Swim Coach: A Novel

by Sam E. Kraemer

  "So, this morning when I came down, you and Momma were talking and shut up pretty quick when you heard me. What was she quizzing you about?" I asked. I couldn't imagine what they'd been talking about because they were both smiling and happy, but Andre was a master at masking his emotions when he wanted. Momma, well, her poker face was notorious.

  Andre gave me a sideways glance and I saw a small smile. "She asked me what happened that caused me to get arrested."

  "What did you tell her?"

  He sighed. "I told her that I love you very much, and I was taunting Turner to attack me because after I beat him to a bloody pulp, I'd call the police and file charges against him. I know at the time of the attack, you were so fucked up by what happened you weren't thinking clearly and couldn't imagine going to the cops about it. Hell, love, if it had happened to me the way it happened to you, I'd be right there with you.

  "But, knowing to expect it gave me the confidence I'd be able to take it on. It's not an indictment on you, Colton. It's just that being prepared for it to happen would keep me on my toes. I don't know if he knows you and I are together because we have no way of knowing if he's keeping tabs on you. I wonder if we should sort of keep things under wraps at school so he doesn't catch on?" he suggested which pissed me off immediately.

  I crossed my arms over my chest and looked out the windshield, not quite sure what to say. After a minute, I couldn't hold my fucking tongue. "I'd say me pinning you against the wall of the HUB the other day after lunch would sort of let the cat out of the bag, but hey if that's what you want that's fine. Hell, I can start dating my chem lab partner to really throw them off the scent."

  I hated myself as soon as the words were out of my mouth, but I was pissed and I wasn't going to be treated like a fucking doormat anymore. Future Colton wasn't going to be cowardly like Before Colton had been. That was a fact.

  "Colton, stop it. That's not what I meant, okay? I just mean I don't want him to focus on you to get back at me for what I did, okay? That wasn't something I considered when I pulled that stunt, okay? It's only dawning on me now I might have set you up for him to try to get back at me by hurting you. I couldn't stand it if he came after you again." He reached for my hand and when I pulled it away, he whipped the car over to the side of the road and threw it into park.

  He turned to me, clearly worried. "Goddammit, don't do that, please? I know you can take care of yourself, okay? That shit with Kelvin is proof of it. I just…have you run into Turner on campus since it happened? Do you know how you'd react if you suddenly ran into him at the library or the HUB?"

  It wasn't anything I hadn't thought about, and I'd been very careful when I went to class alone, keeping my wits about me at all times. Since Turner was a freshman like me, it only made sense we'd run into each other at some point but we hadn't, which was strange to me when I thought about it.

  "I don't know. I haven't run into him since the attack, and it seems strange to me because he's a freshman, right? Shouldn't we have some classes in the same buildings?"

  Andre pulled my hand into his, grasping it tightly between his. "Listen to me, okay? I've been stalking you around campus and I haven't seen him, which makes me think he's purposely avoiding being anywhere you are so as not to draw suspicion. Why don't you move into the apartment with me and Lance? I'd be able to sleep a lot better," he offered.

  I squeezed his hand. "Thank you, but I can't leave Nick alone in that room. If they do decide to come after me again in retaliation for what you did, Nick would be there alone. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night for waiting for that call. I don't want us living together because of this shit, okay? It already invades our time together, and I don't want it to force us to do anything we're not ready to do because of it.

  "We haven't been together that long, and it's too soon for anything like that, Dre. Now, get back on the road because I've got homework to finish before classes tomorrow. We need to get Brad and get back to campus," I ordered. He leaned forward and kissed me gently before pulling back onto the highway.

  We picked up Brad, giving his mother back her cake container with my momma's Texas cake inside as a "thank you." We got back to campus at four o'clock, and after kissing Andre goodbye with a promise to talk to him later that night, I carried Nick's and my things into the building.

  After putting away my clean clothes, I sank down on my bed, pulling out my laptop and my Lit book to finish a paper on my analysis of ‘A Farewell to Arms’. I wasn't thrilled I'd put it off, but it was what it was. I settled in and began trying to analyze the story but the whole thing was boring as hell for me. When my cell phone buzzed, I welcomed the distraction.

  Colton – After talking to Eve, I’ve spoken with Dierdre Caldwell. She's expecting you on Wednesday afternoon at the Harborview Center for Sexual Assault. It's on Broadway. Eve faxed your file, so Dee’s ready for you. I’m proud of you for going to the authorities. If you want to talk before you meet Dee, call me. Les xo

  I sent her a response to thank her, and I went back to my paper. There was a knock on the door and then I heard the key in the lock. I grabbed my pepper spray from under my pillow, and I hopped up off the bed. When Nick opened the door, he looked very upset.

  I tossed the spray on the bed and sat down. "Nicky, what's wrong?" I asked.

  He'd gone to get food earlier with Brad after Andre let us out, but I begged off. I was worried something had happened while they were out. Fuck, I’m becoming paranoid.

  He sat down on his bed and looked at me. "Look, Colt, I wasn't intentionally listening to your conversation in the car, okay? I was sleeping, but you two started to sort of speak louder, and then Andre whipped the car over so quick I nearly fell to the floor. I have an idea what happened to you, but based on the questions that sheriff asked me and the fact he asked for a swab from me, I think I kind of have an idea. I have to ask, did he do it here? Your ex-roommate? Did he attack you here on my bed?"

  I could only nod. "FUCK!" he yelled. He began tearing the bedding off his bed and pulled the mattress off, opening the door to our room and shoving it into the hallway. He closed and locked the door, wedging the chair under it as I did on a nightly basis, and he sat down on the wooden slats that had held up the mattress.

  "If I wouldn't have gone to Georgia that weekend, it never would have happened," he whispered as the tears rolled down his sweet face.

  I grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit with me on my bed. I held his hand and tried to keep my tears away so as not to cause him to sob harder. "Nicky, listen to me. If you'd been here, we both would have been hurt, okay? They're monsters and back then I wasn't strong enough…mentally or physically…to protect us. I know, now, I can. Until this thing is cleared up, you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together, okay? I don't trust them, and I'm not willing to risk either of our safety."

  He nodded and I pulled him to rest his head on my shoulder, wrapping my arms around the little guy as he cried. He was truly a good friend and if Andre was right that Turner and DuBois might seek revenge on me or anyone in my life for what he'd done, then it was my responsibility to make sure Nick and Brad were safe. Andre, Lance, and Juan could take care of themselves, I was sure. I'd also have to look out for Bryana and Amanda, but I was sure Lance was already doing it. He was that kind of a guy, and I loved him for it.

  "A butt plug?" Andre stated in disbelief as we sat in the middle of his bed. It was the Thursday night before we were going away for the weekend to celebrate Christmas together prior to going our separate ways for the holidays. He wouldn't tell me where we were going that weekend, only that we were driving and on Sunday afternoon, I was dropping him off at Sea-Tac and then driving his car out to Unionville for the break.

  Things had been going well between us, me spending Wednesday nights at his place and weekends since we'd returned from Unionville while Brad stayed with Nick. We'd just gotten through finals with the exception of my chem final the next day. As soon as I got off work that evening, we were l
eaving town and I was excited.

  I had more gifts for him, but we were taking them with us for our weekend. That particular gift, however, I wanted to give him early because I knew we'd have to talk about it. I'd seen Dr. Caldwell a couple of times since Les had set me up with her. I'd asked her about my plan, and she said it was best to take things slowly and talk to him about things before trying anything outside my comfort zone.

  "Uh, yeah. I'd like us to, um, explore a little this weekend," I offered.

  "Explore? As much as I love the sound of that I need a little more information," Andre replied with a smirk.

  "Okay. Dr. Caldwell and I talked about this last session. I told her I wanted to be able to have…to let…to be okay with you fucking me. She told me slowly was best, so I hoped maybe we could start with the butt plug. See, it's really a selfish gift," I stated awkwardly.

  He leaned forward and kissed me softly on the mouth, stroking his hand over my neck. He touched the bite mark there which caused me to flinch.

  He moved his hand and rested it on my jaw. "I think before we start something like that we should try exploring other options first. I don't want to push things, Colton, but I'm happy with the idea of you even considering I might be able to, someday, make love to you. Let's start with something smaller, okay?"

  In truth, I was a little relieved. "Okay. What do you have in mind?"

  "I'll be back," he stated. He left the room and returned a minute later with a box, handing it to me. It was wrapped in red paper with a silver bow, and the gift tag read, ‘To my gorgeous boy from your lovesick fool’. I chuckled.

  "Lovesick fool? I'd say you're anything but lovesick or a fool, Andre." I knew he loved me, but to call himself a lovesick fool over me was a bit over the top.

  "Oh, then you don't pay much attention, Colton. Open it," he demanded.

  I ripped the paper off the box and saw the name on the lid. Kama Sutra. That had some interesting potential. Even as inexperienced as I was regarding sex, I'd heard of the Kama Sutra. I pulled off the lid and found it contained five different oils along with a card on the top.

  I pulled out the pamphlet and read it, quite curious. The label on each bottle described its contents in quite enticing hyperbole, promising passions untold with its use. I was impressed. "Well, this is interesting. So, what did you have in mind, Mr. Dupree?" I asked with a smile.

  He gave me that sexy grin I loved. "Well, there are many possibilities, but I was thinking we could start with something very innocent. A massage…of your back."

  I looked up from the box and saw he was serious. "Dre, I don't…"

  He took my hands and placed them on his face. "Hear me out, sweetheart. Before we can ever try anything like what you proposed, we need to take some smaller steps. We need you to be okay with me touching you without you flinching and pulling away. We'll start with your back."

  I looked into his eyes and saw nothing but love and tenderness. I put the box aside and stood from the bed, stripping off completely. If I didn't trust Andre Dupree, the man I loved with all my heart, I'd never trust anyone as long as I lived. It had to start somewhere.

  I went to the bathroom to grab a towel, and I placed it on his comforter. I lay down on my stomach, giving my permission for him to do anything he wanted.

  He stripped down to his boxers and stood by the side of the bed. "Colt, I'm going to kneel next to you and…"

  "No! I don't want you to tell me what you're going to do. I want you to do whatever you want to do, Andre. Straddle my hips and talk to me, but touch me where you want and don't tell me," I ordered.

  "Are you sure?" he asked. I turned my head to see him kneeling on the bed next to me, and I saw the apprehension on his face.

  "Andre, I'll hang onto this pillow, and if it's too much, I'll tell you immediately. If I do, you get as far away from me as possible, okay?"

  "I don't…"

  "Babe, straddle my back and give me a massage. I'll tell you if it's too much, I swear." He did as I asked, resting on his knees on either side of my lower back. I felt his warm hands touch my shoulders tentatively, but it felt so nice, I moaned. "Talk to me, baby. Remind me it's you," I whispered.

  I felt his fingers kneading the stiff muscles on my shoulders, and it felt incredible. "Colton, I love you so much. I've been thinking about what you mentioned when we were in LA, regarding your major. You talked about wanting to be a cop, and when you said it, my mind pictured you in a uniform and I've been having a lot of dirty thoughts about it since we discussed it."

  I laughed a bit at his admission. "You would focus on something like that. I'd have handcuffs, you know. That could be interesting," I joked as his hands moved to stroke my spine, his thumbs working over the muscles and melting me into the mattress.

  "Oh, don't think I didn't consider it. I'd be more than happy to…" He stopped.

  I turned my head and looked at him. "Say it, baby."

  "I'd be more than happy to let you handcuff me to anything, love. I trust you with everything I am, and I think being at your mercy sounds pretty fucking incredible," he finished.

  He hesitated for a moment, and then he gently brushed his hands over the horrible words carved into my back. It was a test. I flinched for a moment, but when I felt his warm fingers as they massaged my skin, I relaxed under his touch. It was soothing and loving. As his hands stroked over the horrible scars, I felt love from him seeping into my skin. He leaned forward and kissed me between my shoulder blades, and as his tongue swept down my back and began tracing the horrible letters carved there without my permission, I took a cleansing breath.

  "Colton, these words, they have no meaning unless you give them credence. I love you. They have no hold over you. You own me and I'm yours completely."

  I had tears in my eyes, but I wiped them on the pillow because his words were exactly what I needed to hear. I was his as well, I just hadn't told him.

  "Thank you, babe. Can you move a little lower? My sciatica has been bothering me since I sparred with Fred yesterday," I joked.

  He was sparring with a guy named Craig at the gym, and I was sparring with a mountain of a man named Fred. He was slow because of his size, but when he landed a punch, he sent my ass to the floor. It was just what I needed to get all the aggression out and keep me on my guard.

  "Oh, really? Sciatica? Why am I just now hearing about this?"

  "Because it's the first time I've wanted you to touch my ass?" I teased as I felt him move down my body to my thighs.

  "Open or closed?" he asked as he touched my legs. I opened them and he settled on his knees between them, continuing to massage my skin, relaxing me and driving me crazy at the same time. My cock was trying to poke a hole in his mattress at that point, and I was actually pleased. I was worried if he ever touched my ass I'd go limp, but apparently, that wasn't the case, thank God.

  "Hey, your dad suggested I get a tattoo on my back. All the other shit they can do to try to remove it is expensive, painful, and not really successful. What do you think?" I asked as his hands worked my lower back and ass cheeks.

  "Hmm. A tattoo? That sounds pretty fucking cool. Dad has one of Annalee and me on his back, and he has one on his ring finger. My sister actually designed them and they’re really great. I've thought about getting one over time, but I've never found anything I was interested in permanently marking on my body because I’m not very creative. Finance geek, here.

  “Anyway, have you thought about what you’d get?" he asked as his hands began working my left ass cheek. My poor cock was leaking, and I craved Andre’s hands…or talented mouth, on it. His strategy was working in spades.

  "God, that feels incredible," I moaned as his fingers grazed my crack, not really breaching it but just letting me know he was there and starting the first tentative steps for where we wanted to arrive, eventually. I actually appreciated his gentle approach, and when he moved to the other side, I moaned loudly, embarrassingly so.

  "Feel good?" he asked quietly as his fing
ers kneaded the muscles, relaxing me completely.

  "God, yes. It feels like nothing I've ever felt in my life," I replied.

  "Good." He moved down my thighs, massaging them as he talked about mundane bullshit…crap with his classes, a project he wasn't looking forward to working on next semester, and someone he was tutoring who was a pain in the ass. He could have been reciting the alphabet by the time he was massaging my feet, and I wouldn't have cared. The one thing that pulled me out of the relaxed fog I was in was…

  "Roll over. Time to do the front." Oh, holy hell.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Miracles

  "Which one did you use?" I asked as I flopped onto my back and saw him standing at the end of the bed naked. I knew he'd kept his boxers on for my benefit while I was on my stomach, but I was happy they were gone now. Maybe we can do more than just a massage?

  He picked up a remote from his dresser and music softly began to float through the room. He grabbed a lighter and walked over to candles I hadn't noticed, lighting them around the room and then he shut off the lights. He crawled up the bed like a sexy tiger before he straddled my waist again, grazing his hard cock with mine.

  "I thought I'd save the really sexy stuff for when I had you on your back. Are you okay?"

  I giggled like a damn girl, but I was so fucking blissed out it was no wonder. "Every bone in my body, save one, is relaxed." To emphasize the point, I thrust up to meet his cock with mine, hearing the moan I loved.

  He picked up the bottle of oil and squeezed a bit on his hands. He put it on the table and rubbed them together, placing his warm hands on my chest as he began massaging me again.

  I, however, couldn't keep from moving my hard cock against his. It was so fucking incredible, and I couldn't stop. "Babe, I really, really want to fuck you," I whispered as he moved to my left arm and massaged it, loosening the muscles.