Find Me in July (Mesa Boys)

Chapter 3

three

T roy followed Jessie over the planks on the boat dock, carrying food bags in one hand and ice in the other. He looked out over the lake, the gentle sway of the waves lapping at the poles of the dock, then up at the blue sky dotted by fluffy clouds. This was going to be a perfect day out on the lake.

Jessie walked to a yellow speed boat with an open front bow, two captain’s chairs, and a long seat stretching across the back, all in white vinyl. The white bikini top was up, shading the captain’s chairs and most of the back. Jessie stepped into the boat and set his bags down on the floorboards.

A young man with brown hair parted in the middle and feathered on the sides and wearing the marina uniform jogged down the dock and stopped at Jessie. “Hey, man. Need some help?”

Jessie offered him a wide smile. “Hi, sure.”

That’s the dude who blew Jess. Troy’s chest tightened and a knot formed in his stomach. He glared at him. “I think we got this.” He eyed the man, thinning his lips.

Jessie glanced at Troy. “Hey, Troy, this is Gary. Gary, this is my good friend, Troy.” He lifted the back seat cushion and pulled out a small cooler.

Gary held out his hand to Troy. “Nice to meet you, man.”

Troy narrowed his eyes, peering at Gary’s mouth. Jessie’s dick was in that mouth. He forced a quick grin and shook Gary’s hand. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Gary’s attention focused on Jessie, and he placed a hand on his hip, taking Jessie in. “Maybe I could join you both one of these times.”

Troy’s heart pinched. Was this guy trying to weasel in on their time together now? He gauged Jessie’s reaction.

Jessie smiled at Gary. “Sure, man. What days do you have off?”

Gary rubbed his chin. “Well, I got tomorrow off.”

Jessie’s smile faded. “My brother wants the boat tomorrow, so that won’t work.” He furrowed his brows. “Maybe we could play some pool at that new bar outside the resort?” His smile returned.

“The Commander?” Gary shifted his stance.

“Yeah.” Jessie focused on Troy. “You down for that?”

A burning knot built in Troy’s chest. He clenched his jaw, then looked around him. No, he was not down for that. He didn’t want this guy going around with them. “Uh, I guess so.” He threw the bag of ice onto the boat and set the bag of food on the open bow seat. Why was Jessie smiling at Gary like that? He couldn’t look at either of them. He stepped onto the open bow seat and huffed, then stepped onto the floorboard.

“Hand the ice over.” Jessie held out his hand.

Troy glared at Jessie and gave him the ice. This Gary dude pissed him right off. But he needed to calm down. He didn’t want to look like an asshole and didn’t want Jessie to think he was mad at him . He drew a deep breath.

Jessie wrinkled his brows, gazing at him a moment, then tore the bag open and poured ice over the beer in the cooler. “Anyway, Gary, we can meet over there.”

“Sure.” Gary untied the back of the boat.

“How about one o’clock? Does that work for you, Troy?” Jessie peered at Troy, then pushed the beer cooler to the back of the boat.

“Yeah, I suppose.” It wasn’t like he had a choice. He wrinkled his nose, swung the window open over the walkway from the bow to the aft of the boat, and stepped through, then closed it.

Gary pulled the bumpers up on the side of the boat and tossed them inside. “Works for me.” He walked to the front and untied the bow rope. “You ready?”

“Yeah, push me off.” Kneeling on one knee at the driver’s chair, hands on the steering wheel, Jessie started the engine, and it rumbled.

Troy plopped down in the passenger chair and frowned. Gary was obviously going after Jessie. Didn’t he see that? Gary must be gay. But is Jessie? It was 1978. Being gay wasn’t a big deal anymore, right? There were gay pride marches now. But did he really have to sit by and watch a dude digging on his best friend? Could Gary be forcing him to do things somehow? Maybe that’s what happened. Maybe he talked Jessie into it, seduced him even. He pinched his lips.

Gary flung the bow rope into the boat, pushing them off with his foot.

Jessie waved at Gary and pulled the throttle stick down, steering the boat in a circle. He glanced at Troy. “Jesus, dude, what the fuck is wrong with you today?”

Troy glared ahead of them, at the ripples of the lake and the shoreline across form them, tall trees and heavy underbrush, a thin line of sandy beach stretching out to make a sandbar in the lake. “How do you know that dude?”

Jessie snapped his brows together, driving the boat slowly past the docks and other boats. He freed a heavy breath. “I met him at a bar in the Twin Cities.”

“What?” Troy widened his eyes and twisted in his seat. “You were in the Twin Cities and didn’t call me?” If he’d been with him, maybe he wouldn’t have met Gary and none of this would be happening.

“Sorry, but it was last minute, and I knew I’d see you up here. It was only last week.” Jessie frowned and shook his head.

Troy pressed his lips together. That is not cool. “Fine. So, what bar?”

“Just a bar, I don’t know.” Jessie glanced at him. “Gary lives down there and comes up here in the summer to work at the marina. His grandfather lives up here and manages it or something, so he works for him.”

Troy faced the bow of the boat. “Oh.” The blow job flashed through his mind. Was that the first time? “So, you met him last week?”

“Yeah.” Jessie passed the no wake zone buoys and dropped the throttle down. “Hang on.”

Troy braced himself, clutching at the side of the boat as the bow raised and bumped along the waves, the engine whining. He peeked at Jessie, his dark hair blown off his face as he studied the waves, driving the boat. What was going on between them? Things felt different. Why was this thing making him angry? I’m not homophobic. He wasn’t one of those dudes that went down to Loring Park to beat up gay dudes. It was none of his business if dudes wanted to live like that. But Jessie? His gut clenched and he fisted his hand in his t-shirt over his chest. Jessie with Gary? That can’t happen. He’d make sure it wouldn’t happen again.

Jessie drove the boat over the lake and slowed as they reached Gooseberry Island, a long sliver of land with a rocky stretch on one end and the other a rounded section of woods. He steered around the rocky end and turned into a curved beach area. A few other boats were already moored or beached. “Hey, can you get me a beer?”

As the boat rocked and swayed, Troy stepped to the back, took a beer can from the cooler, then handed it to him. He had to stop thinking and start having fun. He pulled another beer can open and swigged half of it down. “Damn, I needed that.”

Jessie glanced at him and smiled. “Yeah, you did.” He pushed a button on the dash and the motor whined, lifting partially out of the water. “I’m going to beach us right over there.” He pointed to the end of the beach, far from the other boats.

“Okay.” He’d stay in the back to keep the bow raised as much as possible. As he sat on the back seat, he drank another long gulp of beer.

Jessie slowly maneuvered the boat to shore. The bottom caught. “Okay, pull us in.”

Troy set his beer in a holder on the side of the boat, then jogged to the bow, jumped out into the water with the bow line and tugged the boat in.

Jessie leapt off the bow and came up behind Troy, grabbing the line and pulling.

The heat from Jessie’s body tingled over Troy’s back. He let his back press against Jessie’s chest, Jessie’s arms wrapped around him while they held the rope, enjoying the feel of his skin against his own, of being in his arms. Why am I feeling like this? He freed the rope and stepped away, breathing heavily. He needed weed or beer or something. Somehow, he had to stop whatever was happening to him.

“Okay, looks like we’re all set.” Jessie walked to the boat, now in knee-high water, shimmied his t-shirt off and threw it on the bow.

Troy fixated on Jessie’s body, the filled-out muscled chest and arms, the taut stomach, the thin trail of dark hair between his naval and the top of his Speedo swim trunks. Jessie’s thick cock, tucked to one side over his sac. The dick that Gary had in his mouth . As his chest tightened, he shook his head. That fucker never should have touched him.

Jessie tilted his head. “What the hell is going on in that brain of yours?”

Troy dropped his mouth open. “Uh, nothing. Where’s the weed?” He turned and shut his eyes. He had to stop thinking about the blowjob and put this obsession to rest. The skin mag. He let a smirk curl his lips. He’d find out if Jessie really was gay. Then he’d know how serious this thing was with Gary. He stepped to the back of the boat, rolled the ladder down and climbed up, then sat on the passenger side chair and removed his shirt.

Jessie followed him into the boat. “You want to get high first?” He lifted his brows.

“Yeah, why not?” Troy opened the glove box and grabbed a bottle of tanning lotion, then squirted some in his hand and wiped it up his legs and down his arms and chest.

Jessie stood beside him and bit his lip. “Here, let me get your back.”

“Sure.” Troy handed the lotion to him and stood up.

Jessie squeezed lotion onto his hands, then rubbed them over Troy’s shoulders, massaging his muscles, then lower, rubbing up and down his back, around the sides. His cock brushed against Troy’s ass.

Troy’s breath caught and an ache flooded his groin. He rocked his hips back, seeking the flesh inside Jessie’s swim trunks. They touched again, rubbing against each other.

Jessie’s breath deepened. He freed a soft gasp, then drew away. “There.” His voice was raspy.

Troy’s heart skipped. He swallowed and looked down. I’m getting hard! As he cleared his throat, he wrapped his hands over his groin.

Jessie twisted around and set his leg on the driver’s chair, then wiped it with tanning lotion.

Shit, what if I’m gay? There’s no way. I like chicks. But then why... Troy went to his beer and chugged the rest of it down, then grabbed a new one from the cooler. “Get the weed and let’s go find a place to get high. We can take a look at that skin mag while we’re at it.” He’d had enough of the confusion and wondering. This would tell him what he needed to know.

Jessie gave him a sly grin. “So, we’re looking at the skin mag while we get high?”

“Yeah, you okay with that?” He stepped to the bow and lifted a seat cushion, then pulled out two beach towels.

Jessie shrugged. “Sure.”

As Troy passed by him again, he slapped him on the ass and laughed. He’d turn it into a joke.

Jessie’s hips jerked forward. “Hey!” He swiped his hand out.

Troy blocked him with his arm. “Too slow.” He climbed down the ladder and into the knee-deep water. “Hurry up.”

Troy followed Jessie up a trail through weeds, vines and tall trees, the beers and magazine wrapped up in his towel and slung over his back. He watched Jessie’s tight ass in his swim trunks, the muscles bulging through the fabric. Why was he noticing things like that?

Jessie came to a small sandy stretch on the other side of the island, facing the resort. “Let’s stop here.” He rolled a blue beach towel out with a pattern of orange fishes on it, then sat down over it, crossing his legs.

Troy set his own matching blue towel down, then handed Jessie a beer, grabbed up the magazine and sat down, his legs bent in front of him.

Jessie unrolled the Ziplock baggie and took out the joint from last night and a lighter. He set it to his lips and flicked the flame on the lighter. He drew a deep drag and held it, then handed the joint to him.

Troy took a short hit, making sure it wasn’t enough to make him cough. He handed it back to him. As his head buzzed with beer and weed, he looked out over the water licking at the shore, the far-off boats buzzing by, skating over the lake. His head settled and he calmed.

Jessie dragged off the joint and rested his hand in his lap. “So, you going to tell me why you were such a dick to Gary?” He took another hit off the joint, then held it out to him.

Troy scoffed. “I wasn’t a dick. Just didn’t know who the hell he was.” If Jessie was going to keep reminding him of the blowjob by talking about Gary, then he needed a bigger hit. He snatched the joint and sucked in deep. The whole thing still didn’t make sense.

Jessie drank his beer. “You done, or do you want me to fire up another one?”

“I’m done.” Troy handed the spent joint to Jessie. Time to figure this thing out. He picked up the magazine and opened it to the centerfold, taking it in. A blonde woman in dramatic make up was lying on her back, nude except for red high heels, one finger tucked in her red lips, the other touching between her legs, a look of pleasure on her face. His cock twitched. Damn, this is a good one. He held it out to Jessie. “There, what do you think of that?” He grinned, peering at Jessie’s face.

Jessie lifted his brows and slowly nodded his head. “Not bad.” He glanced at Troy, then bit his lip. “What do you think about it?

He tilted his head and twisted the photo, his mind making the woman come to life, moving seductively on the page. His cock ached and swelled. He gulped hard and breathed deeply. “I think?—”

“You dig it. It’s giving you a boner.” Jessie snickered and pointed at Troy’s groin. As he focused on Troy’s erection, his face went slack, then his gaze met Troy’s and he widened his eyes, raking his teeth over his lower lip.

Troy’s heart thumped in his ears. He licked his lips. Why is he looking at me like that? The image of Jessie coming flashed through his mind. A pulse of sensation twitched his cock. Pre-cum dribbled into his swim trunks. He cleared his throat, struggling to find his voice. “W-well, she’s a fox. I mean, look at her.” His gaze flicked to the image. He needed to focus on that. His cock ached. How could he be this turned on? He looked at skin mags all the time and they never turned him on like this. He stole a peek at Jessie.

Jessie swallowed, fixating on Troy. “You’re really horny, huh?” He took a deep breath, held it, and released it. “Fuck, so am I.” He drew his legs up and pressed his hands between his thighs, rocking once, tensing his face. “It wouldn’t hurt if we just uh...” He laid his legs down, then rubbed over his solid cock that was straining to break through the top of his swim trunks.

Troy glanced at the image, then to Jessie and back to the image. Jessie’s not gay. The photo was turning him on, too. He peered at Jessie, studying his reaction.

Jessie focused on Troy’s groin, then his face. “I’m really sorry, man. I-I can’t stop.” He rubbed himself through the swim trunks. His gaze fell to Troy’s erection.

Okay, so he’s not looking at the photo. What does that mean? He watched Jessie.

Jessie fixated on Troy’s groin, stroking over the head of his own solid cock, then down the shaft, his brows wrinkling, his breath heavy, pre-cum wetting a circle in the thin fabric of the swim trunks.

Troy’s cock twitched and ached. I don’t care anymore. “I’m uh, going to join you.” He set the magazine on the towel and leaned over it, then slipped his swim trunks down, under his ass, freeing his seeping cock, his legs crossed. As he wrapped his fingers around it, he focused on the centerfold and pumped, panting. Sensation shuddered through him. “Oh, fuck.”

Jessie skimmed his swim trunks down and jerked his hand over his stiff cock, quick gasps erupting from his throat.

Troy glanced at him. Their gazes caught. He’s watching me and jerking off. As a surge of pleasure rocked his body, he bit his lip, fixating on Jessie. His peak tormented him. He needed to come, but Jessie was right here, watching him. It was so damn arousing, yet unnerving at the same time. He pumped harder, faster.

Jessie’s hand slowed over his shaft, then he closed his eyes and dropped his mouth open, his brows creasing. He groaned and shuddered as cum spurted up onto his chest, over his fingers.

Oh fuck. Troy’s peak raged through him in harsh waves of intense pleasure. He squeezed his eyes shut. Strangled moans erupted from his throat, his cum bursting onto his chest, his cheek and flowing over his hand. As it calmed, he opened his eyes, taking deep breaths. Holy fuck, that was good. He stared at Jessie, heat flushing his face. Shit, I jerked off with him. It got out of hand. Jessie watched me. We watched each other. What does that mean? Wait...What the fuck was Jessie doing?

Jessie licked the cum off his hand, then stopped and looked at Troy. “What?”

It won’t be weird if we joke about it. “Dude, you eat your own come?” Troy snickered and giggled, his shoulders shaking. The weed was kicking back in.

“At least I don’t come on my own face.” Jessie wiped his finger over Troy’s cheek, cleaning the spot of come.

Troy’s laughing slowed. He needed a comeback for that, or it was too embarrassing. “When I shoot a load, I don’t mess around.”

Jessie busted out in a belly laugh, falling onto his back. “I see that.” Still giggling he flipped his swim trunks over his spent cock. “We should go clean off in the lake.” He jumped up from the towel and held his hand out to Troy.

Troy raised his swim trunks up his hips, then clasped Jessie’s hand and stood up. “Last one in.”

Jessie high-stepped into the water, splashing it all around him, laughing.

Troy bounded into the water, then fell forward, fully immersing himself, holding his breath. The cold water soothed him for the moment. Warm arms wrapped around him from behind and tossed him up.

Jessie flung Troy sideways into the water, both of them falling at the same time. He squeezed Troy for a moment, then freed him and stood up in chest-high water, wiping the drips from his eyes.

Troy stood on a muddy bottom, tendrils of lake weeds tickling his legs. He wiped his eyes and opened them, looking for Jessie.

Jessie stood closer to shore, staring at Troy, parting his lips.

Troy let a wide grin spread over his face. “What?” He walked toward him.

“How do you feel?” Jessie gnawed at his lip, his almost black hair dripping around his face, his blue eyes larger than normal, but intense.

“Feel? About what?” As Troy approached him, his smile waned. This was serious. “Jessie?”

Jessie hung his head. “You’re not going to freak out on me, are you?” He seized Troy’s arm, then focused on him, his forehead wrinkling, his eyes glossy. “We’re still friends, right?”

Troy gazed deeply into his eyes. He looked upset. Was he about to cry? “No, no, I’m not going to freak out. Dudes do stuff like that, right?” He gulped hard. “It’s not like we touched each other.” Not like what you did with fucking Gary. A knot formed in his chest. He’d almost, almost forgotten about that.

“I can’t lose you as a friend, Troy. I know we don’t see each other that much anymore because of school. But you’re still my best friend. I want you to know that.” Jessie clenched his jaw, the muscle bulging.

“Fuck, man. You’ll never lose me.” Troy’s heart ached. He didn’t even want to imagine what it would be like if they weren’t friends anymore. He’d looked forward to this month together all year, counted the days even. He hooked his arms around Jessie’s shoulders and tugged him into his chest. Maybe he could drive this point home, so he would open up to him. “There’s nothing you could do that would make me not want to be friends with you. Nothing.”

Jessie laid his head on his shoulder, wrapping his arms around Troy’s waist. “Okay. Thanks, man. It’s good to hear.” He sighed. “So, how about another joint?”

Troy freed him. “Hell yes.” He followed him through cold water onto the shore and sat on his towel.

Jessie came down cross-legged on his towel, picked up the Ziplock baggie and lighter, slid out a new joint and lit it up, then took a drag. He handed it to Troy.

Troy set it to his lips and drew a deep breath, glancing at the skin mag. As he gave the joint back, he folded up the centerfold and closed the magazine. “Going to save that for later.” He curled an edge of his mouth.

Jessie sucked a hit off the joint and smiled, his eyes narrowing. “We going to look at that together again some time?”

Troy touched his fingers to his mouth. What they’d done wasn’t so bad. Sure, it was a little weird at first, but that was a damn good orgasm. Certainly better then when he’d looked at these by himself. Now that they’d talked about it, it didn’t seem all that weird. Plus it didn’t make them gay, right? “Yeah, why not.” He bumped Jessie’s side. Maybe it would keep Jessie away from that asshole Gary.

Jessie smiled, then took another toke off the joint, holding his breath. His eyes narrowed to slits.

“Damn, dude, don’t bogart the thing.” Troy grabbed the joint from him and sucked it in, then released a plume of smoke. “I think that’s plenty. We’re not going to be able to drive the boat off this island.” He pinched the end, putting the joint out, then picked up the baggie and stuffed it inside. “Speaking of which, let’s get back to the boat.”

As they made their way out of the green foliage and trees and onto the curved beach, an abundance of boats, large and small, moored, and beached, dotted the small inlet. Troy released a sharp laugh. “Damn, man, just in time for the party.”

“Yeah.” Jessie took careful steps up the beach, waded into the water, then climbed up the metal ladder next to the lifted motor. “Beer?”

Troy followed and stepped up the ladder, then set his towel and the skin mag on the back seat. “Sure.”

Jessie opened the cooler and passed him a beer. “Oh, no...” He huffed.

“What?” Troy searched the section of lake in Jessie’s view.

Dawn and Penny were wading their way through the water in bikinis, wide grins on their faces.

Dawn reached the boat ladder first, bending over the opening, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders, her bikini a red knit. “Hi, boys. Mind if we join you?”

Jessie looked to Troy, wrinkling his brows.

What was up with Jessie? He couldn’t turn them away, that would be rude. Especially since he’d never called them. “Sure. Come on in.” He waved them up.

Jessie dropped his head, took a deep breath, then sat on the driver’s side chair.

Dawn climbed up the ladder, followed by Penny, her yellow bikini looking a size too small.

“There are beers in the cooler if you want them.” Troy gave them his most charming smile, then studied Jessie. Maybe he was too stoned to deal with the girls.

Jessie stepped to the bow, grabbed their bags of food, and went back to his seat. “Hungry yet?” He opened the bag and slid out a sandwich, unwrapped it and stuffed it in his mouth.

“Yeah, hand me my sandwich.” As Troy grasped the sandwich from Jessie’s hand and plopped into the passenger chair, a squeal broke out.

Troy looked at Penny.

She held the skin mag in one hand, the other covering her mouth, her eyes wide.

“Shit.” Troy’s face flushed. He jumped up and snatched the magazine from her. They didn’t need to see that. It was embarrassing as hell.

Dawn popped open a beer can and giggled, her gaze following Troy with the magazine. “What you boys been up to?”

Troy glanced at Jessie.

Jessie chewed a large bite of sandwich and stared at the girls with bloodshot eyes.

Yep, Jessie was higher than a kite. He drew a steady inhale and shrugged. “Nothing every warm-blooded American boy doesn’t do.”

“Warm blooded, huh?” Dawn snickered and took him in from head to toe. She sat on the back seat, next to the cooler. “That skin mag is pretty raunchy, from what I hear. Can I see, or are all the pages sticky?” She laughed and held her hand out.

Jessie broke out in a belly laugh, sandwich bits flying out of his mouth. “Fuck.” He wiped his face and doubled over, the laughter settling to soft giggles. “The only thing sticky is Troy’s face.” He giggled harder.

Troy dropped his mouth open. “You fucker.” He chuckled, then erupted in his own round of giggles, wiping his eyes. He had to stop. The girls were going to think they were burn-outs. He took deep breaths, attempting to calm down. He glanced at Jessie.

As Jessie’s gaze met his, he smirked and broke out in a new round of laughter, shaking his head, rubbing his eyes. “Fuck, man.”

Troy burst out laughing again, his stomach aching, his cheeks growing sore.

Dawn smiled and chuckled, shaking her head. “You two are stoned out of your minds.” She stood up and snatched the skin mag from Troy’s hand.

“No, wait.” Anger rolled through Troy’s chest. He swiped across empty air, the laughter ceasing. “Give it back.” His voice was low and raw. He stood up and held his hand out, sneering at her.

Jessie’s giggles slowed and stopped. He stared at Troy with wide eyes. “Wh-what’s the matter?”

“Give it back, now.” He pinched his lips. That magazine meant something now, and he’d be damned if he’d share it with anyone else but Jessie. “Give it.” He wriggled his fingers.

Dawn parted her lips. “Uh, sure.” She handed it to Troy.

“Thank you.” Troy sat down and took a bite of his sandwich, stuffing the magazine into a side cubby.

“Damn, dude, way to spoil a mood.” Jessie freed a sharp chuckle and gazed at Dawn. “Hey, can you pass me a beer?”

Dawn straightened in her seat. “Sure.” She opened the cooler and took out a beer, then held it to Jessie with a wide grin. “So, looks like you two have some weed?”

Penny pursed her lips, sitting next to Dawn.

Jessie lifted his brows and looked to Troy.

“We smoked it all. It’s gone.” Why am I being such a dick? He chewed his sandwich, staring at the floorboards. He didn’t want to share with them. It was for him and Jessie. But damn, all he could think about was food. And it tastes so damn good. Apparently, he was almost as high as Jessie. He glanced at Penny and Dawn.

They sipped their beers, sitting on the seat, looking out over the water.

Jessie finished his sandwich, took a gulp of beer, then crumbled the paper from the sandwich into a ball and threw it at Troy.

The paper tapped Troy’s head, then fell to the floorboards, rolling toward the cooler. He gazed at Jessie and smiled. “What?”

Jessie shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Penny waved her hand. “Hey, my dad wants us to go back.”

Dawn frowned. “Figures.” She stood up and faced Jessie and Troy. “Well, boys, thanks for the beers. It’s been real.” She stepped to the ladder and climbed down.

Penny followed Dawn and grinned at Jessie and Troy. “See ya later. Thanks for the beer.”

Jessie, his eyes a little clearer, gazed at Troy. “So, now what?”

“I’m pretty tired, actually. I could use a nap.” Maybe a nap would also clear their heads. Troy grinned, then ate the last bite of sandwich, crumpled the paper, and tossed it at Jessie, hitting him in the face.

“Hey.” With a wide grin, Jessie set his beer in a holder and attacked Troy, tickling his sides.

Troy erupted in giggles. “Stop.” He tensed his sides, grasping at Jessie’s hands, doubling over.

They both tumbled to the floorboards, Jessie over Troy, landing chest to chest, hip to hip, Jessie’s legs tangled in Troy’s, Jessie’s arms wrapped around Troy’s head.

Jessie gazed at him, licking his lips. He widened his eyes.

Troy stared at him, keenly aware of their cocks touching through the thin fabric of their swim trunks. Oh, damn, I don’t hate it... In fact his cock was telling him to press up. He fought to think through the fog and buzzing in his head. “Uh...”

Jessie moved.

Their cocks rubbed.

A soft moan escaped Jessie’s throat and he shut his eyes, tensing his mouth.

Jessie’s orgasm at the marina flashed through Troy’s mind. His cock pulsed with sensation. “Shit.” He shoved Jessie to the side and sat with his knees lifted, rubbing his forehead, hiding the growing erection. What the fuck was happening to him? I like chicks. I know I do. But somehow, maybe he liked Jessie, too.

Jessie lifted onto his hands and knees, then sat with his legs tucked underneath him, hanging his head. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Troy wrinkled his brows. It wasn’t his fault. He didn’t do anything.

Jessie shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Why was Jessie acting like he did something wrong? He placed his hand on Jessie’s bare back. “Nothing happened, right?”

Jessie turned to him. “Right.” He released a puff of air and stood, then snatched his beer and swigged it down.

“Anyway, I say it’s time for a nap. Then maybe we can head back.” He rose and grabbed cushions from the back seat, and the bow of the boat and laid them out on the floorboards between the captain’s chairs, making sure they were in the shade. He spread towels out over them and lay down on his back. “This is nice.” He let a grin creep over his face, then glanced at him.

Jessie sat in the driver’s chair, watching him.

“Come on.” Why was he still sitting there? Troy held out his hand.

With a wide smile, Jessie lay down beside him.

Troy shut his eyes, feeling the heat from his body on his side. His head held a pleasant buzz from the beer and weed. The soft touch of fingers played on his. He spread his fingers long, then tangled them in Jessie’s and held tight. His mind began to doze. He was holding his hand. Was that so wrong?