Beyond the Sea (29 page)

When Brian shoved into him, the head finally getting inside and the rest following, Troy felt so incredibly full.

“
Bear down,” Brian instructed. “Like that. Oh, yeah. So good.” He slipped his arm under Troy and looped it around his chest, their damp skin rubbing.

Wiry hair brushed Troy’s ass, and he realized Brian was all the way inside. He’d never experienced anything so intense. The sensation of being full was only part of it. It somehow felt like Brian had climbed into his skin—that he was touching Troy everywhere, and Troy’s body was expanding in every cell. Troy’s guttural groan was ripped out of his leaking cock.

“
You’re so good,” Brian repeated, muttering as he held Troy tightly across the chest and began fucking him in earnest, rocking in and out. “Gonna fill you up.”

Troy could only moan and cry out, lost in a haze of
want
and
more
. He trusted Brian to take care of him, and he let himself go, taking the thrusts and bolts of pleasure, giving everything up as the sweet tightness in his balls intensified. His skin sang, and when Brian took hold of his straining shaft, stroking it in tandem with the movement of his hips, his cock stretching Troy so
open
, Troy actually saw stars, the orgasm tearing through him.

As he rode out the intense bursts of pleasure, he was aware he was clamping down on Brian’s dick. Brian cried out, grunting as he thrust harder, his sweat dripping onto Troy’s shoulder. Shuddering, Brian emptied himself.

Knowing Brian was coming deep inside where no one had ever touched him gave Troy a fresh rush of pleasure, and another spurt of jizz dribbled out of his cock. He’d never had sex without a condom before, and this all felt so much messier in the best possible way.

Their harsh pants filled the teepee, and Troy realized the rain had stopped. Brian was softening inside him, and he kissed across Troy’s shoulders with sweet little presses before gently pulling out. He released Troy’s cock with a tender pat and reached down to his hole, probing lightly. It was oily and messy, and should have been gross, but Troy liked it. It felt…real.

“
Okay?”

Hmm-hmm.

“
Troy?” Brian’s voice sharpened, and he pushed up on his elbow, lifting Troy’s chin. He peered down anxiously. “Did I hurt you?”

“
Huh?” He realized he hadn’t spoken aloud before. “No. Feel good.”

Brian’s brow remained furrowed. “You sure? You’d tell me, right?”

“
Uh-huh.” He smiled lazily. “I feel fucking amazing. That was…wow.”

Exhaling, Brian’s shoulders dropped and he kissed him, his fingers still gentle on Troy’s swollen asshole. “It was.”

“
I didn’t know it could feel like this.”

Brian smoothed back Troy’s curling hair before brushing their lips together. “Me either.”

As their words hung in the humid air and they moved into each other’s arms, the mosquito net enclosing them in their little world, Troy didn’t think they were only talking about sex.

From the corner of his eye, Brian saw movement as he filled a coconut with sea water. He’d gone for his walk and was almost done with their version of laundry, which involved steaming their limited collection of clothes. From beneath the brim of his hat, he registered the pale gelatinous shape and stumbled backward in the knee-deep water, but not quickly enough.

The lash of tentacles whipped across the inside of his left calf, and he yelped, splashing to safety on the sand.

“
Brian?” Troy called.

“
I’m fine! I just… Son of a bitch, that stings.” He must have looked ridiculous, hopping around naked with his dick swinging. He folded his lips together, his nostrils flaring. “Ow, ow, ow.”

Troy was suddenly there, naked too, his brow furrowed and arm around Brian’s bare shoulders. “What happened?”

“
Jellyfish.” Brian winced, tossing his hat aside so he could tug at his hair. It had always made him feel better somehow to diffuse pain by causing more of it to distract him. “Son of a bitch.”

“
Oh shit.” Troy’s eyebrows flew up. “Wait, you know what this means, right?”

With a groan, Brian shook his head, but he had to laugh. “I’ve never been into golden showers.”

Troy shoulders shook. “Me either. But it’s supposed to help, right? Didn’t Chandler pee on Monica once?”

“
I believe he did.” Brian inhaled sharply, the sting burning. “Shit, it really does hurt. Okay, do it.”

Troy’s arm was firm around him. “Where? I can’t see anything.”

“
Inside of my calf.”

“
Good thing I have to piss, huh?”

Brian opened his mouth to make some kind of joke, but as the warm urine hit his leg, all he could do was lean into Troy gratefully. He knew it should have been gross, but somehow it…wasn’t. He forced in a deep inhale and exhale, pressing his temple to Troy’s. The sting wasn’t abating yet, but he felt better—safe and protected.

There was something incredibly intimate about it, and Brian shivered from the fiery sting of the jellyfish and something else entirely. Fucking Troy the night before had been amazing—indescribable. It made his belly flutter to think of it, and it was becoming impossible not to think.

Impossible not to question what was really happening, because this had gone past the physical. Miles beyond.

As Troy finished pissing on him, trying to take away his pain, Brian wanted more. He wanted Troy’s cum on his skin, and in his body. Brian sought his mouth as Troy wrapped his arms around him, returning the kiss, sliding their slick tongues together.

He wanted to stay right there, tasting Troy’s soft lips, feeling the rasp of stubble against his own. Wanted to fuck him again and offer up his own ass. Needed to know what it was like to actually have this man inside him when he felt like Troy was already there.

But shit, fuck, fuck,
ow.
He pulled away with a wince.

“
Did it help?” Troy asked, rubbing Brian’s back.

He wanted so much to say yes, but couldn’t hold back the moan of pain. “Nope. Didn’t seem to do anything.”

“
Shit! Seriously?” Holding Brian’s hips steady, Troy crouched to peer at the sting. “I thought that was supposed to work! I think I see something. Let me get the tweezers. Sit down.” He helped Brian hobble to the blanket in the lean-to and dashed off to the teepee.

Brian kept his leg outstretched, peering closely at his calf. As Troy hustled back, Brian said, “I think those are tentacles stuck in my leg. Be careful not to touch them.”

Kneeling beside him, Troy nodded. “I won’t. Just hold still, okay?” He put his left hand on Brian’s knee and leaned in with the tweezers.

Brian panted as the burning pain spiked. He pressed his lips together, mumbling curses.

Troy frowned at him. “Scream. Don’t hold it in.” A little smile lifted his lips. “Want me to scream with you?” He took a breath and bellowed to the heavens.

Half laughing, half yelling, Brian screamed as Troy made quick work with the tweezers. After he’d flung the tentacles back into the retreating sea, he filled a coconut shell with water and knelt by Brian’s foot.

“
If piss didn’t work, you think saltwater will help?”

“
Let’s try it.” Bracing, Brian watched Troy pour water over the sting, which consisted of two short lashes of deepening red. He couldn’t imagine how excruciating a full sting would be. The wounds burned so much he expected to see smoke rising. But salt would hopefully disinfect since they were out of iodine.

Troy examined Brian’s face. “Shit, it’s making it worse?”

“
Uh-huh, but keep going.”

Frowning, Troy poured the water gently, rubbing a circle on Brian’s thigh with his other hand. After making Brian drink a full bottle of rainwater, Troy peered at him carefully, as if examining for symptoms. He pressed the back of his hand to Brian’s sweaty forehead.

Brian chuckled. “I’m fine. The thing barely got me. I should finish our clothes.”

“
You’re resting, and that’s that. And you need Advil.”

“
No, we only have a couple tablets left. This isn’t that bad.” At Troy’s skeptical expression, Brian conceded, “Yes, it hurts. But I’ll survive. It’s starting to fade.”

Fade
wasn’t quite accurate, but his calf felt less on fire than it had, so that was something. Brian sighed to himself, watching Troy bustle around. He tracked the flexing of Troy’s naked muscles, and loved that he could look all he wanted, and it was okay. Okay to touch too. Troy was all his.

After refilling the water bottle and pressing it into Brian’s hand, Troy asked, “What?” He chuckled uncertainly. “What are you smiling about?”

Brian gulped the water and shrugged. “Nothing. Thank you for all of this.”

“
Of course. You helped me when I was hurt.” He grimaced. “You’re being much braver than I was.”

“
Are you kidding? Do you
remember what your foot looked like? Hell, your whole lower leg. Because I do, and it was bad. Really, really bad.”
I thought you were going to die.
Even remembering the horrible redness and swelling made Brian’s heart skip.
What if it happens again? What if he gets hurt?
“This is just a little sting. I’m pretty sure I’ll live.”

“
You’d better.” Troy tried to laugh and didn’t quite make it. He cleared his throat. “Do you need anything else? Are you hungry? I can—”

“
I’m good. Just sit with me? It’s too hot to do anything else anyway. Screw the laundry.”

With a nod, Troy joined him on the blanket under their lean-to. “You should relax. Come on.”

Brian stretched out on his back, resting his head on Troy’s muscled thigh. His face was inches from Troy’s soft dick, and it should have been weird—shouldn’t it? But despite the burning in his calf, sitting together in the shade on another perfectly clear island day was utterly peaceful. Birds chirped, cicadas buzzing. So of course a little voice piped up.

Am I gay? Is Troy gay? Are we bi? What
are
we?

“
Bri?” Troy’s brow furrowed. “Is it hurting more?”

Making an effort to unclench the muscles he’d subconsciously tensed, he shook his head. He knew they should probably just talk about it, but his stomach flipped at the thought. What if talking made it too weird? What if it ruined everything?

Don’t overthink it. It’s just the two of us. Why do we have to be anything but happy?

Troy brushed his fingers through Brian’s growing hair, playing with the ends. Looking up, Brian mentally cataloged all the features he loved about Troy’s face. The little cleft in his chin and the sweep of his eyebrows. His button nose, although from his position it was Troy’s nostrils he could really see. The curls that crept over his forehead. Freckles on his tan skin.

“
Tell me something,” Brian murmured.

Troy didn’t stop playing with his hair. “About what?”

“
Anything.”

“
Okay.” Troy was silent for a few moments. “So, the first time I went to the Grammys, I almost threw up on Madonna backstage.”

“
Seriously?”

“
Yup.” He shook his head, smiling. “I was so freaking nervous. I mean,
Adele
was there.
Everyone
was there. Including Madonna, obviously. We were waiting in the wings to perform, and I was ready to run away. But I couldn’t let Ty and the guys down, or the fans. I realized I was going to puke, and I spun away—just as Madonna came off stage with her award. I missed her stiletto boots by, like, an inch.”

“
Oh my God. Did she say anything?”

“
Nope. She just patted my head and stepped over it like puke backstage was no big thing. She’s Madonna. I guess she’s seen worse.”

Brian whistled. “I guess so. Okay, tell me another one.”

As Troy spun out little stories of the rich and famous, a breeze gave relief from the growing heat. Brian’s calf still stung, but he couldn’t seem to stop smiling.

“
You’ll never guess what he said next, and remember the mic was still hot.”

The low drone of another insect reached Brian’s ears, and he idly swept his hand through the air to brush it away. “Okay, I’ll never guess. Tell me.”

“
He was all—” Troy went rigid. “What’s that?”

The drone grew louder, and Brian’s heart seized as he bolted straight up to his feet, the sting in his leg no match for the onslaught of adrenaline. “Holy shit. It’s an engine.” He could barely see in the haze of sun reflecting off the sand, shading his hand over his eyes as he scanned the sea and cloudless sky. “Get the mirror!”

Then Troy was at his side, breathing shallowly. “Got it. Do you see it?” He captured the reflection and started sweeping the mirror side to side.

They both searched. The engine was getting louder, but Brian could barely hear it over the pounding of his heart and rush of blood, his ears practically ringing. “There in the sky! Three o’clock.”

Chest rising and falling rapidly, Troy aimed the mirror. “Come on, come on…”

“
Keep doing that!” Sand flying, Brian raced to throw more wood and leaves onto the signal fire. Then he picked up a piece of fuselage from the SOS and waved it around, barely noticing the pain from the hot metal. This was their chance. This was it. He wanted to shout and scream, even though he knew no one would hear a thing up there.