I couldn't care less whether or not you are offended by the expression of love between two consenting men. This is a work of fiction. So do not ask me if Shea puts out IRL.
OmeNWoLF@anti-social.com
Some Dumb Surfer Dude - Part II - Three days, Two Nights
by Chris Davenport as inspired by Savoir-Faire (with his permission)
For David and Shawn
Nathan sat on the cool sand, watching the warm orange glint of the setting sun as it kissed the rolling waves snaking up the beach. The soft roar of the waves, the invigorating scent of salt and water and fresh air filling his nostrils. The young man closed his eyes and let the remaining senses take hold of his body, the breeze sweeping his hair back, goosebumps forming on his pale, bare chest.
He reopened his eyes and saw the slick, neoprene-clad figure emerge from the horizon, slipping over a rolling wave to catch the last set in. He had been watching him every afternoon for days. This lone surfer on this magical beach.
Shea shook the water from his silky hair and cast a glance over the sand a thousand years away. It had been an intense afternoon full of swell and now he was tired. The same man was there. Watching him. Shea was not scared or angry, but rather intrigued. He pushed his curious thoughts to the back of his mind as the green, hissing funnel carried him smoothly to the first sand bank, where he slid from his board and walked from the water onto the beach.
Shea was the most magnificent example of the male form one could ever have seen. Standing over six feet tall, his frame was packed with sinewed muscle and covered with golden skin. His shoulders and neck gave way to a square-jawed, friendly face with eyes that sparkled with an intricate blend of grey and amber. The face was framed by a thick mane of ebony hair, bleached back in places to it's natural golden shine by the sun and the sea. He sported a small piercing under his lip, and he wore a ring through his left nipple.
Nathan watched with quiet admiration as Shea walked from the frothing sea and sidled past, his black wetsuit hugging his body, accenting his curves and bulk and leaving little to the imagination. Nate also noticed that Shea glanced nervously in his direction before heading into the dunes, where he had secreted his clothes, to get changed.
This was the first time that Shea had got a good look at Nathan, and was mildly surprised at his attractiveness. His pale body was lean and tight, his calm, clear green eyes seeming to see all without even looking, the strong wind pushing his dark blond locks from his face.
Shea reached around and skillfully unzipped his wetsuit, before taking one last glance over the dune. He was happy to be near the ocean again, just like Long Beach. This small coastal community just north of Miami suited him perfectly. He finally found his true home. But this newcomer to the town, what did he want? Why did he travel down onto the beach every day and just stare out at the ocean. He was almost an invasion into Shea's ritual daily surf, but a welcome, even if unexplained, intrusion.
A voice broke Shea's thoughts, and startled him badly. He spun around, his wetsuit at his knees, tight ass exposed, and saw the stranger.
"Sorry. Didn't know you were getting changed here."
Shea, nervous about the unwarranted advance, snapped back.
"What did you think I was doing in here, jerking off?"
The calm, reserved smile vanished from Nathan's face, and he stood, mouth slightly open, like a rebuked child, where he remained for a moment.
"Fuck off!" Shea growled, now truly scared. His pulse was beating in his throat.
To his shock, Nathan slowly turned and vanished down the front of the dune. Shea instantly regretted his actions, and feeling sheepish, changed into his dry clothes and headed home in the opposite direction.
"Come on Shea, you think he's gonna rape you or something? What's your problem?" Karen picked an ice cube out of the machine and sucked on it, raising an eyebrow as Shea pulled his hair into the tight, painful net.
"That's really disgusting. And no, I don't think he's gonna - It's just that - Shit Karen, I don't wanna screw up like I did last time."
Karen nodded, and walked to her friend. "You know what you need? A nice long party. Tomorrow night. I'll find out who this guy is and make sure he gets an invite."
"I don't know..."
"C'mon, it'll be fun."
"I just don't want to---"
"Yeah it'll have to be at your place. I'll make some calls. Make sure your fridge is empty. I'm outta here. Bye." The vibrant young Italian pecked the surfer's cheek as she slipped around the counter and headed out the door into the fresh Summer evening.
Shea shrugged and turned to the chip fryer. Shea was not a stupid guy, perhaps a little slower than most, but he had lived far past his 18 years of age. He had learnt what is was like to love, to care, and to give it all up. The night was uneventful, there were never many customers on a Thursday night.
The surfer kicked the door open, his arms loaded with groceries from the 7-11. He leaned over and hit the answering machine button with his elbow as he staggered into his small, tidy unit.
"You have 1, new, message."
"Click - Hi it's me, I've got the party organized. It's gonna be great. I've decided that you should wear those tight jeans I got you for your birthday." Shea chuckled and shook his head, reaching into the paper bags.
"....Oh, you know that guy you like? I found out about him...."
He stood up and listened, taking a swig from the carton in his hand.
"His name's Nathan. Australian they say. Word is, he moved here to start over....." Nod. Smile. Shea knew just how the guy felt. Swig.
".....You see, he's divorced....."
Shea choked and spat milk over the counter.
"...anyway, apparently he loves to party so if we play the music loud enough he'll make an appearance. Talk to you tomorrow. 6pm. Bye."
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeep.
Shea stared at the answering machine for a very long time. Divorced? He was married? Was he gay? Or just friendly? Shea shook his head and put the carton away. He slipped off his McDonalds shirt and sadistic pants, and stood in the entryway to his bedroom, the breeze from the window facing the beach lightly brushing his hair behind his neck. He let himself fall to the bed and closed his eyes. A few minutes later he opened them, realizing he was unable to sleep. He cursed himself. "Nathan"'s face would not leave his mind, the cool green eyes seeming to stare at him from inside his mind. He closed his eyes and saw Nathan lying next to him, his lean and naked form inches from his own sweaty, tanned bulk. He saw the lean, mysterious guy gently grasp him by the waist and kiss him deeply. He returned the kiss, and fell into a deep, warm sleep.
=====
Karen giggled, spilling bourbon and coke onto the grass. Shea looked nervously around as he crouched in his backyard, attempting a conversation with his plastered friend. The music blared, people danced, talked and laughed, stopping by every now and again to compliment him on his party or ask him to change the music. Shea would have enjoyed himself, but was almost shaking as his eyes kept shifting from the door to the side gate.
Then, it happened. Karen leaned over and muttered "if you're looking for him, he's over there near the barbecue."
Shea's heart made a world-championship leap into his throat as his head spun to see Nathan. He was standing half in, half out of the light from inside, wearing a tight white tee-shirt and corduroy pants. He was beautiful.
He felt a shove from behind as Karen hissed "go! go!", then climbed to his feet and, grabbing a beer from the table, nervously wandered over to Nathan.
He turned and smiled, and Shea's heart won the admiration of million's with it's amazing repeat-performace, jumping near-into his mouth.
"Umm, hi. I've, like, seen you around, hey?"
"Yes, I see you on the beach. You're a great surfer."
Shea blushed.
"Do you surf, man?"
"Yeah, when I was 15." Nathan laughed abruptly, almost bitterly, and finished the dark liquid in his glass.
"Where are you from? Cause your accent is like Australian or something."
"Very good. I come from a town called Whyalla in South Australia. Have lived there since I was 16. No surf."
"Oh. Why Miami?"
Nathan stared straight ahead, and shrugged. He looked away for a long time, his eyes distant, then seemed to snap back to reality and looked back into Shea's eyes. "You're probably wondering why I followed you into the dunes that afternoon."
Shea gulped and looked down "Sorry."
"No, I'm sorry. What I did to you was wrong."
Shea looked back up from his loafers and smiled. "What DID you do to me, dude?"
Nathan's face was marred with sudden confusion. "You don't - umm, you haven't..."
"I'm Shea by the way.."
"Oh yeah, Nate."
"You wanna go somewhere private and talk more?"
"Private? Sure, but where?" Nate chuckled as he looked around at the crowd.
"My bedroom." The words slipped from Shea's lips just a little easily, and for a blinding moment he hated himself. It was the only thing he could think to do, pushed into a corner by his own inexperience with other men.
Nate considered his new friend carefully for a long moment, then reached out and touched his hand. "Are you serious?"
Shea gripped Nathan's hand, and stared intently at the beautiful man in front of him. "Yeah dude, I am"
Then, holding hands, they walked through dozens of slightly reddened faces and dancing bodies, and closed the door behind them.
Nathan pulled the gorgeous youth on top of him, their tongues locked in passion as he pulled at the button's on Shea's shirt, then let the shirt fall back onto his shoulders, and gasped.
"Oh fuck. Shea, you're so hot."
Shea smiled nervously down on Nathan. Even in this uncertain moment, he had a great smile.
Shea leaned over to kiss him, then took a sudden detour, throwing up into the wastebasket by the bed.
Shocked, Nathan grabbed Shea by by the shoulders and held him as he trembled. "Shit, man. . . are you OK?"
Shea turned away. "I dunno- I think I'm OK..."
His body was shaking as he screwed his eyes shut and saw Jesse's innocent young face, complete with careless pie crumbs on his neck, those deep, old-soul eyes boring into his skull". He sobbed.
Nate pulled Shea into his arms and held him as he cried.
Shea opened an eye and glance sideways to the clock. 3:10AM. He realized he was naked but for his boxers and lying on his bed, and as his head rose and saw the lean silhouette on his balcony, staring up at the starlit sky, the events of the night came rushing back. He dragged himself to his feet and quietly stepped out onto the balcony.
"So what was his name?" Nathan's voice shocked Shea, it's coolness, the shadowed head unmoving, endlessly gazing to the heavens. It was a few moments before Shea answered.
"Jesse. His name was Jesse."
Nathan slid around and slipped to his feet, facing Shea, both bodies painted with the silver glow of a full moon. He spoke.
"I was a lawyer. A damn fine one too. I got a case from a young man who had been charged with indecent dealings with a fourteen year old boy. As I talked to him, and argued every argument in the book, I found myself attracted to him. At first I denied it, but as the days went by, I began to fall in love with this boy. One night, we were discussing his case over dinner at a cafe, and he wanted to get some fresh air in the park. When I followed him into the darkened park, he kissed me. One thing led to another...."
He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly, furrows appearing in his forehead.
"... and a police patrol caught us. My wife left me, I was charged and lost my Australian Law Certificate, and it all became too much to bear. So, one night, I packed my bags, and booked a ticket."
Moments passed, and Nathan drew a deep breath.
Shea broke the silence. "So what was his name?"
Another pause.
"Shaun. His name was Shaun."
As the wave subsided into the inky blackness of the water, Shea ignored the chafe of the zipper against his back. He needed to think, to feel, and sitting here, in the cool Florida swell on a balmy night, eased his pain, soothed his weary head. His lithe body, slickly covered with neoprene, bobbed up and down on the tide as he stared up at the stars, and wept. Taking the last wave into shore, he dumped his board on the beach and climbed the hill to the phone box.
"The area code is nine, seven, zero. The number is six, six, nine..." Shea squinted in the harsh fluorescent light of the phonebox, slid clad in his wetsuit, his eyes on his watch, the sand on his feet, the clouds, anything back down onto that beach. ".... if you would like to be automatically connected for an additional fifty cents, please dial nine, now.."
4:10AM... his mind tried to work out the time difference between Loveland, CO, and Miami...three hours? Four? The phone rang once, twice, three times, Halfway through the fourth ring, a sleepy voice answered.
"Hello?"
"Jesse?"
"Yeah, uh, who is this?"
Shea panicked. Holding his breath he grappled with words, his tongue drying out and sticking to the floor of his mouth.
"Shea? Is that you? I can hear the beach..."
He uttered a silent cry
"Shea, it's OK.... I understand. I have to sleep, I'll write to you. Goodbye, pal."
He heard a yawn, then a click
"I still love you, man..." Shea whispered to the busy signal.
Karen let the mop fall to the floor, wiped her brow and raised an eyebrow. "You mean you DIDN'T? What are you, crazy?"
"There's more to it than that. It was like, I wanted him, but it just brought back painful memories."
"You really have to learn to get over things... I don't know, whatcha-do-with-ya-life..." Karen trailed off into Italian, her eyes surveying the few customers torturing their stomachs.
"You were moping."
"Well thank you, Professor Shea! How's the Nuclear Physics degree going?" Karen snarled playfully. Shea giggled and threw a napkin at her.
Someone cleared his throat and Shea spun around, then gulped and took a step forward towards the counter.
Nathan leaned forward and said under his breath "Can we meet tonight?"
Shea nodded.
"Midnight. Our beach." He turned and strode out.
Karen sidled up "So??"
Shea, hearing the rolling surf from up on the hill, turned and grinned.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just live life. I mean, I can't live in the past forever can I? Look, I need to go early tonight. Will you be OK here?"
"Sure. Call me OK?"
Shea nodded and leapt the counter.
Nate stood as the long-haired figure advanced down the beach. He dropped his board in the cool sand, and shook salty water from his hair, then looked down into Nathan's clear eyes, and saw only love and care.
"Shea, there's something I have to tell you, and I want you to understand... whatever's happened in the pa-"
Shea's lips cut off his words as he grabbed Nathan's hips and drew him to his own body, the damp rubber rubbing against Nathan's chest as the wind blew his hair up, shrouding the locked faces in it's salt-stained softness. Nate moaned and ran his hands down Shea's chest, feeling the bulk and tight smooth skin through the wetsuit as Shea reached behind and pulled the zipper down.. The thick black skin fell back to reveal the object of Nathan's affections, nude to the ankles, staring wistfully into his eyes.
Nate pulled him slowly to the ground, then wrapped an arm around him, kissing his eyes, his neck, his chest. As his lips and tongue pressed against Shea's left nipple, Nate gripped Shea's shoulders firmly. The result was a warm, secure feeling of a strong embrace from a man who may or may not be in love with him. Shea sighed and leaned back as Nathan worked his way down, kissing softly, his hands stroking the perfect legs and his thighs.
Nathan's lips encircled Shea's shaft and he yelped, his hips bucking slightly, the sudden warmth filling him with ecstasy.
"Oh Nate, that's crazy man, don't stop." he gasped as Nathan began to swallow his manhood in deep, rhythmic movements. After what seemed like an eternity, Nathan looked up and climbed over Shea, smiling serenely down upon him. Shea felt his cock press against his virgin ass, and began to get nervous.
"It's OK, Shea, I'll be gentle... do you want it?"
"I don't know, I think so, just be easy on me, it's my first time."
Nathan seemed to chuckle inside. "I know. Just relax." Nathan firmly pushed against Shea, and after a moment of resistance, begin to enter him. Shea immediately cried out in pain, his back arching, but then felt the pain empty away and was replaced by a warm, fulfilled feeling. As Nathan began to fuck his young lover, he leaned down and whispered the three words Shea needed to hear.
"I love you Shea."
Shea began to cry again, but silently, tears of joy running from his face as Nathan made love to him...he closed his eyes and flew away, among the clouds, among the stars.
He woke up in his room, Nathan's arms around him.. Gently tugging free, he headed downstairs to get a glass of water.
As he turned to take his glass upstairs he noticed an Express Letter on the mat under his letterhole. He checked the postmark. Loveland.
Shea,
I know you may feel about me, the same way I do about you.
Which is kinda why I wrote this letter so soon.
The truth is, when you left, I didn't stop loving you, and
I never will... But I have Zach now, and I don't know whether
you have someone... But I hope you find a guy (or girl) worthy
of your love.
Drop by sometime, I'd like to see you. And take care.
Love,
Jesse.
So that was the big goodbye. Love, Jesse. With the suddenness of the letter, and the finality of it's contents, it took a moment to sink in. He went to shed a tear, but instead, felt only freedom. Jesse had set him free. He could love again. The sun shined on the surfer's face as he smiled and climbed the stairs.