“Gottcha.”
Chapter 21
Alex was sprawled out on a flat rock overlooking the Pacific Ocean, soaking up the sun, much to the delight of his animals. His mind wondered back to his mate, bringing a smile to his face as he remembered the comments and jokes Sawyer made during their visit to the La Brea Tar Pits. Alex had never laughed so much in his entire life and, while he totally enjoyed it, it was what else Sawyer revealed that melted his heart. For hidden behind the fun-loving, carefree façade his mate presented to the world was an inquisitive and well-read man seemingly made-to-order just for him.
Books were Alex’s only companions as he grew up, shaping him into a man who craved to see the places he’d only read about. Each summer, alone in the school’s library, he devoured book after book, fascinated with those that described the wonders of the world. But after embarking on his road trip, he realized no picture or description in a book could ever compare to being there. And there was more. Alex now realized what else had been missing—someone to share it with. From now on, he knew his journey through life would be with Sawyer at his side, and suddenly he was eager for night to fall so his mate could claim him. With that delicious thought in mind, he dozed off.
“Hey, sleepyhead, I got you an iced coffee,” Sawyer said as he sat down beside his mate.
“Thanks,” Alex said, sitting up and taking the cup from his mate. “How did you know this is my favorite?”
“Duh, you’re gay.” Sawyer grinned, before taking a sip of his drink. “I’d rather drink it than anything else. One time, I was in New York visiting Mac during a blizzard,but I didn’t care, I bought an iced coffee and walked over to my brother’s apartment holding it in my hand. I got some pretty weird looks when I ordered it.”
“I bet. I never knew they existed until after my father died. Remember, when I told you about the classmate I met…well, that was the first time I ever tried an iced coffee and from that point on, I was hooked. When I bought my trailer, I made sure the fridge could make ice cubes. I think the salesman thought I was nuts when I turned down a cheaper model because it didn’t have a freezer.”
“Holy fuck! I did the same thing when Mase and I were looking at motorhomes. A freezer was a ‘must.’ Of course, it also came in handy for Theo’s frozen dinners. So go ahead and say it.”
“Uhm…say what?”
“I’m a genius.”
Laughing, Alex batted his mate’s arm. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why are you a genius?”
“Because I picked the right motorhome. Here I am, away from Mase…he can cook by the way, and I’m…we’re eating gourmet meals.”
“Ah…due to Quin.”
“Yes, but if I hadn’t picked the right motorhome it wouldn’t have happened. That’s the genius part.”
Shaking his head, Alex grinned. “Your logic escapes me, but what the hell…you’re definitely a genius.”
“That’s right…now, what’s next on the agenda?”
“A swimming lesson?” asked Alex.
Narrowing his eyes, Sawyer wasn’t sure he heard his mate right. “Really? You want me to teach you to swim?”
“Yes, but not in the ocean.”
“How about a swimming pool?” asked Sawyer.
“I was thinking more like a lake. There are a number of them that allow swimming. I just thought it sounded more natural than a pool with all that chlorine.”
“Sounds great. Which one do you want to go to?” Sawyer asked, rising and extending his hand to help his mate up.
“Silverwood Lake! It’s in the San Bernardino National Forrest and it looks absolutely beautiful.”
“Let’s go,” Sawyer said, picking up their belongings before taking Alex’s hand and heading to their car. “What made you change your mind? About swimming?”
Blushing, Alex quickly gave Sawyer a sidelong glance before looking straight ahead. His answer was simple, but he was concerned it might be too revealing and he was embarrassed to tell Sawyer. Frowning at his reluctance, Alex knew it was a holdover from his youth, when he kept his thoughts private. It was easier that way especially after he discovered that a classmate, who was a friend—or so he thought—betrayed him by reading a love letter he’d written to an older classmate out loud to everyone in the cafeteria. Humiliated, he’d rushed from the room. It was a hard lesson to learn, but he had, and from that point on, he’d never trusted anyone. Until now.
He was puzzled as to why he trusted Sawyer so completely, but he knew deep in his soul, his mate would never do anything to hurt him. That knowledge was so liberating, he thought it would be easy to overcome hislifetime of silence. But it was harder than he ever thought it would be.
Falling in love with Sawyer so fast was still a shock, but Alex knew his love for his mate was firmly entrenched in his heart. Turning to his animals, he asked for their help; they’d know how to answer Sawyer’s question. He listened as his fox and dragon discussed the matter before finally coming to a consensus, which made him giggle when they told him what to say.
Following their instructions, Alex grasped Sawyer’s arm. When his mate looked at him, he said, “I want to learn how to save you if a shark ever tries to take what’s mine. I’m never letting you go, Sawyer…never.”
Breaking into a soft smile, Sawyer lifted his hand to his mate’s face, slowly caressing Alex’s cheek. “Ditto…my love, not in this lifetime or the next…I’ll be at your side for eternity.” Leaning in, he kissed Alex, showing his mate how much he loved him.
