Gift #10 -5 of 5
Dec. 30th, 2015 02:49 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
mander3-swish.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
qaf_giftxchngeTO: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
urugwaj
FROM:predec2
TITLE: What Follows Next
One Month Later…One Week before Christmas…
"No! No, you asshole! Stay away from the fucking ornaments! And get your nose out of that damn box!"
I heard Debbie huff from several feet away, her typical weapon – a feather duster – grasped in her hand. "Her name isn't asshole, you asshole," she barked. "Even though Mrs. Kinney isn't much better," she muttered, shaking her head. I scowled at her as I walked over and picked up the stocky bundle of mass destruction. I sighed as I held her out in front of me and stared at her, her large, luminous eyes peering innocently back at me. "You and Christmas just don't mix," I grumbled, unable to really stay angry at her. Truthfully, her companionship and unfaltering faithfulness to me has been the only type of solace I had had lately, ever since the fiasco with Justin. I turned my head to peer over at Debbie, who was still standing there immobile. "Well? Don't you have some ivories to tickle, or some bunnies to dust?"
"Always," she smirked back at me. "Especially in an apartment this size." She shook her head. "What has got your panties in such a knot lately, Brian? Ever since you got back from that 'all-night' buffet you attended, it's as if you've got a stick up your ass – even more than normal," she added as I grunted. "What exactly happened that night?" she asked me point blank. Of course, it wasn't the first time she had asked me…and she was going to get the same response she got all the OTHER times.
"I told you," I replied brusquely as I walked over with Mrs. Kinney to the closet to retrieve her leash. "It's none of your fucking business." I opened the door to grab her leash where it hung in its customary place on a hook on the other side before attached it to her collar. "I'm taking her out."
I could hear Debbie heavily sigh as I turned and, without another word, opened the door and left.
Ten minutes later, I was sitting at the same bench upon which I always sat, still hoping against hope that Justin might finally show up like he had before…before I had been such an idiot and had been so despicable to him and to his friend. I still didn't quite understand why someone had to be so 'flashy' as this Emmett was, and so…so 'out there,' I guess was the way to put it. But I had also come to realize several other things: one, Emmett's style of dress and his mannerisms – while way too over-the-top for my taste – did not affect ME, and two, I had been a total jerk to him. I knew I couldn't 'catch' something from someone who was gay; I was well-read, and I wasn't stupid. Well, not stupid when it came to information about things such as AIDS. But I WAS stupid when it came to ostracizing myself from the man that I loved.
Yes, I had come to the painful realization, the stunning realization, that somewhere along the line – even before Justin and I had had that fateful 'date' – that I had managed to fall in love with him. The first man I had ever been attracted to, and the first man I had ever been intimate with. How the hell that had happened, I had no idea. But I could no longer deny it to myself.
I peered down as Mrs. Kinney whimpered. "Yeah, I know…" I murmured, as I reached down to scratch behind her ears. "It really sucks, doesn't it? Missing your friend, too, huh?" I shivered, hugging myself as I huddled against the brisk wind that had abruptly arisen, signaling the beginning of winter. It matched my dark, melancholy mood. It had been several weeks since I had last spoken with Justin here on this park bench. Since then, I had tried to contact him, but to my irritation I couldn't call him, because I had never had the foresight to ask for his damn cellphone number. After all, I saw him regularly each morning, and we had never met anywhere else outside the park until that one, life-altering night. My attempts to travel over to his apartment and speak to him face-to-face had been met with a stone of silence from the other end of the door, even though the other three tenants on the same floor had certainly heard me – and they had quite vociferously voiced their displeasure at my pounding on Justin's door, and my shouting for him to talk to me. After a week of daily visits to Justin's apartment to no avail, I decided I had to face the facts: he didn't want anything to do with me.
I sighed as I reached down and picked Mrs. Kinney up to hold her in my lap. I almost wished that I had never met Justin, much less spent the night with him, because I would have just continued on like I had before, with no knowledge of what it would be like to be with someone you were truly meant to be with, instead of someone who you were expected to be with. I now knew that there was a world of difference between the two, and I mourned what I had lost. I mourned seeing his smile light up as I met him here on our bench. I mourned the feeling that I had experienced that morning, waking up in his arms. I mourned his touches and his caresses; his playfulness, his passion for what he believed in, his intelligence, and his zest for life. Simply speaking, I missed everything about him, and I just didn't know how to handle it.
I glanced down at my Rolex, knowing I had to get back home soon. My nephew, Brad, was coming over along with Claire to take me out to lunch to celebrate my birthday, except I felt like doing anything BUT celebrating today. I knew, however, that if I tried to avoid the customary, yearly ritual that had been occurring now for the past ten years that I would never hear the end of it from Claire. I stood up and gently placed my bulky companion down onto the ground before untying the leash from around the park bench leg. "Better get going, girl," I told her. "Happy Birthday to me. Yay," I exclaimed half-heartedly as we slowly made our way back toward the park entrance.
Same Time – Daphne's Photo Studio – Justin's POV
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I muttered. "Who the hell needs a picture that's the size of an elephant?"
Daphne giggled. "Oh, man up, Taylor," she told me as I huffed. "It's going behind the man's couch. It's not MY fault if it's a really BIG couch."
I snorted. "Really big? That's like calling Air Force One a paper airplane." With a heavy sigh of resignation, however, I leaned down to pick up the bottom of the framed photograph that lay resting against her hallway wall. As I peered down at it, I had to admit this one was one of my favorite photos that Daphne had taken – it was a panoramic shot of Central Park, taken near the lake and encompassing some of the outrageously expensive apartment buildings that towered over it. I tried not to focus on the fact that one of them was probably Brian's building. I had never been to his place, although from the direction he took to get to and from the park bench, and the way he described his view of the park, it wasn't too much of a stretch to think that I was looking at his penthouse at the top of one of those buildings.
Brian. I had tried hard over the past couple of weeks to push him out of my mind. But I hadn't made the mistake of further encouraging Derrick by asking him over again. It had taken a great deal of fortitude for me to call him up a couple of days after we had had sex to admit why I had done it. As I would have expected, he was offended and upset, but I felt he deserved the truth. Instead, I had filled my time with meeting Emmett for lunch, spending some quiet time with Daphne in the evenings, taking Reggie for long walks (anywhere but near 'that' bench), continuing to volunteer for PFLAG at the church, and painting – lots of lots of painting. My art had always been my refuge in times of distress, and this level was off the charts. I obsessed over Brian…his feel, his touches, his smell, his long, lean body, his velvety, soft voice…even his dorkiness in the way he dressed identically every day. Except that I had realized after the fact that the night he came for dinner, he had let go just a bit. He had loosened the buttons of his shirt, he had worn no tie, and even his hair was a little mussed. I understood now that was a type of compliment to me, that he had felt comfortable moving outside his comfort zone that night. I had sadly also realized, however, that after we had slept together he just couldn't admit who he really was, and that it just wasn't meant to be. He lived in his world, and I lived in mine.
I had been gratified to see Claire returning to the PLAG meetings, although like that first night she never ventured further than the front steps. That was fine with me. I was still contributing something worthwhile toward acceptance of gays, while helping make this confused and skittish woman more comfortable with her son's sexual orientation, although from what she told me that still hadn't quite happened. She was still uneasy about it. But whether or not her son Brad DID wind up being gay – or just a shy sort of guy – it still made me feel like I was doing something commendable with my time, and it kept me from dwelling on Brian too much.
"Uh….Justin? Earth to Justin?"
I blinked, looking over sheepishly at Daphne as I realized I had zoned out once I had picked up my end of the photo. "Sorry…"
She eyed me sympathetically, knowing full well what - or whom – I was thinking about. "Ready to do this?" she asked me softly.
I glanced down at her high heels and laughed. "I am. I'm not so sure about you, though. You're going to take this up to the man's apartment in stilettos? Is this guy hot, Daph?"
She shrugged. "How do I know? I've never seen him before." She smiled at me perkily. "But a girl can never be too prepared, just in case."
I laughed. "How in the world did you sell it to him, then, sight unseen? I know you told me you hadn't had time to even put it up on your website for sale yet."
"Hey, I'm VERY persuasive," she teased me.
I grinned. "Yes, you are," I conceded. "But even you aren't that good of a saleswoman. Spill."
She laughed. "Okay…I confess. You remember my new assistant, right?"
"Boris? Buford?"
She would have thrown a camera at me if she had had a free hand as she replied with a laugh, "No, you moron! His name's Brad, and you know it!"
"Ohhh, yeah," I told her with a wry grin. "So what about Mr. Hot Guy?" For the past several weeks, Daphne had been regaling me with daily accounts of her powers of seduction when it came to her assistant. So far, however, he had not taken the bait, to her dismay. But I knew with someone as determined as Daphne that the poor guy didn't stand a chance; it was just a matter of time.
"Well, it's for his uncle's birthday," she explained.
I looked at her in disbelief. "How can he afford this on his salary? Don't tell me you cut the price just to get into this guy's pants."
She harrumphed in offense. "Please…you know me better than that! Even I have standards." I rolled my eyes as she added, "Unless he's Brad PITT, no one gets a discount on my photos…except maybe YOU."
I laughed. "You already did that, remember?" One of my favorite photos back at my apartment was one she had taken of Reggie for me as MY birthday present. Of course, that one had been free, but a couple other ones I had admired of hers had been purchased for a song…I knew all along that Daphne normally charged a hell of a lot more for her photos than she had charged me. She would have probably given them to me, but I had insisted on paying something. I had already bartered a couple other ones by painting a couple of pieces for her, so it had worked out well in furnishing both our apartments.
"Oh, yeah," she replied as I grinned. "Anyway, his mom actually paid for it after he showed her a copy of it. She thought it would be perfect for her brother's birthday."
I nodded. "Clever girl. Selling one of your photos and not even having to advertise it."
"I AM clever," Daphne agreed, causing me to chuckle. "After all, I talked YOU into helping me move this, didn't I?"
I grinned. "Touché." I paused before asking, "By the way, speaking of this stud muffin of yours, why didn't you get HIM to help you? He is your assistant."
"I gave him the day off. He and his mom are taking his uncle out for his birthday. He's very fond of him...and besides, I knew you would help me for free." She laughed as I scowled over at her in response.
"Awfully damn sure of yourself, aren't you?" I told her as she beamed back at me smugly. I grunted with exertion as we passed through the studio's open door. "Stop for a sec," I asked her as I used my foot to close the door behind us firmly, hearing the click of the lock. I took a deep breath, taking advantage of the brief break, before I told her, "Okay…elevator. And don't trip on those lethal heels!"
She giggled as we managed to walk the twenty feet or so to the elevator, Daphne using her elbow to press the 'down' button. Thankfully, no one happened to be using it at the moment, so it didn't take long for it to arrive.
"This is one of those Kodak moments when I wished your studio was on the 35th floor, instead of the 5th," I joked with her as we took advantage of the time we had to briefly lower the burdensome object down to the floor as the elevator ascended.
She smiled at me affectionately. "I appreciate you helping me, Justin," she told me. "I know I can always depend on you when I need it."
I flushed at the compliment. "That goes both ways, you know," I replied as she nodded with a smile. If it hadn't been for Daphne and for Emmett these past several weeks, I know I would have allowed myself to be dragged down into an emotional abyss. Ever since that night with Brian, I couldn't get him off my mind. But at least with my two dearest friends, I had been able to occupy my time with some more pleasant activities, and their constant checking up on me by phone, text, and email definitely had helped to lift my spirits somewhat. I still knew, however, that it would be some time before I would stop thinking about him – if ever.
The dinging of the elevator bell, signaling we had arrived at the lobby floor, brought me out of my reverie as we both in one motion reached down to grab a corner of the photo. We almost knocked a distinguished, elderly gentlemen to the ground as the door opened, but he managed somehow to avoid a collision as he hurriedly stepped aside to allow us to pass.
Five strenuous minutes later – along with some help from the building's doorman, who graciously opened the front door for us and even Daphne's back gate of her utility truck – we finally managed to carefully slide the framed object into her vehicle, where we laid it flat upon a large piece of canvas that she always kept ready for just these sort of trips.
Just like always, the traffic around Central Park was atrocious, but oddly enough it didn't feel oppressive to me; a lighter flow of vehicles would have felt out of place here as Daphne navigated slowly around the sea of taxis, personal automobiles, horse-drawn carriages, and human-powered bicycle tour guides that always congregated near the entrances, constantly on the prowl for their next customer. I squeezed my eyes shut once as she barely by some miracle missed a limo that had parked too far out from the curb in front of the Astoria, opening my eyes as she snorted over my reaction. I grinned back at her, silently thanking her for being such a good friend and helping to take my mind off 'other things.' No, don't go there, Taylor, I scolded myself. It's over and done with. I DID know one thing, however; I would not be taking Reggie to one particular part of Central Park from now on. The possibility of running into Brian would just be too painful for the indefinite future, and I couldn't handle that right now. Maybe never.
I watched as Daphne slowed down in front of one of the swankier buildings surrounding the park as she veered into a short-term loading spot reserved for ten-minute deliveries. "Boy, you lucked out," I observed, knowing it was normally near-to-impossible to snag one of those prized spots.
"Good thing," she told me as she stopped the small box truck. "Or you might have collapsed on the sidewalk from overexertion."
"Me? I think it would have been the other way around, Miss Five-Inch Heels," I retorted with a grin as she laughed.
We both opened our doors and jumped down from the truck as I opened the back. I peered up at a distinguished-looking man decked out in a crisp, black uniform as I called out, "Can you hold the door for us, please?" The man nodded back at me in agreement. "Thanks."
I took a deep breath. "Okay…Here goes," I told her as I climbed inside the back of the truck so I could push the bulky object toward the back to help expedite removing it. "Just remember, Ms. Money Bags. You owe me lunch – and dessert – at Maloney's after we get done."
She grinned. "Duly noted. I could take you to Maloney's every day this week, in fact, with the price on THIS one," she divulged.
I snorted as I jumped down beside her to take hold of the one end as she grasped the other. "Don't be cocky," I teased her, feeling proud and happy for her, but also just a bit envious. Slowly we traversed from the vehicle, up onto the curb, and then carefully up the five or six steps leading into the expensive-looking building, the doorman tipping his cap and offering us a polite hello as we walked inside.
"Wow," I murmured, as I looked up at the outrageously large crystal chandelier hanging above us on the ceiling. The entire lobby looked like something out of a Grecian palace, with marble floors and walls, interlaced with panels of glass behind the concierge's curved station. A man dressed in similar attire to the doorman sat at a chair behind the desk as Daphne called out her name, and explained she was delivering a gift to the penthouse for her assistant. He had told her he would be explaining to the security guard that she would be coming around this time.
The man nodded as Daphne and I placed the object down just long enough for her to sign in as a visitor. "Top floor," the concierge told us. "Take the elevator on the far right. I have activated the button you'll need to press that will take you to the 18th floor. Someone will need to call down here when you're ready to leave so it can reactivated," he told Daphne as my eyes widened at the precautions taken for this resident.
As we entered the elevator a short time later, we once more placed the object down to prop it up against the back of the car. "Penthouse?"
She nodded with a smile. "I told you this guy was well off."
I shook my head in amazement. "You didn't tell me he lived in the fucking penthouse, though." She beamed smugly at me as I gaped at her, open-mouthed. "You've finally arrived, Kid," I told her in my best John Wayne accent as I playfully cuffed her on the cheek. She giggled as we both stood near the doors, peering down through the clear walls of the elevator as the floors slowly flashed by us. "So this is how the other half lives," I commented as we stood side-by-side.
"Maybe we won't ever live in a penthouse," Daphne said softly beside me. "But when it comes to friends, we already have riches beyond compare."
I turned to stare at her, profoundly moved by the wisdom of those words. I smiled. "Yeah…we do," I agreed, as I leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. I reached over to grasp her hand as she twined her fingers with mine, suddenly feeling like the luckiest man in the city.
Same Time – Brian's Penthouse – Brian's POV
"For God's sake, Brian! I know you're over 40 now, but do you have to look like I'm taking you to your own funeral, rather than out to lunch?" my sister sniped.
I glanced over at my nephew, who fixed a sympathetic stare on me, before I sighed. "I told you before, Claire; I didn't want anything special done for my birthday."
"It's just lunch, Brian; not a royal coronation! We always take you out for lunch on your birthday. Why are you in such a foul mood today?" She paused as she scrutinized me so intently it made me squirm a little as I stood next to the fireplace with my nephew, a glass of champagne in my hand. Claire had insisted on 'celebrating' my birthday today with her customary toast like she always did – and with one of my most expensive brands, too – but I felt anything but celebratory at the moment. All I could think about for the past several weeks was how I had most likely destroyed the best thing that had ever happened to me.
"I'm not in a 'foul mood,' as you so eloquently put it," I maintained stiffly. I peered over at Debbie, who issued a snort in response to what I said. "Uh, Debbie? You have something to say?"
She shook her head. "Oh, no, Brian. You've been a regular sweetie pie for the past several weeks…about the same time that you went out for that dinner, and you…"
"Never mind, Debbie," I quickly interrupted her sternly as Claire gave me an odd look. "Don't you have laundry to fluff, or rugs to beat?" The last thing I wanted was for my sister to know I went out to dinner with a man…and what happened afterward. Unfortunately, Claire had heard enough to get her curiosity quickly aroused.
"What dinner, Brian?"
"It's nothing, Claire," I told her brusquely. "Just forget it." Before she could say anything else, I tried another tactic to divert her. "So where are you taking me for lunch? Not that fucking Hibachi restaurant again, I hope. That knife they were throwing around the last time almost severed my pinkie finger."
Claire huffed at me as she reached inside her purse to retrieve the object she always sought whenever she was stressed out. "Uh, uh, uh," I warned her with a raise of my hand. She rolled her eyes at me as I told her, "Not in here."
I heard my nephew snigger from a few feet away as she scoffed at me. "Such a puritan, Brian," she replied. But nonetheless, she did as I asked, stashing her cancer stick back into her purse as she reminded me, "It's your birthday. What are you in the mind for?"
"How about some peace and quiet?"
"You'd might as well do as she asks, Uncle," Brad counseled me. "You know she won't give up."
I sighed with a nod. "Well, at least one member of my family has some sense," I decided. "All right, Claire. You fucking win. Petrocelli's."
She nodded, satisfied, but grabbed my wrist as I moved to leave. "Not yet," she told me as I groaned.
"What now? I thought you said you wanted to leave." Let's just get this over with, I silently pleaded. The sooner we ate, the sooner I could get back to my pity party and self-recrimination.
"We have to wait for your present first; it's on its way here."
I narrowed my brows warily. "On its way here? It'd better not be another fucking pet," I warned her. "Or some bimbo busting out of a giant cake." She had the gall to snicker at me as I scowled in return.
"Well, you'll be glad to know it's not another pet, or some bimbo, as you put it," she told me as I sighed in relief. I saw her peer down at Mrs. Kinney as she added, "But you can't tell me that darling little girl hasn't got you wrapped around her finger…well, her paw, anyway. You're not fooling me. Now all we need to do it find the right woman for you that's covered in mink instead of dog fur."
"Ha, Ha," I retorted as Brad chuckled. "Well, if it's not another pet, just what is it?" I frowned as a sudden thought occurred to me. "You better not be telling me you've got some 'date' coming over here to go out to lunch with us. If you do, I swear, Claire, I'll…"
"No, you're safe, Brian. Not this time. But I'm not giving up on you. You need some other female to keep you company in addition to Mrs. Kinney here." She rolled her eyes at me. "I still can't believe that's the name you came up with."
I shrugged. "It fit. She's a good wife. But she does snore sometimes."
Brad laughed. "Maybe they make doggie Breathe Rights.®"
I grinned at the thought. "I'll look into that." I held out my hands, palms up. "So what ARE we waiting for, Claire?" Just then, a knock sounded on my door as she grinned.
"I think it just got here. Brad, you want to see if they need any help?"
"They? What the hell is it?"
Claire gave me a Cheshire-like grin. "You'll see soon enough," she told me mysteriously. I could hear my front door opening, and some voices in the hallway before a large object loomed in front of me, being carried by a woman on one side, and some other person I couldn't see on the other; the only thing I could see was a black ball cap perched on his or her head. I was immediately drawn to the framed photograph, instantly recognizing where it had been taken, and I couldn't help smiling with pleasure over my gift.
Mrs. Kinney suddenly left forth with a yip, and her ears perked up as she ran over to the person holding up the photograph from the other side; normally she was somewhat skittish around strangers, but she seemed almost eager to meet this one as she spun around and around in a circle, like she always did when she was excited. I frowned slightly before my attention was diverted back to my nephew.
"Hey, Daph!" he greeted the young woman with a smile. "Thanks for bringing this over!"
The dark-haired woman smiled back at him. "No problem. You must be the birthday boy," she added with a grin, as she turned to peer over at me.
I nodded at her. "That would be me," I confirmed. "Were you the photographer for this? It's great!"
She beamed at me. "Thanks. Your nephew thought you would like it."
"I do." I turned to Brad. "Thanks, Brad. That had to have cost you a fortune, though."
My nephew shrugged. "I got a good deal on it," he explained as the woman smiled back at him. "Uhh…my manners! Daphne Chanders, this is my uncle, Brian. Brian, this is my boss, Daphne."
"Nice to meet you, Daphne," I told her.
"Daph…" I heard what sounded like a male voice calling out to her from the other side of the photo.
"Oh! Sorry! Let's just prop it up against the wall," she told her helper, as slowly they lowered the framed photograph together to lean it carefully against the wall, and it was then that I not only confirmed it was a man…but not just ANY man.
Both of us audibly gasped as we realized who it was, but it was Claire who actually spoke first.
"Justin!" She greeted him with a sincere smile. "This is a surprise!"
Justin smiled back at her, but his eyes instinctively traveled over to peer at me as he spoke. "Hi, Claire. Good to see you again."
I finally found my voice to speak as I asked my sister in shock, "You know him?"
She nodded slowly, seeming unsure of herself, which is rare for her. "Yes," she finally replied, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "It's a long story," she began to explain as she looked over at her son. She sighed as she told him, "Look, honey. I know that you're gay…and I'm actually all right with it."
Brad's mouth hung open in bewilderment. "I'm NOT gay! Why did you think I was gay?"
"You're not?" My nephew shook his head. "But…but you never go out with girls! And you like photography and….and you like poetry, and…"
Brad laughed. "Mom…that has nothing to do with being gay! And as far as going out with girls…" He peered over at Daphne. "Well…maybe I'm kind of shy about that. And…maybe I just hadn't found the right girl yet. Until now."
I saw him smile as Daphne grinned at him.
"You have now," she told him smugly. I smiled at that…but my smile faded as I gazed over at the man who had constantly been in my thoughts for the past several weeks. Even wearing his typical, silly baseball cap – this one with the words 'We're all the Same' written on the bill – I thought he looked even more beautiful than I had remembered him.
"Justin," I murmured, still in disbelief. My heart thumped erratically in my chest. Of all the places I imagined running into him, my own home would have never been a possibility. But here he was…standing a few feet away from me.
"Brian," he finally spoke up. The tone of his voice, however, was anything but tender, and I could easily hear the hurt still present in the way he said my name, and the expression on his face. Suddenly, I got an inspiration as I pointed my finger at him. "Don't move!" I demanded, as I turned and rushed down the hallway to my bedroom to grab what I needed from the top of my dresser before heading back to the living room, praying that he would still be there. I was resolved that even if he wasn't, I wasn't going to let him get away, even if I had to run after him. To my great relief, however, he was still standing there.
"Brian? You know him? How?" Claire probed as she noticed the two of us staring at each other oddly, but I paid her no mind; my eyes were too fixated on the man standing in front of me, doubt and uncertainty in his eyes. Finally, I noticed his gaze drifting downward and his eyes widened as he recognized the object grasped in my hand.
I slowly approached him, afraid that he would bolt. I could feel the heat of everyone's gaze on me as I came closer and closer. "I'm not sure if this would qualify as a crowd…but I hope it'll do," I murmured as I pulled the Yankees ball cap down firmly onto my head and stared into his fathomless, blue eyes. I reached over with my right hand to grasp his chin as I slowly leaned in and without any hesitation pressed my lips tentatively to his. For a brief moment, I felt him resist before – to my great relief and my sister's extreme shock – I felt his lips part and his arms slide around my neck to pull me closer. I could hear several people issue a gasp as we continued to kiss, but I didn't care. I was too busy exalting in having Justin in my arms again, and feeling his body pressed against mine.
Justin was the one to break off the kiss after several second, pressing his hands against my chest to create some room between us. "What…what do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice breathless. "You…you can't just expect things to go back to the way they were!" The hurt was obvious on his face, and it made me feel worse than scum.
I opened my mouth to answer, but didn't have a chance.
"You're….you're gay!?" my sister shrieked at me as…just before she promptly fainted and – with Brad's quick reflexes and assistance – fell down onto the couch on her back, out like a light but somehow managing to maintain a grasp on her glass of champagne.
"Hah!" Debbie barked out in satisfaction. "You finally found a way to shut her up! Good for you, Brian!" Her eyes scrutinized Justin intently. "Well, aren't you just the cutest thing?" she remarked as Justin blushed. "THIS was who you had dinner with that night? The one you've been moping about?"
"I wasn't moping," I protested, although I knew deep down that she had hit the nail on the head. "I don't DO moping."
She snorted. "Could have fooled me."
Justin's eyes flashed as he struggled to free himself, but I held firm. "Let me go!"
"Not until we talk, Justin."
"We have nothing to talk ABOUT."
"Justin!" Daphne cried out, interrupting us. "THIS is the man you told me about?" Justin nodded as I watched her face redden and her eyes darken like a mama grizzly defending her cub. "You've got a lot of nerve!" she snarled. "Do you know how much you hurt him?"
"Daph…please…" Justin pleaded, looking embarrassed. "This is between me and Brian."
I watched her eyes darken in anger as I continued to grasp Justin by his upper arms, almost as if I were afraid he would still run away. I wasn't going to let him go anywhere until I could explain…although truthfully I had no fucking idea what I was going to say.
"Justin, are you crazy? Let's go!"
"No, Daphne!" I heard him growl, feeling instantly relieved. "It's all right. Let me handle it."
"Are you sure?" She turned to peer over at my nephew. "If you hadn't already paid for this, I'd take it back with me. I can't believe this is your uncle."
She walked over to face me, gifting me with a glare as she told me, "You'd better not hurt him again, or you'll deal with ME." For a slim, petite girl, she was decidedly authoritative and obviously quite loyal to her friend; traits that I actually found admirable.
"That's the last thing I intend to do," I softly assured her. She continued to stare at me for a few moments longer, until finally she nodded, still not looking quite convinced. I wasn't sure she would leave without Justin until my nephew spoke up.
"Daphne? How about we go get some coffee? I think my uncle's lunch plans have just changed."
I could have kissed my nephew at that moment as he quickly gave me a conspiratorial wink. But at the moment, there was only one man I was interesting in kissing. "Justin," I began. "Stay. Stay so we can talk." I paused. "Please. I've missed you so fucking much," I whispered.
I saw him attempt to speak, but we were both stymied by a loud moan coming from the couch as Claire slowly arose from her unconscious state. "Wha….?" Brad reached to take her champagne glass and place it down on the coffee table in front of her before helping her to sit up. She groaned as she told him, "I just had the weirdest dream. I dreamed that your uncle…and this man…that they were…" She stopped as she peered over at me as I gifted her with a smirk. "Oh, my God! It wasn't a dream!" She fumbled for her purse to pull out her cellphone. "I have to call Dr. Winslow," she decided as she began to punch in the number for her psychiatrist – only to have Brad reach over to stop her.
"Later, Mother. For now…let's go get some lunch. Uncle Brian's got other plans."
She gaped at me like a puffer fish before she switched her attention to Daphne. "Is she coming, too?" I actually thought I could hear some eagerness in her voice as Brad nodded. She sighed as Brad helped her to stand up and she smoothed out her silk shirt. "Well, at least I still have a chance for some grandchildren, then."
"Mom!" Brad replied in extreme embarrassment as Daphne giggled. He flashed her a 'You're not helping' sort of look as he led his mother toward the door. "If you're still willing to tolerate the equivalent of the Great Inquisition, I'll let you pick where to eat," he told Daphne.
I watched as she gave Justin a quick kiss on the cheek. "If you need me…."
Justin nodded at her as the three of them headed over to the door and exited, closing the door behind them and leaving Justin and me alone…well, almost alone. Mrs. Kinney by now had become accustomed to Justin's visit, and had headed back over to her dog bed to concentrate on her chew toy. Debbie, however, stood frozen to her spot, the only sound at the moment the cracking of her gum as she looked over at us with extreme interest.
"Uh…Deb…"
She arched an eyebrow, seemingly amused by my discomfort. "Yes?"
"Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" PLEASE take the rest of the day off.
"Oh, I don't know," she replied, seemingly uncertain as she pondered my question. "I get paid to work until 4:30. I'm not sure it would be right to take advantage of your hospitality."
I huffed with impatience, not in the mood for her banter. "Debbie….Please. Just GO."
I saw the beginnings of a smile appear on her face as, at last, she placed her feather duster down onto the table nearby and untied her apron, revealing her shirt saying of the day: Sweet Dreams are Made of Cheese. A large chunk of a cheese wheel was plastered underneath her bright orange shirt as I rolled my eyes, noticing Justin giving her a strange look. I couldn't say I blamed him.
"Okay," she agreed as she walked toward us. She stopped to take a closer look at Justin, causing him to blush once more, as she unexpectedly patted him on the cheek. "This one's a keeper," she told me. "I can tell. Don't fuck it up." With that, she turned and headed toward the hall closet. Sliding into her coat, she left me with one, last, parting comment. "I'll see you tomorrow at the regular time…unless you tell me otherwise." She smirked before heading to the door and closing it behind her.
I sighed in relief as I peered over at Justin. "Can we sit down?" I asked softly, almost feeling like I needed to handle him like fragile glass – even though I knew he was anything but.
He nodded as he followed me over to the couch, and I knew that this would be the most influential pitch I had ever made – and the most important.
Justin's POV
When I saw Brian here at this penthouse fifteen minutes ago, I was stunned. I knew he lived in lavish surroundings – and that it, too, was a penthouse – but out of all the penthouses that must surround Central Park, how in the hell did I get so lucky that it would be his? Or was lucky even the right word? My eyes fastened onto his as soon as I saw him, and my heart lurched in reaction. It was then that I knew just how deeply I had fallen for him – and how much he affected me. I had thought I was finally beginning to get over him and move on – until I saw him standing there in one of his cookie-cutter shirts and creased pair of pants. Even then, he was still the most incredible-looking man I had ever seen.
He looked just as shocked as I no doubt did; testimony to the fact that he had no idea I would be here, either. And when he walked over to me – and I could smell his tantalizing, expensive cologne that he had worn that night we had made love – I became almost dizzy as the memory washed over me like some alluring siren call. I was determined, though, that despite his plea to talk that I would not be taken advantage of or misled; not after the pain I had felt after that night.
Still, when he asked me to join him over on the couch so we could talk – his voice at once mesmerizing as well as pleading – I couldn't say no. I couldn't resist, because I knew that deep down I wanted another chance with him. I wanted to give him another chance. At least I wanted to hear what he had to say. To know why he had done what he had done, and acted the way that he had. The fact that he had put that ball cap on his head – and had kissed me in front of everyone else – was a good and promising start. But that was ALL it was – a start.
I held up my hand as we faced each other on the couch, signaling to him that I needed to say my piece first. "Before you say anything…I want you to know that I am not going to be some experiment regarding your sexuality, Brian. I'm not some litmus test you can use, and then just toss away."
Brian's eyes grew wide, and I thought I saw anger there. "Is that what you thought that night was? Me, just experimenting out of curiosity? Do you?" He pressed, my eyes staring unblinkingly into his.
I peered back at me for several seconds before, at last, I shook my head; I could see relief wash over him in reaction. "No," I whispered hoarsely.
"You know it was more than that." My pulse raced as he reached over and laid his palm against my cheek. "A lot more." He paused as his fingers slowly stroked my face, making my body tingle. "Don't you know that?" he asked, suddenly sounding vulnerable.
How much of my heart could I expose? I wondered as he continued to stare into my eyes; I was drowning in so many emotions, the depths of which I had never experienced before. How much was I willing to reveal to him? "I…I'm hoping it was," I admitted as he smiled.
He nodded at me as his fingers trailed down to brush across my lips; it was a simple motion – but caused my entire body to shiver. No man had ever made me feel such strong emotions, and made my body react so strongly, just with a mere touch. "Justin….I know I have a lot to learn. And while my nephew is quite sane, you've already gotten a taste of what it would be like to be consistently exposed to my sister."
"I've already had that pleasure."
His eyes widened. "That's right! She knew you! How?"
I smiled. "She and I have been having some interesting conversations at the PFLAG meetings I help oversee once a week."
I thought Brian was going to keel over in shock. "What!? Why in the hell would she be at a PFLAG meeting? She wouldn't be caught dead there!"
"Well, it's at night," I explained. "And she doesn’t actually go inside the church where it's held. We sit outside on the steps and talk."
"I still can't believe it," he murmured. "If she wasn't there because of me, then why…?" The reason became apparent to him after he remembered what she had said. "She was there because she thought Brad was gay."
I nodded my head as he chuckled.
"Well, it appears she had the wrong family member," he replied wryly.
"Yes," I told him. "But she was really trying to help understand him. If she didn't love him, she wouldn't have done that."
"No," he agreed with a smile. "Knowing Claire, that was a major undertaking. She might just come around after all," he decided. He peered at me then, and I could tell he wanted to say more.
"What?"
"Where does this leave us, Justin? What about us? Our relationship?"
I reached to grasp his hand in mine. "Where do you want it to lead us?"
"Honestly? I'm not entirely sure," he told me. I felt a little nervous then, until he added softly, "But I'd sure like to see where it does take us. Do you?"
I smiled then, a warm smile. A smile of relief, and a smile of hope. "Yeah. I think I do."
He smiled back at me then. "One more question."
"What?"
"Just how many ball caps DO you have?"
I laughed. "More than enough for us to share."
He nodded. "Good. I think I could get used to them," he informed me as he leaned in to kiss me again. It was a tender kiss. But also one that spoke of promise and hope.
Epilogue – Christmas Eve – Justin's Apartment – Brian's POV
"I still can't believe that you're here."
I smiled, slowly stroking Justin's soft hair with my fingers as he lay with his head on my chest. We were lounging in front of the fireplace in Justin's modest living room, my back propped up against the couch as Justin lay on his back on the throw rug. He told me that it was the only luxury he had permitted himself when it came to his apartment, and at the moment I was eternally grateful, because it felt heavenly to lie here, savoring the feel of Justin in my arms. How I could have ever thought I could be this happy and feel this content with some woman was so foreign to me, now that I had met Justin. Our attraction for each other continued to be somewhere out in the stratosphere and beyond explosive since we had reunited, but I also had come to realize that I was falling in love with this amazing, passionate, and talented young man. I hadn't yet told Justin that, however. I wasn't sure why. But after we had finally gotten back together, I found that I wanted to take things a little more slowly so as not to fuck anything up again. This was much too important to me. "What? You were expecting Kris Kringle instead?" I teased him.
Justin grimaced. "Okay…you so just ruined THAT romantic moment." He snuggled closer to me, his arm around my waist as I slid mine around his shoulders.
I grinned. "Well, let me try and make up for it, then," I murmured, leaning down to give Justin a kiss. His arms reached up to link behind my neck to pull me closer and deepen the kiss before I had to break it off after several seconds, leaving us both panting breathlessly and my heart rapping furiously against my chest.
"I can't believe what you do to me," I replied softly in amazement as Justin blushed. "To think I could have had this a long time ago."
Justin stared deeply into my eyes. "I'm sorry you didn't," was his surprising answer as I frowned. "Because it would have been with someone else, and I would have maybe never met you then."
I smiled in understanding as I stroked Justin's bare shoulder. "Then I'm glad I waited," I told him simply. I took a deep breath as I gazed into his face with a smirk. "And now, little elf…" Justin snorted as I chuckled over his reaction. "Now it's time for you to sit up and let Santa here deliver his gift to you." I was ready for another round with THIS particular sprite, but I suddenly felt way overdressed.
Before I could make good on my promise, however, Justin grinned impishly as he pulled himself up to sit a little straighter and give my cock a squeeze through my lightweight silk pajamas. They were a Christmas gift from him, since Justin knew I wasn't quite comfortable enough to parade around nude yet, even though to my chagrin he didn't seem to mind walking around in HIS birthday suit quite frequently. In fact, the little exhibitionist seemed to derive great pleasure in tormenting me with his little show as much as possible, at least when we were here in his apartment. It was a little more difficult, however, with Debbie underfoot at my penthouse, but she had turned out to be one of the biggest supporters of our relationship, telling me it 'was about fucking time.' It wasn't so much that she had figured out I was gay; all she knew was that I was happy; happier than I had ever been before, and she knew the reason why. She had told me that a 'happy Brian was an easier-to-live-with Brian,' whatever the hell that meant.
In the weeks since my birthday, we had feverishly been trying to make up for lost time, and I had found out how insatiable I was when it came to having sex with Justin; so much so that I discovered I could more than match Justin in the stamina department, almost as if I were trying to compensate for all the time I had missed before.
Amazingly, even my sister had come around. While she still did not quite understand how I could be physically attracted to another man, she had become fond of Justin by now, mainly as a result of their talks at the PFLAG meetings, and she could tell how happy and contented I was with him. So in the end she decided that our relationship was a good thing. We had even – heaven forbid – been out to dinner with her, Brad, and Daphne, and the world hadn't come to an end.
Speaking of Daphne, she initially had been skeptical of my intentions, worried that I might be using Justin as some sort of sexual experiment. But I had been determined to prove to her that my feelings for Justin were real, and that this was no temporary thrill. My and Daphne's relationship was still in the infant stages, so to speak, but Justin had told me that even she was beginning to believe that my feelings for him were genuine. I knew that was important, too, because I sensed how crucial her friendship was to Justin, so it was important to me, also. I had to give her credit for her loyalty to him.
Another good thing had resulted from that day as well. It had served as enough of an impetus for Brad to ask his new boss out, and ever since then he and Daphne had been inseparable to the point where they recently had moved in together. In fact, everything was going so well lately that I almost feared something would happen to damage it. I knew my fear was groundless, but I couldn't help being afraid nonetheless, because this meant too much to me.
Justin's stroking of my cock brought me back to focusing on him as I shivered at the sensations he was producing. "Hey! I thought I was in control here! Santa's the one who's in charge at the North Pole, remember?" I teased him. But it was debatable just who WAS in charge at the moment, and I had to admit that I didn't mind a 'take-charge' Justin at all.
Justin grinned as he turned his body so he could drape his nude form over my partially clothed one as we stared deeply into each other's eyes. "And what a pole it is," he replied huskily as he continued to work his hand up and down my shaft. Holy shit. I could feel the wetness in my pajamas, and my dick quickly hardening in painful response as I reached down to hurriedly capture the roaming hand with my wrist before I totally embarrassed myself. This was NOT how I wanted to come; I had something much more intense and pleasurable in mind. "Hey! My 'pole' has other plans for you, young man," I told him sternly; I smiled as Justin squeaked when I used my greater strength to quickly flip us over so I was on top now, my hands gripping his above his head. I took advantage of his relative helplessness to steal a kiss from his soft lips, noticing he didn't mind that in the least.
"Now I have you right where I want you," I told him playfully as he licked his lips and smiled up at me, his expression so beguiling and trusting. Grinning triumphantly back at him, my eyes darkened at the sight before me as my smile faded into something much more intense, almost overwhelming. "Fuck, you are so damn beautiful," I couldn't help whispering as his pale skin flushed in reaction. I loved watching how his body transformed in response to what I did or said; it was such a heady, powerful feeling, one that filled me with such emotion. My eyes slowly traveled down the slim, nude form lying at my command, feeling Justin's cock lying proudly erect between us. "Justin…" I whispered, hearing my voice break slightly. At that moment, I didn't think my heart could feel any fuller, or I could ever be any happier than I was right now. Could I say it? DARE I say it? But good idea or not, I knew I couldn't help it escaping from my lips. Now that I finally realized who – and what – I really was, it was important to me that he knew everything now.
"Hmm…?" He responded, leaning up with his head to kiss my lips encouragingly before he lay still again beneath me, waiting for me to reply. "Brian?" he whispered curiously.
I took a deep breath, not sure what his reaction would be, but knowing I had to say it regardless; I couldn't keep it inside any longer. He frowned slightly; I could tell he was beginning to become a little worried by my hesitation. Just say it, you coward. "I…I think I'm falling in love with you."
The slowly spreading smile Justin gave me soon turned into a blinding one, causing me to smile back at him as my heart filled with joy over his next words. "I don't think I'm falling in love with you….I know I am."
"Justin…" Whatever words I was going to say after that were promptly forgotten as I let my body and my lips do my talking instead.
Six Months Later…Central Park – Justin's POV
My fingers intertwined firmly with Brian's, I smiled as I stole a glance at my lover as we walked Reggie and Mrs. Kinney around the park, stopping occasionally for one or both of them to take a good sniff at a tree, bush, or flower. The less formal attire that Brian had taken to wearing these past few weeks – a pair of jeans (quality made and quite expensive, of course; after all, Brian had his standards), a long-sleeved, soft cotton shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up, and a pair of casual Gucci loafers – looked quite dashing on him…and quite sexy, too, I had to admit. He was even gracious about the ball caps I gifted him with from time to time, even though he still thought the idea of a grown man wearing a childhood memento was silly. But just the fact that he undoubtedly did it for me anyway made my heart fill to capacity.
We arrived at our customary bench and tied both dogs to their respective bench legs as we sat down together, our thighs touching, even though there was plenty of navigating room; enough for three or even four. But we never sat any farther apart now. And when we DID sit there on our bench, we held hands. Always. I silently marveled at our far our relationship had come since that first day we had met, not voicing it aloud, however, sensing that Brian really didn't want a big deal made of it. But to me, it WAS a big deal. And I knew how much courage – and love for me – it had taken him to arrive at this point in our lives.
"Beautiful day today," Brian commented.
I nodded, his grip on my hand tightening slightly as we sat there congenially, enjoying the spring warmth, and the sounds and sights of Central Park. I smiled, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by my lover.
"What?" he asked softly. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning."
I nodded. "I am."
"Any particular reason?"
I turned my head to peer over at him and smiled. "Yeah. As a matter of fact, there is."
He smiled back at me. "Care to share?"
I leaned in closer as Brian did the same; as our lips met, there was no hesitation on his part as we kissed for several seconds before a sharp bark from Reggie made us pull back. He was pulling on his leash, straining to chase a squirrel that had the nerve to venture too close to what he perceived as his own private territory.
"Reggie! It's okay, Boy," I told him in my 'stop barking' voice, and he did as I asked, issuing a brief sort of grunt before he laid down beside Mrs. Kinney, his bug eyes gazing up at me.
"Don't give me that look, either," I told him. "You're not running off-leash until we get to the dog park." I laughed as that remark was met with a sort of disappointed groan as if he could actually understand what I was saying.
Brian and I exchanged a smile between us, making me remember his question from earlier. "To answer your question…I'm happy because it's a wonderful spring day…and I'm enjoying it with the man I love."
Brian smiled at me. "I can't think of a better reason to see you smile. Well…maybe one," he told me mysteriously.
I eyed him curiously. "What?" I probed. "What are you talking about? Tell me."
Brian grinned; he seemed to be enjoying my confusion. "The reason's in my jeans pocket," he told me with a smirk. "Come and get it."
My face flushed as I felt the heat bloom all over my face. "Brian," I laughed. "Can you be any more obvious?"
He smirked. "Not that," he told me with a grin. "I have something else in there. Go fish."
I couldn't help laughing. "Okay, I'll bite," I decided. I let go of Brian's hand to slide my own inside the pants pocket nearest to me, but I came up empty.
"Other pocket," Brian told me, clearly enjoying himself.
I rolled my eyes, but decided that two could play this game as I very slowly slid my hand over the bulge in Brian's jeans, taking a moment to give his crotch a squeeze and making him grunt as he squirmed. Grinning at him smugly, I was forced to twist my body to half lie on top of his as I snaked my hand down his other pocket and felt a hard, flat object with something attached to it. I pulled it out, holding it up as I recognized it as a key card – the type you would normally use for a hotel room. My eyes widened as I sat back heavily next to my lover and stared at the object in my hands, trying to wrap my head around the possible significance, but trying desperately not to jump to conclusions. "Brian?" I finally whispered, as I lifted my gaze to look into his eyes.
He appeared a little flustered, or maybe even uncertain, as he softly instructed me, "Read what it says."
My heart felt like it was about to burst right out of my chest as I looked down at the writing, and I felt like I was about to stop breathing as I read what it said:
You already have the key to my heart…
"Brian…."
He smiled at me gently. "Read the back," he encouraged me, as I flipped it over, noticing more words there:
"So here's one tomy our place. Welcome Home."
I gasped audibly then, causing both Reggie and Mrs. Kinney to peer up at me curiously, no doubt wondering if they had missed something important. That would definitely be an understatement, I decided, if this was what I thought it was. The writing on the keycard was almost amateurish in nature, but it didn't matter. The message was still loud and clear…at least I hoped it was.
"I know the artwork is not up to your standards," I heard him say quietly as I continued to gaze at it in wonder. "But it'll still work on the elevator that goes up to my penthouse…and it'll get you in the door, too. You're the only other person who has one." He laughed softly then. "Even Claire doesn't have one. Definitely NOT Claire. Debbie has the okay to be buzzed up by the concierge, but only with my prior approval first. And Brad; well, he probably wouldn't need one now, anyway, not with him and Daphne…" His voice trailed off nervously as he pushed some hair back from his eyes. "Uh…Help me out here, Justin."
"You're giving me a keycard to your penthouse, so I can come and go whenever I want?" I asked, not willing to read anymore into it. But I soon learned I didn't have to.
He smiled at me almost shyly then as he rolled his lips under briefly. "No, you amazing idiot! I'm asking you to move in with me! You…and Reggie here. That is, if he's neutered. He IS neutered…right? Just the thought of a cross between those two breeds makes me shudder."
It took me a few moments to actually answer Brian's last question, because I was still trying to digest the rest of what he had said. "Yes….of course, he's neutered!"
Brian began to babble now as if continued, "Well, don't worry; Mrs. Kinney here won't be getting knocked up any time soon. I'll get her fixed. But I read that you have to wait until they're about six months old before you can go in and get them neutered…"
I laughed. "It's not neutered, Brian; it's spayed for females. Brian…"
"Oh…spayed. Well, as long as old Reggie here has been neutered, we'll be fine anyway. Not sure what we'll do with all your furniture, though, but at least you don't have a lot. Can you sublet your place, by the way? That might be the best solution…"
"I think so, but Brian…"
Brian nodded as he prattled on. "Well, that's good. A lot of places out in the boroughs won't let you do that, so it's good that you live close to Central Park, because that area's always in demand…"
I took a deep breath. "Brian, will you please shut the fuck up!? You won't let me get a word in edgewise!"
Finally, Brian paused, taking a deep breath of his own and letting it out. "I know," he told me quietly, his voice a lot slower now. He peered into my eyes as he admitted, "Because if I do, I'm afraid you'll say no. You AREN'T going to say no, are you?" he asked me softly. He half-smiled. "I think Mrs. Kinney would be very disappointed if you did." He paused. "Her owner would be, too."
"Brian, this is a big step…." I began.
He sighed at me. "Justin, we're practically together all the time now anyway, and it would make things much easier. Besides, I'd have a built-in dog walker for when Debbie's not available."
I laughed. "So it's finally out in the open! Now I know why you want me to move in."
His face became serious. "You know that's not the reason."
I gazed into his eyes. "Well, if you would let me answer, maybe you'll find out if I want to or not." I looked down at the card in my hands. At once a relatively simple thing…but something that held great significance in its symbolism. I thought about how far we had come since that first day we had met in the park, and on this very same bench. "You know, we should probably have this bench dedicated to us," I told him with a grin. "We practically own it now, anyway. No one would dare sit on it during our allotted time now."
"Justin…you're killing me here!"
I smiled then as I peered into his anxious face as my heart overflowed with happiness…just before I launched myself into his lap. "Of course I'll move in with you!" I squealed with joy, as his arms wound tightly around my back. The tears flowed freely down my face as I hugged him back, feeling so safe, secure, protected, and loved in his arms.
"Thank God," I heard him murmur against my ear as we stayed that way for a long time, oblivious to everyone and everything else. We didn't care if anyone gawked at us or disapproved of what we were doing. For that moment in time, we were lost in our own, little world.
Finally we pulled back, and I noticed we both had goofy smiles on our faces.
Brian let out a huge sigh of relief. "Well, we're glad that's settled," he told me with a grin, lightly brushing my lower lip with his index finger. He looked down at Mrs. Kinney, who peered back up at him with her huge, dark eyes. "Aren't we, Mrs. Kinney?" he asked the dog, who cocked her head sideways as she attempted to understand what all the hoopla was about. She finally lay back down with a sort of quiet groan, as if she had decided it was nothing significant. If she only knew…
I laughed. "Yeah, I can tell she's overwhelmed with excitement at the thought," I told my lover dryly. "So…" Brian raised his eyebrows questioningly. "When can Reggie and I move in?" I asked him.
Brian leaned in to kiss me first before he whispered against my lips, "How about yesterday?"
I returned the kiss before replying with a smile, "Sounds about right."
urugwajFROM:
predec2TITLE: What Follows Next
One Month Later…One Week before Christmas…
"No! No, you asshole! Stay away from the fucking ornaments! And get your nose out of that damn box!"
I heard Debbie huff from several feet away, her typical weapon – a feather duster – grasped in her hand. "Her name isn't asshole, you asshole," she barked. "Even though Mrs. Kinney isn't much better," she muttered, shaking her head. I scowled at her as I walked over and picked up the stocky bundle of mass destruction. I sighed as I held her out in front of me and stared at her, her large, luminous eyes peering innocently back at me. "You and Christmas just don't mix," I grumbled, unable to really stay angry at her. Truthfully, her companionship and unfaltering faithfulness to me has been the only type of solace I had had lately, ever since the fiasco with Justin. I turned my head to peer over at Debbie, who was still standing there immobile. "Well? Don't you have some ivories to tickle, or some bunnies to dust?"
"Always," she smirked back at me. "Especially in an apartment this size." She shook her head. "What has got your panties in such a knot lately, Brian? Ever since you got back from that 'all-night' buffet you attended, it's as if you've got a stick up your ass – even more than normal," she added as I grunted. "What exactly happened that night?" she asked me point blank. Of course, it wasn't the first time she had asked me…and she was going to get the same response she got all the OTHER times.
"I told you," I replied brusquely as I walked over with Mrs. Kinney to the closet to retrieve her leash. "It's none of your fucking business." I opened the door to grab her leash where it hung in its customary place on a hook on the other side before attached it to her collar. "I'm taking her out."
I could hear Debbie heavily sigh as I turned and, without another word, opened the door and left.
Ten minutes later, I was sitting at the same bench upon which I always sat, still hoping against hope that Justin might finally show up like he had before…before I had been such an idiot and had been so despicable to him and to his friend. I still didn't quite understand why someone had to be so 'flashy' as this Emmett was, and so…so 'out there,' I guess was the way to put it. But I had also come to realize several other things: one, Emmett's style of dress and his mannerisms – while way too over-the-top for my taste – did not affect ME, and two, I had been a total jerk to him. I knew I couldn't 'catch' something from someone who was gay; I was well-read, and I wasn't stupid. Well, not stupid when it came to information about things such as AIDS. But I WAS stupid when it came to ostracizing myself from the man that I loved.
Yes, I had come to the painful realization, the stunning realization, that somewhere along the line – even before Justin and I had had that fateful 'date' – that I had managed to fall in love with him. The first man I had ever been attracted to, and the first man I had ever been intimate with. How the hell that had happened, I had no idea. But I could no longer deny it to myself.
I peered down as Mrs. Kinney whimpered. "Yeah, I know…" I murmured, as I reached down to scratch behind her ears. "It really sucks, doesn't it? Missing your friend, too, huh?" I shivered, hugging myself as I huddled against the brisk wind that had abruptly arisen, signaling the beginning of winter. It matched my dark, melancholy mood. It had been several weeks since I had last spoken with Justin here on this park bench. Since then, I had tried to contact him, but to my irritation I couldn't call him, because I had never had the foresight to ask for his damn cellphone number. After all, I saw him regularly each morning, and we had never met anywhere else outside the park until that one, life-altering night. My attempts to travel over to his apartment and speak to him face-to-face had been met with a stone of silence from the other end of the door, even though the other three tenants on the same floor had certainly heard me – and they had quite vociferously voiced their displeasure at my pounding on Justin's door, and my shouting for him to talk to me. After a week of daily visits to Justin's apartment to no avail, I decided I had to face the facts: he didn't want anything to do with me.
I sighed as I reached down and picked Mrs. Kinney up to hold her in my lap. I almost wished that I had never met Justin, much less spent the night with him, because I would have just continued on like I had before, with no knowledge of what it would be like to be with someone you were truly meant to be with, instead of someone who you were expected to be with. I now knew that there was a world of difference between the two, and I mourned what I had lost. I mourned seeing his smile light up as I met him here on our bench. I mourned the feeling that I had experienced that morning, waking up in his arms. I mourned his touches and his caresses; his playfulness, his passion for what he believed in, his intelligence, and his zest for life. Simply speaking, I missed everything about him, and I just didn't know how to handle it.
I glanced down at my Rolex, knowing I had to get back home soon. My nephew, Brad, was coming over along with Claire to take me out to lunch to celebrate my birthday, except I felt like doing anything BUT celebrating today. I knew, however, that if I tried to avoid the customary, yearly ritual that had been occurring now for the past ten years that I would never hear the end of it from Claire. I stood up and gently placed my bulky companion down onto the ground before untying the leash from around the park bench leg. "Better get going, girl," I told her. "Happy Birthday to me. Yay," I exclaimed half-heartedly as we slowly made our way back toward the park entrance.
Same Time – Daphne's Photo Studio – Justin's POV
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I muttered. "Who the hell needs a picture that's the size of an elephant?"
Daphne giggled. "Oh, man up, Taylor," she told me as I huffed. "It's going behind the man's couch. It's not MY fault if it's a really BIG couch."
I snorted. "Really big? That's like calling Air Force One a paper airplane." With a heavy sigh of resignation, however, I leaned down to pick up the bottom of the framed photograph that lay resting against her hallway wall. As I peered down at it, I had to admit this one was one of my favorite photos that Daphne had taken – it was a panoramic shot of Central Park, taken near the lake and encompassing some of the outrageously expensive apartment buildings that towered over it. I tried not to focus on the fact that one of them was probably Brian's building. I had never been to his place, although from the direction he took to get to and from the park bench, and the way he described his view of the park, it wasn't too much of a stretch to think that I was looking at his penthouse at the top of one of those buildings.
Brian. I had tried hard over the past couple of weeks to push him out of my mind. But I hadn't made the mistake of further encouraging Derrick by asking him over again. It had taken a great deal of fortitude for me to call him up a couple of days after we had had sex to admit why I had done it. As I would have expected, he was offended and upset, but I felt he deserved the truth. Instead, I had filled my time with meeting Emmett for lunch, spending some quiet time with Daphne in the evenings, taking Reggie for long walks (anywhere but near 'that' bench), continuing to volunteer for PFLAG at the church, and painting – lots of lots of painting. My art had always been my refuge in times of distress, and this level was off the charts. I obsessed over Brian…his feel, his touches, his smell, his long, lean body, his velvety, soft voice…even his dorkiness in the way he dressed identically every day. Except that I had realized after the fact that the night he came for dinner, he had let go just a bit. He had loosened the buttons of his shirt, he had worn no tie, and even his hair was a little mussed. I understood now that was a type of compliment to me, that he had felt comfortable moving outside his comfort zone that night. I had sadly also realized, however, that after we had slept together he just couldn't admit who he really was, and that it just wasn't meant to be. He lived in his world, and I lived in mine.
I had been gratified to see Claire returning to the PLAG meetings, although like that first night she never ventured further than the front steps. That was fine with me. I was still contributing something worthwhile toward acceptance of gays, while helping make this confused and skittish woman more comfortable with her son's sexual orientation, although from what she told me that still hadn't quite happened. She was still uneasy about it. But whether or not her son Brad DID wind up being gay – or just a shy sort of guy – it still made me feel like I was doing something commendable with my time, and it kept me from dwelling on Brian too much.
"Uh….Justin? Earth to Justin?"
I blinked, looking over sheepishly at Daphne as I realized I had zoned out once I had picked up my end of the photo. "Sorry…"
She eyed me sympathetically, knowing full well what - or whom – I was thinking about. "Ready to do this?" she asked me softly.
I glanced down at her high heels and laughed. "I am. I'm not so sure about you, though. You're going to take this up to the man's apartment in stilettos? Is this guy hot, Daph?"
She shrugged. "How do I know? I've never seen him before." She smiled at me perkily. "But a girl can never be too prepared, just in case."
I laughed. "How in the world did you sell it to him, then, sight unseen? I know you told me you hadn't had time to even put it up on your website for sale yet."
"Hey, I'm VERY persuasive," she teased me.
I grinned. "Yes, you are," I conceded. "But even you aren't that good of a saleswoman. Spill."
She laughed. "Okay…I confess. You remember my new assistant, right?"
"Boris? Buford?"
She would have thrown a camera at me if she had had a free hand as she replied with a laugh, "No, you moron! His name's Brad, and you know it!"
"Ohhh, yeah," I told her with a wry grin. "So what about Mr. Hot Guy?" For the past several weeks, Daphne had been regaling me with daily accounts of her powers of seduction when it came to her assistant. So far, however, he had not taken the bait, to her dismay. But I knew with someone as determined as Daphne that the poor guy didn't stand a chance; it was just a matter of time.
"Well, it's for his uncle's birthday," she explained.
I looked at her in disbelief. "How can he afford this on his salary? Don't tell me you cut the price just to get into this guy's pants."
She harrumphed in offense. "Please…you know me better than that! Even I have standards." I rolled my eyes as she added, "Unless he's Brad PITT, no one gets a discount on my photos…except maybe YOU."
I laughed. "You already did that, remember?" One of my favorite photos back at my apartment was one she had taken of Reggie for me as MY birthday present. Of course, that one had been free, but a couple other ones I had admired of hers had been purchased for a song…I knew all along that Daphne normally charged a hell of a lot more for her photos than she had charged me. She would have probably given them to me, but I had insisted on paying something. I had already bartered a couple other ones by painting a couple of pieces for her, so it had worked out well in furnishing both our apartments.
"Oh, yeah," she replied as I grinned. "Anyway, his mom actually paid for it after he showed her a copy of it. She thought it would be perfect for her brother's birthday."
I nodded. "Clever girl. Selling one of your photos and not even having to advertise it."
"I AM clever," Daphne agreed, causing me to chuckle. "After all, I talked YOU into helping me move this, didn't I?"
I grinned. "Touché." I paused before asking, "By the way, speaking of this stud muffin of yours, why didn't you get HIM to help you? He is your assistant."
"I gave him the day off. He and his mom are taking his uncle out for his birthday. He's very fond of him...and besides, I knew you would help me for free." She laughed as I scowled over at her in response.
"Awfully damn sure of yourself, aren't you?" I told her as she beamed back at me smugly. I grunted with exertion as we passed through the studio's open door. "Stop for a sec," I asked her as I used my foot to close the door behind us firmly, hearing the click of the lock. I took a deep breath, taking advantage of the brief break, before I told her, "Okay…elevator. And don't trip on those lethal heels!"
She giggled as we managed to walk the twenty feet or so to the elevator, Daphne using her elbow to press the 'down' button. Thankfully, no one happened to be using it at the moment, so it didn't take long for it to arrive.
"This is one of those Kodak moments when I wished your studio was on the 35th floor, instead of the 5th," I joked with her as we took advantage of the time we had to briefly lower the burdensome object down to the floor as the elevator ascended.
She smiled at me affectionately. "I appreciate you helping me, Justin," she told me. "I know I can always depend on you when I need it."
I flushed at the compliment. "That goes both ways, you know," I replied as she nodded with a smile. If it hadn't been for Daphne and for Emmett these past several weeks, I know I would have allowed myself to be dragged down into an emotional abyss. Ever since that night with Brian, I couldn't get him off my mind. But at least with my two dearest friends, I had been able to occupy my time with some more pleasant activities, and their constant checking up on me by phone, text, and email definitely had helped to lift my spirits somewhat. I still knew, however, that it would be some time before I would stop thinking about him – if ever.
The dinging of the elevator bell, signaling we had arrived at the lobby floor, brought me out of my reverie as we both in one motion reached down to grab a corner of the photo. We almost knocked a distinguished, elderly gentlemen to the ground as the door opened, but he managed somehow to avoid a collision as he hurriedly stepped aside to allow us to pass.
Five strenuous minutes later – along with some help from the building's doorman, who graciously opened the front door for us and even Daphne's back gate of her utility truck – we finally managed to carefully slide the framed object into her vehicle, where we laid it flat upon a large piece of canvas that she always kept ready for just these sort of trips.
Just like always, the traffic around Central Park was atrocious, but oddly enough it didn't feel oppressive to me; a lighter flow of vehicles would have felt out of place here as Daphne navigated slowly around the sea of taxis, personal automobiles, horse-drawn carriages, and human-powered bicycle tour guides that always congregated near the entrances, constantly on the prowl for their next customer. I squeezed my eyes shut once as she barely by some miracle missed a limo that had parked too far out from the curb in front of the Astoria, opening my eyes as she snorted over my reaction. I grinned back at her, silently thanking her for being such a good friend and helping to take my mind off 'other things.' No, don't go there, Taylor, I scolded myself. It's over and done with. I DID know one thing, however; I would not be taking Reggie to one particular part of Central Park from now on. The possibility of running into Brian would just be too painful for the indefinite future, and I couldn't handle that right now. Maybe never.
I watched as Daphne slowed down in front of one of the swankier buildings surrounding the park as she veered into a short-term loading spot reserved for ten-minute deliveries. "Boy, you lucked out," I observed, knowing it was normally near-to-impossible to snag one of those prized spots.
"Good thing," she told me as she stopped the small box truck. "Or you might have collapsed on the sidewalk from overexertion."
"Me? I think it would have been the other way around, Miss Five-Inch Heels," I retorted with a grin as she laughed.
We both opened our doors and jumped down from the truck as I opened the back. I peered up at a distinguished-looking man decked out in a crisp, black uniform as I called out, "Can you hold the door for us, please?" The man nodded back at me in agreement. "Thanks."
I took a deep breath. "Okay…Here goes," I told her as I climbed inside the back of the truck so I could push the bulky object toward the back to help expedite removing it. "Just remember, Ms. Money Bags. You owe me lunch – and dessert – at Maloney's after we get done."
She grinned. "Duly noted. I could take you to Maloney's every day this week, in fact, with the price on THIS one," she divulged.
I snorted as I jumped down beside her to take hold of the one end as she grasped the other. "Don't be cocky," I teased her, feeling proud and happy for her, but also just a bit envious. Slowly we traversed from the vehicle, up onto the curb, and then carefully up the five or six steps leading into the expensive-looking building, the doorman tipping his cap and offering us a polite hello as we walked inside.
"Wow," I murmured, as I looked up at the outrageously large crystal chandelier hanging above us on the ceiling. The entire lobby looked like something out of a Grecian palace, with marble floors and walls, interlaced with panels of glass behind the concierge's curved station. A man dressed in similar attire to the doorman sat at a chair behind the desk as Daphne called out her name, and explained she was delivering a gift to the penthouse for her assistant. He had told her he would be explaining to the security guard that she would be coming around this time.
The man nodded as Daphne and I placed the object down just long enough for her to sign in as a visitor. "Top floor," the concierge told us. "Take the elevator on the far right. I have activated the button you'll need to press that will take you to the 18th floor. Someone will need to call down here when you're ready to leave so it can reactivated," he told Daphne as my eyes widened at the precautions taken for this resident.
As we entered the elevator a short time later, we once more placed the object down to prop it up against the back of the car. "Penthouse?"
She nodded with a smile. "I told you this guy was well off."
I shook my head in amazement. "You didn't tell me he lived in the fucking penthouse, though." She beamed smugly at me as I gaped at her, open-mouthed. "You've finally arrived, Kid," I told her in my best John Wayne accent as I playfully cuffed her on the cheek. She giggled as we both stood near the doors, peering down through the clear walls of the elevator as the floors slowly flashed by us. "So this is how the other half lives," I commented as we stood side-by-side.
"Maybe we won't ever live in a penthouse," Daphne said softly beside me. "But when it comes to friends, we already have riches beyond compare."
I turned to stare at her, profoundly moved by the wisdom of those words. I smiled. "Yeah…we do," I agreed, as I leaned over to kiss her on the cheek. I reached over to grasp her hand as she twined her fingers with mine, suddenly feeling like the luckiest man in the city.
Same Time – Brian's Penthouse – Brian's POV
"For God's sake, Brian! I know you're over 40 now, but do you have to look like I'm taking you to your own funeral, rather than out to lunch?" my sister sniped.
I glanced over at my nephew, who fixed a sympathetic stare on me, before I sighed. "I told you before, Claire; I didn't want anything special done for my birthday."
"It's just lunch, Brian; not a royal coronation! We always take you out for lunch on your birthday. Why are you in such a foul mood today?" She paused as she scrutinized me so intently it made me squirm a little as I stood next to the fireplace with my nephew, a glass of champagne in my hand. Claire had insisted on 'celebrating' my birthday today with her customary toast like she always did – and with one of my most expensive brands, too – but I felt anything but celebratory at the moment. All I could think about for the past several weeks was how I had most likely destroyed the best thing that had ever happened to me.
"I'm not in a 'foul mood,' as you so eloquently put it," I maintained stiffly. I peered over at Debbie, who issued a snort in response to what I said. "Uh, Debbie? You have something to say?"
She shook her head. "Oh, no, Brian. You've been a regular sweetie pie for the past several weeks…about the same time that you went out for that dinner, and you…"
"Never mind, Debbie," I quickly interrupted her sternly as Claire gave me an odd look. "Don't you have laundry to fluff, or rugs to beat?" The last thing I wanted was for my sister to know I went out to dinner with a man…and what happened afterward. Unfortunately, Claire had heard enough to get her curiosity quickly aroused.
"What dinner, Brian?"
"It's nothing, Claire," I told her brusquely. "Just forget it." Before she could say anything else, I tried another tactic to divert her. "So where are you taking me for lunch? Not that fucking Hibachi restaurant again, I hope. That knife they were throwing around the last time almost severed my pinkie finger."
Claire huffed at me as she reached inside her purse to retrieve the object she always sought whenever she was stressed out. "Uh, uh, uh," I warned her with a raise of my hand. She rolled her eyes at me as I told her, "Not in here."
I heard my nephew snigger from a few feet away as she scoffed at me. "Such a puritan, Brian," she replied. But nonetheless, she did as I asked, stashing her cancer stick back into her purse as she reminded me, "It's your birthday. What are you in the mind for?"
"How about some peace and quiet?"
"You'd might as well do as she asks, Uncle," Brad counseled me. "You know she won't give up."
I sighed with a nod. "Well, at least one member of my family has some sense," I decided. "All right, Claire. You fucking win. Petrocelli's."
She nodded, satisfied, but grabbed my wrist as I moved to leave. "Not yet," she told me as I groaned.
"What now? I thought you said you wanted to leave." Let's just get this over with, I silently pleaded. The sooner we ate, the sooner I could get back to my pity party and self-recrimination.
"We have to wait for your present first; it's on its way here."
I narrowed my brows warily. "On its way here? It'd better not be another fucking pet," I warned her. "Or some bimbo busting out of a giant cake." She had the gall to snicker at me as I scowled in return.
"Well, you'll be glad to know it's not another pet, or some bimbo, as you put it," she told me as I sighed in relief. I saw her peer down at Mrs. Kinney as she added, "But you can't tell me that darling little girl hasn't got you wrapped around her finger…well, her paw, anyway. You're not fooling me. Now all we need to do it find the right woman for you that's covered in mink instead of dog fur."
"Ha, Ha," I retorted as Brad chuckled. "Well, if it's not another pet, just what is it?" I frowned as a sudden thought occurred to me. "You better not be telling me you've got some 'date' coming over here to go out to lunch with us. If you do, I swear, Claire, I'll…"
"No, you're safe, Brian. Not this time. But I'm not giving up on you. You need some other female to keep you company in addition to Mrs. Kinney here." She rolled her eyes at me. "I still can't believe that's the name you came up with."
I shrugged. "It fit. She's a good wife. But she does snore sometimes."
Brad laughed. "Maybe they make doggie Breathe Rights.®"
I grinned at the thought. "I'll look into that." I held out my hands, palms up. "So what ARE we waiting for, Claire?" Just then, a knock sounded on my door as she grinned.
"I think it just got here. Brad, you want to see if they need any help?"
"They? What the hell is it?"
Claire gave me a Cheshire-like grin. "You'll see soon enough," she told me mysteriously. I could hear my front door opening, and some voices in the hallway before a large object loomed in front of me, being carried by a woman on one side, and some other person I couldn't see on the other; the only thing I could see was a black ball cap perched on his or her head. I was immediately drawn to the framed photograph, instantly recognizing where it had been taken, and I couldn't help smiling with pleasure over my gift.
Mrs. Kinney suddenly left forth with a yip, and her ears perked up as she ran over to the person holding up the photograph from the other side; normally she was somewhat skittish around strangers, but she seemed almost eager to meet this one as she spun around and around in a circle, like she always did when she was excited. I frowned slightly before my attention was diverted back to my nephew.
"Hey, Daph!" he greeted the young woman with a smile. "Thanks for bringing this over!"
The dark-haired woman smiled back at him. "No problem. You must be the birthday boy," she added with a grin, as she turned to peer over at me.
I nodded at her. "That would be me," I confirmed. "Were you the photographer for this? It's great!"
She beamed at me. "Thanks. Your nephew thought you would like it."
"I do." I turned to Brad. "Thanks, Brad. That had to have cost you a fortune, though."
My nephew shrugged. "I got a good deal on it," he explained as the woman smiled back at him. "Uhh…my manners! Daphne Chanders, this is my uncle, Brian. Brian, this is my boss, Daphne."
"Nice to meet you, Daphne," I told her.
"Daph…" I heard what sounded like a male voice calling out to her from the other side of the photo.
"Oh! Sorry! Let's just prop it up against the wall," she told her helper, as slowly they lowered the framed photograph together to lean it carefully against the wall, and it was then that I not only confirmed it was a man…but not just ANY man.
Both of us audibly gasped as we realized who it was, but it was Claire who actually spoke first.
"Justin!" She greeted him with a sincere smile. "This is a surprise!"
Justin smiled back at her, but his eyes instinctively traveled over to peer at me as he spoke. "Hi, Claire. Good to see you again."
I finally found my voice to speak as I asked my sister in shock, "You know him?"
She nodded slowly, seeming unsure of herself, which is rare for her. "Yes," she finally replied, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "It's a long story," she began to explain as she looked over at her son. She sighed as she told him, "Look, honey. I know that you're gay…and I'm actually all right with it."
Brad's mouth hung open in bewilderment. "I'm NOT gay! Why did you think I was gay?"
"You're not?" My nephew shook his head. "But…but you never go out with girls! And you like photography and….and you like poetry, and…"
Brad laughed. "Mom…that has nothing to do with being gay! And as far as going out with girls…" He peered over at Daphne. "Well…maybe I'm kind of shy about that. And…maybe I just hadn't found the right girl yet. Until now."
I saw him smile as Daphne grinned at him.
"You have now," she told him smugly. I smiled at that…but my smile faded as I gazed over at the man who had constantly been in my thoughts for the past several weeks. Even wearing his typical, silly baseball cap – this one with the words 'We're all the Same' written on the bill – I thought he looked even more beautiful than I had remembered him.
"Justin," I murmured, still in disbelief. My heart thumped erratically in my chest. Of all the places I imagined running into him, my own home would have never been a possibility. But here he was…standing a few feet away from me.
"Brian," he finally spoke up. The tone of his voice, however, was anything but tender, and I could easily hear the hurt still present in the way he said my name, and the expression on his face. Suddenly, I got an inspiration as I pointed my finger at him. "Don't move!" I demanded, as I turned and rushed down the hallway to my bedroom to grab what I needed from the top of my dresser before heading back to the living room, praying that he would still be there. I was resolved that even if he wasn't, I wasn't going to let him get away, even if I had to run after him. To my great relief, however, he was still standing there.
"Brian? You know him? How?" Claire probed as she noticed the two of us staring at each other oddly, but I paid her no mind; my eyes were too fixated on the man standing in front of me, doubt and uncertainty in his eyes. Finally, I noticed his gaze drifting downward and his eyes widened as he recognized the object grasped in my hand.
I slowly approached him, afraid that he would bolt. I could feel the heat of everyone's gaze on me as I came closer and closer. "I'm not sure if this would qualify as a crowd…but I hope it'll do," I murmured as I pulled the Yankees ball cap down firmly onto my head and stared into his fathomless, blue eyes. I reached over with my right hand to grasp his chin as I slowly leaned in and without any hesitation pressed my lips tentatively to his. For a brief moment, I felt him resist before – to my great relief and my sister's extreme shock – I felt his lips part and his arms slide around my neck to pull me closer. I could hear several people issue a gasp as we continued to kiss, but I didn't care. I was too busy exalting in having Justin in my arms again, and feeling his body pressed against mine.
Justin was the one to break off the kiss after several second, pressing his hands against my chest to create some room between us. "What…what do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice breathless. "You…you can't just expect things to go back to the way they were!" The hurt was obvious on his face, and it made me feel worse than scum.
I opened my mouth to answer, but didn't have a chance.
"You're….you're gay!?" my sister shrieked at me as…just before she promptly fainted and – with Brad's quick reflexes and assistance – fell down onto the couch on her back, out like a light but somehow managing to maintain a grasp on her glass of champagne.
"Hah!" Debbie barked out in satisfaction. "You finally found a way to shut her up! Good for you, Brian!" Her eyes scrutinized Justin intently. "Well, aren't you just the cutest thing?" she remarked as Justin blushed. "THIS was who you had dinner with that night? The one you've been moping about?"
"I wasn't moping," I protested, although I knew deep down that she had hit the nail on the head. "I don't DO moping."
She snorted. "Could have fooled me."
Justin's eyes flashed as he struggled to free himself, but I held firm. "Let me go!"
"Not until we talk, Justin."
"We have nothing to talk ABOUT."
"Justin!" Daphne cried out, interrupting us. "THIS is the man you told me about?" Justin nodded as I watched her face redden and her eyes darken like a mama grizzly defending her cub. "You've got a lot of nerve!" she snarled. "Do you know how much you hurt him?"
"Daph…please…" Justin pleaded, looking embarrassed. "This is between me and Brian."
I watched her eyes darken in anger as I continued to grasp Justin by his upper arms, almost as if I were afraid he would still run away. I wasn't going to let him go anywhere until I could explain…although truthfully I had no fucking idea what I was going to say.
"Justin, are you crazy? Let's go!"
"No, Daphne!" I heard him growl, feeling instantly relieved. "It's all right. Let me handle it."
"Are you sure?" She turned to peer over at my nephew. "If you hadn't already paid for this, I'd take it back with me. I can't believe this is your uncle."
She walked over to face me, gifting me with a glare as she told me, "You'd better not hurt him again, or you'll deal with ME." For a slim, petite girl, she was decidedly authoritative and obviously quite loyal to her friend; traits that I actually found admirable.
"That's the last thing I intend to do," I softly assured her. She continued to stare at me for a few moments longer, until finally she nodded, still not looking quite convinced. I wasn't sure she would leave without Justin until my nephew spoke up.
"Daphne? How about we go get some coffee? I think my uncle's lunch plans have just changed."
I could have kissed my nephew at that moment as he quickly gave me a conspiratorial wink. But at the moment, there was only one man I was interesting in kissing. "Justin," I began. "Stay. Stay so we can talk." I paused. "Please. I've missed you so fucking much," I whispered.
I saw him attempt to speak, but we were both stymied by a loud moan coming from the couch as Claire slowly arose from her unconscious state. "Wha….?" Brad reached to take her champagne glass and place it down on the coffee table in front of her before helping her to sit up. She groaned as she told him, "I just had the weirdest dream. I dreamed that your uncle…and this man…that they were…" She stopped as she peered over at me as I gifted her with a smirk. "Oh, my God! It wasn't a dream!" She fumbled for her purse to pull out her cellphone. "I have to call Dr. Winslow," she decided as she began to punch in the number for her psychiatrist – only to have Brad reach over to stop her.
"Later, Mother. For now…let's go get some lunch. Uncle Brian's got other plans."
She gaped at me like a puffer fish before she switched her attention to Daphne. "Is she coming, too?" I actually thought I could hear some eagerness in her voice as Brad nodded. She sighed as Brad helped her to stand up and she smoothed out her silk shirt. "Well, at least I still have a chance for some grandchildren, then."
"Mom!" Brad replied in extreme embarrassment as Daphne giggled. He flashed her a 'You're not helping' sort of look as he led his mother toward the door. "If you're still willing to tolerate the equivalent of the Great Inquisition, I'll let you pick where to eat," he told Daphne.
I watched as she gave Justin a quick kiss on the cheek. "If you need me…."
Justin nodded at her as the three of them headed over to the door and exited, closing the door behind them and leaving Justin and me alone…well, almost alone. Mrs. Kinney by now had become accustomed to Justin's visit, and had headed back over to her dog bed to concentrate on her chew toy. Debbie, however, stood frozen to her spot, the only sound at the moment the cracking of her gum as she looked over at us with extreme interest.
"Uh…Deb…"
She arched an eyebrow, seemingly amused by my discomfort. "Yes?"
"Why don't you take the rest of the day off?" PLEASE take the rest of the day off.
"Oh, I don't know," she replied, seemingly uncertain as she pondered my question. "I get paid to work until 4:30. I'm not sure it would be right to take advantage of your hospitality."
I huffed with impatience, not in the mood for her banter. "Debbie….Please. Just GO."
I saw the beginnings of a smile appear on her face as, at last, she placed her feather duster down onto the table nearby and untied her apron, revealing her shirt saying of the day: Sweet Dreams are Made of Cheese. A large chunk of a cheese wheel was plastered underneath her bright orange shirt as I rolled my eyes, noticing Justin giving her a strange look. I couldn't say I blamed him.
"Okay," she agreed as she walked toward us. She stopped to take a closer look at Justin, causing him to blush once more, as she unexpectedly patted him on the cheek. "This one's a keeper," she told me. "I can tell. Don't fuck it up." With that, she turned and headed toward the hall closet. Sliding into her coat, she left me with one, last, parting comment. "I'll see you tomorrow at the regular time…unless you tell me otherwise." She smirked before heading to the door and closing it behind her.
I sighed in relief as I peered over at Justin. "Can we sit down?" I asked softly, almost feeling like I needed to handle him like fragile glass – even though I knew he was anything but.
He nodded as he followed me over to the couch, and I knew that this would be the most influential pitch I had ever made – and the most important.
Justin's POV
When I saw Brian here at this penthouse fifteen minutes ago, I was stunned. I knew he lived in lavish surroundings – and that it, too, was a penthouse – but out of all the penthouses that must surround Central Park, how in the hell did I get so lucky that it would be his? Or was lucky even the right word? My eyes fastened onto his as soon as I saw him, and my heart lurched in reaction. It was then that I knew just how deeply I had fallen for him – and how much he affected me. I had thought I was finally beginning to get over him and move on – until I saw him standing there in one of his cookie-cutter shirts and creased pair of pants. Even then, he was still the most incredible-looking man I had ever seen.
He looked just as shocked as I no doubt did; testimony to the fact that he had no idea I would be here, either. And when he walked over to me – and I could smell his tantalizing, expensive cologne that he had worn that night we had made love – I became almost dizzy as the memory washed over me like some alluring siren call. I was determined, though, that despite his plea to talk that I would not be taken advantage of or misled; not after the pain I had felt after that night.
Still, when he asked me to join him over on the couch so we could talk – his voice at once mesmerizing as well as pleading – I couldn't say no. I couldn't resist, because I knew that deep down I wanted another chance with him. I wanted to give him another chance. At least I wanted to hear what he had to say. To know why he had done what he had done, and acted the way that he had. The fact that he had put that ball cap on his head – and had kissed me in front of everyone else – was a good and promising start. But that was ALL it was – a start.
I held up my hand as we faced each other on the couch, signaling to him that I needed to say my piece first. "Before you say anything…I want you to know that I am not going to be some experiment regarding your sexuality, Brian. I'm not some litmus test you can use, and then just toss away."
Brian's eyes grew wide, and I thought I saw anger there. "Is that what you thought that night was? Me, just experimenting out of curiosity? Do you?" He pressed, my eyes staring unblinkingly into his.
I peered back at me for several seconds before, at last, I shook my head; I could see relief wash over him in reaction. "No," I whispered hoarsely.
"You know it was more than that." My pulse raced as he reached over and laid his palm against my cheek. "A lot more." He paused as his fingers slowly stroked my face, making my body tingle. "Don't you know that?" he asked, suddenly sounding vulnerable.
How much of my heart could I expose? I wondered as he continued to stare into my eyes; I was drowning in so many emotions, the depths of which I had never experienced before. How much was I willing to reveal to him? "I…I'm hoping it was," I admitted as he smiled.
He nodded at me as his fingers trailed down to brush across my lips; it was a simple motion – but caused my entire body to shiver. No man had ever made me feel such strong emotions, and made my body react so strongly, just with a mere touch. "Justin….I know I have a lot to learn. And while my nephew is quite sane, you've already gotten a taste of what it would be like to be consistently exposed to my sister."
"I've already had that pleasure."
His eyes widened. "That's right! She knew you! How?"
I smiled. "She and I have been having some interesting conversations at the PFLAG meetings I help oversee once a week."
I thought Brian was going to keel over in shock. "What!? Why in the hell would she be at a PFLAG meeting? She wouldn't be caught dead there!"
"Well, it's at night," I explained. "And she doesn’t actually go inside the church where it's held. We sit outside on the steps and talk."
"I still can't believe it," he murmured. "If she wasn't there because of me, then why…?" The reason became apparent to him after he remembered what she had said. "She was there because she thought Brad was gay."
I nodded my head as he chuckled.
"Well, it appears she had the wrong family member," he replied wryly.
"Yes," I told him. "But she was really trying to help understand him. If she didn't love him, she wouldn't have done that."
"No," he agreed with a smile. "Knowing Claire, that was a major undertaking. She might just come around after all," he decided. He peered at me then, and I could tell he wanted to say more.
"What?"
"Where does this leave us, Justin? What about us? Our relationship?"
I reached to grasp his hand in mine. "Where do you want it to lead us?"
"Honestly? I'm not entirely sure," he told me. I felt a little nervous then, until he added softly, "But I'd sure like to see where it does take us. Do you?"
I smiled then, a warm smile. A smile of relief, and a smile of hope. "Yeah. I think I do."
He smiled back at me then. "One more question."
"What?"
"Just how many ball caps DO you have?"
I laughed. "More than enough for us to share."
He nodded. "Good. I think I could get used to them," he informed me as he leaned in to kiss me again. It was a tender kiss. But also one that spoke of promise and hope.
Epilogue – Christmas Eve – Justin's Apartment – Brian's POV
"I still can't believe that you're here."
I smiled, slowly stroking Justin's soft hair with my fingers as he lay with his head on my chest. We were lounging in front of the fireplace in Justin's modest living room, my back propped up against the couch as Justin lay on his back on the throw rug. He told me that it was the only luxury he had permitted himself when it came to his apartment, and at the moment I was eternally grateful, because it felt heavenly to lie here, savoring the feel of Justin in my arms. How I could have ever thought I could be this happy and feel this content with some woman was so foreign to me, now that I had met Justin. Our attraction for each other continued to be somewhere out in the stratosphere and beyond explosive since we had reunited, but I also had come to realize that I was falling in love with this amazing, passionate, and talented young man. I hadn't yet told Justin that, however. I wasn't sure why. But after we had finally gotten back together, I found that I wanted to take things a little more slowly so as not to fuck anything up again. This was much too important to me. "What? You were expecting Kris Kringle instead?" I teased him.
Justin grimaced. "Okay…you so just ruined THAT romantic moment." He snuggled closer to me, his arm around my waist as I slid mine around his shoulders.
I grinned. "Well, let me try and make up for it, then," I murmured, leaning down to give Justin a kiss. His arms reached up to link behind my neck to pull me closer and deepen the kiss before I had to break it off after several seconds, leaving us both panting breathlessly and my heart rapping furiously against my chest.
"I can't believe what you do to me," I replied softly in amazement as Justin blushed. "To think I could have had this a long time ago."
Justin stared deeply into my eyes. "I'm sorry you didn't," was his surprising answer as I frowned. "Because it would have been with someone else, and I would have maybe never met you then."
I smiled in understanding as I stroked Justin's bare shoulder. "Then I'm glad I waited," I told him simply. I took a deep breath as I gazed into his face with a smirk. "And now, little elf…" Justin snorted as I chuckled over his reaction. "Now it's time for you to sit up and let Santa here deliver his gift to you." I was ready for another round with THIS particular sprite, but I suddenly felt way overdressed.
Before I could make good on my promise, however, Justin grinned impishly as he pulled himself up to sit a little straighter and give my cock a squeeze through my lightweight silk pajamas. They were a Christmas gift from him, since Justin knew I wasn't quite comfortable enough to parade around nude yet, even though to my chagrin he didn't seem to mind walking around in HIS birthday suit quite frequently. In fact, the little exhibitionist seemed to derive great pleasure in tormenting me with his little show as much as possible, at least when we were here in his apartment. It was a little more difficult, however, with Debbie underfoot at my penthouse, but she had turned out to be one of the biggest supporters of our relationship, telling me it 'was about fucking time.' It wasn't so much that she had figured out I was gay; all she knew was that I was happy; happier than I had ever been before, and she knew the reason why. She had told me that a 'happy Brian was an easier-to-live-with Brian,' whatever the hell that meant.
In the weeks since my birthday, we had feverishly been trying to make up for lost time, and I had found out how insatiable I was when it came to having sex with Justin; so much so that I discovered I could more than match Justin in the stamina department, almost as if I were trying to compensate for all the time I had missed before.
Amazingly, even my sister had come around. While she still did not quite understand how I could be physically attracted to another man, she had become fond of Justin by now, mainly as a result of their talks at the PFLAG meetings, and she could tell how happy and contented I was with him. So in the end she decided that our relationship was a good thing. We had even – heaven forbid – been out to dinner with her, Brad, and Daphne, and the world hadn't come to an end.
Speaking of Daphne, she initially had been skeptical of my intentions, worried that I might be using Justin as some sort of sexual experiment. But I had been determined to prove to her that my feelings for Justin were real, and that this was no temporary thrill. My and Daphne's relationship was still in the infant stages, so to speak, but Justin had told me that even she was beginning to believe that my feelings for him were genuine. I knew that was important, too, because I sensed how crucial her friendship was to Justin, so it was important to me, also. I had to give her credit for her loyalty to him.
Another good thing had resulted from that day as well. It had served as enough of an impetus for Brad to ask his new boss out, and ever since then he and Daphne had been inseparable to the point where they recently had moved in together. In fact, everything was going so well lately that I almost feared something would happen to damage it. I knew my fear was groundless, but I couldn't help being afraid nonetheless, because this meant too much to me.
Justin's stroking of my cock brought me back to focusing on him as I shivered at the sensations he was producing. "Hey! I thought I was in control here! Santa's the one who's in charge at the North Pole, remember?" I teased him. But it was debatable just who WAS in charge at the moment, and I had to admit that I didn't mind a 'take-charge' Justin at all.
Justin grinned as he turned his body so he could drape his nude form over my partially clothed one as we stared deeply into each other's eyes. "And what a pole it is," he replied huskily as he continued to work his hand up and down my shaft. Holy shit. I could feel the wetness in my pajamas, and my dick quickly hardening in painful response as I reached down to hurriedly capture the roaming hand with my wrist before I totally embarrassed myself. This was NOT how I wanted to come; I had something much more intense and pleasurable in mind. "Hey! My 'pole' has other plans for you, young man," I told him sternly; I smiled as Justin squeaked when I used my greater strength to quickly flip us over so I was on top now, my hands gripping his above his head. I took advantage of his relative helplessness to steal a kiss from his soft lips, noticing he didn't mind that in the least.
"Now I have you right where I want you," I told him playfully as he licked his lips and smiled up at me, his expression so beguiling and trusting. Grinning triumphantly back at him, my eyes darkened at the sight before me as my smile faded into something much more intense, almost overwhelming. "Fuck, you are so damn beautiful," I couldn't help whispering as his pale skin flushed in reaction. I loved watching how his body transformed in response to what I did or said; it was such a heady, powerful feeling, one that filled me with such emotion. My eyes slowly traveled down the slim, nude form lying at my command, feeling Justin's cock lying proudly erect between us. "Justin…" I whispered, hearing my voice break slightly. At that moment, I didn't think my heart could feel any fuller, or I could ever be any happier than I was right now. Could I say it? DARE I say it? But good idea or not, I knew I couldn't help it escaping from my lips. Now that I finally realized who – and what – I really was, it was important to me that he knew everything now.
"Hmm…?" He responded, leaning up with his head to kiss my lips encouragingly before he lay still again beneath me, waiting for me to reply. "Brian?" he whispered curiously.
I took a deep breath, not sure what his reaction would be, but knowing I had to say it regardless; I couldn't keep it inside any longer. He frowned slightly; I could tell he was beginning to become a little worried by my hesitation. Just say it, you coward. "I…I think I'm falling in love with you."
The slowly spreading smile Justin gave me soon turned into a blinding one, causing me to smile back at him as my heart filled with joy over his next words. "I don't think I'm falling in love with you….I know I am."
"Justin…" Whatever words I was going to say after that were promptly forgotten as I let my body and my lips do my talking instead.
Six Months Later…Central Park – Justin's POV
My fingers intertwined firmly with Brian's, I smiled as I stole a glance at my lover as we walked Reggie and Mrs. Kinney around the park, stopping occasionally for one or both of them to take a good sniff at a tree, bush, or flower. The less formal attire that Brian had taken to wearing these past few weeks – a pair of jeans (quality made and quite expensive, of course; after all, Brian had his standards), a long-sleeved, soft cotton shirt with the sleeves slightly rolled up, and a pair of casual Gucci loafers – looked quite dashing on him…and quite sexy, too, I had to admit. He was even gracious about the ball caps I gifted him with from time to time, even though he still thought the idea of a grown man wearing a childhood memento was silly. But just the fact that he undoubtedly did it for me anyway made my heart fill to capacity.
We arrived at our customary bench and tied both dogs to their respective bench legs as we sat down together, our thighs touching, even though there was plenty of navigating room; enough for three or even four. But we never sat any farther apart now. And when we DID sit there on our bench, we held hands. Always. I silently marveled at our far our relationship had come since that first day we had met, not voicing it aloud, however, sensing that Brian really didn't want a big deal made of it. But to me, it WAS a big deal. And I knew how much courage – and love for me – it had taken him to arrive at this point in our lives.
"Beautiful day today," Brian commented.
I nodded, his grip on my hand tightening slightly as we sat there congenially, enjoying the spring warmth, and the sounds and sights of Central Park. I smiled, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by my lover.
"What?" he asked softly. "You seem to be in a good mood this morning."
I nodded. "I am."
"Any particular reason?"
I turned my head to peer over at him and smiled. "Yeah. As a matter of fact, there is."
He smiled back at me. "Care to share?"
I leaned in closer as Brian did the same; as our lips met, there was no hesitation on his part as we kissed for several seconds before a sharp bark from Reggie made us pull back. He was pulling on his leash, straining to chase a squirrel that had the nerve to venture too close to what he perceived as his own private territory.
"Reggie! It's okay, Boy," I told him in my 'stop barking' voice, and he did as I asked, issuing a brief sort of grunt before he laid down beside Mrs. Kinney, his bug eyes gazing up at me.
"Don't give me that look, either," I told him. "You're not running off-leash until we get to the dog park." I laughed as that remark was met with a sort of disappointed groan as if he could actually understand what I was saying.
Brian and I exchanged a smile between us, making me remember his question from earlier. "To answer your question…I'm happy because it's a wonderful spring day…and I'm enjoying it with the man I love."
Brian smiled at me. "I can't think of a better reason to see you smile. Well…maybe one," he told me mysteriously.
I eyed him curiously. "What?" I probed. "What are you talking about? Tell me."
Brian grinned; he seemed to be enjoying my confusion. "The reason's in my jeans pocket," he told me with a smirk. "Come and get it."
My face flushed as I felt the heat bloom all over my face. "Brian," I laughed. "Can you be any more obvious?"
He smirked. "Not that," he told me with a grin. "I have something else in there. Go fish."
I couldn't help laughing. "Okay, I'll bite," I decided. I let go of Brian's hand to slide my own inside the pants pocket nearest to me, but I came up empty.
"Other pocket," Brian told me, clearly enjoying himself.
I rolled my eyes, but decided that two could play this game as I very slowly slid my hand over the bulge in Brian's jeans, taking a moment to give his crotch a squeeze and making him grunt as he squirmed. Grinning at him smugly, I was forced to twist my body to half lie on top of his as I snaked my hand down his other pocket and felt a hard, flat object with something attached to it. I pulled it out, holding it up as I recognized it as a key card – the type you would normally use for a hotel room. My eyes widened as I sat back heavily next to my lover and stared at the object in my hands, trying to wrap my head around the possible significance, but trying desperately not to jump to conclusions. "Brian?" I finally whispered, as I lifted my gaze to look into his eyes.
He appeared a little flustered, or maybe even uncertain, as he softly instructed me, "Read what it says."
My heart felt like it was about to burst right out of my chest as I looked down at the writing, and I felt like I was about to stop breathing as I read what it said:
You already have the key to my heart…
"Brian…."
He smiled at me gently. "Read the back," he encouraged me, as I flipped it over, noticing more words there:
"So here's one to
I gasped audibly then, causing both Reggie and Mrs. Kinney to peer up at me curiously, no doubt wondering if they had missed something important. That would definitely be an understatement, I decided, if this was what I thought it was. The writing on the keycard was almost amateurish in nature, but it didn't matter. The message was still loud and clear…at least I hoped it was.
"I know the artwork is not up to your standards," I heard him say quietly as I continued to gaze at it in wonder. "But it'll still work on the elevator that goes up to my penthouse…and it'll get you in the door, too. You're the only other person who has one." He laughed softly then. "Even Claire doesn't have one. Definitely NOT Claire. Debbie has the okay to be buzzed up by the concierge, but only with my prior approval first. And Brad; well, he probably wouldn't need one now, anyway, not with him and Daphne…" His voice trailed off nervously as he pushed some hair back from his eyes. "Uh…Help me out here, Justin."
"You're giving me a keycard to your penthouse, so I can come and go whenever I want?" I asked, not willing to read anymore into it. But I soon learned I didn't have to.
He smiled at me almost shyly then as he rolled his lips under briefly. "No, you amazing idiot! I'm asking you to move in with me! You…and Reggie here. That is, if he's neutered. He IS neutered…right? Just the thought of a cross between those two breeds makes me shudder."
It took me a few moments to actually answer Brian's last question, because I was still trying to digest the rest of what he had said. "Yes….of course, he's neutered!"
Brian began to babble now as if continued, "Well, don't worry; Mrs. Kinney here won't be getting knocked up any time soon. I'll get her fixed. But I read that you have to wait until they're about six months old before you can go in and get them neutered…"
I laughed. "It's not neutered, Brian; it's spayed for females. Brian…"
"Oh…spayed. Well, as long as old Reggie here has been neutered, we'll be fine anyway. Not sure what we'll do with all your furniture, though, but at least you don't have a lot. Can you sublet your place, by the way? That might be the best solution…"
"I think so, but Brian…"
Brian nodded as he prattled on. "Well, that's good. A lot of places out in the boroughs won't let you do that, so it's good that you live close to Central Park, because that area's always in demand…"
I took a deep breath. "Brian, will you please shut the fuck up!? You won't let me get a word in edgewise!"
Finally, Brian paused, taking a deep breath of his own and letting it out. "I know," he told me quietly, his voice a lot slower now. He peered into my eyes as he admitted, "Because if I do, I'm afraid you'll say no. You AREN'T going to say no, are you?" he asked me softly. He half-smiled. "I think Mrs. Kinney would be very disappointed if you did." He paused. "Her owner would be, too."
"Brian, this is a big step…." I began.
He sighed at me. "Justin, we're practically together all the time now anyway, and it would make things much easier. Besides, I'd have a built-in dog walker for when Debbie's not available."
I laughed. "So it's finally out in the open! Now I know why you want me to move in."
His face became serious. "You know that's not the reason."
I gazed into his eyes. "Well, if you would let me answer, maybe you'll find out if I want to or not." I looked down at the card in my hands. At once a relatively simple thing…but something that held great significance in its symbolism. I thought about how far we had come since that first day we had met in the park, and on this very same bench. "You know, we should probably have this bench dedicated to us," I told him with a grin. "We practically own it now, anyway. No one would dare sit on it during our allotted time now."
"Justin…you're killing me here!"
I smiled then as I peered into his anxious face as my heart overflowed with happiness…just before I launched myself into his lap. "Of course I'll move in with you!" I squealed with joy, as his arms wound tightly around my back. The tears flowed freely down my face as I hugged him back, feeling so safe, secure, protected, and loved in his arms.
"Thank God," I heard him murmur against my ear as we stayed that way for a long time, oblivious to everyone and everything else. We didn't care if anyone gawked at us or disapproved of what we were doing. For that moment in time, we were lost in our own, little world.
Finally we pulled back, and I noticed we both had goofy smiles on our faces.
Brian let out a huge sigh of relief. "Well, we're glad that's settled," he told me with a grin, lightly brushing my lower lip with his index finger. He looked down at Mrs. Kinney, who peered back up at him with her huge, dark eyes. "Aren't we, Mrs. Kinney?" he asked the dog, who cocked her head sideways as she attempted to understand what all the hoopla was about. She finally lay back down with a sort of quiet groan, as if she had decided it was nothing significant. If she only knew…
I laughed. "Yeah, I can tell she's overwhelmed with excitement at the thought," I told my lover dryly. "So…" Brian raised his eyebrows questioningly. "When can Reggie and I move in?" I asked him.
Brian leaned in to kiss me first before he whispered against my lips, "How about yesterday?"
I returned the kiss before replying with a smile, "Sounds about right."
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2015-12-31 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-31 03:29 pm (UTC)bksbracelet
Date: 2015-12-31 09:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-31 03:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-12-31 08:58 pm (UTC)You know how much I loved this story. But rereading it made me love it more. I found a few changes that I thought just added to this wonderous story. I mean, Brian and Justin in front of a fireplace, naked and half-naked, was a great image to store in my mind vault ;}. Great job as always.
no subject
Date: 2015-12-31 10:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-01 12:53 am (UTC)You know how much I loved this story. But rereading it made me love it more. I found a few changes that I thought just added to this wonderous story. I mean, Brian and Justin in front of a fireplace, naked and half-naked, was a great image to store in my mind vault ;}. Great job as always.
no subject
Date: 2016-01-01 03:58 am (UTC)You know how much I loved this story. But rereading it made me love it more. I found a few changes that I thought just added to this wonderous story. I mean, Brian and Justin in front of a fireplace, naked and half-naked, was a great image to store in my mind vault ;}. Great job as always.
no subject
Date: 2016-01-01 11:48 am (UTC)I love how you've managed to make Brian's circumstances so different and yet have kept the character recognisable.
Loved it.
Well done!
no subject
Date: 2016-01-01 12:54 pm (UTC)Thanks for all your comments! See you in June! ~Kim
no subject
Date: 2016-01-01 02:58 pm (UTC)Thank you so much for sharing your brilliant writing talents with us my friend :)
no subject
Date: 2016-01-03 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-01 10:18 pm (UTC)Dee Dee
no subject
Date: 2016-01-03 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-02 02:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-03 12:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 01:49 am (UTC)Thanks for sharing.
JoAnn
no subject
Date: 2016-01-06 12:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-04 03:29 pm (UTC)Now how about a sequel... I need more...
Hugs Darling ~ Kathleen
no subject
Date: 2016-01-06 12:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-06 11:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-07 02:23 am (UTC)