Heedless to the water pooling around their legs and the rising tide, Sam cupped the nape of Zach’s neck, sliding his fingers through Zach’s salt-roughened curls. “That’s the point. You don’t have to do anything. You’re you. Andyouwill always be enough for me.”
Their lips met tentatively, unsure and soft, but then with increasing fervor, their mouths remembering the hot scorch of past kisses. Zach melted against Sam, and he responded by taking Zach’s mouth harder, their tongues pushing together, breaths merging.
It was easy to lose track of both time and place holding a half-naked Zach in his arms, the languid stroke of his tongue like wet silk against his own, but the rising tide and setting sun intruded. With great reluctance, Sam pulled away from Zach, admiring his swollen lips and unfocused expression. Keeping him close, Sam ghosted his fingers along Zach’s stubble-rough jawline and over his mouth.
Zach smiled, lips curving against Sam’s fingers. “That was nice. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to go home and change clothes.”
Alarmed, Sam had no intention of letting Zach leave his bed tonight. Tonight Sam would hold him close and show Zach with his body, if the words fumbled and stalled, how much Zach meant to him. From the first it seemed he’d underestimated the man. What had started out as a light and easy hook-up on a weekend away had led to a friendship and now an entwining of lives. The littlest thing Zach did occupied the biggest part of Sam’s head and heart; he could no longer separate the two when he was with Zach.
He’d fallen into a love affair without even realizing it.
“Uh, you can pick up some clothes on the way back to my place. I think we should leave now and continue this conversation at my house.”
Zach blinked and rubbed his eyes. “I’ve told you everything. I know I have a problem.” He drew a design in the wet sand with his toe, and Sam saw it was the beginning of a heart, before the tide rushed in again to wash it away. “I was thinking I might start seeing the doctor Nick goes to; he’s helped him so much with his recovery after 9/11.”
Personally, Sam thought that was a fantastic idea, but it wasn’t his decision to make. The best he could do for Zach was support him and be there for him if asked.
“That might be good; Nick seems to be pretty happy, from my impression.” Sam slipped his arm around Zach’s waist, and they began walking back to the blanket. The
beach was deserted for the most part. Only a few couples remained, and from past experience as a cop who once patrolled this area, Sam knew they were waiting for night to fall to get down to having sex.
“He is,” agreed Zach, slipping his shirt over his head. “He had a fear of elevators and enclosed spaces from being trapped, and Dr. Landau slowly brought him back to where it isn’t a problem anymore. Or,” Zach corrected himself, “not so much of a problem that he can’t work through it.”
“I’m glad for him.”
They shook out the blanket, then folded it up, Zach stuffing it back in the bag. Sam hefted the cooler onto his hip and teased Zach. “Do you need to hold my hand since you can’t see where you’re going?”
Zach rolled his eyes and pushed him playfully. “Wise-guy. After all you ate today, you’re big enough that I can see you.”
The trek back to the car took less time since the dense crowds had disappeared. Sam dumped the cooler in the trunk along with the bag from Zach and slammed down the hood. He slid into the front seat and started the engine.
“So, we’ll head back to your place, and you’ll pick up your glasses and some clothes, right?” Maneuvering out of the parking spot, he joined the line of cars heading out from the beach and back onto the Belt Parkway.
“Sure.”
Traffic was stop and go all the way back to Downtown Brooklyn, and Sam spent the majority of his time yelling out the window at the drivers cutting him off and muttering curses under his breath. When Zach stopped chiding him after the third, “Fuck you,” Sam figured he’d finally given up in exasperation.
“You’re cute when you’re trying to get me not to curse, you know that?”
No answer. Sam sneaked a quick look to the side, only to see Zach asleep, his mouth slightly open and head tipped to the side and resting on his arm. Unexpected warmth stole through him; he suddenly wished he could keep driving for hours, just to keep Zach so comfortably relaxed.
Sam wanted to be the man who Zach turned to on a miserable day, to be the man who Zach would call with happy news he couldn’t wait to share. He wanted Zach in his bed, his life, his heart.
Fuck. He was in love.
“That wasn’t so bad.” Sam unpacked the cooler in the kitchen sink and popped a few grapes that had survived the trip into his mouth. “You told your mom I had to stay outside with the car so I wouldn’t get a ticket, right?” He threw out the unsalvageable fruit and put the containers in the dishwasher. “I wouldn’t want her to think I didn’t want to come inside and say hi.”
Zach lazed against the doorway, yawning. “Uh-huh. She had an ice cream social at the senior center she was helping with, so it turned out she’d be out anyway.” Scratching his head, he wandered back into the living room and flopped on the sofa.
Holding two beers, Sam joined Zach on the sofa. “Move your feet.”
Raising his brows, Zach lifted his feet, immediately placing them back in Sam’s lap once he’d sat down. With a slight grin, he held out his hand. “One of those is for me, I hope?”
Sam handed him a bottle and joined Zach in taking a sip. “So,” he began, unsure of how to bring this up. “You showed me yours, so it’s my turn now.”
“Hey.” Zach sounded so serious. “It’s not a contest. If you’re not ready to talk, it’s okay. I’m not going anywhere.”
“It’s not a big deal; I’m making more of it than it is. I lived with a guy for two years, and when I found out he cheated on me, we broke up.” That wasn’t too bad. He swallowed some more beer. “Things happen, and we both changed. Like I told you before, he became a big partier and that started becoming more important to him than spending time with me. I’m a homebody; I don’t need to go to clubs to find someone to prove anything, or wiggle my ass at some kid, hoping he’ll want to fuck. Sorry.” He saw Zach’s wince at his terminology.
