Fight the Tide (9 page)

“So, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I’m not some expert sailor. I know a fair bit, but I could get in over my head fast out there. We’ve been lucky so far.”

“Okay. So we go south along the coast. Stick close to land?”

Parker nodded. “Normally, I’d take the ICW. Sorry, Intracoastal Waterway. It’s basically a safer way to get to Florida. It follows along the coast, but it’s rivers and lakes and canals.”

“Why can’t we take it now?”

“There are a bunch of locks. You know, on canals, where the water level changes? I don’t think we can open or close the gates ourselves. And some bridges need to be raised since they’re too low for masts. There are risks either way we go, but getting trapped in a lock or cracking our mast on a low bridge are not scenarios I want to deal with.”

Adam could imagine creepers swarming toward them from either side with arms outstretched, fingers bloody. Even though he could fight them, he’d rather not. “Agreed.” He looked up at the Big Dipper arcing through the heavens. “So we stick to the ocean. The question is, do we do it alone?”

Parker clutched the rope. “I want to say yes. We do it alone.”

He waited. “But?”

With a sigh, Parker shook his head. “They seem like decent people. They have kids. They need our help. Plus, they could help us. Having a paramedic could be really important. Could be strength in numbers.”

“I think we can trust them. Jacob didn’t say much when we were up on deck, but I got a little out of him. I don’t think they’ve hurt anyone. We’ll take it slow. Keep separate boats. And we won’t tell them about me.”

“Definitely not,” Parker said sharply. “They have to earn that. We’ll see how it goes. Any time either of us feels like we should cut the cord, we do it. Snip, snip. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Parker blew out a long breath. “Fuck, what a day. I hope their boat is still there.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

“Go to sleep. It’s late.”

“You should too. Come on.” He took Adam’s hand and pulled, but Adam stayed put.

“I’ll keep watch. Not tired.”

Parker shoved his fists back into the big pocket on the front of his sweatshirt. He watched Adam for a long moment. “What’s—” He broke off, shaking his head. “Okay. Come wake me up in a few hours and we’ll switch.”

Adam nodded, and Parker disappeared down the hatch. There was no chance he’d wake Parker, and they both knew it. He stifled a yawn and stretched his neck. Sleep would be wonderful, but it was his job to protect. He wouldn’t fail again.

*

As
Bella
swayed
on the waves’ gentle rolls, Adam spread his feet and cast out again, relishing the sound of the fishing line zipping out from the reel. He’d never fished growing up, but still associated the distinct sounds of it with relaxation.

They were far enough out that he couldn’t hear any chattering of infected from the mainland. Along with the plaintive cries of distant gulls and water slapping the hull, the only sounds filling his ears as the day waned were Parker’s voice across the span of water between the two boats, and the heartbeats of Abby, Craig, and the kids.

“Okay, so what’s the difference between the rudder and the keel?” Parker asked, standing on the deck of the
Saltwater Taffy
with the others sitting near his feet. He’d thrown so many new words at them that Adam would be surprised if they could remember their own names.

But little Lilly raised her hand. “Um, the rudder is for steering, and the keel is for staying steady?”

“Exactly!”

Adam watched across the water, reeling in his fishing line. Now that they’d decided to keep the newcomers around, Parker smiled a little more easily. It had been a long day of recovering the other boat, which had miraculously still been bobbing on the waves. It’d taken hours for Parker to untangle the lines and make it seaworthy once more. He’d taught them what he called “the basics,” a dizzying litany of nautical terms and procedures.

They’d finally sailed on and found a secluded cove by a tiny island in one of the sounds of the southern Outer Banks. Adam had splashed ashore and run the length of it, making sure they were well and truly alone. He made sure to take his time, and Craig and Abby hadn’t questioned him going ashore alone. They’d only seemed relieved to get the all-clear.

The two boats were anchored some distance away from each other after Parker did calculations on depth and “swing radius” and the anchor “rode.” Everyone had stared at him blankly until he’d explained that they didn’t want to drift and hit each other in the night or get their anchor lines tangled.

Parker had grumbled that he had his work cut out for him in making sailors of them all, and God, Adam had wanted to kiss him. His lips still itched with it.

Instead, he slipped the camera from his pocket and started filming the other boat. No one else noticed, and he ran the camera over everyone on board, capturing their faces and voices.

“Okay, now we’ll trim the sail one more time,” Parker said. “Uh, Jacob, how about it?”

Jacob’s head jerked up. “Me?”

“Sure, why not? The only way to really learn is by doing.”

“You got this, sweetheart,” Abby said as Craig gave Jacob’s shoulder a supportive squeeze.

Parker held down his hand to pull Jacob to his feet. “I’ve been doing it since I was younger than you. Trust me.”

Jacob’s heart kicked up as he took Parker’s hand, and Adam cocked his head as he watched, the fishing line forgotten for the moment.

“Okay, so remember how the sails are positioned depends on the conditions. Where you’re heading, and where the wind’s coming from. You have to adjust your sails so they’ll work the most effectively. We want to minimize drag and optimize lift. Kind of like the wings on an airplane. Okay, look up at the mainsail.” With his hand on Jacob’s back, Parker positioned him.

As the lesson continued, Adam flipped off his camera and listened to Jacob’s heart skip around like a mariachi band. He smiled to himself. The kid wasn’t scared—his sweat smelled fresh, with a distinctive spike of arousal. No, the kid wasn’t scared at all, and Adam remembered the same fluttery feelings every time he’d gotten close to Henry Chen when they were lab partners in the tenth grade.

He cast out his line again, focusing his hearing on the lap of the waves and the chirp of birds, Parker’s voice a pleasant and indistinct murmur. Over the years, he’d trained himself to narrow his focus so he didn’t go crazy listening to other people, especially when he wanted peace and quiet.

He’d managed to catch two decent-sized fish by the time Parker came back in the dinghy. “Lesson went well?” Adam asked.

“Think so. You know you could use a refresher. Or five. Ten, probably.” Parker disappeared into the hatch and returned with his nautical charts.

“Yeah, yeah.” Adam cast out again. “I don’t really need to learn. I’ve got you. I’m just the cabin boy on this vessel, remember?”

Parker laughed. “Your lack of ambition might bite you in the ass if I’m not around one day.”

All the wonderful easiness sucked out of the air and a stone sank in Adam’s gut. “That’s not funny.”

Exhaling with exasperation, Parker spread out on the deck. “I was joking. Chill.”

Adam didn’t answer, turning back to his fishing. Parker’s pencil scratched over paper where he was sprawled on his stomach in the rosy sunset, examining charts.

The breeze was cool, but despite Parker’s sweatshirt and jeans, his feet were still bare. He scratched at the back of his neck, and Adam focused on the drag of Parker’s blunt nails over his growing hair, the scuffing sound making him itch to touch. Then, despite his best efforts, Adam’s gaze was drawn to the purple bruise on Parker’s temple, the angry red edges starting to fade to yellow.

He thought of Parker crumpled on the deck, shivering violently, exposed and alone. Forcing an inhalation, Adam’s teeth ached, and he clamped his jaw shut to keep his fangs in check.

“Oh my God, would you stop?”

Blinking, he focused on the thin line of Parker’s lips pressed together. Trying to think of what he’d done wrong and coming up blank, Adam raised an eyebrow.

“Stop looking at me,” Parker hissed, pushing to his knees and rolling up the charts with jerky movements.

“Stop looking at you?” he echoed. Something tugged at his line, and he reeled it in too quickly, coming up with just the hook and lure. He tried a joke, lowering his voice to a leering tone. “I thought you liked it when I look at you.”

Parker stood there staring at him. “You seriously don’t get it?” Clenching his jaw, he stalked toward the stern, his feet slapping on the wood.

After dropping the rod into the storage area under one of the benches at the bow, Adam followed, catching him by the hatch with his long strides. He reached for his arm, but let his hand hover. “Parker, what—”

Whirling, Parker stared at Adam’s outstretched hand accusingly, then met his eyes. “Stop looking at me like I’m
broken
!”

As Parker’s shout rang out over the water, Adam registered the cessation in talking on the other boat. Parker barreled down the steps, and Adam called out, “Everything’s fine!” and gave the others a wave before following Parker, who paced up and down the saloon, the faint green light of the radar screen chasing away some of the shadows.

“I’m not…” Adam tried to think of the right words.

“You are!” A few feet away, Parker skidded to a stop, gesturing with his hands. “I’m fine, Adam. I’m fine. It was nothing.”

“It was not.”

He tapped the side of his head. “I barely feel it anymore, so just stop acting like it’s a big deal.”

Adam kept his tone even. “You were hurt. They hurt you and I…”

“You what?” He raised his hands.

“I wasn’t here! I wasn’t here to stop them.” His words hung in the damp air.

Green light flickered over Parker’s face as he stepped closer. “This is the world we live in now. Creepers and pirates and who the fuck knows what else. It sucked, but it’s done, and I’m fine.”

“You know what it was like finding you like that?” Adam blurted.

Parker’s eyebrows flew up. “Yeah, I do. Because I had to watch you unconscious and helpless in that lab where they cut you up for their experiments. And I fucking hated it, but I know you’re strong, and I don’t think less of you now.”

“What? I don’t think less of you either!”

Hurt creased Parker’s face, making Adam’s heart stutter. “Then why do you barely touch me?”

“What? No. I touch you.” Adam reached out as if to prove his point, but Parker dodged.

“Not the same way. It’s different now. Like you think I’ll fucking shatter. And you haven’t tried to fuck me.”

“We’ve barely been alone! Things have been a little busy.” He gestured in the general direction of the other boat.

“Or is that just an excuse because now I’m…” Parker swallowed hard. “I’m weak.”

Adam strode forward and grasped the back of Parker’s head, pulling him into a bruising kiss, their lips mashed together. Parker dug his fingers into Adam’s sides, bunching up his T-shirt. They opened their mouths, teeth smashing and stubble scraping.

When Adam pulled back to gasp, he tightened his fingers against Parker’s skull. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. And you’re
mine
. I want you all the time. Don’t ever think I don’t.”

“So fuck me.”

Growling, Adam yanked off Parker’s clothes and pulled out the retractable table, bending him over it. The red marks on Parker’s ass had faded away, and now Adam ran his hands roughly over that pale skin, up to his tanned shoulders and down to this thighs, leaving his own marks and sucking on the side of Parker’s neck.

He could smell Parker’s growing arousal, and it made his own cock swell, pressing against the fly of his jeans. Still dressed, he rutted against Parker’s ass, making him shudder.

“Stop teasing,” Parker gritted out. “Fuck me!”

“Shh. Sound carries over the water.”

“I don’t goddamn c—”

Adam shoved two fingers into Parker’s mouth, and Parker sucked them greedily, his tongue working. Adam groaned. “
Fuck
, your mouth,” he muttered. Of course Parker sucked harder, and Adam’s cock throbbed.

Around Adam’s fingers, Parker mumbled, “Fuck my mouth, my ass. Fuck all of me.”

Adam withdrew his fingers with a wet
pop
and spread Parker’s cheeks to tease his hole, sticking his index finger just inside. Humping the table, Parker huffed, and Adam had to laugh. Parker glared over his shoulder, but apparently couldn’t stop a smile.

“Are you going to fuck me, or do I have to fuck myself?” He licked his lips. “I can make a dildo out of something in the kitchen. Fuck myself hard with it if you won’t. Or are you going to give me what I want?”

The thought of watching Parker use a makeshift dildo certainly had its appeal, but as Adam pushed a finger into his tight heat, his dick ached to be there. “I’m going to give you exactly what you want,” he whispered, leaning over close to Parker’s ear while he pushed in another spit-slick finger past the ring of muscle. “Because you can take it, can’t you?”

Jerking out a nod, Parker squeezed around Adam’s fingers. “Give it to me.”