Page 4 of September’s Tide (Island Tales #2)

Chapter Two

Why is it so goddamn difficult to get to sleep ?

David rolled over to look yet again at the alarm clock next to his bed.

Twelve-thirty in the a.m. I knew I shouldn’t have had that nap when I got here .

He’d slept for a couple of hours before getting around to unpacking, but he’d felt so much better for it.

Once all his stuff had been safely stowed away, David had ventured out in the car, although he only went as far as Ventnor.

Driving in itself had been quite the adventure.

For a start, he had to remember to drive on the wrong side of the road.

Fortunately, the road led straight into the town, which made things a lot easier.

Once he’d found the parking lot, the supermarket had been across the street from it.

David had bought enough groceries to last him about a week.

Luckily the store had a good selection of local beers which had delighted him.

There was a decent choice of wines, too.

David ignored Juliet’s voice in his head—he swore he could hear her tut-tutting at him all the way from New York.

Okay, so he’d been drinking a fair bit in the last few months.

It wasn’t as if he was an alcoholic, though.

All the same, maybe it was a good idea to use this time to cut down on the alcohol.

Dinner had been some prepared pasta with a tomato and basil sauce, accompanied by a glass or two of a pretty decent rosé.

That should have guaranteed him some sleep, but for some reason, he couldn’t shut his brain down.

Thoughts of Clark plagued him, only this time he remembered the good stuff.

Their holiday in Cancun, where they’d divided their time between the pool and their bed.

Hot nights filled with even hotter fucking.

God, Clark certainly knew how to push David’s buttons when it came to sex.

And then a rush of cold washed over and through him as he recalled that fateful afternoon.

It might have been five months ago, but it felt as if five minutes had passed since he’d learned the truth.

It still fucking hurts.

He’d opened the apartment door to hear grunts and harsh cries that had obviously been two guys in the throes of sex.

He’d stood in the bedroom doorway, open-mouthed in horror as Clark thrust deep into a complete stranger’s ass—only he clearly wasn’t a stranger to Clark, judging by the dirty talk which flowed back and forth between the two men.

David’s cry had disturbed the lovers, and then David had turned and fled the apartment.

David shook himself. Not going to go there .

He threw back the sheet and climbed out of bed to walk to the window.

The moon was almost full, and the waves sparkled in its ethereal light.

There was no sign of life, not even a single light from any of the properties which made up the small cove.

In fact, there was no light to be seen, period.

No street lighting, nothing. David had never been in a place with a complete absence of light pollution.

He peered at the clear sky, amazed to see the sheer volume of stars that were visible.

He wanted to see more.

He pulled on his jeans and a T-shirt, grabbed his sandals and went downstairs and out the door.

He walked along the path that led to the boat ramp which descended to the beach.

It was a warm night with little breeze. He’d seen mostly shingle earlier that day, but now there was sand.

David removed his sandals, the sand cool beneath his feet.

Dear Lord, you could almost read a book by moonlight out here.

He looked up into the night sky and the breath caught in his throat.

God, the stars …. The velvet blackness above him was sprinkled with so many stars, they resembled dust. And right above him, something he had only ever seen in books or on TV—the Milky Way.

David craned his neck to stare in amazement at the band of stars snaking across the sky.

It was truly impressive. David couldn’t have said how long he stood there, humbled by the majesty of it all.

In the end he chose a huge flat rock by the entrance to the beach and lay back on it, staring up at the sky, the sight filling his vision.

A sound disturbed his contemplation, and David sat up abruptly, just in time to see a figure emerging from the water.

Someone’s been swimming ?

He peered out into the cove and watched as a tall slim figure walked toward him over the sand.

Moonlight gleamed on bare, wet skin and David realized with a shock that the figure, a man, was nude.

His blond hair had an almost ethereal glow.

There was enough light for David to see he was lean, smooth-skinned, with a little neat patch of pubic hair just above… .

David swallowed. The guy had an absolutely gorgeous uncut cock. In fact, the whole package was stunning. Blond wavy hair, around five ten, maybe a hundred and forty pounds or less. As for his age, David judged him to be in his mid-twenties.

God, he’s beautiful.

The guy came to a stop in front of him. He didn’t seem in the slightest bit perturbed to find David sitting there. He looked David up and down with a wry smile.

“Well, judging from the way you’re looking at me, I’m going to hazard a guess you’re not exactly straight.” His voice was soft, with that same lilting quality David had noticed about Vanessa.

Obviously an islander.

David found his voice. He cleared his throat. “Got it in one.” The words came out more of a croak than he’d intended.

The guy’s smile widened. “Cool.” He extended his hand. “Taylor Monroe.” David shook it, Taylor’s skin still damp. “You’re the American who’s hired Vanessa’s place, right?”

David gaped. “How the hell do you know that? I’ve only been here half a day.”

Taylor laughed. “You’re going to learn it’s a small island, and things get around fast.” He nodded toward the shore. “I live over there, in the big white house. I was going to go home and make some hot chocolate. You want to join me?”

The way he was studying David made him think maybe hot chocolate might not have been the only thing on offer.

Fuck, that’s a tempting thought . He hadn’t gotten laid since…

And just like that, it was as if someone poured ice water over his loins.

“Actually, I think I’ll pass, though I’m grateful for the offer. And it’s David, David Hannon.”

Taylor nodded. “Okay, David, another time maybe?” His eyes gleamed in the moonlight.

“Nice meeting you.” That easy smile was so fucking sexy.

“Any time you want to come over, feel free. If I’m around, of course.

” And with that, Taylor walked past David up the boat ramp, his firm ass jiggling only slightly as he crossed the path to a large white house with canoes and kayaks piled up in front of it.

David watched as he let himself into the house, turning once to wave at David before disappearing.

Talk about a surreal situation .

David stared at the sand where Taylor’s feet had left light indentations.

I didn’t imagine that, did I? The bold way Taylor had looked him up and down…

Had he read too much into it? Somehow David didn’t think so.

It was kind of flattering: the guy had to be at least fifteen, maybe twenty years younger.

Perhaps Taylor has a thing for older guys.

David liked the way he’d seemed totally unfazed at being nude.

Definitely an interesting man.

He yawned. Maybe all this fresh sea air was finally getting to him. When another yawn stretched his jaw, David decided to head back to the house and hit the sack. He gave Taylor’s house a final lingering glance.

Another time…

Taylor Monroe got out of the shower and rubbed himself briskly with his towel. He wandered over to the window and stared across at the Lighthouse, grinning.

Things are looking up.

He’d been burning with curiosity to meet the American who was apparently spending a month in the bay. David had been lucky with his timing: the Lighthouse was usually booked up solid.

Scratch that. It looks like I might be the lucky one.

There’d been no mistaking the hot glance David had given him, a look of naked interest. He wasn’t the only one: Taylor liked David’s height, his muscular frame, his intense gaze…

I hope the rest of him matches up.

What were the odds? Gay—or at least definitely into guys—hot as fuck, and interested.

I guess I know what my goal is—to get David Hannon in my bed, or me in his.

And repeat the experience as many times as he could before David left.

A quiet voice at the back of his mind piped up.

You don’t think you’re being a bit shallow? There’s more to him than a hot body.

Taylor didn’t doubt that for a second, but he was a realist. Older guys did it for him every single time, but they were in short supply on the island.

I’ll take what I can get, for as long as I can get it.

David lay in his moonlit room, listening to the waves below. Sleep still eluded him, and it was starting to piss him off.

You know what’ll make you sleep like a baby?

He grinned and reached for the bottle of lube he’d placed on the shelf above his pillows. He kicked the sheet down the bed, his cock rising into the air. David slicked up his hand and grasped his rigid shaft. He closed his eyes, shutting out the moonlight.

Focusing on Taylor.

That broad chest. The wavy hair swept back, the firm jawline that always reminded him of the Gillette adverts on TV.

He’d glimpsed a couple of tattoos, but not closely enough to make them out.

Taylor’s shoulders were overlaid with muscle, but that was no surprise: David had watched him in the water that day.

An athletic, flexible guy.

He grinned to himself. Flexible enough to bring his knees to his ears while I go balls-deep in his ass?

David slid his hand up and down his dick, lost in a hot little fantasy, imagining how tightly Taylor’s body would grip David’s cock, the moans that might tumble from that generous-looking mouth, those firm hands clutching David’s back as he fucked Taylor through the mattress.

His imagination went wild, and it wasn’t long before he shot his load, his breathing erratic, his body trembling.

Whoa.

David grabbed a tissue from the box next to the bed, then cleaned himself up.

It had been a while since he’d let himself go in this way: recent experiences had soured any thoughts of getting off beyond the bare necessity of relieving his aching balls. And it had been a while since he’d had such hot material in his spank bank.

Taylor was certainly hot, there was no denying that.

David prayed he’d get the opportunity to discover if reality was as good as his fantasy. Then all such thoughts slipped away as the sleep he so badly needed finally claimed him.