Wakingup in the Dream-veil was even more glorious knowing that, back in Sky’s bed, he was wrapped in my arms. “Huh. That’s strange. We’re at the boardwalk,” Sky said.
It was different. So far, every person’s dreams we’d stepped into, they’d been somewhere in their own home. Rubbing the back of my neck, I took in the boardwalk stretched before us. Like in the real world, it was nighttime, so it was quiet, the only sound was the crashing of the waves. The tall lights spaced evenly down the sides of the boards illuminated softly over the benches and stretched just far enough to see the tin of the rolling doors over the shops across.
“I guess it makes sense that people would dream about places outside of their own homes.”
He nodded excitedly. “Sure it does. Like when I was preparing to move here, I’d dream about Harry and seeing other ghosts. What it would look like to train under Elyse.” His strange expression flickered across his face. I’d have to ask him about that later. Then he smiled at me shyly. “And you, King. I definitely dreamed about climbing you like a tree.”
Even though we weren’t awake, I felt color flood my face. “You mean, like…” I cleared my throat. “Like sex dreams?”
He giggled and grabbed my hand, pulling me to stroll down the boards next to him. “All the hot, sweaty, bone-melting sex. We were glorious together.” He squeezed my hand. “But not as good as the real thing.”
My spine straightened. I’d been worried that I wouldn’t be able to satisfy him. It was no secret that he’d partied a lot in NYC, so I knew he’d been with way more men than me. Our sex life so far had been incredible to me, but I had to admit—even if it was only to myself—I thought maybe he’d find me lacking.
Unsure I wanted any more insight into what his mind had conjured about us—at least not here and now—I said, “I don’t see anyone. Do you?”
He shook his head. “No, but it’s beautiful out, in a perfect spot for a date night. Let’s just walk toward the rides and see if we find anyone.”
Sounded good to me. When we reached the amusement park area where all of the rides were, we weaved through them, passing the Himalaya and the wave swinger. It was odd being here without the hum of the engines or the sound of music blasting or people screaming with exhilaration. As we walked past the ferris wheel, Sky did a kind of skip-hop. “We have to come back when they’re open and ride this. Wouldn’t that be so fun?”
Like a stone skipping across the bay, my heart stuttered. Riding the ferris wheel with someone who cared about me by my side had been my biggest fantasy growing up. Even in my twenties, if I was honest. But I’d thrown off my childish fantasies years ago. Admitted to myself that I’d never be one of those guys who got that experience, who got that type of romance.
In my pursuit of being more open and honest with Sky, I tried to formulate a response that would tell him how much I wanted that. How big it felt that I’d never done it before, butnow I’d get to do it with him. That I didn’t see his request as some small silly thing, but profound.
“It’s silly. We don’t have?—”
Spinning him into me, I cut him off with my lips. He opened for me immediately, sighing into our kiss as I devoured him, pouring what I didn’t know how to say into this moment. “Yes,” I whispered before diving back in for more.
Our little makeout session heated up as I pressed him against a ticket booth, damn near humping each other, when Sky jerked his head back. “Did you hear that?”
Blinking out of the haze of all-things Sky, I closed my eyes and listened. Distantly, a voice floated toward us on the wind. Whipping my head around, I searched for the person who we were here to help, feeling slightly guilty that I’d kind of forgotten we were on a mission and not a date.
Sky hunched down to the ground and whispered up at me. “It sounds like it’s coming from down there.”
Squatting down next to him, I put the side of my head to the ground. Sky swatted my back. “Eww, King. It’s dirty. Don’t put your skin on there.”
Turning my head to see his indignant face, I smirked. “Is it? I mean, isn’t this like our spirits walking around outside of our bodies or something?”
Sky’s nose scrunched. “Uh…I don’t know, but it’s still nasty. You’re going to have to use my cleansers and stuff in the morning. Honestly, we need to go shopping for a skincare routine for you.”
I blinked, then shook my head.Skincare routine?That was a tomorrow problem. First things first. Straining, I heard what Sky had. The voice was definitely coming from under the boardwalk.
Standing up, I grabbed his hand. “Come on.” I jogged, tugging him along behind me.
“Where are we going?” he whisper-yelled.
“There’s a spot in the rails where we can slip down to go into the abandoned sewer pipe. Teenagers have been partying in it for years. It’s like the best-worst-kept secret in town.”
It was also a place where the homeless had been known to sleep until they realized they’d be terrorized by the youth of Willowhope. Not out of maliciousness, but because it truly was a spot to hide from the security who patrolled the boardwalks at night to make sure no one was on them.
As suspected, my six-foot-five frame wasn’t fitting through the rails anymore—not that I was sure it ever would’ve. I hadn’t been invited to hang out down here, but I’d seen the other kids while I’d been the teenager out wandering the beach, searching for lost spirits.
I’d gone through a whole season being obsessed with the possibility of the spirits of dead pirates making their way to land. Jetty had started coming out with me back then, and I think the only reason he went for it was getting to hang out on the beach under the moonlight at night. It was so peaceful.
“I’m going to jump over. Do you think you can fit through the hole there?” The fence stood about four feet high and made of rusted metal rails, but three of them had been missing in the middle for as long as I could remember.
Sky glared at me playfully. “I’m small, but I’m not that little. I’ll just go over like you do.”
Snickering, I hopped across the fence, thankful for my long legs as my feet landed firmly. Sky hunched down so we were face-to-face. He fanned his face. “That was so hot. Who knew you were like an action hero?” He was so silly. “But how did you get so far down there?”
