I’ve gotta change. Unless you want to go out with a freaking human flagpole?”
He started tearing the costume off with sharp moves, clearly not enjoying neither wearing it, nor Alex’s reaction to it.
Alex forced himself to stop laughing and walked to Noah. He put his hands on Noah’s shoulders and stilled him. “Let me,” he said as he tugged the zipper on Noah’s back down, revealing Noah’s smooth, golden skin, and if Alex’s hands lingered a bit too long on the lower part, just where Noah’s back and ass met, well, surely nobody could blame him for that.
“My mom volunteered me for the parade,” Noah muttered. “I wanted to spend the morning with you. We could already be in Portland by now.”
Alex peeled the shirt off Noah’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to the back of Noah’s neck. “You’re here now,” he said as he kept planting small kisses all over Noah’s shoulders and upper back.
“Yeah, I escaped. Mom was determined to find me more tasks. She’s always been active in the community, and she’s all about town spirit and all that stuff, but this year she’s going way over the top with it. I mean, I told her I didn’t want to volunteer for anything, but I wake up this morning and find out that she’s put my name up for every damn thing out there.”
After last week, Alex could definitely see how Noah’s name just magically appeared on all sorts of lists. He wasn’t going to say anything about it. He doubted either of them would have gotten a kick out of the your-mom-wants-to-keep-you-away-from-me conversation. Not when there were so much better things to do with their time. Alex pushed thoughts of Helen out of his mind and concentrated on Noah instead, which wasn’t difficult at all. He was consumed with thoughts of Noah all the time anyway, so it wasn’t exactly a hardship to think about his boyfriend.
Alex’s mouth stopped abruptly, pressed against the back of Noah’s neck. Was that what they were? Boyfriends? Was that even what Alex wanted? He’d been anti-relationship for all his life, so for all intents and purposes, the word boyfriend should have filled him with dread at the least and full-on panic at the most.
None of that happened, though. Instead, thinking of Noah in terms of being in a relationship with him filled Alex’s insides with warmth and excitement. Did he want to be Noah’s boyfriend? Hell yes, he did. Admitting it was surprisingly easy.
“We should get out of here before Carl walks in on us,” Noah murmured as Alex picked up the kissing again.
Alex pulled away reluctantly. “For being a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, there are way too many people around all the time,” he grumbled.
Noah pulled on a white T-shirt and laughed. “Aww, is somebody getting a bit frustrated?” he teased. He stepped closer and bit his lip shyly as he slid his palm over Alex’s chest, moving lower until he grazed Alex’s very hard cock.
Alex closed his eyes as he pushed his hips forward. “Blue balls is a serious condition,” he complained. Noah kept rubbing his hand up and down in a tantalizing rhythm, and Alex was beginning to think that if he was given about two extra minutes, he could totally blow his load that way.
Noah leaned closer and nibbled at his ear. “Maybe I could help you with it later?” The question was seductive, but for all the bravado Noah’s words implied, he still sounded nervous, too.
Alex grabbed Noah’s hand and squeezed it in his. “Hey.” Noah’s gaze met his. “We’re doing this on your schedule, okay? There’s no rush. If you’re not ready for anything more, then we don’t have to do anything. Hell, I’ll be happy if I can just sleep next to you and hold you in my arms all through the night.”
Noah leaned his forehead against Alex’s. “You’re too good for me.”
If it hadn’t been for the ringing sincerity in Noah’s voice, Alex would have laughed out loud. He could honestly say that was the first time anybody had said those words about him.
“All the celebrating has gotten into your head.” Alex gently tapped the top of Noah’s head with his knuckles, and Noah laughed as he pushed Alex’s hand away.
Noah wrestled himself out of his golden leggings, which was a sight Alex shamelessly enjoyed, and pulled on a pair of shorts.
He grabbed his sunglasses, wallet, and car keys and looked at Alex. “Ready to go?”
“Almost.” Noah’s confusion turned