Okay, so it was slow getting out again. What can I say? A vacation out of country kind of distracted me, and since it's hard to write a crossover without the other partner, DLS and I haven't been slacking quite as much as people might think. That, and a hellish work ethic at the hospital, has kind of made getting this installment out a little more difficult than usual. I take fully responsibility for the delays, but I hope you'll find the efforts worthwhile.
I want to thank some people, in no particular order, for their support (and lack of death threats when the installment hadn't come out after a month): Loner, Chas, Matt VP, Steve, Wayne ("Corridor of Time"), Jeremy, Clive, Drew, Cristine, Beck, Nate, Lauren (Ms. "Lucky" herself), Kev ("Lance-N-JC"--one of my all-time favorite people and stories), and Seth ("Common People"--a great story by a great guy). I'd also like to send a shout-out to Scotty, who I neglect far too much. If I've forgotten anybody, you'll live. Just send me an e-mail properly chastising me for my slight, and I will rectify the situation with the next installment :)
Words fail me when it comes to D. "Brian & Me" is a wonderful story that I never tire of reading, and he was actually dumb enough to let me go screwing around with a formula that works. Hopefully, my meager contributions won't damage the story too much :) That being said about him as an author, I want to thank you, my dear friend, for being there through some particularly trying times for me of late. Your insight, your counsel, and your compassion are worth more to me than I could possibly convey.
As for the whole legal thing, if you're too young, you should be ashamed. You're probably not, but you should be :) If you're reading on anyway, I'm the Sgt. Schultz of the archive--"I know nothing." The same goes for all of you in places so strict as to have standards against stories like these. Lastly, if you're offended by the story, you shouldn't have been reading it in the damn first place. The story below makes no claim to the sexual orientation of the celebrities mentioned within (namely, BSB and *NSYNC). Whatever it may be, they are talented musicians, and we can overlook such failings as heterosexuality :)
That being said, for the two people on the planet who don't know, *NSYNC's "No Strings Attached" album was released on the 21st. It's absolutely incredible, and I highly recommend it. The music has grown with them, and their writing attempts have shown equal talent and promise. Support the guys and pick up their latest. I think you'll enjoy it.
Lastly, my love to another Joshua. Wherever you are, you are always in my thoughts.
"I was thinking about the Peabody," I answered Kevin.
"The what?" he asked.
"It's a hotel," JC smiled, "known for its ducks."
Kevin looked more confused than ever. "Its what?" he asked again.
"Its ducks," JC smiled. He was enjoying himself.
Kevin just looked at me, completely baffled.
"It's a hotel that was founded about a hundred and twenty years ago," I began to explain, "though it's only been in this location for about seventy-five. Anyway, the general manager of the hotel in the 1930s decided, as a joke, to have some live decoy ducks placed in the fountain. Everybody got a kick out of it, and they've continued the tradition ever since."
"For almost sixty years, though," JC elaborated, "the ducks have stayed in a special place for them on the roof, and twice a day, they take the elevator down to the lobby, where they walk the red carpet to the fountain while John Philip Sousa marches play in the background."
I looked at JC with an eyebrow raised.
"We come to Memphis a lot," he sighed with a grin on his face, "and we've stayed there the last two times we were in town. I heard the tourist spiel then."
I just nodded and smiled.
"Oh," Kevin exclaimed, some unseen light bulb illuminating, "I know the place you're talking about. Kathy and I went in there for coffee and dessert after we went to the Rendezvous for dinner, but we didn't see the ducks. Nice place. It might be just the change of scenery that the doctor ordered."
"Nurse," I corrected.
"Whatever," he smirked.
"Why don't you give them a little bit and then see how they feel about the idea?" JC suggested to him.
Kevin nodded with a smile on his face, and JC patted him on the shoulder. I turned towards the patio and walked outside. I absentmindedly pulled a pack of cigarettes from its hiding place behind the charcoal grill. I rummaged through my pockets, for some inexplicable reason expecting to find a lighter or some matches. How stupid that was dawned on me, so I went for the long matches I kept by the grill. I put the cigarette in my mouth as I inhaled my first drag before I climbed atop the railing. I let the breeze whip across my face as I watched tree limbs bend in response.
JC came out without my hearing him. He slid underneath the railing and came up to face me. "What's wrong?"
"What do you mean?"
He snatched the cigarette from my mouth and held it in front of me for my inspection. I smiled and realized that there was no point playing this off.
He knew I didn't smoke very often, so when I did, something was wrong. I held out my fingers to reclaim it, but he dropped it on the ground and stamped it out.
"I can't stop you if you want to light up another one, but I'd prefer if you didn't smoke. I'd rather not kiss an ashtray."
I laughed as a tear started to stream down my face. I handed him the pack and told him to throw them away. He asked if I was sure, and I told him I was. "The last thing I need are those cancer sticks."
"That's it, isn't it?" he asked, touching the back of my hand gently.
"Yeah," I sniffed. "Just a bad morning, that's all."
"I take it the doctor didn't have any good news to offer."
I shook my head. "He didn't have any news at all. No real surprises."
He climbed back behind the rail and pulled me down to him. We took a seat on the swing, and he pushed my head into his lap. He started stroking my hair. "What are we up against this time?"
I smiled at his use of the word we. "It's at least as bad as last time, maybe worse."
"How likely are you to survive it this time?" he asked rather bluntly.
"Even odds if it's like last time. Maybe one in ten if not."
The air was visibly knocked out of him by that. "Why didn't you let me come with you for that? That's not the kind of news you ought to have to get alone."
"I wasn't," I smiled, confusing him. "Nate went with me. I forgot something here at the house, so he offered to go with me."
"I'm glad, honey, but I want to be there for you. I don't want you going through any of this alone."
"I know," I assured him, choking back the cough forming in my throat. "I'll be fine. I promise."
He quickly turned his head to the side. "Please don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't promise me things you can't keep."
"I'm sorry, Josh. I was just trying to tell you what I thought you wanted to hear."
He looked back into my eyes with tears in his own. "Just tell me the truth. That's all I ask."
I nodded and pulled myself close to his chest. "I'm okay for the time being. Just a little scared."
"A little scared?" he echoed.
One side of my mouth tried to smile, but the other betrayed it. "How about terrified to the bone?"
"Honest," he commented, pulling me closer. "Is there anything I need to do?"
"You're doing it," I pointed out. "Just hold me."
"Forever," he replied without a moment's hesitation. I was half-asleep, feeling so safe in his arms that nothing could hurt me.
The next thing I knew, I woke up on the couch in the living room. I glanced outside and saw that it had begun to sprinkle. My head rested casually in JC's lap, so I gathered that he had carried me inside. I looked up at him and saw that his head had fallen back against the couch. I slowly sat up to make sure that I didn't disturb him. Once I was upright, I eased his head into my lap. He almost roused, but realizing enough of what was going on, he pulled his legs against his chest and wrapped his arms around him. I stroked his hair for several minutes before I realized that Kevin was in the room with us.
"Hey," I whispered softly.
"Hey," he smiled.
"How long has he been like this?" I asked, pointing to JC.
"A while," he answered. "Almost as soon as he brought you back inside."
"Poor baby," I tried to smile. "He's taken in so much in that last couple of weeks. I'm surprised he's not more exhausted than he is."
"What about you?" Kevin posed.
"What about me?"
"How are you doing?"
I inhaled deeply. "Okay, I guess."
"You don't sound too convinced."
I suppressed a chuckle. "Probably cause I'm not."
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
I watched JC sleep so comfortably next to me as I deliberated Kevin's question. He eventually asked it again. "I heard you. I'm still trying to decide an answer."
"Oh," he said, almost hurt.
I smiled and reached my hand across to touch his arm. "You misunderstand. I'm trying to decide whether talking about it will make me feel better or worse. If I do, believe me, you're one of the first people I'll come to."
"Oh," he said again, the inflection entirely different as he mustered a smile.
"He's awfully peaceful when he sleeps, isn't he?" I commented aloud as brushed my fingers against JC's cheeks.
"Yeah, he is," Kevin smiled. "I'm glad I've gotten a chance to get to know him better. He's a great guy, and I'm glad you two have each other."
I reached over and squeezed Kevin's hand tightly. "Thanks," I smiled as a tear formed in my eye. "You're not so bad yourself. I hate I didn't get a chance to know you before now."
"Me, too," he echoed.
We sat in a strangely comfortable silence for a while. "I needed this, you know?"
"What's that?"
"You guys . . . your being here. I've been so wrapped up in myself for so long that I've built barriers to protect myself. After so many years, it's become second nature. I just never realized until now that the hurt wasn't the only thing I was keeping out. I can't imagine how things would have been different this week had you all not been here."
"Glad we could help. Though we didn't do much."
"More than you know. I'd have hated to gone through it alone."
"You're never alone," he smiled, pulling his leg out from under him and turning sideways in the chair so he'd be closer to me. "Don't ever forget that."
I just smiled as his hand squeezed mine. "As I watch Brian and Nate together, I realize how much they belong together. I'm sure it's impossibly hard for them, so I'm glad they've got someone like you in their corner."
"So do you," he said pointedly, making sure I realized that he meant it. "Besides, I haven't been as supportive as I could have been."
I tear rolled down my chin. "Bullshit," I laughed. "Is there anything you wouldn't do for them?"
"No, but . . . ."
"But nothing. I've been fortunate enough to have Kathy to kick me in the ass when my self-pity gets to be too much . . . ."
"She's good for that," he laughed.
"That she is," I laughed. "What I was saying is how alone a lot of people in our situation would feel. We're lucky to have people like you and Kathy to stand with us."
"You keep this up, I'm gonna blush," he laughed, already deepening to red.
"Oh, yeah, like that's hard to do," I laughed. I pulled him over to me and kissed him on the cheek. He just smiled as his eyes began to water. "Oh, stop the waterworks. One drama queen here is enough."
He laughed at that and nodded his head. "So what are we gonna eat tonight?" he smiled, changing the subject.
"I was thinking Chez Philippe's. It's one of the restaurants at the hotel, the fanciest one in fact."
"How fancy are we talking?" he asked, concern in his eyes.
I tried not to laugh. "Jacket required, as I recall. I take it you don't have anything with you."
"Nothing like that," he confessed.
"Then I guess I get to take you shopping," I smiled. "Why don't you go talk to Nate and Brian?"
He looked at me with a tormented look on his face. I could tell that he really felt he had blown it with them earlier. I squeezed his hand as he started to stand. "Tell them about our plans for tonight."
He nodded, forcing a smile as he walked to the back of the house. "I don't have anything like that, either," I heard JC say from my lap. I looked down to see him to turn to face me.
"Were you awake that whole time?"
"No," he assured me. "A minute or two, tops. One eavesdropper in the family is enough."
I thumped him on the forehead. "Smartass."
"You really have a fixation for men's butts, huh?"
I rolled my eyes. "Only yours, butthead."
"Don't forget Kevin's," he smiled. "I think we've established that he's the one Backstreet Boy you'd leave me for."
"Keep it up," I smirked, "and I'll settle for any of them."
"As long as you're having to settle," he laughed, pulling me down to kiss him.
"I guess you want to go to the mall with Kev and I, huh?" I asked.
"Nope," he grinned. "I'll give you and your other boyfriend some time without me. I've had enough public appearances until tonight."
"So what are you going to wear?"
"It doesn't matter to me. I'll let you decide," he smiled. "I trust you."
"Well," I began, "if I had my way, you wouldn't wear anything at all."
He leaned up to kiss me again. "You can have your way with me anytime."
"I'll take you up on that tonight at the hotel," I smiled.
"Is that a threat?" he teased.
"Nope," I smiled. "A promise."
"I'll hold you to that," he chuckled.
"As long as I get to hold you, too," I smiled.
"Always," he countered. "Always."
"Good," I said briskly. "Now get up. Your fat head is putting my legs asleep."
"And another moment bites the dust," he laughed.
"Save the biting until tonight," I grinned.
He sat up and straddled my legs. "Keep this up, and I'm not going to be able to wait until after dinner."
I fought the urge to smile as I placed my hand on his crotch. "And if you keep this up, you're not going to have to."
"Is that an invitation?"
"Go take a shower," I chuckled.
He stuck out his bottom lip and pouted. "I don't want a cold shower."
"Who said anything about it being cold?"
"But I've already had a shower," he sulked.
"I haven't," I smiled. When he figured it out, he almost tripped over himself leading us to the bathroom.
We had barely shut the door to the bathroom before he had me pinned against it. His tongue explored my mouth while his hands literally ripped the shirt right off my back. He darted his tongue in and out of my mouth before pushing my head backwards. He licked his way down my neck to my chest. He made a succession of love bites down my chest until he reached my navel. He kissed the trembling muscles of my abdomen while he clumsily removed my pants.
I pulled him up against me as I stepped clear of my fabric restraints, managing to remove my socks without tearing my lips from his. I broke contact with him just long enough to pull his shirt over his head. Before clearing the hole with his head, however, I snagged it behind him, covering his eyes. I extended his arms over his head as I buried my face into his armpit. I ran my tongue all the way down his side to his waist. I bit my way around to his other side and worked my way back up. I turned my attention to the sparse patch of hair covering the pectorals that tensed with each movement of my tongue.
Meanwhile, I let his pants fall to the ground. I stood and tugged the shirt further down his back, causing it to arch as I licked my way up his chin and back into his mouth. He let his shirt drop and ran his hands into the back of my boxers. He eased them down far enough to give him clear access to my butt. I followed suit and hooked my thumbs in the band of his boxer-briefs. I pushed them just below the firm globes of his ass before squeezing the taut flesh between my fingers. I abruptly spun him around and pressed myself against his body, memorizing every inch with my own skin. I sucked lightly on his neck, just short of causing a visible love bite.
I lowered us both to the floor and straddled him fully. I pressed my length into his backside, rubbing against him without penetrating. He rolled me over, and we stood after struggling to remove our last vestiges of clothing. I dropped to my knees with my back to him. He ran his right hand up and down my spine. His left hand dug sharply into my cheek while his tongue massaged the muscles hidden between.
He rolled me onto my back and straddled me in such a way that our firm members brushed against one another while he dove into kiss me. He gradually inched his way down me, lying flat on the floor where his face leveled with my groin. He slid his hands beneath me and pushed me deeper into his mouth after his tongue had led me there on its own. He closed his mouth around me and swirled his tongue against the shaft, despite the gentle suction he was applying. He slowly raised and lowered his head, never tearing his eyes from me. When he sensed me on the verge of release, he gently clamped his teeth down. He almost defeated his purpose, but I managed to restrain myself by sitting up, placing my weight on my hands while I reclined in grim determination. He pulled himself off of me, a small amount of my fluids stringing from his tongue to his chin. I pulled him into a fierce kiss after licking his jaw line clean.
I rolled him onto his hands and knees and positioned myself behind him. I gripped him tightly by the hips as I pushed myself into him. I felt him relax himself for my entrance. His neck contracted and extended with each stroke, his back rippling beneath his shoulder blades, his elbows becoming noticeably weaker as the minutes passed. Even his legs lost their resolve by the time I spasmed, both against him and inside him.
I stood and pulled him close to me. I massaged his crotch, and he dropped his chin onto my shoulder. He initially grabbed my behind and pulled me ever closer, but he soon pushed me to arm's length so his hands could absorb my chest. He began to lower himself to his knees, kissing my chest once more on his path, but I hadn't recovered yet. I brought him up again and positioned him against the wall. I sat on the edge of the tub as I took his velvet flesh onto my tongue. I savored the sweet-yet-salty taste of him. I curled my tongue beneath and slurped him even deeper. I suppressed the urge to gag, instead tilting my head back so that he could feel each ridge on the roof of my mouth. I slowly withdrew my nose from the bristled hairs, dragging my teeth across the ridge beneath the head. His knees buckled as he approached climax. I pulled him down to where his knees rested on my upper thighs. I squeezed the sharp curves of his ass as I bit his side, just below his left nipple, with enough force to make him gasp.
We stood, and I braced myself with the shower curtain rod. He dropped his head against my shoulder with nearing exhaustion as he slowly stroked himself. I knelt before him again, despite his protests, and forced every inch of him down my throat while he stifled a growing moan. He couldn't resist the urge any longer, and he tried to escape, the rigid six-pack condensing with his bated breaths. I refused to let him go, instead swallowing him impossibly further as he released copious amounts of himself in my mouth. I finally eased my hold on him as his shudders ceased.
He fell to his knees as I stood. I braced myself with the shower curtain rod once more as I leaned over to turn on the water. He grabbed my hip and spun me around to face him again. He drug his fingernails down my chest, even drawing a fine amount of blood with his prodding between my pecs. I turned again, lifting my foot onto the side of the tub. He stood behind me, kissing my shoulders as he lightly brushed his fingertips down my side, almost tickling me. He ran his left hand underneath me, squeezing my groin firmly before bringing his hand up to my perineum, where he massaged me again.
Short, shallow gasps of breath escaped me as he released his hold on me, sliding around me into the tub. I tried to hold on to keep from collapsing, but when he took me in his mouth again, I was finished. I painfully emptied myself down his throat before falling to my knees before him. He helped me into the hot waters of the tub, and now too tired for further distractions, we rinsed ourselves off, his arms and legs never releasing their grip on me.
JC and I finally got back to the living room, but Kevin was still the only one out there. He asked me about the reservations, so I looked up the number in the yellow pages. He relayed the available room setups, and we settled on the Romeo and Juliet suite with four adjoining bedrooms. While he finalized the details, Brian and Nate finally emerged. They took a seat on the couch. Brian's hand rested on Nate's knee, but the two of them remained eerily quiet. Apparently, the emotions that had surfaced earlier were still present.
"Kevin tells me I need to pick up something a little dressier for dinner tonight," Nate finally uttered.
"Yeah," I confirmed. "The restaurant is pretty fancy, but I think you'll enjoy it."
My arm was still fastened around JC's chest. He tilted my wrist towards him and looked at my watch. "Sweetie," he began, "you guys need to get going." I lifted my arm from his chest and agreed with him.
"Aren't you going with him?" Brian asked JC.
"No," he shook his head. "Matt's going to pick something up for me. I think he can guess my sizes."
As soon as he said it, I knew it wouldn't go unmentioned, but out of character, it was Kevin who rose to the challenge. "After the last couple of days, I wouldn't think he'd have to guess."
JC blushed, bringing a grin to my face. I took his hand, still intertwined with my own, and brought it to my lips. "Relax," I assured he and Brian, "Kevin's going to play chaperone for us."
"Somehow," JC smiled, "that doesn't make me feel any better."
I just laughed and kissed his forehead as I stood. "Um, Josh, honey? There's one slight flaw in your logic--Kevin's straight."
His face just continued to beam. "I have my doubts. No one who looks that good could possibly be straight."
Kevin just grew brighter with every word. I just leaned over and tousled his hair, pausing to kiss the top of his head. He thought I was trying to make him feel better, at least until I told him that I thought JC had a point. "Come on," I motioned to Nate. Brian was so busy laughing hysterically that he barely noticed Nate's absence. Nate and I pulled Kevin to his feet and pushed him out the door.
Kevin walked to one of the rear doors of my SUV, expecting Nate to take the front seat. He didn't. Instead, he, too, walked to one of the rear doors. Kevin just looked at me, and all I could do was shrug. Kevin stared at Nate uncertainly before finally climbing into the vehicle. Kevin and I both made several attempts at embroiling Nate in some kind of small talk, but it seemed to be of no avail.
As we exited the interstate, I glanced in the rearview mirror to find tears slowly streaking Nate's face. I guess I didn't hide my reaction all that well, because Kevin's gaze was following my own. He started to say something, but I just placed my hand on his forearm and shook my head. Reluctantly, he remained silent.
I could only guess what occupied Nate's thoughts. He and Brian had come so close to having their relationship thrust into the public eye against their will that I knew the adrenaline wasn't letting up yet. When I realized everything that was going on, I was panicking that Josh and I were going to be in the same boat. I felt kind of guilty at the relief I felt when Brian and Nate were the woman's only targets. And poor Kevin, unable to relate to any of us on quite the same level, was struggling to try to keep not just his cousin, but two of his best friends, from hurting. I related all too well. He wanted nothing more than to say or do the right thing to make everything all right. Sadly, it wasn't that easy--nothing ever was.
We arrived at the mall, as much in silence as when we left. Nate seemed to absentmindedly follow along, just there for the ride, so to speak. We fumbled through several stores, not really finding anything, so Kevin and I decided to go for the basics and headed into Brooks Brothers.
Suits were definitely not in short supply. Pretty much anything we wanted was here. Unfortunately, it seemed as though Nate didn't want anything. I wondered if he hadn't agreed to come along just to get away from Brian for a while. I sincerely hoped JC was having better luck making Brian feel better than I was Nate.
Neither Kevin nor myself were having any luck rousing him to any semblance of his normal behavior. The best we could get out of him was a 'That's nice' when we showed him a basic black suit. Kevin sulked despondently, so I turned my attentions from Nate to him. I asked him what Nate's favorite color was. After a little deliberation, he arrived at green, so I picked up one of those shirts with a half-collar. It was a dark, mossy green that went well with the suit.
Finally starting to get a little annoyed with the melancholy mood, I started to ignore Nate entirely. I found a shirt that I knew JC would love.
I knew he liked orange, and that was one color in abundant supply in the land of the UT Volunteers. It took a while, but I found a beige suit that matched it well. It took a little longer to find the right sizes, but while I did, Kevin had managed to pick out something for himself. He stepped into the dressing room to try it on while I scoured the selection of ties to find the right one.
"Aren't you going in there with him?" I heard from behind me. I turned to see Nate trying to smile.
"What?" I asked, trying to move past the fact that he had spoken to remember what he'd said.
"I just figured the view in there might be better than the company out here."
"No argument there," I said a little sharper than I intended.
"Sorry," he said. I nodded, not trusting myself not to say something that would make him feel worse.
Kevin stepped out of the booth, and unable to fight the urge, I whistled a cat call. He turned so deep a red that he almost matched the burgundy in his jacket. Nate even smiled, and seeing that, Kevin smiled too.
I took the tie I had initially picked out for JC and walked over to Kev. He knelt his head forward, allowing me to easily cinch the double-Windsor around his neck. It contrasted with the pearl white beautifully, and I knew it went better with his selection than my own. He smiled a thanks at me. I nodded and pushed him back into the booth to get back into his street clothes.
I rummaged through some more ties when I felt Nate's presence behind me. "You're not being too fair," I said without turning around.
"I know," he said flatly. "There seems to be a lot of that going around lately."
Realizing how much of a hypocritical asshole I was being, I just held up the new tie and asked him what he thought. He said that he thought JC would look great in it, so I grabbed all of the suits, including Kevin's, whose was hanging from the door to the changing room.
"Hey!" he called.
"Relax, boo," I smiled, "this one's on me."
"Don't be ridiculous," he snorted.
"You're not going to win this one," Nate smiled.
I ignored Kev's further protests and walked over to the register. As I laid the suits down, Nate muttered, "Thanks."
I looked down at the suit. "No problem," I answered without thinking as I handed the clerk my credit card.
"The suit's nice, too," he weakly smiled.
Catching his meaning, I just smiled back. "Anytime."
When Kevin rejoined us, he seemed a little surprised that Nate was a little more personable. Not himself by a long shot, but better than the silent treatment we endured in the car.
Kevin said he was in the mood for a snack, so we headed over to the food court to snag something. That proved to be a mistake. He was recognized, and Nate and I were forced to amuse ourselves while Kevin signed autographs.
I picked us up some pretzels and some cokes, and Nate and I took a seat within eye shot of the mob. In retrospect, the radio show might not have been the best idea. I was equally certain than this was not helping Nate feel any better either.
Kevin finally freed himself, and I handed him the now-hard pretzel and the watered-down drink. He looked at me defeated, and I just rested my arm on his shoulder as I led him out the nearest exit. Walking around the entire mall would prove to be more relaxing.
The ride home wasn't much more eventful than the first, but Nate was at least trying to make an effort. As a result, the trip wasn't nearly so damn awkward. When we got home, Brian seemed almost himself. I wasn't sure who deserved more credit--JC or the blonde who'd arrived in our absence. They were laughing and cutting up about something when we came in.
I smiled when Kathy saw us. "Lucy, I'm home," I announced with a horrible Cuban accent. Brian just rolled his eyes, but Kathy wouldn't dream of not adding her two cents. "BWAAAHH!" she yelled, sounding uncannily like the Queen of Comedy herself.
I grinned at JC and asked him to help me get the suits to the bedrooms. JC took the hint and followed me down the hall, leaving the others to their own devices. "So how bad was it?" he asked sincerely as he took two of the garment bags from my hands.
"Pretty bad," I confessed. "Nate isn't handling things all too well. Brian?"
"Doing better, actually. He's not one-hundred percent, but he's a lot better than he was a few hours ago. Everything just scared him more than anything else."
"I'd imagine so. It's a lot to deal with," I agreed.
"Actually," JC cut in, "that's not the biggest part of it. He's handling that okay, but he feels like Nate has shut him out."
"I'm sure Nate just needs a little time," I said, trying to justify the behavior, though I tended to believe like Brian.
"Meanwhile, Brian has to play the guessing game as to how everything stands. That's pretty shitty."
The harshness in his tone wasn't lost on me. I wondered if this wasn't his own way of telling me how he'd felt not so long ago. Either way, I couldn't argue with him, so I just silently nodded as I pulled the suitcases from the closet.
He walked up behind me and fastened his arms around my waist as he kissed the back of my neck. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "Just tense." He rested his head there for just a second before jerking it upright again. "How's my baby?"
I smiled inwardly at the change in tone. "I'm fine," I assured him. "Glad to be back in the same room with the love of my life."
Apparently, I hadn't exceeded my cheddar quotient, because his hands began stroking up and down my skin as he kissed his way around my shoulders to my chin. "I missed you," he smiled.
"I missed you too," I told him truthfully, "but we'd better save this for the hotel if we actually want to get to the hotel."
"Okay," he sighed, grinning, pulling away from me to start packing some of his things into the suitcase. After a few more minutes of effort, we returned to the living room, our bags in hand. I recognized Kathy's things, and the luggage sitting next to it I presumed was Kev's. They had anticipated our plans, as had Brian and Nate apparently. They were conspicuously absent from the room, probably doing the same thing.
JC and I took the couch opposite Kevin and Kathy. "Hi, honey, how was your day?" I chirped at Kathy.
She snarled at me before growling "Fine!" She then cracked a smile as Kevin stroked her hair. "Seriously, it was okay. A lot of busywork more than anything else. Of course, handsome here calling and saying he was taking me to one of the fanciest places in town kinda helped put it all in perspective."
"Whore," I smiled.
"Perhaps," she grinned. "But an expensive one." Her tone then turned unseemingly serious. "Brian and JC filled me in on the events du jour, so I know how everyone is doing. Everyone but you, that is."
I cocked a questioning eyebrow, wondering exactly how much she knew and how much she was guessing. "A little nauseous, but otherwise okay," I answered truthfully. "Nothing a night on the town wouldn't cure."
JC pulled my head into his lap and brushed his fingers across my lips, tracing my skin and thoroughly relaxing me. "Have you talked to Justin? I asked him, my eyes closed.
"Yeah," he replied. "He and Brian and I had a three-way--conversation, that is," he smiled. "Curly gets a lot of the credit for cheering up the sourpuss in there."
"Good," Kevin commented. "I'll have to be sure to thank him tomorrow. Maybe he'll have some luck with the other one."
"Nope," Kathy blurted.
"What?" Kevin asked, confused.
"If he doesn't cheer up tonight, I'll kill him long before Justin'll have the chance," she smiled. Despite ourselves, we all laughed, creating an awkward moment when Brian and Nate joined us.
"You guys ready?" Kevin asked, again in parental mode.
"As we'll ever be," Brian tried to smile.
"Then let's get going," I suggested, hopping to my feet. "We're burning daylight."
JC put his hand on my shoulder. "As much as I love your John Wayne impression, pilgrim, it's dark outside."
I stuck my tongue out at him, which he quickly took to be an invite, planting his mouth on mine. Lost in the moment, I threw my arms around him until a hearty "Ahem" echoed from everyone in the room.
We wasted no time in getting to the car. The day was rapidly slipping away from us, and our dinner reservations were in the none-too-distant future. Chatty Kathy was her usual self, and that was enough to keep Kevin's attentions. JC was holding my hand, leaning back against the headrest. Nate stared vacantly out the window, and Brian just watched him in silence. Nate must have felt our eyes upon him a few times, because he looked around as though someone were stepping on his grave.
When we got to the hotel, Nate stood detached from the rest of us. When the valet took my keys, he just stood there, miles away from Brian, from us, from everything. He wouldn't even let the porters take his bags; he insisted on carrying them himself. None of us said a word. I just sighed, suddenly very aware of how short life was and how much he needed to be doing anything but wasting it worrying over things that he had not control over.
We checked in, and Nate seemed to roll his eyes when he learned that we had the Romeo and Juliet suite. I strained hard not to laugh, even going so far as to bite my lip. We got on the elevator, and everyone just kind of waited. I don't know what they were waiting for--for Nate to say something, to blow up, to break down, etc.
We made it to the room, and I must say it exceeded all my expectations. Unlike JC, I had never stayed here. He said the rooms were smaller than the rooms he and the guys had occupied, which quickly earned him a smack and a smart remark from Kathy. He did concede that the common room was nicer than what they'd had.
"That's better," Kathy mused.
Nate remained ever silent, making Brian and Kevin more and more upset. Me, it was only serving to make me mad again. 'Jesus Christ!' I thought to myself. I was the one who stood a good chance of listening to the next *NSYNC album with St. Peter within six months, and he was the one acting like he'd received a death sentence. We had both found two terrific guys who loved us conditionally, but I didn't know how long JC and I had together. We didn't have the same luxury of a bright future that Nate and Brian had, if Nate would just let Brian in.
I was finally realizing a lot of the mistakes I had made already with JC, and I think it stung to see what I had done to him. Nate was using that reporter as the final cop-out. I didn't know if he realized that he was fishing for an excuse not to be happy, but I was about to enlighten him when I felt a hand on my shoulder, allowing Nate to slip away unmolested. JC seemed to understand what was going on, so he excused himself to the bedroom.
"Rein in the claws, tiger," Kathy whispered with a smile, obviously sensing my resentment--my jealousy--about to become verbal. "He's got every right to feel the way he does."
"But . . . ," I tried to interject.
"But nothing," she cut in. "His behavior's just as appropriate as yours is, not to mention has been."
My face blanched as I felt like a scolded child. "Besides," she added (insult to injury), "it's not his fault you're going through what you are, and to take it out on him . . . ."
"Just isn't fair," I finished, feeling the sting. I smiled feebly, "Lot of that going around."
"Go on, then," she laughed. "Loverboy's gonna get lonely without you."
I nodded in appreciation for our bedroom. I had heard the shower cut on before I got there, and finding JC conspicuously absent, I assumed that was his location. I tended to our bags, which JC had left on the bed, when I heard "NOW we're fighting! For Christ's sake, Brian. We're fighting over whether or not we're fighting! Just let it go! I'm telling you right now, let it go!" It didn't take a rocket scientist to know who said it or what that fight was about. I just sat on the bed for a minute while I thought about everything.
I finally snapped back to the present when I heard Nate and JC talking in the bathroom. I grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and joined them. JC was standing at the sink with a straight razor. It was undeniably one of the sexiest images I'd ever seen. As an added bonus, Nate was standing there, likewise barechested. "Well, well. Two half-naked men, whom to choose?" I grinned.
"He's better company," Nate almost smiled, looking like himself. He told us he would see us in a few. While his acquiescence was especially true of late, as I stared into JC's reflection in the mirror, I could hardly argue.
"Come here," I smiled at JC. He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Just come here," I repeated laughingly, pulling a chair in front of the sink. I pushed him down in it and straddled his lap. I gently nudged his head backwards and took the razor from his hand. I stroked the blade down his face, trailing my fingers behind, savoring the soft, smooth feel of his skin. When I finished, I ran a towel under the hot water and patted his face clean.
I took the brush and bottle of mousse from my toiletries bag. Despite the distractions his kissing my neck was providing, I succeeded in putting every one of his hairs in place. He flirted some more, but I started pushing him out of the room. I started to make a B-line for it as JC gave me a goofy grin, so I snatched the towel from his waist, leaving him alone, naked, and shocked.
Pleased with myself, I enjoyed my shower more than usual. JC even made a point of flushing the toilet outside the stall, but he was sadly disappointed when he realized this hotel didn't have a problem regulating the temperature of its water.
I wrapped the towel around my waist after giving myself a once-over of drying. I stepped around to the mirror, where Kevin was trimming his goatee, or whatever it was called these days. "Kathy's hogging ours, so JC said I could use yours," he smiled.
I was sure he did. Grinning to myself, "A little soap and water will get that shit right off." He just smirked as he pulled his shirt over his shoulders.
I slid a pair of boxers on under the towel before removing it. I grabbed my electric razor and started shaving while he struggled with his tie. He finally looked at me with a lost expression. "I normally have no problems with this," he announced weakly.
I tried not to, but it came out anyway. "Don't worry about it, Boo. It happens to all men at some point in their lives, especially once they get to be your age."
"Droll, Matt," he muttered. "Very droll."
I smiled and finished his tie. He pulled on his jacket. Overall, it was obvious why he was often asked to model. The suit hung very well on him. I nodded my approval and pushed both of us out the door into the bedroom JC and I shared. I pushed Kevin out the other door as JC crept up behind me.
As I tried to put on my clothes as JC took them off. "We're not going to make much headway at this rate," I rolled my eyes at him.
"I don't know," he grinned sardonically. "I'm making a lot of headway myself." He pushed me onto the bed and straddled my hips, pushing the shirt from my shoulders with one hand while pushing my slacks down with his other.
He pulled his tongue from my mouth and traced it down my chest.
When we emerged a while later, I could hear everyone else talking. I heard Brian say he was starving, so without skipping a beat or giving anyone a chance to comment on how long we took, I suggested we get going.
I had to say, I liked the setup of the hotel. We'd chosen the Romeo and Juliet suites because we could have four bedrooms that shared a common parlor room. What we didn't know was the not so inexpensive price tag came with controlled access to the floor as a whole. I smiled to the concierge behind the desk as we stepped onto the elevator. This was pretty ideal for celebrities in some ways. On the other hand, as I looked at Kevin, Brian, and JC, I wondered if they didn't feel like they were being held prisoners in the trappings of fame.
We got downstairs, and I noticed several people staring at the guys. Luckily, it was only a few, and they seemed content to whisper among themselves. I wasn't worried about a big scene, because the clientele of this place was, as a rule, older than their fan-base. We were met at the entrance to the restaurant by the maitre d'. Kevin tried to slide the guy a hundred for a good table. The man smiled, "If I took money from you, Mr. Richardson, my daughter would never forgive me." Kevin nodded humbly as we were led to our table. "I would like to ask you for an autograph for her, if it would not be too terribly inconvenient." The guys happily obliged, and the man excused himself without further ado.
"This place is nice," Kevin commented looking around. I smiled to myself, musing at how much he and Brian were still the simple country boys who'd left Kentucky to find fame and fortune. To avoid embarrassing him, I buried myself in the menu.
"At least if they had to put it in French, they were nice enough to give the translations for us hicks," Brian laughed.
"Speak for yourself, redneck," I chuckled. Brian just rolled his eyes and shook his head as he poured over the menu.
We spent several minutes examining the vast array of choices available to us. When our waitress came to take our order, we'd all managed to decide.
"Bonsoir, messieurs and mademoiselle, my name is Lysette, and I will be your waitress this evening," I looked up to match a face with the voice, and the woman was quite mesmerizing. I suppressed a smile as I watched Kathy subtly scoot closer to Kevin. I looked back at Lysette, and it was obvious she was a true Frenchwoman.
"Provence?" I asked, trying to place the accent.
"Mais oui," she smiled. "You have obviously traveled there extensively."
I nodded in agreement. "To be perfectly honest," I smiled, "I'm fairly surprised to find a native here. The cuisine is continental, but most of the staff are locals."
She smiled. "I'm here at the university working on my master's degree in international business." When no one immediately said anything further, she returned to the task at hand, "Can I interest you in hors d'oeuvres or a salad?"
Nate began, "I'll have the bisque froide a la mangue for starters, and the filet de porc au couscous de mais casse for the entree."
Brian followed suit, trying to order in French, but mutilating it in the process. He finally managed, "Um, I'll have the bouquet de salad a la Caesar and the filett de boof a la chickoree."
Smiling, Lysette got to Kevin, he quickly threw his hands up. "Don't look at me," he laughed. "I'll have the red pepper Caesar salad and the veal."
Lysette grinned widely at his complete avoidance of any attempts at French.
She turned to Kathy next, who ordered, in English, the cornmeal croquettes stuffed with shrimp and the smoked lobster bouillabaisse. I was next.
I smiled, "Melange de salade au Roquefort frit et poitrine de faisant roti aux pates Israeliennes."
She nodded. "Et toi?" she posed to JC. I expected a reaction similar to either Brian's or Kevin's, but instead, in an accent that was much better than Nate's and a speed rivaling my own--one that comes only with familiarity and practice, "Ravioli Nicoise avec une salade de pissenlit et carre d'agneau rotie sauce Roquefort, s'il vous plait."
"Tres bien, monsieur," she grinned as she took the menus. "Your wine steward appears to be somewhat delayed. He will be with you momentarily to take your drink orders."
When she left, everybody turned and looked at JC. He shrugged with a feeble attempt at innocence. "What?" he laughed. "Nobody asked me if I knew how to speak French."
"Do you?" Kathy asked, realizing the absurdity of the question almost as soon as it was voiced.
"Chasez?" he pointed out, eyes wide as though trying to emphasize the obvious. "I still have family over there." I was completely speechless, wondering what other surprises I was in store for until he turned to Nate. "By the way, I think you're very charming, too."
Nate blushed, and Brian beamed, "I need to ask you to give me a transcript of the conversation the other day."
"No problem," he grinned. "I'll give it to you tonight."
"Oh, no, you won't," I elbowed him. "You have plans tonight."
"Can you break them?" Brian laughed.
"He does," I interjected before JC could answer, "and I'll break his legs before coming after you."
We were all laughing when the wine steward came over. "It seems our little establishment has the honor of playing host to not one, but two boy bands, according to some of our wait-staff." The way he said it was unmistakably snotty, and I knew that accent all too well--it was Bostonian upper-crust. "Would you care to take a look at the wine menu?" he asked, seemingly annoyed.
"How about champagne?" Kathy suggested before anyone, especially me, could say anything. She knew, growing up where we did, how much I detested snobs.
"It's a special occasion, so why don't we splurge."
"Then you will probably want the Cristal," he offered, speaking directly at Kevin, who seemed to shrink into his seat, obviously out of his element.
That made one of us. "No," I said flatly, though with an undefiable tone. "We do not want your overpriced recommendations for something so clearly unworth it."
The steward's eyes widened in surprise, as though a challenge from an inferior had been issued. "If you would prefer something less expensive, sir . . . ."
"I would prefer to choose my own selection, rather than have it thrust upon me by someone who knows neither my tastes nor a good vintage," I cut in sharply. "The cost is no object, I assure you, but for that money, I want something better. Bring me the Krug 1989 Clos du Mesnil."
He started to say something, so I raised an eyebrow defiantly. "Surely a restaurant of this caliber carries a selection that includes a Tete de Cuvee by one of the best producers in France."
He again tried to speak, but I cut him off. "That will be all."
Everyone looked at me like I had sprouted another eyeball. "That was impressive," Kevin conceded. "Thanks."
"Arrogant asshole," I muttered. "There was no call for that behavior."
"Okay," Brian sighed, "I want to know how you knew all that. Somebody in your family a wine connoisseur or something?"
I just smiled, "Yeah, me." Seeing the perplexed looks on Kevin and Brian's faces, I elaborated, "Though I didn't ask for the money, when the settlements came in, I became fascinated with the so-called 'finer things' in life, learning everything I possibly could about wines, cigars, cars, investment portfolios, you name it."
"Scary," Kevin admitted.
"In a way," I agreed, noticing our steward returning with a bottle.
"Your selection, sir," he presented with a clearly discernible venom on the last word. When he offered it for my inspection, I barely glanced at it.
"Take it back," I instructed him.
"What?" he snorted, losing all hints of composure.
"Bring me a corked bottle. I'd expect an open bottle in some continental, backwater establishment, but not a restaurant like this."
"But, sir . . . ."
I ignored him and turned back to the others in small-talk, but they were too flabbergasted to speak. When he reluctantly left the table, I smiled brightly.
"You're evil," Brian chuckled.
An uncomfortable laugh escaped Nate's lips. When we turned to the source of the awkward sound. "Sorry," he said, "You just reminded me a lot of my father."
I smiled until I saw Brian's face hardened. All of the sudden, I didn't know whether to feel flattered or insulted.
"Was that entirely necessary?" Kathy asked in all seriousness.
"Absolutely," I grinned. "Had he been more civil at the beginning of the evening, I wouldn't have said a word, but now, all bets are off. I'm going to make him just as uncomfortable as he makes other people. Besides," I smiled, "I need a random target to vent on. He'll do."
Kathy just rolled her eyes as the steward returned. I made a concerted effort to hide my Southern drawl and replace it with my South Boston instead. I did it so gradually that I wondered if anyone even noticed, besides the steward. He popped the bottle open in front of me, and after collecting the vintage before it was lost. He directed the cork to me.
"And what am I supposed to do with this?" I asked flatly. When he started to speak, I interrupted, "I am paying for taste, not aroma. Those with proper table etiquette know that smelling the cork simply is not done." When he filled the wine glasses half-full with the champagne, I simply looked at him tersely.
"Is there a problem, sir?"
"This is not a shiraz, it is not to be swirled or sniffed. It sparkles, and as such, we will drink it." When he moved to the next glass, I calmly lit into him, "Perhaps I was unclear. It is not a merlot, either. You can remove these glasses and bring us the proper flutes."
He quite obviously bit his lower lip to stifle his anger. I did the same, only to suppress a laugh. When he left, Kathy just shook her head. Lysette brought us our appetizers and apologized profusely for the man's behavior. We told her to ignore it entirely, and when the champagne was finally placed before us in a manner befitting, we devoured the delicacies on our plates.
The timing of dinner was flawless, arriving just after the last appetizer plate was removed. A distinguished gentleman came over towards the end of the meal to introduce himself. "I am Jose Gutierrez, the chef here at Chez Philippe. Lysette has brought it to my attention that our staff has been less than accommodating."
We all tried to say that it was no big deal, and the quality of the meal more than made up for any minor misunderstandings. He insisted that the meal was compliments of the house, and he left before we had a chance to protest. We half-shrugged at one another and finished our meals.
When we got back upstairs, the momentary lightening of the mood was gone once more. I was beginning to think our night out on the town had done more harm than good where Brian and Nate were concerned. I could see things coming to a head, and it was no longer a question of if, but when. It turned out that we wouldn't have to wonder long at all.
They had their inevitable confrontation just minutes after we returned to the room when Brian pulled Nate to the side. Nate stormed past us onto the balcony. When Brian tried to follow, it was JC who stopped him.
"Let me have a shot," he said, more a statement than a request.
"What?" Brian asked confused.
"You're pushing too hard, and before you start with the pout, I don't think you're being unfair, but I do think it's too much for him right now."
"But he won't talk to me," Brian shouted, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Because he can't," JC explained.
"Then how in the hell are we supposed to get past this?"
"You talk about it," JC smiled weakly. "He needs to talk to you to get your perspective, but at the same time, he cares too much about you to talk to you the way that you guys need to."
"And that's where you come in?" Kevin asked, piecing it all together.
"Yeah. He can talk to Brian without talking to Brian. He can talk to me to understand what it's like from this side of the relationship without having to walk on eggshells."
There was a certain infallible logic to it all, and even Brian was forced to admit that. Brian nodded and gave a "be my guest" gesture towards the balcony door. JC gave his shoulder a squeeze and joined Nate on the balcony.
Brian looked as lost as he could be. I motioned for him to take the vacant seat next to me. He did and was almost immediately reduced to tears. I cupped the side of his head and pulled it to my shoulder. He sat there, crying into my shirt, for longer than I thought possible. 'Jesus,' I thought, 'was this what I did to Josh?' Kathy started to say something, but Kevin stopped her. He said nothing, instead watching his cousin in silence.
JC finally came back in. Brian immediately became hopeful and started to rise. "Don't," JC told him. Brian looked disheartened until JC smiled, "Just give him a few minutes to himself."
Brian smiled and walked over to the door, forcing himself to be content until he felt the time was right. JC took his place at my side, resting his back against my side. I draped my arm around him and kissed the top of his head. We all sat in silence until Brian finally stepped through the door. I was watching their body language with genuine interest until I felt JC shudder beside me. I looked down to find him crying.
"What's wrong, baby?" I asked him.
"Old wounds," he said succinctly.
"Craig?" I asked him.
"Yeah," he said somberly. "He's been buried for well over a week, and I haven't been to see him once."
I nodded in understanding. "I saw the plot number on that piece of paper by your billfold. I figured you'd see him when you were ready."
He nodded as he wiped a tear from his cheek. "I can't stand that he was buried in some public lot around here, but I was the closest thing to family he had, and in the eyes of the law, I didn't count."
I can't describe how painful it was to hear his beautiful voice crack with those words. I was suddenly very aware that I was crying more than he was. I pulled him ever closer to me and squeezed like I'd never let him go. "When do you want to go?"
"Tomorrow, before we leave, if you don't mind."
I just smiled at him. "Of course I don't mind. Do you want me to come with you?"
"Yeah," he said with a hopeless look. "I don't want to say goodbye alone."
I clasped my arm around him even tighter. My words completely failing me. I could hear Kathy and Kevin talking among themselves.
"JC," Kevin said softly. "Kathy and I didn't get to know Craig . . . ."
"But if he was that important to you," Kathy finished, "we'd be more than happy to come with you if you'd like."
JC forced a smile. "I'd like that a lot, and I think Craig would have, too."
"What about those two?" I nodded towards Brian and Nate.
"We'll let them sleep in," Kevin smiled knowingly as he walked over to the door to check on them. When he saw them moving back towards us, he dropped onto the couch with JC and I.
Brian and Nate were still carrying on their conversation when they started through the door, though I didn't know whether they were aware of it or not.
As they finally made it into the room, they separated from a kiss just in time to find all of us staring at them. Brian just laughed it off, and Nate apologized. Kevin asked if he was better, and the two of them confirmed what we could already see--that they very much were.
"My boy actually helped?" I beamed, wrapping myself around JC again.
"Your boy actually helped a lot," Nate smiled at JC, who tried to play it off. The seriousness was lost when Kathy was . . . well, Kathy. Brian was trying to be romantic, but Nate told him that food was what occupied his thoughts.
Surprisingly, I felt no urge to get into the gutter-minded conversation that ensued. Nate said that he wanted junk food, and JC said that he wanted slim jims. I hesitantly admitted that I wanted a Twinkie, though that was only after a stern threat of bodily harm. Nate and Kathy left on their food run a few minutes later.
I didn't realize I was doing it, but Kevin subtly told me I was staring at JC longingly. I might have blushed, but luckily, he wasn't Kathy, or even Brian or Nate for that matter. He inconspicuously whispered to me while JC and Brian were talking. I just smiled at him and patted his knee. "Go get changed," I smiled to JC.
"A little early for bed, isn't it?" he smiled mischievously.
I uncrossed my leg and stood (with some difficulty). I walked over to him and kissed him fully, bringing a smile to Brian's face and a reddish hue to Kevin's. "Maybe, maybe not," I whispered in his ear, eliciting a giggle. "But why don't you go throw on some casual clothes, we're going out?"
"We are?" he asked, perplexed.
"Yes, Josh, we are," I smiled, pulling him to his feet and pushing him toward the stairs to the bedroom. He nodded in acquiescence and headed up.
I squeezed Brian's hand. "Feeling better?"
"Immensely," he smiled. "You two have fun."
I nodded and stopped at Kevin. I kissed the top of his head. "You stop worrying about all of us and have a little fun." He smiled and nodded. "Oh," I added, feigning an afterthought, "don't wait up."
"Wouldn't dream of it," both of them smiled, apparently more alike than I gave them credit for.
I arrived upstairs to a beautiful sight. JC had removed his suit and laid it on the bed. He was standing there with his back to the door in just his boxer-briefs, which nicely accentuated one of my favorites things about him.
I walked up behind him and squeezed his cheeks firmly.
"You know, my boyfriend's liable to get jealous," he smiled without turning around.
I slid my hands past the waistband and worked my hands around to his front, giving him a nice tug. "I think it's worth the risk."
"In the mood for some risky business, are we?" he laughed, turning to face me and kissing me passionately.
"Every waking moment," I smiled, kissing him again, "but right now, you and I have a date."
"I thought that's what we've been doing all night."
"I'm not through with you, mister," I teased, "not by a long shot."
He kissed the tip of my nose. "I like the sound of that."
I pushed him onto the bed. "You'll like more than the sound of it before this night is through."
"I sincerely hope so," he smiled, lying back on the bed with his arms folded behind his head.
I smiled and traced my fingers up his bare legs to his inner thighs. Running my hands back down, I grabbed his ankles and pulled his groin against mine. He valiantly attempted to stifle a chuckle at the absurdity of the scene, and failing that, he pulled me atop him.
I finally tore myself away from him long enough to pull a pair of walking shorts from our bag. He just reclined back, grinning devilishly as he allowed me to dress him. I slid the shorts up to his ass, at which point I had to stand him up to finished the job. I snagged the drawstrings tight enough that it knocked the wind out of him. I laughed and went back to the suitcase.
I pulled a wife-beater from his bag and started to put it on him. "That's not mine," he informed me. I looked at him more than a little perplexed. "That's Curly's," he explained. "He must have left it over there before he went to his grandparents."
I looked at him a minute. "But you'd look so unbelievably hot in it," I cooed.
"No, sweetie," he grinned. "You know I think my arms are too skinny for something sleeveless."
"Well," I laughed, "I guess I'll just have to trade you in on Justin."
"Not gonna work," he smiled.
"Please, Joshua," I pouted, giving him my best puppy dog look.
"Stop it, Matthew," he said, trying to retain his resolve.
I knelt down and licked my way from his navel to his earlobe. "Pretty please," I cooed.
"That's not fair, and you know it," he laughed, "but okay."
I raised my arms in victory and slid the tight white fabric over his chest.
It hung on him like a second skin. "Sit down," I instructed him. He did, and I took his left leg in my hand. I playfully sucked on his toes a minute, causing him to writhe uncomfortably, before sliding one of the ankle-length socks over the heel. I pushed the tennis shoe on and tied it before repeating the process with his right foot.
I pulled him to his feet again and placed a baseball cap backwards on his head. I took the sunglasses from his bag and put them on as well, completing the effect. "Perfect," I smiled.
"Yes, you are," he smiled. My knees grew weak as he started to pull my suit off.
"Honey," I tried to stop him, my voice barely obeying, "if you do this now, we're not getting out of here."
He kissed me just below my neck. "Would that be such a bad thing?" he purred between breaths.
"I want to do something special for you tonight," I tried to explain, barely audibly.
"I want you to do something special to me tonight," he smiled. My willpower caved, but sensing this, he pushed me onto the bed. "You go ahead and get changed," he grinned. "I need to ask Kevin to do me a favor anyway."
When he left the room, I exhaled sharply, desperately in need of a cold shower. After a few minutes, I had calmed down enough to get up and get changed. I walked into the parlor room, where JC was sitting on the couch with Kevin, holding the sunglasses in his hands while he patiently waited for me.
"Let's go," I smiled, and JC sprung from his seat.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Brian laughed.
"Oh, there's a short list," Kevin teased. Brian blushed, and JC and I just laughed as we walked to the elevator.
JC kept quizzing me, trying to get me to spill where we were going. I said nothing, but he didn't have to wait long. We got downstairs to find exactly what I was expecting. He looked at me funny, but I just smiled and motioned for him to climb in. One of my mother's favorite things had always been the horse-drawn carriages that frequented the downtown area. They ran at all hours of the night, and it was late enough now that the omnipresent tourist crowd had thinned to virtual nonexistence.
I climbed into the seat next to him and handed the driver, for lack of a better term, the money. Seeing the roses next to her, I passed her a little extra, and she handed me a single red rose, which I, in turn, handed to JC. I asked the driver to raise the top to keep any prying eyes at bay. She did so, and JC snuggled close to me as we stretched out, watching the historic landmarks in the background. It was undeniably peaceful, but my thoughts were not my own. JC realize it when I didn't respond to some statement he had made. I apologized, and he smiled at me, handing me the cell phone from his pocket.
"What?" I asked him.
He smiled sympathetically. "The only time I ever see that look on your face is when you're thinking about the girls, and it's no stretch on the imagination to figure out what you want to talk to them about. Call them."
I forced a smile. How could someone I'd known so short a time know me so impossibly well? "I don't want to break the news to them over the phone," I weakly told him.
"Then don't. You can do that tomorrow or the next day," he replied understandingly. "Why don't you just call them now to tell them how much you love them and how much they mean to you?"
The tears fell freely then. Not just because of the matter at hand, but because I continued to see him in such a new light. He never ceased to surprise me. He used his thumbs to dry the streaks from my cheeks and handed me the phone again. I just nodded and dialed.
"Hello?" I heard Colleen answer groggily.
"Hi, honey. Did I wake you?"
"Daddy! Hi! What's going on?"
Undecided as to how to answer, I opted for the straight-out approach. "I'm out on a date with JC."
"Good," she laughed. "You two having fun?"
"Yeah, we are," I admitted, JC just smiling at me.
"So what's up?"
"Just needed to hear you guys' voices."
"You're still coming tomorrow, aren't you?" she asked, a trace of disappointment in her tone.
"Yes, honey, I am. So is Kathy, JC, Justin, Kevin, Brian, and his friend Nate."
"Great," she replied, obviously beaming, even from this far away. "I can't wait, and neither can Caitlin. She's been on cloud nine all week, and some of the older girls don't believe that we know them, despite the fact that Kevin's been here before with Kathy. They stayed out of the flow of heavy traffic while they were here, so only a handful of people saw him."
"Well," I smiled, "you'll have proof-positive tomorrow."
"Outstanding," she smiled. "Did you want to talk to Caitlin?"
"Is she asleep?"
"Yes, sir. We had a test today, and true to form, she stayed up all last night cramming. She sacked out as soon as classes were over today."
"Just let her sleep, hon. I'll see you both tomorrow."
"I'll be looking forward to it, Dad."
"Okay, sweetie. I love you both very much. Now, go back to sleep."
"All right, Dad. Love you, too. Give JC our love, too."
"Will do. Goodnight."
"Night."
I hung up the phone. "They said to give you their love."
He smiled and nodded. "Better?"
"Yeah," I answered to myself as well as him. "Just that little bit made me feel better."
"Good," he smiled and pulled me against him.
I could have stayed that way forever. When the driver was about to stop our ride, I asked her how long she did the rides each night. She said until about two or three in the morning. I pulled out several hundred dollars from my wallet that I had gotten out specifically for tonight. I told her to keep going until she was going home. She smiled, taking the money for the fare and an exorbitant tip. I didn't care. This moment was worth more to me than almost anything.
We rode for hours. JC and I were content to merely be with one another. Not another word was said after I had paid the driver--the words just go in the way. The night finally came to an end, and she dropped us back at the hotel. We slipped into the elevator, and I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist as I kissed his neck.
We got back to the room, and, as expected, everyone was apparently asleep. I halfway listened as we walked by Nate and Brian's door, wondering if I would hear them "making up," but either the doors were too thick, or they were out for the night. When I opened the door to the bedroom, I was speechless.
The silk sheets were pulled back with rose petals scattered on the bed. Soft music played in the background, the perfect accompaniment to the soft candlelight. At the little table for two in the corner, there were two desserts and a bottle of champagne waiting beneath dozens of roses. I looked over to JC, who was grinning broadly. "I take it you're responsible for this," I smiled at him.
"Guilty as charged," he beamed. "Though I have Kevin to thank for getting things done for me while we were out."
I looked over at the table to see a white chocolate charlotte. "And Kathy, it would seem," I smiled.
"Huh?"
I just grinned. "She knows my weakness for white chocolate."
"Oh, really?" he grinned in return. "That's good to know." I looked across the table at a poached pear, smothered in chocolate sauce and some kind of ice cream. JC dipped his finger in the chocolate. "Still hot," he observed. "I take it I do have a lot to thank Kathy for."
I smiled. "Yeah, she knew about my plans tonight, so that's how they knew when we'd get back."
"Do you want to eat?" he asked, pulling out my chair.
I shook my head. "Nope," I smiled as I pushed the chair back under the table. "I have a better idea." I kissed him as I pushed him onto the bed. "Remind me to buy Curly a new shirt."
He barely managed a "huh" before I'd ripped the shirt cleanly down the middle, exposing his chest. I straddled his hips and kissed him again. I reached behind me to the plate with the white chocolate charlotte. Taking the spoon, I drizzled the raspberry sauce down JC's front, causing his abdominal wall to contract involuntarily.
I slid off his lap and moved my tongue down his chest, cleanly removing the reddish-purple goo from his skin. I pulled the tattered shirt off of him, gripping his shoulders tightly as I untied his shorts with my teeth. I abruptly rose off of his entirely, grabbing him by one waist and flipping him over.
I kissed the back of his neck as he craned backwards to kiss me. I moved down his spine with my mouth, tongue, and fingers. When I reached the shorts, I used tiny bites and nudges with my chin to ease them to the floor.
I stroked my fingertips along his leg, from the sole of his foot to his outer thigh. His hair stood on end, an effect I was hoping that I was having on other parts of his anatomy as well.
I scooped some of the actual dessert from my plate and smeared it all over his backside, clear down to his knees. As I repeated my cleaning method from his chest, soft moans escaped his lips while I made certain I didn't miss a fraction of an inch. When I was satisfied with what I'd done, I spun him around again, leaving me face to face with his very aroused member.
I smiled to myself as I looked up to find his head thrown back in enjoyment. I grabbed the champagne bottle and popped the cork, spilling the bubbly down his belly and past his crotch. The chilled liquid violently jerked him back to the here and now, and he looked at me wickedly before pulling my body next to his, drenching my clothes and skin with the sparkling vintage.
He yanked at my shirt, just below the collar, projecting every button across the room. He rubbed his chest against my own, our erect nipples coarsely brushing against one another. He slid down my body, wetting me more with his passing to my groin. He snapped open the fly to my shorts before moving up to kiss me again. He used his hands and knees and finally, even his feet, to push my clothes into the floor next to his.
He moved from his perpendicular position to an inverted one, his feet arching against the headboard as he moved towards my feet. He took a spoonful of the roasted hazelnut ice cream from his plate and put in his mouth. He lowered his mouth onto me and clinched his fingers around my upper thighs. Luckily, the cool air blowing across the champagne eased the cold of the ice cream.
I reached across his right shoulder and grabbed the pear. The chocolate sauce was hot, not uncomfortably so, but when I ground the fruit and its drippings into him, it caused him to lose his train of thought. I took advantage of the opportunity, pulling his head into my mouth with my tongue.
The familiar musky sweetness of his own taste and the rich flavor of the chocolate was almost too much for me. He returned his attentions to me, and we continued like that for several minutes.
I used my arms to push my off of the headboard, spinning me around to face him. We kissed with an almost primal passion, our tongues and tastes mixing, and the alternate hot and cold treatments of our groins reacted to one another with a cascade of sensations, both internal and external. I had forgotten about the pear itself, and as the two of us explored one another with our hands and the rest of our bodies, we mashed the thing to bits, causing us both to laugh in the middle of a heated kiss.
I pushed his necklaces into his mouth with my fingertips, lingering for his attention, while I eased off of him. He rolled onto his stomach, and I eased my hips against his, grinding my pelvis into him as he thrust himself back against me. I grabbed the bottle and poured more of the champagne onto his back, its crystal clear river running off of his back, down both of our legs and onto the floor. I reached under him, running my hands from his inner thighs to his collarbone. The champagne dripped from his pecs, and I massaged them dry while I kissed his shoulder.
He stood against me, and I sat on the bed. He reclined against me, forcing me to lie down as well. His knees were bent awkwardly with his legs almost inhumanly behind and beside him. His weight smothered me, and the feeling sent me reeling. His imminent release followed suit, and we laid there in the mess we'd made until he smiled.
"What?" I laughed.
"As much as I love getting sticky with you, sweetie," he laughed, "this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."
He stood and headed for the bathroom, and I could only laugh as I threw the pillow at him. I joined him in the shower stall, and with a few more distractions, we finally got to bed, stripping the sheets and sleeping on just the mattress as he spooned against me to keep warm. I could feel my warm breath reflected back at me from my proximity to him, and that was the last thing I remember before my dreams embraced me.
TO BE CONTINUED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Feedback is always appreciated: m_n_hunter@hotmail.com.