Category: Flash Fic Friday

**Because I can’t let them go, this week’s fic features Matt and Alex.  Books tab at the top has the links to their flash fics in order, if you missed any**

I walked into the house and stopped dead at the sight before me.  I’d just finished a long, particularly grueling swing shift.  This had to be a hallucination because I was beyond tired.  I blinked, then rubbed my eyes hard.  Nope.  It was real.

“Matthew Edward Carter-Sullivan!”

Matt’s entire body jerked, and then he cringed, before he turned wide, mockingly innocent eyes to me.  “Oh, hey, baby.  You’re home.”

“Hi.”  I squinted at him.  “Seriously, Matt, what the fuck?”

He held up his hands in surrender.  “It’s Carrie’s fault!”

I blew out a breath, and then pinched the bridge of my nose.  I should have guessed that my wonderful but meddlesome best friend was somehow involved.  They’d always been friendly, and Carrie was married to Matt’s brother.  But ever since she and my husband had planned our wedding together they’d been thick as thieves.  I thought that it was great that they go along so well–they were the two most important people in my life–but they somehow always managed to get into trouble.

Matt took my silence as an invitation to explain.  “See, she decided that she was going to get Luke a fish tank for his birthday.  And she recruited me along to do the heavy lifting.”  Matt curled an arm to show off his bicep.  I continued to glare, not amused.  He shook his head and continued.  “And then she wanted to look, just look, at the kittens.  But then we saw this one and I couldn’t leave her there, Alex.  I just couldn’t!”

The overly dramatic tone did nothing to sway me.  Matt knew better than to think it would.  Which is why he picked up the tiny kitten in his lap, cradled it in his hands, and turned so that the little face was looking straight at me.  “Look, though.  Isn’t she just so sweet?”

The kitten ever so slowly blinked at me.  And then she started to purr.  Despite the eight or so feet that separated us, I could still hear it.  Okay, yeah, if I was being honest, she was absolutely adorable.  She was all black except for the small patch of white on one paw, and her eyes were a startling and sort of eerie shade of green.  She gave a somewhat pitiful meow.  My heart nearly melted right on the spot.  But no.  I couldn’t let the kitty get to me.  I was pissed.  Matt had brought home a pet without even talking to me first.

“Matt,” I said, my voice low and full of warning.  I had to tear my gaze from the kitten and force myself to focus on my beloved husband’s face.  And I did love him.  Which was why I wasn’t throwing a tantrum of epic proportions and insisting he get the cat the fuck out of our house.  “You can’t just–”

“But I need something to cuddle with when you’re on nights,” he interrupted quickly.  “I get so lonely, and I miss you so badly.  Having the cat in the house will make me feel better.”

Shit.  He jumped straight to the trump card.  He knew I hated leaving him alone at night.  I deflated, my anger disappearing.  “Matty, I told you I’d get another job.  There are other things I can do.  If it’s really that bad, I can–”

“No,” he cut me off again.  He set the kitten inside a towel lined basket and practically leapt to his feet, crossing the distance between us quickly.  He took my face in his hands and tilted it down until I had no choice but to look at him.  “You love being a paramedic, and I know you’d be unhappy doing anything else.  I don’t want you to do that.  I knew what I was getting into when I fell in love with you.  We’ve been  making it work for almost two years.  We’ll keep making it work.  Don’t even think about quitting your job.”

I nodded.  “But you just said–.”  His kiss shut me up this time, but I was perfectly fine with that.  I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him in close, fitting our bodies together perfectly.  He always felt so good in my arms.

“I hate being away from you on nights that you work, but I can deal,” he said softly, his lips brushing against mine.  “But Alex, I want the kitten.”

Like I would deny him anything.  “Fine,” I grumbled, just for form.  “Keep the damn kitten.  But don’t expect me to clean the littler box or brush her.  Or feed or pet her or anything.  This one is all on you, buddy.”

His grin was brilliantly bright, and I was rewarded with another kiss.  “Thank you, baby.”  He squeezed me tightly, then pulled out of the embrace to sit by the basket again.  I walked closer so that I could see too.  The kitten had curled up and fallen asleep, her tiny body contorted in what had to be an uncomfortable position.  Apparently, she didn’t think so.

“I think I’m going to call her Uhura,” Matt announced in a whisper.

“Like hell you are!”  I exploded.

“But–”

My glare was real.  “I will not have that name spoken in my house.”

Matt’s smile was indulgent, and I thought I heard him mutter “ridiculous” before he shook his head.  He reached out and stroked a hand down that tiny spine, his fingers ruffling the fur along the kitten’s back.  “All right, then.  What shall we call her?”

I was ridiculously pleased that he’d said “we” though there was no way I was going to let him know that.  I thought hard for a moment before suggesting, “Cersei?”

Matt shook his head vehemently.  “No.  She’s an evil bitch.  I’m not going to let my sweet, beautiful kitten be called that!”

Now he was the one being ridiculous.  I had to laugh.  Lowering myself to the floor beside him, I wracked my brain.   If Star Trek and Game of Thrones were out, we needed something else.  Matt settled back into my chest, and I slid my arms around his stomach.  What else did we both watch and love?

“Oh!” I said, the idea hitting like a lightning bolt.  “I got it.  We’ll call her…” I paused for dramatic effect.  I felt Matt suck in a breath and hold it.  When I let the silence stretch long enough, I announced with relish, “Buffy!”

Matt released a happy sigh.  “Perfect.”

 

***

 

I was lying on the couch, watching TV when Matt got home from work a few days later.  I was off, and I’d spent the day doing laundry and tidying up some.  I gave him a grin when he walked into the living room.  His smile turned wicked.  I licked my lips.

“Caught you,” he mumured, his voice low.

“Huh?”

He gestured with a hand toward my chest.  I looked down at the little black ball of fur that had taken up residence on my left pectoral.  “Um, well, you see.  She just kind of climbed up there, and I didn’t have the heart to dump her off.”

“Uh huh.” Matt’s face was full of amusement.  “Suuuuure.”

I scowled.  “Shut up.  I’m not going to be mean to a cat.”

“Admit it,” he said as he dropped his messenger bag on the floor.  I pulled up my knees so that he could sit on the other end of the couch, then plopped my feet in his lap.  “You love Buffy as much as I do.”

I would do no such thing.  It was true that the cat was a sweetheart.  And there was something comforting about having that warm ball of purring fur cuddled up against me.  But there was no way I was going to tell Matt that I adored the cat.  He would be insufferable.  I shook my head, then slowly sat up, placing Buffy in her basket that was conveniently by the couch.

“The cat’s nice,” I allowed, then let my voice drop.  “But it’s day light, we’re both home, and I’d rather be cuddled up with you.”

Matt’s pupils dilated with lust, and his mouth popped open to pant out little breaths.  “Want me to take you to bed and fuck you hard?”

I groaned, then lunged, sealing my lips to his in a hungry kiss.  This never got old.  I didn’t think it ever would.  “God, yes.”

“Admit that you love our cat,” Matt said, the lust in his voice making it deeper than usual, “and I will fuck you so good, you won’t walk right for days.”

I growled, and Matt just laughed.  He pulled away from me, and started backing down the hallway.  He tugged off his shirt, taunting me.  “Admit it, Alex.”

I stalked after him, knowing I could have him whether I said it or not.  But underneath the playful banter, I could see this was important to him.  I wasn’t sure why, but if it mattered to him, I’d say anything.  Besides, it was a little bit true.  “I love the cat.”

He grabbed me and yanked me hard behind him into the bedroom.  The passion on his face was enough to set fire to my body.  I started yanking off my clothes, loving the lust radiating from him.

“There’s my man,” Matt all but purred, shoving me down on the bed beneath him.  “Gruff on the outside, soft gooey center.  Christ, I fucking love you.”

I grinned, submitting easily.  I knew I was in for the ride of my life.  I’d have to remember this trick.  If it got him that fired up to see my softer side, I’d use that to my advantage.  Who knew that cat would turn out to be a blessing?

Rob’s wallet was one hundred six dollars lighter, but he had his car back.  It passed inspection, which had been a little bit of a worry, needing nothing more than new windshield wipers.  They’d put them on without consulting him, and Rob had no idea why they had cost thirty dollars, but the car had passed and was his to drive for another year without worry.  He’d even had the garage change the oil while the car was there.  His little sedan was good to go.

Rob exited the office and gave a wave to his co-worker that had been kind enough to drop him off.  She left the parking lot with a smile, and Rob crossed to his car.  It had been a tiring day, the worry on his mind, and now he just wanted to go home, have a quick dinner, and crash in front of the TV after finding a suitably mind-numbingly dumb show to watch.

Rob took a right out of the parking lot.  As he approached the traffic light, he put on his left blinker.  It’s cadence pounded out double time.  The noise startled him for a moment, then he released an explosive breath.  His tail light was blown.  But it had just been inspected so he knew it had to have worked earlier or they would have replaced that too.  What were the chances that the light would go out seconds after leaving the garage?  It was just the kind of luck Rob had.

“Shit,” he muttered.

Making a quick decision, Rob circle the block and pulled into the parking lot of the garage.  He’d been the last customer, but he was hoping they hadn’t closed up yet.  One of the mechanics, looking sinfully hot in greased stained coveralls, was standing beside an open bay door.  Rob stopped close by.

“Hey, um, I just hand my car inspected here–”

“Yeah, I saw you when you dropped it off this morning,” the mechanic interrupted.  He had a nice smile that made his eyes sparkle.  “I did the work myself.  Is there a problem?”

Rob was distracted for a moment when the setting sun glinted off the tiny gold hoop in the guy’s ear. He shook his head, then nodded.  “The tail light blew.  I was wondering if you could fix it now?”

“Of course, yeah,” the man said easily.  He motioned toward the open bay.  “Pull her in.”

Relief flooded through Rob’s veins.  He was sure he could stop at an auto parts store and get the bulb, but he wasn’t sure how to change it himself and he didn’t want to screw it up.  Following the mechanic’s guidance, Rob steered his car into the bay.  Then he shut it off and climbed out.  Now that he was closer, he could see the name Jace stitched on the man’s coveralls.

It was an easy job, and Jace had the tail light replaced within minutes.  He was focused solely on his work, so Rob let his gaze roam over the man.  He was good looking, his dark hair a little long and curling against his collar.  His hands were large and capable, and Rob was struck with the very inappropriate thought that he’d like to feel them on his skin.  Rob flushed, and took a few steps back.  No hitting on the mechanic.  That was a recipe for disaster, or maybe a beating, just waiting to happen.

Jace replaced the cover, straightened up, and pinned Rob with a penetrating stare.  Rob tried, and failed, to keep himself from licking his lips.  Jace’s gaze dropped to his mouth, and then the man smiled.

“Have a confession to make,” Jace said, his voice going low.

“W-what’s that?”

“I fucked with your tail light on purpose.”

Rob jolted, shock coursing through him.  “Wait.  What? Why?”

“I was hoping you were the kind of guy that would turn around and come back to the garage.  Then I could fix the problem for you, talk to you again, ask you out without anyone around.”  Jace shrugged, and looked a little embarrassed.  “Some of the guys know I’m gay, but I still have to be careful not to show it too much.”

Rob understood the need to be careful.  Hadn’t he just been thinking similar thoughts?  He swallowed hard.  “And if I hadn’t been the kind of guy that would turn around?”

Another shrug from Jace. “Missed opportunity,” he said, like it didn’t matter, but Rob could see something on his face that mad Rob think it mattered a lot.

Rob let himself think about it.  Jace was cute, and he’d gone to an awful lot of trouble to get Rob’s attention.  That was kind of sweet.  He let his smile uncurl slowly, and was smugly satisfied when Jace’s eyes widened and his breathing picked up.

“What are you doing tonight?” Rob asked.

The smile Jace gave him just lit up the man’s face.  “I need a shower to scrub off the grease, but after that, I’m free.”

“Excellent,” Rob said, anticipation building in his chest.  “You know where Johnny’s is?”  He waited until he got a nod from Jace before he continued.  “Meet me there at seven?”

Jace nodded fast.  Rob just grinned.  They said their “see you laters” and then Rob got into his car, slowly backed out of the bay, and then paused in the parking lot.  He watched as Jace rolled down the bay door and lock it up.   Then, with a cheerful wave, Jace headed for the side of the building and a gleaming black and chrome motorcycle.  Rob swallowed hard.  The man rode a bike.

Rob let Jace leave first, and then followed him out of the parking lot.  They drove in different directions, and Rob was sad to lose sight of the powerful way Jace commanded the bike.  Rob shook his head, and grinned.  They’d be meeting up again in less than two hours.  Excitement crept in, mingling with the anticipation, and Rob practically bounced in his seat.

Suddenly, Rob wasn’t tired anymore.  His night was looking decidedly up.

I thought I’d so something a little different this week, and post an excerpt from my WIP.  Let me know what you think!

“What’s wrong?” Seth asked, his lips turning down into a frown.

Mark shook his head fast.  “Nothing.  I just—uh, I wanted to catch you before you left because I wanted to ask if you wanted to meet me later somewhere.  For a drink, or coffee, or dinner.  Or whatever.”

Wait a second.  What now?  Was Mark asking him out?  Seth blinked, nonplussed.  That was probably the last thing he expected to happen.

“If I’m overstepping, just say so,” Mark offered.  “If you aren’t gay—”

Seth snorted out a laugh.  Mark grinned.

“Yeah, okay.  But if you’re not interested or are already in a committed relationship or whatever, then no hard feelings.”

Seth squinted.  “Why would you want to go out with me?  You don’t even know me.”

“Ah but how am I going to get to know you if you don’t go out with me?”  Mark smiled, and one if his eyebrows crept up.  He shrugged.  “You’re cute.  I like your smile.”

That was flattering.  But still Seth hesitated.  This seemed a little weird.  And even though he thought Mark was gorgeous, and very kind, he couldn’t understand what a man like him would see in plain, unassuming Seth.

“Give me your phone,” Mark commanded softly.

“What?” Seth asked, even as he moved to comply.

Mark started touching the screen, but he moved his shoulder to block Seth’s line of sight when he tried to see what the man was doing.  After a few more seconds, Mark handed the phone back.

“There.  I’ve put my name and number in your phone.  How about this?  How about you think about it, and if you decide you want to, you just send me a text with a time and a place?  I’m out of here at six.”

Seth nodded dumbly, clutching his phone in his hand.  Mark’s smile was soft, and his gaze raked Seth’s body from head to toe, before he reached out a hand and squeezed Seth’s elbow affectionately.  Then he turned and walked back into the store.  Seth stared after him for a long moment before he managed to head for his car.

Once inside, he pulled up his contacts list and scrolled through until he reached the M’s.  Mark Deveraux.  The man had even added a little heart.  Seth rolled his eyes, even as he found it charming.  He touched Mark’s name, then pressed send message.

Antillio’s.  8.

**Happy Fourth of July!  Here’s some fluff!**

 

“I need coffee.”

The laugh was delicious but way too loud for this early in the morning.  I glared at my boyfriend of two years for his indiscretion, but he was handing me a steaming mug filled with the sweet nectar of life, so I immediately forgave him.

“You don’t need it,” Mason said practically, though his voice held an affection that took the sting out of his words.  “You want it.  You crave it.  You’re addicted to it.”

I took that first sip, loving the way the coffee was slightly too hot to drink, so it seared a little on the way down.  I grimaced, then gave a huge sigh of relief.  “Same difference.”

He shook his head.  “You could give it up, you know.”

I cradled my cup against my chest protectively, glared hard, and quickly changing the topic.  “Where are we going again?”

“To my uncle’s place on the lake.”

I needed more caffeine in my blood stream.  “So we’re going for a barbecue slash picnic with all your family to hang out and drink all day until we migrate down to the lake shore  to watch fireworks explode over the water?”

Mason nodded happily.  “That about sums it up.”

Another hefty drink from my mug.  “Okay, but why?”

“Because it’s the fourth!”  He announced.  I squinted at him like he was ridiculous, but Mason just laughed  “Come on, Caleb.  It’ll be fun.”

I slowly shook my head, and took my coffee with me as I headed down the hall. “All right then,” I shouted back.  “I’m gonna need pants!”

 

***

 

Dark had descended, finally.  In a few minutes, everyone would be moving closer to the lake to watch the fireworks display the county put on.  It was always a big and spectacular deal.  I thought they were pretty, but I didn’t have any particular longing to watch the explosions.  When Mason’s uncle announced it was time to get ready, everyone–from the smallest toddler to 97 year old great aunt Gussie–stood with enthusiasm.  I reached for another beer from the cooler.

“You don’t need that,” Mason said, suddenly at my side.  He grabbed my wrist.  I scowled, but his smile was so sweet I couldn’t hold it.  He slid his fingers down to tangle with mine.  “Come with me.”

I followed.  I’d been doing it since we got together, and I wasn’t about to stop now.  Mason was a kind, gentle, loving soul, and the last two years had been wonderful.  Sure, we had our issues.  All couples did.  But I loved this man more than my own self, and if he wanted me to follow him into a shadowy and somewhat alcove of overhanging trees, who was I to argue?

He pulled me into his arms so that my back was to his front.  We were essentially the same height, though I was a little leaner, and we fit well together that way.  I loved having him surrounding me like that.  He tucked his chin down onto my shoulder and kissed my neck  just as the first of the fireworks exploded in a shower of red sparks.

“I was thinking,” he murmured, his lips right at my ear so I could hear him.  “How about we celebrate Independence Day by giving up a little of our own independence?”

My breath came faster.  “What?”

Mason’s chuckle was warm and reverberated up my spine.  “Marry me.”

I turned fast.  I didn’t care that everyone was clapping and cheering.  I didn’t care that I was missing the spectacular display.  I had to kiss him.  Long and slow, and with all the love in my heart.  When I pulled back, we were both breathing heavily, and a big burst of fireworks behind me lit up his face so I could clearly see the love there.

“Yes,” I practically shouted.

This was suddenly the best fourth of July ever.

**Today, I cheat a little.  As a challenge, I wrote a drabble.  It’s harder than you think, to get your point across in exactly 100 words.  I did it twice.  Hope you enjoy**

**I should also probably mention that yes, I’m aware it’s only Thursday**

 

The house was silent.  I dumped my briefcase by the door, draped my suit coat over the back of the couch, and loosened my tie.  “Hello?” I called, my voice echoing.  “Baby, where are you?”

Soft music caught my attention, and I wandered in the direction of the living room.  Flickering candlelight cut into my peripheral vision.  I rounded the corner and my breath caught.  Every available surface was filled with candles, flower petals strewn to cover the floor and tables.

He stood in the middle, arms out, welcoming.  He was breathtakingly beautiful.  His grin was warm.  “Dance with me.”

 

***

 

The wind and rain had chilled me to the bone. But I kept walking, head down, plodding along.  If I stopped I would feel the hurt.  I wasn’t ready to deal with it.  I kept moving.

I heard the car, and staunchly refused to look at it as the rumbling engine purred to a stop beside me.  I kept walking, my pace picking up.  The car moved with me.

“Baby,” his voice pleaded, deep and rumbling.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean it.  Forgive me.  I love you.  Marry me.”

It had been what I’d been waiting to hear.  I smiled.

 

**Alex and Matt from Hero Worship make a reappearance.  Click the books tab at the top to see where they got their start…and find the other shorts they appear in**

A bang.  A clatter.  A string of curses that made me smile.  I  pulled the t-shirt over my head, tossed my uniform at the basket, and then padded barefoot down the short hallway and into the living room.  I crossed my arms and leaned against the far wall, taking in the chaos around me.  The window was open. A box lay mutilated and discarded underneath Matt’s desk, and the man himself was leaning over to retrieve the screwdriver he dropped.  Matt sat on the floor surrounded by pieces of wood.  I smirked.  I couldn’t help it and didn’t even try.

“Need a hand?”

Matt’s head jerked up, and he scowled at me.  “No.”

I grinned and sauntered closer.  He had the directions spread out on his lap.  As I watched, he reached into the small plastic bag that contained the screws and fastenings, picked one out, and tried to match it up to the picture before him.  He shook his head, set it aside, and tried again.

“Matt,” I said softly.  He shook his head again, refusing to look at me.

“I can do this.  It’s not that hard.  I don’t need help.”

I nodded even though he wasn’t looking at me.  When he’d come home with the shelving unit, he’d been so proud of himself.  He told me how he saw it in the store and knew it would look just perfect tucked into the corner of the living room.  He’d been amassing quite a collection of books–he had to have something to occupy him when I worked the night shift–and he needed a place to put them.

“I know you don’t need help.  But it would go faster if we did it together, don’t you think?”  I asked.  He looked up to fix me with a glare, before returning his attention to the paper on his lap.  The thing was, Matt wasn’t that mechanically inclined and I was worried that that the shelf would collapse in the middle of the night and scare the crap out of us.  But I knew that look. He was determined to do this himself.

I crossed the room and knelt down behind him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and tugging him back against my chest.  He gave a soft sigh, the way he always did in my arms.  He’d wanted to be there for so long, and I had missed it for years.  But I wasn’t going to dwell on that.  We were together now and had been for a while.

He still needed help, though, so I kissed his ear and played the trump card.  “We’re married now.  Partners.  That means we do things together.”

Matt leaned sideways so he could see my face.  “You know, ever since we said our vows, you’ve become a total sap.  Where’s the grumpy man I fell in love with?”  His tone was teasing, and I just smiled.   He sighed heavily.  “You’re just worried I’m not going to do it right and the whole thing will fall down.”

“Maybe,” I admitted with a smile.

He shook his head. “You just got off shift.  You need to go to bed.”

“How am I going to sleep with you banging around in here?” I asked practically.  When a guilty look crossed his face, I was quick to add, “Let’s do it together, get it done, and then you can come nap with me.”

He studied me for a long moment, then he gave a huff.  “Fine!  You can be my assistant then.”  He handed me the directions, and then motioned toward the pile of boards and bag of screws.  “You tell me what to do, and I’ll do all the work.”

I waggled my eyebrows.  “That’s just how I like it.”

Matt snorted out a laugh.  “No it’s not.  You like it when I tell you what to do.  When I hold you down.  When I’m in charge.”  The more he spoke, the more heated his gaze got.  He licked his lips, and swallowed hard.  “You know what?  Let’s forget this for now.  You really need to sleep.  I better take you to bed and make sure you rest well.”

I could tell by his slow, salacious smile that once we got to bed, it would be a while before I did any sleeping,  That was fine with me.  With a flourish, I tossed the directions to the floor, and hauled him to his feet as I stood.  He was quick to plaster himself to my back, nudging me with his groin at my ass down the hall. I went willingly because I got what I wanted; him in our bed and not putting the shelves together on his own.  If I did my job right, he’d be zonked out for hours afterwards.  And then I could sneak into the living room, and put the shelves together myself.  Matt would be mad, but I’d blow him after he made dinner and he would forgive me.

I was really loving married life.

**The end for Christian and Tyler.  Or maybe it’s the beginning…**

 

The last six months had been some of the happiest of my life.  Ever since that night that Tyler finally told me what made him run all those years ago, I felt like he had a new level of trust.  But more than that, he continued to show me every day how much he cared for me.  Big things, little things, it didn’t matter.  He would surprise me with dinner at my favorite restaurant, or bring home a newly released movie that I had mentioned once that I wanted.  For my birthday, he’d scoured antique shops until he found a roll top credenza that was nearly identical to the one that my grandfather had.  I had told Tyler how much I had loved it when we were flipping through my old photo album, but I hadn’t said I wanted one.  Tyler just knew.  He understood me, and that meant the world to me.  With each passing day, I became more convinced that he was really in this for the long haul.  That what had happened eight years ago was not the real Tyler.  At least, not the man that he was now.

And he told me he loved me.  Often.  Sometimes I’d catch him staring at me, and when I asked him what was so interesting he would shrug and say, “I love you.”  Of course, he also said it when I passed him the butter at dinner.  But the truth was, it didn’t matter when or how often he said it, I could tell he meant it.

I had yet to say it back.

It wasn’t that I didn’t love him.  There was a part of me that had never stopped.  I was hesitant to take that final step with him, though.  I wanted to be absolutely sure.  It took time to rebuild the trust his leaving had destroyed.  But Tyler’s patience and kindness had finally paid off.  Today, that would change.  Today, it was my turn to show Tyler how much I loved him.  It was finally time to tell him.

The sun was barely peeking through the curtains when I nudged him awake. .  He’d been a little surprised when I’d insisted he stay over last night.  It wasn’t normally something I pushed during the week.  We both had to be into work early.  But today was different.  Tyler grumbled and tried to pull the pillow over his head.  I gave a soft laugh.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” I whispered, my lips right at his ear.  “You’re not going into work today.”

Tyler grunted.  “Then why do I have to get up?  No.  Wait.”  He pushed the pillow away, and blinked up at me.  “What are you talking about?”

“You have the day off, and so do I.  So get up.”

He just squinted at me.  “Christian, honey, you aren’t making any sense.”

He was so adorable all sleep rumpled and confused that I couldn’t help but smile. “No.  You’re confused.  Surprise!  I called your boss and got you the day off.  You definitely aren’t working today.”

“Okay,” he said slowly.  “Why?”

“Because we have somewhere to be.  So get out of bed for, all right?  We need to leave soon.”

Tyler looked intrigued, and still confused, but he did as I asked.  When he was in the shower, I grabbed a couple of duffle bags from the floor of my closet and started packing.  Over the last nine months, a good deal of his clothes had found their way into my house.  The same was true for my clothes at his place.  That certainly made things easier for me now.  We would only be gone three days, and I hoped we’d spend a majority of that time naked, so I didn’t worry about packing too much.  A couple of nice shirts in case we decided to go out to eat, but the rest of the bags were filled with necessities only.

When Tyler came out of the bathroom toweling his hair, he stopped short when he saw the bags.  Suspicion crossed his face.  “We need luggage?”

“No questions!” I declared in a sing song voice.  I pointed toward the bedroom door.  “Go make coffee.  Let me hop in the shower and then we’ll leave.”

“Can I at least get dressed first?” He asked playfully.  He was getting into it, I could tell.  Excitement was creeping into his eyes.  He always had loved surprises.

I gave a very put upon sigh.  “I suppose.  But make it quick!”

Half an hour later, we were on the road.

 

***

 

It took three hours to drive to our destination.  We talked, we laughed, we sang along with the radio.  But every time Tyler tried to get answers out of me, I resolutely changed the subject.  He even offered to give me road head if I would tell him.  When I refused, he knew I was serious and stopped asking.  But the closer we got, I realized my mistake. The signs gave it away.  I should have brought a blindfold.

“We’re going to Lake George?” he asked, his voice filled with awe.  I didn’t answer him.  I didn’t really have to.

Because it was a late in the season, the fall colors were brilliant and breathtaking, but there weren’t too many people around.  When I pulled up to the front office of the resort, I insisted Tyler stay in the car while I checked in.  I wasn’t surprised when he agreed easily.  He was really into the spirit of things now, and didn’t want to spoil it.

Check in was quick, and I was back in the care fifteen minutes later. I followed the directions I had been given down a winding path until our cabin came into view.  It wasn’t anything spectacular in and of itself, but it was private and surrounded by gorgeous trees.  I knew that if we stood on the porch, we’d be able to see the lake.

Tyler was like a little kid as soon as I opened the door.  He went running around, checking everything out.  It nothing more than a big room, the living and dining areas combined, with several doors along the back wall.  I could see the bedroom and the bathroom from where I stood.  I expected the third door to be a closet.  Tyler was wearing a huge grin, and I couldn’t help smiling in response.

“This is spectacular!” Tyler crowed.  “And did you see the view from the porch?  God, this is fantastic, Christian.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it,” he said, his voice softening.  He crossed the room quickly, and took me in his arms.  “I love you.”

This wasn’t quite how I planned it, but it was really the perfect time.  I took a deep breath, smiled, and said, “I love you too.”

Tyler sucked in a fast breath, his eyes going wide.  I knew he was beginning to think he’d never hear the words from me.  But if he thought that was a shock, he was going to keel over with what happened next. I pulled out of his arms, and dropped to one knee.

“Holy shit,” he whispered.  “What is going on here?”

I laughed softly even as I reached in my pocket and pulled out the jeweler’s box.  I snapped open the lid and held it up. “I love you.  I’m so glad you came back, that you showed me the kind of man that you’ve become, that you fixed my broken heart.  Do you want to spend forever with me?”

He didn’t hesitate.  “Yes.”

That was the only thing I needed to hear.

**The continuing saga of Christian and Tyler**

 

Three months.  We’d been back together for three wonderful months.  But he was still holding a piece of himself back from me.  I could tell.  The truth was, I couldn’t blame him.  I knew I hurt him badly when I walked out.  I’d been doing everything I could think of to get him to trust me fully again.  But nothing I did seemed to work.  Perhaps I’d actually have to try words.

Christian was on the other end of the couch, a red pen in his hand and a stack of essays on his lap.  The little frown on his lips was his concentration face.  He hadn’t made too many marks on the essay he was reading, and every once in a while, a small smile would quirk his lips. I loved watching him like this, if only because it brought me back to our first few weeks together when we studied history for hours before falling into bed.  He’d always had that same look on his face then too.

“Hey,” I said softly, nudging his thigh gently with my toe.  “We have to talk.”

He jerked like I’d startled him, then he dropped the paper and pen to his lap.  He took a deep breath, and squeezed his eyes shut tight.

“At least you’re talking to me before you leave this time.”  His voice was barely more than a whisper.

I sat up fast.  “What?  No.  No no no.  I’m not going anywhere.  Why would you think that?”

Christian opened his eyes, but he still wouldn’t look at me.  He gave a tiny shrug of one shoulder.  “You said we had to talk.  That’s generally a bad thing.”

I mentally cursed myself.  Yeah, I knew that.  I hadn’t been thinking when I used that particular phrase.  But at least it showed me where his head was at.  He still expected me to leave him.  I could have pointed out that the last time we were together, he was the one that did the leaving.  But that wouldn’t serve anyone, and really, my indiscretion was far worse.  Which brought us full circle again.

“Yeah, about that.”  I took a deep breath, and then reached out to move the papers from his lap to the coffee table.  He let me, glancing at me quickly.  I could see the wariness in his gaze.  I took his hand and tugged a little until he was facing me.  He still wouldn’t look me directly in the eye, but at least I knew I had his attention.  “When you hear what I have to say, you might truly hate me.  And you’ll be the one to leave this time.”

For a long moment, Christian did nothing but breathe.  Finally, he gently pulled his hand from mine and he looked me in the eye.  “So say it then.”

I had to take a deep breath.  “Eight years ago, I left because I was a coward.  I was too scared to stand up for us, to fight for us, so I just let him have his way.”  I stopped and shook my head.  I was getting ahead of myself.  “Christian, my grandfather offered to pay for grad school, but only if I went away and left you behind.  And because I was so desperate to go, and I had a way to go to school without debt, I took it without a backwards glance.”

He closed his eyes again, blocking me out.  I waited, trying not to hyperventilate.  The minutes ticked by and still he didn’t say anything. Eventually, I couldn’t stand it.

“Christian?” I whispered.

He shook his head, and then looked at me.  “That man always hated me.”

I blinked, nonplussed.  “Yeah.”  I didn’t know what else to say.

“You could have told me, you know,” he said softly.  “You could have told me then.  I would have let you go.  You could have told me at the wedding, or at any time in the past three fucking months.  What the hell?”

“I was ashamed,” I blurted.  “Of what I did.  I didn’t want you to know.  Better you think I was simply an asshole for leaving, instead of a cowardly, selfish asshole.”

He laughed.  It was soft and shaky, but it was a laugh.  “You know, I don’t blame you.”

What? “Huh?”

“I don’t,” Christian said with a shrug.  “I get it.  I understand why you did it.  I still wish you’d talked to me.  But now that I know why…” he trailed off, sighed, and then reached out a hand to take mine.  I grabbed it like a lifeline.  “Now that I know, maybe we can start rebuilding that trust, hm?”

“You’re amazing,” I breathed.  “And way too good for me.”

“Yes, well,” he said with a nod.  Then his face broke out into a beautiful grin.  “You were young and stupid.  And a cowardly, selfish asshole.  But the man I’ve been getting to know over the past few months? He’s not.  You keep proving to me you’re that guy, and we’ll be just fine.”

“I love you,” I said, my voice fast and fervent.

He just smiled, and gave me a little tug.  I slid across the couch, and let him take me in his arms.  He hadn’t said it back to me yet, but I didn’t expect him too.  Not yet.  He wouldn’t until he was sure of his feeling, and a lot surer of me.  Like he said, we had to rebuild the trust.

But for the first time in eight years, I could breathe normally. Confession really was good for the soul.  Now I knew that we’d be just fine.  Eventually

Once Bitten…

I could do nothing but watch him as he carted yet another box out to his car.  I fought tears.  Whether they were from sadness or anger, I couldn’t tell.  My heart was breaking, and he didn’t seem to care.  After eighteen months together—the last nine of which we had lived together—and he was throwing it all away.

I’d wanted him the moment I saw him.  Up until that point, I’d been struggling with my sexuality.  But the moment I walked into American History and saw the seat open next to the most beautiful boy I had ever seen, I stopped fighting with myself.  I was gay.  And I wanted that boy.  When I sat next to him, I’d had no idea whether or not he was into guys.  The way his gaze searched my face, and then traveled the length of my body, had put those worries to rest.  His name was Tyler, and he was kind and funny and hot.  We decided to be study partners by the end of class.  Our first study session had ended in bed.  We’d be insuperable ever since.  Until now, apparently.

Graduation had been three weeks ago.  I’d been planning on staying here all along and getting my master’s in education at the same college I’d done my undergrad work.  Tyler had been a little more unsettled, and he’d applied to several different graduate schools.  He wanted to get his master’s degree in Public Policy—I was still unclear as to what exactly that meant—and he had options.  All of those options had been close by, or at least within a couple of hours drive.  But just last week, he’d gotten the letter.  The one school that was far away, the one he thought he didn’t have a chance of getting into, had accepted him.  And that was where he was going now.  Without talking to me about it first, he’d accepted.  And he hadn’t even asked me to go with him.

It was a phenomenal program, and there was a part of me that was bursting with pride that he’d gotten in.  He couldn’t pass the chance up, and the truth was, I didn’t want him to.  But Tyler hadn’t even considered that as an option.  I thought we’d been starting to build a life together.  I loved him.  And I knew he loved me.  Not enough, though.  Not enough to ask me to go.

Tyler walked back into the apartment, but instead of making another trip to get bags or boxes, he crossed into the living room and stood in front of me.  His blue eyes were wet as he looked down at me, and his smile was a little shaky on his face.

“I guess that’s it,” he said softly.

I nodded, not quite meeting his eyes.  He reached out a hand, and I let him cup my cheek.  His thumb smoothed along my skin for a moment before he titled my chin up a fraction.  “I love you, Christian.”

“I know,” I whispered.

He took a shuddering breath.  “But I have to go.  I have to do this.”

“I know that too,” I said.  Knowing it didn’t make it hurt any less, but I didn’t say that out loud.

“Keep in touch?”

“Sure,” I responded, not meaning it at all.  By the look in his eyes, I knew he knew I was lying.  I was glad he didn’t call me on it.  I didn’t want a big fight.  We’d done that two days ago.

He leaned down and kissed me.  I savored it, knowing it would be our last.  He released me, opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, then shut it with a shake of his head.  He took a step back, and then another.

I closed my eyes.  I couldn’t watch him walk out the door for the last time.

 

Twice Shy…

 

Weddings were not my favorite thing.  They were loud and crowded, and everyone was overly happy.  I sat in my assigned seat, nursing a beer while I people watched.  I wouldn’t have come at all, but two of my closest friends had finally gotten their act together and decided to tie the knot.  If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have ever heard the end of it.  So I sat, and smiled, and waited until enough time had passed that I could finally make my exit from the reception.

I let my gaze wander, taking in the crowd.  I could see the entire banquet hall from my vantage point.  The bride looked radiant in her white silk sheath, her hair piled on top of her head, curls spilling around her heart-shaped face.  The groom and his ushers were horsing around by the bar, the last vestiges of their youth making itself known.  I smiled when I saw the mother of the bride reaching for yet another glass of champagne, then scowled as the father of the groom harried one of the wait staff.  Typical wedding shenanigans.  I shook my head, moving on, looking for something else to grab my attention.

Then I saw him.  My heart stuttered in my chest, my lungs seizing as they fought to draw air.  Tyler.  Looking even better than I remembered, his hair swept back from his high forehead in a much more professional cut than he’d worn last time I had seen him.  Had it really been three years?

I should have realized he’d been invited.  He’d been a part of the same circle I had in college.  And just because I’d purposely fallen out of touch with him didn’t mean everyone else had.  But I couldn’t talk to him, couldn’t let him see me.  Though I didn’t think about him all the time anymore, seeing him had brought that hurt back.  I stood, ready to make an escape, and inadvertently drew attention to myself.  I saw the moment he recognized me.  His face lit up with that smile that had once been my undoing, and he practically raced across the room to get to me.

“Christian!  Holy shit!”  Tyler’s voice was loud enough that several people nearby startled and stared.  He pulled me into his arms, his embrace tight, and the instant that his familiar scent washed over me, I melted.  I hugged him back, my body remembering exactly how it felt to be held by him.

Eventually, he pulled back and stared into my eyes.  “I was looking for you,” he murmured.

“You found me.”  My voice was full of sarcasm. Tyler blinked, then smiled.

“Yeah, I can totally understand if you still hate me.  I just…God, it’s good to see you.”  His gaze roamed over my face, like he was drinking in the sight of me.  I stood there and let him, my riotous emotions not letting me get a hold of myself.  “Can we sit?  Can we talk?  Please, Chris.  Just for a bit.”

I nodded dumbly, and resumed my seat.  I could never say no to him.  And really, what would it hurt?  I’d gotten over the worst of the pain and anger years before.  Yes, there was a part of me that still ached for him, a part that was still hurt over the way he left me.  But the intervening years had given me a bit of perspective.

He told me about his life, and he wanted to know all about me.  What was supposed to only be a few minutes turned into hours.  We sat there at the table in the corner, filling each other in on every aspect of what the other had missed in the last three years.  He’d always been easy to talk to—he was an exceptional listener—and that hadn’t changed.  We fell into old habits, and by the time we were one of the few people left at the reception, I had my feet in his lap and he was tracing patterns on the back of my hand.  It felt comfortable and natural, which is how everything had always been with us.

When I mentioned that we should leave because the party was over, a strange look passed over his face.

“I have a room here at the hotel,” he said quietly after a long moment.  “Come upstairs with me?”

I knew I should say no.  He’d broken my heart.  He’d left me.  But he’d been chasing his dreams, and we’d both been young.  I couldn’t really fault him for the way he’d handled things three years ago.  And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to feel his body pinning me to the mattress again.

When morning came, and the sun was just starting to creep into the room, I snuck from the bed as quietly as I could.  Tyler rolled over, burying his face in the pillow where I’d lain.  I watched him for a moment, then slowly got dressed.

This time, I was the one to walk out.

 

Third Time’s the Charm…

 

He had to be a figment of my imagination.  Because there was no way that Tyler was in my coffee shop.  There was no reason for him to even be in town.  Five years ago at the wedding, he had told me that he was about to start a job with some assemblyman he’d interned with during grad school.  It must be the lack of caffeine that was making hallucinate.

“Christian.”  The man even sounded like Tyler.

“What?  How?  What?”

He laughed.  God he had a great laugh, always had.  “You’re staring at me like you’ve seen a ghost.  It’s really me, I’m really here.”

I grinned, I couldn’t help it.  He looked really good.   “Hey, good to see you again.”  I patted his arm, and then went to move around him.  I needed coffee and he was blocking my path.

Tyler wouldn’t be deterred.  He stepped up beside me as I waited in line.  Neither of us said anything for a long moment.  And then his shoulder bumped mine.  “So, here’s some news.  I’ve moved back here.”

“That’s great.”  I tried to sound non-committal, but my heart was pounding.  I told myself I shouldn’t care.

“I finally got everything orchestrated so I could take a job here.  To be where you are.  So I can win you back.”

I turned fast, almost losing my balance, and stared at him like he was crazy.  What the hell was he talking about?  We’d been over for a long time.  He couldn’t possibly think that we could just pick up where we left off.  “Tyler—”

“Nope,” he cut me off with a grin.  “I was an idiot for walking away from you.  I should have asked you to come with me.  Or not gone at all.  That was a dumbshit move on my part.   It just took me a long while to get everything straight in my head.  For me to realize that you were the best thing that ever happened to me, and that my life is nothing without you.”

I smiled.  “Go easy on the clichés there.”

He laughed.  “Yes, well, clichés are cliché because they’re true.  I still love you.  And I want to make a life with you.  I just want you to give me a chance to show you that I’ve changed, I’m committed, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to have you back in my life.”

“Just like that?” I asked quietly.

Tyler shook his head.  “No, of course not.  It’s going to take a lot of time before you can trust me again.  I get that.  I expect that.  As long as you give me a chance, I’m willing to wait however long it takes.”

“Tyler,” I tried again, but he grabbed my hand and held it tight.

“Christian,” he said seriously.  “Just sit with me, talk with me.  If the spark’s not there anymore, then we can walk away.  If you think that you can’t ever trust me again, I’ll let you go.  But you have to give me a chance.”

I studied him for a long moment.  I could see the sincerity in his eyes—he’d always been a shit liar—and I knew he believed it.  But there was no telling if what we’d had at twenty-one would still be there eight years later.  We’d been good together, complimenting each other in every way.  I had never found that deep a connection with anyone else.  There was a part of me that still loved him and always would, but it was possible that the men we had become were no longer compatible.  Of course, there was only one way to find out.

I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and smiled.  “Let’s start with dinner.”

Babysitting  Ugh.  I thought I’d been doing a good thing.  But all I had to show for it was a split lip.

My husband, Ian, couldn’t understand why I’d said yes in the first place.  But my sister was desperate.  Her regular babysitter cancelled at the last minute and she had to work an extra shift.  So I had agreed, and then hauled my ass out of bed at an ungodly hour of the morning so she could drop them off.  Jayden was two and a half, Elaina was one, and they both loved their Uncle Scott a ridiculous amount.  I loved them back just as much.  But they’d been nothing but cranky all day.  Apparently they didn’t like getting up at five o’clock in the morning either.  And it was very possible that my sister had fed Jayden pure sugar for breakfast because he was bouncing off the walls, running constantly, and nearly took a header down the stairs before I thought to block the entrance with a sturdy wooden chair.

And Elaina was cutting another tooth, so she was a feverish, temperamental, slobbering mess.  I was thankful that Ian was being a good sport and had gotten up to help me ride herd.  I didn’t know how my sister did it by herself.

I was never more relieved to see three o’clock roll around than I was today.  When my sister, Jessica, pulled into the driveway, I nearly wept with relief.  Neither child had taken much of a nap—I’d only gotten about an hour reprieve—so we’d been chasing them all day.  I was exhausted.

“Holy crap!” Jess exclaimed when she walked into the house.  She took her daughter from me and cuddled her close, her eyes never leaving my face.  Elaina had only calmed down in the last few minutes, when I’d given her a cold washcloth to chew on.  “What happened to you?”

Ian gave an amused snort.  “He was trying to change the baby’s diaper.”

“And how did that result in a fat lip?” Jess asked quietly.  She reached out to touch my face, but I leaned back from her hand.  It had barely stopped bleeding.  I didn’t want her to aggravate it again.

“She kicked me in the face.”

There was a beat of silence.  Then Jess asked, “What?”

I sighed heavily.  I was actually pretty good at diaper changes and I was a bit embarrassed.  “Elaina didn’t want me to.  She was throwing a fit.  And I was trying to wrangle her and clean up the poop without it getting everywhere.  She wrenched her foot out of my hold, and kicked me right in the mouth.”

“And then she laughed,” Ian said.  His amusement was clear.  I shot him a glare.  I hadn’t been going to add that part.

Jess tried to hide her chuckle, and I appreciate that.  She went about gather up her children, and I helped her get them and all their stuff into the car.  When I closed the door on a now smiling and cooing Elaina, Jess turned to me, her eyes soft.

“Thanks, Scotty.  You’re the best big brother.  And the world’s greatest uncle.”

I touched my tongue to my tender lip.  “You’re welcome, Jess.”

I stayed outside until the car disappeared down the street.  Going back into the house, I headed straight for the couch and collapsed face down.  After a few moments, I felt a hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.  I heaved a sigh and flipped over, lifting my legs so there was room for Ian to sit down.

“You’re really good with them,” Ian said softly.

“Thanks,” I responded in the same tone.

Ian gave me a smile.  “I love those kids.”

I nodded.  My smile was tired, but it was there.  “I do too.”

A beat of silence passed between us, and Ian started rubbing my feet.  Eventually, he said, “You ever think about—”

“No.” I cut him off fast.  He quirked an eyebrow at me in question.  I shook my head.  “I don’t want kids of our own.”

We’d been married for a year, and together for three.  But somehow, we’d never had the talk about kids.  It never seemed to come up.  Suddenly, I was worried that Ian actually did want children.  Could I do that for him?  I enjoyed kids, but I didn’t want to be a full time parent.  That wasn’t something that interested me at all.  Would I be able to change my mind if that was what Ian wanted?

“Oh thank god,” Ian breathed.  He sounded so relieved.  “Because as much as I enjoy them, I don’t want any either.”

I relaxed.  Just like everything else, we were on the same page.  “We could get a dog,” I mused.

Ian nodded.  “Sounds good to me.  A furry kid is about all I want.  Plus, we can lock it out of the bedroom when I want to ravish you.”

“Perfect,” I murmured, my blood starting to heat at his suggestive grin.  But then my jaw cracked with a wide yawn.  “How about we get to that after a nap?”

Ian laughed, and rolled his eyes.  He stood, and then helped me to my feet.  He had to tug me in the direction of our bedroom.  I followed along docilely, and then fell onto the bed with a grateful groan.  Ian pulled off my jeans, then snuggled up behind me, his hard chest pressing to my back and one hand snaking down to cup my cock.  He liked to sleep all wrapped around me, with his hand possessively holding my package.  I’d long ago stopped getting hard at just that touch. It was about comfort now.  Of course, that wasn’t to say that my body didn’t respond when he started touching me with intent.

His breathing evened out almost immediately.  And I couldn’t stop the grin that stretched my lips.  I winced as it pulled, my lip still sore.  Yeah.  We didn’t need kids.  This was more than enough.  And all we needed.