Return to the Sea--Monaco

Return to the Sea--Part 2-Monaco

After yesterday's dinner with my father, I spent a restless night thinking about his proposal, making notes, and doing rough calculations as was a habit since my college days. The idea of having a business of my own had been a dream from the beginning of high school, and now, with the possibility about to become a reality, I was apprehensive, to put it mildly. Moving to Europe full-time is daunting but coupled with developing a business had me wondering if it wasn't too much, too fast.

At about 4:00 a.m. the fog cleared, and I felt that I had the answers to all my questions, realizing that they had been staring me in the face all along. I set the alarm for 8:00 a.m. So that I had time to shower before meeting my father for breakfast at his hotel and went to sleep.

Four hours passed quickly but adrenalin has a way of invigorating a person, so I had no problem getting out of bed. My mind was busy but not chaotic, with the rough edges from the night before having managed to smooth themselves out.

My father was sitting at the table in the restaurant when I arrived, and he had a broad smile when he saw me. "You're late," he said.

"You're early," I replied, grinning.

"Fair enough," came the response with a laugh.

We made small talk over coffee and croissants, and it was a pleasant start to the day. I thought about some of the stressful times when I was living at home and how I dreaded the possibility of encountering him at breakfast before going to school. Times change, people evolve, and we both managed to survive relatively unscathed.

"So," he said, "which way are you leaning?"

"Thinking about your proposal kept me up a good part of the night," I said, "but in the end, I agree that it is a great opportunity, and I would welcome the challenge. I do have a couple of points that need clarification but no deal-breakers that I can see."

"That's good news but tell me about part two," he replied while taking the small notepad and pen from his jacket pocket.

"I would like to evaluate the business for myself since I believe that papers and balance sheets don't always tell the full story," I said. "There may be other reasons why the business is failing and not solely due to boredom on the part of the manager. I want to look around a bit as soon as possible. I will try to arrange a leave of absence from my present job but if that proves impossible, I will have to resign. Should the business not work out, I will need some support and assistance until I find a suitable position elsewhere."

"No problem," he replied while holding in a laugh, "you can live at home with your mother and me. Free room and board."

"I said assistance not imprisonment," I answered with a smile. "When I go to Monaco, I will need a place to stay, living expenses, and a car at a minimum. This could add up very quickly, so I wonder if a million dollars upfront is adequate to get this enterprise turned around and off the ground in a year."

"No problem," came the response. "After a one-month transition period, the current manager will 'retire'. He has use of the company apartment, a nice two-bedroom near the port, and a company car, a one-year-old Mercedes with two years remaining on the lease, and these will be handed over to you. His salary is €150,000 per year which will be paid to you as a draw against your share of the annual profit, and I think that you should be able to squeak by on this."

"Perhaps," I replied, "but I thought everyone drove Ferraris. It's okay, I'll accept the old clunker temporarily.

"The next point is critical in my opinion. You said that the current owner's wife is prepared to sell 50% of the business but I think that this should be at least 51%. I want control and a free hand if I am to run the company and knowing that someone else can cause a stalemate should they decide to get involved, makes me uncomfortable. We must have most of the shares if we do this."

My father laughed and closed his notebook. "Already done, my boy. I said 50% last night just to see how you would react. You are 100% right and this only proves to me that my instincts about you are correct, and my confidence is well placed. I wouldn't take anything less than 51% and neither would you. If I understand you correctly, we have a deal."

"Yes, we have a deal," I replied.

We finished our breakfast and shook hands on the business agreement. We hugged at the entrance to the restaurant and went our separate ways. My father said that he would handle the paperwork and send over any documents that needed my signature but for all intents and purposes, we were in the yacht brokerage and maintenance business.

Later that morning I called Sebastian to fill him in on what transpired, and he was very enthusiastic about the prospect of my return to Europe, not so much about me running a business. I sensed that he relished the thought of fucking me on a somewhat regular basis but did not like the idea that my priorities might be elsewhere and that his sexual gratification might not be at the top of my "to-do" list.

Before hanging up, he mentioned that he ran into Christian in a bar in Naples the night before last and that he sent his regards. I was momentarily speechless but then pressed him for details. His comments were vague, but he did acknowledge that he saw him in the ports on occasion and that Christian was first mate on a nice yacht moored in the Port de Fontvieille, the 'Old Port' of Monaco. He rang off without saying anything further on the subject, but I could tell that he was troubled by something.

I made a coffee and sat staring at the cup, thinking of Christian and our nighttime swims, the feel of his hard muscles and soft lips. I wondered what it might be like to see him again, feel his embrace, and I shuddered. Fate seemed to be guiding me in a direction and the only choice I had was to go along.

With so many changes in my life and so much to be done, the time passed quickly, too quickly from my perspective because in what seemed like a heartbeat, I was sitting on a plane heading for Nice. The helicopter ride from Nice to Monaco was short but provided a wonderful bird's eye view of the coast and Monaco itself. I am no stranger to this part of the Mediterranean but this time I felt something different, a door opening to an uncertain adventure while another closed on a life that I was comfortable with. I thought "C'est la vie!" while imagining a diving board disappearing into the clouds as I dropped into an uncertain pool.

The current business manager had arranged a furnished apartment for me to use for the first month of my stay, allowing time to acclimate myself and for him to wrap up his affairs and move out of the company apartment. He would show me around and make the proper introductions, answer any questions, and help me settle in. He would also be my chauffeur until I familiarized myself with the narrow mountain roads, tunnels, and other drivers from Monaco, France, Italy, and several European countries who wanted to drive the Grand Prix circuit.

I spoke to my father almost daily in the beginning but that changed after about three weeks when he finished the paperwork and became more comfortable with the fact that I wouldn't take a million dollars and run to the casino. Sebastian called several times to see how I was, but he was busy taking the owner of the boat on the last voyage of the season, an extended trip around the Greek Isles, so his calls were less regular. I knew that I would see him at some point but now was not the time to break his routine. Business kept me busy, but the evenings were another matter.

One night, after dinner, while I was sitting on the terrace with a glass of bourbon, my phone buzzed showing an unfamiliar European number but it was a welcome interruption. "Hello," I said with some hesitation in my voice.

"Hey," came the reply with a somewhat familiar voice, "you may not remember me..."

"How could I ever forget you, Christian? My God, it has been such a long time. How did you find me?" I replied excitedly.

"Sebastian gave me your number when I saw him in Malta about a week ago. He said that you were coming back to our part of the world and that you might welcome a call from me. Was he right?" said Christian.

I waited a minute before responding. "Yes, he knows me so well," I replied with a laugh to cover how I felt. "I am very happy to hear from you and with all honesty, I have thought about you quite a bit over the years, particularly the last few weeks."

"I am happy to hear that. I thought I was the only one who nurtured memories and longed to go back to those early days in the Bay of Naples and on the beach in St. Tropez," he said. "But maybe I am getting ahead of myself. How are you?"

"I'm fine. Where are you?" I said.

"The boat is in Monaco at the moment, and I will be here for a week before we head to the shipyard near Naples for maintenance and repairs over the winter. I have the watch tonight but I'm free tomorrow evening if you have time for a drink," he replied.

"I'll make time," I said, "let's have dinner, my treat, and we can catch up then. I'm sure there is a lot to talk about and I don't want to rush through it. I have your number now so I'll text you with the information on the restaurant once I make the reservation."

"I'm looking forward to it," he replied. "Until tomorrow then."

"Yes, until tomorrow. Goodbye," I said before hanging up.

After disconnecting the call, I sat looking into the evening sky. "Fucking Sabastian," I thought. He was either the most considerate person I have ever encountered or a sadistic bastard. I picked up my phone and prepared a text "You are a miserable bastard, Sabastian, and I love you for it. Thank you." I reread it several times before hitting 'SEND'. There was no response, but I expected none.

The next morning, I asked my assistant to get a reservation in a local restaurant near the apartment, and once it was confirmed I sent a text to Christian with the details. He replied right away so I knew that there were no second thoughts on his part. I had wondered if I should reconsider but based on the butterflies in my stomach whenever I thought about seeing him again, I knew that this meeting was the right thing to do. We had closure of sorts to our short relationship several years ago, but there never appeared to be finality in my mind. We were victims of circumstance and I always wondered how it would have played out if Sebastian never interfered so perhaps tonight's meeting will help shed some light on the subject.

I entered the restaurant a few minutes before the agreed time and immediately saw Christian sitting at a table off to the side drinking a glass of beer. I waved off the waiter coming to ask about a reservation and walked over to Christian who stood up, politely offering his hand. I shook it quickly and then grabbed his shoulders, kissed his cheeks, and we hugged like the old friends that we were. Unlike women, men have a peculiar makeup. They may not see friends for extended periods but once they do, they pick up their conversations as if they were from earlier the same day. We finally sat down and after ordering dinner and some wine, started talking about the boat and the fun that we had together, the bar hopping in Naples, the beaches along the Mediterranean, the clubs in Ibiza, and our moonlight swims. We were reliving the good times while ignoring the elephant in the room, how and why we drifted apart.

After dinner and while starting our second bottle of wine, Christian finally put the subject on the table. "Jeremy, it is so nice to see you again but if I can be totally honest, I am not sure if this is wise. I'm glad Sabastian gave me your number and suggested that I call you, but it took me a long time to move on from what we had and if I must do it a second time, it would be much more difficult."

Reaching out to put my hand over his, I said, "I don't want to hurt you any more than I have already, and I don't want to relive the pain that I felt four years ago. I cared about you deeply then and loved what we had together. It was one of the best periods of my life and I have regretted how it ended ever since. Walking away from our relationship was not something that I wanted but it was unavoidable. Someday I may be able to explain it but not today. Please believe me when I tell you that I loved every minute that we had together and would not change that for the world."

"I do believe you and I wouldn't change it either," he replied. "The yachting community is like a small town, stories get around, and I could put pieces of the puzzle together on my own as well. The one piece that I could never find is the one that explains why. I'm sure there is a story to it and since you prefer not to discuss it, I will leave it at that...for now. I am happy to see you and glad that you are back on the Cote D'Azur."

We changed the subject and drank some wine to lighten the mood. Christian appeared interested in my new venture and I enjoyed hearing about his boat, the people he knows, and the places he's been. When we had drunk half the bottle of wine, I asked if he would like to see my temporary apartment and finish the bottle there and the broad smile on his face answered the question without words.

When we entered and I closed the door, I could not hold back so I grabbed his head and kissed him hard on the lips. Christian pulled me close and began kissing my face and down onto my neck which brought me to a fever pitch. I started panting and gasping as I felt the heat rising in my face. Christian's erection pushed into my abdomen, and I loved the feeling of his excitement growing uncontrollably. "Jeremy, I want to feel your naked body in my arms like I used to, I can't wait any longer," he said.

My answer came without words as I led him to the bedroom. "Take my clothes off, Christian, and don't be gentle."

Everything came off quickly and Christian pushed me onto the bed without ceremony. He removed his shirt and slacks almost as fast and then joined me on the bed, straddling me and kissing my neck. He took hold of my wrists, brought them above my head, and kissed me deeply on the mouth. I felt powerless, held fast by strong, hard muscles, and feeling the weight of his body on mine excited me almost to the point of orgasm. He moved farther down my body, licking and nibbling my nipples before moving to my stomach and abdomen, and finally taking my stiff dick into his warm, wet mouth. This was ecstasy.

I told him to turn so we were head to toe, and I guided his cock into my mouth and let it slide down my throat. He continued to move up and down on my erection and before long I erupted, unloading pulsing streams of semen into his mouth which he greedily swallowed. Never missing a beat, he thrust his dick down my throat, in and out, but always allowing some time to catch my breath in between a series of thrusts. After several minutes, I felt him tense up and cry out as he came. I don't remember Christian coming so much but tonight he filled my mouth to overflowing and I could hardly swallow enough to keep pace. I was filled and drained at the same time. It was magnificent.

We spent the night in each other's arms, and I awoke in a spoon with Christian behind me. As I began to move, Christian pulled me close and kissed the back of my neck. "I've missed you," he whispered.

"I've missed you too and I've imagined this exact moment many times," I replied while trying to move closer to him. I could feel his excitement growing and this excited me as well so I excused myself to brush my teeth and use the bathroom. When I came back to bed I told Christian that I left a new toothbrush for him but not to take too long. He got the message and jumped from bed in a flash.

I was lying on my stomach when Christian returned, and he immediately straddled me and kissed the back of my neck. I moaned softly and he eased his body onto mine, gripping my wrists and stretching my arms over my head. I wiggled slightly and pretended to struggle, and the pressure of his grip intensified. I felt the tip of his cock as it pushed slowly against the rim of my anus, gently forcing it open and I allowed his dick to enter me. I pushed back against him and moaned with pleasure as I felt him stretch my anus and push deep inside. He slowly withdrew and then pushed in again causing me to moan louder and clench my fists. He developed a rhythm with his thrusts, and I could feel the sensations of a building orgasm while he began to pant louder before stretching my arms, driving his cock deep into me, and crying out in pleasure as he came. I felt the pulsing of his dick, followed by the eventual shrinking of his erection and the increased weight of his body on mine. I may not have had the orgasm that I anticipated but it was replaced by a wave of satisfaction and calm that was almost as good.

Christian rolled off me and we lay together as our breathing returned to normal. "God, that was wonderful," he said.

"For me, too," I replied before kissing him.

Days and nights became a blur after Chris left as I struggled to make sense of the business situation. I spoke to him a couple of times but unfortunately, we couldn't work out our schedules to get in another meeting before he left for Naples. He said that he could be back in a few weeks once he better understood what would be required over the next couple of months. This wasn't ideal but I had a lot on my plate and knew that I couldn't risk focusing on anything other than tending to my own affairs and ensuring that my father knew that his investment was in good hands.

There was a lot of hard work and long days, and one evening, after a particularly grueling day, I needed to hear a friendly voice so I called Sabastian. He answered after the fourth ring and hearing his voice instantly improved my mood.

"Hey, stranger, how's it going?" came the familiar voice.

"Hi. It's nice to hear your voice," I said. "Everything is as crazy as you might imagine. Or maybe you can't imagine since you spend your time floating around the Med instead of working."

"You forget that dealing with a crew and a boatload of guests is like herding cats; no picnic," he replied with a laugh. "Seriously, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine, or fine now," I replied, and we made small talk for a few minutes before I got to the point. "Business is tough, and I'm still trying to find my way and I feel like there are too many unnecessary roadblocks toward making this successful, more than what I believed would be there in any event. I wouldn't mind a second opinion on a few things if you ever have some time, seeing that you have been around so much longer than I have."

"Forgetting that you're making a derogatory comment about my age, you know that I would be happy to provide any help that you think might be useful," he responded, "all you have to do is ask."

"That would be great and if you are serious about your offer, consider this my formal request. You can even stay with me, and I'll throw in dinner."

"Then it will be my pleasure," Sabastian replied, "but I don't come cheap, so you'll do more than just buy dinner."

"Fair enough," I said with a laugh.

We talked about other odds and ends before hanging up and I began to look forward to having some company again. I did not want to get too comfortable or dependent on his involvement, but it was comforting just knowing that there was someone I could call in a pinch.

Sebastian arrived on Saturday, early afternoon, and the first order of business was to get some lunch before taking a walk around the marina. He was in good spirits and enjoyed the change of scenery, also insisting on seeing the offices that housed the business before we had any serious discussions. I was happy to comply since I found it easier to discuss matters like this in a comfortable setting, something that I learned from my father.