Chapter 7

Seven

A lex sat on the boulder and found a comfortable position while Scout opened the bags and produced their lunches. The subs were turkey, Gouda cheese, tomato, avocado, and chipotle mayo on whole grain rolls, one of the most popular options on the bistro’s menu. Small covered cups of macaroni salad, two bottles of ginger ale, some chips, and a couple of oranges accompanied them. Napkins and forks had also been provided. It was a perfect little picnic. Alex tried remembering the last time he’d been on a picnic but couldn’t recall when. Evidently, it hadn’t been memorable. However, he was pretty sure he’d remember this one.

Scout was right. It was beautiful there. The sights, sounds, and smells of nature bombarded Alex’s senses. The area reminded him of the Catskills in upstate New York. He never went off the beaten path this far north while growing up in San Fransisco and could only imagine what the area would look like in a few months when the leaves started changing to their autumn colors. Alex would love to come back up and see it then.

They were in the shade, under a canopy of Douglas fir, maple, and redwood trees, and there was a nice breeze coming from the west. The air was fresh and crisp. A majestic hawk circled overhead, searching for food. From the boulder, the two men could see the river below them. The rapids were slow there, and they couldn’t hear the running water from that high up. A nearly identical cliff and forest were on the other side of the river.

Earlier, he surprised himself by being ready ten minutes before Scout’s scheduled arrival at his apartment complex and had eagerly met the man in the parking lot. Since Scout hadn’t asked for Alex’s address, it was safe to assume he got it from the personnel files.

After leaving the Paradox that morning—and, thankfully, not running into anyone he recognized—Alex rushed home and finally breathed a sigh of relief when he entered his apartment. He spent about an hour sitting on the couch, replaying the last fourteen hours or so in his mind. Never had he suspected Scout was interested in being more than his employer or even friends with him. Had he missed some obvious clues? He doubted it. More likely, Scout just excelled at hiding his feelings. So, what had changed from yesterday afternoon to last night?

The more Alex thought about it, the happier he seemed to be about the change in direction, even though he was still in shock and wary about it. He really liked Scout—a lot—and it had nothing to do with the guy’s money and everything to do with the man himself.

Scout was handsome, intelligent, and caring. He always seemed to put others before himself and just enjoyed life. When he talked about places he’d been to and exciting things he’d done, one could tell the man wasn’t bragging. His face lit up as he shared his experiences, and Alex noted the same happened to others as they listened to his stories. It was as if they lived vicariously through Scout, if only for a few moments.

In addition to being a successful businessman, Scout was a bit of a philanthropist, as Alex had learned. He donated generously to a local children’s hospital, an organization for women recovering from domestic abuse, and several animal rescue groups quarterly. While they were clearly tax write-offs, Alex knew that wasn’t why his boss made the donations. No, Scout did it because he wanted to help make a difference in someone’s or some animal’s life, and he was in a position to do just that. He even spent a few three-day weekends helping to build houses for Habitat for Humanity.

All combined, the man was a very tempting package. The only things that worried Alex about what was happening between them were his job and Scout’s money. Undoubtedly, some people would think that the latter was the only reason Alex was interested in the multi-millionaire, but that was so far from the truth it wasn’t funny. Scout could be a waiter or a janitor, living paycheck to paycheck, and Alex would still want him.

“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 see Cats on 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 in December 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 were out 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’m not out 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 was still 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 and take 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.