This story contains descriptions of graphic sex between males. If that kind of thing does not appeal to you, stop reading now.
This story is pure fiction. If this resembles something that happened to you, it must have been an incredible experience. But it's simply a coincidence.
All comments are welcome: djwarner1984@hotmail.com Please donate to Nifty: https://donate.nifty.org/
-DJ
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The Inheritance Clause - 22
Adam was holding Dawson's hand and had his arm over his mother's shoulder.
"Mom, do you have a divorce lawyer yet?" Adam asked.
"No, not yet," Joan said.
Adam guided Dawson and his mother toward Carmen, Krantz, and Niven.
"Ms. Castillo, this is my mom, Joan Jameson. She needs a divorce lawyer. Can you help her?" Adam said.
"I'd be happy to. Come with me, Mrs. Jameson. Let's talk," Carmen said to Joan.
They moved away from the group, so they could speak in private. The boys turned toward Krantz and Niven. They all stood in silence for a few moments as they processed what had just happened with Artie. Finally, Adam spoke.
"Now that this is all suddenly ended, I'm not sure if you know what your next moves will be. Whatever you decide, Dawson and I would like you to stay on as long as you want," Adam said as Dawson nodded and smiled while he spoke.
Niven and Krantz looked at each other, then at the boys.
"Thank you, that's very generous. I will let you know my plans once I've decided," Krantz said.
"Thank you. I planned to retire when this was over and move to the coast to be closer to my daughter and her children," Niven said, "but I'll stay until you find a suitable replacement."
The boys smiled and nodded as they listened to Niven and Krantz.
"I know it's a lot to ask, but do you think we could provide lunch for everyone?" Dawson said.
"I can have lunch prepared for everyone and served on the terrace by noon," Niven said.
"Thank you," Adam said, "sincerely. Thank you, to you both. You were so good to my granddad. And you've been indispensable to Dawson and I."
Niven pursed her lips and nodded her head. Krantz nodded. He reached under his collar and tugged at a chain he was wearing around his neck. He pulled it off, over his head. There were two keys at the end of it.
"These belong to you two, now. They open the boxes," Krantz said as he held out the keys.
Dawson took the keys and looked at them in his hand.
"Did you see what was in the extra packet?" Adam asked.
"No, only the judge saw it," Niven said.
"Once we unlocked the box and confirmed the numbered packets were in there, she looked inside the extra packet. Then she asked us to leave so she could look at the contents in private," Krantz explained.
"Hmm," Dawson said as he looked at Adam.
Dawson could see Adam's mom talking to Carmen in the background, behind Adam.
"I'm going to go over and make sure Carmen is taking care of your mom," Dawson said to Adam.
Adam nodded and smiled in acknowledgement.
"We have some time before lunch. Can you let the panel know that we'll be taking the pontoon boat out for a tour of the lake and then we will have lunch out on the terrace?" Dawson added.
"Of course," Adam said as he gazed at Dawson.
Dawson handed the keys on the chain to Adam. Adam headed over to the panel members, all talking in a small group. Dawson went over to Carmen and Joan. They were talking to someone on speaker over Carmen's phone.
"Ok then, I'll come see you tomorrow morning. What's your address?," Attorney Dugan said.
"Hi Jacob. it's Dawson. You can come here, to Clayton Jameson's lake house. Mrs. Jameson will be staying with us," Dawson said.
"Oh, thank you, but I already booked a room at a hotel...." Joan began to say.
"Mrs. Jameson, I really must insist. You're staying here with us. Niven will prepare you a room and get you everything you need. And if you still resist, I'll have Adam come over and you'll have to argue with him," Dawson said with a gentle confidence.
Joan watched Dawson as he spoke to her. She sighed softly.
"Well... Ok... I'll stay here. I have my bags packed in my car, so I shouldn't need much," Joan said to Dawson.
She then leaned toward the phone.
"Mr. Dugan, you can come to the lake house tomorrow. I'll see you then," Joan said.
She thanked Carmen and Dawson, then left them to go talk to Niven.
"Jacob, can you also tell Sabrina to retrieve the phones in my desk and bring them to the lake house right away? And can you ask her to bring a couple of phone chargers?" Carmen said as she looked at Dawson.
Dawson realized she was talking about the cellphones she took from him and Adam on the day of the will reading.
"I will. And I have a message for Dawson from Mr. Cotton. Your job is waiting for you if you decide to come back," Attorney Dugan said.
"Thanks, I'm not sure what I'm doing yet, but I'll let him know," Dawson said.
They finished the call and Carmen hung up.
"I know what you're gonna say," Carmen said, "Jacob may not be the most tactful person in any given room, but he's the best divorce lawyer there is."
"Did I say anything?" Dawson replied, holding his hands up, "I want Jacob to be her divorce lawyer. Artie is an asshole. Jacob will bleed him dry."
Carmen stepped back and looked at Dawson with curiosity.
"Wow, I've never heard you talk about someone like that," Carmen said.
"Well," Dawson said, "A lot happened this weekend."
"Yeah... about that..." Carmen said as she started to smile, "You wouldn't know anything about the new information that came to light about the video or the clause D boxes, now, would you?"
Dawson chuckled.
"Maybe," he said as he smiled.
She smiled back.
"Carmen, I want to thank you for everything you've done for me," Dawson said.
"Well, I'll be honest. When Clayton told me what he wanted to put in his will, I fought it. I told him it was a mistake," Carmen said, "I still don't know why he put clauses C and D in place. I wonder why Judge Lynch didn't tell us the reason."
"Hmmm, until we can see what's in those boxes, we won't really know," Dawson said.
"Mmm," Carmen agreed, "Listen, there's something Krantz and I need to talk to you and Adam about."
Dawson saw Adam talking to the court officers who were responsible for the boxes. Adam was waving him over.
"Is it urgent? We're taking everyone out on the pontoon boat to tour the lake and then we'll have lunch. Can we talk then?" Dawson said.
"That's fine. We can talk at lunch," Carmen said.
"Great," Dawson said before heading over to Adam.
Adam and the court officers were talking about what to do with the boxes. Adam decided to have the boxes moved to Clayton's office, where they could lock them up.
The court officers carried the boxes as they and the boys rode the elevator to the second floor. When the doors opened, the judge was there with court officer Simpson. She was dressed in her regular clothes and carrying her overnight bag. Adam directed the court officers with the boxes to the office and had them put them on the floor in the hallway. The judge asked Simpson to give her a moment. So, Simpson and the other court officers waited near the top of the stairs.
"Adam... Dawson... I'll be leaving now," Judge Lynch said, "Once everyone has left the ballroom, my staff will clear out our things, so you can have your house back."
"Can I ask?" Dawson said, "In your ruling... Why didn't you tell us what Clayton's reason was?"
The judge looked back and forth between the boys. She then looked to see how close the court officers were to her. Satisfied that they wouldn't hear her, she leaned in toward the boys.
"You'll understand why I kept the information private once you see what's in the extra packet," the judge said very quietly.
The boys looked at each other. She leaned in even closer.
"And I know you already realize that if there's an appeal or another claim, whatever is in those boxes will be seized as evidence. The next judge may not be so discreet with the information in that packet," the judge whispered.
A serious look spread across Dawson's face. He looked at the court officers to gauge if they had heard her. Adam looked at Dawson with curiosity, not quite sure what the judge was trying to tell them.
"You understand what I'm saying?" Judge Lynch whispered while looking at Dawson.
"I understand," Dawson said quietly.
Dawson thought for a second.
"I thought you said you don't let your personal feelings interfere when it comes to the law..." Dawson whispered to the judge.
"What law?" the judge said quietly as she grinned at Dawson, "There's no law involved here. As of my ruling this morning, you simply have two boxes. What you do with them is your business."
Dawson chuckled slightly and looked at Adam.
"Well, thank you, Judge Lynch," Dawson said with a normal voice.
"Thank you, for accommodating me," the judge said in her normal voice, "I told Krantz to send an invoice to the probate court for the expenses to compensate you for hosting me for the weekend, plus the inconvenience Mr. Krantz and Mrs. Niven incurred with the setup and breakdown of the ballroom."
"You don't have to do that," Adam said.
"Yes, I do," she said, "and if I don't receive an invoice, I'll hold you both in contempt."
She added the last part with a self-satisfied grin. Both boys smiled.
The judge extended her arm and shook Adam's hand. She turned and shook Dawson's hand. Then she grabbed an envelope sticking out of her overnight bag.
"Open this after you see what's in the extra packet," the judge said.
The boys looked at her curiously as Dawson took the envelope. He slipped it into his back pocket.
"Good luck," Judge Lynch said.
The judge signaled to the court officers and they all went downstairs.
The boys went to the office. Dawson unlocked the door using the hippo figurine. The boys moved the clause D boxes into the office and put them on the floor next to the oak desk. They moved the scanner, which Krantz had left in the hallway, into the office and put it on the computer desk. Adam turned and closed the door.
Dawson leaned into Adam. He touched his forehead against Adam's forehead. Their hands connected between them. They each reveled in the scent of the other as their fingers slowly intermingled together, caressing the spaces between their fingers. The sound of their breathing was magnified because of how close they were to each other.
"Will you hold me?" Adam whispered.
Dawson lifted his head and pulled Adam into his arms.
"I will always hold you," Dawson said softly.
Adam turned his head and leaned it into Dawson. They held each other quietly for a couple minutes. Dawson softly stroked Adam's back. Adam held onto Dawson tightly, sighing with content as he listened to Dawson's heartbeat. Finally, Dawson gently broke the embrace.
"Adam," Dawson said as he placed his hands on Adam's biceps and looked into his eyes, "I'm sorry about your father."
Adam smiled at Dawson.
"I'm going to try to do what you did," Adam said, "I won't think about this as the time my father rejected me for who I am. I will look back on it as a positive memory. It's the time when I finally got to be with the man I love."
"Oh, Adam," Dawson said as he started to well up.
He pulled Adam into his arms again. Dawson hugged him in a tight embrace.
"I'm so glad that we get to be together now, without any of this other stuff getting in our way," Adam whispered.
"Me, too," Dawson said, "But, you know, we're going to have to deal with the money now."
"Mmm," Adam agreed.
They held each other for a few more minutes. Dawson caressed his cheek against Adam's hair.
"We should clear everyone out before we look in that packet," Dawson said.
"Mmmm," Adam uttered in agreement, "Was the judge telling us to destroy whatever is in those boxes?" Adam asked.
"Yup," Dawson said, "I was already thinking we should. We can bring them with us to Rosemary's Point and burn them with the love notes."
Adam snuggled closer into Dawson's arms and sighed.
"We can finally get to Rosemary's Point..." Adam said.
"Mmmm," Dawson agreed as he held Adam tighter, "I'm so glad we waited."
They continued to hold each other. They both began to envision in their minds what it would be like to make love to each other at Rosemary's Point, in the cabin, in front of the fire, with nothing hanging over their heads anymore. They each pictured themselves topping the other. Neither realized they were both expecting to be the top.
After holding each other for a few more minutes, they finally broke their embrace. They kissed gently. They separated and held hands as they left the office.
When they got downstairs the panel members were still in the ballroom. The boys led them down to the dock. Dawson and Adam escorted the panel members onto the pontoon boat. Niven had placed a cooler with ice and some water bottles on the boat. She also left a basket with some snacks on board, too. They unmoored and Adam piloted them away from the dock.
While they cruised the lake, Carmen let the boys know that the panel needed to meet with them. Until then, the panel members had been managing Clayton's assets. Because the judge declared the conditions of clause C were met, the panel needed to hand off responsibilities of the assets to the boys. Adam and Dawson proposed they make plans for the transfer during lunch and Carmen agreed.
The boat inched slowly along as they looked out over the beautiful lake and the landscape along the shore. With the canopy overhead protecting them from the sun, they all relaxed and appreciated the beautiful morning.
After enjoying the boat ride, everyone was chatting as they walked back up to the house. A lunch buffet was prepared on the terrace. Carmen spoke to Krantz and then they pulled the boys aside while everyone else was in line to get lunch.
"I need to let you know that there are a few things that have changed since the will reading," Carmen said.
The boys looked concerned.
"The media found out on the day of the will reading that the two of you were named beneficiaries. They didn't know anything about where you were or what you were doing. There have been all kinds of rumors going around. And they've been staking out the lake house. They set up camp out at the end of the private road. Krantz stationed a security team to prevent them from getting near the lake house, so it hasn't been an issue. Until now," Carmen said.
Dawson and Adam looked at each other. They were isolated at the lake house with no contact with the outside world, so they had no idea this was going on. They looked at Carmen and Krantz.
"Now with the judge's decision, Clayton's will is finalized. It's no longer confidential. The information about it will be made public by the probate court. It's probably already out there. Which means, the media interest will only escalate," Carmen said.
"So, what are you telling us?" Adam said.
"It's not a good idea to try to leave the lake house until you've spoken to the press and the media interest dies down. And you'll probably need to think about putting some kind of media communications plan together," Carmen said.
Adam looked at Dawson with worry.
"It's ok, we can ask Cassie to... wait... What about Cassie?" Dawson said with concern, "If the media have known about me since last week, they must have been staking out my apartment, too."
"Right. We put Cassie up at a hotel as soon as they started sniffing around. The media don't know where she is. She's been working from the hotel since the day of the reading of the will. She's fine," Carmen said.
"Why didn't you tell me!?!" Dawson said with a bit of anger in his voice.
"Dawson, we weren't allowed to. According to the conditions of the will, you were prohibited from having any information about what was happening beyond the lake house. It would have broken the will's conditions if we had told you," Carmen explained.
Adam gently slid his hand into Dawson's. Dawson looked at the ground and his demeanor softened.
"I understand," Dawson said.
After a slight pause, he turned to Adam.
"We need to call her. Cassie's a PR rep. She can help us with a media strategy," Dawson said to Adam.
"We should ask her to come here. She can stay here with us, until we get a handle on the media," Adam said.
"That's a great idea," Dawson said as he squeezed Adam's hand.
"There's something else..." Carmen said.
The boys started to get concerned again.
"They staked out your apartment, too, Adam. We put Vickie up in a hotel as well. But since Friday, when she stormed out of the inquiry, she hasn't returned to the hotel or the apartment. No one knows where she is," Carmen said.
"Seriously?" Adam said with a concerned look on his face.
Dawson let go of Adam's hand and put his hand on Adam's shoulder. Adam looked at the ground.
"Sabrina dropped off your phones. Adam, we were hoping that Vickie might have called or texted you," Carmen said.
Krantz brought them into the kitchen where the phones were. When Dawson and Adam plugged their phones in, they turned on. They buzzed and dinged as all of the pent-up messages were processed. The boys began scrolling through their phones. They both had a number of calls, texts, and emails from media, work colleagues, and friends.
Adam also had a bunch of texts and voice mails from Vickie. He read through the texts. They were all angry screeds. He listened to Vickie's voice mails. The first two were her just yelling at him. Dawson could tell by watching Adam that they were not pleasant voice mails.
The third voice mail from Vickie was different. She was apologetic. She wanted Adam back. She didn't want to deal with the media or be holed up in a hotel, so she went to stay with her sister in Dallas. Dawson could see Adam's face was filled with relief.
"Vickie's fine. She's in Dallas with her sister, Amy," Adam told them after listening to the message.
After scrolling through his messages, Dawson called Cassie. He kept telling her that he was sorry, even though Cassie kept telling him it was fine. He explained what happened with the inquiry and she agreed to come to the lake house. Dawson asked Krantz to arrange for a car to get Cassie.
Because they were continuing to get messages, the boys silenced their phones and left them in the kitchen for the moment, so they could fully charge.
While they ate lunch, Dawson and Adam made arrangements with the panel to meet the next day at the lake house to take control of Clayton's personal and real estate assets.
After lunch, the boys said goodbye to Carmen and the panel. When Niven was done cleaning up from lunch, she and Joan went off to take care of getting her settled in. And Krantz confirmed the ballroom had been cleared out by the judge's team. So, he left to check on security.
The boys were finally alone. Without any words spoken, the boys reached out and held hands. They went upstairs and turned toward the west wing, heading right for Clayton's office. Dawson unlocked the door with the hippo figurine. Adam unlocked the second box, labeled B, with the keys Krantz had given them. When they opened it, they found the extra packet on top. There was a message written on the packet in red sharpie, 'Open this on the last day'.
Dawson picked it up. The judge had already opened it. He looked inside. He then looked at Adam as he slid the contents out of the packet onto the desk. A folded-up piece of paper and a flash drive came out. Adam picked up the paper and unfolded it. Dawson picked up the flash drive and held it in his fist. Adam read the message out loud.
"Krantz and Niven - On the flash drive, there is a video that Adam and Dawson must watch in private. It explains everything. - Clayton Jameson," Adam read.
A knowing look came over Dawson's face then he grimaced.
"What?" Adam said with concern.
"On the video... during the inquiry... Your granddad said we would know by the end of the six months why he did this. I thought we would just figure it out, based on what he asked us to do over the course of six months. I didn't realize he was going to actually tell us," Dawson explained.
"At least this way we'll know for sure," Adam said with sympathy.
"I know, but it would have saved us a whole lot of worry if we knew he was going to tell us at the end," Dawson explained.
Adam looked down and considered what Dawson said as he folded the note up and put it back into the packet. He tossed it back in the box and locked it.
"How about we watch it in the theater?" Dawson suggested as he held up the flash drive.
Adam didn't say anything. He simply took Dawson's free hand. They went downstairs to the home theater. Dawson put the flash drive into the control panel and Adam grabbed the remote. They went to their seats, in the middle of the second row from the back. They held hands between them as they sat back. Adam used the remote to start the video.
Clayton's image appeared on the screen. He was sitting in the library. He was looking directly into the camera. Adam and Dawson felt their emotions swell as they looked at Clayton on the screen.
"Adam. Dawson. I'm sure you are frustrated with me. I ask for your patience as I explain myself. I have a few things to say about me and about each of you. I hope you're open to listening," Clayton said and then paused for a moment.
"First, I love you both very much. Adam, you've heard me say I love you before. And I hope you didn't take it lightly. I meant it. And Dawson, it may sound strange to hear me say that I love you. In the time we spent together, I got to know you pretty well. And I say I love you without hesitation," Clayton said.
Clayton paused, looked down for a moment, and then looked back at the camera.
"When I met Sarah," Clayton continued, "I instantly fell in love. She was my world. It was so tragic when she and our son died. Afterward, I grieved for so long. I rejected all attempts by others to get me to date. I just couldn't. I didn't see the point. I never thought I could love again. But then it happened."
The boys looked at each other, then turned back to the video as Clayton paused and cleared his throat. It looked like he was trying to hold in his emotions. He started speaking again.
"I was surprised. I never thought I'd fall in love again. But I found myself emotionally and physically attracted to another man. This may come as a shock to you. It certainly shocked me. Over time I came to realize I was bisexual. I fell in love with him. And he fell in love with me," Clayton said.
Suddenly, the video froze. Dawson looked at Adam. Adam had a smile on his face. He was holding up the remote, which he had just used to pause the video.
"You figured it out!" Adam said.
Dawson sat silently. Until that moment, a small part of him thought maybe he was wrong. Dawson's conclusion that Clayton had a love affair with Jorge was so fantastical. Dawson couldn't help thinking his logic was somehow flawed. But now he knew. He was right.
Adam let the video continue to play.
"The time we had together was too short. We only had a few years. Our relationship ended when he passed away unexpectedly," Clayton said.
Clayton paused again as he collected himself.
"The day I met you, Dawson, I immediately felt that I knew who you were," Clayton said, "You reminded me so much of him... your essence... your mannerisms... your smile... the way you always noticed details that others missed... your thoughtful nature... the way you obsessed over your hair..."
Adam smiled when he heard that part.
"I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't. You were so much like him. Every time we were together, it invigorated me. I felt alive again, like I did when I was with him. That's why the pool games we played together meant so much to me. That time with you was my small window back to when I was with him," Clayton said.
Dawson began to tear up. Now he knew why giving him the pool table was so important to Clayton. Adam squeezed Dawson's hand.
"After I met you, Dawson, something reawakened in me. That's why, Adam, the next time I saw you, I knew. I knew you were gay. I think I always sensed something, but it was so indistinct that it didn't register. On that day, though, it was loud and clear. And just like me when I was younger, you didn't have a clue. You didn't realize your true sexual orientation... but I knew," Clayton said with certainty.
Adam froze the video again. Adam turned to Dawson.
"Wow..." Dawson exhaled.
Adam didn't say anything. He stared at Dawson for a few moments with his mouth held open in shock. And then he looked back at the screen. He pressed play.
"You are so much like me, Adam. I couldn't escape what was right in front of me," Clayton said, "I couldn't shake the overwhelming feeling that the two of you needed to be together. That you two boys had the chance to have the happiness that I had for a brief time with..."
He stopped himself before he said Jorge's name.
"Well, I just knew the two of you would make each other happy. If you could have just a little bit of the happiness we had together, I wanted that to happen for you. So, I started to talk each of you up to the other. I intended to introduce you, to have you meet. But I knew from experience that your love would have a better chance to grow if you had no distractions, no outside influences. Then I got the idea to structure my will so you could be together, without anyone or anything else getting in the way, so you could let love blossom freely," Clayton said.
The boys looked at each other and then back at the video.
"So, Adam... Dawson... please be assured that I am giving you my inheritance because I love you and trust you. I have faith that you will both carry on my legacy. And you now know that I put the conditions in my will so you would have the chance to find love in each other. I know that the two of you will end up together for a long, long time," Clayton said.
Clayton paused for a few moments and looked down. Then suddenly he looked up.
"One more thing. I hid some notes that he sent me in the back of my armoire. Every Tuesday when I met with you, Dawson, after you left, I took out his notes and reminisced about him. Read them if you like, but please destroy them. Please make sure they aren't found by anyone else. We kept our relationship secret to protect him. Nothing can be gained by exposing it now," Clayton said.
Dawson pulsed his hand so Adam felt it, as an acknowledgment that they had already decided to destroy the love notes.
Clayton cleared his throat.
"So, that's it. I love you, Dawson... I love you, Adam... I hope you find happiness together," Clayton concluded.
Clayton gave a short, single wave and then the video ended. The boys stared straight ahead after the screen went blank. Dawson gently squeezed Adam's hand. Adam sniffled.
"Holy shit," Dawson said softly as they both sat there in shock.
After a few moments, Adam turned toward Dawson. Dawson looked at him.
"You were right..." Adam said, "about all of it..."
Adam pulled Dawson's hand up and kissed it. Then Dawson spoke.
"We'll have to thank the judge for protecting your granddad's secret," Dawson said.
"Oh, the judge..." Adam reminded Dawson.
Dawson pulled the envelope the judge had given them out of his back pocket. He opened it and began to read it out loud.
"Dear Adam and Dawson, You can see now why I did not reveal what I found in the packet. It's not for me or the court to reveal Mr. Jameson's secret. And I saw no harm in letting it go with him to his grave. I also have to say, I only spent a short amount of time with you, but I saw exactly what Mr. Jameson saw in the two of you. You are meant for each other. It is as if you were each created specifically for the other. I wish the best for you both," Dawson read.
"Wow," Adam said.
"There's more..." Dawson continued.
"Adam, your insights on interior design are inspiring. If you are interested in doing more with your talent, I can introduce you to my mother. She can give you advice and help you make some connections in the industry. Call me if you want to pursue this," Dawson read.
"Hhmm...," Adam said softly.
Dawson shook the note, signaling there was more.
"Dawson, you have a unique talent with your extraordinary attention to detail. If you have any desire to use this talent to help others, and I suspect that you will, I have a proposal for you. I have a very close friend who is a detective with the Austin police department. They could benefit from your talents in the cold case division. If you have any interest, call me. I will introduce you to her, so you can discuss the opportunity," Dawson continued.
Adam smiled and was about to say something when Dawson kept reading.
"P.S. If you two ever decide to take that next step in your relationship, there is a judge who would be honored to perform the ceremony. All you have to do is call her," Dawson concluded.
"She really wrote that?" Adam said.
"Yeah, she left her personal cell phone number, too. Look," Dawson said as he held up the note.
Adam looked at the note and nodded.
"So... Will you consider it?" Adam said.
"Having Judge Lynch marry us?" Dawson joked as he looked at Adam with a straight face, "Boy, you just keep trying to get me to marry you..."
"Ha ha," said Adam, "Very funny. No, the cold cases..."
"I'll think about it," Dawson said.
"Good," Adam said.
"What about you?" Dawson asked.
"I just might call her. I did enjoy tapping into my creative side through my grandmother's designs," Adam said.
Dawson smiled. He lifted Adam's hand and kissed it. They sat there quietly for a few minutes. A slow smile crept across Adam's face.
"What?" Dawson said as he squeezed Adam's hand.
"Hhmm?" Adam uttered.
"You started smiling," Dawson said.
"Oh... well... when I first learned about Jorge, I wondered what he was like," Adam replied, "Now I know. He was like you."
Adam reached up and playfully picked at Dawson's hair.
"Hey!" Dawson said, putting his hand up in reaction, trying to deflect Adam from messing with his hair.
"Yup. Obsessed with your hair... You're just like Jorge," Adam joked and then chuckled.
Dawson smiled.
"Well, I didn't realize how much you remind me of your granddad until he said it just then. You really are a lot like him," Dawson said.
Adam smiled. He leaned his head onto Dawson's shoulder.
"I want to go to Rosemary's Point tonight. I don't want to wait anymore," Adam said gently as he slipped his hand onto Dawson's chest while he spoke.
Dawson turned in his seat so he was facing Adam. Adam lifted his head and looked at him.
"I was just thinking the same thing," Dawson said, "but I don't want to leave your mom and Cassie alone in this big empty house all by themselves. That wouldn't be right," Dawson said.
"Oh, you're right," Adam said as he thought about it.
"Besides," Dawson said, "We are going to have to deal with the media before we can really relax at Rosemary's Point."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right..." Adam said, "I still want our first time to be at Rosemary's Point though, even if we have to wait a little longer."
"Me too," Dawson said.
"Are you sure?" Adam said.
"Of course," Dawson said, "I want it to be special."
Adam sighed. He got up, faced Dawson, and climbed onto him. He wedged his knees into the seat on either side of Dawson's thighs. He placed his hands on Dawson's shoulders and began kissing him. Dawson slipped his hands up Adam's back. Adam began grinding himself onto Dawson's package. After a few moments, Adam stopped grinding and broke the kiss. He kept his hands on Dawson's shoulders and looked at him.
"Um... Dawson?" Adam said as his face softened.
Dawson simply raised his eyebrows in anticipation of what Adam wanted to say.
"I want to make sure... I mean... I don't want to mislead you..." Adam tried to say as he looked down at Dawson's chest.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Dawson asked with concern.
"It's just... I really like it when you're the big spoon... and I liked it when you were on top of me... the other morning... when I was on my stomach and you... well... when we had our wet dreams..."
Adam paused, still avoiding Dawson's eyes.
"But..." Adam said, "I don't think I can... I don't know if I..."
Dawson smiled.
"You're afraid of me being inside you," Dawson said knowingly.
Adam nodded, still looking down at Dawson's chest.
"Hey..." Dawson said as he tapped on Adam's back a couple times.
Adam looked up at Dawson. He had a look of concern on his face.
"Babe," Dawson said gently, "I would be lying if I said I didn't imagine us together with me inside you. But if you're not comfortable with that, we don't have to."
"Really?" Adam said with relief, "I didn't know how to tell you. I thought you expected that I was going to let you... well... I'm just not sure I can."
Dawson smiled.
"I would never want you to do something you don't want to do," Dawson said as he caressed Adam's back.
Adam smiled. He looked down at Dawson's chest. His face took on an apprehensive demeanor again.
"So, are you ok if I..." Adam said and then paused.
"Babe," Dawson said as he brought up his hand and lifted Adam's face to look at him, "I can't wait to feel you inside me."
Adam smiled nervously. Dawson grinned.
"Since we're clearing the air..." Dawson said, "I've never bottomed before. Only because I never wanted to. But now... with you..."
Dawson tapered off as he looked in Adam's eyes to see if he was understanding him.
"Are you sure?" Adam said with some trepidation.
"I've never been more sure," Dawson replied.
Adam sighed with relief. He took Dawson's face in his hands. The boys looked into each other's eyes.
"I love you, Dawson Andrew Stewart," Adam whispered.
"I love you, Adam Corbin Jameson," Dawson said softly.
Dawson pulled Adam into a gentle kiss. When they broke the kiss, Adam let go of Dawson's face. His hands trailed down to Dawson's pecs as he began placing small kisses on Dawson's neck.
"Oh, Adam... you make me so happy," Dawson whispered.
"I didn't know love could feel like this," Adam whispered back.
Dawson gently caressed Adam's back again.
"C'mon, Cassie will be here soon. And I could use a drink," Dawson finally said.
"Mmm," Adam said, "Yeah."
The boys got up. Dawson retrieved the flash drive from the console. They made their way to the living room. Dawson mixed a couple of manhattans. The boys sat next to each other on the sectional and sipped them.
They sat quietly, thinking to themselves. Eventually, Dawson put his drink down and leaned into Adam. He wrapped his arms around him and started to push him back. He started aggressively kissing Adam's neck. Adam juggled his drink in the air as he leaned back. Dawson began punctuating his words with kisses.
"I... can't... wait... to... get... you... to... Rosemary's... Point..." Dawson's muffled voice came out in between kisses on Adam's neck.
Adam started giggling as he tried not to spill his drink.
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Joan exclaimed as she came into the room.
"Mom..." Adam said as he tried to sit up, "it's ok."
Dawson straightened and tried to sit up next to Adam as if nothing had happened. Adam continued to struggle to sit up without spilling his drink.
"It's ok," Adam said again.
Dawson casually picked up his drink, still trying to pretend nothing had been going on.
"It's just... I wanted to thank you. I'm sure with everything that you've been through, with Vickie, the will, meeting Dawson, me and your father, and now this with the media... It's just... well... thank you, for letting me stay here," Joan said.
"Mrs. Jameson, you don't need to thank us. And I'm sure things haven't been easy for you either. Can we get you a drink? Adam, go fix your mom a drink," Dawson said as he gently slapped Adam's thigh with the back of his hand.
Adam started to get up.
"Thank you. Can I just have some vodka and cranberry juice?" Joan said as she sat down on the other part of the sectional.
Adam went over to the bar in the corner and made her a drink.
"Did you and Niven manage to get everything you need?" Dawson asked.
"Yes, mostly. I'll be fine for now," Joan said.
Adam handed his mom her drink then sat down next to Dawson. Adam draped his arm over Dawson's shoulder and onto the back of the sectional as the boys turned toward Joan.
"So, Mom, did you have any thoughts on what you want to do now?" Adam asked.
"Well, remember those ceramics classes Melanie and I took a few years back?" Joan paused and looked at Dawson. "Melanie is a long-time friend of mine," she said to Dawson. "Anyway, since then, we've been getting time with the kiln at the university. We're getting really good. Melanie had been talking about buying this place with a kiln and starting our own ceramics shop. But with your father and all, it wasn't something he would go for. When this all went down with your father contesting the will, I just couldn't stay with him anymore. I had to leave him. Now the ceramics shop with Melanie seems possible," Joan said.
"Have you talked to Melanie since you decided to leave dad?" Adam asked.
"Well, I hinted before that I was ready to commit to the ceramics shop. But I didn't tell her I was leaving your father. She suspected, though. It's no secret that your father and I haven't exactly gotten along for a while now," Joan said, "And she's a good friend. She didn't push me. But when I was ready to finally leave him, she was there for me."
"Do you need any help with getting set up?" Dawson said.
"Oh, no. We're good. I've been putting money aside that Artie didn't know about. And I've been investing it. I have a nice little sum of money. We each have enough so Melanie and I can be fifty-fifty partners," Joan explained.
"Mom, I'm so proud of you," Adam said.
Dawson slid his hand into Adam's.
"Thank you, honey. So, tell me about you two," Joan said.
The boys started to tell their story, going back and forth as if they were one person. Joan was visibly interested as she listened to them. When she learned that Dawson taught Adam how to swim, she started to get misty-eyed with emotion. As they were wrapping up, Krantz appeared.
"Sorry to interrupt," Krantz said, "Can I speak to the two of you about an urgent matter?"
Adam and Dawson started to look concerned.
"I need to use the bathroom anyway. I'll let you talk. I'll be right back," Joan said.
Joan got up and left the room.
"There was a problem over at the Santos farm," Krantz said, "A reporter and a cameraman trespassed on the property trying to get to the lake house."
Adam's face tightened with concern. Dawson looked at Adam.
"I've stationed an extra security detail to cover the lake front and the perimeter of the house as a precaution. And I've spoken with Margherita Santos. Everyone over there is ok. They're pressing charges for trespassing. I discussed with her the possibility of extending the security perimeter to cover the Santos property. That will give us better control of all the entry points to the lake house property. Do you approve?" Krantz asked the boys.
"Yes, Krantz. If she's on board with it, let's do it," Adam said as he looked at Dawson, who was nodding in agreement.
"I'll take care of it," Krantz said.
"Thank you, Krantz," Adam said.
They heard a car pull into the cul de sac.
"Oh, that must be Cassie," Dawson said.
Dawson went out into the hallway. He greeted Cassie at the front door with a hug. Cassie was very thin and tall. She was wearing a white blouse and a leather skirt. She was very pretty, with short blond hair and a round face. She had brown eyes and thin lips.
Dawson and Cassie left her bags in the front hall. Dawson brought her into the living room. Joan had returned and Niven had appeared. Dawson introduced Cassie to everyone.
"Dinner will be served in 45 minutes," Niven said, "And I've prepared the first room on the west wing for Cassie." Then she turned to Cassie, "I can take you up when you're ready."
"Oh, I'll do that, Niven. I need to talk to her about something," Dawson said.
Niven nodded and pursed her lips. Niven and Krantz left the room. Dawson and Cassie went to get her bags.
"Cass, I'm really sorry about all this," Dawson said as they grabbed Cassie's bags from the front hall.
"Dawson, stop apologizing. It's fine," Cassie said.
Cassie stood holding one of her bags in the hallway and looked around.
"This place is beautiful," Cassie said, "It's huge."
Dawson looked around. He thought it felt cozy. They started to walk toward the staircase.
"So, you're rich now?" Cassie said as her eyes darted everywhere.
"I guess so," Dawson said, "although, it's all happened so fast. It still hasn't really sunk in yet."
Halfway up the staircase, they turned to go toward the west wing as Cassie looked out the window toward the lake.
"We could use your help. Adam and I need a PR firm to handle the press," Dawson said.
"Of course, I'm happy to help you, cuz," Cassie said with a smile.
Dawson pointed toward his door on the east wing and let her know that was his room. He then took her into her room. After they put the bags down, Dawson opened the sliding glass door. They went out on the balcony so Cassie could see the view of the lake.
"Wow," Cassie said as she leaned over the railing and looked out across the lake.
"Cass," Dawson said with a serious look on his face.
She turned and looked at him. His face lit up with a big smile.
"I'm in love... with Adam. He's amazing," Dawson began to gush.
Cassie smiled but looked concerned.
"Dawson, I'm happy for you. But this seems so fast. Are you sure?" Cassie said.
"I am. I've never been more certain," Dawson said with confidence.
"But you don't even know him. You just met him like, what, a week ago?" Cassie said with concern.
"I met him three weeks ago, but that's not the point. Cass... Get to know him. You'll see. We are so good together," Dawson said.
She reached out and embraced him.
"Ok, but make sure you protect yourself. The rumors are that you're getting a lot of money," she said as she squeezed him in a hug.
"Well, Adam and I are getting assets valued at $800 million... each," Dawson said as he broke their embrace.
"What?!?!" Cassie yelped as she stepped back, "You're getting 800 million dollars?!?! Dawson, that's insane!"
"Plus, half of this house," Dawson said as he spread his arms and looked around the room.
She looked at him with sympathy as she reached out and took his hand.
"Dawson, even more reason to be careful. I know how rich people can be. I've worked with so many of them. They're ruthless," Cassie said.
"Adam's not rich. Or he wasn't before the inheritance. He's not like anyone I've ever met," Dawson said in protest.
"I hope you're right..." Cassie said as she looked at him with concern.
"I'll let you settle in," Dawson said changing the subject.
"Ok," Cassie said as they made their way back inside.
"Come down when you're ready. We're in the living room... bottom of the stairs, take a left. You'll find us. I'll give you a tour of the house before dinner," Dawson said.
Meanwhile, as soon as Dawson left to take Cassie to her room, Joan confronted Adam in the living room.
"Adam, what's going on?" Joan whispered with a reprimanding tone.
She leaned in toward Adam.
"Vickie gets upset at you and all of a sudden you're gay and in love with some guy you just met?!?!" she said in a hushed tone with displeasure written all over her face, "That's ridiculous!"
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The Inheritance Clause - 22
If you like this story, tell me: djwarner1984@hotmail.com And then donate to Nifty: https://donate.nifty.org/
-DJ