FATAL ATTRACTION  
IIII. Enraptured in Tiracol   

"Nah, not really..." he answered, smiling back, "come in."

"Something bothering you?"

"In one word, Niranjan."

"That's nothing new, he IS a pain in the ass," she remarked settling down. "So, how was yesterday, heard you went out. Anyone interes..." she stopped as Mayank's mobile buzzed.

"Mayank..." he answered picking it up, wondering who it was from since he didn't recognise the number.

"Hi..." said an unfamiliar voice.

"Yes?"

"Ah... um..." the voice hesitated, and then after a brief paused added, "Hi, this is Harsh... you... um, you're Mayank, right?"

"Yes. Harsh... who?"

"Um, yesterday... er, at the Myst..." the voice mumbled, sounding unsure.

Suddenly the lights blinked... and kicking himself for being such an idiot, cast a quick glance at Kajol, "Ah, yes, tell me," his heart beating faster.

"Well... I wanted to... um... can you talk?"

"See you later..." whispered Kajol with a toothy grin, her eyes twinkling as she quickly got up and waving a 'bye', left the room.

"Yup, tell me Harsh," relieved that Kajol had left, and also terribly excited about the call.

"Was wondering, like... um, if we could... maybe have coffee... sometime..."

"Oh, sure," Mayank replied, "When do you want to meet?"

"Anytime after lunch, my classes get over by then," Harsh replied, before adding, "um, whenever it's convenient for you..."

"Evenings are fine with me."

"Uh, today?"

"Sure, at the cafe near the Arts College?"

"Oh, yes, fine..." Harsh said, his voice nearly breaking, excited that Mayank knew details about him.

"Say, around six this evening?"

"Yea, sure."

"OK, see you then..."

"Yes, bye and thanks!" said the boy.

He had hardly put down the instrument when Ali popped in, "Hey, busy?"

"Not really," answered Mayank, looking up.

"Ah..." he sighed sitting down, stifling a big yawn as he stretched.

"Didn't get much sleep, eh?" Mayank asked with a smirk.

"Ah, well..." Ali replied, sounding all mysterious.

"So, how was it, you caught up with your hunky butt-patter?"

"Man, he was awesome, hung like a real stallion," Ali said, "and, boy, he knows how to use it!"

"God, spare me the gory details..." Mayank said, throwing up his hands.

"Oh, OK..."

"Um, you know, Harsh called..." Mayank said after a while of silence, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice, wanting to share.

"Harsh... who?" Ali asked, looking puzzled.

"That guy, we saw at the Myst..."

"Huh... oh, yea, the guy? Oh, he called? Wow, what did he have to say?"

"Well..." Mayank started to say and then paused, as if something had just dawned upon him, suddenly, "Hey, wait a sec," he said, "I've just been thinking, how the hell did he get my personal number?"

"How the fuck should I know!" replied Ali, his voice suddenly louder than usual.

"Well, I never give it to anyone, and so he couldn't have gotten it..." Mayank wondered aloud.

"Why bother, he called, leave it at that." Ali said with a smile, getting up, "I must leave now, just remembered something urgent," he said, reaching for the door.

"Ali, one moment..." said Mayank, standing up, "is there something I need to know?"

"Huh, what do you mean?"

"You gave it to him..." it was more a statement, than a question.

"How could I, we left together..."

"Ali, I know you, you're the most devious, sneaky..."

"Whoa, what a friend I have, such flattering opinion he has of me!" Ali cut in, eyebrows raised high, arms lifted, melodramatic.

"I don't know, but it must be you, it has to be!"

"I'm offended..." Ali replied, trying to sound indignant.

"You can't lie, not to me. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I'm sure that it was you. How, I don't know, but it has to be you, so just come out with it."

"Oh, well..." Ali drawled, "I'm really not good at keeping secrets!" he turned around and sat down.

"Well...?"

"After you left Harsh caught up with me... he wanted your number and I gave it..." he mumbled, avoiding looking at Mayank.

"You're lying!"

"Hah... can't you just be satisfied with what I tell you..."

"No," Mayank cut in.

"OK, I gave him your number, he was interested, honest."

"You went after that man... so, when did you meet Harsh?"

After another brief moment of silence Ali gave a shrug and a sheepish smile, "Um, there was no guy..."

"But you said he patted your butt..." Mayank interjected.

"Tsk... that was only to get you off my back. Oh, well, let's get on with the real story..." Ali said, sitting up. "You were very interested in that boy, Harsh... and for the first time, since I've known you..." he gave another shrug, "and so, I wanted to... er, help out. And then that Lluis popped in and spoilt everything, and you left so suddenly. I went back in after you left and chatted up with him. He too noticed you, and remembered you from Gokarna, honest. I sensed his interest and told him about you... and your, um... ah, well, I gave him your number and he seemed excited."

"Thanks, and now you may leave for that important work that you had just remembered."

"Hey, but don't I get to hear what happened? I mean, are you two meeting up... anything planned?"

"That's my personal affair and I have no desire to share it with, of all the people, you!"

"So much, for doing a good turn, huh!" Ali grumbled as he reluctantly got up and left, stopping at the door to turn back and give a wink before finally leaving.

It was a nice evening, and the promised cup of coffee led to a second and then a slower third... gradually dragging on to dinner, and then a quiet, pleasant walk on the beach. The talk was never-ending, fascinating... and one subject led to another... studies, career, future... sports, movies and the metaphysical... but each time it invariably came back to the ocean... and surfing. It seemed that this was it, this was the final night and both were anxious to talk, to tell, and to share... get to know about the other, as much as possible... Both reluctant to end the evening, call it quits... till finally Mayank noted the hour, and dropped the boy off at his place before driving back home, very late, and very happy... With a promise to meet up again, maybe the next evening... maybe later, depending on Mayank's work schedule... and of course, Saturday afternoon... surf together!

And as he lay awake on his bed that night... he could just think of the boy. See that pretty face and that shy smile... Hear that still adolescent voice, that happy laughter. It felt so utterly amazing... his whole body tingling with an erotic arousal as his hands leisurely caressed the naked flesh... titillating and stroking... just a languid contentment... floating on the ether of bliss... Feeling wonderful to just lie there and savour the moment as he recalled the evening together...

Mayank looked up the densely wooded slopes at the old, strategically located Tiracol Fort perched high above the cliff overlooking the stunning Tiracol estuary... marvelling at the view, the breathtaking natural surroundings, as he sat on the soft sands of the unspoiled, and rarely visited, Keri beach that late Sunday morning.

The week had been an amazing, heady flush of fun and excitement... a wild rush of meeting up each evening, of driving to secluded beaches, of hours spent talking... mellow dinners followed by more talk... before Mayank dropped off the teen at his place... The reluctant parting becoming more agonising with each passing night, and though neither voiced it, the eyes spoke volume... Yet there seemed to be an unexplained hesitation... Maybe it was the incertitude of youth and inexperience on the part of Harsh, while for Mayank it may have been the awkwardness of finally breaking free of his habit of abnegation.

They had had an incredible day - the wind had been perfect and the swells impeccable, the waves holding up perfectly, with extraordinary breaks... and the weather too had been remarkable, slightly cloudy, making it even better being out on the open water... And Mayank had once more been totally amazed by the stunning skill that Harsh had displayed.

"The fort has been converted into a heritage hotel now," Harsh informed, as he sat by Mayank's side.

"Yes, I know..." said Mayank, "but I've never been this far north before. The swell here is really great, is it always like this?" he asked after a moment's silence.

"Yea, always," Harsh replied, "Saturdays and Sundays I always come here; and during the holidays I come everyday, and it's always the same." replied Harsh, making doodles in the wet sand.

"And how come you know all these lovely places?" Mayank asked with a smile, leaning back on his elbows.

"Well, initially, when I came to Goa I too use to go to the Candolim-Calangute area, and down around the Palolem-Patnem stretch. But the crowd didn't let me really enjoy. I started asking around and evenings, after class, went beach-hunting..." he recounted, looking out at the sea. "And last summer while doing an internship at the Oceanography Institute, we came to this area for some studies. I loved the place and the following Sunday discovered the amazing waves!" he finished with a smile, turning back to look at Mayank.

"And since then you've been guarding your secret, eh?"

"Not really," he replied, "I always wanted to share it with someone... but," he paused briefly, his voice suddenly low, "there was... no one."

"And there is another amazing place, a bit further north..." he said after a while, the smile secretive, "I'll take you there, after lunch."

They spent the remaining morning catching some more waves... And after a delicious lunch at a small eatery at the Tiracol village, headed for Harsh's 'secret' cove...

Driving down a winding, bumpy dirt road, and over a rugged promontory, they descended, entering a casuarina forest... and as the 'road' turned into a narrow strip of earthen path, Harsh asked him to stop the car, "We have to walk from here," he said and quickly added, "it's only about fifteen minutes. And leave the boards in the car."

"You can't surf here?" Mayank asked.

"You'll see..." smiled Harsh as he led the way.

The place was all that Harsh had said, and even more... A placid body of water, dark blue, encircled by tall rock walls, with just the single approach that they had used to enter... and a thin strip of semi circular beach of sparkling white sand... The water rippled gently as the wind caressed the surface... the tiny wavelets rolling up the sandy beach to break in foams... and looking beyond, through the towering rock wall, they could see the larger waves in the far distance, and hear the roar of the open ocean... It was a small, private paradise, a hidden gem, simply irresistible.

"No surfing here, but this is a great place for snorkelling, and scuba diving," Harsh said, breaking into his thoughts. "And of course, swimming," he smiled, going to the edge of the water. "Want to?"

Ensorcelled by the pristine beauty of the place Mayank look around, totally in awe, loving the place at first sight. And the two could barely contain their excitement as they threw their tanks aside and dived in... screaming with joy as they frolicked in the cool water, swimming around...

It was much later that they finally got back on land and stretched out on the clean sand, exhausted, yet thrilled. They lay silent for a long while, letting the evening sun and the gentle breeze dry them, lost in time, in the quiet solitude...

Finally, sitting up and turning to Mayank, Harsh spoke, "You know, once, about three months back, there was a whole pod of dolphins, gambolling out there," he said, eyes sparkling with the memory, a wide grin lighting up his cute face, "enjoying themselves, as if playing some game. I swam along for a while, but then, they turned back and went out and I swam back to shore..."

Mayank smiled, happy to see the joy on the boy's face, feeling a tremendous rush of tenderness as he looked at the bare-chested teen... admiring the youth, and yes, desiring him; and with an awkward discomfort felt himself stir, rapidly growing hard...

Nudging out the lustful thoughts that were threatening to take on a more salacious turn, Mayank too sat up. "You were using a Fish back at Gokarna..." he said, referring to Harsh's surfboard, "but this is a JS Carbon?"

"Yes, that's my first board," Harsh nodded, looking back at Mayank, "I leave it there, at home, so I don't need to lug along my board every time I visit home. This one is a gift from my sister, she lives in Scotland and got it for me last year," he added with a happy smile. "Yours is an UFO Rocket..."

"Yes," laughed Mayank before adding, "and I have another one, a Grain Root, you must try that sometime, it's simply awesome!"

Harsh smiled, nodding.

They had been sitting in silence for a long while now... watching the last fiery display of the dying sun... the vivid colours exploding in a kaleidoscope of brilliance before fading fast, the shadows merging in a meaningless mass of grey... the distant horizon a thin strip of pale silvery blue, the ocean dark.

"Thank you for bringing me here," Mayank said softly, looking at his companion.

The sincere pleasure, the unalloyed joy on his face was satisfaction enough for Harsh, and he just smiled as he fell back to lie on the soft sand, closing his eyes, feeling delighted, content.

Mayank remained seated, watching the boy... the long-limbed, slender, yet powerful form; the soft, smooth skin... the dark, copious underarm hair... his eyes moving lower, lingering at the centre of the broadshorts for a fleeting moment... and then back at the face, tranquil, the eyes closed...

Mayank felt a maddening surge of desire fill his soul, and leaning forward slowly tilted his head, brushing his lips against Harsh's... feeling them tremble as a soft moan escaped the youth.

Pulling back he watched those luscious lips part, showing the pearly white teeth, the pink tip of the tongue peeking out... as if seeking something... wanting to be kissed... It was an invitation that he couldn't refuse and with a thumping heart he lowered his face once more, crushing his mouth over the boy's parted lips.

Harsh responded with a loud moan, opening his mouth wider, his hands wrapping around Mayank's broad shoulders, the fingers clutching.

Mayank's upper hand slowly reached out, resting on the flat belly, feeling it flex, the firm, teen muscles tightening... Lightly caressing, his fingers fluttered higher... over the heaving chest, touching the erect nipple, tweaking one gently, and then the other... repeating it several times... making Harsh groan in his mouth as the boy moved in closer... rubbing the slender hip against the older boy's raging crotch...

Deserting the boy tits, Mayank's hand moved down across the fluttering belly, and as it travelled lower... he felt the desperate swaying of the teen pelvis... the hips rising off the ground to seek the approaching hand... Mayank could also sense the heat there... and as the open palm covered the shorts clad crotch, he felt the throbbing hardness. Closing his palm, he gave it a slight squeeze, feeling it flex, hearing the heavy groan as the hips lifted off... pushing up into his palm, the legs parting slightly. Both moaned as he climbed over the prone boy and felt him spread his thighs in invitation...

Nibbling and gnawing at each other's mouth they rolled on the sand... hands roaming each other's body... fingers clawing at the naked flesh... but they weren't content with the exploration of the exposed torso... they wanted more... investigate further; and soon were tugging away... undoing a button here and pulling open a chord there... desperate to get at the bare skin under the shorts... rapidly striping each other... and soon were buck naked... their hands and mouth insatiable in their hunger and desire... unabashedly exploring new territory...

The hushed air of the evening was soon filled with the ecstatic groans of youthful lust, drowning the sound of the distant ocean as they made slow, passionate love.

To be continued...