Once Wyatt drew even with the boat, Draven asked, “All ready to go?” He took another deep breath, which caused him to sneeze, repeatedly, his body’s way of clearing out the offending smell from his nostrils.
“Yeah, I am. Are you okay? You’re not coming down with a cold, are you?”
Draven shook his head. “No…ah, I think it’s something you must have put on. Your scent is a bit…different. Stronger.”
Wyatt gave him a confused look. “Really? It’s mosquito repellent. I didn’t think it smelled that bad. It’s supposed to be the kind that doesn’t have an unpleasant odor.”
Draven scrunched his nose. The repellent was not only repelling the insects, it was doing it to him as well. He didn’t want to get anywhere near Wyatt because of it, which didn’t sit well with him. He’d hoped to put some feelers out while they fished, to see if his would-be mate was into men or not. But as it stood now, that wouldn’t be happening. With his heightened senses, if he smelled the repellent long enough, it would feel as if the inside of his nose was burning. Draven would have to somehow get Wyatt to wash the crap off before he did any of that.
“Why would you use that?” Draven asked. “I thought the DEET inside the spray wasn’t supposed to be good for you.”
Wyatt stepped into the boat, carrying his fishing pole and tackle box. “I figure it’s better to use repellent, rather than risk the chance of a mosquito biting me that has West Nile virus. You should probably use some as well.” He pulled out a spray bottle from his jacket pocket and held it out.
Draven backed up as the smell of the repellent grew stronger. “Ah, thanks, but no thanks. I don’t need it, anyway. The mosquitoes leave me alone. I never get bitten.” Which was the truth. Being what he was, there had to be something in his blood the insects didn’t like.
“Lucky you. I wish I could say the same. When I get bitten, I break out in huge welts and they itch like crazy.”
“Why don’t you get seated, then I’ll take us out.” Wyatt drew near and Draven sneezed repeatedly again.
Wyatt gave him a worried look. “If you aren’t coming down with a cold, I have a feeling you’re allergic to the repellent.” He backed up a little. “I think it would be better if I don’t get too close to you while we’re fishing.”
“You don’t have to do that.” Draven sneezed again.
“Oh yes, I do. I don’t mind.”
Draven sighed, then said, “Once we’re finished, you can wash it off and get as close to me as you want.”
At Wyatt’s sharp, indrawn breath, Draven realized what he’d just implied. His gaze met his would-be mate’s and he found uncertainty lurking in his hazel eyes. Had he said too much? Draven was about to do some backtracking, but Wyatt spoke before he could.
“So you still want to hang out after we’re done fishing?”
Draven nodded. “Sure, but back at my place. I have satellite television. We can look for a movie to watch or something while we have a few beers.”
Wyatt gave him a crooked smile. “Yeah, the cottage doesn’t have that. Watching some TV later sounds good.”
“Let’s go see what kind of fish are biting this evening.”
“I’m ready. I even have the worms. I bought some on the way here.” Wyatt held up his tackle box.
Draven gave a short nod, then started the boat’s motor. He focused on what he was doing as Wyatt settled himself on the seat next to him. If not for that stench masking most of his would-be mate’s scent, Draven would have enjoyed his closeness. He made a mental note not to take Wyatt out fishing in the evening again.
Wyatt watched as Draven put a worm on his hook before he cast his line into the water. His was already out, and he sat almost at the very end of the boat while Draven was closer to the front. He still didn’t think the repellent was that bad. Draven must have a really sensitive nose, or allergies like Wyatt had thought if it affected him that much.
If it weren’t for the fact he’d be eaten alive without it, he would have used some of the lake water to rinse it off his skin, though he’d sprayed it on his clothes as well. Wyatt looked over at his line, seeing the float was still above the surface. No takers yet.
He glanced at Draven again. Thinking of Draven’s reaction to the smell of the repellent, Wyatt recalled what Draven had said about him being able to get as close to him as he wanted once he washed it off. Right after Draven had said it, a shot of intense arousal had surged through Wyatt. Then he’d questioned if Draven actually meant what Wyatt thought he implied. That one statement did give him some hope that Draven was attracted to men the same as he was.
But being able to see one way or the other wasn’t a possibility at the moment, not with them practically sitting at opposite ends of the boat. The notion that Draven could be interested in him in that way had his cock hard.
Wyatt’s attention soon focused back on his fishing pole when he felt a jerk on the line. The float attached to it bobbed in the water, then sank beneath. He gave a hard tug on his rod, able to feel that he’d managed to keep the fish on the hook.
“I’ve got one,” he shouted.
Draven looked over. “Reel it in.”
Wyatt did exactly that, quickly working the reel to bring the fish to the surface. Once he brought it out of the water, it appeared to be a good-sized bass, but not the smallmouth variety he was familiar with. This fish was darker in coloring and the scales were bigger.
“Rock bass,” Draven said. “Full of worms. With some of the fish, you can see white lumps on their sides from them.”
At closer inspection, Wyatt saw what Draven had described. “They’re there. It’s going back in the water.” Making sure to push the dorsal fin flat along the fish’s back, he took out the hook before throwing it into the lake.
Draven and he spent the next hour catching nothing but rock bass. A little disappointed, Wyatt agreed there was no point in staying out much longer after Draven suggested they pack it in for the night. Wyatt remained at the back of the boat as Draven started it and headed to his lake house.
Wyatt hopped out of the boat when Draven pulled up to the dock and grabbed one of the ropes to secure it there. That done, they both walked toward the large house. Wyatt kept some distance between them.
Draven opened the door and stepped aside for Wyatt to enter. As Wyatt walked past, Draven sneezed again. He met Wyatt’s gaze. “Sorry.”
“I’ll take my jacket off, then go wash up in the bathroom.”
Draven pointed to the left. “It’s just down the hallway over there.”
Wyatt shrugged out of said garment before he went where Draven indicated. He found the bathroom no problem and used the soap in the dish on the corner of the counter to wash off the repellent.
Wyatt headed out of the bathroom and back to the main part of the house, admiring Draven’s place. It looked as if it had been professionally decorated with dark, hardwood floors and modern furniture. Reaching the spacious, cathedral-ceilinged entrance, he didn’t see Draven anywhere.
“Draven?” he called.
“I’m in the living room.”
Wyatt followed where the sound of Draven’s voice had come from and found him sitting on a black leather couch across from a large HD LCD television. Two bottles of beer sat on the dark wood coffee table in front of him.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Draven said as Wyatt crossed the room. “I hung your jacket outside on the porch.”
“That’s fine,” he replied with a chuckle. “It’s your place.”
Draven stood and stopped Wyatt before he could sit on the couch next to him. “Wait.” Draven leaned in and took an audible deep breath. He then quickly turned his head away and sneezed. “I thought you washed off the repellent.”