by KyAnn Waters
“I thought you wanted a blowjob from a hot senorita? Or you could wear some of my cologne and call our waiter back over if you get desperate.”
“He wasn’t interested in me. So any blowjobs to be had are all for you. I’m ready to go solo for a while.” He pushed his glasses higher onto his nose.
“Wow, that’s unusual for you.”
Joel turned to Asher. “Why’s that?”
“You usually have a girlfriend.”
“Just seems that way because I was with Shelly for so long. And I could say the opposite about you. You never have a girlfriend. At least not a serious one.” He turned to Asher. “But now that I think about it, you haven’t dated anyone in a while. A couple of months at least. Unless you’re hiding something. Are you seeing someone you don’t want me to know about? You are wearing Queeressence.”
Asher didn’t laugh, but also wouldn’t look at Joel. He stared out at the water. “I’m not seeing anyone. I decided one-night stands aren’t worth the effort. I always feel like shit in the morning.”
“When do you get laid?”
Now Asher did laugh. “Fuck, you must think all I care about is sex.”
Joel’s lips twitched.
“Okay, I’m not into serious. But I don’t want to get married until I’m thirty-five, not sure if I ever want kids and I’ve gotta have friendship first. I’m not into supporting anyone.” He smiled. “I can barely support myself. I’m selfish, inconsiderate, and cheap. Basically, I’m an asshole.”
“According to Shelly, sounds like we have a lot in common.”
“Pussy isn’t worth putting up with all the bullshit.”
Joel had to agree. What did it say about him that in the two years with Shelly, he’d found giving her money had been easier than giving her his time and energy? She’d been right when she’d accused him of preferring Asher’s company to hers. He would rather be with Asher. With Asher, he could be himself, and Asher never had an agenda to get more out of him. In fact, spending money on Asher felt pretty good. Probably because Asher didn’t expect it.
Asher stretched his arms over his head. He was in good shape. A sexy amount of dark hair covered his chest—at least, Joel assumed females found chest hair attractive—bisected his abdominals in a thin trail and disappeared into his black and yellow trunks. Joel figured his chest, while toned because he hit the gym a couple times a week, would look better with hair. Maybe not with his dark red hair, but if he had Asher’s southern European looks. Asher was attractive. Sharp angles cut his jaw, dark whiskers shadowed his cheeks and his wide mouth, with full lips, formed a perfect smile over straight white teeth. His nose was a bit on the large side, but with the slight crook in the bridge, his face had character.
“Then we agree; this is a guy’s only weekend.”
Sounded good to Joel. “I’m down with that.”
Asher stood. He was taller than Joel by a few inches, was in better shape, and was definitely more attractive. He had a sense of humor to go along with his Mr. Charming personality. Lean hips, long legs. Everything on him was hot. Joel let his gaze roam over Asher’s broad shoulders, down the tanned ridge of his spine, to the curve of his firm ass. What in the hell was Joel doing checking out his friend?
He was acknowledging the truth. Asher was a good-looking man. Asher would be a great catch…once his finances were in order. That would come. Asher had drive. At some point, one of his adventures would become profitable. He took chances, lived life in the fast lane and didn’t let anything get him down. If only Asher weren’t a guy, he would be perfect for Joel. Joel tended to be too anchored, didn’t like conflict, which explained why he been in a relationship, lived with a woman, without really being invested. Joel had money, but none of the joie de vivre that came so easy to Asher. Asher didn’t worry about consequences.
Joel wanted to be more like Asher. He didn’t want to care about how something might affect his bottom line or how others might perceive his actions. This weekend was a perfect opportunity to make a change. Joel took another drink of his margarita. “Let’s rent that sailboat.”
* * *
Joel joggled his knee, ready to hit the waves. Although Asher had experience, they listened to the required twenty-minute crash course in operating the two-person Hobie Cat sailboat. Finally, Joel buckled his life vest. They reserved two hours on the ocean with underwater disposable cameras and snorkeling gear.
“This is going to be fun.” Asher smiled as the rental crew readied the boat to launch. “Are you ready?”
“I’m ready for anything.”
Asher wagged his brows. “Anything?”
“If the thought of sailing is turning you on, you’ll need to find someone else to suck your dick.”
Asher laughed.
Fifteen minutes later, strapped to the boat, Joel turned his face to the wet, salty spray coming off the left side. The ocean was clear, and the sun was warm on his back. The only way to describe what he felt was happy. And in that moment, he realized it had been a long time.
Asher kept control of the sails, holding tight to the line, leaning back and keeping the boat from tipping. Muscles bunched in his arms and in the few inches visible below the form-fitting life vest, his abdominals were tight and defined.
Using his legs, Joel shifted his weight, leaned into Asher and the boat cut deep into the water. A wash of spray misted over the hull. The boat picked up speed. Joel laughed, the wind stinging his cheeks. Another turn and the boat hit a wave. For a second, they were in the air, skipping from the crest of one wave to the next.
Asher smiled, his teeth gleaming in the sun. “Having fun?”
“Incredible.”
Asher controlled the lines. “Do you want to snorkel?” He adjusted the sail and the boat slowed.
“We can snorkel from the shore. This is just what I needed.”
“Trust me, Joel. I know exactly what you need.” His grin hinted at wicked mischief. “You need to remember how to have fun.”
Flutters tumbled in Joel’s gut. Whether from the speed of the cat or Asher’s promise for more, Joel was ready.
Cold spray and hot man. Asher pulled the lines. The boat shifted, momentum bringing Joel hard against his side. Slick skin slid against slick skin as, shoulder-to-shoulder, they rolled with the turn. Bright sunlight reflected off the clear blue waters. White-capped waves lifted the sailboat. They splashed into a trough. Joel laughed, jostled even tighter to Asher.
Asher leaned in…and Joel didn’t pull away. Water sluiced over their legs as they braced against the sailboat. The sun was hot and the water, cool. Words weren’t needed as they laughed and sliced through the ocean waves. A gust of wind billowed the sail.
“Ahhh, fuuuck.” Asher hollered as the boat lifted and he caught air.
“Oh, shit.” Joel grabbed onto Asher, locking an arm around him. His fingers grasped the edge of the lifejacket, gripping hard, leaning back as the rudder rose higher into the air. The boat teetered then flipped and crashed into the water, tumbling him and Joel off the edge and into the ocean.
Asher landed with a splash, plunging deep. He fought the waves, fighting a moment of panic and gulping a mouthful of seawater. Turning beneath the water, he kicked hard, propelling him to the surface. He popped out of the water. “Joel,” he cried out, searching the water. “Joel,” he hollered again and spun in a circle. His heart raced and his eyes burned. “Fucking, where are you?”
Joel surged up. He laughed and spit water from his mouth. “Here.”
Asher’s heart pounded hard enough to hurt. He tried to calm the anxiety firing through him but adrenaline and fear arrested his breath. “You scared the fuck out of me.” Two strokes and he was next to Joel treading water.
“Sorry.” Joel pushed his hair off his forehead, leaned back, buoyed by his life vest, and wiped his face with his hands. “That was great.”
“Sorry! Great? Don’t do that again.”
“Me? That was my fault?”
Asher swam to th
e tipped sailboat and swung an arm over the rudder. He closed his eyes, rested his forehead against his arm and tried to draw in a breath.
Joel’s strong arms cut through the water as he swam after Asher. “I thought you were the one with all the experience. Seems you lost control.” Joel grabbed the edge of the boat.
Asher turned and narrowed his gaze. “Just grab the line.” He wasn’t so much angry at Joel as he was scared. His hands shook and his pulse still raced. When he hadn’t seen Joel in the water, panic had been instant.
“God, you’re really pissed.” Joel placed a cool hand on Asher’s heated flesh. He leaned in, intimately close. “We’re good.”
Asher’s gut clenched. “I know. And I’m not pissed.”
“Don’t spoil the fun. We wanted wild and adventurous.” Joel lunged and wrapped his arms around Asher.
“Hey.” He lost his balance and fell back into the water…but Joel’s arms were strong and his leg rubbed against Asher’s.
Asher stilled, unsure of how to respond. Damn, but Joel felt good against him. Strong, wet, laughing. Asher’s cock thickened and that devious little voice in his head wanted more. He spun, surprising Joel, and reversed the hold. Asher tightened his grip on Joel. With both of them wearing life vests, there was too much space between them. However, when Joel kicked, his ass bumped Asher’s groin. Asher swallowed a moan. “Wild and adventurous…or reckless and daring?”
Water droplets trickled along the nape of Joel’s neck. Lean muscles carved his arms and his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. He ceased struggling. “I don’t know how to be reckless or daring. It’s not in my nature.”
Asher felt the levity leave Joel’s body. Asher released him, abandoning any notion of daring and reckless. “So we go with wild and adventurous.” He grabbed the line and together they righted the sailboat. Asher vaulted onto the boat and held a hand out to Joel. Their palms clasped. Not exactly holding hands, although warmth simmered in Asher. He smiled. Once Joel was poised to climb on, Asher tugged hard. Joel lost his balance and tumbled onto Asher. They sprawled out on the sailboat and laughed.
For a moment, Asher reveled in the feel of Joel lying beside him, their legs touching. The sun was bright. Cloudless blue skies stretched above them. Only the swish of the ocean surrounded them. This was his perfect fantasy when dreaming about an afternoon with Joel…and then they’d kiss, touch and make love. He held to the vision a moment longer, and then Joel spoke.
“My sunglasses are in the water.” Joel lifted his head, but he didn’t move away, didn’t shift his body from Asher’s.
Asher turned onto his side and peered over Joel, over the edge of the boat, into the water. “I think you can assume it’s a loss.”
Joel’s gaze lingered on Asher, roamed down his torso, his groin, then snapped back to Asher’s face. Fuck. Joel’s lips were wind and sun reddened, his face sun-kissed and his body wet and glistening. Swim trunks clung to every bulge and contour of Joel’s groin. His cock was a soft mound. Asher ached. What would Joel do if Asher kissed him? They’d been touching all afternoon, but skirting the edge of sexual. At least Asher had been. His cock had been in limbo, and was hardening again.
“Ready?” Joel sat up and the moment to say—or do—anything passed.
“Yep. I think our time is up anyway.” Asher grabbed the lines.
“Don’t worry about it. Wild and adventurous is priceless.”
Asher still wanted reckless and daring.
* * *
A few hours later, Joel entered their room, Asher following, and collapsed onto the bed. “God, that was fun.” And at times, slightly strange, almost as if they’d been on a date. Which of course, was ridiculous. The tension, a kind of awareness twisting his guts into knots, seemed to intensify as the day progressed. Joel had become more aware of Asher, more in tune to the position of his body and the tone of his voice. Joel found himself gravitating closer to Asher. But once he realized what he’d been doing, he checked himself. Maybe it was when they tipped into the water. Asher had really freaked out. Joel had gotten off on the concern.
Asher plopped into the chair and took out the itinerary for the hotel. “Are you getting hungry?”
Joel leaned up on an elbow. His spent muscles ached and his face was warm. He was sure he’d gotten a little burned. “I’m not sure if I’m more hungry or tired.” He was definitely confused. There were times during the day that should have been awkward, but weren’t. He guessed that just showed how comfortable he was with Asher.
“Hungry because you can’t be tired.” He tossed the brochure to the bed. “Dinner seating has already started. And look, they have a club. Let’s go cut the rug.”
Joel couldn’t move to look. He chuckled. “Let’s nap first.” He rolled to his side and tucked one of the pillows under his head.
“You rest. I’m going to grab a shower.” He walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
Joel smiled as Asher started singing Lady Gaga. He lifted his head as Asher dropped his trunks. Joel swallowed hard. Two small dimples indented the taut flesh of his buttocks. Muscles carved firm lines into the cheeks of his ass. As he bent forward, Joel caught a glimpse of Asher’s balls and cock hanging flaccid between his thighs. He quickly turned away, but his mouth grew moist and a shiver rippled along his spine.
And his dick warmed.
The shower curtain closed. Joel rolled to his stomach, but the pressure of his cock against the bed only made him harder. Suddenly, he wasn’t feeling tired.
Nervous energy rushed through him. He turned onto his back and pushed his hands into the front of his trunks. His cock was thick, hard and hot. Fluid slicked the head. He reached lower and squeezed his balls. In his mind, he pictured Asher. The way he smiled, his body…his cock. Joel gripped his dick and stroked the length from base to tip.
Guilt surged into his thoughts. What was he doing? He ripped his hand out of his shorts and jolted from the bed. He raked his fingers through his hair. This was wrong. Asher was his best friend. Beyond that, men didn’t turn him on. They just teased each other. But he couldn’t deny that he’d gotten a boner looking at Asher. He’d had a hard-on off and on throughout the day. But he’d decided he’d gotten off on the adrenaline of sailing. Not Asher. Asher was attractive, and so were a lot of men. Joel never wanted to beat off to pictures of Zac Efron. But now, even that thought had some appeal. Not Zac Efron, but beating off while he thought of Asher.
Maybe this was sun stoke. He strode to the sliding-glass doors and stared at the surf rolling in. Several minutes passed.
“Hey, you okay?”
Joel snapped his gaze to Asher. Water dripped from the hair clinging to his neck and softly curling around his face. A day in the sun had darkened his olive complexion. The whiskers on his face created shadows and mystery. A drop of water slipped along his flesh between his pectorals, held for a moment on the groove of his abdominal, then joined another drop and raced lower, soaking into the edge of the white towel wrapped around his hips.
Joel licked his lips and turned away. He’d always considered himself straight, well, never considered himself gay. He like women…and Asher. Because it was definitely physical—sexual—attraction drawing him to Asher. “I’ll grab a shower.” He brushed past Asher, grabbed his duffel from the ground and rushed into the bathroom. He shut the door, locked the handle and released the breath he’d been holding. Oh god, his cock was still hard.
After dropping his swim trunks, he stared into the mirror. He didn’t have Asher’s physique, but he was firm…strong. He’d never had a complaint when it came to the size of his dick, but he didn’t figure many women would actually tell a guy his dick was too small. They’d just never fuck him again. He curled his fingers around the shaft and squeezed. Then the image of Asher naked entered his mind again. He snapped his hand away, turned to the spigot and started the shower.
With the water slightly cooler than he liked, he ignored his erection, refusing to masturbate when he could
n’t get his thoughts off Asher. But every swipe of his palm over his body sent electric shivers over his flesh. Swelling to agonizing hardness, the tightness of his cock had his balls throbbing. He groaned and tried to fill his mind with anything but Asher. Asher’s voice, his laugh—he fisted his cock, stroked twice and spilled his seed. Hot pulses of cum shot from his cockhead, trickling over his fingers. He gasped a breath, shame washing over him as water continued to cascade over his head. He’d come to images of Asher. What the hell was wrong with him?
Joel quickly finished his shower, dried off, and a few minutes later, and with a dick finally flaccid, he fished clothes out of his bag.
He stared at his reflection again. Wouldn’t Asher get the surprise of his life if he found out his best friend wanted—hell, Joel had no idea what he’d want from Asher. Or maybe he did, but he could never…
Right now, knowing he liked the way Asher looked was revelation enough.
* * *
Asher sat on the edge of the bed with his elbows resting on his knees. He bowed his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He’d done it. He’d opened the door. Literally. That damn little devil sitting on his shoulder had whispered to him. Reckless and daring. Asher had responded. He’d intentionally undressed in front of Joel.
And Joel had looked horrified.
What had Asher expected? That when he’d dropped his shorts, Joel would be moved beyond reason, that he’d jump into the shower with him?
Asher groaned and flopped onto his back. Had he fucked up before they could even get started? Small steps. Teasing, flirting, and finally seducing. His pulse raced and erotic tingles chased over his flesh. His hand slipped between the gap in the towel. Curling his fingers around his cock, he thought of Joel. But rather than the look of concern, lust would be darkening his eyes. Tensed muscles, lean sculpted contours, and a whispered yes on his lips.
The shower turned off. Small steps. Asher dropped the towel and quickly dressed. Enough hints had been dropped. All he could do was wait for Joel to catch on.
