Summer, 1983 (I'll call you by mine)

Vermont

Morning light came through the open window of the one bedroom cabin. During the night it had become too hot to sleep so Elio opened every window, while he and Oliver lay in bed, uncovered, naked. Oliver woke searching for the covers, the breeze coming through the window had a bite to it. Goosebumps covered his naked body, the warmth of Elio was vacant. It has always made Oliver grumble. But Elio was forgiven when the smell of strong Italian coffee hit his nose, calling to him to wake up. Dragging himself from the warmth of the duvet Oliver reached for his flannel bottoms then remembering clothes were not allowed. Dropping them into his suitcase he walked to the bathroom.

Oliver knew were the love of his life would be. Sat on the back patio with coffee and book in hand, while having Oliver's morning brew waiting for him, and there he was exactly how Oliver thought he would be. Elio unglued his attention away from his book to look up at the man who made him feel 17 again. Oliver always made him feel this way, they had been together every day since that summer night when Oliver came back to him. He had no idea how they made it twenty years barely seeing each other, that thought seems impossible now.

"What are you doing?" Oliver was leaning against the door frame.

"Reading" Green eyes meeting blue.

"Do you want to go for a swim, the water might be a little cold?"

Elio looked out over the water that sat down from the cabin, he could see ducks paddling in the crisp morning water. The sun had barely been up for no more than an hour.

"You mean now?"

"Yeah come on, it will wake us up."

"Honestly Oliver I don't think I want to chance getting sick on our trip. I'll watch you while you swim."

"Alright but you are going to miss all the fun."

"I'll just have to take the loss then." He smiled as Oliver took off toward the pond as he got closer Elio could see his pace quicken. Without hesitation, Oliver dove into the pond his head quickly shot up out of the water.

"Oh-My-God-It's-Freezing!" Oliver shouted out as he shivered. Elio had never seen him move so quickly out of the water.
"So I thought it was my loss." Elio snickered as Oliver walked naked and shivering toward him quickly.

"Oh it is because you are going to warm me up." He took Elio's book tossing it on the table, yanking him out of the chair. He wrapped Elio in a hug.

"Christ you are an ice cube! Come on you fool lets get you into a hot shower before you get sick." He chuckled, smacking Oliver on the ass as he hurried into the cabin.

Getting dressed they had decided to go to the spring festival in town, there was the promise of food, entertainment, and culture. Elio wanted to see the art galleries that had popped up around the town. Oliver was going for the bookstores, food and well mostly the food. Driving the hour and a half to get to the small town was beautiful, driving down from the mountains the wildlife was unlike anything Elio had seen. They found the last place to park in the busy town.

"Where should we head first?" Elio asked as Oliver walked up behind him taking his hand.

"Now what is the first place we visit?"

"Bookstore, of course." Elio was nuged by him as they walked toward the wooden sign in the shape of a book. Walking in the smell of old books mixed with new was an aphrodisiac for Oliver, he inhaled through his nose deeply.

"You have a problem, Oliver." Elio chuckled, Oliver looked at him confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Every time you get a whiff of books we go home with 20 more that you will read once and put on the shelf. You won't read them again but you can't get rid of them."