Chapter 4

C hapter 4

A bel entered the large suite and looked around in awe. All the anniversary couples were assigned suites. "This is… amazing."

"It is." Devlin walked across the spacious room to a set of doors that opened onto a small balcony. "Wow."

Abel joined him as they looked out onto the water. The ship had yet to set sail, but the view out toward the ocean was still incredible, and they hadn't even made it out to sea yet. Abel leaned against Devlin and smiled. "Sometimes I can't believe how good my life is," he whispered. "Those years at the orphanage and time on the streets…" He swallowed. "… it feels like another lifetime. Sometimes it feels like someone else's life. Or just a bad dream that I finally woke up from."

"Whatever it was," Devlin murmured, "it's over and gone." He gestured to the horizon. "This is our life now, baby. A beautiful marriage and amazing friends and family. What more could we ask for?"

Nothing, Abel thought and wrapped his arms around his husband. He couldn't think of one thing that was missing from his life.

Devlin slowly untangled himself and scooped up a brochure from a small coffee table. "What's this?"

"What?" Abel took the brochure. At first glance, it looked like a room service menu, but the words scrawled across the front in decorative script— Fantasy Menu— suggested otherwise. Abel frowned and opened the brochure. "Fantasy Fountain," he read the menu aloud. "House of Holes. Movie Room. Fairytale Playroom. Sensuous Steam Room. Peek-A-Boo Room." He looked at Devlin and raised an eyebrow. "What…?"

"Sounds…" Devlin swallowed.

"Like… fun activities?" Abel smiled playfully.

"Hm. Maybe…" Devlin replied doubtfully.

"Oh, come on, baby," Abel teased. "This is supposed to be a freedom vacation. No inhibitions and all that. Who on this cruise is going to judge us?"

Devlin looked a bit apprehensive. The wildest thing Abel ever saw him do was get on stage during their bachelor party and, even then, he did so reluctantly. This cruise could be good for him—good for them both.

I can't be here.I have to get off the ship before it leaves.

Tomas sat forward on the bed as quiet panic invaded his mind—and the panic had multiple sources.

Inside the club, he was in his element—his safe space— and was able to free his sexuality. But the moment he walked out those doors, the walls went up, closing him off and shutting him down. He wouldn't even be here on the ship if it wasn't Cole and Gabe who extended a personal invite. He hadn't developed a resistance to them yet… and didn't know if he ever would.

More than his anxiety over uncontrolled social scenes, a greater fear loomed.

"Just get off the boat," he whispered shakily and crawled off the bed. Tomas grabbed his unpacked bag and walked to the door of his cabin. He reached for the door handle when someone knocked.

Tomas withdrew his hand and stared at the door, his heart pounding harder. Why was his pulse spiking? He swallowed and tentatively opened the door. His heart shot into his throat and beat frantically.

"Hey." Cole leaned an arm on the doorframe and flashed a charming smile. Gabe stood with him, a flirty gleam in his baby blues. "Just wanted to check and see if you were settling in."

"I…" Tomas fidgeted. His bag suddenly felt too heavy.

Gabe glanced at the bag. "Going somewhere?"

"I, um…" Tomas cleared his throat and lowered his eyes. "I… I think I'm gonna sit this one out."

"Huh?" Cole frowned. "What do you mean? Not take the cruise?"

"Yeah," Tomas mumbled. "I'll probably get seasick anyway."

"So, take some Dramamine or something. You'll be fine."

Tomas shrugged and chewed his lower lip. "Still… I think I'll pass."

"No." Cole shook his head. "You won't. I won't allow you to take a pass on the time of your life. We're going to have some crazy fun on this cruise. We can't allow you to miss out on that."

"Cole…" Tomas averted his gaze, his panic welling. "I'm not… I'm not any fun outside the club."

Gabe snorted. "Bullshit."

"Yeah," Cole chuckled. "We don't buy that for a second."

Tomas sighed and adjusted the bag strap on his shoulder. "You'll have more fun without me," he whispered, trying to keep his voice calm and steady. "You shouldn't have to… babysit me."

Cole laughed and ruffled his hair. "You're a silly boy. It isn't a chore to hang out with you. We actually enjoy it, baby."

"For sure," Gabe conferred. "You're crazy cute and sexy and sweet as honey. Who wouldn't want to hang out with you?"

Tomas didn't recognize Gabe's description of him. At the club, then yeah, he might be all those things. But out here… he wasn't any of that. And right now, that wasn't the issue.

"Come on." Cole stepped forward, took his bag, and returned it to the bed.

"Hey…" Tomas squeaked, his pulse jackhammering.

"We're about to set sail." Cole squeezed his shoulder affectionately. "Come up to the lido deck with us. We're having a bon voyage pool party. It's going to be super fun."

"The-the lido deck?" Tomas swallowed hard. "C-Can you see the… ocean from there?"

"Oh yeah." Cole grinned. "Gorgeous view. Especially once we're out to sea."

Tomas recoiled. "I-I don't…"

" Yes, you do." Gabe grabbed his hand and tugged him through the door. "This ship is like the club on water. No one aboard is going to judge you for having a little dirty fun. That's why they're all here." He grinned and wrapped a muscled arm around Tomas, drawing the boy against his hard, warm body. "Don't ever pass up a chance to live life to the fullest—"

" No…" Tomas pulled away and stumbled back inside the room. "I-I don't want to go up there."

Cole and Gabe exchanged a startled look. "Hey…" Gabe spoke calmly and held up his hand. "We weren't trying to force you, babe. We just wanted you to come along and have some fun with us."

Cole frowned, puzzled. "What's wrong, Tomas? Are you… afraid of us?" The notion seemed to baffle him. "You know we would never hurt you, right? Or try to make you do something you didn't want to do."

"I-I know," Tomas whispered with a tremor. "It-it's not you…"

"Then what?" Gabe asked. "Is it someone else? Has someone been hassling you? If so, just tell us who, and we'll put a stop to it right now."

"No." Tomas shook his head, his throat working. "It isn't anybody. It's…"

The cabin floor hummed beneath Tomas' feet as the cruise ship came to life, preparing to set sail.

" No…" Tomas whimpered and scrambled for his bag. "I-I have to get off… I have to get off the ship." He rushed the door and Gabe caught him.

"Whoa. Hey. What's going on? What's wrong, babe?"

"Let me go." Tomas trembled badly. "I have to go… I have to get off…"

"Why?" Cole gently gripped his shoulder. "What're you so scared of?"

Tomas choked on a sob. "I-I can't go out there. I-I can't be out there."

"Out where?"

" On the ocean," Tomas cried. "I-I'm th-thalassophobic."

Gabe stared at him. "Thal… what?"

"It's a phobia," Cole murmured. "A severe fear of the ocean."

"A fear of the…" Gabe shook his head. "Babe… if you're afraid of the ocean, then why did you agree to come on the cruise?"

Because you guys asked me. That didn't feel like a good enough of an answer, but what else did he have? He didn't understand it himself, but he couldn't tell them no.

The ship moved, pulling away from port.

" No…no…" Tomas panicked. "Let me off— let me off."

Cole held him in place. "Hey. Hey. Easy, baby. It's too late to get off the boat. But listen. Listen. You're going to be okay."

Tomas shook his head, shaking badly.

" Yes, you are. I'm right here with you. Gabe is here. We're not going to let anything happen to you, I promise. And you don't have to worry. It's summer, the waters are calm, and this ship is sturdy. Nothing bad is going to happen. And even if it did…" he glanced at Gabe who nodded back. "… we're right here and we will protect you—with our lives , if necessary. I don't think it'll come to that," he smiled. "But if it did, then yeah, consider us your guardian angels. We got you."

Cole drew him into a hug and held him close. Gabe moved in and hugged him as well, tucking Tomas between them.

"There's nothing to fear," Cole whispered and kissed his hair. "We're right here."

"Trust me, this will be fun." Axel opened the door to the cabin suite as the ship set sail. "It's our first vacation together. You're supposed to relax."

Clint chuffed. "After that last stunt you pulled, trust is a hard-earned word."

Axel laughed. "Like you didn't have a good time."

"That isn't the point," the cowboy grumbled.

"Why isn't that the point?" Axel closed the door and pushed Clint toward the bed. "Isn't having fun a priority in life? If not, it should be." He shoved Clint onto the bed on his back and hopped on top of him, straddling his body. Axel leaned forward, planted his hands on either side of Clint's head, and stared down into his eyes. " Fun is the best thing to have. Tell me I'm wrong." Axel cocked an eyebrow and smiled. The cowboy held his peace, offering no argument. "That's what I thought."

"Smartass," Clint growled and flipped them over, pinning Axel to the bed.

Axel laughed and nodded. "I am."

"Cory teach you that?" Clint muttered.

"What?"

"Teach you how to be a smartass."

"Maybe." Axel grinned.

"The brat," Clint snarled. "I should whip his ass."

"Mm." Axel flung his legs around the cowboy and cinched his thighs tight, pulling Clint harder against him. "I'll take that whupping for him."

"Not much of a punishment," Clint huffed. "For either of you. You'd both like it too much."

"No, no," Axel smirked. "I wouldn't like it at all. I swear. Spank my ass, cowboy, I'll prove it to you."

Clint shook his head and chuckled. "You're incorrigible. You've definitely been taking lessons from Cory."

"Mm-hm." Axel snickered.

"He's corrupting you, to fuck with me."

"Of course, he is." Axel pursed his lips, struggling to suppress a grin.

"I can see how hard you're resisting him."

"Oh, I'm not resisting at all." Axel grinned. "He's my sensei."

Clint growled and ravaged his neck. Axel laughed and rolled them over again, sitting up. He rolled his ass on the cowboy's hardening crotch.

"How about a quickie before we join the others up top?" Axel tugged open Clint's shirt and bent down, nibbling and sucking his nipples.

" Shit…" the cowboy quivered.

"Is that a yes?" Axel mumbled around a perky nub.

Clint grunted and yanked loose Axel's belt buckle and unfastened his pants, then hurriedly fumbled with his own. Moments later, their clothes were scattered on the floor and Axel was impaled on the cowboy's stiff cock.

They bypassed foreplay preliminaries and went straight to vigorous fucking.

Axel clutched handfuls of Clint's thick pecs and rode him like a true cowboy breaking in a wild stallion. The bed shook and shuddered as the men panted and grunted and fucked with all their strength.

" Fuck!" Clint flipped Axel onto his back and fucked him into the firm mattress.

"Uuhh!" Axel gouged his back, dragging scratches across his taut, heated muscles. " Fuck me—harder! I'm gonna cum…" His member throbbed between them, rubbed and raked furiously against Clint's ribbed, flexed stomach, each urgent thrust from the cowboy squeezing cum juice from his cock head.

Clint quickly shifted Axel on hands and knees and fucked him from behind, putting greater power into it.

" Fuu-huuck!" Axel dropped to his elbows and shoved his face into the soft pillow, panting heavily. His steel erection bobbed between his legs, flicking droplets of precum all over the bed and Axel's stomach. " Uuh-uuh-uuhhh!! I'm… I'm cumming!"

Ropes of cum shot out of him—and he kept cumming as Clint nailed his prostate at just the right angle.

" Fuck!" Clint bellowed and filled his ass.

Seconds later, they collapsed on the bed, chests heaving, bodies flushed and drenched in sweat. "Oh… yeah…" Axel panted with an exhausted grin. "… this… is going… to be… one hell of a… fun vacation."