Time Away

Part 2

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As they approached the small guesthouse, Justin noticed that the road leading in seemed to be comprised of small white stones, irregularly shaped. When the Jeep finally stopped he took a second to pick one up and realized that they were actually crushed seashells.

Looking at Brian, he smiled that big smile in delight.

Two men came down the stone steps of the smallish sized main building, smiling in greeting. Their English accents were charming and seemed to fit in with the surroundings.

“We’ve been waiting for you, good flight, was it?”

Justin volunteered that it was a little bumpy which elicited the expected expressions of sympathy and the handing over of rum and cokes by means of fortification and assurances that their luggage would be taken care of if they would just follow their hosts around to their lodgings.

The path they walked down was composed of the same crushed shells the driveway had been made of and had been lined on both sides with bougainvillea in full bloom. The strident pinks perfect in the bright sunlight and Brian noticed that hummingbirds seemed to be everywhere.

The place was magical.

After a walk of perhaps a hundred yards they were in front of a one room cottage, painted bright yellow with white and turquoise trim and surrounded by more flowers. There was a front porch with comfortable looking chairs up a couple of steps and the open windows had no glass, just wooden shutters which could be closed if need be.

Going in, there was a polished wood floor with a couple of ragged throw rugs, a large bed, a couple of dressers and mirrors and the usual bathroom. Mosquito netting hung above the bed.

It was completely charming.

“Breakfast is in the main house from seven to nine, unless you ask ahead of time in which case we can bring it to you. Lunch is from twelve to two and we can serve dinner from seven to nine in the evening. I’ve arranged for your car, and it was delivered about an n hour ago. The beach is just down that path and the pool is over there. If there’s anything at all you need, just let us know. Right, We’ll leave you to it then.”

Stuart turned to go when Brian spoke up. “Did you see to those arrangements I asked you about last week?”

“Yes, everything is set. If you’d like to go over…”

“Perhaps later, thank you.”

Catching on, Stuart nodded. “Right, no problem.” The two Englishmen left.

“Brian? What arrangements?”

“Shut up, twat.”

“Are you planning something?”

Just then their bags were brought in and the next fifteen minutes were spent unpacking. Brian refused to answer; Justin knew that it was pointless to ask.

“Beach or pool?” Justin was already getting changed.

“Your choice.”

“Beach.”

Changing took slightly longer than it normally would have when Brian decided that there was really no reason to wait til later for them to christen their cottage and Justin needed little convincing.

The bed was large and soft; the ocean breezes cooled them through the open windows and the combination of tropical air heady with the perfume of the nearby flowers and the heat of midday combined so that the feeling of eroticism was inescapable. It also didn’t hurt that the cottage was located so at to ensure maximum privacy. It was a well-designed little property, all in all and seemed to have been the perfect choice.

After they lay together, a sheen of sweat on them both, their breathing labored. Justin looked over at Brian’s face next to his on the pillow, his body still covered by the larger man.

“Is everyone here gay?”

“I think so. I thought that it would be nice to go somewhere we aren’t stared at. I didn’t want to deal with that shit.”

Kissing him, Justin answered, “Good thinking.”

“Thanks.”

“Now, get off me.” He slapped Brian’s ass. “Beach.”

“Twat.”

“We just flew like over a thousand miles to get here, I don’t want to spend the entire time in bed.”

The look on Brian’s face said it all.

“OK, that didn’t come out the way I planned—while we’re here, let’s take advantage of the facilities, shall we?”

“Twat. Come on.”

Taking sunglasses, a couple of books and magazines and some sun block with them and holding hands, they found the beach with no trouble. It was the stuff travel brochures are made of. There was white sand, gentle surf breaking, palm trees lining the beach to provide shade to the chaises set underneath. There were several hammocks strung about and a cooler prominently displayed that held soda, water, beer and wine. Near by was a stack of beach towels. There was no one else in sight and the shoreline curved in such a way that no one on a neighboring stretch of sand could see into the small cove.

It was perfect.

They pulled two chaises together, spread towels over the rubber band supports. Brian was going to settle in for a nap when Justin pulled him to his feet. “C’mon. There’s snorkeling stuff in that chest, let’s take a look at what around out there.”

Giving in so easily that Justin was starting to think that Pod Brian was beside him, they found flippers and masks which were reasonable fits and walked into the warm water. Knowing enough to put the flippers on after they were about waist deep, they spit in the masks, fitted them and began slowing kicking towards the breakers about a hundred feet out.

They swam side by side, in no hurry, holding hands and pointing out things that caught their eye.

Here was a large star fish, there a small coral head surrounded by psychedelic colored dating fish. Over there a small ray glided, in that direction was an angelfish looking for food. Several rock lobsters hid among the rocks. The bright sunlight filtered through the water, causing shadows and light patterns to shift and waver as they passed by.

The sea urchins lay in clusters and the anemones closed up with the slightest brush.

Taking the mouthpieces out, they kissed underwater, stopping only when threatened with drowning, then broke the surface to breath and laugh at one another and kiss again.

“God, this is amazing.” Justin was holding onto Brian as they both treaded water. “How did you find this place and what made you think of coming here? I thought that you said you had too much work to do to even think about a vacation.”

Brian rolled his lips before answering. “I told you, I needed a break and I heard about this place from Garth.”

“Garth? That asshole?”

“Yes, but he’s an asshole with good taste.”

“…Nah, too easy.”

“Let’s go back, I want to veg with a book or sleep or something.”

They made their way to shore to be met by Vince calmly sitting waiting for them.

“Have a good time, then? See anything interesting?”

Justin filled him in as they dried off, making the other men smile at an artist’s description—“There were these amazing fish in a sort of ultramarine blue that seemed almost back it and then there were a whole school that were light chromium yellow with cad red markings and this incredible lobster was like a hundred different shades of yellow ochre and raw umber. And the light had a sort of diffused quality that seemed almost like it was coming through a frost gel that was tinted with like maybe a no color blue and it was changing as I watched it. God, I thought I’d cum right there. I’ve just so got to paint this.”

“…Liked it, then, did you?”

“Oh, God, I can’t wait til we get to the actual scuba stuff—you said that we could, right Brian? Maybe tomorrow we could do that?”

“I think we have to take some kind of a course for that.”

Vince spoke up. “I could make a call for you, if you’d like. Big John is just down the road and he’ll give you a land lesson and then check you out in the pool. If you’re alright, he’ll take you out.”

“Oh, God, that would be so fucking great. Brian? Tomorrow?”

“Fine. Vince, could you arrange that for us?”

“No problem. What I really came down here for was to ask you if you wanted dinner here tonight or would you rather go out. If you want to eat here, we serve everyone together at the big table in the dining room at the main house at seven thirty. Tonight cook is planning on local lobster with a cream sauce. You can get a chance to meet the other guests. If you’d rather go out, I can make a reservation for you.”

“I think we’ll just stay in tonight, thanks, meet the neighbors and rest up. It’s been a long day.” He kissed Justin’s temple as he sat next to Brian on the lounger. “That alright with you?”

“Yeah, sure. That would be great.”

“Right, good. I’ll tell cook. Mr. Kinney—I was wondering…”

“Brian is fine, No one needs to be called ‘mister’ in a bathing suit.”

“Too right. We’ve made the other arrangements…”

“I’ll see you about them later, thanks, we’ll see you at dinner.” Getting up, slightly chagrinned, Vince left them alone. Brian settled down to his reading and Justin started sketching Brian reading.

“Are you going to tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“I’m reading, you’re drawing, we’re in fucking paradise together on the world’s most perfect beach drinking passable wine. That’s what’s going on.”

“Asshole. What are you keeping from me?”

“Fuck off, I’m reading.”

“You’re reading a Stephen King novel.”

“Shut up. I’m busy.”

“Are you going to tell me?” His only reply was one of Brian’s impenetrable stony stares. “C’mon, Brian. Tell me.”

Hearing the tone of Justin’s voice, Brian relented slightly. “Fine. If you manage not to piss me off, I’ll tell you after dinner.”

“You fuck.”

“Shut up, I’m reading.”

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