“You ready for this?”
Kade nodded. He made his way to the jetty. He handed the neoprene rucksack back to Blake, and much to his surprise, managed to slide himself into the cockpit of his bright red kayak without incident.
He realized it wasn’t much of an achievement. He had, of course, been in a kayak before, but that experience had differed greatly from his one. He had been in his final year of high school, taking part in a team-building adventure week that had done little to either build friendships or endear him to outdoor sports.
During the week, they had been forced to learn and practice orienteering skills that Kade had never found a need for when it had come to navigating Glasgow’s bus, train and underground networks. They had abseiled off a small cliff, walked upstream through a river then back down again for no apparent reason and had ended the week with a spot of kayaking. As a sport, it hadn’t left much of an impression.
Blake tossed the rucksack back to him and Kade shouldered it. He pushed away from the jetty, digging his paddle into the soft, silty bed of the loch to get purchase. He heard a splash behind him as Blake set off too.
They were the only two people on the water. It felt like they might be the only two people left in the world. The silence, particularly once they were a little farther from shore, was all-encompassing. The kayaks made their way sleekly and silently through the still waters, between abandoned buoys. All the pleasure boats that usually decorated the water must have been locked away for the winter. The tourist cruises, likewise, must have ceased operating. They had the place to themselves.
Blake paddled alongside Kade, as close as they could manage, and Kade stole a smile. It was bitterly cold, but the high hills seemed to be keeping them sheltered from any wind, and the water only occasionally splashed onto Kade’s waterproof jacket, usually when his technique with the paddle was off.
He wasn’t entirely sure where they were going, but for the first twenty minutes or so, he was content just to paddle, following Blake, sometimes taking the lead, never looking back to see how far they were from the shoreline in case that nagging little voice inside reared up and told him he was a fool who was about to drown and that it was time to go back to dry land.
When they were close to the center of the narrow stretch of loch that Blake’s house overlooked, Blake stopped. He pulled the paddle from the water and let it rest across his lap before reaching out to grab the edge of Kade’s kayak to pull him close. Plunging one hand into the freezing water, not even flinching as he did so, Blake pushed the back of his kayak so that both vessels turned slowly to face south.
The bulk of Loch Lomond spread out before them, all her rocky outcrops and little islands theirs for the taking. In the near-perfect silence and isolation, that should have been a scary thought, but it wasn’t. High overhead, two birds took up the task of providing a soundtrack, their song startling Kade. The gentle lapping of the disturbed waters against the kayaks, coupled with Blake’s slow and steady breathing, made Kade relax. He felt peaceful, had the sensation of slowing down, waking up, paying attention to the little details. It was a way he couldn’t remember feeling in a long, long time, if indeed he ever had. The stresses of friendships and bucket lists and failed relationships, even the stress and worries about his job, fell away from him—not like they didn’t exist, but because right then and there, they didn’t matter. They served no purpose, no benefit, had no point out on the water in the middle of nowhere. He wondered if Blake felt the same way and if he felt that way every time he took to the water. If that were the case, Kade could see completely why a person might choose such a lifestyle.
“Want to race?” Blake’s voice was pitched low, as if in reverence to the silence, but it still shattered it, leaving Kade with no choice other than to refocus his attention on Blake.
“Where to?”
“See that little island over there? Not the first one, the one behind it with the clearing and the trees?” Blake used his paddle to point it out.
Kade nodded.
“First one to get there and paddle twice around it wins.”
“Wins what?”
Blake smiled at him. “What do you want as a prize?”
Kade shrugged. “A kiss?”
“Okay. A kiss. Doesn’t seem like much of a prize.”
“Does to me,” Kade said. “What do you want if you win?”
Blake threw him a wink and dropped his paddle in the water. Kade didn’t know how the man set off that quickly when the water was too deep to use the loch bed for purchase, but before Kade could process his parting words, “I’ll tell you when I beat you,” Blake was already moving away from him, picking up speed.
Kade got his paddle into the water and started after Blake. Blake had already put a fair bit of distance between them, and Kade knew Blake was the more powerful of the two of them. He just had to think about how easily Blake was able to lift him and move him the night before, how little the effort it took for him to hold Kade’s hips while he fucked him. But Kade wanted that kiss.
He might have been running on empty—the concepts of breakfast and lunch forgotten in the surreal excitement of the day—but Kade looked at Blake’s back and copied his movements.
Blake was plunging the paddle deep into the water, dragging it back slowly before rotating it, the easy and fluid movements seemingly at odds with the speed he was managing to maintain. Kade switched his fast and furious technique for something more similar to Blake’s and found his movement through the water became easier, the effort required to move the kayak lessened.
By the time he reached the island, he couldn’t deny feeling proud of himself, even if he was about to start his second circuit just as Blake finished. Blake dropped his paddle back onto his lap and raised his hands in the air in celebration. Kade continued moving, planning on ignoring him until he had finished the race properly, but Blake had other ideas. As Kade’s kayak passed him in the shallow waters of the island’s sloping beach, Blake reached out and grabbed Kade around the waist.
Kade wasn’t sure how Blake had managed to miss a faceful of paddle, but he had. He yanked Kade in close, knocking him off balance. His kayak rocked precariously, water flooding into the cockpit. He swore at its icy touch as he reached for Blake’s arms to steady himself. Then Blake was laughing, using his paddle in one hand to dig into the silt and sand and bring them both closer to shore, keeping his one arm still wrapped firmly around Kade.
Blake held Kade’s kayak still so he could climb out. Kade shivered again when he plunged knee-deep into the icy water. The waterproof trousers that had proved so effective so far were no match for the loch water soaking through his trainers. He hobbled quickly to shore, sliding on the pebbles underfoot. Only when he got to the edge of the water did he think to turn back and help Blake with the kayaks, but Blake was already out and pulling them both safely ashore. He moved as if he knew the place like the back of his hand. Kade supposed it was probable that he did.
“I won,” Blake said, smiling.
“Imagine that.”
Kade reached for Blake, wanting to pull him in for that kiss, but Blake shook his head and walked away, gesturing for the rucksack on Kade’s back instead.
“No kisses. That was your prize.”
Kade thought, judging from Blake’s laugh, that he had probably failed dismally to hide his disappointment.
“Come on up here into the clearing. It’s a little more sheltered.”
It already felt like the world was theirs and theirs alone. Kade knew the hills were protecting them from the wind, so he could only assume that Blake meant sheltered from prying eyes, not that Kade had seen any of those on the banks of the loch either.
Chapter Eight
Indecent Exposure?
Blake led them to a little grassy verge in a clearing surrounded by the island’s half-moon arrangement of trees. From the rucksack, Blake produced three microfiber fleece blankets, two of them so fine they looked like they would weigh less than air. H
e unfolded them and spread the biggest one on the cold ground, instructing Kade to sit and take off his soaking-wet trainers.
Kade didn’t need to be told twice. He kicked off his shoes and socks before looking to Blake, who wrapped his feet in one of the finer blankets, gently stroking Kade’s exposed ankles then his waterproofed thighs before pulling back to wrap the other blanket around himself.
After digging around in the rucksack, Blake produced a large Thermos, two cling-film-wrapped sandwiches and a packet of chocolate biscuits. He tossed the items between them, turned so he could face Kade properly and smiled as he said, “Lunch.”
Kade was starving. He tore open his sandwich and took a big bite. Nothing fancy, just cheese and pickle, but Kade could remember having paid money for worse in petrol stations over the years. He lost himself to his thoughts, chewing and looking around, aware that Blake was doing the same. There didn’t seem to be any need to talk. Who would talk when confronted with such a majestic landscape and a view not many people ever got to experience? Sitting on a small island in the middle of a great loch, looking north to where the waters disappeared and the hills became mountains and the tamed Scotland that he knew became the rough and rugged Highlands. The thought that he wished this were the start of an adventure and not the end of one caught him off guard. He looked over at Blake and found the Aussie staring at him, smiling.
“What were you thinking? You looked like you were a million miles away.”
Kade shook his head, not sure if he wanted to put his thoughts into words. He certainly didn’t want to do so with Blake looking at him. He reached for the Thermos, unscrewed the lid and poured out a cup of lukewarm tea. He passed it to Blake and took the smaller, second cup lid for himself.
“Have you ever wondered,” Kade said finally, “what it would be like just to drop everything, pack a bag and set off into the wild? Just to be alone, to explore, to see the things that everyone else goes through their entire lives too preoccupied to notice?”
The nagging voice in Kade’s head chirped up to remind him that by ‘everyone else’, he was also referring to himself.
Blake was silent for so long that Kade wondered if Blake had heard him. Then he wondered if what he had just said made him sound like an idiot—or worse, like the fraud he was. Never in his life had the thought of setting off into the wild with a backpack and a compass occurred to him.
“Yeah,” Blake said finally, just before Kade could work himself into a full-blown panic. “Yeah, I have. Found out once, too.”
Kade’s breath caught in his throat. He turned to watch as Blake downed his tea, the muscles in his neck working as he swallowed.
Kade wanted to know where and when, but he settled for asking, “How was it?”
Blake helped himself to another long pause. “It was as wonderful and as terrifying an experience as it is possible to imagine. And it changed me in more ways than I’ll probably ever realize.”
Kade reached out for Blake’s hair. When he stroked the soft blond strands, Blake shuffled closer to him.
“Do you regret it?”
Blake shook his head. “Yes… No… Some aspects of it, maybe I should. I didn’t exactly plan it, so I wasn’t properly prepared. I thought I had already been through enough in life to be able to cope, which is probably why I got so scared when I realized all the things that I needed to be able to do but couldn’t. But then those things just became the list of things I decided I had to learn to make myself into the person I needed to be. Wanted to be.”
Kade felt as though a chill had fallen around them that had nothing to do with the temperature of the air. He topped up their cups and said softly, “I’m sorry if that was a touchy subject. I’d still love you to tell me about it sometime, though.”
“I will. I promise. It’s not really touchy. It just aches a little, like an old scar that’s taking its time forgetting the pain of the injury. Eat up. I want my prize.”
Blake offered Kade another of those brilliant smiles. It didn’t quite reach his eyes, but it warmed up the chill.
They polished off most of the biscuits between them and finished the tea. Kade lay back on his elbows, still staring at that view. It was going to start getting dark soon, but the cloudless sky was keeping things bright for now. He was aware of Blake moving in close to him, but then Blake flattened his hands on Kade’s chest, pushing him down. He wasn’t aware of anything else beyond the weight of Blake’s body as he moved to straddle his hips.
“Is this you claiming your prize?” Kade managed to spit the words out before Blake’s lips closed over his. Blake nodded his head against him and opened his mouth to taste the man. He kissed away the sweet chocolate and tea to find the real taste of Blake buried underneath.
As they kissed, Blake moved his hips up and down, grinding and pushing into Kade like there wasn’t a barrier of five pairs of trousers and two pairs of boxers between them. He panted into Kade’s mouth, and when Kade stretched out a hand to stroke across Blake’s waterproof trousers, he found Blake’s cock hard and pulsing, straining the fabric like it had his denim jeans the night before.
“What do you want?” Kade asked, his voice weak. It was hard to break the kiss, but feeling Blake rutting against him, panting and shaking, hands trembling, groans catching in his throat, Kade knew he needed to offer more.
“Want you. In me.”
Kade fought off a wince that Blake seemed to miss. All of a sudden it felt truly freezing cold. Some warmth was starting to come back to his feet, thanks to the blanket, but he didn’t fancy exposing any more of his body to the air. There was one part of his body in particular that he most definitely did not want to expose to frostbite. He could only imagine the pain.
He pulled Blake back down to him, finding his lips again. Maybe he could suggest they postpone until they got back to the warmth of Blake’s house, but when Blake changed angles, rubbing Kade’s cock right up underneath his ass and balls, Kade stopped thinking and just nodded. Blake had taken control of everything so far, and it had all been fine. Wonderful, in fact. Perfect, maybe. He was sure Blake could handle this too.
Blake reached behind him for the rucksack. He pulled out a condom and a small sachet of lube and passed them to Kade before getting to his feet.
“What? Were you in the Boy Scouts?”
Blake nodded and winked. “Actually, yes. Come with me.”
They left behind the fleece blankets and stumbled a few steps away into the clearing of trees. Kade expected the little pine needles littered on the ground to prick him, but they were soft and thick, squishy and almost comforting. Blake pulled him up against one of the larger trees, turning them so the beach and their picnic spot were hidden by the thickness of its trunk.
Kade let himself lean into Blake’s strong body. He pushed the hair from Blake’s eyes and watched him part his lips. Kade pressed his thumb against those lips and Blake sucked it into his mouth, using the same technique he had shown earlier that morning when Kade’s cock had been in his mouth.
Blake turned around on his own and pushed his waterproof trousers halfway down his thighs. He started on the buttons of his jeans while Kade dealt with his own multiple layers of clothing, shoving them out of the way just enough to free his cock.
He reached for Blake, and Blake wrapped one arm around the tree trunk as Kade moved his hand fast on Blake’s swollen cock. It was too dry, the skin too tight, but if Blake minded the friction, he didn’t say anything. Kade coaxed a few drops of pre-cum from Blake’s slit and spread it over the head of his cock, easing the movement.
He had pressed himself close to Blake’s ass so he could protect them both from the cold, but now he pulled back just enough to shove his penis between Blake’s legs so he could rub his cockhead against Blake’s balls. He slid the condom and lube into his pocket temporarily and brought his left hand to his mouth, soaking it with his tongue. Then he reached down and started to rub and push his palm and fingers between Blake’s cheeks, stroking the sensitive sk
in, gently teasing him.
It had been an awfully long time since he’d fucked anyone. Niall had never wanted it. Ian had, but infrequently. Still, as Blake started to buck back against him, shoving his ass into him and trying to move so that Kade’s cock was pressing against his ass instead of against his balls, Kade suited up in record time, tucking the packaging carefully back into his pockets. He used all of the lube, determined not to hurt Blake, then pushed against him, willing Blake’s body to open.
Blake tensed at first, and he felt tight. Too tight. Kade kept the steady tug and pull on Blake’s cock as well as he could manage with his concentration now lost to the sensations around his cock. Blake was still hard and leaking, and the noises he was making sounded like he wanted this badly, but his body was telling a different story.
Kade thought about pulling out and getting Blake ready, but Blake pushed back from the tree, moving slowly but steadily, impaling himself on Kade’s cock until Kade was buried balls-deep inside him, struggling to catch his breath.
“Fuck, Blake.”
“Yeah. That’s the idea. Move.”
Kade ignored that for only a moment before he started to move his hips, thrusting in and out slowly at first then picking up speed.
Blake matched him thrust for thrust, groaning and panting against the tree. Kade briefly wondered how far sound would carry on such a still day, wondered if they were really as alone as Kade felt or if there was someone out there, getting a free soundtrack of skin slapping against skin and Blake’s rough grunts.
He didn’t wonder for long, though, losing himself to the feel of being buried so deep in Blake’s tight body. He felt Blake flutter with tension, infrequently clamping around him, felt Blake’s cock pulse under his fingers as Blake lost control, slumping into the tree but keeping upright enough to let Kade fuck out his orgasm.
The Bucket List Page 6