Page 82 of The Politician

“True. It is very romantic here. I want to see the lake.”

“Really? Okay, in the morning though. It’s beautiful that time of day. And we can fish if you’d like.”

“I’d like. Can I maybe splash you too?”

Lee rolled on his back he was laughing so hard. “No! You’ll scare the fish.”

“So! You brought food, right?”

“I did, but still, if we’re going to fish, you don’t want to chase them off!”

“Sure, I do! I want to do both!”

Lee groaned even as he laughed. “I’ve gone and done it. I’ve made you like me!”

“Oh, damn, it’s true!”

“I’ve created a monster!”

Eli got on top of him and held him down to the wrinkled sleeping bags so he could kiss all over his face. “Yup. I’m a Lee monster now, now and forever!”

“I won’t have it! Go back,” he stopped to laugh more as Eli continued to assault him with pecks on his cheeks and jaw. “Go back to the sweet guy!”

“Never!”

They played and laughed the rest of the day, and that night found them making love again, slow, sweet love that carried them into a sleep neither of them expected to get that night.

Lee shook him awake while it was still dark, and he complained loudly. “It’s still night!”

“It’s five, and the sun is coming up, you just can’t see it in here.”

“Not getting up.”

His eyes were shut tightly, but Lee set a cup of coffee under his nose and the moment he smelled it, his eyes popped open. “That’s not fair.”

“I’m a fucking politician. What do I know of fair?”

“God, that’s true. Gimme.”

Lee chuckled as Eli grabbed the coffee, taking a sip of the instant brew. “This isn’t half bad for instant.”

“It’s expensive instant. Your palate knows the difference.”

They packed up the camp enough, leaving most everything there, their backpacks pounds lighter as they headed off to the lake. “So, tell me about this lake. Who owns it? You?”

“No, no, it’s a perk of owning property here. Exclusive access. We have an HOA, but they don’t police the houses or cabins as much as they use the money to keep the lake filled with fish and the bears to a minimum.”

Stopped on the trail, Eli gasped, “They don’t kill them!”

“No, Eli. They have bear hunts now and then for a few folks that want them, when they are overcrowded, but mostly they’re not. No, they move them, that’s all.”

“Okay,” he breathed in relief, then started walking again.

Lee pointed out flowers and trees that he could name, helping Eli around the worst of the trail. The lake wasn’t huge and could be called a large pond as much as a small lake. It was beautiful, though, surrounded by trees and grasses, the red of the rocks standing out amongst the greenery.

Lee showed him how to fish, and they did play in the water once they caught enough trout for dinner. Eli, soaked, couldn’t remember having so much fun. Sure, he had his fun, but nothing like that, so freeing, like a child playing in the mud.

They walked back to their camp and were almost dry once they got there. Hanging all their clothes over branches on the trees around them, Eli watched while Lee found a flat rock and set it on the newly built fire and soon had the fish cooking.