Page 2 of Mouth to Mouth

Brad was on the boat with Josh yet Luca acted like he didn’t even see the older man, just like normal. They were probably headed for more training as Josh ran one of the country’s best water rescue training units. From what Luca had overheard, and yes he might have been eavesdropping while cleaning the coffee shop, Brad had come specifically to get certified in water rescue. Because apparently being a firefighter and paramedic wasn’t enough.

Fucking overachiever.

Surf City needed help though. They were about to hit the busy season. In three short days it would be the dreaded Memorial weekend.

With the school sessions ending and tourists flocking to their small town, the beaches and oceans would be filled with people, taking away Luca’s peace. The surfing tournament that Luca signed up for was another reason that Luca was out here thinking.

The offer. Another offer. It wasn’t the first and probably wasn’t the last Luca would receive. Luca had chosen Surf City University because of the surfing scene. He could catch a wave while getting an education. Or that had been the plan.

Luca was a good surfer. Ha! That was putting it mildly. He knew that he would be rated in the top ten of the country if Luca dedicated his life to the sport. And it was a sport. Anyone who said otherwise was just an asshole. Yet Luca didn’t want to put in the work needed to ensure a lifestyle that most would be envious of. The constant traveling abroad, the parties, the money. Fuck! The money. And all that sounded amazing and still it wasn’t what Luca wanted.

Which meant turning down the offer that he’d just received from the energy drink company that was sponsoring the Memorial weekend surfing competition. For the first time Luca had actually been tempted to at least consider though. It wasn’t just the money.

Luca was starting to question if he would regret not following through with his plan. Allowing himself to become absorbed in the community and refusing to live how others wanted him to.

Who needed a plan anyway?

Not Luca.

Turning the board around, Luca paddled back toward the shore. He’d lost any desire to be on the water. Maybe he’d meditate before his shift at the coffee shop. Tomorrow was a new day and he would be back out on the water in the morning.

This section of the beach was nearly empty as Luca returned to the sand.

One lone figure sat with his knees up to his chest and arms wrapped around them. Luca yanked the zipper down from the back of his suit and pushed the top part down to his waist. Carefully Luca approached. It broke his heart a little that this was the third time this week Luca had returned to the beach to find his friend sitting looking like a devastated lost soul.

“Hey!” Luca called softly. He wasn’t surprised when there was no response. Fuck! There was no telling how long Dawson had been sitting in the cold. He wasn’t even properly dressed. Dawson’s sweatpants were thin with a couple of holes in the knees and his T-shirt wasn’t in much better condition.

“Dawson?” Luca lifted his voice a little.

Still his friend sat staring out at the ocean. Sadly this was a semi-familiar scene. Luca circled around Dawson’s front so that he wasn’t coming up behind him. Before moving in with Luca, the two of them had a long talk about Dawson’s triggers.

When his friend didn’t move or say anything, Luca sat down slightly in front of him and to the left.

“I saw Josh and Brad out in the boat,” Luca told him.

Just talking about nonsense sometimes helped Dawson focus back on the real world and get him out of his head. Other times Dawson sat until Luca was forced to drag him back inside and try to warm him up.

“I swear Brad gets hotter every time I see him,” Luca confessed. “I fucking hate that.”

And maybe Luca wanted to talk about his feelings once and for all. He hadn’t shared what had happened at the club with anyone else even though he knew his friends were dying to know. James and Josh hadn’t been subtle about the side eyes they sent him and Brad whenever they were in the coffee shop together.

“It’s a damn shame, since his cock was as gorgeous as the rest of him,” Luca shared. Okay, maybe oversharing a bit. “And, damn, his taste⁠—”

Dawson snorted. “I don’t want to know this about that dude.”

“I mean he tasted really good,” Luca replied. It was the truth and the look on Dawson’s face was ridiculous. It wasn’t that bad.

“How long you been fucking him?” Dawson asked.

“We’re not fucking!” Luca turned to glare over his shoulder. He was sort of offended by his friend’s words. If Luca was fucking someone, he treated them right. Dawson wouldn’t be asking questions because he would be hearing Brad’s moans and groans every night.

Dawson’s red-rimmed eyes met his. He was pale and while he was holding on to himself, Dawson’s fingers were shaking. “You literally just said you were.”

“No,” Luca drawled. “I said he had a gorgeous cock and tasted good.”

“And that is not fucking because…” Dawson cracked his neck from side to side.

“We met at the club. I gave him a blowjob. He turned out to be an asshole.” Luca sighed.