by Meg Harding
He makes a mental note that Jackson’s sides are sensitive and an area of interest.
The guide interrupts his straying thoughts. “If you look down, you can see the Kapoho Tide Pools. These are a popular snorkeling spot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they turn out to be on your agenda at some point during your stay. The pools are protected by a reef that extends around them, while inside amongst the lava rock that forms this bit of nature, you have a wide selection of tide pools and wildlife to explore. Some of them are quite shallow, but there are plenty for you to snorkel through and delve into.”
The copter dips down so they can get a closer look. Aaron can make out the tiny ant-like forms of people walking over the visible rock, crouching down to dip hands into the shining blue water. From above it’s hard to make out details, but he can see the flashes of color that indicate the reef poking through in what he assumes are the shallower bits. Thanks to this, parts of the water have a kaleidoscope appearance. It’s breathtakingly beautiful.
“Is this on the activities list?” he asks Jackson.
“I know we’re snorkeling,” says Jackson, shifting onto his knees and leaning to the left so Aaron can still see around him. His lens is practically pressed to the window. “But I don’t know where. If not here, we can come and do this on our own.”
Bastien says, “Why don’t you offer to take me to do anything extra?”
Jackson’s shoulders shake with laughter, though not a peep leaves his mouth. Aaron can’t help but press his lips to Jackson’s warm skin, to smile against him as he silently giggles. He pays almost no attention to James trying to placate Bastien by promising special adventures just for them.
Below them, the tide pools give way to lush green landscape that goes on for miles with ribbons of white crawling through it. The copter dips down—Aaron’s stomach diving with it—as it swoops to glide through a wide-open valley and give them an up-close look.
Aaron’s of the opinion that he’d much rather be walking through this to explore it, but that doesn’t make it any less amazing. He’s never seen a waterfall like this before, never been able to take in the full thing at once in anything other than a picture. This far up, he can’t see any wildlife that might be frolicking about, but he knows it’s there, and his imagination can fill it in. The guide even helps by mentioning the creatures that are commonly found in the different locations, both on land and in the sea.
He knows Jackson has seen this all before, but he looks like it’s his first time. His expression is enraptured, his focus entirely on the sights presented to him. It’s a beautiful look, and Aaron finds himself so enchanted by it that he pays no attention to the other people in the copter with them. When he rests his hands on Jackson’s back, he can feel the way he quivers and his breathing changes when he sees something particularly awesome to him. He’s never met anyone whose body speaks so loudly for them. And Jackson, given how he was just days ago when Aaron first met him, is someone Aaron would never have expected this of.
He can’t even begin to express how happy he is that he gets to see Jackson like this. That Jackson has warmed so quickly to him. It’s nothing short of a miracle, and Aaron isn’t one to not appreciate the good things.
Much sooner than he would like, the copter ride comes to an end, and they’re left to clamber down and wait for the remaining ones to land. Aaron knows there’s an activity planned after this, something competitive. He’s glad they at least took the time to work something touristy into the schedule.
Tristan’s is the second to land, and he’s the first one to exit the helicopter. Though his exit is something closer to a fall than anything else. He comes right to Aaron and wraps his arms around him, burying his face against Aaron’s neck.
“I hate heights,” he whines. He lets his body go limp, becoming a deadweight.
Aaron pats his back, peripherally aware of Jackson stiffening ever so slightly beside him. He slants him a glance, eyebrow raised curiously. Jackson flushes and looks away. “There, there,” he says to Tristan, wondering what’s up with Jackson. He’ll ask him later. Does he not like Tristan?
Georgina wanders over, shaking her head at Tristan’s back. “Such a drama queen,” she says, but she softens the teasing by rubbing her hand along his spine. “I won’t make you do anything else with heights.”
He can’t see Tristan’s face from this angle, but when he turns his head to stare at Georgina, Aaron can imagine the wide-eyed and pathetic look he must be giving her. It’s a look that’s gotten him out of a lot of trouble.
“Thank you,” says Tristan, and Aaron has to duck his face against Tristan’s shoulder to keep from snickering.
He’s totally just played Georgina, and by her snort she knows it.
She pats his head like he’s a dog. “You know that view was amazing. It’ll be a shame you’ll miss out on so many other good views.”
“I prefer to enjoy my view without worrying about plummeting to my death,” he says haughtily. “I’ll hike my ass to the top of the mountains for a good view if I really want one.”
“Ridiculous,” she mutters and walks away.
Aaron gently disentangles him and pushes him upright. “You couldn’t just suck it up?”
“Not a chance,” says Tristan. “Did you read the whole schedule? Skydiving is on the list. I have to draw a line somewhere, and I’m firmly etching it there. It’s not happening.”
Aaron didn’t see that. He can’t say it’s something he really wants to do either. He turns to Jackson, who’s staring way harder than he needs to at an incoming copter. “I’d like to draw my own line here,” he says. “I’m not jumping from a plane.”
Jackson doesn’t look at him—which, what the hell?—but the corner of his mouth twitches. “I think Tristan drew the only available line,” he says. He walks away, crossing to speak to his mother before Aaron can say anything.
This time his “What the hell” is spoken aloud. He looks at Tristan. “Did you do something to him?” But he knows the answer before the question is fully out of his mouth. Tristan looks just as baffled as him.
Is Jackson jealous?
BECAUSE HE has the emotional maturity of a gnat, Jackson avoids Aaron till he can muster up an apology for his rude behavior. It takes him two hours to talk himself into actually doing it. He approaches Aaron right before they’re scheduled to leave for an obstacle course—he’s steadfastly trying to avoid thinking of what exactly that might entail.
“I’m sorry,” he blurts out. “You don’t have to go skydiving if you don’t want to.” He’s aware that his jealousy of Tristan is illogical. He’s also aware that it’s not at all appropriate for the relationship Aaron and him have. But he’s not a fan of people touching the person he’s sleeping with. He didn’t used to mind, but well… past events have a way of making him wary of it.
Aaron blinks at him, looking startled. “Are you apologizing for that? Or for something else?”
Jackson wants to scowl at him. Why does he have to be so perceptive? “All of it?” He clears his throat. He has to shove his hands in his shorts pockets to keep from wringing his fingers. “I know that you and him aren’t going to—” He tilts his head back and forth rather than say the words. “—and I know that considering we’re… you know… my jealousy is misplaced. It’s just, nothing good ever comes of people being touchy-feely. In my experience. And I know it isn’t that way between you two. But I’ve just got it stuck in my mind to be a little wary of that.”
His face feels like he could light a candle with it. He huffs a breath. None of that came out the way he rehearsed it. “I sound like I’m making excuses for acting like a dick. I’m sorry.”
He’s expecting Aaron to call off the whole thing right then, to shake his head and tell him this is a bad idea. He’s not expecting him to close the distance between them and firmly kiss him. It’s not deep, and he doesn’t press for more, but his lips linger against Jackson’s, and his hands are on his waist keeping him in place.
When Aaron pulls away, he frames Jackson’s face with his big hands. “Your past partners were assholes,” he says, face serious and somber. “Complete and utter jackasses. I could tell you that I’m going to stop being ‘touchy-feely’ with my friends, but I’m not. I am going to show you, though, that it’s possible to be physically affectionate with others and not sleep with them. This might just be for the remainder of the trip, but I promise you I won’t be sleeping with anyone else while we’re here.”
Jackson can’t meet his dark eyes. Can’t bring himself to hold that penetrating gaze. “I don’t have the right to ask that of you,” he says. “We’re not really a couple.”
Aaron shakes him gently. “You and I, serious or not, have the right to establish boundaries and rules. That’s how this works. That’s how things always work.”
He thinks, way back in the beginning, he believed that. And then somewhere along the line, someone called him selfish. Like so much else, that truth got buried beneath the crushing present. Even knowing this, sure to his bones that Aaron is right, he can’t help but want to ask him the question that was directed to him back then: what makes what you want more important than what I want?
He doesn’t get a chance to ask the question aloud, interrupted by a loud crash and a lot of swearing. “What the—?”
“He’s all right!” yells Dorian. He comes out of the room, an amused look on his face. “Denver’s suitcase fell on him. I told him he should have unpacked it.”
Denver’s shouted “Fuck off” is definitely not directed at his cumbersome luggage.
Dorian shakes his head. “He’s going to be useless for the obstacle course. Mom’s going to disown him.”
Because Jackson is the best brother ever, he goes to help him. It gives him something else to focus on.
And so does the obstacle course. He stares at the map the instructor gave them, only half listening to the litany of things coming out of his mouth. “This isn’t an obstacle course,” he mutters. “This is a survival course.” He is not fit enough to pull this off. There’s jumps and rope swings over rocks and water. There’s diving and swimming and climbing. They’re basically taking turns hiking over a mile of obstruction-ridden terrain.
James goes first for their team, and when he finally makes it back (in second place), it’s been over forty minutes. He’s soaking wet and looks like an angry rat. Bastien starts laughing the second he sees him.
It gets decided then that they should go in teams of three to four to speed things along. Personally Jackson thinks that’s going to make everything a clusterfuck, but at least he doesn’t have to do it on his own. He looks at Aaron from beneath lowered lashes.
He bats them dramatically and tries to imitate Tristan’s Southern drawl. “Want to be on my team?”
Aaron’s entire face twitches like he’s going to begin laughing, but somehow he manages to refrain. “Why, of course,” he answers—in a perfect Texas accent.
Georgina and Tristan decide to join their team, and the lot of them go next.
The course is initially easy. They’ve got to climb over some fallen trees, go around some really large boulders. It’s simple stuff that makes Jackson wonder what James’s problem was. Which is of course when the ground goes out from underneath him and he ends up in a ball pit, of all things. His startled shout echoes through the trees. Three faces appear around the edge of the hole.
“Are you all right?” asks Aaron, concern creasing his expression.
“I’m fine,” he says. The camo foam balls softened his landing. “Give me a hand up?”
It takes a hand from Aaron and Tristan to help him climb out of the absurdly deep hole. He doesn’t recall pits being on the list of obstacles to look out for.
Shortly after that, they come to a large pool of water with a mermaid rising out of the center. She’s got leis draped over various body parts. There’s a rope tied to one of the trees closest to the edge, and a plaque that gives clear instructions as to what they’re to do. Swing out and manage to snag a lei before continuing on.
“Couldn’t we just swim to her?” asks Georgina.
“I think that would be considered cheating,” says Jackson.
Tristan’s the only one to manage to snag one. Jackson and Aaron both end up in the water, which leads to more laughter than is necessary for their undignified state.
By the time they make it out of the course, all four of them are covered in mud and dripping water. But they do come in first, so it’s worth it. When he tells Aaron this, the man looks at him very skeptically. “Is that trophy made of gold?”
“Cheap plastic.”
“Doesn’t come with any monetary prize?”
“No.”
Aaron pats his cheek. “Your family is insane, and that definitely includes you.” He walks off, presumably in search of one of the facility’s showers.
Jackson could defend his family, but it’s hard to argue with the truth. “You know you like it,” he yells, for lack of anything else to say.
He isn’t expecting Aaron to turn and walk back, a smile wide across his face. “God help me, I do.”
Chapter Ten
JACKSON IS pulled from his dream by the sensation of something cold and wet making its way up his sleep-warm torso. He’s muzzy from the sudden wake-up, lazy with lingering tiredness and shivering from the shock of cold. His mouth falls open on a low moan when hot wetness follows the cool path, and he slits his eyes open.
Brown eyes meet his gaze, a wicked smile curving plush pink lips as Aaron flicks his tongue out to lap up the water from the melting ice cube. “Morning,” he says, and swipes his tongue over his lips. “I made breakfast.”
The last thing on Jackson’s mind right now is breakfast. He reaches down, sinks his fingers into Aaron’s hair and massages his scalp. “I think that can wait.” He slings a leg over Aaron’s hip to hold him in place, arching up just enough to drag his already interested cock along Aaron’s stomach. They didn’t do anything the night before, though not for lack of planning to. Jackson’s embarrassed to admit that he fell asleep while waiting for Aaron to finish showering. He’s not going to do so this time.
“It really, truly can’t,” says Aaron, smiling. He ducks his head to brush a kiss over Jackson’s collarbone. “See, I’ve got plans for that breakfast.” Between every word he kisses a little farther up Jackson’s neck.
Jackson’s fingers are still in his hair. Does Aaron mean what he thinks he means? He’s not sure he’s really down for food and sex mixing. It seems a little unhygienic.
Aaron finally reaches his mouth, wasting no time in deepening the kiss. He tastes strongly of orange juice and the faintest trace of alcohol. Mimosas, Jackson thinks hazily. He chases the flavor, tongue briefly tangling with Aaron’s in a teasing caress. Aaron’s a heavy weight over Jackson, sinking him into the bed and keeping him there. His hands are on Jackson’s sides, fingers slowly stroking him. It makes him shiver and shake, heat cascading through his stomach and down into his balls. He loves when people stroke his sides. He doesn’t know why, has never cared to find out, just accepts it as the wonderful thing that it is. When Aaron tries to move his hand up, Jackson grabs for his wrist before he can think about it and holds it there. He’s not ready for Aaron to move on to something else yet.
“Trust me,” murmurs Aaron, the words almost inaudible spoken against his lips.
Reluctantly he lets go, and Aaron moves his hand off to the side. He’s not touching Jackson at all with it now, and Jackson frowns against his mouth, showing his displeasure with that decision. It becomes even fiercer when Aaron stops kissing him. He makes a noise of discontent, which does nothing more than elicit a smirk from Aaron.
“So impatient,” says Aaron. Jackson tries to turn his head and look at what’s pulling Aaron from him, but he uses his free hand to keep Jackson looking at him. “Ah, ah. Eyes on me.”
He brings an apple slice dripping caramel into view a second later. The caramel is sliding do
wn the apple, slicking his fingers, and as he holds it over Jackson, a drop hits his chest. Aaron dips to lick the drop at the same time he puts the apple to Jackson’s mouth. Jackson parts his lips and closes his teeth around it, the sweet flavor blooming on his tongue. Okay, so maybe food and sex can mix. Just this once.
Aaron pops the remaining half into his own mouth, chewing while he reaches for what Jackson hopes is another slice.
He comes back with a strawberry drizzled with chocolate. Before he lets Jackson get a nibble, he grazes it over Jackson’s nipples. He keeps his free hand flat in the middle of Jackson’s chest so he can’t move, and Jackson whines high and long. The chocolate is hot against his sensitive flesh.
When Aaron removes the strawberry, his mouth takes its place. Jackson finds it hard to eat the strawberry now pressed to his lips when his entire body wants nothing more than to curl against Aaron. He moans around the mouthful, hands scrabbling at Aaron’s back as he latches on to Jackson’s left nipple and tugs, teeth sinking in on the right side of pain.
Once every trace of chocolate is removed and Jackson’s nipples are red and raw from all the attention, Aaron produces a slice of pineapple. It feels like ice against his nipples, and he cries out at the first touch, the noise gliding into a slow groan as the pineapple slides into his mouth and Aaron’s tongue is once more cleaning up the mess he’s created.
By the time they’ve worked through the fruit platter, Jackson is sticky, sweaty, and nearly sobbing. His cock is rigidly hard, his belly coated with precome, and hips twitching up insistently. Aaron isn’t in a much better state. His own cock is leaving slick trails over Jackson’s torso with every shift of his body as he reaches for more food. But he’s obviously determined that they finish the meal, no matter how much Jackson begs and pleads to move things along.
