Beneath the Current

by Taylor Ryan

  Shawn knew Casey had been nervous about meeting his family, but Shawn hadn't been concerned at all.

  ****

  "So this is the young man who finally tamed you," his father had greeted Casey with a wide smile.

  Casey shifted uneasily on his feet, still not that comfortable around other people. Even just their short forays into town had Casey tense and anxious. Shawn wasn't sure why, everyone they ran into had been welcoming—only a couple of people had even looked at them with any hint of disdain, but they were few and far between—not that they went into town very often. But it had only been a month since Martin's death, and Casey was still a bit jumpy that someone might suddenly snatch him away to a little tank in a science lab like Martin had tried to do.

  "Well, I'm so happy to finally meet you," Shawn's mom gushed, reaching for Casey so quickly Shawn felt Casey flinch. Shawn clenched his jaw at the thought of why Casey reacted so strongly around anyone but himself. Fucking Martin. His mom faltered slightly, surprised by Casey's reaction, but Casey quickly smiled and took a small step closer.

  Mrs. Brockton carefully wrapped her arms around his boyfriend, and Casey relaxed.

  "It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Brockton," Casey said rather formally before turning to Shawn's father. "And you too, Mr. Brockton."

  "Oh, screw that, call me David," Mr. Brockton laughed, pulling Casey into a man-clench. "You're family now."

  "This is soooo cool!" A shrill voice from the kitchen called. Shawn's younger sister bounced excitedly at the back door. She was only sixteen, so he hadn't gotten to see her much after he'd moved out several years ago, but Jennifer was his little sister and he loved her to death. Her exuberance and squeals of excitement, though, were quickly pricking his limits.

  Casey, however, seemed to find Jennifer's zeal fascinating, and Shawn watched as Casey's worry and anxiety slowly melted away in the face of how accepting Shawn's family really was. Shawn had tried to tell him that he had nothing to worry about, but of course it hadn't worked.

  He grinned as his sister bounded back over to them. "Can I go swimming now? Oh, god, the water is so blue. And clear! And... Please? Oh, wait..." She stopped mid-bounce and whipped out her phone, "I've got to tell Hailey! She's going to be sooo jealous!"

  Jennifer turned back to the deck and started snapping pictures of the turquoise waters before her thumbs flew over the keys to send the pics off to her friends.

  The rest of them just laughed. "Well, I think Jenn is fine hanging out here for a bit," Shawn mused.

  "We're all so glad that you invited us, son." David Brockton laid a heavy hand on Shawn's shoulder. "I know you didn't come out here under the best of circumstances, but, well, I think it's turned out better than anyone could ever have hoped."

  "Definitely," Shawn replied, squeezing Casey's hand.

  "We're going to miss having you so close, though," his mom sighed. "But it's enough to know you've finally found the right one."

  And he had, of that he was certain.

  ****

  Shawn looked down at the man kneeling at his feet, and he couldn't mistake the look in those beautiful gray eyes for anything other than love.

  Shawn followed the sleek lines of Casey's bare torso, muscles rippling under sun-kissed skin as Casey leaned over his lap. He sucked in a sharp breath as warm, moist heat enveloped his thickening cock. Casey's deft tongue swirled around the tip before taking in the entire length of Shawn's engorged member.

  "Oh fuck," Shawn gasped, wrapping his fingers in the silky blond hair. He couldn't stop his hips from thrusting up into that inviting mouth. And when Casey engulfed him completely, surely blocking his airway, Shawn had a moment of loving Casey's ability to hold his breath longer than most. As Casey swallowed around him, squeezing his cock with his throat, Shawn nearly came right then.

  "Get up here," he growled, tugging gently at the hair entangled in his fingers. Casey crawled from the floor with a sly grin on his face, his body sliding against Shawn's seductively. Shawn cupped the tight buttocks, guiding Casey to his lap. He crashed his lips to Casey's, devouring the man in a deep kiss. Casey's teeth gnashed against his in their fight for dominance. Then Shawn felt the tip of his slick cock nudging at Casey's puckered hole as Casey abruptly reared back, sinking down over his arousal in one thrust.

  Shawn gasped as Casey's tight heat squeezed his cock, shocked by the abrupt sheathing. Casey had obviously prepared himself for this, expecting Shawn to give in to him. "Oh, God, Case!"

  "Shawn!" Casey gripped his shoulders as the pleasure of being filled gripped him.

  Then Casey began to move, and Shawn found himself trying to hold back his orgasm. Shawn couldn't help thrusting up and meeting Casey's slow slide down his cock. When Casey's breathing became harsh and his nails dug into his shoulders, Shawn knew Casey was close too. He reached between them and took a hold of Casey's leaking cock.

  He brushed his thumb through the slickness at the tip, eliciting a soft hiss as Casey increased his pace. As Shawn pumped Casey's cock, he felt the tremors of Casey's approaching orgasm. Casey gasped, crying out as he spilled over Shawn's tanned abs.

  As Casey came, Shawn felt those tight walls clamp around him, spasming in his ecstasy, and dragging Shawn over the edge as well. White, hot jets of cum pulsed into his love, and Shawn clutched him closer.

  Casey collapsed against him, and Shawn reveled in the feel of the man he loved in his arms.

  "Come with me," Casey whispered against his neck.

  "Didn't I just do that already?" Shawn joked.

  Casey laughed, "Smart ass. You know what I meant."

  Shawn smiled at the sparkle in Casey's eyes as he allowed himself to be pulled up. He yanked off his own shorts, briefly wiping away some of the mess on his stomach. He slipped on his swim trunks that were still drying on the back of one of the kitchen chairs and grabbed his snorkel before following Casey outside and down the path to the beach.

  He loved watching the ripple of Casey's skin over the taut muscles as he walked toward the waters. Swimming with Casey had taken on a whole new depth. Now that Casey was free to allow his mer half out in front of Shawn, there was now an exciting, carefree, playful side to the man he loved.

  Shawn often used a snorkel and flippers to keep up with Casey as much as he could, but Casey never left him behind. And he never felt safer in the water than he did when he was with his beautiful merman. Even the thought of sharks or other predators didn't scare him anymore because he knew Casey would keep him safe, just like he was determined to keep Casey safe from the rest of the world.

  He stood in the surf as he watched his man dive into the waters, shifting flawlessly and gliding out to wait for him. He could watch Casey's long sleek, hybrid body skimming through the waters forever. It was beautiful and amazing.

  "Come on!" Casey called as he surfaced, flipping his head and flinging water from his golden locks.

  Shawn donned his snorkel and clumsily waded in far enough to be able to finally swim toward his man. Casey immediately grabbed his hand and began dragging him along. Shawn let himself be pulled through the waters, watching in awe, as he always did, the wonders beneath the surface. The darting of tiny fish, the coral and anemone, the urchins and starfish... so many things he'd never taken the time to really notice before. But now, under Casey's tutelage, he saw everything, and it was incredible.

  "Look, they're back." Casey beamed, pointing out over the waters.

  Shawn lifted his mask to see more clearly what Casey was pointing at. Oh, man, he breathed in awe.

  A pod of dolphins was frolicking in the waves, clicking and jumping playfully. Shawn grinned back at Casey, who smiled before issuing a series of clicking noises himself.

  The pod turned in their direction, and Shawn found himself stunned again at how Casey could do that. He had a moment of apprehension when the large mammals brushed up against him, but they just nudged him gently and he laughed as he stroked his hand over their smooth, rubbery skin. It was just like Case
y's tail.

  "They're beautiful, aren't they?" Casey beamed proudly, as he stroked the head of one sleek mammal.

  Shawn smirked. "Not as beautiful as you are."

  About the Author

  Taylor Ryan is the pen name for Sharon Hunter's M/M novels. She also writes young adult fiction as well. She lives in the northeast with her two daughters and her husband as well as their many sugar gliders. She loves reading as much as she loves to write, and she also works as an editor for other authors.

  Other Works

  Tears of the Neko-- A younger brother buys his brother, the Duke and heir to the throne, a surprising gift for his brother's birthday--a young, very skittish neko slave. But Damien has no use for a personal slave. However, a bet with his two younger brothers has Damien keeping the boy at his side as a matter of pride. When attempts on his life begin, Damien discovers just how protective the cat-like human can be.

  A Dash of Neko--a series of short, mostly humorous, stories that occur between the first and second book of the Neko series.

  Blood of the Neko --In the sequel to Tears of the Neko, Damien, the duke of Marsten, must journey to the mines to deal with a problematic overseer. When his feline lover, Kayden, comes face to face with nightmares from his past, will he be strong enough to survive them, or will he fall prey to his fears and their resolve to draw the Blood of the Neko?

  All In--When Jason agreed to basically babysit his friend's step-brother, he knew the kid was a temperamental brat--I mean, Brad had told him that the kid had even tried to kill him, so the hateful attitude didn't surprise him. Unfortunately, what he didn't expect was a sixteen year old mute whose anger was born from something much darker than just disliking his stepbrother. And finding out what that is pushes Jason to fold or go all in.

  Coming Soon

  Lie of the Serpent--When Bryan finally finds the man he wants to be with forever, he thinks his life will be perfect. But it's taken time to convince not only Wyatt that he's sincere, but his own mother as well. Between Wyatt's anxiety to trust again after a brutal breakup with an ex, the ex still trying to wreck havoc in Wyatt's life, and Bryan's own mother's doubts, Bryan is over-stressed. So when Wyatt disappears days after their engagement, he's left devastated and confused.