someone cut my hands off at the wrists. I get the impression you love music as much as I do and... well, I'd like to hear you play, if I could."
Aleks shook his head, glancing down at the field again. "I play sometimes. I don't have a lot of time for it. You get rusty, you know, and I don't enjoy playing as much when I'm making mistakes left and right." He cut Remey a sideways smile. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist and control freak, in case you haven't noticed."
Remey laughed and nodded. "Maybe a little. That's okay. I'm with you on the perfectionist thing. You kind of have to be in my industry, you know? Over and over and over recording the same line of a song until you get it exactly right, then doing the same thing with the next and the next. I never mind, though, because I want it to be perfect."
"Well, you apparently do a good job because the kids are nuts for you. I'm amazed I managed to get them through a whole run-through of the song with you sitting here watching."
Remey cringed in guilt. "I'm sorry, I should leave. I didn't think... Well, I mean, I did, but not about that. I figured I could kind of blend in, but there isn't anyone else here watching." Remey smiled sheepishly. "I guess I thought there'd be parents or something." He stood, shaking his head. "I'll get out of here, then..."
Aleks wasn't making it easy for him to leave, though, because when Remey glanced down at him, Aleks's gaze was locked on Remey's ass. And Aleks kind of shifted on the bleacher like... well, like his jeans were suddenly too tight. Remey couldn't help the way his ego puffed up.
Finally, Aleks glanced up to meet Remey's gaze. "No. Stay. The kids are excited, but they could use the practice, performing under pressure and all that, right? They do tend to get jittery and lose concentration on game days, so maybe having you here will give them a little practice." He glanced over toward the parking lot, then shrugged. "And it seems the paparazzi are on break or something cause they haven't swarmed the place." He stood up and put a hand on Remey's shoulder. "Stay. I didn't mean to suggest you had to leave."
Remey glanced at Aleks's hand resting lightly on his shoulder, then back up to meet Aleks's eyes. Having Aleks so close was seriously scrambling his thoughts, but he made himself focus, nodding after a long moment. "Okay. I'll hang out 'til you're done." Remey couldn't deny he was hoping Aleks wouldn't have to rush right off when practice was over. He wanted to talk to him more, to prove to Aleks he wasn't some Hollywood jackass.
Remey acknowledged he probably wouldn't be so bothered by Aleks not liking him if he didn't like Aleks so much. Sure, Aleks said it was the paparazzi that bothered him, but Remey wasn't entirely sure he was being honest, not with the way Aleks seemed so determined to keep him at arm's length, to only let him come so close. The attraction between them was definitely mutual, but Remey felt like there could be something more, even if the more was only friendship. He had a feeling if they ever sat down to talk, they'd find they had a lot in common.
"Good. I should get back down there and make them work some more." Aleks offered him a small smile, and Remey's heart thumped heavily in his chest. He felt like a teenager with a crush.
"Go on. I'll hang out up here and do my best intimidating impersonation."
Aleks laughed, and Remey felt his cheeks flush, heat spreading despite the cold.
"You? Intimidating? What funhouse mirror did you look in this morning?"
Remey smiled, sitting back down and tucking his hands into his pockets. "Hey, it was a thought. I guess I can only have one brilliant idea a day."
Aleks grinned as he backed down the steps. "What was your first one today?"
Remey grinned back, stomach flipping at the flirtatiousness in Aleks's tone and smile. "Coming to see you."
And now Remey wanted to kiss him. Like he wanted to take another breath. Fuck. Aleks looked like he felt the same way, kind of,
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