Page 19 of Out in the Surf

Let’s talk surfing first.

I never set out to be a surf instructor. I wanted to be a surf hero…thank you very much. The only way to achieve that goal was to be a standout. The guy who nailed important competitions worldwide.

Sadly, that hadn’t panned out. So I turned my focus to building a name by making custom boards. With any luck, my long-term plan might make me a different kind of surf hero. The kind who sponsored new talent and provided gear to the pros. In the meantime, I worked for Jay doing whatever he needed at the shop and stealing away to craft new orders in my free time.

Instructing newbies was just part of the gig, but I had to admit, there was something innately satisfying about teaching a newbie how to surf.

Luca went from barely balancing on his stomach on a board to riding his first wave within a week. Granted, he stood for less than ten seconds and wiped out pretty hard in the beginning, but he kept trying. He got knocked down and hopped back on time after time.

Within two weeks, he’d learned to pay attention to the wind and gauge the height of the sets, which helped him find his footing more easily. By week three, he’d mastered his crouch-to-standing maneuver. He grew steadier at each outing, and that steadiness gave him confidence.

Within a month, he could surf.

He might not be ready for big waves, but he’d get there.

Luca’s progression was fun to watch. Honestly, he was the best kind of pupil—enthusiastic, smart, and naturally athletic. He’d laughingly told me his strategy to chase waves like he chased after a puck. Two different animals, but he had the right idea. The field of play was the ocean rather than the ice rink, but knowing how to read opportunity and finesse dangerous situations into a win was an invaluable skill set for all sports.

That struggle with uncertainty he suffered on day one didn’t happen again. He wouldn’t let it. He was determined to become a good surfer, and I had no doubt he would be. Luca didn’t do anything in small measures. He was extremely goal-oriented. If he set his mind to something, he worked hard to make it a reality.

I could see the fire in his brown eyes, his squared shoulders, and the firm line of his mouth. The same mouth that had sucked my dick in the shower earlier this morning.

Oops.Boner alert.

I used my board as a shield and clandestinely adjusted myself as I watched him in action, leaning into the barrel of a wave. His feet were set, his position was perfect, now he just had to maintain his balance all the way in.

“Your new student is doing pretty well out there,” Rex commented, shaking water from his hair as he joined me on the shoreline with his surfboard tucked under his arm.

I nodded but made sure I had my expression under control before I glanced sideways.

“Yeah, he is.”

Fact…it was getting harder to hide the stupid smile on my face lately. It popped up out of nowhere all the damn time and took on a life of its own without my permission. If anyone knew why, they’d probably understand completely. But Luca and I kept this thing between us on the DL.

Look, I wasn’t ashamed. I just didn’t know how to explain…us. I wasn’t even sure how to talk about it, and I knew Luca felt the same way. Let’s face it, surf-instructor-slash-student-with-benefits sounded sleazy. And we were so much more than fuck buddies with a seedy arrangement.

We’d become friends.

We’d started over with a fresh slate the morning he blew me, or the day we referred to as BJ Sunday. After a mishap-free lesson, we’d agreed to meet the following Tuesday morning for another. An early surf lesson followed by a hand job in the shower turned out to be the beginning of a new trend. Over the past month, we’d met three days a week on average—usually on mornings we were both free till nine or ten.

We’d surf, peel off our wetsuits, and head to my apartment via the side entrance, avoiding the shop and anyone working there. And when we reached my place, we’d strip out of our trunks and come together in a naked frenzy, sucking face and writhing against each other like a couple of sex-starved maniacs.

Electricity sparked and hummed between us, then tipped into an inferno. I couldn’t get close enough fast enough. I thought I’d been here before with previous lovers. The joy of discovery was part of the fun of connecting with someone new. This was different somehow. More intense, more carnal…and sometimes, a little savage.

A major part of the thrill was that this was literally virgin territory for me. I’d never touched a man, and I now had free rein to explore a sexy ex-hockey player in the privacy of my own apartment. I took advantage of every opportunity and got bolder each time. That first week, I let him lead. I got off on the role reversal. Luca was the teacher in the bedroom and he led by unfettered, unbridled example.

To be fair, he was cautious with me in the beginning. He asked if I was okay a lot. He moved slowly, giving me space to change my mind. He did most of the work…or tutoring. He wanted me to get used to the idea of being touched by a man. He didn’t take, he gave. He sucked me, stroked me, kissed me till I couldn’t see straight, and held me when I trembled in the aftermath. It was kind of…beautiful.

But I always wanted more, and I got bolder each time.

Every first opened a whole new world to me. The first time I wrapped my fingers around his cock and stroked him to orgasm. The first time I licked my way down his gorgeous body, kissing the scars on his hip and the wicked gash on his calf. The first time I pressed my dick against his and jerked us together, sucking our combined cum from my fingers. The first time I traced his crack and brushed a finger across his hole, wondering if he’d let me fuck him.

Actually, I knew he would. He was that kind of lover. Pleasure was the name of the game, and it wasn’t in his nature to hold back. I fucking loved that.

Luca’s lusty, “go for it” attitude was inspirational. Hell, it inspired me to drop to my knees and suck his cock. I wasn’t great at it. I was a little sloppy and I gagged easily, but Luca didn’t seem to mind. Then again, he was exuberant about everything. And it seeped into every facet of his life.

Luca was adventurous and charming. He made friends easily, dazzling people with his quick wit, boundless energy, andjoie de vivre. I knew a few guys like that and honestly, they annoyed the fuck out of me. But Luca was a force of nature. His joy was contagious, his frustration palpable. I couldn’t help rooting for him. His happiness made me happy. Every day, the physical connection grew and a real friendship formed.

Within a month, we’d gone from tentative lovers to a couple of guys who wanted to be together whenever possible.