Kris T. Bethke–Author of M/M Romance

**The Admiral gave me a specific prompt this week.  A summer fling that ten years later becomes more. I took a bit of a different twist with things this time and jumped into a little fantasy.  And!  To make it even better, the Admiral wrote to the same prompt, which was a blast.  You can check it out here and see how we came up with such different stories.  (The similar names are a conscious choice on my part)  Enjoy!**

The air conditioning was rapidly cooling the sweat and cum—both mine and his—that covered my body, but I was too relaxed and sated to move more than my head.  And I only did that so I could see my lover, stretched out beside me with a blissful look on his face.  Spirian didn’t even open his eyes, but I loved just looking at him.  He had the flawless, pale skin, long straight nose, and pointed ears all fae did.  Unlike the rest of the elves, though, he kept his dark hair cut short instead of hanging at least halfway down his back.  It was currently sticking up in odd directions, adding to his sated appearance.

“You are staring at me, James,” he said, still a little breathless and without opening his eyes.

I grinned widely, and a small laugh escaped. “Yep.  I totally am.”

Spir turned his head, and then slowly opened his eyes.  A lot of people thought brown eyes were boring or ugly, but not me, and especially not in regards to Spir.  His eyes were warm, melted chocolate pools, and I could get lost staring into them.

“Why?”

That was it.  Nothing more.  I loved his bluntness. It was the thing that drew me to him in the first place. He didn’t play games and he didn’t beat around the bush.  He didn’t see the need.  Spir did what in his gut felt right, even if it was just a passing fancy or a temporary need.  If he wanted to lie on the forest floor for the afternoon, he did it.  And if he wanted to spend the better part of the summer months in my bed, no matter that he was supposed to be training, he did that too.  And if he got up out of that bed to go sing to trees and not contact me for days on end, it was because it felt like the necessary thing to him.  I respected that need, and appreciated that I knew exactly where I stood with him.

“Because you’re pretty and I like looking at you,” I answered, giving him the same honesty that he would have given me.  He smiled, and I knew I pleased him.

He stood then, and after using a towel to wipe away the worst of the mess, pulled on his clothes.  The long tunic and soft, woolen breaches were also a trademark of his race.  Despite fully integrating into the human realm and no longer hiding in the shadows, the fae still held to a lot of their traditions.  I kind of liked that, and wished I had something that concrete to ground me.

“I do not know when I will return.”  Spir turned to me.  He was fully dressed and a sad sort of smile graced his lips.  I sat up fast, the languor from earlier dissipating abruptly.  He’d never said those words to me.  Always before it had been “I will return when I am able.” I knew instantly that our sweet summer affair was about to come to an end.

“You aren’t coming back, are you?” I felt the sadness like an acute pain in my chest. I’d known all along this wouldn’t last forever, and that helped to easy the hurt somewhat.  Or at least, I conceded to myself, it would have hurt a whole lot worse if this had been a surprise.  Or if Spirian hadn’t looked as miserable and upset as I felt.

He sat on the edge of the bed by my hip, and leaned forward to kiss me softly.  “I would like to.  But I do not see how it is possible.  I’ve already lingered too long here.  And the flora are calls my name.”

I nodded because I knew it, and I couldn’t make him chose between me and the plants.  We weren’t that couple.  There was a deep affection between us, a genuine like and an insane amount sexual chemistry, but it didn’t go deeper than that.  We were both young, and both trying to find out feet in the world.  I cared about him.  I always would.  But I didn’t love him.  I could let him go with a kiss and well wishes.

So that’s what I did.

***

10 Years Later…

I never put too much thought into why, on the eve of my thirtieth birthday, I’d made the decision to quit my corporate job and sink my savings into a rural property with three huge greenhouses and acres of fruit trees.  Five years later, I’d built it into a thriving business. I’d renovated the farmhouse that had come with the land, and made the second floor into my living space, while the offices took up the first floor.  I had been able to hire managers and accounts and assistants to deal with the paperwork.  I spent my days in the greenhouses and out in the fields. Growing and nurturing some of the best produce in the region.  I loved it and I was happy.  Even if the orchids were proving to be a bit more difficult than I’d originally thought.

I’d had the small greenhouse built behind the house. After I converted greenhouse 3 for houseplants, and the response to including them in the inventory was overwhelmingly positive, I decided to try my hand at orchids.  While the phalaenopsis were doing fine, I couldn’t get anything else to continue growing.  The plants themselves were still living, and had healthy beautiful green leaves.  But not a single plant would put out a new flower spike.  I didn’t know what I was doing wrong.  I’d consulted with experts, had dozens of people in, and no one seemed to think there should be a problem.  I was doing everything right, and yet the plants wouldn’t flower.

I was ready to give up.  Have a huge sale, or hell, give the plants away, and admit defeat. I loved orchids, and I thought they were exceptionally beautiful plants.  But if I couldn’t get them to grow, there was no point in keeping them. The loss of profit aside, the plants deserved better. With a sigh and resigned to my fate, I exited the greenhouse and ran directly into another person.

It was weird how the smell of him, long forgotten but still so familiar, was the first thing to register in my brain.  It only took seconds after that for my eyes to catch up and recognize that beautiful elfin face. He hadn’t changed at all in ten years. But of course he wouldn’t have.  Elves didn’t, really. Not when they lived for several centuries.

“Spirian,” I breathed out his name, surprised and delighted all at once.  I hadn’t given him more than a passing thought in years, but it was still good to see him.

“You used to shorten my name.  It was a privilege only you were allowed.” His mouth quirked the smallest amount, like he felt like he should smile but didn’t actually feel like it. I opened my mouth to respond even though I didn’t know what to say, but Spirian cut me off with a shake of his head.  He gestured behind me.  “What is going on in there?”

I shook my head with a smile.  Drawn to growing things.  He always was. “Orchids,” I said softly.  “They don’t seem to like me very much.  Healthy plants that won’t flower.”  I gave a helpless shrug.

He kept staring at the greenhouse for a long moment, before he finally turned those deep, dark, warm eyes to me.  “Would you like me to sing to them, James?”

I swallowed hard.  That voice saying my name was enough to be my undoing.  I cleared my throat.  “If you have the time, that would be awesome.”

Spir finally smiled, and he took my hand, leading me inside.  He left me by the door as he wandered around the small space, lifting a hand every now and then to touch.  Eventually, he drew a deep breath and began to sing.

I’d always loved listening to ancient fae, though I didn’t understand the words.  There was a cadence to it, an ebb and flow, that never failed to affect me deep inside. I unconsciously swayed to the song as Spir’s voice rose and swelled with each verse.  When the song ended, I had to take a deep breath.

“That was beautiful,” I whispered.  Spir turned and graced me with a smile. He spent another minute or two fussing with one of the dendrobiums before padded softly across the floor and stopping directly in front of me.

“Thank you,” Spir smiled and leaned a little closer. “They are happy here, your plants.  They were just confused.   They will produce beautiful flowers for you now.”

“I appreciate that. Thank you.”  My voice was soft and I meant it, but I couldn’t stop staring at the man I never imagined I’d see again. “Not that I’m complaining, but why are you here, Spirian?”

He cocked his head to the side and studied me like he didn’t understand the question. “Though I said I didn’t know when I’d be able to return, that did imply I would come back at some point in the future.”

I shook my head and laughed.  I’d forgotten how matter-of-fact he could be.  “That was ten years ago.  I’d sort of assumed the statute of limitations had run out on that particular promise.”

It took him a minute to understand the reference.  He shook his head, “It has not.”

“Okay,” I said slowly. “But why, exactly, are you here?”

He let out an exasperated sigh, and I almost laughed at how familiar it sounded.  “Previously, neither one of us were in a mindset to fully engage in a relationship despite how compatible we were.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I agree.”

Spir took a step closer.  “And now we are.  You have built us a place where we could both be very happy.  I could help you grow such beautiful things. That is all I require in this life, to sing to the flora and to have you close by.”  Suddenly his cheeks went red, and he could no longer look me in the eye.  “If you’ll have me, that is.”

Ten years ago we might have been young and unprepared.  But I knew I was ready to settle down.  If Spirian was even half the man he used to be, we’d be just fine.

I nodded even as I closed the distance between us.  “Yes, Spir.  I’ll have you.”

**A perfect challenge for summer–ice cream and unrequited love…or is it?  Enjoy!**

Getting relegated to working the ice cream stand had been kind of a low blow.  I hadn’t had to do that since high school.  The ice cream portion of the permanent family farm stand was only open during the summer, and there wasn’t much that could get fucked up in there, which was why it was the high school kids’ job in the first place.  But with my brother Jack in charge of the business now that my parents had retired to Florida, and him being pissed I’d been giving loyal customers a break on some of their produce purchases, I’d been kicked out of the stand and over to ice cream.  I felt bad that our best customers were no longer getting a few extra pieces of produce, but I could kind of understand where Jack was coming from, even if he was a big jerk.  So I took my punishment like a man and went to work in ice cream.  It wasn’t horrible, but it was boring as hell, and there was only so much ice cream I could eat before I got sick.

And then he started showing up and I thanked my lucky stars I was where I was.

The first time he stepped up to the window he had his niece perched on his hip, and he was just so dang pretty I forgot how to speak.  I just stared.  He stared back.  Neither one of us said or did anything.  The dark eyed toddler–she was maybe two or three– finally broke the spell, pulling the striped hat over her eyes and yelling out, “Hey, who turned out the lights?!” We both laughed, and Pretty Man turned a sheepish smile to me.

“Sorry.  It’s her new trick.”  He shook his head, and gave the girl a little bounce before pulling her hat off.  “Evs, you want ice cream?”

“Ice cream! Ice cream!” She gave us both a big grin, and raised her hands in the air.  “Woo hoo!”

“Vanilla or chocolate?” he asked.

It was all I could do to keep the laugh inside at the incredulous look she turned on her uncle.  “Chock-lat.”

He turned back to me, his blue eyes bright and shining, and asked for one vanilla and one chocolate, both in bowls. I was struck speechless again for just a minute before Evs hollered for her hat.

Those two ice creams were the most perfect I’d ever made.

That was just the first time he came by.  Over the past month or so, I’d seen him several times a week.  Sometimes he had his niece in tow; other time he was by himself.  We struck up a conversation each time he stepped up to my window.  His name was Trevor, and he worked as a computer programmer.  I learned about how much he enjoyed his job, his niece, and superhero movies.  He was the epitome of adorkable, and I was completely in love.

I anticipated his arrival all day.  I couldn’t wait to see him.  If he didn’t show, I felt supreme disappointment.  I found myself daydreaming about him at the oddest times.  Every time he did show up, my heart started pounding and it was all I could do to keep my nerves from showing.  Every little piece I learned about him made me like him even more, made me long to take him in my arms.  I wanted to know everything about him.  I wanted him in my house.  In my bed.

But I knew he didn’t return my feelings.  We were friendly, and had many a good conversation, but he never flirted back.  Not once.  That didn’t stop me from trying, but I knew I was destined to adore him from afar.  And I was loathing the end of the summer, when ice cream season would end, and the stand would close because I would no longer get to see him. But until then, I would store up as many memories as I could.

A rather slow afternoon had me counting cars as they drove passed and seeing how many times I could kick the counter before my toes started hurting.  I wasn’t the most intelligent of human beings when I was bored.  But when I saw the familiar dark sedan pull into the tiny parking lot, I stood up straight and did a little happy wiggle before he could see me.  When he didn’t reach into the back seat to retrieve his niece, I got even happier.  The little girl was adorable beyond words, and she always brightened my day, but it was easier to flirt with Trevor when she wasn’t hanging on his hip.

“Hey Joel,” he said with a bright smile as he walked up.

“Trevor,” I said with a swoon-like sigh.  I cleared my throat.  I was smitten but I didn’t need to act like it.  “Good to see you, man.  You want the usual?” I reached for a cup before I even finished asking.

“Yes, that would be good.” Trevor’s voice shook and he couldn’t quite meet my eyes.  “And also a date.  With you.  Ice cream and then later, a date.  If you want that is.  I don’t know if you want to.  Or if you even like boys.  I just, you know, like you so–”

“Trevor,” I said, interrupting gently.  He blinked those gorgeous eyes at me.  “I’ve been flirting with you for the past six weeks, of course I want to.”

He blinked again, and then a shaky smile graced his face.  “You have?  Are you sure?”

I laughed.  “I’m sure.”

The smile grew. “Then we should have dinner later.  Since you like me back.”

I grinned too. “I really do.”

**To finish up with Lucas and Aaron…a silly misunderstanding and a renewal of commitment.  Thanks for reading along with these guys.  I hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I have!**

“Since when do you like hunting?”

The outrage in Aaron’s voice made me startle, and I nearly dropped the book I was holding.  We had a rare three days off together, and we’d been enjoying the quiet time at home.  Aaron had been puttering in the kitchen, experimenting with a pie recipe, and I’d been lounging on the couch.  The shouting was completely unnecessary, but it told me how angry he was.  I sat up a little straighter.

“What?” I asked. I was confused and I was certain that I couldn’t have heard him right.  But Aaron was already beyond pissed.

“How could you enjoy that?  Killing innocent animals for sport?  It’s cruel.  How did I not know this about you?  I can’t abide this, Lucas.  I can’t.  And there’s no way in hell I’d ever go do that with you—”

“Baby,” I interrupted as soon as he stopped to draw breath.  “What are you talking about?”

He glared, his eyes narrowing.  “Don’t play dumb with me.  A few minutes ago, you suggested we go hunting sometime.”

I chuckled, I couldn’t help it.  “Camping.  Aaron, I said we should go camping sometime.”

“Oh.”  Aaron cocked his head to the side and let that sink in before he deflated completely.  He gave me a sheepish grin.  “Um.  Those two words don’t sound alike.”

“Not so much, no.”  I let out another laugh, and shook my head.

Aaron’s smile grew. “So I totally heard you wrong there.  Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I said, absolving him from any blame.  I held out my arms, and he came jogging over before throwing himself in my lap and burrowing in. I kissed the side of his head and pulled him in tight.

“Camping, huh?”

I laughed even as I nodded.  “Sure.  You, me, fucking under the stars.  I see no bad there.”

Aaron chuckled, and rolled his eyes.  “Such a romantic.  I can feel the love just pouring off you.”

I wasn’t romantic, and we both knew it.  The living room picnic aside, I couldn’t think of one thing I’d done that could even be misconstrued as romantic. But that didn’t mean I didn’t love him with everything I had.

“I love you, Aaron.” The words were out of my mouth before I could give them a second thought.

Aaron tilted his head back until he could see me.  His gaze roamed my face, taking in my expression and trying to figure me out.  I knew I had surprised him with my sudden seriousness.  I let him look, hoping he could see the truth.  Suddenly, his eyes went soft and he leaned into me, snuggling.

“I love you back,” he said quietly.  He squeezed me tightly.  “Don’t worry, Lucas.  I get you.  I understand your reasons and your needs.  It’s all good.  I’m as in this as I was six months ago, and that’s not going to change.  Not as long as you keep loving me like you do.”

“Never going to stop,” I vowed.

Our relationship wasn’t perfect by any means.  And I still couldn’t show him off in public or go to events with him on my arm.  He might be a secret, but he wasn’t a dirty one, and we both knew it.  We were rock solid, and that wasn’t going to change.  No matter what.

 

**Okay!  Back to the boys this week…with an Emmy nomination.  I’ll admit, I took a little liberty with this one and didn’t research how nominations were announced, but this made sense to me.  Enjoy some more Aaron and Lucas!**

It was early, but I was glued to my television screen.  Any second now, they would make the announcement  Any moment and I’d see who was nominated for the prime time Emmys.  I had high hopes. I could feel it in my bones.  This was going to be the year, I just knew it.

Suddenly, between one blink and the next, they began.  I only half paid attention as they started announcing, not caring who was nominated in most of the beginning categories.   I only half paid attention as they announced Lead Actor.  I was uncharacteristically antsy, but I was waiting for Supporting Actor and…there it was.  Just like I knew it would be.  I couldn’t contain the grin.  I was so proud I felt like I’d burst.

I got up from the table and all but ran into the bedroom, scaring the cat badly enough that he hissed at me.  I ignored him and pounced on the bed, waking my boyfriend with a sloppy kiss.  He grumbled and tried to turn over, but I wouldn’t let him.  I released a happy laugh and shook him until he opened his eyes.

“Aaron, baby.  You did it!  You got the nomination!”

He blinked.  Smacked his lips.  Closed his eyes again.  “That’s nice.”

I stared at him in shock and gave him another shake.  “Nice?  Aaron!  You’ve been nominated for an Emmy.  Aren’t you excited?”

I could tell by the way he was breathing, how he held his body, that he was no longer even remotely sleepy.  He was just pretending as he turned his face into the pillow and muttered, “Sure am.”

Okay then. I slid to the side until I could lay down next to him, snuggling up and getting really close.  Aaron carefully didn’t not move until I was right in his face, and then he turned his head, laughing a little and muttering about morning breath.  But I didn’t care about that and he knew it.  I pressed up against him and waited for him to release that sigh that let me know he knew I wasn’t going anywhere.  When it came, I smiled and kissed his cheek.

“Talk to me,” I said softly.  “I thought you’d be thrilled.”

“I am,” he responded just as quietly.  He offered me a small smile.  “And nervous.  And scared.  And overwhelmed.  And a bit sad.”

All of those emotions made sense, except for the last one.  Waking him from a dead sleep, especially after the night we’d had, made it more difficult for him to process them too.  I knew that.  So I didn’t worry about everything he was feeling.  He’d have time to work them all out.  But the sadness?  That I needed to deal with right now.

“Why sad?”

Aaron averted his gaze, and his legs twitched.  I waited, staring at him, knowing that it would make him break faster.  After just a minute or two, he cleared his throat and turned his wide gray eyes to mine.  His voice was barely more than a whisper when he admitted, “Because you can’t go with me.”

My heart squeezed tight even as my stomach dropped.  There was a part of me that wanted to give him what he wanted.  To stand up and proclaim our relationship to the entire world.  But I couldn’t do that. Not if I wanted to keep my career on the path it was.  Not yet.  The world was changing, and it was about fucking time, but it wasn’t there yet.  Someday, I knew I’d be able to be out and proud.  But it wasn’t that day yet.  Even as these thoughts ran through my head, I felt a niggle of anger.  Because Aaron had sworn up and down that my staying in the closet wouldn’t be a problem for him.  Before that feeling had a chance to take root, Aaron rolled into my arms and pressed his face against my neck.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly and full of feeling. “I’m sorry, Lucas.  I didn’t mean that like it sounded. I’d love for you to be there of course, but I don’t blame you for not being able to.”

I cut off his babbling by kissing him hard.  I knew he was sincere, and it was easy to forgive him.  Really, there was nothing to forgive.  Aaron’s body melted against mine and I held him tightly.  Eventually, I pulled back far enough so that I could look into his eyes.

“You deserve this, baby.  And I’m so proud of you.”

He grinned for me then.  “Thank you. You’ll be waiting for me to get home?”

I waggled my eyebrows.  “I’ll be naked and ready to celebrate.  We’ll start a tradition, for every award we win in the future.”

“Sounds like a good deal to me,” Aaron said with a laugh, his entire face just lighting up with glee.  He dropped his forehead until it rested against mine.  “I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” I responded, kissing him again.  I put everything I felt into it, making it a silent vow.  Someday I’d stand next to him on the red carpet, and it would make our wins all the sweeter.  Until that day, this would be enough.