Page 30 of Proof Of Life

“How do you know?” He picks the pillow up off the ground and throws it back at me, and I catch it. “Did you look?”

“No! That’s just what he said.”

“Yeah,” I say with a laugh, shaking my head, “he said a lot of shit. You’re not itchy are you?” I ask, checking out his groin.

Brandt rushes me, grabs the pillow from my grasp, and smothers my face with it. “Quit scoping out my junk and go get the damn beer while I grab the meat.”

“Wash your hands first,” I call out as he heads inside.

“Iwant you to slide your ass in that hot tub and relax.”

West grabs my hand when I start to walk away. “Wait, aren’t you getting in?”

“Yup, just got to grab something from inside. Get started without me.”

In the top drawer of my nightstand, I've been saving something for West to help improve his pain and his mood. He's been having a hard time since I cut back his narcotics. I grab the joint and the lighter and head back outside. West is already waist deep in the water. He tips his head back to rest against the edge of the tub and looks up at me with a loose smile on his face, courtesy of his beer buzz.

“You coming in with all that on?”

I can’t see what he’s wearing clearly through the bubbling surface, but I’ll bet it isn’t much, so I strip down to my briefs and climb in. Reclining in the built-in lounger, I tug on his hand.

“Come over here.”

“Over where? What’re you doing?” He laughs, unsure of what I’m asking.

“Come sit over here, on me.”

“Sit on you?” He laughs again, but floats over to me, and I pull him down on my lap and situate him so he’s laid out over me, reclining with his back against my stomach and chest. I hook my leg over his to keep him locked in.

We don’t usually do this kind of thing. I mean, we used to cuddle together sometimes, but it’s been a long time since he’s felt like letting his guard down around me—around anyone. Barring our nightly showers, where he continues to jack off as I stand behind him, holding his hips steady, we haven’t had any moments that come close to crossing a boundary. I’m guessing with West’s confidence and self-esteem at an all-time low, he doesn’t care to seek attention like he used to. He doesn’t want eyes and hands on his body—not even mine, the safest person in the world for him.

But tonight, with both of us feeling loose from the alcohol, a beautiful sky above us filled with stars, classic rock playing softly in the background—our moods are relaxed. The most relaxed I’ve seen him in weeks. I just want to keep it going as long as I can, whether it’s just for tonight, or I can milk a few days out of it.

West needs this, and so do I.

Because he’s lying on top of me, his body is closer to the surface, and his chest rises from the water. His dark brown nipples are hard and tight, and the longer I stare at them, the harder and tighter I become. To distract myself, I grab the blunt from the edge of the tub, slide it between my lips, and light it before offering it to him.

“Open up.”

“Where’d you get that from?”

“A guy I know on base. I thought maybe it would help you relax.”

“As long as you don’t get busted.” He takes it from me and hits it.

“What are they going to do, kick us out?”

West chuckles and hits it again. “I guess you have a point,” he says, blowing out a stream of thick white smoke. “When we’re done with Bragg, you want to live here?”

“Long-term or short-term?”

“Either. I have no fucking clue what we’re supposed to do with ourselves now. I just feel like if we’re making a fresh start, we could do it here.”

He passes the joint back to me. “I don’t care what we do, West. As long as we do it together.”

“Damn right,” he says with a sigh, easing his head back against my chest.

I slide my hands over his shoulders and knead his tense muscles, digging my thumbs into his stiff neck. He reaches back and grabs the blunt from between my lips and sighs with pleasure. In fact, the more I rub, the more he continues to sigh, making little groans and moans that only make my dick harder. It might be the first time he’s had such an effect on me, and maybe it’s because his body is in contact with mine, maybe it’s the sounds he’s making that remind me of sex, or maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t had any in so long, but I’m rock-fucking-hard for West Wardell, my best friend.

---