After some elaborate adjustments to his bathing suit, he moved deliberately across the close-cropped grass toward the beach, feeling the eyes fastened upon him as he walked, and enjoying every lingering gaze.

Reaching the water, he plunged in and swam out-out-just far enough to be alone, yet not so far as to be in danger. He floated on his back for a time, staring at the sky, thinking his private thoughts, then he turned and swam for

shore.

He walked briskly across the parking lot, but when he reached the edge of the grass, his pace slowed. The water had transformed the flimsy nylon suit into a second skin, clinging, revealing, outlining every curve and crease of Mike's most private secrets. Mike played the scene for all it's worth, inwardly jeering and daring those covetous bastards staring, mouths agape, at him.

Reaching his pallet, he flopped down, spread-eagled on his back, catching the drying rays of the sun, feeling the droplets as they tickled their way across his ribs to the ground, and revealing as much of his magnificent body as the law would possibly allow-knowing he was the center of attention and comment. Thus continued the afternoon. Mike could hardly remain still half an hour before he was compelled to make his parade to the surf and back. Each time, it was the same-none of the thrill was lost by repetition-and Mike drank

it all in.

When he returned from his four or fifth dip (he'd lost count), he found he had a new neighbor-a young man possibly a year or two older than Mike's eighteen years had spread a blanket very close to Mike's pallet, but was too deeply engrossed in what appeared to be a textbook to notice Mike's arrival.

Mike rested on his belly and propped his chin on his crossed arms. After awhile, he turned on his side, resting his head on one hand, regarding the new neighbor-a shock of pale blond hair above a high forehead where blue veins showed through; black brows and long black lashes shading deep violet eyes; thin, sharp nose and red, sensuous mouth; a lean body, slender and fine, about Mike's height; a bathing suit, form fitting and flimsy as Mike's

Presently, the neighbor closed his book and started to turn on his back to rest a bit. In turning, his eyes were caught by Mike's stare. The great violet eyes widened for a moment, then the face dissolved into a warm, devastating smile. "Hello!" the face said, and waited. Mike regarded the lean, well-formed body that flowed into slender, coltish legs, and murmured, "Hullo," then smiled.

As it so often will, conversation started of its own accord. There were many things to talk about, suddenly, all at once. All the while, Mike's eyes could not stop sweeping the cleanly built being before him. Finally, his eyes fastened on the thin line of black hairs that pointed as an arrow toward the navel of this being's body.

Presently all was quiet between them, and when Mike's presence returned to him, he glanced up to meet amused eyes lazily studying him.

"Excitable, aren't you?" the young man spoke.

Mike's mind had difficulty returning to reality, but when it did he glanced downward and found that his bathing suit was being hard put to conceal some rather basic facts of life. Quickly, he turned onto his belly as his face went dark crimson.

A peculiar droning, buzzing sound in his head held Mike pinned to the ground for a long moment, as the blond faun's laughing gaze continued. Mike finally faced the tormentor, face still pressed against the ground, great troubled eyes wondering.

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