Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Sawyer

"Lotta folks get out on this lake, huh?" Bud Palmer said from the co-captain's seat. "Must be fun to live here."

"It can be. It's a different lifestyle for sure."

I slowed the boat to approach the resort dock, now at the end of a two-hour cruise. Bud nodded at my words, gaze still locked on the horizon, where a couple of people rode jet skis. We'd seen some waterskiing too when I'd taken the boat out farther from town.

Bud and his wife, Marlene, and their two young boys had booked a late-afternoon cruise at the last minute, so I'd picked it up. They were resort guests, so it seemed smart to accommodate them.

And they weren't the only ones. I'd taken two other calls from resort guests about adding cruises during their stay. I suspected we'd get a lot more impulse reservations as the resort business picked up. Especially with the boats docked within view of the pool bar.

That was all right, though. Nothing saying Hudson couldn't hire more staff when he returned. I still had all the applications from when we brought on Gray, so it shouldn't be too difficult to add one or two backups to the roster.

For now, Gray, Heath, and I would have to manage. I was just glad Hudson had set up the schedule before he left so I didn't have to take the heat for getting all the good shifts.

Heath had been grousing more and more lately about his hours and pay. The old coot wanted only the early-morning boating tours, but between me being lent out to the food boat for a week and then Hudson leaving town, we couldn't cater to his wishes.

For two years, I'd covered nearly every damn booze cruise, so Heath could suck it. Which I'd told him in more polite terms earlier today.

Sometimes it was nice to be in charge.

I docked and started going through the routine of offloading the Palmer family.

"Hey," Bud said, lingering on the dock. "Do you all do anything like that?"

"Like what?"

He pointed out toward the lake, where I could just make out someone on a board behind a boat. I cringed. They were wakeboarding a bit too close to the heavy boat traffic.

"We just do the boat tours," I said. "Most the people out there have their own equipment."

"Ah, that's too bad. I thought the boys would love to try. Do you know of anyone around here that does offer it?"

"There's rentals and an outfitter where you can buy equipment in Shallow Beach. But if you mean a guided experience…"

"Well, none of us know what the hell we're doing," he said with a chuckle. "So, yeah, I guess we'd want an expert to make sure we don't break our fool necks."

I laughed with him. It was a valid concern.

"No, there's not really anything like that any closer than Osage Beach." I hadn't really thought about it, but it was a good idea. I considered offering him an unofficial outing, like I'd done with my friends, but the liability would be steep if something went wrong.

It really needed to run through official channels to protect everyone involved.

"I'll bring it up with my boss," I said. "Maybe we can add that option in the future."

Teaching Shua had been fun. Watching their eyes light up with their first success. Listening to them whoop and laugh as they finally surfed. That kind of enthusiasm was contagious.

Bud clapped my shoulder. "I hope you do. We'd love to come back next year. This resort is just about the nicest place we've found to stay in the Ozarks."

At my surprised look, he said, "Oh, sure, there's plenty of hotels in the bigger towns. Some nice B&Bs too. But they're all busier and…" He lowered his voice. "More expensive too."

"Ah yeah, Swallow Cove is a little bit of a well-kept secret at this point."

"May not be a secret for long," he said. "Not with a nice place like this."

"You might be right."

By the time I got the boat cleaned and put up for the night, checked the other boats, and confirmed the arrival of Gray for his booze cruise, I was ready to call it a day.

My phone beeped with a text as I powered down the office laptop.

Ash:

Still on for tonight?

My heart thumped and my blood ran hotter at just the idea of getting off with Ash again. Regardless of where it was going, the bisexual boat had left the marina, and it wasn't coming back anytime soon.

Sawyer:

Absolutely. Need a ride home?

Ash:

Nah, I got a lift home while you were out.

Sawyer:

See you soon, then.

I locked up and headed for Hudson's houseboat. Ash was waiting on the deck when I arrived. He tossed a line down for me to tie up my boat, and then I climbed the ladder.

As soon as I got to the top, I reached for him.

Ash came easily as I yanked him into a fiery kiss, his thumb brushing over a spot on my neck over and over. The mark he'd left on me that morning, I realized.

"So, what's on the menu tonight?" I asked, breathless with anticipation.

Would we do more blow jobs? I hadn't gotten my mouth on Ash's dick yet. He probably wasn't ready to let me make good on my threat to fuck his ass. But we could at least get naked and?—

My stomach growled loudly, and Ash laughed.

"Come on, I've got some leftovers inside."

"I didn't come over here to eat," I grumbled.

He shot me a teasing look over his shoulder. "Didn't you?"

My cock gave a kick at the thought of what else might be going into my mouth tonight.

"Well, not…" I paused to eye his balls. Well, not his balls . The breaded kind he'd just pulled out of the refrigerator, which he must have made for the food boat. "Meatballs?"

"Crab Bites," he corrected as he popped a dish of them into the microwave. "They may not be as crispy as fresh from the fryer, but they're delicious. Especially with my spicy sauce."

I smirked. "They look like balls."

"Yeah, well, I didn't think Crab Balls sounded as appetizing."

"I don't know. Could be appetizing." I wiggled my eyebrows. "I'm starting to find the appeal."

He grabbed a handful of my T-shirt and tugged me closer. "You're getting comfortable with all the gay sex fast."

"It's not gay sex."

His face scrunched up. He probably thought I was in major denial.

"Bi sex," I clarified. "And I don't know about comfortable. That's not how I'd describe what you make me feel."

"Oh yeah? Tell me."

Beep. The microwave went off.

Ash turned to retrieve the plate of food. "Hold that thought until after you eat, or I'm likely to pull out my balls."

I took a seat at the plastic booth-style table across from the kitchen. "Not your popsicle?"

Ash set the food in front of me and went to the fridge. "That too."

"You made me hard while I was trying to do a boat tour, you asshole."

He laughed. "Am I supposed to feel bad about that?"

Ash heated the sauce, which only took ten seconds, then grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and joined me.

I dipped a crab ball in the orange sauce he provided and popped it into my mouth.

Holy hell, it was good. The fresh flavor of crab came through, but with zesty spice. A sort of sweet heat. Yum .

"You're not eating?" I mumbled, mouth still full.

"Eh, I ate on the boat with Charity before we wrapped up for the day."

Right. I'd been replaced.

I swallowed, the crab bite getting lodged in my too-dry throat. I cracked the bottle of water and chugged.

The food went down, and I pushed my unease down with it.

So Ash was working in tight quarters with someone else. With a feisty-looking woman. That didn't mean he'd end up making out with her instead of me.

Didn't mean he'd laugh and rage and skinny dip.

Ash put his hand on my arm. "You okay? You sort of zoned out."

I forced a smile. "Yeah, I'm good. How relieved are you to have decent help in the kitchen, huh?"

I popped another crab bite in my mouth. It was still fucking delicious, damn it.

"Charity's great," Ash said. "But she's not you."

My eyes met his. "Yeah?"

I hated how my heart skipped. Ash's words shouldn't affect me like that. This was just fucking around.

"Yeah." His lips quirked. "No one pinned me to the wall and kissed me silent even once."

At the thought of Ash locked in a kiss with that cute pint-sized woman, I stood up and reached for his hand.

"Let's fix that."

A smile played on Ash's lips as he took my hand.

I jerked him up from the booth and straight into me. His weight crashed into mine, making me stumble back toward the kitchen counter.

I swivelled my hips, turning us so that Ash would be the one pinned.

"Fuck, Sawyer!" he exclaimed. "You're so?—"

I kissed the words off his mouth, knowing that was what he wanted. I wasn't gentle, because that wouldn't be a proper re-enactment of the kisses we'd exchanged on that boat.

I gripped his chin, pried his mouth open, and swept inside.

He groaned. "That sauce tastes even better on your tongue."

I chuckled against his lips and kissed him again.

Ash buried his fingers in my hair and rolled his hard dick against my thigh. "Ready for that popsicle?"

The idea of sucking my first dick should probably freak me out. It didn't. Saliva pooled in my mouth. "Hell yeah."

He pushed on my shoulder, and I went to my knees eagerly. When he shoved down his shorts, I stared at his cock. Slender, curving slightly to the left, with a bead of precum on its spongy tip.

A scent wafted from him. Soap, skin, and sheer masculine musk that made my dick throb with want."

"Wait," he said. "You were gonna tell me how I make you feel?"

I glanced up from my position at his feet. "Wild. Like anything is possible. Like…I just want to devour you whole."

"Then you better get started," he said softly.

I leaned in and flicked my tongue over his cockhead. Salty flavor burst across my tongue, and Ash's breath shuddered out of him.

"That's it," he murmured. "Keep going."

I swiped my tongue over his tip twice more, then brushed my lips down the side of his shaft. Ash shivered, thighs tensing under my palms, where I'd anchored my grip.

I flicked my gaze up, finding his face as tight as his thighs.

"How badly do you want to fuck my mouth right now?" I teased.

"You've got no idea," he gritted out.

But I did. Memories of last night flashed into my head, of the way Ash had taken me so eagerly. Time to make him feel just as good.

I parted my lips, sinking down and enveloping him in my mouth.

Suddenly, it seemed I had twice as many teeth as usual. I didn't know how Ash made this seem so effortless when he'd gone down on me.

Ash's fingers threaded through my hair, and he rolled his hips, pushing his cock deeper. Until I gagged. He pulled back to let me gasp for air. Then pushed in again.

My breaths didn't want to sync up with his thrusts, and my teeth kept getting in the damn way, but Ash was moaning and cussing like I was giving him the best blow job of his life, so I must have been doing something right.

I fell into a lust fog, my whole world narrowing to the thick dick stretching my lips and the moans of the man telling me I was doing good.

Until my own dick pulled at my attention, begging for touch.

I reached into my shorts, grasping my hard, needy length with my own moan of pleasure.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Fucking come with my dick in your mouth. That's so hot."

My phone rang, cutting sharply through the sounds of our ragged breathing.

I tried to ignore it, but it rang again.

And again.

Fucking fuck.

Ash pulled back. "You need to get that?"

"Yeah," I rasped as I checked the screen. "Sorry, it's work and Hudson's gone, so…"

"Sure, of course."

I answered the phone. "What is it, Heath?"

"I can't work tomorrow," he said. Well, slurred would be more appropriate. "Not feeling well."

Not feeling well, my ass. The man was drunk again.

"You've got an early tour tomorrow." He'd only been moaning and groaning that he wanted that shift. "You sure you can't sober up and make it in?"

"Gonna be out all week," he said, sounding mutinous. "I'm not drunk. I got something contagious."

"Are you shitting me right now?" I growled.

Ash started to tuck his dick away, but hell if I was going to let Heath ruin my first time blowing a guy. I grabbed hold of his dick, stroking lightly. Ash's eyes widened a fraction, then darkened, and a sinful smile tilted his lips.

While I talked to Heath, Ash fucked my fist. He met my gaze with his hot one right before he stripped off his shirt, leaving him naked before me. His furry chest rose and fell as he panted for breath.

I followed the trail of light golden hair from his pecs to his flexing stomach. On instinct, I lurched forward, pressing an open-mouth kiss beneath his navel.

"Fuck," he rasped.

Damn. His needy tone made my balls ache.

I propped the phone in the crook between my head and neck, then grasped my neglected dick and squeezed it with a shudder.

"You can just talk to Hudson if it's a problem," Heath said.

"I can't. Y-you know he's gone."

"That's not my problem. I'm not in charge."

Ash grunted, body tightening up.

"What was that?" Heath asked, sounding suspicious.

"Nothing. Gotta go."

I threw the phone down and lunged for Ash's cock, taking it down my throat so quickly I gagged.

He came instantly with a harsh cry, salty cum damn near drowning me. I did little more than squeeze my dick, and I came too, trembling on my knees.

Ash's hands were tight on my head, making me take every drop as he came, and I struggled to swallow and breathe. But it only made my own orgasm more intense.

When he released me, I fell forward, coughing and gasping for air.

Ash dropped to his knees and cupped my face. "Shit, I was too rough."

"Fuck no." I kissed him, forcing my tongue inside to make him taste his cum. "Whatever you dish out, I can take it."

"Such a badass on your knees," Ash teased.

I indulged in a few lingering kisses as our bodies calmed. Then pulled back with a regretful sigh. "I've got to head out."

"Wow, okay. Just wham, bam, thank you, man, huh?"

"It's not like that," I said. "I've got to deal with this work mess."

"I know." Ash chuckled. "I was just kidding."

He went to the sink and wet a washcloth, then swiped it over his dick. There wasn't much mess to clean up because I'd fucking swallowed it.

My mouth tasted funky as fuck now, and I reached for the bottle of water on the table and chugged some of it down.

Ash smirked when he brought me the washcloth.

"Not loving my spunk anymore?"

"Uh, it's better fresh."

Really, Sawyer? It's better fresh?

Why was having a dude's dick in my mouth easier than talking about it?

I cleaned cum from my lower abs, my hand, and where it had puddled on Ash's floor. Jesus, how much spunk was in me? Then I tugged up my shorts and stood.

"So, uh…I guess I'll see you tomorrow night? Same time, same place?"

"I can't."

My heart dropped. Not because I needed to see Ash, though. My dick just liked this whole getting-off-regularly thing. It'd been too long since I had a?—

Fuck buddy. Just a fuck buddy.

"It's my mom's birthday," he added. "I have to go over to my parents' place. Believe me, I'd rather be doing this."

My chest loosened. "Ah, yeah. Family's more important."

His lips twisted. "Than getting my popsicle devoured? I don't know. Tough call."

Jesus, I'd done that, hadn't I? I'd fucking gulped down Ash Dixon's cock. The man who'd once been my closest childhood friend. The man who I'd vowed to hate.

"Yeah, well, next time you can get on your knees for me."

He raised an eyebrow. "But you looked so good there."

I flipped him off, and he chuckled. "Maybe we should Rock-Paper-Scissors for it."

I snorted. "Not exactly what my dad had in mind when he taught us how to take turns."

Ash grinned. "Hey, a life lesson is a life lesson. This one never fails." He reached around me, grabbing my ass. Then murmured in my ear, "How else will we decide who fucks who?"

Oh, damn. My hole clenched.

Ash in my ass? I hadn't thought about that. I'd imagined fucking him when we were in the heat of the moment, but I hadn't once envisioned it the other way around.

But I had to admit, it wasn't out of the question. A tendril of curiosity unfurled in me. Could I take his dick, make him groan even harder than when I'd sucked him?

Would it hurt—or would it feel amazing? Maybe both.

So many questions. And only one way to get an answer.

I met Ash's eyes. "Better bring your A game."

"Oh, I will." His low voice rumbled through me, setting my nerves on fire. "But either way, I'll win."

It took me all the way down for the boat before I wrapped my head around what he meant.

Top or bottom. Pitcher or Catcher.

Ash wanted it all.

And hell if I didn't too.