Chapter 16

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Gently, I woke Nicky with a kiss on his smooth forehead. He opened his eyes and immediately found his smile. Knowing it was just for me, because of me, made my insides turn liquid. I had that thought again, the inappropriate one that kept nagging at me, thanks to Sam, that if I were Nicky’s Daddy, I could wake him up like this every morning.

“Good morning. How do you feel?”

“My head is swimming, but that could be because we’re on a boat.”

I laughed softly. “Or it could be those Long Island Iced Teas.”

“I’m never drinking again,” he groaned, covering his eyes.

“How about you sit up and drink this instead?” I pressed a glass of orange juice into his hand.

“Is it that hairy dog thing? ”

Hairy dog thing? “You mean the hair of the dog? No, there’s no alcohol in this. I think you’ve had enough.” Nicky took a sip of the sweet juice, licked his lips, and then finished it off. “You should get in the shower and wake up. I’ve got a surprise for you, and we’ve got to get going.”

“I thought we were going home today.”

“We are, but it can wait until later. There’s something I’m dying to show you first.”

Handing me back the glass, Nicky scrambled off the bed, bumping his head on the top bunk. “Mother of meatballs!”

That’s the fourth time I’d laughed this morning, and I only woke him a few minutes ago. “Put on a bathing suit when you finish,” I called, heading to the kitchen.

We tied the Harlowe Two to a mooring buoy and approached the Dry Tortugas National Park in our dinghy, landing on the east side of the dock.

“This place is sick,” Nicky cried. “Waltham University has a summer study program for their marine sciences program, and they spend a week here, exploring the reefs and marine life.”

I knew he would love it. The magnificently colored coral and fish, the Loggerhead turtles, and exotic birds were a marine scientist’s wet dream .

“Did you know there is no anchoring inside the Research Natural Area?”

“I did.” I smiled indulgently. “Boating 101: Know the rules before you go.”

“And you can’t take any shells from the water or beaches.” Nicky shaded his eyes from the sun, looking out over Fort Jefferson. “I can’t wait to tour that. Then we’re snorkeling!”

He bounced off in a flurry of excitement, quickly making his way to the abandoned fort.

“We should have stayed a few extra days and picked up some extra charters. Do you know what they’re charging to run people to this island? The sunset champagne cruise? We could clean up.”

“Sam, we’re on vacation. Even we deserve a day or two off.”

“The Harlowe One would be better suited for this. I might make a run back before the summer is over.”

“That sounds like a great plan,” I agreed, hurrying to catch up with Nicky.

Two hours later, I’d had enough of exploring the seabed, and I plopped my ass down in the powdery-white sand and watched Nicky continue to snorkel. No doubt he would be at it all day, and I would have to drag him from the water kicking and screaming. Not long after, Sam joined me. He reached into our insulated cooler bag, retrieved two icy cold bottles of water, and handed me one .

“He’s having the time of his life,” Sam remarked, watching Nicky splash around.

“I missed so much time with him over the years because I was here, with you, but now he’s here with us, and it feels… It feels so right .”

Sam covered my hand with his, studying my profile. I know what he saw—my eyes glued on Nicky, a fond, goofy smile stretching my lips. There was no point in even trying to hide my growing feelings from Sam; he could read me like a book.

“How much time are you gonna waste before you go after what you want? Don’t let this summer pass you by, Cass.”

Why does he do that? Why does he say the things I want to hear and make it sound like it’s okay? Like it’s so fucking easy?

“He only asked for one night, not the entire summer.”

“You and I both know that’s bullshit. That boy would say anything to get you to agree to put your dick in him. He doesn’t just want one night from you, Cass. And from the way he looks at you, he wants more than one summer.”

“Cass, look!” Nicky held up a starfish, not much bigger than his hand, and waved it in the air before diving back under the surface to return it to the sea floor.

“You want the boy? Go get the boy. Make him yours. He wants this, Cass. I’ve never seen someone more in need of a Daddy than him. Hell, with Nicky, it’s not just a role he would play, it’s his identity. It comes so naturally to him. It’s just who he is. He's a boy at heart, and he looks up to you. It would be so easy.”

So easy. Make him mine. One summer. My boy.

“Holy shit-kabobs!”

His expletive was preceded by a loud thump, possibly his body hitting a wall or the floor. I hadn’t done us any favors by leaving Key West late in the day, as we were now stuck in the thick of the storm.

“Just sit down and stay still,” I called down to him before climbing above deck. I shielded my face from the pelting rain as I made my way to the flybridge.

Sam had the plastic flaps zipped closed, but they were getting beaten by the wind. “Come inside,” I yelled, waving madly to get his attention. He set the boat on autopilot and climbed down after me, taking refuge one deck below.

“That’s some squall kicking up,” he barked, reaching for a towel to dry off.

Surrounding the captain's chair and controls was a padded, semi-circle seating area. I sat down and kicked my feet up as he got comfortable at the helm .

“How’s Nicky? Is he prone to seasickness?”

For all his challenging and teasing the boy, it was obvious he cared about him. “I guess we’ll find out.”

Sam spared me a glance, and he was biting back his smirk. “When are we going to find out about your plans for the pillow princess?”

“The who?” Was he talking about Nicky? “Cut that shit out! Don’t talk about him like that.”

“You know I’m teasing you. It’s all in good fun. Also, tell me I’m wrong, and he’s not a total pillow princess.”

I scrubbed my hand over my face. “Oh my God, I cannot wrap my head around this.”

“Well, you better, because he’s counting on you. So, when are you going to do it, and where? Here on the boat?”

“I don’t fucking know. No, not this boat. I can come up with something better than that. He deserves… Fuck, he deserves everything, certainly more than I can give him.”

“I beg to differ,” Sam chuckled. “You can give it pretty good.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

“Can’t. Got to steer through this storm, but maybe in the morning when things settle.”

Despite being up in my head about Nicky, Sam’s jab made me laugh. “What the fuck am I gonna do? I don’t think I’ve ever seduced a virgin before. At least, not that I know of. Have you? ”

Sam shrugged. “Don’t know. I’ve never asked any of them if it was their first time. That’s not something I want to know.”

“Is there something special I’m supposed to do?” Like I needed a whole new set of shit to worry about. The repercussions of what I was planning to do already plagued me night and day.

“I don’t know. Go slow and use lots of lube? Nicky seems like a real hearts and flowers kind of guy, so maybe rose petals or some shit? Maybe we can google it.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the drop in barometric pressure or this conversation, but my head was beginning to pound. “This is absurd. Would you listen to us?”

“Hey, you could get him drunk. That seems to do the trick. He’ll be crawling all over you like flies on?—”

“You’re absolutely no help,” I spat, pushing to my feet. “I’m going to check on him and then I’m gonna turn in. Come wake me when you need me to take over.”

“Will do. We’ll be fine. According to the radar, we should push through the squall in about two hours, maybe three if it moves with us.”

Heading below deck, I checked everything over to make sure there was nothing loose that was going to roll around and become a weapon in the turbulent waters. I checked on Nicky, making sure his eyes were closed and his breathing was even before stripping off my damp shirt and shorts and ducking into my bunk .

The ship rolled violently to the left before righting itself, and I knocked my elbow into the wall of the cabin.

“Cass?”

“I’m here, Nicky. It’s okay, sweetheart. Just a bad storm.”

And then he was climbing down the ladder, scooting in next to me on my narrow mattress. “I’m scared,” he said in a small voice that kicked all my protective instincts into high gear.

“Nothing to worry about. Sam is used to these storms, and he’s going to get us through it just fine. We should be through it in a couple of hours.”

“My tummy doesn’t feel so good,” he whined.

“You’re not used to rough seas. I could get you some Dramamine .”

“No, just rub my tummy. Please?”

When Nicky was about twelve or thirteen, his school called me to come pick him up. He wasn’t feeling good, and his dad was in court. Nicky had a terrible stomachache, which we later realized was a bug, and we spent the afternoon cuddled on the couch watching Shark Week reruns while I rubbed his tummy. I remembered two things about that day with crystal clarity—how he knew every species of shark they featured and random facts about each one, and the way he fit so perfectly in my arms.

He was a lot bigger now, but he still fit perfectly against my body. I continued to rub soft, soothing circles on his tummy, and he practically purred like a kitten. He wore no shirt, just boxers, and his skin felt soft and warm. I twirled my finger around his belly button and he squirmed, backing his sweet ass snug against my body.

That was a bad mistake. With thoughts of his seduction still on my mind from earlier, I began growing hard.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. The head of Nicky’s now-hard cock bumped against my hand and I pulled back like I’d been burned. My heart beat so hard I was sure he could feel it pounding against his shoulder blades.

“Cass? My stomach feels funny, but I don’t feel sick anymore.”

Nervous excitement swirled in my gut, making me feel almost sick.

Nicky grasped my hand, moving it lower, and my hand felt like the planchette on a Ouija board, with the player in charge, subtly moving it where they wanted it to go.

“Nicky,” I warned—no, pleaded—because there was nothing I wanted more than to touch him, and there was also nothing I was more afraid of.

“It’s okay. Just touch me, please? I just need to feel your touch.”

How? How had Nicky morphed from a boy I loved and wanted to protect into a young man I desperately wanted to get my cock inside of ?

I allowed him to take over, as if I was an innocent bystander in his seduction, an unwilling participant, until the moment he wrapped my fingers around his hot, hard shaft. That's when I snapped out of it and took over; the Daddy in me answering my boy’s needy call.

Nicky whimpered when I grasped him, letting me set my own pace. I just wanted to explore him for a minute. My head was going to explode from the excitement of touching him like this. I still couldn't comprehend this was really happening.

His dick wasn't long or thick, but it fit perfectly in my palm. His veins were engorged and popping out under my hand. I slid my fist over his crown and felt the sticky wetness seeping from his slit. Using it as a natural lubricant, I spread it over his spongy head and down his shaft. Nicky gasped, his breath sticking in his throat.

The heat from his body warmed my cock, and it was nearly impossible not to push against his ass, to bury myself in the cleft between his soft cheeks. I finally gave up the fight, fitting myself snugly against his body, and thrust my hips in sync with my hand. Nicky unraveled quickly, scissoring his legs with mine, moaning, gripping my hand tightly.

Never in my life had I’ve been this turned on before, not even when I was balls deep inside a tight ass. Nicky’s innocence and overabundance of lust drove me out of my fucking mind. He was so responsive, so genuine, and the way he craved my touch so badly—it was like living my wildest dream out loud. Not that I had ever dreamed of him like this, but now that I had him in my arms, with his cock in my hand, I would never stop dreaming about him.

“Faster, Cass.” I held out deliberately, just to hear him beg me again in that needy rasp. “Please, I need it.”

“What do you need, Nicky? Do you need to come?”

“ Yessssssss ,” he whined. “Please.” I jacked him faster, gripping him tighter, until he shimmied his hips, chasing my hand. “I’m gonna blow.”

What I wouldn’t give to taste it, to swallow his load down the back of my throat and learn his flavor. But he hadn’t asked for my mouth, and though he was so far gone that I doubted he would protest, I wanted to take this slow, at his pace.

If I could just get him to call me Daddy as he came, I would blow between his cheeks. I closed my eyes and imagined his voice saying the word, and felt the tight pressure roll through my stomach. I was going to lose it any second.

“Give it to me, Nicky. Give me your load.”

“Ungh.” His breathing became ragged and loud. “Oh my God, Cass! It’s…” Warm seed coated my hand, and I spread it down his shaft, pumping him through his orgasm. “I—C-Cass!”

“I know, baby, just breathe. Let the wave roll through your body. ”

I continued to thrust my hips, and just as his body stilled, I painted his hole with my cum, growling his name in his ear.

Fuck, that was the highlight of my life— a second ago —and now what? What was I supposed to do now?

What if he cried? What if he told his dad I forced him? Or worse, what if he told me he hated me and never wanted to see me again?

“Cass?”

“Yeah?” My voice was just a harsh whisper in the dark.

“I’ve never come so hard in my life. You’re amazing.”

I chuckled quietly, fucking relieved beyond belief that he didn’t hate me, yet .

Nicky sighed dreamily and nestled his ass right up against my softening dick. “I love you, Cass,” he whispered.

One night. One summer. What if I wanted him for longer than that? What if I never wanted to give him up?

I already loved him. I'd loved him for ten years. It would be so easy to fall. All I'd have to do is give myself permission.

“I love you too, Nicky. Loving you is the best decision I've ever made, except maybe for this. This has to be the worst.”

“No, this is the best. Hands down. This is what I dreamed of.”