Ascension

Ascension Chapter 9

It is nice to get to the happier years of Jakob's life. If you enjoy this story, or any of the stories on Nifty, please remember the service Nifty provides and consider a donation.

Email: timothylane414@gmail.com

27

"So you met your future husband, fell in love and _eventuall_y got married. This was a happy time then?" Trevor asked.

"Glorious. We both were moving in together. That was a big step — and pretty fast. Our love just ... doubled. Tripled. We were there for each other. I started a new job — which he helped me get — and he struggled with a new member of our group. Our friend who had committed suicide ... his boyfriend started coming to the AA meetings. That was a good thing, but Lance had to deal with including him. I think the two of us leaned on each other when things were uncertain. It eventually worked out. I was worried about Lance briefly, but the good man I knew he was inside eventually forgave this gentleman."

Trevor was dressed more casually today. He had on a sportscoat, but it was paired with blue jeans and a collarless shirt. It finally dawned on me who Trevor reminded me of. I wasn't overly familiar with the British talk show host Graham Norton, but I thought Trevor resembled him a bit, without the accent naturally.

"Tell me about the new job."

"Visions." I pondered on how to describe it. "It's sort of an unusual place. Yes, you can simply buy stuff. Home décor, holiday decorations, wedding type stuff. But we also help out with weddings, so we do a lot of rental type things, and we work with businesses and offices to do seasonal makeovers. Some events. Marshall, my boss, came up with the concept."

"It was his `vision,' hm. Thinking back on your magazine subscriptions as a youth, this was probably right up your alley."

"Totally! LOVED it. It was doing things I had thought about my whole life, from those TV shows with Mom to what I learned from the magazines or whatnot. I don't know if the gay edge helped me with customers, but the brides loved me, and word of mouth spread. As did our gay clientele. Business increased. Marshall was happy."

Marshall asked about my birthday celebration with my family. It seemed like the whole last week was one big, long birthday. But it was the first one I had really celebrated in nine years, so I felt I was due. I told Marshall that things had continued to get better with my family.

I remembered what Keaton had written in the card: "While I can never ever be expected to be truly forgiven, please know that the size of my regret for all my mistakes is only second to the love I have for you as my brother. You will never be out of my life again." It still made me tear up.

"Well," Marshall said, "It probably would have been better to tell you this last week and make it more appropriate of the occasion, but on your next check, you will find a raise in your wages. The store is doing well, and I'm a smart enough manager to know part of that is owing to you being here. You're an outstanding employee, Jakob."

"Oh! Well, wow. Thank you! I do love working here, Marshall. I think you are a great person to work for as well."

"At some point, I could consider opening a second store, but for now, I'll continue to save and see where the future takes us. But I've come to respect your eye for design and ideas. I hope you feel comfortable enough opening up to me when you have ideas and thoughts. You're very good."

"That's sweet, Marshall. Thank you. I'll keep it in mind. I guess I connect to our gay customers."

"I'm surprised I don't," he muttered under his breath.

"Marshall?"

"Hm? Oh nothing."

Marshall went to his desk and didn't say anything for the rest of the morning. By lunchtime, the silence was palpable.

"Marshall, are you okay? Is anything wrong?"

"Hm? No. Why do you ask?"

"You've been quiet all morning."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I just can't ... really say anything."

"Is anything wrong? Has something happened?"

"Oh, no. Don't be worried. It's fine. Don't be concerned. I'm fine."

"And yet ... you don't sound convincing. I think we've become good friends. If you ever need to talk about anything, I'm here. Okay? Please know you can always talk to me. I might just listen, but sometimes that is helpful too."

"Thanks. But ... I don't want you to look poorly on me."

"I could never. You're an awesome boss."

"That's the problem."

"I don't understand."

"As your boss, I can't have the feelings I have. All right, if I'm being honest, I'm taken with you, Jakob. I just think you're adorable."

"Wait, you're married to Amy."

"I know. We're very open. She knows I have a crush on you, and truth be told, if you weren't with Lance, we would have invited you over to spend an evening ... a night ... with us."

I was floored. I didn't know how to react. I didn't know what to say. This type of activity was not in my wheelhouse. What was the correct response?

"See!? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I never should have said anything. A boss can't say these things. Now I have made your work here uncomfortable. I'm sorry. I didn't want anything to change. I should never have been honest with you."

"I'd much prefer that over dishonesty. I like honest."

"Yeah, but I should just have kept it to myself. I just don't understand why I don't click with the gay people like you do. I figured they could pick up ... enough ... about me to relate."

This was new. Well, Lance is bisexual to a certain degree, so it wasn't actually that new. I never picked up on it with Marshall.

"I understand. Lance and his boss had history before he took the job, so I understand the dynamics behind it. I'm not in a position to judge anyone for sure, and you've been nothing but professional with me since Day One."

"Thank you. And that's it. I want it to stay that way. But, Jakob, you're really a catch and ..."

I burst out laughing. I laughed for probably two minutes.

"What was that all about?" Marshall asked.

"Oh, Marshall, I know I'm not a catch."

"Why do you say that? You have a gorgeous partner. Clearly, he finds you wonderful."

"He's an angel. Probably our circumstances through AA let him see beyond the broken parts of me. Seriously though. I'm not in his league."

"Well, I can tell you I fight resisting the urge to kiss you every day. You're a wonderful person." Marshall's face grew pale. His eyes widened. "Oh, God. I never should have said that. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

I'm sure he assumed I was going to quit or report him — to someone — for sexual misconduct.

"Breathe."

He froze.

"I'm fine. I don't think anything worse of you." I leaned against the counter. "If anything, I guess I should feel flattered, but ... obviously I'm deeply in love with Lance. I'm completely honest to him and faithful to our relationship."

"I know. I KNOW! He's great. I love Lance. I would NEVER do anything to jeopardize or complicate anything between you two. I ... I ... don't know. I'm just drawn to you, Jakob. You're wonderful. But ... I'll keep that crush in check. I promise. You're too good of an employee for me to fuck it up." He chuckled. "I'm sorry. I never should have said anything."

"Relax. I'm fine. Let's get back to work." I winked.

Wow. That was new. I always thought of myself as a hard worker. My bosses usually liked me. I was surprised that Marshall's confession gave me a boost of confidence. It really did.

"Marshall and I got along well. He taught me a lot about business — not decorating but accounting, scheduling, budgets. Not having gone to college, I had a lot to learn, but I soaked it up. He was a great mentor. We really clicked."

"Do you attribute the increase of business to you being at the store?"

Ugh. I didn't want to do this. I wasn't a fan of talking about myself, particularly in any type of bragging terms.

"Maybe the timing had to do with spring and the wedding season taking off. But again, the two of us worked well together. If anything, I think I related to the gay clientele. That might have increased because of me. But really, both of us are quite nice to our customers. I think we just had a good customer service model, and our business was simply growing."

"That was a very modest answer," Trevor smiled. "It is my understanding he specifically had you in mind when opening the second store in Von. You oversee that one."

"Have you noticed we have had several people drive in from Von?" I asked Marshall.

"Yes! It makes me curious. I've been doing a bit of online research. That town doesn't seem to have a lot for brides in terms of wedding options. I've been contemplating expanding. If people are willing to drive almost an hour to us, it's worth considering opening a store there."

"You mean like a second store?"

"There seems to be a market. I'm still looking into it. It's a financial juggle, but ... business is good. I can see it being a possibility." Marshall got quiet for a minute. "Jakob, can we sit down?"

Uh oh.

We went to the back office. We had closed for the day. It was busy, but we had wrapped up most of the final tasks.

"Jakob, if I do consider opening a second store, I was wondering if you might consider managing it."

Terror!

A freight train ran through my skull. Me, manage? Lance and I had just become engaged at Trent's and Mike's wedding. What about his job?? Move? I've only known Jackson Bend. What do I know about hiring people? What if it failed? Would Marshall blame me? I've never seen Von. What if I didn't like the town? I felt adrift in a sea of questions and fears.

"Me?"

"You're outstanding, Jakob."

"But ... but ... but ..."

"Don't get freaked out. We aren't there yet. A lot would have to happen first."

"But I don't have a college degree."

"You have something better. Experience. I have no hesitation that you'd be capable of doing this."

"But ... Lance and I just got engaged. His job is here."

"Breathe. Again, we're not there yet. Not close. I just want you to be aware that I've been thinking about it, and I think you'd be perfect. I'd hate to lose you here, so if that wasn't something that interested you, nothing would have to change. But think seriously ... if all this were to happen, it would be a big financial step for you."

"Um. Wow. Thanks. I think." I looked zombified.

"Sweetie, don't get freaked out. Just think about your future possibilities. See what Lance thinks."

Driving home I was thinking about everything. Moving, money, our future, our AA group, Mike and Trent. Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap.

"In that year, life moved crazy fast. We moved in together. I got a job I liked, and I did well at it. We got engaged. And then Marshall approached me about the job in Von. I was petrified."

"Why?"

"Lance. I couldn't lose him. Lance was my life. Running a store of my own would be ... like a ... bucket list dream. But Lance had a job in Jackson Bend. We were engaged. More responsibility, more money ... it was all alluring. Remember, I had never been able to be on my own before. There was flash and sparkle to that offer that was immediately tempting. But not if it came down to losing Lance. I loved him so much."

"But it resolved itself, correct?"

"Mostly yes. I did discuss it with him. I told him there was nothing to decide at the moment, but it might be possible in the future."

"And how did he feel about it?"

Lance's weight on top of me felt magnificent. His hips kept thrusting his cock into me with force. I so loved him filling my insides. My lover's enormous erection felt good. Tonight I stayed hard through his entire lovemaking. He was grunting hard. I knew he was close. With each thrust, he had pushed my body forward. It was rubbing my dick into the bed. My erection felt so good. It pulsed and throbbed.

"Baby, I'm so close," he panted in my ear.

His arms locked underneath mine and he clutched my hands. My body was bearing his bulk; I loved it. His teeth bit my ear gently. It was a stimulation that did it for me.

"Ungh! I'm coming, angel. Keep fucking me. You're making me come."

That did it for him.

"Oh yeah! UNGH!!!"

We came together. My cum smeared on my belly and thankfully a towel under me. He filled my inner shaft with his thick, creamy orgasm. We moaned and both felt release. It was harmony. I felt his body shudder once his climax was complete, and every ounce of Lance's body crushed mine. I loved it.

"Stay on top of me. Stay inside me angel," I pleaded.

He kissed the back of my neck.

"I'm so proud of you," he said to me.

"I haven't done anything yet."

"Yes, you have. Think about when we met. Think about your life. You've come so far."

"Only because of you," I insisted.

I felt him gently push his penis back and forth within me. Gently gyrating feeling his cock inside me. It was tender. His body language said he loved me even if his words weren't saying it.

"No. I have only been beside you. You are awesome."

"Angel, you give me too much credit."

"No. You're amazing. And this has been my biggest fear. You won't need me anymore. You are finding out that you can do better. I ... I don't want you to leave me, Jakob."

"Never. My world revolves around you. We'll just see what happens. We don't have to think about it now."

I felt his penis pull from my hole and he laid his body beside me. He looked into my eyes. We were lost in each other's gaze. He leaned forward and offered me a passionate kiss.

"I'm so proud of you. I love you. I always will."

As my confidence was building, Lance was feeling more insecure. I didn't think I was doing a good job of convincing him there was nothing to worry about.

"Lance was very proud of me, but at the same time ... began to worry that he would lose me."

"Why would he think that?"

"Some insecurities on his part, I guess. It's funny. When we met — we were both recovering alcoholics — I was completely nothing. Well, you know ... in the shelter, practically nothing to my name, just plain old me. And yet, he always was the one who felt he was the one not good enough for me. I'm not sure what drove those feelings so deep." I paused and contemplated those months a moment and then scoffed. "The man is a miracle. I'm not sure why he felt he was losing me. I couldn't picture myself ever not loving him."

I started thinking back to that year.

"You know, I reconnected with Anson that year. Trent and Lance encouraged me to. Surely that didn't bother him. I don't think so."

"I'm sorry. I should have asked if I could bring something. I kind of figured we'd just go out. I should have brought a bottle of wine. Forgive me," Anson said.

There it was. Anson and I had just reconnected for the first time since we were 18 and within the first minutes, I had to admit I was an alcoholic. I could blow it off, but I had always prided myself on my honesty.

"I guess there is no point in hiding it. Anson, I'm an alcoholic. I've been sober for over a year. Lance, too. That's how we met. I developed a drinking problem a few years ago."

"Gah! I'm so sorry, Jakob. I don't know how you aren't mad at me."

"It's not your fault. You didn't put drinks in my hand."

"If we hadn't moved, the two of us could have gotten a place. We would have looked out for each other."

"It's not your fault, Anson," I said, sitting down next to him and putting a hand on his arm. "Tell me about your parents."

"They're fine. They're great, I guess."

"They sound like wonderful people," Lance interjected. "I'm very moved by the kindness of your family."

"Oh. Thanks. Until we up and move and aren't much better than his parents. Oh. Sorry. That wasn't very nice."

"Neither are they," I said. "Or were. I've reconnected with them. Mom and Teresa are awesome. Even Keaton isn't too bad."

"Your dad still not on board, huh?"

"Not so much. But we can at least talk civilly."

"And you two are getting married?" he said, looking at both Lance and me.

"Yes. Mid-October. I fell for Jakob pretty quickly," Lance said. "I can't picture my life without him."

"Aw. Good for you two."

"How about you?" I asked. "Seeing anybody?"

"Well, Wisconsin isn't this gay hotbed, but there are gay people there ... to some degree. We're everywhere. It isn't easy to find someone like it is here. Particularly with this being a college town."

"You haven't been unattached these past 10 years, have you?"

"No. I fell in love once. We were together for about two years. He had previously been in a long-term relationship with someone almost 10 years older. He lost him to AIDS."

"Oh, wow. That's sad," we both said.

"Yeah. We were good. For the most part. I think the sorrow eventually caused him to become distant. He pushed me away. I tried to be understanding. He kind of wanted out. Part of me thinks he is scared to go through that again."

"But you're not ..."

"No. I'm fine. I think it will be tough for him to be in a serious relationship again. If he would see a therapist, that could help. I'm not sure if he will."

We didn't know what to say.

"And since then, I've been supremely single. Like no dates. At all."

"I'm sorry, Anson," I said.

"Don't be. I'm okay on my own."

"Why don't you bring your suitcase in," Lance said. "We have a washer/dryer if you need to do anything. How long have you been on your trip so far?"

"Only four days. I'm fine. But thank you."

He brought in his luggage. He opened it up.

"Here's a letter from Mom and Dad," he said, giving it to me.

"Oh my gosh. How wonderful."

"Just read it later."

Anson also brought a picture of the two of us from our senior year.

"Aw, look at you two. You're so young. Young sweethearts," Lance said.

He thought the picture was cute. I blushed. I'm glad he was fine with me visiting with an old boyfriend. Obviously, there was nothing to be jealous about. We were engaged after all. Still, I loved Lance even more for being so hospitable to my first love.

Lance put the lasagna in and then went to the bedroom to go pee in the bathroom.

"Okay, with him gone, spill. He's a hunk. How did you land him?" Anson said.

"We just met through AA. He has the biggest heart. If it weren't for him, I don't know if I would have ever reconnected with my family. He and our friend Trent even encouraged me to find you. I love him so much. I sometimes feel I don't deserve him."

"You deserve as much happiness as life can give you, Jakob. I ... I feel so bad. Our family just left you, and ... I look back and hate how I ... I'm not proud of how I handled us those last months. You deserved better."

"Please don't be hard on yourself."

"I'm just thrilled you have such a beautiful man. Good for you."

"He's so loving and affectionate ... and he's hung like you wouldn't believe."

Lance had come up behind me. He had heard that last comment. He whispered in my ear, "It's just a dick. Please don't let that be my defining attribute."

I kissed him on the cheek. "Okay, angel."

We enjoyed conversation over dinner. Lance didn't really contribute much. He didn't have the shared memories. I should have done a better job including him. He wasn't jealous, but we just kept circling back to when we used to be a couple. It was new for Lance. I should have been more sensitive to what he might have been feeling. At least he seemed fine.

Lance offered to take care of the dishes so we could continue visiting in the living room. I ventured into some of the darker times I had to go through. Anson's expression was pained, like he took on even more guilt for my issues.

Anson went into the kitchen for more tea. Lance was doing dishes and then took a call. I loved seeing Anson again. For the first time I understood what my fiancé had to feel when we spent time with Trent. I knew Lance loved me, but now seeing Anson again, there will probably be something everyone feels when they see a first love again. All that emotion came back a bit: our first kiss, the sexual exploration in our teens, saying "I love you" to each other. I saw Lance poke his head out. That was all I needed to bring me back to reality. My heart soared just thinking about marrying him soon. I guess Anson will have a piece of my heart, just as Trent does his. As much as I was thrilled to see Anson again, this was the first time I had ever felt even the slightest conflict of emotions.

Soon we went out for milkshakes. He loved seeing how the town had changed.

When he got home, I could tell Anson was tired.

"Do you remember when your parents saw me lying next to you on your bed?" I asked.

"We had our clothes on. It was no big deal."

"We were close. Really close. You had just kissed me."

"No big deal."

"If you think about what happened at my house a month later, you can see why I think it is a big deal."

Lance sat the sheets down.

"I'm so sorry we only have the couch to offer," he said.

"Lance. Please. No worries at all. It's just nice to see you two. I'm just so sorry it took so long for us to reconnect."

"It was actually Lance and Trent that encouraged me to find you."

"I'm glad they did. I'm glad you two are together."

"Me too," Lance said, reaching for my hand. "He's tired. Let's let him get some sleep."

"Good night, bear," I said. "Remember when I used to call you that?"

Anson nodded. His smile said he cherished those times but also regretted how they ended.

As I walked to the bedroom, I got one of those shivers that made you think how simple moments could change your life forever. What if Anson hadn't let me go? What if I went with them to Wisconsin? What if Lance and I had never met? I never wanted to think that. Even going through nine years of hell, it was worth it to find Lance.

"You got married that year also, correct?"

My expression lit up. "Yes!"

"Could you have imagined such a thing when you were homeless?"

"Heavens no. It all seemed ... what's the word ... surreal."

I'm not sure I remembered what was said by Lance's father. I just remember it being beautiful. Lance's vows were sweet. I rehearsed mine enough that I would have been infuriated at myself if I had messed them up. But I didn't. I felt a little nervous as Lance slid the ring on my finger. I was paranoid that it wouldn't go on. But it did. Mr. Wheeling pronounced us married. He instructed us to kiss. I worried it would be too short. But it wasn't. We meant it. AA encourages new members to stay sober a year before dating, but we were a success story. We were no fluke. Meeting after meeting, we helped each other grow stronger. It had been more than 16 months since I had taken a drink. I didn't miss it. I replaced all that darkness with love. And Lance. My friends were true friends, not "drinking buddies."

We turned to look at smiles and cheers and applause from the small group in attendance. AA had changed everything. I met Lance. Through him I met Trent and Mike. Ophelia and Cooper were part of a great support system, as well as other friends there. Had Gerard never nudged me to go, my life could very well still be a struggle.

Lance got everyone's attention.

"Jakob and I opted to have a small wedding. I would just like to thank each of you for coming. Your presence here is special because you are special. We wanted you to be a part of our day. It's more meaningful because of wonderful people like you are here to support us. We are so grateful you are in our lives. Thank you."

Exactly. He worded it perfectly.

Trent showed a video of several old friends congratulating us. It was tremendous. How he managed to do it was a mystery — and impressive. Seeing several people in the compilation made me teary-eyed, particularly the Petriellos.

It was sad that Dad didn't come, but I didn't allow myself to reflect on that for even a second. The rest of my family was there, and that said something.

Getting my family back was one more thing that astonished me when I reflected on the change that Lance had brought into my world.

I couldn't believe we were married. Bliss.

"And married life was good?"

"Yes. Neither of us hesitated at all. Our wedding was simple, but wonderful. As I am involved with planning and producing weddings, Lance wanted something very small so that I wouldn't obsess over the details. He wanted us to focus on the occasion."

"Was he right?"

"Oh yeah. If we had something big, I would have spent most of the day dealing with arrangements and seating and dishes. Our friends made it wonderful. We found it romantic in its simplicity. We took a honeymoon in Colorado. I had a cherished place there from my childhood and I wanted to share it with him."

"I'm close to coming, angel. I'm close."

Lance's orgasm was loud and intense. His cock pulled out of me, and his face moved down my body. His mouth encased the head of my erection. The warmth around my dick stimulated me to the max. It was throbbing. I groaned loudly. He felt my dick spray the first blast of my orgasm. Wave after wave ejaculated into his throat. He took all of it. I stopped moaning, and he knew my manhood had ceased sending cum to celebrate our evening. His tongue journeyed from the base of my cock to the tender head. For more than a year we had enjoyed great sex. I was so pleased that this night of our honeymoon still felt special.

He kissed me again. His tongue toyed with mine as we shared our passion.

"That was great," I said.

"I think so too. I love you, hub."

It was the nickname I requested he call me. He thought it silly; I thought it was glorious. We were married. Officially married. Legally married. Wonderfully married. I had a hubby.

He blew out the candle and we held each other. There was a slight chill from the Colorado air, even though the heater was keeping up with it for the most part. We wriggled into each other's arms again. Our naked bodies pressed together, tangled and warm. Our lips found the other's again, and we kissed for several minutes. Eventually we said "I love you" one last time and attempted to fall asleep.

Lance drifted away. I gazed at the subtle moonlight illuminating the sheer curtain. Two years ago I had lost my job and was soon bagging groceries. Roommates thought so little of me, never listened to me, fucked me when they were drunk, called me names ... how did I get to this utopia? I was almost afraid to fall asleep because I feared I would wake up and find it had all been a dream.

"My life was bliss. But we did have the anxiety of the move ahead of us."

"Both of you were receiving promotions though. That was a good thing."

"It was, of course. But our lives had been in Jackson Bend. Uprooting was scary. It was only 60 minutes away, but it was scary. All the friendships and relationships that carried us through those last two years would be left behind. That's tough."

"You sure you don't need us at the house?" Trent whimpered.

"Dad is there," Lance said. "He actually helped us with the down payment, but we should be able to pay back his part within a year once we start getting our new salaries."

"I'm happy for you," Trent said. Then he sounded like he changed his mind. "Hell. No, I'm not. I hate you. The gym won't be the same."

I hugged Mike very hard. We gave a quick kiss. "I love you, Jakey Bear," he whispered in my ear.

"Me too," I whispered as I squeezed him so tightly, using every bit of my strength not to be the next one to cry.

I stepped next to Lance and held his arm. He gave Mike a quick kiss too.

"I'll be here to help with Friendsgiving early that morning," I told Trent. "Maybe if we get our place put together, you can come see it before then."

"Knowing you, it will be a showplace in about two days," Lance said.

I sniffed as I hugged Trent. Leaving everyone was hard. Leaving Mike and Trent was agony. I could only imagine what Lance was feeling.

Lance grabbed Trent's hands. They stared at each other again. He gave him a really long kiss, then pulled back.

"I hate you," Trent told Lance.

"I hate you too. See ya."

We got in the car and started the drive to Von. I was glad I was behind the wheel because Lance cried most of the way. He rested his hand on my leg. As hard as this was, I was supposed to be his rock, so I tried to be brave. But I was a mess.

Lance had it pulled together by the time we pulled up to the house.

"You look terrible," his father said. "I take it goodbyes were tough."

I nodded. Lance did too, summoning up the last iota of strength to not start crying again.

Putting things away was good distraction. It helped our new chapter come into focus. After a few hours, our bedroom was put together as was the makeshift office. The rest of the house was a jumble of boxes and furniture, but everything was at least in the right room. His father had a long drive, so we went to dinner at Noodle Noodle before he left around 8 o'clock.

We were exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Lance asked if I wanted to go find dessert. Strangely, I didn't. I asked if he would like a mug of hot chocolate. He commented that it was still in the 40s outside but also that it was a splendid idea.

We sat on a long flat sheet of cardboard on the floor and leaned against the couch. Our bodies leaned into each other as we sipped on frothy, steaming cocoa.

I put some final things away in the master bath. It looked presentable if not 100% finished. I went back to sit next to my husband.

"It's hardly 9 o'clock and I'm dead tired. Is it pathetic to turn in this early?" I asked.

"It sounds kind of nice to me. Think we can muster up enough energy to christen the house?"

Hm. Although I liked the idea, the master bedroom was actually in good shape. Not that sex would tear it up, but I had a different idea.

"You're always more of the sex-minded one between us. Interested in doing something different?"

"Hmmm. What does my hub have in mind?" he said with an evil leer.

"We always have a towel to keep things nice and clean. How about we do it right here and make a mess?"

"Here ..."

"On this cardboard," I said.

"OH! Like HERE." Lance was uncharacteristically silent.

"Not a fan of the idea?" I asked.

"Oh no. I'm a fan. I'm just contemplating the messiest things we can do."

I laughed. I laughed hard. "I love you."

Five minutes later, we were completely naked, rolling on the cardboard, smiling listening to it crunch between our writhing body weight. We kissed and fondled.

A drip of lube darkened a stripe of cardboard. Lance dripped more at my ass. He then slicked his hard cock. Another drop or two showed on the cardboard.

As he fucked me, we smiled at the silly crunch of our makeshift bedding.

"Oh yeah, baby," I said. "Make it crunch."

We chuckled in our lovemaking. There was no longer an apartment wall or neighbors overhearing to worry about. No Evan. It was our house. We had no curtains hung yet, so we made sure the room was dark as to not make a wrong first impression. If anyone were taking a night walk in front of the house, they probably could have heard the groaning and grunting and laughing. We were loud. We loved it.

"Fuck me, angel. Keep fucking me with that cock. Make us crunch louder."

We typically would have facial expressions indicating sexual pleasure. Tonight, we could make out our silly smiles in the darkened room. Never had sex been so humorous.

His rod rammed my hole. I placed my hands behind my head and just allowed him to use me. I didn't touch my own cock. It bobbed here and there as my husband fucked me in our new house. Our house. As if the sexual stimulation wasn't euphoric enough, knowing we now had a house was intoxicating. Suddenly the sex became more engaging. I loved watching him pound his thick erection into my body. His bush graced the underside of my balls. Lance was growling in his pleasure. Being fucked in a different location was titillating. It was our location. Our house.

"Oh yeah. Angel. OoooooOOOOooo. Keep fucking me."

"Ohhhh, Jakob. I'm so close."

"Yeah, angel, come for me."

Suddenly, I felt Lance pull out of me. I knew he hadn't come. I was confused. He quickly got to his knees. I watched as he grabbed his huge pole in the darkened living room. He moaned. He grunted loudly. Then with a sharp jerk and a loud cry, he came. I heard his cum land on the cardboard. That's what he was after. I quickly moved to clutch his ass cheek as line after line of cum hit the paper surface. He finished.

I was on my knees doing the same, masturbating my cock. I jerked for a couple of minutes. I put my hand through his legs and motioned him closer. I licked his balls as my arm churned my erection. Lance knew me well and could tell I was approaching climax by the sound of my moans.

"That's it, Jakob. Splatter it everywhere. This will really be amazing."

"Ohh. Ungh. Ungh. Ohhhhhhhhh."

"Come for me, hub."

"YeeeeeEEEAAHH!"

We listened for the loud crash of liquid hitting the cardboard, giggling at each crash. We laughed long after I finished coming.

We found our way into each other's arms at the edge of the cardboard. We kissed for several minutes.

With heavy breathing, Lance said, "I love you so much. And I'm exhausted. Let's go to bed."

I held him to me tonight in our new bedroom. I wondered how long we would stare at the new surroundings around us in the subtle light coming in the window. We were both asleep within two minutes.

"How well did you keep up those friendships after the move?"

"I think we did well," I answered. "We were certainly open to making new friends. Lance would soon meet members at the gym and get to know them. We also attended AA meetings in Von. At first, we felt we wouldn't find anyone as close as we had in Jackson Bend. But they came to know us. We were the only gay people at first. That made us feel a bit awkward in the beginning, but everyone was accepting. AA is. There was nothing off-putting. No one went out afterward like we did back home. That made it harder to meet new people more closely, but we made inroads."

"Did anyone come visit?"

"Oh yes," I said, lighting up. "Mike and Trent did about every other month, and we would go to their place in the months between. Cooper and Laramie. Evan has visited a couple of times, once with a girlfriend. And Friendsgiving was just four weeks after the move. We were at Mike and Trent's new place, and it was even bigger than the first year. It wasn't quite as moving to me. That first year was centered around Tyler, and I saw my mother for the first time in almost 10 years, so that was really emotional. But we still had an extraordinary evening. Near the end, Trent even played the piano. Several of us sang. He also wrote a new song dedicated to friendship. I loved it. He's very talented. Everyone was so glad to see us again."

"And your store opened around then."

"Well, Marshall's store. I was only 10-percent owner. The hiring process was interesting. At first, I was nervous. I really wanted the best employees, but how does one know, you know? It's a small staff, but I really wanted a good one. The week before opening, I wrestled with being `authoritative' or friendly. I wanted to guide them. I think we clicked. It was my goal to make them feel valued. Weddings aren't as prevalent in the winter, so we concentrated on holiday sales. I figured we would slump in January, but the store stayed busy. Marshall was quite happy."

"Was it different being the boss?"

"Oh for sure. Marshall taught me well, but I loved having free reign to make the displays I wanted. The space in Von is a good location. I like the energy with the businesses around us. Crestview Street was blossoming. I made an effort to get to know all the shop owners and restaurants right away. We built a fast rapport.

"Jakob! How are you, my friend?" Mr. McCowan said as I entered his restaurant.

"I'm good. How is your week going?"

"Quite well. Is it just you today or will anyone be joining you?"

"It's just me. I'll sit at the bar."

It's ironic that I sit at the bar, being a recovered alcoholic. At least the bartenders know that and treat me accordingly. I had loved Larkspur since the day it opened. It was my first big project as the store manager. I was proud of the décor and how it turned out. The review of the place focused on the food, as one would expect, but at least commented on the restaurant's pleasing atmosphere. The color palette of the dining room was stunning in my opinion. The shades of purple worked well with the touches of deep green. The lighting fixtures were modern yet still elegant.

"Jakob, how are you?" the bartender asked. "Iced tea to get you started?"

"Sure, Ray. Thanks. I don't need a menu. I'll do the raspberry and blue salad."

I liked it when Ray was on shift. He was one of the gay staff. Not that that made any big difference, but Lance and I knew so few gay people in Von, it was nice to have that subtle connection.

"I haven't seen Lance in a while. When are you going to bring that handsome hunk in again?"

"He is overdue. Of course, he'd say you could always join the gym and see him there."

"Yeah, yeah." Ray winked at me.

Halfway through my salad, I looked up to see Mr. McCowan sitting down on the stool next to me.

"You know, Jakob, now that Fire Gallery is open, we have a nice diversity of shops, stores and restaurants on this street," he said. "How's the salad?"

"Good," I said with my mouth full.

"We should get the managers together and begin thinking up a marketing strategy to promote Crestview Street as a destination. You know what I mean. Not just one individual store or restaurant, but the cohesive offerings in one place."

"I agree. It's about time we get around to it."

"The area businesses began to develop a relationship with the mayor and other city officials. And to be honest, several city officials' wives. We were in an up-and-coming area. It was not a competitive atmosphere on the street. It was very collaborative. We supported each other because we knew it would be healthy for all of us. While Lance and I did get to know some people at AA eventually, these businesses were some of the first friendships I made in Von. I like visiting with people, and there were some really nice folks on the street. Men and women, a nice mix of ethnicities, as well as someone gay here or there. Good people."

"Did you have any problems getting the new store up and running?"

"No. Well, I wish I had ... Actually, no. It was fine. I started to say I should have stayed another day or two as we got closer to Christmas, but ... looking back, I didn't regret it. Lance was very disappointed that we were apart the year before. That was our first Christmas. I missed seeing his family. Going to his family took me away from the store a day or two sooner than I would have wanted, but my staff was still great. We had solid sales up through Christmas Eve, so I shouldn't have cared too much. We were off to a good start, so I threw a holiday party for the staff on December 30.

"Oh, this is going to be the best Christmas ever," Lance's mother said as she hugged the stuffing out of me. "Welcome, welcome. Come on in."

"I tell you, she loves you more than me," Lance joked.

"Oh pooh," she said, giving Lance a big hug. "Just get in here."

Mrs. Wheeling shut the door. Lance's father entered the room. I loved watching Lance light up when he saw his father. I was so envious. I was lucky to get my dad to shake my hand. I knew I would never experience this at the Morgan household, but at least I did get to see family again after all that time apart. That was something. We had committed Thanksgiving to my family, so Lance's parents were the call for Christmas, although we would pop in at my old home for dinner the evening of Christmas Day on our way back. It was a little out of the way, but Lance insisted we spend time with my family too.

"So, how's the married couple?" Oliver, Lance's brother, said, entering the room from the kitchen. He had a slice of cake half eaten. A bit of chocolate frosting was smeared near the edge of his mouth.

"We're good. I think we've both adjusted to our new jobs. I know about half our members at the gym. I've encouraged several gift memberships for the holidays, so I think we'll improve as the New Year starts. New Year's resolutions always help," Lance said.

Oliver's arms were preoccupied with cake, but I gave him a hug anyway. He looked a bit startled, but he smiled back. Lance thumped him on the head.

"Can I get you boys some cake or pumpkin pie?" Mrs. Wheeling asked.

"I'm good for now, Mom, but thank you," I said.

She always smiled when I called her "Mom."

"Do you have whipped cream?" Lance asked.

"Of course."

"Then I'll have a slice of pumpkin."

"Fine, make it two," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Coming right up," she said, whisking away, excited to bring sweets to her sons.

I had known her less than two years, barely a year and a half. It was astounding how I had grown to love this woman so much. I had no idea why she took such a liking to me. Lance had always told me he felt a little closer to his father, but she was wonderful to me. I kind of think she saw Lance was happier. She must have given me credit for that.

I went to stand in front of the fireplace. Mr. Wheeling had a nice fire going. It just seemed so quintessential to the holiday. Since last year, the pop and crackle reminded me of New Year's Day at the lake house. Lance, Trent, Mike and I all lied around naked. I wasn't sure if that would be repeated this year, but we had the lake house again. I couldn't wait for it.

I felt a pair of arms wrap around me from behind. At first, I assumed it was Lance, but I heard his father's voice.

"We are so delighted to have you with us this Christmas, son. Thank you for making the time to come. I know it was probably hard with the new store and everything."

"Thanks, Dad. I debated. But ... I wanted to be here. It was important to me ... and Lance," I told Mr. Wheeling. "I've been here less than five minutes and I'm already happy. Incredibly happy."

"We are too. We love you both." He let go of his hug. "He hasn't messed anything up in his first two months of marriage, has he?"

I laughed. "No, not yet. How could he? He was raised by an incredible father."

Mr. Wheeling turned me around and gave me a proper hug.

"Pie!" Mrs. Wheeling said, handing me a plate.

It was the middle of the afternoon, so we all sat around and visited a while. Each of us talked about our jobs, the Wheelings talked about some interesting cases they had this year, as well as things that happened in the town. We talked about going to see some Christmas lights following dinner along with staying up late to play cards. Conversation was just about anything. We all shared this and that.

Except for Oliver. He listened. But he didn't say much.

Later that afternoon, Mrs. Wheeling pulled me aside. She pulled out a box.

"I have some random things here. I thought maybe you'd help me make a centerpiece to the dinner table."

"Oooo, I'd love that, Mom. Let's work on it together."

There was a hodge podge of ornaments, garland, candles, pinecones and other bits. I asked if she had a few other items we could use.

I went into the living room to ask Lance if he would help set the table. His mother went in to start making dinner preparations. His dad then went to help her. Oliver continued to watch television.

"Wow, hub! You two have done this in the last hour?"

"Yeah. What do you think?"

"It's wonderful. Really, it's beautiful, but still ... Christmas. I love it."

"I think she does too," I whispered.

Down the middle of the table were three main centerpieces. The two at each end were clear glass bowls that had been filled with an assortment of pinecones, a mixture of nuts in their shells, a few sprigs of faux holly, cinnamon sticks, small oranges and a few ornaments. In the center was an old child's toy truck. It was large.

"My grandfather gave that to me when I was little."

"I know. I had seen it on a previous visit on the top shelf in your father's office. We filled it with those Christmas items. The placemat is supposed to look like a road it's driving on. I'm not sure if that fully comes off."

"It does," said Lance.

In the center of the truck bed were small Christmas trees folded from green wrapping paper with other small boxes we folded from various wrapping papers. From the chandelier were the rest of the ornaments all suspended from filament at different heights. A pairing of candles between the three centerpieces would offer glowing light. Sprigs of holly at their bases helped unify everything.

"Oh, I'm sure you've made her day with all this."

"I think her day was made when all her family was finally here," I said.

"And that includes you," Lance said, holding me in his arms. "You're a part of this family, babe."

"Now that Lance and I were married, balancing the holidays between the two families was a trick."

"As it is with all married couples," Trevor added.

"I'm sure. I actually felt more at home with his family than mine, but we still made sure to visit with mine too on those occasions."

"Was he comfortable with your family?"

"Comfortable? I guess, to a degree. But actually, yeah. Dad has always been tricky. He's gotten a bit better, but my sister and mother loved Lance from the start. He can always feel welcome with them. But our visits are shorter with my family. We take it in small doses. But with his family ... it's heaven.

Oliver was ahead, but I had a good hand. This was my chance. All I needed was for Lance to discard the right card.

There it was. I not only went down, I played my whole hand. I had caught Oliver with all his cards.

"You dog!" Oliver screamed. "I swear you and Lance are in cahoots."

The whole table laughed.

"Sorry, Oliver."

"Right at the very end. You are an evil one, Jakob," Oliver moaned.

I went over and hugged him in his chair. I could tell he hated it. But I could tell he loved it. It was one of the biggest smiles he gave the whole day, after the painful grimace, of course.

It was after 11. The parents said they were turning in. The three of us stayed up a little longer, checking on the fire and letting it go out.

"Is it okay if I get a beer?" Oliver asked.

"You don't have to ask us for permission, but it is sweet of you to care. So, thanks," Lance said. "It's completely fine."

"Mom and Dad think I'm a dick for bringing it into the house in front of you."

"Oh, please. You're a way bigger dick for far worse things than that."

I laughed as I saw a pillow being thrown at Lance's head.

A minute later, Oliver came back with a bottle. He offered to get us something, but we were fine. Lance asked me if I wanted cocoa, but I knew I had had enough sugar and calories for the day. And we had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day still to go.

"You did a nice job with the table, Jakob. I could tell Mom loved it," Oliver said.

"Oh. Thanks. I hope so."

"Other than cards, you've been pretty quiet tonight, brother. Are you okay?" Lance asked. "You didn't say anything at all when we went to look at lights."

Oliver was silent for a long moment. "M'okay."

"That was convincing," Lance said sarcastically.

"I should just keep my mouth shut."

I looked at Lance and he looked at me. We wondered if we should pursue it.

"Spill," Lance said.

"You guys are ... sometimes hard to be around."

"Us??" we both said.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked.

"Oh hell no. You two are perfect. You're the chosen ones."

"What does that mean?" Lance asked.

"Nothing. Never mind."

I could tell Lance was indecisive. He wasn't sure to explore further or to just drop it. Mentally, I made a prediction. I gave him a minute, two max, before he brought it up again.

Forty seconds later, he asked, "What do you mean chosen ones?"

"I shouldn't have brought it up."

"But you said it. Spill."

"Mom just fawns over Jakob. Dad lights up when he sees you. You two seem to be their dream children. If you figured out a way to give them grandchildren, they'd probably have an orgasm in front of you."

I slightly suppressed a chuckle.

"Are you insinuating they like us better than you?" Lance pursued.

"Not necessarily. It just ... sometimes seems that way. But I know I just see it that way. You two are so ... fucking happy all the time, you are just magically sparkly to be around," Oliver said, flittering his fingers through the air. "I'm not."

"Magically sparkly."

"Oh c'mon. As we were driving around to look at lights, the two of you are holding hands in the car."

"Is that bad?" Lance defended.

"No, it's not bad. It's just ... it's just ... happy ... fucking happy." Oliver got quiet. Then he almost inaudibly mumbled, "And I'm not."

"Why not?" Lance asked. "What's wrong?"

"I have no idea. Work doesn't suck, I just don't enjoy it. I'm not seeing anyone — not that a person HAS to be seeing someone — but it would be nice if someone were interested. And as grossed out as I am about the guy-on-guy love ..." Oliver turned to me, "No offense." He looked back at Lance. "... I'd kill to feel what you two feel."

Oliver sucked down the last swallow of beer. He went through that fast.

"Not the sex part, of course. If I touched another guy's dick, I'd die. But the ... you guys are so fucking happy ... and it came to you so easy."

Somehow, I got the picture this wasn't Oliver's first beer, but I'm not sure how I couldn't have seen him have one before.

"Easy? Not so much. I became an alcoholic, remember? I wrecked my car, could have killed myself, remember?" Lance said in rebuttal.

"And I got kicked out of my house as a teenager. Sexually abused by roommates. I finally had to move out and was briefly homeless before living in a shelter. Lance and I may have been there for each other, but it wasn't like life was bliss the whole time. Relationships take some work."

"That's what Xavier said. You remember him, don't you?"

"Sexy redhead?" Lance said.

"Barf. Yeah, him. I went to see him in San Francisco. I wasn't sure how I'd do staying at their place, but his boyfriend ... partner ... fiancé ... WHATever ... was so incredibly nice, too. They are getting married next year. It just seems so easy for you guys." Oliver went quiet a second. "I'm going to get another beer."

"Wait, Oliver," Lance said, reaching out to grab his arm.

"Don't let that be a go-to response for anything. Okay?" Lance said, locking eyes with Oliver. "Please? Sit down, please?"

Oliver did.

"Oh, Xavier did say to say `hi' to you. Here's a picture of him and his ... WHATever. Guy."

We both leaned in to look at Oliver's phone. Xavier's red hair sharply contrasted his fiancé's blonde hair. The two of them were a gorgeous couple.

"Yum," Lance and I both said together.

"Ugh! Stop," Oliver groaned. We both giggled.

"Evan has kind of gone through this a bit," Lance told Oliver. "Today is just a day. This is just one moment in time. Right now isn't forever." Lance looked at me. "Except us. We're forever." He leaned in for a kiss.

"Swell!! Thanks," Oliver moaned.

Lance stood up and grabbed my hand, pulling me up.

"You'll meet someone. The most important thing is to meet the right one. Sometimes that means opening yourself up though. Make sure you can do that."

"Hmm."

"Goodnight, brother," Lance said as we headed toward the guest room.

"Hey, Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"Dad has mentioned things I said when you were a kid could have been hurtful. I hope you know I didn't mean that. I had no idea you were gay."

"I know. I'm okay." Lance kissed Oliver on the top of his head.

"Don't do that," Oliver softly protested.

"Good night, Oliver," I said, and we turned in.

—

I felt a hand slide underneath the waistband of my briefs. Lance felt my cock to see if I was hard. I was but had to pee. I looked at the clock. 7:12.

"Sleep okay?" he mumbled to me.

He groped my penis as we made simple conversation. I let a finger trace the magnificence of his gigantic erection.

"It will be difficult, but I will wait until Christmas night to have sex," he told me.

We both got up and put on our new matching pajamas. He let me pee first in the hallway bathroom. I came back and pulled on a Grinch shirt. Minutes later, we both entered the kitchen. Lance had pulled on the debate shirt he had loaned to me when I first spent the night the year before.

Both his parents said, "Good morning." They noticed our matching pajamas.

"Oh, aren't you too adorable. I love it," his mother said.

We each had pancakes and raspberries that his mother had made. We talked of the day's plans.

As we took our plates to the sink, Oliver stumbled in, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He saw the two of us in our matching pajamas.

"Oh, gawd. You two are just so precious, it's nauseous."

I wisely didn't share that Mike and Trent had a matching pair.

"Good morning, Oliver," I said in a sugary, sweet "sparkly" way.

I gave him a tight hug. I knew he hated it. I knew he loved it.

"I'll hop in the shower first, Lance," I said.

"The holidays I loved as a kid had come alive again. Not only because I had my family back after being ... estranged, but now I had twice the family. Not everyone clicks well with their in-laws, but I did. I am so grateful that they accepted me. They loved me. Considering I was homeless when his father met me, I thought that was pretty gracious on their part."

"You're correct there. That isn't always the case," Trevor said.

"His brother Oliver had a homophobic side to him, but he was ... he came around. He could tell the two of us were insanely happy, so I think that helped evolve his opinion. Homosexuality wasn't this distant, bizarre, foreign concept. We were there right before his eyes. He even indicated he was jealous of how happy we were."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Odd. Clearly, life had turned around. I was in a good place. I was in an incredible place. But all those bad years ... it still astonished me that anyone could ever be jealous of me. It all changed so fast looking back. It didn't seem so at the time. But that also frightens me sometimes. I worry it can change back that fast too. Nothing is a guarantee."

"That's unlikely, but you're right. The future has no guarantees."

I gave my mother and Teresa a hug. Keaton even hugged both of us. That meant a lot to me. I noticed Lance held him just a bit longer than he did my mother and sister. Not really long, but I could tell. I could see Keaton's arms squeeze him a bit tighter before they let go. Lance and I shook my father's hand, and we made our way to the car for the final drive home.

By the time we entered the house, we were quite tired. The Christmas tree welcomed us back home. It would still be lit almost two more hours before the timer would turn it out.

"I'm super tired," Lance said. He held me in his arms. "How would you feel about opening gifts in the morning?"

"I'm okay with that."

"My best Christmas gift isn't even under the tree," he said, staring into my eyes.

"It could be," I said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Remember making love under that small tree in your bedroom last year. Our first Christmas?"

"Oh yeah."

"It could be our Christmas tradition."

"I love you, hub."

We stood kissing in the foyer of our home. We held each other, admiring the glow of the tree.

After dragging the luggage into the house, we agreed unpacking could wait until tomorrow too. Lance placed a blanket at the foot of the tree, spreading it out.

"I think it has been a whole week since I've been able to make love to you," he softly said to me.

We stood in the middle of the living room and kissed. As we did, I could feel his fingers unbuttoning my shirt.

"A whole week," I whispered. "You poor baby."

We kissed some more. I pulled his shirt over his head. We kissed some more. Both of us ran our fingers along the skin of each other's backs as we continued passionate kissing. As I felt his tongue move into my mouth, we began to moan in our heavy breathing and kissing. Our hands unfastened each other's jeans. I was the first to thrust my hand into his pants. It was waiting. He was waiting. Love was waiting.

We moved to the floor. He pulled my remaining clothing off my legs. My husband threw it all to the side of the tree. I felt his mouth engulf my cock. Lance sucked on its firmness for a couple of minutes. I pulled him from my hips and wrestled his jeans off his body. Naked, we kissed. I'm positive neither of us could say for how long. We were lost in our togetherness. His lips pressed to mine were filled with lust. I reached for his cock. It was enormous.

We had no lube near us. We simply positioned to orally take one another. As his huge dick thrust into my mouth, I loved savoring its warmth. It had been several days since I had tasted his flesh. I inhaled deeply to take in the scent of my husband. I breathed him in as I felt his tongue dance with my cock inside his mouth. We breathed deeply, we hummed and moaned, we grunted into each other's flesh. The two of us on the blanket smelled like men. We sounded like men. We felt like men.

My hand groped his butt cheeks firmly. I pulled him on top of me, and we serviced each other's erections with our bodies stacked horizontally. I had greater freedom to explore his backside. Both my hands gripped his ass. I let one finger explore his crevice until it teased his hole. He moaned in approval.

We sucked and rolled for several minutes. The magic of the experience was our hands. Our touch conveyed so much. I could feel Lance's love as he caressed my skin. His hands roamed my body, electrifying the surface. They enflamed his passion as well. I could tell through his moaning around my pole that he was nearing his climax. I took my mouth off his cock, trying to elongate the moment. He continued to suck me fiercely. I played with his balls with my tongue. My finger returned to his hole and entered just a few millimeters. He groaned louder at that.

With my mouth off his cock, I called out, "Oh angel, you make my entire body feel so good. Hold me tight, squeeze me."

His arms wrapped around my torso tighter. He sucked on me harder. I groaned in ecstasy. I wasn't there but was escalating toward my climax.

"Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Suck me, honey. Oh angel. Suck my cock. Just like that."

I placed my mouth back on his erection. I felt his hum reverberate through my dick. We both were close but held on a couple more minutes. His tongue became a gymnast, twisting its way around my shaft. The tip of tongue toyed with my most sensitive spot. The sensations in my groin were radioactive. I ached to come.

It was too much. It built within me. I screamed into his cock, my mouth sealing the volume around its single audience member.

The fountain burst. It felt intense. I covered Lance's throat with my cum. I moaned around his cock. It was a whimpering cry of pleasure. I kept coming. My hips thrust further into his mouth. I was wriggling and writhing and shuddering until my orgasm finished.

I went limp.

Lance took his mouth off my cock. "You're amazing. That felt like a lot."

"Well, it has been a week."

We sat up, legs crossed. We leaned in to kiss each other. I could find evidence of my cum still inside his mouth with my tongue. He grabbed my head and ran his fingers through my hair, pressing my lips further onto his. My hand pulled on his cock. Vigorously. Energetically. Fiercely. Powerfully. Forcefully. His fingers squeezed my hair.

"Mmmm. I'm gonna come," he moaned into his kiss.

I pushed him down and rushed my mouth to take his cock again.

"Oh, hub. Oh baby. OH JAKOB. YEAH! Suck me. SUCK ME!! OH FUCK, YES!"

His thick cum burst inside my mouth. My tongue was coated. My throat was coated. Lance bucked his hips shoving more of his cock into my face. He groaned one last time. His body went still.

"OHHHHHhhhhhhhhh, wow." He breathed.

We rolled into each other's arms and gave a quick kiss.

"Nothing under the tree can compare to the gift you are to me," Lance whispered in my ear. "Your love is the best thing to ever happen to me. Ever. I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

We pulled each side of the blanket over our bodies forming a cocoon. We held each other and glanced at the lights of the tree. Then we shut our eyes and enjoyed our embrace. I felt one of his hands pet the hair on my chest.

"You don't have chest hair for me in one of those boxes do you," he said childlike.

"What?"

"I wish I had chest hair."

"Oh, angel, you have quite enough going for you. I love your body just as it is. You're perfect."

"It's no wonder we sicken Oliver."

We both laughed. Then we squeezed each other tighter.

One of Lance's hands moved from my back to my ass cheek. He gripped it tightly. I nuzzled his neck.

"I think it was a pretty good Christmas. Awesome, actually. Were you happy?" I asked.

"My best one ever. You were a part of the family. We saw your family and we have our first in our own house. How could it not be the best ever? And I have a husband! It's been an entire year of gifts."

It had been. Repressed thoughts of Kody and Gunner and Victor had totally withered into dust during the year. I felt I had it all.

We kissed again. For several minutes, our lips pressed into each other sensually, randomly pausing to whisper, "I love you."

"Right after Valentine's Day, I saw the first sign of an issue."

"An issue with ...?" Trevor asked for clarification.

"Von. The city had been great. Our lives had been going great. But I had my first problem."

"What was it?"

"All the businesses on Crestview Street met together to brainstorm some marketing ideas for the spring and summer. Unfortunately, we met our first adversary."

"What went wrong?"

"I won't say which store, but the owner was hesitant to bring in anyone other than the conservative customer. He didn't like crowds, so the ideas of festivals or events didn't interest him."

"What happened?"

"We kind of continued with our ideas, but we could feel his resistance. After a while, he excused himself. We all sort of stared at each other. It was only the beginning."

* * * *

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