Chapter Fourteen
Nothing was better than waking up knowing you had the whole day off. And Win knew exactly how he wanted to spend the first half. He reached over to pull Elliot to him, but when he came up with only air, he cracked open one eye to see the expanse of his king-sized bed empty. He sat up.
“Where the hell is he?” The grumpy-faced bear Kevin had given him lay on the floor. He picked it up and sat it on the nightstand.
After their evening on the beach a week ago, nights that used to be spent in solitude, listening to mindless television, were now spent in intimate exploration of Elliot. Win was fast becoming addicted to awakening with Elliot snuggled up to his chest, their legs tangled together under the cool sheets. He couldn’t get enough of running his hands over the smooth skin of Elliot’s back, kissing the heat of his soft mouth, and hearing Elliot sobbing out his name as he writhed underneath him.
He sniffed, and his mouth watered. The smell of something delicious was in the air, and his stomach growled. He jumped out of bed, and after making a pit stop in the bathroom to take care of business, he grabbed a fresh pair of briefs and ran downstairs. Spatula in hand, Elliot stood at the stove, swaying to the music playing from his phone while he flipped pancakes. A freshly made stack waited on one plate, while bacon was piled on another, and Win saw the full coffeepot and milk already on the kitchen table, along with Elliot’s mug of tea.
He closed his eyes for a moment, awash in memories of Kevin doing the same, but shook them away. It wasn’t fair to Elliot to make comparisons. He’d told himself it was time to move on, and he’d begun. Elliot was who he needed now.
“Something smells wonderful.” He strolled in and placed a kiss at the base of Elliot’s neck. “Tastes good too.”
“Hi, you haven’t even tried one…ooh, mmm.” Elliot’s sighs of pleasure filled the room as Win continued to trail kisses across his neck.
How was it possible to want him so much again? He didn’t have the answer, nor did he care, because the sexy sounds coming from Elliot were all that mattered. Being with Elliot made life’s impossible moments possible again.
Elliot slid the last pancake on top of the stack and shut off the stove before turning to face him. “Here I worked my little fingers to the bone over a hot stove for you to have a good breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, you know. Especially for a growing boy like yourself.” His eyes sparkled, and a full-blown smile, something Win didn’t see that often, rested on his lips. Win liked knowing he’d put it there.
He palmed Elliot’s erection and gave a gentle squeeze, unable to keep himself from brushing their lips together. “Looks like both of us are gonna need to keep our strength up.”
“You make me weak, but that’s okay,” Elliot whispered, and Win’s heart did a dangerous swoop. He held on to Elliot tighter.
“We’d better eat these while they’re hot. I wouldn’t want all your hard work going to waste.” One last kiss, and he reluctantly disengaged from Elliot’s lips. “I’ll get the syrup, and we can talk about what we’re going to do today.”
Elliot’s face brightened. “You want to spend the day together?” He brought the plate of pancakes and bacon to the table and sat but didn’t eat.
Syrup bottle in hand, Win pulled out the chair opposite, and once seated, took coffee first. “Well, yeah. I have the day off, didn’t I tell you?” He’d usually spend his time catching up on sleep he’d missed and going through the mail that inevitably piled up. But today was too beautiful a day to stay indoors, and he’d considered Elliot’s list and what he and Kevin used to do on his days off, and came up with a perfect idea. “How would you like to take a road trip?”
Disappointment clouded the shine in Elliot’s eyes. “Damn. I have a big article due tomorrow, and I have no idea what to write.”
Crap.But Win was used to thinking on his feet. “Well…I was planning a trip to the North Fork wineries. Some tastings, and then we’d stop at the local stores along the way. Pick up some pies.”
With each word, Elliot’s eyes grew wider. “Really? It’s like you’re reading my mind.”
Inwardly wincing, Win ran through Elliot’s list. Maybe he’d better tone it down and start thinking of other stuff to do, but this was something he’d seen in a magazine and had wanted to try before he’d met Elliot.
“Well, I guess we like the same things. Maybe you can write about day trips out of the city. You know, spur-of-the-moment, romantic getaways.”
Elliot blinked, then held his gaze. “Is that what this is?”
Win ran his foot up Elliot’s leg. “If you want it to be.”
The answering smile set Win’s heart pounding. Knowing how easily Elliot fell in love, Win shouldn’t be encouraging the romantic in him. But Elliot’s sweetness and giving nature made it so easy for Win to soak in the human affection he’d shunned for so long. He hadn’t realized how much he’d craved being with another person until Elliot came into his life and woke him up.
“Let’s finish breakfast and get dressed. It’s a long drive.”
***
“Pindar Vineyards is one of the largest North Fork vineyards.”
They drove up to the white, clapboard farmhouse-style building surrounded by hundreds of black-eyed Susans. Elliot had brought his iPad along to take notes but had spent the majority of the drive staring out the window. The scenery of the North Fork of Long Island was mostly flat, with occasional views of the waters of the Sound on one side and the Peconic River on the other, depending on where they stopped. Win was amused by Elliot’s wide eyes taking it all in—the large picnic tables set out on the lush, green lawns, the sweeping vista of grape vines as far as the eye could see.
They’d stopped at several smaller vineyards along the way, with Win taking only occasional sips of wine. Elliot was a fan of the reds, and while he was in the bathroom, Win purchased a few bottles of the one he seemed to enjoy the most.
“I’d never think I was in New York.”
Win grinned. “Time to take the city out of the kid.”
