lips. I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times, knowing I looked stupid as hell, before the full weight of his words hit me hard. I sent him a smile that would surely blind the heavens before I kissed him long and slow. When we parted, I stared into his eyes. They were like liquid chocolate, happy and serene.

"I want you to know, Nasir, I love you too, and have for a while now. The thought of you having to go back…"

"Shhh…" Nasir said and slid his hand over my cheek to the back of my head, bringing it down until my forehead rested on his. "Let's not talk about that right now, Agron. We should be enjoying this moment."

Nodding, I moved to kiss him again, telling myself I would keep my mind in this moment of being wrapped up in his arms for the rest of the night.

Unfortunately, time passed with us cuddling, talking, and in the wee hours of the morning, Nasir claimed me as his forever. I'd never had a man inside me before, but Nasir was so perfect, so right, as he took care of me and made love to me. I will never forget the way his skin and hair glistened in the moonlight streaming through my window as he moved above me.

My every sense was heightened in a way I'd never felt before. I knew eventually we would come to our releases, but I did my best to etch every movement, every feeling, into my mind, never to forget.

We slept after, our bodies emotionally and physically drained.

~~SR~~

"Fuck," I grumbled as I opened my eyes only to shut them again. The sun was far too bright as it streamed through my bedroom window. Squinting, I reached for my phone and checked the time, gasping as I realised I'd slept in until well after ten.

What was it I had to do this morning? Work? I shook my head, trying with all I could to loosen the cobwebs. I'd taken the day off for a particular reason, but for the life of me, I couldn't recall why. I really needed a cup of coffee, and fast. I wasn't exactly a morning person at the best of times, but after dinner last night, then the night I'd spent with Nasir...

"Shit!" Jumping out of bed as recollections of what had happened flooded my mind, I flew into a panic. We had to be up and at the airport by nine. "Nasir!"

It took me a few seconds to realise Nasir wasn't in the now vacated side of the bed, and as I rushed out of the bedroom, calling his name with every room I checked, the panic I already felt threatened to become a full-blown anxiety attack.

I headed back to the bedroom, looking for shorts to pull on so I could look outside, but a neatly folded piece of paper on the bedside table caught my eye. Walking over, I reached out and took it with a shaking hand.

Agron,

Please don't be upset, but I woke before the alarm went off. While I knew I should have said something, I couldn't bear to say the word 'Goodbye' out loud.

These past 2 weeks have been the best of my life. I promise to call and text you often, and we can Skype anytime. I know it isn't the same, but we can make it work because I can't bear to live without you.

Know that I love you, more than anything I've ever loved in my entire life, and always will. We will find a way to be together, I can promise you that.

Always yours,

Nasir

I read and reread the note several times. That one little piece of paper was all I had left of Nasir here with me. My love for the man had grown so deep since we connected that day on the beach, I thought my heart would burst with the enormity of it.

Every moment spent with Nasir during the past couple weeks flew through my head, from first meeting to the previous night's activities and declarations of love. His sweet smile and contagious laughter rang in my ears like an echo and, in that moment, I couldn't take the feeling of overwhelming sadness that washed over my whole being.

So I did the only thing I could do - still grasping the note like it would disappear if I let it go, I put my face in my hands and cried.

~~SR~~

There was nothing else I could think of doing but throwing myself into work and training. It had only been a couple of days, but since the morning Nasir left, I hadn't been the same. Of course, Crixus and Spartacus noticed; my usual smart arsed attitude was all but nonexistent. Crixus actually acted like he felt sorry for me. I guess it was because Nasir had managed to talk Naevia into going out with him. It was little comfort, but comfort nonetheless.

Everywhere I looked, thoughts of Nasir came flooding back. While I worked, memories would surface of the times we spent out there in the sand and sea together. Those were some of the best moments of my life. When I went home to my flat, I often laid awake nights, the empty side of the bed where we spent Nasir's last night mocking me.

We did talk on the phone every night, but it wasn't the same. Hearing his voice only made me miss him more. I was thankful for the contact, but his whispered words of love made me ache to hold him again. He did tell me the IT company he worked for was opening another office in Australia in the New Year. He had already put in for a job, but so had a hundred other people. I tried not to get too excited about the prospect, but still, hope lingered in the back of my mind that maybe, just maybe, he would be chosen for a position. It gave me something to hold on to.

During training, I worked out until my muscles screamed in protest and ran so hard I would almost collapse from exhaustion. My determination to win the Coolangatta Gold had become my one and only priority, since the rest of my life felt so empty.

How could the presence of one person change me so much? Before I met Nasir, I was pretty content with my life, enjoying my work and friends. Then, with that one rescue, I was forever changed. Nasir may have been short in stature, but he more than made up for it in personality, humour, and heart. He was so selfless, trying to do whatever he could to give everyone, including me, happiness. The only way I could think of to describe him was that he was a little ray of sunshine, brought into my life to complete the heart I didn't know there was a piece missing of.

Spartacus and Crixus tried to get me to have movie nights with them and dinners and shit, but it was hard to sit there like a fifth wheel with them, Naevia, and Sura. More than once, I had to excuse myself early and went to burn off the uncomfortable feeling by training until I was so tired, I fell asleep as soon as my head hit my pillow.

Days turned to weeks with the same result, but with the big race looming, I'd also ramped up my training regime. Nasir and I continued to talk, and with his encouragement I made the effort to hang with the guys more and tried to keep up taking the piss out of them for being so lovestruck. That blew up in my face when they pointed out I was the worst, but they were there to support me nonetheless.

A/N: Aww poor Agron, confessing his love only to have Nasir leave. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this one. Here are some more translations:

Maori translations:

"Hāere mai ki konei" - "Come here."

"Ka murimuri aroha" - "I yearn for you."

"Autaia" - "extraordinary."

"I te whaiāipo" - "I love you."