by Joey Jameson
“I was just saying I was hoping to see you again.”
“Oh,” Lenox muttered.
The man quickly held out an iPhone. “I think this belongs to you.”
“Oh, my God, my phone. Where did you find it?” Lenox gushed, his face lighting up like a kid at Christmas.
The man laughed at his reaction. “I found it on the beach this morning. When I looked at the home screen I recognised your face in the picture. Took a long shot but was hoping I might run into you here again.”
“Oh, my God,” he repeated drunkenly. “You are an absolute lifesaver. Thank you so much. I thought it was lost forever!”
“You’re welcome. Really. It’s my pleasure.”
His eyes shone that same aquamarine blue at night that Lenox remembered from their earlier encounter, and again Lenox felt that instant attraction.
There was a brief silence between them as the man’s gaze brushed over the unusually quiet girls who were all staring up at him in complete bewilderment from the blanket on the sand.
“Hi!” he offered to them with a shy wave as if he’d just become aware of the gaggle of beautiful girls that surrounded him.
“Oh, I’m sorry. These…are my friends!” Lenox announced with a sweeping gesture of his arm.
When the man responded in his liquid, smoky tone, it was more to Lenox than to the rest of the group. “Hi, I’m Lyric,” he said, extending a hand in Lenox’s direction.
Lenox paused for a moment too long as the beauty of that word splashed over him. He opened his mouth to speak, but got caught on the utter charm of his name.
Lyric, he repeated to himself in his head, praying that it wasn’t out loud.
The sound of Bambi clearing her throat from where she sat removed him from inside his own head.
“Lyric…” He repeated back to him, testing how it felt on his tongue. “I’m Lenox…”
He accepted Lyric’s hand and they shook, each taking in the connection and the sensation of their skin touching for the first time.
There was an extended, awkward silence as they continued the languid shaking of the other’s hand, their eyes locked on one another’s as if they were telling a story with their gaze.
A nervous giggle from one of the girls broke the moment and Lenox could sense movement and shuffling going on behind him. He cleared his own throat before attempting to speak.
“Uh, so do you maybe want to join us for a drink?” he suggested to Lyric, looking behind him with a hopeful glint in his eye which quickly turned to a frown as he noticed his friends beginning to clear up.
“Actually, we might call it a night,” Bambi interjected quickly, “but you two stay. There’s plenty to drink. Have fun!”
She sounded like an over-protective mother trying to prove to her newly out gay son how cool she was with him hooking up with guys. To Lenox, it came off as less than subtle.
The look in Lenox’s eye was intended to let Bambi know that he wasn’t quite ready to be alone with his new crush, but she wouldn’t have noticed, anyway, as she seemed to be doing everything in her power to avoid his stare altogether.
Lyric let out a stifled laugh of his own as he became aware of what was happening.
“It’s okay, if you want to go too, I mean…” Lenox could detect some definite undertones of disappointment to Lyric’s words.
“No! I mean I’d love to stay. That is, if you want to…”
Lyric just smiled a sexy sideways grin revealing a row of teeth so white they seemed to gleam in the moonlight.
“Guay!” Lyric responded, which Lenox recognised as translating to “cool” in English.
The girls began to saunter away quietly as if their previous gusto had vanished and they found themselves very self-aware. Bambi was the only one to come and kiss her friend on the cheek before turning to leave.
“It was nice to meet you, Lyric,” she added. “You boys have fun…”
As she trotted away after the others, Lenox turned back to Lyric and smiled a tight-lipped smile.
“Can I interest you in a drink?”
“Love one.”
Lyric slipped the vest he had been carrying over his head and sat down on the blanket the girls had left behind.
“Is that one of your friends?” Lyric asked before sitting down, his eyes focused on someone down the beach.
“Who?” Lenox followed Lyric’s gaze, which was oddly serious. Behind them, a man stood in a strange, erect pose. And although his face was cast in shadow it was clear he was looking towards them.
“No. Don’t think so,” Lenox said squinting into the darkness. The figure moved, as if he’d been caught out, and turned away from the beach. “That’s weird. Anyways. Sit, please!”
Chapter Eight
THEN
Lenox turned back to the situation at hand. He poured Lyric a drink and topped up his own plastic flute at the same time, momentarily allowing himself to get a better look at his new companion.
Beautiful didn’t even begin to describe his aura. Lyric was one of those seductively sexy guys who gave off a sense of allure without ever even trying. His dreadlocks were long, neat, and the most amazing shade of soft blond. His skin was the colour of liquid gold which complemented his aqua-hued eyes like sunshine to an afternoon sky. As Lenox handed him his flute, which hummed softly as the carbonated bubbles hit the air, he regarded his inviting features, letting his eyes linger over Lyric’s plump lips and soft jaw before resting once again on the fluorescent blue stare that burned into him.
“I love your tattoos,” Lenox said as he studied the sleeve of grey and black ink that adorned the entirety of Lyric’ right arm. “Are they lotus flowers?”
“Good eye. Do you know the story of how lotus flowers are born?” Lyric asked in his gravelly tone.
Lenox shook his head. Although he knew a little bit about them, he’d rather hear it from those lips.
“A lotus flower begins growing at the bottom of a muddy, murky pool, and slowly emerges towards the surface, bursting out of the water into a beautiful blossom.”
Lenox could only stare as he became immersed in the heady beauty of his words.
“Its stem is flexible but does not break. As the lotus flower emerges from the mud and up towards the surface it is completely unstained…”
“That’s amazing. I never knew that…”
“It’s an incredible flower and such a metaphor for life, don’t you think?”
Lenox searched desperately in his mind for something sensible and intelligent to add in the hope of not seeming a complete tool. But he came up empty. Shyly, he looked away.
“What? Don’t you agree?”
“I guess…I’m sorry, I’ve had a little bit too much to drink. I was trying to think of something witty to say. I don’t want you to think I’m a ditz or something…”
Lyric stared at him as if mulling over what to say next. He opened his heart-shaped mouth to speak, but seemed to reconsider and took a sip of his drink instead. A moment passed but his eyes never left Lenox. When Lenox looked up he once again was caught in the riptide of his stare, like a boat helplessly lost at sea.
“You’ve got beautiful eyes…”
Lyric’s words caught him off-guard and he smiled back, embarrassed, before tilting his head downwards to study the threads of the blanket.
Lyric reached out a finger underneath Lenox’s chin and tipped his head up so they were eye to eye. He paused for a second before drawing Lenox in closer so their lips could touch.
The unexpected kiss was gentle but brimming with feeling. They both closed their eyes and Lenox swam in the sensation of being momentarily connected to Lyric. He felt the heat coming from Lyric’s body and his instincts were screaming at him to prolong the kiss further. His tongue wanted to taste the inside of Lyric’s mouth and his fingers itched to touch the smooth muscles of his arms.
But as if he had other ideas, Lyric gently pulled away before anything further could happen. His face widened into that
same sexy half-smile and he readjusted himself on the blanket before taking another refreshing sip of his drink.
As Lenox smiled back and mimicked his actions, downing most of his Cava in one long haul, his phone started ringing from somewhere on the blanket, the sound muffled from the weight of something pressed on top of it.
Lyric cast his eyes to the direction of the noise. “Looks like you’re in high demand tonight,” he joked. “So. You here on holiday?” he asked, reminding Lenox he was on earth and changing the subject before he could address his missed call.
“Uh, yes. Sorry. I wasn’t expecting that,” he gushed, embarrassed by his reddening cheeks.
Lyric flexed the muscles in his jaw as he considered his next thought. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.”
Lenox blushed shyly as he poured himself another half glass and filled Lyric’s to the top at the same time.
“Yes. Holiday. You?” he answered almost robotically and took a sip of the fizzy drink.
“No, actually I live here.”
“Really? Oh, wow. For how long?”
“Most of my life.”
“No way? Really? Were you born here?” Lenox asked with genuine interest. It had always been his dream to live in Ibiza someday. Ever since he knew he wanted to take pictures for a living, he imagined his future as a photographer developing here and thriving among the scenic beauty of the island.
“No, my brother and I were born in the UK but moved here with our parents when we were four.”
“Your brother?”
“Twin brother. Identical, actually. Our parents arrived here with the first wave of hippies in the 1960s and never left. After Mum fell pregnant with us she and our dad decided to leave the island for a few years and raise us in their hometown of Brighton, so that we had an idea of where we came from.”
“My God, that’s amazing. I’m a bit jealous!”
“But, like most who visit the island, it was calling them back and they couldn’t resist its magnetic pull. So they brought us back before we started school. And here I am!”
“And your brother and your parents? Are they still here?”
Lyric’s eyes suddenly darkened and he looked down at the ground. Lenox waited for him to say something, but it was as if he couldn’t find the words.
“Oh, gosh…I’m sorry…Did I…?” He stuttered, trying to come to Lenox’s rescue.
“No, it’s okay. Sorry. My parents and my brother died, about…I guess it’s about ten years ago now…”
Lenox felt both mortified and touched by the vulnerability in Lyric’s tone.
“Oh, my God. Oh, Lyric, I’m so sorry. We don’t have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”
“It’s fine. Really.” He drew in a deep breath as if preparing to launch into something he knew would be difficult. “It was a car accident on the island.” He swallowed hard and momentarily averted his gaze from Lenox’s. “I wasn’t with them…”
Despite Lyric’s tough exterior, Lenox could sense that there was still obvious pain behind his eyes.
“Jesus…I can’t even imagine. Your twin brother…Were you super close?”
“Inseparable. As you can imagine most identical twins are.”
“Oh, Lyric. I can’t… I’m so sorry,” he repeated, at a loss for something comforting to say.
“His name was Cedar.”
“What a beautiful name.”
“Unusual, I suppose. Hippy parents.”
“Not as unusual as you might think. Take it from someone who has a friend named Bubbles.”
They both laughed then. A hearty laugh where their eyes connected and they shared a moment of empathy without having to use any words.
“It’s certainly a bit uncommon, but it is Ibiza, after all.”
“What was Cedar like?”
Lyric’s gaze passed out to the sea as if his memories were stored somewhere on the waves. “Oddly, we weren’t that much alike. He was much less of a hippy than I am, quite prim and proper, in truth. But we did everything together…”
Lenox watched as seemed to drift away, like a story was playing itself out behind Lyric’s eyes and he was the only one in the audience. Lenox became transfixed, ever the one for a damaged soul, and he waited on tenterhooks for a story that did not come.
There was a hesitation in Lyric’s voice followed by an extended silence that verged on awkward as if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue.
After a minute or two, it became clear to Lenox that was the end of the moment. Lyric straightened up and seemed to refocus his eyes as he cleared his throat, seemingly having returned from wherever he had just been.
“I’m sorry. I’m sharing too much.”
“Not at all, really! But if you’d rather not talk about it, I totally understand.”
“Thanks. You’re quite easy to talk to. I think it does me good to talk about it every now and then. I’ve been known to keep things bottled up.”
Vulnerability looked beautiful on Lyric’s features, and Lenox couldn’t help but draw some odd sense of pleasure from hearing his story.
“When they passed,” Lyric continued, “my parents left me ownership of a number of properties they had acquired on the island.”
“Oh, wow! At such a young age?”
“They’ve been in our family since the early seventies, so they paid next to nothing for them. But because they’re so old, most of them need some work.”
“Have you ever thought of selling?”
“I’ve considered it. But to be honest, they’re all I have left of my parents. Well, those and the shop. Nowadays, I rent some of them out but mostly I just fluctuate from one to another, depending on the season, since they’re quite spread out over the island.”
Lenox listened intently to his fluid tones. Lyric’s voice oozed laid-back ease which filled him with a sense of subtle relaxation, as if his words were the hands of an experienced masseur. Even the way he sat, with one leg bent in casual fashion at the knee and the other stretched out in front of him, exuded a sense of masculine confidence that Lenox ate up.
“Sounds like a dream come true…”
“I know. I feel lucky every day of my life to be able to call this place home,” Lyric said, his eyes casting a net to encompass his surroundings as he spoke. “And of course for what my parents left me…” He paused and returned his gaze to Lenox. “Sorry. Listen to me going on and on.”
“No, don’t be daft. I’m in awe…”
“In awe?” Lyric repeated back to him.
“Perhaps envious would better describe what I’m feeling.”
Lyric laughed softly at his remark. “Is this your first time in Ibiza?”
“No, I’ve been coming here since I was little too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, my parents seem to have fallen in love with the island in the same way yours did, only they never made the move here.”
“How come?”
“Not sure. I guess their work was always in the UK. But they loved Ibiza. They started bringing me here as long ago as I can remember. Growing up, I don’t honestly remember holidaying anywhere else, in fact.”
“They say the island chooses some people, you know.”
“I definitely get that. My parents taught me about the history of the land and how to respect it…”
“Sounds like they’re quite the connoisseurs.”
“I guess you could say that.”
There was another pause and the look on Lyric’s face told Lenox he was pondering something. His stare was penetrating and the lustful look he gave off sent delicate electric shocks down the route of Lenox’s spine. Each time a heavy silence took over between them, Lenox dipped his gaze down to focus on the set of bee-stung lips that wavered just before his own. He could sense his hands begin to tremble as he allowed his mind to explore the fantasy of touching those lips a second time.
But Lyric’s words broke the silence once again. “So where do you live, then? Wait.
Let me guess. Londoner?”
Lenox paused for a minute, disappointment flooding through him like the air being let out of a balloon.
“Is it that obvious?” he answered, deflated.
“Am I right?” Lyric laughed to himself, opening his mouth wide to reveal his row of perfect teeth.
“Born and raised.”
“Lucky guess,” he responded sheepishly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend…”
“You didn’t. Why? Are you not a fan?”
“What? Of London?”
Lenox nodded.
“Yeah, London’s cool, I guess…”
The way his voice trailed off gave Lenox an idea of Lyric’s true feelings about his hometown.
“But…”
“But, I guess it’s not really for me. You know?”
Lenox nodded as they both gazed out at the dark sea laid out in front of them. A moment passed as they sat yet again in silence. Lenox began to fade as the pool of alcohol he had consumed throughout the night swished around inside him.
His thoughts travelled back to the kiss they had shared only instants ago. Short-lived yet rattling at the same time. The longer his mind rested on the sensation of their lips touching, the more his body ached to feel it again. His skin tingled at the thought of feeling Lyric’s hands on his body and his mind wandered cheekily to what was hiding inside those figure-hugging board shorts.
The quiet around them was like a heavy fog and Lenox knew that if he didn’t act right away the moment would evade him. He drew on his Dutch courage and opened his mouth at the exact moment that Lyric did the same.
They spoke in unison, their words interrupting one another’s. They both laughed at the awkwardness of the situation and shyly looked away.
“Sorry. You first,” Lyric ventured.
Lenox swallowed again as his empty stomach groaned to be fed something to soak up all the alcohol he had consumed.
“Do you, maybe, if you’re up for it…” he stuttered. “Want to go and grab a quick bite?”
Lenox’s cheeks grew hot at the awkwardness of his speech. He inwardly castigated himself for acting in such a childish fashion.
Once again, those aquamarine eyes of Lyric’s flitted across his face as if he too was being faced with a case of indecisiveness. Every muscle in Lyric’s body seemed to flex with his decision-making process.
