THE NIGHT air was amazing. Jaswant lay on his back on the blanket and closed his eyes. The scent of hickory from the wood they’d used to start the fire coupled with the heat from the flames and Jaswant was in paradise. He couldn’t help thinking that moment was pure perfection. Turning his head, he glanced over to where Christophe had a marshmallow on a stick in the fire.
Jaswant laughed and grabbed the rest of the ingredients. “Have you ever had s’mores?”
“No. What’s that?”
Jaswant blinked. “You’ve never been camping when you were a kid?”
“No. My parents didn’t believe in it.”
Jaswant rolled his eyes and sat up. He curled his legs under him and pulled out some crackers and a bottle of chocolate spread. He started by adding some chocolate to one cracker before moving around to take the stick from Christophe’s hand. He blew out the fire on the marshmallow, then squished it between his chocolate-covered cracker and the plain one. He handed it to Christophe.
“What?” Christophe asked.
“Eat it.”
“What? No.”
“Trust me. Eat.”
Though Christophe hesitated, he accepted the sandwich and sniffed it. Shrugging, he bit off a piece and chewed.
“So?” Jaswant asked. “What say you?”
“This is actually pretty good.” Christophe swallowed and took another bite.
“But of course.” Jaswant put on his best British accent.
Christophe laughed.
Jaswant smiled and pressed a marshmallow onto his own piece of stick. He thrust it into the fire and took a deep breath.
“Are we bonding, Jas?” Christophe did the same thing Jaswant did to a marshmallow.
“Yes,” Jaswant said. “I feel like I’m on an audition and everything I do will have consequences.”
“It’s not an audition,” Christophe assured him. “We’re having fun. Thank you for letting me crash your vacation.”
“It wasn’t really a vacation. I was hiding from you.”
“That’s the thing.” Christophe’s marshmallow caught on fire, and he frowned before blowing it out. “Don’t do that again. If there’s something between us and you think we should talk, come to me.”
“I promise….”
They ate a few more s’mores before Jaswant rested back on his blanket. When Christophe joined him, Jaswant offered his shoulder as a pillow and wrapped his arm around Christophe. They lay together under the stars, reminiscing about their lives together from the beginning to that moment. From their tentative meeting to almost losing their friendship to their lovemaking—all of it came up in their conversation.
“I want to take you on a date,” Christophe said after a long while.
Jaswant had thought Christophe had fallen asleep. He shifted slightly. “Oh yeah?”
“Not like L’Arissa. An actual date.”
“Are you asking me out, Monsieur Lafavre?”
Christophe chuckled. “Oui. I want us to have those moments, you know? Those quiet moments where we get to know each other and talk about silly things and laugh at stupid jokes.”
“Stupid jokes? For shame, Monsieur Lafavre! My jokes are works of art.”
Christophe laughed. “Sure, baby. Keep drinking that same Kool-Aid.”
Jaswant tickled him mercilessly. Hearing the sound of Christophe’s laughter echo through the night sent Jaswant’s spirit soaring so high, he thought he’d float away.
“Say uncle!” Jaswant teased.
“Never!” Christophe gasped.
“Okay, I can keep this going all night.”
“Gah!” Christophe laughed, trying to grab Jaswant’s hands. “Okay! Uncle! Uncle!”
Jaswant grinned and kissed Christophe to soothe him. Their tongues swirled around each other’s as Christophe reached up to wrap his arms around Jaswant’s neck. When Jaswant looked down into Christophe’s eyes, there was a shimmer there he hadn’t seen before.
“You haven’t looked at me like that before.”
“Like what?”
“Like I’m something a little more than your friend,” Jaswant replied. “I mean, being your friend was amazing, but being your lover is something I never imagined would happen.”
Christophe took Jaswant’s face in both his hands and caressed gently.
Instead of speaking again, Jaswant kissed him. He drank from Christophe’s lips, savoring it like he would the perfect glass of wine. When Christophe sighed, Jaswant stopped. “We don’t have any provisions,” he explained. “Maybe we should take this home?”
Christophe nodded. “I agree. But even if I wanted to get up and walk right now, there is an issue of my cock being too hard to move.”
“Really?” Jaswant pushed to his knees and undid Christophe’s pants. He stuck his hand down the front and massaged. “Damn, Chris. You’re so hard.”
“See my issue?”
“I do.” Jaswant pulled Christophe’s cock out, licked the head, then watched Christophe’s eyes roll back when the cool night air blew it dry. He smiled, licked his lips, and went down on Christophe. He pulled the head to the back of his throat while tickling Christophe’s balls with his free hand.
“Baby.” Christophe sighed.
But Jaswant didn’t let up. The fire surged through him as he felt Christophe raking his nails down Jaswant’s back. He sucked on Christophe, feeling precum go from trickling to surging, until finally Christophe’s body stiffened. When he climaxed, Jaswant didn’t cease. He continued, taking every spurt of hot, tangy cum and letting it slide out the side of his mouth.
Wiping the back of his hand against his lips, Jaswant crawled up Christophe’s body to see his eyes. “Can you walk now?”
“I don’t… shit… know.”
Jaswant laughed and flopped to his back beside Christophe. “Don’t worry. I’ll give you time to breathe.”
“Oh, you’re mean.”
“Well, if you want to teach me a lesson, you can return the favor.”
Christophe whacked Jaswant in the shoulder. Jaswant obliged him with a grunted laugh.
SPENDING THE night in Jaswant’s arms was better than any other night since they’d been sleeping together. Perhaps it was because they now had an understanding and Christophe was falling hopelessly in love. Or maybe it was because they’d made love until Christophe was weak. Whatever the reason, Christophe wrapped his body around Jaswant’s and closed his eyes.
His dreams had turned from nightmares, from dark images of being alone forever, to walking down an aisle bordered by the most beautiful blossoms. Each time he opened his eyes throughout the night, it was to draw closer to Jaswant, to listen to Jaswant’s soft breathing, and to hear Jaswant’s heart beating under his ear.
Happiness lulled Christophe back to sleep until he had to wake up once more for the bathroom.
In the morning Christophe woke up before Jaswant did. For a while he sat up in bed, watching the way Jaswant’s nose flared in his sleep. He caressed Jaswant’s chest, trailing a finger over his dark nipples, remembering how they tightened under his tongue.
Sitting there, staring at Jaswant’s sexy body, was giving him all sorts of ideas, and Christophe knew for sure Jaswant needed rest after their night. Grinning, he leaned over and pressed his lips to Jaswant’s forehead, then climbed from the bed.
He spent the first couple of hours in the office of the cottage, going over business. From updating his website to accepting a few properties to sell, Christophe had to catch up as much as he virtually could. Though he knew he probably would have to go back and forth to the mainland for the showings, he didn’t mind. He felt good about coming home to Jaswant’s arms.
Smiling, he called Miranda but didn’t get an answer. After leaving a message, he updated a few of his other listings, then turned off the computer.
Easing back in his chair, he turned it around so he could see out the window. The view was spectacular. There was a mist coming up from the water as the sun peeked above the horizon. Christophe rose slowly from the chair and pressed a hand to the glass. His time with Jaswant sprang to the forefront of his mind then, and a fresh understanding of their changing relationship came to him. He had to stop fighting the feelings that filled him each time Jaswant smiled at him. When he saw Jaswant as only a friend, nothing sexual could have happened between them. Then the moment he conceived the idea that there was a possibility of more, Christophe was terrified of losing that.
But he’d searched for years to have a man make him feel the way Jaswant did. Why would he turn his back on it?
“Morning,” Jaswant said from behind him.
Christophe smiled and turned. Jaswant had his bare shoulder against the doorframe. His beautifully thick, dark hair was a mess from his sleep.
Christophe leaned his back to the glass and pressed his hands down at his sides. “Morning.”
“You look rested.”
“After what you did to me last night? Of course. I slept like a baby.”
Jaswant laughed softly and bowed his head.
“You’re so handsome,” Christophe said before he could stop himself. “Anyway, do you mind if I take off to the mainland for some showings?”
“Are you running from us?”
Christophe shook his head vehemently. “No. I just have a few new listings, and I’m sure the calls for showings will be coming soon.”
“I see.”
“Don’t be mad. I didn’t know I was staying.”
“I’m not mad.” Jaswant stepped forward, paused, then walked a few strides to stand before Christophe. “Not mad at all. It sucks having you go.”
“Come with me.”
“Not yet. I’m not ready to face the world. As long as you come home to me.”
Christophe closed his eyes, tilted his head to one side, and smiled. “That sounds so unbelievably good to me.”
They kissed, Christophe inhaling as Jaswant sucked his bottom lip in. He reached around to caress Jaswant’s back, feeling him warm and hard. There, leaning into the glass with the sun heating him from behind, Christophe enjoyed Jaswant’s mouth as their hard cocks crushed down into each other. He ground his hips forward, whimpering at the pleasure it caused.
“Maybe we should have breakfast,” Jaswant whispered around kisses.
“This is breakfast.”
Jaswant laughed. “I meant actual food. If we keep this up, we’re liable to starve to death.”
“All right, baby.” Christophe grinned. “Come. I’ll make you breakfast. After one—” Kiss. “—final—” Kiss. “—kiss.”
THE NEXT day, with Christophe once again gone to the mainland, Jaswant figured he could wander the island, maybe go for a run with Fabijan. When he heard his sister’s voice calling him from the front door, he knew that was out of the question.
Sighing, he descended the stairs and stopped at the foot to stare at Anju. “Hey, sis.”
“Hey, yourself.” Anju walked over and hugged him tightly. “Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay. Why?”
“Well, Christophe came back to the mainland without you,” Anju said. “Jessica saw him at a luxury condo with some clients.”
Jaswant chuckled. “I’m fine. We’re fine. He just got some new listings that people seem to be going gaga over, and he wanted to be hands-on with them. When he’s finished, he’ll be coming home.”
Anju wrapped her arm around his waist, and they walked into the kitchen. Jaswant peeled himself from her side to pour her something to drink, then dug through the fridge for some leftover dinner from the night before so she could eat. Once her meal was in the microwave, he turned to look at her. She stared back at him, questions in her eyes.
“We’re talking,” Jaswant offered. “He wants us to go on dates to work on us. I think that’s a positive sign.”
“What about the sex?”
The microwave started beeping, so he turned to grab her plate, then set it before her. After getting utensils from the drawer, he set them beside her food and rested his hip against the counter.
“Still mind-blowing.”
“Oh, big brother.”
Jaswant laughed. “I pray every night he won’t change his mind. I’m seeing sides of Christophe I never dreamed I would. He’s playful and funny and loving—and yesterday morning he said he wanted to come home to my arms. I’m happy, Anju.”
She lifted a piece of chicken to her lips and nodded.
“What about you? How are things with Rex?”
She blushed.
“Oh, gimme a break! This again? We just talked about my sex life.”
Anju laughed. “It’s good. I mean, we haven’t slept together. I told him I wanted to wait, and he’s agreed. I’m sure it’s not because that’s what he wants.”
“Of course not. He’s a man. He’s waiting because you asked him to.”
Anju nodded. “I’ve never known a man to do that. We got into an argument a couple of days ago about that.”
“Hoo-boy.”
“Yeah.” Anju stopped to take a sip from her glass. “Well, I texted him, and after an hour he still hadn’t replied, so I called him. I don’t know where the jealousy came from, but I asked him ‘What’s her name?’”
“Please tell me you didn’t!”
“Not my proudest moment, I assure you. This whole not having sex thing is making me paranoid. I mean, are there men out there who will wait just because a woman asked them to? Or will they all run to another woman?”
Jaswant grabbed a small, one-serving tub of ice cream from the fridge and pried the lid off. He grabbed a spoon, then walked to sit beside Anju. “You’re going to have to rein in that temper of yours. The sex thing isn’t Rex’s fault. To be fair, you can’t blame him. First you ask him to deny his wants, and then you punish him for it.”
She smiled and nodded. “I know. I’m scared, Jas. I mean, what if he gets me naked and doesn’t like what he sees?”
“So you asking him to hold off isn’t because you think that would strengthen your relationship, but because you believe he’ll think you’re ugly?”
“Stupid, right?”
“Not stupid. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. But use me as a great example of what not to do in this situation.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is, you can’t let fear stop you from doing what will make you happy!” Jaswant shoved some ice cream into his mouth and moaned. “If you think this man will rock your world and you’re ready, let him. Even if you have to do it in the dark.”
“There’s no chance of that.”
“Oh?”
Anju giggled. “Rex and I had a talk, and it got a little dirty. He told me what he wanted, how he wanted it, and even though it turned me on, it terrified me. I’ve dreamed of my man talking to me like that—telling me precisely how he is going to curl my toes. But when Rex did, all I could do was blush like my face was about to erupt into flames.”
Jaswant laughed.
Anju smacked him. “It’s not funny!”
“Oh yes, it is. Anju, take it from a man who’s sleeping with the other Lafavre: sex with them is not PG. It can be, but for the most part, it’s raunchy, sexy, sometimes rough, sometimes soft—I’m going to go out on a limb and say it’s the same with Rex. Sit him down and talk to him. Tell him what you want, and when the road is clear, let him give it to you. Don’t be ashamed or afraid. When you trust a lover with your body, it can be amazing.”
Anju nodded.
“Okay. You spending the day with me?” Jaswant asked.
“Could I?”
Jaswant narrowed his eyes and glared at her. “Of course. What kind of question is that?”
“No need to get your panties in a twist.” She giggled. “It was just a question—so what’re we doing today?”
In the end they used the day at the beach, visiting with Luka and Fabijan. It was good to have Anju with him. The fact was, whenever he had stopped freaking out about his relationship with Christophe, he had missed her. They bought tacos at a food truck, then headed home. When they arrived, Christophe’s rental was parked behind Jaswant’s and beside Anju’s.
They entered to find Christophe in the kitchen. “Anju!” Christophe greeted her.
Anju hugged Christophe before Jaswant stepped in for a kiss. “How was your day?”
“Good. I sold three properties today.” Christophe beamed proudly. “I could not believe it.”
“Is that good?” Anju asked.
“It’s damn good!” Jaswant exclaimed, dropping another kiss to Christophe’s lips. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you. Anju, I didn’t expect to see you here,” Christophe said, setting a glass jug of lemonade on the counter.
“Yeah, I know you two are having your premarriage honeymoon, but I was worried about my brother.” Anju poured herself a glass. “The two of you didn’t come over here on good terms.”
Christophe nodded. “I know. Are you staying the night?”
“If I can,” Anju replied.
“Don’t be an ass. Of course you can!” Jaswant tsked.