They woke before the sky turned blue.
Something in the air stirred them both at once - Liam first, his eyes fluttering open to a room soaked in velvet dark, and then Carlo, who shifted against him, murmuring softly as he stretched. The windows were cracked open, the scent of salt and lavender drifting in with the faint hush of waves rolling over the sand. The room was still warm from the night they had shared - slow, wordless, a reunion sealed by skin and forgiveness.
They were draped across each other’s bodies like only lovers can, one of Carlo’s legs tangled between Liam’s, Liam’s hand resting on Carlo’s stomach. Liam tilted his head to look at him - at the soft curve of his lips, the tousled hair, the peacefulness that had eluded him for so long. He didn’t dare move, not right away.
Carlo’s eyes opened, still heavy with sleep - and the corners of his mouth curved into a smile so gentle it almost broke Liam’s heart all over again.
"You're awake," Carlo whispered, voice hoarse with sleep.
Liam nodded, brushing a hand through Carlo’s hair. "You moved. I missed it."
Carlo leaned up and kissed him - lazy, unhurried, as if they had the rest of their lives to get it right this time. And maybe they did.
After a few moments, they pulled apart just enough to breathe, foreheads resting together. The sky outside had begun to tint, the faintest trace of silver touching the horizon.
“Sunrise?” Liam asked, playful.
Carlo didn’t need to respond. He just nodded, reached behind them, and tugged a blanket from the foot of the bed. Without speaking, they both rose - naked, comfortable, still carrying the heat of the night before. Liam reached for another throw, and together they draped the blankets over their shoulders like cloaks. Then, barefoot and grinning, they stepped into the cool pre-dawn.
The house was silent but for the sea. The air kissed their skin with a light chill, sharp enough to make Carlo laugh softly as he clutched the blanket tighter around his chest. Liam led the way down the path to the beach, the wooden boards cool underfoot, dew-kissed and glistening faintly in the moonlight.
As soon as they reached the sand, Carlo dropped his blanket with a dramatic flourish and ran ahead, arms out like a child. Liam laughed, chasing him, both of them naked now, their skin catching the first hint of the sun’s approach. When Liam reached him, he wrapped both arms around Carlo from behind and lifted him, spinning once, the two of them laughing into the quiet of the morning.
Their joy was weightless. For a long time, they had walked with burden - public scrutiny, shame, regret, and longing. But here, on this beach at the edge of Jacob’s Bay, all of that had been peeled away. They were just two men in love, watching the day begin.
Carlo turned in Liam’s arms, bringing their mouths together again, this time with a hungrier kind of sweetness. Their hands roamed almost instinctively - fingers tracing collarbones, spines, hips. There was nothing possessive in it, just an overwhelming need to feel the other was real. Still here. Still theirs.
They walked slowly toward the water, the surf cool against their ankles. Carlo kept brushing Liam’s lower back with his fingertips, grinning each time Liam glanced at him with playful warning. Liam, in turn, reached around to cup the back of Carlo’s neck, drawing him in again and again for kisses that deepened with every breath.
By the time the sun began to rise, they were curled together on the blanket they’d thrown down in the sand. The colours painted the water - first pale gold, then streaks of rose and flame that made Carlo’s skin look burnished and unreal. Liam watched the light unfold across his face, and thought of every moment that had brought them here. The first night in the gym. That unspoken hunger. The chaos that followed. And now – this peace.
Carlo rested a hand on Liam’s chest, trailing his fingers through the sparse hair there.
“You know,” he murmured, “this feels like the start of our story. The real one.”
Liam smiled, brushing a kiss to Carlo’s temple. “It feels like a magic trick.”
“You. Here. This. Us.” He looked out at the water. “No-one running. No-one hiding.”
Carlo turned onto his side, facing him. His eyes were steady. “We’re not hiding anymore. We never will.”
Liam pulled him close, their bodies lining up like puzzle pieces that had always belonged together. “Then we won’t.”
There was no rush in what followed. Carlo kissed his way down Liam’s chest slowly, reverently, as if re-learning every inch. Liam lay back, his hand tangling gently in Carlo’s hair, his breath coming faster as the sun broke fully over the horizon, igniting the water in fire and gold. The waves rolled in and out, a soft rhythm beneath their own.
When Carlo finally took him in his mouth, it was an act of devotion, not lust. Of gratitude. Of homecoming. Liam let his head fall back, mouth parted, heart full, as the world faded to a blur of light, heat, and the man he had loved through it all.
The sun rose, and they disappeared into it - laughter, breath, and the hush of waves.
Carlo took Liam’s cock in his hand - thick, veiny, and fully erect. His eyes widened as he took in the sight, his mouth going dry.
“You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for,” Liam said, his voice soft but firm.
Carlo shook his head, determination flashing in his eyes. “I want to,” he said, his voice steady despite the nerves churning in his stomach.
“He licked the underside first - the grains of sand scraping his feet, now off the blanket, cool against his skin.” His hands trembled as his fingers wrapped around the base. It was thicker than he had imagined, the heat of it searing against his palm and his exploring tongue. He hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward, pressing a tentative kiss to the tip, where a droplet of pre-cum already glistened in the early-morning sunlight.
Liam let out a soft groan, his hand tangling in Carlo’s hair. “That’s it,” he murmured, his voice thick with need.
Encouraged, Carlo opened his mouth, taking the head of Liam’s cock between his lips. The taste was salty, musky, and surprisingly intoxicating. He swirled his tongue around the tip, experimenting with the sensation. Liam’s grip on his hair tightened slightly, a silent plea for more.
Carlo took a deep breath, then pushed himself further, taking more of Liam’s cock into his mouth. It was a struggle at first - the girth stretching his lips, the length hitting the back of his throat - but he refused to give up. He focused on the rhythm, bobbing his head slowly, his tongue working against the underside of Liam’s shaft.
Liam’s groans grew louder, his hips thrusting gently into Carlo’s mouth. “Fuck, Carlo,” he muttered, his voice strained. “You’re amazing.”
The praise sent a surge of confidence through Carlo. He relaxed his jaw, allowing Liam to slide deeper into his throat. The sensation was overwhelming - the weight of Liam’s cock filling his mouth, the way it pulsed with every thrust - but it was also exhilarating. He could feel Liam’s pleasure building, the tension in his body coiling tighter with every movement.
Carlo’s own cock was achingly hard now, straining against the fabric of the blanket. He twisted his hips so that it was open to the sunlight. The early morning sunlight against his naked skin was warm, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Liam’s cock in his mouth.
He began to stroke himself in time with the rhythm of his bobbing head, the dual sensations sending sparks of pleasure through him. He could feel himself getting closer, the pressure building in his gut. He moaned around Liam’s cock, the vibration drawing a sharp gasp from Liam.
“Carlo,” Liam growled, his hips stuttering. “I’m close.”
Carlo didn’t stop. He sucked harder, faster, his hand moving frantically over his own cock. The sound of Liam’s ragged breathing filled the air, mingling with the crash of the waves. And then, with a strangled cry, Liam came, his release flooding Carlo’s mouth.
The taste was intense, salty and bitter, but Carlo didn’t pull away. He swallowed every drop, his own orgasm crashing over him at the same time. His body convulsed as he came, his release spilling over his hand and onto the blanket.
For a moment, they stayed like that - Liam’s cock still in Carlo’s mouth, their bodies trembling with the aftershocks of pleasure. Then Liam gently pulled away, helping Carlo to his feet.
“That was…” Liam began, but words seemed to fail him.
Carlo smiled, a sense of pride swelling in his chest. “I told you I wanted to try,” he said softly, moving his body up, looking Liam in the eyes.
Liam traced his jawline softly, kissing him deep. “You were incredible,” he murmured against his lips.
Carlo leaned into the kiss, feeling a sense of accomplishment he hadn’t expected. He had done it - he had taken control of his desires, and it had been more than worth it.
As they lay together on the beach, the tide whispered at their feet, curling gently around their toes before retreating once more. Carlo stared up at the slowly brightening sky, but all he could truly see was Liam - warm beside him, breath still catching now and then, his skin kissed by early sunlight and the cool morning air.
Liam shifted closer, drawing Carlo against him, their legs brushing, their hearts beginning to steady in tandem. His fingers traced lazy paths along Carlo’s side, over the quiet strength of his body, memorizing the shape of the man he already knew he’d never want to let go of.
The waves came and went, and with them, something shifted in Liam too - something tender and rooted in trust. He leaned in, brushing his lips against Carlo’s ear, voice barely more than the breeze between them.
“I want to feel you inside me,” he murmured, not with urgency, but with intention. With devotion.
Carlo stilled, his breath caught - not in hesitation, but in awe. He turned to meet Liam’s gaze, the softness in his chest rising to meet the one he loved. He searched Liam’s face and found nothing but calm and certainty, as natural and inevitable as the sea returning to shore.
“I want that too,” he said, his voice low, reverent.
They kissed again, slowly now, their bodies moving together in rhythm with the waves - giving, taking, returning.
The world around them seemed to hush, as if the sea itself knew to hold its breath. Without a word, Liam took Carlo’s hand and guided him to a more secluded spot on the beach, hidden from view by a gentle curve of rocks and dune grass. There, wrapped in morning light and the hush of a rising tide, they found each other once more.
The sand was cool beneath them, a soft contrast to the heat between their bodies. Their hands roamed with quiet urgency, rediscovering, reaffirming. Carlo lingered, savouring the planes and curves of Liam’s body with his lips and fingertips, reverent and unhurried. Liam gasped softly beneath his touch, every breath quickening as Carlo moved lower, preparing him with slow, steady care - his fingers slick, sure, and patient, meeting no resistance.
Carlo positioned himself behind Liam, his cock hard and throbbing. He took a deep breath, then slowly pushed inside, the tight heat enveloping him in an exquisite rush. Liam moaned, his body arching back to meet Carlo’s, inviting him in deeper.
Carlo began to move, his hips finding a steady rhythm, the soft slap of their bodies blending with the sound of the waves. Each thrust sent a shiver of pleasure through him, the sensation building steadily. He gripped Liam’s hips, steadying him, driving deeper, harder, as their breaths mingled with the morning breeze.
Liam’s moans grew louder, more urgent, his body trembling with every stroke. Carlo felt the tension coil tight in his own body, pressure mounting with every thrust. He leaned forward, teeth grazing Liam’s shoulder, his breath hot against his lover’s ear.
“Cum for me, Liam,” he whispered, voice rough with need.
Liam cried out as his body clenched around Carlo, his release spilling onto the sand. Carlo followed moments later, groaning as his climax surged through him, his hips finally stalling as he emptied inside Liam.
They stayed like that for a while, their bodies entwined, the sound of the ocean crashing gently behind them. Carlo pulled out slowly, his cock slick with their combined juices, then leaned down and pressed a kiss to Liam’s shoulder, his chest still rising and falling with exertion.
Liam turned to him, eyes hazy with pleasure, and smiled. “That was incredible,” he murmured, his voice barely above the breeze.
Carlo smiled back, his heart swelling with a quiet certainty. He brushed a thumb gently across Liam’s cheek, where a fine mist of sea salt clung to his skin. The warmth of Liam’s breath lingered between them, mingling with the scent of ocean and sweat. “I love you,” he said simply, reverently, like a truth he’d always known but only now dared to speak aloud.
For a long, quiet moment, neither moved. Only the soft hush of the waves filled the silence, the water folding and unfolding like breath on the shore. Gulls circled lazily overhead, their distant cries grounding the moment in something wild and real.
Time seemed to pause around them, but when they finally moved, the world had shifted - sunlight stretched across the sea, and something unspoken had settled between them. Their bodies were flushed from more than exertion; they seemed illuminated from within, as if the night and morning had carved something permanent into their bones. Carlo bent down and picked up the blanket, now damp with sea mist and the remnants of their reunion. Liam chuckled softly, wrapping the other throw around his waist.
"Well, this one’s definitely going in the wash," Carlo said, with a sheepish grin, as he wrapped the cum-stained blanket around his body.
"Or straight to the fireplace," Liam teased, nudging him with a hip. “Could make for a good story someday.”
“Tragic tale of royal linen lost to lust?”
They laughed, their fingers finding each other again, as they began the slow walk back up the beach. They didn’t hurry. The world still felt quiet, like the day hadn’t officially started yet. Like it was theirs alone.
The house welcomed them back with the scent of cedar and salt. They stepped into the enclosed outdoor shower tucked against the side of the cottage - a tiled space open to the sky, shielded by high wooden walls wrapped in ivy. Carlo reached in to turn on the water, steam rising immediately in the cool morning air.
They stepped under the stream together, and for a long time, there were no words.
Carlo reached for the soap, lathering Liam’s chest with slow, deliberate strokes, his hands sliding over familiar terrain like he was memorizing it all over again. Liam closed his eyes, tilting his head back into the water as Carlo worked lower, trailing kisses down his ribs, the water gliding between them like another kind of touch.
When it was Liam’s turn, he took his time. His hands were firm but gentle, his fingers combing through Carlo’s hair, then tracing down his spine, the curve of his lower back, his thighs. Every place he touched, he lingered, as if anchoring himself in the here and now.
By the time they stepped out, dripping and clean, the sun was high enough to warm their skin. Towels remained untouched. They air-dried without thinking about it, both still naked, comfortable now in their bodies and in each other’s gaze.
Inside, the kitchen was cozy and sunlit, tucked just off the open living room. Carlo padded across the stone floor and headed straight for the small fridge. Liam leaned against the doorway, arms crossed loosely over his chest, watching.
"Are you about to whip up another one of your Nonna’s recipes?" he asked.
“I do more than parade around in tailored suits,” Carlo replied with a smirk, pulling out eggs, smoked salmon, and chives.
Liam watched him work, admiring the quiet confidence in his movements. There was something deeply attractive about a man who could command a room while his cock was flopping about - and also whisk eggs like it was a sacred ritual. Carlo sautéed the salmon gently, stirred the eggs in with practiced care, and folded the omelettes into golden parcels that smelled like comfort and something distinctly European.
They sat together at the breakfast bar, still bare-skinned, their knees touching under the table. Every few moments, one of them would reach out - brush a knuckle down the other's jaw, tuck a strand of hair back, rest a hand on a thigh. The touches weren’t sexual; they were grounding. Reassuring. Each man trying to confirm: You’re still here. You still want this.
Carlo took a bite, chewed, and then set his fork down. His expression shifted - thoughtful now.
“So,” he said slowly. “This is the part where we talk about what the hell happens next, right?”
Liam looked up from his plate. “I was hoping we could avoid that until at least lunch.”
Carlo smiled, but his eyes were serious. “Liam… you know I want this. You. Us. But nothing’s simple about it.”
“No,” Liam agreed. “It’s not. You’re still the Prince of Bologna. And I’m still the guy who walked away from all of it because I didn’t know how to stay.”
“And now?”
“I’m still scared,” Liam said, honest. “But I want to try. If you’ll have me - if we can figure out what this looks like in the daylight… then yeah. I want it.”
Carlo nodded slowly. “Publicly, it’ll be a mess. My Segretario Privato must already be panicking that I haven’t returned his calls. If I call and say I’m in love with a man it’ll be war at the palace.”
“So don’t do it alone,” Liam said, reaching for Carlo’s hand. “Don’t face it like you used to - without support. We can do this together. Quietly, at first. But together.”
Carlo’s jaw clenched, then softened. “I want that. But I need you to understand - if we go public with this, if I make you a part of my life back home, everything changes for you too. The press will come for you. They’ll twist your story. They’ll try to tear you down.”
“I’ve already been broken once,” Liam said. “Turns out I’m hard to crack now.”
They sat in silence for a moment longer, eating slowly, their hands never parting.
Then Carlo gave a small, almost disbelieving laugh. “God, I love you.”
Liam’s mouth curved into a grin. “Took you long enough to say it.”
They leaned in together, foreheads pressed, their naked bodies wrapped in sunlight and quiet strength.
This was the beginning - not of their affair, but of their future.
It was late morning when Carlo finally slipped into the small study at the back of the beach house, phone in hand, towel slung lazily around his waist. Liam was outside, lounging in a deck chair with a book and two cups of coffee, pretending not to glance inside every few seconds. They hadn’t said it aloud, but they both knew this call was overdue.
Carlo stared at the phone for a long moment before pressing the name: Gustavo Bianchi.
The Private Secretary picked up on the second ring. “Your Royal Highness,” came the even, measured voice - neither surprised, nor scolding. “I was wondering if today would be the day.”
Carlo exhaled a slow breath, managing a tired smile. “You always did know how to make me feel seen, Gustavo.”
“It’s my job to see you, sir. And lately, I haven’t liked what I’ve seen - or more accurately, what I haven’t seen.”
Carlo sat down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “You’re not going to like this either.”
“I’m listening,” Gustavo replied calmly.
“I’m staying in Jacob’s Bay. For now. And… I’m not alone.”
A beat of silence.
“With Liam,” Carlo added.
“I assumed as much,” Gustavo said lightly. “The lack of media coverage suggests you’ve been well hidden. I noticed a camera store in Jacob’s Bay sold a high-quality lens to a tourist… and not a single photo of you surfaced. Very strange. Almost as if someone discouraged publication.”
Carlo blinked. “You’ve been monitoring the local press?”
“I’m not paid to play cards, sir.” And you do still have a private security team on the ground.
Carlo rubbed his jaw, unsure whether to laugh or curse.
“I saw the two of you on the beach,” Gustavo added, almost as an afterthought.
Carlo froze. “You what?”
“I had a drone team doing a sweep for paparazzi when I spotted… well, let’s call it ‘intimate diplomacy.’ I instructed them to cut the feed. Everyone deserves a bit of privacy - even royalty.”
Carlo flushed, groaning. “Oh God.”
“Relax. I’ve since deleted the footage. Even the most trusted teams can be tempted by the right price.”
“And you’re… not going to lecture me?” Carlo asked, cautiously.
“I’ve been your advisor since you were fifteen, sir. I know the difference between a reckless fling and a man in love. And I know what Liam means to you.”
Carlo let the truth land, heavy and grounding. “I am in love with him.”
“I figured.” Gustavo’s tone softened. “You haven’t sounded this certain in years. Not even with women you were meant to fall for.”
Carlo was quiet for a long time.
“So what now?” he asked finally. “I want to tell the world. I want to stop hiding. But I also don’t want to blow up his life in the process.”
“Then don’t start with the world. Start small. Start with his world.”
Carlo frowned. “You mean…?”
“His parents. You’ve shaken a country. You’ve shaken yourself. But if you’re serious about this - and I believe you are - then you owe it to Liam to face the people who raised him. Earn their trust. Their blessing.”
Carlo leaned back in the chair, staring out the window where Liam now stood, shirtless in the morning light, laughing at something on his phone.
“You think they’ll approve?” Carlo asked.
“I think you’ll find out. You’re not just asking for their son’s heart, sir. You’re asking to enter his life. If you want forever with him, you need to start there.”
Carlo smiled faintly. “You’re a romantic under all that protocol.”
“I’m a realist,” Gustavo replied dryly. “But I’ve seen what happens when people wait too long to fight for what they want.”
Carlo nodded. “I’ll do it. I’ll meet them.”
“Good,” Gustavo said. “And sir?”
“Yes?”
“Next time you have royal sex on a public beach, please notify security first. The fishermen were… alarmed.”
Carlo laughed despite himself. “Noted.”
He hung up, heart steadier, and turned back to the man waiting for him outside - his future, just a few steps away.
