Kate Sherwood - Dark Horse 2.1 - On Deck by Kate Sherwood Page A

or how fast he got there. Bringing the boat home requires a

On Deck | Kate Sherwood
lot more precision.
    They tie the mooring ropes to the rings on the dock and then Evan shows Dan how to bring the sail down, bundle up the ropes, and otherwise put the boat away. "Like untacking a horse," Evan explains. "Not exactly exciting, but it's part of the deal— and everything will be a lot easier next time if you do it right this time."
    When they're done, Dan climbs up onto the dock and is surprised to find himself yawning. Evan notices, and laughs. "It's being out on the water," he explains. "It's somehow really tiring, especially when you're not used to it." He steps a little closer, pitches his voice a little lower and quieter. "You can sleep in the car, if you want… I like being around you when you're sleeping."
"Yeah? 'Cause it's the only time we spend together without making up things to argue about?"
     
Evan smiles and shakes his head. "Nah. It's 'cause you look so sweet when you're asleep— all soft and warm…"
     
"And drooling, if you're lucky."
    "Well, obviously that's the best, yeah…" Evan nods towards the parking lot and starts herding Dan in that direction. "Come on. We've got time to grab a bite, and then there's a surprise for you on the way home."
"A surprise? What do you mean?" Dan hopes Evan hasn't gotten carried away with something.
     
"A surprise? A surprise is, like, something unexpected."
    Dan shakes his head, refusing to engage. Evan just grins at him, then makes a quick, obvious scan of the parking lot before scurrying over and unlocking Dan's door, holding it open for him and hanging over the top of it with a wide smile on his face. "I’ve got to get it out of my system. After your surprise, I might not be able to do it as much anymore." Dan rolls his eyes. "You're not bugging me, with the hints. I'm not

On Deck | Kate Sherwood
curious…"
    Evan laughs as he carefully shuts Dan's door. By the time he's circled around and climbed into the driver's seat, Dan is practically squirming. He hates surprises. Or, he likes them, but hates being teased about them. Or something. Whatever. He wants Evan to tell him. But then that'll ruin the surprise, and… "You son-of-a-bitch," he chokes out, and Evan laughs again.
"No, man, it's not that big of a surprise. I'm just playing with ya. It's just somewhere we have to stop… no big deal…."
     
"Somewhere we have to stop that's going to keep you from opening doors for me?"
    "Oh, that… I was just building it up. It's nothing, seriously." "Jesus, Kaminski, could you please be a better liar? This sucks."
    Evan shakes his head in amusement as he pulls out of the parking lot, and Dan sulks for as long as he can. The thing is, he's sleepy, and he really liked the sailing, and Evan's kinda cute, with the way he keeps looking over to see if Dan's out of his mood yet. "It better be good, is all I'm saying."
Evan grins enthusiastically. "Oh, yeah, it's…." He catches himself. "Uh, you know… it's okay. No big thing."
     
"You suck, Evan." But Dan leans over anyway, rests his hand on Evan's thigh, and Evan brings his hand up to rest on top of Dan's.
    Dan has no idea where they are, but Evan is driving confidently, and pulls into a parking space on a street that looks almost residential. Dan frowns, and Evan nods. "I know, but… trust me. It's a great spot."
Dan makes it out of the car again without Evan's help, and then Evan lays a hand on the small of Dan's back and guides him around a corner, and then down a narrow passage between two buildings until they reach an

On Deck | Kate Sherwood
    unassuming side door. There's a subdued brass sign saying "Andre's", but nothing more to indicate that this is a public establishment. Evan sees Dan's confusion. "It's just that good." He explains. "They don't have to advertise; they get all the business they need just from word-of-mouth." He pulls the door open and his hand returns to Dan's back, herding him gently inside.
    The