Under a Doctor's Care

Chapter 2

Brian helped Justin get into the house and up to bed before leaving him to go fix something for lunch. He heated up some soup and poured a glass of juice, placing everything on a tray before making his way back upstairs. As he entered the bedroom he found Justin trying to get out of bed.

“Where are you going?” Brian asked as he set the tray down on the dresser.

“To the bathroom?”

“Wait a minute and I’ll help you across the hall,” Brian said as he moved towards him.

“Brian, I’m a grown man. I think I can handle going to the bathroom all by myself,” Justin said needing to put a stop to Brian’s over protectiveness immediately.

“Really? The last time you tried going to the bathroom alone, Janet found you unconscious on the floor,” Brian replied a little harshly.

Justin sighed at Brian’s reply. “Look, I’m sorry about causing so much trouble but I’m feeling better now and I am more than capable of walking myself across the hall.”

“Humor me, alright? Tomorrow you’ll be here all by yourself but for now, just let me help you,” Brian insisted.

“Are you going to hold it for me too?” Justin asked in exasperation.

“Would you like me to?” Brian prodded, his tone holding a hint of lust.

Justin blushed at the innuendo that hung between them. “Um…no, I think I can handle it.”

“I’m sure you can,” Brian smirked as he helped Justin out of the room. After their short play on words, the image of him helping Justin was racing through his brain causing him to harden slightly. He waited outside the door while Justin did what he needed to do, then carefully helped him back across the hall and into bed. He took the time to make sure Justin was settled and had everything he needed before leaving the blond alone to eat his lunch.

Once Brian was gone, Justin took a deep breath, trying desperately to force the beautiful man out of his thoughts. He had been attracted to the doctor since that first night in the hospital, but sharing such close quarters with him was proving to be dangerous to his mind. He ate his lunch, or as much of it as he could, before placing the dishes on the nightstand and sliding down under the warm blankets. He was exhausted from the simple task of being released from the hospital and fell asleep almost immediately.

Brian paced the downstairs while he tried to figure out why the blond had such a strong affect on him. It wasn’t as if he’d never been around beautiful men before; but for some reason, this particular one had him wanting to ignore his own orders, throw him down, and do all sorts of things that doctors shouldn’t even think about when referring to their patients. He waited until he was sure Justin had enough time to eat before going back upstairs to retrieve the dishes. When he entered the room, he was happy to see the blond sound asleep. Rest was one of the most important factors in recovery. Taking the tray from the nightstand, Brian took a minute to watch the sleeping man before quickly walking out of the room before he did something stupid; like climbing in bed with him.

Once he had the kitchen cleaned up, Brian decided to take a dip in the pool. The spring air was still a little chilly, but the pool was heated and had always been his favorite place to unwind. With the thoughts he’d been having about Justin, he had a lot of unwinding to do. He walked out the French doors on to the patio and breathed in the scent of blossoming flowers before heading over to the pool house and changing into his swim shorts. A few minutes later he was in the water, swimming laps as if his life depended on it. Exercise had been his savior during all the stressful times in his life but his method wasn’t working this time. The more he swam, the more his mind seemed to drift back to the blond upstairs. He finally gave up and climbed out of the pool, panting in exhaustion. He stood by the end of the pool, letting the breeze cool his body as he contemplated what to do next.

Justin woke up a little disoriented and glanced at the clock, surprised to find that he’d only been asleep for about an hour. He climbed out of bed and stood up, moving carefully so as not to fall, and made his way to the bathroom. After relieving himself, he went back to the bedroom and walked over to the window to look out at the sunshine that was peeking through the blinds. His breath caught in his throat as he looked down and saw Brian climbing out of the pool, his perfect body covered in water and glistening in the sun. His cock immediately sprang to life as shock waves washed over his body. He’d never seen a sight more beautiful that Brian Kinney and he let out a sigh as he thought once again about what he was going to do while staying in the man’s home.

A part of him wanted to pack his and Jason’s things and run away as fast as he could, but he knew that wasn’t an option. Not only did he have to think about his son and how they would be living in his car if they left, but after all Brian had done for him, the least he could do was stay and help out while Janet went away. He stood there staring out of the window long after Brian had disappeared, lost in thought and never heard Brian’s gentle knock on the door.

“Oh, you’re up?”

Justin spun around quickly, startled by the sound of Brian’s voice and immediately regretted it when the room started spinning and he lost his balance. Luckily for him, Brian anticipated the move and was able to catch him before he fell.

“That’s it, back to bed,” Brian ordered gently as he led Justin over to the bed.

“I’m fine, Brian. Really, I didn’t hear you come in and you startled me. I just turned too quickly,” Justin insisted as he sat on the bed. “I’m fine now. I can’t stay in this bed any longer. I’m not used to sitting around doing nothing.”

“Well you better get used to it because for the rest of the week, you’re not to do anything more that take a piss, got it?”

“Thank God you’re working all week,” Justin mumbled so that Brian couldn’t hear him.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Justin replied quickly. “Can I at least go downstairs and sit by the pool? It’s too nice to stay inside and the fresh air will do me good.”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt, but let me take a shower first and then I’ll help you down there,” Brian said as he walked towards the door. “I’ll be back in about twenty minutes.”

Justin waited until Brian was out of sight before sighing in exasperation. The man had an over-protective streak a mile long. He slowly stood up, having learned his lesson about sudden movements, and waited until he heard the faint sound of Brian’s shower running before changing into a pair of shorts and a tank top, grabbing a pencil and his sketch pad, and making his way downstairs. He was a grown man and was more than capable of going down to the patio all by himself. Once he was settled on one of the lounge chairs, he opened his pad and started drawing, blocking out the world around him.

Brian showered quickly, resisting the urge to touch himself as he thought of how warm Justin felt in his arms, and dressed in a clean pair of shorts before making his way back to Justin’s room, only to find it empty. He checked the bathroom before going back into the bedroom and looking out the window. Sure enough there was Justin, sitting outside lost in his drawing and oblivious to the world around him. “That little shit,” Brian sighed to the empty room.

He made his way downstairs and out on to the porch, but Justin never heard him approach. Brian recognized all the signs of a true artist after watching Lindsay over the years as she sank into her work and shut everyone else out.

“Am I going to have to chain you to the bed?” he finally asked when he got no reaction.

“That depends on what you plan to do to me once I’m there,” Justin replied huskily, surprising himself with his bold comment. “I mean…I…uh…”

Brian was momentarily thrown by Justin’s reply, but quickly recovered and gave the blond his best smirk. “Well, the possibilities are endless, but doctor’s orders say you need your rest right now.”

“I promise not to tell if you don’t,” Justin replied, horrified by the words that were coming out of his mouth. What the hell was wrong with him? “I…uh, just wanted to get fresh air. I made it down here fine as you can tell.”

Brian decided to let Justin’s remark slip by without comment. If they continued to stay there trading sexual innuendos, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to stop himself from throwing the blond over his shoulder and dragging him upstairs. “What are you drawing?”

“It’s not that good. I don’t draw much anymore and I’m kind of out of practice,” Justin replied shyly, grabbing tightly to his book.

“I’ll be the judge of that.” Brian reached down and gently pried the book out of Justin’s arms, smiling his reassurance before looking at the page in front of him. He was amazed by what he saw. “This is incredible. How’d you draw this? You’ve hardly even seen my children, yet you managed to capture them perfectly.”

“Yeah, I have a photographic memory when it comes to my subjects,” Justin admitted.

Brian saw the slight blush creep up Justin’s face and knew it was a sight he could never get tired of. “You need to find some time to spend on your art. It would be a shame to let such talent go to waste.”

“I don’t have a lot of free time these days and pretty soon I’ll have even less,” Justin said sadly.

“Why is that?”

“Because I can’t stay here forever. Once I’m done working for you I’m going to have to find a second job; preferably one that I can take Jason to. I’m obviously not making enough money at the diner to support the two of us.”

“Maybe I can help you with that,” Brian said as the wheels started turning in his mind.

“Oh no, Brian; you’ve already done enough for us. I can’t keep accepting help from you. I need to find a way to support my son on my own,” Justin insisted.

“Relax, I’m not offering you a hand out. Lindsay used to work in an art gallery. I know the manager and I believe he’s looking for someone to take his place so that he can retire. I’ll just talk to him and set up an interview, letting him know that the decision is totally up to him. You’ll have to wow him all on your own to get the job. The hours might be a little longer than you’re used to, but it’ll be better than working two jobs and the pay would be more than double what you’re making now. Plus, you could arrange to have Jason dropped off with you in the afternoons and he could do his homework in your office while you work. What do you say?” Brian waited anxiously for Justin reply.

“Are you sure I’ll be interviewing on my own merit? You’re not going to pull any strings?” Justin asked skeptically.

“I promise,” Brian assured him.

“Okay then, I guess it’s worth a shot,” Justin relented, trying not to get his hopes up.

“Good, I’ll go make the call while you sit out here and soak up that fresh air.”

Brian left Justin alone while he went inside to make the call. He knew Justin would be perfect for the position and wondered why he didn’t think about it before. He closed himself in his office for privacy, incase the blond started wandering again, and reached for the phone. He dialed the number he knew by heart and waited for someone to answer.

“The Peterson Gallery, how may I help you?”

“Aaron, its Brian. How are things going?” Brian asked the familiar voice.

“Business is booming, as usual. The Roberts showing brought in a lot of new business. It’s getting harder and harder to keep up at this pace. Luckily I just hired someone to help out in the afternoons so that should ease the pressure a bit,” Aaron explained.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it. Listen, are you still looking to cut back your work load?”

“Brian, you’ve got to be kidding. I was half way to retirement when Lindsay passed away. Of course I’m looking to cut back. The problem is that I haven’t been able to find anyone we can trust to take my place,” Aaron sighed in frustration.

“What if I told you I found the perfect person for your replacement?”

“Really? Who is he? Where did you find him and when can he start?” Aaron replied excitedly.

“Slow down there, Aaron. His name is Justin Taylor. He’s a…friend of mine. He doesn’t have any experience, but he’s a struggling artist with an overwhelming passion for art. Sadly, he’s a single parent down on his luck so he hasn’t been able to work in the art field. He loves his son to death and would do anything for him, including giving 110% to his employer. He’s also very intelligent so I don’t think it will be that hard to train him. What do you think? You willing to interview him?” Brian asked.

“Brian, if he comes with your recommendation, why the interview? Let’s just hire him and put him to work,” Aaron replied confidently.

“I agree, but he wants to do this on his own. I want you to interview him like you would anyone else and hire him only if you like what you see, understand?”

“You’re the boss,” Aaron chuckled.

“That’s the other thing. He has no idea that I own the place and I want it to stay that way. He just thinks I’m friendly with the owner and that I’m just setting up the interview,” Brian explained.

“Alright, who is this guy? I get the feeling that there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“You know all you need to know. Now, how is noon on Saturday? He was just released from the hospital after a bout with pneumonia and needs to rest for a few days.”

“Brian, you’re fucking one of your patients?” Aaron blurted out in shock.

“I’m not fucking him; not that it’s any of your business,” Brian replied defensively.

“Of course not,” Aaron teased. “He needs his rest.”

“Asshole,” Brian grumbled. “I’ll talk to you later in the week.”

“Wait, I need a number for him incase something comes up and I have to reschedule.”

“412-231-4893.”

“Why Brian, that’s your phone number,” Aaron laughed.

“No shit,” Brian snapped, hanging up on the laughter coming from the other end of the line.

Aaron replaced the phone back in its cradle and turned around to face his partner, unable to stop his giggles.

“What’s so funny?” Kevin asked as he took his lover in his arms.

“I think Brian Kinney might have actually found the one,” Aaron said as he tried to pull himself together.

“No shit? It’s about time. Who’s the lucky guy?”

“His name is Justin Taylor and he’s about to become the new manager of the Peterson Gallery,” Aaron explained.

“You mean you’re finally going to be able to retire and spend your days with me?” Kevin asked with excitement.

“It looks that way.”

“Well, today is turning out to be one for the record books. Someone is taming that great God Kinney and we’re finally going to be able to take that trip to Italy that we’ve been talking about for years. When do we get to meet this guy?”

“He’s coming in for an interview on Saturday. He doesn’t want Brian to pull any strings to get him the job. He wants to do it on his own, but that’s not the best part. He has no idea that Brian is the owner,” Aaron laughed again, thinking about what Brian was getting himself into.

“I almost wish you weren’t leaving. Watching these two could be a lot of fun,” Kevin said, joining in on Aaron’s laughter.

“Don’t worry. I plan on popping in now and then to watch the fireworks.”

Brian sat at his desk, thinking about what his next move would be. He was satisfied with the way things were going so far. As long as Aaron kept his mouth shut, Justin would have no clue of his involvement in the gallery. Besides, it’s not like he plays an active roll anyway. It was Lindsay’s gallery. He just happened to inherit it when she died. He told Aaron to hire based on his own opinion and Brian knew that Justin would be impressive during the interview and win Aaron over all on his own. The salary he would be pulling in was more that Justin would make working two jobs and being involved in the art world would give him the desire to work on his own projects. The contacts he’d make through the place alone would more than guarantee him recognition of his own works. He also knew that Aaron was offering a five thousand dollar sign on bonus to his replacement which would finance Justin’s next apartment so that he and Jason would have a roof over their heads. Now he just had to squelch the sadness he felt when he thought of father and son moving out. Even though they hadn’t been staying with him long, Brian enjoyed knowing that they were living under his roof and didn’t want to think about them leaving. At least he’d be able to sleep at night knowing they were doing okay. That was the most important thing.

Justin finished up the drawing of Amber and Gus, then set aside his sketch book and sat staring out at the pool. His mind kept replaying the vision of Brian climbing out earlier and caused a reacting in his groin. He hoped that the gallery job Brian mentioned worked out for him. He needed to get out of Brian’s house soon, before he did something stupid; like throw himself at the older man shamelessly. He thought he saw Brian giving him a lustful look now and then, but he doubted it meant anything. What would a wealthy and successful doctor want with someone like him? In the distance, he heard the door behind him open and pulled himself from his thoughts as Brian approached him.

“Okay, you’ve got an interview scheduled for Saturday at noon. I made sure to tell Aaron that it was not a recommendation. He’s going to interview you just like everyone else and draw his own conclusions. Happy?”

“Yes, and thank you Brian; for everything. If this job works out, it may just be the answer to my prayers. I don’t know how to repay you for all you’ve done,” Justin said softly.

“You can take me out to dinner with your first paycheck,” Brian suggested with a smirk.

“I think you deserve more than a dinner, but I’ll take you up on that. Now I’m going to go upstairs and lay down for awhile. All this fresh air has made me tired,” Justin started to get up and felt Brian’s hand lock on his arm. “Brian, I’m perfectly fine to go to my room by myself.”

“I just want…”

“Please, I appreciate your concern, but I can do it on my own,” Justin insisted.

“Fine, go ahead. What do I know? I’m only a doctor,” Brian sighed teasingly.

“Brian, stop pouting. It’s not a good look for you,” Justin laughed as he slowly stood up and made his way towards the house.

“Little shit,” Brian mumbled, smiling at Justin’s remark.

The rest of the week went smoothly. Brian got up in the morning, helped Janet get the kids ready for school and made sure Justin was feeling okay before going to the hospital to work his ten hour shift. He called the house periodically during the day to check up on his patient and managed to get out on time every night, relieving Janet and spending time with his family. It was a comfortable arrangement and Brian tried not to think about how much he missed before Justin came into his life. Justin gave him a problem in the beginning, insisting that he was well enough to handle things at the house, but Brian refused to let Janet go until the following week. By Friday Justin had had enough.

“Janet,” Justin said as she walked in the door after dropping the kids off at school. “This is ridiculous. I’m more than capable of taking over from here. Why don’t you go home and enjoy your vacation?”

“Because I like life as I know it and if I left Brian would kill me,” Janet replied with a laugh.

“How about if I tell him I threw you out? He’ll be so mad at me that he won’t have time to think about killing you,” he teased. “I’m feeling fine, I swear.”

Janet looked at him, searching for signs of illness. He really did seem to be okay. Maybe leaving early wouldn’t hurt. “If you’re sure, maybe I will take off, but to save you the trouble I’ll pick up the kids after school and drop them off to you.”

“I’m positive. And thanks again, for everything. I’m sure it’s not every day that you find a man lying unconscious in the hallway,” Justin chuckled.

“No, I have to say that you were my first. I’m just glad I was here. Do you need anything before I go?”

“No, I’m good. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“Remember, if Brian asks you threw me out,” she reminded him as she grabbed her bag.

“I won’t forget. Have a good day.”

Justin waited until Janet was gone before going into the kitchen to look around. He hadn’t spent a lot of time in there up to that point, but he wanted to make a nice meal for everyone. He really was feeling better, and was bored out of his mind sitting around for days. He opened the freezer and saw plenty of food waiting to be cooked. Deciding on chicken, he took out enough to feed everyone and than went to the pantry. He wanted to make chicken parmesan, it was Jason’s favorite, but he didn’t have all the ingredients. He glanced at the clock and saw that he had about an hour before Brian’s morning phone call. The man was so regular with his calls that Justin had figured he called on his breaks. He shouldn’t have a problem getting to the store and back with being caught. He quickly ran upstairs and threw on his sneakers, grabbed his wallet and keys, and was pulling out of the driveway in less than five minutes.

By the time he got back to the house, Justin was exhausted but happy with his trip. He not only got what he needed for the chicken, but he also picked up what was needed to make banana splits. They were always his favorite as a kid but he and Daphne never had enough money to splurge on things like that. The most they did was share a pint of Rocky Road ever now and then for special occasions. As he walked into the kitchen he noticed the answering machine blinking with a new message. He put down his bags and pressed play, hoping it wasn’t one of the schools calling about the kids, but after hearing the anger and worry in Brian’s voice through the three messages he listened to, he was almost wishing it had been a school. He quickly called the number that Brian left for him and waited until Brian got on the line.

“Where the fuck have you been? And where the fuck is Janet?” Brian barked into the phone. He’d been ready to jump in the car and drive home fearing the worst.

“Brian, relax. Everything’s fine here. There’s nothing to worry about,” Justin said, trying to ease Brian’s mind.

“Don’t fucking tell me there’s nothing to worry about. I’ve been calling for a half hour. Where the fuck were you?” Brian demanded.

“I ran to the store. It’s no big deal. As you can tell, I made it back in one piece.”

“What the hell were you doing out of the house? And where is Janet? Why didn’t you just send her to the store?” Brian continued his rant, closing the door of the break room so that no one would hear him.

“Janet’s gone. I sent her home and before you start yelling again, it wasn’t her idea it was mine. I forced her to go, but she insisted on picking up the kids for me. I’m feeling really good now and there was no point in both of us being here. I didn’t plan on leaving, but I wanted to make something for dinner and needed the ingredients,” Justin explained calmly.

“You wanted to make something for dinner,” Brian replied sarcastically. “Fuck dinner, we could’ve ordered take out. You shouldn’t be going out alone right now.”

Justin finally had more than he could take of Brian’s attitude and decided it was time to let the older man have it. “Look Brian, I appreciate all you’ve done for me but I’m not a fucking child. If I want to go out and buy the ingredients to make my son’s favorite meal for dinner, that’s my business, not yours. Did it ever occur to you how this whole thing has affected Jason? The poor little guy gets moved into a house with complete strangers and his father lands in the hospital the next day. Did you forget he lost his mother only two years ago in a hospital? You haven’t let me out of my room for most of the week and when you do, I’m not allowed to do anything but sit down and stare at the wall. Now I’m telling you that I’m fine, but if you insist on making me take it easy for even one more day, I swear to God Dr. Kinney, I will pack up my son and be out of here before you even make it home. Do I make myself clear?”

Brian was stunned into silence by Justin’s outburst. He didn’t realize that the blond was so upset by the events that took place over the last week and never thought about the way Jason might have felt. He seemed to be okay while Justin was in the hospital, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t scared inside at the thought of being away from his father. His mind suddenly went back to his own children and how devastated they were by the loss of Lindsay and Melanie. There were still times when Gus would become a little withdrawn and sullen from the loss, but Brian always picked up on it and talked to him, helping him through his emotions. Jason had been having nightmares about his mother and he didn’t have his father to comfort him though it all. What had he been thinking?

Justin listened to the silence on the other end of the phone and began to feel bad about his outburst. He didn’t mean to snap like that, especially after all Brian had done for him. He just needed the other man to see that he wasn’t an invalid. “Brian? Are you still there?”

“Yeah,” Brian mumbled.

“I’m sorry I lost it like that. I just…”

“Don’t apologize. I told you I was a selfish prick,” Brian huffed out a laugh.

“Being overprotective makes you far from selfish, and I really do appreciate all you’ve done, but I’m all better now and I need you to back off a little bit. Yes, I was stubborn when I tried to refuse medical treatment last week, but after my little episode in the hallway the other day, I learned my lesson. Jason needs me and I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize my health, including going out of the house alone if I’m not up to it. I’m fine, a little tired but that’s all. In fact, I was going to put away the food I bought and go lay down for awhile before the kids got home. My very handsome doctor told me that I need my rest,” Justin replied teasingly.

“Handsome, huh? Well then you’d better listen to him. Those handsome doctors really know what they’re talking about,” Brian joked back, glad that Justin wasn’t there to witness the slight blush that rose up his face. “Is there anything else you need that I could bring home for you?”

“Nope. I got everything I need while I was out. Even dessert,” Justin assured him, suddenly remembering the ice cream he’d left out during the little spat between him and Brian. “We’re going to be having banana splits tonight.”

“Banana splits? Are you trying to make me fat?”

“Yeah right, that skinny body of yours could use a few pounds,” Justin laughed.

“Hey, I’m not skinny. I’ll have you know that my body is the perfect weight for my body shape and size. Now take that back,” Brian said in mock horror.

Justin giggled at Brian’s defensiveness. “I’m sorry. You’re right, your body is perfect,” he said, but his tone took on an almost husky sound to it as he spoke the words. “Just perfect.”

Brian heard the change in Justin’s voice and felt a tightening in his groin at the sound. He immediately changed the subject before the conversation turned into a different direction. “So, banana splits, huh? I’ve never had one before.”

“You’ve never had a banana split? Not even as a kid? Wow, what kind of parents did you have?” Justin teased.

“My father was an abusive drunk and my mother was a cold bitch who looked the other way,” Brian said, surprised to hear his own admission.

Justin sobered at Brian’s reply. He knew by the bitterness in Brian’s tone that he wasn’t kidding and his heart suddenly went out to the little hazel-eyed boy who endured God knew what. It made Justin realize how little he knew about the man; something that he wanted to remedy. “Well, I guess it’s my job to make you the best banana split ever.”

“I’m actually looking forward to it,” Brian told him, smiling at the return of their easy banter.

Once Justin said goodbye and hung up the phone, he put the groceries away and then went upstairs to lay down for awhile. He was exhausted from the short outing and wanted to make sure he was rested before Brian got home. After a short nap, he got up and went down to the kitchen and started preparations for dinner so that he could spend time with the kids when they got home. Janet dropped them off a little after three, excited to see Justin up and about. They all decided it was too nice to stay inside and agreed to go for a swim. Justin wondered briefly if going in the pool was a good idea after being so sick, but then decided that he didn’t care. He felt fine after resting all week and he and Jason only had two more weeks of living in luxury before he was going to be forced to find them another dingy apartment. He wanted them to make the most of what Brian’s home had to offer.

After spending a half hour getting ready, the four of them finally made it into the water. They were having such a good time splashing around and laughing that none of them heard Brian approaching until Amber spotted him standing poolside watching them.

“Daddy,” she shrieked as she paddled her limbs clumsily to get closer to her father.

Justin turned quickly at Amber’s cries, his smile dimming as he realized he was being caught in a situation he was sure Brian was not going to be happy with.

“Brian, is it after six already? I must have lost track of time,” Justin said as he scrambled towards the steps.

“Relax Blondie, I’m home early. It’s only 4:30. Although we will be discussing the definition of resting after the kids are in bed,” Brian replied, enjoying the flush of embarrassment that Justin was sporting.

“Hey Dad, why don’t you come in with us?” Gus asked as he swam towards his father.

“Yeah Daddy,” Amber piped in. “Jason doesn’t know how to swim that good so me and Gus are teaching him.”

“It’s Gus and I, Pumpkin,” Brian corrected. “Give me a few minutes to go change and I’ll be right out.”

Justin watched Brian walk away as his heart started beating wildly. He couldn’t help but remember his reaction the last time he saw Brian coming out of the pool. Now it was going to be even harder to control his thoughts. He needed to make a quick getaway.

“Guys, I think I’ll get out when Brian gets back. I need to go start dinner.”

“No Justin, you can’t get out now. Daddy’s fun, but I want you to stay with us, too,” Amber pleaded.

“Yeah Dad, stay in here with us. Please?” Jason added, giving Justin his best puppy dog eyes.

Justin saw three eager faces and knew he was sunk. There was no way he’d be able to refuse them anything. Taking a deep breath, he tried to think about something that would completely turn him off so that he was prepared for when Brian returned. Sadly, it wasn’t enough. Brian appeared a few minutes later, his tan, well toned body causing Justin to harden despite the cool water he was floating in.

“How’s the water?” Brian called as he placed a towel on the table, pulling Justin from his thoughts.

“A little cool, but nice,” Justin replied, forcing himself to look at the kids and not at Brian.

“Come on Daddy, jump in, jump in,” Amber yelled excitedly.

Brian dove into the pool, swimming his way under water to where his daughter was floating around in her tube. He came up beside her, evoking a shriek as he splashed her. After that, the five of them continued to play around in the water, with Brian and Justin lowering themselves to the children’s’ level with their antics. They chased the kids around, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere and leaving all their troubles behind. Eventually it all became too much for Justin and he fell into a coughing spell from all the laughing and yelling he was doing. Gasping for air, he made his way over to the edge of the pool, reaching out for something to hold on to while he tried to get his breathing under control.

Brian immediately noticed Justin’s distress and swam over to help. He couldn’t believe he had forgotten how sick the man had been just a few days before and cursed himself for allowing things to get so far out of control. He came up behind the blond, wrapping his arms around him for support.

“Easy Justin,” Brian said with concern. “What the fuck was I thinking? You shouldn’t even be in here.”

“I’m…okay…really,” Justin assured him as his breathing started evening out a bit. “It’s not…your…fault.”

“The fuck it’s not! I’m your fucking doctor,” Brian yelled, forgetting that the children were present.

“Daddy, is Justin alright?” Amber asked, her face showing her fear.

Brian looked back and saw all three kids making their way over to where Brian and Justin were standing. “Yeah Pumpkin, Justin is fine. I want you guys to get out of the pool and dry off. It’s getting late. Gus, do me a favor and go get my bag from the hallway closet. I just want to check Justin out.”

Amber and Gus did what Brian told them to do, but Jason stood there watching his father in horror. “Daddy?”

“I’m alright…Jas…just do as Brian said and…go dry off,” Justin said. “I’ll be out in a minute…I just need to catch my breath.”

Jason looked like he wanted to argue, but with a sigh followed Brian and Justin’s orders, leaving the two men alone in the water.

“How’re you feeling?” Brian asked as he held on to Justin.

“Better. I’m okay Brian; I guess I just tried to do too much. We’d better get out, too,” he said, needing to put some space between them. Now that his breathing was starting to return to normal, he couldn’t ignore the feelings he was having with Brian pressed up against him.

“Give yourself another couple of minutes first. Then I want to look you over and listen to your lungs. I can’t believe I let this happen,” Brian growled.

“Brian, it’s not your fault. I’m a big boy, remember? I was out here long before you got home. Besides, I’m really fine. It was just a coughing fit but it’s not a big deal. See, my breathing is fine now,” Justin insisted. “In fact, I think it’s safe for you to let go of me.”

Brian suddenly realized how close he was holding on to Justin. Now that the initial fear of illness was gone, he realized how erotic it was to be standing behind Justin, holding on to his wet, scantly dressed body. Of course those thoughts immediately turned him on, causing a reaction that he was sure Justin could feel. “What if I don’t want to let go?” he whispered huskily, pulling Justin even closer to him.

“Brian.” The word came out almost as a whimper as Justin felt Brian’s cock pressing into his ass. His minor coughing fit forgotten as he lost himself in the heat that was building between them. Unfortunately they were not alone, a minor detail that they both seemed to forget until Gus’ voice penetrated their lust filled brains.

“Dad, I’ve got your bag.”

Shaking his head to ward off his lust filled thoughts, Brian looked over at his son and tried to smile. “Thanks Sonny Boy, now take your sister and Jason into the house and change. I’m going to help Justin out of the pool and look him over. We’ll be in soon.”

“You sure he’s okay, Dad?” Gus asked, needing reassurance before following his father’s orders.

“Yes, he’s fine. Now go do what I asked, okay?”

“Okay Dad.” Gus set Brian’s bag down on the table and took Amber’s hand, leading both her and Jason inside.

Once they were gone, Brian sighed in relief and stepped back just enough so that he still held Justin in case he was needed, but wasn’t pressed up against him any longer. His hard-on had softened as soon as Gus appeared by the pool and the mood had passed, which was probably a good thing under the circumstances. “Are you ready to get out?”

Justin barely heard Brian’s words while his brain was still replaying the feel of Brian behind him. It had been awhile since the last time he’d been with anyone, and knowing it was Brian was even more exciting. “Huh? Oh yeah, I’m okay,” he finally replied, turning around and moving towards the steps. He kept his eyes down, unable to look into Brian’s face for fear of revealing his true feelings. He wanted this man more than he ever wanted anyone and wondered how he was going to make it through two more weeks in his home.

Brian noticed that Justin refused to make eye contact and regretted allowing his desire for the blond to make Justin feel uncomfortable. It was the last thing he wanted to do. He watched Justin climb carefully out of the pool, following behind closely for any signs of dizziness. Once they were out, Brian led Justin over to one of the chaise lounges and insisted he relax.

“Brian, this isn’t necessary. I told you that I’m fine. It was just a little coughing fit. It’s no big deal,” Justin sighed. The last thing he wanted was to have Brian that close to him; touching him after their very personal encounter in the pool. The only thing Justin needed at the moment was a cold shower.

“Humor me, alright? I just want to check your blood pressure and listen to your lungs again. If I’m satisfied with what I hear, I promise not to say another word about your swimming expedition. Deal?”

“Fine, go ahead. Jeez, who knew living with a doctor could be such a pain in the ass,” Justin teased, finally looking into Brian’s eyes and flashing him a huge smile.

Brian smiled back, happy to see that Justin wasn’t too upset by his actions in the pool. He sobered up as he reached for his bag and took his time checking Justin’s vitals. After he was convinced that Justin was fine, he stood up and reached out taking Justin’s hand and pulling him out of the chair. “Everything seems to be okay,” Brian told him, ignoring the told-you-so smirk that Justin was giving him. “Now why don’t you go upstairs and take a hot shower. I distinctly remember you mentioning something about dinner.”

“And banana splits,” Justin added with a smile. “Can’t forget them.”

“Of course not. Now go on and tell the kids I’ll be right in.” Brian watched Justin walk away and waited until he was alone to curse himself for what had happened between them. He needed to pull himself together for the next couple of weeks before he had Justin running as far away from him as he could. He was still confused by his attraction to the blond. Yes he was hot, but with him it was something more. For the first time in his life he actually wanted more than just a night of fucking and that thought scared the shit out of him.

Justin took a quick shower and then headed down to the kitchen to start dinner. He was glad that he prepared the chicken earlier so that all he had to do was pop the pan in the oven. He didn’t think he’d be able to do much more with his mind racing as it was. As he stood under the shower spray earlier he couldn’t help but let his hand travel down his body, wishing it was Brian’s hand that was taking the journey. The doctor had his emotions in such overdrive that a part of him wished it was Sunday night instead of Friday. He didn’t know how he was going to get through the weekend with Brian in the house. It was definitely going to be a long two days.

The rest of the night was spent with the children. They loved the banana splits. Even Brian had to admit that it was a tasty treat, although he did grumble about extra gym time after he was finished. After the kitchen was cleaned up, Brian suggested taking the kids out to the movies. After spending the week in bed, Justin was thrilled for the outing and was almost as excited at the kids. He refused to allow his brain to think about how much their evening resembled a family outing. Two parents, three children; it was what his childhood dreams were made of. Unfortunately it wasn’t real. It was simply two friends taking their kids out on a Friday night, and Justin had to keep that thought in mind so that when his fairytale ended, his heart was somewhat shielded from the pain of losing what he never really had.

By ten o’clock Brian was exhausted. Sleeping down the hall from Justin had wrecked havoc on his sleeping habits and work had been a bitch all week. After taking off Tuesday to get Justin settled in, he had a ton of charts to catch up on and the flu epidemic was still in full swing. After getting the kids into bed, Brian and Justin went down to the study to have a drink before bed. They had just settled down when the phone rang and Brian sighed, hoping that it wasn’t an emergency at the hospital.

“Hello?”

“Hello Brian, its Nancy. How’re my beautiful grandchildren doing?”

“They’re fine, Nancy. How’re you and Ron doing?” Brian replied with a smile. He really bonded with Lindsay’s parents after her death.

“We’re doing great, Brian. Thanks for asking. Listen, Ron and I were wondering if it was okay to take the kids next weekend. We’re going up to the Vineyard to get the house ready. We’d like to leave right after school on Friday and come home on Monday. Since its Memorial Day I know the children will be out of school. Would that be alright?”

“Nancy, normally you know I’d never refuse you taking the kids, but we have house guests right now. Jason is six and very fond of Gus and Amber. I don’t know what he’d do without them here for a long weekend,” Brian replied honestly.

“Brian,” Justin said, interrupting his conversation. “Don’t worry about Jason. He’ll be fine here alone with me.” The last thing Justin wanted to do was cause Brian’s children to miss out on something because of him.

“Well Brian, Jason’s always welcome to come with us. You know how much we love children. I’m sure he will have fun here with us. Do you think his mother would allow it? She doesn’t know us, but I’m sure you can vouch for our character,” Nancy persisted. She always hated taking no for an answer.

“It would be his father. Jason lost his mother to illness,” Brian pointed out.

“Oh dear, another poor soul. Then I’m sure it would be good for him to get away. You know how I love spoiling the children.”

“I’ll tell you what, Nancy. I’ll talk to Jason’s father and get back to you tomorrow, alright?” Brian replied, glancing over at Justin and chuckling at his obvious confusion.

“Alright dear, just let us know. I’ll speak with you tomorrow.”

Brian promised to call and then said his goodbye before rejoining Justin on the couch. “That was Lindsay’s parents. They want to take the kids up to their house in Martha’s Vineyard next weekend,” he explained.

“That’s no problem, Brian. I’m sure Jason will be sad to see them go, but he’ll be fine here without them,” Justin assured him.

“Nancy wants to take him with them,” Brian said.

“Oh Brian, that’s awfully nice of her, but she doesn’t have to do that,” Justin said, surprised by the invitation.

“I know that. She knows that, too. It’s just her way. She loves kids and would do anything for Gus and Amber. Last summer she took one of Gus’ friends up with them for a week for his birthday. If you don’t think he’d want to go, than just say so, but don’t refuse just because you think it’s an imposition. Every child needs to be spoiled occasionally and Nancy excels at spoiling them,” Brian laughed.

Justin thought about the offer and frowned. He wasn’t sure if allowing his son to be a part of the family was such a good idea. How would he react once the two weeks were up and it was just the two of them again?

Brian saw a sad expression cross Justin’s face and wondered what was going on in his mind. “What’re you thinking?”

“Brian, it’s been wonderful living here with you and being a part of your family for awhile, but I’m worried about how Jason’s going to react to it all once it’s over. He’s used to it being just the two of us. I don’t want him to get too wrapped up in your family only to have him heartbroken after we leave,” Justin explained, leaving out the part about how heartbroken he himself was going to be.

“Justin, I thought that we were becoming friends through all of this. I didn’t realize that you planned on disappearing once your work here was done,” Brian said, his tone somewhat bitter.

“We are…I mean I think we are. This has all happened so fast. One minute you’re treating my son in the hospital and the next we’re moving in. I guess I didn’t know what to think,” Justin admitted softly.

“How about if we ask Jason what he wants to do and see what he says? He may not even want to go away without you.”

“Yeah right. With Gus and Amber around, I hardly even exist,” Justin laughed.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Brian replied with a smile.

Justin felt his heart skip a beat at the smile that Brian gave him, reminding him of his earlier promise to try to keep his emotions in check. He needed to keep some distance between them before it was too late. “I’d better go up to bed. I’ve got an interview tomorrow and need my beauty rest,” he teased.

“I think you’ve had more than your share,” Brian mumbled, surprising himself.

“Huh?”

“Nothing,” Brian quickly replied. “Good night, I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Good night,” Justin said as he quickly exited the room and headed upstairs.

Once he was alone in his room, Justin lay down on his bed, but sleep wouldn’t come. Between the nervousness of the interview and his ever growing feelings for Brian, his mind refused to shut down and allow him to drift off. Instead he wracked his brain trying to come up with a way out of his newest predicament. As he climbed the stairs earlier, it dawned on him that if Jason went to Massachusetts the following weekend, it would leave him and Brian alone in the house for days. With all that he was feeling, he liked having the children around as a distraction. What would happen when it was just the two of them? Would he do something stupid like throw himself at the older man? And if he did, would he be thrown out on his ass before his son even returned? And how ridiculous is it that he couldn’t be sure to control himself? So many thoughts were running through his head that he watched the sun come up before succumbing to sleep.

Brian was in the kitchen cleaning up after breakfast when Justin walked in looking like death. He sighed with relief when he saw the blond. It was 10:30 and he was beginning to wonder if Justin was having a relapse. Even while he was sick, he was usually awake early.

“I was about to go up and check for a pulse,” Brian teased as he poured Justin a cup of coffee and placed it on the table. “Are you feeling okay? You don’t look so good.”

“Thanks dear,” Justin joked. “I had trouble sleeping last night. I think I was too nervous about today.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’m sure you’re going to impress the pants off of Aaron today,” Brian smiled in reassurance.

“And how do you know that?” Justin looked at him skeptically.

“You impressed me right away and I’m not easily impressed.” Brian smiled as he watched Justin blush and look away. “So, what do you say we leave here around 11:30? The kids and I will dropped you at the gallery and hang out in the book store while you’re there. There’s one right down the road. Once you’re done we’ll go grab some lunch; my treat, of course.”

“Brian,” Justin sighed. “You can’t keep doing these things for us. You’ve done enough. Jason and I are not your responsibility. If I can’t pay my own way then I’d rather not go.”

“Look Justin, it’s no big deal. I got lucky in life and happen to have some money in the bank. You don’t right now. Taking you and your son out to lunch is not going to hurt me. Consider it my congratulations on getting the job.”

“But I haven’t gotten the job yet. There’s a chance that I might not get it.” Justin looked up at Brian and saw a glimmer of something there that confused him. “Unless you told this guy to hire me and lied about it.”

“I swear to you, all I said was that you’re a friend of mine looking for a job. I told him that you’re an artist yourself, but that you don’t really have time to work on your art and that he was to interview you just like he does everyone else,” Brian assured him. “The rest is up to you.”

Justin wanted to question him more, but decided to let it drop. There was something about the sudden interview that didn’t sit right with him, but he couldn’t think about it. After having to take the week off from the diner because of being sick, he wasn’t sure he even had a job to go back to. He and Jason would end up in his car if he didn’t do something. Besides, he knew in his heart that he’d be perfect for the job, so even if Brian did pull a few strings, he’d prove his worth in the end. “Have I thanked you for all you’ve done for me lately?”

“Only about five times a day,” Brian laughed. “Believe me; I never do anything I don’t want to do. I’m helping you out when you need it. One day you might just be able to return the favor.”

“Yeah right, what help could you need from a lowly bus boy?” Justin said, chuckling to hide the slight pang of truth that his words expressed.

Brian hid the smirk he felt begin to stir when he thought about the hard on he had the night before. He could’ve really used Justin’s help with that. Especially considering it was thoughts of the blond that put him in the predicament to begin with. “You’re helping me right now, remember? You’re covering for Janet.”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been a big help so far. All I’ve managed to do was end up in the hospital, cause you to miss a day of work and give Janet three kids to watch instead of two. I highly doubt that’s the kind of help you need,” Justin replied dryly. “Not to mention the small fact that if it weren’t for you, Jason and I would be sleeping in my car right now…”

“Enough of that. You’re not in your car, Janet is going to get here two weeks off, and I’m taking you out to lunch. Doctor’s orders,” Brian teased, trying to lighten the somber mood that was trying to force its way into the kitchen.

“You know, pretty soon you’re not going to be able to use your medical degree to get your own way with me. What are you going to do then?”

“Oh don’t worry, I have other methods up my sleeve,” Brian replied, a glint in his eyes.

Justin saw the way Brian was looking at him and felt a surge of heat rush through him. He suddenly had the urge to reach out and touch Brian’s cheek, and jumped up from the table before he could act on it. “I’d better get in the shower and figure out what I’m going to wear. I don’t have much in the way of dress clothes and I can’t walk in the looking like I belong in a homeless shelter.”

“Justin, you’re an artist. You’re supposed to be…artsy. Just throw on a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt and you’ll be fine,” Brian assured him.

“Are you sure?” Justin asked hesitantly.

“Positive…now go get ready. I’ll fix you something to eat while you’re in the shower and then make sure the kids are ready.” Brian watched Justin nod in agreement before turning to leave the kitchen. He reached out and gently grabbed his arm, causing him to turn around with question in his eyes. “Relax, you’ll do great.”

“Thanks,” Justin said softly, reaching up and placing a quick kiss on Brian’s cheek before heading up to go get ready, leaving Brian to stare after him in pleasant surprise.

By the time Justin walked into the gallery his stomach was a big ball of nerves. He was ten minutes early, wanting to give himself a few minutes to look around before meeting with Aaron. He immediately felt at home as he took in his surroundings and saw all the artwork that was carefully hung on the walls. His excitement grew when it finally registered that if everything went well, he’d finally be able to use his passion for art in a career. He was so lost in thought that he didn’t hear anyone come up behind him.

“Welcome to the Peterson Gallery. Is there something that I can help you with or are you just looking around?” Aaron asked the beautiful blond that walked in moments before.

“Actually I was looking for Aaron. I have a twelve o’clock appointment with him,” Justin said to the older man.

“You’re Justin Taylor?” Aaron asked, trying hard to hide his surprise. After listening to Brian go on about his “friend” Aaron expected someone more like Brian’s type; tall, dark, and rugged. The blond beauty before him was nothing like he envisioned. “It’s…nice to meet you. I’m Aaron Jacobs. Why don’t we go into my office for some privacy?”

Justin noticed a look of surprise cross Aaron’s face briefly before turning into a welcoming smile and wondered exactly what Brian had told him. Knowing that it would be rude to ask, Justin returned the smile and nodded his agreement, then followed Aaron down a small hallway. When he entered the office, Justin was surprised by the lavish area. The room was decorated with style and flare, something that shouldn’t have surprised him considering it was an art gallery, but yet it did. The walls were painted a deep red which seemed to match well with the beige rug and light oak furniture and one wall was taken up by floor to ceiling windows. The light shining through the vertical blinds was an artist’s dream. “Wow, this room is beautiful,” Justin said as he looked around.

“I’m glad you like it. It’ll be yours if you decide to take the job,” Aaron replied as he took a seat behind the desk, gesturing for Justin to sit as well. “Now, why don’t you tell me a little about yourself?”

Justin spent the next twenty minutes telling Aaron everything he needed to know and some thing he didn’t. By the time he was done, he was slightly embarrassed by the way he went on. “I’m sorry about that. Sometimes I don’t know when to stop talking,” he said sheepishly.

“Nonsense. I take great pride in this gallery and wouldn’t be thinking of leaving if not for the fact that my partner of twenty years is already retired and wanting to travel. Knowing as much as I can about my replacement will make the transition easier for me. Now, is there anything else you think I should know before I start explaining exactly what’s going to be required of you?”

“No, I think that’s it. But I do want to say that I appreciate you giving me a chance to at least meet with you. I know my educational background isn’t exactly ideal for the position. Life sometimes has a way of forcing a person to make choices they wouldn’t ordinarily make. Before my son was born I planned on going to PIFA and earning my degree then getting out into the art world. Working here would help satisfy my desires as well as support my son the way he deserves to be taken care of. I promise you I will do my best for the gallery and for you.”

“I have no doubt that you will, son. Now here’s what the job entails,” Aaron said before starting his well prepared speech, already confident that he’d be lying on an exotic beach somewhere by the end of the month.

“So Justin, what do you think?” Aaron asked once he was finished explaining the job in great detail.

“Wow,” Justin sighed. “I didn’t realize the job would entail so much.”

“Yes, it’s very demanding. The question is do you think you’re up for the challenge?”

Justin replied without hesitation. “Absolutely.”

Aaron chuckled at the blond’s excitement. “Well why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and if you’re interested, the job is yours.”

“There’s nothing to think about. I’ll take it. I just need to give notice at the diner, assuming I still have a job there, and then I’m all yours.”

“Sounds good. You can start two weeks from Monday. Be here by nine am and we’ll handle all the paperwork then start your training.” Aaron stood up and extended his hand.

“Thank you Aaron. I really appreciate the opportunity and I promise I won’t let you down,” Justin assured him as he shook his hand.

“I’m sure you won’t,” Aaron smiled in reply. “Now I’ll walk you out.”

Justin followed Aaron out to the front of the gallery and reached for the door before turning back towards the older man. “Can I ask you something? Are you giving me a chance because you think I can handle it or because Brian asked you to?”

“I’ll be perfectly honest with you. When Brian called me and told me that he found someone for the job, I was ready too hire you sight unseen. Brian doesn’t make recommendations often so I knew you had to be pretty special. Now I’m glad that he insisted I interview you like everyone else. This way we both know that you got the job based on what I feel you can accomplish; not who you know.” Aaron watched Justin’s face light up at his words and laughed inwardly. Brian Kinney was in for a wild ride.


End of part 2
7/12/05

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