STORY EXCERPT

Jared Johnson looked out across the sandy, white stretch of beach unable to keep a smile from forming on his lips.

Places like Siesta Key Beach only existed on postcards or television commercials advertising the perfect family vacation. Other families. Not his. His family had never been together long enough to be able to take a vacation, not to mention, afford one.

But Jared was no longer that poor kid. He was a grown man attempting to put his troublesome and sometimes dubious past behind him, and moving to the crystal sands and soothing, warm water of Siesta Key was just the way to do it, much like his younger brother, Derek, had done a few months earlier.

Derek had left Virginia in search of a better life, to find a fresh start away from the psychological scars and local gossip of Clarke County. He had done just that, finding a handsome boyfriend, Cody Connors, and making a new life amongst the swaying palms and endless, blue skies. Now Jared had done the same, making the move with no regrets.

Arriving only two days earlier, Jared promised himself he’d take a few days to familiarize himself with the area and take some well-deserved R and R, something he’d never allowed himself to do. Having absent, alcoholic parents and growing up in foster care with a little brother in tow never encouraged much time for rest and relaxation.

With the cool sand pushing between his toes, Jared shook his head and forced away the distant memories, happy that they were just that, memories. “This is my home now,” he whispered into the tropical breeze as if saying it aloud made it even more real. “And I am happy.”

Unbuttoning and stripping off his thin, cotton shirt, the October, midday sun warmed his skin, melting away the unseasonably cool fall of Virginia he’d left behind. He took in a deep breath, inhaling the salt air as seagulls screeched and raced along the water’s edge in search of picnic scraps left behind by vacationers and kids playing hooky from school. Reaching into his pocket, he emptied a packet of peanuts onto the sand. “That’s all I got, guys,” he said, shoving the empty wrapper into the back pocket of his cutoffs as the birds scampered for their meal.

This is paradise, Jared thought, chuckling at the smallest of the seagulls taking on the largest for the last remaining peanut. Everything was perfect, each grain of sand, each battling bird, and each…

Before he could finish his thought, Jared heard a man yelling over the sound of the surf in heavily accented, broken English. “Let go!” A man wearing a two-sizes-too-small, red Speedo, the accommodating fabric stretched to its limits, struggled against another man who resembled a Greek god dressed in a white, ribbed tank top and camouflage cargo shorts worn low on his hips.

Jared jogged toward the action, wondering if he should get involved and help break up the fight or keep going and find a soft, sandy spot to settle into and take a nap.

His conscience wouldn’t allow him to turn a blind eye. And Mr. Cargo Shorts was surely one hot man, criminal or not.

As he approached, Jared saw a pair of handcuffs flash out of the back pocket of the handsome man’s cargo shorts. He stopped dead in his tracks realizing he was witnessing an arrest.

A chill ran up Jared’s spine remembering the last time he was arrested, which resulted in a six-month stay in the Clarke County jail compliments of the state of Virginia and the arresting officer, Officer Steven Rodgers, a name he’d never forget.

It had been over four years, but it felt like only yesterday. And it was something he didn’t want to repeat, making the decision to remain alcohol- and drug-free the day he was released from prison. Jared wiped away a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand as he watched, listening to the foreigner claim his innocence and making his case.

“I did not expose myself! I thought this was a nude beach,” he yelled, struggling against the officer, the man’s face close to matching the color of his Speedo. “I am European. We are always naked!”

The officer rolled his eyes and began to read the perpetrator his Miranda rights as Jared stared at the man with the broad chest, pumped biceps, and the most perfect set of tanned shoulders he’d ever seen, imagining what he’d look like sprawled out naked on the sand.

Hot. Sweating. And ready.

ADULT EXCERPT

Jared let out a measured breath. “I’m sorry, too. I don’t know why I reacted so…strongly.” A smile slid across his handsome face. “I can’t believe you said that about the wrong side of the law thing. Who the hell says that? You sounded like an actor in a spaghetti western. Hilarious.”

Laughing and shaking his head, Grant punched playfully at Jared’s arm, the contact with his meaty bicep rekindling his lust. Jared punched back, hitting harder.

This is war.

Unhooking and ripping himself from the seatbelt, Grant pounced, laughing and wrestling Jared against the door. “I should arrest you for assault.”

Jared fought back, his warm breath inches from Grant’s cheek. “You are too much of a pussy to get me. I saw your pathetic moves on that tourist.” He twisted free from Grant’s grasp and wrestled him, landing solidly on his chest, Jared’s bulk noticeable and his strength obvious.

Grant stopped fighting back and allowed Jared to slide into his arms. He stilled and stared deep into Jared’s endless, green eyes and did what he had wanted to do from the first moment he’d laid eyes on the man who had made him feel like no other before him. His warm, sweet lips did not disappoint, and his hungry, probing tongue searched for his, wanting the same thing Grant searched out.

Ecstasy.

Racing his hands over Jared’s strong muscular back, his sense of urgency building, Grant lapped and tangled tongues, wet and warm. His brain exploded, and his body soared with sheer pleasure and delight. This was the man he had been longing for, wanting to appear into his life. Until now, he had been somewhat satisfied with a few fuck buddies and blind dates that had led to more. Jared was what he wanted, this he was sure of. “You feel so good,” Grant mumbled through a heated kiss, almost unable to catch his breath.

Feeling Jared’s large and searching hands race down his abdomen heading straight for his hard-as-a-steel-rod cock, Grant moaned, wanting to be handled, but knew this was not the place or the time. The last thing he needed was one of his coworkers showing up with flashing lights, or worse, Cooper, interrupting his lustful, late-night antics on the shoulder of the road. He had arrested people for much less.

“Jared…stop,” Grant said, his rational brain forcing away his sex-crazed and irrational thoughts, reining them in. “We can’t do this here although I would love to. But we can’t.”

Jared separated his lips but continued sliding his hands southward, finding his intended target. Grant’s breath hitched and his heart slammed against his ribcage. “D–d–damn that feels good,” he sputtered, squeezing his eyes shut. “But you have to stop before I allow you to go on.”

“Allow? More like beg.”

“Please…” Before he could beg for Jared to stop or to proceed, at this point Grant wasn’t sure which, Jared had stealthily unbuckled and unzipped his pants and had his hard and hungry cock in his hands, massaging his length while peppering soft, gentle kisses along his jaw. Grant was past the point of no return, his lawful mind begging for some rule breaking of his own.

“Your cock feels good.” Jared’s words shattered Grant’s brain. “You are one hell of a big boy, just the way I like ’em.”

At this point, Grant was thankful he had installed the darkest tint allowed in the state of Florida on his truck windows, making them virtually black and unable to see through, especially at night. Just in case, he slumped lower into his seat, keeping his head and his cock out of view. “I can’t believe we are doing this here. It’s kind of—”

“Hot,” Jared finished before landing his mouth on Grant’s slick and spitting cock.

Grant bucked under the unexpected but welcomed lingual touch. He craned his neck and stretched his spine, relishing in the pleasures that Jared’s skillful mouth was providing. Anxiety and stress fell to the wayside, and nothing but mounting euphoria overtook his brain and body. “You…are…talented,” he whispered, his voice full of lust echoing back into his ears.