...After a lunch of burgers and fries, Josh was ready to kick back on the beach. Sitting by the wave pool might not have been quite as relaxing as sitting by the ocean, but the artificial beach was real enough for him. On the way, he stopped to buy a beer.

When the guy behind the counter handed him a bottle, he glanced at Quinn. “You want one?”

Quinn shook his head. “No, thanks. I’ll stick with water. My father was an alcoholic.”

Okay. That wasn’t good. Josh looked at the bottle in his hand. “Would you rather I didn’t drink either?”

The smile Quinn sent him was reassuring, as was his quick reply. “Not at all. I don’t have a problem with other people drinking, but I’ve read that alcoholism can be hereditary, and I don’t want to go down that road.”

He wasn’t sure what to say. Quinn’s conviction was sensible. Sad, but sensible. And it might help explain a few things. What kind of childhood must Quinn have endured, with an alcoholic father who had died when Quinn was only thirteen? The few hints the man had given him told him it hadn’t been pleasant.

Not wanting to dwell on a subject that probably made Quinn unhappy, Josh changed the subject. “Ready to hit the beach?”

“Definitely.”

They found a pair of white lounge chairs near the wave pool and spread their towels over them. Josh sat on his and reapplied sunscreen wherever he could reach, offering the bottle to Quinn.

Quinn peered down at his chest, which hadn’t turned pink from the sun yet. “Good idea. The last thing I need is to get sunburned.”

“Want me to get your back?” Josh kept his voice cool and calm, trying not to telegraph how much he wanted to touch Quinn, and have Quinn touch him.

“Sure.” Quinn turned to present his back. “I’ll get yours for you in a minute.”

Score. Josh didn’t bother to hide his triumphant grin. He smoothed the sunscreen over the hard muscles and smooth, creamy skin of Quinn’s back using slow, sensual strokes of his fingertips. He traced the indentation of Quinn’s spine, trying not to be too obvious about it. Quite a few small scars marred the surface of his back, and Josh traced those as well. The feel of warm skin beneath his hands was addictive. He had to force himself to stop.

“Okay, all done.”

Quinn twisted around to grab the sunscreen bottle. “Now I’ll do yours. You can lay on your stomach if you want.”

Lying on his stomach was a smart move. Quinn’s large, strong hands, slick with lotion, ghosted over his back with surprising gentleness. The moment they touched him, Josh’s dick took notice. The touch wasn’t sexual, but it was Quinn, and somehow that made all the difference.

Quinn rubbed over a knot in his shoulder, and Josh winced. “Ow.”

Quinn immediately stopped. “Did I hurt you?”

He sounded so concerned, Josh chuckled. “No, I’ve got a knot there. Not your fault.”

“Oh. Good.” A pause. “I could try to take care of it for you, if you want.”

Josh wanted. Once again he tried to play cool, but wasn’t sure how successful he was. “I’d appreciate that. Thanks.”

He closed his eyes as Quinn’s hands resumed their previous position, only this time Quinn kneaded the tight muscles in his shoulders. The knot, along with a few others, dissolved under Quinn’s determined probing. He couldn’t help groaning at how good it felt. The thought of those hands stroking other parts of his body popped into his head, and his half-hard cock sprang to full attention. He was going to have to stay on his stomach for a while, unless he wanted to embarrass them both.

Finally Quinn stopped his massage. He didn’t lift his hands from Josh’s back, though. “Is that better?”

“Much. You have great hands.” And I wish you’d put them all over me. Josh wisely refrained from saying that out loud. He didn’t want to scare Quinn off. He peered up to catch Quinn’s reaction to his statement.

The big man was blushing. “Thanks.” He took his hands from Josh’s back slowly, like he was reluctant to stop touching.