Chapter One

Retired Gunnary Sergeant Jim "Rock" South put on the right turn signal and turned off the highway. He rubbed his hand over his high and tight -- unlike Dick, there was no way he was letting his hair grow long just because he was out of the service. Twenty years was long enough that a man made habits he was happy with. He glanced into the side mirror, making sure Dick was still behind them in the truck. It wasn't going to be long now. Fuck he was tired.

He'd had to wake Rig about an hour ago to navigate. The blond curls had been resting against his shoulder, Rig's skinny body leaning against him. Maybe not the safest way to drive, but damn it made the time pass more pleasantly. He didn't mind driving, but they'd been pushing it, trying to get to the new house on the coast in good time. Rig wasn't sleeping anyway. It made sense to just press on as hard as possible, him and the kid trading off the extra vehicle with Rig taking catnaps in between. First thing they were going to do was set up the bed and then he was going to fuck Rig until the man fell asleep.

The scenery had changed as they drove in and he swore he could smell the ocean now, the air salty and cool. And greasy. Oh, Jack in the Box.

"Give the kid a call, tell him we're picking up take out at the drive through coming up." They could fuck after they ate.

"Hmm?" Rig blinked over, grey eyes red-rimmed and exhausted, then grabbed the cell. "Oh. Right. Food. You want him to get it while we wait?" Rig didn't wait for his nod, just dialed. "Pretty. Rock wants Jack in the Crack. Get him his favorite -- ultimate cheeseburger -- no lettuce or onions, double fries, chocolate shake."

He grunted and nodded. "Make sure you get Rig something, too," he called out. Not that the kid wouldn't, but Rig needed to know they weren't going to let him continue to live on coffee and cigarettes and oh yeah, he'd noticed the fucking cigarettes were back.

He heard the kid's laugh, saw Rig roll those eyes. Then the phone was turned off, Rig leaning back against him. "I can smell the ocean."

"Yeah. It's going to be weird having it right out the back door. How long you think we have 'til we get there?" he asked as he pulled off, waiting for Dick to go through the drive through.

"This is the north side of town, the house is south. Fifteen, twenty minutes?" Rig gave him a grin. "It doesn't seem real."

He returned Rig's grin, putting his arm around his lover. "No? The drive has seemed real enough."

"God, yes. I'm glad we decided not to stop and see Momma. We'd still be there and have two days of drive ahead of us."

He nodded. "Moving's not a good time to be visiting family." He would have popped Bobby for sure, Rig's asshole brother always a sore point. Tired and ready to get settled as he was? Rock knew he'd have barely managed polite and Rig's Momma deserved better than that.

"You got that shit right, Blue." Rig nodded, shifted restlessly. "I just want things put to rights, you know? Want to see our place, make it good."

They'd only seen the little house on the beach once, when they'd come out to have Rig interview with the Johnson Clinic. They'd made an offer on it and on a bigger place that needed less work about three miles off the coast. None of them had been disappointed when the beachhouse contract stuck, even if it meant fixing things.

"Make it ours." He winked over at his Rabbit. "Fuck our brains out all over the place."

He got a low, sexy chuckle, those grey eyes shining. "Oh, they let retired marines fuck still? You sure?"

He growled softly. "I'd like to see them try to stop me."

There was a honk from behind them, Dick back with the truck and, presumably, their food. His stomach growled just at the thought of it. "All right, let's get this parade in the garage."

Rig nodded, grabbed the little notebook with the printed directions. "Head down through town and then right on Desau. We're the eighth house on the right."

He followed the directions, checking after every turn to make sure the kid was still with them. The houses were far apart, far enough they were going to have their privacy. No more nosy old ladies watching them and complaining about this or that.

"This one here it?" he asked, slowing and putting on the blinkers.

"1293? Yeah. Yeah, Blue. That's ours." The house was white, a little porch on the front, a good-sized carport along the side. He left the Uhaul on the street, figuring it would be easier to not have to back the trailer out again. Dick pulled the truck up and around into the carport as he and Rig got out.

He put his arm around Rig's shoulders, other arm out for Dick as the kid joined them. "Well here we are."

Rig took some of the food bags from Dick so the kid could encourage the dogs into the yard, then he had his men on either side, warm and wide-eyed, all of them looking. "Can you believe it?"

Dick shook his head. "No. But I'm still amazed I get to go to bed with you two every night."

Rig chuckled. "Kid learns slow. Only been doing it for five years."

"He just knows not everyone gets a stud and a slut like us." He gave Rig a wink and nodded. "Well come on, I can't carry anyone over the threshold if we don't get there."

"I hope the utilities are all on." He hid his snort as the kid chuckled. As if Rig hadn't called and checked and fussed and worried for the last month over every little detail.

"We'll manage. There was a fireplace, wasn't there? And a grill out back." They headed up the front steps.

Rig unlocked the door, hit the light switch and the lights came on in the little entryway, the wallpaper faded except for a huge rectangle where a mirror had hung. "Bedrooms to the right, everything else to the left. We're going to like being able to go to the beach from the kitchen."

He nodded and wrapped an arm around each waist and lifted them through the door. "There. It's official."

"Yeah." Rig turned, body pressing against his. "Kiss me. Y'all kiss me and we'll go eat."

Oh, now there was something he could get in line for. The three of them came together, lips open, tongues all tangling together. Three on three. Fucking sweet. He heard one of the bags hit the floor, Rig reaching up and holding on, diving into the kiss.

Yeah. Fucking before eating and then more fucking. He wasn't a stick in the mud, he could change the plan.