The date was magnificent. Alec was a perfect gentleman. He complimented the server at dinner, and when Jensen suggested they split the bill, Alec offered to pay the full tip. It was a generous one. After staring into each other’s eyes over steaks and shared key lime pie for dessert, they watched a foreign film in a refurbished old-fashioned movie theater.

Alec asked, “What if I get tired of reading the screen? I haven’t read a whole novel in years. I might get tired, and then I won’t know what the fuck is going on.”

“We can go to a different movie. I’m okay with that. I read the reviews, and I thought this one sounded good, but I’m not rigid about it.”

Alec swept his hand up the back of Jensen’s head and said, “No, if you like it, I want to see it. I want to know more about this crazy bastard who thinks that I’m something special.”

Jensen laughed and wrapped his arm around Alec’s waist. “I know you’re something special. I don’t only think that.”

After the film ended, Alec sat in his seat staring at the screen while the other viewers stood, put on their coats, and filed out of the theater. Jensen asked, “Are you okay?”

Alec turned his head slowly and said, “I’m not sure I get it. I mean, something bad happened. You can tell that from all the frowns and how dark it was. It looked like the cameras were all shooting the film in the middle of the night, but I’m not sure I get it. You’ll explain it to me, right?”

Jensen placed a hand on his chest and said, “I’ll do my best. I’’m a little confused, too.” He leaned forward for a quick kiss. “Let’s get going. We can go to a bar before we head home if you want to.”

“I want to go to the beach.”

As they stood outside the theater on the sidewalk, Jensen asked, “The beach?” Lake Michigan was a short drive away, but it was November. Jensen said, “It’s cold out. I’m sure it’s even windier and colder down by the lakefront.”

“That’s why it’s great to go now. There’s nobody there, and I promise that I’ll hold you close and keep you warm.” He stepped up behind Jensen and opened his coat. “I bet you’ve never been to the beach after September.”

“I saw the ice at the edge from inside one of the buildings on the lakeshore. Does that count?”

“Not quite.”

Jensen felt the warmth surge inside his body while wrapped in Alec’s arms. Going to the beach in November after dark sounded like a crazy idea, but he speculated that some people would think dating Alec was crazy in the first place. He bounced from one foot to the other, shoved his hands in his pockets to try and warm them and said, “Yeah, okay. Let’s go to the beach.”

Jensen thought Alec wanted to go to one of the big public beaches. Instead, he found a small pocket of lakefront that wasn’t really a beach. It was an expanse of large rocks likely dumped to stop erosion and prevent the nearby museum building from falling into the water.

As they climbed out of the car, Jensen said, “I hope you do understand that I think this is kind of crazy. Police records aren’t a good thing for somebody who works for the school district.”

Alec took Jensen’s hand and laughed. “Oh, hell, it’s not like I’m telling you to jump a fence to get into the stadium after dark.”

“Shit, have you done that?”

Alec laughed again. “I fucking love being a man of mystery. Maybe I’ll tell you after the third date.”

As they drew close to the pile of boulders at the edge of the water, waves crashed, and Jensen felt the light spray in his face. “Damn, I need those arms. It’s cold.”

Alec stepped up close and wrapped his arms tightly around Jensen. He was shorter, but his body still radiated plenty of warmth. He asked, “Is this better?”

Jensen grinned. “It helps.”

Alec held out one arm and pointed to the right. He asked, “Do you know what’s over there? I mean like one hundred yards over there.”

“Yeah, it’s the festival grounds. Or did you mean something else? There’s a park over there, too.”

“No, that’s what I meant. I saw Lou Reed perform there. Did you see him? It was almost ten years ago.”

Jensen sighed. “No, I didn’t. I’ve never seen him live. I was away from home spending the summer where I went to college that year. I think it was the summer of my freshman year.”

Alec groaned. “You’re so fucking young.”

Jensen grabbed Alec’s arms with his hands. “I hope that’s not a terrible thing.”

“It’s not, but you’re going to hate it when I’m an old geezer with hair growing out of my ears, and your pecs haven’t started to sag yet.”

Jensen laughed and turned around. He said, “Ten fucking years. When you’re 69, I’ll be 59. It’s not that much difference. We’ll both be middle-aged then.”

“69 eh?”

“Well…oh holy shit, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“It’s a shame you didn’t. I think there’s a freaky sexy guy inside you begging to get out.”

Jensen took Alec’s face in both of his hands. “I’m sorry they’re so damned cold.” He leaned forward for a kiss. “I need to warm my lips.”

Alec kissed back and then pointed again. “I sang on one of the stages over there, too. It probably wasn’t very good, but I did it.”

“What? You were in a band?”

“Well, I guess singing might be an exaggeration. We fashioned ourselves punks of a type. We covered Lou a couple of times. We played in a lot of local bars. I brought this woman on stage to sing ‘Wild Side’ with me.”

Jensen said, “That’s amazing. Will you sing it for me?”

“Only if it’s a duet. If I fucking humiliate myself in front of you, then you have to give me the satisfaction of hearing you grunt along with me.”

Jensen turned around and leaned back against Alec’s shoulder again. “I was in the chorus in high school. I know it’s not the same kind of music at all, but it did get me on stage. So I know what feeling scared shitless in front of a big crowd is like.”

“Damn, I’m dating a choirboy.”

Jensen whispered, “Only on the surface. You just told me you figured that out.”

Alec whispered back, “I hope I’m right, and hey, are you cold yet? Maybe we should head back to the car. We could go to my place for a nightcap.”

“You’re inviting me up for a drink?”

Alec brushed the stubble on his chin against the side of Jensen’s neck before he kissed. “Maybe you’re getting lucky.”

Jensen stopped in Alec’s living room and looked around. His jaw dropped. It was clean and tidy. Jensen didn’t see pizza boxes anywhere or junk mail strewn around. Alec noticed him looking and said, “It looks different, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, like somebody else lives here. There wasn’t an alien abduction, was there?”

Alec wrapped his arms around Jensen from behind. “Maybe I am different. I was down there for a bit after Mom died, but I’m back. It was the grief. I didn’t know it could be that bad. Oh, and I got a call for a job yesterday. I’m working lights for a Broadway show downtown. My buddy Beef got me a spot on a crew. I’m good enough to supervise, but I need to fight my way back in first. I kicked the computers to the curb.”

“That’s outstanding! Congratulations!”

“Meanwhile we’ve got more pressing concerns.” Alec reached around and unzipped Jensen’s coat. He pulled it off the shoulders and let it fall to the floor.

Jensen turned around and said, “I guess it is a little warm in here for a coat.”

Alec stripped his own off and tossed it onto the couch. He reached for the buttons on Jensen’s shirt. “I’m hoping to turn the heat up from warm to hot.”

“Don’t go too fast. I want to savor this.”

“Are you a man who likes it long and slow?”

“Fuck, there are so many ways to take that.”

Alec said, “Hey, how about a little music? I think I’ve got a Lou channel I can pull up on the TV. Those smart TVs are nuts. Meanwhile, if you want a beer, I think you know where those are.”

“I want you.”

Alec held up a finger. “One sec.”

Jensen watched the TV flicker on, and Alec quickly selected “Lou Reed channel.” Jensen smiled as the song “Satellite of Love” filled the air.

Alec asked, “Do you dance?”

“I can slow dance. Do you like that? I wouldn’t have guessed it was your thing.”

Alec posed with his arms up ready for Jensen to join him. He raised an eyebrow as Jensen stepped forward. “Why does it surprise you? Because I don’t fit the stereotype?”

Jensen sighed. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m sorry. I don’t think the words through sometimes. It’s worst when I screw up at work and say something I shouldn’t.”

Like, “I’m sorry little Johnny, but they won’t let you play because they don’t like you. I don’t really like you either.”

Jensen pounded a fist against Alec’s chest. “That’s awful!”

Alec laughed. “See, what did I tell you. If I were you, I would think I didn’t fit the stereotype, too, and you’re half right. I thought slow dances were stupid until a guy grabbed me on New Year’s Eve at a party where I hung the lights. I’ve never figured out how he knew I was gay. After one dance, he found a new partner, but the one dance was hot. He danced very close, like this.”

Jensen swallowed hard when he felt Alec’s thigh push between his legs. A few seconds later, their waists touched. Alec was hard, and Jensen had to swallow again to stop himself from drooling. He rested his head on Alec’s shoulder. He had to bend his knees slightly to reach it, but it felt right. He wanted to melt into Alec.

“Ah, there it is,” whispered Alec. “It’s my theme song.”

Jensen listed to “Walk on the Wild Side.” He asked, “Have you done half of the things he talks about in the song?”

“No, I’m tame vanilla by comparison, but it’s a song about everybody outside of normal, and that’s me. Don’t you agree?”

“I think it’s a song for everybody. Including me.” Jensen stared down into Alec’s eyes and kissed him as they swayed back and forth to the music.

“I’ve never shown you upstairs in the house, have I?”

“No. I’ve not had a reason to go up there.” Jensen reached out and unbuttoned the top button of Alec’s shirt. He knew that he usually moved slower with other potential boyfriends, but Alec was different for some reason. He couldn’t get too close, and it couldn’t happen too soon.

“If you keep that up, I’ll have an excellent reason to show you the bedroom.”

Jensen responded to the comment by opening another button. He pressed his fingers against the light dusting of curly, dark hair on Alec’s chest. He unbuttoned one more and pulled the shirt open wider.

Alec cupped Jensen’s package. He asked, “Is it okay if I reach below the waist this time?”

“I was hoping you would.”

Jensen’s hard cock throbbed through the denim of his jeans. He tugged the tails of Alec’s shirt out of his pants and finished with the buttons. While Alec reached forward and gripped the cock pressing hard inside the jeans, Jensen pushed the shirt off Alec’s shoulders. It fell to his elbows, and Jensen gasped inhaling sharply.

Alec said, “I like a man who’s a little aggressive.”

“I do, too.”

“Let me show you the room.” Alec pulled back, shrugged the shirt off his arms, and said, “I’ll get that in the…I’ll get it later.”

Jensen shivered when he heard the comment. Alec was thinking about all night. Jensen knew that he would have to kick some principles to the curb, but his body and heart shouted in unison, “Go with your gut. Don’t think yourself out of it this time. The evening is perfect so far.”

As Alec climbed the stairs, Jensen followed close behind. The bedroom looked like the Alec that Jensen knew so far. He had three posters of rock musicians on the wall. Alec said, “They’re the holy trinity. Bowie, Lennon, and Reed. I’ve had those posters since I was a teenager. I thought maybe I should put them away, but they help keep me going. All of those men had trouble, but they fought through it.”

“And they all made incredible music.”

“And they’re all gone now.” The statement hung in the air between them for a few seconds before Jensen stepped forward and shared another kiss.

Alec whispered, “You’re still fully dressed. That’s not right.” He tugged at the buttons on Jensen’s shirt.

“I hope you don’t mind that I’m a kind of skinny guy.”

Alec shook his head and placed a finger on Jensen’s lips. “Don’t get all self-conscious on me now. I brought you up here because I want you. That doesn’t change whether you’ve got a suit on or you’re naked.”

Jensen closed his eyes for a moment and smiled while the shirt slid off his shoulders. They reached for each other’s belts. The light was dim in the room, but Alec’s naked body took Jensen’s breath away. He asked, “You’ve got protection, don’t you?”

“I stocked up when we set the date. I’m like a fucking boy scout. I’m prepared.”