I was too stunned by Ethan's appearance on my doorstep to react.

I was in the process of peeling him off me, when Ben and Drew came running up the stairs. Ben narrowed his eyes at me.

“Is this man troubling you?”

I smiled gratefully at Drew, but I knew they would hurt Ethan if I said yes. As much as he got on my nerves, I still cared for him to some extent.

“It's okay. Thanks.”

I took Ethan to the kitchen, installing him on a chair with a glass of water in front of him, then I joined Drew and Ben in the sitting room. Their eyes were locked on the scene of crime...the carpet in front of the sofa where there was the tied condom and the bottle of lube.

Our attention was drawn to a stark naked Brian bounding the stairs. He came to a skidding halt next to me, staring at his bodyguards.

“What's up, boys?” Brian threw an arm around my shoulders. Still gloriously naked.

I glanced toward the kitchen to make sure Ethan was still there, before I gently pushed Brian toward the stairs. “You should get dressed.”

“And you're needed back,” Ben said seriously.

“What wasn't clear about this weekend being off?” Brian snapped.

“It's Gus,” Ben hissed.

Brian's whole demeanor changed before my eyes. From the playful man he was not that long ago, he seemed to have aged ten years. “What's wrong with him?”

“There was an incident. Lindsay demanded you get there.”

Brian ran up to get dressed. He was back in five minutes, heading straight to the door, but then he stopped and smiled at me. “Later.”

I couldn't help but smile back like an idiot.

After locking up in their wake, I remembered about Ethan being in my kitchen. He had fallen asleep with his head on the table.

As I pulled him up and toward the stairs, I thought of what Ben said. Who was Gus?

Was it a code for something?

Was it an actual person? If yes, then who?

“You're here.” Ethan beamed, waking a little.

“You're in my home, of course I'm here. Now get in bed and sleep. I have shit to do.”

“Won't you join me?” He slurred out.

“Sleep, Ethan.” I tucked him under the blanket after ripping the sheet off the bed; then I grabbed my sketchpad and coal pencils and headed downstairs.

I cleaned up after our fuck on the carpet, then curled up on the sofa.

I could fill in all the pages with Brian's face. He was so expressive, but I focused on sketching some of the features that would help with my portrait.

Gentle fingers on my face roused me from sleep. I stretched, rolling around and brutally waking up when I hit the ground.

“Fuck.”

“Hey, Jus. You okay?”

I cracked an eye open, and moaned. Ethan.

It took me a moment to remember the previous night. So beautiful. Harshly interrupted by Big and Bulky and Teddy Bear stealing Brian. Ethan’s appearance.

“Why are you here?” I picked myself up, scratching my head as I went to make coffee.

“You told me to come over once you were done with your trick.”

“I didn’t! You assumed. Besides, Brian isn’t a trick.”

“Brian,” he scoffed. “He looked like a loser.”

I snorted, busing myself with pouring grounded coffee in the machine. After adding water, I pressed the button. Not ready to face my ex, I pulled two mugs from the cupboard, sugar, cream, teaspoons. When it was absolutely nothing else to do, I turned to see Ethan smiling at the photos on my refrigerator’s door.

“We were so happy, Jus. What the fuck happened?”

“Are you kidding me? You fucked up, remember?”

“Can you ever forgive me? I know I’m asking for a lot...”

“It’s too much, Ethan. You promised me forever. I guess our view of forever is different. You went after that guy with the first occasion. You have no idea how much it hurt.”

“I had no idea you came to surprise me!”

“Or you wouldn’t have done it?” I snorted. “Please, let’s not rehash this old argument.” I knuckled my forehead. “I knew you’d get the wrong impression from the second I called you to fill in for my show, but I was desperate. Speaking of the show. It was beautiful, thank you.”

“You weren’t even there.” He pouted, still gazing at our photo. “Who is this Brian?”

“It’s new. Let’s not jinx anything.”

“He looked vaguely familiar.”

“Remember my confidential clients? He’s one of them, so if you ever figure it out…keep it to yourself. I mean it.”

“Must be someone important. I had no idea you did your clients.”

I had no idea what to say, so I shrugged. The coffee maker beeped, giving me something to do.

We sat at the table, waiting for the coffee to cool enough so we could drink it. I grabbed my smokes, my hands shaking as I lit myself one.

The first pull felt like heaven.

He scowled, still disapproving of my bad habit. “Are you ever going to quit? These things kill.”

“Shut up, Ethan.”

“Why do you still have that photo?”

Christ. It was too early for this shit.

Placing the smoke between my lips, I reached for the photograph of us, snatching it from under the magnet. Acting on impulse, I ripped it in front of him.

For a second, it looked like he was going to cry, but next thing I knew he was storming out of my house, the door slamming in his wake.

Good riddance.

I carried my coffee to the couch where I found my phone. A zillion of messages on various social media applications.

I scrolled through them, before deciding to call my best friends. I made a conference to have both Daphne and Emmett on the line.

“Happy birthday,” Emmett shouted.

“Hello, guys,” I greeted them through a yawn.

“Someone had a long night, huh?” Daphne teased.

“Not quite. He had to leave early. I guess it’s not easy to be…him.”

“So, baby…How is it to fuck the President?”

I palmed my face. “Emmett! I’m not going to answer that.” I inhaled from my cigarette. “Listen, I called you both to have your word that no one will know about this.”

“Oh, no! I already told everyone at the diner,” Emmett gasped, making my heart stop. I swear it fucking stopped beating for a second.

I choked on my smoke. “What?” I roared.

“I told you not to use that joke,” Daphne chided him.

“For fuck’s sake, Emmett! I died for a second. No one knows about Brian. Stop scaring me.”

“I wish I could have seen your face.”

“So…plans for today?” Daph inquired.

“Paint? I’m behind the schedule, having to babysit those idiots at the gallery.”

“Oh, right! Donna said you sold six pieces and to let you know that.”

“Which ones?”

“The puzzle piece is one of them,” Daphne explained. “Not sure which others.”

That was expensive. I hoped the person who got the puzzle piece would be able to assemble it the right way.

“Uh, guys, I have another call. Catch you up later?”

Biding their farewell, I answered to the private number. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Hi,” I breathed into the phone.

“Good morning! I hope I didn’t wake you,” Brian said softly.

“Been awake for a while. Is everything okay?”

“My son is a drama princess. I have him with me until after New Year. I’m close to raising the white flag already.”

“It can’t be that bad. How old is he?” Justin smiled at the image of Brian playing with a little boy.

“He turned five in September. Gus, I told you NOT to bring him inside.”

“But he’s all alone and cold out there.” I could hear the small boy’s plea. I had a feeling Gus had brought Bruce into one of the otherwise pristine rooms from the second floor.

“Your argument is invalid,” I chimed in, giggling when I heard Brian ready to protest.

“Why don’t you come babysit him, while I run the fucking country? Guuuuusssssss.” There was a crash from the other end of the line. I could hear the boy mumbling something, while I worried he had injured himself. “Nothing important, no, Sonny Boy. That was just an invaluable China vase here since fuck knows how long.”

“Maybe you should restrict his access to all rooms. Or have someone stay with him?” I advised.

“I tried that. Ben brought him to my office ten minutes later, because Gus started crying. Apparently, he is scary to Gus.”

“I get it. Big and Bulky is terrifying.”

“Sit on the damn sofa! Dooon’t. No, please don’t start crying. Fuck, Justin. I have to go.”

Acting on impulse, I blurted out the most stupid thing ever. “Do you want me to help?”

Thank every deity up there, Brian had already hung up.

Obviously, whatever we had, if we had anything at all, was too new to meet his son. Especially, when he was the fucking President. And I was a mere peasant who could be tossed to the curb once the portrait was done.

If all I had with Brian was the few weeks that it took me to complete his portrait, I would cherish them and enjoy them to the fullest.

It wasn’t like this could go anywhere. I was smart.

What could come out of this? Was Brian going to introduce me as his lover to the people?

I snorted, slouching on the sofa.

Whatever time I got with him, it was going to be the best of my life. Even if I was going against my rules to go back in the closet, deeper than ever before. Brian was worth it.

He wasn’t hiding because he was ashamed, he was hiding because well…being gay was still taboo, and he was leading the country where all kinds of people lived. He set an example. He was already breaking too many White House rules, being a rebel without having a family. No one needed to know he is gay.