Falling Star Valentine Read online

  He longed to speed up the process of intimacy with Dale, but he knew from experience this led to only short dissatisfying encounters. Valentine wanted and needed lasting love. He was running out of times to find someone who would love him—who would fall in love with him. That was the only way he could stay. He had one more time allocated after this one. Even though this thought ought to bring him some comfort, it brought none. He wanted Dale. If I can’t have Dale then maybe I’ll give up and leave the last time unused. He’d return to the swath of stardust that splayed a ribbon of spangles across the night and to the slumber of oubli.

  Dale’s voice held regret. “Still love … I don’t think so. No … I feel betrayed and it’s opened my eyes to how many times I felt as if I loved more and gave more than…”

  Valentine spoke softly. “He did.”

  Dale’s eyes widened at Valentine, and then filled with appreciation. “Yes.”

  Valentine picked up a fork and speared a row of fat blueberries. He lifted the fruit and offered the mouthful to Dale. “You said you would help me eat. Have the first taste.” He stared at Dale’s oh-so-kissable mouth and waited.

  Chapter Four

  Dale read the tenderness in Valentine’s gaze. He looked at the strong hand that held the forkful of purple berries and experienced an urgent need to touch it again. He placed his own hand over Valentine’s as if to steady it, and leaned to take the mouthful of sweetness offered to him.

  Valentine withdrew the fork from Dale’s mouth in a careful slide. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and Dale swallowed the fruit under the warm gaze as Valentine watched him.

  “They’re delicious. Try them.” Dale returned Valentine’s smile as the idea that Valentine flirted with him cemented in his mind. He pulled apart the croissant on his plate, and tried a small piece.

  Valentine picked up a strawberry and popped it into his mouth. His delight in the fruit showed as he ate rapidly, tasting more strawberries, forkfuls of blueberries, and diced apple. He stopped with a chunk of juicy-looking pear halfway to his mouth and grinned at Dale.

  Dale picked up a piece of croissant and offered it to Valentine, expecting him to take the pastry with his fingers.

  Valentine leaned across the table and ate the flaky mouthful from Dale’s hand. His lips brushed Dale’s fingertips.

  Dale gasped and Valentine moved away, but in his blue gaze as his eyes met Dale’s, passion glittered and sparked. Dale looked away. The extreme attraction he felt for Valentine confused him. He’d fallen for Jack, but couldn’t remember experiencing such a high-level charge of sexual attraction. Maybe I’ve forgotten. We slept together quite soon. I don’t know…

  He tried to ignore the rising tide of desire that threatened to turn him into mush—I’m not thinking straight. I’m supposed to be reviving my career, my life, not succumbing to … to what? He hasn’t made an advance … not really … but I wish he would…

  Dale drank some coffee and stared out of the window. Closer to the coast now, the scenery had changed to rolling green hills, and stands of deciduous trees. Rain drifted in mists making early buds glisten. Dale put down his cup and wiped his mouth with the napkin that lay beside his plate. A wave of apprehension creased his forehead with a frown, as he considered the task of starting over, even in the city he loved. He’d emailed real estate agents after he’d checked their websites, and received lists of suitable apartments for rent, intending to lease a place until he settled into some kind of routine. Against his better judgment, but needing to have somewhere to go, he took a furnished rental, sight unseen, and the keys had been FedEx’d to him. He heaved a sigh, thinking about being alone again. Somehow, living in the hotel suite hadn’t felt as if he was truly alone.

  “I guess that you don’t want to eat a pancake?”

  Dale cast a regretful look at Valentine. “Sorry, I’m not hungry, anymore.”

  “I know. It doesn’t matter.” Valentine put down his fork.

  “Finish your breakfast, Valentine, don’t let me stop you.”

  Valentine lifted his coffee cup and sipped. “Does your work take you to exotic places?”

  The question surprised Dale and he smiled. “Sometimes, if I do a swimsuit shoot, or summer season collection.”

  Valentine nodded slowly. “Once, a long time ago, I visited a tropical island. The sea nearer the beach was clear. I could see shells on the sandy bottom.”

  Dale studied Valentine. “Were you a child?” A long time ago—but he can’t be very old … thirty maybe like me.

  Valentine began his reply with a shake of his head, but then agreed. “Yes. I was much younger.”

  “What do you do—for work I mean?”

  “Sorry to say that I’m between jobs right now. I want something new and different.”

  A grin flashed onto Dale’s face. He couldn’t help but say, “Have you ever thought of modeling?” Valentine had the look favored by several haute couture ateliers.

  Valentine grew wistful. “Do you think I could?”

  “Definitely. I can introduce you to a good agency. Hey, I could take the photographs for you to make your book and introductory shots.” His enthusiasm for his industry brought the offer from his lips without thinking.

  Valentine sighed. “That’s very kind. I have an important thing to accomplish before I could take up your offer.”

  Dale didn’t want to pry into that, especially since there was a longing look on Valentine’s gorgeous face. Hope that Valentine was single flooded his mind, but maybe this man was going to a lover. He remembered the train stopping.

  “Can I ask you … are you the passenger the train made the unscheduled stop for?”

  Slowly, a smile spread across Valentine’s face. In an enigmatic way, he leaned forward and whispered as if he didn’t want anyone else to hear. “I don’t make a habit of it.”

  Dale teased. “It’s unusual. You have to be some kind of VIP. Am I talking with aristocracy or maybe the CEO of Translines?” Dale smiled to soften the questions that unexpectedly didn’t sound teasing to his ears once spoken.

  Valentine shrugged. “Neither. I came aboard looking for someone.”

  Surprised by this, Dale couldn’t contain his question. “Did you find them?”

  Valentine didn’t answer. He played with the handle of his coffee cup. With his gaze downcast and his dark hair falling over his forehead, there was an air of vulnerability about him.

  The wish to comfort Valentine, gripped him hard, surprising Dale. Instinctively, Dale placed his hand over Valentine’s where he rested it by his still laden plate. Concern flooded him.

  Valentine took Dale’s hand in his. He lifted his gaze to Dale’s face. “I hope so.”

  A shock of sensation made Dale tremble. Time slowed. It was clear Valentine referred to him. Fear and desire mingled into a stomach churning mass.

  Valentine held onto Dale’s hand and Dale closed his eyes briefly, as he allowed himself time to take stock and savor Valentine’s touch.

  “You mean me … or, or, what do you mean?” He attempted to take his hand from Valentine’s gentle grasp.

  Valentine loosed Dale’s hand. “Oh, nothing—it doesn’t matter. Should we pay the bill?”

  The strange, intense moment had passed. Dale stood unhappily. “I’ll get it.” He went to the bar counter and paid for breakfast. The normality in the action settled his nerves. He glanced over his shoulder to see Valentine gazing out of the window. The man exuded sorrow. A pang of regret that he’d not held onto Valentine, maybe flirted more … stolen a kiss … something other than what he’d done, saddened him. In the six months since he and Jack had split, Dale had thought about going to a bar and having a fling, something to ease his ache of loneliness and loss. He missed sex. He missed the comfort of a man’s arms around him and the feel of a hard body against his. Valentine was attracted to him—he knew it. Will Valentine respond if I make a pass at him? Dale made up his mind.

  The bartender stood behind the count
er staring expectantly at him.

  “Is there something else, sir?”

  Dale smiled. “Yes, two cognacs, and coffee. Could you have them brought to the lounge area, please?” He slid his credit card back across the bar.

  His order received a smile and answering nod. “Yes, sir.”

  Dale strode to Valentine. “There are lounge seats at the end of the dining car. I ordered cognac and more coffee—the alpine warmer.”

  The way Valentine leapt to his feet with a smile touched Dale’s heart. He made his way down the car to the lounge area.

  A couple sat on one of the low, couch-like seats engrossed in conversation. Dale took a seat in the corner well away from them, and with an obvious nod of his head, invited Valentine to sit next to him.

  Valentine sat. He edged to face Dale.

  Dale did the same. “Tell me more about yourself, Valentine.” He flashed Valentine a look filled with enticement. When he wanted to, Dale could flirt as well as anyone.

  Chapter Five

  Valentine heaved a sigh of relief. The thought that somehow he’d failed to interest Dale had hurt. A few moments ago, he’d expected to retreat from his quest at the end of the day with a broken heart, such was his attraction to Dale, but things were looking up. He’d only once before experienced the level of desire Dale invoked in him and it was centuries ago. He burned for Dale’s kiss, but he recognized a change in Dale and worried over it. The way Dale now overtly came on to Valentine, reminded him of his last encounter, when the man he was with left as soon as the sex was over and he returned skyward with a heavy heart. This is different, though, because this time I feel a profound connection with Dale I didn’t feel with that man. In fact, now, as Valentine considered that last encounter he understood it for the one-night stand it was. Valentine’s heart filled with hope. At last.

  Valentine didn’t know what to tell Dale about himself. He might chase Dale away with the truth so soon in their acquaintance. His voice low he asked, “What do you want to know?”

  Dale’s voice caressed him. “Anything you’d like to tell me.”

  They were so close, sitting on the couch together. Valentine swayed toward Dale, and his eyes locked with Dale’s. The small space between them sparked with sexual attraction. Valentine’s gaze traveled over Dale’s handsome face to his mouth. Desire swept over him. He’d fought it down since he’d set eyes on Dale, but now he ached with need. He longed to ram his body against Dale’s and receive an answering thrust of Dale’s hips. Valentine looked at Dale and actually felt the desperation grow in his expression as he imagined Dale’s kiss.

  Dale raised a hand and slipped it along Valentine’s jaw. “You’re attracted to me, isn’t that right?”

  Valentine could only nod because Dale’s fingertips feathered touches over his ears, sending exciting tingles all the way down his neck that robbed him of speech. Gripped by lust, Valentine soaked up the touch, his eyes closing with pleasure. He knew if he opened his mouth he might beg for a kiss—for more than a kiss.

  Dale rested his forehead against Valentine’s face.

  A sigh escaped Valentine—and then Dale’s lips were against his. The kiss was gentle. Tenderness flooded Valentine. He kissed Dale in return, softly, the moment almost painful as he held in the passion threatening to overwhelm him. Valentine desperately wanted to take things slow with Dale, to make it real this time. Deep in his heart, he knew there could be something lasting and wonderful between them. It wasn’t just that he’d be able to stay if Dale fell for him. He tore himself away from the kiss to look into Dale’s eyes.

  “I’m so glad we met. Your kiss feels so good. As soon as I saw you I had this feeling that we could be…”

  Dale leaned in and kissed him again. The sex in the kiss made Valentine’s cock fill out and he groaned.

  When Dale drew away, he whispered, “Do you want my lips around your cock?”

  Shock spread through Valentine. He didn’t want the one-night stand treatment. He needed love. Even so, the kiss was delicious and he did hope for more. “Your kiss makes me want more … to feel you close … to get to know you … be with you. How … how did you feel kissing me?” Valentine longed for a sign Dale could love him truly.

  Dale hesitated.

  “Different—sexy but sad. You lost your sparkle as we finished breakfast. What’s really going on, Valentine? You appear on the train, flirt with me, imply I’m the person you’re looking for, and then … nothing. It’s weird. If I hadn’t brought us to this lounge what would you have done?” Dale’s puzzled look merited answers.

  Valentine couldn’t give any. His need for love drove him on. Not caring that the couple occupying the couch at the end of the lounge car might see, Valentine slipped his hands around Dale’s face. He kissed Dale hard, hungrily, pouring all the hope that surged through him into the caress.

  His spirits leapt as Dale responded. The touch of Dale’s nose against his, and searching lips on his, sent him soaring into desire. His body tensed and involuntary needy sounds escaped him. His cock strained against his suit pants and his heart pounded. He lost sight of his plan to entice Dale into intimacy slowly. He drew away from Dale, his eyelids heavy with lust, intending to ask Dale to find somewhere—a place they could give each other pleasure.

  When Valentine opened his eyes, coffee and cognac had been placed on a small coffee table affixed to the floor, serving as a border between one couch and the next. The server had silently been and gone. It surprised Valentine. He grasped Dale’s hand.

  “I want you so much. I want my lips around your cock.” The words were out and Valentine held his breath, waiting.

  Dale’s dangerous expression thrilled Valentine. His dark eyes raked Valentine’s face and dropped to the obvious shape of Valentine’s cock huge and hard in his pants.

  “If that’s what you’re really after. I’m about due for a fling … a quickie … hot sex with a stranger…”

  The words both excited Valentine and hurt him. He hadn’t expected Dale to talk this way, but the lure of sex went deep. Nothing was as good as sex felt. Nothing was as delicious. For a few seconds Valentine forgot his goal of lasting love. “I can’t deny I’d like that.” Then like a spear to his heart, he remembered being left alone after sex before, and he wished he hadn’t said a word.

  Dale stared at him. “But?”

  Valentine hadn’t realized there was a ‘but’ in his tone. Now Dale pointed it out he pounced on the opportunity. “I … I hoped for more tenderness from you.”

  Dale’s stare softened. A thoughtful expression entered his eyes. “Tenderness?”

  Valentine shrugged. “I want sex, but I hoped for tender moments. Like the kisses. I … I want our meeting to be the start of something lasting.”

  Dale looked away. He picked up his glass of cognac and drank the beverage in one go.

  Valentine watched and had no idea what would happen next. He glanced toward the drink allocated to him by virtue of its proximity, but had no chance to pick it up because Dale took his hand and stood. Valentine followed, standing, and as Dale walked, he kept up beside the man he desired more than anyone else in his long existence.

  Dale stopped at a door marked with universal symbols. He pushed it open and brought Valentine into the washroom.

  Valentine felt as if the bottom had dropped out of his stomach. He left his arms by his sides when Dale let go of his hand to close the door and slip a catch along it, effectively locking it.

  Dale turned to him. He grabbed Valentine, pushing him against the wall of the small room to lean against Valentine, molding his hard body onto Valentine’s. “You want sex now. You know it. I want you, too. It’s not a very glamorous environment, but…” Dale rocked his hips and Valentine gasped at the feel of a hard column pressing against his own erect cock.

  Valentine lifted his hands and held Dale’s face. He kissed Dale, sliding his tongue on Dale’s lips until Dale opened his mouth and touched the tip of his tongue to Valentine’s. The feel
of Dale’s tongue on his sent such intense sensations through Valentine his ass clenched and his cock leaked. He felt the pulse of pre-cum and rammed his hips against Dale’s body.

  “Dale, Dale,” he whispered as he rubbed his aching cock on the shape of Dale’s rock hard erection. The fabric of their clothes between their erections made Valentine desperate to touch Dale’s skin. He pushed a hand between their bodies as he ravaged Dale’s mouth in another hungry kiss, and fumbled with the fastening of Dale’s jeans. It had been so long for Valentine. He reeled from the wonderful sensations storming through his body.

  Dale slipped a hand around Valentine’s face and softened his kiss. He dotted gentle kisses on Valentine’s mouth, but then drew away. “We can’t spend long in here. I can’t walk back to my seat with this kind of hard-on. You’re in the same condition and have been since we started kissing back in the lounge. I don’t know what to say to you, about this being the start of something, but I need you now.”

  Valentine heard the care in Dale’s voice. The rain of soft kisses was unexpectedly lovely. His heart leapt as instinct told him Dale would want more than the quickie he’d mentioned. All the same, now his lust bit into him and he hurried to ease it.

  “Let me taste you. I want to give you pleasure.” He dropped to his knees before Dale. His fingers trembled as he opened Dale’s jeans. He pulled them along with Dale’s boxers down Dale’s muscled thighs. Dale’s cock sprang free, huge, and glistening at the slit. Valentine’s breath caught. Dale was leaking just the same as he was. It made Valentine’s cock throb to know how much Dale desired him.