This is part twelve of my continuing story.
If you'll indulge me, I want to take a moment to show my appreciation to everyone who's written me, my new friends and especially my constant supporters in this amateur's endeavor. That being said, thanks to Alec, Denny, D.F., E.G., Firesong, Jared, Jeff, Kevin, Lauren, Matt, Matt (VP), Matty, Rachel, Scotty, Tom, Tonny, and of course, Yuli. winded Good grief there's a lot of Matts around here :) Seriously, they've taken the time to give me the feedback which makes me a better writer, so I owe the world to them. In addition, many of them are fantastic writers whose stories I never miss. If you haven't had the pleasure, I implore you to make time--it will be well worth your efforts.
In keeping with the traditions I've made for myself, it's time to thank D. He's a wonderful friend and as much an inspiration as a peer. I always recommend that people read his story ("Brian and Me" for those rare few who aren't in the know). This time, if you don't, you may miss something :) He and I have, for some time now, been contemplating a crossover, and we've finally made it a reality. Please let us both know how we're doing and forgive our mutilation of the French language.
WARNING: This story is sexually-explicit (this one actually is, so bear with my novice attempts), involving homosexuality. Do not continue if this will offend you. If accessing this story causes you to break local laws, please leave now. By continuing , you implicitly declare and affirm under penalties of perjury that you are not a minor or in the company of a minor and are entitled to have access to sexually-explicit material. The content and opinions expressed in this story do not imply anything with regards to the sexual preferences of anyone mentioned herein. It is a work of fiction entirely. Having said that, enjoy the story.
JC looked at me questioningly, but whatever it was he was thinking, he kept it to himself. Though I was glad to not be explaining my psychological idiosyncrasies, I felt kind of bad that after how hard I was on him this morning, he didn't feel he could ask. I reached out and stroked his cheek with my hand. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch. I pulled him into a hug. "Thank you," I whispered.
"For what?" he returned.
Pulling away enough that I could look into his eyes, "For trusting me." I reached down and patted his hand, "Let's go eat."
He smiled at me, and then he kissed me. "Okay."
I drove us down to a hole-in-the-wall establishment I'd been coming to for years. Not a place for vegetarians, the menu included a salad, bread, potatoes, and meat--lots of meat. They would cook it for you, or you could cook it yourself. Kind of pointless, I thought. If I was going to grill, why exactly did I need to leave the house? Oh, well, I chose this place because it was dark as hell, and JC and I should be able to eat in relative peace.
We got a booth at the back of the restaurant, and luckily, it was fairly empty tonight, kind of strange for a Saturday night, but I wasn't complaining. We didn't really say much during the meal; we just ate and stared into each other's eyes. At this early stage of the relationship, everything was so new, and I was determined to savor every moment.
I commented on how good his filet looked, and he sliced off a piece and brought the fork to my mouth. It was too big, so I bit off a smaller portion. The remainder started to fall to the table, but JC managed to bring his free hand under it in time. He brought it to my lips, and I took it, grabbing his hand to keep it from withdrawing. I softly kissed his fingertips before leaning across the table to kiss him.
"Let's get out of here," I smiled. The grin on his face told me I wouldn't need to ask twice.
As we left the building, I thoroughly confused him when I led him not to the car parked across the street, but further down the sidewalk I squeezed his hand tightly and smiled at him, which he returned. I was beginning to feel guilty again. It was obvious that a thousand thoughts were crisscrossing his mind, but he remained silent. After a few blocks, we turned and walked towards the river.
When we reached the waterfront, I pulled off my socks and shoes. Rolling up my pants legs, I started walking along the cobblestones, finally resting at the edge. I sat, wading my feet in the water, waiting for JC to join me.
He sat directly behind me, his legs on either side of me, his hands on my waist, and his chin on my shoulder. I lackadaisically skipped stones across while he hummed softly in my ear. I felt completely safe in his arms; I felt like I could tell him anything.
"My father was an alcoholic," I told him matter-of-factly. I waited for some kind of response or acknowledgment, but instead, he continued to hum. I guess he was letting me run the conversation, explanation really, to whatever natural conclusion I was comfortable with. "I hated him from the first time I saw him drunk, and believe me, my opinion didn't change any the first time he hit me."
The humming in my ears stopped, and JC slid around to face me. I think he thought I'd be more emotional than I was. In truth, so did I on some level. "What happened?" he finally asked.
"What didn't?" I replied. "The first time I guess I was around eight. He was whipping me with a belt, but he wasn't just hitting me on the butt. He moved to my back and then my face. When I tried to grab the belt, he punched me in the face and broke my nose."
"Oh my God," JC mouthed.
"It gets worse," I confessed. "When I brought my hands up to cover my face, he told me to move them. When I didn't, he grabbed my arms and yanked them down. It broke my arm."
"What did you do?" he asked, tears streaming from his face.
"I blacked out," I answered honestly, "then I woke up at the children's hospital, a place I got intimately familiar with." Looking at his concern, I could tell what he was thinking. "It only happened a few more times. Next was the broken collarbone."
I paused when I saw him crying harder. I pulled him into an embrace. His nose was running, and he was apologizing profusely.
"Honey, you had nothing to do with this," I reassured him.
"I know. You've just had such a rough life, and I keep asking questions that dig up the past and open old wounds."
I wiped the newest tears from his cheeks with my thumbs. "It's okay. If I'm able, I'll tell you. Besides, as a certain meddlesome blonde told me recently, I've had my share of good things in my life, too." Pulling his chin up to face me, I added, "Not the least of which is you."
He leaned forward to kiss me innocently on the lips. I closed my eyes, and as he turned his head to the side and leaned against my shoulder, his fingers traced the nape of my neck to the collarbone I had just mentioned, still slightly crooked from where it had healed improperly. I breathed softly into his ear, "Do you want me to continue?"
"Only if you want to, Matt."
I intertwined his fingers with my own and brought them up to my temple. Massaging the scar we found there, I explained, "Cigar burn."
"What did your mother do during all of this?" he asked accusingly.
"Whoa, don't go making snap judgments. My mother had a real low self-image of herself in high school. Intelligent, overweight tomboys didn't go over that well in her day, so when she met my father, she was amazed that someone could love her for her. The drinking didn't come until much later. It was long after I was born and he had left the military."
"You're not answering my question."
"Patience," I smiled. "My mother tried to stop him when she found out, and when he ran over me, she left him."
"He ran over you?" JC shouted.
"Yeah, he went on a drinking binge, and when he ran out of booze, he went out for more. She tried to stop him, and he tore out of the driveway. Unfortunately, me and my bicycle happened to be at the end of that little stretch of pavement."
"Then what happened?" he asked, the sadness replaced by sheer shock.
"I woke up in the intensive care unit of the children's hospital. This time, I had a concussion, some broken ribs, and a back that had snapped in three places." I ran my fingers through my hair and motioned for him to do the same, which he did. "That's where the cervical tongs were stuck into my skull. They're . . . ."
"Really, I don't want to know about that part."
I smiled. "Anyway, with minimal gory detail, after multiple surgeries inserting steel rods into my spine, . . . ."
"I think I'm going to be sick," he interrupted, and he wasn't joking, he looked physically ill.
"Sorry," I pouted. "After several very long, excruciating months, I was walking again."
I could hear the gears turning in his head as he started putting the pieces together. "So when did your folks get back together?"
"Apparently, after the accident, my father checked himself into a long rehabilitation program. When he got out, they worked things out.," I explained.
"They worked things out?" he asked, shouting again.
"My mother asked me if she should take him back."
"Did you tell her 'Hell no?'"
I just smiled a half-smile at him, and he understood. "You didn't, did you? You told her to take him back."
"She loved him."
"And that excuses him for what he did to you?"
"No."
"Then why?" he wondered, obviously more confused than ever.
"My mother asked me if she could forgive her husband. Only she could answer that question. As for forgiving my father, I didn't, not then and not now."
"So what does he want now?"
"Couldn't tell you. When my mother died, he withdrew into himself. Later on, he just up and left during a pretty shitty time in my life. Neither the girls nor I heard anything from him after that. Until about six months ago, that is."
"Then what?"
"He called me at the hospital. I hung up on him. He called me at home. I hung up on him. He sent me e-mail. I deleted it. He sent me regular mail. I burned it."
"I get the picture, and I don't blame you in the least," he smiled, massaging the back of my neck.
"I know, and that's what I love about you," I smiled back, leaning forward to kiss him. "But," I added, "we'd better get home soon. It's almost dawn, and our privacy factor is pretty much gonna be out the window."
We drove back to my house with JC reclined in the passenger seat and me behind the wheel in quiet contemplation. He was now only the third person alive that I wasn't related to that I had ever told about my father. "Do you hate him?" he asked, finally breaking the silence. I was honestly surprised he was awake.
I smiled as I answered, "I don't think about him enough to hate him. I knew, even then, that when my mother was gone, there would be nothing to bind us together. I just didn't expect him to go out for a Sunday paper and never come back."
"Were you alone after that?"
"Kind of. I had the girls, though," I reassured him.
"You love them a lot, don't you?"
I smiled with contentment. "More than life itself. The two of them have made all of the rest worthwhile. I promised myself that I would give them a better father than I was given."
"For what it's worth," he grinned, "I think you've done a hell of a job."
"They have turned out pretty great, haven't they?" He nodded in response. "All in all, I think I've done a pretty decent job, and as for that whole cycle of violence nonsense, I can tell you unequivocally that I have never once even thought of raising my hand against either of them."
"The thought never even occurred to me," he smiled back.
I couldn't help but half-chuckle at him.
"What?" he wondered.
"Just happy," I answered. "Thank you."
JC looked at me with a confused expression, but he took my answer on faith. That was what I found so funny--how much faith other people had in me, more than I had in myself. I leaned in to kiss him. "Thank you," he smiled.
"Now that you know more than you could have possibly ever wanted to know about my dysfunctional family, tell me about yours."
"Not much to tell. I'm probably the most dysfunctional thing about it," he laughed. "My parents, Roy and Karen, still live in D.C. with my younger brother, Tyler, and my sister, Heather, who you've met."
"I like her," I added.
"The feeling's mutual--I can tell." He continued, "I was kind of a rambunctious little kid. I guess that came from trying to overcome my shyness. The only thing that I was completely comfortable with was singing. My mom kind of knew it, so when she heard about some open auditions in Orlando, I went down and tried out. I didn't make it, but I did get a call back when the new MMC was starting up. The rest, as they say, is history, I guess."
"Yeah. I looked up your bio on the web, and I . . . ."
"Aw, how sweet," he interrupted, batting his eyelashes.
"Keep it up, and you're sleeping alone."
"I'm sorry. Please continue," he told me innocently, acting as though nothing had happened.
I reached over and gently swatted him on the top of the head. "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," I announced, causing him to cower sheepishly, "I never knew all of those people had done so well after they left the show."
"Yeah. Jus and I, Keri, Britney, and Christina are probably the most in the public eye, but a ton of them have gone on to do other things. It was a lot of fun, and if it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do this."
"Then I'm glad you did it; otherwise, I wouldn't have met you," I smiled. "Is Justin dating Britney?" I pondered aloud, my mind wandering.
"Who are you, a gossip columnist? I'm kidding," he quickly added. "Yeah, but they're about as on-again, off-again as Kevin and Kathy seem to be."
"It seems like relationships between two people in the business would be tough," I commented.
"It is, but it's hard to meet people outside of it. Hell, I had to get hit by a car," he grinned.
"And if I'd known that was what it was going to take, I would have run over you a long time ago," I shot back.
We finally made it back to the house, and as I put the car in park, I looked over to find JC asleep. I helped him stumble into the house and led him to my bedroom. I stripped us both down to our boxers, and we slid beneath the sheets. I caressed the outside of his leg to see if he would rouse any. When that was to no avail, I wrapped my arms around him and resolved myself to think of the most sexually unappealing images I could muster. I succeeded and joined him in sleep.
The next morning (closer to afternoon, actually), I woke up, again before JC. This was no great shock, he liked to sleep more than anyone I'd ever met. Noticing the clock, I threw on some jeans and a sweatshirt so I could head down to the hospital. If I didn't do it today, I would likely be trying to do it when Kevin and the others were here, and I really didn't want to explain what was going on to them. I left JC a note so he wouldn't be worried.
"Josh, I'm going to the hospital to get that x-ray and lab work. I would have asked you to come with me, but for starters, you looked too cute to wake, and secondly, I didn't think seeing them stick needles in me would be real high on your things to do list. I'll be back soon. Love, Matt."
With a minimum of preamble, I drove down to the hospital and had the tests performed. I knew it would be a few days before the results came back, so I left as soon as David was done. Stopping in at a drive through, I picked up something for an early dinner before heading home.
When I got back to the house, I heard the shower running. Looking at my watch, I sincerely hoped he had not just woke up. I made a mental note to set an alarm before I left the next time. I dropped my keys onto the table, and pulled my sweatshirt over my head. Then I walked by the bedroom and threw my jeans on the bed. I walked into the bathroom, and shedding my boxers, I climbed into the shower with JC.
"I thought I heard you come in," he smiled, turning his head back to look at me. Kind of a wasted effort, since he had shampoo in his eyes.
"I'm glad. I'd hope a stranger getting in the shower with you would prompt more of a rise out of you."
"You know you're the only one who gets a rise out of me," he shot back.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Never mind. Forget I said anything, gutter-mind."
Even with his head stuck under the water, I could hear him laugh. I grabbed the soap and began lathering his back. "How come you didn't want me to go with you?"
"Would you really have wanted to see them draw fifteen tubes of blood before I was flat in a CT machine for over an hour?"
"Sure," he grinned.
"Sadist," I hurled.
"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me," he sang with a straight face.
Even I wasn't ready for that one. I stopped moving the bar along his back, my mouth wide open with shock. When I yanked myself back to reality, I smacked him on the back of the head. "Pervert."
"Ow," he laughed, rubbing the place on his scalp I'd probably bruised. "I heard that line in a movie I was watching about a month ago, and I couldn't resist," he explained, turning to face me.
"Try harder next time," I scolded.
"And what will you do if I don't?" he asked slyly.
"The better question is what won't I do," I answered maliciously, kissing his nose and getting out of the stall.
"You're no fun," he pouted.
"You better hope that's not true," I retorted over my shoulder.
I dried off fairly quickly since I wasn't as wet. Easing back into my boxers, I went back and grabbed the sacks from the table. I dropped onto the floor in front of the couch and retrieved a burger from the sack. I picked up a book from the end table that I hadn't noticed before. Glancing at the title, I realized Kathy must have brought it. Opening the cover and glancing at the inscription confirmed my suspicions.
I started reading with one hand and never took my eyes from the pages when I took a bite from the burger or grabbed some fries from the bottom of the sack where some universal law of physics guaranteed they would be. Reading as quickly as I do, I was sucked into the plot in no time, so much so that I didn't even hear JC approach.
"Reading 'Blue Sky'?" he asked, vigorously rubbing the towel across his hair.
Looking up over the top of the book, I surmised that the cover of the book would be facing him directly. I started to make some smartass comment about pointing out the obvious, but apparently JC saw it coming. He held his hands up in surrender. "Question withdrawn."
"Burgers and fries are on the table. Drinks are in the fridge."
"Okay," he mouthed silently. Catching that in the corner of my eye. "Sorry, hon. This book has got me spellbound, and I don't want to put it down."
"It's okay," he replied, coming back with his food. He sat down behind me on the couch and clicked on the television. "Judging by how far you are into it already, I don't think I'll have to keep myself entertained long."
I leaned my head straight back, and he bent forward slightly to kiss me. "I'll entertain you later," I grinned seductively.
"Promises, promises," he smiled, turning his attention back to the screen.
I finally finished reading sometime later. Glancing over my shoulder, I fully expected to find JC fast asleep. Instead, he was propped up on one arm, looking at me instead of the movie.
"What are you doing?" I wondered aloud.
"Just watching you," he answered simply.
"Well stop it. It's creeping me out. I might get the wrong idea and think you were just after my body or something," I teased.
"Something like that," he smiled, rolling off of the couch and on top of me. He dropped his head in front of mine and began kissing me deeply. He moved one arm underneath me and my neck with the other. I stroked my thumbs down his back before sliding my hands into his boxers. I pulled his body flush against me.
Using my weight advantage, I rolled us over in one solid mass. I leaned back from his embrace and smiled. Hooking my fingers in his waistband, I yanked off his underwear in one solid motion. Diving back onto his mouth, I kissed him as I brought one hand up, stroking his inner thighs and finally coming to rest on his groin. As I tightened my grip, he inhaled sharply and arched his back with enough force to lift me further from the carpet.
With my other hand, I began exploring his body. I wound my fingers through his hair before gently brushing across the scab at the hairline. With each squeeze by my other hand, I could feel the ridges in his brow as it furled. Pausing at the alternating feelings of coarseness and softness at his brow, I tore myself from his mouth. We both took a much-needed breath while I gingerly kissed at the lids which protected those eyes that seemed to see right through me.
I resumed my previous path and moved to his nose, playfully snapping at the tip, which brought a smile to his face as my fingers caressed the strong cheekbones and chiseled jaw. I jerked his head suddenly to one side, not enough to be threatening, but enough to catch him off-guard. I lapped my tongue in his ear before working my way around the lobe. I could feel his bated breaths brushing against my own ear. I softly stroked his lips with my fingers, but each time I felt his skin, he either kissed them or took them into his mouth.
I pressed firmly on his chin, hyperextending his neck, exposing the vulnerable nape. Alternating kissing and tenderly biting, I knew he was smiling because I could feel the dimples form beneath my touch. I softly tugged on his Adam's apple before moving further down his chest.
With one hand gripping his shoulder, I dragged my tongue across the crevice between his pecs. I turned my head and laid it flat over his sternum. I listened to the soft resonance of his heartbeat and watched in quiet fascination as his chest rose and fell with each breath.
Meanwhile, his nipple brushed against my nose, tickling the flesh found there. I moved to the new area, caressing the areola with my mouth. Making sweeping circles of alternating sizes, I finally took the hypersensitive mound into my pursed lips. Flicking my tongue against it, I gently tugged with my teeth, even lovingly gnawing with the rest of my mouth.
I abruptly withdrew and descended upon the other side, repeating my movements. I then glazed the underside of each breast with my own saliva before moving on to greener pastures, so to speak. With my occupied hand, I used a single finger to stroke his perineum, occasionally striking the ridge with my nail. His ecstatic moans urged me forward.
With each contraction of his body, his otherwise flat stomach hardened into a rigid washboard. I intently grazed at each ripple with my mouth, savoring the still-damp texture. I trailed further down to his abdomen, where I allowed my tongue to drizzle into his navel. Swirling after to reclaim the fluid, each brush against his stomach forced him to writhe uncomfortably.
Continuing to track the near-invisible trail of hairs leading to his nether regions, I paused to rest in the dark thatch just above the next object of my affection. I inhaled deeply, taking in his shower-clean scent. I turned to face away from him, and while his hair brushed along my ear, I dragged my coarse five o'clock shadow across his tender inner thighs. He gasped and tried to pull away, but when I cradled his sac next to the soft nape of my neck, he relaxed.
I turned to look at his groin directly when we both heard the distinct sound of a key in the front door. "I have REALLY got to get those locks changed," I forced myself to laugh aloud.
Suddenly very conscious of his nudity, JC sprang to his feet and sprinted for the bedroom, and while Kathy had seen me in my boxers on more than one occasion, there was a little bit more to see of me at the moment. I climbed onto the couch and pulled the blanket over my bent knees.
Kathy walked in with her typical buoyant fashion. "Hi, guys, did you miss me?"
"Yeah, I guess my aim was off," I bit sarcastically, cursing her timing.
"They did always say you could go blind from all that 'frustration,'" she hurled.
Rolling my eyes, "Speaking of frustrations, did you need something?" I asked through my best fake smile.
"Yes, dear," she purred. "I need you to pick up the guys at the airport tomorrow."
"And the reason you can't is . . . what exactly?"
"The guys' flight lands at 1:04 p.m.. Guess who doesn't get off work until one?" she rhetorically asked as she stuck her hand into the sack from earlier, withdrawing some French fries.
"If I agree to this, will you leave?" I pleaded, laughing at the absolute absurdity of the moment. When she exclaimed, "Ooh, burgers," all I could muster was a defeated "I guess not."
She frowned at me. "You really know how to make a girl feel loved."
"Did you ever come to the wrong place," JC chuckled as he entered the room, tucking his button-down shirt into his jeans before I could even utter a witty repartee.
"Well," I began, "seeing as how a quick exit doesn't seem to be in your immediate future, I think I'll excuse myself long enough to throw on some clothes."
"Don't get dressed on my account," Kathy smirked.
JC dropped onto the couch as I stood. "Watch it," he told her. I smiled and walked to the bedroom.
Picking up my sweatshirt, I started looking around for my jeans. A smile forced its way across my face when I realized why I couldn't find them--JC was wearing them. "Two can play at this game," I thought to myself as I eased into his shorts. When I walked back to the den, JC returned my smile when he noticed what I was wearing.
"Anyway," she continued when she saw me come in, "I'll meet you guys there as soon as I get off work. Knowing the airline schedules, I should be there when they land, but just in case, I want you there so they're not stranded in unfamiliar territory."
"I take it I'm supposed to recognize them when I see them?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.
She smiled. "Look for the people trying hard not to be noticed. Failing that, Kevin knows what you looks like."
Slightly taken aback, "He does?"
"Yes, there's this marvelous new invention called a camera. It takes pictures."
"Droll, very droll," I remarked, cutting JC a nasty look when he started to laugh. "No fair. I've never met him, but he knows all about me."
She laughed. "Pretty much, but he's a big enough person not to hold it against you."
"Look, size queen, I didn't ask you about his measurements," I retaliated, pleased with myself.
"Hell, I will," JC chimed in. He barely kept a straight face when he asked, "What's his girth?"
Kathy and I were both stunned to speechlessness. I came around first and snapped my fingers in front of her field of vision. "Do you have the rest of the flight information?" I asked, trying to refocus the whole point of this visit and completely ignore my crude boyfriend..
"Yeah, it's Northwest Flight 0802."
"Okay, now that you've told me, can you leave now?" I teased.
"You're really starting to annoy me," she frowned, pointing her index finger at me.
"Aw, don't go away mad, just go away," I mocked.
Rolling her eyes, "Okay, I know when I'm licked."
"Ew, mental image--yuck. That's enough to swear me off women forever," JC added, retching.
"Oh, yeah, there's a lifestyle change," Kathy retaliated and laughed. "But I see that I'm not wanted."
"'I see,' said the blind man," I laughed, knowing Kathy was enjoying playing chaperone.
She stuck out her tongue. "Don't say it if you don't mean it," JC smiled.
"Both of you might seriously want to consider keeping your day jobs, because comedy is lost on the both of you," she sighed.
"As 'goodbye' is on you," I elaborated.
"Whatever," she snapped with the "talk to the hand" gesture. "Bye, guys. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye," we said in unison as I leapt to my feet so I could chain the door behind her.
With a seductive smile, JC made his way over to me. "I think the phrase you used last time was 'where were we?'"
I grabbed the belt loops of his, or rather, my jeans and pulled him snug next to me. "I'm sure I can find where we left off," I smiled.
"I'm even more sure that you'll find something," he smiled back, staring down his crotch, swelling against my leg.
I kissed him deeply before moving to his neck, unbuttoning his shirt the whole time, but when I reached the top of his jeans, I didn't untuck it. Instead, I pushed it from his shoulders, trapping his arms beside him. I walked around behind him and kissed the other side of his neck. Caressing his upper arms, I led him back to the bedroom and pinned him against the bed by planting one knee on the mattress. He hooked his neck backwards to try and look at me, but I had already moved between his shoulder blades.
Gently dragging my lips down to the small of his back, I ripped the shirt out of his pants and finished removing it. I slid my hands around his waist. He giggled and told me I was tickling him. I dropped to my knees while my fingers wrestled with the fly of the jeans. I finally succeeded in unfastening the buttons, so I began easing the denim down the firm globes, playfully kissing and biting the exposed flesh. I abruptly spun him around and pushed him onto the bed.
I climbed between his legs and peeled the jeans off of him. I started towards him when the phone rang. I started laughing, but JC was on the verge of tears. "There is no God," he moaned.
"That's not something a good Catholic boy should say," I smiled, climbing atop him to kiss his lips while I reached for the phone.
"That's just it. I'm trying very hard, pardon the pun, not be such a good Catholic boy at the moment," he keened.
"Give me thirty seconds, and we'll find out just how good you can be," I consoled him, my eyebrow raised sardonically, as I pressed the "talk" button. "Hello."
"I forgot to tell you . . . ."
"Kathy, you haven't been gone but a few minutes, whatever this is, it can wait until morning," I cut in.
"I just wanted to let you know that Nick decided not to come. I'm not really sure why, and neither was Kevin. He thought Brian and Nate knew more, but they weren't . . . ."
"Kathy!"
"Sorry. Just letting you know to look for one less person tomorrow at the airport."
"And . . . ?"
"I take it I interrupted something," she audibly smiled.
"Just take it somewhere else, and spare me the surprise act," I begged.
"Okay, okay. Goodnight, bitch," she laughed, disappearing into the dial tone.
I looked at JC with a knowing expression. Still laying against him, I kissed his cheek before reaching down beside the bed. His eyes followed my path, and a smile crossed his lips as I unplugged the phone at the wall. Facing him again, we kissed, and my fingers caressed the small of his back before moving down to his gluts. I fanned my fingers out before kneading them into the taut flesh and pulling him tightly against me.
Nuzzling my nose behind his ear, I trailed tender kisses along the nape of his neck and across his shoulder. He had absentmindedly lifted his arm behind his head, so I continued to his bicep, which unconsciously flexed under my scrutiny. I eased down the side of his body, finally reaching his hip, which lifted off of the mattress when my breath crossed the tender flesh.
I inhaled deeply, taking in his scent before taking him into my mouth. I traced the ridge of the head with my tongue. When I flicked the tip just underneath, he arched almost violently, pushing himself further into my throat, almost gagging me. Withdrawing enough that he was not blocking my airway, I used my tongue to press him against the roof of my mouth. Stroking the side of the shaft, the velvety skin massaged each ridge in my mouth while my teeth drug across the base.
I slid my right hand underneath him, lifting his leg onto my shoulder. My left hand trailed up his chest and clawed into the sinews of his pecs before moving further along to his lips. He took some of my fingers into his mouth and mimicked my motions. His fingers wound tightly into the bed sheets, his grip strengthening with each movement of my head.
When I applied gentle suction, I could hear him moan, even through his pursed lips. He peeled his lips from my fingers as he tried to pull out of my mouth. He was letting me know that he couldn't hold back much longer. Sensing this, I brought my hand around to his shaft and pushed it upward, while I moved my mouth underneath. Though the hair was tickling my nose, I swallowed his sac into my mouth.
My cheeks pushed him together, while my tongue stroked the underside, even extending out of my mouth to paint the sensitive area beneath. JC, meanwhile, became very vocal as he frantically contracted with each spasm, spilling load after load onto his chest and abdomen. He lay there, spent, so to give him time to regain his strength, I retrieved a warm cloth from the bathroom.
I propped my face against my hand while I rested beside him. I smiled as I lovingly wiped at his torso. The movement of the air against his damp skin caused him to shudder, and his stomach tightened with each breath. I could tell he was almost asleep, and I would have gladly let him, but he reached over and stroked my cheek with the back of his hand.
"Make love to me," he panted.
"Are you sure?" I asked to be certain.
"I'm more sure of that than anything in my life," he answered unequivocally as he positioned the blankets and pillows underneath the small of his back, lifting his hips off of the bed. Following his lead, I moved between his legs and eased my way into him.
A grimace on his face told me that I was hurting him, so I started to withdraw. JC grabbed my face and pulled me into a passionate kiss, distracting me--his intent. I realized that he had laid the way he had just so we could look at each other. I smiled at him and pushed forward, watching to insure that he was more comfortable. He ran one hand down my back before urging me on with each stroke. He wrapped his legs outside of my own and rested his feet on the calves of my legs, and the barrage of sensations was the mostly intensely erotic experience of my life. I tore myself, both mouth and groin, away from him as I trembled. He hooked one hand behind my neck and the other behind my back, drawing me near him. He kissed me lightly on the cheek, and we fell asleep in each other's arms.
I woke before JC, so I got up to put on a pot of coffee. When I turned on the faucet, I glanced over at the clock. "SHIT!" I yelled. In my shock, I had jerked the pot from under the water and flung it against the wall, shattering it into many pieces.
JC came running. "Matt, are you okay?" he asked panicking when he knelt beside me.
I smiled when I realized he thought something was wrong with me. I leaned over and quickly kissed him on the cheek. "I'm fine, just picking up what's left of my coffee pot."
"Then what was all the noise?"
"Look at the clock," I instructed him.
He shot his head up and saw the reason for the commotion. "Tell me that clock does not say 12:38."
"It does," I assured him.
"Shit!"
"I think we've covered that," I laughed.
"How much time do we have?" he asked, cringing.
"We don't. The airport's a good twenty minutes from here, and that doesn't include parking."
"Let me grab my clothes." He acknowledged, and we both headed for the bedroom, quickly throwing on something--anything--before heading out.
I threw the car in park and unbuckled my seat belt. Turning to JC, "Considering what happened last time, maybe you should wait in the car."
He conceded, remembering the incident with Lynn's departure, so I took off running to the terminal. Looking down at my watch, I saw that I was almost five minutes late. When I made it inside, I saw that the guys' flight was arriving, so I put it in overdrive and hauled ass to the gate.
Winded, I stopped and looked around. "Good," I thought to myself. Kathy hadn't made it yet. I took comfort from the fact that I wouldn't have to explain to her why I was late. The passengers were just starting to disembark, so I sat down to catch my breath while I waited.
True to Kathy's word, the guys were trying not to be noticed. Luckily, the gate was pretty well empty by this time, and since I knew who I was looking for, it proved to be no great task.
"Hi, Matt," Kevin greeted, pulling me into a hug. "I feel like I've known you forever."
A little taken aback, I returned the embrace. "Hey, Kevin. It's nice to finally meet you."
He pulled away to make introductions, "This is my cousin Brian, and this is Nate."
I extended my hand to each of them. "A pleasure to meet you." They returned the sentiments. "How about we get your things and get you out of here?" I suggested, leading them to the escalator so we could go down to baggage claim. Before we started down, Kathy surprised us from behind.
"Hey, sexy," she laughed, jumping on Brian's back, who was standing at the rear.
"Hey, girl," Brian smiled over his shoulder.
Rolling my eyes at Kathy. "Could you please attract a little more attention to us? I don't think everyone in the Mid-South was watching."
Sticking out her tongue at me, "No one's paying that much attention. Besides, they're not as noticeable without everyone being here."
Kevin cut her a hard look, "Gee, thanks."
She climbed off of Brian's back, grunting like a child who was tired of being surrounded by grown-ups. "You know what I mean," she answered sarcastically before pushing away from him. "And you must be Nate," she deduced, shaking his hand. "I've heard some very good things about you."
"They're all true," Brian interjected, stepping forward and squeezing Nate's shoulder.
Nate laughed, "He's a little biased. It's nice to meet you, Kathy."
An evil grin crossed her face. "You, too. Now, let's get out of here before someone starts to wonder where your other hand is."
Her trademark candor startled him, and he pulled away from Brian's leg. His blushing was like blood in shark-infested waters to her wicked sense of humor. "Ooh. Another shy one. With him and JC around, this could be a fun week."
I started to protest, but Brian quickly sprang to Nate's defense, "Don't worry about him. He'll hold his own just fine."
That eyebrow went up, but Kathy was silent. I feigned a cough to grab everyone's attention. "Now if you don't mind," I glared at Kathy, "we should get the luggage and get home before someone recognizes you guys."
Kathy smiled in acquiescence, and we headed down the escalator. I heard Brian whisper something to Nate, and whatever the response was struck both Brian and Kathy as funny, because they were laughing when we got downstairs.
We sat waiting at the baggage claim, or as I like to call it, purgatory. I decided to break the silence. "Kathy lent me your book. I read it last night. I thought it was fantastic."
"Thanks," he acknowledged, almost shyly. "I guess you don't need a copy anymore."
"Oh, no. You're not getting out of it that easy. I see great things in your future. Call it a hunch, but I think it will become one hell of a collector's item. Besides, consider it payment for room and board," I teased.
He returned the smile, trying to ignore the redness in his cheeks. "Well, thanks, but doesn't something have to be rare for it to be a collector's item?" he joked in an effort to play down the compliment. "Each of the guys have signed copies, and Kathy's got one, and my family, and my editor, and my agent, and my agent's kids, and my limo driver's wife . . . ."
I laughed. "JC said he's got a copy as well. Though I don't think he's got it with him."
He just smiled before the realization hit Brian. "Where is JC, anyway? I thought he'd be here with you. I don't let Nate out of my sight if I can help it."
I smiled when I saw Brian's hand brush against Nate's knee. "He's in the car. We thought it better than having a mob scene."
"You left him in the car?" Kathy asked, almost alarmed.
I laughed, "I cracked a window." Brian's mind apparently worked on the same twisted level as my own, because at that moment, he asked, "Did you crack a window?" I looked at him funny for a minute before we all started laughing.
Kevin's bag apparently circled around, because he stepped forward and bent over to retrieve. A malicious thought popped into my head, so I leaned over and whispered to Kathy, "I can see why they call him Mr. Body Beautiful--nice ass."
"Get your own pop star; oh, wait, you've got one," she shot back.
Kevin sat down again, and we continued to wait, and wait, and then we waited some more. Unfortunately, this airport's status as a hub made baggage claim excruciating. I noticed some onlookers starting to become more bold, so I suggested that Kevin and Brian go to the car to avoid a possible scene. "Nate and I can stay and grab your things for you," I cut in before Brian could speak. "I assume that he can recognize Brian's bag."
Kevin and Kathy both thought this was funny. Although I hadn't really meant anything by it, I couldn't help but smile at how embarrassed the couple was. In her most malicious laugh, Kathy led the cousins away, "Yes, sir, this is going to be fun."
The turnstile eventually emptied, and we only had Nate's suitcase to show for it. He and I looked at each other despondently. "What do we do now?" he asked.
"You go report it to the baggage office. I'll go tell the guys and bring the car around to pick you up so we can go shopping for your boyfriend," I smiled.
He looked at me with some uncertainty before shrugging his shoulders and heading over to the nearest agent. I, meanwhile, headed out to the parking lot where Kathy, JC, and the guys awaited.
"Where's Nate?" Brian immediately asked.
"We have a slight problem," I explained. "I hope you weren't to attached to anything in your suitcase, Brian."
"You've got to be kidding," he sighed. "What next?"
"Well, Kathy, why don't you take JC and the guys back to the house? Nate and I will head out to the mall to pick up a few things."
"That's not necessary, Matt," Brian interjected.
JC slid up behind me and rested his chin on my shoulder. "Yeah, it is. He and I haven't showered. We don't need to add your dirty laundry to the funk factor." He cocked one eyebrow. "That didn't come out right."
Kathy cut a sharp glance at me. "Yuck, you didn't shower? Why not?"
Before I could salvage the situation, JC continued, "We overslept."
"Oh, really," Kathy beamed.
"I'll go with you and Nate," Brian offered.
I thought I would have to say something, but Kevin beat me to it. "Think about what it's like when we go out. They'll do a lot better on their own." Brian pouted, but he nodded his head in agreement.
"We'll meet you at home," I told Kathy and JC, leaning in to quickly kiss him on the cheek.
I pulled out my keys and headed to my car to pick up Nate before driving out to the mall.
Nate hopped in the car, and after paying to get out of the garage, I jumped onto the interstate heading east. Luckily, it was still a few hours before rush hour traffic hit, so the backup from malfunction junction didn't cause us any delay. Knowing it would be about a fifteen-minute drive, I decided to strike up a conversation, since Nate was staring out the window in silence.
"What are you thinking?" I asked, instantly regretting becoming so presumptuous.
"Honestly, I couldn't tell you," he smiled. I sighed, relieved that he didn't seem to find me too forward. "Other than wondering if all Americans drive like this."
I laughed, "As a whole, probably not, but Memphis drivers more than make up for their lack of driving skill with sheer velocity."
He laughed, "Oh, good, we are still in Memphis. For a minute there, I thought I was on the autobahn."
"Actually, it's not that bad."
"What?" he asked, perplexed.
"The autobahn."
"You've been to Germany?" He seemed surprised.
I smiled, laughing to myself. "Don't seem so shocked. I realize I sound like a big hick, but not all Southerners sit on the porch drinking mint juleps and iced tea talking about the good old days when Jeff Davis ran things the right way."
He held up his hands in defense. "Whoa. Didn't mean to offend. After all, my boyfriend's got that sexy drawl."
I waved it off. "You didn't offend me in the least. It might hit a nerve with some people, but I try to use it to my advantage. We talk slower than most people, so most people instantly assume we're not too bright. Therefore, they tend to underestimate Southerners as a whole and me in particular."
"A mistake I'd wager they make only once," he added.
"Sorry, that came off bad. I'm not making a very good first impression, am I?"
"I don't know. You extended an invitation for Kevin, Brian, and me to stay with you free of charge, and when Brian's luggage came up missing, you take me shopping to pick up some things for him. I'd say you're doing pretty good so far."
"Thanks," I smiled, still feeling guilty. "I guess in getting back to your original question, I have been to Germany. All over Europe in fact."
"Really?"
"Yeah. My father was stationed in Europe for a while, and even after we moved back to the states, we took vacations there every summer. It's a tradition I've kept with my own children."
"You have kids?" he asked, stunned.
I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. "Good. Kevin seems to know everything about me, but I get to have a few surprises." Sensing he was now thoroughly confused, "I got a girl pregnant in high school. There were complications, but two of the girls lived."
"I'm sorry," he quickly apologized.
"Don't be. I'm glad they made it."
"Oh, no, I didn't mean . . . ."
Realizing what he interpreted me to be saying, "I know what you mean. I meant I'm very fortunate. Being a father has been one of the few consistent good things in my life."
"I can't imagine what it's like," he confessed.
"It's unique, that's for sure," I reflected, my voice trailing off into my thoughts.
Nate waited a few moments before prompting me to continue. "So, how did they like Europe?"
"They love it, but they like France best. I can't say as I've minded their wanting to go back there every year, since my German is a lot worse than my French.," I laughed, shaking my head back into reality.
He cocked an eyebrow, "Oh, parlez-vous Francais?"
"Un peu," I answered.
"C'est bon savoir," he smirked.
"Je suis d'accord," I shot back. "I guess I didn't even think about the fact that you're Canadian."
He looked at me funny before bursting into laughter. "And what, pray tell, does that mean?"
"No offense," I quickly interjected. "I just forget that a lot of Canada speaks French."
"Yeah. Like you, though, I only speak a little. I guess you're not the only touchy one with stereotypes," he laughed before continuing, "There are more than enough people that think Canadians spend all their time playing hockey and hunting seals for food and clothing."
I nodded my head, "I think I'd rather be sitting on a porch drinking mint juleps."
"You and me both," he grinned.
"So how long have you and Brian been an item?" I wondered aloud.
He smiled to himself. "That's not as simple a question as you might think. I first met the guys at a concert in LA over a year ago. I had backstage passes, and I went out for coffee after the show with Brian and Nick. Brian reacted to me funny when he found out I was gay, and I thought he hated my guts."
"So what changed?"
"It was when we were on Rosie a few months ago. I just about had a heart attack when I found out that he was there. We hadn't spoken since LA, and I was still pretty upset about it." I shook my head in agreement, sympathetic to his plight. "He explained that his problem had nothing to do with me personally, and then he came out to me. That was about six weeks ago, I guess. We started off just as friends, but we soon realized that there was more there."
I smiled but said nothing.
"Oh, no, you don't," he assured me. "You're not getting out of this that easily. What about you and JC?"
"I took care of him after he was in a car accident that killed his fiance."
"Holy shit. That's horrible."
"Yeah. It hit Josh pretty hard, but he seems to be handling it okay for now. I'm honestly concerned that he hasn't been through the worst of it yet, since that was only a week ago."
"I thought Kevin said JC and Justin were both in an accident."
"Another long story," I smiled. "He got hit by a car in the parking lot at the hospital and broke his leg."
He furled his brow and stared at me. "Are you sure it's safe to be in the car with you? It sounds like you're bad luck."
"Very funny," I told him coldly, but my stern visage quickly faded. "We're here."
"Okay, where to first?" Nate asked after we walked into the building.
"This way," I answered, leading him into Goldsmith's. "This is a local department store that's been around forever."
We were immediately assaulted by one of the women from the perfume counter, and after my eyes and nasal passages recovered from the fragrant mace she dowsed us with, I was seeing red. I looked over at Nate, who seemed to be more tolerant than myself, so after suppressing a few choking coughs, we continued into the store.
"This is nice," he commented, motioning to a shirt on the rack.
"I know it's pretty much fall, but since we're getting him something to wear while he's here, I'd go with something a little cooler. It's probably going to be in the 90s until December."
He made a strange face and kept browsing. He stopped at another shirt and held it out, feeling the material. My eyes went wide, but I bit my lip to keep from saying anything. I thought it was hideous, but he knew Brian's tastes better than I did.
Nate eventually picked out three shirts, a pair of pants, and a pair of shorts, so we went to the register to check out. After the salesgirl rang up the items, Nate and I both went for our wallets, but he grabbed my arm.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"Um, paying?"
"Um, why?" he mimicked. "He's kind of with me."
"Because Brian lost his things coming to my home," I answered.
"That's not exactly your fault," he assured me.
"I know, but I can't help but feel partly responsible," I explained.
"Fine, then pay for part," he conceded.
"Okay," I agreed. "You get this. I'll get the next one."
He nodded in agreement, and we left the store after the clerk handed him the sales slip. We made our way through the next store, picking up two more pairs of pants at American Eagle. The next few stores didn't really have anything that caught either of our eyes, so we headed into Abercrombie & Fitch.
Greeted by the enormous portrait of a dozen scantily-clad young men, he and I just looked at each other for a minute before grinning and rummaging through the clothes. I eyeballed one salesman folding sweaters on the other side of the rack from us. "Cute," I remarked.
"Very," Nate agreed.
Some song was playing over the speaker system that made reference to the store, and I paused for a split second. Something familiar. I shook it off and walked over to where Nate was browsing. He and I periodically stole glances at the sales guy just a few yards from us. Nate caught me during one extended stare, and I laughed, feeling like some schoolgirl with a crush whose teacher just picked up the notebook with his name scribbled all over it.
Nate had picked up a few more shirts and a pair of shorts when that same guy came over and asked us if he could show us something. Nate bit his lip, but I lost my resolve, rushing out of the store before my composure went with it. Nate came out a few minutes later with a sack. "That was mean, deserting me like that."
"Couldn't be helped," I told him. He just gave me a scolding look, and we walked further down the mall. He was completely confused when I turned into Victoria's Secret, but I think his mind was at ease when he saw me picking out a pair of silk boxers for Josh.
He laughed as we left the store. "You know that she probably thinks we're together now. Not many straight guys go shopping for silk boxers together."
"I'm sure we're not the first pair of guys to shop there together," I shrugged with laughter.
Amassing a growing number of sacks, he paused for a second to shift things around. I took one of the sacks and smiled. He was trying to figure out what I found so amusing, so I asked, "Should we enter?"
He turned to look in the direction I was pointing. He saw the display in Sears where you can enter to win front row tickets and backstage passes to the Backstreet Boys concert. "Nah," he replied, "that would be a step down." We laughed and kept walking.
I returned his smile and pushed him into Dillard's. Nate picked up a nice set of dress clothes for Brian and started back for the car. When we passed the food court, I asked Nate if he would mind stopping for a moment. I, after all, hadn't eaten breakfast, and my blood sugar was beginning to get low. He agreed, so we grabbed two cappuccinos and a couple of cookies.
Just before we reached the exit, we passed by Record Town. "Hold up," I smiled. Motioning with my head for us to go in, Nate followed my lead. I went over to the Backstreet Boys Millenium display and picked up some of the CDs.
"What are you doing?" he laughed.
"My daughters are huge fans," I explained, "so I can get some major dad points if I talk Kevin into getting the guys to autograph them."
"If Kevin balks at the idea, I have a bit of influence on Brian," he grinned. "But why do you have three CDs? I could have sworn you said you have two daughters."
"Okay, the third one's for me, so shoot me," I smiled.
"Actually," he began, using his finger to tell me to wait while he disappeared into one of the aisles. Returning, he continued, "Not a bad idea at all."
He'd picked up four copies of the 'N Sync CD. I laughed, "So who are the others for?"
"Some friends of mine," he laughed. "What do you think my chances are of getting the guys to sign them?"
"That'll be tough," I mocked, scratching my head, "but I'll see what I can do."
"You use your influence, and I'll use mine," he smiled.
We paid for the CDs and left the mall. I was tempted to stop at my favorite restaurant, since it was right there in the same area, but I knew we needed to get back to the guys. I guess that was why I was kind of surprised when Nate wanted to stop.
"I need to stop in here for a second," he told me, so I pulled into the Walgreen's parking lot while he ran in. A short time later, he hopped back into the car. "Okay, let's go."
The half-hour it took us to get back to the house was completely unlike the ride to the mall. We talked nonstop about everything. The inevitable topic of conversation was dispensed with early on, so we got a little insight as to what it was like for the other to be dating someone so much in the public eye. Not all of the dialogue was so pensive. All in all, I had a really good time. I wasn't sure how we'd hit it off, but our personalities meshed pretty well. I honestly hated to the see the tete-a-tete come to an end, but we were both glad to be home for our own respective reasons.
TO BE CONTINUED . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thanks to everyone for their patience and understanding. DLS and I have put a lot of work into this crossover, so we hope you think it's been worth the wait. That being said, we are still in the midst of said crossover, so we'll get our next installments out as soon as we have them fit to print.
As always, please send any comments to: mnhunter@midsouth.rr.com