Page 12 of Scout

“So, tell me about New York,” Scout said after swallowing a bite of his sandwich.

“You’ve never been there?”

He shrugged. “Years ago—about twenty or so. It was in my teens—I know that. I mean, I’ve flown through JFK and LaGuardia many times, but since I never left the airport, those don’t really count.”

Alex chuckled. “No, that definitely doesn’t count. Some people think that visiting New York City will be a breeze because they’ve lived in other cities, but it’s a world of its own, and there’s nothing else like it. I lived in a studio apartment in Tribeca, not far from the Four Seasons.”

“I don’t think we went there—Tribeca, I mean. I remember going to the Statue of Liberty, the Intrepid, South Street Seaport, and a few other places. We also went to seeCatson Broadway.”

“What time of year were you there?”

Scout thought for a moment before answering. “Spring, I think. Around this time of year. Why?”

“You’ve got to visit Rockefeller Center sometime inDecember when the big Christmas tree is up. Then, walk around, checking out some of the store displays. Some go all out, and people line up just to get close to see every little detail. It was my favorite time of the year there, as long as the temperatures didn’t dip below twenty degrees.”

“Maybe we could go some time, and you could show me all the sights. Stuff I missed the first time I was there.”

Alex paused mid-chew, stunned by the other man’s suggestion. Scout smirked at him. “I’m not looking for a brief fling with you, babe. I want to make plans with you—go places, see things, have new experiences.” When Alex frowned, Scout asked, “What?”

He paused, choosing his words carefully because he didn’t want to insult Scout. “If we date, I’m afraid people will think I’m only with you because of your money.”

“Oh, thank God. I thought you were upset because I called you ‘babe.’” Scout rolled his eyes. “Trust me when I say I’ve become a human bloodhound regarding people and my money. It doesn’t take long before I know if it’s me or my bank account a person wants to get close to. The first time we ate at that Mexican restaurant for lunch, you pulled out your wallet before I could grab mine. I watched you. You weren’t making a lame attempt to pay while waiting for me to say I’d get the check. You acted like it was your turn to pay, which was no big deal—just like you’d do if you wereout with your friends and family. In fact, if I were to hazard a guess, I think my money makes you more nervous than anything.”

“You’re so far out of my league, it isn’t funny, Sc?—”

“Bullshit, Alex.” Anger flared in his eyes. “I’mnotout of your league. I’m just a guy who is very interested in you and just happens to have good business sense. Like you, I was raised by a loving family who didn’t mind when I came out to them. My parents taught me right from wrong, to treat everyone as if they were my equal or even better than me, and to stand up and take chances in life. And that’s what I’m doing right now—well, not the standing up part, but I could do that if you really want me to, but I’m comfortable at the moment. But the taking a chance part? Yeah, that’s what I’m doing. I never considered having a long-term relationship with someone until you came along. With the guys I’ve dated in the past, I always knew there would come a time when the relationship ran its course and it would be over. And I was okay with that. But with you? Damn it, with you, I don’t want to see a time when you’re not in my life ... by my side ... in my bed.”

As Alex gaped at him, Scout pushed their food aside and closed the distance between them. Scout’s intense stare flittered from Alex’s mouth to his eyes and back again. His voice dropped to just above a whisper. “Do you remember what it was like to kiss me last night? Because I’m more than happy to remind you.”

Alex groaned. While some of the night before wasstill a bit of a blur, that kiss was in full focus in his mind. “I remember.”

A smirk was the only response he got until Scout leaned in and kissed him. Alex’s eyes fluttered shut as he tilted his head to get a better angle. While he had so many uncertainties about a relationship with Scout, they all fled his mind at the taste of the man he had dreamed about for weeks. Yeah, he remembered they kissed last night, but his recollection didn’t come close to what he experienced right then.

His heart pounded against his ribcage as myriad emotions bubbled to the surface. Alex thought he’d been in love before, but now he knew those times were imitations of the real thing. What he felt for Scout was more than he ever expected to feel for anyone in his life. As Scout said earlier, Alex hated leaving work at the end of the day, especially on Fridays, with no plans for the weekend because it meant he wouldn’t see his boss, his obsession for far too long.

Scout scooted closer and gently pushed on Alex’s shoulders until he was flat on his back. The boulder wasn’t the most comfortable thing in the world, but Alex didn’t give a crap as the other man straddled him, never letting their mouths part. Their tongues clashed and fought for supremacy, but Alex knew it was a losing battle. Scout was pure alpha, and Alex was compelled to submit to him. He had always been the bottom in his relationships, and honestly, he had no desire to be the top.

They made out for a while, and Alex was grateful Scout didn’t push him for more than the basic exploration he was content with. Yes, he’d fantasized about Scout for weeks now, of having dirty, mind-blowing sex with the man, but Alex wasn’t ready to make that a reality yet. Scout was special, and Alex didn’t want to do anything that might sideline this thing growing between them.

When Scout slowed the kiss and then gave Alex a few soft pecks on his lips before sitting upright, Alex set his hands on the other man’s thighs, trying to ignore the stiff erection just a few inches above that, being restrained by faded denim.

Scout smiled down at him and caressed Alex’s chest with the palms of his hands. “You know, I could kiss you for hours.”

A blush stole across Alex’s cheeks. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

Rolling off Alex, Scout adjusted himself and then got to his feet with a wince and a groan. “I promised we’d take this slowly, so I’m going to think with my big head and not my little one—although he’s not so little.” The man smiled smugly, and it was so sexy on him, causing Alex’s cock to twitch with want and need, but he ignored it. At some point, they would take the next step—Alex was confident about that, but for now, he was content with what just happened between them.

As Scout held out his hand and helped Alex to his feet, he said, “Anyway, why don’t we clean this up andtake a walk? There’s a waterfall up that way,” he gestured to the north, “that I want to show you.”

For the next two hours, they wandered around, exploring the area, pointing things out to each other, and just talking. It was precisely the first date Scout had seemed to want it to be. And if he were honest, it was the best date Alex was ever on. They both asked questions and got to know each other more personally than employer/employee. Somewhere along the way, Alex realized he was falling in love—truly in love—for the first time in his life.

Eight

The past two weeks were awesome—actually, beyond awesome, in Scout’s opinion. While he and Alex agreed to keep things professional at the office, they’d gone on several more dates after hours. They wanted to keep their growing relationship between them, for now, as they got to know each other better on a personal level. Since their first date, they’d gone out to a movie, a new local art exhibit Alex wanted to check out, and bowling—something Scout hadn’t done in years. Thank God he hadn’t made a fool of himself by throwing nothing but gutter balls.

Until Alex, Scout never realized how most of the dates he went on in the past were expensive ones, in one way or another, usually with him footing the bill. And while Scout could easily afford to pay for everything, each time they went out, his new boyfriend refused to let him. They took turns or went Dutch, which Scout was okay with. He didn’t care what they did or who paid for it as long as they were together. All that mattered was spending time with the man he was falling in love with—hopelessly, irreversibly in love with.

In addition to going out a few nights, there had been other dates when they stayed in Scout’s penthouse. They enjoyed spending the evening cooking dinner together and watching TV—a movie, sports, or the latest episode of a new reality show they were both into. Scout was surprised and pleased when he learned Alex liked to play chess. Over the past six days, they tried to outwit each other on the handcrafted marble set Scout bought in Italy a few years ago. They seemed to be on the same playing level, so it was challenging to determine their next moves.

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