TLR Chapter 43b

Sunday morning Coral surprised Ryan by taking him to the York Museum where they had brunch and listened to a live Jazz band while they ate.  Afterward they took a tour of the museum

Ryan smiled at Coral. "I never knew there was any place like this. This is nice."

"I'm glad you like it." Coral smiled down at his lover. "We have more to do today. I'd planned to take us to Boothbay and then to Wiscasset before we head home. I thought you might like to walk along the beach. We have the lake at home, but I think the ocean is more fun. Have you ever been to the ocean?"

"I grew up in Bangor." Ryan replied, rolling his eyes and grinning.

"See, I learned something new about you." Coral smiled.  "So let's head for the beach and take a walk.

They walked down the beach, picking up shells and pebbles.  Ryan was amazed at the 'sea glass' that Coral found and showed to him.  "I've never seen sea glass before."

"It’s broken glass that's been etched by the water and sand until it looks like this." Coral explained.

"Let's go swimming." Ryan suggested.

"The water'll be too cold." Coral replied.  "It's only the end of June."

With an impish grin, Ryan ran toward the water, taking his sneakers and socks off as he ran.  Coral watched amazed as Ryan didn't trip and land on his face as he ran into the water.

Ryan ran in up to his knees before the temperature registered and he stopped, gasping as the icy water splashed up onto his thighs.

Coral waited patiently as Ryan ran back out of the water, stomping to get some feeling back into his toes.  He made Ryan sit on the sand to put his socks and sneakers back on, which Ryan did with a pout.  He then took Ryan by the arm and began to swat the younger man's backside.

"Ouch, what are you swattin' me for?" Ryan asked with a pout.

"I'm not swatting you, I'm dusting you off." Coral remarked with a smirk. 

After Ryan had gotten himself back in order he crossed his arms and pouted as they continued their walk up the beach.  He decided he'd rather die of pneumonia than admit to Coral that his legs under the wet jeans were cold.

"Hey Ry, look there!" Coral said eventually, pointing somewhere to his right.

Ryan grudgingly looked up toward where his lover was pointing.  Along the shore was a tourist town. Some of the shops were closed but just as many of them were open to the off season tourists.  

"Let's go see what's there." Coral said.

Ryan nodded. "All right." He said grudgingly.

Coral did his best not to smile.  He knew that some browsing and a good lunch would cheer this boy right up. "Come on; let's go see what's what."

Ryan went along with Coral and eventually his mood brightened a bit as they walked into the small town.

Just as Coral had said, there were many shops open and Ryan was amazed by the treasures he saw through the windows. "Look, someone is making jewelry out of the sea glass. And look there! There's a store with paintings of the beach in the window. And a used book store."

"See anything you like?" He asked the suddenly quiet young man.

Ryan said, "I like the sea glass and maybe we can find something for our friends? I'd like to get something for Mutt, Adam Torren and Jax maybe some of their partners too."

Coral chuckled and pulled Ryan into a hug.  "Great idea, hon.  We have all afternoon.  There's an antique shop right over there.  Feel like going in and seeing if there's anything James might like?"

Ryan pretended to be still miffed at Coral for dusting off his seat on the beach and said, "I guess so."

"Come on, Angel.  We won't spend all day there.  Just a quick look around.  You never know. You might find something you like."

"In an antique store?"  Ryan shrugged and then said, "'Kay."

They spent a few minutes looking around and Coral found an old mantle clock that wound up with a key. "Ry, look at this.  What do you think? Do you think James would like this?"

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, he likes old things like that."

After ascertaining that the clock worked despite its age, Coral and Ryan each agreed to pay half for the clock.  Coral looked around a bit more, enchanted by the things he found and making a mental list as to who would like what as gifts.

Coral made the purchase and they walked to the next store. Sea glass had been made into wind chimes, jewelry of all sorts. Some were sold separately to be admired or made into something else by the purchaser. 

 Ryan smiled. "I like these wind chimes." He told Coral.

"Then they're yours." Coral grinned widely.  "Look around and see if you can find anything for the rest of the boys."

Ryan smiled and began to look around and picked out small items for each of his friends. "I'd like to get these items." He told the clerk as he went up to pay for his purchases.

Coral found a necklace with a piece of blue sea glass, held on by a cage of some sort of metal and attached to a black, silken cord.  He surreptitiously bought it for Ryan as a gift, picking up four more, one in red, one in brown, one in amber and one in green for Mutt, Adam, Torren and Jax, each encased in a different pattern cage.

The next place they visited was the used book store. Ryan bought several interesting looking books.  Coral was thoroughly engrossed in the books and Ryan soon grew bored now after his initial discovery.  "Cor, I'm going to just go outside and look at some of the other shops, ok?"

Coral muttered something unintelligible, which Ryan took as assent, and continued to browse the books so Ryan stepped out of the book store and looked up and down the streets.  He walked up one street and down another, stopping into various stores and picking up gifts for all of his friends.  One store sold fantasy items like ceramic dragons and 'dragon eggs'.  He laughed when the man behind the counter told him that he used to be a computer programmer but found his store to be much more interesting than his other profession.

Ryan bought a very realistic looking, carved dragon for Mutt and continued on his way, officially getting himself lost.

 He was just about to take out his cell phone when a white building caught his eye and he headed toward it.  The shingle on the building said Heaven's Gate, and in the window display were angels of all shapes and sizes.  Excited again, he walked in and began to look around.

"Can I help ya, deah?" A middle aged woman asked from behind the counter.  She smiled at him over her horn rimmed glasses.

Ryan was a bit thrown by the thick Maine accent.  He'd grown up in Bangor but at his mother's insistence, neither he nor his parents had ever spoken like 'true Mainah's'.  He considered trying to respond using the same accent but he knew he was rusty and would never pass muster, and quite possibly offend the woman as well.

"Yeah, I have a friend who is really into angels.  When I saw this place I knew I had to come here." He replied, looking around in awe.

"What kinda things does she like?"  The woman asked.  "I have a little a everythin' heah." She smiled.

Ryan cleared his throat and blushed slightly.  "He loves all sorts of angels.  He has a huge collection."

The woman covered her surprise and got up from the stool she'd been sitting on.  "Well, ain't that nice.  I don't get a lotta men heah 'cept the ones lookin' foah stuff for theyah girlfriends or wifes.  I don't see many men who ah intah angels. He ya boyfriend?" She asked.

"Yeah." Ryan said trying to repress a pleased grin and a blush.

Ryan told the woman everything about Coral, his height, his strength, his passions.   "He's a cop too, like me.  But he's more than that.  He's a protector.  He... protects me.  Guides me.  Like a light in the darkness." Ryan said reflectively, his tone quiet.  He shook his head, forcing himself out of his thoughts.  ”And I'd really like to get somethin' for him before he finds I'm missin'."  He laughed.

The woman chuckled.  "Lost, ah yeh?"

Ryan grinned.  "A little."

"Well lets getcha set up with somethin’ nice.  I think I know just the thing.  An' if ya tell me wheah ya weah I can tell ya how ta get back theah."  She said with a wink.

Minutes later Ryan had made his purchases and was making his way back toward the antique shop when he saw the restaurant.  The smells emanating from within made his stomach growl and his mouth water. He walked in and saw the old mahogany bar off to the right.  Not realizing how long he'd been gone, and figuring that he had plenty of time before Coral missed him, he walked up to the bar and sat down.  He ordered a beer and was a little surprised that the bartender refused to serve him.

"We don't serve beah ta kids heah."  The man said snidely.  "Go back to yoah mothah little boy, befoah I call the police on ya."

Ryan suppressed a grin and reached into his pocket for his ID.  He did look young for his age.  

The man looked at the ID and his eyes widened.  "Yoah twenty five?"

"And a cop, so you don't have to call anyone on me." He laughed.

"Ya look like yoah twelve yeahs old." The man said suspiciously.

"He's older than he looks." Came a deep voice behind him.

Ryan was glad that it was dimly lit in the bar because the blood drained from his face so quickly.  "Hi Coral." He said a little breathlessly.  He was afraid to turn around and look directly at his lover for fear of what he would see on the other man's face.

"I was looking for you." Coral said unnecessarily.  "Your phone is off so I was asking around for you and someone said they'd seen someone answering your description come in here.  Why don't we find a seat in the restaurant and get some lunch before we head back."  

Ryan swallowed nervously.  It was clear that it was an order and not a request.  He finally turned around and what he saw made him more nervous.  Coral's face was what Ryan's father would have called a poker face.  The man had no expression whatsoever. 

"S-sure." Ryan replied, even though the thought of eating anything right now made his stomach churn.

Coral led the way toward the furthest table, as far away from the other guests as he could so that they could talk in private.  Once they were seated, Coral put the bags from the shops they'd visited on the seat next to him and looked at Ryan, still expressionless.  

"So where did you run off to?" He asked, looking pointedly at the plain white bag on the seat next to Ryan.  "And why wasn't your phone on?"

"I... I just got a little bored at the book store so I thought I'd go outside for a little air.  You said it was alright." He added a little defensively, “Then I just walked a little bit, lookin' around and then realized that I was lost.  I was makin' my way back to you when I smelled the food.  I was gonna come and get you and bring you back here when you found me."

"After you had a beer." Coral added.

Ryan colored deeply and trained his gaze on the table top.  He began to play with the napkin that was wrapped around the eating utensils.  "Yeah." He admitted.

"Take a look at the menu, then we can have lunch and head back to the hotel."

Ryan looked up at Coral, a plea in his eyes.  "Please don't, Cor." He said softly.  "I want to look around some more.  And you promised me we could watch the sunset over the water."

"Do you really think that you deserve anything else after the stunt you pulled?" Coral asked quietly.

"No, I don't, but I don't want to end our vacation like this.  Please Cor.  We only have what's left of today before we have to go back.  Can't you... I mean... can't we look around some more and then... you can... you know, once we're back at the hotel?  Please?  There's so much more I want to do."

"You took off without me, your phone was turned off, you tried to buy a beer, you didn't call me at any point, I had to track you down." Coral said in a disappointed tone. "I don't want to end our vacation on that note either. I think it would be better to take care of things immediately and enjoy the rest of our day." Coral said, tilting his head to look at Ryan's face.

Ryan bit his lip and then nodded. "'Kay." He said quietly.

"There was a stand of boulders down by the beach that made an ell.  We can go there and take care of things now.  Follow me, little boy." Coral said in a low voice.

Coral and Ryan picked up their bags and headed back toward the beach. Ryan looked as though he were headed for the gallows and Coral's heart went out to him, but he couldn't allow his lover to do things like this, especially trying to buy beer.

Ryan trudged along with Coral. He knew he had crossed the line, but it was too late now. He had to learn to think before he acted.  Ryan kept peeking at Coral nervously out of the corner of his eye as they walked along the beach.

Coral looked around to make sure that there were no other tourists or locals in sight. It was hardly necessary since it was off season and there were only a few people in the town itself.

They put their bags down on the dry sand and Coral searched around until he found a boulder that would serve his purpose.  He sat down and gestured his boy over to him. "Take down your jeans and shorts, and I want you over my knees." Coral said, a sad note in his tone.

Ryan was about to protest, but not only heard the sadness in his lover's tone, but also in the dark brown eyes. Silently Ryan undid the button on his jeans and the zipper, all fumbly fingered.

Coral reached into one of the bags and pulled out a long box. "I'd bought this as a talking piece but now I think I'm going to have to use it another way." He said, taking out an antique wooden paddle. "Over my knees now, hon." he said, holding out his hand for Ryan to take.

Ryan's green eyes widened at the sight of the paddle and shook his head backing away and tripping over his lowered clothing and landing on his butt in the sand. "No!"

Coral stood up and reaching out a hand pulled Ryan to his feet and gently brushed off the sand and pulled him in to a hug. "You remember I told you I'd never give you more than you can handle or deserve?"

Ryan nodded. "Yes." He said quietly, snuggling into the hug.

"Well you deserve this Ryan. I know it's not what you expected and probably are a bit scared, but I won't truly harm you. I promise. You'll have a very sore backside, but that's all and I love you and care enough about you to do this, no matter how much I truly dislike spanking you."

Ryan said, "Why don't we not do it then?"

Coral shook his head. "If I did that then you'd think I didn't care if you drank or not and I very much care." Coral told Ryan stroking his back and holding him for as long as he needed him to. When he felt Ryan ease back from him a little he sat back down and with his hand still around Ryan's guided him down across his lap and secured him into the typical spanking position.

Ryan squirmed and wriggled trying to find a comfortable position, but finding none hung over his top's knees.

Knowing that Ryan was afraid of the paddle, Coral decided to use it only to drive his point home. Instead of using the paddle immediately, he warmed Ryan's backside using only his hand to start.

Ryan began to squirm and wriggle as his backside grew hotter and hotter under Coral's hand. He had tried to stay still, but to no avail. He whimpered and yelped as the spanking progressed.

Hearing that Ryan was close to crying, Coral leaned down slightly and picked up the abandoned paddle. "Four more with the paddle and I think we'll be done, hon. Ready?"

Ryan shook his head. "No Sir." He said on the verge of tears, holding on tight to Coral's leg. He never understood why he was asked if he was ready. Who in their right mind would be ready to make your bottom even sorer than it already was?

Coral couldn't read minds but he could read body language just fine. He pulled back his hand, wrapped tightly around the handle of the paddle. He'd intended to really wallop Ryan but decided that the boy had had nearly enough, and only gave the boy the four at a quarter the strength he'd intended.

Ryan yelped with each stroke and sobbed halfway through the strokes.

Coral delivered the last two strokes of the paddle, then carefully pulled Ryan's shorts and jeans back up, careful not to pull the material over the sore backside. He then helped Ryan to stand and pulled his boy back into his arms, wrapping them tightly around the sobbing boy.

"Shhhh, it's alright now, hon.  It's all over."  He whispered.

Ryan clung tightly to Coral and buried his face in the other man's chest.

Holding Ryan, he rocked gently side to side, not minding the wetness and mess that the spanking had caused. He reached into his pocket to pull out some tissue and gently cleaned his lover's face.

Ryan took comfort from Coral and let him wipe his face and then placed his head on the older man's shoulder. "You spank hard." He complained.

"If it makes you think twice about doing things like disappearing and trying to order beers when I'm not around, then it's worth it, and I'll do it again." Coral said quietly. "I won't let you ruin your life. Understand?"

Ryan, his head on Coral's shoulder, just sniffling now, said, "I'll think twice. I promise."

Coral hugged him more tightly. "I love you, Angel, and I'll hold you to that promise." he said, leaning down to bury his face in Ryan's thick sandy colored hair, inhaling the scent of the other man's shampoo.

Ryan said with a wry smile. "I'll remember Coral."

Coral helped Ryan get himself back together and quickly searched the area to make sure that they'd been alone and hadn't been overheard.  He put his arm over Ryan's shoulders and escorted him back into the dimly lit restaurant.  They stayed there for an hour before going out shopping again.  They purchased two paintings of seascapes by a very talented local artist and laughed while they carried all of their purchases back to Coral's truck, heading back to their hotel.

Once they unloaded their packages Ryan rubbed his sore bottom and then asked, "What next big man?"

"We have some time before the sunset. I say that we just stay here for a while, relax, maybe catch a nap, or do other things to pass the time. Do you want to have dinner on the beach or order in before we leave to view the sunset?" Coral grinned.

Ryan considered the options and said, "Order in so I can sit on something soft."

"It's still an hour or so away from dinner time, and a little more than that for the sunset. What would you like to do in the meantime? I think a nap would hit the spot."

Ryan smiled shyly and said, "Cuddling and a nap sound really great, but...well...um...I have somethin' for you. I found it while I was wanderin' around lost." He told Coral softly, his green eyes looking pleadingly into Coral's.

Coral knew that this boy was going to be a challenge. Those green eyes could just melt his heart. "I like that idea, hon, and I have something for you also."

Coral picked up the bag with his purchases in it and led Ryan to the bed, so that they could exchange gifts there on the soft mattress.

Ryan sat gingerly after rooting around in the bags they had brought in from the truck and located the things he had bought for Coral. "I want to give you mine first Coral..." He handed him a box longer than wide. It had a statue of Michael the Archangel in it.

"This is wonderful," He said quietly. I had one but it broke when I was moving from Boston to Maine. I never did get around to replacing him. Thank you, Ry." Coral continued, leaning forward to give his boy a tender kiss.

Ryan smiled. "I'm glad then." He handed Coral the next package that was square and had two angels about to kiss.

Coral laughed delightedly.  "I've seen these before but I never bought them.  They always reminded me of what I didn't have." He said, fondling the white, feathery wings.  "Now I have my own angel. Thank you, honey." He whispered, leaning forward to give Ryan a more passionate kiss than previously.

Ryan responded in kind, but before they went too far he eased away and said breathlessly, "One more thing Coral." He handed him a jewelry box shyly that held the finely crafted medallion of Michael the Archangel etched into sterling silver.

Coral was speechless, He wasn’t the sort to cry but he found the pressure building up behind his eyes. “Thank you.” He said quietly, as he allowed Ryan to place the chain around his neck.

“Now I have something for you.” He said with a soft smile, beginning to reach into a bag at his side.

Ryan looked at Coral shyly. "I don't deserve anythin'.”  He told him quietly.

"Don't think that way, hon; you deserve the best, more than I can give you. Why would you think you don't deserve anything?"  He pulled Ryan into a hug. "Is it because of what happened before, hon?"

 Ryan nodded. "Yes, I didn't behave the way I should have, the way you would have wanted me to...I tried to have a beer." He said softly, "That shouldn't be rewarded."

"And we took care of that, hon. It's all over and done with and in the past. Understand? I'll never withhold love or anything else because of past mistakes. I love you."

Ryan began to sniffle and tears rolled down. "Yes Coral." Ryan had never really experienced unconditional love.

Coral smiled gently and wiped Ryan's tears away with his thumb before giving him another soft kiss.

Ryan returned the gentle kiss and said quietly, "I love you too Coral and Yes, I understand, but sometimes it's hard to understand some things."

"That's what I'm here for, angel. To guide you, to love you, no matter what. You can never do anything that will make me hate you or ignore you. You're stuck with me." He said, disengaging slowly from Ryan to put his hand in the bag beside him. "I have some things for you as well."

Ryan watched through teary eyes as Coral disengaged from him and reached into a bag.

He felt inside the bag by his side and drew out a small box and handed it to Ryan. When Ryan opened it he found the blue sea glass necklace.  "You can wear it as a choker too, if you prefer." Coral said, hoping that Ryan would like the first gift.

"It's beautiful Coral." Ryan choked out as his throat tightened and tears fell once more. "I've never seen blue sea glass before, it must be really rare." He whispered.

"It is, just like you." Coral said with a smile.  He put the necklace around Ryan's throat and tied it.

Ryan blushed at Coral's words. "Thank you." He said simply.

"Now I have one other thing for you. I hope you like it." Coral said, feeling unsure of himself for the first time in a long time. Coral reached into the bag once again and picked out a small jewelry box and handed it to Ryan.

Ryan took the box and looked into the brown eyes before opening it.  Inside were a set of matched, antique gold rings, one slightly smaller than the other.  He looked at the ornately carved rings wordlessly.

Coral worried that the boy didn't like the gift and mentally head slapped himself for possibly pushing things too far and too fast.

Ryan looked at the rings in wonder. "Does this mean what I think it does Coral?"

"If you're willing to be Mr. Ryan O'Donnell Okoro." Coral said quietly, hoping that the answer would be yes.

Ryan looked at Coral and asked quietly, "You mean you love me even though I'm a drunk, a slob and...well literal and at times not the brightest lightbulb in the pack?"

"You're not any of those things, Ry." Coral said his heart hurting because of Ryan's poor self-image. "You're a very intelligent young man; you never would have graduated from the police academy with honors if you weren't. One of the things I love about you is how literal you can be. It opens my eyes. And as for being a slob," He laughed, "That's a work in progress... and you are making a lot of progress. I love you no matter what, got me?"

Ryan grinned at Coral and threw his arms around his neck and kissed him hard. "Yes! I love you too Coral, I'll marry you."

It took Ryan a few more minutes to wrap his head around the fact that Coral really loved him, and that he loved Coral, although secretly Ryan had held out a hope for a while now.

Coral place the smaller ring on the younger man's finger, it would have to be resized slightly but he loved the look of it on Ryan's hand. He pulled his angel into his arms and they laid down on the bed, Ryan's head on Coral's chest, where they fell into a deep, contented sleep.

They woke a couple of hours later, hungry and realizing that the sun would be setting in about a half hour. They packed their things into the truck quickly and headed toward the beach where they walked across the sand to watch the sun set.

Ryan had slipped the other ring into his palm when Coral wasn't looking. He put it into his Tee shirt pocket. When they got to the beach and holding hands ran for the edge of the water where the horizon was surrounding them in the colors of a beautiful sunset Ryan hugged Coral tight, kissed him with all he had and then easing away took the other ring out of his pocket and asked, "Coral...will you marry me?"

Coral felt the pressure against the back of his eyes again as Ryan placed the bigger ring on his finger.  Coral was speechless at first. He quickly recovered and then smiled widely. "Yes, Ryan. I'll marry you."

Ryan smiled widely and hugged Coral tight. "Good! Now we can marry each other."

"It would be my pleasure and my honor." Coral replied, hugging his boy tightly and breathing in the light scents of his shampoo and cologne.

They held each other like that until the sun had finally set and the first of the stars appeared in the sky. Coral stood back slightly and looked at Ryan, whose eyes sparkled in the starlight. He leaned down and gave his fiancé a fierce kiss.

"I love you, Ryan O'Donnell." Was all he could bring himself to say.

Ryan pulled Coral down onto the sand and as he told him he loved him began to touch Coral and arouse the older man. The young man didn't care who saw at this point. He wanted to love Coral right out here on the beach, even though it was cold for this time of year, their love making would keep them warm.

Coral, completely turned on by this new, more confident Ryan willingly went where he was led, and they made love under the starlight with the sound of the waves carrying them to heights of pleasure Coral never knew were possible.

As they came back to reality Ryan shivered now feeling the cold. "I think we should get dressed and although I hate the thought of sitting...do we need to head back to the resort and home now?"

"I agree we should get dressed," Coral replied, trying to keep his teeth from chattering now that the sweat was drying on his body. "But how about if we get some dinner before we head back?"

Ryan nodded. "Yes, I'm starvin' and this time for real food, since we never did order in like we were gonna." He grinned at Coral and poked him in the stomach.

Coral picked Ryan up and swung him around. "Brat." he said, giving Ryan another kiss.  They brushed sand off of their bodies and their clothes as they dressed and headed toward Coral's truck once more. They stopped at a little local diner that was still open and had a nice, filling meal before heading home. Ryan curled in against Coral's side while the older man drove them back to TLR.

TBC