We were mostly quiet on the way back to the hotel. Zane grumbled as he helped me out of my wet suit at the Jeep and barked a few commands when we unloaded the boards in his mom’s garage. I was just glad Wendy wasn’t home. I didn't think I had any small talk in me. My mind was churning with ideas on how to get us out of this funk. This wasn’t us. We were friends. The peace-loving kind who didn’t raise our voices unless it was to ask what our partner wanted to eat over the din of the television.

“Are you hungry?” I asked feebly as we made our way down the posh hallway to our suite. Somehow the elegance seemed to work against me. I wished I’d suggested grabbing takeout before we got here. In-N-Out french fries would have reset the balance in a flash. 

“A little. We need showers. You go first,” he said, opening the door and setting my backpack on the floor near the front door. 

I bit my bottom lip and nodded before turning to the bathroom. An overwhelming feeling of helplessness dragged at my mood and manifested itself in listless motion. I undressed then shuffled to the huge walk-in marble shower and fussed with the temperature and spray before finally stepping inside. Lukewarm water sluiced over my skin and matted my hair. It wasn’t hot enough, I thought lazily. If I’d had the strength to change it, I would have but really…what was the point? I closed my eyes and let my mind wander to all the things I should have said or done differently that morning. I could have ignored Dean and finished my damn book. I could have gone bodysurfing and maybe even persuaded Zane to join me or—

“Did you wash your hair yet?”

I jumped and whirled around with my hand on my chest. “Fuck! You scared me.”

Zane chuckled. “Relax, babe. This isn’t Psycho. I’m naked and empty-handed. You’re safe with me.”

He held his hands high in surrender, inviting me to laugh at his exaggerated silly pose, but I couldn’t look away from his twinkling eyes and that beautiful smile. The one that constantly reminded me not to take life so seriously. Fuck, I loved him so much it hurt sometimes. I blinked back tears, hoping like hell the spray covered the evidence.

“I’m sorry,” I said in a shaky voice.

Zane’s smile dimmed. He reached for my face and rubbed his thumbs under my eyes then kissed my forehead, my nose, and finally, my lips. He pulled back before I could throw proof of my apology into a frenetic kiss complete with tongue, roving hands, and a gyrating pelvis. He bent to pick up a bottle of shampoo and poured a generous amount into his palm.

“I may have overreacted. I just—turn around so I don’t get this in your eyes.” He waited for me to comply before continuing. “You scared me, Er. You can’t do stupid shit like that. Next time, you wait for me. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Good. Rinse your hair.” He backed up to give me space under the showerhead while he washed his own hair and body. When he finished, he soaped up his hands again to wash my arms, chest, and back. Then he dipped lower to thoroughly bathe my suddenly hopeful cock and balls.

“What are you doing?” I asked lamely.

“Just making sure we get all the sand. It tends to burrow in uncomfortable places if you’re not careful, and I need to get to all of your places,” he hummed, licking my ear as he reached around to part my cheeks and tap a finger against my entrance.

“Zane, I—” My breath caught when he breached my hole.

I rested my head on his shoulder and sucked water off his warm skin then lowered my hands to stroke his hardening cock. Our height difference made it difficult to grasp both of us at once, so I jacked us in each hand as he fingered me, whispering an endless list of the dirty things he wanted to do. Nothing got me going faster than nasty innuendo and he knew it. When I moaned his name and bucked my hips against his upper thigh, he thrust his tongue between my lips and stilled me with a toe-curling kiss. We made out under the spray until the heat of our frenzied licking, sucking, and the primal slide of flesh threatened to combust into sex against the marble tile. Usually I was all for that, but not without lube.

Zane pulled away to turn off the water. Then he stepped out of the shower, grabbed a fluffy white towel, and motioned for me to come to him. I smiled dreamily as he dried my hair and body, stopping to pay extra attention to everything between my legs. He tossed the damp towel on the floor and reached for a fresh one before inclining his head toward the adjoining suite.

“Go on. I’ll be right there.”

I nodded and hurried to the next room, holding my throbbing dick with one hand and using the other to shove our rumpled sheets out of the way. It was still early…just eight o’clock. The cleaning service hadn’t been by yet. I sat on the edge of the mattress for a moment before darting to make sure the Do Not Disturb sign was in place and the lock was secure.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Zane snarked. “You don’t listen to instructions well, do you?”

I turned with a start and did my best not to drool at the sight of him. He looked like an X-rated version of one of those corny beach calendars featuring hunky golden-skinned gods posing with a surfboard and nothing else.

“Uh…” I licked my lips and moved toward him. “I didn’t want the housekeeper to walk in on us.”

“You’re funny.” Zane chuckled then threaded his fingers through my hair and drew me against him. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Yeah, and that was embarrassing. I’d rather not stage a repeat performance.” My voice was too thick with desire to sound convincing, I mused as I pumped his rigid shaft.

“It was a good one though. You were on your knees, bent over the bed, screaming my name.…‘Fuck me, Zane. Harder!’ Remember, baby? That was hot,” he purred.

“Y-yes.” I melted when he licked a path along my neck to my collarbone. When he pulled back and slipped his hand in mine and led me to the bed, I frowned. “It’s always hot, Zane, but I’m not into having sex in front of people.”

“Gotcha. Just spanking,” he teased, smacking my ass before falling backward on the mattress and pulling me on top of him.

When I wiggled out of his grasp, he hugged me around my waist and rolled over to switch our positions. I didn’t have it in me to pretend I didn’t love it. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and tugged his hair, wordlessly requesting him to lean in.

“Cool it, Richards. I’m willing to try almost anything once, but nothing with an audience and…I won’t share. Ever.”

Zane rose on his hands over me and gave me a piercing stare, obviously catching my meaning immediately. “Same here. But not sharing and being jealous for no reason are two different things. We’ll talk about that later. Right now, I’ve got bigger things on my mind.” He tapped his shaft against my thigh suggestively and winked. “I want to lick you from head to toe and then fuck your sweet hole. Deal?”

I widened my eyes and gulped theatrically. “Deal.”

“That’s my baby. I want your full attention. Don’t worry about locking the doors or drawing the curtains or—”

“Are they drawn?” I asked, craning my neck toward the bank of windows on the far side of the room.

Zane chuckled then nipped my chin and captured my hands above my head. “Maybe they are, maybe they aren’t. The worst thing that’ll happen is someone will hear you beg me to fuck you.”

“Are you suggesting I’m loud?”

His grin immediately morphed into something decidedly roguish. “You’re a little vocal, but I like it. Don’t change.”

“What do I say?” I lifted my hips to meet his, loving that we always seemed to fall into a perfect rhythm.

“Some variation of ‘Fuck me, fuck me,’ and ‘You have the biggest dick ever,’ and—why are you laughing?” he asked with a faux scowl.

Amusement and joy bubbled to the surface then spilled out of me in a wave of affection so strong it would have surely brought me to my knees if I’d been standing.

“I’m not laughing, but I’m pretty sure I’ve never yelled, ‘You have the biggest dick ever’ during sex.” I snickered, pressing a kiss on his shoulder.

“You say it all the time,” he assured me playfully before giving a few over-the-top examples of penis praise that had us both chuckling and gazing into each other’s eyes like two lovesick fools. “You called it a ‘monster python’ when we—”

“No way.” I snorted.

Zane licked the corner of my mouth and hummed. “It’s your word against mine, baby.”

Whatever snappy comeback was on the tip of my tongue was immediately forgotten when he picked up the tempo, grinding his length against mine until I honestly didn’t think it was possible to get any harder or want him more than I already did. I sighed at the delicious friction. Our combined precum created a natural lubricant that made his vigorous gliding motion almost enough to throw me over the edge. But I didn’t want to come this way. I needed him inside me.

“Zane, I want you.”

He knelt back and grabbed the bottle of lube from the nightstand. He poured a little over my cock and his then slicked his fingers and gently slid a single digit inside. And then another. He stretched me open with practiced ease, alternately coaxing me to relax then curling his finger to reach my sweet spot. It wasn’t long before I was writhing and moaning underneath him. I arched my hips off the mattress, fucking myself on his talented fingers as I stroked my painfully hard shaft.

I expected him to crawl over me at any second and drive inside me. We’d stopped using condoms months ago when we acknowledged we were in a serious and exclusive relationship. It added an element of intimacy we both appreciated. And usually, it took a lot less time to get to the action. Except today for some reason. I widened my legs hoping he’d wordlessly get the message that I was more than ready.

Zane flashed a wicked grin. “Are you gonna beg for my monster—”

“Do not say another word.” I put my hand over his mouth and narrowed my gaze, intending to scold him, but I busted up laughing instead.

I couldn’t help it. His eyes sparked with a contagious humor that invited me in and reminded me over and over how incredibly lucky I was to fall in love with my best friend. I’d never laughed during sex before Zane. In fact, I would have thought it wasn’t exactly a positive sign, but I would’ve been wrong. No one wanted a nonstop comedy act during a romantic interlude, but occasionally that touch of humor was almost therapeutic and reassuring. We were the only ones who mattered here. We made the rules.

He grinned in response and flopped to his back. “Fine. Have it your way. Climb on my—oh.”

I scrambled quickly to straddle his thighs. I pressed his stiff prick at my entrance and then slowly pushed, wincing at his girth. Our gazes fused as I lowered myself inch by inch. We didn’t look away or speak until he was buried deep inside me. Any trace of humor was instantly replaced with a fierce need and something words couldn’t quite capture.

I swallowed hard and closed my eyes for a moment as I tested my readiness, rolling my hips back and forth. It didn’t take long before pleasure chased away the last remnants of pain. I splayed my hands over Zane’s broad chest and gazed down at him in wonder.

“Fuck, you feel so good,” I said in a worshipful tone.

“So do you, baby. Move for me. That’s it.” He caressed my inner thighs as I rocked, setting a languid pace I knew wouldn’t last long. We were both too keyed up and while laughter provided a release of sorts, it wasn’t what we really wanted.

I jacked myself with my left hand, smearing precum over the head as I rode him. When he bucked upward, I let go of my cock to check my balance, accidentally wiping my damp hand on his right pec. He held my wrist and made sure I was watching him before he licked my palm. The gesture seemed chivalrous in a warped way, but it was charged with a carnal quality that made my heart race and my ass clench in anticipation. If I knew him as well as I thought, he was about to take over. And when he did, there would be nothing polite or cautious here. I couldn’t fucking wait. I tweaked his nipples hard and groaned hungrily when his nostrils flared.

“Do you like that? Or do you want this instead?” I swiped more precum from my tip then pressed my thumb to his lips.

I was flat on my back before I knew what hit me. I didn’t have a chance to do anything more than throw my arms around his neck and hold on tight as he fucked me relentlessly. Gone was my laid-back surfer dude. Zane had the looks and temperament now of his Viking ancestors. He drove his tongue into my mouth, licking, sucking and twisting with a fervor while he pumped his hips wildly. He was lost in a passionate frenzy and he demanded I keep up. I tugged his hair then pulled my legs against my chest to give him room to move. I was vaguely aware of someone who sounded like me chanting a constant litany of, “Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me.”

Zane responded immediately. The bed creaked and shook with the steady thumping and the sound of our bodies moving toward a breathtaking release. He slid his hand between us to reach for my cock. I knew the moment he touched me, it would be over.

“I’m gonna—”

“Wait for me, Er. Wait ’til I tell you. Can you do that?”

I gritted my teeth and tightened my muscles around his length. “I’m trying, but…”

“Come now,” he commanded.

I did. And he was right there with me.

Our simultaneous releases amplified the heady thrill and made every nerve ending in my body tingle. Zane scooped me in his arms and held me close, trembling and panting for air. I was in the same state and though we’d been here before, I had a fleeting thought: this was a first. This connection was somehow intensified, making me feel stronger and I knew without saying a word that he felt it too.

I might not have opened my mouth but I couldn’t stop my smile from taking over my face when Zane rolled to his side. He returned my grin and chuckled.

“You look mighty pleased with yourself.”

“I am.” My sigh of contentment turned to a wince when I laid my hand on the mess of sweat and semen on my stomach.

“Stay here. I’ll grab a towel.” Zane kissed me quickly then hopped out of bed and strode toward the bathroom.

I sat up to survey the wreckage. It wasn’t too bad but the sheets definitely needed to be changed. Zane was back with two damp washcloths a moment later. He handed me one then made a production of cleaning his chest and spent penis before tossing his used washcloth in the general direction of the bathroom. Then he reached for the water bottle on the nightstand and took a long drink. He offered me some but when I shook my head, he finished it with gusto. He waggled his eyebrows then crushed the plastic bottle and shot it in the general direction of the trashcan and raised his arms triumphantly when it went in.

I chuckled at his antics, but I wasn’t overly surprised when he made a mad dash for the bed, flying at me Superman-style. He landed to my right and immediately grabbed me around my middle and dragged me against his side…through the wet spot. I yelped and then clung to him, rolling us in the opposite direction.

“You’re a goofball,” I admonished with a sappy smile.

“And you…you wrecked me. I need a nap. Shh.” He put his forefinger to his lips and closed his eyes, managing to look angelic and fierce at the same time.

I slipped my left leg over his and briefly laid my head on his chest then traced a lazy circle around his nipple. He swatted my hand and made a humming noise that roughly translated to “I’m tired.”

“No sleeping. We need breakfast. I’m starving.”

“Hmm. Me too. Let’s grab another shower and head downstairs. They have a nice café here. We can sit outside and watch the boats. What d’ya say?” he asked, suddenly sounding excited.

“You want to eat here? It’s kinda stuffy. Let’s go back to that diner you love on PCH. The one that serves all-you-can-eat pancakes and bacon.”

Zane grinned. “Lemmie’s. I love that place, but I can’t today. I told Dean I’d meet him to talk boats, remember? He said he’s working on a sloop docked here so it makes more sense to—”

“Dean?” I let out a disgruntled sigh before lying on my back. Fuck. Just when I thought my morning had turned around.

“Hey.” Zane propped himself on his elbow and furrowed his brow. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. Go with Dean. Go surf, go look at boats, go do your thing. I’ll read or work or go find something else to do.”

Zane didn’t respond right away. The longer the silence went on, the sillier I felt. He finally inched forward and observed me cautiously as though concerned my body had been taken over by aliens, which honestly may have been the case. I didn’t feel like myself. Or at least not my adult self.

“You have no reason to be jealous, Er. I haven’t seen Dean in years. We were close friends once, but—”

“He wants to be close again. Real close.”

“That’s ridiculous,” he scoffed.

“No, it’s not,” I countered maturely. “I saw the way he looked at you and he couldn’t stop touching you. Under his ‘Hey bro, we’re totally chill’ surfer vibe, he’s wondering how to make the most of your visit and get back in your pants. He’s single and—”

“And I’m not. I’m engaged to an extraordinary guy who’s inexplicably battling low self-esteem and confidence issues for no apparent reason whatsoever. What’s gotten into you? Do you really think so little of my integrity?”

“Of course not. But he’s…”

“What?”

“I can’t explain it. I can just tell he’s got an agenda. And even if he didn’t want you, which he does…he has a trifecta going against him. He’s from here, he’s your ex, and he’s helping you purchase a boat for Don Carrigan, who hates my company. See? Totally reasonable,” I exclaimed, rolling sideways to sit at the edge of the mattress.

“No. Totally crazy.” Zane circled his arm around my waist and pulled me back toward him. “First of all, my business with Don doesn’t touch us. We talk boats. That’s all. If I thought he was using our relationship to hurt you, I’d cut ties immediately. Dean and I screwed around as teenagers, which makes us ancient history.”

I took a deep breath, intending to blast him with ten or more arguments to back up my case against Dean. I hadn’t been nominated president of every debate team I’d been on because of my looks, for crying out loud. This was my gift. My parents still lamented that I hadn’t followed in their footsteps and gone to law school. I would have been a great litigator.

But when I looked at the man I loved more than life itself and definitely more than I loved winning a good argument, I realized none of it mattered. This town, ex-lovers, or his client who might or might not have it out for EN Tech…I was allowing myself to be distracted by static noise and a resurgence of childhood insecurities that had no place in our lives. In short, I was grossly out of line.

I released my pent-up angst in a rush of air. “You’re right. I’m being ridiculous.”

“Hmm. I want to drop this, but…I have one last question. What did you mean about ‘being from here’? I know San Francisco is home now, but this is a nice place too. I always thought it would be kind of cool to move back someday so I could—”

“No. No way. Never,” I replied emphatically.

I tried and failed again to make a getaway. Zane pounced on me and held me down, snaking his arm across my chest to keep me next to him.

“O-kay…where’s this coming from?”

“I can’t explain it. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me.”

“It sounds stupid.” I met his patient gaze, hoping he’d cut me some slack, but he didn’t budge and I had a feeling he wouldn’t until I spit it out. “Fine. I was teased pretty mercilessly for being a geek from kindergarten through high school. I never fit in. I wasn’t blond, athletic, or particularly charming. I was smart. Smarter than I appear to be now,” I huffed.

“Who bullied you? I’m gonna kick some ass. No one messes with my man,” he said, nuzzling my neck.

I chuckled, running my fingers along his spine. “Thanks. I told you it sounded lame. I’m a perfectly well-adjusted adult when I’m not here. And I’m actually pretty good when I come for quick family visits, but this feels different. It feels like I’m being thrown back in time and forced to hang out with the cool kids. Today was a great example. I made a fool of myself out there and I made you mad. Yeah, I was jealous but that was only part of it. I also wanted to prove I’d grown up a little and that I wasn’t the same sunscreen-caked dork who’d sit under an umbrella and read when he went to the beach anymore. I guess I still am.”

“You seem to be forgetting one major detail, Er.”

I traced the laugh-lines at the corner of his eyes and pushed his hair from his forehead. “What is it?”

“I like you just the way you are. I don’t expect you to change and develop a sudden passion for things I enjoy doing. Just be you. And if that means you’d rather lounge in the sand and read than jump in the water, that’s okay by me.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. It comes with the territory. I wouldn’t want to spend the rest of my life with you if I didn’t love all your weird habits,” he teased, pulling us both to sit up.

“Weird? Me? I bet you can’t name three weird things about me,” I declared as I sauntered toward the bathroom.

“I bet I can name ten. I’ll give you my list at breakfast. Jump in the shower while I call housekeeping and ask them to change our sheets.”

I stopped in the doorway and frowned. “Just tell them I spilled water on them or something.”

“Why lie? I’m going to tell them my boyfriend got jizz on my side of the bed and…”

I shook my head mournfully and turned on the shower to drown out his silly speech about being stuck with a messy lover and crusty sheets. I chuckled at his put-upon tone and called for him to join me before stepping under the spray. I stopped abruptly and backed up to look at my reflection. My cheeks were flushed, my eyes were bright, and my smile spanned my entire face. I was incredibly happy and if I said so myself, it looked good on me.