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TK taps his foot impatiently against the lifeguard stand support beam, his eyes roaming around the pool below him to ensure that everyone is staying safe. It’s a little after lunchtime, and this is usually when the bio accidents start to happen, parents refusing to follow the rules and letting their kids dive in after inhaling hot dogs and candy for lunch.
The sun is directly overhead, beating down on the swimmers and poolside loungers. Even under the partial shade of an umbrella, TK can feel the heat, intensely dry in a way that’s frustratingly Texan. He looks down at his arms, wondering if he should reapply his sunscreen, when he feels someone tapping on the chair leg beneath him. Looking down, he finds the most beautiful person standing beneath him.
“Hey, you,” Carlos says, holding his hand up to shield his eyes as he smiles up at TK. He feels his heart race as he stares down as his… whatever they are, his eyes locking onto Carlos’s massive bicep as it flexes underneath the sleeve of his skin-tight swim shirt. TK feels his throat run dry, the desire to lick the other man from head-to-toe stronger than ever before.
Carlos huffs out a laugh, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight, and TK realizes that Carlos is probably laughing at him and his clear inability to form thoughts whenever he’s near him. That should embarrass him, Carlos knowing the effect that he has on him, but it just doesn’t. He’s glad that Carlos knows how remarkable TK finds him.
“Hi,” TK finally answers after an incredibly long delay, smiling down at the other man. “You’re on break already?”
“Yeah,” Carlos says, reaching out to wrap his hand around TK’s left leg, his fingers gliding along his shin. TK lets out a short gasp; he’s still adjusting to how tactile Carlos can be. Even though they’ve been more-than-friends for twelve days now (yes, he’s keeping count, whatever), TK still can’t believe how much Carlos likes to touch him whenever they’re around each other That was true before, when they were just friends, but now that they’re having sex, it’s just gotten stronger. “I think Iris is doing your break today,” Carlos continues with a grimace, interrupting his workplace-inappropriate thought process.
TK groans. “Oh man,” he says, glancing around to see if he can see her anywhere. Iris Blake is an awesome person, TK thinks she’s great, but she has a tendency to be late to everything. “Has anyone seen her yet?” he asks, looking back down at Carlos hopefully.
“Not sure,” he says, continuing to run his fingers up and down TK’s leg; he’ll admit, it’s very soothing. “Do you want me to order your lunch so you don’t have to wait for it?”
“Would you? Please?” he asks, pulling out his puppy eyes. Carlos laughs, giving his leg a gentle squeeze as he nods.
“You want a salad today?” Carlos asks, looking out at the pool, ever the watchman. “Grilled chicken, low-fat dressing, and a bottle of water?” he continues, reciting TK’s lunch order perfectly. It makes his heart thump in his chest, his feelings for this beautiful man nearly overwhelming him.
“You’re the best,” TK says, and he means it. He really doesn’t think there’s anyone in this world who could hold a candle to Carlos Reyes.
Carlos smiles, and even though he can’t see it under the blazing sun, TK is sure that he’s blushing. It just makes him all the more beautiful. “I’ll wait for you at the pickup window,” he says, giving TK’s leg one last squeeze before he walks away towards the clubhouse. TK shamelessly watches him go, his statuesque body clearly visible through his white shirt and tight red trunks. TK feels his mouth start to water.
He turns back to the pool, focusing on his work to take his mind off of Carlos, as impossible as that may be. Five minutes later, Iris Blake runs up to his chair, breathing out an apology at her lateness as she throws her brown hair into a ponytail. TK quickly climbs down the ladder, shaking his head. “It’s fine Iris,” he says, putting on a bright smile. “It was only a couple of minutes.”
“You doing lunch with Carlos?” Iris hedges, a smirk taking shape on her face. TK knows that he and Carlos are the talk of the break room, and it’s not like they’ve kept their friendship a secret. It figures that the other lifeguards noticed when it transitioned into something else. He and Carlos have done a terrible job of keeping their hands off of one another whenever they’re not on the clock -- and sometimes while they’re on the clock, but that’s all Carlos’s fault.
“Yeah,” TK says, “he’s waiting for me inside.”
“I thought I ran past him, but I couldn’t be sure,” Iris says, climbing up the ladder to take her seat. “He was with some guy.”
TK’s head whips up, his heart beating fast as he takes in her unexpected words. “He was with someone?”
“Yeah, the guy seemed to know him, they were standing pretty close,” Iris answers, staring out at the pool.
TK turns his back on her, his mind racing as he starts to make his way towards the clubhouse. Carlos hadn’t mentioned anyone five minutes ago when they had talked, and TK knows that he’s not someone who keeps secrets. They may have only met six weeks ago, but Carlos wears his heart on his sleeve, and TK kind of feels like he’s known him forever. That’s how open they are with each other. He doesn’t know what’s going on, but it’s probably nothing to worry about.
He steps into the clubhouse, turning to the left to enter the cafe. Right inside the door, he stops in his tracks, his eyes fixed on the pick-up window across the room, where he sees Carlos standing with another guy, his friend’s back to the door.
TK immediately sees red, but it’s not from jealousy. Whatever Iris thought she saw, TK can see now that she was wrong. For one, Carlos is standing with his arms crossed, and TK can see how tense he is; it’s how Carlos stands when he has to settle an argument at the pool, his body taut and uncomfortable. TK sees the other guy leaning towards him, his oily body covered only by an ill-fitting speedo.
That would be enough to make TK want to throw up, but then the guy reaches out to touch Carlos’s arm, and he sees his friend turn his head slightly, his clenched jaw clear even from a distance. It’s enough to tell TK everything that he needs to know about the situation, and he finds himself moving towards the pair, his anger rising with each step.
“Hey, babe,” he calls out when he’s close, and TK watches as Carlos whips around to face him, his eyes wide with sudden relief at seeing him. TK’s sure that the other guy is just as surprised, but he doesn’t spare him a glance, keeping his eyes locked on Carlos as he steps up to him, wrapping his arm around his waist as he leans up to press a kiss to his jaw. TK hears him let out a breath as Carlos’s hand comes up to grip his shoulder.
“Sorry for making you wait, did you already order?” TK continues, and before Carlos can answer, TK looks towards the stranger. “Oh, sorry. Who’s your friend?” he asks, a clear edge to his voice.
Carlos doesn’t answer, but TK feels him squeeze his shoulder, and he rubs the hand on his waist up and down to help sooth him. It’s a silent confirmation that they’re a team, and that TK’s here for him. He feels Carlos begin to relax against him.
“I was just waiting for my order,” the stranger says, his eyes wide as he looks between them. At that moment, a name is called, and the guy jumps, looking around. “That’s me,” he says weakly, turning away from them to grab his food. TK keeps his eyes on him until he’s left the room before turning to Carlos.
“You okay?” he asks gently, his hands coming up to gently cup Carlos’s face. There’s no one else waiting at the window, so it feels like a semi-private moment.
Carlos nods, his eyes softening as he takes him in. He reaches up to wrap his fingers around TK’s wrists, holding him in place. “I didn’t want to make a scene at work,” he says weakly, and TK shakes his head at the explanation.
“Carlos, you don’t have to explain anything to me,” he says, his voice steady as he steps closer until they’re pressed together. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
“Thanks to you,” Carlos says, pressing a short kiss to TK’s palm and smiling down at him. “You saved me.”
“Well, I am a lifeguard, it’s kind of what I do,” he teases, his lips rising when Carlos lets out a sudden laugh. He moves his arms down, wrapping him in a hug. They stay there until their order is called, and when they sit down next to each at the outdoor cafe table to eat, they find a way to stay physically connected the entire time.
He hopes Carlos finds it as comforting as he does.