Cole woke slowly, a persistent ache in his arm that wouldn’t quite go away. He rolled his shoulder to try and get the blood flowing, freezing in place when he realized the cause of the discomfort.

Rhett.

More specifically, Rhett lying on top of his arm because his entire body was tucked against Cole’s side. The more Cole woke, the clearer everything became, from the warmth of Rhett’s skin to the hot dampness of his breath as it landed against Cole’s side.

He reached his free arm down, brushing Rhett’s hair out of his eye so he could see his face. How had he never noticed how handsome Rhett was? He’d spent his whole life within reach of Rhett, and his ferns, and his books, and his gentle caresses, but he’d never noticed him. Never stopped to notice him.

How on earth would anyone compare to Rhett after this facade was over? Cole hadn’t even had a taste of Rhett; he didn’t know what his breath smelled like in the morning and he didn’t know what his face looked like when he came. But here he was, angling to marry the man. Yeah, it was for show, for his livelihood, for Rhett’s livelihood. But Cole would be lying if he didn’t admit the whole thing seemed like a shit idea the further into it they got.

Rhett groaned and Cole immediately mourned the anticipated absence, only to be met with relief when Rhett settled closer against him. Rhett’s eyelashes spread like a fan, long curls normally hidden by the lenses of his glasses.

Cole dared to reach between his legs, shoving the heel of his hand against his erection to try and quell it. Unsuccessfully. There was no hope for him on an island vacation with a handsome man who made him laugh and who was now wrapped in his arms, even if it was unintentionally.

“Mmmn,” Rhett moaned and the sound shot straight to Cole’s dick. He swallowed and tried to ignore it. Rhett angled his hips toward him, rubbing his cock against Cole’s hip. He moaned again and Cole grabbed the sheets between his fingers, anything to avoid flipping Rhett over and pounding him through the mattress.

“Rhett,” he whispered, hoping his voice would rouse him enough that he’d roll away on his own.

Rhett skated his hand up Cole’s stomach, fingers sliding into the dips of his muscles and ribs as he slid up Cole’s chest. Cole’s heart rate accelerated, slamming like a caged bird against his sternum.

“Rhett,” he tried again.

“Baby.”

Cole scrubbed a hand down his face, angry at himself for what he was about to do, but simultaneously unable to stop himself.

“Rhett, wake up,” he said, this time his voice louder and more stern.

“Fuck.”

Rhett flailed, his body flying backward, leaving Cole bereft and cold. Rhett took the sheets with him, tangling his legs in the soft cotton and tumbling onto the floor with a thud. Cole adjusted his cock and crawled over to the edge of the bed, looking down at Rhett.

“Are you okay?”

Rhett pulled the sheet free of his legs and used it to cover his face. “I’m so embarrassed, oh, my God.”

“Why?” Cole reached down and gripped the sheet, trying to pull it away from Rhett’s face.

Rhett groaned and rolled to face the wall. He was wrapped up in the sheet and the curve of his ass came into Cole’s view, thankfully covered by his bright blue briefs and not bare, but what an ass it was.

“Babe,” Cole tried.

“Stoooop,” Rhett whined, fighting the sheet away from his face and narrowing his eyes at Cole. “I’ll just sleep down here until we go home.”

Cole laughed, “Why on earth would you do that?”

“It’s a giant bed!” Rhett gestured wildly, forcing himself onto his feet, the sheet wrapped around his legs and pooling around his ankles.

His cock was hard.

Cole threw an arm across his eyes, but it was too late. The outline of Rhett’s cock, smashed into those tight briefs, was seared in his memory. He’d wank over it for the rest of his life, starting right now.

“I’m going to shower,” he rushed the words out, crawling out of the other side of the bed and locking himself in the bathroom.

He cranked the hot water and stepped under the spray, jerking his cock until he came against the wall of the shower. He groaned, watching the evidence of his orgasm slide down the tile. His cock didn’t waver, still thick and hard even after his orgasm. Cole reached for the taps, turning the water cold. He shivered, but stayed until his erection abated.

Once he was confident his cock was done, he turned the warm water higher and finished his shower, shampooing his hair then washing and rinsing all the other necessary parts of a man that required attention. He turned off the taps and stepped onto the bathmat, swiping a hand across the fogged mirror. He scratched his fingernails into his two day scruff, hoping that Kristen wasn’t going to cause a scene if he didn’t shave. Being able to release even that one small responsibility was liberating.

Cole wrapped a towel around his waist and exited the bathroom, only to find the hotel room empty. The sliding glass door to the beach was open and Cole stepped outside. The morning light was bright and it was warm, as it always was in Tahiti, but not hot enough to cause him to sweat yet.

Rhett was in the ocean, not deep, just far enough that the waves lapped at his knees. He was still, a figure on the horizon that Cole somehow could already describe in details he had no right knowing. He closed his eyes, pictured himself wading into the water and coming behind Rhett, wrapping his arms around and turning him, pressing their lips together and kissing him until they couldn’t breathe.

The fantasy was a vivid one, down to the sound and the feeling of their teeth clacking together as they nipped at each other’s lips and tongues. He exhaled a rough breath, mentally turning Rhett’s sleepy touches from earlier into purposeful movements that stripped Cole of his clothes.

“Are you done in the bathroom?”

He opened his eyes and Rhett was in front of him, skin damp with salt water.

“Obviously,” Cole rasped, trying to reconcile real Rhett with this fantasy he couldn’t shake.

Rhett nodded then dipped his head, walking past him and straight through the room into the bathroom. Cole took the icy reception for what it was, returning to the room behind Rhett and dressing quickly. He scribbled out a note saying he’d be back before lunch, then slipped out of the room.

He didn’t have a plan, but he knew putting space between them was necessary. Cole found himself in one of the small hotel restaurants where he ordered a coffee and croissant. He scrolled through the news on his phone, checking in with his operations manager back at the vineyard and catching up with a handful of other missed emails that needed attention.

“Where is that boyfriend of yours?”

A piercing voice from behind caused him to wince. He bit his tongue and forced a smile. “Good morning, Nan.”

“That wasn’t an answer.” She leaned against the chair across from him without sitting in it, which Cole was thankful for.

“He’s in our room,” Cole answered curtly.

“You know, Cole, I was talking with your grandfather last night and we both agreed that it was so absurd that you had a boyfriend and no one knew about it.”

“I respectfully disagree, Nan. I’m a busy man, running Mallory. I didn’t want anyone to get excited at the prospect of me settling down with anyone until I knew it was serious.” For the most part, that entire statement was true. Things with Rhett were serious, but more like seriously stressful and seriously fucked up.

“Have you talked with your sister about the operations at the vineyard?”

Cole licked the front of his teeth and clenched his jaw. “She has no interest in the vineyard, Nan.”

“That’s a shame.”

Cole’s stomach twisted. “Why?”

His grandmother gave a sort of careless looking half-shrug perfected by those who were far too close to the end of their days to extend any common courtesy to those around them.

“Will we be seeing your boyfriend, what’s his name, Royce, at the wedding tonight?”

Cole’s mouth twitched.

“His name is Rhett, and of course he’ll be at the wedding. He’s my date.”

“Very well then, Cole.” His grandmother flicked her hand in lieu of saying goodbye and left him alone, her heels clicking through the restaurant and back to the lobby.

Cole took a drink of his coffee, which was nearly cold now, and returned his attention to his phone in time to see a text come in from his sister.

His phone rang, Ryan’s face lighting up the screen and interrupting whatever colorful emojis Kristen was most assuredly about to send him. Cole sighed, regretting that he’d even taken his phone out of his suitcase before he left Rhett in the bathroom earlier.

He accepted the call.

“Hey.”

“Hey there, bestie,” Ryan said, his voice teasing and lyrical.

“How are things at home?”

“Fuck home,” Ryan laughed, “How are things in paradise?”

“Everything is great,” Cole half-lied, making a mental note that lying hadn’t ever come as easy as it had the past week.

“You and my baby brother having fun?” Ryan’s voice had a slight edge to it.

“He’s three minutes younger than you,” Cole remarked.

“Don’t dodge the question.”

“We’ve been having a nice time,” Cole told the truth. “It’s nice being here with him.”

Ryan made some sort of partially agreeable noise. “I wish you would have told me.”

“I didn’t want things to be weird, like if things with him didn’t work out.”

“Will it be weird if things do work out?” Ryan asked.

“Things are working out, dude.”

“Right, yeah. I mean that’s good.”

“Are you sure?” Cole asked, really hoping that this whole plan he and Rhett had hatched wouldn’t fuck up either of their relationships with Ryan.

“I am,” Ryan promised. “It’s just weird. Anyway, what are you doing? I didn’t interrupt anything?”

Cole scoffed. “You interrupted me trying to drink my coffee in peace. I love you, but I regret turning my phone on so I’m hanging up now. I’ll talk to you when we’re home.”

Cole hung up his phone then turned it to silent and flipped it face down on the table. He didn’t want to talk with anyone else today if they weren’t Rhett and that terrified him.