And now, I was suddenly feeling the same rising panic I'd seen in my lover's face when his own changes became undeniable.
"Hey, buddy. It's okay, right?"
"Not really, no!"
"Calm down--"
"Calm down? Charlie, I've been holding it together with duct tape for a week or two now. This is unreal."
He put a reassuring (but massive) hand on my shoulder. "Yeah, I know."
"Do you? You've always been so easygoing. One little blip, and you were over it..."
"Babe, you really think that's all I've had? Man, inside I've been running around like Kermit the Frog, arms flailing and screaming. But I guess I've always been able to keep that locked away."
"Thanks for that image." It nearly brought a smile to my face, but then I realized that at the rate he was going, Kermit might be a little too on-the-nose.
"...and now I'm regretting bringing up Kermit," Charlie said, smiling. "Will you still love me if I turn into a frog guy?"
"I suppose," I said.
"It's not easy being green, you know," he said.
Fuckin' love this goofball.
* * *
Calming down mostly worked, after a little mutual blowjob to keep our boners under some kind of control. We scooted further up away from the water to talk.
"Okay, let's break it down," I said. "We know it's definitely nothing like regular science. We know that exposure to sea water seems to be accelerating it. And we know that it seems to be at least partly contagious."
"Do we know that?" Charlie said, wondering out loud. "Wait, let's check your back..."
"Well?" He took the opportunity to brush the sand off me and give my butt a squeeze.
"Your ass looks really good," he said. "uhhh... huh. You didn't have a tramp stamp before, right?"
"What?"
"Kidding. No, there's --- oh shit, there *is* something there. Right now it's small, but there's a small gold dot back there, about the size of a hole punch."
"gold? really?"
"Yeah," he said, brushing at my lower back. "Yeah, it looks like a single scale."
"Fuck. It is contagious."
We sat there for a few more minutes, digesting this information. Finally, Charlie stood up.
"Well, can't do much about it right now, and I'm starving."
I was too, so after he helped me to my feet, we grabbed our stuff and headed back.
It was a longish walk, and the last part of it was through a more populated part of the resort, where we attracted some attention. Understandably. Charlie was ridiculously sexy, and looked like he was smuggling a tuna in his britches. But objectively, I'd gotten into decent shape, and without realizing it, had almost certainly started down the same path as Charlie. I looked pretty good, if I say so myself.
Charlie whispered, almost too faintly for me to hear, "damn, my hearing is stupidly good now. I can hear those guys over by the pier whispering about us."
I looked around and narrowed my gaze, and realized the guys he was talking about were well out of normal earshot, especially with the noise of the ocean filling the background.
"What are they saying?" What, like you wouldn't be curious?
"They think we're really hot and that I'm probably an athlete, but the one guy thinks you're his ideal man."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he's the hot one, too. He's got good taste."
"Shut up," I whispered back.
* * *
When we returned to our room, it seemed that Paolo was ready for us. He was just exiting the room as we walked up, and waved cheerily at us.
"Good walk, yes? You like the spot I suggested?"
"Very much so," Charlie said. "I'm going to go shower, order dinner will you?"
I turned to Paolo. "What's on offer?"
"I have ordered you the fish dinner, you seemed to enjoy it. Broiled sea bass with salad and quinoa. But I can add to the order if you wish."
It sounded fantastic, actually, and I said as much.
"I have also mix up some smoothies for you, in the mini fridge. Enjoy, let me know if there is anything else."
"Actually..."
"Yes?"
"Do you think you can find us some clothes? Charlie's seem to be a little tight."
"He is eating well and exercising, no?"
"Very much so. Probably should have picked up some larger stuff before we came," I replied.
"I will see what we have here. But it is very casual, no need for anything beyond swim clothes."
"See what you can do?"
"Of course! Dinner should be ready in about 15 minutes, but I can make it 25 if you need a bit more time."
25 minutes later, I'd done my shower -- the water felt almost like silk flowing over me, and l banged out another load in there while I was at it. Talk about oversexed. But at least I was thinking more clearly.
"You just missed Paolo, but the food's ready," Charlie said.
Boy was it. Two whole fish, broiled perfectly, an excellent lightly dressed salad, and toasted quinoa. We tore into it like no tomorrow. It should have been enough for a family of four. We left nothing behind but bones.
"Fuck, I can't believe I'm still hungry." I hated to agree with him because objectively, that had been a lot of food, but I still felt a little empty.
"There's smoothies," I offered. And soon they, too, were gone, but despite being suspiciously healthy, we both felt a little more sated.
"Wonder what's in them," I said.
"Juice, some kind of vitamin mix, maybe a little whey protein or greens or something, ice, and fruit," he replied. "He told us the first day."
Hmmm. I kept thinking as we relaxed, cuddled with him as some cheesy old movie played on the TV. Paolo, the perfect host, was a little too interested in us, and a little too eager to help. Or maybe not, maybe I was overthinking it, but...he had been very obviously interested in Charlie's progress, and he *had* to have noticed the changes. Or at least raised concerns about the damage we'd done to the sheets -- they'd put fresh ones (and a mattress cover) on each day. A certain glint in his eye as he said suggestive things, recommended dinner items, even pointed us toward the hidden cove.
Exactly what did Paolo know, really?