Aleks climbed down onto the boat when they reached the dock, ducking under the bright red canopy and taking Remey's hand to help him hop down. "Grab a seat. I'm going to get it started up and get us out on the water. You can wrap up in one of the blankets if you're cold."
Remey did, grabbing one of the blankets Aleks had brought and wrapping it around himself, feet propped up on the edge of the boat. "So I can trust you not to capsize us in frigid water, right?" His voice was teasing.
Aleks snorted. "Hey, I'd think you'd be thrilled for an excuse to strip us both down," he teased back, glancing over his shoulder at Remey. He started the boat and then pointed to the edge of the dock. "Untie us?"
Remey forgot his blushing in order to hurry to help, dropping the quilt, then wrapping back up in it once the boat was untied and he sat back down. "So you planned this, right? Like... a date."
Aleks glanced back at him again. "Yes. Like a date. Does it bother you?"
Remey grinned so wide it hurt and shook his head. "Not at all." Then he snuggled down into his quilt a little more. This was totally unexpected and even better because of it. He shivered at how the breeze picked up as Aleks guided the boat out onto the water, but the cold was
so
not diminishing his happiness right then. In fact, Remey was pretty sure nothing could bother him at the moment. They were on a date. Best day ever already.
Aleks nodded to the seat beside him under the canopy. "Come on up here. It's a little warmer." The cockpit was settled in a little alcove, which looked like it provided some protection from the chill breeze.
Remey clutched the blanket around himself as he moved to the seat beside Aleks's, huddling in its folds and eyeing Aleks suspiciously. "How are you not cold?"
Aleks laughed as he steered the boat out onto the lake. "I'm more used to it, I'm dressed for it, and I'm not a little wisp of a thing, either."
Remey made a face at him over the blanket. "Mental note to get some more long-sleeved T-shirts and stuff. I thought I was prepared for the winters, but I don't think I am now." He tilted his head at a bunch of plants, which seemed to be floating out on the water by themselves, nudging Aleks's shoulder and pointing to them. "What in the world..."
Aleks looked where he was pointing and laughed. "That? It's a sort of floating island, except not. Sometimes the vegetation around the shoreline breaks off in clumps and the plant leaves act as sails. It's pretty cool actually to watch them drift around the lake. Willow thinks they're awesome, of course, but she's also not entirely convinced they aren't actual islands and that she can't live on one."
Remey laughed, shaking his head. "I probably would have thought the same thing as a kid. And I'd have loved the idea of an island all my own."
Aleks glanced over at him with a teasing smile. "No plans to buy your own private island someday?"
Remey shook his head, smiling. "Not at all. I'm not
that
successful."
Aleks guided the boat around the island. "There are other lakes in the area that have the same sort of thing except in ring form, like atolls. It's pretty cool."
Remey nodded. "It definitely is." Then shivered, hard.
Aleks pointed. "There's a thermos under your seat." He slowed the boat and then shut off the motor to let them slowly drift a bit.
Remey straightened in his seat, glancing down, then back up as Aleks sat beside him. "There is?"
Aleks laughed and nodded, bending to reach under and grab it. "And I swear, if what's inside doesn't earn me a kiss, I don't know what will."
Remey grinned. "Don't tell me... Mona's cider?"
Aleks twisted off the top and let the aroma waft toward Remey, who let out a soft moan. "Bingo."
"Oh man, forget a kiss. I think I may love you." Remey did lean over and brush a kiss to Aleks's lips, though, peering up at Aleks through his lashes. "Thank you. I was regretting not getting a whole jug of it before we left."
"Way ahead of you. Here." He poured some into the lid/cup and handed it to Remey, then screwed the top back on and grabbed the second blanket to toss over his legs as he leaned back. "So what do you think?"
"Of the lake? Or of Haven in general?"
"Both. And maybe other things, too."
Remey smiled as he sipped the cider, propping his heels on the edge of the seat so he could wrap the blanket around his legs, too. "It's beautiful out here, all quiet and peaceful... I bet it's even more so in the summer or in the early fall, when all the leaves are still on the trees."
Aleks nodded. "It is. This is one of my favorite places in Haven, actually. I used to come out here a lot when I was a teenager. Even when I was feeling stifled by the small-ness of the town, I could always breathe out here. I don't get to come as much now, but I still love it."
"I can see why," Remey murmured, taking another sip of cider and offering the cup to Aleks. "And as for Haven... it's been what the name implies. Especially since the paparazzi left. It's exactly what I wanted and needed. I never could've gotten Theo to come to a place like this, not even for a long weekend. He's a true city boy and thinks vacations are best spent at fancy resorts, or in big cities at even fancier hotels." Remey shrugged and met Aleks's eyes. "Not that I don't like fancy hotels every once in a while, but..."
"Not all the time." Aleks finished for him, and Remey smiled.
"Exactly." He let out a soft sigh, more content than he could recall being in a long time. He glanced over at Aleks. "This might be the best first date I've ever been on, frigid breeze included." It was hard to mind the cold when Aleks kept sending him looks that spread heat through Remey's body. He didn't even think Aleks meant to do it but his smile was so damn appealing.
Aleks grinned. "Now I know you're full of shit."
Remey laughed, hands cupping the warm cider. His nose was no doubt red and his cheeks felt a little numb, but he was ridiculously happy. "I am not. I swear, best first date." Remey's smile went soft as he met Aleks's gaze. "It might have more to do with the company than with the actual locale of said date, I admit."
Aleks laughed. And then he leaned in and brushed his lips against Remey's, one hand cupping his cold cheek. Remey hummed in pleasure against his lips.
"Your hand is warm," he murmured. Then giggled a little. "So's your mouth."
Aleks slid his hand into Remey's hair. "You might want to put your cider down, Remey. I'm going to see that you really warm up now."
Remey shivered, not from the cold, and stretched his hand out to set the cup on the control panel of the boat, sliding his hands inside Aleks's open coat and smiling up at him "There. All yours."
He wondered if Aleks knew how true it was.
Remey's heart felt as though it might beat out of his chest as Aleks drew him closer, right up to the edge of his seat, their eyes locked. His stomach was jumping with anticipation. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about kissing Aleks in days. When their lips touched, Remey fisted his hands on Aleks's sweater and deepened the kiss, desire tugging in the pit of his stomach as Aleks's tongue swept across his bottom lip and into his mouth.
Remey gave back as good as he got, his body heating. The kiss went on and on, until Remey couldn't even feel the cold, only aware of Aleks's mouth on his and the way he tasted and smelled and how good his hands felt, one tangled in his hair, the other curved around the back of his neck. He panted when Aleks broke the kiss.
"Now I'm wishing this was a bigger boat," he murmured, so tempted to skim his hands down and get them underneath Aleks's clothes and on bare skin. Still, it was barely thirty degrees out, so he resisted. "Big enough for a bunk would be nice."
Aleks grinned at him. "We'll make do, Remey. C'mon over here."
Remey took the invitation, sliding into Aleks's lap, straddling those long, muscular thighs with a soft groan, the quilt still clutched around him as Aleks wrapped him up in his arms, and Remey let out a soft sound of pleasure. "Mmm, this is nice."
"It can be nicer," Aleks whispered, leaned in to kiss Remey again, slower this time, hotter, one hand sliding down Remey's back to cup his ass through the layers of fabric. Remey whined into the kiss, tipping his hips back slightly. He wanted Aleks's hands on his skin, wanted the intimate contact so much he ached for it.
* * * *
Aleks groaned, one hand slipping into Remey's hair, while the other got up close and personal with one of the sweetest asses he'd ever had the pleasure to touch. It occurred to him they weren't alone out on the lake and someone was going to see if they didn't stop soon, but with the media gone for now, Aleks didn't much care. It'd been almost a week and he'd seen no sign of a single paparazzo or journalist. It was like whatever had happened back in L.A. had caused a mass exodus, and Aleks had never been so glad for the media's fickle nature. So a few people from town saw him kissing Remey... let them see. He was kissing the prettiest boy he'd ever met and he wasn't ashamed.
His hand on Remey's ass shifted as the kiss deepened. Hesitantly, giving Remey a chance to stop him if he wanted to, Aleks inched his fingers up and under the hem of Remey's jacket and shirt, fingertips brushing bare skin. You'd think he'd gotten to third base or something, with the way his cock reacted to the faintest of touches, the slightest hint of velvety smooth, warm skin under his fingers.
Remey wasn't any better, though, his whole body tensing and then melting against Aleks's with an encouraging moan into the kiss. Fuck, he was driving Aleks crazy with how responsive and sensual he was. It was like he'd given himself permission to stop putting on a show for the cameras and this was Remey Dufresne... unplugged, so to speak. Stripped down and laid bare, all his secrets Aleks's for the taking.
And oh, Aleks wanted to take.
What he'd intended to be a simple, romantic first date was veering into the territory of anything but innocent. Aleks wanted more. It was very clear Remey did as well... why the hell were they on this boat necking like teenagers, as fun as it was? He broke the kiss, panting softly and meeting Remey's darkened blue eyes.
"Am I allowed to proposition the superstar?" He smiled, nuzzling Remey's lips.
Remey laughed, rocking against him. "Depends... does the proposition involve a bed and less layers?"
"Absolutely."
"Yes, please," Remey murmured, tipping his head to trail open-mouthed kisses along Aleks's jaw, his whole body shivering. Aleks suspected it was not from the cold, but from the desires that'd been stirred up.
"Then you need to move so I can get us back to the dock in one piece." Aleks didn't want to let go, but the lure of much, much more very soon was strong. Remey peeked up at him, grinning as he rocked his hips again.
"Sure about that? I like this seat better," he teased, and Aleks groaned, giving him a quick kiss.
"And I like you in it. But I'd like to have you in bed even more, and unless you move, we're not going anywhere."
Remey climbed out of Aleks's lap, wrapping the blanket around himself as Aleks started the engine and turned the pontoon boat toward the shore. A few minutes later, Aleks eased the boat into its dock, switching it off and pushing to his feet.
"I'm going to go tie us up. Would you grab the thermos and stuff?"
Remey did, and Aleks tied off the boat and climbed onto the dock, turning to extend a hand to help Remey out. "Which bed?"
Remey blinked, tilting his head up as Aleks took the quilts from him. "What?"
Aleks laughed. He was adorable. "Which bed, Remey? Yours or mine?"
"Ohh!" Remey's cheeks flushed in a way that had nothing to do with the cold. "Um... whichever is closest?"
Aleks grinned and took Remey's hand. "Good answer. Which means my house. Come on."
Remey glanced back at the boat as Aleks pulled him toward the SUV in the small parking lot. "Don't you have to give back the keys? You leave them in there?"
Aleks laughed and opened the car door for Remey. "It's a lake, sweetheart. Where is someone going to go, even if they did steal it?"
"Oh. Good point." He put his gloved hands up against his cheeks, like he was embarrassed, and Aleks wanted so much to lean in and kiss him. Almost did. But he wasn't entirely sure whether it was okay. They hadn't talked about PDAs. Then again, they had just gotten pretty fucking public out on the lake. What was one little kiss in the parking lot?
So he leaned in and brushed his lips against Remey's. "You're adorable. If it was only that you're pretty, I might be able to resist you. But the adorable slays me."
Remey laughed as he climbed into the SUV. "I'll keep that in mind, Aleksander."
Aleks closed the door with a shake of his head and rounded the hood. He slid into the driver's seat, his eyes hot as he gave Remey a sidelong look. "Buckle up, Remey."
"How far is it to your house?" Remey asked, stripping off his gloves as Aleks started the car and the heat went on.
"Ten minutes. Ten very long minutes."
Remey groaned, leaning back in the seat. "Damn. You know I've been dreaming of getting your hands on me? Everywhere on me. I'm not picky."
Aleks cast him a sidelong look. "If you make me wreck, I'm going to tell the sheriff it was because of your wicked mouth."
Remey laughed, eyes sparkling. "That'd sound worse, really. They'd think I was..." His gaze dropped to Aleks's lap.
Aleks groaned, hands tightening on the wheel. "You are so wrong, Remey." But Aleks did go a little faster, hoping like hell the sheriff didn't have a speed trap going today. Wouldn't that be just his luck?
When he got Remey in the house, he was going to make him share every detail of those dreams. And then make them come true. Right down to the letter.
"Are you saying you haven't been dreaming about me? You're going to ruin my pride, Aleksander."
At a stoplight, Aleks clenched his jaw and reached over to drag Remey's hand over to his lap, pressing his palm against the hard ridge inside his jeans. Their eyes met. "I've been doing plenty of dreaming, I promise you."
Remey bit his lip and his fingers tightened, gripping Aleks's cock through the worn denim. "Good. I'd have hated to be the only one so fucking crazy in lust I can't see straight."