Page 16 of Bassist With Benefits
“I don’t know. I’m from New York.” Cam held up a plate of steaming hot pancakes, “But I know who can make the best pancakes on a tour bus!”
Jeremy’s stomach grumbled. “The offer to marry me still stands.”
It garnered the evil eye from Brandon, which made the teasing remark worthwhile.
Once they settled into the hotel, everyone including the dog set out to hit the surf at Cocoa Beach. Arriving the day before they were expected meant that they avoided a crowd of fans at the hotel. They piled into an SUV, since it was less conspicuous than a limo, with Bulletproof’s security team following in a car behind them.
The Cocoa Beach Pier was busy. Families and groups of friends walked the long pier, sat outside restaurants, or just watched the waves. No one seemed to notice that the group headed to the beach was rock stars and their entourage of bodyguards.
The five of them stood at the shoreline facing the endless blue ocean, surfboards in hand, ready to dive into the water. Except Cam. The guy loved the pool and soaked up the sun, but he wouldn’t set foot in the ocean unless he was on fire.
Two pretty girls in bikinis walked by and stopped talking long enough to smile. As they continued along the shore, they glanced back every few seconds, their flirtatious smiles offering an invitation to strike up a conversation.
Derek returned a smile and a wave when they were a good distance away. “They probably have no idea they’re flirting with a bunch of gay dudes, or members of a heavy metal band.” So far, Bulletproof’s security team – four burly men in suits and dark sunglasses – were drawing more attention.
Brandy barked at a wave that rolled in and chased it as it retreated into the ocean. She splashed around, biting at the surf and snorting as the water tickled her nose. Jeremy couldn’t suppress his laughter. She was so much fun to have around.
“C’mon, girl!” Cam produced a tennis ball, tossed it in the air and caught it. “Let’s go for a run on the boardwalk.”
“You’re not gonna watch me surf?” Brandon asked with pouty lips, while he tied his long blond hair into a ponytail.
Cam took two purposeful steps toward Brandon and placed his hands on Brandon’s pecs. “I’d love to watch the water drip down your body and your hair fly in the wind while you ride a wave like Adonis, but I don’t think dogs are allowed on the beach. I don’t want her to get in trouble.”
Brandon let out a long sigh. “Upstaged by a dog. Again.” He flexed his muscles and presented a classic bodybuilder pose – arms at a 90 degree angle with his fists curled into his wrists, his face to the sun, and one leg spread to the side to show off his muscular quads. “You’d better hope those girls don’t come back,” he teased.
“Don’t you dare make me jealous, Brandon Bullet. Do I need to claim you in front of everyone?”
“If you don’t, people will think I’m a free man,” Brandon taunted.
Cam grabbed Brandon’s face between his hands and kissed him so hard that Brandon’s knees buckled, and he had to put one foot back to brace himself. When Cam finally released his hold and left with the dog, Brandon was left staring after his lover with a tent at the crotch of his swim trunks.
Derek grunted a laugh. “Are you gonna part the ocean with that thing?”
Brandon tried to tame his erection by pushing it to the left and then the right, but it kept springing to attention. He finally just gave up. “Let’s see if we can hit some of these waves.”
The four of them paddled into the ocean in pairs. Jeremy purposely hung back and let Derek go out first with Brandon so that he could follow with Alan. The water was warmer than on the West Coast but not as blue. Jeremy straddled his board and floated on the ocean’s surface. He shielded his eyes from the sun and stared into the picturesque horizon. With his legs dangling in the Atlantic and his hair blowing in the wind, the stress of the last few weeks melted away. He took a deep breath and the salty air infiltrated his lungs like a much-needed dose of oxygen.
“Come on!” Alan waved him forward. “Let’s ride the swell that’s coming in.”
Alan’s grey eyes took on a bluish hue from the water’s reflection, his tanned skin already deepened by a kiss from the sun. The arc of his chest, every curve of muscle, was highlighted by the dew of the ocean. He was stunning, and it took Jeremy’s breath away. They shared so many memories on the water, but Jeremy was reminded of when they were kids, and Alan was teaching him to surf . . . . .
“Come on!” Alan called to Jeremy. “Don’t be afraid of the waves. I’m right here if you fall off your board. I’m not gonna let my best friend drown.”
Jeremy wasn’t worried about drowning in the rough surf. His parents had made him take swimming lessons when he was five years old. Now, at 14, he had very little inhibitions about the water, but he was still a novice surfer. It was anxiety about screwing up on the surfboard that made him hesitate to ride the waves. They were at the Wedge in Newport Beach, which was for experienced surfers, and Jeremy didn’t want to embarrass Alan. He let another wave go by without paddling along with it, and he offered a sheepish, apologetic smile in his friend’s direction.
Alan paddled over on his board and floated next to Jeremy. “What’s wrong? You did great at Venice Beach all week.” He looked at the small swells around them. “These are ankle busters.”
The low surf is exactly why Jeremy wanted to come here today. The Wedge was known for its 10-foot swells, and he didn’t think he’d be comfortable riding anything of that magnitude anytime soon. So, when Alan mentioned that the Wedge was only getting three-footers today, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to visit the best place to surf in Orange County. Now he was second-guessing himself.
Alan turned his board around so they were both facing the shore. “I’ll ride in with you. We’ll do it together.” He leaned forward on his board and looked over his shoulder, ready to paddle. “Get in position. When I say ‘go’, paddle your heart out, like you’re wailing on your bass.”
Jeremy was ready. He wanted to show Alan that he could do it. He wanted to make his friend proud. He nodded and watched the horizon behind him. The swell glided toward them, growing with each second. Alan yelled “Go!” and Jeremy paddled as fast as his arms would allow. He blocked out everything and concentrated on the water underneath him, quickly raising him higher toward the blue sky. He sprang to his feet and caught his balance. With his arms out to the side, and the wind blowing through his shoulder-length hair, he was riding high. It felt like he was flying, and his heart rate was soaring. The spray of water soaked his ankles and sprinkled his back while the beautiful scent of the ocean filled his nostrils. A few yards away, his best friend was riding the same wave.
Over the last year, Alan’s chest, arms, and shoulders had filled out. The constant hard drumming was turning the teenage boy’s physique into that of a man. Even his legs were muscled as he crouched down on the surfboard. Alan’s father was Mexican, which is why he always had a deep tan, but his mother was Irish, so he had the most beautiful pale gray eyes. The combination was mesmerizing. And his lashes – God, those lashes. They were thick and lush and formed a perfect dark outline around his silvery eyes.
Alan had been growing his hair longer too, and it was past his shoulders now, like the rest of the guys in the band. He’d been complaining that it was too hot when he played, though, so he wasn’t sure if he was going to let it grow or if he was going to cut it short again.
The reflection of the water caught Alan’s light eyes as he flashed a proud smile at Jeremy. “Wooooo!” The water brought their boards close enough so that they were able to slap hands for the briefest of seconds before they veered away from one another, but only by a few feet. The connection was electric. It was a bond between boyhood friends that sparked a lifelong friendship.
