Page 115 of Shift Change

His face turned fire-engine red. “Yes, and it was the best self-induced orgasm I ever had. Don’t bother asking if I’m sorry, because I’m not.”

“It’s okay.” I tossed the underwear on the bed and crawled in beside him. “Makes sense that a perv like you would be into that. Good news is, I’m just as bad—maybe worse. And the idea of you jacking off in my boxers is hot as hell. I might have…”

“What?”

“Might have added to that gross, crusty mess.”

He snorted. “Are you serious? I thought it had gotten bigger when I put them in the laundry.”

I gave my hard dick a few strokes. “I’ve got something big here.”

He gave a high-pitched whimper. “Are you going to fuck me or not?”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get what’s coming to you. But first, put on the boxers.”

“How can you fuck me if I’m wearing them?”

“Put. Them. On.”

We didn’t leave the bed until dinnertime.

* * *

The boat rocked gently in the turquoise water, bobbing in rhythm with the waves lapping against the hull. A few other couples were already there, chattering quietly and applying sunscreen. Nate, who owned a boat back home, climbed aboard like he’d been doing it all his life. As a neophyte, I narrowly avoided a pratfall, managing to catch myself on the railing before throwing myself into the first empty seat.

“You okay there, sea dog?” He smirked as he slid onto the bench beside me.

I waved him off. “Just showing the rest of the passengers what not to do.”

One of the boat’s crew, a young guy who introduced himself as Isaac, asked us to put on life vests. “Safety first,” he said. “Do you know how to do it?”

Nate grinned. “I think this is my friend’s first time. Show him the right way, and it’ll be a review for me too.”

Once we had them on properly, Isaac smiled. “I really enjoy watching you both play. Let me know if you need anything else.”

He moved on, but I was still tugging at my vest, trying to get comfortable. Nate scooted closer until our thighs were touching. “If you fall in, I’m not saving you unless you promise to make out with me underwater.”

“Sold. Might even let you cop a feel, depending on how many fish are watching.”

The boat’s motor growled to life, rumbling beneath our feet as we pulled away from the dock. It wasn’t even nine yet, but the heat was already climbing, and the wind in our faces felt good. The captain told us about the snorkeling site ahead, a quiet cove where sea turtles liked to hang out. Nate listened intently, nodding at intervals. He was relaxed and happy, and I loved how his lashes cast perfect shadows on his cheeks. I was already wishing the trip would never end; how wonderful it would be to live out the rest of our days in paradise.

When we reached the cove, the boat dropped anchor, and Isaac told us to grab our fins and masks.

“Ready to see turtles?” I asked Nate.

He snickered at the way I was fumbling with my gear. “I’m ready to watch you try to swim in flippers. You looked like a wounded pelican when we were practicing in the pool yesterday.”

“It isn’t my fault I’ve never done this before.”

We sat on the back platform, legs dangling, while we adjusted our masks. Nate bumped my shoulder with his. “Race you to the reef?”

“Only if we agree ahead of time that I win if you get distracted staring at my ass.”

He laughed. “That’s not a hypothetical, and you know it.”

We slid into the warm water, and the world dimmed when we dipped our heads beneath the surface. Everything went quiet except for the rhythmic sound of my breathing. Fish darted below us in brilliant flashes of color, weaving between soft fans of coral and ribbons of seaweed. A school of bright blue tangs zipped past Nate’s flipper, and I pointed excitedly, making a noise that must have translated to something between “wow” and “gurgle.”

We swam side by side, gliding through the surreal world. Nate pointed at a sea turtle drifting past, and we paused to watch it, hovering together in the hush of the water. He slipped his hand into mine, and we stayed like that—quiet, weightless, and connected.

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