Page 99 of Refraction

As he headed for the wall, he spotted a bottle of water Calvin was dangling in the pool right in his line of vision. He snatched it and popped up to drink deep. Good. Just what he needed.

“Tiger, you look so strong when you swim. You have got to teach me.”

“I totally will. It’s amazing exercise, and it feels so good.” He lifted himself out of the pool and stole a kiss.

“I could just sit here and watch you swim. It’s a pastime all on its own.” Calvin pulled him back for another kiss. “It’s turned into a beautiful night, huh?”

“It has. The breeze makes the difference, I think.” He loved the way the wind cooled the world down.

“I haven’t seen this many stars since I lived in Vermont. Actually I don’t think I saw this many at home either.”

“It’s a thing. The stars at night, you know?” He winked over.

Calvin bumped shoulders with him. “Yeah, not so much in New York it’s not, smartass. Except on super clear nights. I mean, we see some, but not a lot. Too much light pollution. I’m sure you remember. Or is your memory going in your old age?”

“Light pollution… that’s a cool thought. Also, not that old. I meant the song—‘Deep in the Heart of Texas’?” He sang a little, clapping happily with the song that every little kid in the history of the state learned in kindergarten.

Light pollution.

“Oh. Sorry. Never heard it.” Calvin laughed.

He chuckled, but his brain was spinning over the idea of light pollution. That could be a whole series….

“Whoops. There you go.” Calvin stood up and tapped his shoulder. “Come on, tiger. We’ve got stuff to set on fire. Stay with me another hour or two. You can paint all night after if you want.”

“I’m with you. Bonfire ho! Let me put some pants on. Flame and dangly bits could be a problem. You want the bug spray?” Tucker asked.

Calvin trailed after him as he headed inside. “Definitely. Bugs like me. And I should put on something dry.”

“Totally. I find the salt water gets a little crusty, even though it’s not supposed to.” He could have a little shower and shampoo, even, although he’d have to do it again after the bug spray.

“I’ll shower off all the goo later. You can join me.” The pinch Calvin gave him stung like hell.

“Ow! My poor heinie!” He made a show of dancing around, holding his ass.

“Ha! Your heinie is so muscley I could hardly grab anything.” He watched Calvin dig through a drawer in the little dresser he’d emptied for his lover and pull out a tiny pair of bright pink briefs and blue jeans. “Are we doing shirts?”

“I’m gonna grab one, just to give the skeeters less to nosh on.” He pulled on a pair of shorts and an ancient button-down.

“That was my thinking with the jeans. Less skin I have to spray too.” Calvin grabbed one of those long-sleeved skintight deals that he remembered Calvin wearing all the time in New York. “Ready. My flip-flops are by the back door. Oh, look at you.” Nimble fingers unbuttoned and rebuttoned his shirt. “You had it buttoned all wonky.”

“You’re good at that.” He grabbed Calvin up and took himself a good, hard kiss.

“Mmm.” Calvin let him for a second but then pushed away, somehow grinning and looking horrified at the same time. “Sir. My virtue!”

He grinned, leaning down to nuzzle into the curve of Calvin’s jaw. “I love you and your virtue, honey.”

Calvin laughed at him. “You should, what little virtue I have left is yours anyway. Let’s go set a righteous fire.”

“Let’s go burn shit up.” Before he headed out, he scribbledLight Pollutionon the wall, along with a cracked lightbulb.

He’d have to explore that for a bit.

He and Calvin decided to walk the distance to the tower of paintings. They held hands, watched the stars, and didn’t say much on the trip, Calvin seemed perfectly happy to just enjoy being with him.

It was a gorgeous evening, not too warm, a breeze, and there’d been enough rain that he wasn’t worried about a grass fire.

“Would we get eaten by something if we slept out here one night? Under all these stars? Wouldn’t that be amazing?” Calvin sat a few feet from the tower and started twisting newspaper into a torch.

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