As the man at the desk handed the room key over to the adorable couple he motioned for someone to take their bags. Both Kevin and Connor had ridiculous grins on their faces staring incredulously at the palm trees and visible heat outside the lobby doors.
It had been Connor's idea to take a holiday and he had been subtly hinting to Kevin for a while now that he wanted to go some place exotic. He had come home one evening to find their bags packed and Kevin holding two plane tickets to Barbados.
They watched as their bags were loaded onto a trolley and were about to follow when Connor had an idea. He tugged on Kevin's shirt and whispered in his ear. Kevin smiled, nodded and bent down so Connor could hoist himself onto his back.
Connor giggled at the looks they received from the others around them at the unprecedented piggyback.
"Oooh Kevin wait a sec" Kevin spun round to answer the voice only to find Connor whisked round the other way. Connor laughed, "Ask what time the pool closes"
Kevin turned questioningly to the man at the desk, he smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry sir but the pool is closed today. We're filling it up and it won't be full until late this evening so it will be open tomorrow morning. But in the meantime, the hotel is very close to the beach and you can swim there."
"Are there life guards?" Connor asked cheekily. Kevin squeezed his thigh and said in an admonishing tone, "Even if there are, we can't swim in the sea, the salt water bleaches my hair"
Despite not being able to see his face, Connor could easily visualise the indignant pout on his boyfriend's face.
Connor was surprisingly light for his build and Kevin easily carried him at speed into the elevator. Connor reached down to nibble at the shell of Kevin's ear and like the lobe. Kevin watched him smiling in the mirror. It was several moments before they realised they weren't moving.
"I should press a button" Kevin moved over to elbow their floor, his hands holding onto Connor's thighs. At their floor Kevin sprinted down the corridor, Connor squealing in delight as they whizzed round corners and stopped abruptly at their room.
Luckily the door was open and their cases waiting which avoided the complication of how to get inside with Connor still on Kevin's back.
Kevin worked the door shut with his foot, made his way to the bed and threw Connor backwards onto it.
Kevin turned around and seeing what he was about to do, Connor raised his hands protectively, "No no no please Kevin don't". But he was smiling as Kevin grinned and threw himself wholeheartedly on top of his husband.
They rolled over until Connor was on top and he promptly whacked Kevin in the face with a pillow. "Oi what was that for?"
"Because I love you"
That was the cue to kiss and Connor leaned down until both pairs of soft lips were brushing. Kevin allowed his lips to part and their tongues played excitedly.
Connor had the energy of an excited puppy, "Let's go down to the beach Kev, I want to see you in those new trunks"
When the two were ready, Kevin's dark tan contrasting against Connor's flawless pale skin, Connor produced a bottle of suncream.
"I won't be able to reach the back by myself"
Kevin rubbed sun cream into his boyfriends back giving him a massage in the bargain. They were both so absorbed that they failed to notice the dark clouds forming outside.
Connor jumped with a start as they heard a thunder clap outside. "Well" he said brightly, "At least it won't be crowded."
Kevin had no wish to burst his bubble so crouched by the side of the bed ready to give his boyfriend another ride downstairs. Connor wrapped his legs securely round Kevin's bare chest.
They scooted out the lift giggling loudly and Kevin ran straight to the lobby doors but stopped abruptly. The sky outside was almost black and a sign had been tacked to an orange cone in front of the door.
'Stage 5 hurricane warning please remain inside the hotel'
Kevin could feel the man on his back deflate and slowly lowered him to the ground.
"I'm sorry Connor. We could get room service?" Kevin said apologetically.
"Yeah I guess"
They returned dejectedly to their room where Connor slumped on the bed and put on shirt.
"Aww no Con don't get dressed yet" Kevin protested but Connor just shrugged obviously disappointed that their anniversary wasn't taking off the way it should be.
Not giving up Kevin sat next to Connor and put his arm around him. "We'll just have to entertain ourselves and then tomorrow we'll have the pool"
Connor sat in silence for a few moments before Kevin noticed a change come over him. He pricked up slightly and smiled a sly smile. Kevin noticed. "What?"
"Nothing" Connor said unconvicingly, still smiling cryptically.
"What?" Kevin insisted stronger.
"I said nothing" Connor pushed his sneeky plan to the back of his mind so as to not let it slip and smiled genuinely, "Want to play a game or something?"
"Like what?" Kevin was just happy Connor wasn't too upset about their anniversairy set back.
"I dunno, truth or dare maybe?"
"How old are you Con, twelve?"
Connor laughed at the repulsed expression on Kevin's face. "It will be fun"
"Ok fine" there was a silence before Kevin spoke again, "What happens now?"
Connor sighed visibly. "Haven't you played this before?"
"I told you, not since 7th grade, I'm way above this now"
"Yeah cause you're so mature now" he snorted sarcastically, "Just pick one, truth or dare?"
"Truth"
"Ok um...what's your favourite thing about me?"
"Nothing I hate you"
"You have to answer honestly Kevin" Connor replied calmly.
"Fine, your eyes I guess. They're really pretty"
Connor leaned back on the bed and smiled staring at the ceiling. Kevin joined him and they lay side by side.
"Kevin Price complimenting someone that isn't his reflection, who would've guessed"
"Hey now! What happens now?"
"You ask me"
"When did you first realise-"
"No no no" Connor admonished, "You have to ask truth or dare first"
"Truth or dare?" Kevin said a little irritably.
"Truth" Connor replied straight away.
Kevin stared at him unimpressed. "That's what I was doing" Connor merely continued to smile waiting for Kevin to ask the question.
"When did you first realise you were in love with me?"
"Trust you to ask something about yourself. I think I first knew I would fall in love with you when I first saw you. But it wasn't until we first made love that I knew I had" he said carefully.
"That late? I knew from the first handshake"
"I didn't want to get hurt again, it was then that I knew it was real"
Connor let the words hang in the air for a moment before turning his face towards Kevin and kissing him lightly on the lips. Kevin returned the sentiment eagerly and began running his fingers gently through Connor's hair.
Connor lay his head across Kevin's chest allowing Kevin to continue playing with his hair.
"Truth or dare?" Connor asked.
"Truth"
"Again? Can't you be a bit more adventurous?" Connor allowed his sly smile to return knowing that Kevin couldn't see his face anymore and his plan was developing rapidly in his mind.
"Next time"
"Ok then. What do you not like about your appearance?"
Kevin contemplated for a moment. "Nothing" he replied after a while.
"That's ridiculous Kevin"
"No I love everything about myself"
"I don't know if that's a good or bad thing" Connor felt Kevin shrug and decided not to press it knowing that he could soon begin his scheme.
"Truth or dare?" Kevin asked him
"Truth"
"Hypocrite!"
"Next time" Connor immitated Kevin with a startling accuracy.
"Ok then" Kevin stuck his tongue out before realising Connor couldn't see so he gave Connor's hair a playful tug instead, "Can I do an fmk is that allowed?"
"I guess" Connor said warily.
"Ok fmk, me, Mitt Romney and um...Joseph Smith"
"You're so weird" Connor said shaking his head.
"They were the first people I thought of" Kevin tried to defend himself.
"Trust you to think of yourself first. Ok let's see, kill Mitt Romney"
"Obviously"
"Obviously. Fuck you and marry Joseph Smith because he's a babe"
"He is indeed a babe"
"Truth or dare?"
"I guess I have to go with dare"
"Oh I'm so glad you said that" Connor sat up and looked down on Kevin with a smile that made Kevin a little unerved.
"It's too late to change my mind isn't it?" He gulped as Connor nodded.
Connor looked at the clock on the bedside table, it was late evening. That meant it was perfect timing.
"I want you to go down to the pool and have a bit of a swim"
Kevin visibly relaxed, so the pool was closed and he might have to sneek in but, it was just breaking a few rules nothing embarrassing.
He made to sit up but Connor pushed him back down. "Oh I'm not done yet" he said relishing every moment, "I want you to do it...naked"
Connor grinned at the look of horror on Kevin's face. "Don't worry no one will be around at this time. Except me. Laughing at you"
From his position on the bed Kevin was powerless to stop Connor from yanking down his trunks. A short and futile skuffle which Kevin lost left him standing by the door to their room tentatively stroking the door handle. Connor stood behind him arms folded, preventing him from escaping.
Realising that there was no other option he slowly opened the door and stuck his head out both ways. Connor took his advantage and shoved the naked Kevin out into the corridor and shut the door behind him. Kevin squealed and instinctively reached down to cover himself with one hand and bang on the door with the other.
"Connor McKinley you open this door right now!" He shouted. Connor smiled to himself enjoying the view out of the peephole.
"You may come back in after you've completed the dare"
"Connor come on" Kevin had changed his tactics and was now trying pleading, "Please let me in Con Con"
"Nope" Connor said with glee, "And you might want to quieten down, we don't want any of the neighbours to come out and see what all the fuss is about now do we"
There was a pause as Kevin contemplated his choices before he tried one last time. "I love you"
"It's not going to work Kevin"
Connor grinned as he heard the padded feet disappear down the corridor. A minute or so passed before he heard them return and Kevin knocked on the door.
"Ok I did it"
"Go away Kevin"
"But I did it"
"Kevin I can see you through the peep hole and you're completely dry"
Connor heard Kevin curse under his breath. "This isn't funny any more Connor"
"Au contraire" Connor smirked, "I'm finding every second hilarious"
"I hate you"
Connor decided he would have to go with Kevin to make sure he'd done it. It would give him more opportunities to laugh at Kevin not to mention the fact that he rather liked the idea of his boyfriend running round a hotel naked.
He carefully opened the door making sure he slipped round it quickly before Kevin knew what was going on and shut it behind him.
"I've come to join you on your adventure" He said cooly, "Off you go. In your own time"
Kevin ran to the elevator which was luckily for him close to their room and pressed the button. He grabbed a pillow from one of the comfy chairs outside the elevator doors and held it protectively over himself. Once the elevator arrived, Kevin held his breath as the doors opened, praying nobody would be inside. To Connor's disappointment there wasn't.
Kevin pressed the button for the 3rd floor and as the doors closed Connor wrestled the pillow from Kevin's hands and tossed it through them leaving Kevin unprotected.
"No fair!" Kevin said as he tried to hide behind Connor. Connor was having none of it and rested himself on one of the railings leaving no room for Kevin to protect himself with him.
With fingers crossed Kevin waited for the doors to open again and as luck would have it, no one was there. It was almost midnight after all. The pool was full and the hoses had been removed but were still lying by the edge. A sign said that the pool was closed for maintenance and Kevin looked from it to Connor but Connor just shook his head.
"If only it were that easy Kev" He smiled enjoying himself immensely.
"Would you keep your voice down please?"
"I'm sorry what did you say?" Connor raised his voice.
"Shut up!" Kevin said desperately.
"Fancy a swim darling? Look I'm wearing my trunks already"
Kevin rolled his eyes and cursed inwardly. He looked at Connor defiantly and took a running jump before cannonballing into the centre of the pool. Upon surfacing, Connor could see that he was much more comfortable with the water to hide him. Kevin rubbed his eyes just in time to see Connor jump in next to him, splashing water into his face. Connor's giggles turned to shrieks as Kevin swam over to him easily catching up despite Connor's desperate attempts to escape.
Kevin proceeded to dunk Connor underwater. Before he knew what was happening Connor realised his trunks had vanished and Kevin was triumphantly swimming away to the side of the pool with them in his hand.
Connor grabbed Kevin's ankle just as he was about to heave himself out the pool. Kevin fought and kicked against the grip on his ankle, the pair making more noise than they realised. Neither of them noticed the pool maintenance man returning to put away the hoses.
Kevin noticed first and turned to Connor with a sly smile on his face. Connor noticed a split second too late.
"Don't you dare" He spluttered with a dangerous look on his face. Kevin chucked the trunks as far as he could throw leaving both men stark naked in the pool with no way to escape.
"What the heck was that for?" He screamed without thinking. The noise made the pool man look up and the three of them stayed completely still for a few moments. Without making a sound the pool man slid across the room to where Connor's trunks had landed. "Thanks" Connor said both gratefully and awkwardly coming to the edge of the pool.
Neither of them were expecting the man to pick them up and leave the room without a word. Kevin could've sworn he saw the slightest hint of a smile. There was a silence as the two stared at the door that had just swung shut before they turned to each other.
"Now what?" Connor said.
"It was your idea genius"
"It's your fault for dunking me!"
"Which I'm now going to do again"
"Kevin no wait"
"You can't stop me"
"No seriously Kevin wait"
"It's going to happen Con"
"Towels Kevin towels!" Connor shouted at the top of his lungs. It didn't stop Kevin from dunking him but he did bring him up sooner than he might have done. The pile of white towels looked like a blessing at that point.
"Thank Heavenly Father for towels" Kevin breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well now that we know we can make our way back to the room without terrifying any little old ladies" Connor's eyes were red but he was still smiling, "Why don't we stay here for a bit, you and I"
"We do have it to ourselves don't we"
"Happy Anniversary"
"I love you Con, I mean this was completely ridiculous and I'm never playing truth or dare with you again, but, I still love you so much"
"I love you too Kev"