Paul nodded and then kicked himself. “Yes, please.” Sometimes he forgot Adam couldn’t see him.
“What are you two up to down there?” Shane yelled. “You’re missing the fun. We’re all going swimming.”
It took a second or two for Paul to register that the engine had stopped.
Adam sighed. “Not exactly an activity I feel like participating in at the moment.”
Paul had another brainwave. “No, but we can talk up on deck. I know them, they’ll be in the water for a good while.” He smiled. “Besides, it’s about time I worked on my tan.”
Adam nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Paul went first, emerging into the strong sunlight, blinking. It was a beautiful afternoon. On deck the six men were busily stripping off their clothing.
“You go ahead,” he told the others. “Adam and I will stay on board.”
“Have fun,” Eric said with a grin and leaped out of the boat, creating a huge splash when he hit the water. One by one the others followed, and soon the sound of laughter and splashing filled the air.
Paul turned to Adam. “How d’you feel about getting some sun? I was going to strip off and lie on deck. There are plenty of towels if you want to join me. That is, if you don’t mind them seeing you when they get back on board.” From the little he knew about Adam, Paul didn’t think he’d be fazed about public nudity.
Adam smiled. “God, I can’t remember the last time I sunbathed. Good plan.” He put down his cane and the pair of them stripped off. Paul took two large towels from a locker and spread them out on the deck. Adam stretched out on the towel, turning his face toward to the sun. “Damn, that feels good. I always forget how great it feels to sunbathe in the nude.”
Paul had to agree. In the summer he often visited the nudist beach at Yaverland. On more than one occasion, he’d run into Mark and Sam down there on a Sunday. It was apparently a special place for them.
He gazed at Adam’s nude form, glad for the absence of his friends. It would have been embarrassing to have had to explain away Paul’s erection.
How could Inotbe hard, lying next to… that?
He lay down on his own towel, wriggling until he was comfortable and trying not to stare at Adam. “Okay, where were we?”
Adam was quiet for a moment. “I suppose I should begin with the stuff about me you wouldn’t find on Google.”
Paul snickered. “Yeah, that sounds good.”
“You’ve seen the contents of those boxes, so there’s no point being coy. For about fifteen years I was a member of a BDSM club in London.” He paused. “I’m assuming here you know what I mean by BDSM.”
Paul cleared his throat. “That would be a yes.” He slid his hand down to palm his stiff dick. Adam’s nostrils flared and for one moment it crossed Paul’s mind that his boss knew exactly what he’d done. Heat raced through him.
Can he smell me? Does arousal have a scent of its own?
Adam half-turned his head toward Paul. “I used to go there every weekend and sometimes midweek if I needed to… unwind.”
Several images flashed through Paul’s mind: Adam in a harness like the ones he’d seen; Adam wielding a whip; Adam with Paul stretched out over his knee, that large hand coming down hard onto his bare arse, the skin hot and tingly….
Shit.Not now, brain, okay?
He cleared his throat. “Did you use all those… things?” Paul had to ask.
Adam chuckled. “‘Things’? Yes, yes I did. I was proficient with floggers, whips, canes, crops: you name it, I played with it. I performed demonstrations, and I passed on my knowledge to those who wanted it. It was an important part of my life.”
Paul caught a quaver in Adam’s voice, a hint of some strong emotion, kept at bay. “Was?”
Adam sat up, his arms resting on his bent knees, hands dangling. “I’m not sure I can talk about it. It’s still feels too… raw.” He stared out to the bow, inhaling deeply.
“Then don’t,” Paul told him instantly. “Not if it hurts.”
Adam inclined his head toward Paul. “Perhaps I need to talk about it, though. Maybe that’s when I finally start to accept it’s a part of my life that’s over.”
Paul was upright in a flash. “Who says it has to be?”
