A creak behind him had him spinning around. Nate stood in the doorway. He’d pulled his brown hair back into a stubby pigtail and stared at him with a pained, almost haunted gaze. It was almost the same expression Nate had had on his face when he first walked into his gym all those years ago. The scrawny kid seemed terrified to be there but understood the best thing he needed to do for himself was to exercise. Ranger had been happy to take the fellow under his wing and show him the ropes. Before long, Nate had grown into a fit and toned young man and had carved a niche in his heart.

Ranger only wished Nate would realize the best thing now would be to give up badgering him about Mars. The whole let’s move to a new planet, let’s not move to a new planet argument between them frustrated him to no end. Life wouldn’t be better there. They’d face a different set of problems. They’d still be poor. They’d still have to live in a cramped hovel. He didn’t see how living on the red world would be a better situation for them. At least on Earth he felt he had a fighting chance to create a decent life for the two of them.

Nate entered the room. “Ranger—”

He held up his hand. He’d heard Nate’s rationale before. Several times. This time, Nate needed to hear him. “I know we don’t live in luxury,” Ranger said in a resigned voice. “We’ll probably never experience any kind of opulence. If I hadn’t sold my gym, used a good portion of my savings to go in on the security business with Sully, and gone into debt from its failure, maybe things would have been different by now.” He sighed and shook his head.

What a scam. His “friend” had filled his head with pipe dreams of opening several offices, having accounts at stores, in the rich communities, maybe becoming a security team for one of the casinos. He’d said he’d already had people and locations lined up. All he’d needed was capital to set the plan in motion.

“Sully really fucked me over,” Ranger continued, beating himself up all over again for not doing his due diligence before handing over funds and selling his business. But he’d been eager for a great opportunity and a large and fast return on investment. “I’m sorry I can’t provide more for you than this cramped hovel of an apartment.” He glanced around and sighed. “Made even smaller when we split our bedroom into two.” “But I don’t need riches. I just need you and your love.”

“A sweet sentiment, Nate, but let me say the rest of this before my thoughts scatter. There are times I wish we’d met a hundred years ago and could have lived together in better conditions. Not some place where you have to wear protective gear outside these walls. Not where there are polluted skies. A lack of sun. More concrete, rebar, and steel than grass, trees, and sky. Buildings and communities covered in domes we don’t have access to.

But at least in here we’ve made a home with each other, a clean and bright one, even if it’s with artificial sunlight. And stuff we’ve acquired by dumpster diving since we can barely afford a pot to piss in.” Pausing, he ran a hand over his face and shook his head with a huff, as if he were uncertain with himself over what he was saying.

“I know the Mars adverts show a gleaming utopia. A promise of a better life. But what if it’s like the resistance says and it’s not paradise? What if up there,” Ranger pointed toward the ceiling, “is actually worse than down here? Why trade for the devil you don’t know over the devil you do? Why can’t Earth … can’t I … be enough for you?” His eyes filled with moisture. He hoped what he’d said, and his rare show of emotion, would be adequate and put the whole Mars deal to rest. He was tired of rehashing it all, being forced to face his fears.

Nate took a deep breath and closed some of the distance between them. “Before I came in here, I was prepared for you to yell at me or something. Your reasoning is sound, but my reasons are valid, too, when it comes to traveling to the new world. We’re smart and able-bodied. Neither of us have ever had major health problems.

We should be able to go there without issue, but I can’t help feeling there’s something you’re still hiding. You’re keeping from me the real reason why you want to stay on Earth so bad. But right now, I don’t feel like arguing. We can debate our points later. All I want to do is this.” Nate swept Ranger into his arms.

When Nate planted his mouth on his and their lips touched, liquid iron heat pooled in Ranger’s core. His nerves caught fire and sizzled like drops of water on a super-hot pan. A lust only Nate would be able to satisfy filled his body. Ranger grasped Nate’s shoulders, then wrapped a hand around the back of his neck. He delighted Nate’s warm skin upon his fingers, and then he fed them through Nate’s hair and tugged, dislodging his attempt at a pigtail.

Grinning against Ranger’s mouth, Nate unzipped Ranger’s pants and ran the tips of his fingers along his cock. Ranger returned the smile upon Nate’s lips and swayed his hips, encouraging Nate to stroke his shaft. Ranger followed suit with his free hand with Nate’s cock. Nate edged his pelvis closer. Their tongues warred with each other as they kissed, and they fell into a rhythm of kissing and jerking off each other.

After several moments, Ranger broke their lip lock. “Does it feel good?” he asked in a husky whisper, toying with Nate’s hard-on and balls.

“Yes. Very.”

“I want you, Nate.” Ranger licked his way down Nate’s neck to the collar of his shirt.

Nate trembled against Ranger. “I want you, too,” he whispered in return.

Ranger captured his husband’s mouth in another kiss and only stopped to pull Nate’s shirt over his head, which Nate then did in kind with Ranger’s. Standing close together in the middle of the room, they ran their hands up each other’s smooth chests, outlining the dips and curves of their muscles. Ranger toyed with Nate’s nipples, eventually ending the kiss to latch onto one of the hard nubs. Nate sucked in a stream of air.

“Oh, shit, Ranger. That drives me wild.” Chuckling, Ranger licked the tip of it, then trailed his tongue down Nate’s body, dropping onto his knees and yanking Nate’s pants down all in one motion, but he didn’t take Nate’s cock in his mouth.

He sat there glancing between the rigid length and his face. “Ranger? Why are you messing with me?”

“I want to hear what you want me to do,” Ranger said in a deep, sexy tone and smiled up at him. “Tell me, in detail, what you want.”

“I want you to wrap your gorgeous mouth around my cock. I want you to suck me with intensity, like you’re desperate for a drink only I can give you and enjoy it when it comes. Then I want you to take my ass with the same drive and need. Make me forget the world around us for the time being.”

His husband’s request sent more heat racing through him and down into his cock. Somehow Ranger’s dick grew even harder. He gazed straight into Nate’s eyes. For a fleeting instant, he thought about capitulating, telling Nate he’d go to Mars with him should he buy a ticket and win. He didn’t want to ruin the mood or start another argument, though, by opening the Mars discussion again. Ranger kept his thought to himself. “Get on the bed on your back. Ass near the edge and your legs spread.”

As Nate complied, stepping out of the clothes pooling around his ankles and feet, Ranger stood and finished removing his clothes. Once Nate settled into position, Ranger knelt between his legs and proceeded to lick, stroke, and suck Nate’s cock and balls as he’d described.

Loving the way his husband tasted, he closed his eyes and focused on the pleasure he was giving, the sensations sprinting through him, and the atmosphere surrounding them. Slurping and sucking. Panting breaths. Heady musk of sex. All of it exquisite.

A perfect tension release.

“Damn, Ranger, you’re wonderful. Don’t ever think for one moment you’re not enough. You are. Most people … can’t afford … much. Fuck, your mouth is heaven. You know… It doesn’t give me pleasure to think of us not being together. I want us to live together, love together, travel together.”

Ranger drew off the length. “Nate, not now.” Nate sighed. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared at Ranger. “Seriously. When we married, I vowed to always be by your side. I hope that’s the case for the rest of our lives no matter what.”

So much for starting to relax. With a growl, Ranger grasped Nate’s body and flipped him over.

Nathaniel Stockton and Grover Silas Ranger are faced with the ultimate test to
their relationship when the Project Mars Lottery comes to town. Nate
wins a chance to have his dreams come true: to live and work on the
red planet with his love. Yet his husband, Ranger, doesn’t see the
point of going from one bad place to another. But an evil
organization called Sector has a completely different idea for the couple.

Kidnapped, experimented on, impregnated, and sent to Mars, Nate realizes

too late he trusted the wrong people.

Ranger fights to find a way to Nate. Will he make it to his love before
their dreams and lives are irrevocably broken by distance, a
pregnancy, and the corrupt agency?