All the Way to Shore Read online

  He and Marco had parted ways when they got back to the ship to take much-needed showers before dinner, while Anthony and Todd went off to Todd’s cabin. Jonathan was happy for Anthony finding a nice guy to spend time with—and also so he didn’t have to feel guilty about spending all his available time with Marco.

  At dinner he’d received another nice surprise when Marco had waved him over. It seemed Sophia and Dr. Parson—Melanie—had bonded so much she’d moved to Melanie’s quarters for the duration. They were having dinner there, so Jonathan got to sit at the captain’s table with Marco, who had introduced him to Captain Nystrom as “my special friend.” Seeing Marco in action, charming the pants off all the geezers at the table with his suave sophistication while squeezing Jonathan’s thigh under the tablecloth, had been wild.

  Jonathan filed the memory away as he eyed the moon and waited for Marco, who was getting something from the bar to bring back with them to his stateroom. He smiled up at the stars, heart full, ready to ride the wave of this fairy tale all the way to shore. Then a hand caressed his neck, and he turned to smile at his handsome prince. Marco smiled back, his pendant glimmering on his chest and a bottle in his hand.

  “What did you get?”

  “Courvoisier.”

  “Nice.”

  “I thought it’d be nice for an after-dinner drink as we listen to Debussy.”

  They strolled along the deck. “We are almost too fancy for words.”

  Marco chuckled. “I’ve never been accused of being fancy before.”

  Jonathan eyed him, tall and elegant with his black curls and Roman nose. “You seem fancy to me. Or, well, sophisticated is more like it.”

  “If only Mama could hear you. She’d know her bambino had made it in the world.”

  “You’re funny.”

  Jonathan followed Marco into his stateroom, letting his Jonah Persona take the lead lest he pass out from sheer nervousness. “Nice digs.” Digs? Where’d that come from?

  “Thanks.” Marco picked up a large envelope that had been shoved under the door, glanced at the front of it, and tossed it to join a pile of others on the desk. “Work faxes. They don’t seem to get I’m on vacation in the middle of the ocean. They can wait.”

  A shiver took hold of Jonathan, thinking of Father and how totally like him it was to be bugging his CEO in the middle of his vacation.

  “You aren’t cold, are you?” Marco asked.

  “No, it’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s good.” And I’m running off at the mouth. Cool it.

  “Oh, okay. Good. Let me get the Debussy up on my iPod. They have a docking station with pretty decent speakers in here.” Marco sounded a little nervous himself.

  As Marco fiddled with the iPod, Jonathan opened the Courvoisier and poured each of them a moderate amount, thinking they could both use some loosening up. “Do you want yours over ice?”

  Marco turned. “No. That’s okay. There should still be some ice in the bucket if you like it that way. Here we go.” He pushed a button and Debussy’s La Mer started to play.

  They sat in two armchairs at one end of the large room, listening to Debussy’s sensual and passionate music while sipping the cognac. The music swelled and crashed down in eerie imitation of the ocean all around them. With the curtains drawn back, they stared out at the real thing, moonlight dappling the midnight waves. Everything about this moment was surreal—a beautiful dream.

  After a time, Marco set down his glass, his eyes burning into Jonathan’s. Jonathan gulped down the rest of his drink for courage and put his glass next to Marco’s. Marco held out his hand, and they rose from their chairs. As Jonathan followed Marco to the bed, his palms grew clammy and his heart raced so much he thought he might pass out. Now that his Jonah Persona had been successful in luring Marco to bed, performance anxiety crowded out everything else. God. It had been so long since he’d had sex. Did he even know what he was doing? Anthony’s voice chimed in on the proceedings. Relax, doll! It’s just like riding a bicycle. You never forget. Now, hop on that man and ride!

  Marco stopped and turned, and Jonathan almost ran into him, he’d been so preoccupied with his stupid thoughts. He took Marco’s hands, and as he gazed into his eyes, Jonathan grew calm. An energy surged between them unlike anything Jonathan had ever experienced. He felt powerful, like he was bigger than life, and yet small and cherished. He was both healer and the one being healed. And even stranger, it was like all of this had happened before—like they’d been lovers for centuries, and here they were again. Weird.

  The usually confident Marco had the oddest expression—shy, almost fearful. He wasn’t putting on any smooth moves. Jonathan had the feeling this was the most naked Marco had been with anyone in a long time, perhaps ever. It touched him. Jonathan had finally figured out that Marco hadn’t come from wealth. He’d had to carve out his own success, with none of the social and financial advantages Jonathan had enjoyed. It had increased Jonathan’s respect for him to the point of awe at all he’d accomplished. Marco clearly had more life experiences than Jonathan, and undoubtedly more sexual experience. But now… now it seemed Jonathan was the one at ease.

  He put his hand on Marco’s cheek. Marco’s eyelids drifted closed as he turned his face into Jonathan’s hand and kissed his palm. A sensuous wave radiated through Jonathan’s body at the feel of Marco’s mouth on his skin. He slid his other hand into Marco’s hair, tangling his fingers in the thick curls. Ahhh. He’d been wanting to do that for so long. On impulse, he buried his face in Marco’s hair and inhaled the scent of coconut and something floral. Marco made a contented sound and moved back and forth under Jonathan’s touch like a cat. It made Jonathan smile.

  Finally Marco lifted his head and stared at Jonathan with burning eyes. Jonathan swallowed, skin prickling, and waited, pinned by the intensity in Marco’s gaze. After poising on the brink for a moment that seemed an eternity, Marco leaned forward and pressed his lips to Jonathan’s.

  The world shrank to pure sensation—Marco’s soft yet demanding mouth opening, asking, and Jonathan’s eager lips and tongue following his lead. He kept one hand tangled in Marco’s curls while the other stroked the back of his neck. Marco kissed Jonathan fervently, almost desperately—like a drowning man clinging to a raft. He wrapped his arms around Jonathan and pulled him close, and the hard line of Marco’s cock pressed against him. Jonathan needed more of him, all of him. Now.

  He broke their kiss, gasping. “The bed.” His voice sounded strange, husky and scraping.

  Marco backed up, still holding Jonathan tight, and they stumbled the few steps to the bed and fell rather ungracefully on top of it, tangled up in each other. Marco whipped off his glasses and stuck them on the bedside table, then tumbled around with Jonathan until they rested on their sides. Face-to-face again, Jonathan was struck by Marco’s expression. It was deadly serious—like he had to scale a mountain or overcome some hurdle.

  “Hey.” Jonathan smoothed the wrinkle between Marco’s eyebrows. “What’s up?”

  Marco blinked and seemed to come back from whatever battle he’d been fighting. “Nothing. Everything’s fine.” He gazed at Jonathan with his usual warm attention. “How’re you doing?”

  “Wonderful. Unbelievable, actually.” He let his finger trace down Marco’s nose and come to rest on his full lips, which were as soft as he’d suspected. “But you were looking kind of… intense there.”

  “Was I?” Marco’s expression opened up even more, and he gave Jonathan a smile that was almost shy. “I’m sorry. It seems… I’ve never done this before.”

  Jonathan drew back. “What? You’ve never been with a man?”

  He was relieved when Marco laughed. “Oh God, no. I didn’t mean to freak you out. Of course I’ve been with men. Plenty of them.”

  Ignoring the flare of jealousy, Jonathan nodded at him to continue.

  “But none of my past sexual experiences, except for maybe my first few, ever involved any real feelings. With you, they do. Hard as t
hat may be to believe, given we’ve known each other for all of three days.”

  “It’s strange, though. I feel the same way. I’ve never thought much about past lives and all that, but I got the weirdest feeling tonight that we’ve been together before. Like a bunch of times, and this time is just the latest. Is that bizarre?”

  Marco pressed a kiss on Jonathan’s eyebrow. “I don’t know. I certainly have never felt as comfortable with a person right away as I do with you. The first night when we were hanging out on the deck, I had this feeling like I was at home. With you. Or you were home. Something like that.”

  “Like we’re back together again.”

  They grinned then—broad, silly grins that dissolved into laughter. Marco fell on his back. “Oh, fuck. Are we crazy or what?”

  “I don’t know, but if I’m crazy, I’m glad you’re right there with me.” Jonathan leaned over and smiled down at him. “So what do we do now?”

  “Light candles and have a séance?”

  “I’d rather do something a little more down and dirty.” He gave his Jonah Persona a high five, then surveyed Marco for his reaction.

  Yes. Marco seared him with a lethal smirk, heat in his eyes. “Oh, I believe that can be arranged, caro.” He cupped his hand behind Jonathan’s head. “Come here.”

  Jonathan let himself be pulled down, landing on Marco’s broad chest as their lips crashed together. Caught in his strong arms, Jonathan explored the warmth of Marco’s mouth. They shifted on the bed, their cocks sliding together, and his whirling thoughts devolved into incoherencies. Yes. This. Good.

  Anthony had been right—like riding a bicycle, everything came back to Jonathan, and he let himself go. Soon he was stripping away Marco’s shirt, eyes agog at the thick patch of curly hair on his muscled chest, the silver pendant nestled in a thatch of it. With no thought at all, Jonathan went for his flat brown nipples, teasing them into stiff peaks, while Marco groaned out his pleasure and groped Jonathan’s ass. Emboldened, Jonathan trailed his tongue down Marco’s torso—tasting his olive skin, circling his cute belly button, then following a dark line of hair to the top of his shorts, under which a lovely and large bulge was apparent.

  Jonathan felt a strong hand caress his hair. “Hold on.” He lifted his head to find Marco peering down at him with an earnest expression. “I get tested every six months, as a precaution.”

  Jonathan blinked. This was the last thing he was expecting Marco to say at this point. “Okay. Good?”

  “I’m negative, is what I’m trying to tell you.” Marco waited expectantly.

  “Oh. Yeah.” Jonathan thought frantically, trying to remember the last time he’d been tested. It wasn’t like it had been an issue, given his lack of a sex life. But Anthony was a big believer in safe sex precautions, and Jonathan had gone with him to the HIV Alliance clinic just to get him off his back after his last disastrous date. Three years ago. “I’m negative too, the last time it was checked, and I haven’t… you know… since.”

  “Okay. Sorry to interrupt the mood. Um, can you come up here for a minute?” Marco held out his arms, and Jonathan moved up his body and into them. “Good. That’s better.”

  “You’re quite the snuggler,” Jonathan murmured against Marco’s shoulder, encaged in the shelter of Marco’s body.

  “I’ve never been much of one before, but there’s just something about you.”

  Jonathan raised his eyes to Marco’s, studying the brown irises shot through with threads of gold. He’d never realized how unusual Marco’s eyes were, hidden by his ever-present glasses. Eyes that watched him now with a hint of vulnerability. Jonathan felt that sense of peace again, that intuition that their being together was right and their happy ending was—how did all those fairy tales Anthony so loved put it?—written in the stars.

  He knew also, with a knowledge that went beyond logic, that Marco’s heart was his for safekeeping. And for some reason, he no longer feared that responsibility. He was going to protect it with everything he had. Yes, he also had to come clean about his true identity and repair the damage hiding it had caused. But he had no doubt anymore that he would, and that they’d get through it. He and Marco were destined to be together. Jonathan leaned down and sealed his conviction with a kiss.

  MARCO STARED up into Jonah’s ocean-blue eyes—so clear and calm, sparkling with affection. When Jonah leaned down to kiss him, Marco squeezed his own eyes shut and tried to lose himself in this moment. Enough putting up barriers. He had no reason to be so nervous other than his familiar need to pass every new test with flying colors.

  But he couldn’t shake off the nagging suspicion that had sprung up earlier at lunch—there was something Jonah wasn’t telling him. Marco hadn’t risen to the highest level in business without an uncanny ability to read other people. Street smarts—some might call it intuition—had saved his ass countless times. He knew when something was off. And something was off with Jonah Rutledge. Still, whatever Jonah was hiding likely had nothing to do with him and Marco. And Marco was sure he could handle whatever the secret was that Jonah was carrying.

  Enough thinking, Marco. He opened his mouth under Jonah’s and stifled a moan. While part of him analyzed and assessed, trying to crack the code on Jonah’s secrets, another part fell deeper and deeper under Jonah’s spell. The way Jonah was kissing him right now, pure and sweet and fervent—Marco needed it like he needed oxygen. A deep longing surged through him for connection, for union. He wanted it all—to lose himself, to become one, to own and be owned. He didn’t know why or how, but his heart also whispered that Jonah could be his one chance for love. Being with Jonah was the golden ring, the prize, the chest of diamonds buried in the sand. This was it, right here, right now. All he had to do was let it happen.

  Marco pulled Jonah closer. Jonah’s cock pressed into the crease of his groin, hard and insistent. When Marco writhed to get some friction, Jonah answered with a groan. “That’s it, baby,” Marco murmured, then fastened his mouth on Jonah’s neck, marking his skin as they rubbed together. Jonah panted out his name and they clasped hands, arms flung wide, hips and pricks and legs sliding against each other. Their frottage was insanely hot, yet not enough.

  Marco rolled them over so they were once again on their sides and made quick work of the buttons on Jonah’s shirt, sliding it off and attacking his pink nipples with an eager tongue. Jonah’s panting became harsh and needy. His shorts were hanging off his hips from all their rolling around, and Marco shoved his hand inside Jonah’s underwear and took hold of his cock. Ahh. It felt long and perfect, the head already slick.

  “Oh shit. God. Oh fuck. Fuck!” Jonah didn’t seem to swear as a rule, so it was even hotter to hear him spew curses and know that Marco was making him lose control.

  Marco came off Jonah’s nipples and kissed back up to his lips. Jonah’s eyes were dazed, pupils wide with lust. “God, you’re gorgeous. What do you want?” Marco asked, then added, “Oh fuck, yes!” when he felt Jonah’s hand invade his shorts and take hold of him. “Let’s get each other off this way first. We’ve got all night to play.”

  Jonah nodded. He seemed beyond words now, but his gaze hung on Marco’s face, locked in with an intensity Marco had never experienced. His cock stiffened, and he realized he was about to come. He redoubled his efforts on Jonah’s cock, not able to look away from him, from the yearning in his eyes. He leaned over to capture Jonah’s lips, heard Jonah take a breath that sounded like a sob, and that was it. Game over. Marco’s orgasm rose like an ocean wave, crashing over him and carrying him back to shore. When he felt warm fluid on his hand, he realized with relief that Jonah had come as well. They’d reached landfall together.

  JONATHAN LAY limply, staring into Marco’s eyes and waiting for his breathing to return to normal. He couldn’t help a sound of protest when Marco moved away, but Marco dropped a kiss on his shoulder, whispering, “Be right back.” And back he came, with warm washcloth in hand.

  “Take off those shorts,” Marco command
ed. “And the grody underwear.”

  “Pushy,” Jonathan murmured, but he removed the offending items, then stretched out on the bed, closed his eyes, and basked in Marco’s attentive care as he wiped Jonathan clean.

  “All better.”

  “Your turn.” Jonathan opened his eyes and reached for the washcloth.

  “I already did, in the bathroom. Let me get rid of this.” Marco walked off again, and Jonathan’s gaze riveted on Marco’s fine buns. How had he not noticed Marco had taken off his own shorts and briefs?

  Jonathan trained his eyes on the bathroom door, and soon Marco emerged in all his gorgeous nakedness. Olive skin, dark hair adorning muscled chest and legs and forming a curly nest for his cock, generous even in its currently flaccid state. When he caught sight of Jonathan ogling him, a smile illuminated Marco’s beautiful face. God. Jonathan had never seen a more glorious man. He suppressed the Why’d he pick me? train of thought threatening to sabotage the moment, determined to enjoy his luck for as long as he could.

  Marco settled back on the bed and gave Jonathan’s body a steamy once-over. “Bellissimo.”

  “I was just thinking the same thing about you. Bellissimo.” Jonathan stroked his fingers along Marco’s lips and felt the heat flare in his groin, even more so when Marco sucked his fingertips into his mouth. “Jesus, yes.”

  Marco let go with a groan. “You better not be tired, because we’re not even close to finished here.”

  “Nope, not tired at all.”

  “Good. Because I need to….” Marco finished his sentence by dragging an openmouthed kiss along Jonathan’s arm from wrist to shoulder, while his thumb teased Jonathan’s nipple. “I just have to taste you. All of you. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Jesus fucking Christ almighty,” Jonathan rasped, as his cock tried mightily to come back to life.

  Marco’s laugh was joyous. “I fucking love when I make you swear.”