CHAPTER 17 #2
I shouldn’t be surprised when Casey walks in a few minutes later, yawning sleepily and looking way too cute for six a.m. Fortunately, I’ve just taken care of business so I am able to act like his presence does not completely overwhelm me.
He moves to the vanity to brush his teeth before casually turning to lean up against it, facing me while I pretend I am totally cool with being naked around him.
“You got anything you want to do today, Harry?” he asks around a mouthful of toothpaste.
“I’m happy with whatever you guys want to do,” I tell him as I tip my head back to wash the conditioner out of my hair.
“Sonny will no doubt want to do something thrill-seeking. You okay with that?”
“Sounds good to me,” I reply. Is it weird that I’ve already gotten used to him being in the room while I shower?
“Yeah? You a thrill-seeker, H?” He smiles around his toothbrush, way too much cuteness in that one vision.
“Not at all,” I assure him. “But it seems like something you should do on holiday, right?”
“Right,” he grins, turning to spit in the basin. He turns back around as I finish rinsing off. “Leave the taps on. I’ll jump in after you.”
Right. Okay. Yes, I can do that, no trouble at all.
Except that means … yep, of course, Casey’s dropping his boxers to the floor, and now we’re both bloody naked and that’s just ratcheted the temperature in the room up to one hundred degrees.
It’s like I’ve never seen a naked guy before as I awkwardly step out of the shower, squeezing past as he steps in right behind me, way too close, way too hot and way too naked.
Is it too late to switch rooms with Izak?
***
Casey was right about the day’s activities.
Sonny is an adrenaline junkie and wants to cram as many thrills into the day as possible.
We manage to talk him down to just doing the SkyPoint climb, the highest climbable tower in Australia which, incidentally, totally freaked Casey out.
I ended up walking the final steps with his hand clutched tightly in mind, no complaints from me sadly.
The tower climb was followed by jet boating on the Gold Coast’s waterways which was really fun but left us all soaked in salty water. Casey’s white t-shirt clung to every curve and indent of his muscles afterwards which only added to the enjoyment of the day.
Casey drags me away for a walk after we eat dinner by the hotel pool. Izak and Sonny are lazing on the sun loungers but I can tell Casey needs to get out some energy so I volunteer as tribute.
The hotel has a little outdoor gym and grass area so of course we end up there. He squeals when he sees a football in the adjoining equipment shed and guess what that means next?
Yep, Casey kicking the ball to me while I try not to show how extremely uncoordinated at ball sports I actually am as I try to catch it. Kicking an oval shaped ball is not as easy as it looks and Casey just holds in his laugh as I spray the ball into the fence.
“Good try,” he enthuses, and I can see he means it.
“I didn’t grow up kicking an oval shaped ball,” I grump back.
“I know,” he grins cos he’s just nice and that’s another thing I love about him, how kind he is. Of course, he walks towards me, ball in hand as he gives me a quick demonstration in kicking skills.
“So you want to hold the ball across the laces,” he shows me before handing it back and spreading my fingers evenly across the ball. “Thumbs down,” he adds, positioning them where he wants. I pretend his touch doesn’t affect me while little bolts of pleasure shoot through my body at his touch.
“Like this?” I ask.
“Perfect,” he grins. “Now, tip the ball down like this,” he adds as he adjusts my positioning again.
“You want to time the drop of the ball so you kick it on the top of your foot. But the most important part is the follow through.” He demonstrates for me again and I think I could just watch him all day.
He just exudes confidence and talent and he’s so very lovely to watch.
“Now you try,” he nods at me while I shake my head to try and disperse my thoughts from catching Casey fever again. I follow his directions and release the ball, and it sails in a perfect arc right to where Sonny and Izak step onto the green.
“Nice, Thornfield,” Izak grins at me while Sonny raises his eyebrow at where Casey is still touching my hand. I hadn’t even noticed him there.
Izak picks up the ball and bounces it easily, but I’ve seen even pro athletes mess that up so there’s no way I’m embarrassing myself trying that skill. “Should we have a little game?” he asks, eyes lit up.
“Yes,” Casey immediately chimes in.
“Um, no,” I protest. “I’m not playing football with you three.”
“Aw, you can be on my team. I don’t mind,” Casey says.
“What about something else?” Sonny cuts in, walking to the equipment shed. “Something none of us excel in.”
“Cricket?” I suggest, spying the cricket set in the corner.
Sonny chuffs a laugh. “Yeah, except Casey was a State junior cricketer so …”
I laugh, eyes on Casey as he shrugs in that self-deprecating way. “Of course he was.”
“Addictive personality,” he whispers at me, and I smile. “What about soccer?”
I raise my eyebrow at his suggestion while Sonny returns with a soccer ball in his grip. “I’m good with soccer,” he says.
“Done,” Casey enthuses before he steps to my side. “Me and Harry onto you two.”
“Hang on, how about we change things up a bit,” Sonny suggests. “We’re already couplie enough as it is and you two act like an old married couple.”
“I’d marry Harry,” Casey says with a casual shrug while I try not to react. “I’m just not sure whose last name we’d take. Oooh, we could ship us, like the Callofields.”
“Well, Thornway sounds like a tropical disease so it can’t be worse than that,” I reply dryly. Casey’s grin lights up his entire face, like he’s surprised I played along. Well, that makes two of us.
“Okay, well, sorry but I’m splitting the Callofields up for this game,” Sonny interjects. “I’ll take Harrison. Izak and Casey can pair up.”
“Just no funny business with my life partner,” Casey says, doing that I’m watching you gesture with his fingers to his eyes at Sonny who rolls his eyes back.
Of course, the game is fun but these three are still highly competitive, elite athletes so I’m still by far the worst on the field even though I’m the only Englishman among us.
But Casey goes so easy on me it’s almost embarrassing, especially in contrast to how hard he goes on Sonny.
He even lets me score a couple of times, like he wants me to win.
“Nice one, Callofield,” he says with a friendly tap on my ass after I manage to get one past him.
“Are you even trying, Callie?” Izak grumbles at his teammate who laughs in return.
But Casey picks up his game a little and that may be why we end up colliding when we both go for the ball.
Only I mistime my step and suddenly we’re both going down.
Casey grabs for me on the way to the grass, trying to shield me from the fall.
But it’s no use, we land in a heap with him sprawled on top of me.
I’m winded but laughing as Casey groans and shifts his weight.
Problem is, his weight is right where I feel him most and my body starts to respond as he play acts on top of me.
“Penalty, ref,” he protests.
“Okay, off you get,” I chide, trying to hide the panic rising as my cock fills against his stomach.
“I think I like it here,” Casey grins down at me, completely unaware I’m about to spiral. I know he doesn’t mean anything by it but I end up shoving him off, more roughly than I intend if the wounded look he shoots me says anything.
“Ouch,” he whimpers, grabbing for the shoulder he landed on.
“Sorry,” I gasp, kneeling at his side while I try to hide my growing problem.
“I thought physios were supposed to heal, not harm,” Casey pouts, just kicking me even further while I’m down.
“Come here you big baby,” I sigh, running my hands up his top to massage his shoulder. He grins back at me, completely fine but I give him a soft massage anyway, not in any rush to move.
“You okay?” Sonny asks as he crouches beside us.
“Aside from my dislocated shoulder,” Casey replies. He’s nothing if not dramatic is my Casey.
“I meant Harrison, not you, idiot,” Sonny returns, eyes on me. “He’s the one you crash landed on.”
“Oh,” Casey says, like he suddenly realised. “ Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I reply. Even if I was injured, I can’t really think of anything other than the rush of pooling blood.
“Maybe we should call it a night,” Sonny suggests.
“Yeah. Don’t want to dislocate any more limbs,” Casey chuffs, face slightly embarrassed.
“You guys want to hit the clubs?” Izak asks, appearing at our side. My eyes drift straight to Casey, but he seems enthused by the idea. I’d rather just go back to the room with him if I was completely honest, but I’ll go if he wants to.
“Yes, bro,” Casey grins.
“Want to meet in the lobby at nine then?” Izak continues, checking the time on his phone.
“Sounds like a plan,” Casey replies, reaching out for my hand to haul me up to stand. And I know I’ll go because I’m pretty sure it’s clear by now I’ll follow Casey wherever he leads.