Remey bit his lip, glancing down at Aleks and smiling, one hand lifting in a little wave, which earned him another of those smiles.
What if she's right?
Remey glanced over at her again. "I hoped so... you think?"
Alli laughed. "Baby, I
know.
"
Remey flushed lightly as Aleks turned back toward the band, lifting one shoulder as he glanced over at Alli. "I hope you're right because I am so head over heels for him. I know it's soon and there's a lot we have to work through, but... I think he's The One, Alli. I really do." Remey cut off as the band started checking and tuning their instruments, a chorus of discordant notes rising from the section in front of them. Alli made a face, wrinkling her nose, and Remey laughed. He could tell she was fighting not to cover her ears. When the noise stopped, Alli turned to him, her eyes bright with laughter.
"The One? Oh, Cajun, I have
got
to meet this man!"
Remey smiled, sliding his arm around Alli when she leaned into him, squeezing her close. Everyone around them stood as the football team trotted onto the field. Remey did, too, but he couldn't keep his eyes off the front row of the bleachers, where Aleks stood in front of the band, conducting as they played the school song.
Aleks turned after a minute and shot Remey a grin, tilting his head in Alli's direction. Remey had talked to him yesterday and had mentioned Alli was visiting, but it was the only time they'd talked since dinner at the café on Tuesday night with Willow. As happy as he was that Alli had surprised him with a visit, he was looking forward to her going back to L.A. tomorrow, too, because there was no such thing as privacy with her around.
"He's something," she whispered.
Remey beamed. "I know."
Alli perked up then, nodding down front. "Is that the little one? Willow?"
Remey followed her pointing finger and laughed. "Yep!" All bundled up in her jacket, her little face was barely visible peeking out of the fur trim. His heart squeezed.
As if on cue, Willow turned and her face lit up. "Remey!"
Remey waved. "Hi,
bebette!
Oh, oh hang on. You'll fall!" He hurried the few rows as she started trying to climb up, laughing as he scooped her up. "Hey you," he said with a smile. He sat next to the band section with her and waved a hand at Alli to join him.
He shook his head in amusement as Alli stood, still wrapped in the blanket and made her way closer, plopping onto the bleacher beside him. "Willow, this is my best friend, Allison. Alli, this is Willow Grace."
Alli smiled and held out her hand. "Hi, Willow, very nice to meet you."
Willow tilted her head, letting go of Alli's hand and tugging at the edge of the blanket. "Hi. Why you gots a blankie? You tired an' goin' to bed?"
Remey snickered and Alli shot him a look. "No,
bebette,
Alli's cold. She's not used to winter like this."
Willow nodded, as if Alli's explanation made perfect sense to her. "Dere's snow on the groun' an' everything. Is almost Christmas, an'... an' Auntie Jess is gonna take me to the mall so's I can buy Daddy's Christmas present!" Willow tugged on the sleeve of Aleks's coat while he was talking to one of the students, effectively stealing his attention. "Daddy, Daddy, look. Is Remey an' Allison!"
* * * *
Aleks smiled. "I see." He met Remey's gaze and wished he could bend down and kiss him. He didn't think Remey would mind, honestly, but he wasn't sure
he
was ready to go public yet. "Hey, Remey."
"Hey, yourself. Aleks, this is Allison. Alli, Aleks Kelly."
Alli flashed Aleks a blinding smile as she reached across Remey and Willow to shake Aleks's hand. "Nice to meet the guy who's got my Cajun all tied in knots."
Aleks grinned. "Nice to meet you, too. You're Remey's..."
"Assistant," Alli supplied. "Best friend, honorary little sister... whichever works at the time."
Aleks nodded. "Well, very nice to meet you, Alli. How are you enjoying Haven? Besides the cold?" he teased, gesturing to the quilt she had wrapped around herself.
Alli rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Ha, ha, you're all a bunch of comedians, I see. Make fun of the California girl."
"Well, she'd better get used to it. I'm trying to talk her into moving to New York, since I'll be based here from now on. I need my assistant close," Remey interjected.
Aleks met Remey's gaze. "Wow, moving across the country? You're serious?" He'd hoped, sure, but he'd always assumed Remey was going to head back to L.A. when the novelty wore off. But if he was asking his PA to relocate all the way across the continent... Well, he had to be serious, didn't he?"
Remey smiled at him. "I told you."
Aleks gave him a sheepish smile. "You did. Sorry. I think it's awesome."
Alli snorted. "Well, I haven't decided if it's awesome or not"
The realization Remey
was
serious about staying in Haven, about making a life here, was enough to give Aleks plenty to think about. He hadn't believed it before now. He hadn't thought Remey was lying; he'd figured it was only the newness talking and he'd change his mind.
Apparently not.
Damn.
One by one, Remey was removing any and all reasons Aleks had for holding him at arm's length. Maybe it was time he stopped.
Aleks felt kind of like a teenager, sneaking off for an illicit meeting. A boy no one knew was his, waiting for him, even though he didn't know Aleks was coming. Actually, he hadn't done that since college, when he'd dated one of his teaching assistants and had to keep it quiet so neither of them got kicked out of school for "improper association."
He pulled up in front of Remey's house, tucking his keys in his pocket as he jogged up the walk. He didn't even care it was the middle of the day and neighbors were shoveling their driveways. Let them gossip. Jess had taken Willow for the afternoon to shop, and Aleks was going to take full advantage of the free time.
He pulled open the screen door and knocked, shifting impatiently from one foot to the other as he waited. A minute later, he heard light footsteps and then the curtain on the front door pulled to one side to show Remey's surprised face. And God help him, Remey was wearing those adorkable black-rimmed geek glasses of his. Aleks wanted to eat him up, and would if he'd open the damn door.
A second later, his wish was granted as the sound of the lock snicking open was followed by the door swinging wide.
"Aleks, what--"
Remey didn't get to finish, because Aleks caught him around the waist, lifted him off his feet and kissed him as he walked them both inside and nudged the door shut with his foot.
Remey clung to him, twining his arms around Aleks's neck as his back hit the wall. He responded by hooking his legs at Aleks's hips and kissing him back, all fire and passion and need. Aleks's heart thundered in his chest.
He broke the kiss, teeth tugging sharply at Remey's lower lip, and the other man moaned, reaching between them with shaky, frantic hands to unbutton Aleks's coat. Aleks groaned, taking the cue and shrugging it off his shoulders so it fell to the floor in a heap. Remey wasn't satisfied, though, and yanked his scarf off to toss it in the general direction of the hall table.
Aleks grinned as he let Remey down to his feet, shoving his lover's shirt up and bending to take Remey's nipple into his mouth. Remey hissed, his hand fisting in Aleks's hair, the other bracing against the wall.
"Fuck," Remey whispered, his head thudding back against the wall as Aleks continued sucking and tugging the tight bud. Remey squirmed, pulling at Aleks's clothes, undoing a few buttons on his shirt and yanking it free of his jeans, their bodies rocking together.
"Exactly," Aleks whispered, pulling up the other side of Remey's shirt to bare his chest, his mouth moving to the other nipple. Remey groaned, pushing up onto his tiptoes to grind his abdomen against Aleks's body.
Aleks slid his arm around Remey's waist, arching him closer. When he lifted his head, Remey's nipple was rigid and wet, glistening in the light. It made Aleks harder than before.
Their eyes met, and Remey's breath hitched, his blue eyes wide.
"Bedroom?" Aleks asked, free hand reaching down to catch his leg, hooking it high against himself.
Remey gestured toward the stairs. "Up... up there," he panted, moaning when Aleks took his vague direction and picked Remey up again, bearing his weight without any effort as he strode for the stairs. "God, what has gotten into you?"
Aleks grinned and bent to nuzzle and kiss his beautiful neck, glancing around and then following Remey's finger toward the right bedroom door. "You have. I swear to fucking God, Remey..." He didn't quite make it to the bedroom before he had to press Remey against the wall and kiss him hard, again, grinding against him. The kiss broke and both were breathless. "If I'm not busy twenty-four/seven, all I do is think about you. Eating breakfast, washing dishes, listening to the kids practice, driving to the fucking grocery store... you, you, you. All the damn time."
Remey laughed, moving out of his arms and dragging Aleks by his wrist into the bedroom. "Thank God... I thought it might be just me." He stumbled over a hoodie left tossed on the floor, but Aleks caught him, and Remey's shirt joined the hoodie as Aleks hauled him up onto tiptoes again and this time homed in on Remey's collarbone, all sharply defined and gorgeous, begging for his teeth and tongue.
Remey let out a shuddery breath, head tipping back while he yanked at Aleks's shirt, finally getting all the buttons undone and pushing it off his shoulders to the floor. Remey made an approving sound low in his throat and smoothed his hands over the bared skin.
Aleks steered them both toward the bed, until the backs of Remey's knees hit the edge and they tumbled backward onto the wide, comfortable mattress.
"I--" he began, but Aleks didn't let him get any further before he was bending over Remey and kissing him again. He could practically taste the need strung tight between them, built up and pent up since the day at the lake.
Remey seemed to pour himself into the kiss, his hands sliding down to hook his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans as Aleks bit his lower lip, his hands braced on either side of Remey's head where they were sprawled ungracefully across the bed. Aleks broke the kiss, his eyes hot on Remey as he knelt and opened Remey's jeans, his hands sure as he popped the button open and slid the zipper down.
"Let's get rid of these, huh?"
Remey lifted his hips in eager agreement, and as Aleks swept his jeans down his legs, he paused, attention caught by the bright, apple green boxer-briefs Remey wore. Now that he noticed it, he was pretty sure the ones from their date had been equally as vivid... blue maybe?
He grinned and met Remey's gaze. "Technicolor underwear," he said in a teasing tone.
Remey laughed and pulled his legs free of the jeans, pushing up onto his hands. "Complaining?"
Aleks shook his head as he tossed aside the jeans. "Hell, no. I like them." They were like a light-hearted little secret Remey kept to himself. Hidden from everyone but those allowed close enough. And Aleks was one of those lucky few. "It's sexy. And makes me want to invade your underwear drawer to see how many different colors you have."
He bent down, though, lips nibbling along the waistband of the bright boxer-briefs and glanced up at Remey. "I have better things to do right now, though," he murmured.
Remey let out a ragged sigh and nodded, arching, head falling back as Aleks's mouth slid lower and pressed hot, damp kisses along the shaft of Remey's cock through the cotton. "Holy shit... yes, you do. More, Aleks, please..."
Aleks flashed him a grin and shifted down between Remey's parted legs, mouth closing over his cock through the thin cotton of his underwear. Remey groaned, his hands grasping his sheets. Even through the barrier of fabric, the taste of him was hot and addictive.
"More like that, Remey?" Aleks asked, his voice low.
Remey shuddered. "God yes. I've never wanted anyone as bad as I want you," Remey confessed, his breath catching and hips bucking as Aleks pulled the boxer-briefs down and off in one smooth move, leaving Remey naked except for his glasses. It gave the erotic image a dash of adorable, which, honestly, was just like Remey.
Then the glasses got tossed onto the nightstand and Remey knelt on the bed, pressing his body against Aleks's. Aleks's breath caught as Remey reaching down between them to get his jeans open and pushed halfway down his hips.
"I think you're overdressed," Remey murmured. "Get them off. I want to see you naked again."
"Bossy little thing, aren't you?" Aleks teased, pushing to his feet and kicking off his shoes and socks, then shucking the jeans and underwear down. His pride got a rise when Remey caught his breath, blue eyes raking over him.
"I can be," he agreed, flashing Aleks an inviting grin. "But it got you naked... and in my bed."
Aleks caught him around his waist again and this time when they tumbled back on the bed, Aleks turned and let Remey stretch out on his chest, legs straddling Aleks's hips.
Oh, that's nice.
Aleks was going to fuck him like this today, definitely. He wanted to see Remey riding his cock all afternoon if he could get away with it.
He thought he could, too.
"If I recall, diva, I got
you
in
my
bed first. Are we keeping score? I think this should still count for me... I didn't see you storming my front door and having your way with me."
Remey gave him an indignant look, sitting up. "I was giving you time to come to your senses and realize I might be one of the best things to happen to you." His tone was teasing, but Aleks thought it was true.
"You're right."
Remey's teasing ended and his smile faded. "I... am?"
"Oh, yeah." Aleks drew him down so they were chest-to-chest, faces inches from each other. "I think you could be, Remey... I do."
Remey let out a heavy breath, looking like he'd been kicked in the chest... except in a good way. Then he smiled as he leaned down the rest of the way, claiming Aleks's lips. The kiss was warm, slow and almost sweet, and Aleks's heart raced. There was so much emotion in it, and when the kiss broke and their eyes met, the same emotion was in Remey's eyes.