Chapter 2
DeAnna Zankich
Sequel to | Sweet Redemption
Summary: The days leading up to the big `I do'.
Warnings: None
Author Notes: A thousand thanks to my sweet friend Kristina Grönberg for the title.
Spoilers: None
He had just finished filling the bathtub when Stuart came through the front door. The handsome brunette had his hands full with a sack of groceries and his briefcase. Vince went down to help him.
"Hiya," he said, gently kissing Stuart's lips. He took the sack and carried it into the kitchen.
"Hey. Did you just get home?"
"Yeah. I got off about an hour ago but I went by Hazel's to let her know about dinner tomorrow. Did you speak to Romey?"
"I rang her this morning. She'll meet us at the restaurant with the baby." Stuart set his briefcase on the counter then stepped up behind Vince and put his arms around his waist. He kissed the back of Vince's neck softly then rested his forehead there.
Stroking his lover's hands, Vince smiled. "The bath's full, if you fancy having your hair washed. Or anything else washed for that matter."
"Mmmm . . ." Stuart responded with another soft kiss on the neck and then one against Vince's earlobe. "I've got some things for you to sign," he said.
"Yeah?" Curiously, Vince looked back at him. "Like what?"
"Legal stuff. The deed to the flat, insurance, endowments, bank accounts, that sort of thing. I spent the afternoon with my solicitor drawing up the necessary paperwork to make you my husband."
Frowning slightly, Vince turned around. "Stuart, you and I never talked about any of that. I wish you would have asked me before you went and met with your solicitor."
"What's to talk about, Vince? I've added your name to all my assets. Most likely, I would have done that anyway, even if you weren't marrying me." He offered a crooked smile, trying to make light of the situation. "But you have to share it all with my son. So if I get hit by a lorry tomorrow, you and Alfred will be very rich." Stuart slipped his warm fingers up underneath Vince's shirt and pet the soft hairs below his navel.
Vince's frown deepened to a scowl. "I just wish you'd talked to me first."
"Why?" Stuart brushed his nose against Vince's then gave him a lingering kiss. "I'm marrying you. This is meant to be a partnership, yeah?"
"Well, yeah, but . . ."
"Romantic partners are meant to share everything, right?" He slipped his tongue into Vince's mouth.
Even though he was aware of the manipulation Stuart was attempting, for a moment Vince forgot the thread of his objection while he tasted that kiss greedily. His body responded instantly to Stuart's proximity and heat and he felt his cock twitch in his sweats. Reaching for his lover's hips, Vince pulled him close and pressed his growing erection against Stuart's body. The contact was delicious and he sighed, tingling all over.
"Oh my God," Vince panted. "I reckon I miss you . . ."
Stuart giggled seductively, rubbing up against Vince like a cat. "You sleep beside me every night, luv."
"Yeah," Vince said. "But apparently that's not enough." His hands went directly for Stuart's fly, tugging the zipper down and pushing the fabric aside. He reached inside the waistband of Stuart's shorts and grasped his swelling cock, rubbing it in his tight fist until Stuart groaned with pleasure.
"Shall we have that bath now?" Stuart said, his teeth gently gnawing Vince's earlobe. His hands were working Vince's sweats down over his hips.
"I . . . uhmm . . ." Completely distracted by his rapidly increasing desire, Vince could only kiss Stuart in response, roughly tangling their tongues together and sucking the sweet, warm saliva in his lover's mouth. "I . . . need to shag you first." He bit Stuart's tender neck then took his hand and led him quickly across the floor to their bedroom.
Stuart tugged off his remaining clothing then laid back on the bed, blatantly playing with his cock and balls as he watched Vince undress. "I love it when you're like this," he purred. "I rarely know what gets you here, but I love it."
Vince grinned. "Yeah, well just because you're distracting me now, don't you dare think I'm going to drop the subject of all that paperwork."
Rolling his eyes, Stuart said, "Vince, you're Hazel Tyler's kid. You're not physically capable of dropping any subject. Come here." He dragged Vince down onto the bed, rolling him over until he was on his back. "You know what?" Stuart said. "I haven't had you in ages."
"We've been doing other things." Vince pulled his lover into a hot, wet kiss and surprised himself a bit when he almost came. Apparently the idea of having Stuart inside him had a more intense appeal than he'd anticipated.
Stuart wriggled above him, brushing their nipples together and gently connecting their cockheads. Both dripping precome, the heavy, warm organs seemed to lick each other. Stuart lowered his body down so he could rub his cock along the full length of Vince's, stroking up and down until they both shuddered from the delicious sensation.
"I'll come from that . . ." Vince warned, his fingers tightening around Stuart's naked hips to still them.
"You and me, both," he smiled into Vince's eyes. "I'm dying to taste you . . . I haven't had my tongue inside you in ages, either."
"No," he agreed. "You haven't." Reaching up to hold Stuart by the waist, Vince opened his legs and wrapped them around his lover's back in a wanton invitation. "If you're going to do it, you'd best do it now--before I get spunk all over your tummy."
Giggling devilishly, Stuart kissed his mouth once more then started a slow, wet line of licking kisses down Vince's belly. He passed his straining, leaking cock, but took a moment to nuzzle the soft pubic hair on his way to kissing Vince's balls.
Not daring to touch those beautiful black curls, Vince let his arms drop to his sides and he gripped the comforter with tense fingers. Closing his eyes he moaned as Stuart's tongue stroked over his tightening sack and pressed gently against the skin just above his anus. When that slick little probe made first contact with Vince's most intimate opening, he shivered and froze, holding his breath while his cock pulsed hot, clear fluid onto his belly. His lips burned and he took the bottom one in his teeth and chewed it almost to the point of breaking the skin. He was trying desperately not to come, but Stuart's tongue was relentlessly torturing the sensitive nerves around his pucker--sliding in and out of the hole, caressing and stroking like mad. Vince's cock vibrated with sensation.
"Oh . . . God, luv . . . I can't . . ." Vince felt his thighs tense and then his cock was convulsing and spilling warm ropes of semen on his belly. He moaned as the tingling contractions heated his entire body but he was instantly sorry he'd found his release so quickly. He sighed both in pleasure and frustration. "Oh . . . shit . . ."
Still giggling like a kid, Stuart never stopped his sweet assault on his partner's anus. He reached up and gently rubbed Vince's warm spunk into the skin on his belly like lotion, taking care not to touch his too tender cock. With his eyes half closed, Vince lovingly played with Stuart's fingers as they caressed his belly softly. That hot tongue inside him drew all his attention, making it impossible to think of anything else--not that he really wanted to at that moment.
Wanting more access, Stuart shifted on the mattress and raised Vince up by his hips until he was all but balancing on his shoulders. They called this `Brian's position' in reference to the American's first sexual encounter with Stuart in New York. At the time, any mention of the original incident had caused tension between them, but in light of the circumstances that followed, the position gradually became one of their favorites--adulterous association and all.
Stuart's dark blue eyes glittered with lust as he peered down the smooth plain of Vince's belly while he continued his lovely licking penetration. Even after his orgasm, the sensation of having a hot tongue stroking his anus was unbearably erotic. Vince moaned and spread his legs as wide as he could while Stuart held onto him with his hands. He could feel his lover's thick cock pressed against his back, burning, pulsing and wet at the tip--just waiting to be put to good use. Vince reached back until he touched Stuart's thighs and he stroked the soft hairs on his taut legs with teasing fingers.
Melting into the pleasure of being rimmed, Vince concentrated on the sounds his lover was making. The soft, sucking noises and the deep sighing breaths, the occasional raspy little groan. Vince felt his cock itching and lengthening again and he reached up with his right hand to play with it. As soon as Stuart caught sight of this activity, he gently lowered Vince's body back down to the mattress.
Kissing his way up Vince's belly, he grinned and whispered, "if you can have a wank, you're ready to be shagged."
Vince breathed a laugh, hooking his legs up over Stuart's shoulders.
They sucked each other's lips while Stuart reached for the lube under the pillow. Vince kept his eyes closed while his lover slid his slippery fingers up inside his already tingling and relaxed opening. He hadn't had Stuart's cock inside him in so long, he was absolutely dying to feel it.
"Please, luv," he begged softly. "I want you inside me now . . ." His fingers dove into Stuart's satiny curls and tugged possessively, shivering deep inside from the sensation. God, he loved that man's hair.
With expert grace, Stuart replaced his stroking fingers with his throbbing cock, sliding it in slowly until Vince's brow wrinkled from the stretch. They looked at each other, holding their breath for a moment. Vince could feel Stuart's heartbeat all over his lover's body--pulsating in his cock, drumming inside his torso, throbbing in the veins in his arms that supported his weight.
"God . . ." Stuart said in a tense whisper. "You feel fantastic. You're so hot inside."
Vince trembled with desire at those words and his eyes drifted closed. He played with Stuart's hair and wiggled under his partner's powerful, lean body, urging him to begin moving.
Then with calculating slowness, Stuart slid his erection halfway out, then slid it back in, grazing Vince's prostate with his big, swollen cockhead along the way. Lowering his forehead onto Vince's chest, Stuart breathed deeply and then began working his narrow hips in deep, pumping strokes.
Vince heard himself emitting ragged groans as his whole body seemed to catch fire. He tingled everywhere, his nipples tightened into stiff peaks just itching to be touched and his cock expanded and reached up his belly, shimmering with pleasure every time Stuart stroked passed that swollen gland inside. The position they'd chosen had them rocking back and forth on the mattress with Vince's toes curling in the air behind Stuart's head. The muscles in the backs of his thighs burned a bit from the stretch but he barely noticed. Vince's body was reawakening to the unbelievable, all-encompassing pleasure of being fucked.
His hands gripped Stuart's strong forearms and he started to pull his hips back slightly each time Stuart drew his cock out--very nearly severing their connection, but not quite. The result was the repeated sensation of Stuart's wide cockhead rubbing through the tight ring of muscle at the opening of Vince's anus. The stimulation was deliciously intense for both of them and Stuart increased the speed of his thrusts to add to the searing pleasure.
Realizing his lover was getting very close to coming, Vince reached down and stroked his own cock, teasing the sensitive head with the pads of his fingers. In no time his second orgasm was chasing him down, starting a blaze of pleasure deep inside him that began radiating in bright sparks all over his body. He felt Stuart shudder and moan loudly and his hips snapped as he started to come. Once the orgasm gripped him, Stuart froze with his cock buried deep in Vince's body. Vince could feel his lover's cock spasming and the wet spurts of semen filled him with warmth--and then Vince was coming again.
That second release was like a wave of pure bliss and he thought he might black out from it. He let out all the air in his lungs and just rode the deep, sparkling convulsions, gently playing with his wet cock as his fingertips went slick with spunk. At the bottom of the breath, he inhaled and his senses were flooded with the soft musk of their combined scents--Stuart's clean sweat and the earthy aroma of their mingled seed. Vince loved the way they smelled together. That raw, slightly savory odor of male sexual fluids was something he could never get enough of.
Carefully, Stuart slipped his cock out and then helped Vince lower his legs. Curling up along Vince's back, Stuart kissed his neck, nipping the skin gently with his teeth. His cock was still hot and swollen and it pressed against Vince's buttocks wetly. He loved that Stuart never bothered to wipe himself off after they had sex. Vince liked the mess. It was evidence of a job well done.
"Christ," Stuart said.
"Mmm."
They both laughed softly.
"I forgot how lovely that is." Sitting up on the mattress, Stuart raked a hand through his rumpled curls. "Not that I don't love having you inside me, mind. I certainly do. But . . . I have to say that I was missing that a bit." He kissed Vince's naked shoulder and gave him a wink. "Bath?"
"Yeah," Vince said, moving gingerly to the edge of the bed. He was getting sore inside very quickly. "God, I feel like a virgin."
"It hasn't been THAT long," Stuart said, standing on the floor and reaching back for his boyfriend's hand to help him up. He guided Vince into the bathroom and into the already full tub. "Is it still warm?"
"Needs a shot," Vince said, carefully sitting down into the water.
Stuart flipped the lever and drained out a few inches of water, then he turned on the hot tap and let the tub refill. "You soak for a minute," he said. "I'll be right back." He leaned over and gave Vince a kiss before he left the warm steamy bathroom.
Vince sank down into the hot water and sighed, feeling his muscles relax instantly. He dunked under the surface and got his head wet then he grabbed the washcloth hanging on the soap dish and wet it before draping it over his face. Perfect, he thought as the familiar scent of the jasmine and mint soothed him. All he needed was a drink and Stuart snuggling with him in that lovely, fragrant water and he'd be completely happy.
After a moment, Stuart returned with a bottle of wine and a glass for them to share. He got into the water and slid down alongside Vince, resting his head against his lover's shoulder. Reaching over the edge of the tub, he picked up the wineglass and offered Vince a sip.
"I got this to celebrate," Stuart said.
"What's the occasion?"
"The papers and all." Stuart smiled with his eyes. "At least I THOUGHT it would be a reason to celebrate. But if you're going to be a twat about it all then . . ."
Vince shook his head. "Don't start," he warned. "I'm not saying I want a row about it, Stuart, it's just that I wish you would have talked to me before you went ahead and arranged it all."
"Don't you want me to share everything with you?"
"Of course I do . . ." Vince sighed, wishing he was able to articulate his feelings more clearly. "I really do appreciate the thing with the deed to the flat. It's lovely of you and I accept that happily. But the other things . . ."
"What, it's just some insurance and an endowment policy, Vince. I had your name on my life insurance, anyway. I just bought some more and the policy is larger now. Like I said, you have to share it with Alfred, but it's a good amount of money. You'll be well looked after if I die before you."
"You're not looking after me now," Vince said sharply. "I haven't been taking money from you that I would miss if you died."
Stuart sighed. He sipped the wine and remained silent for a moment. "Is that it, then? Is this a pride issue?"
"I haven't been taking money from you," Vince said. "I've been paying half the mortgage here and looking after all me own bills ever since I moved in--AND helping Hazel when she needs it. I just don't want to feel like I'm some . . ."
"All those checks you gave me for the mortgage here," Stuart said softly. "I put them into a separate account in your name. You've got almost twenty five thousand quid in there now with the interest and all."
Vince just stared at him. "Why didn't you tell me that?!"
He rolled his eyes. "I had this mad thought you might be upset."
"So you did it, anyway?" Vince insisted.
Shaking his head, Stuart looked down sadly. "You're not going to be able to take this from me as a gift, are you? You just can't do it."
"I'm not your personal charity, Stuart. I'm on a good wage at Harlo's, I've got my own money."
"And I want you to have my money, as well," Stuart said softly. He swirled the wine around in the glass, watching it in dispirited silence. "I want to give you everything, Vince. I don't understand why you won't let me."
Letting out a deep breath, Vince groaned. He was losing this argument fast and he knew it. His rebuttals even sounded weak to his own ear. "You know you're going to get your way," he said. "You always do."
Stuart looked at him, shifting slightly under the warm water so they were facing each other more fully. "What would be your way, Vince? What would you have me do here?"
Shaking his head in defeat, he took the glass from Stuart and drank from it. "Never mind, luv. I . . . know you're just being . . . generous. That you're just showing me your love. I'm . . . sorry to be such a bloody prat. I don't have an argument that holds any water. I'm just being . . ."
"Proud," Stuart said softly. "It's why I didn't tell you before. You might have left me or something equally as stupid." He tried a small smile. "That money you've been giving me for the mortgage can go to Hazel's mortgage now. And if you'll let me help, we can pay the rest of it off all at once."
"I gave that money to you for THIS flat, not for my mum's house."
"Yeah, but I didn't need it. You know I didn't. I only took it so you wouldn't get upset. It's your money. Do whatever you please with it."
"I can't," Vince said. "You're not letting me. I tried to give it to you for my share of our mortgage. That's what I was pleased to do with it, Stuart."
They looked at each other for a long time in the low light filtering in from their bedroom. Vince felt like he wanted to scream and then burst into tears. He felt powerless and angry and couldn't understand his own reasons for either emotion. In his mind, he knew his lover was only trying to show him affection--to care for him--but no matter how he thought about it, the situation still made Vince want to spit nails.
"There's never been a mortgage on this flat, Vince," Stuart told him, his voice low and measured. "I bought it outright when I moved in. When I told you the number that was meant to be half the mortgage on this place, I estimated a bit more than what I knew you were paying in rent on your old flat. You wouldn't have believed it otherwise. Yeah, I reckon that was dishonest. But my intentions were honorable. At least don't blame me for that."
"I'm not blaming you," Vince said miserably. "It's just that I feel so . . ." He sighed, frustrated. "I know you meant well, luv. Let's just . . . forget it. I'll sort myself out. Just . . . tell me what you want me to sign and I'll do it."
"I'm not having you sign anything until you feel right about it," Stuart said. "I'm not stupid, Vince. You'll sign now just to shut me up then you'll slowly get more and more resentful. I'm not having that. Don't sign if you don't want to--it's up to you."
Stuart turned to get out of the tub but Vince reached for him.
"No, don't go . . . come back here," he said. "I'm sorry this is so hard for me . . . please don't leave yet."
Stuart's jaw was clenched and his eyes were wet. "This conversation is making me very unhappy," he said.
"It's upsetting me, too," Vince said. He pulled Stuart close to him, trying to get his lover to hug him. Stuart resisted at first, his body stiff and self-protective. Then finally he let Vince hold him and he sighed into the embrace.
"I meant what I said," Vince continued. "I'll work out my own feelings. I just have to accept that I won't be able to return the same sort of gifts to you. That's what's bothering me, Stuart. I can learn to accept your generosity without becoming resentful, but I don't know if I can accept not being able to return it. Do you see?"
"It's not that I don't understand your reasons," Stuart said. He looked up and his dark blue eyes were rimmed with red. "I don't want you to feel inadequate. I only wanted to share what I have because I CAN, Vince. I'm not trying to show off."
"I never said that." He kissed Stuart's forehead, hating the pain he saw in those dark eyes and hating even worse that he was causing it.
"I don't care about the money," Stuart said. "It comes easily to me so it means nothing. But if I share it with you, then it starts to mean more. You can use it and do something good with it. We can get a house, if you want. We can get you a car."
Vince shook his head. "No. I like sharing the Jeep. That way I get to see you in the mornings sometimes."
Stuart moved a bit closer in the water, reaching for the wineglass again. He sipped it slowly, seeming to be calmer. "I want you to be comfortable with all this, Vince. I have a lot of money. You're going to be my partner--that means, you'll have a lot of money, too. If you think about it logically, it's not all THAT bad." He offered a little smile. "Like I've said, you can quit work if you want."
"You're completely mad if you think I would do that," Vince said, taking the glass.
Stuart smirked. "I know. But you COULD do. That's the point."
"And let you work?" he said incredulously.
"Yeah. You could be a kept man." Stuart giggled and Vince was very happy to see the change in his lover's mod.
He shook his head, laughing. "Mad as a moose, you are."
Stuart crawled forward under the water and wiggled into Vince's lap, wrapping his legs around the back of Vince's hips. He parted his lips indicating he wanted to be fed a sip of the wine. Vince tilted the glass against his bottom lip and let him drink.
"Well, if I can't convince you to let me support you, can we at least have some really fun, expensive toys?" Stuart said, batting his eyes.
"For example?"
"Dunno. Maybe . . . a yacht or a private airplane. Or some art. We could hire a personal masseuse. We could have pedigree dogs."
"No dogs," Vince said.
"All right," Stuart laughed. "We could travel somewhere new every month."
"Oh? Somewhere like New York?" Vince said teasingly. "Or Pittsburgh, perhaps?"
Stuart shook his head. "From what Brian said, everyone who lives in Pittsburgh wants to get OUT."
"But if we wanted, we could bring him here as often as he would be willing to fly over, right?" Vince lifted his eyebrows expectantly, waiting to see what has ornery lover would say to that.
Sighing dramatically, Stuart said, "I suppose we could. But that's not what I was driving at."
"What were you driving at?"
"Nothing. I was just illustrating the point that we could do anything we wanted."
Vince reached for the bottle beside the tub and refilled their glass. "All right, luv. I'll keep that in mind."
Stuart pushed his hips forward under the water, touching their cocks together softly. "However, since you mentioned Brian, there is something else I have to tell you . . ."
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Brian:
"I'll ask the doc myself, if you think it'll help," he said, leaning over the pool table to line up his shot. Emmett's leave sucked--the eight ball was trapped along the rail near the corner pocket with both the six and the four balls obstructing it. Brian frowned at his meager options.
"Well," Emmett muttered, surveying the table. "If you can't hit `em well, hit `em hard."
Brian glared at him then leaned into his shot. He choked the cue stick and whacked that white ball for all he was worth. It scattered the six and four but knocked flatly against the eight, not budging it an inch. "Fuck." He rolled his eyes and sat down beside Michael again.
"Somehow I don't think you asking him is going to make David any more amenable to letting me go," Michael said. "Call me crazy."
"You're crazy," Emmett and Ted said together then chuckled.
Brian rolled his eyes again.
"No, seriously," Emmett said. "You ARE crazy if you don't take this opportunity. Brian's offering to take you to London and stay in a fancy hotel with all expenses paid for a week, honey! I don't understand why you would even hesitate. David is NOT your keeper. You can do what you want. I say go to London."
"For once I agree with Emmett," Brian said. "Go to London. We'll have a blast."
"I'm not worried we won't have fun, Brian," Michael said. "But I don't want to be an asshole and just TELL David I'm going without asking if he's okay with it. I'm not saying I require his permission." He reached for his bottle of beer on the table behind him and looked directly at Brian. "I just don't want to be selfish. He IS my boyfriend and he can't stand you."
"Nobody can stand him," Ted retorted. "Well, nobody but that couple in Manchester and your sister's friend in New York. Oh, and you, Michael. But you like everybody. You would offer to buy Hannibal Lechter a beer if he walked into Woody's right now."
"I would not," Michael mumbled.
Brian draped his arm around his best friend's shoulder. "Ignore him, Mikey. Everyone else does."
Ted stuck out his tongue.
"Say whatever you need to the good doctor and let me know your decision. Okay?" Brian put a kiss on Michael's forehead.
"It's completely cool that you invited me," he said. "I mean, are you sure you want me under foot when you have to work?"
"I don't have to work," Brian said. "Not this trip. I've done all the work already. Now I just have to go to the party to celebrate all my hard work. Really. We'll stay at the hotel and do some sightseeing and just have fun. We haven't gone anywhere together in ages, anyway."
"I know. It sounds great." Michael smiled at him so sweetly that Brian couldn't resist giving him another kiss.
"Besides," he said more quietly, just for Michael. "I need a chaperone."
Shaking his head, Michael leaned in and whispered to his friend. "Are they both going to be there?"
"I expect so, yeah."
"At least I get to meet them," he said. "I'm totally curious."
Smiling, Brian turned his attention back to the pool game he was so badly losing. He watched while Emmett leaned over the table in his fluffy fuchsia sweater and eyeballed his next shot. Truth was, Brian rather liked Emmett but he'd never admit it. He admired Emmett's sense of himself and his quick, biting wit. In many ways Brian was glad Michael had Emmett as a friend. But Ted . . . Brian and Ted made a sport of how much they disliked each other. It was sort of like making lemonade when life handed you lemons, but at least they were doing something constructive with their mutual disdain.
After what seemed like ages of consideration, Emmett made his shot and sunk the six ball.
"Nice!" Ted exclaimed.
"It would have been," Emmett replied, his hand landing on his arched hip. "If I'd been aiming for the six. Your shot, Brian."
"I didn't hear you call it," Brian said. "We'll just say you meant to do that. Go ahead. I'm already losing anyway."
"My," Emmett said, lifting his eyebrows. "Aren't WE magnanimous tonight. What's got into you?" He walked around the table and sized up the position of the four ball.
"He's probably got a hamster up his ass," Ted mumbled.
Brian said nothing. He just sat quietly and drank his beer, subconsciously wandering through his closet at home and wondering if he should get a new suit for the party. He wanted to look his best, after all.
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Stuart:
Spooned against each other in bed that night, he and Vince were still talking softly in the dark before they fell asleep. They had managed to smooth over the problems about Stuart's money and Vince had agreed to sign the necessary documents. Handling those more pressing issues had pushed aside their discussion of the party at Claridge's.
"So, he'll be there," Vince said, his soft lips gently tickling Stuart's neck as he spoke.
"I'm assuming he's one of the guests of honor seeing as it's his campaign they're celebrating." Stuart wriggled gently against his lover, pressing back into his warm body under the comforter. "We don't have to see him. I can be in the same room and not touch him. But Greg wants me to go."
"It's for work, Stuart," Vince said. "If your boss wants you to attend, I'm not going to object."
Eyes open in the darkness, Stuart pet the hair on Vince's arms softly. "Are you sure?"
He was quiet for a long time but Stuart could feel his eyes were open. Vince was thinking. Even though he felt like he knew his lover quite well, there was no way Stuart could have been prepared for what Vince said next.
"Do you think he might fancy spending a night with us at the hotel?"
Stuart blinked and his heart thudded hard. "Um . . . I think he might, yeah," he said laughing incredulously. "I can't believe you said that." He turned to his lover in the dark. "I thought we weren't allowed to play with Brian anymore."
"I didn't say that."
"You most certainly DID say that!" Stuart sat up and turned on the light on the bedside table. He looked back at his lover with wide eyes. "You made it sound like I was forbidden to even speak to Brian after he left last weekend! You said he had to move on from us. Vince--have you lost your bloody memory?! Do you need a doctor?"
Vince just looked at him with a tiny smile tugging his lips, indicating that he was playing. Stuart had hated that look ever since they were teenagers.
"You fucking bastard cunt!" he shouted. "Are you saying you didn't mean that?"
"No, I'm denying ever saying it." Vince bit the inside of his cheeks trying not to laugh. He was obviously joking but it still drove Stuart mad.
Scowling angrily, Stuart folded his arms. "What the fuck are you on about, Vince? Can we see Brian or not?"
"Do you want to?"
He didn't answer right away, fearing a trick question. Stuart turned the thought over and over in his head for a long moment.
"Well?" Vince said. "Do you?"
"Yes, you know I do."
"All right." He sat up and crossed his legs under the blanket, looking directly in Stuart's eyes. "Ask me if I want to."
He squinted then said, "do you?"
"Yes." Vince reached over and took Stuart's chin in his hand gently. "But that doesn't mean we should."
"Well," he said, stammering slightly. "I dunno, if we both want to, why not?"
"Because. It's just . . . asking for it. You cried when he left, Stuart. Have you forgotten that?"
"I wasn't crying about him." Stuart flopped back down on the mattress and heaved a sigh. "Never mind. Fine. It's fine. Really. You're right."
Eyes open wide, Vince looked down at him and smiled cheekily. "Am I? Blimey." He laid on his side and propped up on his elbow. "Stuart, look at me."
Still scowling like a petulant child, Stuart looked at his partner.
"Do you love Brian?" Vince asked.
Without hesitation, he said "a little bit."
"Then I don't want you to see him. It's as simple as that. All right?"
"I've already agreed to this, Vince. I said it's fine."
Sighing, Vince turned off the bedside lamp again. He leaned over Stuart who was still lying on his back and looked in his eyes. They could just barely see each other in the faint glow from the nightlight in the bathroom.
"Can we go to sleep now?" Vince asked.
Stuart returned that intent gaze openly, honestly. "Vince, I love Brian a little bit, that's true. But I would die for you."
Those lovely pale blue eyes softened just slightly and then Vince smiled. "Thanks for that," he said, placing a kiss on Stuart's lips. "Now go to sleep, luv."
As Vince snuggled behind him again, Stuart knew neither of them would sleep for a while. Brian Kinney still haunted them like an irresistible, seductive ghost and he couldn't help feeling fearful of seeing him again. Stuart wondered what would have happened if he'd met Brian before he and Vince became lovers. Would he still want Brian this much? Care for him this much? Or would he just have been another shag in a long line of one night stands?
Logically, Stuart knew Brian was more to both of them than a sexual plaything. For him, Brian represented his own inner wildness, his spirit and his unwillingness to be captured. For Vince, Brian was a challenger for his lover's affection--a competitive suitor that forced Vince's strength to the surface. Brian had just as much responsibility for drawing out Vince's darker side as Stuart did himself. The three of them together had pushed and pulled each other to the point where they all changed on some level. Stuart could only imagine what Brian was feeling, since they had never really talked about it, but he felt certain Brian had been deeply affected by them as well.
Instinctively he knew Brian would always be part of them. Through their attraction for each other, they had created a sort of indelible link--a connection that would hum with life for years to come. That link would serve to remind them just how tenuous love really was and how easily it could be lost.
Stuart supposed being reminded of that was ultimately a very good thing.
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