Sing for Their Supper - 48

 

Sam and Ricky ate with the other guys after they were finished for the day. Then Ricky had suggested that he and Sam take a walk along the lakeshore to have some quiet time. When they were far enough away that he knew no one else was around, he stopped, looking at Sam. "That was quite a temper tantrum you threw this afternoon."

 

"I know. Pretty childish, huh?"

 

If Sam had expected him to disagree or commiserate with him, he was mistaken. "Very. I didn't expect something like that from you. One of the girls, maybe, but not you." Ricky shook his head in disgust and started walking again.

 

"Hey. Wait up." Sam hurried after him. "I was upset."

 

"And? We've all had times when we thought we could have done better. We didn't throw a hissy fit and threaten to leave and screw up what we're all working for."

 

"I wouldn't have. Not really."

 

"Oh, yeah? Could have fooled me and everyone else. While you were out there crying on Tuck's shoulder, we were wondering if we'd be back on the streets tomorrow."

 

"He'd have…" Sam sighed. "I'm sorry."

 

"I'm not the only one you should be apologizing to. Which you didn't, you know."

 

Sam nodded. "Why are you being so hard on me?"

 

"Because I care—about you, about the theater, about what we're trying to accomplish, but mostly about you. I didn't like what I saw this afternoon. I could have kept quiet and let it ride, but if we're going to make it as a…a couple, then we have to be honest with each other, no matter how hard that might be." Ricky gripped Sam's arm. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

 

"Yes," Sam replied, barely above a whisper. He breathed deeply then smiled. "You're pretty damned smart for a kid."

 

Ricky snorted. "I'm eighteen. Hardly a kid. You're only a year older than me."

 

"And I'm still a kid. Or at least I came across as one, the way I acted today. A spoiled brat."

 

"You're allowed one mistake," Ricky retorted, hugging him. "But only one."

 

"Lots of luck with that. I'm only human."

 

"A very nice human, most of the time, and" —Ricky paused a beat— "sexy when you're pissed off."

 

"Only then?" Sam asked in dismay.

 

"Well…" Ricky pretended to think about it. "Maybe other times, too. Like now. Like yesterday. Like tomorrow."

 

Sam grinned. "You're not so bad, either, for a kid."

 

"There you go with the kid thing again," Ricky huffed. "Is this something a kid would do?" He wrapped his arms around Sam's neck then kissed him—hard.

 

Sam kissed him back. Then again when the first kiss ended. "I wish…"

 

"Umm?" Ricky replied, more interested in kissing him again than talking.

 

"I wish there was somewhere private around here."

 

Ricky's pulse pounded more than it was already at the implication behind Sam's words. "Me, too," he replied huskily. "Maybe…there's a meadow in there?" He waved toward the trees.

 

"Not sure meadow's the right word, but maybe a grassy spot?"

 

"We could go see."