by A. D. Ellis
“And this time next year?” Rafa worried his lip.
“If everything goes as planned, we’ll be so busy with orders and island trips, we’ll barely have time to celebrate the holidays.” I traced my thumb along the lip he was chewing.
“No holiday celebrations?” Rafa pouted.
“We’ll celebrate, just us. I promise.”
Rafa smiled. “Deal.”
I pulled Rafa’s head to my chest and lay silently while the island continued to wake up around us.
“Why does this feel so right? Like I’ve known you forever?” Rafa’s words grumbled against my chest.
“Don’t know,” I whispered. “But it’s like kindred spirits you see in movies or works of fiction.”
“Yeah, completely.” Rafa agreed and then chuckled. “I think this definitely qualifies as a holiday miracle.”
I groaned. “You and your holiday miracles.”
“Come on, admit it, this has sappy made-for-television movie written all over it.” Rafa teased.
“Fine, it’s a holiday miracle.” I paused. “But only if we get off the island alive.”
Rafa sat up, eyes wide.
“I’m kidding, totally kidding.” I laughed and pulled him back to my chest.
WE SPENT the rest of our day lounging, walking the beach, exploring, and gathering more fruit.
By evening we were sweaty, sandy, and salty.
“You want to go to the pool and wash?” I asked as we finished our fruity meal.
“God yes, I feel grimy. Let’s wash our clothes too. Let them dry on the rocks or in the trees.” Rafa stripped his shirt over his head before sniffing at it. “It doesn’t smell horrible. I’m not sure if that means it’s not too bad, or if I stink so bad myself that I just don’t notice it.”
I chuckled and pulled him into my arms and sniffed at his neck. “Mmmm, you smell amazing to me.”
“Ewww, I’m sweaty and salty and have sand where sand should never be allowed.”
I licked along his collarbone. “Earthy and all man is all I smell and taste.” Desire shot through my veins. “I’ll gladly help you reach your sandy parts.”
Rafa rocked his hips against mine. “Okay, but at least let me rinse before you go diving into unknown crevices.”
“Deal.”
The water in the pool was just cool enough to be refreshing, but I hung to the rocky sides so I didn’t get in too deep. “I thought you were scared of deep water.” I watched Rafa swim to the middle of the spring.
“This water isn’t that deep. It’s so clear I can see the bottom.” Rafa floated out in the middle of the water. “How did you never learn to swim?”
“I was scared of water when I was small, like even bathtub water. Swimming just never happened.” I shrugged.
Rafa swam over by me. “I can teach you. At least how to float or tread water.”
My heart melted at the same time it also sank. “Do you really want a drowning along with being stuck on an island?”
Rafa scoffed. “I have tons of little cousins. I taught lots of them to tread water.”
“Okay, but if I die, I’m blaming you.” My insides quivered in anxious anticipation, but I trusted Rafa.
Twenty minutes later, while I wouldn’t be swimming in any competitions, I was at least able to tread water and doggy paddle from the middle to the edge without flailing my arms and sinking like a rock.
“Excellent!” Rafa cheered. “Now, swim to me for a reward.”
We made a game of treading water in the middle while we touched and kissed, and then Rafa would swim to the side and make me come to him to get a reward of more kisses and caresses.
“Maybe I would have learned to swim a long time ago if making out with a hot guy had been the incentive.” I traced my tongue along his shoulder and licked up the water droplets as they fell from his hair.
“Yeah, because kissing is a lot better incentive than, I don’t know, not drowning.” Rafa elbowed me, and we both laughed.
“Well, now that I’m not going to drown, what should we do with our pool time?” I trailed my fingers down Rafa’s stomach, playing with the sprinkling of hair.
“I mean, since we are exploring how to make the most of a bad situation, I feel like we should make the best of our water time. We’re all clean and refreshed. Whatever should we do?” Rafa’s words were gruff against my ear as he thrust his quickly stiffening cock into my hand.
“Pretty sure we can figure something out,” I whispered before gripping his dick and swallowing his moan with a kiss. I shifted to sit on a rocky ledge of the pool and gasped when Rafa spread his legs to straddle my lap. Our cocks jutted up, trapped between our bodies as water lapped around us. “Should we take this back to the fire?”
Rafa nodded against my neck.
We climbed from the water and gathered our washed and damp clothing.
“Want a ride?” I offered my back to Rafa, trying to ignore the fact we were both sporting massive hard-ons in the middle of an island jungle.
Rafa smiled and hefted himself up on my back. “Onward good steed.” He groaned and shifted. “Being wet, turned on, and trying to ride you isn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Oh, I’ll make riding me easy on you. Someday.” I stroked his ankles as I held his legs around my waist and headed toward the fire.
“Fuck, don’t say things like that.” Rafa chuckled and whispered breathlessly in my ear, “I can think of much easier ways to ride you. We’ll have to practice once we’re off the island.”
“Deal.” I walked to the edge of the fire and helped Rafa slide down from my back. “There was some sort of sheet in the shelter. Let’s spread it out tonight so we’re not right on the ground.”
“Yeah, a wet spot on the ground could get muddy.” Rafa’s eyes were bright in the firelight, and he laughed at his own joke.
I brought the sheet from the house. It wasn’t in the best shape, but it was at least some protection from the dirt. I spread it on the ground, settled myself, and looked to Rafa.
He scrambled to the ground beside me. Rafa cupped my cheek and kissed me. “Where were we?”
I shifted our bodies so we were on our sides, facing each other and reached for his dick. “Mmm, pretty sure we were right here.” I ran my thumb through the wetness on his head and stroked him slowly.
Rafa groaned into my mouth, took my cock in his warm hand, and began to stroke in the same rhythm as me. He bent a knee and propped his top leg up, allowing me more access.
I mirrored his movement before reaching to cup his balls. After playing for a minute, I offered my finger to Rafa and moaned when he sucked it deep into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it until it was dripping wet. After trailing my wet touch down to his ass, I teased his hole and imagined how sweet it would be when I could make Rafa cry out with my cock buried deep in his body. Until then, we’d have fun playing.
Rafa let go of my throbbing length long enough to slick his tongue all over his hand before reaching back down to grip me again.
Spit, precum, and water droplets from our earlier swim.
Heat from the fire; heat from the desire between us.
Salty ocean air, fire smoke, and the scent of our bodies.
Crashing waves, wild animals, crackling fire, and our breathless moans.
No words were needed as Rafa and I kissed, teased, stroked, and brought each other to the perfect release.
We lay in the warm glow of the fire, shuddering, breathing hard, and coming back to earth.
“We should probably clean up before the fire bakes the sticky on permanently.” I suggested.
Rafa snorted. “Yeah, baked-on cum is never a good idea.”
I pulled myself up from the ground and shuffled to the house. I grabbed the one sad excuse for a washcloth and returned to the fire. “Not exactly the best, but it will do.” I poured some water from our bucket onto the cloth and tossed it to Rafa.
Once we were both cleaned up, we curled up t
ogether on the tattered old sheet. I pulled Rafa close to my chest and kissed the side of his face and neck. “I could get used to this.”
“Me too.” Rafa sighed sleepily and wiggled his ass against me.
We fell asleep with the song of the island as our lullaby.
Chapter 6
Rafa
THEIR VOICES pierced my dreams, my dad and brother shifting even that hiding place into a nightmare.
“Disgusting. Should have just left him lost.” Caesar’s voice was close and very real.
Lucas’s arms tightened around me. “Huh?” his sleepy voice asked.
I startled into complete wakefulness when I realized Lucas had heard the words as well.
“Well, lookie there. The dirty little fags are awake.” Caesar sneered his words. “Get the fuck up and get dressed. No one wants to see this shit.”
“Dad? Caesar?” I blinked up at the forms of my dad and brother standing over me and Lucas. In the jungle. On the island. “Are you guys really here?”
“Someone has to come save your ass.” Caesar’s words dripped with disgust.
“The boat you stole from me was found and reported to the authorities.” My dad’s voice was tight; I felt the anger behind his words. “Imagine my disappointment.”
“I’m sure you mean imagine your dismay and fear to know your son was possibly lost and in danger,” Lucas growled as he stood and pulled me up to take my place beside him.
“I’m sure I mean nothing of the sort.” Father’s lip curled. “Rafael has always been a lacking disappointment, but to add the embarrassment of theft and getting himself lost? I can only hope that the authorities don’t catch wind of the compromising situation we just discovered.”
Lucas had pulled on his pants and tossed me my shorts. I slipped them on before covering up with my shirt. Lucas did the same.
“I’m sure finding your grown son in an intimate situation isn’t the worst thing in the world,” Lucas bit out.
“Come on, Dad, you walked in on Caesar and Angelica more times than I can count when they were in high school. It’s not like you’re a total prude.” I attempted to calm my father down, but I knew from the way his jaw clinched that it wasn’t going to work.
“Finding my older son in a totally natural and acceptable relationship is one thing.” Dad gestured at Lucas and me. “Finding this is disgusting and completely inappropriate. You know my beliefs, Rafael.”
“Yeah, Dad.” I sighed. “And you know who I am. I’m not going to hide the real me to protect your beliefs.”
“Then don’t expect to work for us any longer, faggot.” Spittle flew from Caesar’s lips.
“Caesar, that’s not your decision to make.” Dad looked at me and crossed his arms. “Rafael has the option to stay in the family business. He can work off the theft, eventually. Maybe one day prove himself and get a promotion.”
“Requirements?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“No more of this homosexual nonsense. No more art. You spend time within the family. The end. Period.” Dad cocked his head. “You’ll have a place to stay because your mother and grandmother demand it. You’ll make enough money for clothes and some niceties. It’s a fine deal.”
“And if I turn down this deal?”
“Then you’re not as intelligent as you claim to be,” Dad answered. “You’ll be out. Out on your ass. No place to stay, despite what your mother says. No money, no family.”
“You can’t keep me away from my family or them away from me.” I jutted my jaw in challenge.
“Perhaps. But sides will be taken. And you’d be responsible for that divide.” Dad played on my sense of guilt and loyalty.
“I guess it’s a chance I’ll have to take.” I shrugged. “We’ve been stuck here for a bit. We’d like to get back to the mainland. Are you guys willing to transport us back?” I was done with the conversation.
Dad narrowed his eyes and Caesar laughed.
“You’d turn your back on your responsibilities, your family? You’d do that to your mother and grandmother? At the holidays?” Dad scoffed and worked the guilt angle.
“I’m nothing to you and Caesar. The family business will never be even partially mine. The moment you die, Caesar will drop me.” I felt stronger than I ever had, even with fatigue and the unknown creeping just at the edge of my mind. That strength intensified when Lucas took my hand, and nearly exploded when Dad and Caesar looked like they were about to puke. “Mom and Grandma and any other family who matters will keep in touch. Anyone else isn’t important. Holiday time or not, I’m done being treated like shit by the two of you. I’ve got talent and dreams. I plan to use my skills and pursue my dreams.”
Dad shook his head, and Caesar smiled, just a little, but one that spoke how he’d gotten exactly what he wanted.
“Don’t come crawling back. You do this, and you’re dead to me.” Dad turned toward the beach. “We’re leaving. If you want off this island, this is your one and only chance.”
“I say we leave them here.” Caesar looked at his watch, already moving on, somewhere better to be.
“While I’d gladly leave them to rot in their sin, I love your mother too much to leave her favorite here,” Dad grumbled as he continued to walk away.
“I think that’s the only compliment he’s ever given me,” I whispered to Lucas as Caesar sputtered and hurried to catch up with Dad.
“You were amazing.” Lucas kissed me. “We better go. I don’t know if we’ll get another chance to get home.”
“Home.” The realization of my situation hit me as I watched Lucas rush to gather his bag and tools. “I don’t really have one of those.”
“You can stay with me. No matter what.” Lucas put his arm around my shoulders, and we headed toward Dad’s boat. “I’ve got your back no matter what happens between us.”
My heart swelled and my eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. And I promise we’ll get your stuff from the boat.”
Lucas and I took our seats as the boat roared to life.
“Is it weird to feel a little sad about leaving?” I knew it was stupid.
“If it is, then I’m weird too.” Lucas pulled me close. “I enjoyed our time. You know, since we didn’t die.”
I chuckled along with him.
“How the hell did you lose the boat, dumbass?” Caesar came over to torment us.
I opened my mouth, but Lucas cut me off. “That was totally my fault. I didn’t anchor the boat right. Thought I knew what I was doing, but clearly I’m the dumbass.”
I started to protest, but Lucas’s elbow in my side silenced me.
Caesar curled his lip. “Who are you anyway?”
“I’m one of the contractors looking to work for your company.” Lucas cocked his head. “I was running late, and Rafa was kind enough to offer me a ride since I missed leaving with the rest of the crew.”
Caesar’s laugh was nasty. “Sucks to be you.”
“Actually, getting lost and stuck on that island may be the all-time best thing to ever happen to me.” Lucas shrugged and pulled me as close as he could. “It for sure saved me the nightmare of working for assholes.”
Caesar huffed before returning to Dad’s side.
When we docked, Caesar flipped me off and walked away.
Dad looked like he’d taken a bite of lemon. “Last chance.”
“I’m good. Thanks,” I quipped.
“Where will you go?” Dad cleared his throat. “Your mother will want to know.”
“He’ll be with me. I’ve offered him a place to stay for a while. We’ve got some business to discuss.” Lucas drew himself up to his full height. “He’ll contact the family who needs to know where he’s staying.”
“Why?” Dad sputtered.
“Because he’s loyal to those who love him?” Lucas frowned.
“No, why would you take him in and discuss business with him? He’s never done a single thing worthwhile.” Dad gestured toward me with a flip of his hand as he shoo
k his head.
Lucas took a step forward, forcing my dad to look up to him. “Because he’s an amazingly talented, intelligent, and caring man who I think would be a great asset to my business and in my life if he’ll have me.”
“Let’s see how you feel when the novelty of your little island adventure wears off,” Dad scoffed.
“Whether I’m with Lucas personally or in business, I have talent and skills, and I can take care of myself. Being stuck on that island was the push I needed to see that.” I shook my head and took comfort in my hand cuddled in Lucas’s bigger, warmer hand. “Tell Mom I’ll contact her once I’m settled. We’ll start our own holiday traditions without the tension and hatred.”
Dad’s disgust showed on his face, but he simply nodded and walked away.
“That was amazing.” Lucas leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Let’s get home.”
We walked toward the marina parking lot hand in hand. “Thank you.” I raised our hands and kissed the back of his.
“For what?” Lucas smiled down at me.
“For being my holiday miracle, duh.” I winked.
Lucas threw his head back in laughter.
As we drove toward his house, I couldn’t help but be excited about the bigger picture we were facing. A woodworking and art business, an island excursion adventure business, and our own return to Holiday Island where it all began. My future looked bright for the first time I could ever recall. All thanks to a big burly carpenter, a runaway boat, and my terrible sense of direction.
And a holiday miracle, of course.
A.D. ELLIS is an Indiana girl, born and raised. She spends much of her time in central Indiana teaching alternative education in the inner city of Indianapolis, being a mom to two amazing school-aged children, and wondering how she and her husband of almost two decades have managed to not drive each other insane. A lot of her time is also devoted to phone call avoidance and her hatred of cooking.