Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Meet me at the dock in an hour

He was going to hate me for waking him at the crack of dawn, not that I cared. I drove through the McDonald's drive-thru window to grab two coffees and a couple of breakfast sandwiches and then continued on to the marina. Mattie arrived at six o'clock on the dot.

The sun rose like an orange ball of fire over the horizon, glittering like rubies over the water.

"I thought we were off today," Mattie complained.

"Nah, this client booked with us last week. I just like to keep you on your toes," I smirked, shoving his coffee at him. "We've got a day charter fishing trip. Drink up, and there's a sandwich in that bag for you. "

His face soured as he stared at the Harlowe One docked beside the Harlowe Two. No doubt he wished we were gearing up for an exotic Caribbean getaway aboard the yacht.

"Time to cash in that fishing trip voucher, Mattie-boy." I turned away, laughing, and got hit square in the back with the balled-up paper bag.

"I told you, I hate fishing."

"No, you told me you've never fished before. There's a difference. You can't hate something you've never tried."

"I'm probably gonna hate it," he sulked.

"Then you're not doing it right."

Rod and Bram joined us and we got underway, not slowing until we were twelve miles offshore. The guys were seasoned fishermen and didn't require much assistance from me, so I focused on Mattie instead.

"Come here, boy."

"Boy?" He squinted against the sun over my shoulder. "I don't fucking think so, old man."

Moving quicker than he guessed I could, I grabbed him by the front of his shirt, hauling him up against my chest. "Didn't I tell you about watching your mouth when you're on the job? That's how you got fired from your last one." I let go of his shirt, smoothing my palm over his chest. "Watch what you say around our guests. Got it?"

He looked shocked, and his throat bobbed as he swallowed. "Yes, sir. "

"Good, now go grab that pole from the rack over there and bring it here."

"You're not gonna give up till you teach me how to fish, are you?"

I laughed easily, snagging him by the waist and turning him around to stand between my legs. "You want to hold it like this." I showed him, wrapping his fingers around the pole. I covered them with my own hands. "Position the end against your belly and tighten your core," I instructed, placing my right hand over his stomach. "Now reel it in, nice and easy." My words tickled his ear, making him shiver. Mattie spun the reel too quickly, jamming it up. "No, not like that. Slow down, slick. You're not jerking the damn thing like it's your cock." He turned his face into mine, maybe surprised I was talking about his cock. "Pay attention. You wanna go nice and slow. Use a soft touch."

"Like I'm jerking your cock instead of mine?"

Now I was the one who was surprised, but I laughed it off. "Exactly like that." Damn, he smelled good, like sunblock and deodorant, and something that was uniquely Mattie. "Bring it back easy over your shoulder and then jerk it hard."

"We're back to my cock again?" he asked, chuckling.

All this talk about jerking each other's cocks had started to make my dick throb, and because his was on my mind, naturally, I looked down at it. He was a lot harder than I was.

"You still think about touching me?" I asked, all deep and gravelly.

"Constantly." Christ, I was playing with fire. "I hung out with this nerdy little twerp yesterday whose dick is constantly hard, and he put some ideas in my head that sounded pretty good."

"Yeah," I laughed, "Nicky's head is full of ideas. Mostly terrible ones." I covered his fingers with mine and together, we reeled in his line. "What scheme did you two cook up?"

"No scheme, just an idea. Nicky seemed to think I could learn a lot from you."

"Really?" I drawled.

"You're supposed to be keeping me in line this summer. What is your plan, to work me to death? Because I might have a better idea."

Definitely playing with fire, and from the sound of it, Mattie wanted to burn me. "Out with it, boy. What are you getting at?"

Instead of speaking, he brushed his ass up against my thickening cock; an unmistakable invitation. Letting go of his hands, I grabbed his hips, keeping him still before he got carried away. "Mattie," I hissed, "what the fuck are you doing?"

"Thought we were supposed to watch our mouths at work?"

"You're asking for it, boy. "

"Yeah, I am."

Bringing my lips to his ear, I growled over the rushing wind, "Just what, exactly, are you asking for?"

"For you to fuck me. If you wanna teach me something, teach me the things I really want to learn."

I was all the way hard now, just from his invitation. "You need to start with an attitude adjustment and learning how to respect adults. Then I can teach you about the benefits of hard work and making moves to secure your future. Last on that list would be getting fucked."

"You really think I don't know how to respect people? Maybe they should try respecting me. I'm not afraid of hard work, or about taking my future seriously. You must've heard that shit from my father. Just because he doesn't agree with what I want to do doesn't mean I'm not taking my future seriously."

Digging my fingers into his hips, I pulled his back tight against my chest. "You're right. It starts with respect, and it goes both ways. Start showing me some. You'll get back what you give me."

"Really? Just like that?" he asked disbelievingly.

"Just like that," I insisted, nudging my nose against his earlobe. "What is it you want to do with your future that your father doesn't approve of?"

"Take pictures," he scoffed, shaking his head. He had no faith in himself because no one had shown him any.

I hadn't known he was interested in photography, nor had I seen any of his pictures, but I believed in him, wholeheartedly. Mattie was a determined and stubborn guy. When he set his mind to something, he didn't give up until he proved everyone wrong. Just like me at his age, determined to prove to my father that Cass and I had a future in sailing.

"I can't think of a better place to take pictures than out here around the water."

"Yeah, it's beautiful out here. Like paradise."

I took the pole from him, and he turned to face me. "Mattie, look at me. We're going to make a deal, all right?" He nodded, eager to hear me out. "You're gonna work hard with a good attitude, and I'm gonna give you plenty of time to take your pictures. If you need a hand getting this career off the ground, I'm going to help you."

"Really, why? Why would you help me?"

"Because I believe in you. Because once upon a time I was you, and all I wanted was to have someone believe in me."

He looked skeptical. "What's the catch?"

Smart boy. "When you step out of line, I'm going to punish you, my way. "

"Your way?"

"That's right." My hand snaked around his hip, the tips of my fingers digging into the meat of his cheek. "My way. You may not like it—then again, maybe you will," I laughed. "But either way, you're gonna obey me, and you're going to show me respect. "

"Yes, sir," he breathed. "I'm all in."

"All in, huh? I don't think you have any idea what you're getting into."

"I think I do. And I'm telling you, I'm all in."

He couldn't possibly. There was no way he could guess the dark places my mind could go.

The trip was a success, with Rod and Bram catching a cooler full of mahi-mahi. Even Mattie caught one.

"I thought my heart was going to beat right out of my chest when I was reeling that sucker in. He was huge," he exaggerated, smacking my shoulder. "You saw him, right? You're gonna tell Nicky how huge he was?"

I covered my smile by taking a sip from my frosted bottle of beer. "So, you're a fan of fishing now?"

He rolled his eyes. "I mean, I'm not gonna say you were right, but if I had to go fishing, it wasn't the worst way I could spend the afternoon."

"Right, and the fish was how big?" Every time I asked him, his hands spaced apart wider. The age-old fish story.

He caught my smirk. "Fuck off," he mumbled under his breath. Unfortunately, for him, I had excellent hearing.

I sat up straighter, placing my beer on the deck at my feet. "Come here." My tone was severe, not to be dismissed .

Mattie backtracked when he caught my expression. "I didn't mean it. God, you're so sensitive."

"I said, come here."

Letting go of the rail, he came closer, looking cautious, but trying to pull off his I'm-not-scared-of-you look.

When he stood before me, I pushed to my feet, so we were eye-to-eye. "I thought we had a deal." I watched his throat slide nervously. "I show you respect, and you give it back to me."

"I know, I'm sorry. I didn't mean?—"

"What did we discuss would happen when you broke the rules?"

"That you would punish me your way."

"That's right. My way. On your knees, Mattie-boy."

"My knees?"

"Kneel," I insisted, palming the top of his head with gentle pressure to urge him to his knees.

He sat with his ass against his heels, looking up at me with a face that made me hard, a face I would remember later that evening, when I pleasured myself. Mattie looked a little scared, a bit confused, and somewhat excited. It was a heady cocktail that tasted like desire.

I stepped right up to him, so that his face was near my crotch, and stood still, staring down into his dark eyes. Mattie didn't disappoint. He brought his lips closer with each silent second that ticked by. I knew he wanted my cock— he'd told me twice now—but that didn't mean he was going to get it.

"Good boy," I praised, running my fingers through his dark waves. Then I resumed my seat, kicking my feet up on the lounge chair. I grabbed my beer and sipped slowly, taking my time, while my boy kneeled for me.

My boy . Fuck, that sounded good. I'd never had one beyond a night or two of play. Role-play, really. But this, with Mattie, was a longer arrangement. I had the rest of the summer to teach him about obedience and pleasure. If he lasted that long.

"How long am I supposed to sit here?" he grimaced, squinting up at the sun.

I knew the deck had to be hot against his legs. "The longer you run your mouth, the longer you'll sit there." Taking another sip of my beer, I swallowed loudly and sighed, giving him the impression that I was completely unaffected by his discomfort.

Fifteen minutes passed in silence as I finished my beer. Mattie remained obedient, never making a sound. I was so fucking proud of him. Swinging my legs around to the floor, I sat on the edge of the lounger, facing him. He looked beautiful with his eyes closed and his face turned up to the sun. Long, dark lashes fanned out over his tanned skin, and pouty lips slightly chapped from the sun. I was dying to kiss them. But none of that affected me as much as the outline of his khaki shorts stretched tightly over his hard cock. Yeah, Mattie was hard the entire time he'd been kneeling. That would bode well for our arrangement.

"Open your eyes, Mattie-boy. You did so well," I praised, brushing the backs of my fingers along his cheek. "Up, off your knees. Come sit with me," I suggested, patting the cushion beside me. "How do you feel?"

He leaned into my shoulder, his skin warm from the sun. "Good. That wasn't so bad."

"That was just the beginning," I warned. "Go get me another beer, and get yourself something to drink. It's hot out here."

Mattie bent over the cooler to grab another bottle for me, giving me a perfect view of his ass. We had the boat to ourselves, docked at the pier, which was now mostly empty because of the late hour. The sun was setting, and we had front-row seats to the most beautiful sunset in South Carolina. Mattie handed me the beer, resuming his seat beside me. He even popped the top for me.

"Can I have a sip?" he asked.

Cute. "No, you're underage."

"I was old enough to drink in Barbados," he argued.

"Look around, Mattie-boy, this ain't Barbados."

Looking me directly in the eye, he grabbed the bottle from me and took a swig, daring me to punish him again. I wasn't going to take the bait .

"Always a brat, always looking for a punishment."

"I don't want another punishment," he argued.

"Don't you? Isn't that why you continue to push my buttons?"

"No, it's not."

"Then why?" I asked, snagging the bottle from him.

"I don't want you to see me as some unruly kid who needs to be taught a lesson. I want you to see me as a man, as your equal."

"Then behave like one," I challenged, taking a pull from the bottle. I licked the malt flavor from my lips and his eyes tracked the movement. "Are you going to talk to your father when you get home?"

"No," he scoffed.

"What are you waiting for?"

"For him to be reasonable!"

"Let me ask you a question. What's the worst that could happen? What's he gonna do if you tell him you're gay and that you want to pursue photography?"

Mattie shrugged. "I don't know, probably kick me out."

"He wouldn't."

"Yeah, he would, Sam. This little summer adventure was my last chance to get my shit straight before he kicks me out. When he realizes I'm not gonna go along with his plans for my future, he won't support me any longer. He'll be finished with me."

Fucking prick. "Listen, kid. You can't let assholes like that bully you into being who they want you to be instead of who you are. You can't go through life like that, always letting them win."

"Easy for you to say," he huffed. "You got to live out your dream."

"My father was just like yours. In fact, we don't even talk anymore. The difference between me and you was that I had money. I'm a trust fund brat," I admitted with half a smile. "I also had Cass, so I wasn't the only one with a harebrained scheme. He's always backed me up. Who do you have?" I asked.

"No one," he sulked. "Nicky?" Then he laughed. "Not sure what he can do for me, and neither of us have money."

"But I do, and you have me. And you have Cass." He glanced up at me, almost looking hopeful. "I'd never let you go hungry or without a roof over your head. Nobody deserves that."

"Why? Why would you help me?"

I knocked his knee with mine, smiling. "We're friends now, remember?"

That was the short answer. The longer answer was that I saw so much of myself in him, and I could never let him suffer for wanting to be himself. Also, my heart was becoming strangely twisted up in Mattie-knots. For better or worse, I'd developed a soft spot for him.

Probably worse.