by G. R. Lyons
Ryley was so beautiful. Asher reached out and lightly touched him, unable to resist. He'd only just understood what it meant to be gay when he was suddenly cut off from the world, and now that he was free of the island, he had this stunning man within reach.
Sexy. That was the word. It was strange for him to think of someone as sexy when, the last time he'd been around people, he hadn't been long out of the cooties stage of life, so sexy seemed like such a strange new word, but it fit. Ryley was sexy, and Asher couldn't get enough. He wanted to just lie there and look at him all day.
And touch him, too, of course. Asher felt himself blushing and grinning as he thought of what they'd done last night. He'd never imagined anything could feel so amazing. He'd been half-convinced he'd died and entered a whole other plane of existence. He was sorely tempted never to leave that bed.
But they would be leaving, and in just a couple days. And that didn't even count the immediate needs of his body. Asher pulled himself away from Ryley, got dressed, and went to the washroom to relieve his bladder, chuckling at the strangeness of using a toilet again after spending so many years just stopping to pee wherever he pleased. When he was finished, Asher turned for the door, then went back and washed his hands. So many simple customs he was going to have to learn to do all over again.
Ryley was still asleep, so Asher crept out of the room and shut the door, going in search of food. Habit had him wanting to reach for his spear so he could go hunting, but he wouldn't have to do that anymore. Asher shook his head. This was definitely going to take some getting used to.
“Good morning.”
Asher yelped and whirled around, then spotted Vic at the dining table.
Vic slowly rose, holding out his hands. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you.”
Asher caught his breath and shook his head. “No, sorry. I just…” He waved his hand.
“You're adjusting,” Vic said gently. “That's alright. It'll take some time, but you'll get the hang of it.” Vic paused, glancing past Asher at the bedroom door, then looked at Asher again and asked, “Are you hungry? There's scrambled eggs on the counter.”
“Oh. Yeah. Thanks.” Asher headed for the kitchen as Vic resumed his seat.
It took him far longer than it probably should have to get everything he needed, having to remember to first grab a plate, then having to go back for a fork. Finally, he sat down across from Vic at the table and dug in, watching Vic as the man focused on his laptop. An empty plate and coffee mug were pushed off to one side, and Vic was already dressed for the day. Asher had yet to see the man in anything more casual than a polo shirt and chinos, which he'd worn on the boat ride over to the island. Even today, the man was wearing a three-piece suit.
“Isn't the case done?” Asher asked. Vic looked up, his hands still poised over the keyboard. “I mean, now that you found me…” Vic gave him a questioning look, so Asher waved a hand at him and added, “You look like you're working.”
Vic looked down at himself, then back up at Asher, giving a shrug. “I'm always working.” He typed a few words, then looked at Asher again. “I'm just catching up on some files I can work on remotely so I won't have as many of them to do once we get back home.” He resumed typing.
Asher took another bite and frowned as he chewed, watching the man's intense focus as he worked. “Don't you ever do anything for fun?”
Vic stopped typing again and looked up. He glanced around, his eyes landing on his cello case in the corner of the room, and shrugged. “I play.”
“No, I mean, besides that,” Asher pressed. Vic raised an eyebrow in question, and Asher breathed a laugh, shaking his head. “I've spent the past thirteen years constantly working because I had to. I had to survive. There was no time for fun, even if there was anything fun to do. So why are you always working?”
Vic seemed to hesitate before he asked, “What makes you think I'm always working?”
“Because I haven't seen you stop since you found me. You're either helping me or working on your files.” He paused, waiting for Vic to respond, but when the man said nothing, Asher asked, “So? Why work so much?”
Vic sighed and looked away, pulling his hands from the keyboard, his right index finger rubbing along the knuckles of his left hand. Asher looked closer and saw an old scar there.
“Because I have to, also,” Vic murmured, still looking away, his eyes unfocused. “Because, otherwise, I won't survive, either.”
Before Asher could ask what he meant, the bedroom door opened and Ryley bounded out, smiling around a yawn. “Good morning,” he called.
Vic snapped out of his thoughts and wrestled a smile into place. “Good morning.” He cleared his throat. “There's eggs if you're hungry.”
Ryley groaned. “Oh, awesome. Thanks, babe.”
Asher frowned. Babe? That was what Ryley had called Asher the night before. He'd always thought that was some term of endearment, but maybe Ryley just used it on everybody. He shook off the thought and went back to his eggs while Vic continued to work in silence.
Ryley sat down to eat, and when he was finished, he gathered all their plates and took them back to the kitchen to wash. As soon as the water started running, Vic looked up from his work.
“I'd like to have another session with you today,” Vic said, keeping his voice low, “and this time I'm going to insist on Ryley not being present.”
“Oh.” Asher frowned. “Alright.” He knew he'd feel more comfortable with Ryley being there, but Vic was the expert, so he'd just have to trust the man knew what he was doing.
After Ryley finished the dishes, Asher opted to try an excursion out into public, so Vic put his work away while Asher and Ryley got dressed, and they all headed out together.
He barely lasted an hour. It was all just so terrifying. He'd forgotten just how loud people could be. And there were so many of them. People everywhere.
Vic and Ryley rushed him back to the suite and got him calmed down, only for Ryley to change clothes and head back out, claiming the need for some overdue exercise. Standing on the room's balcony, Asher watched Ryley dash across the sand, and smiled. This was clearly Ryley's element. If the man was beautiful in bed, he was stunning now, loping gracefully along under the light of the suns, all those lean muscles shifting beneath his tanned skin.
When Ryley returned, he went to shower and catch a nap, so Vic used the opportunity to have Asher sit down for another therapy session.
The hotel suite was almost too quiet, especially being under the spotlight of Vic's direct attention. Asher fidgeted. He wanted Ryley sitting there beside him, but he knew Vic wouldn't allow it, even if Ryley weren't fast asleep.
Vic asked him how he was feeling, both in terms of their aborted outing in particular and his transition away from the island in general, then outlined some strategies for dealing with more of the same in the future. The more they talked, the more Asher hoped that he could really have a normal life again someday.
“Now,” Vic said after a pause, the shift in his tone putting Asher on alert, “I think I need to say something about Ryley.”
Asher frowned. “What about him?”
Vic hesitated, then said, “It's perfectly understandable that you feel…let's say…attached to him. He is the one who found you, after all.”
Asher nodded, even if he didn't think that 'attached' did the feeling justice.
Vic sat forward, holding out his hands. “I just want you to be careful, Asher. Ryley is…Well, he's not very down-to-earth. He doesn't take much of anything too seriously.” He paused, then added, “Including relationships.” He paused again. “I just don't want to see you get hurt, especially when you've got so much change going on in your life right now.”
Asher frowned again. “You think…what I'm feeling isn't real?” he asked. He sure thought it felt real, but maybe Vic had a point. Maybe circumstance was making the attraction into something it wasn't.
Vic hesitated again. “What are you feeling?”
“That's not quite what I meant by that, but…” Vic blew out a breath. “Alright, look: Your attachment to Ryley could very well be real and not just induced by circumstance. Just…be careful. Especially with him. And trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, then take a step back. Think about it. Talk to someone–”
“Why especially with him?” Asher asked, interrupting Vic.
Vic sighed. “Ryley and I–”
The bedroom door flew open and Ryley stumbled out, gasping for breath.
Vic shot to his feet. “Ry…”
Ryley whimpered. “Vic.”
Vic met him halfway and pulled Ryley into his arms. Ryley sagged against him, his whole body shaking as he burrowed in as close as he could get.
“Shhh,” Vic murmured, rocking him. “Just a dream, Ry. It's alright.”
Ryley whimpered again, and the light in the room seemed to dim for a moment before flaring back to life.
“Shhh, shhh, shhh. You're safe. It's alright. Just a bad dream. Count your breaths, Ry. It's alright.”
Asher sat perched on the edge of the couch, watching them. He'd been out of the world so long that he couldn't be sure, but this looked like old habit between the two men.
Were they together? Was that why Vic was warning him off Ryley? Asher frowned and shook his head. No, they couldn't be together. Wouldn't they have been sharing a room if they were? Besides, Vic saw Asher come out of Ryley's room that morning. Surely he would have had a very different reaction to that if Vic and Ryley were in a relationship.
Still, to look at them, something was clearly going on.
Ryley finally took a normal breath and let out a sigh, but Vic didn't move. He kept holding the man.
Asher fidgeted, wishing he were in Vic's place.
“You alright?” Vic murmured.
Ryley nodded against Vic's chest, and after another moment, he finally pulled away, sighing again. He turned and spotted Asher, a blush of embarrassment popping up on his cheeks before it gave way to a frown.
“Are you alright?” Ryley asked him.
“Yeah,” Asher said. “Why?”
Ryley pointed at him. “You're rubbing your knee like you're in pain.”
Asher went still and looked down. Sure enough, his hand was on his knee, his fingers digging into the muscles near the joint. He hadn't even realized he'd been doing so.
But, now that he thought about it, his knee was aching a bit.
He let his hand fall away and shrugged it off. “Yeah, I'm fine.”
“You sure?”
Asher shrugged again. “Just a twinge. It's nothing.”
“Ash.” Ryley took a few steps toward him. “Last night you said your hip was aching–” He broke off, blushing again, and very pointedly stopped himself from looking over his shoulder at Vic. “And now this,” he added.
Asher waved his hand dismissively. “Probably just lingering pain from when I got injured as a kid. It's no big deal.”
Ryley frowned at him, but said, “If you're sure…”
Asher nodded.
Vic stepped forward. “We'll get you to a doctor as soon as we get back, regardless. You really ought to have some sort of health checkup, considering the way you've lived all these years.”
Asher opened his mouth to argue, then gave in and nodded instead. The man had a point. Better to be practical and cautious, just in case. He never had gotten to finish all his physical therapy back then, after all.
Chapter 12
THAT NIGHT, Ryley watched Asher head for the washroom to take a shower. The man had been distant all afternoon, ever since his session with Vic while Ryley had been taking a nap. Ryley couldn't make sense of it. They'd been so close last night, and now Asher seemed to be avoiding contact with Ryley whenever possible.
He pulled away from Ryley's touch. Wouldn't sit too close to him on the couch. Barely responded when Ryley dropped obvious hints when Vic wasn't looking. How could things have changed so much in just a few hours? What the hells had he done wrong?
“Ryley?”
He looked up and saw Vic beckoning him toward the kitchen. Ryley got up and walked over, crossing his arms over his chest. “What's up?”
Vic studied him for a moment, then said, “I want you to back off with Asher.”
Ryley frowned. “What do you mean?”
Vic held up a hand. “Look. I'm not stupid. Clearly, something happened last night–”
“Vic,” Ryley sighed, his arms dropping to his sides.
“But it can't happen again.”
Ryley's frown returned. “What? Why not?”
“Ryley,” Vic said, almost fisting his hands, looking like he was fighting for patience. “Asher is in a delicate state right now. He's been through a lot. The last thing he needs is to have his emotions pulled in several directions by any sort of romantic affair, especially when he has no experience with such things.”
Ryley's jaw dropped, and he slowly shook his head. “You said all this to him, didn't you? That's why he's been acting funny all day?”
Vic nodded.
“What the hells, Vic? So what if Ash and I hooked up? We're both consenting individuals, right? I wanted it. He wanted it. What's so wrong with that?”
“What's wrong with that,” Vic said, his tone even but stern, “is that, for all intents and purposes, Asher isn't really mature enough to know what he's getting himself into. And you, being more experienced—by far—should know better than to put him at risk like this.”
“At risk for what?”
Vic paused, giving Ryley a look that said it should be obvious. “Heartbreak.”
Ryley barked a laugh. “Vic, we're just having fun, alright? We're enjoying ourselves. And I'd say the man has damned well earned some enjoyment in his life. The poor guy could use some play–”
“Ryley, this is not a game! This is a man's life, and it's fragile right now. Think of what he's been through, and what he's still going to go through before he can get back to any sort of normalcy. You can't just play with him and then toss him aside as it suits you. Not when his mental state is so precarious.”
“Who says I'm just playing with him?” Ryley demanded.
Vic tucked his chin and shot Ryley a dark look from under his eyelashes.
Ryley grimaced. He guessed he deserved that, at least from Vic, after what he'd done. Vic had every right to think Ryley was just messing around, using Asher like a meaningless hookup, just like he'd done with any number of guys over the years.
He liked Asher, but—if he were being honest with himself—Vic was right. Ryley just wanted to have a good time, and give Asher something good in his life for a change.
“I'm not trying to hurt him, Vic, I swear.”
Vic gave an exasperated sigh. “But you might–”
“You don't know that.”
“Ryley–” Vic barked, then pressed his hands together and huffed out a breath. “I swear to gods, Ry, for once in your life, would you think about how your behavior affects other people? Everything is such a fucking game to you. You screw around because you're having fun but you never stop to think that what you're doing might get other people hurt.”
“Fucking hells, Vic, I'm sorry! Alright? Once again, I'm sorry that I cheated on you. And I'll keep saying sorry until I'm blue in the face but that won't ever be enough–” Ryley broke off and squeezed his eyes shut. He was losing control, and he couldn't let that happen.
Inhale, one. Exhale, two. Inhale, three. He blew out the last breath and slowly opened his eyes.
From behind him, he heard Asher's voice: “How come the lights keep doing that?”
Vic gave Ryl
ey a look, so Ryley jabbed a finger at him. “Don't you even start.”
Vic held up his hands, and blessedly didn't say anything.
Ryley turned away and walked over to Asher, the man dressed in his pajamas while his hair was still damp from the shower. “It's nothing,” Ryley said. “Probably just some faulty electricity.” He paused and gave Asher a smile. “Wanna watch a movie?”
Asher shook his head. “I'm kinda tired.”
“Oh.” Ryley's smile wavered. “Alright.”
“It is getting late,” Vic agreed. “We should all get to bed.” He shot Ryley a look, then grabbed his phone and headed for his room. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight,” Asher called. He turned to face Ryley and raised his eyebrows in question.
“Oh, sorry.” Ryley jumped out of the way, realizing he was standing right in front of the couch, blocking Asher's path. Asher gave him a hint of a smile and laid out his blankets. Ryley watched him for a moment, then gave up and turned toward his room. “'Night, Ash.”
“'Night,” Asher called over his shoulder.
Ryley paused, watching the man, then sighed and shut the door. He shuffled over to the bed and flopped onto his back, groaning as he scrubbed his hands over his face. Why did Vic have to get in the way like that? What was so wrong with Ryley and Asher enjoying themselves while they could?
Ryley shook his head. He'd been so determined to win Vic back, but now all he could think about was Asher. Who would have thought that a perfect stranger—and a case, for that matter—could make him feel giddy and alive in a way he hadn't experienced in years?
Not to mention, horny. As fumbling and inexperienced as Asher had been the night before, getting off with him had been amazing. Ryley had been hoping, all day, for another round, but it didn't seem likely.
Not if Vic's words had turned the man against him.
Ryley sighed and shifted around in bed, trying to get comfortable, but all that served to do was create a light friction over his semi-hard cock as his underwear dragged against the sheets. Groaning, Ryley tossed the sheets back and kicked off his underwear. He grabbed his cock and gave it a few strokes, but he could already tell it wasn't going to be enough.