going to fall asleep during
the classroom and book portions of his diving lessons with Aiden paid off. He
had actually learned something in knowing the flags and their significance.
Ian pulled the top half of his suit on. “I didn’t think you
needed to wear a wetsuit diving in the tropics.”
“The water is a bit chilly this time of year and it’s good to
protect against scratches and curious nibbling fish.” Temaru smirked at him.
“Would you prefer diving naked?”
“It was an idea until you mentioned curious nibbling fish.”
Ian turned his back to him. “Zip me up?”
Temaru stepped behind him, his gaze locking on a tattoo of
intricate Celtic knotwork on Ian’s back between his shoulder blades. He touched
his fingers to it. “This is very cool.”
“Thanks. I got it years ago during a job in Ireland. I loved
it there and got really wrapped up in the culture and history. And I’ll admit I
was a little drunk when I got it.”
“At least you still made a good choice.” Temaru took the
zipper pull in the fingers of one hand and rested his other on Ian’s hip. He
tugged at the zipper as if it were stuck. “Hmm, it won’t go. Perhaps if I get
better leverage…” He moved his hand to Ian’s ass and placed his palm squarely
on it. He clamped his fingers into one cheek in a firm squeeze and drew the
zipper up. “There it goes.”
Ian chuckled as he turned around. “I really hope you’re a
better diver than actor because that was pretty bad.”
Temaru put his back to him. “And here I thought I was being
discreet.”
Ian grabbed Temaru’s ass with both his hands and clasped it
tight, pausing in awe at how solid the cheeks were. “I’m not worried about
being discreet, so you shouldn’t be either.”
“I’ll remember that.”
Ian slid his hands up to the zipper of Temaru’s wetsuit,
caressing the bare skin of Temaru’s back until it was sealed away. It made him
sad to see such beautiful skin locked away in the wetsuit, especially since he
hadn’t gotten the chance to lick it yet. He reminded himself again, this was a
date, not a hook-up. Dates meant talking and getting to know each other before
licking happened.
His cock rigid in the wetsuit, Ian tried to redirect his
focus as Temaru began to guide him through getting re-familiarized with the
diving gear. With Temaru’s help, he got the diving cylinders on and made
certain the oxygen was feeding through to his regulator properly.
Ian moved toward the edge of the boat, Temaru at his side.
Temaru glanced at him. “Ready to go in?”
Ian turned his back to the water, sitting on the boat’s
edge. “Yeah, I just hate this part. I still get nervous that I’m going to hit
the boat when I back roll into the water.”
Temaru kneeled in front of him, resting a hand on Ian’s
thigh. “Don’t be nervous. The water will move you away and your own buoyancy
will correct you.”
Ian rested his hand over Temaru’s, giving him a playful
grin. “Is this how you comfort all your nervous customers?”
Temaru drifted his hand farther up Ian’s thigh. “I’m giving
you special treatment.”
Ian spread his legs wider. “What all will that special
treatment entail?”
“At this exact moment? Knocking you over the edge of the
boat if you don’t drop your ass in the water yourself.”
Ian burst out laughing. “You’re a mean teacher!” He tugged
his mask down, grinning before putting the regulator in his mouth. “But
effective.”
Temaru stood. “I try.” He motioned to the water. “After you.
I want to make sure you go in okay.”
Ian nodded and took a deep breath. He willed his body to
relax, mentally counting, one…two…three.
Holding his mask and regulator in place, he rolled back and
toppled into the water. A spell of disorientation swirled through his head. He
kept his body loose, not fighting the water, letting it carry him away from the
boat. True to Temaru’s words and his own past experience, his buoyancy brought
him