Falling In (Only You Book 2)

by J. S. Finley

  Once Thomas came out, he took the steaks and corn off the grill. They ate at the table on the patio, devouring the food. Maybe it was the clear ocean air, or the good company, but the food was excellent. The mood lightened as Thomas told stories about people he’d taken out fishing. Clay was enjoying the evening, listening to Thomas talk.

  “There was this one guy who brought his girlfriend on the boat, and she didn’t realize the fish were alive when they were caught in the ocean. She had no clue the shrimp on her plate at a restaurant had once been alive. The poor woman was curled in the corner as we caught fish after fish. She was disgusted by the fact we were going to kill a live animal. Of course, she kept saying ‘you can’t kill a human like that’ when she was talking about the fish.”

  “Wait, she was saying you can’t kill a human and talking about the fish?”

  “Yeah, it was crazy. I tossed out a small net I use to catch shrimp and showed her the shrimp. She freaked out and almost fell over the edge of the boat.”

  “What did she think shrimp were?”

  “No clue, but when I told her what a chicken looked like alive, she passed out.”

  Clay started chuckling, then the story struck him funny, and he roared with laughter, almost falling out of his seat. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “No, I shit you not. The woman passed out when she saw a photo of a chicken. Of course, I showed her a photo of Silkie chickens, not your run-of-the-mill regular chicken.”

  More laughter spilled out, and he gasped to catch his breath. “Wait, you’re tell me she didn’t know what a chicken was?”

  “Nope, no clue.”

  “What did her boyfriend say?”

  “He had no idea she was so stupid. The poor man apologized to me and gave me an extra large tip. The woman was fine after I used some smelling salts on her. She said she would never eat meat again after getting off the boat. I’m not sure how long she lasted with her new-found vegetarianism because the guy asked her if she wanted to go get a burger, and she said yes.”

  “Poor woman.”

  “Yeah, I get all kinds. It’s interesting meeting so many different types of people.”

  “Ever get any people who are jerks?”

  Thomas nodded. “Of course. I bet you run into jerks in Virginia while you’re on duty.”

  Clay rolled his eyes and let out a harsh chuckle. Some people were idiots. He liked the idea of being a police officer, helping the community, but there were people no one could help. “I do. There are some crazy people out there.”

  “You ready for the hot tub?”

  “Sure. My suit is still wet. I should have brought two.”

  “I usually get in naked.”

  Clay had picked up his plate and almost dropped it. He didn’t think he could do naked hot tubbing with Thomas. The man was too sexy, and he wasn’t supposed to even be into men. Would Thomas have even suggested going in without clothes knowing Clay wanted to strip him naked and spend a few hours kissing and licking his body?

  “I do have an extra suit if you’d like to borrow it.”

  Clay shook his head, not wanting to draw attention to his plight. “No need. I’m going to use the restroom, and I’ll be out in a few.”

  “Okay, I’ll be out here.”

  After rinsing his plate and loading it into the dishwasher, he moved to the bathroom and closed the door. Staring at himself in the mirror, Clay couldn’t hide from the truth. He was in deep shit. Thomas had no freaking clue how much he wanted him. They would be naked in the hot tub together. He would have to keep from getting hard if he wanted to keep their friendship. Maybe Thomas would understand. He had no issue with Jake and Brent being together. But it didn’t mean Thomas would understand or forgive him if the truth came out.

  After longer than he should have taken in the bathroom, he stepped out and moved outside, finding Thomas already in the hot tub, his clothes folded neatly in a chair on the patio. There was a towel laid out on a chair for Clay, and the only light was a candle on the edge of the hot tub and the light shining from inside the kitchen.

  “If you flip the switch by the door, the light in the house will turn off.”

  “Okay,” Clay squeaked. He moved to the door and reached in, flipping the switch. He didn’t really want to be backlit as he undressed anyway. The moon had risen, providing enough light for him to see to walk along the path to the hot tub. The breeze had died down, taking away the chill he’d felt earlier. He wondered if he had been emotional earlier instead of cold. Being with Thomas set him off. The man was amazing.

  After stripping, he made his way to the tub, holding the towel in front of his dick. He kept his thoughts on things like people who called for help with sick family members. Cops didn’t always show up at distress calls, but when they did, it was usually bad.

  The mental imagery playing through his mind kept him from getting hard. Thankfully, he slipped into the tub without incident.

  Thomas blew out the candle and Clay froze until he noticed Thomas was staring up at the sky. He glanced up and was amazed by the sight.

  “Wow.” Clay stared in wonder at the number of stars. It had been years since he’d seen such a stunning sky.

  “You can see a lot.” Thomas moved close, sitting right next to Clay, their thighs brushing.

  If he moved, it would make it awkward. They were friends, and he shouldn’t be freaked out by Thomas sitting next to him.

  “I love looking at the stars. I’ve fallen asleep in a lounge chair out here before. I want to get a hammock, but I need to find the right one.”

  He drew in a slow breath and tried to calm himself. “I forgot what the stars looked like.”

  Thomas chuckled. “You’re a city boy now.”

  “I guess I am.”

  They were both silent for a while, then Thomas started talking. “So back then, when we were in the military, did you think it would turn out this way?”

  “No. I really thought I would be happy being out. I’m not unhappy, well, I am, but I mean I’m not unhappy being out of the service. I have no desire to ever go back to the military. I like my free time. In the Marines, I felt like even my shits were scheduled.”

  Thomas laughed out loud then nudged him with his elbow. Heat filled Clay.

  “I love what I do, but people can be idiots,” Thomas said.

  “True that.” Clay closed his eyes, relaxing from the day of travel and then being out on the water. This was the perfect cure for what he’d been going through.

  “Brent and Jake seem happy.” Thomas’ voice was low and filtered over him like beautiful music.

  “They are.” Though he’d been fine through dinner, exhaustion was starting to hit him hard. The warmth of the water made him even more tired.

  “I don’t think Jake was prepared to be discriminated against and lose his job.” Thomas kept his voice low as he spoke, and his breath feathered over Clay’s neck.

  “Mmm, that would be a no. It took him by surprise.”

  They were quiet for a while, and he realized he was in danger of falling asleep. He opened his eyes, and for a second, he believed he’d caught Thomas staring at him, but he wasn’t sure. Maybe Thomas looked at him because he’d jerked awake. He certainly wasn’t going to read more into the situation than there was.

  Thomas stood up and hopped out of the hot tub, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist. “I’m going to shower then head to bed.”

  “I’m exhausted.” Clay stood and stepped out of the tub, grabbing the towel to cover himself. He tried not to look at Thomas but was rewarded with an awesome view of his backside when his towel fell while he was covering the hot tub. Clay moved into action, helping to cover the tub, using the excuse to hide his reaction to seeing the man’s perfect ass.

  “G’night,” Clay called out as he headed inside to the room where he was sleeping. Once the door was closed, he leaned against the solid surface and sighed. This week was going to be a long one.

 
He was going to have to jack off. His cock was too hard, his desire too high, to ignore the ache. Clay slid his hand down his chest and closed his eyes, imagining Thomas was the one touching him. Clay squeezed his nipples, tugging gently as he gasped. The thought of Thomas sucking his little nubs made him even hotter. Then he ran his hand down his belly to the towel, shoving it out of the way before wrapping his fingers around his cock and squeezing.

  The thought of Thomas’ mouth on his length made his balls pull up. He reached lower with one hand while he continued to stroke with the other. Thoughts of his friend touching him, playing with his balls, his hole, his cock, wound through him. The last thought did it. He came hard. His eyes slammed shut, and his mouth opened as he tried to stay silent while he floated on lust.

  His head buzzed as he jerked through his orgasm and spun back to earth. Thinking about a guy while he jerked off was a new experience. Maybe it was the newness of it all, but hot damn, it was exciting to even contemplate being with Thomas.

  Clay wiped up the cum with the towel he’d used and moved to his bag, pulling out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. He headed to the kitchen and filled a glass with water before taking the towel to the laundry room. He tossed the towel in the basket next to the washer then went back to the room he was sleeping in. When he passed by Thomas’ room he could have sworn he heard grunting. He paused, making sure his friend was okay, then he heard Thomas gasp. Heat washed over him as desire to open the door wove through him. Horrified by his thoughts, he moved quickly to his room and closed the door, shutting out his wild desires.

  Sleep took a long time to come, and he woke the next morning feeling out of sorts. Every single dream he’d had was filled with desire for Thomas. He wanted the man more than he should. Maybe he should tell him, and they could have a laugh. It would make it easier to get it off his chest. They could talk about how stupid it was, and he would feel better.

  The scent of fresh brewed coffee hit him, and he rolled out of bed. After a quick stop by the bathroom, where he rinsed out his mouth and splashed water on his face, he headed to the kitchen where he found a mug of fresh coffee waiting for him.

  “I heard you in the bathroom. Here, have some coffee.”

  “Thanks.” Clay took a sip and sighed. The coffee was excellent and exactly what he needed.

  “Did you sleep okay?” Thomas asked.

  He nodded as he took another sip. “Yeah. I’m just tired.”

  “I thought we would drive out to the beach and have breakfast.”

  He caught Thomas’ gaze and smiled. “Oh, that sounds awesome.”

  “Cool. I have everything put together. Change into your swimsuit, and we’ll head out.”

  He nodded and drank some more coffee. “Let me finish this.”

  “I’ll put it in a travel mug for you.” Thomas opened a cabinet and pulled out a silver mug with a black lid.

  He set down the coffee and left the room, all the while thinking the awkwardness that had developed between them might stay gone. Perhaps his attraction would die after spending more time with the man. And Thomas didn’t seem to be having any issues with him. Clay changed quickly and was back in the kitchen as Thomas stepped in from outside. Their gazes met, and he could have sworn his friend’s cheeks turned pink. He had to be imagining it, wanting there to be something that just wasn’t there.

  Thomas had pulled the convertible out of the garage, and the top was down. The car was a fun looking metallic blue Chevy. Thomas opened the door for him, and a funny little twist made his stomach jump as he took his seat. Thomas ran around the back of the car and slid into the driver’s seat. He looked over, and Thomas shot him a saucy grin as he turned the key. The car roared to life, purring like a well-tuned sports car.

  “Nice,” Clay said.

  “Thanks. I like it.”

  Thomas made a right out of the neighborhood, like they had the day before. He liked the colorful condos lining the side of the road next to the beach. Daytona Beach seemed to be a nice place to visit. Maybe Thomas had it right, and this was the perfect place to live.

  It wasn’t long before Thomas made a left, and the beach was right there. Clay sat up, staring out the front window, loving the view.

  “How much does this cost?” Clay asked as a woman stepped out of a white booth in the center of the road.

  “Ten dollars a day, but I have a pass since I live here. I like to come out early on days I have off. It’s nice, but when it’s really busy, it’s annoying. Some people can be idiots. Usually it’s good on the beach when I get here early. Late in the day, it’s nice. Like right before they close up shop, the tourists have gone home, and it’s only locals hanging out.”

  Thomas stopped at the booth, and the older woman placed one hand on the car, her smile wide as she looked them over.

  “Thomas, when are you taking me for a ride in your car?”

  “Hey, Amy, it’s good to see you. You’re always working when I’m off, or you’re busy doing something with your husband.”

  She clicked her teeth and nodded. “True, so true. Okay, I’ll let you off this time, but next time, you need to let me come with you. Who is the cutie with you today?”

  Thomas glanced over at Clay and winked. “This is Clay, he served in the Marines with me.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. Thomas is a great guy; we’re so happy he moved into the neighborhood.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Amy. I like Thomas too. He’s a good guy.”

  “He is. You two have fun. Most of the tourists are heading south toward the lighthouse today,” Amy said.

  “How many cars have gone out?” Thomas asked.

  “Five.”

  “Hmm, still not many. I think we’re going to head south and see what trouble we can get into.”

  Amy chuckled and shook her head. “You two behave yourselves out there this morning.”

  “We will.” Thomas let go of the brake, and they rolled slowly forward.

  “She seems nice.”

  “She is. Her husband is older, and he’s not in good health. I try to help them as much as possible.”

  The more he learned about Thomas, the more he liked him. Before, in the military, he thought Thomas was a good guy, now he knew the man was wonderful.

  The sun was up, the waves low, and there were few people out on the beach. He was a little freaked out they were driving on the sand with the waves only feet—well, more than a hundred feet away. It was something he’d never even contemplated or believed he would do. The wind whipped around them, leaving him feeling refreshed. After a few minutes, Thomas parked his car and shut off the engine.

  “Are you ready for breakfast?”

  “I sure am.”

  “Cool.” Thomas pulled a couple of chairs and a small table out of the back of his car. Clay helped him set up the chairs then took a seat as Thomas set a basket beside the table.

  “What did you make us?”

  “An egg casserole and some bacon. We have a big thermos of coffee too.”

  “This is amazing.”

  Thomas chuckled as he opened the food containers and served Clay some eggs and bacon. Everything hot was still warm, and the coffee was perfect. They dug into the food, not talking until they were almost finished with their plates. He glanced at Thomas, and a sweet smile spread over his face, warming Clay.

  “Last year I saw someone doing this—out here, you know, having a, um, nice breakfast. I’ve wanted to try it since, but I don’t have anyone to, um do it with.”

  Clay’s heart expanded as he stared at Thomas. “This is the best breakfast on the beach I’ve ever had. Actually, it’s the only breakfast I’ve ever had on the beach.”

  Thomas chuckled. “I’ve come out here by myself before when I was lonely and had coffee, but never anything like this. It’s nice, this place, and you know, since the entrance is close to my house, it’s easy. It makes me happy to be out here when there aren’t many other people. Right after school starts, before people start
taking vacation is the best.”

  Clay took a bite of food and nodded. “I don’t really have anywhere to go when I’m lonely. There are a couple of good parks, but there are so many people, I can’t find space to clear my head. Sounds wrong that I’m lonely, but there are too many people around.”

  “I feel ya. I don’t want just anyone.”

  “Yeah.” Clay couldn’t look at Thomas because he knew his eyes would reveal too much. Thomas would know how much Clay wanted him.

  They finished their meal in silence, watching the waves roll in. Thomas packed away the dishes then stood and stretched. Clay wanted to reach out and touch the skin that flashed right above the waistband of his swimsuit. He kept his hands to himself and stood, tugging off his shirt and toeing off his shoes.

  “I’m going in,” Clay said.

  “Same here.”

  Clay turned in time to catch a glimpse of Thomas’ muscled chest and tight abs. Heat filled him, and he had to look away. He was in deep trouble. At least Thomas would be at work tomorrow, and he wouldn’t have to spend the whole day trying to figure out how to not touch the man. Then their friends would be down, and it would be easier. He loved being with Thomas, but all he wanted to do was touch him, which might get dangerous.

  He followed Thomas to the water, all the while thinking how hot he was. The water was chilly, but felt good. They jumped into the low surf and swam, splashing and having fun. The waves weren’t big enough to surf, so there weren’t a lot of people out in the water. It was a quiet day, and he liked being with Thomas. After about thirty minutes, Thomas called a halt to their fun.

  “I forgot to get sunscreen on you before we came out here.”

  He shook his head. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re here in Florida for a long time, and I don’t want you getting burned. Come on, let’s go up, and I can put some on your back, or we could go back to the house and shower then go out shopping.”

  “I’d rather hang out here for a bit.”

  “Okay, let’s get sunscreen on you and then we can chill here.”