Wyatt grinned back. “I think I can live with that.”
Draven aimed the remote on his keychain at the car and pushed the button to unlock it. “Get in before I think of other things I’d much rather be doing with, and to, you.”
He laughed as he got in the passenger side, then watched Draven walk around to the driver’s. Once the car’s engine roared to life, the other man turned onto the gravel trail that would take them to the main road.
“I never asked,” Draven said. “Have you stayed at Buck Lake before?”
“No, this is my first time here, but not to the Muskoka area. Growing up, my parents liked to rent a cottage in Bracebridge for a week during the summer every year. It was situated on Wood Lake.”
“You said you went there as a kid. Does that mean you visited Santa’s Village as well?”
Wyatt chuckled. “I have to admit we did. I remember I especially liked the swan paddle boats. And seeing the deer and Santa. Of course that was when I was much younger. At twenty-six, I’m way too old for it, and it’s not as if I have kids to take there.”
Draven glanced over with a smile. “Are you sure you aren’t too big to go see Santa? Maybe you’d like to sit on his knee.”
“Ha ha. The only Santa’s lap I’d be willing to sit on would be yours, if you were dressed up in his red-and-white suit.”
“I’ll have to remember that when Christmas comes around. Then you’ll have to show me just how much of a good boy you are.”
Wyatt burst out laughing. “I bet you would want me to. Picturing you in a Santa suit is going to make me get a hard-on every time I hear his name.”
“Kinky,” Draven said with a wink.
Wyatt shook his head. “You’re bad.” He then looked out the windshield and saw they were entering the town. “So this is Gravenhurst.”
“Yeah. It’s a little smaller than Bracebridge, with a population of around eleven thousand. One of its claims to fame is having the oldest operating steamship in North America. Apparently, the R.M.S. Segwen was built in 1887. Its homeport is the Muskoka Wharf.”
“Interesting. You know, I’m surprised you chose this part of Muskoka.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, for one thing you’re rich. I would have thought Port Carling would have been more your style. They have those really big cottages there on Lake Muskoka.”
“I told you already that I like my privacy. Port Carling wouldn’t have given me that.”
“That’s true. That area does tend to get a fair amount of tourists.”
Draven pulled into the parking lot of a family-type restaurant. He drove into an empty space, then turned off the engine. Once they both got out of the car, Draven said, “You should like this place. I know I do. They have the best omelets around, and the servings are on the large size, so I’ve never walked away without a full stomach.”
“My kind of place,” Wyatt said as they headed for the entrance. “If I go out to eat, I at least want to feel as if I got my money’s worth.”
It didn’t take long after they were seated and ordered for their food to arrive. As Draven had said, the omelet Wyatt ordered was one of the best he’d ever eaten. And with the mound of home-fried potatoes that came with it, he doubted he’d need to eat anything more until dinner.
After their meal, it was only a short trip to the local IGA grocery store. As Draven grabbed one of the shopping carts, Wyatt said, “You’re probably not going to want to buy a whole lot of food. I bought enough to last me at least the week before I left Mississauga. I figured the last week I’d come into town to purchase what I’d need for the rest of my holidays.”
Draven nodded. “All right, but I think I’ll pick up a few extra items that you might not have brought with you. I’m going to get us some thick steaks and ribs to do on the barbeque.”
“If I weren’t so full, that would sound good right about now. I take it you’re a meat eater.”
Draven seemed to stiffen at his question. “What do you mean?”
“All the meat you want to buy. I assume you aren’t one of those people who think it’s bad for you, especially the red variety.”
He chuckled. “Oh. No, I’d never be able to give up meat. If it were all I had to eat, I’d have no problem having it every day. And I like my steaks really rare.”
“I like mine cooked a little bit more than that, but it has to be pink on the inside.”
They arrived at the meat department and Draven picked up the most expensive steaks he could find and put them in the shopping cart. Wyatt couldn’t afford cuts like that on his budget.
“Well, well. If it isn’t the queer.”
Wyatt turned toward the male voice the same time Draven did. Draven’s upper lip curled into a snarl as he stared at the other man. “What the hell are you doing here, Rick?”
Rick walked closer. “Maybe I’ve been looking for you.”
Wyatt shot his gaze from Draven to Rick and back again. It was more than obvious there was bad blood between the two of them. They way Draven held his body, he looked just about ready to pounce on Rick, and not in a good way.
“And why would you be doing that?” Draven asked with an almost growl.
“You know why. It’s because of you I had to go lone wolf. If you’d just kept your nose out of my damn business everything would have been fine.”
“Maybe some of the other assholes you surround yourself with would have let it slide, but I’m not like that. You know what drugs do to us. I can’t believe I ever considered you a friend.”
“Do you think I care? The money was good. I’m not as old as you, Draven. I haven’t had all those years to amass the fortune you have. And I don’t want to wait that long to enjoy the better things in life.”
Looking at Rick, Wyatt didn’t think he was that much younger than Draven. If anything they appeared to be around the same age.
“Which goes to show how much of a pup you still are,” Draven shot back.
Rick got right up into Draven’s face. “Don’t ever call me that again.”
Draven shoved the other man away. “Back off, Rick. Think of where we are.”
Rick rolled his shoulders. His gaze landed on Wyatt and he sniffed the air. “I don’t think you’re worried about that so much as the fact this one probably doesn’t know the truth about you.” He laughed. “You were always a sucker for his kind. Are you going to properly introduce me to your boyfriend, Draven? You don’t have to be afraid about me trying to steal him away from you, since I don’t like shoving my cock up some guy’s ass.”
There was no mistaking the growl that rumbled out of Draven for anything but what it was. Wyatt thought Draven’s eyes might have glowed mutedly for a split second before Rick laughed again, drawing his attention.
“At least I don’t have to force my bed partners to sleep with me. Unlike you,” Draven said between clenched teeth.
At first glance, Rick was just as good-looking as Draven. It wasn’t until Wyatt stared into the other man’s eyes did he see the cruelness that seemed to cling to him, making him appear less attractive. To be honest, Rick gave Wyatt a bit of the creeps. Just as big and tall as Draven, Rick was one person he’d never want to meet in a dark alley.
Rick’s face turned hard. “I’d watch what you say to me.”
“I’m not scared of you,” Draven said. “You want a piece of me? Name the place and time and I’ll gladly show you who the better man is.”
Rick slowly backed away as he pointed at Draven. “That day will come, old man.” With that said, he turned and walked away.
Wyatt gazed at Draven and found him still staring in the direction Rick had gone. His fists were clenched at his sides, the muscles in his arms standing out. This was a side of Draven he hadn’t seen before. A wilder, fiercer one.