Foxe Den 2: A Skykler Foxe & Friends Summer Vacation (Skyler Foxe Mysteries) Read online

  The Skyler Foxe Novels by Haley Walsh

  Foxe Tail

  Foxe Hunt

  Out-Foxed

  Foxe Den: A Holiday Collection (Novella)

  Foxe Fire

  Desert Foxe

  FOXE DEN 2

  A Skyler Foxe & Friends Summer Vacation

  HALEY WALSH

  Foxe Press

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is

  entirely coincidental.

  Copyright © Haley Walsh 2015

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  Cover design by Jeri Westerson

  This book is licensed to the original purchaser only. Duplication or distribution via any means is illegal and a violation of International Copyright Law, subject to criminal prosecution and upon conviction, fines and/or imprisonment. The eBook version cannot be legally loaned or given to others. No part of this eBook version can be shared or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher.

  Foxe Press

  PO Box 799

  Sun City, CA 92586

  To my Long Suffering Husband

  for making every day a vacation

  INTRODUCTION

  Just like the original FOXE DEN: A Holiday Collection, there is no mystery in this novella to solve. In fact, it might confuse you all together if you had not read the rest of the Skyler Foxe series beforehand. At least you’d be at a loss as to how the relationships came to be… You know what, just go back and read all the Skyler books, starting with FOXE TAIL and come back to this. Done? Good. Because here is Skyler’s first year as an English Lit teacher come to a close. And he finally has a little time to relax. This book should be read right after DESERT FOXE.

  We start with a Beach Party for Skyler and the Gay-Straight Alliance kids. And then we move to Beach Party Part II where we see the rest of the beach trip and an intimate moment through the eyes of Rick Flores. After that we go to Trixx and experience the bar and the SFC through Mike de Guzman’s point of view, and then Skyler and Keith go on a backpacking trip together for the very first time. You can imagine how that turns out.

  Again, this is a book of little extras, what the characters are up to when we aren’t viewing them between the pages of a full novel. They have so many stories to tell that a full novel cannot contain them! I hope you enjoy.

  Check out all my books at my website: SkylerFoxeMysteries.com.

  BEACH PARTY

  SKYLER FOXE SAT AT HIS DESK IN HIS classroom and alternated looking down at the papers he was correcting and glancing out the window at the falling June sun. He was like his students in many respects. He was only about ten years older than his favorite sophomore class but he, too, was easily distracted by the coming summer vacation. This was the end of the school year in his first year as a teacher and when he thought about it, there had been more ups and downs than an elevator convention.

  First there was Keith, his live-in boyfriend. He never believed he would get involved in a long-term relationship let alone a live-in one, at least not this young in life. He had been too busy hooking up to consider settling down with just one man, but when six foot six of Walking Wet Dream came into his life all bets were off. He had fallen pretty fast and pretty hard for the guy, even though he was a jock.

  And then Skyler had gotten himself in the thick of it, solving crimes with danger at every turn, having his life threatened. He’d done a lot of that this year, and his friend Jamie proudly called him “Sherlock Homo.”

  He’d even been publicly outed this year. But now that his mom finally found out, it hadn’t been as horrible as he thought it might be. Maybe at first, but she had come around quickly and adopted all the lost boys of the “Skyler Fuck Club,” his former hook-ups who were now his posse.

  Yup. It had been a full year.

  He looked down at his students’ homework papers again and sighed. He had a bad case of senioritis. And he hadn’t been a high school senior for eight years. Checking his watch he startled at how late it was. Quickly, he gathered his papers and stuffed them into his leather satchel. He’d finish these at home. Tomorrow was the last day of school and a Friday to boot. And the last session of the year for the Gay-Straight Alliance. He had surprise to offer those kids.

  But right now, he had an appointment with Mr. Sherman. The school principal had told him earlier to meet him in his office at four and it was coming up on that now.

  He turned off the light, locked the door, and strolled down the corridor to the stairs. He trotted downward and made it to the administration offices, swinging his satchel. The rest of the personnel seemed to have left for the day except for Pauline, the office manager. She usually gave Skyler a bright smile and a chirpy greeting, but today she only looked up slightly and gave him a quick nod.

  That was weird. He hoped everything was all right with her. He’d have to ask once he got done with the principal.

  And there was the man in his glass-walled office. Mr. Sherman was somewhat of a throwback to an earlier era. All he needed was a crew cut and horn-rimmed glasses and he would be right at home in his short sleeve dress shirts and nondescript ties. Skyler knocked on the jamb of the open door. Sherman looked up.

  “Mr. Foxe, please come in.”

  Skyler walked through and sat in the chair before his principal’s desk, setting his satchel down beside him. “What’s up, Mr. Sherman?”

  The man shuffled papers. “I want you to know, Mr. Foxe, that I’ve given you an exceptional evaluation for your first year as a teacher. Many of your students have improved under your care not only since the beginning of the year but from previous years. It has been noted how you have gone out of your way to promote extracurricular activities for your students and have mentored in…well, unusual ways.”

  Skyler preened. On the one hand he was slightly embarrassed by the praise from the man—who didn’t seem to offer praise lightly—but on the other hand, after all the things he had been through at the school, it was nice to have his good work recognized.

  Sherman cleared his throat. “So it is with some reservations that I give you this.” He slid a form from his stack of papers and handed it to Skyler. Skyler leaned over the desk and took it…and his heart froze.

  Breathlessly, he asked, “Is this a…”

  “A pink slip, yes. But don’t worry, Mr. Foxe. Surely you must have heard during your schooling and student teaching days that most new teachers receive a pink slip at the end of the year. It only means that the district budgets have yet to be worked out and that some teachers won’t be getting a renewal of their contracts till the last minute.”

  Skyler stared at the paper, unable to read it. His hand trembled. After all he’d been through this year, to have it end like this!

  “Mr. Foxe, let me assure you that I have every hope that your contract will be renewed.”

  “I’m out of a job?”

  Mr. Sherman adjusted himself in his seat. “It only looks that way now, Mr. Foxe, but as I said…”

  “It looks that way from where I’m sitting.”

  Rising, Mr. Sherman came around the other side of the desk and sat on the edge of it. “Mr. Foxe…Skyler. Do you think for one second after all you’ve done for this school…and for me,” he added quietly, “that I would allow the district to let you go? There is no way in heck that you will not be re-hired. Trust me.” Mr. Sherman
even leaned over and rested a hand on Skyler’s shoulder.

  Skyler looked up at Sherman’s determined face. Skyler had found the killer of the principal’s son, after all, and he had learned a lot about the man himself, had even grown closer to the usually stoic Wesley Sherman. He swallowed down a portion of his anxiety and nodded.

  Mr. Sherman nodded once and got up and moved around to his seat again, settling into the chair. “So though it may look bleak right now believe me, Mr. Foxe, there is a…rainbow at the end of it.”

  Skyler gave a nervous laugh at Sherman’s smile. The man just made a joke. He never made jokes. “I do want to stay. You know I do.”

  “And you will. Trust me, Mr. Foxe. There isn’t anything I won’t do for you.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Sherman. That’s…incredibly nice of you.”

  “You are a very valuable teacher, Mr. Foxe. And the district would be a sorrier place for losing you.” He sat back and toyed with his pen. “Do you…have a summer job?”

  “Yes. I’ve worked at the Lincoln Shrine for the past…oh, eleven, twelve summers, I guess, even when I was still in high school.”

  “Excellent. I’m putting that in your file. That certainly shows how dedicated you are.”

  After a quiet moment when Sherman had no more to say, Skyler figured their talk was over. He slowly rose, feeling a little shaky. “Well…” He raised the pink slip with a grimace. “I wasn’t expecting this but I guess I should have.”

  “Like I said, Mr. Foxe. It’s only a minor tangent. Don’t take it to heart. There are quite a few teachers here whom I have had to offer the same. I don’t believe any one of them won’t be returning in the fall.”

  “When…when will I hear?”

  “End of July.”

  “The district likes their drama, huh?”

  “It’s nerve-wracking, I know. But please believe me, Mr. Foxe…Skyler. You have nothing to worry about.”

  “Okay, Mr. Sherman. Thanks.”

  “You’ll be coming to graduation on Monday?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Good night, then.”

  “Good night, Mr. Sherman.”

  Skyler picked up his satchel and walked slowly out of his office. He stopped in front of Pauline’s desk and lifted the paper. “I suppose you knew about this.”

  “I’m the one who has to fill out the paperwork,” she said with a regretful expression. “But don’t worry, Skyler. Mr. Sherman has your back.”

  “But I caused so much trouble this year. They had to call a special school board meeting because of me.”

  “There’s no mark on your record.”

  “But they all still remember it.”

  “Skyler, you really have nothing to worry about. I’ve been at this over ten years, and this happens every year. It’s a shitty system but it’s what they do. And very seldom have teachers not been called back. Only at the beginning of the recession did we ever actually let teachers go. But the district is doing fine now. Well, as fine as any district these days. You don’t have anything to worry about. Not with Mr. Sherman and all the office staff on your side.”

  Well, okay. That made him feel a little better. A lot better, actually. He even smiled. “Thanks, Pauline.” He stuffed the paper in his satchel. “See you tomorrow.”

  “Try to enjoy tomorrow, Skyler. It’s your first year. First of many. You should celebrate.”

  He grinned. “Yeah. Okay. Thanks again.”

  He left the office for the faculty parking lot. He had been deflated from earlier, but with Sherman’s and Pauline’s reassurances he did feel brighter. It wasn’t as if his classes were all that small. They couldn’t really afford to be down one teacher in a main subject. And his evaluations would be stellar. He could kick himself. He knew darned well that all new teachers always got the pink slips at the end of the year. And he had also known he’d be getting one for the next few years, in fact, until tenure kicked in. It was just common practice and as long as he continued to do as well as he did this first year, it should be all right.

  He did feel better as he started his VW Bug and made the short drive home, but it still put a slight damper on his mood.

  As he climbed the stairs, he frowned, noticing very few lights on in the apartment. But he knew Keith must be there because his truck was parked out front. And he wanted to share his sorrows…who was he kidding? He wanted to whine and complain to someone.

  Unlocking the door, he put his satchel down by the hall tree before heading for the bedroom. “Keith! Are you here? This thing happened today and I—oh shit.”

  Skyler paused in the doorway to their bedroom. Keith was lying back against the pillows. He was still wearing his James Polk High t-shirt, but he had rucked it up to his chest over his nipples and he had removed his shoes, socks, trousers, and underwear, and was currently leisurely stroking his rigid cock.

  Skyler leaned against the doorway, folding his arms, all whining forgotten. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “No. As a matter of fact, I’ve been waiting ages for you to catch me.”

  “Is that a fact?”

  “Uh huh. Want you to watch.”

  Keith’s slickened hand glided over his hard dick and over the head, where his fingers tightened and rolled over it, before dragging down again to his glistening public hair.

  Mesmerized, Skyler did watch, mouth hanging open as his breath quickened. “Don’t you want any help there?”

  “Nope. Just you…watching.”

  “You were fantasizing about that?”

  “Uh huh.”

  “Fuck, that’s hot.” Skyler adjusted his own growing dick in his pants. He entered the room and stood at the foot of the bed, leaning on the bedpost.

  “Is that a better angle for you, babe?”

  He nodded. Keith spread his legs and reached down to cup his sac, rolling it in his hand. He pushed his balls out of the way and with a moistened finger circled his hole, raising his hips.

  “Show off,” Skyler rasped.

  “Showing off for you.”

  Okay, this was unfair. Skyler began to quickly undress.

  “What are you doing?” asked Keith. His eyes were lidded and he hadn’t stopped stroking.

  “I’m giving a little tit for tat. Or cock for cock. Or something.” He kicked away his shoes, tore off his shirt, and dug into the zipper of his pants. Soon he was more naked than Keith and he dragged the corner chair forward to the side of the bed. He flopped down in it, draping his legs over each arm so his thighs were widespread. He licked down the palm of his hand and grabbed his already hard dick and began to stroke.

  Keith jerked upward, eyes wide. He ran a tongue over his lips and took a sharp breath. “Oh, babe…”

  “Now you can watch, too.”

  Was it a contest? Skyler only knew he was enjoying watching Keith, and as his hand stroked his own flesh in waves of aching pleasure, he got a thrill that Keith was now avidly watching him. “There’s something to be said for voyeurism.”

  “Yeah,” said Keith in a roughened voice. His fingers tightened and his strokes quickened.

  Skyler’s hand was drying out. “I can use some lube.”

  Keith scrambled suddenly to the foot of the bed. “Here, allow me.” He reached over to Skyler’s reddened cock and stroked it with his own lubed hand once before resuming his spot against the pillows. “Will that do?”

  Skyler froze for a second before he took up his cock again, slicked from dick-warmed Keith lube. “Yeah. That works just…just fine.”

  He stroked for a few more moments but his twitching hole told him he wanted more. He jumped to his feet and stood at the foot of the bed again. Keith was still rubbing his cock as his eyes followed Skyler.

  Skyler licked his lips. “I don’t think I can just watch.”

  “What do you want, then?”

  “I want to get up on that.”

  Keith’s eyes flicked back to the basket of condoms, the condoms they weren
’t using anymore. Skyler didn’t know why they kept them. It was some sort of unspoken thing between them. Maybe it was there as their failsafe. But Skyler knew Keith would never be unfaithful, and he knew that was also true about himself. They didn’t need them. And maybe tomorrow Skyler would get rid of them.

  Skyler hopped onto the bed. He straddled Keith’s thighs and locked gazes while he stroked the man’s cock. Keith winced as Skyler squeezed. That meant he was close.

  Skyler leaned over him to get a pump of lube. He raised a leg and lubed himself and rubbed the leftover on the hot flesh of Keith’s dick below him. He arched up and trusted Keith to do the aiming. When he felt it between his ass cheeks he lowered down until he felt the burn with the breach. Opening himself, he slid down until his ass touched thighs.

  “I’d rather participate than watch,” he panted.

  Keith’s eyes slid down to Skyler’s cock. “Now I really get to watch.”

  Licking his lips again, Skyler took himself in hand and slowly stroked. “Like this?”

  Keith jerked his hips and Skyler made a very unmanly squeak.

  “Ride me, babe,” purred Keith.

  Skyler did. He rose up and eased down. But soon he was bouncing, getting Keith’s dick to hit his prostate almost every time. His tightening balls and aching cock weren’t going to hold out much longer.

  Keith’s fingers dug into Skyler’s hips and he was gritting his teeth. He was close, too. Suddenly, Skyler wanted to come at the same time.

  “Together?” he gasped out.

  Keith’s glassy eyes blinked at him, until he gave a curt nod.

  “Really close,” Skyler whispered.

  “Me, too.”

  “God!”

  Keith’s eyes snapped open and he jutted his hips hard, mouth open in a soundless shout. Skyler twisted his fingers over his own dick and let loose. Spurts of white shot over his hand and spattered Keith’s chest as Keith kept pressing hard into Skyler, kept coming. His eyes drifted over Skyler’s sweat-damp chest, his cock, and finally his face.