Alex closed his eyes in deep contentment. So far, his evening at Amour Magique was everything he could have hoped for and more.

What on earth could come next to top what'd already happened?

Whatever it was, he couldn'twait to find out.

Chapter Five.

Patience didn't come naturally to a guy like Alex. He tried to be good, honestly, but after watching a quarter of an hour tick past on the alarm clock at Dylan's bedside, he got restless. Now, really, every man had his flaw. Recovery time -- okay, fine. Most guys needed a few minutes to catch their breath. But unlike most of the men Alex had known or had slept with, he didn't need to crash after s.e.x. There was no "Make me a sandwich and roll me over" for him, no, sir. Alex was always ready for a little more playtime.

He tried nudging Dylan. "Hey, sugar bear," he whispered in singsong. "Time to get up. The sun is shining -- well, the moon is shining -- and all the happy gay men who've gotten lucky tonight are ready to frolic some more. Good evening to you, good evening to you --"

Dylan let out an annoyedwhoof and slept on. Alex rolled his eyes and gave the man's shoulder a harder push. "Sleepyhead," he complained. "Okay, you get fifteen more minutes, and then I'm going to wash you down and suck your c.o.c.k again. How'd you like that, huh? Being woken up by a hot, wet mouth wrapped around your succulent p.r.i.c.k, just eating you up like the best treat anyone could think of ..."

The bartender mumbled in his sleep and smiled. Alex couldn't help a wry grin. "Okay, fine, be that way." He carefully eased his way out of Dylan's arms. "I take it you don't mind if I just amuse myself?"

Dylan made another noise and flopped his hand into the empty s.p.a.ce Alex had left behind.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Oh, I should have been born a cat, no doubt about it. Just can't contain myself when there's ever so much to be curious about.

Alex rolled out of the bed, chuckling when Dylan grunted, and stood up. His nakedness didn't concern him. Why should it? Dylan would have a great view when he woke up.

First off, he investigated the room service cart. They hadn't gone through half of the contents and, okay, call him just a little bit stereotypical, he was sort of hungry. Lifting one cover and then another, Alex snacked on bites of spicy chicken and beef that had been marinated in some sweet sauce. Everything was sticky, designed to leave its mark on lips or body.

He licked his fingers, sucking them between his lips and playfully fellating the digits with his tongue.Just practicing; got to keep the skills in top shape . What should he try next?

Ooh, the fruit tray. An aperitif would be just the thing, and he knew there were more bottles than the one Dylan had used for the body shot. Turning his attention to that tray, still uncovered, Alex bounced in excitement. An entire ring-around-the-rosy of individual servings.

He picked up a creme liqueur, saving the others for later. He wouldn't mind lapping something up off Dylan's body himself. Uncapping the bottle, he saluted his newly found lover. "Here's to you, bartender.

A drink to your drinks."

Tilting his head back, Alex took a deep swallow of the most delicious, sweet alcohol he'd ever had the pleasure of savoring. Cinnamon, nutmeg, spices -- what was this? Lifting the bottle to eye level, he had to chuckle.

The Amour Magique logo was on the label, done up in shades of red and gold.

"Always the best," he said, saluting again, this time to the surroundings. "Now, what else is there to do in a joint like this?" Carrying the bottle in his hand and taking tiny sips to make it last longer, Alex began to prowl around Dylan's living quarters. He investigated the bathroom, wanting to tidy himself up a little before he got too matted. There were plenty of fresh white towels and a neatly wrapped bar of soap. Maid service, too, he mused, not bad.

Alex wondered briefly about getting a job serving drinks himself -- maybe spending a few more nights in Dylan's s.p.a.ce. Not that he minded working for his employer, but he still went home to quarters that were empty, and no one providedhim with any little bottles of shampoo or conditioner.

And with Amour Magique, you could bet their supplies would be the best at keeping your hair nice and shiny.Mmm . Alex hummed in pleasure at the sensual memory of Dylan's silky curls slipping through his fingers. He'd smelled so very good, just like a day at the beach.

Next, a peek into the shower. Alex frowned. There was barely enough room for one person in the stall and definitely no tub.Phooey! He'd been hoping for some splashy fun later ... but, then again, if they didn't mind getting close and cozy, which he didn't think would be a problem, they could probably manage, even if Dylan was the size of a Mack truck. Big, delicious man. Yum!

Curious, he uncapped the bottle of body wash hanging in a rack off the shower wall.Oh, yeah . Pungent sandalwood. He squeezed a tiny dollop out, rubbing his fingers through the smooth gel.

"You don't mind if I borrow a few of your toiletries, do you?" Alex called out to Dylan. He got a mumble in response. Alex chuckled to himself. Plucking a white washcloth from the stack on a polished faux-marble counter, he wet it with nice soft water from the tap, and added a bit of that most delicious body wash. Rubbing it up into a lather, he carefully cleaned his groin, and then his a.s.s.

Cleanliness was next to G.o.dliness, after all.

Alex winked at his reflection in the mirror as he dried off with a fluffy towel. A little more investigation turned up a hamper, where he deposited both pieces of terrycloth and washed his hands of the mess.

His coif? Not too bad. He looked properly f.u.c.ked and had the memories to prove it, as well as a few very decorative red love bites decorating his chest and belly. He did like a good mark to remember the occasion by. And if he had his way, there'd be more than a few more occasions. Oh, yes, Dylan was a keeper. Alex had a notion that the price of admission to Amour Magique was more than he made in a week, but he could save up, or Dylan could just hop out of his luxurious accommodations to come downtown and visit for a while.

Of course, he didn't know what Dylan had in mind after their interlude. If the man thought this was just a one-night stand, Alex would have to change his mind. And he could do that. The s.e.x between them was more than too much to write home about, and Alex had a feeling it hadn't been as good for either of them in a c.o.o.n's age.

Flirting at his reflection one more time, Alex left the bathroom.

Well, what next?

Alex scanned the room. Dylan had flopped over onto his back, one arm outstretched in the spot where Alex had been lying. Apparently, he was a sleeptalker. Every few seconds he'd shift, mumble, and then subside back into silence. Bless his heart. Well, at least he didn't snore. Mischievous, Alex sat down on the edge of the bed. "What's that, big bad bartender? Are you dreaming about the wonderful time we just had? I have to admit, you're the stuff fantasies are made of." He trailed his fingers across the man's beautifully muscled, rugged chest. "You are going to wake up in a few, and we're going again. I have the most delicious ache in my a.s.s, but there's no way I'm done with you yet. I want to remember you for days and days whenever I sit down."

Maybe heshould look into getting a bartending job. He'd done some of the work in college, filling in at the occasional party, and he did love a good time. Alex bet the tips were just out of this world, too. He'd have to talk to Liam and see if he could get an "in." If anyone knew how, it would be the small man he owed a great big bunch to already.

Well, Alex could just owe him a little more. Not that he thought Liam was keeping score.

"So you know my buddy Liam, huh?" Alex asked, petting Dylan's hair.

"...cubus," Dylan muttered. "S'good."

"You bet it's good, sugar. You just lie here for a little longer. I'm going easy on you." Alex stood up with a final pat and put his hands on his hips. "What ever should I do with myself?"

He toyed with the idea of masturbating next to Dylan in the bed, hopefully waking him up with breathy whimpers and soft sighs. But, no, why play by yourself when you had a partner? He loved the thought of that big, hard hand wrapped around his c.o.c.k again. Maybe they could bring each other off or, ooh, a sixty-nine would be just plain nifty, or ...

In the meantime, Alex had to entertain himself. Folding his hands behind his back, he began to stroll around the room, looking at pictures. Definitely a nautical theme going on there. Not so many ships a-tilt at sea, though; more of peaceful green waters ebbing up onto emerald green sh.o.r.es. Peaceful seas.

Alex gave a quiet sigh, gazing at the serenity laid out in the pictures. He was usually a restless sort, always on the get-up-and-go, but wouldn't it be nice to spend an afternoon on one of those seash.o.r.es, preferably naked with Dylan, just basking away in the warm sunshine?

As he gazed at the picture, it became sort of ... fuzzyaround the edges. Alex blinked, staring at a small painting of himself appearing here and there in the water, then bouncing off to the beach to join a tiny version of Dylan.

"Can I trust you, lover?" he heard Dylan's voice rumble. Didn't seem to be coming from behind him.

No, the picture was talking. Okay, this was a whole new level of weird to have to handle.

Alex shook his head to clear it, but the images remained. Tiny Alex and wee Dylan were both naked by then, stretched out on the beach with their hands roaming over one another.

"Can I trust you, lover?" Dylan's voice asked again.

Alex tilted his head. "I-I think so," he said as his little painted self turned to Dylan in the picture. "I haven't taken you down a wrong turn yet, have I?"

"Can I trust you, lover?" Alex put a hand on the wall to steady himself. "You're not going to be satisfied with anything but a straight answer, are you?" The little figures wavered, fading in and out of focus. "Yes, you can trust me."

"Just remember that."

There was a muted flash, and then Alex saw his tiny painted form in the waves, frolicking with a seal.

Then the picture became solid again, fading back into reality as if it'd been beamed up.

Well, now. Alex took a look behind him at big Dylan, asleep on the bed. Dylan ... and seals. Alex examined the pictures more closely.

The only big thing they all had in common, he now saw, were seals. Sometimes just peeking their heads out of the water, sometimes cavorting with one another. Alex studied them. The most he knew about seals was that they had great big eyes, and women loved them. He'd have called himself more a dolphin man. He had swum with those mammals once, and what a buzz it had been. Brushing his hands along their sandpapery backs, listening to them click and whistle at each other, pretending he understood -- that had been a glorious time.

Maybe he could drag Dylan along on a vacation down toFlorida sometime.

Alex stopped himself, frowning.What is going on with me? he wondered, perplexed. He wasn't the sort to go making long-term plans, even if he had decided this wasn't to be only one night of pa.s.sion with a so-long-see-you-around kiss in the morning.

And yet he was thinking about the future. Definitely strange. Alex gave himself a little shake, and glanced at Dylan again. Mmm. If he had to go and start to fall for someone, he couldn't have picked a better man. Absolutely edible from head to toe, starting with Dylan's wild mop of hair, going down to his mouthwatering c.o.c.k, and finishing up with his great big G.o.dzilla feet.

"Could this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?" He licked his lips, trying to catch the last taste of Dylan on them. "Why don't you wake up and we'll find out?"

"M'sleep ... lemme be ..."

"Oh, you are an old spoilsport." Alex crossed to the bed and gave it a hearty bounce. "You're tougher to wake up than a bear who's hibernating for the winter. Ooh, will you growl at me if I poke you?" He experimented, then laughed when Dylan did make a snarly noise. "Tick-tock, now," he chided. "You have five more minutes, lover."

There really wasn't much left in the room to investigate once Alex had looked at all the pictures, and Alex wasn't sure he wanted a return trip to la-la land. Nice watercolors, absolutely, but once you'd been around the room, the museum tour was over unless you happened to be drunk, high, or stupid.

Dylandid have a nice, comfy chair angled to face the bed. The thought of having a seat and just enjoying himself crossed Alex's mind again, the lure tempting him more strongly, but he pushed it aside. If Dylan didn't wake up when he got the royal summons, though, then Alex would have to take matters into hand.

So to speak.

The only thing he hadn't checked out yet was an old sea chest sitting at the foot of Dylan's bed. Alex hesitated to open the battered thing up. After all, there was innocent curiosity and then there was plain going too far. "Dylan, sweetie?" he asked, approaching the chest. "Mind if I have a look in here?"

"Wha'ever you wan'..." Dylan mumbled. "Mi casa es su ..."

"You know, I think you're faking being asleep."

"Brat ..."

"Yes, I am, and you'd better not forget it. I'm talking about the sea chest, bartender. Can I have a peek at what's inside?"

Dylan grumbled and threw his arm over his forehead.

"Good enough." Sinking down on his knees, Alex examined the trunk. Looked old, like it had seen years of hard use, probably on board an actual ship. Lots of scars and dents. No name or bra.s.s plate, though. Nicely anonymous. Something David, Mr. Antiques himself, would undeniably like to check out.

In fact, hadn't he heard David mentioning a trunk lately ...?

As he got nearer, however, Alex wrinkled his nose. Ugh! The faint smell of fish! But beyond that ... the trunk had a definite salty odor to it, a little like Dylan, a lot like the sea. Positively pungent. Earthy, too, like rawhide. Now what in heaven's name could Dylan be storing in there?

Alex flipped the chest open ...

... and blinked.

Well, of all the things I expected to see ...Frowning, he got a double handful of sleek black hair and pulled, standing up as the object stretched on and on. What the h.e.l.l was this, a seal skin? Oh, G.o.d, it had a head and everything! Alex shuddered ... but couldn't quite make himself put the thing down. His fingers tingled in the thick black hair, almost the way they had in Dylan's curls.

"Well," he murmured. "Now I know what you are, don't I? Smells like the sea, comes from the sea ... selkie. I'll be d.a.m.ned." He grinned. "This is beyond cool!"

Alex swung the skin around himself like a cape. The inside was dried, if not cured, so it itched. But what the h.e.l.l? He barked like a seal and waved his arms. No response, so he decided to tease. "Dylan, look!

Who knew you were a collector? I might have expected a pyramid of beer bottles, but you're a real sea chantey, aren't you?"

Still nothing.

Laughing to himself, Alex leaned over and brushed Dylan's leg with one edge of the hairy pelt.

The effect was, in short, electric.

Dylan shot up out of bed and was on his feet, staring wildly. "Who the f.u.c.k is touching my skin?" he demanded, shaking his head. "h.e.l.l! My head ..." He turned to stare at Alex. "Take it off! Take it off right now! Right now, do you hear me?"

"Jesus." Alex began to peel off the fur. "Overreact, why don't you? It's just a pelt." Playing the teasinggame by rules he made up as he went along, he acted innocent as the driven snow. "If you're afraid I'm going to turn you in for having one of these, don't worry. We all have our dirty little secrets."

"Alex, f.u.c.k, no, you can't just ..." Dylan dragged his hands through his hair. "That's ... mine. Put it back in the chest and close the lid. Please."

Alex raised an eyebrow but did as he'd been told. The skin felt even more silky as he folded it back into its storage area, the hairs brushing against his skin as if the seal it had belonged to was still alive and was frisky. Nice. Creepy, but nice.

He gave the skin a pat before standing up with a lazy stretch. "So, it's good to see you're finally awake.

What kept you dreaming for so long? I've been all over your room. And did you know you talk in your sleep?"

Dylan winced. "Oh, G.o.d. What did I say? f.u.c.k, f.u.c.k, f.u.c.k. There's a reason I don't let men sleep over, I swear, but you were just so tempting that I ... what did I say?"

"Nothing important. Something about Liam that I didn't get. You mostly just mumbled." Alex took a step backward, his spine buzzing. He hadn't pegged Dylan for the violent type despite his size, but the big man was now so frenzied, he didn't exactly feel safe. "Just calm down, okay? I haven't hurt anything."

"You don't know how close you came." Dylan came over to thump the chest shut and sat on the lid. He looked just as delectable in his agitation as he had when he was being teasing with the food. Alex's heart gave a thump. If he thought it would be a good idea, he'd go and try to relax the man down with a good back rub. A nice ma.s.sage, maybe leading to a more horizontal position, and then on to the party.

"Alex, never, never touch that skin again." Dylan jumped up and grabbed Alex's hand in both of his, dry and rough flesh against soft and smooth. "That's a part of my past I don't need to remember. I've put it behind me, and I have to move on."

"It's aseal skin , Dylan. Unless you were some kind of great white hunter, clubbing animals to death, how bad could it be? For all I know you bought this on eBay. Is that it? Are you ashamed of a little spending spree?" Impulsively, Alex whisked the chest open again and wound his free hand in the pelt.

"Feels so soft, just like it's alive."

"It is. Alive, I mean."

"You know, you can tell me the truth," Alex said softly, letting his fingers run through the seal fur. "I get it. I do. I know what you are. I figured it out from the pictures, and from the stories I grew up hearing.

But it's okay, right? It's not like you had to keep this a secret from me." He glanced up. "Did you?"

Dylan swallowed. "Look, Alex, you've been one of the best at accepting everything Amour Magique can throw at you. But that skin ... it belongs to me. Do you know what I'm saying? It. Is. Mine. Not just something I own. I wasn't ready for you to meet that part of me yet. Now that you have ..."

Alex frowned. "Are you saying that because I know, things have changed?"

"They have, but ... d.a.m.n it!" Dylan rubbed a hand across his face. "It's a part of my life I'm not ready to get into yet." "You were plenty ready to getinto a lot of other things," Alex said archly. "s.e.x is fine, but this is the line you won't cross?"