Chapter Two
Derek
“Can I ask how you got so far off the trail?” he directed at Christian as they carefully took each step back up the embankment.
“What do you mean?” Christian asked. “The trail is right up there. I sat down to check the map and lost my footing.”
“Are you referring to the map for Mongoose Park?” Derek questioned.
“Yeah, and it sucks,” Christian replied. “It's probably the worst trail map I've ever tried to read.”
“You do realize you're no longer in Mongoose State Park, right?”
“What'd you mean?” Christian asked.
“Well, you're actually on private property right now,” Derek corrected. “Mongoose State Park is about three miles south on that trail you were on.”
“Seriously? Then, where the fuck am I?”
“Technically, you're on my property,” Derek said with a grin. “That lake down there is partly mine. Someone else owns the land on the east side though. All said and done, I've got a little over four acres out here, some of which borders Mongoose land.”
They took a few more calculated steps up the hill together with Derek keeping a firm hold on the back of Christian's t-shirt. The glint of something shiny on the ground caught Derek's attention. He bent down beside the object and discovered a small pair of binoculars partially hidden beneath a pile of leaves.
“Would these belong to you?” Derek asked. He held up the binoculars by a broken strap.
“I had them hanging around my neck when I started to slide,” Christian answered.
Derek glanced up at the rock where a red backpack sat beside it and then down towards the lake. It appeared Christian's resting spot had a straight line of view directly to where Derek was a few minutes ago on the beach jerking off then shamelessly shooting his load into the sand at his feet. His gaze slowly tracked back to Christian, and a knowing smile curled his lips. “You were enjoying the view?” he asked with a hint of sarcasm.
“What?” Christian played dumb. “Well, yeah. I mean, that's why people hike, isn't it, so they can enjoy the view? And sometimes I like to watch the birds.”
“Birds, you say?” Derek teased. “In addition to the abundance of birds to watch, it seems like you had a sweet view of the lake from up there, too. The beach area in particular.”
“I didn't notice the lake, at first,” Christian replied, clearly lying. “I was watching a strange-looking bird sitting in one of the nearby trees.”
“A spotted dick?” Derek taunted.
“A spotted … what?”
“Dick,” Derek overly annunciated. “It's called a spotted dick, but I'm pretty sure what you saw with your binoculars was my dick, and as you can see, it's not spotted.” He glanced down at his junk after he asked Christian the question, and when their eyes met again, Christian's face was flushed pink with embarrassment.
Christian wiped at his face and then started to laugh. His laughter grew until his body was bent over and shaking from his loud outbursts. “Okay, okay! Fine, I admit it,” he said. “I heard a splash, and a few seconds later I saw you coming out of the water, so I grabbed my binoculars to see what was going on.”
“And then you saw me coming,” Derek said, his grin wide and smug.
Christian looked away after his comment and swiped at the sweat on his brow again with the back of his hand. That adorable blush was back in his cheeks and that had Derek's dick starting to pay more attention.
“Do you make it a habit to walk around naked in the woods and then—do that?” he asked.
“Do what? Rub one out?” Derek asked without a single ounce of shame. “Well, it's my land and I assumed I was out here alone, but … for the record, there's no better way of hiking then doing so without any clothes to restrict your movements. You should try it sometime.”
“Try the naked hiking or the public masturbation?” Christian asked.
“Again, I thought I was alone on private property,” Derek explained. “If I'd known I had an audience, I would have turned around and faced you to make your view even better.”
Watching Christian's face turn the color of a beet shouldn't have amused Derek to the extent it did, but seeing his reaction had Derek fighting a fit of laughter every time. Christian was a spectacular looking man, no doubt about it. Looking at him was a distraction all on its own: his copper-colored hair, which seemed to match the sun, a squared jawline with brownish-blonde whiskers, hazel eyes, a sprinkling of freckles across both cheeks, and lips Derek could suck on for hours.
“I'll take your word about the naked hiking thing,” Christian mocked.
“And beating off in the great outdoors? Where do you stand on that?” Derek joked.
“You are one crazy dude.”
A few more steps and they reached the backpack sitting beside the rock. Christian took a seat and began to rifle through the contents of his bag and removed a first-aid kit. Derek squatted down beside Christian's legs and watched as he went about the task of tending to the cuts and abrasions marking his arms and legs.
“Do you have to be this close with your dick in my face?” Christian asked bluntly.
“Where would you rather have my dick?” Derek asked with a curious tip of his head.
“I'd prefer if you were wearing some clothes,” Christian tossed back at him.
“But then I wouldn't have this perfect all-over body tan,” Derek remarked and reached between his legs to fondle himself in a playful way.
Christian's gaze dropped to the object Derek was now holding in his grip. “Jesus,” he said quietly.
“Impressive even when soft.” Derek joked again. “But you've already seen me hard.”
“Oh, my god!” Christian said and laughed. “Will you stop?” He cleaned another cut on his forearm with the antiseptic wash while he continued to chuckle.
“Don't forget the one on your forehead,” Derek pointed out. Christian's fingers went to his head and felt around. “Closer to your eyebrow.” Derek reached for Christian's hand to help direct him to the location where the blood was drying just above his left eyebrow.
Their gazes remained connected while Derek held Christian's hand, and he couldn't deny the pulse of energy he felt pass between them. He had no idea if Christian was into dudes—or him, in particular, but judging by the look he was getting right now, and the fascination Christian seemed to have with his cock, the possibility seemed to be there on both counts. Besides, how many straight dudes would watch another guy beat off with binoculars?
“Hand me the wash, and I'll clean this one for you,” Derek offered.
“I can do it,” Christian replied, but Derek already grabbed the small bottle of disinfectant in one hand and a clean wad of gauze in the other.
Even using a light touch, Christian kept wincing. “Stop acting like a little girl,” Derek reprimanded. “I'm barely touching you.”
“The cut must be deep.” Christian defended.
“Nope, it's completely superficial,” Derek said and grinned. “You're just being a pussy.”
“Fuck you,” Christian said like he thought he was a badass.
Derek knew differently, though, but that was part of Christian's charm. He thought he was tough, but the halo of innocence that seemed to float above his gorgeous head said differently. There was no doubt Christian would be a soothing balm to Derek's abrasive edges—if Christian would only let him get close enough to try.
“You should be so lucky,” Derek retorted.
Christian made an attempt to shove Derek's hand away from his face, but Derek was quicker and snatched his wrist in mid-air. He saw Christian's pupils flare at his touch and knew they were feeling the same electricity. His face hovered right in front of Christian's, so close he could feel his soft puffs of breath bathe his face with each exhale. He didn't have to look at his cock to know it was rising to the occasion, and soon Christian would notice it, too.
“It's getting late,” Derek stated. “The sun will be setting soon.”
“Yeah, I should probably start heading down the trail to my car,” Christian agreed.
“You'll never make it to the parking lot now,” Derek scoffed. “It'll be dark before you even reach the border to the state park.”
Christian covered up the gash on his shin and put all the supplies back into the kit. “It's not like I have a choice,” he said and slowly came to his feet.
“You have one other option,” Derek said.
“And what's that?”
“My cabin is about a hundred yards that way,” Derek said as he pointed to his right.
Christian's mouth fell open. “I don't even know you, and you're asking me to follow you to your cabin?”
“You've seen me naked and jacking off. I'd say you know me better than most,” Derek countered. “If you follow me back to my cabin, I can drive you to your car, or you can sleep here and leave tomorrow.”
He glanced over his shoulder and watched Christian nervously shift his weight from foot to foot as if contemplating his decision. To him, the fix to this situation was a no-brainer, but he guessed it made sense why Christian would hesitate. After all, they had just met and did so under very unusual circumstances. Derek smiled at that as he started to hike up the embankment. Christian could either go with him to his cabin, or he could turn left on the trail and try and find his car in the dark—that's if he even made it as far as the parking lot.
Derek reached the trail and had started to turn right when he heard a scrambling of footfalls behind him. He turned in time to see Christian clearing the top of the embankment with his backpack slung over one shoulder and more than a few of his cuts still oozing blood.
“Hey Derek? Can you wait up?” Christian called to him on the trail.
A slow smile formed on Derek's face. Looks like someone came to his senses. He turned around to face Christian and didn't miss the subtle stumble of his feet when his eyes took in Derek's full form—every naked inch of it. And the more Christian paid attention, the higher his cock lifted to salute him.
“If I come to your cabin, will you put on some clothes?” Christian asked.
Was this guy for real? “Nope, not happening,” Derek protested. “I hike in the woods naked, so why would I put clothes on when I get home?”
“Oh, for fuck's sake,” Christian muttered under his breath.
“What is your problem with me being naked?” Derek teased. “Do you find my body that offensive, or maybe it turns you on and you're afraid you’ll lose control and won’t be able to keep your hands to yourself. Is that it? Because if it is, I'd be okay with that.”
“Oh, my god! Will you stop it?” Christian chided, and the rosy color was back in his cheeks. With the sun beginning to drop behind the mountain, the amber-gold colors washing over Christian's face almost made Derek stumble this time. Christian was positively breathtaking in the fading light. It made him wish he had a camera to snap a few photographs of him, but he knew revealing a camera to Christian now would surely have him running in the opposite direction. Instead, he turned around and waited until Christian was standing beside him before he set the slow walking pace back to his cabin.