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The sun had long since dropped below the horizon, but the sand beneath Rhett’s feet still held the warmth of the day. He strode barefoot across the beach, a lanky figure in tank top and swim trunks, his flip-flops dangling from one hand and an oversized towel in the other. The spot he claimed was a little ways back from the glittering line of water, but close enough that he could watch the gentle rush of ocean against sand. Deliberately, he spread the towel and lowered himself onto it, leaning back and burying his toes in the sand. He closed his eyes and let the salt-tinged air fill his lungs.
Soft footfalls sounded behind him, someone else sat on the towel by his side. Rhett didn’t need to open his eyes to know it was Link, but he still felt his heartbeat quicken at the sound of his best friend absently clearing his throat. He’d been unsettled by that feeling at first, unable to remember being nervous around Link before. But over the past week, Rhett had finally had a chance to comprehend the thoughts spinning through his mind. He finally understood why he felt this way.
Link finally spoke. “Is this why you texted me?” His voice was soft, tentative against the placid silence surrounding them. “Wanted somebody to watch the water with you?”
“Yeah.” Rhett grasped a handful of sand, letting the granules trickle between his fingers. “It’s peaceful,” he added.
“Tranquil.”
“We should bring the kids out here tomorrow night,” Link suggested. “Show them the night sky.”
Rhett agreed. He lay back in the sand, hands folded behind his head, and let his eyes wander across the starry expanse above. There were so many stars visible here, far more than he’d ever been able to see in LA or even back in North Carolina.
Thinking about North Carolina turned his mind back to his best friend on the towel beside him. Link had forgone both wearing glasses and shaving his face for the past couple of days, the glimmer of moonlight on the water matched only by the light in his eyes. He was dressed similarly to Rhett, in a sleeveless t-shirt and cutoffs, his hair curling loosely over his forehead.
“How are we doing?” Rhett asked quietly.
Link searched his face for a moment before looking away again.
“I’m good.”
Rhett sighed. “You know what I mean, Link. Not the royal we. Us. Our friendship. How are we doing?”
To his surprise, Link stretched out on his stomach beside him, propping himself up on his elbows so he could look at Rhett.
“This trip’s been good,” he said. “Not gonna lie, working my ass off next to you was really starting to drive me up a wall.”
Rhett grinned. “Same.”
“But I like how this trip’s given us the space we need to hang out and not think about work. Given me time to think.”
“What have you been thinkin’ about?”
There was a flicker of fear in Link’s eyes, but it passed so quickly that Rhett almost thought he’d imagined it. “I’ve been thinking about you, actually,” he admitted. “It’s been a little strange.”
“What k–”
“Oh you know. Real weird stuff.”
He was trying to say something else. Any other time, he would have cut to the chase and demanded that Link explain what the hell he was getting at, but tonight he was hesitant. He didn’t want to shatter the mood that the sky above and water below had set for them.
Then Link went ahead and shattered it anyway with the simple motion of lowering his head to Rhett’s shoulder.
Rhett thought he might have gotten some sand in his lungs then. Link nestled in close beside him, the top of his hair inches from Rhett’s face. The sudden feel of his lips against Rhett’s neck sent shivers rippling through his body.
For a moment, Rhett desperately wished he was drunk. He could blame inebriation for his actions, for making him say or do things he didn’t mean. But he wanted to do this, whatever this was. Like the ocean spread out before them, he wanted to be swept away to something unknown. But tears welled up in his eyes as he realized he wasn’t completely ready to lose sight of the shore.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, even as Link’s hand began exploring the space between his shoulders.
“What for?” Link murmured, his voice rumbling against Rhett’s body.
“I shouldn’t have called you out here.”
“’s okay.”
“We’re too old for this,” Rhett continued, grasping desperately at excuses. “We’re married... we got kids...”
“It’s okay.” Link pressed a kiss to the base of his throat. “We can take it slow, Rhett. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
He was so gentle, so patient, and Rhett wanted to believe him. He stopped fighting then. As the ocean rushed against the sand around him, he curled into the heat of his best friend and allowed Link to sweep him away.