Fantasies: Thanksgiving

Fantasies: Thanksgiving By Cassandra Gold

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Fantasies: Thanksgiving by Cassandra Gold

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Red Rose™ Publishing Copyright© 2008 Cassandra Gold ISBN: 978-1-60435-225-2 Cover Artist: Celia Kyle Editor: Vi Bowen Line Editor: WRFG

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Fantasies: Thanksgiving By Cassandra Gold

Chapter One

Teddy forked out another bite of mu shu pork from the little white carton and leaned forward, his trademark grin completely absent. “So, would you pretend to be my boyfriend?” Parker Denton stared at his old friend for what felt like forever, completely taken aback. “Come on, Parker. Michelle’s driving me crazy. She shows up everywhere I go! It’s like she’s stalking me. And you’re not dating anybody right now or anything. You’ve got to help me out here!” Teddy grinned, using that wheedling tone Parker had always hated. His unusual eyes, one blue, one brown, begged Parker to agree. “What could go wrong?” What couldn’t go wrong? Parker’s mind boggled trying to catalog all the potential problems that could come up. No matter how annoying this

Michelle was, there was no way he could play along. Of all the bad ideas Teddy had ever had—and there’d been a lot of them over the years—this was by far the worst. “No.” Teddy’s puppy-dog-eyed look infuriated him even more. “No way.” When Teddy still didn’t appear to be getting the message, Parker threw up his hands in frustration. “No, no, a thousand times no! This is the stupidest idea you’ve ever had, and that’s saying something. Even you have to admit this is idiotic.” Teddy actually looked a bit insulted. “It’s not idiotic. You’d see if you’d give me the chance to explain.” Unable to watch him one second more, Parker turned his back. A chaotic mixture of hurt, anger, confusion, and too many other feelings to identify narrowed into one focus: escape. “I thought you were my friend, Teddy. I’m out of here.” Grabbing his jacket, Parker fled his friend’s apartment.

Though he could hear Teddy calling after him, he strode down the hallway. Not wanting to wait for the elevator, he took the stairs. After a couple of flights, his emotions cooled a bit and he slowed down. Unfortunately, he also had plenty of time to think. Of course, his thoughts immediately focused on the bizarre and ridiculous favor his supposed friend had just asked of him. Pretending to be dating to get rid of a ditzy but persistent would-be girlfriend was weird, even for Teddy. He frowned, thinking hard. Why would Teddy ask him to do something like that? Was he trying to mock him somehow? At the very least, his supposed friend wanted to use him, which had taken him completely off guard. He’d always thought Teddy was the one person he could count on never to use him for anything. While other people had attempted to make friends with him because of his family money, or his father’s political clout as a US Senator, Teddy’s own family money had kept them on equal terms. Their nearly fifteen-year friendship had begun when they’d both attended the same private school in seventh grade. Because of their last names, Denton and Christopher, they’d ended up in the same homeroom class. Teddy had sat next to him, and asked his name. When he answered,

Teddy laughed and said they had to be friends since he had two last names and Teddy had two first names. Together, Teddy explained, they’d almost be like one normal person. That was the kind of crazy thing Teddy thought made sense. Though Parker had never stopped thinking Teddy was crazy most of the time, they had remained good friends throughout high school and college. Despite the many scrapes Teddy got them both in, he was always there for Parker when it counted. He’d come out to his friends and family four years ago, and of all his friends, Teddy had taken the news the best. Other friends had seemed nervous around him for a while, or even stopped talking to him, but Teddy had only said, “Whatever,” and acted like nothing had changed. What would Teddy have to gain by pretending to be gay? Rather than pretending to date his straight friend, Parker should be spending his time looking for someone to actually go out with. Besides, what if Teddy’s family found out? When Teddy came clean about the lie, everyone would be angry. And who could blame them? Had he even thought about his idea at all before he’d suggested it? Parker’s mind still whirled as he reached the parking garage. The ringing of his cell phone momentarily distracted him, but he ignored it. The

only people who would be calling him right now would be his parents or Teddy, and he didn’t feel like talking to anyone. Unlocking his dark blue BMW, he opened the door and tossed the phone into the passenger seat. When the phone bounced off and fell to the floor instead, he growled in irritation. Parker ignored the little chirp telling him the caller had left a voice mail and drove out of the parking garage toward his place. The idea of spending the rest of the evening at home with his thoughts didn’t appeal, but neither did going anywhere else. He suddenly felt tired. As he pulled into a parking spot near his condo a few minutes later, he wondered if he should have stayed and listened to Teddy’s explanation. Could he have overreacted? His own sensitivity about his sexuality, and his single state, might have made him angrier than he ought to be. Maybe his friend would have apologized and let the subject drop, and there wouldn’t be this potentially friendship-ending issue standing between them. The idea of losing Teddy’s friendship after all these years hurt. By the time he reached his place and went inside, however, he felt convinced he’d done the right thing. Teddy had been talking him into stupid things for years. Parker refused to let him do it this time.

This time, Teddy would have to solve his problem on his own.

Chapter Two

“That went well.” Theodore “Teddy” Christopher stared at the doorway his friend had stormed out of moments before, confused and concerned. No one would ever call him the sharpest crayon in the box, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what had gone wrong. One minute he and Parker had been talking, and the next his friend was glaring at him with those icy gray eyes as if he’d kicked a puppy or something. Frowning, he picked up his phone and dialed Parker’s number. To his annoyance, there was no answer. He left a voice mail anyway, not that he thought Parker would be listening to his message anytime soon. Parker didn’t get mad often, but when he did he was serious about it. Remembering the look on his friend’s face, a combination of anger, confusion, and maybe even a bit of hurt, Teddy started to feel guilty. The

idea of pretending to be gay in order to get rid of this girl who was determined to be Mrs. Christopher had seemed like a good one at first, but Parker’s reaction made him wonder if it was a stupid idea after all. He hadn’t expected Parker to get upset. He’d thought they’d laugh about the whole thing and then get rid of his overly persistent would-be girlfriend. The more he thought about what he’d said, the worse he felt. He was a jerk. A total jerk. Parker had stuck by him since seventh grade, no matter what stupid crap he’d gotten them into, and this was how he repaid him? No wonder everyone thought he was a screw-up. An apology was in order, at the very least. Maybe even groveling. Sighing, he went looking for his jacket. If Parker wouldn’t answer his phone, he’d have to go and talk to him in person.

By the time he arrived at Parker’s, Teddy still wasn’t sure what he was going to say. All he knew was he needed to make things right. He’d stopped at a convenience store on the way and picked up some of his friend’s favorite candy, so at least he was ready to suck up.

Pasting on his best sorry-I-screwed-up grin, which he had considerable practice at, Teddy knocked on the door. After a couple of minutes, the door opened partially and Parker peered out. “What do you want, Teddy?” His expression was shuttered. “I came to apologize. I brought a peace offering.” He held up the box of gummi bears. For a long, nerve-wracking moment, Teddy thought Parker would shut the door on him. Then his friend’s mouth twitched slightly. “You brought me Care Bear gummi bears?” He waggled his eyebrows. “Of course. Care Bears make everything better.” Parker laughed and opened the door the rest of the way. “You’re crazy. I guess you can come in.” He went in and sat on the sofa. Parker joined him after a couple of minutes, carrying a bottle of water. Rather than sitting on the other end of the sofa as he normally would, though, Parker sat in the armchair. Teddy frowned. Clearly his old friend wasn’t ready to forgive him yet.

Leaning forward, Parker held out a hand, face serious. “Make with the gummi bears.” That surprised a laugh out of him. He quickly handed the box over, and while Parker tore it open and dug out a few gummi bears, he thought about what to say. He’d never had much of a way with words. Stalling seemed like a good idea, at least until his friend eyed him expectantly. He sighed. “I’ve been thinking about what I asked you earlier. You’re right, I was totally out of line. I’m sorry.” Letting out a sigh of his own, Parker leaned back in his chair. “I may have overreacted a little. I just couldn’t believe what you were asking me to do. Did you even think about what would happen if your family found out?” Puzzled, he frowned. “How would they find out?” “Um, I don’t know. Maybe because you work for your dad? You wanted this girl to know, and pretty soon everyone would know.” He still didn’t get why Parker was upset. His dad was a pretty openminded kind of guy, and Parker’s parents already knew their son was gay. What was the big deal? “So what?”

Giving him an irritated look, Parker ground out, “It would all be a huge lie, that’s what!” The light bulb went on, and he felt like an idiot. Of course everyone would be pissed when they found out he was faking everything. “Oh, yeah. I see what you mean now.” He slapped himself on the forehead. “I’m such a dumbass. Tell me again why you put up with me?” Popping a few small, colorful candies into his mouth, Parker smiled at him. “I’m in it for the gummi bears.” Teddy laughed, relieved. Apology accepted. Too bad that wouldn’t save him from a certain overly-persistent woman.

Chapter Three

Yawning behind his hand, Parker looked around the crowded room. He hated stuffy society parties. The only reason he’d even agreed to come was Teddy’s promise to keep him from getting bored, yet he’d been here an hour without a sign of his friend. There were a hundred other things he could be doing right now, including finishing the designs he had promised his boss. Even laundry would be more entertaining than this party, with its pretentious conversations and dull company. Just as he was about to give up and leave, he spotted a familiar blond head across the room. Their eyes met, and his friend grinned brightly. About halfway across the room, however, a cute young woman in a black cocktail dress stepped into Teddy’s path. Instantly, Teddy’s face changed. Parker recognized the expression immediately, even if no one else would have. His friend’s normally open expression became closed off, eyes flat and smile fake. Despite his irritation with Teddy for being so late, Parker started across the room to come to the rescue.

By the time he reached them, the little blonde had wrapped her hands around Teddy’s bicep. “I was hoping you’d be here so we could talk. I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever, Theo!” Theo? Parker stopped in his tracks. No one ever called Teddy “Theo,” not even his parents. The nickname and the cooing tone seemed to insinuate closeness between the blonde and his friend, but Teddy’s trapped expression told a different story. This must be the girl he’d been trying to get rid of. “I’ve, uh, been really busy, Michelle. Working and stuff, you know?” Edging away from her, Teddy gave Parker a look that screamed save me. He tried not to laugh. “Ooh, you poor thing!” She gave him a sympathetic look. “You work too hard. Why don’t you come sit with me and relax? I could go get you a plate of food?” Teddy suddenly seemed unable to string a sentence together. “Um—” An evil little voice in Parker’s head suggested leaving his buddy to deal with his own problems. For a long moment, he considered the idea. Would his friend be able to talk his way out of his predicament? No, that would be too mean.

Before Teddy could say anything more, Parker approached them. “There you are, Teddy. It’s about time you got here.” Michelle bit her bottom lip. “Who’s this, Theo?” “This is Parker. I promised to meet him here an hour ago. We’ve got some business to discuss. Sorry, Michelle.” The grateful look he gave Parker was anything but apologetic. “Sorry to steal him away, Michelle. It was nice to meet you, though.” Giving Michelle a big smile, he grabbed Teddy’s arm and steered his friend away while the girl stood there pouting. The second they were far enough away not to be overheard, Parker released Teddy’s arm, his earlier annoyance returning. “I thought about leaving you there with her. You know the only reason I came tonight was because you asked me to.” His friend gave him a sidelong glance. “I know. I’m sorry. I got stuck doing a bunch of paperwork, and you know how much I suck at it. Took me forever.” Rolling his eyes, he let go of his irritation. “Well, you should have called me. I would’ve rather been doing paperwork than hanging out here by

myself. Trent still acts like my gayness will rub off on him or something, and Regina nearly talked my ear off about some hideously dull society fundraiser.” “Thanks for staying, man. Really. I don’t know how I would have escaped Michelle if you hadn’t been here. One night I couldn’t get away and had to listen to her for like forty-five minutes. I owe you big time.” Parker laughed, amused as always by his friend’s theatrics. “You just wait. When I call in all the favors you owe me, you’re going to be sorry.” “Nah, never. If you ever need anything you know I’ll be there, right?” Meeting Teddy’s sincere, mismatched eyes, he felt oddly touched. “Sure.” “Good. Now let’s go find some food. I’m starving!” Teddy bumped their shoulders together playfully, grinning, the serious moment over. Smiling, Parker followed.

A few weeks later, Parker was putting the finishing touches on the design for an office building when his cell phone rang. Very few people called him at work, especially on his cell. Anything work related should have gone through the land-line. Checking the caller ID, he saw Teddy’s name. Since he’d be off in a few minutes anyway, he went ahead and answered. “This had better be good, Christopher. I’m at work, and I’m busy.” “You’re always busy,” Teddy lamented. “Aren’t you on vacation?” “Yeah, starting tomorrow. Today I have to finish up my work.” “You don’t have anything planned, do you?” His friend’s excitement came through clearly. Something was up. Parker frowned suspiciously. “No. Not really. Why?” “How would you like to go down to the Caribbean for a week, all expenses paid?” Recognizing Teddy’s cajoling tone, he became even more suspicious. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch. My dad asked me to go scout out this resort down there. The place is on its own little island, and it’s for sale. Dad wants me to see if we should buy it.” “So why do I need to be there?” He tapped his pencil against the table impatiently, waiting to see what bizarre plan his old buddy had hatched this time. “Well, there are a couple of reasons. Number one, I might be bored if you didn’t come.” “Yeah, right. Invite one of your little supermodel girlfriends.” Teddy sighed. “I’m serious. I’m tired of them. I can’t have a simple conversation with any of them.” Snickering, Parker doodled a picture of a deserted island surrounded by sharks on a piece of scrap paper. “Whose fault is that? You’re the one who always picks girls with the IQ of pocket lint.” That got him another sigh, this one heavier. “There’s another reason, too. Dad’s considering making the place a specialty location, like maybe couples-only, or a gay resort. You need a good vacation, I need a buddy to

hang out with and another pair of eyes to check out the island—it’s win-win. Plus, it’s been cold as hell. Wouldn’t you like some warm weather?” Parker drew a caricature of Teddy on the island, screaming for help, and himself in a boat off shore, pointing and laughing. Still, despite his exasperation at his friend’s manipulation, the idea did have some merit. The October weather hadn’t been particularly pleasant, and so far November wasn’t shaping up to be any better. And it wasn’t as if he had any plans for his time off. Besides, he did need a good vacation. Sun, sand, fun, and all on Teddy’s dime? Not such a terrible idea. And there might even be some hot guys there. Not one to tolerate silence, especially on the phone, Teddy quickly broke in. “Come on, Parker. I seriously wanted to invite you because you’re my friend. I’m not going to be picking your brain the whole time or making you do my work for me, I promise.” Making his decision, he said, “I know, Teddy. I’ll come with you.” “Thanks, Parker. We’re going to have so much fun! You won’t regret this, I promise.”

How many times had he heard that before? He sighed. Maybe this time would be different.

Chapter Four

Early Saturday morning, Teddy tossed his suitcase into his trunk and headed over to Parker’s. He’d been nervous about going on this scouting trip. Knowing his dad was counting on him kind of freaked him out, but having Parker agree to come had made him feel a lot better. His friend had always had that effect on him, from the very first time they’d met in junior high. School had intimidated the hell out of him. He’d tried to play class clown and slacker so no one would realize how hard he had to try to barely pass. Parker had seen right through his act, though. Instead of telling everyone Teddy was dumb and making fun of him like a lot of guys in their class would have, Parker had helped him. They’d studied together, and Parker had always read over his papers for him before he turned them in. Their friendship was the main reason he’d gotten where he was today. He still wasn’t really sure what the other man had gotten out of their friendship. Sure, he made Parker laugh, but anyone could do that.

Whatever the reason for their friendship, he was grateful for it. Having Parker along on this trip would be fun, and unlike one of his “little supermodel girlfriends,” Parker would understand this was a working trip. He frowned to himself as he drove. Lately, he’d been single more often than not. Dating had lost much of its appeal after his last few girlfriends. While each of them had been beautiful, there had been something missing. Parker was right. He did choose women with the IQ of pocket lint. They weren’t interesting outside of the bedroom. He didn’t want to think about why he picked particular women. He knew his choices would say something about him—probably something bad—so he turned his thoughts to the trip. Rumor had it the resort they were visiting was not doing well, hence the owners’ desire to sell. If Teddy thought they could make the resort profitable again, his dad said he’d buy it. God, he hoped he didn’t screw this up. He’d never had to make a decision this big. His dad usually gave him the easy jobs, simple legwork anyone could do, or using his charm to schmooze with potential business associates. Maybe his dad should have gone himself, or sent Pete. Teddy’s

frown deepened as he thought of his perfect older brother. Pete had always done everything he was supposed to do, and done it exactly right. He wouldn’t be freaking out at the prospect of scouting a potential property. He could probably do it in his sleep. A knock on his passenger-side window startled him out of his disparaging thoughts. Parker stood beside the car, a questioning expression on his face. Blushing, Teddy put the window down. In his preoccupied state, he hadn’t even noticed he’d pulled up in front of his friend’s building. Leaning on the window ledge, Parker arched a brow at him. “What were you thinking about? You were a million miles away.” He smiled weakly. “Nothing. You ready?” “I brought my bag down. Can you pop the trunk?” Parker went back to stow his luggage. Then he hopped in, fastened his seatbelt, and Teddy pulled away from the curb.

Nearly eight hours later, they arrived at the tiny island that housed the resort. Teddy stepped onto the pier, watching to make sure Parker had his

footing. While his friend normally did well on boats, the rough seas and indifferent driving of the boat’s pilot had made Parker a bit green around the gills. “You okay, buddy?” Giving him a wan look, Parker muttered, “I’ve been better.” The pitiful expression on his friend’s face made Teddy want to smile, but he didn’t dare. Poor Parker felt bad enough already. Teddy rubbed his friend’s back. “We’ll get checked in and get you some ginger ale or something. You’ll feel better in no time.” “It’s kind of hard to be mad at you when you’re being so nice.” The smile he’d been suppressing broke out. “Yeah, I know. That’s the plan.” They walked in silence for the next few minutes, taking in the island’s beauty. The boat pilot trailed behind them with their bags as they made their way along a winding stone pathway through the foliage. Though Teddy had spent time at Fantasies resorts from Hawaii and the Bahamas to Colorado, he never grew tired of the beauty of nature. The small island was edged by pristine white sand. Further inland, lush tropical plants provided a wild riot of color. A soft breeze carried the scents of flowers and green plants, as well

as the salt tang of the ocean. After the cold, gray weather of Boston, the warmth and color were a welcome change. As they passed a large, vibrant orange flower, Parker gave him a look of awe. “This is beautiful.” “Yeah. I hope the resort itself looks as good as the grounds.” They were a bit overgrown, but Teddy liked them. Unlike the more cultured, manicured look of the Fantasies resorts, this place had the air of a secret jungle hideaway. He wondered if his father might consider keeping the look if they bought the island. A couple of minutes later they emerged from the jungle path. The resort stood before them, a large, white, columned building. While the building was considerably smaller than any of the existing Fantasies resorts, the gleaming paint and sparkling windows showed how well-cared-for it was. Eager to see the interior, Teddy led the way into the lobby. Bright, tropical colors greeted them as they stepped inside. A young woman behind the desk smiled at them. “Hello, and welcome to Pleasure Island. Checking in?” An elbow dug into Teddy’s back.

“Pleasure Island?” Parker’s stage-whisper was not very quiet. “Shut up,” Teddy hissed over his shoulder. He turned his attention back to the desk clerk. “Yes. I’m Theodore Christopher.” Tapping a few keys on her computer, the girl found their reservation. “All right, Mr. Christopher, I have a two-bedroom suite for you and Mr. Denton, for seven nights. Is that correct?” “Perfect.” After tapping a few more keys, she had him sign a couple of papers and handed him two keycards. “Okay, Mr. Christopher. You’re all set. You’ll be in suite 501. Enjoy your stay at Pleasure Island!” The instant they were out of earshot of the desk clerk, Parker burst out laughing. “Pleasure Island? Have we stumbled into a bad porn film or something?” Unable to hold back any longer, Teddy laughed too. “Jeez, Parker! Did you have to say something about the name at the desk? I could barely keep a straight face long enough to check in.”

“Now you know how I’ve felt all these years when you made smartaleck remarks and I had to be serious.” Stepping into the elevator, Teddy gave his friend a mock scowl. “Oh, shut up. Aren’t you supposed to be sick?” “I feel a lot better, actually.” Rolling his eyes, Teddy punched the button for their floor.

Chapter Five

“Here we are,” Teddy announced at the door marked 501. Unlocking the door with his keycard, he threw it open grandly. Chuckling, Parker entered their suite. “Wow.” He stopped in the entryway, looking around at the lovely room. The living area was decorated in white and soft blues. A sofa, an armchair, a small refrigerator, a coffee table, and an enormous television took up much of the middle of the room. At the end of the room, a glass door opened to a small balcony. Near the glass door were a small table and two chairs. Two doors on either side of the entryway led to bedrooms, one decorated in green, the other in yellow. “Nice.” Walking to the glass door, Teddy peered outside. “We have a great view.” Parker came to stand by his friend. Their room overlooked the jungle pathway they’d come in on, and beyond that, the ocean. Watching the blue

waves lapping at the shore was almost hypnotic. Finally, Parker’s stomach growled. “I’m starving. Let’s put our stuff away and find something to eat.” “Okay. The bags are right over there.” Teddy gestured toward the sofa. Grabbing his suitcase, Parker smirked at his friend. “I call the green room.” Before Teddy could argue, he went to stand in the doorway of the green bedroom. “Hey! I hate yellow.” The narrowed blue-and-brown eyes promised retribution later, but Parker only laughed, unconcerned. “Give me ten minutes, and we can go eat.” “Whatever.” Grumbling about his dislike of yellow, Teddy disappeared into the other bedroom. Parker put his suitcase on the bed and went into the bathroom. After a long day of travel, he felt dirty and tired. A five-minute shower made him feel better. So did brushing his teeth and putting on fresh clothing. He was trying to finger-comb his brown hair and lamenting his need for a haircut when he heard his friend snickering in the other room.

Curious, he followed the sound. “What’s so funny?” Teddy emerged from the yellow bedroom, carrying what appeared to be a small welcome basket. “Can you believe this stuff?” He began pulling things out of the basket, including glow-in-the-dark condoms, a bottle of lube, and chocolate body paint, all emblazoned with the Pleasure Island logo. “This place is wild. Where else would I get chocolate body paint as a welcome gift?” He stopped talking abruptly, looking down at the items he held. After a pause, he asked, “What’d you get?” Sure enough, another basket stood on Parker’s nightstand. He and Teddy both went into the room, and he peered through the cellophane. Without even opening the package, he could see edible underwear, strawberry massage oil, and more condoms. When he met Teddy’s mismatched eyes, he expected his friend to laugh. Teddy had been amused when he brought the first basket in. Now, standing by Parker’s bed, Teddy didn’t seem quite so amused. And was that a blush on Teddy’s face? What could possibly have changed in a couple of minutes? Parker nudged Teddy. “What’s up? Don’t tell me you’ve never seen any of this stuff before.”

Teddy shrugged. “Nothing’s up. Are you hungry?” Parker was confused, but he let the subject drop. “Sure.” “Let’s go eat, then.” Teddy turned and left the bedroom. Wondering what Teddy’s deal was, Parker trailed after him.

Five minutes later, Parker stood in the lobby while Teddy asked the desk clerk about restaurants. Idly scanning the brochures in the rack against the wall, he noted that Pleasure Island offered scuba diving and snorkeling, a fitness center, a spa, and a night club. Filing the information away under possible activities for the week, he turned back to the desk to see if his friend was ready to go. Apparently having gotten the information he sought, Teddy was headed for him, leaving a blushing, giggling desk clerk in his wake. Couldn’t they go somewhere just once without Teddy flirting? Parker rolled his eyes. “Flirting already? We just got here.” “I wasn’t flirting. I was being nice.”

The mock-innocent expression didn’t fool him. “Yeah, right. Maybe I should have stayed home so I wouldn’t cramp your style.” His own words surprised him. He forced a smile and changed the subject to cover the awkward moment. “Where are we going to eat?” “According to the clerk, there are four places to eat. There are two restaurants here in the main building, a snack bar type thing by the pool, and a casual place out back somewhere.” He didn’t even have to think before making a decision. “Let’s go to the casual place. We aren’t dressed for a formal restaurant, and I’m not in the mood for all the fuss tonight.” Nodding, Teddy led the way out the back exit. The grounds in the back appeared tamer and more carefully planned than the riot of plants in the front. They followed a stone walkway straight back for a while, and then they came to a fork in the road. Shrugging, his friend went right. Even though Teddy didn’t seem very certain about the direction, Parker followed without complaint. If they got lost, they got lost. After all, he was on vacation.

Less than five minutes later, they arrived at a restaurant styled to look like a large tiki hut. Outside tables flanked both sides. When they entered, the place wasn’t very crowded. The hostess took them to an outside table with a great view of the beach. Like the desk clerk, she giggled and blushed at Teddy’s flirty banter. In her wake, a waiter arrived. The young redhead, who introduced himself as Kit, gave Teddy an extra-bright smile while taking their drink orders. Not sure whether he should be annoyed or in awe, Parker sat back and stared at his old friend. “I don’t believe this.” “What?” “We’ve been here less than an hour, and already you’ve got a fan club.” Eyes widening, Teddy gazed at him, puzzled. “What are you talking about?” Hating Teddy for the way he wrapped people around his little finger—apparently of both sexes—would be easy if it weren’t for the simple fact that half the time, his friend didn’t even realize what he did. Teddy had

a way of talking and listening to people as if they mattered, which made people want to be around him. His sense of humor and looks didn’t hurt either. “You’re telling me you didn’t notice the way the desk clerk and the hostess were flirting with you? Hell, I think even the waiter is half in love with you already. Which is not fair, by the way, since you’re not even gay.” To his surprise, Teddy actually blushed. Scrubbing a hand through his short blond hair, he stared down at the table. For several minutes, they sat in awkward silence. Confused and concerned by his friend’s behavior, Parker started to say something. He had just opened his mouth when Teddy burst out, “Do you think—” Before he could finish, their waiter returned. “Here are your drinks. Are you ready to order?” Parker started to tell the young man to give them more time, but Teddy’s expression had returned to its usual carefree geniality. “I’ll have a club sandwich and some fries, please.” “And for you, sir?”

Not having considered what he wanted to eat, Parker asked for the same, wanting to get rid of the waiter. When the redhead had gone, he turned his attention back to his friend. “What were you going to say earlier?” Teddy gave a breezy shrug. “I can’t remember now.” The offhand reply didn’t fool Parker. Teddy was upset about something. Parker let it drop, despite a slightly unsettled feeling he couldn’t shake.

When their meal ended, Teddy breathed an inner sigh of relief. Once Parker had mentioned the waiter’s reaction to him, he’d finally noticed it himself. The kid had been practically falling over himself. On the bottom of their receipt, a string of numbers and the name “Kit” had been written in small, timid-looking print. He crumpled the paper, not wanting his friend to see. As he and Parker walked back to their suite, he couldn’t help thinking about his own actions. God, I am a flirt. He’d always gotten by on charm

and looks. Was he really that shallow? Lately, he’d felt like there was a mirror showing him who he was, how he acted, and he hated what he saw. Stealing a glance at his friend, he wondered once more why Parker put up with him. He knew why he was Parker’s friend. What did Parker get out of their friendship, though? For nearly fifteen years, Parker had helped him through school, and out of countless scrapes. He’d always been there, no matter what stupid stunts Teddy pulled. But why? It sure as hell wasn’t his intellect. Obviously money wasn’t the reason either, because having a Senator father pretty much guaranteed money and influence. Though he tended to be quiet, even shy, Parker had plenty of other friends. He was attractive too, with unusual gray eyes, dark brown hair, and a serious face that lit up when he smiled. “Hey.” An elbow in the side jerked him out of his unhappy thoughts. “You okay?” He pasted on his best grin. “I was just thinking. You know how hard that is for me.” Parker gave him a mock scowl. “Well stop. I’m supposed to be on vacation, which means we’re going to have fun if it kills us.” “Don’t worry, buddy. We’ll have fun.”

Chapter Six

The next morning, Teddy awoke early, determined to shake off the previous night’s self-doubt and show Parker the good time he’d promised. Quietly, he dressed and went into the living room to call room service. Twenty minutes later, a soft knock on the door signaled the arrival of breakfast. He retrieved the covered tray, tipped the young lady who’d delivered it, and set the food on the little table in the corner. The soft click of a bedroom door opening caught his attention. He grinned when he caught sight of Parker. Usually a morning person, his friend looked none too awake this morning. Parker stood in his bedroom doorway in boxers and a t-shirt, blinking, his hair standing on end. “Good morning, sunshine.” A scowl told him more than words could have. Teddy’s grin widened. “Come and sit. I have coffee.”

Shuffling over like an extra from Night of the Living Dead, Parker mumbled, “Coffee?” When he reached the table, he sat and held out his hands. Teddy poured a mug of the steaming, fragrant brew and put the cup into the outstretched hands. “Didn’t you sleep?” Taking a sip from his mug seemed to perk him up a bit, at least. “Not very well. Traveling is fun, but I’ll need a day or so to adjust.” Smiling, Teddy dished up a plate of bacon, fruit, and toast. “Eat up and wake up, Mr. Grumpy. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us.” With a long-suffering sigh, Parker selected a bagel and some bacon and began to eat. An hour later, they had eaten, showered, and dressed, and they were headed down to the beach. Teddy had arranged for them to go snorkeling this morning. After lunch, they were booked at the spa. The spa thing seemed kind of girly to him, but he wanted to check everything out before making a recommendation to his dad. Snorkeling turned out to be a lot of fun. He’d been before, in Hawaii, but Parker hadn’t. He was fascinated by the colorful fish and coral.

Watching Parker’s sheer delight gave Teddy a warm feeling. Every time the other man pointed out something, he wanted to smile. The time flew by, and before he knew it they had to turn in their equipment. One quick lunch at the snack bar later, they were heading for the spa. Neither of them was terribly enthusiastic about the rest of the afternoon. “You didn’t book us for seaweed wraps or facials, did you?” He snickered at Parker’s anxiety. “No, man. I’ve got us signed up for massages and the steam room. There won’t be anything weird. I don’t think.” Parker frowned. “You’re not reassuring me here.” The spa was a low, minimalist building. Inside, the décor was spare and simple, with whites and blues and a lot of bamboo. He could hear the sound of the ocean louder than he should have been able to, making him think they must be playing some sort of relaxation tape. The overall effect was nice enough, if a bit clichéd. A smiling, forty-ish woman approached them. She wore a soft blue outfit similar to nurse’s scrubs. Her voice was calm and carefully modulated. “Welcome to the Sea of Pleasure Spa. Have you made reservations?”

Ignoring Parker’s twitching lips, he focused on the woman. “Yes. I’m Theodore Christopher. We have a reservation for two o’clock.” Consulting a small notepad, she nodded. “And this must be Mr. Denton. Welcome, both of you.” Motioning to a tiny young woman who stood nearby, she continued, “First you’ll need to change into robes. You won’t need any other clothing here. Carrie will take you to the changing room, and then she’ll direct you to the next stop on your road to relaxation. Enjoy!” The small woman, apparently Carrie, didn’t even come up to his shoulder. “Follow me, please.” Though he could hear Parker trying to stifle laughter, probably at the road to relaxation remark, Teddy followed Carrie silently. He nodded and smiled when she gave them both robes and told them to go to room seven when they had finished changing. When she left, he rounded on his snickering companion. “Aren’t you supposed to be the serious one here?” Clearly unable to hold in his mirth any more, Parker burst out laughing. “Sea of Pleasure? Road to relaxation?”

His friend’s laughter was infectious, and pretty soon he was cracking up too. “I think you’re a bad influence on me, Denton. I’ve been acting like a two-year-old ever since we got here, and I blame you.” Kicking off his own sandals, Parker gave him a half-hearted shove. “Whatever. You’ve been a bad influence on me for years!” “Shut up and strip. We’ve got some relaxing to do.” The far wall featured wicker baskets to store belongings in. He went over, grabbed one, and brought the basket over to the bench. Yanking off his t-shirt, he wadded it up into a ball and dropped it into the basket. Both his and Parker’s sandals went in next, and then he slipped off his shorts and underwear and dropped them in too. Moments later he was swathed in the thick, soft white robe. Not surprisingly, Parker hadn’t finished changing. His carefully folded t-shirt was in the basket, along with his watch and shorts—also folded—but he still wore boxers. The teasing remark Teddy had been about to make caught in his throat when his friend stripped his underwear off, folding them as well. Having never seen the other man naked, he couldn’t help but look a little. His studious friend was surprisingly well-muscled for

being so slim. The completely bizarre thought that Parker had been working out flitted through his mind before he forced himself to glance away. Trying not to think about what else he had seen, he took the basket back to where it belonged. Over his shoulder, he asked, “You ready?” “All set.”

Three hours later, having been massaged, rubbed down with some kind of weird, minty herbal thing, and steamed, Teddy had to admit he felt relaxed. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Grinning, Parker finished dressing and put on his watch. “There might have been something to the road to relaxation thing after all.” “What do you say we keep relaxing for the rest of the evening? We can check out the bars and club tomorrow night.” “Sounds good.” On the way back to their suite, they picked up burgers, fries, and sodas from the snack bar by the pool. They ate out on the balcony, and

talked a little about things they could do over the next few days. When they were finished, Teddy let the warm sunshine and soft ocean breeze lull him into a doze. “You’re going to get sunburned if we don’t go inside.” The thought of looking and feeling like a steamed lobster for the rest of the vacation made Teddy open his eyes. “You’re right. Let’s go in.” Once inside, Parker found a movie they hadn’t seen on television, and they settled in to watch. The movie, an action-thriller, turned out to be almost all explosions and chase scenes. After laughing their way through the ridiculous film, they both decided to turn in. Although he tended to stay up late on normal nights, Teddy found he was tired. Even so, he didn’t go to sleep right away. His brain didn’t want to shut off. A lot of things went through his mind: the weird, depressing thoughts he’d been having lately, the waiter at the restaurant, his thoughts about the resort. The one thing he couldn’t seem to get out of his head was Parker, in the change room at the spa. It was the last thought in his mind as he went to sleep.

Chapter Seven

On Monday morning, Parker awoke early. Although the clock said six-forty-five a.m., staying in bed didn’t appeal. Instead, he climbed out of bed and dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and running shoes. Stuffing his room key into his pocket, he left the suite. A run seemed like just the thing to start the day. Few people were out this early in the morning. As he ran along the paths behind the resort, he mostly saw employees. There were a few other runners like himself, and some people who looked as if they were returning from a very late night, but mostly he was alone on the paths. He ran for about an hour. The incredible beauty of the island in the morning gave him a sense of peace. Birds sang in the trees. The sweet fragrance of flowers, tempered with the salt tang of the ocean, scented the air. At first, the only light was the faint blush of the coming dawn. As he ran,

however, the sky began to brighten, shafts of yellow and pink light piercing the clouds. When the sun peeked over the horizon at last, he stopped to watch. Several minutes passed as he took in the Caribbean sunrise. Such a gorgeous day begged to be shared. Finishing his run, he headed back to the suite. To his surprise, Teddy was up and dressed in swim trunks and a t-shirt. “So that’s where you were. I can’t believe you went running on vacation.” Parker struck a silly pose. “I have to keep my girlish figure somehow.” “There’s nothing girlish about you. Now go take a shower so we can go to the beach.” Teddy turned away quickly, but not before Parker saw the slight red tinge to his cheeks. On a normal day, he would have made a smart remark about Teddy noticing his physique, but today, the words wouldn’t come. He took a quick shower and dressed in his own swim trunks and tshirt. By the time he finished getting ready a few minutes later, Teddy had

ordered coffee and pastries. They took their breakfast, towels, and sunscreen and headed for the beach. Since it wasn’t even nine yet, the beach wasn’t very crowded. Parker and Teddy had their choice of where to put their things. Without even discussing the options, they headed toward a shady spot beneath the palm trees and set their towels down. “This beach is awesome.” Parker nodded. “It’s gorgeous. I’m glad you dragged me here.” Eyes widening with mock affront, Teddy crossed his arms. “Dragged you? I seem to recall you agreeing of your own free will.” “And you didn’t do anything at all to try and convince me, I suppose.” “I would never do such a thing.” Grinning, Teddy stripped off his shirt. “I’m going swimming. You coming?” Before Parker could answer, his friend was already up and running toward the water. All he could do was laugh and follow, pulling off his shirt as he ran.

They swam for close to two hours. The water was a deep, clear blue, and much warmer than the cold, grayish ocean he was used to at home. Parker enjoyed floating around, relaxing as much as actually swimming. Teddy, on the other hand, seemed full of frenetic energy, not content to float aimlessly. “Let’s go eat, Teddy said. “Swimming makes me hungry.” Rolling his eyes, Parker fell into step beside his friend. “Everything makes you hungry.”

Chapter Eight

Leaning on the doorframe of Parker’s bathroom later that evening, Teddy watched his friend get ready to go to the club with poorly disguised impatience. He’d felt antsy all day, and he was eager to get going, although he didn’t feel much like clubbing tonight. “You look fine. Let’s go.” “Stupid hair.” Parker grumbled under his breath as he tried to get a stubborn piece of hair to lie down. “Oh, let me.” Teddy took the hair gel and dabbed a bit on his fingers. Moments later, he had the lock of hair lying down with all the others. “There.” After a quick look in the mirror, Parker smiled. “Thanks.” Gazing at his best friend’s happy smile, a strange, breathless feeling took him by surprise. Confused, he backed away. “You’re welcome. Now let’s go already!”

The club, Illicit, was located at the far end of the island. Still, they only had to walk for a few minutes to get there due to the island’s small size. The pounding bass beat let them know they were going the right way. On the path, they passed one of the two bars the resort boasted, called Forbidden. The other bar, Wicked, was located off the lobby of the main building. The names struck Teddy as a bit much, but at least they didn’t all have the word pleasure in them. Since it wasn’t even ten o’clock yet, the line to enter the club went quickly. Parker fiddled with the cuffs of his silvery-gray shirt as they waited. The action only added to Teddy’s antsy feeling, and he reached over to still his friend’s hands. “Stop. You’re making me nervous.” Worried gray eyes met his. “I haven’t been clubbing in forever.” A nervous Parker was something he rarely saw. He put on his most reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. All the dance lessons our parents made us take will finally be good for something. Plus, you look great.”

It was true. Parker had good taste in clothing. The slacks he wore fit perfectly, and the gray shirt brought out his eyes. Not that Teddy had noticed or anything. “Thanks. So do you.” He struck a pose. “I try.” In truth, he’d thrown on the blue shirt and black slacks he wore without much consideration. He wasn’t planning on picking up girls tonight, so he didn’t have to try to impress anyone. Rolling his eyes, Parker showed his ID to the bouncer and entered the club. Teddy followed moments later. The volume level ratcheted up considerably the instant they walked in the door. The lyrics of the popular rap song could barely be heard over the thump of the bass. Illicit had an industrial look, with silver and wrought iron everywhere. The only other color was blue, giving the club a dim, almost underwater air. While the building was fairly small, it featured three levels. The bottom level had the large dance floor and the main bar. Looking up, Teddy could see tables, smaller dance floors, and another bar on each of the two upper levels.

Catching Parker’s eye, he pointed up, then down. An upraised index finger gave him the answer he wanted, and he quickly made his way to the stairs. Two flights up, the volume level quieted enough for them to be able to talk. “You want a drink?” “Yeah. Get me something strong. I’ll find us some seats.” Parker went in search of someplace for them to sit. Spotting the deserted bar, Teddy went to get drinks. The bartender, a young woman wearing what appeared to be strips of vinyl rather than a shirt and skirt, gave him an obvious once-over. “What can I get for you?” Before he even thought about it, he went into flirt mode. He leaned forward onto the bar, raising an eyebrow. “What do you have that’s good?” The girl leaned forward too, her black-painted lips curving into a slow smile. “I have a lot of things that are good, honey.” He started to say something along the lines of “I bet you do,” but a flash of movement caught his eye. Tilting his head up, he caught sight of the

huge mirror behind the bar. In the cold, silver surface, he saw himself: not a hair out of place, perfect clothes, and a seductive smile he didn’t even mean. Why was he flirting with this woman? He had no intention of taking it anywhere. Hell, he wasn’t sure he even knew how to talk to new people without acting this way. The realization hit like a punch in the stomach. Parker’s words from the first day here came back to him. You don’t have to collect every heart in the place. Smile gone, he leaned away from the bartender. “Can I have two Jack and Cokes, please?” Though she gave him an odd look at the abrupt change in his manner, she got him the drinks. He gave her an apologetic smile and a big tip. Taking the drinks, he turned and looked for Parker. It didn’t take long to spot his friend, who had found them two bar stools along the railing overlooking the lower levels. Pasting on a smile, he took the drinks over and sat next to Parker. “I got you a Jack and Coke. Hope that’s okay.”

Those too-perceptive gray eyes bored into him. “The drink is fine. Are you okay?” Feeling like his face would crack under the strain, Teddy continued to smile. “I’m great.” Just great.

The next two hours passed in a whirlwind of music, alcohol, people watching, and light conversation. The crowd had really grown, so there were a lot of people to watch and discuss. All Teddy wanted to do was leave. After his realization, all the fun had drained out of the evening. He’d nearly gathered up the nerve to see if his friend was ready to go when a slim guy with long, black hair appeared by the empty stool next to Parker. Giving Parker a shy smile, he asked, “Is this seat taken?” Eyes widening slightly, Parker moved his arm to make room. “No, have a seat.” The guy sat. For a moment he seemed to debate with himself. Finally, he leaned toward them, his eyes still on Parker. “I’m sorry if this is out of

line. I’ve been watching you all night, and I really wanted to talk to you, but I wasn’t sure if you two were together, or what…” He trailed off, awkwardly. Teddy watched, astonished, as his normally reserved friend gave the guy a shy, pleased grin and practically gushed, “You were watching me? Really?” The guy met Parker’s eyes, leaning in closer. “Really.” His friend’s eyes lit up. “You weren’t out of line at all. I’m Parker.” Motioning toward Teddy, he added, “This is my friend, Teddy. He’d normally be on the dance floor right about now. I guess he’s just been keeping me company.” Moving his long hair out of his face, the guy nodded to Teddy. “I’m Gerard. Nice to meet you both.” Gerard? How pretentious. Teddy sipped moodily at his third—or was it his fourth—Jack and Coke while Parker and Gerard talked animatedly about architecture. Since Gerard was an interior designer, he knew a lot about the subject. Not really understanding half of what they discussed, Teddy began to feel bored and irritable. He surreptitiously studied Gerard from under his

lashes. Something about the man annoyed him. His hair was so girly. And there was no way his eyes were that color. No one has violet eyes. They had to be contacts. “Really? That’s so funny.” Parker laughed at something Gerard had said, and Gerard, also laughing, put his hand on Parker’s thigh. A horrible, nauseous feeling rose up in Teddy’s throat. He stood, his hand knocking Parker’s drink over. Right onto Gerard. The man jerked back as the cold, dark liquid spilled onto his pants and shirt. For about one second, Teddy felt a mean, petty surge of glee. Until Parker rounded on him, his eyes angry and confused. Remorse washed over him. What the fuck was his problem? “I’m sorry, Gerard. I guess I’ve had too much to drink.” Gerard’s expression said he wasn’t sure whether he should believe Teddy or not, but he offered a half-hearted smile. “It’s no problem. I’ll just go clean up.” Plucking at his soaked shirt, he walked toward the bathroom. Parker drilled him with a hard stare the second the other man had gone. “What’s going on, Teddy?”

Feeling small and petty and cold, he stared into his drink. “Nothing. I’m sorry. I’m not very good company tonight.” Voice softening, his friend put a hand on his arm. “Are you sure nothing’s wrong?” He pasted on his best carefree grin and met Parker’s eyes. “I’m fine. I’m tired is all.” He could sense disappointment the instant he finished his excuse. The thought of ruining Parker’s night made him feel terrible. After a pause, he continued. “I’m going to go back to the room. You’re having fun, so I want you to stay here.” “Are you sure?” The hopeful note in Parker’s voice steeled his resolve. “I’m sure. Have fun. I’ll finish up this drink and take off, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Okay. Get some rest. Oh, there’s Gerard.” Almost before he’d finished the sentence, Parker was up and heading for the other man. Teddy watched Gerard smile when he caught sight of Parker. The two men stood talking in the corner for a few minutes. Gerard touched Parker’s face, then pulled him down and kissed him.

Teddy didn’t want to finish his drink after all. Leaving the almost-full glass, he stood and started walking. He struggled through the hot, crowded lower floors, finally reaching the exit. The blessedly cool night breeze washed over him, clearing his head somewhat. He stalked toward the resort, trying to understand why he’d acted the way he had in the club. Parker was having fun. He hardly ever went out, he hadn’t dated in ages, and then Teddy had tried to fuck it all up. What was wrong with him? Maybe he didn’t want Parker to find someone. If Parker ever met someone, he would definitely be spending less time with Teddy. Deep down, though, there was more to it. His insecurity, their friendship, his pathetic love life—it was all related somehow. He pushed the knowledge away, not wanting to think any more. While he was distracted, he’d reached the main building. Not wanting to be alone with his thoughts, Teddy stopped at the first open place he saw. Unlike Illicit, Wicked had few customers at this hour. Most people were probably at the club or sleeping, leaving only a handful of people in the

small bar. Taking a barstool on the darkest end of the bar, Teddy put his chin on his hands. A big, bald bartender in a black t-shirt emblazoned with the bar’s name approached. “What can I get for ya?” He had a heavy Australian accent. “Can I get a soda?” Another drink would only make him feel worse, and he felt pretty bad already. The man arched a brow. “What kind?” He waved a hand. “I don’t care. But could I get a cherry in it?” “Sure.” Practically before he could blink, a cup of ice sat on the bar. The bartender filled the glass with a white soda, and with a flick of his wrist two cherries plopped into the drink. With a wink and a flourish, he presented the cup to Teddy. “Here you go, mate.” In the face of such theatrics, he had to smile. “Thanks. How much?” “No charge. Try to cheer up, all right?” Popping a cherry in his mouth, he tried not to think about anything. His mind wanted to wander to what Parker was doing right now, or his own

fucked-up actions the last few weeks, but he ruthlessly clamped down on the thoughts. He would sit here and zone out until he was too tired to think, and then he’d go to bed. “Theo?” His hand froze midway to his mouth, the second cherry dangling by its stem. She couldn’t possibly be here. Closing his eyes, he tried to will the voice away. “Theo! I knew that was you!” The bar stool next to him was suddenly occupied. It was almost funny, how things got worse right when you thought they couldn’t. He opened his eyes and turned to face the newcomer. “Hello, Michelle.”

Chapter Nine

“Want to dance?” Gerard’s voice pulled Parker out of his thoughts. “What? Oh, I don’t think so.” The other man brushed back his long hair and leaned forward, violet eyes concerned. “You okay? You seemed far away there for a minute.” “I’m fine. I’m a little worried about my friend, though. He was acting weird earlier.” There had been something going on with Teddy, he was sure of it. Teddy had seemed off, down. “I don’t think he liked me. Are you sure you guys are only friends?” Surprised, Parker laughed. “Believe me, Gerard, if you saw all the girls he’s dated, you wouldn’t be asking.”

“Good.” Gerard leaned back onto the cushions of the sofa they’d found in a corner, pulling Parker with him. Their lips met, and like the kiss earlier, it was nice. No all-consuming passion, but he definitely liked what Gerard was doing. Turning off his brain, he let his body take over. After a few minutes, Gerard lifted his head. He smoothed his hands down Parker’s arms. “I’m flying back to LA tomorrow morning, so tonight’s my last night here. I’d really like to spend it with you.” Flattered, Parker considered. His long-celibate body liked the idea, but the couple of one-night stands he’d indulged in years ago had left too much emotional fallout. He needed sex to mean something, and this wouldn’t. “This has been fun, but we live on opposite coasts. I don’t do one-night stands.” Giving him a regretful smile, Gerard nodded. “I can understand that. If you change your mind, I’m in room 140.” “I’ll remember.” With a little wave, he stood and left Gerard sitting on the couch.

The relative cool and quiet of the outside came as a relief. A quick glance at his watch showed one o’clock. Illicit would be packed for the rest of the night. The club didn’t close until six a.m. Parker, however, wasn’t an all-night party kind of guy. Approaching the main resort building, he wondered if Teddy had gone to sleep already. He felt rather guilty for letting his friend go off by himself, probably upset about something. He told me to stay, but maybe I should have ignored him. Then again, this was Teddy. When had he ever been really upset about anything? The man had a remarkable ability to shake everything off. He came in the back entrance. He glanced into the bar as he walked past, and a familiar giggle caught his attention. A skinny little blonde woman was leaning over, chattering to a blond man in a blue shirt. Squinting, he moved closer. Teddy. The woman giggled again, and Teddy flinched. Wondering what his friend had gotten himself into this time, Parker entered the bar. Only a few steps in, he recognized the little blonde. Michelle,

from home! What the hell was she doing here? Maybe Teddy hadn’t been being overdramatic after all when he’d complained about the girl bothering him. Michelle was beaming at Teddy, who looked both bewildered and miserable. “This is so great, us being here together! We can hang out, just the two of us. It’ll be so much fun!” Wincing at her shrill yet cooing tone, Parker rushed over to where the two sat and put a hand on Teddy’s shoulder. They both stared at him in surprise. “Teddy, I’m so sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have gone off with that guy. I was mad at you, but that’s no excuse.” Teddy’s mouth dropped open. Confusion flickered across his face. Mouthing play along, Parker put on what he hoped was a penitent expression. Finally, his friend seemed to understand what he was doing. Shrugging off his hand, Teddy scowled at him. “Whatever.” “What’s going on? Why are you here?” Michelle speared him with a killing glare.

Parker faced Michelle, pretending not to have noticed her until now. “I came with Teddy. What are you doing here?” Her pretty face creasing into a frown, she wrapped a possessive hand around Teddy’s arm. “Theo, tell him to go away. Wouldn’t you rather spend time with me?” Breaking out the big guns, Parker bit his lip in mock distress and gave his best puppy-dog eyes. He couldn’t do the expression as well as Teddy, not having nearly as much practice, but he gave it everything he had. His friend looked from Michelle to him several times. Finally, Teddy sighed. “Michelle, Parker and I really need to talk. I have to go.” Parker waited while Teddy unwrapped Michelle’s grasping fingers, then followed him out of the bar, leaving a petulant, whining Michelle in their wake. Neither of them spoke. The elevator ride up to their suite felt longer than usual because of the oppressive silence. The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival at the fifth floor. The doors slid open, and a few steps later Teddy unlocked their door. He went in without turning on a light and flopped down on the sofa, throwing his arm

over his eyes. Dim light from outside streamed in through the balcony slider, painting Teddy with odd patches of shadow and light. In nearly fifteen years of friendship, Parker had rarely felt awkward around Teddy. Tonight, though, he wasn’t sure what to say or do. He knew something was up, but he didn’t know what, or even what to ask to find out. Still, uncomfortable or not, he wouldn’t let his oldest friend down if he could help it. Going to the sofa, he sat on the end by Teddy’s feet, shoving his legs over to make room. A smile curved Teddy’s lips for a moment, but soon vanished. After another silence, his friend spoke, his voice subdued. “I’m sorry for being such an ass earlier.” Taken aback, Parker stared, wishing Teddy would move his arm. Eye contact would be helpful right about now. “What do you mean?” Finally the arm dropped and their eyes met, although the dim lighting kept Teddy’s expression hidden in shadow. “You know what I mean. I didn’t really feel like clubbing tonight. I should have left earlier, instead of hanging around ruining your fun. I even spilled a drink on Gerard.”

Remembering Gerard’s expression when the drink spilled on him made Parker smile a little. “It was no big deal. You should have told me you weren’t having fun. We could have left the club hours ago.” Teddy sat up, drawing his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. “And that’s exactly the problem.” “Now I’m confused.” Resting his head on his knees, Teddy gave him a sad look. “I am too. It’s not right that you would leave a place where you were having fun because I wanted to. The world shouldn’t always revolve around me, you know?” What had brought this on? “I’ve never thought you acted like the world revolved around you. If I’d left with you earlier, it would have been because we’re friends, and friends stick together.” Burying his face, Teddy muttered, “I don’t see why you stick with me.” Okay. Apparently this was a deeper problem than he had been expecting. “What’s wrong? And don’t tell me ‘nothing.’”

Teddy kept his face hidden in his knees, but at least he kept talking. “I’ve been thinking. I know that’s unusual for me.” Parker hated it when Teddy put himself down, but before he could protest Teddy continued. “All these years we’ve been friends, you’ve helped me so much. I wouldn’t have gotten through high school or college without you. You got me out of trouble more times than I can count. But what have I ever done for you? Nothing. What have I ever done for anyone?” The dejected tone in Teddy’s normally happy voice got to him. “Hey. Look at me.” First a blue eye, then a brown one, both miserable, peered up at him. “You want me to tell you why I’m your friend?” A nod. Though he could tell Teddy wanted to look away, their eyes held. “I’m your friend because you make me laugh. When I’m holed up in my apartment, you drag me out and make me have fun. You bring me gummi bears. But most of all, I’m your friend because you’re the one person I know I can count on, no matter what, to always have my back.”

A slow smile curved Teddy’s lips. “And I can always count on you to save me from crazy chicks.” Relieved to see a smile at last, he grinned back. “I think you have a stalker. What is she doing here?” “I have no idea! I couldn’t believe it when she came up to me in the bar. Now I’ll have to spend the rest of the week dodging her.” Teddy slumped back onto the sofa, scowling at the thought. Leaning back into his corner of the cushions, Parker considered. “I don’t think this girl is going to be easily deterred. You might have been right before.” An arched eyebrow was all Teddy needed to ask a question. He clarified. “I think the only way you’re going to get rid of Michelle is if she thinks you’re with someone else.” Teddy gaped at him. “You mean…” “Yep. Get ready to say goodbye to Michelle. Honey.” The look he got said his friend wasn’t sure if he was serious or not. “Honey?”

Giving him a mock-innocent stare, Parker batted his eyelashes. “What? You prefer studmuffin?” Teddy cracked up.

Lying in bed a few minutes later, Parker had a hard time getting his brain to shut off. After agreeing to help get rid of Michelle, he’d pleaded exhaustion and fled to his room, hoping he hadn’t made a mistake. Playing boyfriends had seemed like a terrible idea when Teddy first suggested it, at home. Here, with no family members to have to lie to, it didn’t seem quite so bad. Besides, desperate times called for desperate measures. He couldn’t believe Michelle’s presence here was a coincidence. She had to have found out Teddy would be here somehow. What he didn’t understand was why. He’d never seen his friend encourage her in any way. At any rate, he’d landed himself right in the middle of another one of Teddy’s bizarre problems, only this time Parker had brought it on himself. He only hoped this one worked out better than some of the others over the

years. At least the only audience for their charade was Michelle. What could go wrong? Parker sighed and turned onto his side, punching at his pillow in an attempt to get comfortable. It was a long time before he slept.

Chapter Ten

The next morning, Teddy “inspected” the small but well-cared-for golf course. He’d had to bribe Parker with the choice of their next activity to get his friend to come with him, but he wanted to check out everything. From the first hole, he could see it wasn’t going to be his day. Right away he hit the ball onto the rough, which made Parker laugh. Of course, Parker, who hated golf, landed his first shot perfectly on the green. A few shots later, Teddy ended up in a sand trap. He barely resisted the urge to stamp his feet like a little boy. “Damn it!” Lips twitching as he held back laughter, Parker nudged him. “How nice of you to let me win.” “Shut up.” Pretending to pout, Parker hit another great shot. Teddy couldn’t help scowling. His scowl deepened as he watched the caddie lean in to help

Parker pick his next club. They were laughing and smiling together like old friends, or maybe like they were flirting. He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore it. A disgraceful number of shots later—on Teddy’s part, at least—they reached the eighteenth hole. Parker was clearly having fun, but Teddy couldn’t wait to get finished. The second his ball dropped into the final hole, he snatched it out and shoved his club into the bag. “I’m starving. Ready for lunch?” Parker shrugged. “Sure, I could eat.” “Great. Let’s go.” He dug out a tip and for the caddy and when he turned back to Parker, his friend was laughing with his own caddy again. The dark, muscular caddie leaned toward Parker, expression suddenly serious. “I don’t usually do this—in fact it’s a good way to get fired—but I think you’re very attractive.” What the hell was this guy doing? An honest-to-goodness growl escaped Teddy’s throat before he could hold it in. He was instantly embarrassed, even more so when Parker gave him a strange look.

He wasn’t the only one who was embarrassed. The caddie grimaced. “Oh, jeez. Are you guys together?” “Yes, we are,” Teddy put in, not waiting for Parker to remember their little charade. This guy wasn’t their target audience, but they needed to practice before they saw Michelle, right? “Um, yeah,” Parker agreed weakly. “I’m sorry. You guys didn’t act like you were… I’m sorry.” Teddy forced a smile at the nervous man, feeling like a jerk. “No problem. Thanks for your help today.” With a quick nod, the caddie grabbed the golf bag and fled. Parker turned to him. “That was weird.” “Sorry. I guess I should have run the plan by you first, huh?” He tried not to blush under his friend’s scrutiny, feeling stupid for growling. What the fuck did he care if a hot caddie hit on Parker? It wasn’t like they were really together, after all. A sudden grin lit Parker’s face. “You should have seen your face. It’s so cute how you get all possessive, honeybunch.”

“Ugh. Not honeybunch.” “Sweetie?” “No.” Grin widening, his friend pretended to think. “Baby?” “Are you trying to piss me off, Denton?” “Am I succeeding?” Laughing, he gave Parker a playful shove. “Stick with my name, please. Now let’s go eat.”

They ordered room service and ate on the balcony. Food and the beautiful ocean view distracted him for a while, but soon Teddy found himself contemplating what had happened earlier. He thought about what the caddie had said, that they didn’t act like they were… together. If they wanted their charade to work for Michelle, they would have to be a little more convincing. He frowned. “What’s up?”

He looked up to find a pair of gray eyes focused on him. “If we’re going to convince Michelle we’re together, we’re going to have to act the part.” Not that he was really sure what acting the part would entail. Sudden nervousness rose, and he shifted in his seat. Parker laughed. “Relax, Teddy. We won’t have to do it right in front of her or anything. Even Michelle’s not that dense.” Now he felt stupid again. “I know. And I’m not going to start freaking like you have cooties or something. This is just weird.” “You’re right, it’s very weird. But we’re friends, right?” Their friendship was one thing he was sure of. “Right.” Parker sat back in his chair, watching him. “We don’t have to do this. Maybe she’ll give up on her own. Or you could try telling her you’re not interested.” “I’ve tried. Several times. She never listens. I don’t think it’s a coincidence she’s here.” He pretended to concentrate on his fruit salad, thinking instead about Michelle and Parker and his own strange behavior lately. After about five minutes, he pushed his food away. Parker put his fork down as well.

His gaze was drawn to Parker’s long, slim hands. If they were together, he knew what he’d do first. Almost without conscious thought, he reached across the table and took Parker’s hand in his. There was an instant in which Teddy thought Parker might pull away. Then his fingers relaxed, accepting the touch. Surprisingly, holding hands with a guy wasn’t as different as he’d expected. Parker’s hand was larger and stronger than a girl’s, but the warmth and comforting sense of human contact were the same. He smiled. Parker smiled back. Sitting there, holding hands with his best friend, Teddy decided this wouldn’t be so hard after all.

Chapter Eleven

“Theo! There you are.” From his place at the poolside bar, Parker cringed at the sound of Michelle’s cooing voice. They’d managed to avoid her all day yesterday, but today their luck must have run out. He took the drinks the bartender handed him and turned to see the little blonde, dressed in the smallest bikini he’d seen in a long time, hovering over the deck chair where Teddy was lying. “Hi, Michelle. How are you?” Not appearing to notice Teddy’s distinct lack of enthusiasm, the young woman prattled on. “I spent all day yesterday looking for you, except for when I was at the spa. The spa here is wonderful, don’t you think? But I missed you. Where were you all day?”

Yikes. He was getting a headache listening to her and she wasn’t even talking to him. With an inner sigh, he began to make his way over to rescue his friend. “I was playing golf with Parker.” “Playing golf?” She pouted. “How boring.” Parker lowered himself to the deck chair next to Teddy and handed over one of the drinks, making sure their hands brushed. “Sorry I took so long. The line was pretty long over there.” “That’s okay. Thanks.” Teddy gave him one of those rare smiles, the ones that could light up a whole room. His own lips curved up in response, despite a strange, tight feeling in his chest. It was almost a relief when Michelle interrupted. “What are you doing today, then?” Teddy turned to him. “It’s your turn to choose.” “Teddy and I are going to play tennis today.” He put a bit of emphasis on the first three words, hoping Michelle would take the hint. She didn’t. “How fun! We can play doubles.”

“There are only three of us,” Teddy pointed out. “How can we play doubles?” “Your friend can play with a girl I met yesterday. She’s so nice. I know he’ll just love her!” The blonde clapped her hands together, pleased with her idea. Parker sighed.

“Good shot, Theo!” Parker and Teddy shared an exasperated look across the net. Michelle’s new friend, Laura from Phoenix, at least seemed nice, and, she was a good tennis player as well, which Parker appreciated since she was his partner. Her skill turned out to be a very good thing, since Parker was off his game. His focus was shot. Rather than staying on the ball, his eyes kept wandering across the net.

Teddy, on the other hand, was playing tennis the way he usually played golf. Parker had to yank his gaze from his friend to the ball quite a few times, to his irritation. After their second game ended, Teddy turned to Michelle. “How about guys versus girls?” Michelle frowned and seemed about to argue, but Laura grinned. “Bring it on, boys.” Tamping down his urge to thank his temporary partner profusely for agreeing, he switched places with Michelle. Laura served, and play went fast and furious. He found himself playing harder on this side of the net than he had on the other. The girls scored a couple of points on Laura’s wicked serve, but Parker’s backhand scored the winning point. “Nice job, partner.” He slapped the high-five Teddy offered, feeling an unexpected glow at his friend’s praise. “Thanks.”

Teddy gave him a wink. Parker shook Laura’s hand over the net, and not wanting to get roped into spending the rest of the evening with Michelle, he decided to cut her off at the pass. “Thanks for inviting us to play, ladies.” With a look at Teddy, he added, “I guess we’d better go back to the room. I need a shower, and maybe a nap. Playing against the ladies wore me out.” Teddy laughed and nodded. “Me too. Thanks for the games, girls. We’ll see you later, Michelle, Laura.” Parker followed as Teddy turned and hightailed it out of there before Michelle could say anything. They quickly dropped off their rented racquets at the locker room and went up to their suite. When the door shut behind them, Teddy leaned against it, his eyes darting around as if in search of pursuers. “Whew, we made it. Good save, buddy.” He couldn’t help laughing. “My God, she’s almost impossible to shake. I thought you were exaggerating before, but now I see you weren’t telling me the half of it.” “I don’t know what her deal is. I’m not that much of a catch.” Teddy shrugged, his eyes downcast.

“Oh, yeah, not much of a catch.” Parker rolled his eyes. “You’re good looking, you’ve got money, your dad owns a chain of successful resorts…Yep, she’s insane.” Giving him an annoyed look, Teddy went to get a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. “Whatever. She can get those things anywhere in our circle. You’re good looking, and your dad’s a Senator. Plus, you’re smart and have a good job.” “I’m also gay, which probably isn’t on her list of traits for a potential husband.” He considered the rest of what Teddy had said for a moment. “What’s wrong with your job?” Teddy laughed without humor. “I’m a glorified errand boy for my dad. The only reason I even have a job is because I’m family. Pete’s the heir apparent, and I’m the screw-up.” A rush of protective anger filled him, and he scowled at his best friend. “You’re not an errand boy, or a screw-up. Your father sent you here because he trusts your judgment. He knows how hard you work, and so do I.” His friend shrugged again, not meeting his gaze.

“I’m going to take a shower.” Teddy left the room without another word. Frowning, Parker went into his own bathroom and started the shower. Under the hot spray, he thought about how strangely his best friend had been acting over the past few days. In all the years he’d known Teddy, the man had always been unfailingly cheerful and optimistic. Nothing ever got him down for long. Despite his difficulties in school and with work, Teddy had always kept trying until he succeeded. Over the years he’d charmed his way out of trouble, into the good graces of many business associates, and into the beds of who knows how many women. In a lot of ways, Parker envied Teddy. The man’s easy charm, air of confidence, and sense of fun were opposite his own shy reserve. Lately, though, something was different. Teddy seemed unsure and unhappy. He hated seeing his best friend so upset. How could he convince Teddy how important he was to all the people in his life? How important he was to Parker? Parker was still contemplating the question when he emerged from his room a few minutes later, clean, refreshed, and dressed. Teddy was sitting

on the sofa, remote control in hand, flipping through the channels. Not sure what to say, Parker stood in the doorway of his room for a moment, silent. Teddy looked up, his normal carefree grin in place once more. “Are you ready for lunch?” Parker let it drop for now. “Sure. What do you want to eat?” “I wouldn’t mind going back to the restaurant we ate at on the first night, if that’s okay with you.” “Sounds good.” After turning off the television, Teddy hopped up and led the way out the door. Parker followed, not sure whether he should feel grateful that his friend seemed to be back to normal, or ashamed of his own reluctance to broach the subject. In the end, he settled on a little of both. Throughout the rest of the day, he continued to pretend nothing was wrong, even when Michelle somehow managed to end up eating dinner with them. Exchanging exaggerated, longing glances across the table with Teddy was fun, but Michelle was too oblivious to notice. By the end of the evening,

Parker was tired, annoyed, and he didn’t want to spend the last couple of days of their vacation dodging overly persistent women. Being subtle obviously wasn’t working, but there were limits to how far they could take this little game of theirs. By the time he drifted off to sleep, he thought he had some pretty good ideas of what to try next.

Chapter Twelve

Thursday morning dawned bright and beautiful, making it easy for Teddy to shake off his bad mood of the past few days. Unlike most normal days, he was eager to get out of bed. He couldn’t wait to see Parker’s reaction to the activities he’d set up for the day. Rather than lazing around in bed, he got up. Parker’s door was closed, so he knew his friend was still sleeping. Not willing to waste any time, he called room service to have breakfast—and coffee— delivered. Then he dressed in swim trunks and a t-shirt and went into the living room to wait. Fifteen minutes later, there was a soft knock on the door. “Room service.” Teddy answered the door and tipped the waiter. He was about to go knock on Parker’s door when his friend appeared in the doorway, wearing

only a pair of low-riding shorts and a sleepy expression. There were creases from his pillow on one cheek, and one side of his hair was mashed down. Teddy couldn’t help grinning at the sight. Despite their closeness over the years, he rarely got to see Parker like this. Over the past few days he’d seen Parker crabby and tired a couple of times, but he didn’t find that annoying. It reminded him his seemingly perfect friend was a mere mortal after all. After a jaw-cracking yawn, Parker made his way to the table and sat down. “Breakfast. Thanks.” “Have some coffee.” Teddy poured them each a cup, nearly bouncing in his seat once more when he thought about the day ahead. A little moan jerked him out of his thoughts. Parker was sipping his coffee, eyes closed, expression blissful. “God, this place makes good coffee.” The small sound, and his friend’s expression, hit him the wrong way somehow. Suddenly feeling twitchy, he jumped out of his seat and went to look out the glass door. His heart was racing as if he’d been running. What the hell? Confused and uncomfortable, he remained silent.

“What are we doing today?” Relieved to have a subject to discuss, he seized on it. “It’s a surprise.” “I hate surprises.” He knew that, of course. Super-organized Parker had never been a fan of unexpected events, but Teddy liked to spring them on him on occasion, just to keep him on his toes. He grinned. “You’ll like this one.” “How am I supposed to get ready if I don’t know what we’re doing?” He snickered at Parker’s petulant tone. “Wear swim trunks and a tshirt. You’ll be fine, you big baby.” The other man scowled. “This had better be good, Christopher.” Teddy only smiled, undeterred. They were going to have a great day.

Forty-five minutes later, they stood side-by-side at the railing of the resort’s yacht, a lovely motor sailer.

Parker bumped their shoulders together lightly. “Now will you tell me where we’re going?” The desire to lean against his friend’s arm took him by surprise. He leaned away just a bit instead. “Nope. You’ll see.” Several other passengers joined the party, but Teddy focused on the horizon. The bright, aqua water was so different from the gray water on the East Coast. A soft, ocean-scented breeze drove gentle waves against the hull of the boat. The cries of seabirds echoed all around them. Teddy closed his eyes, savoring the warmth of the sun. Beside him, Parker let out a soft, contented sigh. Everything was perfect. “Theo! What a perfect coincidence!” Turning his head, Teddy spotted Michelle and her new friend Laura behind them. “Shoot me now.” Once again, Michelle wore a bikini so tiny it ought to be illegal, as well as a pair of ridiculous kitten heeled sandals. Laura had chosen to wear a

much more sensible tank-style swim top, shorts, and tennis shoes. Despite Michelle’s beauty, and her incredible body, Teddy felt no attraction whatsoever. All he felt was annoyance. Why couldn’t she take a hint? For a long moment, he considered jumping into the water and swimming away. A soft nudge drew his eyes up to Parker, who shook his head slightly. “Don’t even think about it.” With an inner sigh, he swiveled to face the newcomers. “Hey, girls.” Parker turned as well, staying close enough for their shoulders to touch. “Ladies.” Laura smiled at Parker, but Michelle gave him a dismissive look and focused on Teddy. Her saccharine smile made his teeth ache. “I’m so glad Laura and I decided to come on this tour today. The four of us are going to have so much fun!” “Fun. Yeah.” Parker scowled and stalked off. Laura’s gaze shifted from Teddy to Parker’s retreating back. She frowned.

Hands on her hips, Michelle tossed her head. “What’s his problem?” Teddy shrugged. “I guess I’d better go find out.” Ignoring Michelle’s pout, he went after Parker.

Teddy found him leaning against the railing at the back of the boat, glowering at the waves. “Hey. You okay?” Parker gave him a narrow-eyed look over his shoulder. “You’re alone.” The angry expression vanished, replaced with a bright grin. “You’re welcome.” Teddy’s mouth dropped open as he understood how neatly Parker had manipulated the situation. “Damn, you’re good.” “She’s not the only one who can throw a fit.” Parker pushed his full lower lip out in an exaggerated pout, a devilish glint in his eye. A sudden urge to run his thumb over that pouty lip shocked him. He’d never really noticed his friend’s mouth before. He shook his head to dislodge the ridiculous thoughts and put on his best “everything’s great” smile. “Do you think she’s getting the hint yet?”

Parker gave him a deadpan look and arched a brow. “Nope.” Teddy sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Chapter Thirteen

Although his little stunt had bought them a few blessed minutes of peace and quiet, Michelle found them when the boat docked at their destination. Fortunately, Parker was too taken with the beauty of the small, unpopulated island to be bothered by Michelle’s presence. He knew that would change after a few minutes listening to her, but for now he was content to step off the boat and look around. The other tourists and the boat’s crew faded into nonexistence as he stood on the pristine, white sand beach. In the center of the island rose a barely tamed tangle of tropical plants and trees. Bright orange, pink, and red tropical flowers peeked out here and there. There was a path through the growth, but it was a simple dirt trail rather than the paved perfection of a resort. For a moment, he felt as if he were marooned on a deserted island. He couldn’t keep the awe out of his voice. “It’s beautiful.”

“I knew you’d like this place.” Teddy watched him, seeming pleased at his reaction. Parker’s gaze locked with Teddy’s. The warmth in those mismatched eyes, Teddy’s obvious pleasure at making him happy, made his breath hitch in his chest. He opened his mouth to break the strange silence that had settled over them. “Ooh, it’s so pretty! Let’s walk on the beach.” Michelle’s excited voice shattered the moment. She grabbed Teddy’s arm and dragged him away. Rolling his eyes, Parker followed. Laura fell into step with him and gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry if we’ve ruined your plans for the day. I had no idea you two would be here when Michelle invited me.” He smiled back, not wanting Laura to think he was angry with her. She seemed like a nice girl, and it wasn’t her fault Michelle was so persistent. “I should have known better than to think Michelle would let Teddy take one step without her following.”

Laura glanced at the couple ahead of them. Michelle was clinging to Teddy’s arm, and he was leaning away, looking trapped. “You and Teddy are close?” “We’ve been friends since seventh grade.” A sudden, odd defensiveness rose. He focused on the scenery around them. He could feel the weight of Laura’s gaze on him, but he refused to glance her way. “Best friends?” Why was she asking all these questions? Frowning, he nodded. “Not more than that?” His head snapped around so fast he nearly got whiplash. Despite the fact that he and Teddy had been trying to cultivate the illusion of a relationship to get rid of Michelle, having Laura bring it up sent a frisson of something like panic up his spine. “No. Why?” Her dark eyes locked onto his, serious yet nonjudgmental. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you tense up every time Michelle touches him, or maybe because of the looks you give each other.”

When he didn’t respond, she sighed. “I’m sorry if I’m reading you wrong. I over-think things sometimes.” Laura had given him the opening he needed to further their charade. Rather than jumping on it, however, something inside him screamed to back off. Swallowing down his sudden uncertainty, he spoke carefully. “I admit I don’t like seeing him with Michelle. I don’t think she’s…right for him.” The unspoken message being he was. After a long look, Laura gave him a conspiratorial smile. “At lunchtime, wait for my signal. I’ll distract Michelle, and you guys make a break for it.”

True to her word, at about noon Laura distracted Michelle long enough for Parker and Teddy to make a run for it. Teddy insisted they make a quick stop where the yacht’s crew was stationed on the beach. Then, carrying a large wicker basket, Teddy led him onto the path leading to the center of the island.

They were both laughing like little boys when they reached the other side of the small island. Teddy started humming the theme song to Mission Impossible. Using his best voiceover voice, Parker intoned, “Dodging Michelle would be more than difficult. It would be almost— impossible.” That set them both laughing again. A few minutes later, they finally got themselves under control. Teddy opened the basket he’d been carrying and pulled out a small blanket. After spreading it on the sandy ground, he beckoned for Parker to sit. Once they were both seated, Teddy got out two bottles of water and several containers. Before he opened them, Parker realized what they were. “You brought us a picnic lunch?” His friend smiled. “I thought you’d probably like to eat by ourselves so you could take in the scenery, rather than eating with all the other tourists.” The thoughtfulness of the gesture touched him. “You were right.”

“Well, eat and look then. We’ve got to be back at the boat by three.” Not waiting for his answer, Teddy started opening up containers. The next couple of hours flew by. They ate, talked, and explored their little section of the island. Parker was disappointed when Teddy told him they had to go, but he helped his friend pack up the remains of their lunch. Michelle was petulant when they returned to the boat, but Parker barely noticed. He had other things on his mind. On the trip back to the resort, Laura sidled over to him. “Did you guys have a nice day?” “It was great,” he told her honestly. “Thanks for distracting Michelle.” “No problem.” They both turned their attention to the object of their conversation, who was chattering away at Teddy. Teddy’s gaze was focused squarely on Parker, at least until he saw them looking at him. Then he looked away. Laura gave Parker a sidelong glance, as if to say ‘Did you see that?’ and winked at him.

When the yacht arrived back at the resort, they managed to sneak away again. For the rest of the day, they kept busy swimming, playing volleyball at the beach, and avoiding Michelle. Parker welcomed all the activity. Things seemed completely normal between him and Teddy, and that was just the way he liked it. By the end of the day, he’d almost forgotten about Laura’s insinuations. Almost.

Chapter Fourteen

“I can’t believe how fast this week has gone. It feels like we just got here.” “I know.” Teddy sat back in his chair on the tiny balcony, watching Parker gaze out at the sunset. It was hard to believe that by this time tomorrow they’d be back home, preparing to get back to their usual routines. “Thanks for inviting me. This was a really good idea.” “I had a good idea? Perish the thought.” Parker laughed, his gray eyes sparkling with humor. “Yeah. Go figure.” An unexpected wave of emotion hit him. Parker was such a good friend. What would he do without him?

Annoyed at his sappy thoughts, Teddy stood. “Well, thanks for coming with me. Ready to go to the beach party?” “Lead on.” A few minutes later, they reached the beach, where the resort’s Friday night beach party was just getting going. Even the ever-present threat of Michelle hadn’t made him want to skip the party. Thinking of Michelle made Teddy shake his head in irritation. Earlier, when she’d come upon them at the pool, he’d made a big show of holding Parker’s hand, but somehow, she’d ignored the blatant display, as well as Parker’s venomous glare, and had sat practically on top of Teddy. Maybe she wouldn’t show up tonight. And maybe flying pigs would appear and hell would freeze over. “What do you want to drink?” He turned his attention to Parker. “What? Oh, whatever. Surprise me.” “Okay.” With an evil little smirk, Parker slipped into the already gathering crowd.

Great. He would probably end up drinking some pink girly drink with a huge umbrella and tons of fruit hanging off the sides of the glass. Straight ahead, he saw the bonfire, already blazing in the twilight. Several large logs were arranged in a semi-circle a short distance from the fire. Teddy went to the nearest log and sat on the end to wait for Parker. Down the beach a bit, a band was playing an old Elvis ballad. There were a few people already dancing. He watched them, smiling at the sight of a couple that appeared to be in their eighties dancing cheek to cheek. “Here.” He jumped as a glass appeared in front of him. “Give me some warning next time. Jeez.” He took the glass and sipped the drink, pleasantly surprised to find rum and Coke. Parker grinned and sat down next to him. “Did you think I’d get you one of those?” He inclined his head toward a young lady who carried a tall, flamingo-pink drink with a huge flower sticking out of the top. “Yeah, actually.” “Just because you’d do that to me doesn’t mean I’d do it to you.”

Teddy snickered. “Right. You’d never…” He didn’t get a chance to say anything else. His lap was suddenly full of skinny, squirming girl. “Hi, Theo.” She hugged his neck and then jumped to her feet, grabbing his hand. “Come dance with me.” Before he knew what had hit him, he found himself on the makeshift dance floor with Michelle plastered to him like a second skin. His brain finally caught up, and he started trying to think of how to extricate himself from the situation without being a total asshole. The song ended. Michelle released him. “Don’t go away. I’m going to go get a drink.” On the far edge of the dance area, Parker beckoned. Teddy hurried over. “Help.” Face grim, Parker crossed his arms. “We’re going to have to pull out the big guns. Follow my lead.” “If it’ll get rid of Michelle, I’ll follow you to hell and back.”

Parker gave him a quick, tiny nod. It was show time. Parker’s expression twisted. “What are you doing, Teddy?” Puzzled, he frowned. “What do you mean?” “When you invited me here, I thought that meant you wanted to spend time with me. Ever since Michelle showed up, all you’ve been doing is paying attention to her.” If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought Parker was really upset. “I can’t help that she’s here. I didn’t tell her to come.” To his amazement, his voice came out defensive. Looking toward the ocean, Parker spoke in a low but clear voice. “I can’t do this, Teddy. I can’t come on vacation with you and spend the whole time watching you flirt.” God, Parker was a good actor. “What are you saying?” Determined gray eyes met his. “Make a choice. Her, or me.” “What?”

“You heard me!” Parker’s lower lip was actually trembling in that about-to-cry way. Michelle, or any woman for that matter, or his best friend? Even if it were a real question, his answer would be clear. “You. Of course I choose you.” Some instinct made him open his arms, and Parker fell into them. He wrapped his arms around his best friend and held on tight. They were about the same height, making it easy for Parker to rest his head on Teddy’s shoulder. Teddy had always been a touchy-feely kind of guy, and had never been freaked by hugging other men, but this felt…different. He’d never been pressed up against another man this way before. Parker’s soft breathing against his neck made him shiver. A squeak from nearby pulled him back to reality. He pulled away from Parker and looked over at the stunned Michelle, feigning surprise. He didn’t have to fake the sickly grimace of a smile he plastered on. “Hey, Michelle.”

Michelle’s gaze swiveled from Teddy to Parker, who stood possessively close to him. Her expression seemed to be caught somewhere between fury, hurt, and the mushy look Teddy’s mom got when the couple got together at the end of a romantic comedy. After a long silence, she lifted her chin. “I can take a hint. Goodbye, Theo.” With that, she teetered across the dance floor on her silly, impractical stiletto heels. Parker rolled his eyes. “She can take a hint?” The absurdity of her statement hit Teddy too, and he almost started laughing. Unfortunately, nothing else about the situation was funny, at least not to him. Rather than celebrating Michelle’s departure as he should be doing, all he seemed to be able to focus on was the few moments he’d held his best friend in his arms. Putting on his best fake grin, he tried to force the unwelcome thoughts from his mind. He had to get it together before he screwed everything up.

Chapter Fifteen

“I need another drink.” Not waiting for Teddy’s answer, Parker began to walk toward the bar tent. The scene they’d staged had left him unsettled. In some strange way, the situation had felt all too real. He’d been careful not to stray too far from the truth, not wanting to outright lie, even to Michelle. The things he’d said about not wanting to go places with Teddy and watch him flirt were close to how he really felt. It could be annoying to hang out with someone who was always “on” the way Teddy was. And when Teddy had held his arms out and he’d practically jumped into them…what the hell was up with that? Throughout the long years of their friendship, he’d been careful not to blur the lines in his mind. Other guys might be for ogling, or daydreaming about, or touching, but not his best friend.

There was no doubt they’d accomplished his objective, getting rid of Michelle, but at what cost? He reached the bar at the same time another partygoer was leaving with a huge, festive drink. The big, dreadlocked bartender gave him a blinding smile. “What can I get for you?” Tired of the thoughts running circles in his mind, he went for something strong. “Rum and Coke, light on the Coke.” Although he raised an eyebrow, the bartender said nothing. The man made the drink with a speed Parker appreciated. “Here you are, sir. Heavy on

the

rum.”

He had just enough time to give the bartender a big tip and take a gulp of his drink before Teddy appeared at his elbow. “Are you okay?” He forced a smile and took another sip of his drink. “Why wouldn’t I be?” If Teddy noticed he hadn’t really answered the question, he said nothing. Instead, he ordered a drink of his own and clinked their glasses together. “To goals accomplished.”

A few rum & Cokes later, all Parker’s worries seemed far away. He wasn’t drunk yet, but he had a serious buzz going on. Although he normally wasn’t a big dancer, Teddy had coaxed him onto the makeshift dance floor. Outside, with a band playing cheerful music, a bonfire, happy people everywhere, and the stars overhead, it was hard to be upset about anything. Tomorrow afternoon, they’d be flying back home. He liked his job, and his condo, and even the cold gray ocean, but he knew he’d miss this place. If he’d ever had a better time on a vacation, he couldn’t remember it. Even so, he wanted a little quiet time to relax. To be heard over the music, he had to speak right next to Teddy’s ear. “I want to walk for a while.” “I’ll come too.” They left the dance area together, and by unspoken agreement began to walk along the beach, away from the bonfire. A pleasant silence settled over them as they walked. When the sounds from the beach party receded to mere background noise, Parker stopped.

“Want to sit down?” Teddy gestured toward a large, flat rock that appeared to be dry. “Sure.” He sat, and Teddy followed suit. For a while they both gazed up at the stars, bright and shining without the artificial lights of a city to dim them. He closed his eyes, savoring the feel of the soft, cool breeze on his face. At last, Teddy broke the silence. “I’m going to recommend we buy the resort.” Parker opened his eyes to watch the waves roll in. No words seemed to be needed. “I’m going to suggest we don’t change it too much. I love the Fantasies resorts, but they’re too, I don’t know, perfect, I guess.” Parker nodded. “I’ve never had such a great time on vacation before. Thanks for coming with me.” “You’re welcome.” Like he would ever say no to anything Teddy asked, even the crazy things. Of course, he wasn’t about to admit it. Much

more time sitting here together, though, and he might. He might say a lot of stupid things. “Ready to go back?” “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Ten minutes later, they were back in their suite. Although it was after one o’clock, Parker wasn’t ready to go to bed yet. Not bothering to turn on the lights, he sat on the sofa and picked up the remote control. Before he could turn on the television, Teddy tried to grab for the remote. “Hand it over.” He could have given in, probably would have on most days, but his earlier thoughts about the way he always gave in made him stubborn. Holding the remote as far away as he could manage, he shook his head. “No. I don’t want to watch ESPN.” “Come on,” Teddy wheedled. “No way.” Teddy grabbed for it.

Parker elbowed him in the ribs. “Ow. If you would just—” “Nope. Give up.” He tried to fend Teddy off while still holding the remote control away, a feat which became more difficult when Teddy clambered over him to reach for it. One minute they were on the sofa. The next, they were on the floor in a tangle of arms and legs, laughing like crazy. The object they’d been fighting over moments earlier had fallen somewhere, but Parker couldn’t bring himself to care. Grinning, he looked up at Teddy, who’d somehow managed to end up on top. “Oh well. I guess we both lose.” “I guess so.” Teddy’s voice came out a strange, breathless whisper. In the dim light, his mismatched eyes stared down at Parker, somehow…intent. Just like that, his heart was pounding. A feeling somewhere between terror and exhilaration washed over him. Part of him, a big part, screamed to

roll away, laugh this off, but he couldn’t. The distance between them shrank in slow fits and starts. Oh God, oh God, oh God. “Teddy?” His voice was shaky, unrecognizable. No reply. He tried to say something else, anything else, to be the voice of reason. Nothing came out. Then Teddy’s lips touched his. The words scattered. All he could do was feel. The first contact was brief, tentative—so light he could have almost told himself it hadn’t happened at all, if he hadn’t seen the desire dawning in Teddy’s eyes. They stared at each other for an endless moment, only a breath apart. Kiss me. As if Teddy were reading Parker’s mind, he did. This kiss was harder, more sure. It was a revelation. Everything he’d held inside him broke open, poured out. Parker’s lips parted, a whimper escaping at the feel of a tongue stroking along his own. The flavors of rum, Coke, and something indefinable greeted him, and he suddenly wanted more.

Threading a hand into his best friend’s hair, Parker kissed him back with everything he had. He teased Teddy’s tongue with his own until Teddy moaned. Muttering something unintelligible, Teddy shifted to get closer, their lower bodies scraping together. Parker’s already half-hard cock came to full, aching hardness as every nerve in his body came alive at the exquisite friction. He instinctively thrust back, grinding his erection against Teddy’s. “God, Parker.” Teddy tore his mouth away, panting, and began to kiss along Parker’s jaw and neck. Parker shivered under the gentle exploration. His eyes fell closed. His hand slid through Teddy’s hair, stroking, savoring the sensation of silk against his fingertips. Until Teddy’s cock ground against his again. Pleasure sparked through him. A needy, mewling sound slipped out before he could stop it. Suddenly, Teddy pulled away and stood. In the dim light, Parker couldn’t see his expression. For a few, heart-stopping seconds, he was sure Teddy would bolt. Then Teddy held a hand down to him.

He took it, letting himself be pulled up into a waiting embrace. “Say yes.” The words, whispered against his ear, made Parker shiver. As if he’d ever been able to say no to Teddy.

Chapter Sixteen

“Yes.” One tiny, simple word, yet it was the key to everything Teddy had never known he wanted. Why and how this had happened no longer seemed important. All that mattered was how much he needed the man in his arms. Unwilling to wait any longer, he took Parker’s hand and led him to the yellow bedroom. “God, I want you so much.” The words came out without any conscious will on his part. “Are you—” “I’m sure.” Desperate, he pulled Parker into his arms and kissed him, hard. Parker kissed him back, nipping his bottom lip. A hand eased under his shirt and stroked the skin of his back. He shivered and arched into the

touch. The other slid up his side. He let his head fall back, closing his eyes to block out everything except those slim, strong hands on his skin. Parker kissed along the neck of his t-shirt. At the same time, he moved his hand down to the hem of the shirt and slowly drew the soft material up Teddy’s body. Teddy let Parker yank the shirt over his head, and then did the same with Parker’s. When they came together again, skin to skin, he couldn’t believe how amazing it felt. He ran his fingertips over his friend’s smooth, nearly hairless stomach and chest, fascinated by how different this was. He was used to women’s softness and the aura of fragility they had that made him feel like he had to be careful and gentle, not sleek, hard muscle and strength almost equal to his own. His own nipples weren’t particularly sensitive, but when he grazed Parker’s, they beaded under his touch. Parker hissed. The small sound was intoxicating. Teddy wanted more. He wanted to make him scream. He gripped Parker’s hips and pulled him toward the bed. When he felt the mattress against the backs of his knees, he fell backward, pulling Parker with him. The second they hit the bed, he twisted until he was on top. He

pressed his advantage, holding Parker down and licking one of his small, sensitive nipples. The already hard nub tightened still further. He repeated his experiment with the other, teasing with his tongue and sucking lightly. Parker arched toward Teddy, threading his hands into his hair. Several insistent tugs on his hair drew him back up into a kiss that started out hard and wild but became something else. He fell into it, tasting the alcohol they’d drunk earlier, the slight salt-tang from their skin, and Parker himself. The difference from careful kisses tasting like lip gloss and fruit-flavored, girly drinks was profound, yet this kiss was sweeter in some indefinable way. One of the hands in his hair shifted, moved to cup his jaw. Parker’s thumb traced his cheekbone with so much tenderness, for a moment he almost couldn’t breathe. Then Parker broke the kiss. “I want to do something for you. Can I?” Captivated by how dark and deep Parker’s eyes looked in the dim light, Teddy nodded. Parker flipped them with a quick, smooth movement, and Teddy blinked up from underneath him. He watched in silence as Parker slid down his body and reached for his waistband. He sucked in a breath when Parker’s

fingertips ghosted over his stomach, finding the button on his shorts and popping it open. After lowering the zipper, Parker pulled the shorts and boxers down and off. Teddy watched, aroused beyond belief, as long, slim fingers trailed up and down his inner thighs, closer and closer to the place he wanted them to be. “Touch me. Please.” Already he was begging, and he didn’t care. Lips grazed the crease of his thigh. Yelping, he nearly came up off the bed. Parker held him down with those surprisingly strong hands. Teddy’s cock was throbbing just from the near-touches and from watching. When his friend’s mouth suddenly closed over his cockhead he thought he would come right then. Somehow he managed to hold back despite the incredible feeling of a hot, moist mouth engulfing him. Parker sucked him down to the root before withdrawing until his cock almost popped free. He could hear himself making needy, desperate sounds he hadn’t even known he could make. The sounds must have spurred Parker on. Teddy struggled to keep his eyes open, wanting to watch his erection appearing and disappearing

between Parker’s lips. Parker’s wet, mobile tongue tracing along the vein of his cock made him lose the battle. He closed his eyes and began to thrust upward helplessly, fucking Parker’s mouth. Before he could get too lost in the sensation, his friend pulled off him. He whimpered in disappointment. Parker peered down at him. “I can finish you this way, or…” He shivered under that hot gray gaze, anticipation building. “Or what?” “Or you can fuck me.” At the softly spoken words, a wave of desire such as he’d never felt before washed over him. Any reply he might have made vanished under its intensity. Rather than speaking, he reached down and drew Parker back up to him. He gently pushed him onto his back and kissed him deeply, trying to convey his desire through actions instead. A good start would be to give back a little of what he’d been given. He licked his way down Parker’s chest, pausing to dip his tongue into Parker’s navel. The breathless laugh he got in response made him smile.

When he reached Parker’s shorts, Teddy stripped them off quickly, along with his underwear, revealing a long, hard cock. He’d seen other guys naked before plenty of times in locker rooms, but this was different. Those guys hadn’t been aroused. Parker was. He traced his finger along the smooth shaft, amazed by how different touching someone else was than touching himself. Parker’s dick twitched. Teddy smiled, knowing he was the cause. A drop of pre-come glistened at the tip, and he wanted to taste. “Can I, um, suck you?” Sudden nervousness made him stumble over his words. What if he did it wrong or something? “God, yes, please.” Parker pushed himself up onto his elbows, staring down at Teddy as if he’d just granted his fondest wish. Leaning forward, he swiped his tongue over the head of Parker’s cock. The tangy, salty, slightly bitter flavor intrigued him, as did the musky, warm male scent. He took the head into his mouth carefully, tonguing the underside. Parker moaned, gripping the sheets in his fists. Teddy could feel how much effort he was putting into remaining still, and he appreciated it. The last thing he wanted to do was choke and make a fool of himself. He took a little more of Parker into his mouth and sucked. With each up and down motion, he went a tiny fraction deeper.

The taste and scent seemed to go straight to his own dick, making him impossibly harder. A scrabbling sound came from above him. He looked up to see Parker reaching for the gift basket on his bedside table. Parker grabbed two items out of the basket, letting the rest fall to the floor. Then he thrust the items at Teddy. Teddy let Parker’s cock pop free from his mouth and took what he’d been handed, a hot pink glow-in-the-dark condom and a bottle of piña colada flavored lube. He raised an eyebrow. The look Parker gave him told him he’d better not make any smartass remarks, so he didn’t. Instead, he sat up, put the condom on, and opened the lube. The sweet, tropical smells of pineapple and coconut filled the room as he poured some of the lubricant into his palm. He slicked his condom-clad cock without any problems, but after that he paused, unsure. Parker leaned up on his elbows again. “Go ahead. You know what to do.” Well sure, he knew what to do, but he’d never done it before. “What if I do it wrong?” “You won’t.”

Nervous again, he found Parker’s entrance and slowly pushed a slick finger inside. Parker moaned, closed his eyes. “Like that.” Teddy drew his finger out and pushed it in again, amazed at the slick, hot grip of Parker’s body. He added another finger. Then he twisted his fingers experimentally, and Parker gave a sharp, almost pained cry. Afraid he’d hurt him, he jerked his gaze up. Parker’s expression wasn’t one of pain. “Now, Teddy, please.” Pulling his fingers out, he lined his dick up with Parker’s hole and began to push. At first, it was almost unbearably tight. He kept moving until his entire cock had been swallowed up by Parker’s body, looking down in awe at the place where they were connected. He pulled out and thrust back in, his eyes almost rolling back in his head at the incredible pleasure. Parker was hot, silky-smooth, and so tight he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to last. The friction of each movement sent ripples of sensation through him. “Oh, God,” Teddy whispered aloud. “It’s so good.” “Fuck me.”

The desperate tone in Parker’s voice told him holding back was no longer an option. Teddy gripped his hips and fucked him hard and fast. Parker took what he offered and cried out for more, until there was nothing but the sound of their bodies slapping together and the building pleasure he felt. Then Parker reached between them and grabbed his own dick, pulling it in time to Teddy’s thrusts. The sight of Parker’s face as he jerked himself off put Teddy over the edge. He came with a low moan, emptying jet after jet of semen into the condom. Parker threw back his head and came as well, crying out Teddy’s name. His body tightened, making Teddy’s orgasm seem to go on forever. Finally it was over, and he collapsed, boneless, onto Parker’s chest. The heartbeat against his cheek was strangely comforting. When Parker’s arms came up and wrapped around him, it was even better. He nuzzled his face against his lover’s chest, a warm, sleepy contentment filling him. For a while they lay there in silence, until the stickiness of the cooling come between them started to get to him. He got up and went to the bathroom to clean up and get rid of the condom.

Moments later, Parker followed. Motioning him over, Teddy wet a washcloth with warm water. Parker tried to take the cloth. “You don’t have to do that.” He smiled. “I know. I want to.” He washed Parker with gentle thoroughness, taking every excuse to touch. When he was finished, he took Parker’s hand. “Tired?” Parker nodded, gray eyes sleepy and sated. “Let’s go to bed then.” Teddy led Parker back into the bedroom and drew him down into the bed, snuggling up against him. Parker curled into his arms, warm and willing. Within minutes, Teddy was asleep.

Chapter Seventeen

Parker woke abruptly, not sure what had roused him. For a long, confused moment, he stared at the yellow walls, certain his eyes must be playing tricks on him in the dim light. The sound of soft, even breathing behind him reminded him where he was. Teddy’s room. His friend lay sprawled on his back with one arm above his head and the other lying across his stomach, the sheet riding low on his hips. Parker watched Teddy in the pale, predawn light, remembering the feel of that body pressed against his own, the taste and scent of that supple skin. How had he gone fifteen years without seeing how beautiful Teddy was? Without realizing he was in love with him? A tight knot of panic formed in his chest. This was Teddy. His best friend, who’d never had a relationship longer than a few months.

His straight best friend. Never, in all the years they’d known each other, had Teddy given Parker any reason to doubt his heterosexuality. If anything, Teddy had confirmed it time and time again with each and every gorgeous, ditzy woman he’d dated. A sick certainty that he’d made the worst mistake of his life rose up, making him feel physically ill. What would happen when Teddy woke up? He wouldn’t be angry. Teddy didn’t take his mistakes out on others. He’d probably make a joke and act like everything was normal. Unfortunately, everything wasn’t normal. Nothing would ever be normal between them again. Could he go back to being friends and just pretend last night had never happened? Could he chalk it up to alcohol and curiosity and move on? No. Last night had been too precious, too perfect. He’d never felt so cherished or so close to a lover in his life. He couldn’t smile and act as if everything were fine while chatting with Teddy and his girlfriend du jour at some party. The mere thought sent a stab of pain through him.

What else could he do? He couldn’t go hide in his room and pray Teddy didn’t remember last night. They hadn’t been really drunk, and whatever else Teddy might be, he wasn’t a coward. But I think maybe I am. Through his misery, a thought occurred to him. If he left now, there would be no awkward, regretful morning after. Running away would be a temporary solution at best, and pathetic, but he seized on the idea, unable to bear anything else with his feelings still raw and close to the surface. Parker drank in the sight of his best friend sleeping one more time, heart full. Unable to resist, he moved close and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Teddy’s lips. Teddy shifted toward him, his lips curving into a smile as he slept. Slipping out of the bed, Parker left the room.

Back in his own room, he threw on the first pieces of clothing he found. He’d packed almost everything yesterday afternoon. The few

toiletries and items of clothing he’d left out were easy to throw into his suitcase. Hefting the bag, and his carry-on, he left the room. When she caught sight of his face, the girl at the reception desk was kind enough to arrange for a boat to take him to the mainland, even though the first boat wasn’t supposed to leave for another hour. Her sympathetic attitude told him he must look awful. He had to wait ten minutes at the dock. Not wanting to give himself time to think, he dug out his cell phone and called the airport. By the time he was motioned onboard, he’d managed to arrange a nine a.m. flight. As the boat pulled away from the dock, he watched the island grow smaller and smaller. The increasing distance filled him with a mixture of relief and sorrow. Already he missed Teddy, mourning their lost friendship and what might have been. At the airport, Parker huddled in one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs for nearly two hours, more miserable than he’d ever been. Part of him hoped Teddy would show up. The rest of him prayed he wouldn’t. He didn’t.

Parker boarded the plane when his flight number was called, moving mechanically. He managed to find his seat, which turned out to be the window seat, without speaking to anyone. During the takeoff, he closed the window shade, not wanting to watch the plane getting further and further away from the place he’d been happiest. He pretended the moisture in his eyes was from lack of sleep.

Chapter Eighteen

The first thing Teddy heard was the cry of a seabird. Initially, the sound blended in with the dream he was having, but eventually he realized the noise was real. Right about then he realized part of his “dream” had been real as well. He smiled and opened his eyes, reaching for Parker. The other side of the bed was empty. A quick glance at the clock told him it was close to ten o’clock. Parker had probably been up long enough to run, shower, and dress already, despite their late night. Still smiling, Teddy got up to look for him. Five minutes later, he wasn’t smiling anymore. Parker was gone. Everything he’d brought with him was gone. The only things still in the suite were the clothes he’d worn last night, which Teddy found scattered on the floor of his own room.

A quick call to the front desk confirmed his fears. Parker had left the island at six fifteen this morning. Confused, worried, hurt, he sat on the edge of his bed, clutching Parker’s shirt. Why would Parker leave hours before their flight, without a word? Obviously, his friend regretted what had happened last night. But why hadn’t Parker talked to him about it? Maybe he’d hated it. No, he hadn’t hated it. Despite his lack of experience with men, Teddy could tell when someone was enjoying what he was doing in bed. And Parker had come, so he had to have enjoyed it at least a little. That wasn’t the problem. Maybe he just wants to forget the whole thing. Teddy turned the idea over in his head, becoming more and more certain he was right. The thing was, he didn’t want to forget last night and move on. He’d had a lot of sex, but he’d never experienced anything like last night, how connected he’d felt to Parker, how he’d been as concerned with his friend’s pleasure as his own, if not more so. He’d felt caught and free at the same time. And he’d felt—

Oh, fuck. Grabbing his cell phone off the bedside table, he hit speed dial number two. Calling Will was his first instinct anytime he couldn’t talk to Parker. It seemed particularly appropriate in this case. Not only had they been friends for years, but Will had also recently come out to his family and ditched his whole life to live in Hawaii with a surf instructor. If anyone would know what to do, Will would. He hoped. Three rings, four, and then, “H’lo?” The raspy, phone-woke-me-up voice—not Will, but Ryan—reminded him of the time difference. “Shit, Ryan, I’m sorry. I forgot about the time.” “Teddy? You okay?” Ryan sounded more alert now, and concerned. Getting Ryan rather than Will on the phone made things even worse. “I wanted to talk to Will, but it’s not…This was a mistake. I’m sorry. I’ll call back later.” “You’re upset. I’ll wake him up. Hold on a second.”

Before he could protest, he heard a rustling sound, as if Ryan had put the handset down on the bed, followed by Ryan’s voice. “Will. Wake up, sleepyhead.” “Sleeping. Go ‘way.” Although he felt like crap, he still had to laugh. Will was even more of a Mr. Perfect than Parker. Hearing him whining like a big baby at being awakened was funny. There were some noises that sounded suspiciously like kisses, and then Ryan spoke again. “Teddy’s on the phone, and I think he really needs to talk to you.” After a few more rustling sounds, Will picked up the phone. “Teddy? What’s wrong?” How could he explain? Words poured out in a rush. “I did something, and now I don’t know how to fix it, or even if I can, and I just feel really bad right now.” To his embarrassment, his voice broke on the last few words. “Whatever you did can’t be that bad. It wasn’t illegal or anything, right?”

“I slept with Parker last night.” At least thirty seconds passed before Will stammered out a reply. “You—wait, what? Parker? Parker Denton?” He sighed. “Do you know any other guys named Parker?” “Were you drunk?” “No.” Another pause told him Will was mulling over what he’d said. “Have you guys talked about this?” An almost hysterical laugh slipped out. “No, how could we? When I woke up this morning he was gone! He took all his stuff and left the island at six a.m.” “You said you wanted to fix it. What would be ‘fixed’ for you? Because this is a pretty big deal.” Will sounded worried, which made Teddy more anxious. “I doubt you’ll be able to go back to being friends like nothing happened.” “I don’t want to go back to being friends.”

“What? You’re going to throw away a fifteen year friendship? But—” “I think I’m in love with him, Will.” Will took a deep breath. “Oh. Oh.” Several moments passed in silence. “Wow.” “Yeah.” Finally, Will cleared his throat. “Well, you know what you want, right? So go get him. When you get home, go talk to him. Tell him how you feel.” “What if he doesn’t feel the same way?” “You’ll never know unless you ask. Sometimes you have to take a big risk to get a big reward.” “Thanks.” He said goodbye and flipped his phone closed. Will was right, and if anyone knew about taking risks to get what you wanted, he did. Will had defied his father and risked being disinherited to keep Ryan, and they’d been happy ever since. Maybe if he took a risk he’d get the same kind of reward.

It was nearly 10 p.m. when Teddy pulled into the parking lot of Parker’s building. Part of him wanted to put the conversation off until the next morning after he’d had a chance to sleep, but he knew the longer he waited, the more likely he’d be to chicken out. He’d spent the entire flight home trying to think of what to say, practicing several different speeches, but none of them seemed adequate now that he was here. Nerves and exhaustion were a bad combination. After sitting in the parking lot for several minutes, he made himself get out of the car. On autopilot, he went up to Parker’s door and knocked. “Be there in a minute.” Teddy took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out. Then the door opened. Parker looked tired and shocked to see him. Long, horrible seconds ticked by as they stood, silent. Teddy struggled for something to say. “Remember when we met? I said we had to be friends, because of our names. You have two last names, and I have two first. Put our names together and we’re one normal person.”

Parker stared at him, uncomprehending. “What are you talking about?” Willing his friend to understand, he leaned forward, meeting Parker’s eyes. “Don’t you see? I was right! We’re like the perfect team. We’ve always been the perfect team. We’ve always been there for each other. I made you get out and have fun, take chances. You made me stop and think before I did things, and when you couldn’t, you helped me pick up the pieces afterward. That’s why we’re best friends.” He sucked in a breath before finishing, heart in his throat. “And it’s part of why I love you.” “What?” Parker’s voice barely rose past a whisper. “What did you say?” Teddy felt the rightness of the words the instant they came out of his mouth. Now he had to convince Parker. “I said, ‘I love you.’” The look in those big gray eyes was almost pleading. “Think about what you’re saying, Teddy. You’re straight! We were playing roles, playing a game. You got too caught up in it, that’s all. You’re confused.” He looked Parker right in the eye, and he told the truth. “I’m not confused. And I didn’t get caught up in our act. This isn’t a game to me,

Parker. Last night I finally saw the truth. I love you, and I want to be with you. For real this time.” Emotion after emotion flitted across Parker’s face, none of them staying long enough to identify. Finally, his expression settled into a kind of sad helplessness. “Teddy—” A strange calm settled over Teddy as he realized this really wasn’t going to go his way. An ache formed in his chest. He wanted to look away, to hide from what he saw in the beloved face in front of him, but he couldn’t. “I’m sorry, Teddy. The two of us being together would never work. We’re too different. That’s fine for a friendship, but a relationship? No.” He paused. “You see that, don’t you?” No, he didn’t see that. He swallowed, trying to summon up one of his trademark smiles. “I guess you’d know better than me. You’ve always been the smart one.” He hated the idea of them not being friends anymore, but he didn’t know what else to do. Trying to go back to the way things were before would be too hard. He’d done enough pretending lately to last a lifetime.

“Goodbye, Parker. Thanks for always being such a good friend.” Without another word, he turned and left.

Watching his best friend walk away, Parker told himself he’d done the right thing. The knowledge was cold comfort. When Teddy was out of sight, he shut the door and leaned back against it. Teddy had said exactly the words he’d wanted to hear, yet he’d still sent him away. He’d never even dared to imagine his friend loving him back, and the words had almost brought him to his knees. But he doesn’t love me, not really. He’s confused. What if Teddy wasn’t confused? What if he’d really meant what he’d said? No. He couldn’t have. Parker knew him too well. The man was about as constant as the wind. Even if he thought he loved Parker now, later would be a different story. Hadn’t he had a different girlfriend almost every month for the past ten years? Girlfriend being the operative word. Teddy was as straight as they came. The situation had been confusing for both of them,

what with pretending to be together to get rid of Michelle, and drinking, and spending so much time together. They’d both just gotten too caught up. If he and Teddy were together, really together, he’d give his whole heart and soul. He couldn’t bear having Teddy and losing him. Breaking things off before they began was the best for everyone.

Chapter Nineteen

Several miserable days later, Parker was having a hard time remembering why breaking things off had been such a great idea. After a sleepless Saturday night, he’d spent half the day Sunday in bed and the rest of the day pretending he wasn’t moping. Going to work on Monday morning had been a relief. Unfortunately, work could only keep his mind occupied for so long. During the day he’d often found himself distracted, thinking of the softness of Teddy’s hair beneath his fingers, or the way he kissed. At the end of each day he had to go home to his empty condo and his thoughts. All he seemed to be able to think about was Teddy. He’d see something funny on television or the internet and the first thing he thought was I have to tell Teddy about this. Parker had to stop himself from picking up the phone to call Teddy, just to hear his voice.

Even while he slept, he relived every moment in his dreams. The first time he woke up hard from a dream of that night, he’d been so worked up he had to jack off just to get back to sleep. He’d had similar dreams since, but refused to succumb to the temptation. By the time a week had passed, he was tired, frustrated, and more lonely than he could ever remember being in his life. The idea of calling Will, a friend of his and Teddy’s since high school, crossed his mind a time or two, but in the end he didn’t. He doubted Will would approve of the way he’d handled the situation. Besides, he was afraid he’d break down if he talked too much about what had happened and how much he missed his best friend. Instead, he kept reminding himself he’d done the right thing. He was at work trying to stay busy by making small adjustments to his latest job when his boss came in. “Denton. I know you’re in the middle of a project, but do you have some time to work on a house design?” “House design?” Their firm did commercial or large-scale residential buildings for the most part, not single-homes.

“Yes. One house. I know it’s not what we usually do, but the clients are high-profile and they want to do something special, very eco-friendly. They’ve requested you specifically. What do you say?” Maybe another project would help keep his mind off Teddy. “I can do the design.” His boss’s ruddy face lit up. “Wonderful!” Motioning toward someone behind him, he added, “Here are your new clients, John Wilson and his fiancée, Daphne Christopher. I’ll let the three of you talk about the design.” His boss left the room, leaving him with his new client, Teddy’s little sister. Smiling for all he was worth, Parker stood up to greet her. “Daphne, hi. I guess congratulations are in order.” She reached across the desk and pulled him into a hug. When she released him, she was beaming. “Thanks, Parker. It’s kind of a secret. We haven’t told our families yet, so don’t go talking to Teddy about it.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.” He wouldn’t be talking to Teddy about anything. He hid his flinch at the thought by holding a hand out to her fiancé, John. He was relieved when they sat down and started talking design. They wanted a house with both functionality and beauty, and as many environmentally-friendly features as possible. For the first part of the meeting, keeping his mind on the plans was easy. He questioned them about size and basic floor plan and began to draw preliminary sketches. Once he had the general idea, however, his mind began to wander again. Of all the Christopher siblings, Daphne was the one who most resembled Teddy. They had the same blond hair, and though no one else in the Christopher family had two different colored eyes like Teddy’s, her blue eyes were the exact shade of his blue one. Even Daphne’s smile reminded him of her brother’s. Sitting across from her made not thinking about Teddy impossible. About an hour later, Daphne and John got up to go, telling him to call if he had any questions. He promised to mock up some plans and get back to

them as soon as he could. In his mind, he was already coming up with ways to speed up the project. The last thing he needed was to have to spend a long time working with the sister of the very man he couldn’t seem to let go.

Chapter Twenty

A week and a half after his disastrous visit with Parker, Teddy was summoned to his parents’. The whole family would be getting together for Thanksgiving dinner, including his brother Phil who was just home from Africa. Lately family dinners with everyone present were pretty rare, what with Pete’s new baby and Phil being out of the country so much. Despite his desire to stay home and be miserable, he knew he had to go. Having the whole family together meant a lot to his parents. Even though he had long been the family screw-up, he hated disappointing them. At seven o’clock on the dot, he knocked on his parents’ door. His father answered, and led him back to the dining room. The entire family had already gathered there, and they all looked at him as he came in. As always, he was the last to arrive. He grinned weakly, wishing he’d been early for once.

His mother smiled when she saw him. “Teddy! I’m so happy you came.” She rounded the table and kissed his cheek. “Hey, Mom. Hey everybody.” “Everybody” was the right description. His oldest brother Pete sat next to their dad, his wife Belinda and baby Tara beside him. On the other side of the table sat his brother Phil, his little sister Daphne, and her boyfriend John. Taking a seat, he looked over at Phil. “How was Africa?” As he’d hoped, Phil began to wax poetic about the work he and his colleagues had done correcting cleft palates for poor children. He smiled to himself. Not only was the subject interesting, but it would keep the family from asking him any questions for a while. He didn’t really feel like explaining why he’d been hiding for over a week. A few minutes later, his mother brought dinner in. Pushing his food around his plate, he listened to Pete and their father discuss the resort’s expansion plans, including the negotiations for the Pleasure Island resort, while their mother and Daphne talked about some charity auction. Despite his own interest in the Pleasure Island deal, he stayed silent. His father had

listened to his rather stilted recommendation and agreed to buy the place sight-unseen, to his surprise. After that Teddy hadn’t mentioned the island again, and he didn’t plan to. Sitting there listening to his family talk, it became pretty easy to see why Parker hadn’t wanted him. The other Christophers were all successful, and smart. They made good choices instead of making stupid mistakes all the time. Maybe he was adopted. Pete was only thirty-two, but he had a beautiful family and would someday be the CEO of the Fantasies resorts. Phil was a respected surgeon who spent two months a year volunteering in poor countries. Daphne had a law career. All of his siblings had graduated both high school and college with honors, while he had barely graduated. In fact, the only reason he had a diploma and a degree was because of Parker’s help. Why would a smart guy like him want to hook up with a dumb jerk like me? He was right, we are too different. The rest of dinner went by in a blur. Normally he would be laughing and joking about everything, but tonight he spoke only when spoken to.

Fortunately, with everyone there no one seemed to notice. At last, it was time for dessert. Before he could take a bite of his pumpkin pie, the sound of silverware on crystal drew his attention to his sister and her boyfriend, who were both grinning. With a squeal, Daphne brought her left hand out from under the table. “I was going to wait until after dinner, but I can’t. John and I are getting married!” An explosion of well-wishes burst from the whole family. Teddy sat stunned. His little sister was getting married. He was happy for Daphne and John, but he couldn’t help feeling even more inadequate and lonely than before. “When’s the wedding, dear?” Daphne bounced in her chair and grinned at their mother. “We don’t want a long engagement. We’ll be getting married at the end of June.” Their mother’s eyes widened. “So soon? We’d better get started on the planning.” Phil elbowed Teddy. “Better get out your little black book, Ted. Maybe you can take Ditzy to the wedding.”

Everyone laughed. A surge of shame reddened his cheeks, both about the women he’d dated and how his family apparently saw him. Parker probably saw him the same way, not that it was far from the truth. “Her name was Mitzi, and we broke up months ago.” To cover his discomfort, he began to eat his pie. Phil shrugged. “Mitzi, Ditzy, whatever.” “What are you planning to do after the wedding?” Their mother leaned forward, her eyes alight with interest. Still bouncing, Daphne answered. “First, we’re going to honeymoon in Europe for a few weeks. Then, we’ll move into our new house.” John added, “We’re having an eco-friendly firm design the place.” He looked over at Teddy. “Your friend Parker Denton is making up the designs for us. He’s really a great architect.” The pumpkin pie turned to ash in his mouth. He swallowed convulsively, trying to choke down the baseball-sized lump in his throat. Forgotten, his fork dropped to the table with a clatter.

Everyone looked at him. His mother’s expression went from pleased to mild concern. “Teddy? Are you all right?” Desperate, he tried to make a joke to cover his feelings, like he always did. If he made a joke first, no one else would. Pasting on a fake grin, he said the first thing that came to mind. “You know me. Can’t do anything right— even hold on to a fork.” Though he tried to keep his tone light, an undercurrent of bitterness crept in. Now everyone at the table looked concerned. Great. Unable to bear the thought of all the well-meaning prying he would endure if he stayed, he put his napkin on the table and stood. “I’m not very good company tonight.” Rounding the table, he kissed Daphne on the cheek and offered John his first genuine smile of the evening. “Congratulations, you two.” Turning back to face everyone else, he gave a little wave. “Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I’ll see you all later.” Before anyone could say anything else, he fled. He’d nearly reached the foyer when his dad caught him. “Teddy, wait.”

He turned. “Yeah?” “You haven’t been yourself since you went to check out Pleasure Island for me. Are you all right?” Knowing his dad could sense a lie a mile away, he averted his eyes and shrugged. “I’m fine.” “Why don’t I believe you?” He looked up into his father’s sympathetic brown eyes and smiled. “Because I’m lying?” “If you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine.” Surprised at getting off so easy, Teddy blurted, “It is?” “Do you know what I’ve always admired about you?” He shook his head, unable to think of anything impressive about himself. His dad smiled. “Your determination. When something’s important to you, you don’t give up, no matter how hard you have to work. Whatever problem is making you so unhappy, I know you’ll find a solution.”

A warm glow spread through him as he realized his father had faith in him. “Thanks, Dad.” In his car a few minutes later, he thought about what his dad had said. He had always been determined, at least at work and in school. His personal life was a different story. He’d never gotten too attached, or tried very hard, in any relationship. Except with Parker, and then he hadn’t worked very hard to keep him. In fact, he’d run away as soon as things got hard. The days after Parker had sent him away had been miserable, but he hadn’t even tried to do anything about it. His dad had faith in him. Maybe it was time he had some faith in himself.

Chapter Twenty-one

“Don’t you think so, Parker?” Parker looked up from the mashed potatoes he was pushing around his plate. “I’m sorry, Mother. What did you say?” Catherine Denton sighed, her expression a mixture of exasperation and sympathy. “You haven’t heard a word your father or I have said all evening. Is something wrong?” He thought about telling her nothing was wrong, but decided against it. She wouldn’t believe him, and a lie would only make her more persistent. “I’ve been a bit down lately.” She patted his hand. “You shouldn’t work so hard. Didn’t your vacation help you relax?”

Although he was cringing inside at the mention of his vacation, he managed to keep his face impassive. He tried to think of something to say to get her onto another topic. He still hadn’t thought of anything when his mother spoke again. “I know just the thing to cheer you up. My friend Marie’s nephew moved here a few months ago. He’s a very nice looking young man.” “Mother—” “At least think about meeting him, darling.” His father finally joined the conversation. “Oh, Catherine, let Parker eat his dinner in peace.” Thank you, Dad. To show his mother he appreciated her effort, he smiled. “I’ll think about it.” Despite her annoying tendency to meddle in his life, Parker really did appreciate his mother’s unwavering support. Both his parents had been accepting of him from the first day he’d come out, even with his father’s political career to consider. He just wished she’d find other ways to show her support than trying to set him up on dates.

He returned to pushing his mashed potatoes around his plate, trying to focus on the conversation around him this time. His parents were discussing some bill a colleague wanted his dad to sponsor, a topic which didn’t particularly interest him. A quiet throat-clearing next to him drew his attention. The Dentons’ British-born butler, Stapleton, stood nearby. Having gained his notice, Stapleton spoke in a discreet tone. “There’s a visitor for you, sir. It appears to be rather urgent.” What could possibly be so important that someone would come to his parents’ during Thanksgiving dinner? He put his napkin next to his plate and stood. “Excuse me, Mother, Dad. I’ll be right back.” Neither of his parents said anything, but he took his father’s nod as acknowledgement. Still wondering what was going on, he followed Stapleton to the foyer. There, in the entryway, stood the last person he’d expected to see. His heart lurched. “Teddy.” Dressed in a dark suit, with his blue tie loosened and askew and his hair disheveled, Teddy managed to look both sexy and vulnerable. Parker

had to fight the urge to run to him. Instead, he went on the offensive. “What are you doing here?” Teddy raked a hand through his hair, making little bits stand on end. On him, it almost looked good. “I know this isn’t a good time, but I need to talk to you.” Talking would be a bad idea. He needed to get Teddy to leave before he said or did something stupid, like admit how he felt. “We have nothing to talk about.” Teddy flinched as if Parker had hit him, and his head went down, the look on his face heartbreaking. He half-turned to leave, but then he faced Parker again. Eyes blazing with sudden determination, he raised his chin. “Maybe you don’t have anything to say, but I do.” Parker opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, Teddy continued. “Over the past week and a half, I haven’t been able to think about anything except for that last night. I know you thought we’d get back here and I’d go right back to my ‘normal’ life, but that’s not going to happen. I don’t want to go back to dating brainless women. And do you know why?”

Parker shook his head. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. He listened for Teddy’s next words with a mixture of dread and terrified anticipation. “Because I love you. I’m not confused, Parker. I love you, and I want you.” His friend sounded so certain. All he could think about was how much it would hurt if Teddy was wrong. He shook his head again. “But—” “I know what you’re going to say. Don’t. I’m obviously not straight. Straight guys don’t fuck other guys, and they sure as hell don’t fall in love with them. I guess I’m bi, but that’s not what’s important here.” Teddy paused, sucked in a breath, and kept talking as if he was afraid to stop. “What’s important is how I feel about you.” “Teddy…” He was more afraid than he could ever remember being. What if this was real? Teddy crossed the foyer to stand in front of him, meeting his eyes. “I came here tonight because I couldn’t walk away without knowing for sure how you felt. Maybe I’m wrong. We both know that happens a lot. All you have to do is tell me you don’t love me, and I’ll leave you alone.”

Parker felt as if he stood at the edge of a precipice, unable to see if he was about to step off a cliff or a single stair. He closed his eyes for a moment, both to shut out Teddy’s earnest gaze and to think. He knew what he wanted. The hard part was believing he could actually have it. He opened his eyes. “I can’t.” “Can’t what?” He took a deep breath and stepped off the edge. “I can’t say I don’t love you.” It wasn’t the most romantic declaration, but the dawning joy in Teddy’s eyes made him feel as if it had been. Gentle, tentative fingers touched his cheek, stroked along his jaw, and he gloried in the feeling. Then Teddy leaned in. He closed his eyes at the first tender brush of lips against his own. Passion flared, sudden and hot, and he kissed Teddy with all the pent up emotion and want he’d been feeling for days. They were both panting when the kiss ended. Teddy drew a fingertip over his kiss-swollen lower lip. “Come home with me.”

All he could manage was a nod.

About fifteen minutes later, Parker knocked on Teddy’s door. He’d sent Teddy on ahead while he’d said a hurried goodbye to his parents and taken his own car. The door flew open and Teddy yanked him into the apartment. “I thought you’d never get here.” On a normal day, Parker would have laughed. Teddy’s urgency was infectious, adding to his own. He gripped the ends of the blue tie and reeled Teddy in. He kissed him, quick and hard. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I was afraid to.” Teddy gave him that light-up-the-world smile. “No apologies and no regrets.” He smiled back. “No regrets.” Somehow they managed to get to the bedroom before he pushed Teddy’s jacket off and began to attack his shirt buttons. Teddy pulled

Parker’s sweater over his head and unbuttoned the white oxford shirt he wore underneath. They fell back onto the bed together, both shirtless. The sensation of skin on skin made him moan. Parker ran his hands up Teddy’s stomach to his chest, fingers tangling in the light dusting of crisp blond hair he found there. He kissed Teddy’s lips, his throat, his collarbone. “I missed you, Parker.” The soft whisper tore at his heart. He rested his head against Teddy’s chest for a moment, listening to the strong, steady heartbeat. “I missed you, too.” Without speaking, he stood to remove the rest of his clothing. Coming back to the bed, he undressed Teddy as well. When they were both naked, he reached down and gripped Teddy’s cock, giving it a hard stroke. Teddy cursed, thrusting toward him. Their lips met again. He parted his, welcoming Teddy’s tongue, matching the movements of his hand to it. Teddy shuddered against him,

taking the kiss deeper. Then a hand closed over his own aching erection with the perfect amount of pressure, and he let out a muffled cry. Somehow he ended up underneath Teddy, who managed to line their cocks up next to each other without ending the kiss. His hand was pulled off Teddy’s dick and wrapped around both of them at the same time, with Teddy’s hand bracketing his. The dual sensations of both their hands stroking while their erections rubbed together made it hard not to come. A tiny whimper of need caught in his throat. At the small sound, Teddy broke the kiss, panting. His eyes were full of seductive promise. “I want to fuck you.” All he could do was nod. Teddy gave him a wolfish grin and reached over to rummage in the top drawer of his bedside table. Parker laughed when he saw what Teddy pulled out—piña colada lube and a hot pink glow-in-the-dark condom, both emblazoned with the Pleasure Island logo. His laughter ended in a choked gasp when a slick finger pushed into him. Teddy was relentless, tormenting him with those long, strong fingers.

Each scrape over his prostate drove him a little further over the edge. “Just fuck me already!” Apparently Teddy was past the point of words, because he pulled his fingers out silently and rolled the condom on. Parker turned over and got up onto his hands and knees, wanting this time to be fast and hard and now. He heard Teddy suck in a sharp breath. “Fuck, you look hot like that.” Parker felt Teddy’s gaze like a physical touch, and he shivered with need. “Teddy.” Strong fingers gripped his hips, and finally a hard cock probed at his entrance. He pushed back impatiently at the same time as Teddy pressed forward. It was too fast, but at the same time just right. They both cried out. Arms shaking with the intensity of the sensation, he whimpered, “God, please, now!” Teddy took him at his word, fucking him with quick, forceful thrusts. He reveled in the slight burn of each stroke, letting him know his body

would remember this tomorrow. He wanted to feel it, to remember this night every time he moved. Every few thrusts, Teddy’s cock pegged his gland, sending sparks of pure pleasure through him. One particularly hard thrust took him by surprise, and suddenly he was coming, his body tightening with fierce ecstasy. Behind him, Teddy let out a wordless cry, movements becoming erratic as his own orgasm overtook him. Then he stopped moving and relaxed, pressing a soft kiss to the back of Parker’s neck. “So I guess that means we’re good, huh?” “Yeah, we’re good.” Twisting his head, he gave Teddy an awkward kiss. When the kiss ended, Teddy was smiling. “Love you.” “I love you too.” “Of course you do. I’m a lovable guy.” Although Teddy had probably intended his words to be a joke, Parker was struck by the truth of them. “Yes, you are. And I’m not going to let you forget it.”

Teddy’s eyes softened, looking misty for a moment, but then he smacked Parker’s ass. “Shut up. You’re going to make me get all girly.” He grinned. “Ooh, smack me again.” Eyebrows shooting up, Teddy gave him a considering look. “I don’t know why that sounds hot. I’ll take you up on it, though. Tomorrow. Right now I think I’m ready for a little nap.” “I’ll be waiting.” He refrained from mentioning the times Teddy had called him an old man for wanting to take a nap or go to bed early. Within a few minutes Teddy had taken care of the condom and they were snuggled under the covers together, Teddy’s arms wrapped securely around him. Sated and happy, he let the sounds of Teddy’s even breathing lull him to sleep.

Epilogue One Year Later

“Phil’s girlfriend seemed nice.” Teddy looked up from his attempt to juggle several containers of leftovers while trying to unlock the door. “Yeah, she did. I bet he marries her.” “Let me do that. Jeez.” Parker took the key and unlocked the door easily, pushing it open for him. “Thanks.” Once inside, he headed straight for the kitchen, dumping the Thanksgiving leftovers into the refrigerator. At least Parker’s parents were currently out of the country, meaning they hadn’t had to bring leftovers home from two dinners.

When he came back into the living room, Parker had removed his jacket and was in the process of loosening his tie. “Let me do that.” With a smile, Parker dropped his hands. Teddy crossed the room and reached for the tie. Before he took it off, he used it to pull Parker in for a kiss flavored with wine and pumpkin pie. He kept the kiss brief, wanting to tease a little. He was still holding onto the tie, so he removed the bit of silk slowly and with as much “accidental” touching as he could manage. By the time he finished, Parker was eying him with a mixture of arousal and amusement. “Thanks.” “Always glad to help.” He draped the tie over Parker’s shoulder. “Hm, I might need some help with something else in a few minutes, if you’re up for it.” He pretended to play it cool, sitting on one end of the sofa. “I’ll just sit here and wait until you need me, then.”

Lips twitching with suppressed amusement, Parker turned to leave the room. “You do that.” Teddy couldn’t help watching Parker’s ass as he walked away. Then he leaned back into the sofa cushions, looking around at the gorgeous waterfront condo they’d bought together a few months earlier. When they’d taken the plunge and bought this place, he’d finally felt like they were official. Of course, here in Massachusetts there was still one more plunge they could take, if they ever decided they wanted to. He didn’t feel like he had to have a fancy ceremony with rings and paperwork to make what they shared real, but it was nice to have the option. Thinking of his mom planning a gay wedding made him grin. She’d do it, too. There was nothing she loved more than planning weddings and big parties, or at least that’s how it had seemed while she’d been helping to plan Daphne’s wedding. Nearly a year ago, when he’d told his parents about his relationship with Parker, he hadn’t been sure of their reaction. Parker had offered to go with him to talk to them, but he’d insisted on going by himself. He’d gone to

his dad first. The always-perceptive Peter Christopher had known something was up as soon as Teddy came into his study. Teddy had been nervous and stammered something completely different from what he’d rehearsed. He’d confessed to falling in love with someone his parents wouldn’t expect but he hoped they’d be okay with it anyway, and before his dad had time to take the news in he’d blurted out that the person was Parker. His unflappable father had stared at him in wide-eyed shock for what seemed like forever. Then, he’d cleared his throat and said the last thing Teddy would have expected. “Parker is a good man. Exactly the sort of person I would pick for you.” Just thinking about his dad’s reaction brought a tear to his eye, even a year later. He’d told his mom the same day, and she’d taken the news in stride as well. As always, his favorite sibling Daphne had been thrilled because he was happy. The only family member to have a bad reaction was Phil, who had seemed to think his dating a guy was another phase, at least until Teddy and Parker moved in together. Now even Phil was cool about their relationship.

Everything had fallen into place for him over the past year. His decision to have more faith in himself had changed things a lot. He felt more confident at work. Since he was in a relationship with someone he loved and respected, he was happier outside of work too. He and Parker had their disagreements, usually due to his laid-back attitude clashing with Parker’s careful planning, but they always resolved them. Of course, their relationship wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Some of Teddy’s friends—and several of his ex-girlfriends—still acted strangely around him or flat-out refused to speak to him since finding out he was with another guy. In the overall scheme of things, he didn’t consider that too big of a loss. The good aspects of admitting his feelings had far outweighed the bad ones. For the first time since he was a little kid, Teddy was truly content with his life. “You still up for helping me?” The sound of Parker’s voice from the other room had him reacting like Pavlov’s dog. When was he not up for anything Parker wanted him for? He pulled off his jacket and tie and tossed them on the sofa. “Be right there!”

Life was about to get even better. He had a lot to be thankful for.

Author Information:

www.cassandragold.com

By day, Cassandra is a (relatively) mild-mannered middle school teacher. At night, she lets the characters in her head out to play as she writes erotic romance. When not writing, she can generally be found reading or spending way too much time online. Unfortunately for her husband, neither of Cassandra’s personas enjoys doing housework. Visit Cassandra at www.cassandragold.com, or at her Yahoo Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cassandra_gold

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