“Yeah.” Dylan smiled in a way that made Apollo’s pulse hum.
“Hey, could I take your picture?” The tourist’s tone was unmistakably flirty, and he still hadn’t so much as acknowledged Apollo standing two feet away. “You’d look great against the rail over there.”
Not entirely sure what came over him, Apollo closed the distance between himself and Dylan and draped a proprietary arm over his shoulders.
“Uh. Thanks, but I think I’m good right here.” Dylan tossed a questioning look at Apollo.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” The guy shrugged and moved farther down the deck.
Apollo was about to drop his arm, but then Dylan leaned into the embrace, head falling against Apollo’s shoulder, and his arm tightened of its own accord, apparently deciding there was nowhere it would rather be even as his brain protested that this was a bad idea.
“This is nice.” The wind whipped Dylan’s fluffy hair, and as they sped across the bay, downtown skyline behind them, his grin did something to Apollo’s insides, so he could only nod his agreement.
I missed this. A long-dormant part of Apollo poked its head out, a sprout of hope seeking the warmth of the sun after a frozen winter. He’d forgotten how nice this could be, someone to stand beside, someone to shelter from the wind, someone to take him out of his head. And for the first time, it felt...right that it was Dylan he was sharing the moment with.
Dylan looked up at him, mouth moving like he was about to speak. Apollo wasn’t in a place for questions, so he did the only thing that seemed to make sense and gave him a quick, hard kiss. An older couple near them in matching Hawaiian print shirts made a disgusted noise, which only made Apollo repeat the gesture.
“Ferry Landing approaching,” the loudspeaker blared as the red roofs of the landing’s shops and restaurants came into view. The upbeat strains of live music filtered down to the pier as they disembarked, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to grab Dylan’s hand, keep him close in the crush of people. In the distance, the tall buildings of downtown San Diego glittered across the bay. They made their way past smaller stores to the restaurant on the far side of the open air complex.
“Can’t believe I’ve never been here before,” Apollo admitted.
“Never?” Dylan grinned at him. “You know I really like giving you new experiences.”
And just like that, Apollo was back in the guest room, watching Dylan in the mirrored closet door. Unable to resist, he tugged Dylan into a shadowed gap between stores and pressed him against the building, mouth finding Dylan’s like it was his primary mission directive.
Dylan clung to Apollo like his soul was just as starving as Apollo’s for this kind of contact.
When they finally broke apart, Dylan laughed and didn’t loosen his grip on Apollo’s shoulders. “I’d be totally good with saying fuck it to the reservations and getting the return ferry and racing to the nearest flat surface at the house.”
“I’m not sure we’d make it to the house.” Apollo nipped at his mouth again, laughing despite himself because it was almost impossible not to join in when Dylan joked.
“I’m good with that.” Dylan bumped his hips into Apollo’s. “There’s got to be a restroom or—”
“Patience is a virtue. And my plans for you need more than just an empty can.”
“You’ve got plans?” Dylan’s grin was so fucking hopeful that it made Apollo’s chest do a weird little squeeze.
“I’ve got plans,” Apollo confirmed. Part of him wanted to tell Dylan to settle down, that this wasn’t a date, that there was no use in them getting all tangled up in something that was doomed. But another part of him had been so long without this delicious anticipation that he couldn’t help but return Dylan’s smile, skin prickling at the thought of what he wanted to do to Dylan later. What he wanted to share with him—and wasn’t that a novelty? He was no stranger to lust, but this sense of wanting an adventure together was something he’d been a very long time without.
“Good. Me too.” Dylan leaned in and kissed him again, and Apollo almost wanted to say screw it and head back to the ferry after all. But then Dylan broke away, tugging him farther down the path. “And we’re both going to need energy. Feed me.”
“Yes, sir.” God, when was the last time he’d laughed this much? A cool breeze swept over the landing, ruffling the banner advertising a sale in one of the boutiques. And it felt like the wind whipped through his life too, clearing out all the cobwebs and cranky thoughts and leaving only crisp, clear skies.
Chapter Fifteen
Not a date. Dylan shuddered as Apollo’s lips grazed his neck. He slumped against Apollo, glad for the heavy railing of the boat covering how turned on he was by Apollo’s muscular arms around him. But this wasn’t a date. Dylan had spent all evening reminding himself of that, believing it less with each repetition because it sure as heck felt date-like, from how close they’d stood with beers at the bar while waiting for their table to how they’d shared each other’s entrees.
They’d drunk far more than they should have with the meal, talking about everything from the girls to soccer, reluctant to leave, even though they both knew where the dinner was headed. It was like verbal foreplay, seeing which of them would give in first and demand to leave. In the end, they’d looked at each other, heat arcing between them as they both summoned the waiter, never breaking eye contact. And they’d raced back to the ferry dock holding hands, laughing as they tried to not miss the next boat to the mainland.
This wasn’t the Apollo he’d known for the past month. That Apollo was grim. Stoic. Polite, but never what someone might call warm. But this Apollo was like a wildfire, scorching mountain peaks, wreaking havoc on the boundaries of Dylan’s emotions, torching his resolve to keep his distance. And just like fire, he was gorgeous in his intensity—all that energy focused on him—but it was Dylan who’d be left with the blackened landscape when this weekend was done and they had to get back to normal. Whatever normal was.
It was hard to think with the warm bulk of Apollo pressing him into the rail, with Apollo’s breath in his ear. The inky night air was crisp, making him cuddle into Apollo. So many times in the past it had been Dylan doing the crowding and touching, but there was something rather seductive in this reversal. Apollo shuffled his feet, finding purchase as the boat rocked.