Miss Me Page 9

  "Thanks. We'll probably take you up on that. But we won't take advantage of you. Don't worry."

  Andy came wading to them. He had his fingertips pressed together between his eyes and both hands covering his nose.

  "You all right?" Sandy asked. "You didn't get hurt did you?" Nick sensed real concern in her voice.

  "I'm okay. I just took in about a gallon of pool water. Taking a time out."

  He stood chest-deep in the water by the edge of the pool, rubbing his face.

  "Can I get you a drink, babe?"

  "Yeah. Make mine a rum runner."

  Nick raised a brow at him. Definitely not macho.

  Andy noticed the look that Nick gave him.

  "That's my drink of choice when I'm on vacation. Very kitschy. Very touristy. Besides, alcohol is free here. Even though they do water it down quite a bit. Might as well take advantage of it. "

  "Okay. One rum runner coming up. Sandy, you want anything?"

  "No. I'm fine. Thanks."

  "Be right back then." Nick got up and headed toward the bar.

  ***

  Andy watched Nick's retreating backside until he was out of focus. Then glanced up and noticed Sandy watching him, grinning. He rolled his eyes.

  "Are you going to tease us this whole trip?"

  "Maybe for a little while longer. It's hard not to. You guys are just so adorable together."

  "Adorable?"

  "Yes. You guys look like total opposites. He's so tall and dark and classic looking… And you're cute and blond and surfer-y looking."

  "Surfer-y? Is that even a word? Everybody always says that and I don't even know how to surf."

  "Well, you know, it's the tattoo, your hair and the lean body... Anyway, he's very good looking, Andy."

  "I believe that the correct term is gorgeous."

  She laughed. "And he really seems to like you a lot."

  "Yeah, it's going pretty good so far. I know we haven't known each other that long, but we just seemed to click from the start, you know?"

  "Well, I can tell that he's definitely hooked. He simply dotes on you."

  "Think so?" Andy was pleased.

  "It's obvious. He's got it bad. He opens doors for you, carries your stuff, and always asks you what you want. Hovers."

  "Hovers?"

  "Like he can't stop looking at you and touching you. His eyes light up when he sees you."

  "So, what do you think?" Andy asked. "Do you like him?"

  "I do if you do. As long as he doesn't break my big brother's heart." Andy was a full eleven minutes older than Sandy. "Is he still as squirrelly as he was when you first started dating?"

  "Funny you should mention that…We've had a talk about committing." Andy decided not to elaborate on the details and the fact that they were both naked at the time. "He brought it up."

  "Oh, how exciting! This is a first for you. It must be serious."

  "Yeah. Well… Don't go saying anything just yet."

  "Of course not," Sandy said. "Eric even said that he thought it was serious."

  "Really? What made him think that?"

  "Well, he noticed how Nick treats you. How you guys are with each other. And he said that he's never seen you like this before. He also noticed that you seem really happy and relaxed."

  "Things are going pretty good right now." Andy decided to change the subject. "So what are the plans? When are we going to take in all the touristy stuff?"

  "We were thinking about taking a catamaran to the island on Wednesday. Do some snorkeling. Sound okay to you?"

  "Sure. I told Nick that we would probably do that, and he thought it sounded good."

  "Here he comes," Sandy said.

  They watched Nick heading back to them with his hands full, grinning.

  "He is a fine looking specimen, Andy."

  "Gorgeous," he corrected again.

  "Nothing like a free bar. I decided to get spares for both of us," Nick said as he leaned over and set two bottles of beer and two tropical drinks on the small table between their lounge chairs. "I figured the first one would go down pretty fast. Saves me a trip."

  He picked up one of the icy rum runners and handed it down to Andy. "Try not to get a brain freeze."

  Nick and Sandy watched as Andy sucked on the straw. When Andy gripped his head in pain, they both winced.

  "What did I just tell you?"

  Andy stood there, his eyes screwed shut, with the heel of his hand on his forehead.

  Sandy was laughing. "Kids. They just never listen."

  Nick just shook his head at Andy, who still was trying to recover. Nick watched him finally shake it off and start slurping the rest of the drink.

  "Good stuff." Andy set the empty plastic cup on the edge of the pool. "Well, got to get back into battle."

  Andy dove and swam under the water. He came to the surface with Libby in his hands and tossed her through the air. Her squeal was abruptly cut off when she splashed in the water. Then he turned on Lydia. Her eyes went wide and she shrieked. She headed off in the opposite direction with Andy chasing in her wake.

  "I bet the other guests hate us already," Sandy said, leaning back to get comfortable. "We're not here two hours and we take over the pool and disrupt the tranquility."

  Nick laughed, and they both sat back relaxing.

  "I've been told to stop teasing you guys," Sandy said. "Sorry, I just can't help it."

  They watched as both girls hung off of Eric, trying to wrestle the pool toy from him.

  After a while, Sandy said softly, "I'm really glad you came, Nick."

  "Me, too."

  "I know that Andy is thrilled that you came. But don't let him know that I told you. I feel like I already know you, as much as Andy talks about you."

  "Oh yeah?"

  She sat up again and started searching around in her lounge chair. She found her visor that had gotten wrapped up in her towel and put it on.

  "I'm impressed, actually. You've made it past a major hurdle if Andy has let you into his life. He doesn't like too many people."

  "Really?" This didn't sound like the same man he'd spent every day with for the past six weeks.

  "Oh yes," Sandy said. "He's very selective about who he lets close to him. He's an extremely private person."

  "That so?" Were they talking about the same loveable nut who was making a spectacle of himself in the pool?

  "Well, he's kind of learned the hard way. He's been through several situations where he thought someone was a friend, and then they inevitably screwed him over. As a result, he doesn't really trust anyone. He doesn't even try to make new friends anymore. He has only one or two real friends that he went to college with. They don't live around here so they're e-mail friendships now. He keeps to himself most of the time."

  "He told me a little bit about it," Nick said. "Why do you think that is?"

  "You grew up gay. How well did you fit in?"

  "Good point." A flash of painful memories washed over Nick. Jimmy Henderson tripping him in the cafeteria in the ninth grade. The word faggot written on his locker his senior year.

  "But he seems to be so outgoing at work," Nick said. "His staff likes him."

  "People do tend to gravitate toward him. I think that they see him as an elusive creature because they know so little about him. They know that he's worked in some interesting places. Most of them have just been at that one place their whole careers. He's always invited out after work, but he never goes. He went to a going away party after work for one of his employees once. He must have liked her because he had blown off four other going away parties. Anyway, everyone was amazed that he had come. He has lots of acquaintances that know him on a superficial level. Plus, he has to socialize every day because of his job."

  "I was going to say… it's an odd line of work he's in if he doesn't want to be around people."

  "This is his first public library. It's very different than anything he's done before. He's always been in what's called special libra
ries where he only had to deal with co-workers or military hotshots. Did he ever tell you that he had a secret clearance?"

  "No, he hasn't really talked too much about where he used to work." Nick said.

  "He knows all sorts of interesting and useless bits of information. He reads all the damn time," Sandy said. "Anyway, the point is… his career path was never public. He made much more money in private. But when there's a layoff at a company, or a contract change with a government project, the librarian is the first to go."

  She paused and then added, "You may have noticed that his office isn't decorated with personal things."

  "I did notice that it was pretty stark." Nick thought of the Orlando poster.

  "He says that he won't bring in any more personal items than he can carry home in one box. That's what being laid-off does to a person. That and they become cynical. He's very cynical about people and their motives. When someone accuses him of it, he insists that he's being realistic, not pessimistic, though."

  They both looked toward the pool to see Andy's feet sticking straight up out of the water.

  "I don't know how he can do those handstands under water." Sandy shook her head. "He's always been a maniac in a pool. Annoying as hell. I should know. I've had to put up with him all my life."

  "You two seem to be very close."

  "It might be because we're twins. Or, more likely, because it's just been the two of us most of our lives. Our parents didn't want us, and we've always had to rely on each other."

  "Where are they? If you don't mind my asking."

  She sighed. "Last I heard, they were in Italy touring the vineyards. But that was several months ago. Not sure where they are now. We've only seen them a handful of times."

  "How can they travel so much? Don't they work?"

  "Oh, no. They're rich. Not that we've ever benefited from it. Who knows if we ever will? Thank goodness our Grandma made sure that we were taken care of. She put us both through college and graduate school. She left Andy the house in Montrose and left me a house with land in the Hill Country near Austin."

  They were interrupted by Eric, who was wading toward them. Mayhem was going on behind him where Andy and the girls wrestled for a pool toy.

  "I gotta take a break. Took a foot in the ribs. I almost got nailed in the 'nads, too."

  He climbed out of the pool. He and Sandy brushed fingertips as he went by her. Nick noticed the intimate touch.

  "You want to take over for a while?" Eric sat in the lounge on the other side of Sandy. "You might have to save someone. Although I'm not sure if it's going to be your brother or one of your daughters."

  "I suppose that I should cool off," she said, getting up. "I'll go to the swim up bar. Then I'll hang out under that little walk bridge that goes over the middle of the pool. I need to get out of the sun for a while."

  She got up and headed to the end of the pool where the steps were.

  "Another victim!" Andy said when he spotted her.

  "Keep your hands to yourself, twerp." She eased down the steps into the pool, trying to gradually adjust to the temperature as she waded toward the deeper water. Andy came lurking toward her, his arms raised straight up over his head, hands shaped into claws.

  She glared at him. "Back off, nimrod."

  "So tense. So much hostility."

  "Andy, I swear to God, if you do anything, I will twist your nuts so hard you won't be able to walk for a week."

  "Ouch." Eric and Nick both cringed.

  "Oh, you're no fun." Andy backed off and went to attack the girls again.

  "Are they like this all the time?" Nick asked.

  "You wouldn't believe. They haven't even warmed up yet. They both take great pleasure in seeing who can come up with the most creative smartass comment. They speak their own language."

  They sat there for a while until Nick finally said, "Andy said that you two were there that night. The night Lee got into his house."

  Eric put on his sunglasses and looked out at the action in the pool. "Yeah. That guy is one freaky dude. I'm surprised he hasn't killed someone or been thrown in prison."

  "Do you mind telling me about it?"

  Eric sat quietly for a few moments and Nick wondered if Eric was going to tell him. Then the man spoke.

  "The three of us were just hanging out watching TV. The girls were at a slumber party. Andy went to the kitchen to get something." He ran a hand through his hair. "We heard loud voices and we both looked at each other. Then we heard glass breaking.

  "We ran into the kitchen. Andy was unconscious on the floor. He was kind of crumpled up between the island and the cabinets. Lee was standing over him, panting and smiling. Pretty creepy." Eric gave a little shiver. "Then he looked up and saw us. He tried to make a run for it, but I caught up with him before he got to the back door. At that point, I didn't even know if Andy was alive or not. I can still hear Sandy crying, trying to get Andy to respond." He paused. "Man, I wailed on that son of bitch. I was so fucking mad. He was a mess by the time I got done with him."

  He looked over at Nick. "And you know what? He wouldn't fight back. He just kind of whined in this high pitched, weird sound and put his forearms up in front of his face." Eric gestured, demonstrating.

  "While I beat on him, Sandy called for help. The cops and ambulance were there in no time."

  Nick felt sick to his stomach. "The guy is crazy."

  "Oh, yeah," Eric nodded. "Certified."

  They looked over and saw Andy circling Sandy in the water, taunting her, but giving her a wide berth. They heard her say something that sounded like "idiot" and "moron" and "ripping out chest hairs" as she waded back from the bar, drink in hand.

  "Damn," Nick winced, putting a hand to his chest.

  "Tell me about it."

  ***

  "Well, I consider today a success." Nick said. "We managed to break away early, your nuts didn't get twisted or kicked, and you don't have a sunburn. Now I have you all to myself."

  They had just finished showering. They had gotten the lotion and chlorine off their skin. Andy was toweling his hair.

  "I do have an idea that I'd like to run by you." Nick was standing naked with his hands on his hips. Andy stopped what he was doing and looked at him.

  "You know, since we don't have to worry about condoms, and we are both so squeaky clean..."

  That's all it took for Andy's cock to stand up and wave hi. "What did you have in mind?"

  Nick stepped up to him and put both hands on Andy's hips. Andy dropped the towel, laid one arm on Nick's shoulder and snaked the other around his waist. Nick leaned in and gave him a slow, deep kiss. Their tongues languidly caressed as Nick pulled him close and moved his hips from side to side, rubbing their erections together.

  Nick put his mouth next to Andy's ear and said softly, "How about a little sixty-nine action?"

  Andy gave a whimper and melted against Nick.

  "Just to take the edge off."

  Nick cupped Andy's ass with both hands and pulled him until their crotches were grinding together.

  "Then we can play with some of our new toys."

  "Oh, God," Andy panted against his lips, and Nick flicked his tongue inside Andy's mouth.

  "I thought you could try out the cock ring and fuck me again. But first, I want to have your cock in my mouth. I want to work it and suck it and lick it until you shoot down my throat."

  It drove Andy crazy when Nick talked like that. He wedged a hand between them, wrapped his fingers around Nick's cock and started backing them toward the bed. When Andy bumped into the mattress, they both fell together in a tangle of arms and legs. After much groping and kissing, they finally managed to position themselves so that Nick was straddled over Andy. They wasted no time taking each other's prick in their mouths.

  With mouths, tongues, lips and teeth, they teased and tasted each other's cocks and balls and anything else they could reach. Fingers roamed, squeezed, probed and explored. It wasn't very long before they both fe
lt their balls tighten. Nick came, and Andy was not far behind. They swallowed what each had to offer and both continued softly sucking each other's cocks until their tremors passed.

  Nick changed position and lay down along side Andy. They faced each other and kissed, caressing each other's hips. They could taste themselves on each other's tongues.