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"What if I told you it's about us?"

"What?"

"The book I'm writing."

Tyler smiled. "I'd want to read it."

"Will you wait until I'm closer to being done?"

"I guess," he said, with an exaggerated teenage sigh. He rose again to his knees, removing his shirt. "But it's gonna cost you."

"How much?"

Tyler pulled Alec up to his knees. He wrapped his arms around him, bending slightly to kiss

him. "It's pretty steep."

"I'm good for it."

"Yeah, you are," Tyler said. His hands inching down Alec's back. They slipped beneath the waistband of his underwear where the pad of one thick finger traced the canyon there.

"Now… about that olive oil problem."

23

Two weeks passed, Thanksgiving, two more storms, and two more talent shows. They didn't see

each other every single day but rarely did two nights pass without their being together.

The book practically spilled from Alec, mostly because he was just transcribing his and Tyler's

adventures in Montana. There was embellishment of course—this was where Alec's true flair for

words and comic timing played nicely. He wrote of being stranded on Penny Lane (now Blue Jay

Way) and of prominent woodpeckers (both literal and metaphorical). He also wrote of their intimate proclivities, and the steamier side of their five-week affair, starting from the moment he heard Tyler's sultry voice singing Madonna and Cher through impromptu sex with vegetable oil.

And all the while, he reminded himself that the detour was temporary. Once the book was done

he would, of course, be returning to Washington… and Dupont… and Demarco… and life would go

on. But the trip had been a welcome reprieve and exactly what he had needed to assist him past life's roadblock, helping him regain confidence in himself, and move past Mac.

For that, he would be forever grateful.

They were sitting on Tyler's couch in front of the fireplace. Alec had his head in Tyler's lap and Tyler was stroking his hair, lightly massaging his neck.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," answered Alec. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're tense and quiet. Too quiet. It's unusual."

Alec sat up, palming Tyler's face. "Ha, ha. Very funny."

He slid to the opposite end of the sofa and laid facing him. Tyler took his feet into his lap and

began to rub them.