If Samuel had tried to downplay the way his heart fluttered at Remi's confession (that he wanted to be with him every second he could), he'd have done a disservice to his feelings and their relationship. He flushed again, the warmth of the blood he'd drunk not all that long ago pooling once more in his cheeks for no good purpose beyond making him feel giddy and youthful.
He wanted to be with Remi more often than he should - considering he had a job and responsibilities to many creatures beyond just the one his heart wanted to beat for - and on any other night he'd have felt swamped by guilt for that. Not tonight, though. It was the first night of their mini vacation and he had permission for Remi to be his sole focus for the next few nights. It was freeing.
"Hey now," he crooned a chastisement when Remi went on to wish for his claustrophobia back. Having witnessed Charon's exorcism of Remi's tight-space demons, he wouldn't wish such a crippling condition on his worst enemy, let alone someone he cared deeply about. "There's no need for that," he drawled, grinning over at Remi as he grabbed Remi's hand and wound his own around it again. It wasn't the one incessantly tapping but he hoped his touch would soothe anyway. He didn't mind it too much because the agitation was due to Remi's frustration that they couldn't access each other freely. How could he complain when he agreed? He kissed Remi's knuckles and dropped their hands onto his thigh again.
"My goal was to drive most of the night but I anticipated there'd be breaks. You'll want food and bathroom breaks and we'll need to stretch. Or maybe just cuddle," he conceded, winking at Remi as he gave his fingers a squeeze. "You can tell me when you want to stop, as often as you want but you should know that I've booked us into a twenty-four hour hotel - a luxury one, with blockout curtains that caters for vampires just like the Luminary - in a city that's seven hours' drive away. Now, we left at six, so if we drove without breaks, we'd get there around one in the morning. That'd give us quite a few hours together before sunup."
Sam couldn't help the way one of his eyebrows wiggled suggestively, matching his smirk that also alluded to the things they could get up to with hours of darkness to spare. If Remi could show restraint.
"If you need breaks, however, that's fine. We just have to arrive before the sun does so if you need to stretch or get food or whatever, we don't have to be regimented with it. We can have fun along the way, if you prefer." The smirk was back. "You tell me what you want, this is your trip, too. We have only a few hours of driving to do tomorrow night, we'll spend most of it in an Air B'n'B house in the town next to Gene's mama's. It's only tonight that we're pressed for time. Just tonight," he assured softly, shooting Remi a heartfelt look of assurance he wasn't sure he believed himself.
In the grand scheme of things, one night of restraint sounded like nothing. They were creatures planning to be together for centuries, if not millennia, what was one night? But Samuel felt it even as he tried to make it sound inconsequential and surmountable.
One night was more than they'd been apart in weeks and even though they were sitting right beside each other, it was more distance than they'd become accustomed to. His angel needed affection and Remi's love language was touch; he was happiest when he was watching flowers, plants or Sam bloom before (or beneath) him. He'd already roused Sam's craving for him with his hands and it was too easy to imagine the misery that could come from Remi having to continually hold himself back. Sam didn't want to inflict that on him; he'd stop as often as Remi needed. It would all balance out, he was sure.
