by J. S. Finley
“It is amazing, isn’t it? I love being out here on the water. It’s the best place in the world.”
Clay moved to sit closer to Thomas, hanging on to the rails as the boat rocked. “You really love it here, don’t you?”
He could get lost looking in Clay’s eyes. He shifted his gaze to the water, though he knew this area like the back of his hand and could navigate in the dark. With the sun shining on him, his smile wide, Clay was too beautiful for words.
“Living here is amazing. I’m happy on this little island. Even with the heat and the crazy storms that blow through, I love it.”
Clay shot him a lopsided smile. “It’s growing on me.”
Thomas studied Clay’s features. The look in his friend’s eyes made him pause. The man was very good looking, and this wasn’t the first time he’d had a physical reaction to Clay. Damn, he needed to get his desires under control or risk making a fool of himself. Before he made a move, he had to be sure Clay wanted him. Thomas turned back to watching the water so he didn’t stare at his friend and reveal all his dark fantasies.
“I can see why you like it here. It’s beautiful. I’ve said that already. I’m blown away by it all.”
Thomas glanced at Clay again and saw the wonder in his eyes. The man looked amazing, and Thomas loved Clay’s smile. It was as if he’d captured the brilliance of the sun and was shining it on Thomas.
They were going from the river out into the ocean, and he had to start paying a little more attention so he wasn’t surprised by anything.
“The water is calm today, so it’s not going to be choppy going out. We’re actually going to have good weather until maybe the end of next week. It’s good you’re here now.”
Clay looked at him again with a sparkle in his eyes. Thomas shivered. He wanted to pull Clay into a hug and never let him go. But Clay wasn’t gay, and he wasn’t going to ruin their friendship by trying something on the man.
A wave rolled in as he pushed out past the jetty. The boat rose then slid down the wave fast. Clay gave a loud whoop, and Thomas’ excitement rose. He was looking at Clay again, his body heating as thoughts of the guy’s soft lips and warm mouth flitted through his mind.
Thomas shook off the thoughts and concentrated on heading up the shoreline so Clay could get a good look at the beach. There were plenty of women in Daytona. What if Clay wanted to hook up with one of them? Though he hadn’t planned on taking Clay out partying, he might need to so he could find some cute little thing to blow off some steam with if Clay didn’t return his interest.
He went up the coast about a mile, maybe more, and stopped the boat. There was a gentle motion from the water, but it wasn’t wild or crazy. The waves broke closer to the shore, and out here, it was smooth sailing. He moved to stand beside Clay and pushed away any thoughts of them together. This man was his friend, not his lover. They weren’t together, just two guys enjoying the open ocean.
Clay’s gaze swung from left to right then it landed on Thomas, warming him from the inside out.
“This is nice. Thanks for taking me out. It’s amazing.”
“You’re happy; that’s important to me.” His face heated as he almost revealed too much.
“I really am happy. Thank you.” Clay sighed and Thomas wanted to reach out and touch his face, but he held back, too afraid of what would happen.
“How many times a week do you come out?”
Clay’s question drew him out of his thoughts and made the tension dissipate. He shook his head before looking out to the ocean instead of at the beach. “During high season in the winter, I’m out here every day seven days a week. I have another guy working for me, and he’s filling in for me while you guys are here, but in the winter, we both take the boat out. He might draw an early morning shift, and I end up doing one in the afternoon or vice versa. I try hard to make it fair for him. Most people don’t want to spend ten hours on this boat, more like five, so we split the day. It’s expensive, and the guys who use my fishing charter aren’t millionaires. The big boat you saw, the beauty, those guys who rent it expect to be accommodated all day. The guy who owns it brings in catered food, arranges to have specific alcohol his clients request, makes sure the guys have a good time. He has to go beyond what I do. The men who rent my boat don’t have any issue with cheap beer and sandwiches.” Thomas hopped up and moved to the wheelhouse. “We’ve drifted a little. I’m going to move us to a better spot, then we can eat and talk some more.”
“Sure, sounds great.”
Thomas moved them south of the jetty, finding a calm spot where there were houses but few high-rise buildings. The water was calmer south of the inlet, and the island was too. Daytona was known for its parties and wild times. New Smyrna had parties, but the people weren’t as crazy. He was glad he’d moved to Daytona and not New Smyrna, but there were times on big party weekends he wished he lived in a quieter place.
He set the engine at idle and moved to pull out the food. He stripped off his shirt and glanced over at Clay, wondering if he would be shocked if he pulled off his swim trunks and dove in naked. He wouldn’t do it this time though he wanted to.
“I’m diving in to cool off. Want to go in before or after me?”
“Why not while you’re in?” Clay asked.
“Someone has to watch for sharks.”
“Sharks? Are there sharks here?”
Thomas chuckled. “Of course there are sharks here; we’re in the ocean.”
Clay rolled his eyes. “Duh, that was a stupid question.”
“The real reason is I don’t want to have to tie the boat to my arm or leg. If I go in without someone on the boat, it could drift away. I’m hopping in for a quick dip so I can cool off.”
Clay nodded as his gaze roved over the water. “Okay, I’ll go after you.”
Thomas winked and turned to the side of the boat, checking to make sure he wasn’t diving in on top of a dolphin, or worse, a shark. The cool water felt amazing. When his head broke the surface, he glanced around, seeing the boat still close. He swam over, checking under the boat for sharks before he climbed onboard.
“No sharks. Jump in and then we can eat.”
Clay’s gaze cut to the water before he glanced to Thomas, his brows knit together. “You’re sure there are no sharks?”
Thomas smiled and nodded, his heart squeezing at the adorable look on Clay’s face. “Positive. Dive in, get wet, and then we can enjoy some good food, a little beer, and the sun.”
He watched and groaned as Clay tossed his shirt, wondering if he would survive this week with Clay this close. Clay dove in, his body slicing perfectly through the water. He wanted to dive in too and swim around with the guy, maybe getting into a water-wrestling match, having fun shoving him under the water and then getting wrapped up in his arms. Thomas wiped his hand over his face, pushing away the feelings.
Clay resurfaced, water dripping down his cheeks. Thomas couldn’t take his eyes off the man as he stroked over, the smile on his face calling to Thomas yet again. No question, he had to find a woman to slake his needs soon because all of these thoughts of Clay were making him insane. He’d never touched another guy, yet for Clay, he would do anything.
“Oh my God, that feels great. It’s cool enough to take the edge off.” Clay planted his hands on the side of the boat and kicked up, climbing in. Clay wasn’t as smooth as he was, but he made that move almost every day, whereas Clay probably hadn’t in a long time, maybe years.
Water dripped down Clay’s chest, and Thomas wanted to be the droplets. He was getting hard and would need to dive back into the water if he wasn’t careful. He shoved away the desire and grabbed the spray sunscreen and a towel.
“Time to reapply. Dry your back, and I’ll spray. I’ll need to rub it in.” Any excuse to touch Clay again. It was difficult to touch him, but he made it through without popping wood. Then he grabbed the food and handed Clay a sandwich.
“Don’t you need some sunscreen?”
His heart
thudded. If Clay touched him, he would be lost. “Um, sure.”
Clay’s hand on his back felt amazing. He closed his eyes, focusing on how good it felt on his back. Once Clay was done, he grabbed the food and took a seat, hiding his erection with the bag. He passed Clay a sandwich and grabbed one for himself.
“Eat up, you need to add a little bit of weight.”
“I’m not that bad, am I?” Clay took a bite and chewed. Thomas’ eyes narrowed as he stared at him.
Thomas wanted to pull Clay into a hug; instead, he finished the bite of food he’d taken as he let his gaze travel down Clay’s body then back up. “No, you look good. I’m worried about you though.”
Clay’s lips twisted, and his brows furrowed as he stared at the shore then turned and stared out into the water. He looked sad, and Thomas wanted to wipe the sadness away, but he wasn’t sure where to start. They were friends, and somewhere in their discussions about life and work, he’d begun to suspect Clay was holding something back. Based on the look on Clay’s face, he was now sure the man was hiding something.
They both finished the first half of their sandwiches. He grabbed the chips he’d packed and held the bag out to Clay.
“Thanks,” Clay said.
Again, he caught a sad look in Clay’s eyes, and he couldn’t hold back. He had to ask. “Hey, is everything okay?”
Clay nodded, then his gaze met Thomas’ and there was no mistaking his pure desperation. Thomas leaned in closer and put his hand on Clay’s shoulder.
“Hey, it’s me. Talk.”
Clay shook his head and stared out at the water. “Yes, no…I don’t know.”
“You can talk to me. Let it all out. Is something wrong?”
For a moment, he didn’t think Clay was going to talk, then his friend drew in a slow breath and shook his head.
“Maybe.” Clay ate some more of his sandwich before turning back to Thomas. “When I got out of the service, I thought I had it all figured out. I was going to become a cop. You know, it wouldn’t be too much different from the military but with less bombs. I was wrong.”
“How do you mean?”
“The people are assholes. I mean some of them are okay, but there’s this group, maybe not a group, but a few of the guys are jerks. Last month, two guys died in the line of duty. It could have been prevented. And the ones who caused it? I think they’ve been lying about what happened. I can’t stay silent, but I think talking about it will get me fired or worse.”
Thomas squeezed Clay’s arm. “Oh fuck. Can I help in any way?”
“I don’t think so. I mean it’s not something you can do anything about. It’s the local police force. I don’t know anyone who can help. When I go home, I think I’m going to have to talk to Internal Affairs. I know it will mark me. These guys aren’t anything like the men we served with. I know you, Jake, Brent, Lane, and Mike would do anything to keep me safe. These people, I don’t know what they would do, and I doubt they would ever stand up for me.”
Thomas dropped his hold on Clay’s arm. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea it was so bad.”
“There were issues before the guys were killed, but now it’s much worse. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to get shot in the back.”
“Have you been threatened?”
“No. I’ve not really told anyone anything about my suspicions. Just one guy, but he might have been the wrong person to tell.”
Thomas leaned closer to Clay. “Why do you say that?”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.”
Clay blew out a breath. “So the guy I talked to, Banks, I found out he plays cards with one of the men in the department I think is dirty.”
“Do you think he’ll tell them what you suspect?”
“No clue.”
“Shit, Clay, I don’t want you to put yourself in danger, but you’re right, you have to stand up and speak out about this issue.”
Clay finished his sandwich and grabbed a beer, taking a deep swig. They both relaxed and sat back, watching either the shore or the sea. Eventually his gaze landed on Clay and he studied the man, knowing he’d never be brave enough to tell Clay he was attracted to him.
The sun dipped low, signaling the end of the day. He stood and began packing away their food and trash. Clay helped him store their trash, and they both reached for a towel at the same time, their hands touching. Clay pulled back almost as fast as Thomas did. The heat from the touch burned through him. He covered his discomfort by moving to the wheel and looking at the gauges.
Before Clay had shown up, he thought he would have some issues with the man being close; now, he wondered if he could actually stand being alone in the same house with Clay. He would have to work through it. Clay was his friend, and he would keep this on a friendly basis. No way in the world would he allow his stupid infatuation to ruin their relationship.
He set a course for the jetty, slipping into the river as the sky turned pink. Clay still had the look on his face, the one that made Thomas want to kiss him.
What was it about this man that made him go crazy? He’d never felt this way about a guy before; now, he was having these thoughts about Clay, and it was making him think seriously about everything he’d thought was true.
They pulled in at the dock moments before full darkness fell. He secured his boat, making sure everything on deck was clean so Dave, the man who worked for him, could take out a customer in the morning. Finding a person he could trust to run his charters on a part-time basis had been a miracle. It allowed him opportunities like spending time with Clay. Being able to enjoy Clay’s company without the pressure of work was nice. This week could change everything for him, and if it did, he would welcome the change.
3
They were back at Thomas’ house, and though the day had been hot, the temperature was dropping. He had showered and was sitting on the back porch, surrounded by Tiki torches and the ambient light from a bug zapper, which kept going off every few seconds, at the back corner of the property.
Thomas stepped out of the house, and Clay caught sight of him. His body heated, and he was glad he had brought some boxer briefs and not only the loose boxers he usually wore.
“The zapper is serious,” Clay said.
“You have to be serious about insect repellant around here. Those things will eat you alive. I have some spray if you feel you need it.”
“Thanks. They are fairly ferocious.” Clay applied some spray before going inside to grab a couple more beers. He also grabbed his sweatshirt and pulled it on. It wasn’t really cold, but the slight breeze had him chilled.
He liked Thomas’ set up. The man had taken an older house, updated it a little but hadn’t gone crazy. The best part was he’d created a nice little backyard sanctuary. Clay liked the fire pit too.
“This reminds me of the place in Tennessee.”
“Yeah, when I was finishing out this patio, I had it in mind. The hot tub is a nice addition I wasn’t going to do until we went to Tennessee.”
Clay nodded. “I saw the tub; it looks nice.”
“I had planned on us staying in tonight and having a chill evening unless you wanted to go out clubbing. We could get wild, pick up some girls, party a little.”
Clay nodded then shook his head. “I think I’d rather hang out here.” He didn’t want to watch Thomas with a girl. He’d seen it enough back in the military. They’d all partied together and he knew how Thomas operated. He’d watched the man fuck more than one girl at a club, and he didn’t think he could witness the spectacle again. But all of them being here in Daytona, he knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid it altogether.
Eventually, they’d go out as a group, and Thomas would pick up someone, going back to her hotel room where they’d get busy. For now, he didn’t want to think of Thomas with anyone else, and he certainly didn’t want to witness his friend catching some action with a woman.
His mood darkened. Maybe he wasn’t supposed to find happiness
. Although he’d given up dating since his schedule at the station had become almost unbearable, he hadn’t been able to find anyone of worth when he was out there trying to date. Everyone had been lacking, and it wasn’t their looks, it was how he related to them. He wanted someone who got him, someone he didn’t have to explain every single little thing to.
Thomas cut up some potatoes and put them in the oven, then gathered the steaks and corn to roast on the grill. When he put the steaks on, the aroma reminded Clay he was starving. He stood up, pulling himself out of his depression and moved closer to Thomas.
“I like this place.”
“Thank you. It’s nice sitting back here, relaxing.”
“Are you dating anyone?” Clay hadn’t meant to ask, but now the question was out there.
Thomas shook his head. “No, I haven’t found anyone. It’s tough. I went out with this one woman, but she was too fake. There are a lot of tourists, and they all want to get laid. It’s easy to find meaningless sex here, but it gets old fast. The women on vacation act stupid, and I’ve grown to hate how they treat the locals. It’s like we’re another amusement ride and not real.”
Clay took a drink from his beer and stepped away from Thomas. Jealousy had spiked at the thought of Thomas fucking around. He didn’t want to care, but he did.
He stared up at the sky, trying to take his mind off Thomas screwing random women. It was hard not to care. Clay studied the stars, trying to remember the constellations.
“What’cha looking at?” Thomas was close, and he turned. Their gazes connected, sending a pulse of desire through Clay.
“Nothing much. The stars.”
“Once we put out the Tiki torches, we can turn on the hot tub and stare up at the sky. It’s beautiful.”
His cock grew a little harder. “I bet.”
“Food is almost done. Would you watch the grill while I go into the kitchen and grab the potatoes?”
“Sure.”
Thomas headed into the house, and Clay slapped his forehead, hating being so stupid. Thomas wasn’t into him, and they weren’t going to hook up. He wasn’t going to ruin their friendship by being an idiot.