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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Along the Parisian sidewalks, people strolled in a colorful pedestrian parade. They sat at little café tables where they sipped red wine or strong black coffee.
Flowers bloomed everywhere, tumbling out of vendors' stalls, sunning on banks, spilling out of the arms of young girls. Boys skated by with yards of golden bread spearing up out of bags. Packs of tourists aimed cameras at their shutter view of Paris life.
Kip took it all in from the window overlooking the Place de la Concorde. The air was full of sound and scent and pink light. And his lover was sleeping like a stone in the bed behind him.
Or so he thought.
I had been watching him watch Paris for some time. He leaned out of the grand window, heedless of the low-slung jeans falling down his hips to expose his crack. He had been anything but indifferent since our arrival, as we drove through the city, entering the lush lobby of the Hotel de Crillon, and going into the plush and lofty suite had all been a joy to watch through his enthusiastic gaze.
I had insisted that he come with me to accept my prize, and that we stay for a week for his birthday. I wish it could be longer, but a week was all he could take off from school and work. I wanted to show him everything, take him everywhere, every museum, every café, every Michelin star restaurant, every landmark, every shop. I suppose it just meant that we would have to come back. Perhaps bringing him to Paris for his birthday could become a tradition.
The awards ceremony had been last night, and I could have throttled him for making me stay for the entire event. But I made him stand by me the whole night so that it was somewhat bearable. I was still introducing him as my roommate, even though he said I didn't have to, because I told him we had to tell Tavis first. Him finding out another way would be in poor taste. Kip agreed and promised to figure out how to tell his brother about us soon. I wasn't pressuring him to do so, but he kept bringing it up.
It had been a long night, so today we were taking it easy and had strolled around ducking into every shop we saw. Stopping for a café, he scolded me, "I'm telling you, stop buying up everything in sight, sir."
"Obviously it's better to want lots of things than none." He groaned in answer, taking another bite of his crème brulee. Reaching into one of the bags, I took out a jar of jewel- toned marbles, one of the few things he had asked for. Taking out a cobalt-blue one, I inquired, "How does one play with marbles?"
"Come to think of it, I'm not sure I know the real rules. I just remember some magic Tavis taught me when I was little. You take three marbles, and make a wish with them one by one." He removed a mint green, lemon yellow, and bright scarlet marbles as he spoke. "You hold each one up to the light, and silently think the wish. He said you're supposed to make the one most important to you last. If you put all three in a bag and carry them with you, the wishes come true. I remember lots of them coming true." He held the red one up to the sun.
"I don't think you can wish yourself taller," I kidded him.
He promptly kicked me in the shin. "Shut up! I'm only twenty-one, I can still grow!"
I held up my blue one. "Wishes..."
I knew Ali didn't think I was short. We couldn't all be beanstalks like him. He was more teasing me over getting annoyed when Donnan said it. I rolled my eyes at him. "I'll be right back, I'm going to the bathroom."
I left him on the back patio staring at his marble. I wonder what my three wishes should be? Before I made it to the restrooms, my phone started ringing. Checking it, I saw that it was Kiefer. Well, shit. What could he possibly want right now? I had been studiously ignoring his calls and texts for three months now. I hadn't heard from him in nearly a month now, so I thought he had finally taken the hint.
People were starting to look at me as I stood there holding my loud, ringing phone. Getting panicked, instead of just hitting the call decline, I took the phone out the front door to the street.
Standing there, waiting for me, was Kiefer.
"I can't believe you're right here!" His surprise at seeing me felt spurious. "It really feels like fate between us."
"What are you doing here?" I didn't bother hiding the skepticism from my voice.
"Research. I came to take reference photos." He held up a camera.
Sure. He was in Paris taking pictures for a series based in outer space. I suppose it was possible. "I see."
"Are you here with Alistor? For the award?"
"Yes. Speaking of which, I should go. I'm keeping him waiting."
Failing to notice that I hadn't smiled once and wasn't the least bit happy to see him, he kept talking. "Do you think I should say hello?"
"No. I don't think that would be a good idea." I looked at him like he was stupid.
"Uh-oh. Does he hate me?"
"Nooo," I drew out sarcastically. "He greatly respects you for making a move on and actively pursuing his boyfriend."
My sarcasm appeared to go right over his head. "How long are you in Paris for? Is there any chance you could get away, for even an hour? I'd love to take you out for your birthday. And I really want to hear your answer to my declaration. I love you, Kip. Can't you give me a chance? I think we'd be good together. You've already loved me for a long time, is it so hard to imagine? Fall in love with me!"
He grabbed my wrist and aggressively pulled me towards him. I could see his mouth coming closer to mine like we were moving in slow motion.
Wrenching my wrist from his hold, I used both of my hands to press on his chest and move him away-not too forcefully, but enough to make him take a step back. "That's impossible."
"What?" He seemed to have heard me for the first time today.
"I love your books, and I do respect you...as an author. But you need to accept that I'm with Ali. I'm in love with him."
"And I respect you, Kip. If we could spend some time together, you'd see..."
What was with this guy? Why wasn't he listening? "See, Kiefer, that's the thing. We don't know each other. There is no way you could love me. You know nothing about me. I stroked your ego a little, and that's what you like. And if that's all you need, then there are plenty for others out there that could do that for you. I don't want to get to know you better. I have Ali, and he's everything that I need and want. Besides, you coming after me like this, not respecting what Ali and have... I don't want to get to know someone who thinks it's okay to try and steal someone who's in a happy relationship. In no universe could you ever be better than Ali. Leave me alone, Mr. June. If you continue to pursue me then I'll be forced to... Just don't, okay? Goodbye."
My heart was hammering in my chest. I can't believe I just did that! I just told off and basically threatened my favorite author, and worse, someone who could have me fired. Turning to go back inside, I found Ali standing in the doorway watching us. Oh, shit.
His face was carved from stone, rigid and harsh. "I endured that, because I trust you. But I can't endure more. Next time, I kick his ass." * * *
After the best week of my life, Ali and I both reluctantly came home. It was as though Paris had stoked the flame higher between us. We had to always be touching. I'm pretty sure we held hands the entire flight home, cuddling in our little two-person pod. When I told him that it had been the best week of my life, his response was, "Good. My second wish came true. I wished that you'd have a fantastic birthday."
Back home, we got in the elevator in the parking garage. "What were your other two wishes?" I asked him as I leaned back against him, his hand on my hip.
"The first one was for Kip to be taller." I slapped him on the shoulder. "And the most important one, I wished that we would be together forever."
I felt my heart blossoming like the roses I bought for his birthday. That was Ali, always thinking of me. Every single one of his wishes was about me. I looked up at him. "You make me happy." He brushed his mouth with mine, his tongue slipping in to dance with mine. My hands went into his gold-brown hair, and his hands were on my hips pulling me against him.
I was vaguely aware of the ding of the doors opening. Just about to pull away, I heard, "Hey guys! I thought I'd come welcome you home."
My blood ran cold. I couldn't look. It couldn't be! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
"Hey, Tavis! This is certainly a surprise," Ali was acting as though we hadn't just been caught making-out by my brother. "I see you're already making use of the key we gave you to look after our place while we were gone."
"Well, with your award, and Kip's birthday...it's cause for celebration. I hope you two aren't too jet-lagged. Courtney's been cooking all day. Mason's asleep in your room Kip."
Why wasn't Tavis saying anything? Had he gone blind? Maybe there was a chance he hadn't seen. But that was impossible!
I still couldn't look at him as Ali lead me from the elevator by the hand down the hall to the apartment. "So, Kip, how was your first trip to Paris? Alistor, you take such good care of him."
"It's the other way around," Ali told him.
I was in a state of shock and couldn't answer. Noticing the horror on my face, Tavis questioned. "What's the matter? Is everything okay?"
Ali answered for me. "He's probably wondering why you didn't react to catching us in the elevator."
"You mean about you two being together? I figured that out a while ago. I assumed you'd tell me when you were ready." Tavis opened the door and Ali put his hand on my head as I went through.
The three of us stood in the entry, they were watching me for my reaction. "Well, you could have said something! I've been agonizing over this for months!" I yelled at him. They laughed at me and continued into the apartment.
"When did you know?" Ali inquired.
"I had my suspicions when Kip didn't want to come live with me when I moved back to San Francisco. But the look on both of your faces when I brought up him moving out after graduation cinched it. You both looked positively dreadful." He guffawed like it was the funniest joke he'd ever told. "Courtney, they're here!" He headed into the kitchen.
Ali came over to me and put his hand on my head again. "It's alright. Life is perfect, so enjoy it." * * *
That night Ali and I were out on the balcony, our glasses of wine setting on the ledge as we looked out over the city and the bay in the distance. It was a clear night and we could see the glittering stars covering the sky.
"Paris turned me into a wine lover." I took a sip of red.
"It will do that." After a lengthy pause, he asked, "What were your three wishes?"
"T-that's private." I felt myself turning red. "If I tell you they won't come true."
"You didn't say anything about that when you were asking me what mine were."
Grumbling a little, I confessed, "Well, to be taller." He gave a sharp, 'Ha!' "You put the idea in my head. And I wished for my brother's family to be happy."
"And your third wish?"
"Please let me be with Ali forever. We had the same wish."
"Of course, we did, my darling." He stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "You can consider that wish to be true, because there is one thing I can guarantee-I will love you forever." He kissed my cheek.
Turning in his arms, I promised him, "I'll love you forever, too." THE END