Friends, Sexcapades, And Love Affairs - 16. Friends

Chapter Sixteen – Friends

“So,” Adrian drawled playfully, “what have you been up to, J? I can feel it in your voice.”

Jared straightened up and winced at the dull ache in the lower part of his body while adjusting the phone to his ear. “Are you a psychic now, Adrian?”

“Hey, you sound sleepy but pleased. You either landed a job with National Geographic, or you got laid.”

“Yeah, right. I’m already on my way to Alaska, to take photos of … what do they have there? Reindeers? You know I’m more of a portrait guy.”

“Yeah, I know,” Adrian replied, sure of himself. “And that leaves us with my second guess. You got properly laid.”

Jared laughed. Damn, he was giggling now? Geez, good sex had some serious side effects. “Yeah, I guess I got laid,” he said and stretched like a lazy cat.

“Wow. Nice. So, who was it?”

“Just a one-night-stand. No one important.”

“I thought you didn’t want one-night-stands anymore.”

“Usually, I don’t. But this one hit the spot just right.”

“I guess so. You’re giggling.”

“Yeah. So, what are you up to later? I’ll call Mike, too.”

“Sure. I just wanted to check on you. You seemed down lately and all.”

Jared cleared his voice. “I know. I would never want to make you, guys, to feel down, too.”

“You could never,” Adrian assured him. “So, that means you’re over that scumbag, right?”

“I might be. I guess it only took a cowboy and a proper ride to get him out of my system.”

That was not entirely true, but Jared didn’t want to linger on those thoughts by telling them all to his friend. As soon as his mind took that path, there was a mix of anger and sadness threatening to take over his sanity. He didn’t want that. He wanted to be strong.

“Wow, a cowboy, nice. Like a real cowboy, though?”

“I don’t know. He definitely looked the part. Hat, and boots, and a charming drawl.”

“So, are you going to see this guy again or what? He sounds swell.”

“No,” Jared said with conviction. “It was just a one-night-stand.”

“Does he know it?” Adrian joked.

“Sure thing, he knows it.” A discreet ping let him know he had a call in waiting. “Hold on, Adrian, there’s someone else trying to call me.”

“It’s all right. See you later, J. And you’ll tell us all the juicy details of your one-night-stand.”

Adrian said goodbye, and Jared took the other call right away without checking the caller ID. It could be Sam with some work. Getting buried in some new project sounded like a good idea to take his mind off things.

“Hi.”

The sexy twang made him stop. “Oh, hi,” he replied, without hiding his surprise.

“I was wondering what you might be doing tonight,” Shane said, without any other preamble.

“Oh, just hanging out with friends,” Jared replied.

“Mike and Adrian, right?”

Shane remembered the names of his friends. Jared was even more surprised. “Yes, they’re my homeboys.”

“Would you mind if I hanged out with you and your friends, too?”

Now that was a straightforward question. Jared wasn’t prepared for it. “Don’t you have friends you like to hang out? So sorry, that came out wrong.”

“No worries.” Shane chuckled. “My friends like to hang out in the same places. It gets boring after a while. I want to see new places, new people.”

Jared realized that moment that he knew very little of Shane and what he was doing. “You’re new to the city, right?”

“Yeah, you read me right.”

“Then, I guess I could introduce you to some venues. And to my friends, of course.”

Hanging out wasn’t hooking up. Plus, Mike and Adrian would be present. But what if they didn’t like the idea of having an outsider with them? Ugh, he should have started with that.

“So, tonight? When and where?” Shane asked directly.

“We kind of have the same routine.” Jared recited the bar address and hour. Could it be that he was making a mistake? But Shane seemed so easygoing; he would read the signs correctly. Plus, bringing a guy like that to the bar where he liked to hang out with Adrian and Mike would surely work out in Shane’s favor. Jared could bet that, by the end of the evening, Shane would have enough numbers in his pocket to fill a phonebook.

“So, what were you doing?” Shane asked, the teasing in his voice obvious from outer space.

“Just some work,” Jared replied, trying to be evasive.

“What do you do?”

“I’m a freelance photographer.”

“Wow, that’s so cool. That’s why you were looking at the pictures last night, right? What did you think of them?”

Jared stopped to think for a moment. “I’m no critic, but I’d say they’re pretty good. What am I saying? They’re stunning. Whoever took those pictures must really love horses. Do you happen to know the artist?”

“Yeah. My brother,” Shane replied.

“He has a gift; I’d say,” Jared said.

“What do you like to take pictures of?” Shane asked, cutting his words with a sudden urgency.

“I’m not that big of a nature lover. I prefer portraits. And they pay well because let’s face it, a lot of people love to look good in photos,” Jared said with a small chuckle. “You wouldn’t believe some of the stories – But I shouldn’t keep you. You must have work to do. I know I do.”

“Sorry for bothering you,” Shane said politely. “I’ll see you tonight, then?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Can’t wait to see you again.”

Jared managed a small nervous laugh. Was it customary to invite your one-night-stands to meet your best friends? He let out a sigh. Maybe not, but Shane would find someone to go home with tonight, without a doubt. He was charming, handsome, and polite—just the kind of guy to bring home to mom and dad.

“Sure,” he replied. “See you. Bye.”

Shane sounded a tad surprised at his abrupt manner, but he replied to his goodbye without another word. Jared put his phone on the nightstand like it was a grenade. Now he needed to tell Adrian and Mike that they would have someone else with them tonight.

***

“So, let me get this straight,” Adrian said as he brought the beers to the table, “Mike already knows the guy? How come I don’t?”

“We went to a bar where they danced in line like in those cowboy movies,” Mike tried to explain. “And this guy just couldn’t take his eyes off Jared. And Jared kept eyeing him, too.”

“I did not,” Jared protested.

“Right. You knew right away that he danced with some girl.”

“True,” Jared admitted. “What can I say? He’s nice to look at.”

“So when did you two get together?” Mike asked. “I thought you were adamant about not getting, you know, back into the saddle so fast.”

Jared sighed. “It was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. Chris’s husband came to see me --”

“Chris’s husband?!” Adrian and Mike asked at the same time, expressing their surprise out loud.

“Yeah. Imagine my surprise. I was at this event, displaying some of my work, and he came straight at me.”

“That must have been one hell of a conversation,” Adrian said, his eyes never leaving Jared.

“You think?” Jared replied with a snort. “Can you believe that he’s all right with his husband’s sleeping around? He also put me through some lecture about how I don’t know shit about how the world works. And low-key insulted me, because, hey, why not, right?” Jared kept his eyes on the bottle of beer in front of him, trying to peel the label with the nails of his thumb fingers.

Adrian placed a comforting hand on his back. “J, just screw them. They’re nothing to you. If they like to fool around, that’s their business. And you have nothing to worry about. You’re cool, man. You’re sexy, funny, and an awesome guy all around.”

“Ditto,” Mike added and raised his bottle. “Don’t let some douchebag bring you down. You’re much better than them.”

“Thank you, guys,” Jared said and hooked his arms over his friends’ shoulders for a group hug. As he enjoyed having his best friends close, he noticed Shane walking into the bar and looking around.

“And here comes Shane, and I hope you, guys, don’t mind having a forth with us tonight.”

Adrian was the first to notice Shane. He whistled appreciatively. “What a hunk, J. Good job, man.”

“He’s here only to hang out,” Jared said quickly.

As he suspected, Shane’s presence in the bar didn’t go unnoticed. A guy approached Shane, obviously trying to make conversation. By body language, Jared could tell the guy was getting shut down, but gently. Shane tipped his hat to him, and then, he noticed Jared, who quickly raised one arm to wave at him.

Even from a distance, Jared could tell that a bright smile had lit Shane’s face. He smiled, too, but his lips became strained. What could he do to stick to being polite, while making it clear that he wasn’t up for another one-night-stand?

Why was he thinking in such convoluted ways? Shane wanted to hang out because he didn’t have many friends he could hang out in gay bars like this one. That was all.

“Hey,” Shane said warmly.

To his surprise, Shane leaned in, and before Jared could react, he placed a quick peck on his cheek. It landed there only because Jared was quick enough to move his mouth out of the way. The moment of awkwardness was gone soon.

“Hi, Mike,” Shane said and shook hands with Mike. “And you must be Adrian. The best friend who doesn’t cry when cutting onions.”

Adrian took Shane’s hand and shook it vigorously. Jared eyed them carefully and pursed his lips when Adrian winked at him. “Cutting onions? I wonder what crazy stories Jared told you about us.”

“Not that many, unfortunately,” Shane said.

Mike moved to another seat and gestured for Shane to sit next to Jared. At the same time, he clearly ignored Jared’s pointed look. Shane sat and hooked one arm over the back of Jared’s seat like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I don’t know what you’re drinking, but we all got beers, so we thought you wouldn’t mind,” Adrian said.

Shane took the beer bottle in front of him and held it up. “It couldn’t be better. To new friends and beginnings.”

Adrian and Mike followed his example, and Jared did the same. His eyes couldn’t leave Shane. He was really handsome. Too bad none of that was for him. He just wasn’t in a good place.

“So, you’re a bit of a mystery man,” Adrian said. “We only know that your name is Shane, and you have a knack for flannels.”

Shane laughed. “We, I mean, Jared and I, didn’t have enough time to talk.”

“Too busy getting acquainted in other ways, right?”

“Adrian,” Jared whispered angrily.

Adrian ignored him completely.

Shane chuckled and ran one hand over his face. “A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”

“Good thing, Jared is no gentleman. He already brought us up to speed. So, I was just checking.”

Jared punched Adrian hard in the shoulder. “Adrian, I swear to God --”

“I’m just joking. He just told us that he met this awesome guy and wanted us to know him,” Adrian said.

Jared pinched Adrian’s bicep through the shirt, hoping that he would leave a bruise. Adrian just pulled his arm away.

“He did, huh?” Shane looked at Jared, his eyes at half-mast. “Did you really tell your friends I was awesome?”

Jared blushed to the tip of his ears. “You, guys.” His eyes thinned dangerously.

“What kind of cowboy are you, Shane?” Mike intervened, saving the situation.

“I think I must be the retired kind,” Shane replied with a small laugh.

“So, you are a cowboy!” Mike said excitedly. “Do you know how to ride a horse?”

“Yeah,” Shane admitted. “But not only that. I know a lot of things about herding cattle, but I don’t think you want to hear me babbling about my life on the farm.”

“We don’t mind,” Mike replied. “You’re the first real cowboy I see in my life. Being a city kid and all.”

“Guys, stop pestering Shane,” Jared intervened. “He’s here to learn about new things, see new places, new people --”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is it that you do now?” Adrian asked. “Since you left your wrangling days behind you.”

“I don’t mind. I had some money saved, so now I’m running a pub. Nothing fancy, just a place where people can come and unwind at the end of a hard day at work.”

Jared’s eyes grew big. This time, he pushed against Shane’s chest to express his annoyance. “That place is yours?”

Shane nodded with a playful grin on his lips.

“I have an open tab, this is not a gay bar, although some guys might be,” Jared mocked, transforming his voice to sound annoying.

“You didn’t let me tell you anything,” Shane said. “And I couldn’t tell you ‘no’, to anything, since you were so hot and worked up.”

Adrian and Mike snickered.

“This was just such a bad idea,” Jared murmured under his breath. “Even you, Mike?”

“Sorry,” Mike said and giggled some more.

“That’s a great thing about the pub, I mean,” Adrian said. “But it is a tough market. There’s nothing this city hasn’t seen before.”

“I think I got my angle right. I have some authentic tequila suppliers that don’t sell their merchandise around here.”

“That tequila was awesome,” Jared admitted. “You guys should try it, at least once.”

“I’ll bring you some bottles. No charge.”

Adrian smiled and winked at Jared again. “This guy’s totally a keeper, J.”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Aren’t you, guys, assuming too much? Shane is here to make new friends, not to get stuck with whoever happened to --” he choked on his words. What was it that he wanted to say? Whoever happened to jump in bed with Shane? What that what he meant? Adrian and Mike clearly weren’t helping. He needed to make things clear. He didn’t know how, but he needed to.

“I saw that someone tried to talk to you when you walked into the bar,” Jared said and looked at Shane.

“Yeah. A friendly fellow. He wanted to know if I was single. I told him I wasn’t.”

“I thought you told me you got no boyfriend.” Jared frowned.

Shane stared at him and blinked. “I did.”

“Then?” Jared asked impatiently. “Some time, between yesterday evening and today, you got one?”

Shane appeared disoriented like a deer caught in the headlights. Mike and Adrian were observing the scene without saying a word. “I thought I did,” Shane replied candidly.

Jared pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Are you talking about me?”

“Yeah,” Shane said.

“I’m not your boyfriend,” Jared said abruptly. “I mean, I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but we just --” he threw a nervous look at Mike and Adrian, who both wore deep frowns on their face, “we just hooked up. Nothing else.”

“Oh,” Shane replied, taken aback. “Do you do this often? Hook up?”

“Are you calling me a --” Jared swallowed his words. Shane wasn’t entirely at fault. He should have made things clear on the phone, or when he had left in the morning.

“I’m not calling you anything,” Shane said, and he appeared hurt. “I just thought, I mean, I thought you liked me. Why else would you call? And then, come to my place and --”

“I get it,” Jared put one hand up. He couldn’t believe he had that conversation in front of his best friends. “It’s my fault. I had no idea you would consider it something more serious than a one-night-stand. I should have made it all clear, so it’s my fault. Entirely. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad and --”

“It’s okay,” Shane stopped the cascade of words flowing from his mouth. “I misread the situation, is all.”

Jared sighed. Mike and Adrian were still looking at him like he suddenly grew horns. “Well, then that’s that. You’re still welcome to hang out with us. Or you can look around, see if that friendly guy is still here. You might want to --”

“No,” Shane said shortly. “It was nice to meet you. Adrian, Mike. How much do I owe you for the beer?”

“Don’t worry, man,” Adrian said. “It’s all good.”

“It was nice to see you again, Shane,” Mike added.

“I’ll let you guys enjoy your evening,” Shane said and stood up, somewhat stiffly. “Have a good night.”

Perplexity was too small a word to describe what Jared was going through. Shane turned his back on him, without addressing him a word, not even goodbye. He watched him walked out of the bar with big, heavy steps.

“Wow, Jared, I didn’t know you could be … what’s the word?” Mike struggled. “Callous?”

“A scumbag,” Adrian said and crossed his arms over his chest. “What the hell was that, J? Huh? Did Chris’s douchebaggery rub off on you or something?”

“What are you guys talking about? I just needed to make it clear to Shane that we only hooked up. There was no point to --”

“What? Be nice to the guy?” Adrian asked aggressively.

Jared was taken aback. “Come on, Adrian. Until yesterday, you were the king of hookups.”

“Yeah, I was. Not you,” Adrian pointed out. “And what’s not to like about this guy? He’s totally boyfriend material, and you blew it just because you wanted to be a scumbag for a change, for reasons I don’t understand.”

“Wow, dad,” Jared said. “Since when are you judging me?”

The last time he had gotten into a fight with Adrian, it must have been when they were still in kindergarten. After that, they had both cried so much that their parents had had to force them to make up. Adrian never talked to him like that, never.

“What about you, Mike? Do you think the same thing?” Jared turned his attention on his other best friend.

Mike shifted in his chair. “This isn’t you, J. And you like Shane.”

“Maybe, but maybe he’s a player. You don’t believe how shy he acted while we – Ah, what the hell I’m talking about? You guys saw him. He’s a total hunk, okay? Tell me he hadn’t hooked up dozens of times since he had gotten here? A guy like that? If everyone had left him alone all this time, I don’t know what to think of the gay population in this city.”

“It doesn’t matter if he hooked up before or not,” Adrian said. “He’s into you, big time. But somehow, because you got hurt, you think you have the right to hurt others, too. Let me break it to you, J. The only guy you’ll truly hurt if you keep it like this is you.”

Jared moaned and buried his face into his hands. “Come on, Adrian, you can’t really think that about me.”

“I don’t think that about you. I know you’re nice, considerate, salt of the earth when the going gets tough, so my question is simple: what the hell is wrong with you?”

Jared felt himself getting small under Adrian’s scalding words. “I don’t want to be this nice guy everyone is walking all over anymore.”

“You got hurt by a scumbag. Don’t let him infect you. It’s all I’m saying. And, if I were you, I’d hurry to offer Shane some apology. Can you imagine how he must have felt, you doing that to him in front of us? We’re strangers to him,” Adrian added.

“What do you think, Mike?” Jared asked, his voice meek. “Do I believe Adrian here, or will that just make me the biggest pushover in history?”

Mike was also little in his chair. He didn’t like conflictual situations, either, so he was obviously uncomfortable. “I think Adrian’s right this time, J. I mean, Shane really likes you. And you must like him, too, since you didn’t mind hooking up with him or introducing him to us. At least, he deserves an apology.”

“But what am I supposed to say to him? I have no intention of being his boyfriend. A friend, maybe, but --”

“So tell him that,” Mike said. “And Adrian here doesn’t yell at you because he hates you. He does it because he loves you.”

“Damn right,” Adrian said through his teeth.

Jared sighed. “I appreciate you guys worrying about me so much. But I’m fine.” He paused for a moment. His eyes traveled to the entrance. “Do you really think I hurt Shane? That guy must have really tough skin,” he made a poor attempt at a joke.

“I do. I think you hurt him. Just call him and apologize. Don’t let him think of you this way. You’re not a scumbag, and you don’t deserve to have someone like Shane think that about you,” Mike said.

Adrian remained silent.

“Adrian?” Jared asked.

“Why do you ask me?”

“You’re my friend. Of course, I have to ask you. And I think you were right to tell me what you said. Well, to some degree.”

Adrian pursed his lips. “All right. Just call Shane and apologize. The sooner, the better. No moment like the present.”

“Like, right now?” Jared asked.

“Yeah,” Adrian confirmed. “If you want me and Mike to forgive you for the stunt you pulled on us tonight.”

“Okay, if it’s our friendship on the line,” Jared tried to play it down a little. He did feel ashamed now, and he knew Adrian and Mike were right. He didn’t have to change who he was because of a bad experience. “But I’m not going to be his pity boyfriend or anything. I still stand by the idea that we only hooked up.”

Adrian made a gesture with his hands as if to suggest that it was up to Jared.

“As long as you don’t insult him or make him feel bad again,” Mike said. “You’re nice, Jared. You’re not not-nice.”

Jared sighed. “All right, guys. You convinced me. I’ll just go outside to make the call. I think you two heard enough for one evening.”

He walked through the crowd and got into the warm evening air. Of course, Mike and Adrian were right, but now he felt awful. What were the right words to say? He moved under an awning, away from the rowdy groups walking in and out of the bar.

“Shane,” he began rehearsing the words he wanted to say, “I feel that I must apologize for tonight. I didn’t mean to --” Jared stopped and ran one hand over his face. “Shane, hi. I’m sorry for being a scumbag. I shouldn’t have talked like that to you in front of my friends. It’s just that I --” He stopped again. “Shane, it’s me, Jared, from … before. No, earlier tonight. I feel like I fooled you into thinking that I – Ah, goddamnit, why is it so hard to say the right words?”

“Maybe it’s not what you want to say.”

Jared jumped back in surprise. “Fuck, you scared me! Shane, what are you doing here?”

From the dark corner, Shane emerged into the street. Jared could make his silhouette and some of his features in the streetlights. “I got mad a little, so I needed to walk it off. I don’t get mad often,” he began. “It’s usually serious when I do that. But you’re a slick city boy, so I should have known it.”

Jared sighed. “It’s not like that. I mean, slick city boy? I’m not … I mean, I obviously made you have the wrong impression of me. Adrian and Mike gave me an earful inside, so I’ll try to apologize as I should.”

“No need.” Shane waved. “I heard you trying to find your words earlier. I don’t think you really want to apologize.”

Jared stopped for a moment. He sighed, letting the air leave his lungs with an audible noise. “You know what, Shane? You’re right. I don’t want to apologize. Not because you don’t deserve an apology, but because I’ve been bottling up something inside, something that had absolutely nothing to do with you, and it has made me mad.”

“What is it? Can you say it?” Shane asked.

Jared considered for a moment. Maybe what Shane really deserved wasn’t some half-assed apology, but the truth. “I just went through something unpleasant. I was involved with a married guy. I had no idea he was married, and when I found out … well, he was really unpleasant toward me.”

“You keep saying the word ‘unpleasant’. But it must have been more.”

“Yes, it was,” Jared said, letting out another deep sigh. “He insulted me. I thought we had a relationship, and I was nothing to him but an affair or even less than that. I slept with you for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to prove myself that I could be in control. I could just choose to hook up and feel good about myself. I had no intention to hurt you, but I am at fault for not stopping one moment to think about you and your feelings.”

Shane said nothing.

Jared walked toward him slowly. “I can be your friend, Shane. I can show you around the city. I may be awful hookup material, but, as a friend, I can be nice. Really nice. At least, that’s what Adrian and Mike keep telling me.”

“A friend?” Shane asked.

“Yes. I’m so sorry I mislead you. I just kept telling myself that you must be a charmer and a playboy since you’re such a hunk. I’m sorry about that. A lot of guys in this city would be happy to have you. I can introduce you to the scene here, so to speak. And then, I can assure you that you can have your pick.”

Shane watched him closely. “Have my pick, huh?”

“Sure. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?” Jared asked with a small laugh.

Shane matched it with a chuckle of his own. “So I can pick anyone I like, is that what you’re saying?”

“Sure thing,” Jared confirmed it once more.

“I’ll keep you to that,” Shane said playfully.

“If any guy in this city turns you down and he’s not married, or in a serious relationship, I’ll personally deal with him,” Jared promised solemnly. “Hey, now that we cleared the air, and, hopefully, you don’t hate my guts anymore, would you like to come back inside? Adrian and Mike are already crazy about you.”

Shane shook his head. “I think it would be a little strange.”

It was evident to Jared that Shane was doing his best to speak correctly, but that charming twang still rolled off his tongue like honey, with a word like ‘little’ still sounding more like ‘lil’.

“It’s okay. I put you in an awkward situation, and I’m really sorry,” Jared said and squeezed Shane’s arm.

“Don’t worry,” Shane replied. “So, if we’re friends, what do we do? Do we hang out? Can I call you and that?”

“Sure,” Jared said with a nod. “This isn’t me trying to get out of an unpleasant situation.”

“You used ‘unpleasant’ again,” Shane noticed.

“It must have been unpleasant for you,” Jared replied.

“It’s okay if I hug you?” Shane asked, out of the blue. “You do that with friends, right? How about kissing you on the cheek?”

“Shane, Shane,” Jared cooed affectionately, “you don’t need a book of rules to hang out with me, okay? But I guess this is you teasing me over being a scumbag. Come here and let me give you a hug.”

Shane didn’t wait for him to finish his words. Jared snickered when Shane pulled him into a tight embrace and lifted him off the ground. He couldn’t stop inhaling Shane’s manly cologne, which was a big mistake because memories of last night flooded his brain in an instant. It was nothing wrong to feel a bit regretful, but he was in no position to get a boyfriend now. Shane buried his face into the crook of Jared’s shoulder and kissed him there. A light frisson traveled his body, and Jared remembered, with some latency, that he was supposed to protest to that.

Before he had a chance to do that, Shane let him back on his feet and pulled away. “I’ll call you,” he said and tipped his hat.

“Sure,” Jared replied with a small nod and watched Shane walking away, a tinge of something he knew too well nudging him to do something already.

He pushed it down. It was all too soon and too wrong. Shane deserved something else. Someone else.

He walked back inside, his head full of contradicting thoughts.

“Did you call him?” Mike asked.

“Yes,” Jared replied without thinking. Then, he shook his head. “Actually, I talked to him in person. He was just outside, walking it off … I apologized. Job done. We’re going to be friends.”

“Friends?” Adrian quirked an eyebrow. “What kind of friends?”

Jared took back his seat and barely kept in a small wince at the slight discomfort he still experienced in his backside. “You know, friends.”

***

Adrian whistled as he walked down the marina and waved at Edward, who was leaning against the rail of his yacht. “So, I get that this was the surprise. Well, once you told me where to meet, I expected as much. Quite a beauty, isn’t she?”

Edward just nodded and gestured for Adrian to hop in. Although the maritime vehicle deserves much more attention than he could offer at the moment, Adrian’s eyes were on Edward. He was dressed in white sailing clothes, and his eyes were squinting in the sun. The light breeze was playing with his hair, and Adrian couldn’t help but notice the lazy smile on Edward’s lips. He had known Edward the frozen fish, and Edward the master wannabe, and Edward the too hot too handle, but this version of him was new.

Adrian had a feeling that their little trip out at sea would reveal much more than he could observe at a glance. “No captain hat?” He pointed at Edward’s head.

“I’ll be your humble shipmaster,” Edward said with a smile and a small bow. “To be a captain, I believe you should have a degree in marine transportation.”

Adrian pouted playfully. “So, I don’t get to call you captain?”

Edward laughed. He welcomed Adrian into his arms and kissed him softly. The kiss was different, too, although just as hot as any Edward gave without restrictions. Adrian felt a small shudder coursing his body; if they kept at it, they might not leave the shore at all. “Hmm,” he purred as he reluctantly let go of Edward’s fascinating mouth, “I suppose I need to play the good kid this time, or else you won’t be able to sail us out of here.”

Edward chuckled softly. “There is such a thing as autopilot, but of course, you will have to be good until we get at a, let’s say, fair distance from the shore. In the meantime, you just enjoy the ride.”

Adrian nuzzled Edward’s nose with his own, earning an immediate burst of laughter in return.

“What is this?” Edward asked, but his voice was playful.

“I don’t know. I feel all giddy inside and a lot like fooling around. I’ve never been on a yacht, so I apologize in advance if I behave like a total kid.”

“Apologies accepted. Now, just lay back and let me do the sailing.”

“I wouldn’t dream of any other arrangement,” Adrian said in return.

***

Jared looked at the caller ID, and his finger hovered over the screen for two heartbeats. Shane hadn’t called since that disastrous evening, and he couldn’t just admit that he had been all needles and pins over whether he would do that, eventually. But, it was Saturday, so maybe now Shane wanted to hang out. “Hi,” he said, unnaturally bright, as he tried to hide his nervousness.

“Hey, Jared,” Shane drawled.

Now Jared had a pretty good idea that it was just Shane’s way of talking and not some carefully crafted weapon of seduction. Still, he had had no idea until now that he would fall so easily for that accent. No, he wasn’t falling for anything. It was just a way of saying.

“Hi, Shane. I mean, I already said ‘hi’, and I knew who was calling because, duh, I saw the caller ID – I’m babbling here, why aren’t you stopping me?”

A relaxed laugh was the immediate reply. “I like it when you’re babbling. You’re cute.”

“Ah, you didn’t just say that,” Jared protested. “Anyway, do you want to hang out tonight? Mike and I want to visit this new place, which everyone praises like it’s gay heaven or something.”

“Sure,” Shane replied. “What should I wear?”

Jared paused for a moment. “I think you should just wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Your usual clothes are fine.”

“Won’t anyone laugh at me? Seeing that it’s some swanky place where everyone might be wearing Versace or something?”

Jared laughed. “All right. You’re just pulling my leg. The place may be a little swanky, but not too much. Mike and I, we’re not top earners or anything. We go to venues where we can afford the beer if you know what I mean.”

“I’ll pick up the tab, so don’t worry.”

“I would never let you do that,” Jared said promptly. “It is on us to show you around, and since you’re new to the group, let us play the generous companions. Of course, that will change down the road,” he added quickly. “And if you make more money than us with that pub of yours, we might become obnoxious freeloaders.”

“That’s fine by me,” Shane said playfully.

“Ah, so you’re not worried,” Jared said back.

“Mike looks like a lightweight, and I know for a fact how tipsy you can get after a few shots.”

“Hey, hey,” Jared protested, “we drank from the bottle. Seriously, who does that?”

“You,” Shane said and laughed.

“Just because you made me.”

“Right. I was just leading by example, is all.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Now, let me give you the address, so you know where to meet us.”

“Could I drop by your place and get there together?” Shane asked casually.

Jared hesitated for a moment. That wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. He would pick Mike up from his place, anyway. It was a common thing between friends.

“It’s all right if you think that’s weird,” Shane added.

“No, no. Here is my address. We’re going to pick Mike up from home, too, after that.”

“Sounds swell. Wait, only Mike? What’s Adrian up to?”

“Ugh, long story,” Jared said and rolled his eyes. “You cannot believe this guy’s luck. His boyfriend is some hotshot doctor and millionaire. Right now,” Jared checked the clock on his nightstand, “he’s on some yacht, in the middle of the ocean, sipping Margaritas or whatever.”

There was a short pause on the other end. “Is that your idea of fun, too?” Shane asked.

Jared laughed nervously. Whatever he did, he managed somehow to come across as a superficial ass. “I was just joking. Not about the yacht, and the millionaire boyfriend, but about the reason why Adrian is lucky.”

“What’s the reason?” Shane asked.

This kind of directness was not at all something Jared was used to. But Shane seemed to ask exactly what was on his mind, without censure. It was refreshing, in a way. Jared liked it. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say, without running the risk of ending up gossiping about Adrian’s love life, that, for a long while, it looked like there would be no boyfriend in Adrian’s life. And, suddenly, he meets this guy, Edward, and he forgets about playing the king of hookups every weekend. So, I think he’s lucky because he found someone he truly likes spending time with.”

“That sounds like a great reason,” Shane said. “What would make you feel lucky?”

Jared sat on the bed and pushed one rebellious strand of hair behind one ear. “I haven’t figured that out yet,” he replied quietly. “I thought I knew what it was, but things didn’t work out how I imagined.”

“You’re talking about the married guy?” Shane asked.

“Yeah,” Jared admitted. “We’ve been together only for a little while, but – ah, let’s not talk about it, okay? Let’s have fun tonight, and, Shane, if you don’t have at least a dozen new numbers in your phone by the end of the night, then don’t call me Jared Boyle.”

“Ah, is that your full name?”

“Right. We didn’t exactly introduce each other. What’s your family name?” Jared asked dutifully.

“McKay,” Shane replied promptly.

“Shane McKay,” Jared said slowly. “Only by this name, and I could picture you, boots and hat and all, without even seeing you once.”

“Well, you saw me, though, so all you say know is only hindsight,” Shane said.

“Yeah. I suppose so. All right, Shane McKay. Drop by at nine.”

“Isn’t it a bit late?”

“There’s no real action before ten o’clock. And since we will take our time picking Mike up from his place, I think we will be there in the nick of time.”

“So, it’s really okay if I wear my usual clothes?” Shane insisted.

“I wouldn’t want to see you in any other,” Jared joked.

There was a small intake of air, like a sharp breath on the other end. Jared didn’t have time to wonder what it could be about.

“All right, then. But if anyone laughs at me, it will be all on you,” Shane replied.

“Don’t you worry. Mike and Adrian call me the mother hen of the group. Just point the bully to me, and he will eat his hat. Or shirt. The chances are he might not have a hat.”

“Counting on you, then.”

“Sure thing.”

There was a short silence. “Then I’ll see you tonight,” Shane said. “Cannot wait.”

“Yeah. Me, either,” Jared said politely.

“See ya later then, shug,” Shane drawled, and just this time, Jared was pretty sure that the guy was playing the charmer, again.

For a while, he stared at the phone in his hand and wondered if he hadn’t had his work cut out for him, all on his own. As long as Shane didn’t use his charms on him, he would be fine. And Shane had no reason to do that since he was now interested in making the acquaintance of many fine lads who weren’t Jared.

Great. Now he was thinking with an accent.

***

“Wow,” Adrian expressed his awe as he looked around at the vast expanse of water. “I must say that it feels a bit assuring that I still see a bit of land in the distance.”

“I hope you’re not seasick,” Edward said, now a bit worried. “I do have some antiemetics on board, but I would hate to be the cause of any discomfort that might affect you.”

“I’m not seasick, but I do experience some discomfort right now,” Adrian said with a grin.

“What discomfort?” Edward eyed him carefully.

“Come closer, and I’ll show you,” Adrian said and winked at Edward.

A hearty laugh was the reply. “As a health care professional, I should take care of it right away.” Edward walked over to him and kissed Adrian full on the lips. “Undress,” he whispered. “I want to see you in all your naked glory.”

“Sure,” Adrian replied. He pulled the t-shirt over his head in one go. “How is this?”

Edward blinked a few times. “What part of all your naked glory didn’t you get?”

“Doctor,” Adrian cooed, “do you intend to run a full body examination?”

Edward played along. “It’s required so that I can identify the cause of your discomfort.”

Adrian shrugged. He never missed a chance to put his body on display. He was damned proud of it, and if Edward wanted to see him, who was he to say ‘no’ to that?

His erection smacked against his lower belly as he pushed down his pants.

“It’s truly fascinating how you can be hard like this without complaining,” Edward said.

The sun on his skin was warm, and the ocean breeze was caressing his body. Adrian had absolutely no complaints. He was pretty much in paradise, and nothing could say otherwise. He stepped out of his clothes, pushing them aside with his shoes, and performed a small pirouette. “Are you pleased, doctor? What’s next?”

Edward moved closer. Adrian took a step back and leaned against the rail. He liked what he saw, Edward’s moist lips, the hunger in his eyes. That was a man who wanted him, and Adrian longed for that validation. He had been all tied up in knots after their last time; as much as Edward showed that he wanted him, Adrian didn’t feel entirely sure. Each step could be on shaky ground, and the worst part was that he couldn’t tell it was so.

Right now, his worries were gone. Edward stepped closer and knelt in front of him. Then he took Adrian’s cock between his lips, while his green eyes stared up, without blinking. Adrian found himself lost in those eyes. Edward, with his mouth full like that, was a sight to behold.

It wasn’t only that, the sensory assault of a tongue wrapped around his manhood, of lips that knew just how much pressure, was enough. It was a new feeling of wanting and longing that couldn’t be quenched quickly. Adrian wanted more; he was well aware of it right now as he rested one hand on the back of Edward’s neck and pressed gently. Edward went deeper, taking the cue right away.

“If the Coast Guard stumbles upon us, I don’t think I can stop,” Adrian whispered.

Edward’s eyes crinkled at the corners, in apparent amusement. There would be no stopping involved; that was sure. Adrian cursed softly as Edward deepthroated him, but gently, not with urgency. He was taking his time, and Adrian could only be thankful for that, too, because having Edward blowing him like that, out there, away from the entire world, was, at the moment, everything he wanted.

Edward snuck one hand to caress and play with Adrian’s ball sack, and that served only to heighten the pleasure. Adrian closed his eyes to focus on the sensations assaulting him. Then, Edward’s hand got bolder, sneaking between his buttocks and finding soon, with restless fingers was its owner wanted.

Oh. Adrian wasn’t sure. He could tell Edward to stop, but, seriously, that wasn’t an option. So, instead, he shifted so that he could part his legs more and allow Edward access. Edward stopped sucking only so he could wet his fingers, and then, he went back at work with more skill and dedication.

Adrian couldn’t mind such a small thing. Edward could ask anything of him right now. So, he wasn’t surprised when two fingers eventually stabbed his behind. They moved slowly, but they had a purpose, and Adrian wouldn’t say ‘no’. But he grabbed Edward hard by the back of his neck and began moving his hips, too. There was a price to pay for everything, and Adrian had a feeling that Edward wouldn’t mind.

The sensation in his ass wasn’t unpleasant at all, but seeing how almost never anything got in there, it was foreign. It brought something new to the game, and Adrian felt his balls pulling tight, despite his desire to make it last for as long as he could.

There was no warning needed, but Adrian announced his impeding release in one strangled cry. “I’m coming!”

Edward pushed his fingers deeper and held Adrian in his mouth down to the hilt. Adrian was grunting and moaning loudly as he came what must have been a ton down Edward’s throat. “Oh, fuck,” he half-complained when Edward finally let go of his ass and his cock. “That was one awesome blowjob, Edward,” he praised his partner.

Edward said nothing and walked inside the cabin, only to return with a velvet case in his hand. Adrian eyed the object with a confused look on his face. It couldn’t be a ring; it was too big. What the hell was he thinking, a ring? He needed to slap himself away.

“For you,” Edward said and offered the case to Adrian.

Adrian took it without another word. How could someone be so cool and collected after deepthroating a dude? It was beyond him. He opened the case and looked inside. He instantly grimaced.

TBC