“They seemed really cool. It’s nice that they still come to the islands even though they have little kids at home,” Ruby says.
“I think they need the break,” I say, grinning.
Alka smiles. “Blake and Joseph didn’t make it this year. I guess their oldest son, who’s a teenager though I don’t remember his exact age, got into some trouble at school, and they don’t dare leave him. Rebellious phase and all that.”
Ruby smirks, nodding.
“Thomas and Jack, who you met, have two young kids and one on the way. When we commit to a planned excursion, it’s usually with them. They like to have adventures when they’re out. Then there’s Isaac and Lewis. No kids. Young and excited and a little wild.”
“I think they make us remember that we’re not as old as our summer of lounging around might suggest we are,” I muse.
Ruby laughs. “Are there more?”
Alka looks at me. I can see his hesitation.
“There are two other couples,” he says carefully. “We usually swing with them. Cole and James and Jake and Henry.”
Ruby tilts his head to look at us. “Swing? Like… swap partners for…”
“Yes. We had plans with them earlier this week, but we canceled,” I tell him.
Ruby’s footsteps slow down, and Alka wraps his arm around Ruby’s waist. “We canceled to be with you,” he says, pulling Ruby close.
Ruby’s eyebrows pucker. “You didn’t need to do that,” he says quietly.
“No,” I agree. “But we wanted to.”
“Do you do that a lot?”
“Swing or cancel?” I ask, teasing him. Trying to make him relax a little.
I’m rewarded with a small smile. “Swing. Although maybe both now that you mention it.”
“Only ever with these four men and only for a day on the island in the summer for the previous four summers,” Alka says. “We rarely cancel our commitments. But we wanted to spend the day with you, and it seemed inappropriate… given the circumstances?”
He ends it in a question, turning his eyes to mine. Those aren’t the words he was going for, but he didn’t want to be presumptuous or put pressure on Ruby. I nod. Ruby will understand what he means.
“Okay,” Ruby says as our feet finally leave the wood planks and step into the sand of the beach. “That’s cool.”
I’m not sure whether he really feels that way or if he just wants to be finished with the conversation, but for now, we let it go. I think we’ll need to have a bit of a longer conversation concerning this later, so he understands that it’s not something we do outside this one instance on the island during the summers.
I stop off to the right and grab a rubber bag that has towels, waters, a bucket, sunscreen, and some other odds and ends, then we step onto the nude beach. We’re instantly looking at naked men against the backdrop of a tropical shore.
“Huh,” Ruby says as he stares, his eyes darting all over like he’s unsure where to look first or if he’s even allowed to look.
Alka chuckles. “Come on. Let’s go find some sand.”
“We’re going to build a sandcastle,” I say.
Ruby flashes me a grin. “Cool.”
“Just so it’s clear, you don’thaveto take off your shorts. You know that, right?” Alka asks.
Ruby nods, his cheeks flushing as we stop at the end of an unused lounge with a moveable umbrella to adjust the shade over us. He glances around before shoving his shorts down and stepping out of them. “It’s about the experience,” he says.
Alka grins. He cups both sides of Ruby’s face, so he’ll meet his eyes then kisses him. “You can put them back on whenever you want. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”
Ruby relaxes. “Thanks. I think this is a good way to see each other naked first.” A smile dances across his lips. “When there’s no pressure.”
