Double Full (Nice Guys 1)

“Thanks, Jace. Listen, I was thinking. It’s spring break. My agent has the hook-up on a place in Hawaii. I’m getting it for like five days starting Wednesday. It’s why I’m still here on campus. You should come down there with me,” Colt said, and like many times during this conversation, Jace stood there frozen in place. Had he just heard that right? He stared out at the night completely confused. Vacation with Colt? In Hawaii? Seriously?

“Are you there?” Colt asked.

“Yeah,” Jace responded, unsure how to answer. His heart beat violently in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to go, but he didn’t have that kind of money for a plane ticket. What did a plane ticket to Hawaii cost anyway? Certainly more than a couple hundred bucks, right? That was all he had to his name, and his heart sank.

“Does that yeah answer both of my questions, or just one? Did you already have plans?” Colt asked with uncertainty in his voice.

“I was just going home. No big plans. You know, or maybe you don’t, I’m here on scholarship. I don’t really have the money…” Jace started, but Colt cut him off.

“I got two airline tickets, and the place is covered. We’ll just need food and lube.” Colt laughed, but Jace remained quiet, wondering why Colt asked him and not one of his friends. Hell, maybe someone else bailed on him and Jace was an easy second because he was clearly a very willing body or bottom, depending on the need. But did Jace even really care about being a second thought? Nah, he didn’t. He would be stupid if he passed up his chance to spend a few days in Hawaii, lounging on the beach, sipping Mai Tais and soaking up the tropical sun with the ‘hottie’ on the phone.

“I was just joking. I’ll cover the cost of food, and we don’t have to…” Colt started but Jace interrupted him.

“No, I get it. It was funny,” Jace answered. Was he seriously going to say yes? Really?

“But not funny enough to laugh?” Colt asked, the humor was back in his voice and Jace realized he was taking too long to answer Colt’s question.

“No, it’s not that, I just… This just… You shocked me today and now you’re doing it again.” There, he said it. No more skirting around the biggest point of this entire conversation.

“Is that a bad thing?” Colt asked.

“No, not for me. Would we go all alone? I mean just the two of us?” Jace asked, hopeful.

“Yes, no one else. Just the two of us. So you’ll go with me?” Colt’s voice lifted, he sounded honestly excited. “Come on, Jace, let’s get away. I loved tonight; I want more time with you, alone. I wasn’t lying when I said I’ve watched you since before I ever started this school. It’s been a long time coming for me. Please. Say yes.”

“See, you keep shocking me,” Jace said. The visual image of Colt’s muscular body and dark good looks playing in the ocean and letting all that water run down his naked flesh… Damn, Jace was freaking hard again!

“I know, just say yes. Fuck it, fuck everything. Just say yes,” Colt begged.

“Yes!” he said, surprised the word flew out of his mouth so quickly.

“Great! Do you text?” Colt asked excitedly. Jace could hear some background noise on Colt’s end. The call was muffled as Colt said something and came back. “Jace, do you text?”

“Somewhat,” Jace said. Texting was the new thing on campus, but Jace secretly hoped that form of communication never caught on, because it was such a pain in the ass, punching all those numbers just to get the right letter to flash on the screen.

“Good. I’ll text you all the info. Dates, flight times, and the address. We might not be traveling together. I’d already booked my flight when I decided to go alone.” Colt’s voice trailed off.

“It’s okay,” Jace assured him.

“Damn! I gotta go. Some of the guys on the team are here. David and Tim are on my ass, so I need to go,” Colt apologized, his frustration clear from the tone of his voice.

“No problem. I’ll talk to you later,” Jace said, turning on his heel toward his front door.

“Yeah. And, Jace, thank you,” Colt whispered.

“Thank you for what?” Jace stopped at the front door, his hand on the knob.

“Just thank you. Bye.” Colt disconnected the phone.

Jace pushed open the door to his apartment. His roommates were clearly getting the party started, all dressed up and ready for the night. A row of shot glasses were lined up along the kitchen bar. There were three guys and about twenty shots ready to go. They were downing them, leaving every fourth one for Jace.

“Hey! Where have you been? We were gonna leave you a note!” Gregory said, after getting his second shot down. Every person in this apartment was at college on scholarship. The lack of money had them getting tipsy before they ever left the house. Drinks were too expensive at the bar.

“Y’all go on without me. I’ll catch up later,” Jace said, bypassing the group.

“You had sex!” Jonathon called out.

“You did. Lucky boy!” Gregory seconded. Jace ignored them, not even turning back, because no way could he share and they might wear him down until he told something.

“You’re walking funny. You bottomed!” Gregory called out. Jace shut his bedroom door, and reached back to push the lock in, smiling when he heard them at the door.

“Details! We need details! I’m the bottom! You never bottom!” Jace couldn’t tell if Jonathon or Gregory yelled at his door. They were both crazy and had zero sense of decorum. They would do or say anything.

“Way off base as usual,” Jace yelled back, grabbing his iPod and shoving the earbuds in his ear, he totally ignored his roommates as he selected a playlist and stretched out on his bed, thinking about Colt.

There was a game plan to dating. Jace wondered if he’d said yes too quickly? Nobody wanted the guy who was ripe for the picking. Jace struggled with his feelings. No question, he was already falling hard for Colt. After one session in a locker room and a brief conversation on the phone, he was completely lost. What would spending days in a tropical paradise do to him? If he went through with this, he was most definitely setting himself up for heartbreak.