Page 25 of The Tides of March

“Alright…” Nox traded grimaces with Nelson and Merlin. “Bryn can check on Ronan,” he decided.

Deep down, Tony knew he’d regret the decision. There was an anxious tickle in his gut, warning that the strange deaths and the vandalism at Tor Mór were somehow connected to Pooles Island.

“Don’t even think about comin’ back. Move on with yer life, lad, and forget about me. Better yet, do us both a favor and stay the fuck away from Chesapeake Bay.”

Ronan’s last words didn’t just haunt Tony, they were a fresh slap in the face every time he recalled that awful morning. Now, Tony wondered if that had been the point and if he’d been too quick to accept being ejected from the island without more of an explanation. He thought about the ominous dreams he’d had and decided it was time to tell Nox.

“Hey, Nox. I—” Tony started, then covered his ears and swore when he heard a loud, high screeching.

“What is it?” Nox asked as he hurried over but Tony was blinded by bright, white light and he heard seagulls and waves crashing before he could make out the shape of a giant man with massive tentacles for arms. Tony was on a beach and he was hurling a spear before the entire vision was swept away by a wave and more bright light. “What’s wrong, T? Talk to me!” Nox gave Tony a hard shake.

“I saw…” Tony blinked and took a deep breath. “I keep having these strange dreams about Pooles Island and I just saw…something. It might have been a kraken but it was probably my imagination,” he said with a dazed shrug.

“Maybe…” Nox said but he looked concerned. “I want you to lay down and I want to have a talk about these dreams.”

Tony shook his head but allowed Nox and Nelson to guide him to the sofa. “No! I’m fine and we have too much going on with the investigation and the wedding.”

“I don’t know…” Nox frowned as he studied Tony. “This might have something to do with the investigation.”

“How?” Tony laughed. “What could I possibly know that could help? I might have seen a kraken and I was throwing a spear?” He held up his hands. “What good is that?”

The room was quiet and no one seemed to have any ideas until Nelson said “I guess it depends on whether you missed or not.”

Ten

For a moment, Ronan didn’t know where he was. He wasn’t even certain if he knewwhohe was when he woke up in his own bed, naked and tender in places he didn’t know he had. Ronan had gotten used to nodding off in the chair by the fire and it wasn’t like him to sleep past sunrise. The smell of coffee and bacon had his stomach barking loud enough to rattle the roof but Ronan was hungry for something sweeter as he watched Tony cook without a stitch of clothing on.

“Are ye sure that’s safe?” Ronan asked as he sat up, scrubbing his beard and yawning. He was still tired, oddly enough, but was happy he hadn’t missed the show.

Tony grinned over his shoulder and gave his backside a playful wiggle. “I would have put on an apron but you don’t own one.”

“Aye, and it’s a shame, ain’t it?” Although, Ronan would probably have burned it if he had any idea that Tony liked to cook in the nude. “Need a hand over there?” he asked as he craned his neck, trying to see more of Tony’s front bits.

“Don’t even think about it!” Tony said as he turned and pointed the spatula at Ronan. “It’s my turn to serve you breakfast in bed.”

Ronan nodded slowly, a dreamy smile curving his lips as he appreciated the view. “Breakfast? There’s somethin’ I’d like to eat, but it’s not what ye had in mind.”

“Oh?” Tony’s brow shot up and he tossed the spatula over his shoulder before running at the bed. He crashed into Ronan, making them laugh as they fell back.

“What about breakfast?”

“I’m frying potatoes. I can let them go for about ten minutes,” Tony said as he shimmied off the bed between Ronan’s legs. “Ahoy, matey,” he purred as took Ronan’s shaft in both hands and stroked, lapping at the head.

“Ahoy…” Ronan parroted, unable to take his eyes off of Tony as he licked with loud, greedy abandon. If anyone had told Ronan he’d find himself at the mercy of a beautiful Roman, he would have said they were lying or were idiots, no one would ever want the likes of him.

But Tony certainly seemed to. “Vaseline, please,” he said and held out a hand, using the other to guide the head of Ronan’s shaft to his mouth as he opened wide. “Mmm! So good!” he said and sucked hard enough to make Ronan’s toes curl.

He swiped the tub off the nightstand and fumbled it as he passed it to Tony. “Easy, lad! You’ll give me a heart attack,” Ronan said shakily, brushing his fingers through Tony’s hair and gently cradling his head. “Tony, that’s…” But Ronan had no words and his eyes crossed at the heady pleasure swirling in his core and the pressure throbbing in his sac. He blinked and shook his head to refocus, then swore when he saw Tony fingering himself. The Vaseline was open next to his knee and Tony made lewd moaning sounds as his head bobbed up and down. “Come here!”

Tony laughed as he was hauled off the floor and up, onto Ronan’s lap. “Aye aye, captain!” Tony said, quickly adjusting and impaling himself on Ronan’s cock. They both gasped andshouted obscenities as Tony rode Ronan hard and fast. It was only a matter of minutes before they both came, sweating and breathless as their lips clung.

“I feel like I’m still dreamin’,” Ronan said as he nibbled and fondled Tony’s ass.

He smiled, making an overcast morning warm and bright. “I dreamed about you too,” he said, pressing a loud kiss to Ronan’s lips before easing off of his softening hard-on. “Although, it wasn’t a happy dream.” He paused on his way back to the stove, wincing at Ronan. “I’m a mess.”

“Come back and I’ll clean ye up,” Ronan offered, making Tony smirk.

“Let me flip the potatoes.”

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