Friends and Lovers

by Tinnean

They ate at a leisurely pace, enjoying the food, the ambience, and each other’s company.

  “What plans do you have for the summer, Jack?” Tom had mentioned he was going to teach the summer semester. The roof on his house needed to be replaced, and while Jack would do it for him for just the cost of the shingles, it was still costly, and the extra money would come in handy.

  “It’s my busiest season, so I can’t take any time off during the week, but I was thinking that maybe we could go away for more weekends like this. If you’d like?”

  “You know I’d like. Any place in particular?”

  “Well, I chose Amelia Island. Why don’t you choose the next one.”

  “Thanks, Jack. I’ll give it some thought.”

  “We could… uh… do some day trips too, take Teddy and Cath with us?” He held his breath.

  “Wouldn’t they rather be alone with you?”

  “Tom, they want to get to know you.”

  “They do, or you want them to?”

  Coffee and dessert were brought out before Jack had to answer – he wanted his kids to spend time with his friend, but they really did want to get to know Tom better.

  Jeff placed the key lime pie before Jack and the cheesecake drizzled with dark chocolate before Tom.

  After Jeff left, Jack continued the conversation. “Please, Tommy?” he wheedled. “For me?”

  The corner of Tom’s mouth quirked into a grin. “Was I ever able to say ‘no’ to you?”

  Under the table, Jack ran the side of his foot up and down Tom’s leg. “Thanks, babe,” he said softly.

  “Yeah, yeah. Anything but the circus. I hate clowns.”

  “See? You and Teddy already have something in common.”

  By the time they finished, the restaurant was starting to empty out.

  “Would you care to have another coffee with a cordial out on the veranda?” Jeff asked as he gathered up their dessert plates.

  “Tom?”

  “The moon’s up, Jack. I’d rather go for a walk on the beach.”

  “That sounds good. We’ll skip the coffee, Jeff.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow then, gentlemen.” He stacked the cups and saucers and smiled at them. “Enjoy your walk.”

  They went through the lobby, across the veranda and down the shallow steps, and out to the dunes that ringed the beach. Hands in their pockets, shoulders brushing occasionally, they meandered along the sand.

  “It’s going to be easy to enjoy this, Tom. Look at that moon.”

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Thank you for thinking of this, babe.”

  “I have my moments, don’t I?”

  “You do, and that’s why I think I’ll keep you.” Tom pulled him to a halt, drew Jack’s face down to his, and kissed him. “I’m so glad you said yes when I asked you to fuck me.”

  “Make love to you, Tom,” he corrected. “So am I. It was the best thing…” He cleared his throat. “Let’s… uh… let’s go back to the room.”

  “Why, Mistah Sweet, whatevah did y’all have in mind?” Tom deliberately thickened his accent, and Jack laughed.

  “Why don’t you let me show you, Mistah Hansom?”

  “Ah do believe Ah will.”

  Jack took his hand, and they returned to the Inn at a much brisker pace.

  They made love throughout the night, awakened late Saturday morning, and had a late breakfast in the Inn’s restaurant.

  “I noticed a lot of gift shops in town yesterday, Tom,” Jack said as he took a final sip of his coffee. “I’d like to go back and pick up some souvenirs for Teddy and Cath.”

  “That’s a good idea. I’ll get something for Mom.”

  “A tee shirt? ‘My son went to Amelia Island, and all I got was this lousy shirt?’”

  “She’d wear it, too.” Tom laughed, and Jack was pleased to see him so happy. “Do you want to ride the scooters into town?”

  “One scooter, buddy?”

  “Huh?”

  “Can we just take one scooter? I… I like riding behind you.”

  Tom ran his hand up and down Jack’s arm. “Remind me to take you out on the Harley when we get home. Maybe one moonless night. I know a place…” His tongue peeked out to moisten his lips. “And I’ll fuck you on it.”

  “Out in the open?” Jack felt his cheeks flush with sexual heat. “Bent over your hog?” His cock was hard.

  “You like that idea?”

  “Oh, yeah, I like it a lot!”

  “I’m corrupting you, Jack.”

  “Not likely!” He was affronted. “Reba and I used to go down to Wilson’s Creek after we got married, y’know.” The most notorious spot in two counties. Jack was pretty sure that was where Teddy had been conceived.

  “You are a devil.”

  “Yeah, a regular wild man.” He sighed. That had been before Reba had decided she preferred Jesus to him; she’d still been excited by his touch back then. “So you don’t mind going souvenir shopping with me?”

  “I don’t mind doing anything with you, Jack. You should know that by now. I think I’ll pick up something for Theodore and Catherine too while we’re there.”

  “You don’t have to bribe them, you know. They like you.”

  Tom gave him a baffled smile. “But how can they? According to your father, I’m the reason you’re going to burn in hell for eternity.”

  “Tommy, they see how happy I am with you, happier than I ever was with their momma or with Julie. Don’t question it; just enjoy it.”

  “If you say so, but I still don’t understand it.”

  Tom chose another red scooter, and they rode it into town.

  They spent a few hours browsing through the gift shops. Some were really cheesy and touristy, with the type of tee shirt Jack had kidded about – and which he bought for his kids – as well as mermaids apparently cuddling thermometers or with clocks in their stomachs, and mechanical alligators that said, ‘Send more tourists, the last bunch were delicious’ – which he also bought for them – but others had nice stuff, and he bought things there as well, an Arabian mare carved from driftwood for Cath, a baseball player for Teddy.

  In a gift shop called Aquatica, Tom found a pair of stuffed penguins for Cath. They came with an egg that would attach to the feet of either one with Velcro, and when it was turned inside out, a fuzzy baby penguin was revealed.

  “Cath is gonna love that, Tom!”

  “You think?” He was gnawing his lower lip. “You don’t think it’s too childish, do you?”

  “I don’t, but it’s penguins. Cath would love it anyway!”

  “I’m never sure what to get her and Theodore.”

  “You did a great job at Christmas. Cath was over the moon about the saddle and bridle Santa gave her, and Teddy… Well, the only reason he stopped playing that game system was because he had to go back to school.”

  “They sent nice thank you notes, but I wasn’t sure… Well, I’m glad to hear they liked the gifts.”

  Jack was touched to see how much it mattered to his friend. He slung an arm around Tom’s shoulder. “Don’t doubt yourself so much, buddy. They like you, and if you’d give them half a chance, they’d love you.”

  “I just don’t know how to act around them.”

  “You don’t have a problem with your students, do you?”

  “No, but my students aren’t as important as my lover’s children.”

  Jack was tempted to kiss Tom right there in the gift shop. “What did you want to get for Teddy?” he asked instead.

  “I thought maybe… this?”

  ‘This’ was a pewter statue of a pod of sleek dolphins cavorting through the waves.

  “Perfect.”

  “Okay. Then that’s settled.” Tom fished through the pockets of the shorts he wore, searching for his wallet. He went to the cashier and paid for the penguins and the dolphins.

  “I liked the look of the shop next door.” It was called ‘P Cubed’ and sold paintings, prints, and posters. “I want to
see if they have something for Mom.”

  “Yeah. I’ll get her something too.” He followed Tom into the shop.

  “Oh, this is nice!”

  Hanging on the wall was a Thomas Kinkade painting of a cottage tucked away in a secluded cove, sunset bathing the entire scene – the slate roof and its many chimneys, smoke drifting from them serenely, the roses that grew up the winding walk to the Dutch door, the waves that broke over the rocks scattered on its shore – with its muted light.

  “Mom would love this!” Tom’s eyes widened when he saw the price tag.

  The salesgirl smiled at him. “That price includes the frame and shipping within the contiguous states.”

  Tom looked torn.

  “Y’know, I don’t know what to get for Miz Honey. Would you mind if I went in on this with you, buddy?”

  Tom blew out a breath. “That would be great!”

  The transaction was completed, and the print was taken down off the wall. Tom was given a tracking number and an approximate date for its arrival in Savannah early the following week.

  “Ready to go?”

  “You bet.”

  Before he got on the scooter, Tom squeezed Jack’s shoulder, then ran his palm up and down Jack’s bicep. Jack liked the feeling.

  “Thanks, Jack.”

  “I wasn’t sure if you’d let me chip in.”

  “I’m not proud. My Mom is worth it, but I’d have been eating Hamburger Helper for a couple of months if you hadn’t.”

  “My pleasure, buddy. She is worth it.” Even more than his own mother, who couldn’t seem to find the time to spend with Teddy and Cath, although she didn’t have that problem with his sister’s kids.

  “Well, if we’re done buying out the town, what do you say we go back to the Inn?”

  “Good idea. Just don’t go too fast. I’ve got to balance on the back of the scooter and hold onto all the bags.”

  “Let’s see if we can consolidate them.” Tom waggled his eyebrows at him. “I’d like you to have at least one free hand to hold onto me.”

  Back at Clinch House Inn once again, they went up to their room. Jack set the bags aside.

  Absently humming a Beach Boys tune, Tom opened the French doors that opened onto the balcony – every room on this floor had a balcony that looked out onto the beach and the ocean beyond, and went out and leaned against the railing.

  “What do you say we hit the beach for a little while, babe?”

  Jack couldn’t take his eyes off the way Tom’s shorts clung to the curves of his ass. He’d been semi-hard all afternoon, and now he stripped off his own shorts, rolled on a condom and slicked it with lube, and stepped out onto the balcony, reaching around to undo Tom’s shorts.

  “What… Jack, what are you doing?”

  “Can’t help it, babe. I have to have you,” he whispered, feeling his lover shiver from Jack’s breath in his ear. “No one can see, this part of the beach is deserted right now. And if anyone comes by and looks this way, they’ll just think we’re watching the waves.”

  “With you standing behind me? Don’t most guys stand shoulder to shoulder?” But Tom wasn’t really protesting. He had a streak of exhibitionism in him. Jack knew – although Tom didn’t know he knew – that he had once fucked a conquest over a pool table in a crowded bar.

  Jack pushed shorts and boxers out of the way and slid two coated fingers into Tom’s ass, preparing him. Then he lined up his cock and eased into him. His other hand gripped Tom’s cock and jerked him off in rhythm to his thrusts.

  “Jesus, Jack!” Tom groaned. He braced his hands on the railing and bucked back against him.

  Jack loved the sounds Tom made when he was buried balls-deep inside him. “Sexiest thing on… on two legs.”

  He made it last as long as he could, then came with a growl, biting down on Tom’s neck.

  “Jack!” Tom hadn’t come yet.

  Jack pulled out of Tom carefully and tied off the condom before it could spill its contents.

  “Jack!”

  “Easy, babe.” He turned Tom around and dropped to his knees before him, taking his cock in his mouth. He loved Tom’s scent, musky and masculine, and his taste – slightly bitter, slightly salty. He could never leave this and go back to women.

  He slid a finger into Tom’s ass, found his prostate, and completed the task of bringing his lover to orgasm.

  Hopefully, by the end of this weekend, Tom would know it too.

  “Jesus!” Tom’s legs were trembling. He slid down to the cool tile beside Jack, letting the railing support his weight, and panted heavily. “Jack, that was…”

  Jack leaned in and kissed him, sharing Tom’s taste with him. “Pretty good?”

  “That was better than pretty good!”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah.”

  They stayed like that for a while.

  “Beach, buddy?” Jack asked against his throat.

  Tom’s eyes were sleepy, but he smiled. “Sure.”

  After a shower, they pulled on swimsuits.

  Jack’s suit was just an ordinary pair of trunks his kids had given him for his birthday, but Tom’s was a gift from him. Modeled after rugby shorts, it was a forest green with contrasting yellow side panels. Laces the same yellow secured the fly front.

  Tom bent to line up his sandals before he stepped into them, and Jack hung back a bit and admired the way the suit fit him. Damn, he had good taste, both in swimsuits and in lovers.

  “Jack?” Tom glanced over his shoulder and saw Jack’s eyes on his ass. He flushed.

  Jack grinned at him and winked. “Don’t forget the sunscreen. I don’t want you to burn.”

  “You’re so bossy.”

  “That’s my job. Towels?”

  “No, they’ll be supplied on the beach.”

  “Let’s go.” He caught Tom’s hand and tugged him along.

  “Hold on a sec! The keycard!”

  “This is almost as complicated as taking the kids to the beach when they were little!”

  “Very funny. Move, you.”

  A door at the end of the hall opened to a staircase that ran down the outside of the Inn. Jack went down first, and when he got to the bottom, he jumped at the feel of Tom’s hand ghosting over his ass. He laughed a little, feeling good when Tom joined in, and they walked toward the white sandy beach.

  One of the hotel employees – Sean according to the nametag clipped to his left nipple – sat by a cart that held beach towels. He had his feet up on the edge of the cart, giving anyone who cared to look a nice view up his shorts. He raised his eyes from the book he was reading and smiled at Jack, but his eyes seemed to linger on Tom.

  “Help yourself to… a towel.” Was he suggesting something more? Jack frowned at him, but he was too busy watching Tom to notice.

  Jack was really tempted to kick out the legs of his chair from under him, but he reminded himself he’d been raised Christian. He settled for imagining how idiotic Sean would look dumped on his ass.

  On second thought, he’d probably enjoy it. Jack snorted and turned away.

  A volley ball game was going on, the participants dressed in shorts and tank tops. A couple of young men wearing swim thongs – the front pouches unlined, Jack couldn’t help noticing – tossed a Frisbee back and forth.

  All eyes were drawn toward his lover. The volley ball went out of bounds. An innocent bystander was hit in the head by the Frisbee.

  “I don’t like all these guys gawking at you,” Jack groused.

  “Who?”

  “These… these…”

  “Gym bunnies?” Tom had told him about ‘gym bunnies’ – guys with lots of muscles and bubble butts so firm a quarter could be bounced off them. “They’re just looking. You can’t tell me it doesn’t give you a charge knowing that you’re the one I’m with now.”

  “Well… Yeah. But…”

  “You know I don’t play with them any more, Jack.”

  “Yeah, I know…” But Tom had tak
en so many of them to his bed. Jack scowled. He didn’t like feeling jealous.

  “Jack. You’re drawing as many looks as I am…”

  He was?

  “… and I like it that they can look but not touch.”

  Jack hunched a shoulder and turned to stare out at the ocean. By the occasional flash of pale flesh, Jack could tell that some of the swimmers were taking advantage of the clothing optional option.

  “I couldn’t do that.” He nodded toward them, hoping Tom would allow the change of topic.

  “You say that now...” He did. “… but if you had a pool in your backyard…”

  “Hmmm… Y’know, that’s not a bad idea.”

  “Jack, your house doesn’t have a big enough backyard to put in a pool.”

  “And lots of bushes for privacy…” If he bought a house on a piece of property that was big enough, maybe he could talk Tom into moving in with him. They could go skinny dipping in their own yard; they could make love there… He grinned. “Come on. Help me move these together.”

  They put two of the wooden chaises that the Inn provided next to each other and draped their towels over them.

  “Ready to go for a swim, buddy?”

  “I think I’ll skip it this time.” Tom yawned and lay down on the chaise. “You’ve worn me out.”

  “That’s not true. But I do like hearing you say that. You sure you don’t want to join me?”

  “I’ll take a rain check, okay, buddy?”

  “Okay. Let me put some sunscreen on you. The last thing I want is for you to get a bad burn.”

  “That’s the last thing I want either.” Tom’s skin was so fair that until he built up a decent base tan, he could get second degree burns.

  Jack squirted the lotion into his palm, then began smoothing it over Tom’s chest, shoulders, and arms. He couldn’t help noticing that he was being watched, and with some degree of envy.

  He would even have sworn he heard a slight moan when he started working on Tom’s thighs.

  “There. All done.” He patted his lover’s thigh. “I’ll just take a quick dip and be right back.”

  Tom opened an eye and smiled up at him. “I’ll be right here when you get back, buddy.”

  Jack strolled down to the water’s edge, feeling as if Tom were watching his ass. He glanced back, and sure enough, Tom was leaning up on an elbow. He gave Tom a wave, then frowned when he saw the Frisbee hit the side of the chaise and land in the sand next to Tom’s hip.