Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs – Ch. 16
By Laura S. Fox
Copyright © 2020 Laura S. Fox
All Rights Reserved
Gay Erotica
Intended for Mature Audiences Only
This story will contain graphic depictions of sexual intercourse, strong
language and it is not meant for readers who are less than 18 years of age.
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Chapter Sixteen – Friends
"So," Adrian drawled
playfully, "what have you been up to, J? I can feel it in your voice."
Jared straightened up and
winced at the dull ache in the lower part of his body while adjusting the phone
to his ear. "Are you a psychic now, Adrian?"
"Hey, you sound sleepy
but pleased. You either landed a job with National Geographic, or you got
laid."
"Yeah, right. I'm already
on my way to Alaska, to take photos of ... what do they have there? Reindeers?
You know I'm more of a portrait guy."
"Yeah, I know," Adrian
replied, sure of himself. "And that leaves us with my second guess. You got
properly laid."
Jared laughed. Damn, he
was giggling now? Geez, good sex had some serious side effects. "Yeah, I guess
I got laid," he said and stretched like a lazy cat.
"Wow. Nice. So, who was
it?"
"Just a one-night-stand.
No one important."
"I thought you didn't
want one-night-stands anymore."
"Usually, I don't. But
this one hit the spot just right."
"I guess so. You're
giggling."
"Yeah. So, what are you
up to later? I'll call Mike, too."
"Sure. I just wanted to
check on you. You seemed down lately and all."
Jared cleared his voice.
"I know. I would never want to make you, guys, to feel down, too."
"You could never," Adrian
assured him. "So, that means you're over that scumbag, right?"
"I might be. I guess it
only took a cowboy and a proper ride to get him out of my system."
That was not entirely
true, but Jared didn't want to linger on those thoughts by telling them all to
his friend. As soon as his mind took that path, there was a mix of anger and
sadness threatening to take over his sanity. He didn't want that. He wanted to
be strong.
"Wow, a cowboy, nice.
Like a real cowboy, though?"
"I don't know. He
definitely looked the part. Hat, and boots, and a charming drawl."
"So, are you going to see
this guy again or what? He sounds swell."
"No," Jared said with
conviction. "It was just a one-night-stand."
"Does he know it?" Adrian
joked.
"Sure thing, he knows
it." A discreet ping let him know he had a call in waiting. "Hold on, Adrian,
there's someone else trying to call me."
"It's all right. See you
later, J. And you'll tell us all the juicy details of your one-night-stand."
Adrian said goodbye, and
Jared took the other call right away without checking the caller ID. It could
be Sam with some work. Getting buried in some new project sounded like a good
idea to take his mind off things.
"Hi."
The sexy twang made him
stop. "Oh, hi," he replied, without hiding his surprise.
"I was wondering what you
might be doing tonight," Shane said, without any other preamble.
"Oh, just hanging out
with friends," Jared replied.
"Mike and Adrian, right?"
Shane remembered the
names of his friends. Jared was even more surprised. "Yes, they're my
homeboys."
"Would you mind if I
hanged out with you and your friends, too?"
Now that was a
straightforward question. Jared wasn't prepared for it. "Don't you have friends
you like to hang out? So sorry, that came out wrong."
"No worries." Shane
chuckled. "My friends like to hang out in the same places. It gets boring after
a while. I want to see new places, new people."
Jared realized that
moment that he knew very little of Shane and what he was doing. "You're new to
the city, right?"
"Yeah, you read me
right."
"Then, I guess I could introduce
you to some venues. And to my friends, of course."
Hanging out wasn't
hooking up. Plus, Mike and Adrian would be present. But what if they didn't
like the idea of having an outsider with them? Ugh, he should have started with
that.
"So, tonight? When and
where?" Shane asked directly.
"We kind of have the same
routine." Jared recited the bar address and hour. Could it be that he was
making a mistake? But Shane seemed so easygoing; he would read the signs
correctly. Plus, bringing a guy like that to the bar where he liked to hang out
with Adrian and Mike would surely work out in Shane's favor. Jared could bet
that, by the end of the evening, Shane would have enough numbers in his pocket
to fill a phonebook.
"So, what were you
doing?" Shane asked, the teasing in his voice obvious from outer space.
"Just some work," Jared
replied, trying to be evasive.
"What do you do?"
"I'm a freelance
photographer."
"Wow, that's so cool.
That's why you were looking at the pictures last night, right? What did you
think of them?"
Jared stopped to think
for a moment. "I'm no critic, but I'd say they're pretty good. What am I
saying? They're stunning. Whoever took those pictures must really love horses.
Do you happen to know the artist?"
"Yeah. My brother," Shane
replied.
"He has a gift; I'd say,"
Jared said.
"What do you like to take
pictures of?" Shane asked, cutting his words with a sudden urgency.
"I'm not that big of a
nature lover. I prefer portraits. And they pay well because let's face it, a
lot of people love to look good in photos," Jared said with a small chuckle.
"You wouldn't believe some of the stories – But I shouldn't keep you. You must
have work to do. I know I do."
"Sorry for bothering
you," Shane said politely. "I'll see you tonight, then?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Can't wait to see you
again."
Jared managed a small
nervous laugh. Was it customary to invite your one-night-stands to meet your
best friends? He let out a sigh. Maybe not, but Shane would find someone to go
home with tonight, without a doubt. He was charming, handsome, and polite—just
the kind of guy to bring home to mom and dad.
"Sure," he replied. "See
you. Bye."
Shane sounded a tad
surprised at his abrupt manner, but he replied to his goodbye without another
word. Jared put his phone on the nightstand like it was a grenade. Now he
needed to tell Adrian and Mike that they would have someone else with them
tonight.
***
"So, let me get this
straight," Adrian said as he brought the beers to the table, "Mike already
knows the guy? How come I don't?"
"We went to a bar where
they danced in line like in those cowboy movies," Mike tried to explain. "And
this guy just couldn't take his eyes off Jared. And Jared kept eyeing him,
too."
"I did not," Jared
protested.
"Right. You knew right
away that he danced with some girl."
"True," Jared admitted.
"What can I say? He's nice to look at."
"So when did you two get
together?" Mike asked. "I thought you were adamant about not getting, you know,
back into the saddle so fast."
Jared sighed. "It was a
spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. Chris's husband came to see me --"
"Chris's husband?!"
Adrian and Mike asked at the same time, expressing their surprise out loud.
"Yeah. Imagine my
surprise. I was at this event, displaying some of my work, and he came straight
at me."
"That must have been one
hell of a conversation," Adrian said, his eyes never leaving Jared.
"You think?" Jared
replied with a snort. "Can you believe that he's all right with his husband's
sleeping around? He also put me through some lecture about how I don't know
shit about how the world works. And low-key insulted me, because, hey, why not,
right?" Jared kept his eyes on the bottle of beer in front of him, trying to
peel the label with the nails of his thumb fingers.
Adrian placed a
comforting hand on his back. "J, just screw them. They're nothing to you. If
they like to fool around, that's their business. And you have nothing to worry
about. You're cool, man. You're sexy, funny, and an awesome guy all around."
"Ditto," Mike added and
raised his bottle. "Don't let some douchebag bring you down. You're much better
than them."
"Thank you, guys," Jared
said and hooked his arms over his friends' shoulders for a group hug. As he
enjoyed having his best friends close, he noticed Shane walking into the bar
and looking around.
"And here comes Shane,
and I hope you, guys, don't mind having a forth with us tonight."
Adrian was the first to
notice Shane. He whistled appreciatively. "What a hunk, J. Good job, man."
"He's here only to hang
out," Jared said quickly.
As he suspected, Shane's
presence in the bar didn't go unnoticed. A guy approached Shane, obviously
trying to make conversation. By body language, Jared could tell the guy was
getting shut down, but gently. Shane tipped his hat to him, and then, he
noticed Jared, who quickly raised one arm to wave at him.
Even from a distance,
Jared could tell that a bright smile had lit Shane's face. He smiled, too, but
his lips became strained. What could he do to stick to being polite, while
making it clear that he wasn't up for another one-night-stand?
Why was he thinking in
such convoluted ways? Shane wanted to hang out because he didn't have many
friends he could hang out in gay bars like this one. That was all.
"Hey," Shane said warmly.
To his surprise, Shane
leaned in, and before Jared could react, he placed a quick peck on his cheek.
It landed there only because Jared was quick enough to move his mouth out of
the way. The moment of awkwardness was gone soon.
"Hi, Mike," Shane said
and shook hands with Mike. "And you must be Adrian. The best friend who doesn't
cry when cutting onions."
Adrian took Shane's hand
and shook it vigorously. Jared eyed them carefully and pursed his lips when
Adrian winked at him. "Cutting onions? I wonder what crazy stories Jared told
you about us."
"Not that many,
unfortunately," Shane said.
Mike moved to another
seat and gestured for Shane to sit next to Jared. At the same time, he clearly
ignored Jared's pointed look. Shane sat and hooked one arm over the back of
Jared's seat like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I don't know what you're
drinking, but we all got beers, so we thought you wouldn't mind," Adrian said.
Shane took the beer
bottle in front of him and held it up. "It couldn't be better. To new friends
and beginnings."
Adrian and Mike followed
his example, and Jared did the same. His eyes couldn't leave Shane. He was
really handsome. Too bad none of that was for him. He just wasn't in a good
place.
"So, you're a bit of a
mystery man," Adrian said. "We only know that your name is Shane, and you have
a knack for flannels."
Shane laughed. "We, I
mean, Jared and I, didn't have enough time to talk."
"Too busy getting
acquainted in other ways, right?"
"Adrian," Jared whispered
angrily.
Adrian ignored him
completely.
Shane chuckled and ran
one hand over his face. "A gentleman doesn't kiss and tell."
"Good thing, Jared is no
gentleman. He already brought us up to speed. So, I was just checking."
Jared punched Adrian hard
in the shoulder. "Adrian, I swear to God --"
"I'm just joking. He just
told us that he met this awesome guy and wanted us to know him," Adrian said.
Jared pinched Adrian's
bicep through the shirt, hoping that he would leave a bruise. Adrian just
pulled his arm away.
"He did, huh?" Shane
looked at Jared, his eyes at half-mast. "Did you really tell your friends I was
awesome?"
Jared blushed to the tip
of his ears. "You, guys." His eyes thinned dangerously.
"What kind of cowboy are
you, Shane?" Mike intervened, saving the situation.
"I think I must be the
retired kind," Shane replied with a small laugh.
"So, you are a cowboy!"
Mike said excitedly. "Do you know how to ride a horse?"
"Yeah," Shane admitted.
"But not only that. I know a lot of things about herding cattle, but I don't
think you want to hear me babbling about my life on the farm."
"We don't mind," Mike
replied. "You're the first real cowboy I see in my life. Being a city kid and
all."
"Guys, stop pestering
Shane," Jared intervened. "He's here to learn about new things, see new places,
new people --"
"If you don't mind me
asking, what is it that you do now?" Adrian asked. "Since you left your
wrangling days behind you."
"I don't mind. I had some
money saved, so now I'm running a pub. Nothing fancy, just a place where people
can come and unwind at the end of a hard day at work."
Jared's eyes grew big.
This time, he pushed against Shane's chest to express his annoyance. "That place
is yours?"
Shane nodded with a
playful grin on his lips.
"I have an open tab, this
is not a gay bar, although some guys might be," Jared mocked, transforming his
voice to sound annoying.
"You didn't let me tell
you anything," Shane said. "And I couldn't tell you `no', to anything, since
you were so hot and worked up."
Adrian and Mike
snickered.
"This was just such a bad
idea," Jared murmured under his breath. "Even you, Mike?"
"Sorry," Mike said and
giggled some more.
"That's a great thing
about the pub, I mean," Adrian said. "But it is a tough market. There's nothing
this city hasn't seen before."
"I think I got my angle
right. I have some authentic tequila suppliers that don't sell their
merchandise around here."
"That tequila was
awesome," Jared admitted. "You guys should try it, at least once."
"I'll bring you some
bottles. No charge."
Adrian smiled and winked
at Jared again. "This guy's totally a keeper, J."
Jared rolled his eyes.
"Aren't you, guys, assuming too much? Shane is here to make new friends, not to
get stuck with whoever happened to --" he choked on his words. What was it that
he wanted to say? Whoever happened to
jump in bed with Shane? What that what he meant? Adrian and Mike clearly
weren't helping. He needed to make things clear. He didn't know how, but he
needed to.
"I saw that someone tried
to talk to you when you walked into the bar," Jared said and looked at Shane.
"Yeah. A friendly fellow.
He wanted to know if I was single. I told him I wasn't."
"I thought you told me
you got no boyfriend." Jared frowned.
Shane stared at him and
blinked. "I did."
"Then?" Jared asked
impatiently. "Some time, between yesterday evening and today, you got one?"
Shane appeared
disoriented like a deer caught in the headlights. Mike and Adrian were observing
the scene without saying a word. "I thought I did," Shane replied candidly.
Jared pinched the bridge
of his nose and sighed. "Are you talking about me?"
"Yeah," Shane said.
"I'm not your boyfriend,"
Jared said abruptly. "I mean, I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but
we just --" he threw a nervous look at Mike and Adrian, who both wore deep
frowns on their face, "we just hooked up. Nothing else."
"Oh," Shane replied,
taken aback. "Do you do this often? Hook up?"
"Are you calling me a --"
Jared swallowed his words. Shane wasn't entirely at fault. He should have made
things clear on the phone, or when he had left in the morning.
"I'm not calling you
anything," Shane said, and he appeared hurt. "I just thought, I mean, I thought
you liked me. Why else would you call? And then, come to my place and --"
"I get it," Jared put one
hand up. He couldn't believe he had that conversation in front of his best
friends. "It's my fault. I had no idea you would consider it something more
serious than a one-night-stand. I should have made it all clear, so it's my
fault. Entirely. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad and --"
"It's okay," Shane
stopped the cascade of words flowing from his mouth. "I misread the situation,
is all."
Jared sighed. Mike and
Adrian were still looking at him like he suddenly grew horns. "Well, then
that's that. You're still welcome to hang out with us. Or you can look around,
see if that friendly guy is still here. You might want to --"
"No," Shane said shortly.
"It was nice to meet you. Adrian, Mike. How much do I owe you for the beer?"
"Don't worry, man,"
Adrian said. "It's all good."
"It was nice to see you
again, Shane," Mike added.
"I'll let you guys enjoy
your evening," Shane said and stood up, somewhat stiffly. "Have a good night."
Perplexity was too small
a word to describe what Jared was going through. Shane turned his back on him,
without addressing him a word, not even goodbye. He watched him walked out of
the bar with big, heavy steps.
"Wow, Jared, I didn't
know you could be ... what's the word?" Mike struggled. "Callous?"
"A scumbag," Adrian said
and crossed his arms over his chest. "What the hell was that, J? Huh? Did
Chris's douchebaggery rub off on you or something?"
"What are you guys
talking about? I just needed to make it clear to Shane that we only hooked up.
There was no point to --"
"What? Be nice to the
guy?" Adrian asked aggressively.
Jared was taken aback.
"Come on, Adrian. Until yesterday, you were the king of hookups."
"Yeah, I was. Not you,"
Adrian pointed out. "And what's not to like about this guy? He's totally
boyfriend material, and you blew it just because you wanted to be a scumbag for
a change, for reasons I don't understand."
"Wow, dad," Jared said.
"Since when are you judging me?"
The last time he had
gotten into a fight with Adrian, it must have been when they were still in
kindergarten. After that, they had both cried so much that their parents had
had to force them to make up. Adrian never talked to him like that, never.
"What about you, Mike? Do
you think the same thing?" Jared turned his attention on his other best friend.
Mike shifted in his
chair. "This isn't you, J. And you like Shane."
"Maybe, but maybe he's a
player. You don't believe how shy he acted while we – Ah, what the hell I'm talking
about? You guys saw him. He's a total hunk, okay? Tell me he hadn't hooked up
dozens of times since he had gotten here? A guy like that? If everyone had left
him alone all this time, I don't know what to think of the gay population in
this city."
"It doesn't matter if he
hooked up before or not," Adrian said. "He's into you, big time. But somehow,
because you got hurt, you think you have the right to hurt others, too. Let me
break it to you, J. The only guy you'll truly hurt if you keep it like this is
you."
Jared moaned and buried
his face into his hands. "Come on, Adrian, you can't really think that about
me."
"I don't think that about
you. I know you're nice, considerate, salt of the
earth when the going gets tough, so my question is simple: what the hell is
wrong with you?"
Jared felt himself
getting small under Adrian's scalding words. "I don't want to be this nice guy
everyone is walking all over anymore."
"You got hurt by a
scumbag. Don't let him infect you. It's all I'm saying. And, if I were you, I'd
hurry to offer Shane some apology. Can you imagine how he must have felt, you
doing that to him in front of us? We're strangers to him," Adrian added.
"What do you think,
Mike?" Jared asked, his voice meek. "Do I believe Adrian here, or will that just
make me the biggest pushover in history?"
Mike was also little in
his chair. He didn't like conflictual situations, either, so he was obviously
uncomfortable. "I think Adrian's right this time, J. I mean, Shane really likes
you. And you must like him, too, since you didn't mind hooking up with him or
introducing him to us. At least, he deserves an apology."
"But what am I supposed
to say to him? I have no intention of being his boyfriend. A friend, maybe, but
--"
"So tell him that," Mike
said. "And Adrian here doesn't yell at you because he hates you. He does it
because he loves you."
"Damn right," Adrian said
through his teeth.
Jared sighed. "I
appreciate you guys worrying about me so much. But I'm fine." He paused for a
moment. His eyes traveled to the entrance. "Do you really think I hurt Shane?
That guy must have really tough skin," he made a poor attempt at a joke.
"I do. I think you hurt
him. Just call him and apologize. Don't let him think of you this way. You're
not a scumbag, and you don't deserve to have someone like Shane think that
about you," Mike said.
Adrian remained silent.
"Adrian?" Jared asked.
"Why do you ask me?"
"You're my friend. Of
course, I have to ask you. And I think you were right to tell me what you said.
Well, to some degree."
Adrian pursed his lips.
"All right. Just call Shane and apologize. The sooner, the better. No moment
like the present."
"Like, right now?" Jared
asked.
"Yeah," Adrian confirmed.
"If you want me and Mike to forgive you for the stunt you pulled on us tonight."
"Okay, if it's our
friendship on the line," Jared tried to play it down a little. He did feel
ashamed now, and he knew Adrian and Mike were right. He didn't have to change
who he was because of a bad experience. "But I'm not going to be his pity boyfriend
or anything. I still stand by the idea that we only hooked up."
Adrian made a gesture
with his hands as if to suggest that it was up to Jared.
"As long as you don't
insult him or make him feel bad again," Mike said. "You're nice, Jared. You're
not not-nice."
Jared sighed. "All right,
guys. You convinced me. I'll just go outside to make the call. I think you two
heard enough for one evening."
He walked through the
crowd and got into the warm evening air. Of course, Mike and Adrian were right,
but now he felt awful. What were the right words to say? He moved under an
awning, away from the rowdy groups walking in and out of the bar.
"Shane," he began
rehearsing the words he wanted to say, "I feel that I must apologize for
tonight. I didn't mean to --" Jared stopped and ran one hand over his face.
"Shane, hi. I'm sorry for being a scumbag. I shouldn't have talked like that to
you in front of my friends. It's just that I --" He stopped again. "Shane, it's
me, Jared, from ... before. No, earlier tonight. I feel like I fooled you into
thinking that I – Ah, goddamnit, why is it so hard to
say the right words?"
"Maybe it's not what you
want to say."
Jared jumped back in
surprise. "Fuck, you scared me! Shane, what are you doing here?"
From the dark corner,
Shane emerged into the street. Jared could make his silhouette and some of his
features in the streetlights. "I got mad a little, so I needed to walk it off.
I don't get mad often," he began. "It's usually serious when I do that. But
you're a slick city boy, so I should have known it."
Jared sighed. "It's not
like that. I mean, slick city boy? I'm not ... I mean, I obviously made you have
the wrong impression of me. Adrian and Mike gave me an earful inside, so I'll
try to apologize as I should."
"No need." Shane waved.
"I heard you trying to find your words earlier. I don't think you really want
to apologize."
Jared stopped for a
moment. He sighed, letting the air leave his lungs with an audible noise. "You
know what, Shane? You're right. I don't want to apologize. Not because you
don't deserve an apology, but because I've been bottling up something inside,
something that had absolutely nothing to do with you, and it has made me mad."
"What is it? Can you say
it?" Shane asked.
Jared considered for a
moment. Maybe what Shane really deserved wasn't some half-assed apology, but
the truth. "I just went through something unpleasant. I was involved with a
married guy. I had no idea he was married, and when I found out ... well, he was
really unpleasant toward me."
"You keep saying the word
`unpleasant'. But it must have been more."
"Yes, it was," Jared
said, letting out another deep sigh. "He insulted me. I thought we had a
relationship, and I was nothing to him but an affair or even less than that. I
slept with you for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to prove myself that I could
be in control. I could just choose to hook up and feel good about myself. I had
no intention to hurt you, but I am at fault for not stopping one moment to
think about you and your feelings."
Shane said nothing.
Jared walked toward him
slowly. "I can be your friend, Shane. I can show you around the city. I may be
awful hookup material, but, as a friend, I can be nice. Really nice. At least,
that's what Adrian and Mike keep telling me."
"A friend?" Shane asked.
"Yes. I'm so sorry I
mislead you. I just kept telling myself that you must be a charmer and a
playboy since you're such a hunk. I'm sorry about that. A lot of guys in this
city would be happy to have you. I can introduce you to the scene here, so to
speak. And then, I can assure you that you can have your pick."
Shane watched him
closely. "Have my pick, huh?"
"Sure. Have you looked at
yourself in the mirror lately?" Jared asked with a small laugh.
Shane matched it with a
chuckle of his own. "So I can pick anyone I like, is that what you're saying?"
"Sure thing," Jared
confirmed it once more.
"I'll keep you to that,"
Shane said playfully.
"If any guy in this city
turns you down and he's not married, or in a serious relationship, I'll
personally deal with him," Jared promised solemnly. "Hey, now that we cleared
the air, and, hopefully, you don't hate my guts anymore, would you like to come
back inside? Adrian and Mike are already crazy about you."
Shane shook his head. "I
think it would be a little strange."
It was evident to Jared
that Shane was doing his best to speak correctly, but that charming twang still
rolled off his tongue like honey, with a word like `little' still sounding more
like `lil'.
"It's okay. I put you in
an awkward situation, and I'm really sorry," Jared said and squeezed Shane's
arm.
"Don't worry," Shane
replied. "So, if we're friends, what do we do? Do we hang out? Can I call you
and that?"
"Sure," Jared said with a
nod. "This isn't me trying to get out of an unpleasant situation."
"You used `unpleasant'
again," Shane noticed.
"It must have been
unpleasant for you," Jared replied.
"It's okay if I hug you?"
Shane asked, out of the blue. "You do that with friends, right? How about
kissing you on the cheek?"
"Shane, Shane," Jared cooed
affectionately, "you don't need a book of rules to hang out with me, okay? But
I guess this is you teasing me over being a scumbag. Come here and let me give
you a hug."
Shane didn't wait for him
to finish his words. Jared snickered when Shane pulled him into a tight embrace
and lifted him off the ground. He couldn't stop inhaling Shane's manly cologne,
which was a big mistake because memories of last night flooded his brain in an
instant. It was nothing wrong to feel a bit regretful, but he was in no position
to get a boyfriend now. Shane buried his face into the crook of Jared's
shoulder and kissed him there. A light frisson traveled his body, and Jared
remembered, with some latency, that he was supposed to protest to that.
Before he had a chance to
do that, Shane let him back on his feet and pulled away. "I'll call you," he
said and tipped his hat.
"Sure," Jared replied
with a small nod and watched Shane walking away, a tinge of something he knew
too well nudging him to do something already.
He pushed it down. It was
all too soon and too wrong. Shane deserved something else. Someone else.
He walked back inside,
his head full of contradicting thoughts.
"Did you call him?" Mike
asked.
"Yes," Jared replied
without thinking. Then, he shook his head. "Actually, I talked to him in
person. He was just outside, walking it off ... I apologized. Job done. We're
going to be friends."
"Friends?" Adrian quirked
an eyebrow. "What kind of friends?"
Jared took back his seat
and barely kept in a small wince at the slight discomfort he still experienced
in his backside. "You know, friends."
***
Adrian whistled as he
walked down the marina and waved at Edward, who was leaning against the rail of
his yacht. "So, I get that this was the surprise. Well, once you told me where to
meet, I expected as much. Quite a beauty, isn't she?"
Edward just nodded and
gestured for Adrian to hop in. Although the maritime vehicle deserves much more
attention than he could offer at the moment, Adrian's eyes were on Edward. He
was dressed in white sailing clothes, and his eyes were squinting in the sun.
The light breeze was playing with his hair, and Adrian couldn't help but notice
the lazy smile on Edward's lips. He had known Edward the frozen fish, and
Edward the master wannabe, and Edward the too hot too
handle, but this version of him was new.
Adrian had a feeling that
their little trip out at sea would reveal much more than he could observe at a
glance. "No captain hat?" He pointed at Edward's head.
"I'll be your humble
shipmaster," Edward said with a smile and a small bow. "To be a captain, I
believe you should have a degree in marine transportation."
Adrian pouted playfully.
"So, I don't get to call you captain?"
Edward laughed. He
welcomed Adrian into his arms and kissed him softly. The kiss was different,
too, although just as hot as any Edward gave without restrictions. Adrian felt
a small shudder coursing his body; if they kept at it, they might not leave the
shore at all. "Hmm," he purred as he reluctantly let go of Edward's fascinating
mouth, "I suppose I need to play the good kid this time, or else you won't be
able to sail us out of here."
Edward chuckled softly.
"There is such a thing as autopilot, but of course, you will have to be good
until we get at a, let's say, fair distance from the shore. In the meantime,
you just enjoy the ride."
Adrian nuzzled Edward's
nose with his own, earning an immediate burst of laughter in return.
"What is this?" Edward
asked, but his voice was playful.
"I don't know. I feel all
giddy inside and a lot like fooling around. I've never been on a yacht, so I
apologize in advance if I behave like a total kid."
"Apologies accepted. Now,
just lay back and let me do the sailing."
"I wouldn't dream of any
other arrangement," Adrian said in return.
***
Jared looked at the
caller ID, and his finger hovered over the screen for two heartbeats. Shane
hadn't called since that disastrous evening, and he couldn't just admit that he
had been all needles and pins over whether he would do that, eventually. But,
it was Saturday, so maybe now Shane wanted to hang out. "Hi," he said,
unnaturally bright, as he tried to hide his nervousness.
"Hey, Jared," Shane
drawled.
Now Jared had a pretty
good idea that it was just Shane's way of talking and not some carefully
crafted weapon of seduction. Still, he had had no idea until now that he would
fall so easily for that accent. No, he wasn't falling for anything. It was just
a way of saying.
"Hi, Shane. I mean, I
already said `hi', and I knew who was calling because, duh, I saw the caller ID
– I'm babbling here, why aren't you stopping me?"
A relaxed laugh was the
immediate reply. "I like it when you're babbling. You're cute."
"Ah, you didn't just say
that," Jared protested. "Anyway, do you want to hang out tonight? Mike and I
want to visit this new place, which everyone praises like it's
gay heaven or something."
"Sure," Shane replied.
"What should I wear?"
Jared paused for a
moment. "I think you should just wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Your
usual clothes are fine."
"Won't anyone laugh at
me? Seeing that it's some swanky place where everyone might be wearing Versace
or something?"
Jared laughed. "All
right. You're just pulling my leg. The place may be a little swanky, but not
too much. Mike and I, we're not top earners or anything. We go to venues where
we can afford the beer if you know what I mean."
"I'll pick up the tab, so
don't worry."
"I would never let you do
that," Jared said promptly. "It is on us to show you around, and since you're
new to the group, let us play the generous companions. Of course,
that will change down the road," he added quickly. "And if you make more
money than us with that pub of yours, we might become obnoxious freeloaders."
"That's fine by me,"
Shane said playfully.
"Ah, so you're not
worried," Jared said back.
"Mike looks like a
lightweight, and I know for a fact how tipsy you can get after a few shots."
"Hey, hey," Jared
protested, "we drank from the bottle. Seriously, who does that?"
"You," Shane said and
laughed.
"Just because you made
me."
"Right. I was just
leading by example, is all."
"Yeah, I guess so. Now,
let me give you the address, so you know where to meet us."
"Could I drop by your
place and get there together?" Shane asked casually.
Jared hesitated for a
moment. That wasn't anything out of the ordinary. He would pick Mike up from
his place, anyway. It was a common thing between friends.
"It's all right if you
think that's weird," Shane added.
"No, no. Here is my
address. We're going to pick Mike up from home, too, after that."
"Sounds swell. Wait, only
Mike? What's Adrian up to?"
"Ugh, long story," Jared
said and rolled his eyes. "You cannot believe this guy's luck. His boyfriend is
some hotshot doctor and millionaire. Right now," Jared checked the clock on his
nightstand, "he's on some yacht, in the middle of the ocean, sipping Margaritas
or whatever."
There was a short pause
on the other end. "Is that your idea of fun, too?" Shane asked.
Jared laughed nervously.
Whatever he did, he managed somehow to come across as a superficial ass. "I was
just joking. Not about the yacht, and the millionaire boyfriend, but about the
reason why Adrian is lucky."
"What's the reason?"
Shane asked.
This kind of directness
was not at all something Jared was used to. But Shane seemed to ask exactly
what was on his mind, without censure. It was refreshing, in a way. Jared liked
it. "It's a long story, but let's just say, without running the risk of ending
up gossiping about Adrian's love life, that, for a long while, it looked like
there would be no boyfriend in Adrian's life. And, suddenly, he meets this guy,
Edward, and he forgets about playing the king of hookups every weekend. So, I
think he's lucky because he found someone he truly likes spending time with."
"That sounds like a great
reason," Shane said. "What would make you feel lucky?"
Jared sat on the bed and
pushed one rebellious strand of hair behind one ear. "I haven't figured that
out yet," he replied quietly. "I thought I knew what it was, but things didn't
work out how I imagined."
"You're talking about the
married guy?" Shane asked.
"Yeah," Jared admitted.
"We've been together only for a little while, but – ah, let's not talk about
it, okay? Let's have fun tonight, and, Shane, if you don't have at least a
dozen new numbers in your phone by the end of the night, then don't call me
Jared Boyle."
"Ah, is that your full
name?"
"Right. We didn't exactly
introduce each other. What's your family name?" Jared asked dutifully.
"McKay," Shane replied
promptly.
"Shane McKay," Jared said
slowly. "Only by this name, and I could picture you, boots and hat and all,
without even seeing you once."
"Well, you saw me,
though, so all you say know is only hindsight," Shane said.
"Yeah. I suppose so. All
right, Shane McKay. Drop by at nine."
"Isn't it a bit late?"
"There's no real action
before ten o'clock. And since we will take our time picking Mike up from his
place, I think we will be there in the nick of time."
"So, it's really okay if
I wear my usual clothes?" Shane insisted.
"I wouldn't want to see
you in any other," Jared joked.
There was a small intake
of air, like a sharp breath on the other end. Jared didn't have time to wonder
what it could be about.
"All right, then. But if
anyone laughs at me, it will be all on you," Shane replied.
"Don't you worry. Mike and Adrian call me the mother hen of the group.
Just point the bully to me, and he will eat his hat. Or shirt. The chances are
he might not have a hat."
"Counting on you, then."
"Sure thing."
There was a short
silence. "Then I'll see you tonight," Shane said. "Cannot wait."
"Yeah. Me, either," Jared
said politely.
"See ya
later then, shug," Shane drawled, and just this time,
Jared was pretty sure that the guy was playing the charmer, again.
For a while, he stared at
the phone in his hand and wondered if he hadn't had his work cut out for him,
all on his own. As long as Shane didn't use his charms on him, he would be
fine. And Shane had no reason to do that since he was now interested in making
the acquaintance of many fine lads who weren't Jared.
Great. Now he was
thinking with an accent.
***
"Wow," Adrian expressed
his awe as he looked around at the vast expanse of water. "I must say that it
feels a bit assuring that I still see a bit of land in the distance."
"I hope you're not
seasick," Edward said, now a bit worried. "I do have some antiemetics
on board, but I would hate to be the cause of any discomfort that might affect
you."
"I'm not seasick, but I
do experience some discomfort right now," Adrian said with a grin.
"What discomfort?" Edward
eyed him carefully.
"Come closer, and I'll
show you," Adrian said and winked at Edward.
A hearty laugh was the
reply. "As a health care professional, I should take care of it right away."
Edward walked over to him and kissed Adrian full on the lips. "Undress," he
whispered. "I want to see you in all your naked glory."
"Sure," Adrian replied.
He pulled the t-shirt over his head in one go. "How is this?"
Edward blinked a few
times. "What part of all your naked glory didn't you get?"
"Doctor," Adrian cooed,
"do you intend to run a full body examination?"
Edward played along.
"It's required so that I can identify the cause of your discomfort."
Adrian shrugged. He never
missed a chance to put his body on display. He was damned proud of it, and if
Edward wanted to see him, who was he to say `no' to that?
His erection smacked
against his lower belly as he pushed down his pants.
"It's truly fascinating
how you can be hard like this without complaining," Edward said.
The sun on his skin was
warm, and the ocean breeze was caressing his body. Adrian had absolutely no
complaints. He was pretty much in paradise, and nothing could say otherwise. He
stepped out of his clothes, pushing them aside with his shoes, and performed a
small pirouette. "Are you pleased, doctor? What's next?"
Edward moved closer.
Adrian took a step back and leaned against the rail. He liked what he saw,
Edward's moist lips, the hunger in his eyes. That was
a man who wanted him, and Adrian longed for that validation. He had been all
tied up in knots after their last time; as much as Edward showed that he wanted
him, Adrian didn't feel entirely sure. Each step could be on shaky ground, and
the worst part was that he couldn't tell it was so.
Right now, his worries
were gone. Edward stepped closer and knelt in front of him. Then he took
Adrian's cock between his lips, while his green eyes stared up, without
blinking. Adrian found himself lost in those eyes. Edward, with his mouth full
like that, was a sight to behold.
It wasn't only that, the
sensory assault of a tongue wrapped around his manhood, of lips that knew just
how much pressure, was enough. It was a new feeling of wanting and longing that
couldn't be quenched quickly. Adrian wanted more; he was well aware of it right
now as he rested one hand on the back of Edward's neck and pressed gently.
Edward went deeper, taking the cue right away.
"If the Coast Guard
stumbles upon us, I don't think I can stop," Adrian whispered.
Edward's eyes crinkled at
the corners, in apparent amusement. There would be no stopping involved; that
was sure. Adrian cursed softly as Edward deepthroated
him, but gently, not with urgency. He was taking his time, and Adrian could
only be thankful for that, too, because having Edward blowing him like that,
out there, away from the entire world, was, at the moment, everything he
wanted.
Edward snuck one hand to
caress and play with Adrian's ball sack, and that served only to heighten the
pleasure. Adrian closed his eyes to focus on the sensations assaulting him.
Then, Edward's hand got bolder, sneaking between his buttocks and finding soon,
with restless fingers was its owner wanted.
Oh. Adrian wasn't sure.
He could tell Edward to stop, but, seriously, that wasn't an option. So, instead,
he shifted so that he could part his legs more and allow Edward access. Edward
stopped sucking only so he could wet his fingers, and then, he went back at
work with more skill and dedication.
Adrian couldn't mind such
a small thing. Edward could ask anything of him right now. So, he wasn't
surprised when two fingers eventually stabbed his behind. They moved slowly,
but they had a purpose, and Adrian wouldn't say `no'. But he grabbed Edward
hard by the back of his neck and began moving his hips, too. There was a price
to pay for everything, and Adrian had a feeling that Edward wouldn't mind.
The sensation in his ass
wasn't unpleasant at all, but seeing how almost never anything got in there, it
was foreign. It brought something new to the game, and Adrian felt his balls
pulling tight, despite his desire to make it last for as long as he could.
There was no warning
needed, but Adrian announced his impeding release in one strangled cry. "I'm
coming!"
Edward pushed his fingers
deeper and held Adrian in his mouth down to the hilt. Adrian was grunting and
moaning loudly as he came what must have been a ton down Edward's throat. "Oh,
fuck," he half-complained when Edward finally let go of his ass and his cock.
"That was one awesome blowjob, Edward," he praised his partner.
Edward said nothing and
walked inside the cabin, only to return with a velvet case in his hand. Adrian
eyed the object with a confused look on his face. It couldn't be a ring; it was
too big. What the hell was he thinking, a ring? He needed to slap himself away.
"For you," Edward said
and offered the case to Adrian.
Adrian took it without
another word. How could someone be so cool and collected after deepthroating a dude? It was beyond him. He opened the case
and looked inside. He instantly grimaced.
TBC
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