'They gazed into each others eyes lovingly....'

Oh shit, the young man, thought to himself as he hit the delete button on his keyboard angrily. Why did he keep doing this to himself. He wasn't a fucking romance novelist. That's not what they paid him for. Get a grip, Justin Taylor, he told himself for the tenth time today. You know who you are and what you are. Stop running off into flights of fancy, he scolded himself.

The young man, with hair the color of white gold and a small frame that fit him perfectly, got up from his desk and wandered off to his kitchen. The apartment was small but more than enough for him. He lived alone, just the way he liked it after finally escaping from that place that some would call home but he always thought of as his prison. It had been five years now and he felt triumphant in every blessed minute that he had been on his own. If he never saw his father again, it would be perfectly alright with him. He was just thankful that his mother had finally grown a backbone and stood up to her abusive husband. She had been free of the man for the last two years and Justin finally had a family to spend time with occasionally on those moments that he felt the need.

Justin grabbed a bottle of Dr. Pepper from the fridge and made his way back to the little alcove where he had his makeshift office which consisted of one small computer desk and a good quality new computer that his mom had given him for his twenty third birthday. The old copier sat to the side. Justin pulled out his desk chair and wheeled himself back into place in front of the keyboard. He had a job to do and he was running behind. Writing adult stories for gay magazines and a publishing house that catered only to a gay audience was not what Justin had set out to do for a living, but the pay was certainly good. His dream was to save enough money to finally buy a place he could call his own. He then planned on taking a sabbatical and writing one really good novel that didn't rely on sex only. He dreamed of writing the quintessential gay romance novel, which wouldn't be easy since Justin knew nothing first hand of romance.

Justin had spent his entire adult life avoiding relationships. Trust didn't come easy to the young man. He had learned at a very young age not to trust. It only brought pain. He had trusted his dad to protect him, but instead the man found fault with everything Justin said and did. Nothing was good enough for Craig Taylor. He seemed to get a perverse pleasure out of pointing out all of his son's faults, such as his lack of interest in sports and his closeness to his mother. He had the cruel habit of making promises to Justin frequently, such as a promise to take the boy with him on business trips, and then breaking them every time. Eventually Justin learned to never trust his dad about anything.

As Justin got older, life got more unendurable. Craig began harassing his son over his lack of girlfriends. Justin had only connected with one girl, Daphne, from kindergarten on. They were more like brother and sister than anything and lived just a block apart in the fancy neighborhood that Craig's businesses provided. Craig had a string of furniture and appliance stores that he once told everyone his only son would take over someday. This was another bone of contention in the already strained relationship between father and son. One of the worst moments between the two came when Justin was only weeks away from his high school graduation. Craig had sent in applications to Dartmouth, his alma mater, for Justin so that his son could learn to handle business administration. Justin, who dreamed of being a writer since early childhood, was appalled at the idea. When he made it clear he had no intention of attending a business school, Craig blew up. He slapped Justin hard across the face. It wasn't the first time, but it was the final time.

Justin spent the next few weeks camped out at Daphne's house. Jennifer begged her friends to keep an eye on Justin and give him a break from his overbearing father, which they readily agreed to knowing the rocky relationship between father and son. Justin stayed home from the prom despite Daphne's plea for him to join her and her boyfriend. He got right to making his plans to find a job as quickly as possible after he had his diploma in hand so that he could get his own place. Two weeks later Justin was working as a bellhop at one of the best hotels in the city and had found a loft apartment in SoHo that he shared with three other artists and writers.

It took Justin more than two years to luck into the break of his life. Justin was super cautious with his money and saved every penny he could manage. The young man had ambitions and was willing to sacrifice for them. He had every intention of making more of himself than his father expected. He was going to be one big fat fucking success as a writer if it killed him. He spent most of his off time working on the great American novel. Justin had known since middle school that he was gay. His attraction to his male teacher in eighth grade was a clue. His even stronger attraction to some of the jocks in high school cinched it. Knowing, of course, was not the same as acting on his attractions. Justin never got around to that. The fear of his father finding out was a strong motivator in suppressing his yearnings. Instead he learned how to relieve himself in as many ways as was possible for a healthy young man. His one desire was to write a really quality story involving gay love.

One night when Justin was working the all night shift at the hotel, which he volunteered for since it paid much better, a phone call came in at the desk. The voice at the other end sounded frantic but didn't say why. Justin hurried up to find out what the guest needed. When Justin entered the room he found the guest, a distinguished looking man with graying hair, standing in the living room of the deluxe suite. He was wearing nothing but a towel. He ran over to Justin and grabbed him by the arm.

"You've got to help me," he blustered out. "I just got a call from my daughter. She wanted to talk to her mother. My wife was going to surprise me and join me for the convention, but her plane is delayed and she hasn't gotten here yet."

"That's very nice Sir, but what can I do for you?" Justin asked, clearly perplexed.

The man grabbed tighter to Justin's arm and steered him over to the door leading into a large bedroom. He pushed the door open and revealed a naked young man sprawled out on top of the disheveled sheets. The older man turned to Justin.

"Him! That's what you can do for me. He's passed out and I can't get him awake enough to get him out of here. I need you to help me. Maybe get him another room and take him there. Anything. Just get him out of my room before my wife gets here!"

Justin could see the raw panic in the man's face. This was certainly not one of his normal duties, but his job was to please the customers. Besides, a job like this might lead to a really good tip. Justin promised to take care of things and watched the man relax visibly just a tiny bit. He quickly went to the bathroom while Justin hurried to the phone. He called down to the desk and asked his friend, Greta, if there were any vacancies on the twelfth floor. Greta found two. Justin knocked on the bathroom door and asked if it would be alright to charge the room to the man's account. Once he had permission, Justin relayed the information and Greta agreed to make the charge. Justin promised to explain later and told her he would use his house key card to take care of the unexpected new guest.

Justin proceeded to re-dress the barely conscious man in the bed. The older man exited the bathroom fully dressed. He gathered up his companion's wallet and jacket and followed Justin to the door while he did his best to support the young man between them. They exited the suite and moved quickly down the hall to the newly reserved room, which was luckily only six doors down. The hallway was as quiet as a church during prayers. Once Justin and the older man got the young man into the new room, which was not half as grand as the one they'd just left, they moved quickly to deposit their package onto the bed. The young man never even knew what transpired as he sank back into his deep sleep once more.

"I'm Mr. Smithers, young man, and you've just saved my life. I owe you big time for this. I'm going to leave a note for...for...well hell, I never did get his name. Anyway, I'm leaving him his money and a note to explain. He should be perfectly okay. He's a pro so he'll know what to do when he wakes. I just want you to know that I don't forget when someone does right by me. Thank you so much, Mr. ahhhh....oh let's see. It's Taylor, Justin Taylor according to your name tag. Thanks again Mr. Taylor."

The man clasped Justin's hand and pulled away leaving several bills behind as he did. Justin looked down and realized that all the bills were hundred dollar ones. He looked up and smiled gratefully.

"You're more than welcome, Mr. Smithers. Just doing my job. I'll take care of cleaning up and getting your guest settled. You'd better get back to your room so that you'll be there when your wife arrives," Justin told him with no judgments in his voice.

Mr. Smithers looked at Justin with gratitude. For the first time he also looked at the cute young blond with admiration. But there was no time to pursue where his thoughts raced off to for one split second. He shook Justin's hand once more and hurried off. Justin undressed the male prostitute enough to make him comfortable and settled him into the bed. He made sure the money and note that Mr. Smithers had left was in plain sight on the dresser along with the man's shirt and pants and exited the room. That might have been the end of it if it hadn't been for the fact that Justin discovered the next day what kind of convention Mr. Smithers was attending.

The hotel was actually hosting two different conventions at the same time. One was for dentists. The other was for publishing houses. Mr. Smithers just happened to be a member of the publishing business. His family owned several small but popular publishing companies that catered to different markets. When Justin came into work the next day he spotted Mr. and Mrs Smithers coming out of the ballroom where a large after speech party was being held for the convention. He saw a golden opportunity knocking at his door. He wasn't really sure he should grab at the brass ring or how Mr. Smithers would react, but he decided quickly that nothing ventured, nothing gained.

His opportunity came the next day when he got a call to return to the same suite right after he came on duty. When Justin arrived at the door, Mr. Smithers ushered him in. He explained that his wife had gone to see a play and he just wanted to take the opportunity to thank his savior again for coming to his rescue. Justin knew it was now or never. He proceeded to tell Mr. Smithers about his dream of being a published author. A half hour later, Justin and Daniel were on a first name basis and Dan had promised to check out Justin's work. He gave the address in Pittsburgh where he had his main office.

That was how it all began. Justin didn't hesitate to send some samples of his work, mailing off a few of the short stories he personally enjoyed writing the most. Dan didn't patronize Justin at all. He was totally blunt when he informed the young man that his work was raw. Dan also informed Justin that he saw great potential too. He worked with Justin, providing him with some of his most skilled editors, until the boy's stories were worthy of publishing. They started slowly with short stories in magazines and eventually Justin had complete multi-chaptered stories in paperback form. One day, on a lark, Justin wrote a truly pornographic sex scene between two men into his story. He regretted doing it the moment he hit the send button on his computer, but hoped that Dan's editor would just have a good laugh. Instead, Justin received a personal call from Dan. Justin then found himself the newest contributor to Dan's all gay XXX publishing house. Apparently the young man had a flair for sex, even if he didn't spend any time sharing it with anyone else.

The pay was really good once Justin centered his work on his sex stories and he was finally able to rent a more comfortable apartment. He never looked back, except when he dreamed of turning in a romantic novel that would appeal to a wide audience. He worked on it in his spare time, but somehow the heroes of his story never formed fully in his mind. He despaired of ever bringing his lovers to life, especially since he had nothing in his own life to base them on.

Justin placed his hands back on his keyboard and began typing out the next paragraph of his newest adult feature. Cocks, balls, rimming, ramming, sucking, fucking, and orgasms flowed onto the screen. No more longing looks, no kisses for Justin. He knew what his job was and he would do it to his best ability. When he had a moment, he'd tackle that love story again.

***************************************************************

Brian Kinney looked over at his newest client and smiled. It hadn't been easy drawing Smithers Publishing Houses away from the Vanguard Advertising Agency, but perseverance paid off. It didn't hurt that a meeting with the head man proved providential when his assistant came on to Brian in the bathroom during a break and Brian gave the cute businessman the ramming of his life. Once Brian had their attention, the sample campaign he had offered them cinched the deal. Now Mr. Smithers sat in his office and had just handed over a list of top writers and their works in the different departments that the publishing house covered.

Brian quickly perused the list. Some of them sounded rather dry, such as the how-to writers, but others sparked Brian's interest. There were three or four names to each section along with a photo I. D. of each writer. Few of them inspired much interest in the ad exec. He knew he could work with what he had to come up with a spectacular campaign to boost the publishing house's revenue but it would take some creativity and ingenuity...both of which Brian Kinney knew he had in ample supply. Brian Kinney was nothing, if not honest about himself. He knew his worth, and he made damn sure others did too.

He had looked through a dozen photos when he stopped short. He had reached the section that displayed the best authors in the adult fiction department...translation: just short of or including porn. Because of the subject matter, he was more than surprised to see one face. The author looked to be barely eighteen, with an angelic face any mother could love. Brian checked the name...Justin Taylor. What the hell did a kid like this know about sex? Brian snickered to himself. If that face was the face of experience, Brian was a virgin....which practically every gay man in Pittsburgh knew was about as far from the truth as the Earth from the Sun. 'Well,' Brian asked himself, 'how in the world could he match that face to the kid's work'? Well, he reminded himself, he could sell anything so it would be done.

Brian continued checking out the information while Mr. Smithers waited patiently. When Brian finished he tossed the thick portfolio onto the large desk behind him.

"All right, Sir. I have everything I need to get started. I'll spend the next few days reading samples of your writer's works and then get a campaign started. Give me a couple of weeks to research and give you a first draft. Deal?"

Mr. Smithers stood up from his chair and walked over to Brian, who still leaned against his desk. He stuck out his hand and gave Brian a firm handshake.

"Deal. I expect big things from you Kinney. You came highly recommended by my assistant and your past reputation. And please call me Dan. If we're going to do business, I like to be on a first name basis."

"Dan it is. And call me Brian. I'll get back with you as soon as I have something worth showing."

The men exchanged a few more pleasantries and then bid each other adieu. It was late and Brian was more than ready to call it a day. It had been a busy one. He snatched the portfolio back up and stuffed it into his six hundred dollar tobacco colored rich leather briefcase, a personal gift to himself when he opened his own ad agency, Kinnetik, Inc. He would take the thing home and start checking out the works of some of the writers who caught his interest the most....but only after a trip to Babylon, his favorite dance club. After all, it was Friday and time to work out some kinks from the long week. Time enough to do his homework tomorrow.

To be continued..............................

Dan Smithers sat in Brian's office and looked from one poster board to another. There were nearly a dozen of them, each one capturing a different genre in his publishing businesses. Some represented the book publishing divisions, some the magazine publishing divisions. Dan had a widely diverse organization and Kinney had captured every one of them in rich exciting detail. Why, the guy had even made the how-to books look exciting. His assistant had been right. Brian Kinney was one talented ad man.

It had taken Brian a week to decide on how to promote each of Dan's separate entities and another week to get the demo boards ready. It pleased him no end that Dan obviously approved. The grin on his face as he perused the boards was proof of that. Brian reminded himself to give his assistants, who did most of the actual physical labor based on his ideas, a big fat raise. Dan's little publishing empire was going to be a multi-million dollar account. When Dan finished checking out the last of the boards, he and Brian left the conference room and went into Brian's private office. Dan would never have guessed that Brian's ultra modern glass bricked office once was the shower room of an old abandoned gay bath house. Brian always delighted in that irony. He got off on his business in this building as much as he once got off sexually in this very same building in his younger days. Dan settled into the rich leather lounger in Brian's office and opened the discussion.

"You exceeded my expectations Brian. Great work. It's not often that a first draft is nearly perfect. You won't need much of a tweaking before getting the campaign started. That's for certain." He paused and looked into a notepad he'd drawn from his coat pocket. "According to my schedule you still have till the end of this month to start rolling on the campaign. We want to reach the audience in time for Christmas buying. So where are you planning to start?"

Brian filled his client in on his strategy to saturate the public with advertising in the right magazines and papers to match the individual campaigns and continue with television spots and billboards. He then suggested that Dan pick out some of his best and most often read writers to go on the occasional talk show in both radio and television. Each genre would have its personal touch and be unknown to the audience of another. This would avoid the readers of family magazines from connecting to the readers of the soft and hard core porn magazines or other such undesirable connections. Heaven forbid if the readers of the faith based books that the company published should discover that the same company also published books aimed at a gay audience. Hypocrisy was just one aspect of the publishing world and ad men knew it.

The men continued discussing which writers should be asked for promotional help well into the day. It was getting late when Brian brought up the division that was responsible for publishing gay porn and adult novels and magazines. Before Brian could bring up any names, Dan spoke up and suggested young Justin Taylor. Brian pretended he didn't recognize the name, although he couldn't say why he did. He had freely discussed the other writers whose work he had sampled over the last couple of weeks. He had read Taylor's stuff more than once. There was something about the way the young man expressed himself that captured Brian's attention. It wasn't the sex, although that was certainly graphic and well written. No, there was some kind of haunting longing in the way the kid wrote, as if he was searching for something in each sexual encounter but not quite finding it. For some reason it spoke to Brian. He hadn't told a soul, but he really wanted to meet this young author.

Dan mentioned the trio of samples of Justin's work that he'd given Brian earlier and the ad man snapped his fingers as if he had just placed the name. Dan quickly described how he'd met Taylor...only mentioning his job at the hotel, not what the kid had done for him there...and let Brian in on how much the young man had grown in the last few years as a writer. He was even thinking of giving Taylor a shot at a more mainstream novel if the kid ever turned something in. Dan knew he had been working on something, but Justin always held back when he was questioned about it. Brian jumped on all the info Dan fed him and declared that young Taylor would make an excellent choice for promotional value. By the time they decided to pack it in, Brian had a list of writers that he needed to contact in order to see if they would be usable for his promotional campaigns. Justin Taylor was near the top of that list. As Brian shook hands good bye with his new best client, he made a mental note to personally interview young Taylor rather than handing him off to an assistant.

*********************************************************

Justin was more than a little uncomfortable. Dan had called him the night before and asked to see him in his New York office downtown. This was very much out of the norm. His boss probably didn't enjoy seeing him that much because of the way they first met....or at least that was what Justin was guessing...but Dan always seemed to back anything Justin wanted to do and approved of almost everything he turned in, which he always did via the computer. But this time he made it clear that he wanted to see Justin face to face. He didn't give any reason. Justin racked his brains trying to decide what it could be. He knew his last pocket book story had done very well in sales so that couldn't be the problem. Dan had asked him about the romantic mainstream novel he was working on a couple of weeks earlier, but didn't seem bothered when Justin changed the subject. That probably wasn't the problem either.

Justin shook his head as he rode the elevator to the top floor of the glass and chrome high rise office building that housed Smithers Publishing Houses. He tried his best to calm his nerves. His entire lifestyle...his independence were all tied up in this job. The idea of having to start all over didn't appeal to the young man one bit. More importantly, he still couldn't throw his success in his father's face yet. He couldn't even tell him what he was doing for a living. The man wouldn't appreciate it at all and would consider his only son still a failure. Justin needed a mainstream best seller under his belt or he would never be able to prove himself to his dad. He wanted that more than anything else. This job might not be the main goal in his life but it was necessary to have in order to reach that goal. All these torturous thoughts tumbled through Justin's brain as Dan's shapely secretary buzzed him into Dan's inner sanctum.

Justin stepped into Dan's tastefully decorated office. It wasn't as large as his main office in Pittsburgh, but he had made it quite comfortable. There was a large mahogany desk near the big picture window that overlooked the city. Two leather backed chairs had their place facing the desk with the high backs to the door. Dan sat at his desk and smiled as he looked up at the attractive young blond. Dan's tastes leaned towards dark haired boys for his extracurricular activities but this young man was certainly good to look at. He pointed towards one of the chairs.

"Have a seat Justin. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

Justin came around the chair and took a seat. It was only then that he realized someone else was in the room. He sensed movement next to him and turned toward the other chair. His eyes locked onto the most gorgeous face he'd ever seen. The man was tanned and trim. Even seated, Justin could tell he was tall by the long legs that jutted out from the seat cushion to the floor. He was impeccably dressed in a suit that screamed money. His thick wavy brown hair framed a face that drew your eyes to it. He had thick but perfectly shaped eyebrows and a long aquiline nose that seemed almost patrician as it perched over full red lips. The man smiled at Justin and something weird happened. Justin's earlier mild jitters swung into full force. He felt a fluttering in his stomach that was different somehow from his earlier nervousness. His mouth went dry. He forced himself to look away from the smiling man and face Dan.

"Justin," Dan began, "this is Brian Kinney. He is the head of our advertising company. He's come here all the way from Pittsburgh to talk to a few of our New York writers, including you. Brian, this is Justin Taylor of our adult fiction division. This is the young man that we talked about."

"Yes, I can see that by the photo from his dossier," Brian responded drolly. "You look just like your photo, Taylor."

Justin felt himself blushing. There was something very intimate about the way this Brian character addressed him when mentioning the photo. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it made him a wee bit embarrassed.

"Thank you Mr. Kinney, I think. So Dan, what were you needing me for exactly?"

Brian spoke up before Dan could answer. "Dan tells me that you would be the perfect choice as a representative of your division of his publishing business in the future ad campaigns. I will have to interview you of course, and see how well you work under pressure. The work would involve some radio and television promotions, print ads, etc."

Justin threw up his hand. "Whoa, wait a minute. Dan never said anything about my having to advertise what I do for the whole world to see. I didn't sign up for that. Look, Mr. Kinney, my own family doesn't know what I do for a living and I intend to keep it that way." He looked over desperately at Dan. "Dan, why didn't you warn me that you were wanting me to do something like this? Do you have any idea how my Dad would react if he saw my face on television advertising gay porn magazines and books?"

Brian was surprised at how vehemently the young man reacted to the news of what they wanted from him. It made what Justin did for a living seem even more implausible. This certainly wasn't the self-assured sexual animal he wrote about in his articles and stories. This was a kid who was clearly afraid of disappointing daddy. Brian had been instantly attracted to the young man the minute he sat down beside him. He was even more beautiful to look at in person than his photo indicated. He had the wide open clear blue eyes of innocence that made Brian feel oddly protective, a truly foreign feeling to him. His skin was baby smooth and alabaster white without being too pale. Brian couldn't help but notice his perfectly rounded butt that fit snugly in his jeans as he took his seat. The kids face and body screamed blond boy twink and Brian hadn't had one of those in forever. But now Brian was having second thoughts.

Brian had fought hard to escape the shadow of his own father. He had no desire to work with anyone who still had daddy issues, much less fuck with them. He began rethinking whether Justin was the one for this campaign. Brian had already decided the kid wasn't worth pursuing for a lay or two. He was probably even more virginal than Brian suspected. His thoughts were interrupted by Dan's voice.

"Brian, what about using Justin just for radio spots and print ads where he won't be seen. His father won't know the difference. He uses a pseudonym for his stories so that won't identify him. We can always use someone else for the tv spots. Justin is really one of our most popular writers and for good reason. Why don't you spend some time with him and maybe the two of you can work something out?"

Brian turned back to Justin who was looking at him as if the man was going to bite him. There was that odd feeling again...the feeling that he should protect this kid. It was disconcerting, but it explained his next words.

"I'm game if you are Justin. We can work it out so that your fans will get the chance to interact with you and yet never know who you really are. We can also promote your work and have a shot at building your fan base even higher. I'm going to be in town for a couple of weeks. What do you say?"

Justin's first instinct was to say...no way...but the bigger he got in Dan's eyes, the better his chances of having the man's backing when the real novel was completed. He didn't know if he could trust this Kinney character, but he trusted Dan. He really didn't think Dan would let him do something that would hurt himself. Justin reached out his hand.

"I'm willing to give it a try, Mr. Kinney. Just as long as you understand what I won't do."

Brian grasped Justin's hand and pumped it. The kid was small but had a really firm handshake. Brian liked that.

"I'll tell you what, Justin...and by the way, call me Brian since we're going to work with each other...I have a few other folks to interview today but why don't we meet for dinner and we can start mapping out some ideas. Dinner on Dan, of course."

"Oh of course," Dan chimed in. "I'll have my secretary call you both with a time and place. How does that sound?"

Brian and Justin both agreed at the same time. The ball had started rolling. The two men would meet for dinner and begin their collaboration. Who knew...maybe this would work out in the best interests of both men.

To be continued..............................

Justin sat across the table from Brian Kinney and tried to gauge the man. They were seated in a prime spot in one of the nicest Italian restaurants near Central Park and shared a glass of wine while waiting for their dinner to arrive. They were still in the 'feeling each other out' stage of the evening. Justin was normally very good at judging people and their motives right off the bat, but there was something closed off about this Kinney character. It wasn't that he was unfriendly or standoffish....just the opposite actually. Brian was charming and openly friendly. But there was something else about the man, and Justin was having trouble putting his finger on it. Brian seemed guarded somehow despite his thoughtful manner.

Justin could not know that Brian was sitting across from him stewing with the same quandary. He had liked Justin's forthright manner from the minute he met the young man, but there was something self-protective about the good looking blond. It was as if he was afraid to show too much of himself to the outside world. He seemed to have a shell around him. Brian was a little confused. Justin certainly answered any questions put to him in a straightforward way, but Brian got the feeling that this wouldn't stay true if he asked the wrong things of him. The two men continued their verbal jousting while waiting for their waiter.

Shortly after, their thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the first course of the delicious meal they had ordered on Dan. The waiter set down the crusty loaves of garlic infused bread, then placed the small bowl of artichoke salad next to it. Their careful verbal exploration of each other was also set aside as they continued to enjoy the main course of their meal. Brian dug into his shrimp, scallop, and spinach risotto while Justin enjoyed his Siciliana Swordfish with sweet raisins, sour olives, and piquant capers. When Justin suggested they try a taste of each others dishes, Brian was surprised at himself for not being offended. He couldn't remember the last time he shared a dish with what amounted to a client, let alone a friend. That was at the heart of his confusion over young Taylor. The kid was a bit unpolished but Brian felt a strange desire to polish him up till he sparkled like a diamond. It just wasn't like Brian to want to take anyone under his wing. So why this kid?

No less confused was Justin. He couldn't believe he'd been so bold as to ask to share Brian's plate. Geez, he thought to himself, it wasn't as if he'd been raised in a home with no manners. He had never been this bold before. He could always put his boldness down to the dish Brian was served being so tempting, but that didn't make sense. He loved a good meal just as much as the next guy, but he had never abandoned courtesy over food before. What in the world was it about Kinney that made him feel he could be so familiar with the man. They were literally strangers. Justin wasn't comfortable with strangers...hadn't been since early childhood. So why this man?

The men finished their meal and sat back with an after dinner glass of wine and tiramisu. They got right back into the verbal game of 'tag, you're it' with questions bouncing back and forth as they tried to get a handle on each other. They combined business talk with general conversations about the upside and downside of living in New York City and what it was like running your own business compared to being pretty much self-employed. Brian did his best to draw out as much personal information on young Taylor so he could sell him better, or at least that was what he told himself, but Justin was adept at avoiding questions that got too personal. He did allow a few questions that brought up generic parts of his personal life but always managed to get similar info on Brian in return for his answers.

By the end of the meal, the two men had managed to open the door to each other by the tiniest crack. As Brian paid the bill with Dan's corporate card and left a generous tip, he gathered his things and stuffed the notepad and pen in his jacket pocket. He always made quick notes when scoping out a new business deal or client. Justin waited patiently and then exited the restaurant with Brian right behind. They stood on the sidewalk and felt the crisp early Autumn breeze blowing between the tall buildings. The branches of trees across the street on this side of Central Park swayed with the motion of the air as it flowed around them. It wasn't really cold yet but the men were glad for their warm jackets. They zipped up and started walking. They crossed the street to where the park was.

"Would you like to take a little walk in the Park before heading home. It's still early, and we can talk a bit more about my advertising plans" Brian asked casually.

"Sure," Justin answered.

Actually, he was a little surprised that he felt in no hurry to end their conversation. He would have normally been more than glad to have the evening over and be able to escape back to his solitary apartment. This night...this day had been full of surprising feelings for the young man. Just the fact that he was willing to put himself out and risk exposure was a huge surprise to Justin and totally our of character for him. He certainly wouldn't be shocked to discover that Brian Kinney had a highly successful business. He was certainly one hell of a great salesman. He'd sold him on this whole idea of advertising his work. That proved Kinney's salesmanship abilities right there. The thought that he just liked being in Brian's company and that was the reason he was in no hurry to leave for home had nothing to do with it...or at least that's what he told himself as he fell into step beside the older man.

The leaves were just beginning to change colors on the trees in the park and a few errant ones had already fallen to the ground. The light breeze blew the orange tinged green leaves across their paths as the two attractive men walked slowly side by side with their hands jammed into their jacket pockets. They chatted a little till they came to a stone bench. Brian pointed to the empty seats and Justin nodded. They walked over and took a seat. An occasional jogger or strolling couple passed them by. It was getting too late for any young children, but a family or two with slightly older kids would walk by. Brian took the opportunity to bring up Justin's family.

"So, Justin, you mentioned at our earlier meeting that your family doesn't know what you do for a living. They don't live here in New York?"

Justin's defenses rose up. He answered cautiously. "I was raised in a nearby suburb but my family is scattered now. I don't see them much anymore, well except for Mom and Molly. Molly is my younger sister. Do you see your family much?" Justin had perfected the art of answering a question with a question. Brian recognized the tactic and decided to play along, as long as it didn't go too far.

"Not really. The old man passed a few years ago from cancer. I have a younger sister too but I don't see too much of her family or my mother. They have their lives. I have mine. Sounds a bit like your situation."

Brian had actually said more than he intended, but Justin's next words caught him off guard.

"Oh, I doubt it."

Brian waited for more but it wasn't forthcoming. The young man quickly changed the subject.

"So, why don't you tell me a bit more of what you have in mind for me?"

Brian recognized a diversion when he heard it. He'd done it himself often enough.

"Okay. We've already talked about you doing some radio spots and print ads using your pseudonym. I had a friend suggest you also do some online chats. Dan's publishing houses all have their own sites and they have blogs going on all the time. We could set up a chat line with fans of your work. We won't use any camera work and it will not include voice so no one will know it's you unless they know your pseudonym."

"No one knows except Dan and a couple of editors. Dan's a good man. He's kept his word to me about everything ever since I agreed to write porno for him."

"I've read some of your work. Do you mind me asking a question?"

"Depends," Justin hesitated. He hoped Brian wasn't going to get personal again.

"Well, I'm just curious. I can tell you are really a talented writer from the samples I've read. I can see it through all the moaning and groaning. You have a feel for emotions and you're really good at making the people more than just cardboard cutouts. I really admire the descriptive way you paint a picture of what is going on...besides the sex, I mean. Most porno writers don't even bother with that. Dan tells me that you are working on a more mainstream story. Have you nearly finished it yet?"

"Not even close. I keep playing around the edges of my characters, but something is missing. Maybe I'm just not as good as Dan or even I think I am." Justin sounded truly dejected.

"Would you give me a chance to see what you've written. I studied creative writing in school to prepare for my career. I could promise you an honest critique. No holds barred. At least you'd have a third opinion of your work."

"Third opinion?"

"You said that you and Dan thought you had the talent to create a real story. I give you my word I'd be totally honest with you."

Justin sat next to Brian and felt a slight chill that had nothing to do with the cool breeze. He couldn't put his finger on it, but for some reason he really didn't want to disappoint this man. He wanted to show Brian his work...and even more, he wanted Brian to like it. Made no sense, but there it was. He had been blocked for so long on the story. Maybe some fresh eyes would reinvigorate his muse and get it moving again. He wasn't getting any younger and he was more than ready to throw his success in his dad's face. Right now his whole family thought he was nothing but a copywriter for a New York magazine. It was an honorable job but nothing that his father would call a big success. If he didn't get a book published that would sell his dad would never look up to him. Justin needed that more than anything. He knew he shouldn't care what his dad thought about anything, but it mattered to him. He had to prove he could be even more of a success than his dad. It was as simple as that.

Brian could see the wheels turning in Justin's pretty blond head. He saw the flashes of fear mixed with the desire for approval as they played out on Justin's face. Brian was beginning to get an inkling into the heart of one Justin Taylor. He remembered Justin's outburst in Dan's office earlier that day when he was afraid his dad would find out what he did for a living. This kid definitely had daddy issues. Brian could relate. He hoped that Justin would trust him. He would keep his word and be totally honest. The kid needed that. He sensed his opinion would matter.

"Alright," he heard Justin answer in a soft voice.

"Alright?"

"Yes, I'll trust you to give me an honest review. But just remember that it is still unfinished, very rough and unpolished. Don't expect too much. Deal?"

"Deal. So do you want to send it to my hotel or should I pick it up at your place?"

Justin thought for a minute. He hadn't let anyone see his place outside of delivery folks and the landlord. He valued his privacy too avidly. Even Mom and Molly hadn't seen it. They knew the address but he had always visited them at their new house or at some neutral place in the city. But then again, he had trusted Dan to come over a few times but always just to talk business. He knew Dan's secret life but the man had never made a play for Justin, even though he knew Justin was gay. Justin respected that. He felt secure around Dan. He wasn't so sure he would feel that secure around Brian, but he felt he had to take the chance. He really did want an outside opinion of his work from someone who wasn't vested in him. Dan felt he owed Justin big time. He might not be as brutally honest. Justin got the feeling that Brian was always brutally forthright whether someone wanted him to be or not. With that thought in mind he gave Brian his answer.

"Why don't you just come by my place and I'll give you a copy of what I have so far. Then you can take the cab on to your hotel."

"Sounds good to me," Brian agreed.

The men got up and walked back to the outside of the park where they could flag down a passing cab. Shortly after, they were on their way to Justin's place. When they arrived at the address Justin gave the cabbie, Brian paid the driver with a hefty tip and asked him to wait. The tip was more than enough incentive and the man idled the car. Brian followed Justin up the three flights of stairs to his floor. They entered the tiny but neat apartment and Justin flipped on the overhead light. The living room was a little cramped for Brian's tastes but it had all the essentials. The one thing Brian noticed right away was how spare it was. There were few personal touches to the room....certainly no family photos could be seen. Sterile...that was the word that Brian thought of. It was like a waiting room. He saw nothing that made him think of Justin, or what little he knew of Justin so far.

An open doorway led into a kitchen where Brian could see a small kitchen table with two chairs pulled up close. Another door led into what Brian presumed was the bedroom although it was closed. On the other side of the sparsely furnished living room was a small alcove facing a window with the shades drawn. Brian knew right away where Justin did all his writing.

"Nice place," Brian said, with little conviction.

"I know it's not much, but it fits my immediate needs and I'm trying to save for the future," Justin offered. He had caught Brian's tone.

"That's admirable. Most young people never think of the future...only the here and now," Brian replied. He actually was impressed with Justin's sense of responsibility to his future.

"Well, no one else is going to take care of my future for me." It suddenly dawned on Justin that he'd revealed more than he wanted to. "And I wouldn't have it any other way," he added quickly.

"As I said, admirable. Now where is that copy?"

"Just give me a minute," Justin told him.

Justin opened the closed door and flipped on the bedroom light. Brian could see that this room was just as spare as the rest of the apartment. He could see the small twin sized bed next to the old dresser. It looked like Justin had furnished the place from a thrift store. Chances were that he had. Justin walked over to an old roll top desk while Brian waited near the doorway. He pulled out one of the side drawers and dug out a file folder hanging there. He pulled a group of papers from the folder and put them in another folder that closed up with ties. He marched back into the living room where Brian waited. He handed the folder over to Brian who started to take it from his hands. Justin hesitated for a few seconds before releasing the folder. Brian smiled at the slightly frowning young man.

"Don't worry Justin. I know that a writer's stories are like their children. I'll treat this with nothing but respect and care and return it to you in pristine condition." He laughed gently to show that he wasn't making fun of Justin.

"I..ahh..I trust you. Really. I just want you to be honest with me. Okay?"

"Absolutely. You have my word on it. I've got a full agenda tomorrow, so how about having lunch with me the day after that. It will give me time to read and also come up with some firm agendas for you to check out for promotionals."

Justin agreed and the two men shook on it. When they shook hands, Justin felt that odd feeling in the pit of his stomach again...the same one he had gotten when he first saw Brian in Dan's office. His mouth went dry. He quickly put it down to what he had eaten combined with his nervousness over turning his incompleted transcript to a virtual stranger. He was unaware that Brian had felt something odd at the same time. Brian pulled his hand back and brought the folder closer to his body, as if he was protecting it. Why in the hell did this kid make him feel so protective? It was a little unnerving, but Brian had work to do, so he shook off the feeling and bid Justin good bye. He told Justin he would call about their lunch date and hurried away to catch his cab for the hotel. Justin closed the door slowly behind the tall good looking man. The blond touched his stomach, which was still fluttering slightly. He shook his head, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and moved over to his alcove. He would write a couple of juicy sex scenes before hitting the sack. For some reason he was really in the mood for some X-rated prose.

To be continued..................

Brian flipped to the last page in the manuscript that Justin had given him the day before and read the last few paragraphs. He reached the end of the printed out words and sat stone still against his hotel pillows. He had always been a man who made decisions rapidly, but this young man threw him. He was in a bit of a quandary. He would be seeing Justin for lunch the next day and he honestly didn't know what he was going to say. He would have to think this out very carefully.

Justin was truly talented. There was no doubt about that in Brian's mind whatsoever. He had a way of turning a phrase and using words to paint a picture that was akin to a great artist painting a landscape. And yet there was something missing. It was probably no more than Justin's youth, but Brian felt like Justin was writing his story as an outsider looking in rather than as a participant in the events he unfolded. A truly great story made one feel as if they were right there in the scene with the characters and events, especially a love story which Justin was obviously trying to write. Brian got the strong sense that Justin was very much a romantic at heart...but a romantic who knew nothing of romance. Brian reminded himself that he didn't know a fucking thing about romance himself, but he did know what felt like romance and Justin's story didn't quite reach that level.

Brian's problem was that the story had the feeling of great potential. The two main characters were interesting, albeit a little unfocused. The situations Justin put them into showed promise too, but not all of them seemed that realistic. He had one of the men discovering he had a potentially life threatening disease and yet he kept it secret from his lover even though they were supposed to be so close. This seemed totally unrealistic to Brian. Wouldn't a sick man need his lover at such a time, and how in the hell could you keep something like that secret anyway. Now...one lover cheating on the other and keeping it secret...that was something Brian could relate to and Justin captured the feeling of that remarkably well. Brian didn't trust anybody enough to risk his heart like that. He knew you couldn't trust any man. Justin seemed to sense that too. This was Brian's problem. He didn't want to discourage the young man because he could see the great writer inside him just waiting to get out.

Brian had no idea how sensitive Justin would be to criticism. He had stated he wanted nothing but the full truth, but it was always easy for someone to claim that and then still get offended if they didn't like what they heard. It was actually very common, and Brian wanted nothing more than for Justin to continue working on the story until he could bring it to fruition. This kid had a future as a writer and not just in porn...that was something Brian felt for certain. Now all he had to do was convey that to the young man without squashing his spirit. For some reason Brian really wanted to see Justin succeed. It was odd for him since he barely knew the young man, but there was no denying it. Justin had inspired that feeling in Brian from the very beginning. Hopefully things would work out for the best with Justin when he saw him at lunch.

With that thought in mind, Brian set the manuscript down on the side table next to his bed. He was dead tired. He had been on his feet and taking meeting after meeting in order to make arrangements for spots on radio, television, and in print ads for the entire day, not including meeting with Dan and talking to a few more of his writers from other departments. Several of those writers had been interesting to Brian too, but none left an impression on the ad man the way young Justin did. He had actually been eager to get the day over with so he could settle down and continue reading the manuscript that he had started on that very night that Justin handed it to him. It was extremely late now and all he wanted was sleep, so he swallowed the last couple of sips of his Jim Beam and snuffed out his cigarette. He settled his naked body down under the soft sheets and warm blanket and buried his head deep into the pillow. He waited for sleep to come.

It took almost an hour for Brian's body to relax enough and his mind to stop spinning before he drifted off to slumberland. Brian tossed and turned all night. He hadn't had any physical relief from a good fuck since he'd arrived in New York and his body was feeling the tension. His dreams became more vivid as the night progressed. By the time the wake up call came from the hotel switchboard, Brian could clearly remember his final dream...the images were that intense. He had been making passionate love to a gorgeous creature whose face was shrouded in darkness. The only distinguishing feature about the man that he couldn't help noticing as he pounded his hard cock into him was the bright halo of blond hair the head was covered with. When Brian threw back the covers he was surprised to see that he had ejaculated onto his sheet. He was totally surprised. He hadn't had a wet dream since his teenage years. He always had more than enough real life sex. His body didn't have any to spare for night time dreams normally.

Brian got up quickly and made a bee line for the bathroom. He felt flushed and sticky and he needed nothing more than a good hot shower before starting another of his ultra busy days. It was a good thing that Dan was paying him so highly, he decided. He knew he had never worked so hard on a campaign before. He was earning every cent of his fees. Brian came out of the shower feeling ten times better. He ordered an egg white omelet with English Muffins and orange juice from room service and proceeded to dress. He was admiring his reflection in the full length mirror on the bathroom wall when the food arrived. He had never looked better in his Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece Two Button Herringbone Suit of deep navy blue with the light blue dress shirt under his jacket and the blue and gold broad striped tie. Brian was always careful in his appearance. He took pride in looking both hot and elegant at all times, but for some reason he took extra pains today. He checked out his hair one more time before answering the door. He ate his meal quickly and set off for his first appointment of the day. He tried hard to ignore his urgency in getting to the lunch time hour and his meeting with young Taylor, but he did keep checking his watch several times as he went from meeting to meeting waiting for one o'clock to finally arrive.

****************************************************************

Justin had spent the entire morning on pins and needles. He had been so anxious over his upcoming meeting with Brian Kinney that he hadn't even been able to finish his breakfast, something very rare for the young man who always had a healthy appetite. His stomach had been in knots since talking to Brian the day before and agreeing to meet at a nearby bar and grill that Justin frequented whenever he just wasn't in the mood to cook for himself. Justin wasn't much of a social animal and seldom got out, most often using the excuse that he was trying to save every cent he could, but there were times when he just needed to be around people. He hadn't really made any close friends at the bar, but they knew him when they saw him and he felt safe there. The long time employees even called him by his first name, plus the food was good so he figured Brian would enjoy it.

Justin wasn't as concerned about whether Brian liked the food as he was on whether he liked his manuscript. He had tried to get a clue as to where Brian's mind was on the subject when they talked on the phone the day before, but Brian was being cagey. He hadn't even hinted what he thought. It only served to make Justin even more edgy. He couldn't help wanting Brian to like it a lot, although he couldn't really say why. He had recognized that Brian was a truly intelligent and perceptive man right from their first meeting. He had been respectful of Justin's reticence over putting himself in the public eye. Justin appreciated that. He had enjoyed their dinner meeting too. There was just something about Brian that Justin found intriguing and non-threatening. For Justin, that was an important attribute. He didn't trust that easily.

Justin had told Brian that he wanted the man to be totally blunt about his assessment of the raw manuscript, but a part of him wasn't so sure he wanted total honesty. If Brian hated it, he was afraid he might not want to tackle the damned thing again. After all, he was making a decent living just writing the less than mainstream stuff he was putting out now. He could probably spend the rest of his life doing the same thing over and over again. He'd never be able to confront his dad about his choices in life, but he could live with that....maybe. Well, he could if he had to, anyway. But he didn't really want that for his future, so Brian's opinion really mattered. It was scary to care what someone else thought so much. But it was too late to back down now. He would go to lunch and hear what the older, more sophisticated man had to say. He would take things from there.

It was finally close to Noon so Justin jumped into the shower and tried to calm his nerves with the warm soothing water. It didn't help. He only felt cleaner. Justin checked his limited wardrobe. He finally settled on a really nice shirt that his mom had gotten him for his last birthday. He took the shiny mint green silk shirt off the hanger and buttoned it up over his white jeans. He checked his hair and smoothed down some of the more unruly blond tendrils around his neck. He knew he looked okay, but Justin seldom worried about appearances. However, today he wanted to look his best. He told himself he just wanted to look mature and businesslike. He refused to admit that he wanted to be attractive for the sake of his lunch time date. He dismissed that notion immediately when it popped into his head. A client...that was all he was to Mr. Kinney. That and nothing more.

Justin took one last look around his living room before stepping out the door. He had the eerie feeling that this meeting with Brian was going to change things somehow. He couldn't put his finger on it, but Justin walked towards the bar and grill feeling both anxious and excited at the same time. He was early. It was only a quarter to one. Chances are he'd have to order a drink before Brian showed up. That thought was on Justin's mind as he heard the tinkle over the door when he stepped into the cool interior of the bar. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Brian already seated at the bar and watching the door. The man waved Justin over with a big smile on his face. Justin felt that funny feeling in the pit of his stomach again as Brian grinned at him. What the hell...but of course he was just hungry. After all, he hadn't really had any breakfast.

Brian indicated the empty stool next to him as Justin approached. Brian was surprised by the way his breath caught in his throat when he first saw the kid walk in. Justin looked just plain beautiful. There was no other way to describe him. His shirt made the blue in his eyes even bluer and he had smiled in a way that made Brian feel a twitch in his groin. Shit, he thought, let's face it...the kid turned him on. He had noticed it the first day he met Justin in Dan's office, but the young man seemed to have some issues that Brian didn't feel like dealing with. Now he wasn't so sure. Would it really be such a big deal if he just indulged his desires a tiny bit? It's not like he would be moving in with the kid or something crazy like that. Maybe the two of them could just have a little fun. He knew the young man was openly gay, but that was about all Dan had told him. He would have to feel Justin out. He didn't want to rush it and maybe scare the kid silly. He was certain about one thing...despite Justin's work, the kid was not experienced personally. Even his sex scenes were written like an outsider quoting what he was observing, not an actual participant. Justin slid onto the stool and placed his order for his favorite beer with the bartender who knew him well enough by now not to card him.

"You did tell me that they know you here," Brian observed.

"What?"

"The beer. They didn't bother to ask for your ID. I know you're over twenty one but I'll bet most folks don't realize it."

There was nothing mocking in Brian's tone...just a statement of fact, so Justin didn't take any offense. He just waited for his beer and turned to join Brian in checking out the place. All the tables were full at the moment but Brian told him that he had already added his name to the seating list. All they had to do was wait. The two men spoke casually for about twenty minutes while nursing their drinks and then they heard the Kinney name right after a couple with their arms around each other exited their table. They quickly sat at the discarded table and waited for the new set up to be put in place. They placed their orders with the young waiter and settled in for a good chat.

Brian first let Justin in on the interviews he had lined up for the young writer on radio spots. He also had arranged for Justin to join in on a fan based blogging session that catered to his type of stories at some future dates. He had one interview lined up with a gay oriented magazine and had another tentative interview with a different magazine in the works. Justin was amazed at how quickly and thoroughly Brian had done his job. He was duly impressed and more than a little nervous. Brian must have seen that because he quickly assured Justin that he would be fine at his task. Brian then promised to be handy to help Justin work out the kinks and to troubleshoot for Justin if it was needed. The young man relaxed upon hearing that.

"I guess this means you'll have to make more trips to the Big Apple then," Justin remarked. "I mean, since some of these are not going to happen until after you return to Pittsburgh."

"I guess so, but it's not a problem. I go where I'm needed. I have plenty of bonus miles built up with the airlines by now."

Justin felt a little happier to know that he'd be seeing a lot more of Brian, maybe more than he should feel, but he couldn't help it. There was a pause in the conversation and Justin finally got up the courage to ask the question that he'd been avoiding since first entering the bar. The subdued noises of dozens of conversations at adjoining tables and clinking glasses and silverware on plates faded into the background as Justin took a deep breath and forged ahead.

"Brian, did you finish reading my manuscript?"

Justin would have sworn the room went deadly quiet with all ears waiting for the answer. Of course it was nothing more than the fact that all the blood had rushed to his head, deafening the poor guy for a moment. He stared at Brian anxiously. Brian smiled back.

"I certainly did Justin. You want total honesty, am I right?" He waited for Justin's nod. "Then I can tell you right up front...there is something really there kid. I mean, it is rough, but you have it...that little something that distinguishes a good story teller from a bad one. I have some theories on how the work can be improved, but there is a diamond in that rough."

"Do you mean it?"

Justin sounded just like a schoolboy begging his teacher to confirm that his school work was A material. There was something sad and yet endearing in the way he clearly needed reinforcement of his worth. Brian felt a brief moment of anger that something or someone had made this talented young man feel such an obvious lack of self-worth. In that moment Brian changed his mind and decided Justin Taylor was worth not only using in the campaign but also worth pursuing in other ways...daddy issues or no daddy issues. After all, if that was Justin's problem then who better to help the young writer out than Brian Kinney...king of the daddy issues.

"I never say anything I don't mean Justin. You'll learn that about me in time. And speaking of time, do you have plans for tonight?"

"No, not really," Justin answered cautiously. He hardly ever had plans for the evening.

"Then I suggest we table this discussion about your work and get back into it in a more relaxed setting. There's a club I've been wanting to check out since I got here. Would you mind joining me for the evening? We can combine business with pleasure. You do go out just for pleasure once in a while, don't you?"

Justin blushed slightly. His palms were beginning to sweat, but he quickly decided that he had come this far in trusting Brian's judgment. He might as well listen to the rest of what the man had to say about his work. Suddenly he found himself feeling an excitement at the prospect of spending the evening with Brian Kinney. Who knew...maybe he would learn some things that would really help in writing his story.

To be continued............................

Justin was frustrated. He stood in front of his closet and did his best to picture himself in any of the outfits he owned while standing at a swank bar in an upscale dance club. The way that Brian had described the place had given Justin second thoughts about joining the ad man. Justin had little experience in crowds of people, especially crowds of gay folks. Knowing you were gay and being comfortable in your own skin were two very different things. Justin's fear of being outed in a way that would get back to his family was far more powerful than his unspoken longing to mingle with others like himself. For reasons that he was unsure of right now Brian made him feel safe to explore a little outside his comfort zone, but now he was faced with the fact that he really didn't have the right attire to get out and mingle in. With an exasperated sigh he pulled down one of the nicer shirts that he still had from his high school days that still fit him, although a little snugly.

By the time Brian had arrived at the apartment, Justin was dressed in the navy blue and gray striped shirt and tight black jeans. He was a bundle of nerves, but he plastered a smile on his face and opened the door. Brian stood on the other side looking like Justin's most smoking hot fantasy combined with a page from his dirtiest pot boiler. Justin would have sucked in his breath if the look on Brian's face hadn't stopped him.

"Is that what you're wearing, Justin?" he asked with just a hint of derision.

"It's the best I could do. You said semi-casual, but the clothes I wore for lunch were the only things half dressy that I own. Is it really that bad?" Justin's voice clearly indicated his disappointment.

"Not for a high school sock hop, but you'll stand out like a sore thumb at the club. It's fairly new but I've talked to a couple of friends who've been there. It's the place to see and be seen in the City. Remember, you have quite a following in the gay community and you want an even bigger one to show interest in your great American novel. You look like a writer now, but more for a school newspaper. We definitely have to do something about that." Brian paused, circling Justin and checking him out from all angles. "Okay, I have an idea and this can be deemed a business expense so you can leave your savings untouched."

Justin was breathless with anticipation. He had already decided that Brian was a man with all the answers. He also liked the fact that Brian had obviously taken the time to get to know his client, since he was being so respectful of Justin's need to pinch pennies. Before Brian even spoke, Justin had already made up his mind to go along with anything the ad man suggested.

"I'm taking you on a little shopping excursion before we hit the club. You're going to need better clothes for your meetings with radio personalities and magazine reporters anyway, and while we're at it we'll get you something perfect for the dance floor too. We can bill the whole thing to the publishing company. I have a feeling Dan won't object."

Justin felt a quick thrill. He had loved shopping for new clothes when he was younger. His mom had really good taste and a nice habit of indulging her only son. She really couldn't afford to do that anymore so his wardrobe hadn't changed much since he had left home some years earlier. The idea of picking out new clothes sounded like a fun adventure and he only had to see how Brian dressed himself to know the man had excellent tastes. It didn't take any effort to convince Justin to agree to the shopping trip. With a nod in agreement, Justin grabbed his jacket and joined Brian at the front door. Minutes later they were in a cab and on their way to one of Brian's favorite haunts when visiting New York.

Brian must have been a valued customer who had sunk quite a few bucks into the store's coffers because he was recognized by the menswear staff immediately upon entering the department. Justin was amused by the way the two nattily dressed assistants fawned all over Brian as he gave them a quick overview of what he was looking for. One of the two men, quite obviously a batter for their team, couldn't help showing his disappointment that Brian wanted clothing for Justin and not for himself. The man noticed the displeased look Brian threw his way when he frowned and hurriedly threw a big smile back on his face. The two salesman took their customers around to different displays and eagerly waited for Brian's thumbs up or down for each item they showed. Brian took his time, often draping a particular shirt or pants against Justin's body to judge its look against his skin tone.

It took almost an hour, but eventually Brian was satisfied. Justin was in a state of shock. Brian had chosen five different outfits, each one costing more than the next. When Justin had tried to get Brian to be more conservative, he just laughed and reminded the young man that it was a business expense. The bounty of sensational clothing wasn't the only thing that had Justin in a state of shock. An incident that happened while he was trying on the final outfit had left him feeling a little disoriented. Justin had already removed his last try-on and was in the process of lowering the pants. He stood in the rather luxurious changing room with nothing but his Hanes briefs on as he slipped the jeans off. It was then that he noticed in the mirror for the first time that Brian had entered the room holding another shirt he wanted Justin to try on.

Brian stood looking at Justin. The young man was a little skinny maybe, he thought, but other than that he was certainly sporting a rather impressive package...not to mention a beautifully full and firm ass that Brian could see when he bent over with his back to Brian. In truth, the good looking blond was more than a little appealing...a fact that must have shown in Brian's face when Justin looked him in the eye. Justin couldn't help feeling naked in front of that look on Brian's face. Justin flushed involuntarily. Brian couldn't believe it. He hadn't seen a man blush in forever...but now that he thought of it, he didn't think he'd ever seen a man blush. For some reason it made Justin even more appealing. A spark shot through Brian. He could see that something was happening to the young writer at the very same moment. The bulge in Justin's briefs grew visibly fuller.

Brian handed over the silver and black shirt he was holding to Justin and smiled his most charmingly. He didn't say a word, but turned and left the room. Justin just stood there feeling much too warm for the air conditioning to help. He had noticed other men that he found attractive but not one had ever elicited such a response from him. His hand crept down to his crotch which was now feeling uncomfortably tight in his underpants. His eye remained on the door where Brian had just been standing and his hand slowly stroked his hardening cock through the material. A knock on the door caused Justin to jerk his hand away as if he'd been scalded by boiling hot oil. His blush deepened to a cherry red.

"Al..almost finished," he stammered out to whoever was on the other side.

Justin managed to get the last outfit on and leave the room in order to model it for an appreciative Brian. Brian quickly announced that this last one was the right one for the night's festivities and ordered the other four outfits to be boxed up and sent to Justin's home address. Brian handed over his corporate credit card while Justin gathered up his old clothes so they could be boxed and sent with the other things. He stood in front of the mirror in the dressing room one last time and admired his reflection. 'Damn', he thought to himself, 'I do look pretty good in this.'

"You really do," he heard a voice behind him say.

He looked up in the mirror and saw Brian behind him again. The man was silent like a stalking tiger. He blushed again, hating himself for his lack of self-control.

"I do what?" he asked

"Look really good in that outfit. That is what you were thinking, am I right?"

Justin was too embarrassed to admit it was true but he did offer his muttered thanks for Brian's compliment. Once the business end of everything was settled, the two men caught another cab and were driven to their next stop...the club Brian had heard about. Justin was amazed when he stepped inside after being carded once again. Brian couldn't help grinning as Justin fished out his ID. Once they had entered the main room, they were met with a sea of masculine faces. Justin had never seen anything like it except in films....certainly never in person. There were two long oaken and leather bars along opposite sides of a huge dance floor. Men were lined up at both bars holding a myriad of drinks and indulging in both conversations and ogling. A few of the men were obviously coupled up as they stood with their arms around each other or kissing at intervals. The dance area consisted of thick glass flooring with rainbow colors flashing off and on from below, reflecting on the dancers above. A number of mirrored balls above reflected a kaleidoscope of colors down onto the dancers. All the colors flashed through Justin's brain, almost to the point of causing a headache.

"Intense, isn't it?" Brian asked when he saw Justin holding a hand over his eyes momentarily. "You'll get used to it. Nobody does bright colors like a queer man's hangout."

Brian took Justin by the hand and drew him further into the room. They moved over to a lounge area with a multitude of cushioned seats and couches. A shirtless waiter stopped and Brian gave him an order for a couple of expensive beers. Justin sat beside Brian and watched the dancers as they jumped, swayed, and boogied their way all over the colorful floor. Some of them were quite talented and fun to watch. Some were obvious amateurs who moved like stiff boards. All moved with a sense of joy, whether skilled or not. It fascinated Justin to see how different the groups were. Some were again obvious couples as they danced so close they were all but fucking on the dance floor. Others danced with a sense of abandon from one group to another. There were even loners who danced with no one but themselves and seemed to be having the time of their lives. Justin could feel Brian's hot breath in his ear as the older man leaned over so that he could be heard above the noise.

"Every man here has a story to tell. You need to get out more Justin and listen to these men. Get in conversations with them. You'd be surprised at how easy it is in a club like this. Some do like to keep their lives very private, but many of them want to talk to someone...anyone. Those are the ones you should pay attention to. You can learn a lot about human nature that way. If you're going to write the greatest gay love story ever, you need to know someone who has been through it, if it can't be yourself. Pick their brains. Tonight we'll just dance a little and you can get the feel of the place. We'll come back and spend more nights here and you can start really mingling. Are you up for that?"

"I don't dance," was Justin's first thought.

"Well, it's time you learned how. We'll finish our beer and I'll give you a lesson."

"I don't think I'd be any good."

"We won't know if you don't try, now will we?"

It was obvious to Justin that Brian wasn't going to back down so he took the beer that had just been delivered to them and began gulping it down. It hit his stomach with a punch. He felt a momentary urge to bring it back up but he concentrated on relaxing. The feeling soon subsided. The two men sat together in silence and finished their beers. Once Justin sat his bottle down on the glass topped table in front of him, Brian took him by the hand and led him out to the dance floor. Kylie Minogue's 'Slow' was playing and Brian began swaying to the sounds. He placed his arms on Justin's shoulders and moved in time to the music. Justin closed his eyes and concentrated on the sounds. He began moving his hips and legs to match the beat. When he opened his eyes he could see that Brian was smiling at him. Brian pulled Justin closer so that he could be heard above the music.

"I thought you said you couldn't dance."

"I can't."

"Well then, Mr. Taylor, you are doing one hell of a job faking it. You have natural rhythm kiddo."

Justin begged himself not to react but he could feel the heat rising in his face again. What in the hell made him keep doing that around Brian. It was getting ridiculous. He would have protested further, but Brian had stepped back again and began dancing in time with Justin once more. They fit together quite nicely on the dance floor. For several more hours, the two men danced, talked, drank, and observed. By the time it was time to call it a day, Justin was three sheets to the wind, being normally a light drinker all of his life. Brian, who had lots more experience in knowing his limit, was in full control of all of his faculties as he hailed a cab to take the two of them back to Justin's place.

Once Brian had gotten the young man up to his apartment, Justin was all but passed out and Brian had to unlock the door for him. He took the young writer into his place and half carried him to his bedroom. Brian carefully removed Justin's shoes, socks, brand new shirt ,and pants and laid them over a nearby chair. He could hear the light snores coming from Justin as he lay stretched out on his small bed. He looked so helpless in his undies and nothing else. Brian felt a strong desire to touch that pale body and make beautiful sounds pour from it, but he knew he'd regret it in the morning. One thing he would never do was take advantage of an unconscious man who hadn't given his consent, but it was a hard thing to pass up. He just knew in his heart that there was a roaring hot fire inside that cool looking exterior. The young man just needed the right fuel to stir up the flame. Brian shook his head and reminded himself that Justin was business, not pleasure. It didn't matter how much he had grown to wanting him. Brian threw a light blanket over Justin and left the room. He went to the computer and typed a message on the screen.

'Good night Sleeping Beauty,' it said. 'I'll call you tomorrow. We'll make plans to go out again. B.' Brian locked the door and went down to catch his cab for the hotel. He felt excited at the thought of seeing Justin again the next day. This particular job was turning out to be a lot more interesting than he had expected and he didn't mind one bit.

To be continued...............

Justin stumbled out of bed after finally forcing his eyes to pry themselves open. His head throbbed as if a jackhammer was playing a tune inside it. His first two steps out of bed was all it took. He was forced to make a mad dash for the bathroom where he quickly buried his head in the porcelain bowl. For the next few minutes Justin gave back every ounce of his previous night's festivities into the swirling water of his commode. When his poor body stopped retching and he had flushed, he laid his cheek on the cold porcelain and prayed he was through. He promised whatever gods there be that he wouldn't have another wave of nausea to deal with and promised them that he would never ever overindulge again if they spared him. After another ten minutes of hugging the commode, he finally got the courage to rise and walk on wobbly legs back to his bedroom.

His vision was finally clearing and he could see his beautiful new clothes draped carefully over the bedroom chair. He flushed a deep red when he realized that the ad man had been forced to take care of him last night and undress him to boot. He doubted seriously if he'd done it for himself. He certainly hadn't been in any condition to be so neat. As he shakily maneuvered his way back to bed, Justin began having flashes of memory from the previous night. He sank onto the bed and held his head between his hands. Much of the latter part of his evening at the dance club was still very much a blur but he was beginning to remember the feel of dancing in Brian's arms. The memory brought a fresh blush to his face which in turn caused a stab right behind his eyes. He slammed them shut.

Justin couldn't remember whether he had openly flirted with Brian Kinney but he could definitely remember feeling like he wanted to. He might as well face it...there was something enormously attractive about the man. For a brief moment he wondered if Brian had taken advantage of his defenseless position last night in the bedroom. Something told Justin that that wasn't the case with  Brian. There really was no good reason to be so trusting of the ad man, but despite that he did feel he could trust him. He would have to come right out and ask Brian what had happened after they left the club, but he didn't want to come off as accusatory. He would have to be careful how he made his inquiry once he saw Brian again, and right now he wasn't even sure when that would be. For all he knew he had made such a fool of himself that Brian wouldn't be in any hurry to see him any time soon. That thought, for some reason, caused another sharp stab to his poor throbbing head.

Justin finally decided that he'd had enough of thinking. It was time to bite the bullet and try to ease his hangover. Maybe some good strong coffee would help, he decided. He checked his bedside clock and realized it was nearly noon. He couldn't believe he'd slept so late, but then again he really didn't know what time he got home anyway. He dragged himself off his bed and carefully made his way out to his living room. On the way to the kitchen he noticed that there was a message in exceptionally large letters on his computer screen. He made his way over to the alcove and blinked several times so he could focus. It was a good thing the words were in large print. It read, 'Good night Sleeping Beauty. I'll call you tomorrow. We'll make plans to go out again. B.'

Justin felt an involuntary thrill of anticipation at the same moment he flushed again at the opening comment. 'Sleeping Beauty', the man had called him. Was it at all possible that Brian Kinney found him attractive too? But of course, the comment could simply be his attempt at levity given Justin's condition when Brian got him home. Well one thing was certain, Justin now knew his behavior had not been a deterrent to future meetings. He prayed that he'd hear from Brian soon. He was really hurting right now, but each passing minute brought back fresh memories of a truly fun evening. Just then there was a buzz from the lobby. He walked to the intercom and heard the voice of a delivery boy from the menswear store that they had visited the previous day. He had forgotten all about the new clothes. He hurriedly buzzed the boy up and waited.

Twenty minutes later, Justin sat in his living room with a cup of strong coffee in one hand and one of the many boxes from the store in his lap. He set the coffee down after several more sips and began opening the boxes, taking each item out and feeling the expensive material between his fingers. His pleasure grew with each new item of pants, jackets, shirts, ties, and even two new pairs of shoes. The only wearable item that Brian had not bought new for him was underwear. Justin felt like he was set for life, which of course was an exaggeration, but he had not felt this excited about anything new in his entire adult life. He knew it was all thanks to Brian Kinney and he was truly grateful. He could hardly wait till the man called so he could tell him how he felt.

*****************************************************

Brian had awakened early in the morning feeling as horny as hell. He had a raging hard-on that was nothing like his usual morning woody. He knew what this was because the dream he had just been having was still vividly in his mind just like the previous time. He had been buried deep and fully inside the softest pillowy pale butt cheeks of the most adorable blond young man he'd ever seen and the feeling was sheer heaven. The blond, who looked suspiciously like Justin from the back, was moaning and begging for more in desperate tones that kept spurring Brian on...in his dream. He was within seconds of shooting when the fucking wake up call from the hotel had caused coital interruptus and jerked him right out of his pleasure. Brian quickly checked to make sure he hadn't shot anyway...in reality. One wet dream was enough for one week. Dry...but now he was stuck with a cock that was angry as hell and demanding relief.

Brian grabbed a couple of tissues from the bed side table and proceeded to give himself a five finger exercise that brought him rapidly to the release he needed so badly. As he shot into the wad of tissues he realized that his eyes were shut tight and that same blond was floating behind his eyeballs. Damn, he thought to himself, if that kid can make him feel like this and he hadn't even touched him once...not counting that he had to strip the poor boy last night...then what would it be like if he could actually have the real thing for a night? As Brian came down from the high he'd just given himself, he gave himself another mental shake...something he'd been doing a hell of a lot of since meeting young Justin. Justin, he knew in his heart, was not someone you could just fuck for a night or two and walk away from as if it had never happened. If he really wanted a taste of the young writer he was not going to be able to handle it like all the other fucks of his life...not this time. But now he was intrigued. Brian made up his mind then and there that somehow he was going to get together with Justin Taylor. And when Brian Kinney made up his mind, things got done.

Brian spent the rest of the morning making contacts and meeting with clients. He accompanied a couple of writers to their interviews and shared lunch with Dan, filling him in on the progress so far. He was impressed when Dan didn't even blink when Brian brought up his night with young Taylor, including the shopping trip to improve the young writer's wardrobe. Brian was well aware that Dan played for their side whenever wifey wasn't around but he had no doubt at all that there had never been any hanky panky between Dan and Justin. He wasn't sure why the old man seemed so solicitous of Justin and it wasn't any of his business, but somehow he was glad to know that Justin was well cared for by his boss. He knew New York City could chew a person up and spit them out if they didn't have some kind of support system. From what Brian had seen so far, Justin only had Dan. For the first time, Brian began wondering what Justin's life story was.

Brian could remember not wanting to deal with Justin at first because it was clear he had daddy issues and he had put that kind of thing behind him long ago, but now he was glad he'd changed his mind. He had been blessed with help in dealing with his prick of a father thanks to the Novotny family, consisting of best schoolmate friend Michael and his mother and uncle. Debbie and Vic had been the only stable and loving adult relationship in Brian's young life and he loved them in a way he could never and would never love his blood family. Just thinking about Jack and Joan Kinney and his sister, Claire, made Brian's stomach turn sour so he did what he always did when they popped into his mind...he threw them out like yesterday's garbage. Brian Kinney was having the best revenge against his travesty of a family...he was one hell of a big fat fucking success...and he didn't have time to waste thinking of them.

The one thing Brian Kinney never bothered to do was admit to himself that it was thanks to his family that he had worked so hard since graduating high school to become the great success he was. He also would never have admitted to himself that it was his parent's rejection of him from the time he was barely able to walk that had formed the hard shell around him that made it impossible for him to trust any one man enough to form a real connection with them. Michael was the exception to the rule, but only because he had never felt a physical attraction to the kid. It wasn't that Mikey was a troll...actually he was kind of cute...but it was that Brian still to this day thought of him as a baby brother, despite the fact that they were the exact same age. You just didn't go around fucking your brother. So despite Mikey's decades long crush on him, Brian never even considered Michael for dating material.

Not that Brian considered anyone dating material. He didn't date. He didn't do relationships, boyfriends, dating, or commitments. He fucked, he sucked, he played around and that was it. Another thing Brian never did was worry about the feelings of the other guy. Oh, he was never mean to any of his pick ups. He never got physical in a rough way. He abhorred physical violence...he'd had enough of that growing up...and he never ever lied to anyone, making false promises to them. The thing was, he never worried about how they felt about being with him. He figured that if they didn't like being with him, that was their problem although he was more than confident about his ability to please a man. He just didn't have time to worry about any emotional feelings they might have. If anyone felt slighted that Brian only messed with them once or twice, Brian never knew, nor did he care. That was why he was surprised at himself for wanting to make sure that Justin was going to be alright once they had their little fling. If he decided to pursue the young writer for a little fun after all, he didn't want to leave the kid hurt. Feeling like this was really new for Brian, but there was no getting around it. He did care that the kid would be alright, so he was going to have to be more cautious in his actions with Justin than ever before.

Thinking about Justin so much made him realize he hadn't called the poor guy yet to make sure he survived the night. He smiled inwardly remembering the note he had left Justin on his computer. Sleeping Beauty....that was an apt description of the beautiful blond as he lay stretched out on his bed with nothing but his tightie whities on. Picturing Justin like that again brought an involuntary tingle to Brian's crotch. He reached down and readjusted himself as he placed a call to Justin's apartment. The young writer's cheerful voice brought another little tingle to Brian's middle as he answered. Brian didn't even realize he was smiling broadly as he answered Justin's 'hello'.

"Hey kiddo. So, you sound better than I expected. I was expecting a death knell in your voice after last night," Brian laughed.

"If you had called a couple of hours earlier you would have gotten what you expected. Damn Brian, I've never been wasted like that in my entire life. I'm so sorry if I embarrassed you or anything. I would apologize for something specific except that I can't remember anything specific. It's taken me the last two hours just to remember up to some of our dancing. By the way, did you really think I danced good or were you just being polite?"

"Trust me, Justin, I'm never just being polite. You have rhythm kid and I enjoyed dancing with you. You may not remember it but I had to beat off quite a few other guys who wanted to take you away to dance with them by the end of the evening."

"Well thanks Brian...and I'm not a kid," he said laughing. " I am glad to know that I didn't make a complete idiot of myself on the dance floor though. Does this mean you still want to take me for some more lessons and give me a chance to start interviewing some of the other party goers?"

"Yep. I have no problem with helping you to break out of your shell even more and get a little more experience to help with your story. And trust me, I don't think of you as a kid. It's just that you have a lot to learn yet. If you still want me to teach you then I'm more than happy to give you a bigger taste of the outside world."

"Well geez Brian, you do make it sound like I've been living in a cave somewhere in outer Mongolia, but I get your point. And yes, I would love to have a few more lessons...Professor."

"Professor? Hmmm, kinda like that. Okay I'll tell you what, why don't we meet for dinner here at the hotel and then we can go clubbing again. Oh, I talked with Dan about your clothes and he was fine with it so wear one of your best new outfits. They have been delivered by now, right?"

"Yes, they came and I can't thank you enough Brian. I'll take a taxi over to the hotel. What time do you want me there?"

Brian wanted to say...right this second, but instead he replied, "It's nearly three now. I still have a couple of interviews to go on with a couple of writers so why don't I meet you here at the hotel by seven? We'll have time to eat, chat, and then head out."

"That's sounds good to me. I guess I'll see you around seven then."

"Okay, seven it is."

Both men seemed to be hesitating saying good bye but Brian knew he had other commitments so he quickly wished Justin a good day and hung up. He held onto the phone for several seconds after as if he could stay connected to Justin that way, but then laughed to himself and placed it into the base. If he hadn't been in such a hurry he might have tried to analyze why this one young man was having such an effect on him, but he really didn't have the time. He grabbed his briefcase and jacket and headed for the door.

Justin sat at his desk and placed the phone carefully onto its stand. He was having a really hard time wiping the smile off his face. For the first time in his life he was really looking forward to spending a lot more hours with just one man and his name was Brian Kinney. He didn't know how it had happened but he was beginning to trust someone...someone who had been a total stranger such a short time ago. He just hoped he wasn't making a mistake. Justin turned back to his computer. He had been having trouble describing the new character he was writing into his brand new story. He had come up with a whole new idea for a story while nursing his hangover and he was working on the first chapter when Brian called. As he laid his hands onto the keyboard, he began typing out his description of the tall lanky man with the brown hair and hazel eyes. The words flowed and Justin smiled.

To be continued............................

Justin looked over at his clock and grimaced. Why the hell was the damned thing moving so slow? It was only six o'clock. He knew he shouldn't even consider flagging a cab until 6:30 at the earliest. He'd look like an anxious schoolboy with a crush if he showed up too early at Brian's hotel room. He had no intention of making himself look like a fool in front of that man...especially not that man.

Justin had spent a little over two and a half hours working on his first chapter to the new novel. The words had flowed so much easier this time than with his last manuscript. The story line was basically the same....a shy young man with few friends falls in love with a popular guy who has more than his fair share of friends because of his exciting personality, and now he doesn't know how to handle his feelings....but this time Justin felt more comfortable with his characters. Subconsciously he realized that the fun-loving, outgoing man was being patterned after Brian Kinney, but it never occurred to Justin that the shy man was similar to himself. Even the description of the guy came close to how Justin saw himself. He wasn't ready to recognize what any good psychologist would have seen after reading just the first chapter and having met both he and Brian.

For now, all Justin could think about was how exciting the night might turn out to be...if the damned clock would just move a little faster. He had spent almost an hour bathing, shaving, and dressing in one of the gorgeous new outfits that Brian had helped him buy. His stomach was tied in knots as he kept glancing at the wall clock in the kitchen. He sat at the table and read the hard copy of his latest hot story for the magazine 'Coc & Balz'. It was supposed to be sent to the editor no later than tomorrow morning, but Justin had been so busy with his love story he had forgotten to double check his work so he could get it emailed off to the mag. As he proofread some of his hottest paragraphs, he began to feel a stirring in his loins. It was kind of odd since he had developed almost a clinical feeling for his own work and was seldom turned on by it. Tonight, as he waited for the clock to pick up speed, Justin realized he was beginning to feel horny.

Justin tossed the papers to the side. He was feeling a little worked up and edgy. 'Fuck the clock' he decided suddenly. Justin grabbed his jacket and keys and made his way out of the apartment. He made a quick trip downstairs and hailed the first cab he saw. In minutes the driver was taking him to the luxury hotel Brian was staying at. Justin's old watch showed that he was a good half hour ahead of schedule and then some for his meeting with Brian once he got there. Justin stood in the lobby and tried to decide what he should do to kill the time. He didn't have to wait long for the decision to be made for him. Two minutes after walking through the swinging doors, Justin heard a familiar voice behind him.

**********************************************************

Brian caught himself checking his watch repeatedly after talking to Justin. It was only four hours before he was scheduled to meet the young writer at his hotel, but Brian couldn't help thinking it was the longest four hours he'd ever lived through. The interviews he had set up with his clients had taken a lot more time than Brian had expected and time had dragged by as he sat in the sound booth and watched the writers talking about their work and the publishing house they worked for. It was dry stuff to Brian and he caught himself thinking about young Justin more than once. He felt a twinge of excitement at the thought of helping Justin to release a few more of his inhibitions at the clubs this night. He could still remember how well Justin danced, especially when he loosened up a bit, and that thought reminded him of how good the blond felt in Brian's arms. He liked the feel of Justin's slender body as it moved in time with the music.

Brian had felt a strong urge to do more than dance with Justin, and once the kid was drunk enough he probably could have indulged the urge, but Brian never took what someone didn't offer freely and consciously. Brian was honest enough with himself to know now that he really did want to possess that sweet body of Justin's, but he hadn't decided how he could go about it. The one thing he knew was that some things were meant to be, and he suspected that having sex with Justin was one of those things. But first things first. First he would get this job squared away for the day, get to the hotel and clean up, and then wait for Justin to arrive.

It was a hell of a lot later than he had hoped before he was able to grab a cab to get back to the hotel. He would never have enough time to shower and change before Justin arrived. Brian was in a rush as the cab let him off in front of the hotel and he walked through the swinging doors. The first thing he spotted was that beautiful blond halo of soft hair that Justin sported. He knew it was Justin without question simply by the looks of his perfectly shaped buttocks tucked tightly in the gorgeous outfit Brian had chosen for him. Brian would know that bubble butt anywhere. The young man was looking towards the elevators as if trying to decide whether to ride up in them or not. Brian approached Justin from behind silently.

"Ahem! Loitering is not allowed in this establishment, my good man. You should come up to my room and avoid being arrested," Brian laughed.

Justin must have jumped a foot and let out a small squeak. He whirled around red-faced and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Brian's grinning face.

"Damn, Brian! You scared the shit out of me. Didn't your dad ever teach you it isn't nice to sneak up on people?"

Justin felt himself flushing and could have kicked himself for acting like that again. When would he ever stop doing that in front of Brian. He noticed that the gin had fallen just a bit and Brian's voice wasn't quite as cheerful when he answered.

"My dad taught me many things, but that wasn't one of them. Sorry if I scared you Justin. You're here a little early, aren't you. I haven't even had a chance to clean up yet. Just got back. Seriously, why don't you come on up to my room and wait for me. We can either eat in the restaurant here or order room service and then leave for the clubs after dinner. What's your pleasure?"

His voice took on a more cheerful tone as he concluded his question. The question flustered Justin for a second, but then he answered quickly.

"I...ah...got here early. The traffic wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I...ah...I don't mind waiting while you freshen up. And it doesn't matter to me whether we eat upstairs or in the restaurant. I'll leave myself in your hands."

Brian had a flash of holding Justin in his hands and the image brought a big smile to his face. He wasn't aware that a very similar image had just flashed across Justin's mind, but the poor kid did blush a slight pink again and Brian noticed that. He put his arm through Justin's and turned him towards the elevators again.

"Well then, follow me young man," he laughed. "You are in capable hands."

********************************************************************

Brian and Justin had ridden the elevator in silence up to Brian's floor and walked down to his room. Neither man spoke until they were behind closed doors. Justin was rightfully impressed with Brian's suite. It was top notch as he expected from a five star hotel. The central room was all in tans, browns, and golds and was warm and comfortable looking. It felt like a man's room and fit Brian Kinney to a tee. A king size bed lay off to one side of the large room with a thick golden brown down duvet covering it. The housekeeper had left several expensive looking chocolates on the huge overstuffed pillows. A living area was on the other side with a floor to ceiling window that stretched across two walls so that one could have a perfect view of the New York landscape from more than one angle. The furniture, which consisted of several easy chairs and a beautiful smoky glass topped table with two full back cushioned chairs drawn up to it...not to mention several tall vanilla and gold lamps...was of obvious high quality. Fresh cut white flowers stood in a deep scarlet colored vase on the dining table and these were matched by a number of other smaller flower arrangements, also in scarlet vases near the bed, the entertainment center, and the chair next to one side of the window. Small gold and glass tables sat next to each easy chair.

Justin's mouth hung open at all the beauty of the room, especially being impressed with the works of art hanging on the walls. If they were copies of real pieces, they were damned good. Justin had often visited the many museums of the city over the years. It was one of the few pleasures he afforded himself. He had an artistic eye, even if he couldn't draw worth a damn. Right now he was enjoying the view very much and praying that Brian would choose to eat here in the room rather than downstairs in the restaurant. As if reading his thoughts, Brian spoke up right at that moment.

"Why don't you check out the room service menu, Justin. That way we can talk more freely and then leave directly from here. Order the New York strip for me, with herb butter and grilled veggies and espresso. Medium rare on the steak. They have a Classic Creme Brulee here that I'm sure you'd love. Order that too. We might as well go all out. Fuck the diet for one night," he laughed heartily.

Brian took off his jacket and tie and tossed them on the bed. He began to move back towards the door leading to the bathroom. Justin saw the menu sitting on the side table and reached for it. He looked up just in time to see Brian removing his shirt as he stepped into the bathroom. The man had a beautiful body, or at least the upper half. He had tanned skin that was smooth and unmarred. He had the muscular body of an athlete, but more a runner than a football player. It was obvious by his flat stomach and well toned body that Brian spent time in a gym and took good care of himself. It flashed through Justin's mind that this man was just plain beautiful to look at. There was that tingling in the groin again. It always caught Justin off guard, but felt so damned good. He hurriedly looked down at the menu in order to distract himself.

Twenty minutes later, Brian came out of the bathroom followed by a trail of steam. His skin was glowing and he was wearing nothing but a huge fluffy white towel around his middle. Justin almost dropped the lid of the serving dish he was inspecting. He quickly turned away, which certainly didn't go unnoticed by Brian. Brian walked over to the large sandstone colored marble armoire next to the bed and pulled the cabinet doors open. He thoughtfully pushed aside shirts and pants until he found the two he was most interested in. He took them down and laid them out on the bed. Next he pulled open a bottom drawer and removed a pair of black Calvin Klein hip briefs and black socks. He perused his choices with one eye while watching Justin's carefully turned back with the other.

"I'll be dressed in no time and join you Justin. If you don't want a peek, I have to warn you that it's too steamy to get dressed in the bathroom. Any problems with that?"

He could hear Justin clearing his throat before answering.

"No, of course not. Everything...uhhh...looks good. I'll wait for you to join me."

Brian smiled to himself. This kid was definitely virginal. No self-respecting gay boy should be this scared of sex. Brian let the towel drop. He'd be a liar if he said that he wasn't fully aware that Justin could see him in the reflection from the window across the room...the one Justin was facing. Brian had to admit that he did move in just such a way that he wasn't directly behind Justin, thus blocking the view. Justin had looked up just in time to see Brian's naked body reflected back at him. He caught his breath. Unbelievably, Brian's bottom half was even more beautiful than the top half had been. He was mesmerized as he stood as still as a statue and watched Brian reach down for his underpants and pull them up...agonizingly slowly. As the top of his briefs reached his groin, Brian slowly slipped the material up over his full ball sac and along the underside of his penis as it lay upwards against his stomach. Once Brian finally had the entire cock encased, he reached around and adjusted cock and balls inside the tight fitting material. Justin's mouth snapped shut. He unconsciously checked to see if he had been drooling.

Brian turned sideways and grinned mischievously. It really wasn't fair to tease the poor kid like that, but he had decided it was time that Justin saw what he was missing by not being more open. He quickly slipped on his solid black iridescent sheer cotton shirt and tight fitting black jeans. He walked around the side of the table and stood across from Justin, who was now a delicious color of dark pink.

Brian spread his arms wide and asked, "Will I do, do you think?"

Justin coughed again. "Very...ahhh...very nice. I think we both look like we're ready for a fun evening."

"I agree. So let's sit down and eat. The night isn't getting any younger."

Justin sat quickly and set aside the lid from his dinner plate. Brian did the same. Brian poured the wine that Justin had chosen based on the recommendation from the kitchen and the two men dug into their food. Brian enjoyed his steak while Justin savored his grilled shrimp and sticky rice. The meal was a pleasant affair followed by the creme brulee that the men shared together. Their conversation was lively, with Justin revealing more of himself than he had ever done with anyone else before. He had lots of funny stories to tell about his time working at another fine hotel in the city and admitted that it was there he had met Dan, carefully leaving off the most intimate details of their meeting. Brian told Justin more than he had planned too, revealing a bit more about his character than he usually felt comfortable doing. He talked of his close friends in Pittsburgh and about the baby boy his best gal friend gave birth to thanks to his donation in vitro so that she and her girlfriend could raise a family.

Brian felt surprised at himself. He liked to keep his personal life very personal. He had never shared with someone else before, especially about his boy, not that he thought of Gus as his son....most of the time. The only thing that neither man mentioned was their immediate family. For some reason that subject never came up with either of them. The phone ringing interrupted the conversation suddenly. Brian answered and looked surprised.

"Yes, yes of course we still need the limo. I'm sorry, I didn't realize how late it was. We'll be right down," he spoke into the phone tersely. He turned to Justin. "I'm sorry, Justin. I had no idea it was so late. I asked the hotel to reserve a limo service for us at eight and they've been waiting. I guess it's true that time flies when you're having fun. I've enjoyed our chat but I'm ready to unwind a little at the clubs. You up for it?"

Justin nodded. Brian grabbed his jacket from where he had dropped it earlier and Justin retrieved his. They met up at the door at the same moment and reached for the door simultaneously. Brian's hand laid on Justin. The touch sent a shiver through both men. Justin looked up at Brian with his blue eyes shining brighter than normal. Brian's eyes widened and then fell on Justin's full red lips. They looked so tasty. Justin continued staring into Brian's face as the older man began to lower his lips until they connected with Justin's. The kiss was so soft and gentle. There was no force to it, just Brian softly moving his lips against Justin's. His tongue slowly peeked out and gently pushed between Justin's full lips. It took a moment before the lips relented and parted enough for Brian to feel the white barrier. Brian pushed with just a tad more pressure and Justin's mouth slowly opened like a budding flower touched by the sun's rays.

Brian's tongue entered Justin's mouth and softly tickled the inside palate. The tickle sent an uncontrollable shudder through Justin's body. Brian's tongue felt so good...so damned good, and Justin didn't want the kiss to end. But end, it did! Brian suddenly pulled back, looking just a bit flushed himself, and smiled broadly at the flustered young man.

"Sorry, Justin, but you really did look too good to ignore. Now let this be a lesson to you. You have to remain in control at all times or some of those horn dogs on the dance floor will try to take advantage of you. A really good looking blond boy like you is like candy to some of these men, so always be on your toes. I'm just warning you in case we get separated. I made sure that didn't happen last night, but you never know what can happen in the big city. So, you ready now?"

Justin was still in shock. It had happened so fast and ended even faster. He wasn't even sure it had actually happened. Maybe he had just daydreamed it. Brian acted like nothing had happened, so maybe that was it. But if it hadn't happened, why did he still taste Brian in his mouth. It suddenly dawned on Justin that Brian was speaking to him.

"I said, are you ready to go now?"

"Uhh, uhh, yes...yes."

"Good, let's go."

Brian opened the door and the couple stepped out into the hallway. If the rest of the night was anything like this first part had been, Justin knew this was going to be a night to remember. For the first time ever, Justin was feeling no apprehension about what might be coming next. He fell right into step with Brian as they took the elevator down to the street where the limo waited to take them on their next adventure.

To be continued...........................

The dance club had been jumping all night. Justin found himself having far more fun than he had ever done before. It wasn't hard, given the man who had brought him here. Even though Brian didn't seem to actually know any of the other men that shared the dance floor with them, he seemed right at home with the strangers, as if he were a prodigal son returning to the family. Brian seemed to have a knack for drawing men out and in no time Justin was finding himself sharing in conversations with total strangers about their most intimate lives. The fodder for his stories was piling up as the night progressed. In between chats, Brian would whirl Justin onto the dance floor and the two men would connect again in a way that couldn't be denied. A current flowed between the couple as they gyrated to the pulsing rhythms that blared from the loud speakers.

It was getting really late when Justin realized how badly he needed to relieve himself. Brian had run into a colleague from another agency that he had worked with at one time and entered into a lively discussion of their past triumphs. Justin had been standing on the sidelines nursing his third and last beer for the night. Brian's back was to him and he decided to make a quick run to the bathroom and then hurry back. There were far less patrons at this late hour so he doubted there would be any wait in a line. Brian wouldn't even miss him probably. With that thought in mind, Justin made a beeline for the doors leading to the bathroom.

The long hallway to the bathroom at the back of the club was all but deserted.  There was one couple leaning against a wall and rubbing on each other through their clothing, but no one else was in sight. Justin pushed through the lavatory doors and only saw two men, one in a booth with the door closed and his pants pooled around his ankles and another at a urinal. Justin stepped up to a urinal a couple of feet away just as his neighbor was finishing up. The man zipped up and walked away. Justin opened his fly and proceeded to pee heartily, much to his bladder's relief. He hadn't even realized he'd been holding it in so long. He heard the flush of the nearby commode but paid little attention. He was just happy to let his stream continue to flow. Justin let out a last couple of dribbles and was about to step back and zip up when he suddenly felt arms wrap around his upper body, pinning his arms to his side. His first thought was that Brian had followed him and sneaked up behind him so he wasn't irritated, but then he heard an unfamiliar voice coarsely whispering in his ear.

"You have a beautiful cock there boy. Anyone ever tell you that?" the man slurred out, followed by a childish giggle.

The man's breath was rancid and Justin felt his stomach flip at the smell. It turned over again when Justin suddenly realized what was happening and just how vulnerable he was. He could feel that the man behind him was much bigger than him and he had such a tight hold on Justin that the blond couldn't even move a muscle. Panic set in. Justin had a flashback to his father holding him down while he whooped his son when Justin had struggled to escape his father's anger. He began to struggle against the man's hold, which made the man tighten his grip even more. Justin's fear rose like bile in the throat when he realized that the creature behind him had developed a hard on which was poking at the small of his back. He didn't know if the man was exposed or not, but the threat was there either way. Justin began struggling harder, but it was like a Chinese finger trap...the harder he struggled, the tighter the grip became.

Justin began having trouble breathing. The pressure on his chest had increased to painful proportions since the bastard that held him had maneuvered him against the wall between two urinals. Justin began screaming for help, but could barely hear his voice. There wasn't enough air in his lungs to emit a sound above a painful squeak. The man had begun licking Justin's ear and the young writer knew he was within seconds of vomiting right then and there. He tried one more time to push back against the wall with his legs so that he could throw the man off balance, but he couldn't budge him. Just as Justin was sure it was all over and he would be raped by this madman right in a public bathroom with Brian standing oblivious so close by, he felt himself suddenly freed of restraint.

Justin collapsed against the wall and sucked in huge gulps of air. The sound of grunting behind him made him turn around quickly, just in time to see Brian laying another blow to the side of the attackers face. The man went down in a crumpled heap to the floor. He curled up into the fetal position and nursed his aching stomach where Brian had landed the first blow once he had pulled the creature off of Justin. The fury in Brian's face had turned it a mottled red. The man on the floor whimpered a few times, but was wise enough not to rise up and challenge the man who stood over him just waiting for an excuse to land another punch. Brian's entire body was shaking, he was so angry. When it was obvious the huddled mess on the floor wasn't going to be any more trouble, Brian turned and hurried over to Justin who was still leaning on the wall for support.

"Are you okay, Justin? Did he hurt you? Let me see."

Brian began running his hands over Justin's face, arms, chest, legs. He was still shaking like a leaf. The shakes were matched by Justin who had never been so happy to see someone in his entire life. Neither man noticed when the attacker scrambled to his feet and rushed headlong out of the bathroom. Neither man cared. Once Brian had reassured himself that Justin had no broken bones or been harmed physically, he drew the young man into his arms and held him gently while Justin began sobbing quietly. Brian did his best to calm the young man down. He stroked Justin's hair and whispered calming words to him. Justin's arms held tight to Brian like a man to a life vest when tossed into the rolling sea.

"Shhh, Justin, shhh. It's going to be alright. I think he was just an asshole who had way too much to drink. He won't be back. He probably won't even remember it in the morning." Brian lifted Justin's head. He frowned at the young man. "Why'd you leave without telling me? It's never a good idea to be on your own in a place like this so late in the evening. That's what friends are for. We watch each others backs." Just as quickly, Brian's tone changed back. "I'm so sorry you had to experience that. I'll never let anyone hurt you like that again. I promise you, Justin."

"I...I...I want to go home Brian. Please take me home."

"I will, but I'm taking you back to my place first so that you can use my hot tub. I've seen your bathroom. Believe me, you'll be able to relax a lot better at my place first and then I'll take you home. No arguments, okay?"

Justin nodded his agreement and Brian called the limo to pick them up.

*****************************************************

The drive back to the hotel was made in silence. Justin couldn't get the image of being restrained out of his head. It brought back far too many painful memories that he had convinced himself were long buried ages ago. The stinking drunk had unearthed them in a matter of minutes and the wounds were still fresh. As the memories flooded back, Justin began to visibly shake and it didn't fail to be noticed by Brian. Brian inched his hand over to Justin's, which lay limp by his side, and slowly took the hand in his own. Justin may or may not have noticed the gesture, but he did react by grasping tightly to Brian's hand. He continued to stare straight ahead with his eyes half closed as thoughts of his father's abuse poured like slow moving lava through his mind's eye.

He could remember all the times his father would lose his temper over some minor slight or imagined misdeed and then gone out of his way to remind Justin who was in charge of the very air he breathed. Craig Taylor was never drunk when he went after his son...that might have been more comprehensible...but Justin finally figured out why his father acted the way he did. It was actually quite simple. The man was a fucking bully. He wasn't happy unless he had everyone and everything under his thumb. His employees were afraid of him, which Justin finally saw for himself one day when visiting the flagship store. Craig didn't just fire a young employee who had messed up, he had beaten the poor kid down with a verbal assault that left the young man shaken. Justin never forgot the sight and his heart went out to the young man because he knew exactly how the guy felt. Only with Justin, his dad felt free to get physical and he often did.

One of Craig Taylor's favorite tactics was to physically hold Justin down so that he couldn't move. Sometimes, if Justin struggled a bit too much, Craig would follow it up with a whooping. It was never called a beating because he only used his belt or 'the spanking stick', a flat board with the words 'Only to be used on bear asses that misbehave' that he bought on one of his trips overseas. Instead of the word bear and asses there was a cute picture of a little bear and a donkey's rear end painted on the board. By the time Justin left home the colors of the pictures and words had faded, yet it was still readable. The one incident that tonight's event conjured up most was the time his father had cornered him in the bathroom and pushed Justin up against the tub. Justin had ended up in the tub when his father gave him one extra push because his son protested too loudly. His dad had never gotten sexually threatening like tonight's bully, but abuse was abuse under any circumstances.

As soon as they reached the hotel, Brian dismissed the limo driver and handed over a generous tip. He put his arm around Justin's shoulder and led him through the lobby and up to his room. The minute they entered the room, Justin seemed to calm inside. Brian could see the young man's shoulders squaring back just a little and the vacant far away look he had witnessed in Justin's eyes began to fade. It was as if Justin had stepped out of the quicksand and was now on stable ground where he felt safe again. Brian helped Justin to remove his jacket and took him into the bathroom. It was an astonishing room with a built in jacuzzi next to a large glassed in shower rimmed by a seating area inside. Brian began drawing the water into the deep tub and directed Justin over to a small alcove across from the shower where two fluffy white robes and towels hung from racks on the all marble walls. A marble bench was provided with large slippers waiting underneath. Steam began to rise as Brian turned on the jets and dimmed the overhead and vanity lights.

"Call me if you need anything", he told Justin and then left the room.

Justin removed his clothing and sank into the water. The jet streams soothed his muscles and helped to release all the built up tension that tonight's trauma had brought him. His mind drifted back to the look he saw on Brian's face as he stood over the man who had attacked him. Brian had looked angry enough to kill. It would have frightened Justin except that he knew the look was not aimed at him, but only because of what the man was trying to do to him. In that moment, Justin had felt more protected than he ever had in his own home. He knew then and there that Brian wouldn't let any harm come to him and the feeling was almost painful in its wonderment. No one had ever made him feel safe like that before. As he thought of Brian, he called out his name. Brian was in the room before the last sound could roll from Justin's mouth, as if he had been waiting right outside the door.

"You called me?" Brian asked, concern clear in his voice. "What do you need Justin?"

"I...I don't know. I don't know why I called. I...I just wanted to thank you. I...oh shit Brian. I just want to thank you for....for...."

Tears began to flow again, but not the racking sobs from before. These were more tears of relief. Brian couldn't stop himself. He bent down and gathered the wet blond in his arms. Justin lay his head against Brian's broad shoulder and took deep gulps of air until he had control of himself. He finally felt it was safe to look back up at Brian again. Brian turned him around and began massaging Justin's neck and shoulders. Deep sighs began to pour from Justin. Brian continued to administer to the young man and then, when he could feel that Justin was completely at ease, he tapped him on the shoulder and told him to stand up. Justin didn't even think about his nakedness. Brian went to fetch one of the soft robes and towel. He let the water drain while he rubbed Justin dry and then wrapped the robe around his body. The two men exited the bathroom and Brian led Justin over to the large bed. He instructed Justin to lay down and get some rest.

"You need to stay here tonight. That jerk doesn't know you from Adam but I'd feel better if you were here tonight and then I'll take you home in the morning. That is, if you don't mind Justin."

"I don't mind, but what about you."

"I'll just stretch out here in this easy chair. Don't worry about me. Now just relax. Everything will be so much better in the morning. I promise you."

Brian lowered all the lights and pushed back the easy chair so he could stretch his long frame out in it. Less than a half hour later, Brian was suddenly awakened by the sound of muffled cries. He jumped and rushed over to the bed where the sound were coming from. Justin was in the throes of an obvious nightmare. Brian sat on the edge of the bed and began shaking Justin gently. The blond's eyes suddenly snapped open and he rose up fast and buried his face and chest against Brian who held onto him tightly. The shaking was back, but it eased quickly as Brian rubbed Justin's naked back in a soothing gesture. Brian kept whispering assurances to the young man.

Without warning, Justin pulled his head away from Brian's chest and reached up with his free hand. He pulled Brian's face down to his and clamped onto Brian's mouth with his own. The earlier kiss the two men had shared that evening was nothing like this one. This one built in intensity and Justin was the aggressor. He demanded Brian give him what he needed with every moan and movement of his lips as he sought out Brian's tongue with his own. The small spark that had ignited earlier that evening was now a roaring flame that threatened to consume both men with its power.

Justin grabbed Brian's hand with his own and pulled it down to his crotch. He was leading Brian to what he wanted and Brian couldn't hold back. He wrapped his long fingers around Justin's cock and began to pump it, each jerk a little more fulfilling than the next. Justin lay back on the pillow while never letting go of Brian's mouth. Brian continued to kiss Justin with deep feelings, tasting Justin fully for the first time as his tongue explored the soft warm interior of Justin's mouth. His nimble fingers played with expert skill along the length of Justin's now fully engorged penis. Brian's fingers balanced the heavy sac one moment and caressed the rock hard cock the next. Justin raised his legs and spread them without thinking and Brian began to poke a finger along the line behind his ball sac and against Justin's tight hole. Justin's moans were increasing and his breathing becoming ragged when Brian finally released Justin's lips and hurried down to the center of all activity. Brian wrapped his fist around the base of Justin's cock and plunged his mouth down onto the rigid tool at the same time. With one hand, Brian began poking into Justin's virginal hole while he sucked every inch of Justin's cock down his throat. Brian soon had the rhythm down perfectly. Stroke down, then up...poke in, pull out...stroke down, then up...poke in, pull out.

Justin began thrashing wildly back and forth on the pillow. His legs spread out as far as he could make them go. He began pushing himself onto Brian's finger while thrusting himself up into Brian's throat. Suddenly, his whole body went tense and Brian milked it for all it was worth. Justin let out a cry of pure pleasure and spilled himself against the back of Brian's throat. One spurt led to another and another. Brian had never tasted better or more in any other session with another. He swallowed deeply and wiped his mouth. He crawled up to join Justin at the head of the bed. The young man still couldn't breathe or talk right. His eyes were glassy from his exertions. He knew that when he died, he wanted this to be the last thing he ever felt. He tried to verbalize his gratitude to Brian, but words wouldn't come out.

Brian sensed Justin's feelings, but he didn't need to hear anything right now. He felt incredibly good. He hadn't even had an orgasm, but somehow he felt fulfilled...in a way he never had before. He laid his arm across Justin and told him to close his eyes and go back to sleep. He reminded the young man that he wasn't going anywhere. Justin wanted to please Brian more than anything in the world, so he closed his eyes and in minutes was completely asleep again. Brian waited until he could feel Justin's steady breathing and feel that the young man was totally out for the night. He rose up and removed his own clothing, leaving on his briefs, and slipped between the covers after making sure that Justin was covered up too. They would talk about what happened tomorrow, but for now Brian had never felt more relaxed and at peace. He laid his arm across Justin's chest again and fell into a dreamless sleep himself.

To be continued.........................

Brian woke with a start. It took him a second to gather his bearings. He knew where he was, he just didn't expect to feel warm flesh on the palm of his hand. He moved his hand slightly and in that instant the entire events of the previous night flashed through his groggy brain. His eyes widened further and he carefully lifted himself from the pillow so that he could confirm what he already knew...Justin lay curled up beside him in a deep sleep and he was stark naked. Brian now could remember how Justin had cried out in the night from the pain of a terrifying dream and he had rushed to the young man's side to try and comfort him. What had been meant as a concerned gesture of one friend to another had suddenly become so much more when Justin had found his own sexual needs finally fully awakened by Brian's closeness and he had latched onto Brian like a sinking man in quicksand.

Brian had instinctively given Justin the one thing he needed most at that very moment in order to drive the demons away for the night. Brian wasn't completely sure of what demons were haunting Justin since they hadn't really talked about anything last night, but he knew a little something about living with ghosts from the past. Brian had a firm handle on the bad memories of his own past...well at least most of the time....but he recognized a young man who still hadn't learned to deal when he saw one. It pained Brian to see Justin hurting so bad. He was surprised at himself. It wasn't like him to give a damn about anyone else's problems. He had spent too much of his life taking care of his own, but there was something about this young man. Something in Justin called out to Brian and the more time he spent with the writer, the more he wanted to respond to that call.

Brian was very careful to rise from the bed without disturbing the sleeping blond. On the way to the bathroom Brian turned back to look at Justin's face. It was so relaxed and serene looking, as if the young man didn't have a care in the world. Oddly, the word beautiful flashed through Brian's head. He stopped for a second and just stared at Justin who lay with his head resting on his hands, making him look younger than his years and somehow more vulnerable. Yes, he thought to himself, you are beautiful Justin. Why would anyone want to tarnish something so beautiful. A fresh wave of anger at the creep who had threatened Justin swept over Brian and he turned quickly to enter the bathroom. He stood at the commode and began wondering how he was going to handle Justin when the young man woke up. He decided he would have a shower first to clear his thoughts and then decide what to do next

*************************************************************

Justin woke to the sound of a toilet flushing. He felt a bit disoriented when he realized he wasn't in his own bed. Seconds later the memories of last night came flooding back, threatening to overwhelm his senses. He let out a gasp when he realized he was stark naked in Brian's bed and then remembered the wanton way he had begged Brian to have sex with him. His face flamed with the images of Brian kissing him deeply, or rather him kissing Brian, and then Brian moving down to his crotch and...and...and. Justin sat bolt upright. He could feel Brian's mouth as it played along his cock and his finger as it probed inside his rear. Along with the embarrassment he felt was a feeling of great satisfaction. Damn it, he thought, it felt right and so, sooo good. Even now he loved the feelings that flowed through his body at just the memory. Justin had had plenty of orgasms in his young life, but nothing came close...not even remotely close to what he had felt last night when he had exploded inside Brian's warm and inviting mouth.

Justin had always been good at describing sexual acts between two men without even having had the experience himself, but this was different. This feeling of being connected to another human being in such an intimate way and feeling safe in their arms was harder to describe. All the sex that he had described before in his stories seemed almost antiseptic now. Justin wanted more...more of being close to Brian, but he wasn't sure if that was what Brian would want. But surely the man would have simply taken him home last night after rescuing him from that pervert if he didn't feel something more than mere friendship for him. Justin thought about it for a moment. He heard the sound of the shower being turned on. He knew he had time to grab his clothes and run...or he could get dressed and wait for Brian to join him so they could talk about last night...or he could stop being so scared of life and take the bull by the horns, so to speak, and just march right in there and let Brian know what he wanted. He knew he'd better make up his mind quickly. He had no way of knowing how long Brian would be in the shower.

**************************************************************

Brian had just shampooed his hair and was rinsing out the suds when he heard the click of the shower stall door. Water poured down his face and into his eyes, but that didn't blind him to the sight of the slender young blond stepping into his shower stall. Justin took the two steps necessary to get within reaching distance of Brian and then stopped. Brian tried to read his face, but it was impossible to tell what the young man was thinking. He didn't have long to wait to find out.

"Am I overstepping myself, Brian? If I am, just tell me and I'll be gone before you can blink."

"Do you know what you want Justin? Are you very sure?" Brian asked quietly.

Justin didn't hesitate for a second. He had made up his mind with no doubts.

"I want you Brian. I want you to make me feel the way you did last night and I want to give you back that same feeling."

"Are you sure it isn't just gratitude for my helping you through a hard night. Are you very sure you won't regret anything tomorrow. I don't want you to look back later and feel you've made a big mistake, Justin."

"I don't think that's possible, but it doesn't matter. You said you wanted to help me learn what being a gay man was really all about and knowing how to bring pleasure to another man is a part of that. I don't expect anything from you, but I want you to be the one to teach me the art of lovemaking. I trust you Brian, and that doesn't come easy for me. If you don't want to deal with a naive no-nothing like me I'll understand, but I hope you won't feel that way."

Justin moved a step closer. Brian could feel the desire mixed with fear that poured from Justin's naked body. Brian looked down and could see that Justin was still flaccid. His nervousness was clear even through the bravado he tried to display. The need to connect was just as clear in the look that Justin gave Brian as he took one more step closer. There was very little space between them now. Brian made up his mind just as quickly as Justin had in the bedroom. He reached out his arms and laid his hands on Justin's narrow shoulders.

Brian pulled Justin towards him very slowly. The water began to pour over Justin's head and shoulders and ran down between their two bodies as their flesh finally connected. Brian used his hand to wrap his fingers through soft hair and gently pull the head back so that Justin's lips could be reached. Brian lowered his mouth and took hold of Justin's lips with his own. One arm draped over Justin's back while he held Justin's face close to his. Brian's lips began working their magic as he played with the soft skin of Justin's lips. His tongue crept out and pressed gently at the closed lips, pleading his case for entry. He didn't have to beg. Justin's mouth opened willingly...the memory of the kiss from the night before making his mouth more than happy to co-operate. When Justin felt Brian's feverish tongue pressing against the sensitive skin of his inner mouth, he let out a gasp and threw his arms around Brian's waist.

Brian could feel Justin's cock finally responding as it began to harden and rise between them. He felt Justin's hands roaming up and down his back as if trying to memorize each inch of skin. It felt so good mixed with the warm water of the shower. Brian continued to work Justin's mouth and he soon was rewarded with tiny mewling sounds of pleasure. Brian could feel his own erection taking full form and he had the need to taste more of Justin. He moved his lips away, which brought a small groan of protest from the overheated blond. The sound turned back to sighs of pleasure when Brian brought his practiced tongue and lips along Justin's jawline and to his ear. He licked all along the lobe and poked the tip of his tongue in the shell of Justin's ear...first one side and then the other. Pre-cum droplets joined the water that flowed between the couple. Brian was about to go lower when Justin pulled back.

He said in a hoarse voice, "Please Brian, let me do that to you. I always learn my lessons best by doing what I'm taught."

Brian smiled. He stepped away and lay against the glass wall of the shower, spreading his legs just enough so that he could be closer to Justin's height. Justin took the cue and stepped in between Brian's outstretched legs. He kissed Brian with passion, this time using his own tongue as the invader. After a few moments, he began to leave a trail of saliva as his tongue traced Brian's firm jawline and the outline of his ear. Justin had become ravenous for more. He quickly began licking his way down Brian's neck and traced himself over to one of Brian's nipples. He had never actually done any of this before but natural instinct, combined with years of videos, told him what he should do. He grabbed onto the first nipple and sucked it into his mouth. He felt it harden instantly. Justin suckled and reveled in the feeling of power to stimulate Brian that he was experiencing. He moved over and gave the other nipple its equal time.

No sounds poured out of Brian, but there was no mistaking the gasps and labored breathing the man was now experiencing himself. Justin couldn't wait for more. He was now a man on a mission. He completed his task on Brian's upper torso and bent his knees as he began to work his way down Brian's chest to the beautiful muscled stomach that waited below. Justin swirled his tongue in Brian's naval and was rewarded with Brian grabbing a handful of hair again. Just below the naval, Justin could see the tip end of Brian's cock with its full round head and moistened slit winking at him. He thought he had never seen anything more magnificent or alluring. Without thinking, Justin flicked out his tongue again and tasted the tip. It was strangely salty sweet and like no other flavor Justin had ever tasted before. It made his head swim and he wanted more. He placed his lips around the full head and began to slowly suck it down, stopping when he suddenly felt like gagging. Brian felt his distress and brought his head away from the wall. He looked down and pulled Justin's head up and away from his throbbing cock.

"Slowly Justin. You don't have to hurry. Slow and easy. And keep your teeth shielded by your lips. It will be much better for me, and when you try to take in more of me, swallow and breathe through your nose. It will take time to control your gag reflex. Don't worry about anything. You're doing beautifully. I can promise you that."

Justin smiled his thanks and got back to his task. He covered his teeth and started at the head again, slowly inching his way down Brian's shaft. He had used his hand to grab onto the base so that he could keep the hard tool steady. Brian tasted so incredibly wonderful and Justin soon found himself in a comfortable rhythm. With each down-stroke he was able to take in more of this delicious part of Brian. Brian used his vast experience to control his orgasm but Justin was beginning to make that harder to accomplish. The young man may have been new at all this but he had a natural born ability that Brian had never seen before in anyone. After long minutes of being sucked off in a way that was far better than Brian expected, he found himself at the very edge of orgasm. Brian tapped Justin on the head. When the young man looked up with his reddened lips and smiled, Brian warned him that he was about to cum.

"If you don't stop now I won't be able to stop myself," he gasped.

Justin's face broke into a smile that could have lit up and entire room and went immediately back to his task. Brian had been right and it only took another thirty seconds for the older man to begin huffing like a man climbing a mountain and his whole body went stiff as he released his ejaculation down Justin's throat. Justin coughed but never let go as he felt the warm seed speeding down his gullet. The taste that it left on his tongue was ten times more exciting than the mere droplets he had enjoyed in the beginning. He knew in that instant that he would always be a cocksucker and proud of it.

Justin rose back up and wrapped his arms around Brian's body again. He looked up into Brian's face and couldn't believe that he was the one responsible for that flushed and satisfied look on the man's countenance. It filled Justin with pride. Brian saw the grin on Justin's face spread as he realized what he had accomplished and it made Brian feel even better, if that was possible. Brian no longer had any doubts about wanting to teach Justin everything there was to know about being a gay man. This young writer was the perfect student...eager to learn and a quick study. Brian decided then and there that he would be spending a lot more time in New York City than he had originally planned. He didn't want to rush things with Justin. He was in no hurry right now to complete the course of study too rapidly. By the time he was ready to give Justin his graduation papers, the young man would be the best gay man he could possibly be...and probably write the best gay love story ever read on top of that.

But first things first. Brian held onto Justin, who had lain his head on Brian's chest, as he waited for his feet to steady under him. It must have been even longer than he realized because it dawned on him that the water was turning cooler. He brought Justin out of his state of bliss and reminded him that there would be plenty more time for further explorations between them. Justin reluctantly let Brian go and the two men exited the shower together after the water was turned off. Brian wrapped the towel around Justin's body and patted him down. Justin did the same for Brian. They slid into the hotel's soft robes and re-entered the bedroom. Brian picked up the room service menu and smiled at Justin.

"I'm famished. What about you?"

Justin nodded so Brian placed a quick call and the men sat at the table waiting for their meal to arrive. Brian knew that he wanted to talk about what had happened the night before in order to try and learn more about Justin and what had made him so frightened of being himself. He certainly had just demonstrated that he was a natural and more than comfortable with man on man sex. Brian saw how happy the young writer was at this moment and decided the talk could wait. There were other things Brian wanted to do with Justin right now and a heart to heart talk wasn't high on the list. If he had known that forcing Justin to open up would also bring out the can of worms that he had thought was long buried in his own life, Brian might have put that talk at the bottom of his list of things to do...or erased it from the list altogether. But by the time he recognized what had happened, it was too late to turn back.

To be continued....................................

Brian thrust forward with one last determined move that brought them both to the edge of bliss. It had been several weeks since he had first taken Justin's virginity and they had fucked every night since, but each time seemed like the first (except for the fact that Justin was enjoying it more every time he let Brian in). He heard the deep groan escape Justin's throat as he shot his orgasm over his heaving chest when Brian hit that sweet spot inside one last time. Brian filled the condom head at almost that same instant. Just the sight of Justin's face glowing from the lights reflected off the sheen of sweat that covered his brow and cheeks was enough to bring Brian to the point of no return. This wasn't the first time that he thought of how absolutely beautiful Justin's face was in the throes of his orgasmic high.

Justin had proved to a fucking miracle, and more than that...he was a true gift to the jaded older man. After that first night with Justin in his bed, Brian had discovered for the first time that he had never come close to making love to a man before that night. He had fucked, oh yes indeed, but he hadn't made love to a single one of the countless partners he had been with. With Justin, there was something different...something intangible that he simply couldn't put a name too. If you had had the nerve to tell him he might be falling in love with the young writer, he would have snorted and called you a romantic idiot. Being in love was simply not possible. It was a game that people played so that they could justify all kinds of actions. It was a ploy to sell movies, wedding crap, songs, honeymoons, and books. You could love somebody, after all he did love his friends, but in love...no way!

Brian did have to admit that he felt a deep affection for Justin. That was to be expected. After all, he had taken the young writer under his wing and vowed to teach him all about being a gay man so the writer could write the great American gay novel. The fact that Justin wanted to make it a romance novel was a minor point. He had to learn to be an out and proud gay man first. That was Brian's forte. Brian had already sunk a lot more of his time into Justin than he had planned. He had given the other writers that Dan had wanted to promote a good degree of his time, but his nights were all Justin's. Brian had even been forced to hand over a bit more of his workload to his competent staff back home in Pittsburgh just so that he could devote more time to Justin. The young man had shown his gratitude over and over.

After the first shower the two men had shared, they had eaten their breakfast and then sat and talked for a while. Justin had opened up just a bit but Brian knew there was a lot more to the story of why Justin had been so repressed. Justin had gone back to his apartment while Brian conducted some more business for the Publishing House and then met up with Justin at a radio station where Brian had arranged an interview with the young writer and two of his colleagues. The interview had gone smoothly and the interviewer had laughed when Justin compared his stories to the old Harlequin romances that were still popular among the ladies. He pointed out that his stories were simply aimed at men who wanted to believe in that dashing lover riding up on the white horse and carrying them away to a far away land where they could live happily ever after too. Brian winced at the image but the statement went over well with the audience, which was primarily GLBT based. Calls poured in agreeing with Justin's thoughts.

Once the interview was over and the other two men had left, Brian and Justin were left standing on the streets of New York City with no particular plan in mind. It was still a little early for clubbing and Justin was a little hesitant to do that again quite so soon after his painful encounter the previous night. He assured Brian he wasn't against the idea, but he needed a break. Brian agreed and suggested a drink at one of the nightclubs that his hotel housed. They had a great jazz band and a couple of drinks might just hit the spot. Justin agreed and the couple hailed a cab and gave the name of Brian's hotel. The club was dimly lit and beautifully appointed with one long bar to one side of the room with leather covered stools lined in front of it and a couple of dozen tables placed strategically around a raised dais where the jazz band was normally seated.

The room was only a quarter full at this early hour so the couple took a seat off to the side and ordered their drinks. Justin was again impressed with Brian's tastes. It was obvious that Brian only went in for the best of everything. It was heady stuff for a young man who had learned to pinch every penny he made. Spending time with Brian reminded Justin of how badly he wanted to be a success in his own life. It was not so much for the money or even prestige as it was for the recognition his father would be forced to give him. He had let that little bit of information slip out during the talk with Brian that morning over breakfast. He couldn't help telling Brian that his father had made it clear that he didn't think his son would ever amount to anything. He revealed how angry his father had been when he had refused to attend a business college so that Justin could join the family business. He left off the part about his father driving him away from home that very day. He also didn't mention that his dad knew nothing of his son's sexual orientation. He didn't have to say it. Brian already suspected it, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

They had been in the club for a half hour and were nursing their second drink along with some lively conversation when the band filed in. The band members took their places and the couple sat back to enjoy the music. This was not dancing music. This was mellow music to put one in a certain mood. By the time the men had finished their drink they were ready to go upstairs and order a light dinner. Dinner was cold by the time they got to it. That evening Brian introduced Justin to the joys of full on fucking for the first time. He had been hesitant to move forward so rapidly, but Justin's insistence on wanting to know as much about the love two men could share was too much to resist, not that he had wanted to resist that badly. He had to admit to himself that he had been wanting to get a piece of Justin for some time now. What he hadn't counted on was just how addictive Justin, the inexperienced young man he hadn't even known about such a short time before, would become. Every night since that first one, they had gone at it as if they'd never get it again.

Justin had wanted to learn as much as he could about gay life from his mentor, but even he had been shocked at the ferocity with which he craved being intimate with Brian. The first time he had been possessed fully by Brian he had wept afterwards, scaring the shit out of the ad man. It had taken more than a few minutes for Justin to convince Brian that he wasn't crying from the pain, although there was certainly some of that. He finally was able to get through to Brian that he was crying from the sheer joy of the feelings he had just experienced. He was still flying on a cloud the next day despite his truly sore ass. It didn't stop him from wanting Brian inside him again the very next night. He doubted if anything would ever make him stop wanting that. Brian's educational skills were thorough and the two men spent every night trying new positions and tactics of lovemaking.

Justin already knew he was in love with Brian. It wasn't the sex alone, although that was certainly a plus. It had as much to do with Brian's caring attitude. For the first time in his life Justin felt that he had met someone he might be able to trust completely. He had even begun to open up a tiny bit about his past. He still wasn't as comfortable about talking of things from his childhood as, say the places he would like to visit someday in the future or his dreams of the home he would someday own, but he was beginning to feel that Brian wouldn't judge him for all the mistakes he had made in his youth the way his father had. A little of the deep-seated insecurity that his father had bred into him was starting to dissipate. Brian made him feel he could accomplish anything he set his mind to. It was just one more reason to be in love with the man.

Now Justin was hoping he could help Brian to open up more too and return the favor. It hadn't taken Justin long to realize that Brian was using the avoidance tactic whenever his own past was mentioned. Justin certainly recognized the gesture since he had perfected it himself. Neither man had mentioned love to the other, and Justin got the feeling that fear of rejection might be behind it. He knew that was why he hadn't come right out and said those words to Brian. If Brian laughed at him when he told him he had fallen in love with him, Justin knew it would break his spirit. He had to be sure that Brian felt the same way or it could never be said. Brian, of course, didn't even want to think of being in love with Justin. He knew that if you said those words to someone they would have the power to hurt you from that day on and he simply couldn't give that power to anyone else. His family had possessed it when he was young and Brian would never be able to forget what they had done with it. The pain was still buried deep in his heart, despite his protest that he never thought about the past anymore. In Brian's eyes, the last few wonderful weeks were the only past he was interested in remembering.

Brian fell to the side of Justin and pulled the young man into his arms. They were both glistening with the sweat of their exertions. Their breathing slowly returned to normal as Justin listened to Brian's calming heartbeat under his ear. He loved the feel of Brian's chest rising and falling under his fingertips as he lay against the man. He wondered if he could possibly have the chance of feeling this comforting emotion after making love with Brian for many more years to come. He dreaded that it would ever stop. He couldn't be as sure as he'd like to be that it wouldn't end since Brian hadn't really said much about their futures together, or anything for that matter, but he was certain that no one would be as attentive to him as Brian was being if this thing they had going was a casual fling only. The emotions it brought out in Justin were certainly a reward all by themselves. His story was moving along at a much more rapid pace now and the loving words and descriptions of his characters were finally taking on a real life of their own. As if reading his thoughts, Brian looked down at the blond head resting on his chest and smiled.

"So Justin, I know I've kept you kind of busy lately but have you made any progress on your novel? You haven't mentioned it lately and heaven knows, you haven't been home too much in recent weeks." Brian grinned with self-satisfaction.

"Well smart ass, believe it or not I've actually gotten a lot done. I wasn't just gathering up a clean outfit to wear all those times you dropped me off at the apartment so you could take care of your business deals. I seem to have a brand new muse inspiring me as of late and this one keeps kicking my butt, or tickling it as the case may be." Brian grinned even broader. Justin sensed Brian's amusement. "Anyway, I think I understand my characters much better now and what motivates them to fall in love." He wanted to add, because he had fallen in love himself but thought better of it.

"I'm glad to hear it Justin. And if I've been of any help to you then I feel I've done my job. It isn't right to let talent like yours go untapped. I don't think you'll have to worry about being an anonymous writer forever Justin. I honestly believe you'll be a big fat fucking success some day soon and blow all your father's doubts out of the water. Then that man won't be able to deny your talent once you've sold a million copies of your story."

Justin smiled against Brian's chest. His heart felt full to overflowing with Brian's encouraging words to him. The men were about to settle down into a good night's sleep when Justin's cell began to ring. He knew right away that it was his mother from the song he'd chosen for her ringtone. 'I Will Survive' blared out at him as he flung himself over Brian's chest and rummaged through his pants next to the bed. He found his phone and flipped it open. Brian began nibbling on Justin's nipple in an attempt to distract his young lover as Justin tried to contain himself while greeting his mom.

"Hey Mom, what's up. It's kind of late to call. Everything alright?"

"Everything is just fine, Darling. And it's only ten o'clock. You've never been one to go to bed early before. Did I wake you?"

Justin sucked in his breath as Brian began trailing his tongue lower down Justin's stomach.

"I'm...ahhh...I'm fine Mom. I've...ahhh...just had a really busy day today and thought I'd get to bed early. So, why'd you call?"

"Nothing much Dear. I just wanted to remind you that you promised to go with us to your Sister's birthday party tomorrow. I haven't heard from you in a while and I wasn't sure if you still planned on attending."

"Oh geez, I did almost forget. God Mom, don't tell the squirt I said that. Turning thirteen is a big event so of course I'll be there." Brian had stopped just short of Justin's softened cock. His ears pricked up. "Mom," Justin continued, "is Dad going to be there?"

Jennifer's heart squeezed tight. She hated to hear the longing that still filled her son's voice when he mentioned his father. She had long since given up on her ex ever being the decent father he should have been to their son. She was afraid that Justin would always long for his dad's acceptance. She sensed that he would never get it, but she understood her son's desire for it. All little boys wanted their dad to love them unconditionally. Craig only had room in his heart for his daughter. There hadn't even been room for his wife which was why he was now an ex...that and the fact that she couldn't forgive her husband for driving away their son. But right now, Justin was waiting for her answer.

"I'm pretty sure he'll be there Son, but don't expect too much of him. He hasn't changed that much since I left him. I'm afraid he'll never forgive you for having a mind of your own and wanting to live your life on your own terms."

"I know Mom. Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Love ya."

Brian popped his head back up and saw the frown that had formed on Justin's beautiful face. He didn't like seeing it there.

"So what's up Justin? I take it that was your Mom."

"Yeah. She reminded me that I had promised to come to Molly's birthday party." Justin had a sudden wild thought. "Brian, would you be interested in coming with me?"

The minute he said it, Justin regretted it. He didn't want to put Brian on the spot like that, plus how would he explain who Brian was...especially to his dad. Not that he cared what his dad thought, he told himself (knowing he was lying to himself even as he thought it). Brian either sensed his regret for asking or simply wasn't interested in going anyway because he quickly begged off, telling Justin that he had too many appointments to keep the next day. He had conveniently forgotten that he had already told Justin that they would have the whole weekend free for the first time since they had started this new adventure with each other. Justin hadn't forgotten, but chose to ignore it.

"Then this works out for both of us. You'll get your work done and I'll live up to my familial responsibilities." Justin laughed, but he wasn't feeling as light hearted as he had been just minutes before the call. He wasn't sure if it was the dread of seeing his dad again after such a long time or being away from Brian all day, but something didn't feel right about tomorrow. If he could have foreseen the future, he would have believed in premonitions because a call that Brian would receive the next day would test their relationship even more than Justin's call on this night. It was a test that might even nip their relationship in the bud before it even had a chance to bloom.

To be continued.........................

Justin was the first to wake up the morning of his sister's birthday party. He loved the feel of Brian's warm skin touching his under the hotel's luxurious covers. It felt almost decadent. He cuddled even closer against Brian's body, spooned in front of his lover in a perfect fit. Brian unconsciously tightened his grip on Justin's chest as he pulled the young man even closer to him. Justin could feel Brian's morning woody as it pressed against his bare buttocks. Justin's arm was free enough for him to reach back and feel along Brian's hip until he found what he was looking for. His hand pulled Brian's stiffened cock loose just enough so that he could run his palm along the length of it. It felt even better to the touch than last night, but then every time was better than the time before. Justin would be happy whether touching, seeing, or tasting any part of Brian. The man was addictive to the love struck blond.

The pressure of what Justin was doing behind his back to Brian was having its affect. Brian, still not fully awake, began wriggling his hips and pressing his palm against Justin's chest and down his stomach. Even in his dream state he sought out the touch of Justin's smooth alabaster skin that stretched taut against his perfect frame. Brian's hand traveled down until it reached the half softened prize that lay unawakened between Justin's thighs. Brian's hand spasmodically gathered up the delicious prize and held tight. Brian was slowly rousing thanks to Justin's continued manipulations on his cock. As he became fully aware of what was going on, he smiled against Justin's hair that tickled his nose. Brian pulled his head back just enough to let out a small moan of pleasure and then he zeroed in on Justin's exposed ear. He tightened his grip on Justin's slowly growing member and and began licking against the young man's ear lobe.

Justin answered Brian's actions with teasing of his own. He pulled his other hand free of the pillow it lay under and he reached across his head to grab at Brian's face. He ran his hand along his lover's cheek as Brian poked his tongue in Justin's ear causing tremors to course throughout the blond's body. Justin lifted one of his legs and positioned Brian's solid cock between his thighs. Brian, trapped by Justin's well rounded thighs, began thrusting forward with his hips. Justin grabbed onto Brian's hip and tried his best to encourage the forceful thrusting. Brian began pulling on Justin's now fully hardened cock and soon both men were panting from their exertions. The sound of joyful lust filled the room as the lovers tickled, teased, and taunted each other to reach their pinnacles of pleasure first. It was a tie, as Justin shot out his ejaculate into Brian's waiting hand and Brian's release could be felt all wet and sticky between Justin's thighs.

Justin turned his head enough so that Brian could finally reach his lips. The tongue that had been torturing his ear now entered Justin's mouth and caused more shivers to make their way up and down the fully sated body of the young writer. When they had finished kissing, Justin turned around so that he could face his lover. The look of satisfaction on Brian's face warmed Justin's heart. It was always such an amazement to Justin that he was the cause of such a look on Brian. It made him feel powerful, as though there wasn't anything he couldn't accomplish. Brian was thinking something similar as he looked into Justin's face. The soft glow that shone from Justin's eyes, which Brian had noticed were always slightly damp from unshed tears whenever the young man had an orgasm, made Brian feel a warmth that had been heretofore completely foreign to the ad man. Justin brought out a protective side in Brian that he had never known he had.

What had started out for Brian as a chance to teach a naive novice the things he would need to know in order to write a believable gay novel of sex and passion, had now turned out to a lesson in affection that Brian had not counted on. He was nowhere near able to call it love...that was for the romantics of the world...but he was more than willing to admit that he had affection for Justin and cared about the writer. He knew that he loved the feeling that he got from Justin and had no desire to give it up, at least not for a while. Brian didn't like to think too far ahead when it came to personal issues. That was reserved for business dealings, but he knew that he wanted Justin in his life for a lot longer than the month that he had set aside for it originally. He was definitely going to have to do something about the situation, but what to do was an unknown answer. The couple kissed again while face to face.

"I would say that you have just forced me to need another shower, young man. I've worked up a sweat and didn't even manage to get out of my bed to do it. You are one talented fucker, Justin Taylor."

Justin grinned from ear to ear. "I'm learning from the best, Mr. Kinney."

Brian threw back the cover and slapped Justin playfully on his behind. He jumped up and sprinted for the bathroom. He needed to pee like there was no tomorrow....not that he minded the distraction from his morning duty. Justin pried his sticky legs apart and slid out of his side of the bed. In a matter of minutes he stood next to Brian at the commode and emptied his bladder too. The men had plenty of time on their hands. Molly's party wasn't until noon and all Justin needed to do was shop for a gift. Brian knew he didn't really have any plans for the day but he decided that his pretend business dealings were not for hours yet. The couple decided that a long leisurely soak in the jacuzzi bath was more in order for this morning than a shower. The tub was filled, the jets turned on, and the couple slipped in to the soothing waters. They laid back at opposite ends of the tub and let the water jets push against their skin. After feeling totally relaxed thanks to the water massaging, Brian sat back up and gave Justin a wink.

"Come here," he ordered with a flick of his finger.

Both men began scooting their behinds forward until they met in the middle, with Justin's legs draped over Brian's thighs. They were now almost chest to chest. Their cocks bobbed just below the surface and the tips touched every once in a while from the force of the swirling water. Brian gathered up his washcloth and added fragrant liquid soap to it. Justin followed suit. They were soon washing each other down. They got into a close hug in order to reach behind and draw the washrags along the other's back. In no time they had cleaned every part of one another, except for one. Brian pulled Justin closer and began kissing Justin, invading his mouth with the adventurous tongue that never failed to bring Justin's cock to life. Brian reached between them and could feel that he had succeeded again. He already knew that he had come to life himself. He let Justin go and then reached behind him to the stand at his head. There was a goose shaped gold stand with a bowl in the center standing there. It had a number of condoms nestled in it. Brian pulled out one and tore it open with his teeth.

"Put it on me," he ordered Justin, who hurried to do Brian's bidding.

Wordlessly, Brian grabbed onto both cheeks of Justin's rear and helped the young man to position himself in Brian's lap. Brian leaned back enough to give himself more room to accommodate Justin's body. Once Brian had things set up right, Justin could feel Brian's cockhead at his entrance. He used his hold on Brian's body as support as he mercilessly dropped himself down hard onto Brian's cock. Pain shot through him with the forceful entry and he let out a startled gasp and then lay against Brian's body, waiting for the inevitable transfer from pain to pleasure that he always got once his body recognized the invader. Brian waited patiently for Justin's signal that he was ready. It came with the passionate kiss that Justin gave back to Brian.

Justin began riding the slippery cock buried deep inside. Long minutes passed. There were pauses as the lovers stopped to gather air back into their lungs after the deep moans that bounced off the walls had depleted their supply. They began moving in rhythm again. This went on for several stops and starts. Each new start was more intense than the previous one. Eventually there could be no more stops. The pressure was too great. The water splashed against their skins and flipped out of the deep tub onto the floor. Long groans of unadulterated exaltation echoed back at them as the men exploded inside and against each other. Brian held tight to Justin, the sound of their racing hearts being almost loud enough to drown out the drone of the water jets. Eventually Brian knew it was safe to loosen his hold on Justin. He looked deep into the blond's face. There were the damp, clear blue eyes that shone back at him and made him feel those mysterious feelings again. He kissed Justin softly, letting his lips linger on that adored mouth longer than usual. Finally.....

"I don't know about you Justin, but I'm ravenous. Satisfying one hunger has brought on another. Shall we order room service so that we can relax a bit longer before starting our day?" Justin agreed.

The room service waiter brought the huge brunch order to the room of the two gentlemen who were waiting eagerly in their bare feet and soft fluffy robes for their meal. He grinned from ear to ear as the older gentlemen handed him a huge tip along with the signed receipt for the bill. He was straight, but he knew two men in love when he saw them. He loved seeing it cause there was nothing like a satisfied customer for getting decent tips. Mr. Kinney had certainly gotten more generous ever since the waiter had noticed the younger man hanging around. He thanked them and left the couple to their meal.

Brian and Justin enjoyed their food and some lively conversation for the next hour. Both men let a few more tidbits about their past lives slip out but nothing too shocking. They were definitely feeling more comfortable with each other, but not all barriers were down completely. The walls were loosened but not torn down as of yet. Much too soon it was time for Justin to go so that he could get something appropriate for Molly. The men dressed and promised to meet for dinner that evening. They both knew how the evening would end and looked forward to it. Brian reminded Justin to be strong if his father was at the party and that he would be here if he was needed. Justin kissed Brian with fervor and they parted. Brian smiled thinking about the coming evening.

*****************************************************

Justin was let out by the cab driver right in front of his mother's condo. He could already hear the sound of giggly laughter from the young party goers that drifted from the courtyard where the birthday party was being held. Molly was just entering her teens and he wasn't really sure he was getting her the right gift, but he was very glad he had agreed to come. He had given Molly a gift certificate for her last birthday but he wanted this one to be more personal. He had shopped carefully looking for the prettiest diary he could find. He had been keeping a diary for years himself and knew that she would probably have lots to write about now that she was almost in high school. He had written a beautiful poem to her on the inside binding.

Molly squealed with delight when she spotted Justin coming through the gate leading to the courtyard. She was still a bit gangly but every inch the pretty girl she would grow into some day. Jennifer smiled when she saw her son being hugged tightly by his sister. She walked over hurriedly and gave Justin the same greeting. Both girls were so happy to see the young man.

"Has Dad arrived yet?" Justin asked his mom when Molly skipped off to rejoin her friends.

"Not yet, Dear, but he called. He should be here soon. I'm glad you came and so is Molly. We haven't really talked much lately. You seem to be very busy as of late. I can never catch you at home anymore." That last part was more a question than a statement. "So how are things going for you."

Despite himself, Justin blushed. He hurried to cover it up. "Fine, Mom...just fine. I...ahhh...have been working on that story I told you about. You know I don't want to be a copywriter my whole life."

"I know dear. So, when do I get to see a bit of your work? I've always said you had a wonderful imagination. I wouldn't be surprised if you became a best selling author someday. You know I would be extremely proud of you too."

"I know. Too bad it probably wouldn't affect Dad that way."

"Justin, I've told you before. You have to live your life for yourself, not to please your Dad. Besides, I don't think anything any of us could do would be enough for him. It took me a while, but I finally figured that out for myself. I want you to be who you are for yourself. Do you understand me?"

For some reason, Justin felt for the first time in his life that his Mom was trying to say something to him that was different than the mere words. It was as if she was trying to draw something out of him. Was the fact that he had fallen in love with someone making him look or seem different to his Mom? For one second, Justin felt an overwhelming urge to confess all to his mother. Before he could utter a word his father's loud voice could be heard behind him as he called to his daughter.

"Molly, come give your Dad a big hug," bellowed Craig Taylor, drawing all attention to himself.

Molly loved her father since he had never picked on her like he did her mother and brother. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. Craig walked over to his ex-wife and son with his arm draped around his daughter.

"Jenn...Justin, good to see you. How is life treating you lately?"

"Everything is just fine Craig," answered Jennifer. "I know Molly is glad you could come to her party. Our little girl is growing up fast."

"I know," answered Craig. "She makes me more proud every year."

Craig deliberately aimed his words at Justin as he spoke, but the young man didn't feel quite as intimidated as he always had in the past. He knew he had someone waiting for him that had nothing but respect and admiration for him and that went a long way in taking the sting out of his father's words.

"I'm doing fine too Dad," he responded. As a matter of fact, life couldn't be better for me right now."

More than anything Justin wanted to tell his Dad exactly why his life felt so good right now, but he thought better of it. This wasn't the time and place for such an announcement. Actually, he had never even considered coming out to his father before but now he was beginning to wonder why he shouldn't. After years of bullying and denigrating that he had suffered under his father's rule, he was just beginning to feel like his own man. He knew that telling his dad the whole truth would probably be the final coffin in their relationship, but he was beginning to think that it wouldn't be such a big loss. Of course it would mean his Mom would find out too and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her love. He closed his mouth.

"Good to know," Craig reacted casually. "At least you must be earning a living wage since you never come to me with your hand out. I have to give you that." He walked past Jennifer and Justin, carrying Molly along with him. "So let's see what kind of cake your mom got you Sweetheart."

Jennifer looked at Justin with sadness clouding her vision, but she was surprised to see that the hurt she normally saw in Justin's eyes after a dismissive remark from Craig wasn't quite as sharp as it had always been in the past. She had sensed that there was something different about Justin just from the phone conversations they had been having lately, although they had been fewer. Now she could plainly see that there was something very much different about her son. She wasn't sure what it was but she liked it. She hoped he would open up to her. She had some suspicions about her son that she had never voiced, but nothing would make her say a thing until he trusted her enough to tell her whatever he wanted to. Maybe this new-found strength she saw in Justin would bring him out of his shell and open the door for a really good Mother-Son talk.

The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly and quickly. Molly was thrilled with all her gifts and everyone hit the pool. A little coaxing, and the fact that Jenn always kept spare swim trunks for just such an occasion, helped Justin to decide to join in for some water fun. He had always loved swimming at his old house and missed it now that he had little access to a pool. Craig had left early, pleading a business appointment, but no one really missed him. Molly thanked Justin profusely for her diary and the fancy pen with gold ink that he had purchased to go with it. The party broke up when it was close to dinner time. Jennifer asked Justin to stay for dinner but he begged off. This was also unusual since he had always loved her cooking and enjoyed the free meal that his Mom provided during past visits. She didn't try to cajole him to stay because she could tell that there was some very special reason he wanted to get going. The way his eyes lit up as he was about to say good bye told the tale. Justin settled into the seat of the cab and gave the man the name of Brian's hotel. He hummed to himself as the cab pulled away and he waved good bye to his favorite ladies.

************************************************************

The day had gone a lot slower and with a lot less interest for Brian as he pulled out his calling list and made call after call to clients and a few personal ones in his boredom. He was anxious to see his young lover again. He felt it was time they try a different club for the evening to give Justin a chance to interview a few new men for the sake of his story. Besides, Brian liked nothing better than feeling Justin in his arms as they danced. The blond could dance better than many professionals. He had natural rhythm. Brian smiled when he thought of how good Justin's rhythm was no matter how he was moving his body or what activity he was involved in.

It was later in the day when Brian got the call. He recognized Ted's voice instantly. Ted was Brian's number one assistant at the office and usually, with the help of personal assistant Cynthia, could handle any business problems that cropped up. Brian had not felt any worry leaving his smaller business deals in Ted's hands. Smithers Publishing House was their biggest client to date so it was logical for Brian to spend so much time on their campaign. No one questioned why he insisted on staying hands on with the new client even after almost all the necessary leg work was completed. Ted's voice, however, gave Brian the sense that this was an emergency call. It didn't take but a second for Ted's words to confirm his suspicions.

"Brian, you've got to get back here quick. If you don't, we're going to be in deep shit trouble."

"What's going on, Ted?"

"You remember how I warned you that Talbot Advertising was trolling for our clients and trying to steal them out from under us. Well they've got a new hotshot ad man with a ton of modern ideas that they've been pitching behind your back to several of our biggest accounts. I've got three different clients that are getting antsy because they haven't seen you for some time now and they're feeling neglected. They told me flat out that they don't think you care about their business anymore. All three of them want a face to face with you before they make any changes. All three are home based here or in Philly and they don't want to come to New York. They want you to come to them. If you don't, we could easily lose them. We're talking millions of dollars in annual revenue."

"Fuck! Let me guess, you're talking Central Airlines, Jake's Trucking Company, and Talbot's Photo Studios?"

"How'd you know?"

"Because every single one of them jumped ship to me when I opened my own business and they've always loved being coddled. Shit, Mrs. Talbot flirts with me openly right in front of her husband during meetings and I've banged Jake, Jr. twice in the office bathroom in the two years we've had their business. They're probably pissed that I haven't been around to give them personal service during the last meetings." Brian could hear Ted choking on a laugh. "Look, just get in touch with all three and tell them I'll take the first flight out of New York this evening. Set up meetings for the next day or two. We'll get it straightened out."

"Will do boss."

The men said good bye and Brian quickly called his travel agent and asked her to get his airplane ticket set up. Brian tried to call Justin but got no answer. He was bitterly disappointed, but made a mental note to call again as soon as possible. He quickly packed his bags and checked out via TV screen. He scribbled a quick note for Justin and left it at the front desk. He hated leaving the young man without warning, but he was sure Justin would understand. Almost an hour before Justin arrived at the hotel, Brian was boarding his flight back to Pittsburgh. Unfortunately he was unaware that his business problem was going to be the least of his worries once he returned back home.

To be continued..............................

Justin knocked again at Brian's hotel room door. There was still no answer. He pulled out his cell. That was the first time he realized that his stress over seeing his father at Molly's birthday had made him careless. He had forgotten to charge up his battery and the cell phone was dead. He quickly checked to see if there was any voice mails. Screwed again...he had not cleared out his voice mail box and it was already full. The last call was one from Dan reminding him of an upcoming deadline. He had been so wrapped up in his new relationship with Brian that he had gotten lax in more than one thing that he was usually very conscientious about. He was cursing his carelessness when he heard a voice behind him. He whirled around expectantly, hoping to see Brian, and came face to face with the young man who had been servicing their room most frequently.

"Sir," the employee started, "I believe Mr. Kinney has checked out of the hotel already. He had placed an order for champagne and then called to cancel just a couple of hours ago because he was leaving."

The look on the younger man's face made the hotel employee feel a twinge of sadness for the blond. It was obvious that the older man hadn't given his 'friend' any warning that he was leaving. Justin thanked the young man and turned to leave. He heard the employee call to him again.

"Sir, you might try the front desk. Mr. Kinney might have left you a message or something."

Justin's face brightened slightly. Of course...Brian must have left him a message to say what had happened. He had probably tried to call too. Justin hurried to the elevator. He had to find out if Brian had left word for him. The moment he got off the elevator he hurried over to the front desk. He balanced from one foot to the other in frustration as both of the hotel's clerks were busy checking in new guests. His thoughts kept tumbling over each other in a vain effort to make sense of Brian's sudden disappearance. Justin played back the last time he saw Brian in his hotel room and tried to remember every word they had said to each other. All he could think of was the warmth and comfort he felt as they made love, not once but twice before even sitting down to breakfast. He replayed their conversation during their meal as if it was on a recording. The conversation had certainly been pleasant enough. The image of Brian's final words of encouragement and that passionate kiss good bye at the door to the room was in stark contrast to the emptiness of his knocks on that same door when he returned. It just didn't make sense. Brian had to have left some kind of message. Finally, one of the clerks finished up with the guest and turned towards Justin.

"May I help you Sir?" he asked politely.

"Yes, I'd like to check and see if one of your guests left me a message. I was told he checked out not too long ago. His name is Brian Kinney and he was in Room 606."

"Ahh yes, Mr. Kinney? I'll have to check, Sir. I just came on duty a half hour ago. I wasn't here when Mr. Kinney left."

The young man checked his computer and then turned to the room slots behind him. He checked inside the one for Room 606 and found nothing. He had no way of knowing that the novice clerk that had accepted Brian's note earlier had carelessly slipped the note into the slot for Room 909. He turned back to Justin shaking his head.

"Are you sure there is no message?" Justin asked desperately.

"I'm sorry, Sir. We do show that Mr. Kinney checked out several hours ago but I can't find any evidence of a note being left."

Justin thanked the clerk half-heartedly and turned away defeated. Obviously whatever had made Brian leave so suddenly was too important to waste time leaving him an explanation, Justin thought to himself. It was too late to call Dan and see if he knew anything. He would wait till morning. As Justin hailed a cab and gave his home address, he tried to decide if he should call Brian's cell once he got home. Shortly after he went up to his cold empty apartment, he sat down next to the phone. He could call, but he had no way of knowing what Brian was doing or even where he was. For that matter, he had no way of knowing if Brian was alone. He argued with himself for a bit more and finally made his decision. Brian knew exactly where he could find him and also knew his schedule just as well as Justin knew it himself. If Brian really wanted to speak with him, he would make the call. Justin just had to be patient.

Justin wasn't hungry any longer. He grabbed a bottle of Dr. Pepper from the fridge and went to his room. He removed his clothing and slipped into his tub. He had thought a hot soak would ease some of the tension that had built in him the moment he realized Brian was gone. Instead, Justin lay in his old tub with his eyes closed in the darkened room and let the images of the love he had made with Brian that very morning in the hotel jacuzzi play like a sensual romantic film across his mind. His body began to quiver imperceptibly as he recalled the feeling of laying in Brian's lap and experiencing the feeling of his lover filling him up inside. He never even knew that the moisture on his face was not from tub water, but from silent tears that slowly made a path down his cheeks. He had allowed himself to fall in love with Brian and now he wondered if it hadn't been the biggest mistake of his life.

***************************************************************

Brian waited for the plane to taxi down the runway. He knew that Ted would be waiting to pick him up. He thought briefly of calling Justin as soon as he de-planed but decided it would be best to wait until the young man called him. His note had been as specific as he could make it.

'Justin, I've got a serious problem back home at Kinnetik that I have to take care of. I'm really sorry about this. I was looking forward to a great dinner with you and a very special 'dessert' afterwards. I also wanted to take you out again and show you a bit more of my world. I tried to call you but couldn't get through. Damn, Justin, what's the use of a cell phone if you don't have it on or able to take messages. I really wanted to say good bye. Well hell, I'll just wait till you call me. I promise I'll get back as soon as I can. In the meantime, call me anytime. I'll be waiting to hear from you. I'll miss you. Brian'

At least Justin would know that he hadn't left willingly. Hopefully he would call soon. In the meantime, Brian girded himself for the upcoming turmoil at work. The minute he spotted Ted waiting for him, he hurried over and the two men made a beeline for baggage claim. It was late in the evening by the time they reached the offices of Kinnetik, Inc. Ted pulled out the information he had gathered on their three troublesome clients and an in depth report he had compiled on Larry Hicks, the young hot shot from Brian's rival, Talbot Advertising. Brian gave his second in command his usual pat on the back...the man was a business marvel...and set about reading up on all he needed to know.

Hours flew by as Brian absorbed all the info he needed to pull his clients back into the fold. He had to admit that young Hicks had some good ideas, based on his pitches to other clients that had been accepted by them. Brian, of course, had no clue as to what he was offering Brian's clients but he suspected it wasn't rubbish. By the time Brian realized he'd need to get some rest, he also knew that this challenge wasn't going to be easy. Ted, as always, was right on the money. Young Hicks was going to be a worthy opponent and Brian could feel his creative juices flowing. In all the excitement Brian had not had a moment to think about Justin. Now that he was winding down and exhaustion was setting in, his mind wandered back to New York City and the beautiful blond he had left there. He longed to have another hot bath with Justin resting his warm inviting body against him. He knew that being with Justin would wash away all the tension and worry. But wishing for something didn't do any good.

Brian woke Ted up from his nap on the chaise lounge and let him know he was ready to head for home. Meetings had already been arranged for lunch time and late afternoon the next day with their two local clients and Brian already had a ticket for his hour and fifteen minute flight to Philly the morning after that to meet with Central Air's bigwigs. The next couple of days were going to be a hell on earth, but Brian was prepared for the challenge. He dragged his tired bones into his loft apartment once Ted left him off and flopped onto his big comfortable bed. Brian checked his alarm clock. It was three a.m., too late to be bothering Justin. The poor guy was probably long into slumberland. As Brian set his alarm for nine so that he could have time enough to relax before his first meeting the next day, he thought of how good it would feel to snuggle up to Justin's warm body right then. He pulled his clothes off and just let them fall to the side of the bed. As his head hit the pillow, his last thought was of a sunshiny smile on a gorgeous blond face but then his mind went blank as sleep engulfed him.

********************************************************************

Justin lay in his lonely bed and watched the minutes changing on his digital clock. He had been waiting for hours in the vain hope that his home phone would ring. His cell phone was now charged up too and he would have been just as happy to hear the Heather Small song, 'Proud', that always played announcing a call coming in. Neither event happened as the late night hours dragged on. Around three in the morning, Justin's body gave out and he slipped into a restless sleep. His dreams were haunted by the image of a tall handsome brunet with hazel eyes who kept fading in and out of his mind like an ethereal ghost. He kept reaching out for the image but it would disappear in a puff of smoke each time he almost had a grasp on the man. Justin was too deep in sleep to hear himself moaning his displeasure at the loss each time.

Morning finally arrived. Justin had slept much longer than he had planned to. A look at his clock told him it was already past noon. He never slept so late normally. Justin woke feeling more tired than when he had fallen asleep. His heart hurt when he realized that neither of his phones had ever rung. A quick check of his message box on the cell revealed that there were no messages for him either. Nothing....Brian hadn't tried to contact him at all. The man had simply left without a backwards glance, telling Justin that he was of no importance at all. Then it dawned on Justin that maybe Dan knew something. He rapidly dialed Dan's office. Dan's secretary put him through right away.

"Hey Justin, you just caught me having lunch in the office. So what's up?"

"I ahhh...I was just wondering if you've heard from Brian Kinney lately. We...ahhhh, had an appointment and he never showed up." Justin knew that Dan wasn't fully aware of his growing relationship with Brian so he tried to sound as businesslike and casual as he could.

"Well, actually I did get a call from him yesterday. He said he had to take care of some business matters at home and would have to cut short his time here in New York. He said he already had all the appointments set up for the next month for the media blitz. He didn't mention any appointment with you. I'm sorry kid. He probably just forgot. You know how these businessmen can be. Was it super important? I'm sure I can call his office for you and see if he wants to reschedule, although I don't know when he is planning on coming back here."

Justin felt that stab of pain in his chest again. He took a moment to compose himself and then answered casually, "No. No, that won't be necessary. It wasn't that important. It was just strategy talk for my next assignment. I know what is expected of me already. Look, I've got to go Dan. I'm sorry I bothered you...really. I'm supposed to do another online blogging session day after tomorrow and I'll make sure I don't miss it." Justin was about to hang up when he heard Dan's voice. "I'm sorry, what did you say Dan?"

"I asked how things are going with your novel. Brian tells me you've been making a lot of progress on it lately. He said you let him see some of the newest stuff and he told me he was quite impressed."

For some reason that last part hurt Justin even more deeply, if that was possible. Brian liked the work much better than the writer obviously.

"It's coming along Dan. Sometimes I don't think I'll ever finish it, but I keep plugging away. I promise I'll let you know if I ever have enough worth showing you. Oh, I also have to finish that short story I promised my editor for the magazine. Looks like I'll have more time now to get it done since I don't have to worry about meeting with Brian. Gotta go Dan. Talk to you later."

Justin hung up, leaving a confused Dan on the other end wondering why his favorite writer sounded so funny. Dan shook his head, deciding it was just his imagination. Justin stared at the phone in his hand. At the moment he hated the damned thing. It refused to ring with a call from Brian...just more proof that the man had better things to do than call a guy he'd been fucking for the last few weeks or so. He probably had a few regular fucks in his hometown and might even be fucking one of them right now for all he knew. The image caused another stab of pain.

My own fault, Justin thought to himself. Brian never said he loved me. The man never even talked about love or romance. He had probably been laughing at the romantic notions that his naive lover was thinking about. Justin began to think that the whole affair with him and Brian was nothing but a fantasy he had conjured up in his own fevered brain. All the long talks with Brian that had been so intimate and revealing faded from memory and all he could see was a horny man who had found a willing partner while he was away from home. He had never made me any promises, Justin reminded himself. "All my fault", he said out loud. "I've been a complete idiot."

Justin looked at the phone again and for a split second he thought about calling Brian's cell. His hand reached out, but it hung over the phone like a tentative virgin. Don't be an even bigger fool, his mind shouted at him. Brian Kinney would not appreciate your clinging on to him like some love sick puppy. Justin pulled his hand back. He got up slowly and walked into the kitchen. He pulled out the milk and reached for a box of cereal. He needed sustenance. He hadn't eaten since Molly's party. He had work to do and he couldn't think on an empty stomach. He forced himself to finish up the bowl of cereal, took his bowl and spoon to the sink, and moved on to the little office alcove where his computer waited. Justin turned on the computer and moved his mouse to his files. He settled on his ongoing novel and started to click. His hand stopped. He was in no mood to work on a love story. He moved the mouse over to his short story for the magazine. Sex, nothing but pure sex in that story. No feelings...no emotions...no heartbreak...just sucking and fucking. That was all he was good for now.

Justin clicked on the short story and began writing. His vision blurred as tears formed at the corners of his eyes. He kept typing. He had a deadline and that was all he had anymore.

To be continued.......................................

The day after Brian left New York City moved at a very different pace for the separated lovers, Brian and Justin. Brian was running on all cylinders the entire day. He had awakened to the sound of his alarm blaring near his ear and he had to shake off the wild dream he had been having in order to orient himself to where he was and why the damned alarm had been going off. In his dream he had been making passionate love to Justin in the luxurious bed of his hotel suite. He had gotten accustomed to the sound of the hotel phone buzzing with his wake up call. It had been over a month since his own brash alarm had been the source of disturbed sleep. He much preferred waking up next to Justin and the sound of the phone call, but now that he was awake he had to hit the ground running. A quick energy drink to start the day and Brian was on his way.

For the next few hours Brian worked at a fever pitch developing more new ideas he had thrashed out in his brain the night before concerning Talbot's Photo Studios. He had a luncheon date with Mr. and Mrs. Talbot and he needed to impress them. Brian ordered Ted to check out Kinnetik's other clients to see which ones were coming close to the end of their contracts like the three that had threatened to bail on them, but of course Ted had already compiled the list. Luckily there were only a few other companies that fit the category. Brian was determined to get to them before young Hicks of Talbot Advertising could swoop in and charm them. Brian had a full plate for the day with no time to rest. Still he thought often of a certain blond writer back in New York City during the early morning, which surprised him more than he cared to admit. For Brian, work had always come first in his life. He had never let a man he'd slept with encroach on his work thoughts. He thought about calling Justin several times but each time the thought crossed his mind one of his employees would show up in his office door with something important to pass on. Before Brian realized it Ted was warning him that he needed to get to the restaurant where he was to meet the Talbots.

Brian had chosen wisely when making his reservations. Mrs. Talbot liked to think of herself as a gourmet which belied her small town roots where a McDonald's was usually the destination of most families on a night out for dinner. She had come to the big city to make her mark on the world and met Mr. Talbot, a recently widowed older man with a thriving business, while looking for a job as an assistant in his main photo shop. The fifty something Mr. Talbot was immediately attracted to the twenty something Miss Dixon and she was immediately attracted to him...or rather to his social and financial position. They had been married for nearly five years now and Mrs. Talbot had proven to be a shrewd businesswoman. It was she who had chosen Kinnetik, Inc. over their old ad firm a couple of years earlier but their two year contract was about to expire. Brian was determined to secure a new one. He wasn't above using his considerable charm to woo the randy Mrs. Talbot to his way of thinking.

Brian looked his best in his pinstripe suit with the pale blue shirt and his hair smoothed back from his forehead with one loose lock of hair mischievously falling over an arched brow. He had arrived first and received grand treatment since he often brought his favored clients to the upscale French restaurant. When the Talbot's arrived, Brian stood and gave a small bow over the wife's hand as he kissed it, mirroring the continental theme of the restaurant. He turned to the husband and shook his hand briskly. They seated themselves and ordered a grand French meal...all on Brian's tab, of course. Brian was careful to refrain from any business talk until everyone was fully sated. Once the last bite of the elegant mousse they had for dessert was eaten, Brian carefully began to lay out his plans for taking Talbot Photo Studio's into the next decade. He never brought up his rival until Mr. Talbot mentioned them. In the end Brian cracked a joke about one Talbot company leading another Talbot company which could have been risky but instead brought laughter to the table. By the time the meal and conversation was over Brian had a hand shake deal with the husband and wife that assured him of another two year contract. A lingering good bye kiss on the cheek from Mrs. Talbot and Brian collapsed in his chair as the couple left the restaurant.

Brian checked his watch. He still had a couple more hours before his next meeting with Jake's Trucking Company. Thinking of Jake, Jr. and how he had always ended his meetings with them in the past...namely in the bathroom with Jr.'s pants around his ankles and Brian's sheathed cock up the young man's ass...immediately brought images of Justin back into Brian's thoughts. He pulled out his cell and quickly dialed Justin's home number. The phone rang but no one answered. Brian tried the cell number. It rang several times and then went to voice mail.

"Justin, I haven't heard from you so I thought I'd check to see if everything is okay. Call me when you get this message. You know my cell number. Later."

Brian was a little irritated that Justin hadn't called him first since he had told him in the note he'd left behind that he could call anytime, but he was sure the young man would call now when it was obvious, at least to himself, that he was missing Justin's voice. Having taken care of that, Brian quickly paid the bill with his corporate card and headed back to Kinnetik, Inc. He needed to work more on his ideas for the Trucking Company before the two Jakes showed up. Brian wanted to present a kick ass campaign that would be so good Jake Jr. wouldn't balk if Brian didn't indulge in a little trip to the men's room this time...not that Brian felt any compunction about rewarding the good looking kid for a fat contract, but Brian wasn't in the mood for a casual fuck right now. He told himself it was because he was far too busy, refusing to admit that missing Justin had a thing to do with his feelings. He proved how bad he wanted the Trucking Company's business by diving in again with his support staff to fine tune ideas for their meeting. Thoughts of Justin took a back seat again for the time being.

******************************************************************

Justin had gotten a late start on his day, but after talking to Dan and learning no more about Brian's sudden trip out of town or why the man hadn't left him some kind of message, Justin had tried to lose himself in his work. It hadn't lasted long. Within a half hour he gave up. He decided to take a long walk in the cool fresh air outside. Winter was right around the corner but, as often happened, the weather had warmed slightly with the last gasp of Autumn. He pocketed his cell phone and wallet and headed outdoors. Justin still hoped to hear from Brian. Justin decided to take the Subway to a park that wasn't that far from home. It had a little lake and plenty of places to just sit and think. The idea of losing himself in the vast city appealed to Justin. He liked the idea of the anonymity and no one expecting anything from him.

When he came up from the Subway, he made straight for the park. He was soon strolling along the path that skirted the small lake. The air was crisp and clean and it helped Justin to relax a tiny bit. He hadn't realized just how tense he had been until now. There were several groups of people throughout the park, some strolling, some stretched out on the grass, some playing games like tag or touch football. The air was filled with the familiar sounds of people enjoying the life of New York City on a clear day. It made Justin feel even more alone. He tried to shake off the feeling as he continued strolling, sometimes glancing at the ducks that swam at the water's edge which was so close by.

Justin took a seat on a bench for a while and continued to be deep in thought over the last month or so of his life. After a bit, Justin began to imagine how much easier life would be for him if he only had someone he could trust to confide in when he was feeling so down. It hadn't been necessary when there were no ups and downs in his life, but since meeting Brian life had been a roller coaster ride with incredible highs Justin would have loved to share with someone else. Now he knew what the lows felt like and yet he still had no one to unload on. He immediately began to think about his mother. The more he thought about her and the comfort she had always given him when his father had been at his worst growing up, the more he longed to talk to her.

The thought crossed Justin's mind that Brian might have found his reluctance to be open about his sexual orientation to his family an unattractive trait. Justin knew that Brian was openly gay and proud of it in his own hometown. He didn't like talking about his family but Justin was fairly certain that Brian had come out to his family long ago. He had no doubt they hadn't taken the news very well based on Brian's attitude whenever his parents and sister came up in conversation, which wasn't often, but Justin doubted Brian kept his life a secret from them. Brian had too much strength of character for that. He probably thought less of his young lover for being so timid. The more Justin thought about his need to open up to someone and his desire to make Brian proud of him, the more he felt that his mother was the one to go to.

With the decision finally made, Justin rose back up and started to walk again. He would hail a cab and visit his Mom, he decided. He pulled out his cell in order to give her a heads up that he was coming over and that he had something very important to tell her. He was about to punch in her number when the cell began to ring. He didn't even get the chance to see who was calling. Off to the side, distant noises were suddenly much closer and louder. He didn't even have a second to register the 'Look out' that someone had shouted at him before a football smacked Justin right in his side. The ball bounced forward and knocked the cell out of Justin's hand. He had just enough time to see the silver gray instrument splash on the surface of the nearby water, scattering surprised ducks in every direction. Instantly the phone disappeared from view as it sank to the bottom.

Justin was soon surrounded by a group of young men, all apologizing for the accidental over toss of their ball. When Justin assured them that he wasn't injured but indicated that he had lost the grip on his cell, several men volunteered to wade into the water in an attempt to retrieve the missing phone. It took a bit of time but one man finally raised his hand in triumph with the soaked cell clutched tightly in his grasp. Justin quickly checked to see if the phone was damaged and found it totally malfunctioning. One of the young men, a nattily dressed and very cute twenty something, pulled out his wallet and handed over a couple of hundred dollar bills. He apologized again profusely for their mistake and Justin thanked him for his thoughtfulness, telling the young man not to worry about it. The group walked off slapping each other on the back and joking about the arm on their friend who had tossed the ball so hard in the first place.

As the voices of the young men faded away, Justin wondered if the call he had just missed was from Brian. He quickly left the park and looked for a public phone. It wasn't easy to find one in the cell phone world of today, but he finally located a stand. He didn't have Brian's number memorized since it was on speed dial in his now ruined phone, so he decided to call Dan's office to get the number. He had no way of knowing that Dan's office had placed a call no more than five minutes after Brian had left his message on the cell when Justin hadn't picked up on his after lunch call. The phone was still in the water when that call was placed. The minute Dan's secretary answered she informed the young man that she had just tried to call to let Justin know that there had been a cancellation for an interview he had been scheduled for due to illness on the interviewers part. Justin had nothing else scheduled till the following week.

Justin's heart sank. It was obvious the call had been from Dan's office and Brian still hadn't tried to call. Justin squared his shoulders and decided to go through with his newly formed plans. He was hurting too much and he needed to talk it over with his mother. It was now or never, he decided. He hailed a cab and gave his mom's address. By the time Justin arrived at his mothers place, he was shaking inside. If his mom turned her back on him, he wasn't sure he would be able to handle it and he didn't know who he'd turn to next....certainly not Brian since he was beginning to believe the man was through with him.

Jennifer had taken a job after leaving Craig, so she wasn't home when Justin first arrived. She was totally surprised to find her son sitting on her doorstep. Even more surprising was the way he looked. He had seemed so strong and happy just the day before when he had come for Molly's birthday party. Now he looked like someone who had been punched in the stomach. The two greeted each other enthusiastically and Jennifer led her son into the house. Molly was still out with some friends for an after school event and the house was totally quiet. Jennifer offered Justin a drink and he accepted the cold Dr. Pepper that she handed him. Justin took a seat on the couch and waited for his mother to settle into the easy chair. They sat in silence for a few minutes. Jenn watched Justin gulp down several swigs of soda before coming right to the point.

"Son, I know you didn't come all the way over here just to enjoy a cold drink, and I know you well enough to know that something is eating at you. Did you have a fall out with your father after the party, or is there something else you need to tell me? You know there isn't anything you can't say to me, don't you?"

Justin hesitated for only a few seconds and then slowly sat his drink down on the coffee table and straightened up. He looked his mother dead in the eye and started his story. As Justin let the words pour out of him...slowly at first, but soon gaining in confidence...he watched his mother carefully for any signs of revulsion or disgust. Her face showed no hint of anything remotely like that and it gave him the courage to continue on with his story. He told her how he had known for some time that he was gay, but had done nothing about it. He told her that he worked for a gay oriented publishing house and did more than proofreading stories...rather that he wrote many stories himself under pseudonyms. He told her how he wanted to write a full scale main stream novel about gay love but had experienced trouble with it until lately. Finally he reached the point where he admitted that someone had entered his life who gave him the inspiration to really work hard on his novel.

From the moment Justin mentioned the name of Brian Kinney, Jennifer could see the difference it made in her son. His face brightened considerably just revealing the name and the more Justin talked of this Brian the more his face lit up. It warmed her heart to know that Justin had found someone who mattered to him so much, but just as she was feeling relieved that Justin was no longer alone she heard him telling of how Brian had left town without a word just the night before. Justin's face had fallen and she could see how upset he became at what had happened. Without thinking she moved over to the couch and put her arms around her son's shoulders. Justin allowed himself to feel the warmth coming from his mother's love. It comforted him. When he raised his head, Jennifer could see that small tears had formed in the corner of his eyes.

"Justin, I can see how upset you are. Son, do you know for sure that this Brian actually left you because he didn't care about you anymore? Have you heard that from his own mouth?"

It suddenly dawned on Justin that his mother hadn't said a word about his being gay. "Mom, I just told you I'm gay and you didn't bat an eyelash. What gives?"

"Justin, I've suspected it for a long time but it was your right to tell me when you were ready. I'm just glad you finally trusted me enough to say something. Are you planning to tell your father too?"

"I don't know. I don't see why I should bother. He doesn't give a damn about me, straight or gay. What do you think?"

"I think you should do what feels right to you. I'll back you up with whatever you decide. The same goes for your feelings about this man. But Darling, if you really believe in him and what you feel you have with him you should never leave any questions unanswered. You tell me he is from Pittsburgh, so may I suggest that you take a little time off from work and fly over there so that you can ask him face to face why he left you without a word? The worse that can happen is you'll know the truth. Not knowing has got to be more painful."

Justin had never even considered following Brian to his home town. The thought of confronting the man and being rejected was scary as hell. Justin reflected on how he had spent his entire adult life being afraid of the whole world. He had all but locked himself away from life in the vain hope that nothing could ever touch or harm him. But then Brian had come into his life and it was as if he had been asleep all these years. Brian had given him the courage to step out of the little square he had boxed himself into and he never wanted to be that timid little mouse again. Even if Brian told him he wanted nothing more to do with him, Justin wanted to at least have the chance to thank Brian for giving him the courage to start living. He owed Brian that. Jennifer could see the wheels turning in her son's head.

"Justin, if you can't afford the plane tickets I'll be more than happy to pay for them. I can afford it easily. I've had a good year with the realty company. I just want you to be happy, Son. That is all I've ever wanted for you."

Justin got up and hugged his mother tightly again. "No Mom, that won't be necessary. I've been very frugal all this time and I can take care of the expense myself. Actually I can't think of a better way to spend my money. You're absolutely right. I need to know how Brian really feels and I'll never know for certain sitting by the phone. I'm calling my boss right now and tell him that I need some time off. He's a really good man and I think he'll have no problem with it."

Justin walked over to where his mom's phone sat on its stand. As he dialed Dan's number he spoke to his mother.

"I want you to meet Dan, my boss, very soon Mom. He's an amazing man and has been more than good to me for a long time now. I think you'll really like h.... Hello, I'm sorry, Marie. Is Dan still in," he asked Dan's secretary.

Justin said nothing for a few moments and then, "Hey Dan. I'm calling to ask a huge favor. You know I've never asked you for any time off before but something has come up and I really need to leave town for a short while. I have a week before my next interview and I know I haven't finished my latest story but I promise I'll get it done tonight before I leave." Silence for a moment. "Yes it really is that important." Silence again and then, "Thanks Dan. Seriously, I owe you big time for this. I promise to work twice as hard when I get back." Silence. "I know, and I appreciate it. Yes, I'll take care. I'll call as soon as I get back."

With that, Justin hung up. He felt himself coming alive again and smiled for the first time since coming back to Brian's hotel and an empty room. A part of him was scared shitless but another part of him was shaking with anticipation at the prospect of seeing Brian again. Justin stayed for a short while longer and talked...really talked with his mother. They then parted ways and Justin hurried home. He had a story to finish, plans to make, and a morning flight to catch.

To be continued......................

Brian sat back in his seat on the airplane and did his damnedest to concentrate on the task at hand. He knew he needed to go over his pitch to Central Airways execs. The account was one of Kinnetik's most profitable and the three year contract that was up for renewal was one he had no desire to lose. The airline was a charter service and often carried some big name clients. Brian loved doing business with them. The problem was that he still hadn't heard a word from Justin and it was beginning to piss him off. He never thought of himself as a brooding man, but he was definitely brooding over Justin's lack of communication. Brian knew the kid had to be alright or he would have heard something from Dan for certain. The thought entered Brian's head that maybe he had misinterpreted Justin's feelings for him, although it didn't make sense...not after some of the things they had said to each other. Brian knew that great sex didn't prove anything, but he had certainly felt there was a bit more than sex between them. It had come as a surprise to Brian, but there it was...he had felt something special with the writer. Had he fooled himself into thinking it was mutual?

All these thoughts raced through Brian's head as the plane he was taking to Philly taxied down the runway. In a matter of minutes the plane was airborne. Brian had no way of knowing that the object of his frustration was flying those same blue skies at the exact same time. Justin landed in Pittsburgh just minutes before Brian touched down in Philly. Justin had spent the entire time in the air asking himself how he should handle his confrontation with Brian. He debated as to whether he should give the man a heads up and call before just showing up on his doorstep. He rejected the idea. He had thought he knew Brian really well, even in the short time they had been together, but now he wasn't so certain. He decided that there was always the chance that Brian would avoid him if he gave him a warning he was coming. He couldn't take the chance. He simply HAD to know what had happened between them. He had left Brian's hotel room just two days ago convinced that they had some kind of a future together and now he had no idea where he stood. He had to know, one way or the other, whether he had been a fool in love alone. 

He had no intention of ever locking himself away from the world again. If nothing else he owed Brian for giving him that. The man had literally awakened him from a deep sleep and given him a purpose in life. He had every intention of using his talents to achieve something in this world and he was not going to do it alone. Being alone all the time sucked. He wanted desperately for it to be Brian that he shared his life and accomplishments with, but if that was not to be then he would keep himself open to a future with someone else. Justin knew in his heart that the abusive cruelty of his father growing up had been the catalyst to keeping his spirit locked up tight, but that spirit was freed by Brian and Justin would never let it be locked away again....not even by Brian himself. 

Justin gathered the small carry on bag he brought with him and moved off quickly in search of a taxi stand. He had never gotten around to getting Brian's home address but he knew the address for his business office. Justin decided it was time to see Kinnetik, Inc. for himself. He didn't even want to waste time checking into a hotel room. He gave the driver the address for Kinnetik and kept his fingers crossed that Brian would already be at work. All the way over from the airport to the office Justin rehearsed what he would say to Brian when he saw him. He wasn't sure if he would have the strength to get any of it out, but he was damned sure that he wasn't going to let the man off the hook for deserting him without even the courtesy of a 'fuck you and good bye'. His frustration with Brian built slowly until he was totally on edge by the time the cab pulled up in front of Brian's building.

Justin got out and watched his hand shake slightly as he handed over the fare and tip to the driver. He was more nervous than he cared to admit. He waited until the driver pulled away. Justin stepped back and surveyed the building. It was a nondescript one-storey structure all in a grayish toned brick, except for one side of the building that had thick opaque glass bricks from roof to ground that seemed about twenty feet in length and wrapped around to the side of the building. There were no windows which made the glass brick design even more interesting. It was obvious that the owner didn't want people looking in or those inside looking out. Justin was unaware that the office had been built as a bath house, thus the desire for privacy. If he had he would have admired the irony of Brian choosing such a place for his business. 

Justin finally decided he had stalled long enough. He squared his shoulders and marched himself over to the glass door that led into a foyer. He stepped inside. Justin could immediately hear the hustle and bustle of dozens of busy folks going about their busy day. He stepped forward so that a large plant near the front door no longer blocked his view. He could see lots of open cubicles that each had one or two people working away inside them. Heads were bent over computers and large tables with what looked like big placards set up on them. Some people were on phones chattering away animatedly. There were a couple of rooms that had closed doors to them off to one side but for the most part it looked like Brian's company liked the open door policy. Justin finally spotted a large circular desk not far from the closed offices and recognized it as the reception desk. 

Justin made his way over to the front of the desk. A lovely young lady with bright blue eyes and curly blonde hair looked up as he cleared his throat to get her attention. She had been wrapped up in a conversation on the phone with someone named Dexter. By the huge grin on her face and the giggly way she was talking to him, Justin got the impression that it wasn't about business. Brian certainly had a relaxed atmosphere in his company. Somehow Justin liked that idea. The young lady looked up and smiled at the cute stranger. She quickly asked Dex to hold on and covered the mouthpiece of her phone.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

"Yes, I'm here to see Mr. Kinney...Brian Kinney," Justin answered, trying to keep his voice from quivering in his nervousness.

"I'm sorry, do you have an appointment, Mr.......?"

"It's Taylor...Justin Taylor, and no I don't have an appointment but I'm sure Mr. Kinney will see me," Justin responded. He hurried on, "I'm a client of Mr. Kinney's from New York City. I thought I'd look him up while I was in town. Is he in, by any chance?"

Before the receptionist could respond, they both heard a man's voice directly behind Justin.

"That's okay Jackie, I'll get this. You can go back to your 'business' call. Oh, and tell Dex I said hi."

Jackie blushed from ear to ear and immediately started talking to Dexter again. Justin had turned around and come face to face with a slender dark haired man who wasn't much bigger than him. He was a pleasant looking fellow with a serious but kind face. He immediately stuck out his hand. Justin reached out and shook it. The handshake was firm and friendly.

"Hello. My name is Ted Schmidt. I'm Mr. Kinney's business manager. I couldn't help overhearing you. You say you are a client of Brian's from the Big Apple? I know he just returned from there. I know all of Brian's clients. I don't believe I remember hearing your name before."

"Well actually my boss is his client...Dan Smithers of Smithers Publishing."

"Oh yes, of course. Brian has spoken very highly of the company. He even took a personal interest in the company, which he doesn't do that often. We kind of missed him here since he ended up spending so much time in your fair city...a lot more than he originally planned." Ted let out a short laugh. "I know the big city has some special charms but I've never seen him more devoted to a client. I figured that he was just enjoying the perks of being in one of the most exciting cities of the world." 

Ted couldn't help noticing a slight flushed look rising on the adorably cute blond's face. He wondered briefly if Brian had anything to do with that.

"So how do you know Brian?" Ted couldn't help asking.

"Uhhh like I said, he is working on the advertising for Dan's business and I was one of the writers that he was helping to promote. He sort of...well, ahhh, sort of took me under his wing. You see, I've never tried promoting myself before and.....uhhhh, I...uhhhh, well I was uncomfortable with it. Brian...I mean Mr. Kinney worked with me to make me more comfortable putting myself out there for the publishing house."

Ted was beginning to get the picture, or at least he thought he was. He was surprised. This young man was nothing like Brian's usual preferences. He always seemed to go for the taller, darker, older guys. This kid...well he was certainly over twenty one, but not by much, and he didn't seem very self assured...something else Brian usually liked in his men. Ted's curiosity was truly piqued, but first things first. 

"Well Justin, I'm sorry to say that you've just missed Brian. He left a few hours ago for Philadelphia. I'm not really sure when to expect him back. I should hear from him sometime later today. I can certainly tell him you came by."

"No! No! I ahhhh...well I kind of wanted to surprise him. I'm in town for a short visit and I just wanted to thank him for all his help. I mean, I knew he lived here and since I was here anyway I thought I'd just drop by to say hi." 

Justin paused to think and weigh his options. He quickly made a decision.

"I'll tell you what, Mr. Schmidt, why don't I just call back later and see if you know when he is coming back to town. I may have to leave before he does but I'd still like to say hi if I can get the chance. But I'd also like to keep it a surprise so could you please do me a favor and not mention that I was here? It's not that big a deal, but I don't want to bother the man if he's really busy."

For some reason Ted had the impression that this visit was a big deal, at least to the young man, but he didn't want to press for more answers. The kid looked like he was ready to jump out of his skin as it was. So Ted quickly agreed to say nothing to Brian when he heard from him. He promised to let the young man know what was going on if Justin called him back later in the day. Justin shook Ted's hand again and left the office the way he had come in. As Justin got out onto the sidewalk he felt a terrible letdown. He hadn't realized until just then how badly he wanted to see Brian and confront the man about their situation. He was leaving empty handed and, even worse, empty hearted. He quickly called for a cab and gave the name of a hotel he had looked up on the internet. He would check in and gather his thoughts. Maybe he could still find out what was going on before he went back to New York City with his tail between his legs. 

******************************************************************************

Brian left the airport and went straight to his meeting with Central Air. The meeting lasted for several long hours but it went much better than Brian had expected it to. By the time he had left the building Brian had a big fat contract in his hands and an overwhelming urge to celebrate. Normally that would have meant an instant visit to the hottest gay dance club in whatever town he was in but for some reason he didn't have the urge to go dancing. The thought crossed his mind that there wasn't any real good reason for him to stay in Philly or even to go back to the Pitts now. He could certainly take a plane on to New York City instead. But he began having second thoughts about it. It didn't look like Justin missed him that much. Maybe, he thought himself, he should leave well enough alone. Maybe Justin had gotten all he needed from Brian. 

Brian felt uneasy. He should be more than happy to move on. He had had a really good time with the young writer. That should be more than enough. He certainly didn't want any serious relationship anyway....did he? The question popped into his head without warning. Why in hell was he even asking himself that question? Of course he didn't want a serious relationship. He had no intention of getting serious with anyone. He never had. But then, why was the thought of never seeing Justin again so uncomfortable....or one might even say, painful?

"Shit!" Brian muttered to himself. "What the hell have you done to me, Justin Taylor?"

With that, Brian decided he needed answers. He decided he would go back to New York and face Justin...and maybe even face himself. He needed to know. He didn't like not being in control of his own life.... No, not one bit!! Brian placed a quick call to his office. He needed to let Ted know that he was going to be holding down the fort again while the boss was out of town. Good old Ted...Brian reminded himself to give the man a big raise at the end of the year. His receptionist answered on the second ring. 

"Hey Mr. K.," Jackie answered cheerfully. Brian could picture the girls sunny face.

"Jackie, I need to speak with Ted."

"Yes sir. I'll ring his office....oh, and Mr. K., you had a visitor today. He said he was a client of yours but he didn't have an appointment."

Brian was puzzled. He wasn't expecting any clients. If some damned emergency was coming up again that would keep him from going to New York, he was going to be really pissed.

"Did you get the name of the client, Jackie,"

"Yes sir," declared the receptionist who prided herself on her memory skills. "He said his name was Justin Taylor."

"Justin?!" Brian couldn't believe it. What was Justin doing in Pittsburgh? "Did he say what he wanted?"

"No sir, but he talked to Mr. Schmidt."

"Get me Ted, right now!" Brian almost shouted.

Poor Jackie almost jumped out of her seat. She had never heard her boss so vehement. She quickly clicked into Mr. Schmidt's office phone. Ted answered quickly. 

"The boss is on line one and he's a little agitated," she told Ted quickly, not wanting to keep the boss waiting.

Ted clicked over to line one. "Hey Brian, what gives? Is something the matter? Jackie's all flustered. Did you have trouble with Central Air?"

"No," Brian declared, "but I want to hear more about this visit from Justin."

"What? What visit?"

"Jackie said I had a visitor named Justin Taylor. She told me you talked to him."

Ted knew better than to try and bull shit Brian. The man had a built in lie detector in his brain...besides the cat was already out of the bag. He had not been the one to rat the young man out. He decided he'd better come clean.

"Oh, that Justin. Yeah, he said he was one of the writers for our new client, Smithers Publishing. He said he was only going to be in town for a short time but he was hoping to connect with you. Something about thanking you for all your help?"

"Did he say when he'd come back?" 

Ted had never heard that tone in Brian's voice before. It was almost desperate. What the hell was going on, he wondered.

"No. He just said he'd call again later and see if you were coming back to town."

"Ted, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I want you to make sure that he knows I'm coming back and that I'll be in my office until late this evening. You got that? I should be back before five. My plane leaves in an hour. You tell him exactly what I said, but don't tell him that I know he's here. Understand?"

"Yes sir!"

"I'll tell you more about the airlines when I see you, but don't forget to tell Justin exactly what I said. Oh, and Ted...tell Jackie to keep her big mouth shut and not mention to Justin that she talked to me if she speaks to him. Understand?"

"Yes sir!" 

The men hung up. Ted had never seen nor heard such a strange reaction from Brian. He didn't know what was up but whatever it was this young writer was at the center of it. He could hardly wait for Brian to get back. Hopefully he was going to have an interesting story to tell the gang tonight at Woody's.

To be continued...........................

Justin was ready to jump out of his skin.  The hours had ticked by like snails on tranquilizers.  Every minute was agony.  He lay on the bed in his hotel room and willed himself not to pick up the phone and dial Brian's office number.  He did not want to seem too eager.  Mr. Schmidt, Brian's office manager seemed to be a really nice guy but Justin hadn't a clue as to their relationship or how much Mr. Schmidt knew about Brian's lifestyle.  He certainly didn't want to bring out anything that Brian wanted to keep quiet.  Justin had claimed to be a client and clients didn't go around calling every few minutes to see if their ad man was back in the office.  

Finally the clock cooperated and Justin decided it was safe to make the call without seeming too eager.  He quickly dialed the number to Brian's office and tapped his foot impatiently waiting for the voice of the pretty receptionist.  It was 4:30 and he wasn't sure when the office closed.  The phone rang for a fourth time and Justin was about to panic.  What if he had timed it badly and they closed the office at 4:00.  Before he could let that thought travel any further he heard a click and the pleasant voice of the young lady he had met earlier.  

"Kinnetik, Inc., May I help you?" came Jackie's voice over the line.  

"Yes, hello.  Is Mr. Schmidt still in?  This is Justin Taylor calling."

The moment Jackie heard Justin's name she knew what she had to do.  Mr. Schmidt made it clear that she was not to mention their boss and was to connect the young man straight through to his own office.

"Yes sir, Mr. Taylor.  I'll connect you right away.  Please hold for one moment."

Jackie put Justin on hold and buzzed Ted's office.  The moment he answered she passed on the news that Mr. Taylor was on the line.  Ted thanked her quickly and ordered her to let the boss know that Mr. Taylor had called while he proceeded to chat with the young man.  Jackie followed instructions and waited for Mr. Schmidt to take the call.  She hurriedly switched over to Brian's office and buzzed him.  The moment she heard his silken voice (she did have a crush on the man even though she knew he was gay), she let him know that the young man he had asked about was on the line with Mr. Schmidt.  Brian let a wicked glint appear in his eye as he thanked his receptionist and then ordered her to let Ted know he wanted to see him the minute he was off the phone.  Jackie agreed readily and got off the intercom.  She watched the light to Mr. Schmidt's line carefully, waiting for it to go out.  It was several long minutes before the two men ended their call, and Jackie hurriedly rang Ted's office to pass on the boss's message.  Ted thanked her and appeared a minute later at his office door, making a beeline for Brian's office.  Ted knocked on the closed door and was ordered in immediately.

Brian wasted no time.  "So?" he asked without preamble.

"I did what you asked.  I told the young man that you were expected back in the office at any time and would probably be staying for a few hours to take care of your out of town business.  Oh, and then he asked if you knew he was here.  I told him no, just like you ordered.  Anything else, Boss?"

"No.  You did fine Theodore.  Now let everyone know they can take off a little early today.  Consider it a bonus for a job well done while I was out of town."

Ted was bemused.  Something was definitely up and he would have given anything to be a fly on the wall of Brian's office a little later on, but he knew when Brian meant business and the man left no doubt he wanted the office building to himself right now.  Without hesitation Ted headed for the door.

"See you tomorrow?" he asked quizzically before leaving.

"Sure," came the reply, and then..."on second thought, I'll let you know tomorrow what comes next.  Now close the door behind you."

Ted hurried out and moved around the office rapidly, letting everyone know they could drop what they were doing and take off early.  No one questioned their good fortune.  Within ten minutes the office became a graveyard with only the sound of the water cooler burping to be heard in the background.  Brian came out of his office and moved over to a small alcove to the side of the front door where visitors could sit.  It was an open area but not so much so that someone would see Brian sitting there unless they were looking for him.  He waited patiently, turning over the many questions that had been plaguing him since leaving New York and not hearing from Justin.  One question had already been answered.  Obviously Justin hadn't forgotten all about him or he wouldn't be here in Pittsburgh.  All Brian needed to know was why Justin hadn't bothered to call him all this time.

Time seemed to drag but within a few minutes Brian saw the front doors of the offices being pushed open and he could see the silky soft blond hair that he had come to enjoy so much as Justin appeared from around the large plant stationed there.  Brian felt an immediate urge to jump up and gather the young man into his arms, but he waited.  He watched as Justin walked up to the now deserted front desk.  Brian now had a full view of Justin's back side.  He looked so tantalizing in tight jeans and a brown leather jacket to keep out the Autumn cold.  Brian rose and moved in quietly behind his young lover.

Justin began tapping on the high desk as if trying to get someone's attention.  When he realized that no one was coming, it suddenly dawned on him how quiet it was in the place.  He started to turn around to survey the surroundings but was stopped mid-turn by strong long arms that had encased his upper torso from behind, pinning his own arms to his side.  He would have struggled to free himself if not for the silken voice that made itself known immediately.  He would have known that voice anywhere, anytime.

"I was beginning to think you had forgotten all about me," the voice purred.

Justin turned in Brian's arms and came face to face with the man who had been haunting his every waking moment, not to mention his night time dreams.  He half-heartedly pulled out of Brian's grasp and stood back a couple of feet.

"Excuse me.  I'm not the one who ran away without a word.  And that's all I came for.  I think you at least owe me an explanation for what I did wrong.  You want to be my teacher...so teach me what sin I committed to make you leave like that so that I won't make the same mistake the next time I fall for someone."  

Justin did his best to put anger in his voice but hurt was all that came out of him.  Brian looked instantly and genuinely confused.

"What the fuck are you talking about Justin?  I didn't just walk out on you without a word.  And I sure as hell didn't run away.  I left you a message at the hotel desk.  I told you to call me since I didn't know when I'd be able to find the time to call you.  I had a business emergency.  If I hadn't come back here it would have cost me millions in revenue.  I mean, I love being with you but....millions!  I was pretty sure you would understand but then I never heard a word from you for days so I figured you just didn't give a damn."

Justin stood staring at Brian with his mouth wide open.  Different thoughts tumbled wildly through Justin's mind.  What message?  What emergency?  And why the hell hadn't he called Brian anyway without being told to, for fuck's sake?  At least he had the phone number of Brian's cell in his old damaged cell until the park accident.  And lastly, how could Brian even imagine for a second that he wouldn't give a damn if Brian left without a word?  How could the man be so thick?  What the hell did he need to do or say to make Brian understand how much he cared for....no, Hell, how much he loved him? 

"You know, Justin, I left a message on your cell too.  You still didn't call.  So what was I to think?"

"Damn it Brian!  I never got any message at the hotel and I asked them if you left one.  They said they didn't have one.  I also didn't get a message on my cell.  It fell into the pond at the park and was totally destroyed a couple of days ago.  That's when I decided to come and find out for myself why you left.  I knew nothing about an emergency.  I....I really thought you had just gotten tired of me."

The room went silent.  The two men squared off, each staring into the eyes of the other but making no other move.

Finally...."Is this the part where we fall into each others arms laughing and kissing passionately?  I mean if you were writing the scene for your book?" Brian asked, with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.

"No!  This is the part where I call myself a fucking idiot for not calling you with or without a message from you.  And then I call you a fucking idiot for spending even one second doubting my feelings for you.  Damn it Brian, don't you have a clue how I feel about you?   You mean the world to me.  I...I...oh shit!"

Justin broke off what he was saying.  Action spoke louder than words.  He closed the gap between himself and Brian in one stride and reached up for Brian's head.  He pulled the beautiful face down to his in one fell swoop and connected their mouths like two magnets irretrievably drawn together.  It was magic.  At that moment Brian was enormously grateful for his foresight in sending his employees home early.  No one was there to bother the lovers as they reinforced the extraordinary connection they felt for one another with deep penetrating kisses and hands that reached to touch whatever part of each other they could connect with.  Before it got too heated to control, Brian pulled back and hurriedly moved to the front door.  He quickly turned the lock to seal out the outside world.  Within seconds he was back in Justin's arms.  The lovers kissed and caressed for long minutes more until Brian pulled back again.

"Not here", he whispered hoarsely.

Brian took Justin by the hand and led him over to his office door.  The two men entered and Brian led the blond over to the large deeply cushioned couch in his office.  They stood in front of the couch watching each other.  Brian reached forward first and began to unzip Justin's jacket.  He then pulled the dark green sweater with the bold orange stripe across the chest over Justin's head, tossing it into the corner.  Justin took his turn and slowly undid Brian's pale blue shirt, button after button, until it slid off his back and landed on the floor after Brian pulled it from his slacks.  Each man then undid his belt and unzipped.  The pants and jockeys joined the other clothes on the floor as they stepped out of their shoes and stood facing each other with only their socks still on.  

"Damn Justin, you are beautiful.  I've missed you," Brian declared as he ran his hand slowly along Justin's upper torso.

Justin reached for Brian.  "I've missed you too, and you know how beautiful you are to me."

It had only been a matter of days, not weeks, since the men had last touched each other but their need was immediately apparent.  They reached for each other and began devouring one another with their fingertips and lips.  They were men who had been lost in a desert of doubt and finally come upon the oasis.  They dipped gleefully into the pool of life that quenched their thirst for each other.  After a long time spent exploring each other again and rediscovering the things they loved about one another, Brian fell back onto the couch bringing Justin onto his lap.  

Justin straddled Brian's legs and their two solidly engorged cocks came to rest against each other as Justin leaned in to capture Brian's mouth again.  Brian reached between them and gathered both cocks in his fist.  He rubbed them close together as if trying to blend them into one.  All the time he was doing this, which was causing poor Justin the most excruciating pleasure, Justin was letting his fingertips dance along Brian's muscular chest and tracing a path down between them.  Once his hands reached their joined groins he wrapped his slender fingers around Brian's grip.  Soon both men were giving the stimulus between them their best efforts as they leaned in to each other over and over to fuse their lips together and feel their silken tongues connecting as they were below.  

After some time with this foreplay, Justin leaned in again and whispered in Brian's ear, "I want to ride you so hard that you forget all the doubts of the last days.  Please Brian, take me for the ride of my life!"

Brian was more than happy to oblige.  He too wanted to wipe out the fears that had encircled him since leaving Justin behind.  Brian reached over to the small table next to the couch.  He pulled a tiny drawer out from the side of the table.  He pulled out a condom and lube.  He lifted them up to reveal what he had been searching for.  Justin couldn't help laughing.

"You must have been a boy scout in your youth.  You are always prepared, even in the office."  

Justin couldn't help the thought crossing his mind that Brian must have had a really active sex life before him since he even had a ready supply of condoms at his office, but now was not the time to voice concerns about Brian having sex with other men.  Tonight was about them and no one else.  Tonight, only two lovers existed in the world and they were right here in this room.  Justin scooted back on Brian's legs enough for him to sheath Brian's turgid cock with the condom Brian handed him.  Justin flipped open the lube and generously covered the cock from tip to scrotum.  He could feel Brian's member pulsing inside its casing.  Justin expected it to vibrate right out of his palm as he lovingly rubbed the lube all around.  He then leaned forward and waited for Brian to reach around him and begin massaging some of the lube in and around Justin's waiting hole.  Brian pushed in a couple of lube covered fingers as far as he could inside Justin for good measure.  

The stage was set for their magnificent ride.  Justin moved forward and raised his milky white ass high above Brian's covered cock.  Justin reached back and maneuvered the cock into its rightful place.  As soon as Justin felt the warmth from the tip against his hole, Justin lowered himself by a small degree.  He pulled back up a tiny bit and then lowered again, this time impaling a tiny bit more of himself on Brian.  He sucked in his breath and gazed hotly into Brian's eyes.  Brian smiled.  Justin felt his muscles relax around the intruder and it was the signal he needed to lower himself even further onto the shaft.  He paused again half way down and began to rock side to side.  Sparks shot up Justin's spine and Brian's smile widened as his eyes closed half way.  Justin took another deep breath and impaled himself to the hilt.  He let out a whoosh of air while Brian grunted his approval as Justin became firmly seated in position.  

For the next half hour the lovers rocked, rolled, twisted, and bounced together, taking long breaks to calm themselves and avoid rushing their climax.  The entire time they stayed connected as one throbbing entity.  They touched, they teased, they tickled, they tortured each other with every movement and whimper and moan.  Too soon they ceased to think rationally and all their moves became the purest form of lust.  When Brian knew he could not stay inside his beautiful lover a moment longer without exploding, he warned Justin which doubled the young man's bucking.  Brian pulled on Justin's shaft at the same time with renewed energy and finally, with a growl that would have shocked the entire office if they had been nearby, both men let loose their juices in one hot stream after another.  

Brian's chest continued to heave for long minutes as Justin lay glued to him by the juices that had flowed between them.  Once they had calmed enough Brian lifted Justin off his manhood and helped him to lay down beside him.  He removed the overfull condom and discarded it in the nearby trash can.  He stretched out on the couch bringing his legs up and pulling Justin up to him so that they lay spooned together.  They had no desire to part and even though the hour was still early in the evening they fell asleep together.  Sometime, a couple of hours later, Brian got up to fetch a blanket that was kept for emergencies in the supply cabinet of his office.  He covered a sleeping Justin and sat for some time staring at the young blond as he breathed steadily in his sleep with a deep smile on his face.  Brian was confused.  He couldn't believe how important this one man had become to him.  He knew he missed Justin since last seeing him, but tonight had shown him just how deep that missing had really gone.  It was a little frightening for a man who had sworn never to get too involved in the life of any one person, but it would do no good to deny his feelings.   

Brian was not prepared to say out loud that he had fallen in love with Justin but he was prepared to admit that he cared more for Justin than any other person in his life.  He was also prepared to ask the young man to stay in Pittsburgh for a little while.  After all, Justin could write in Pittsburgh just as easily as New York City, and besides he wanted to introduce the young man to his world.  Brian, a man who was usually very perceptive about human beings, was completely unaware of just how much he was revealing about himself by wanting to include Justin into his own little corner of the world.  Brian was unaware but as he was soon to discover, his friends and family were going to be only too aware of what was happening to their Brian and the reaction was going to be quite mixed.

To be continued.............................................     

Justin was running a little late so he was surprised to find that Brian hadn't beaten him to the Liberty Diner. It had been a couple of weeks now since Justin first arrived in Pittsburgh and he was just beginning to feel more comfortable in Brian's world, although he still preferred to have Brian nearby whenever he was spending time with the ad man's circle of friends. It wasn't that they hadn't welcomed him into their little group...he could tell that Brian would not have tolerated anything else from his friends...but not all of them were as openly accepting of him as some others were. One in particular, Brian's best friend, really seemed uncomfortable with Justin's presence. The man had never once been hostile to him, but Justin sensed there was an unspoken rivalry between them for Brian's attention. Justin didn't mind that much. After all, these people had known each other for ages and he had only known Brian for a couple of months at most so he could kind of understand their mixed feelings about him. And to top things off, it was obvious that Brian was more interested in pleasing Justin than his oldest pals.

Justin was slowly but surely getting a more complete picture of what had made Brian Kinney tick before one young Justin Taylor had come into his life. What he was learning didn't always mesh with the image Justin had developed in his head while spending time with Brian in New York City. In the City Brian had been totally absorbed with Justin and Justin only. In the entire time they had been together Brian had never shown an interest in anyone else. From what he had been gathering from the circle of friends Brian was actually quite a player, if not the number one player on the gay scene in the Pitts. Justin was clued into that from the reaction he saw of the men at the dance club Brian and the gang took him to only days after Justin had agreed to stay in Pittsburgh for a while. Beautifully built men seemed to seek out Brian's attention more than anyone else and several of them openly tried to get him to go into an area that Brian casually mentioned was the infamous 'back room', which Brian explained was the most active spot for public sex in town.

In all the time that Brian had taken Justin around to the best gay spots of New York City, he had never tried to have public sex with him. Justin was hearing enough from conversations around him to know that the Brian everyone here knew had not been adverse to indulging in public displays of sexual conduct in the past, including with multiple partners. For some reason Justin was a little surprised at what he was learning, and yet Brian was still very solicitous of his feelings and never went out of his way to ignore Justin or wander off with someone else. He even seemed proud to display his relationship with the young man, which Justin was savvy enough to see was a big surprise to a lot of people. He had also met a woman named Debbie Novotny, who was best friend Michael's mom, and he could see that even this really nice lady was taken by surprise by the connection between he and Brian. Justin wasn't sure what to make of it all, but he had made up his mind that it didn't matter what others thought as long as Brian was happy with him and continued to make it clear that he wanted Justin to stay by his side.

Justin had been kept busy by Brian every evening since they had gotten back together but the young writer's days were his own for the most part. During the last couple of weeks that Justin had been staying at Brian's loft apartment he had gotten a lot more accomplished than he had ever done back home in his tidy little apartment. Brian had provided him with his own new laptop computer and the young man had copied his files from his home computer so that he could continue to work on the novel that had begun with getting to know Brian. The novel was coming along nicely. Justin was writing up to a chapter or more per day. He had the feeling it would be complete within another month at the rate he was going. Being with Brian was more than enough fodder for the romantic parts of Justin's novel. However, without even knowing it he had begun to change his main character into a person who was resembling the old Brian more and more. Justin hadn't yet realized to what extent that the stories he was hearing about Brian were affecting his image of the man. It didn't diminish his love for him...it just seemed to add layers to the original hero who was almost too good to be true.

Justin, surprisingly, had stopped showing Brian the updates on his story. It was not a conscious move on his part. It was more like a need to nurture his baby without any distractions. Brian had sensed that Justin wasn't ready to share his work and never pushed to see what was pouring from his lover's fevered brain. The book was very much on Justin's mind as he stepped into the Liberty Diner for an arranged dinner with Brian and his friends before they had planned to attend a benefit carnival at the GLBT center for a hospice that Brian's company had sponsored. Brian's devotion to causes that interested he and his friends was one of the things that Justin really loved about the man. When Justin arrived he could see the friends taking up two booths at the back of the diner but no sign of Brian. Justin hurried down the aisle and waited for the tall friendly one named Emmett to move over and make room for him. A minute later the red headed mother of Michael showed up and offered to take Justin's order.

"I'll just have coffee Mrs. Novotny. I want to wait on Brian."

"It's Debbie, sweetie. Now I've told you that before. Debbie...okay! No one calls me Mrs. Novotny. And there is no telling what is holding Brian up so you had better go ahead and order."

For some reason Justin felt uncomfortable with the way Debbie made that last statement, as if she had suspicions as to why Brian was running late but didn't want to say. Justin brushed it off. He quickly decided he was becoming paranoid because of some of the tidbits of info he was getting on Brian's life before he came into it. He decided to follow Debbie's advice and placed his order before turning his attention to the animated conversation that had restarted almost nervously when Debbie finished talking. The food came and he began picking at it, still wondering what could be holding up Brian.

*****************************************************************************

Brian was irritated and that didn't bode well for his employees. For the last couple of weeks he had relied more heavily on his troops to get things done than usual, being the hands on kind of boss that he was, and his desire to make as much time for Justin as was feasible had now cost him. He had a client sitting in front of him right now who was none too pleased and poor Brian was being forced to stay late at the office in order to placate the man. Brian and a couple of his underlings had come up with a sound campaign for the athletic shoe company the client owned but Brian hadn't been keeping an eye on how it was progressing lately. Now, only a week before the deadline for a completed first campaign, Brian discovered that the work was not done to his client's satisfaction and the man was asking for major changes. When Brian quietly ordered (which his employees knew was more deadly than a screaming demand) that the men assigned the job should bring him the completed placards and displays, they hustled them right to him. This was when Brian first realized he had dropped the ball, which for him was a huge rarity. He had been so wrapped up with Justin that he hadn't even noticed that the campaign was not following in the direction he had outlined in earlier meetings the previous month.

His first response was to offer his employees the opportunity to look for new jobs elsewhere, but he immediately recognized that it was himself that had failed. Even while in New York City, Brian had kept a sharp eye on his employees and their work via the internet and UPS. He knew it was his job to oversee what was going on with a new campaign, especially one that had a deadline right around the bend. He calmed himself enough to give a verbal beating to the employees which concluded with their being offered a chance to keep their jobs if they fixed the problem. Now Brian was stuck placating the client. He thought about calling Justin and passing on to everyone that he would probably miss dinner and would meet them at the carnival, but his client demanded his full attention and it wasn't the first time he had been late because of one reason or another. He had no doubt that his friends would let Justin know that there was nothing to worry about. He wasn't used to checking in with anybody anyway. He nixed the idea of upsetting his client with a phone break and spent the next hour pouring on the charm and eventually convincing his client that the completed campaign would be ready in plenty of time and more than spectacular.

Finally Brian saw that he had calmed the waters and his client left with a satisfied smile. Brian left the building, locking up behind him, and watched his client's tail lights fade down the near empty street. Brian walked over to his classic 'Vette, his pride and joy, and opened the door. He climbed in and started the engine. As it purred contentedly, he pulled out his cell and tapped in #1. Justin had moved up to that position just recently. He heard a couple of rings and then Justin's voice, although it was nearly drowned out completely by raucous background noises.

"Justin," he shouted into the phone, "can you hear me?"

"Brian?" came the reply in a barely audible tone.

"Yes. I just wanted to let you know I was on my way. I'll fill you in on why I'm running behind later."

"What?" Justin wasn't sure of what he was hearing.

"I said I'm on my way. I'll see you soon. We'll talk then."

Brian hung up. He was only ten minutes away from the site of the carnival. It would be better, he decided, to wait till he got there to speak to Justin. The party at the LGBT Center was obviously in full swing. Brian set his car in gear and peeled away from the curb. He was anxious to get there. He had been forced to swallow a lot of shit tonight and he needed Justin's sweet lips and warm body to get the taste out of his mouth. With that in mind, Brian gave the 'Vette more gas and moved quickly to his destination.

****************************************************************

Justin closed up his cell and tucked it back into his pocket. He was a little ticked that he couldn't really talk to Brian. At least he was fairly certain that Brian said he was on his way so they could talk then. Just then he felt someone tap him on the shoulder. Michael leaned in as close as he could since it was the only way to be heard above the racket of a couple of hundred men and women letting loose in gay abandonment, all in the name of charity.

"Was that Brian, if you don't mind me asking?" Mikey asked, using a tone that clearly said he didn't really care whether the young man minded or not.

"Yes", Justin responded. "He said he was on his way here."

"Did he say why he was so late?" There it was again...that tone that said there was more than a surface meaning to his words. It was beginning to get under Justin's skin but he wasn't about to show it.

"Not really."

Emmett and Ted had stepped up to Justin's other side and overheard their conversation.

"Maybe it has something to do with that client who was in the office all hot and bothered about his account just before I left earlier," Ted offered.

"Well if it IS the reason he's late, we can all guess how he is cooling down his client," Emmett offered up without thinking. "I mean from some of the stories you've told me Teddy."

It was then that Emmett realized what he was hinting at. He quickly tried to reverse course.

"Well anyway, we all know that Brian goes above and beyond to satisfy his clients."

He turned to Ted who gave him a stern look. It was one thing for Ted to gossip about his boss to their closed circle of friends, but he didn't feel comfortable talking about Brian's work habits with newcomer Justin yet. Emmett noticed Justin's slightly confused face...or was that look saying something else? Whatever Justin was gleaning from Emmett's words, he wasn't asking any questions from this group. Emmett decided the best option was to change the subject entirely.

"So Justin, have you ever seen a party like this one? I'll bet so, living in New York City and all."

Justin was relieved to follow Emmett's lead. "I didn't get out much, to be honest. I was too busy trying to make a living. The City isn't exactly cheap to live in." He gave a tight laugh. "Actually, I spent all my time writing but not really working on the one thing that I wanted to the most. Brian is the one who encouraged me to spend more time working on my novel and even took the time to start taking me around so that I could learn a lot more about the subject matter of my story. I think that's what he is trying to do here in Pittsburgh too. That's why he keeps taking me around on all these adventures that I've never had before...like this carnival. Is it true that he had a lot to do with the programming as well as sponsoring the whole event?"

"That's our Bri," piped up Michael. "Anything for a good cause or to make a point. And speaking of the devil," Michael concluded, pointing over to the main entrance to the building.

Brian spotted his friends and saw Justin in the middle of the group at the same time that they spotted him. He hurried over to where they stood in front of a small stage where there was a man who was popping out bingo balls from his ass in a game of butt bingo to the delight of the large crowd gathered there.

"How's it going?" he asked his friends loudly as he threw his arm around Justin's shoulders and pulled the young man close to him. "Sorry I'm late, but it looks like the party is doing fine without me." He looked up on the stage. "This game was my idea. It should pull in a tidy sum, don't you think?"

"Doesn't surprise me," Michael muttered under his breath when he saw Brian going in for a firmly planted kiss on Justin's willing lips.

"We're just glad you made it," Justin announced, with the others nodding agreement.

The rest of the evening was spent in enjoying the many wild games that the planners, including Brian, had dreamed up. No more mention was made of why Brian was running late and had missed dinner or the hints that the reason could be something that Justin wouldn't want to know about. Justin had made up his mind that any questions he had could wait until they were alone. He and the others were having too much fun. But Justin did make a mental note that he needed to dig a little deeper into Brian's previous life. It wasn't that he had any intention of holding anything against Brian. Hell, he didn't have any right to and he knew it. It was only that he wanted to understand this man that he had fallen so completely in love with as fully as he possibly could. He wouldn't go behind Brian's back, of course. He would begin by asking Brian to be honest with him and he would start the first thing in the morning.

To be continued...................................

Justin moved in closer next to Brian's warm back and let his fingertips play softly along the perfectly muscled arm that lay along his lovers side. Justin's soft breath tickled Brian's back, making his skin ripple slightly from the cool air making contact against the naked skin. Brian was still in a deep sleep even though the sun was peeking through the living room curtain making it easier to make out all the shapes around them. The results of their night of passion were scattered all the way from the front door to the bedroom steps. Brian had a hunger inside him that one couldn't miss even during their evening at the charity carnival. Brian couldn't keep his hands off his young lover and Justin had no problem with that at all.

Justin couldn't help noticing that a lot of faces in the crowd, including Brian's closest friends, seemed to carry a look of surprise on their faces quite often when they stared over at the couple as they kissed repeatedly, hugged over and over, and spent time with their heads close together talking and laughing as if they knew a funny secret that no one else was privy to. Brian seemed oblivious to the attention that he and Justin were receiving. He moved smoothly and comfortably from one attraction to another and one game to another. He spent a little time at a ring toss game that required the player to encircle an erect penis on the cardboard cutout of a well built man with only one goal in mind and that was to win a prize for Justin. Sure enough he succeeded after only two tosses. He proudly handed Justin the deck of cards that had the title, 52 Ways To Make Your Man Happy, written in bold letters across the face of the plastic box they came in. His grin suggested that he intended to try a few of those ways before too long and Justin felt himself flushing.

The moment the couple arrived at the loft, Brian wasted no time in collecting his reward for being so successful at the carnival, having found out just before they left that the charity had taken in five times more money than any previous event planned by the Gay and Lesbian Center with most of it from the displays and games suggested by Brian. Brian unlocked his massive metal door with his key but then stepped back so that Justin could go in first. The moment Justin stepped inside Brian was right behind him. He slid the door closed and in one swift movement moved right up behind his willing prey. He threw his arms around Justin and drew him as close to his body as was humanly possible. Justin immediately felt Brian's quickly swelling cock as it poked at his back just above the crack of his ass. Justin welcomed the touch and let his body lean back against the strong frame behind him.

Brian used his practiced fingers to unzip Justin's jacket and open it up so that he could reach his hands under the light pullover Justin was wearing. Justin's hands reached back and he laid them along the firm outer thighs of his lover behind him. Brian's hands traveled quickly upwards from Justin's waist to his taut smooth stomach. Brian felt the sharp intake of air that Justin took when the warm hands moved higher still until they had reached the small buds of Justin's nipples. Brian captured the flesh of each nipple in between his thumbs and fingers and rolled them softly at first, and then with more pressure. Justin began to breathe a little harder and he felt his own cock beginning to pay attention to what was going on above it. Brian heard the tiny sounds of enjoyment that escaped from Justin and it softened his heart and hardened his cock even more. There was nothing that gave him more pleasure than to hear Justin's reaction to his touch. It still amazed him that he felt that way with the young man because it had never affected him like that before with anyone else.

Brian lowered his head and began to nibble on the outside of Justin's ear. His tongue darted out and he ran it along the exterior of the ear lobe, first on one side and then the other. Justin began to feel tiny tremors throughout his body. Brian was relentless. His tongue traveled from one ear, along the back of Justin's neck, and over to the other ear many times over. Justin threw his head back hard against Brian's chest and turned his head as best he could. Brian knew what the young man wanted and he was more than happy to oblige. He turned Justin into him just enough to reach the blond's mouth. Brian's lips crushed Justin's and his tongue snaked out again, this time to plumb the young man's mouth in search of his silken tongue. They kissed as deeply and longingly as they could manage in the awkward position they were in, but Brian wasn't ready to release Justin just yet.

Brian straightened back up and whispered in Justin's ear, "Don't move." Justin had no intention of going anywhere. Brian stepped back a couple of inches, just enough to give him the chance to undo his belt and unzip his pants. He pushed his pants and jockeys down with both hands so that they lay in a puddle below his knees. His manhood sprang to attention the moment it was freed and now lay firmly upwards towards his navel. He quickly moved back into place against Justin's back. His hands came around the young man's middle and in a matter of moments he had unzipped Justin's pants too. He grabbed a handful of the material, making sure it included Justin's briefs, and slid them down until they lay in exactly the same position as his own. Justin's cock now stood just as proudly as the ad man's did.

Brian used one hand to stroke Justin's cock from behind while the other weighed and playfully diddled with the heavy sac of balls that hung between Justin's thighs. Brian could feel the tiny damp drops of pre-cum that were already forming on the thick head of Justin's manhood. He stood against Justin's back and rubbed his body up and down, spreading his legs alongside each of Justin's legs and bending down just enough for his cock to be felt along the crack of Justin's ass. The feeling elicited another shiver that ran all through Justin's body and caused a tiny pleasurable moan to escape him. Brian had a great deal more he wanted from his lover so he only pursued this tactic for a short time. Once he could feel Justin's legs weakening from all the stimulus, Brian stopped what he was doing and began walking forward, being careful not to trip up either himself or Justin.

Once Brian was standing in front of his large snowy white sofa he pushed Justin gently forward, releasing his arms so the blond could catch himself as he fell to his knees onto the smooth leather. Brian quickly discarded Justin's pants and then his own, tossing them away without concern for where they landed. Justin was now crouched on his knees with only his upper torso clothed and shoes and socks covering his feet. Brian made quick work of lifting Justin's arms and removing the upper garments next. He then pulled the shoes off. Again he tossed everything aside haphazardly. He quickly undid his own shirt and removed his own remaining garments, leaving on his socks to match Justin's feet.

Brian needed no more preparation for his own eager body. His cock had been weeping for Justin from the moment they entered the loft, but he wanted Justin to be rewarded morer fully for being so cooperative. Brian slid to the ground on his own knees. He was now face to face with Justin's perfectly formed bubble butt, one of his favorite features of the talented writer. Brian saw Justin looking back at him in anticipation. It was obvious from the way he wiggled his bottom in Brian's face that he was more than ready to be thoroughly possessed, but Brian wasn't ready for that yet. He gave Justin a wide grin and then went in for the 'kill'. He buried his face between Justin's cheeks and began to give the young man the rimming of his life. Justin's head flew up and he gasped out loud with no attempt to stifle his joy. His legs immediately spread wider on the sofa, giving Brian much more room to 'torture' his willing victim with his enormously talented tongue.

Five, ten, fifteen, twenty minutes flew by as Brian continued to tease and torment Justin's rear, making sure to pull the bobbing cock back enough to give the underside a thorough licking too. Brian gathered each firmly packed ball into his mouth and tongued them with equal fervor. Justin was visibly shaking by now. His head rose and fell from the back of the couch with each change in direction that Brian's mouth and tongue took. Finally Justin could take no more of the torment. His body and mind cried out for that final connection that it craved so desperately. In between labored breaths, Justin made his needs known.

"Pleeease....Brian.....pleeeease. Fuck me.....now! Pleeeease...don't....make...me...wait...any...more....pleeease! I...want...you...inside....meeee! Now!!!" he pleaded

Brian smiled from ear to ear and gave Justin's spasming hole one last poke and lick. He rose back up and reached to the side table where a bowl of condoms waited. He slid it over himself with practiced skill and slicked it up. Justin's hole was more than ready and needed no more prep. Brian took his position behind Justin and grabbed tightly to the young man's hips. He slid himself slowly inside with no desire to rush things. He was almost caught off guard when Justin deliberately pushed his buttocks back in an attempt to impale himself, but Brian was too fast for him. He moved back at the same time.

"Slowly, Justin. I want this to last for both of us."

Justin moved forward again with his hands on the back of the sofa and his head down. He did his best to remain patient. He sighed in relief when he felt Brian pushing forward again, burying another inch of himself inside Justin's warmth. Once Brian had slowly, oh so slowly, buried himself to the hilt he fell onto Justin's back and wrapped his arms around the slender body that he held so dear to him. A feeling rose up inside Brian from some place deep inside that he couldn't remember ever visiting before. It almost brought tears to his eyes as he felt this unfathomable connection to the young man under him. He began to move inside Justin. He had only one thought in mind...bringing Justin to the very top of the pyramid of pleasure that he knew he could send his lover. He was consumed with the need to hear Justin cry out his name, but he was totally unaware of the fact that he himself was whispering Justin's name over and over as he placed soft kisses along Justin's exposed back and shoulder blades and along the nape of his neck. The kisses grew in intensity as Brian's rhythm began to build up speed.

Brian could hear the words. His name was being called out and the passion that filled the voice put Brian over the top. He heard Justin begging for more and he gave all he had to give. Stars sparked behind his eyes as his orgasm rushed in to overtake him and he filled the condom with every last drop of his release. Even then he didn't stop pumping his hips until he heard Justin give out that orgasmic cry he always let loose whenever his time had come. All the energy drained from Justin's body and he could no longer hold Brian up. The two men collapsed together onto the sofa, drenching it with their hard earned sweat. It took a few minutes for the cool air of the loft to force them to separate and sit close together on the part of the sofa that was not damp from any bodily fluids. They glanced over at the wet spots on the sofa and Brian laughed.

"I guess I had better get a towel and clean this up. I don't want to be forced to look for a new cleaning lady again. I once had one who accused me of leaving too many messes of an unsavory nature for her to clean up but her replacement has always been more understanding. However, there is no reason to test her patience too far."

Justin couldn't help joining Brian in laughter. "You're a wicked man, Brian Kinney," he laughed.

"And aren't you glad of it," Brian answered back. "I'll wipe the sofa down and then join you in the shower. We could use a cleaning up ourselves," Brian went on to add.

Justin was worn out but he loved the idea of another hot shower with Brian. It always invigorated him. Brian joined him right after the water had warmed to the perfect temperature. Both men were too spent for another fucking, but that didn't stop them from touching each other all over as they gave each other a good scrubbing while taking as many chances to throw in hot kisses at the same time. They exited the shower and wrapped the silken robes they had around their naked bodies after drying off. They went back down the short steps to the kitchen. Brian pulled out a bottle of wine he had bought for just such a night and two glasses. The men walked into the living room again and settled down on the colorful over-sized cushions Brian had laid out on his thick cream colored throw rug. They sat cross legged on the rug facing each other with the cushions behind them. Brian opened the bottle of wine and poured them each a glassful.

This was another part of his relationship with Justin that always amazed Brian. He actually enjoyed just sitting down and having conversations with the young man...before or after sex, it didn't matter which. That was so new to him. Justin was so smart. He was young, yes, but he had very strong opinions about so many things and yet was always willing to hear someone elses opinion too. He and Justin must have talked about every subject imaginable in their long conversations together since that first date months ago. Justin, who had not seemed a part of the GLBT community much before Brian entered his life, had studied up on a lot of the issues facing his community and could now express his strong views on so many varied topics. The only thing that they had not talked a lot about was the most personal of all. Justin had revealed some very personal and painful things from his past with his family but Brian had not opened up about his yet. He had also not given many details about his personal life in Pittsburgh before Justin had come to visit.

As the night moved on and the couple continued to talk and share the bottle of wine, Justin began to sense that it was time to ask Brian some questions that needed answers. Brian wasn't drunk, but he was feeling no pain. Justin hoped that he wouldn't be stepping on his lover's toes if he got much more personal than ever before. Justin decided that he would not be sneaky about what he wanted to know. He came right out and asked his first question directly and to the point.

"Brian, would you mind if I ask you a very personal question?"

"Of course not. Shoot!" Brian was feeling magnanimous and anything Justin wanted he could have.

"I've been hearing all kinds of hints and little clues thrown my way by people who know you that you are not exactly acting your normal self with me. I only know the Brian who is right in front of me this minute. I know no other Brian Kinney. They make it sound like the man they know is someone I wouldn't recognize...someone I wouldn't be as comfortable with. I find that impossible to believe. I'm tired of listening to their innuendo. I trust you Brian and so I'm coming to you and asking for you to be honest with me. Is there another Brian that would be a stranger to me?"

Brian felt a cold chill run down his back. His mind cleared instantly. Brian had never been ashamed of the life he led before meeting Justin. He didn't believe in carrying around regrets for the choices one made, but for the first time he wasn't sure how to explain himself. He had never felt the need to before now but Justin's good opinion of him was of utmost importance. Brian wasn't blind, not even to himself. He could see that Justin was not ever going to be just another man to him. He fought using the word love, but the more time he spent with Justin the more he knew that what he was feeling probably was love and it felt far too good to throw away on a past that couldn't be changed. For a brief moment he felt a surge of anger at those that would plant doubts about him in Justin's head, but then he realized that no one was telling lies about him and he couldn't really blame his friends or acquaintances for being confused by his change of attitude. After all they had never seen Brian spend more than a day or two with any one man in all the time they had known him, and he had always lived by the mantra that he didn't do boyfriends and yet here he was firmly attached to a single man. Brian made a quick mental note to make certain things very clear to his friends and as soon as possible.

In the meantime, he knew he needed to answer Justin's questions and be as honest he had always prided himself on being in the past. For another hour the men sat facing each other and Brian did his best to give Justin the full picture of his tomcatting lone wolf ways. He touched on the childhood that had included a cold mother and abusive father who were just as cruel to each other as they were their kids. He didn't go into a lot of detail but it was enough for Justin to understand the connection the two shared. By the time Brian completed his story Justin was aware that there were more similarities between he and Brian than he had first recognized. The one big difference was how they dealt with their childhoods. Justin had fantasized about love but avoided trusting anyone enough to live his fantasies, until Brian came into the picture. Brian rejected the notion of love outright and trusted no one enough to change his mind, until Justin came into the picture.

When Brian finished talking, Justin set his glass down and scooted over to nestle in Brian's lap. Brian wrapped his arms around the slender body of his lover and felt a freedom he hadn't experienced before. He had laid himself bare and told Justin many of the private painful things he had not told another living soul, not even his closest friend, and Justin hadn't judged him. If anything, the young man acted as if he completely understood and empathized with him. Brian felt his heart opening wider making more room for Justin to settle in. The two lovers began slowly making love all over again. Before they connected again for the second time they rose from the floor and walked arm and arm to the bedroom, dropping their robes on the floor as they took the steps up to the inviting bed. Once there they joined their bodies and hearts again until the room was filled with the sound of joyful lovemaking once more. They finally fell into a peaceful and exhausted sleep holding onto one another.

Now it was morning and Justin smiled deeply as he recalled the events of the night before...the lovemaking and the conversation. He no longer had any doubts as to who Brian Kinney was or what place he held in the man's life. He also knew beyond a doubt that he was as deeply in love with Brian as any man could ever be with another human being. Justin knew he was expected to return to New York City to finish up his novel and continue his other work for Dan, but the thought of leaving Brian behind was simply unacceptable. As Justin lay tight against the body of his lover he knew that something had to give. If Brian had to stay in Pittsburgh to conduct his business then Justin would simply have to reconsider his living and working arrangements. The thought that Brian might prefer a long distance (with benefits) relationship with his young lover crept into Justin's mind for one split second, but Justin dismissed it immediately. He was completely certain that Brian wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with Brian and no long distance relationship would be sufficient for either of them. With that in mind, Justin waited patiently for Brian to awaken. They had some things to discuss and Justin needed at least one more important question answered.

To be continued.................................

Dan hung up the phone and couldn't help but smile broadly. He had sensed for some time now that his favorite protege', young Justin Taylor, was in love for the first time in his life and now it was fully confirmed. Justin had always been Dan's most reliable employee with the habit of never missing deadlines or expectations. Now he had called to beg off any further commitments for the advertising campaign that had been set in motion earlier, coupled with a request to continue his work long distance rather than from New York. Dan really had no problem with that at all. A writer could accomplish his work no matter where he was doing it. Actually he knew a writer could put out even better work if he was inspired and Dan knew Justin had plenty of inspiration in Pittsburgh. For that reason, and the fact that he loved Justin like a son, he was more than happy to waive the young man's ad duties and agree to a set-up where Justin could fax his stories for printing. He was going to miss Justin's smiling face showing up in his office regularly, but it was for a good cause. He let out a quiet sigh and got back to work.

*****************************************************************************************************

Two Months Later:

Justin clicked the last key that would send his completed manuscript off to Dan's office and sat back in his chair with a contented smile on his face. He threw his hands behind his head and stretched out with his legs pointing straight under the computer desk that Brian had purchased just for him. That, along with the top quality lap top that Brian had given Justin for his birthday, had become Justin's center of activity whenever Brian was at his office during the day. The last couple of months had been a revelation for Justin and it was as if he had been reborn into a new life. That new life began with one name...Brian!

Brian had gone out of his way to make Justin feel like Pittsburgh was his home. He had taken Justin everywhere that meant anything to him and introduced him to every person that was a part of his life. Justin had finally met Brian's closest female friend, Lindsay, and the beautiful young son he had with her. Brian had acted as if the boy was just another cute kid but nothing special before taking Justin for the first visit but he could clearly see the affection Brian felt for the precocious youngster who looked so very much like his father. By the time they left the Marcus/Peterson house Justin was firmly in love with young Gus and the ladies had happily invited Justin to visit any time, especially after seeing how taken their son was with the young blond.

Brian had obviously made his position clear concerning Justin with all his male friends right after Justin had mentioned that they seemed stunned by his relationship with the young man, because their attitude had changed towards Justin both subtly and openly ever since. They no longer let little hints of Brian's profligate lifestyle from the past into conversations when Brian wasn't around and they began pulling Justin into all their conversations as if he had been a member of their little gang for years. This hadn't been hard for them to do since Justin had always been able to hold his own with men older than himself. Dan was a prime example of that. It was probably one of the things that Brian liked best about him.

Justin was so relieved when Dan happily agreed to allow him to work from Pittsburgh. He had sent in regular manuscripts for his short stories and magazine articles ever since. He had finally gotten Brian to accept a portion of his paycheck to help with living expenses but the young man suspected that Brian didn't use any of the money, but saved it instead. At least Brian let him think he was contributing and that was better than nothing. The entire time that he had been sharing Brian's loft Justin had been quietly working on his love story, the novel he had dreamed of completing for so long. Now he had finally written 'The End' on the final page and all he had to do was wait to hear what Dan thought.

Justin had considered letting Brian read the story first but he was too embarrassed. The truth was that the story was a naked version of how Justin truly felt about Brian and he wasn't sure how Brian would take it. He knew that Brian loved him, but he still wasn't sure he would ever be enough for the older, more experienced man. The two of them had even had a couple of three-way and four-way sexual encounters in the last few weeks. Justin hadn't been completely comfortable with it at first but the way that Brian kept his eyes on Justin the entire time he was fucking another man helped him to relax into it better. The only problem was that he couldn't help thinking that the time would come when Brian would want to move on to someone else. Justin felt cold chills when he let that thought slip into his head so he avoided it 99% of the time.

In Justin's novel, the older character was unconditionally and irretrevably in love with the younger character and never wanted to touch another man. Deep down Justin knew that was what he wanted from Brian but he never said so out loud. If Brian read it he might feel pressured and react badly. Justin realized that Brian would read the novel sooner or later....that is if it was ever published....but Justin opted for later. His novel, 'A Man's Love' was something that Justin knew he wanted to share with Brian eventually but not until he felt stronger in their relationship. Brian's opinion was certainly important but right now Dan's was the one that counted most.

Justin heard the key in the lock of the massive door to the loft so he quickly signed out and closed his lap top cover. He swung around in his chair and waited for Brian to enter. The minute the tall brunet walked in looking a bit tired from a long day at work, Justin jumped up from his chair and hurriedly moved to greet his hard-working lover. Brian's face changed from slightly haggard to revived in seconds as he dropped his briefcase to the floor and opened his arms to welcome Justin into them. His heart beat a little harder when he felt the young man melt into him.

Brian still couldn't believe he had this to come home to every day now. He had not really been convinced that Justin wouldn't want to return to the world he knew so well in New York City, but Justin hadn't hesitated when Brian suggested moving in with him. Neither man mentioned a timeline for their co-habitation but Brian was just content to know Justin was going to stay. The very next day he had met up with his pals and set them straight about his feelings for Justin and the fact that the young man would be living with him for the forseeable future. The big grin on the face of die-hard romantic Emmett and adoptive Mom Debbie's face was enough to tell him that they believed every word he said. Mikey had simply looked confused. Brian drew him aside later and explained that he hadn't really changed that much, just grown up since meeting Justin. Mikey finally allowed himself to put forth a tiny smile in return and wish Brian all the happiness with Justin that he could find. Brian gave his oldest friend a quick peck on the cheek, a big change from the usual full mouth kiss, and they returned to the others in the diner.

Since that day, Brian had spent every non-working moment with Justin and shared as much of his world as he could. He was especially pleased by Justin's reaction to his son...and even more so, Gus' reaction to Justin. Mel and Linds, who didn't often invite Brian over, seemed eager to see Justin more after the first visit even if that included Brian. Who knew, Brian had thought to himself, maybe he would establish a real relationship with his only child despite the fact that he had given up all parental rights to the boy right after his birth. If so, it would be largely thanks to Justin...just one more reason to care so deeply for the sexy blond.

By now Brian was no longer trying to fool himself. He knew his feelings for Justin were like no other he had experienced. He could even say out loud (but only to himself so far) that he felt love for the young writer. He came close a couple of times while in the throes of passion, which happened on an almost daily basis, to admitting he was in love with Justin but something always held him back. If he had been more in tune with himself he would have known that his fear of being rejected once he made the admission was what caused the reluctance to give full disclosure. He trusted Justin with his life but trusting anyone with his heart and soul was still a bit terrifying for the wounded young boy inside Brian.

The one thing that had changed between Brian and Justin, and had made a huge difference in their ability to communicate together, was that Brian had finally opened up his veins one night after a particularly strenuous evening of consummate lovemaking and had bled out a great deal of the poison that his family had force fed him over the years. Maybe it was the fact that Justin had gotten an unexpected call from his mother that very day. She was more than happy to hear that her son had settled things with Brian and was now joyfully ensconced in the man's home, but then she went on to inform her son about his father's new marriage. He had even taken Molly with him on his honeymoon which included visits to all the best museums in Europe, something he had promised to do with Justin years ago when the boy had shown a temporary interest in becoming an artist. His father never kept his promise and Justin had discovered that he had an even better talent with words than a brush. His father taking Molly on the trip that he had promised to take Justin on was just another slap in his son's face.

Justin had hung up the phone with his mom and told himself he didn't give a damn what his father did or who he spent time with anymore. The fact that he had never even met his dad's new wife shouldn't have mattered one bit, but for some reason Justin felt a sense of emptiness and abandonment, a feeling that he thought he had given up long ago. Brian hadn't gotten home from work yet when that call came but he was very perceptive of Justin's moods and the minute he walked in the door he could sense that Justin was distressed. It didn't take much probing to get to the root of the problem.

Brian then proceeded to try and fill the void that was hurting Justin with all the love he had inside him for the young man. Afterwards the couple indulged in a favorite after-sex pastime which included a nice bottle of wine and conversation. It was then that Brian found himself relating some of the painful things his own family, particularly his abusive father, had perpetrated on him all his young life. By the time Brian had related some of the meaner aspects of Jack Kinney, which often left a youthful Brian crying (until he reached the point where he refused to cry anymore), then Justin had a clearer idea as to why Brian was so protective of his heart. Justin remembered clearly how he avoided any entanglements with almost everybody he knew, outside of best friend Daphne and Dan, simply because he didn't trust others with his heart either.

The two men now stood wrapped in each others arms with their lips firmly planted on one another. They always seemed to draw strength from each other when they came together after spending any time apart. It was as if touching each other reinforced a shield they had constructed around themselves to keep all the nastiness the world had to offer lovers like them at bay. Once their lips touched and they could feel the warmth flowing between them they knew they were safe at home no matter where they happened to be. As they kissed, their unspoken connection deepened and their passion began to build.

Dinner was delayed as it had been many times before as Brian swept Justin away to their favorite spot, the large pedestal bed in the center of Brian's bedroom. Neither man gave a care about the roast that was slowly drying out in the warming oven as they fed the hunger that was far more ravenous inside them. Their blood slowly heated up with the fire that always consumed them when they touched those secret places each knew so well on one another. As the hot blood raced through their veins it awakened every nerve ending so the pleasures they gave each other were heightened by the sheer intensity of their union. As Brian took possession of Justin's inner sanctum their bodies blended into one person until the sensations became too much to bear and they exploded into orgasms that shook the very foundations of the bed they sprawled on.

Brian was in no hurry to pull his overheated manhood out of its safe harbor inside Justin's body but they finally did part, as they always had to eventually. The couple took their exhausted bodies off to the shower and made quick work of cleaning off the fruits of their labors. Once they had calmed and refreshed themselves, Justin pulled the still edible roast and veggies out of the oven and served them up for his lover and himself. As they sat comfortably together they talked about their day and enjoyed their meal. It was then that Justin revealed the fact that he had completed his manuscript and mailed it off. He wasn't sure if Brian would question him on why he hadn't given his lover even a peek at the story, but Brian simply nodded and told Justin not to fret over whether Dan would approve. He reminded Justin that he was a brilliant writer and moved on to another subject.

The truth was that Brian was dying of curiosity but he respected Justin's need to handle the professional side of his life in whatever way he saw fit. The one thing he had no doubts about...if Justin's story was a love story as he had originally planned then it would be brilliant. If anyone understood how to love someone and make them love back it was his precious blond lover, Justin. He, Brian Kinney...anti-love and commitment man of the century...was proof of that.

To be continued................................

Poor Justin couldn't have been more on edge even if he had been hanging by his fingertips from the precipice of a cliff. Brian walked into the loft and spotted the gorgeous blond sitting hunched over the bar with the cordless phone lying in front of him. He was so engrossed in staring at it that he wasn't even aware that his lover had entered the apartment....that is until muscular arms wrapped themselves firmly around his chest from behind and warm lips rested softly on his neck. Justin leaned back against Brian's comforting embrace and sighed deeply.

"You haven't been able to will it to ring with your legendary powers of persuasion, Sunshine?" Brian gently teased his lover.

"He said he'd call today. It's getting late. Look, you're already home from work. What's taking him so long?" Justin fretted.

From someone else it would have sounded whiny to Brian but he could never think of Justin that way. He knew how important this phone call was to the young writer. His whole future rested on what Dan would say about the manuscript he received just a few weeks ago. Brian knew Justin was lucky. Publishers who were as successful as Dan usually had so many manuscripts to read that it would sometimes take months for a writer to get any feedback, but Dan cared for Justin like a son and put the young man's script right at the top of his pile. He had then passed the work on to others to judge and then promised to call Justin with a final decision about the fate of the manuscript as soon as a decision was made. Two days ago he emailed Justin and made the promise to call on Friday with the final decision.

Brian had spent the entire day at work wondering if he would get a call from Justin about the fate of his book. When no call had been forthcoming Brian wished everyone a good weekend and closed the office an hour early. He had been unable to wait any longer to see how Justin was doing. Brian had faith and was fairly certain what Dan would say, but since Justin had chosen not to give him a sneak peek Brian couldn't be one hundred percent positive. He just had a feeling the news would be good. He was certain of one thing...Justin had done a lot of maturing in the last few months and Brian felt a great deal of pride in the young man. If that maturity translated into the pages of his love story, it would be a best seller.

Brian turned Justin around in the swivel chair he was sitting on and leaned down so that their faces were level. Brian cupped Justin's slightly stubbly cheeks in his hands. The poor guy had been so anxious he hadn't even taken the time this morning to shave the pale hair on his face. Brian was willing to bet he hadn't even taken the time to eat a good meal either.

"Justin, you know how Dan feels about you. It isn't all about business between the two of you. You know he'll call you as soon as he can," Brian assured the worried writer. "Now tell me the truth. Have you eaten anything today?"

Justin blushed slightly. "I...ahh...sort of forgot to get to that. I've been back and forth with the computer all day, making changes and trying to improve on the story. I must have found a dozen places where I could have made the story more believable. He's going to hate it, Brian...I just know it. What I sent him was too unfinished. Damn it to Hell! I should have let you see it first. You would have been brutally honest with me and I wouldn't have sent in a total piece of crap."

Justin's voice had risen an octave higher with each new statement. The fear of failure was getting to him. Brian didn't want to hear any more of Justin's mini-tirade. He pulled the young man off the seat and stood with his hands back on Justin's face. He pulled the young man's mouth up to his and closed off any further words with his lips planted firmly against Justin's. Justin hesitated to respond for a few seconds but he never could resist Brian for long. He slowly began to melt into Brian's arms, his fears temporarily forgotten. The kiss deepened and the love they felt for each other helped to soothe Justin's jangled nerves. Once Brian felt Justin relaxing he released his prisoner.

"Are you finished, Justin, because I have something to say. Are you listening carefully?" He gently squeezed Justin's cheeks again.

"I'm listening," the young man muttered.

"You didn't produce crap. I don't have to get a peek at your story to know that. If I had seen the potential for crap work in the very beginning I would have said so. You'll hear from Dan. You just have to be patient. And it isn't that late because I came home early. I wanted to be here when you got the news, if you hadn't already, which I have no doubt will be positive. Do you believe what I'm saying, Sunshine?"

Justin didn't look convinced. "I said, do you believe me? Yes or no?"

Justin looked deep into Brian's eyes. The truth was clearly visible in the pools of Brian's hazel eyes. They shone with confidence. The light in Brian's eyes mirrored the deep faith he had in his lover. Justin couldn't deny Brian's faith if he tried. After a moment's pause he answered Brian with a strong voice.

"Yes, I believe you."

Justin leaned forward and let his lips reinforce his words. He kissed Brian with all the love that he felt for the man. Within moments both men were gasping for air but reluctant to part. Soon all thoughts of Dan, manuscripts, and waiting impatiently vanished under the onslaught of rising passion that began to sweep the lovers away to the world that only they knew with one another. Brian set Justin back on the swivel chair and went down to his knees. Before Justin could utter a sound, Brian had the blonds' pants unbuckled and unzipped and his burgeoning manhood on full display.

Justin threw his head back as the sensations of Brian's warm mouth engulfed his rising cock. He rewarded Brian's efforts with a deep contented sigh as Brian began to work his magic tongue all around the delicious cock. No man had ever tasted as good as Justin, that was a certainty. He would have gladly dined on Justin's juicy, thick cock for hours if his mouth could have taken the pressure. For now he was satisfied just to feel Justin responding to his every lick and suck. Each time Justin grabbed onto a handful of his hair and tensed up, revealing his near state of orgasmic high, Brian would pull away from the tasty treat and slowly lick the skin of Justin's exposed scrotum or around his belly button where his shirt was pulled up. Once he felt Justin relaxing again, Brian would again engulf the head of Justin's cock and work his way down to the ball sac.

The delicious torture to Justin's crotch was almost too much to bear, but the young man wanted it to go on forever. He reveled in Brian's expert lovemaking skills. The man always brought him more pleasure than he had once thought was humanly possible. This time was no different. Finally Justin gave Brian the unspoken signal that they had developed between them that warned he needed his release now...right now! Brian felt it in the way Justin thrust his hips forward, pushing his cock as deep into Brian's throat as it would go. Brian didn't tease any longer. He worked in earnest to bring Justin the release he needed so badly. He worked the delicious cock hard and fast. He played with Justin's balls, weighing each one in his hand. The pressure built and then...Justin tumbled over the edge.

Justin would have tumbled off the stool if Brian hadn't held him up. He rose quickly and wrapped his arms around Justin, steadying him on the chair until he was able to breathe normally. After a bit of time Justin was almost back to normal and Brian gave him a tender kiss. He was about to say something when the phone rang behind Justin's back. It startled the young man with its loud noise. Brian had literally made him forget all about the expected call. The memory flooded back as Brian reached for the phone.

"Hello," Brian spoke into the receiver. "I'm fine Dan. Yes, he's right here. Hold on a minute."

Brian handed the phone over to Justin. The blond took it with a pained expression back on his face. Brian gave him a quick kiss and he relaxed visibly.

"Hey Dan, it's good to hear from you. Would it be rude of me to come right out and ask if you have any news for me?"

Brian watched Justin's face carefully for signs of Dan's end of the conversation. He liked what he saw. Justin began nodding his head and his face began to light up slowly but surely. A sparkle seemed to appear out of nowhere in his eyes. Brian could see that the news had lightened Justin's heart tremendously. He felt a surge of pride. He didn't even need to hear what Dan was saying. The look in Justin's eyes said it all. The conversation finally ended and Justin laid the phone down on the bar. He turned to Brian.

"They loved it! Absolutely everyone he showed the manuscript to loved it! I can't believe it. Damn, Brian! Dan has already assigned an editor to the novel and he's already begun to work on it. He hopes to have it in print before the end of the year. He thinks it will hit big. That's what he said...'it's going to be a best seller, kid!' He said that! I can't believe it!"

Brian grabbed Justin and swung him around in his arms. He set the young man back on his feet.

"I told you, Sunshine. I never doubted it for a minute. Now do you believe me?"

"You always believed in me, didn't you Brian? I love you. You are my inspiration and I couldn't have done it without you."

"Bullshit! You always had it in you Justin. I saw that from the very beginning. You didn't need me to bring it out in you. You just needed to believe in yourself."

"No Brian! That's not true." Justin's tone turned serious. "I'm telling you this and I want you to listen to me. I needed to learn a lot more about myself before I could have ever tackled this story and you are the one who taught me what I needed to know. Don't you dare belittle how important you are to me and to my work. I mean it, Brian."

Brian stepped back. The earnestness in Justin's voice couldn't be denied. He meant every word he was saying. Suddenly it dawned on Brian that Justin had said something amazing during that whole speech. Had he heard it right? Did Justin say out loud that he was in love with him? Yes, he had! Did he mean it? All these questions raced through his mind like a speeding bullet.

"Brian....Brian...what's wrong?"

Justin sounded worried. Brian had been so lost in thought he hadn't realized that he was just standing there as if he had gone away to another place and time. He looked at Justin and he knew he had to ask the question that was nagging at him.

"Nothing's wrong, Justin. I just realized that you admitted you loved me, not that I didn't already guess it. I did hear you right, didn't I?"

Justin hesitated. Would Brian appreciate the seriousness of his blurted out confession or would it change their dynamics? Would Brian feel pressured by the declaration that was made in the heat of the moment? In that instant Justin decided it didn't matter. Why should he deny his feelings? They were genuine.

"You heard me right," he said, almost in a whisper. "I've been in love with you for a long time now, but I don't expect anything from you that you don't want to give me Brian. I promise you that."

Brian searched Justin's face. He could see that Justin was as serious as he had ever been about anything. The young man stared back, fear and expectation sharing his expression.

"I believe you," Brian answered back. He put his hands gently on Justin's face again and stared deeply into Justin's clear blue eyes. "You have every right to expect things from me, Sunshine. You've given me more of yourself than I could have ever hoped for. I want to give you back as much as you've given me. I think I've known for a while now that I have fallen in love with you. I guess I was afraid that if I said it out loud you would disappear in a puff of smoke. I couldn't risk that. I want you to be a part of my life for a long, long time to come."

A small gasp of joy escaped from deep inside Justin. The world suddenly became even brighter than it already was with Dan's news.

"Yes," was all Justin could say before Brian captured his lips again. The loving kiss went on and on, and soon all thoughts of the outside world faded away as the lovers celebrated all the good news that had filled the loft on this Friday evening.

To be continued......................

The night that Justin had gotten the word from Dan concerning the acceptance of his manuscript for 'A Man's Love' had been the best night of the young man's life. Brian had whisked Justin away to one of the finest restaurants in town and treated him to a gourmet meal fit for a king. Afterwards the two men went to their favorite dance club and danced the night away. Brian enjoyed bragging to his circle of friends who were at the same club at the same time about his accomplished partner who had just sealed a book deal. Every one of the men caught on to that singular word 'partner' when Brian let it slip and were quietly shocked by the unspoken announcement that was mixed in with the spoken one. Professor Ben, who had already had two books published some years earlier, was particularly enthusiastic despite the slight greening of the gills around his own partner Mikey's face. Congratulations were offered by everyone, even Michael once he got over the surprise of hearing 'his' Brian calling another man ‘partner.'

That night the couple didn't even make it into the loft before their passion for each other overcame them. When the creaky, old elevator that took Brian up to the top floor of his loft apartment came to a stop the gate remained closed and the sound of labored breathing mixed with pleasure-filled groans reverberated through the entryway outside the closed lift. Justin was pressed hard against the wall as he rode Brian's hips with his legs wrapped firmly around the tall man's middle. It was a damned good thing that Brian lifted weights on a regular basis and stayed in excellent physical shape, because the ride Justin was giving him normally would have been enough to knock a lesser man off his feet. Suddenly the noises increased in volume and both men exploded...Brian filling the condom buried in Justin's ass and Justin soaking Brian's shirt just below his nipples. The men kissed more deeply and less frantically as Brian slipped out of his man, and Justin's legs lowered back to the floor. They didn't even bother to cover themselves back up as Justin grabbed his pants from the floor. They hurried out of the elevator and Brian quickly unlocked the door to his loft. Inside they cleaned up and went at it again in a state of euphoria.

That was just the beginning of their celebrations. The rest of their busy weekend was spent indulging Justin's every whim. There wasn't anything the young man could ask for that Brian wasn't prepared to give him. The poor man even sat quietly through a couple of ‘chick flicks' that Justin tended to favor even though he preferred the more rugged ‘man's man' flicks. Justin certainly made it worth his while once he re-enacted some of the more romantic moments with his lover. He took pleasure in making his re-enactment far more X-rated than the director and the studios were ever permitted to do in their films. The shower scene from one film in particular gave Brian goose bumps as Justin explored every wet inch of Brian from head to toe with his flexible tongue while the warm water poured over their bodies. By the end of the weekend both men were exhausted but thoroughly satisfied with themselves and each other.

Part of the weekend had also been spent in less provocative ways. Brian was proud to show off Justin's accomplishments to everyone and that included the ladies in his life. He and Justin spent Sunday afternoon having lunch with Lindsay and Mel and playing with his young son, Gus. The girls were extremely proud of Justin whom they had grown to admire more every time they saw him. His ability to connect with their son made him a winner in their eyes, and the fact that he had obviously tamed the 'lone wolf' at last gave him extra points for perfection in their eyes. They too were quick to notice when Brian announced that his 'partner' had won the book deal. They said nothing, as if they were afraid to break the magic spell and see the old Brian return, the one who denied he would ever have a boyfriend. Gus could have cared less. All he knew was that his new best friend was happy and that was enough for him. 

The men naturally had to let their surrogate Mom in on the big news, so a visit to the Novotny house was in order on Saturday. Justin missed his own mother fiercely. He pitied Brian for having two parents who had failed him so badly, but of course he would never say that to Brian. He personally was tremendously grateful that his own mother had proven to be a true supporter of her son and his lifestyle. Debbie reminded Justin of his mother and that made it easy to love her. That, along with the fact that she helped to ground Brian. It hadn't taken Justin long to learn that Debbie and her family were the only things that had saved Brian's sanity when he was a young child going through the tortures of hell in his cold, abusive household. Justin was convinced that Brian would never have grown up into a man he would have wanted to know if not for the love he received in the Novotny house. He owed Debbie for that and thus thought of her as his second Mom. 

Debbie's pride in Justin was enormous and almost matched the reaction Jennifer had when Justin gave her the good news. That happened in person thanks to Brian. He reshuffled a couple of appointments he had at Kinnetik, turned the reins over to Ted, and booked a first-class flight to New York City for him and Justin on Sunday night. The men stayed at the ‘Waldorf Astoria' hotel for a few days while visiting with Jennifer and Molly and spending time at the publishing house to work out the contract for the book. Jennifer was overjoyed at her son's success. She convinced Justin to let her tell Craig, but decided to wait until he was safely home in Pittsburgh before making the announcement. She wasn't sure how her ex would respond, even though it proved that Justin was as talented as she had been claiming all these years. 

Nights in the City were spent in revisiting some of the places they had visited after Brian took the young man under his wing to teach him the pleasures of being a gay man. Memories flooded back for both of them and they worked hard to create new memories every chance they got. One night in particular was memorable after Brian hired the hotel masseuses to provide a first-class massage for them both. The women's magic fingers did their job superbly and relaxed the couple fully, but within seconds of Brian handing over a huge tip to each woman and closing the door behind them the couple were all over each other providing a massage that neither woman could have achieved in a million years. 

Life then returned to normal once the couple came back home. Justin worked frequently on suggested changes and improvements of his manuscript and developed a good rapport with the editor Dan had assigned to him. Finally after a couple of months or so of hard work and devotion to the task, the book was ready for publishing. Dan worked with Brian's ad agency to set up the marketing for the novel. Brian had finally been given an advance copy of the final draft. Poor Justin had been on pins and needles not being sure how Brian would react to the obvious similarities between the novel's couple and themselves but he needn't have worried. Brian had been shamelessly proud of the flattering portrait Justin had painted of the older lover in the story. It didn't hurt that he had fallen as deeply in love with the author in real life as the character was with his young lover in the book. 

Justin had been so excited the day the book came out. That was the day that really changed everything. Brian had been forced to stay home because of a prior commitment to another of his biggest clients when Justin had gone to New York to start his book tour, which was scheduled to last for weeks and take him all over the States. With the holidays looming he would not be able to see Brian because of the heavy workload the ad man was under. Justin wasn't happy about the separation but he had faith in Brian and their feelings for each other. He left disappointed but without worry. Unfortunately it proved to be the one time Brian should have been with him. 

The shit hit the fan the second day in New York, just before Justin was to fly out to his next destination on the book tour. Justin was signing books at a popular book store in Manhattan. Advance word on the book had been overwhelmingly favorable with reviews calling it a 'heartfelt love story for the ages' and 'that rare love story between two men that everyone can relate to'. Brian had performed his usual magic in getting the word out to a vast audience, so the lines were long with both men and women wanting to get a glimpse of the hot, new writer. Justin figured that the majority of the men in the line were gay (actually quite a few of them subtly hit on him) but he didn't care as long as the book sold well. He had just signed the inner leaf for a giggly, young lady and handed it back to her when he saw who was next in line. It was his father.

Craig Taylor stared down at the stranger he once knew as his son. He fidgeted while the silly girl in front of him fawned all over his boy. If only his son would appreciate a girl's attention like normal men did, Craig wouldn't have felt so angry. Right now all he wanted to do was throttle Justin, even if it was in public. He carefully controlled his temper as he stepped forward just as Justin looked up and met his eyes. The shock and surprise registered immediately. Craig heard his son suck in his breath and then there was an uncomfortable silence that descended over them like an invisible wall. It blocked out all the chattering patrons standing behind the blond man who looked so much like the young writer. Craig didn't have a book in his hand waiting to be signed.

"Dad." was all Justin could get out. Another minute of eerie silence and then, "so Mom told you about my getting a book published at last?"

"She told me. She also told me what it was about. She actually sounded proud of you. I only came here for one reason....to let you know that I'm talking to my lawyer. I'm considering suing you for defamation. I hear tell that you wrote this book more as a biography than a fiction and I'll be damned if you'll drag my good name through the mud like that. The least you could have done was to use a pseudonym and not the name I gave you!" 

The more Craig talked, the higher pitched his voice became. He had reached the point of no longer caring what anyone overheard.

"Did you even read the book?" Justin asked as calmly as he possibly could under the circumstances.

"What? Are you crazy? I don't read filth like that. But I've heard enough from others to know that you have given me grounds for my lawsuit. I've had friends and employees come to me asking if the writer of the hot, new book is the same Justin Taylor as my son. How am I supposed to answer them? You've shamed me and I intend to make you pay for it, and that lover of yours from Pittsburgh too. YES! I know all about that man. Your mother could hardly wait to tell me that you had found someone to love who loved you back. That has nothing to do with love. It's lust and perverted love at that! Everyone knows that men like you and this Brian character can't stay faithful or have a meaningful relationship that lasts more than five minutes. He's probably out butt-fucking some other man right this minute while you run around promoting your sick lifestyle. Hell, you probably even pick up strangers in every city you come to. LOVE, HAH!" 

Craig leaned in closer as he sneered out the last words, making ‘love' sound like a dirty word. Justin barely concealed his fury. How dare this man, who had never cared one ounce for him since early childhood, sit in judgment of his love for anyone or anyone else's love for him? He stood up behind the desk and leaned in so that they were almost nose to nose.

"Are you quite through Dad? Because I am. I've been through with you for some time now. I don't give a flying fuck what you think of me anymore. And yes, I do know what love is. I have it now and I'll be damned if you are going to take it away from me with your poison. I could be gone six hours or six months and Brian would still be waiting for me. That's love. What do you know of love anyway? The only person you ever loved was yourself. You can take your empty threats and your suit and stuff them up your ass. Your days of bullying me are long gone. Now since you never did read my book, nor intend to, I would appreciate it if you would step away from the line and let my real readers have their turn."

Justin was breathing hard. His face had reddened with the effort to control his anger. His father was reluctant to back down for another full minute but then couldn't stand the unflinching look his only son gave him which clearly showed no fear. Craig backed away from the desk.

"I'll see you in court," he hissed, then swept the small pile of books at the side of the desk onto the floor. He turned and exited quickly before security could get to him and show him the door. 

Justin grimaced at the tall man who had been next in line. He stood there with Justin's book tucked under his arm. Suddenly he moved to the desk, put the book down onto its top, and began to clap. Seconds later another set of hands clapped, then another. Soon the entire line was clapping, some at the end of the line not even sure of why. Justin's frown slowly turned into a wide grin. It had never felt better getting the chance to finally tell his father exactly how he felt. He would have chosen a more appropriate venue but it was done. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. For the first time he realized that he REALLY didn't care what his father thought and never would again. The man had lost his son once and for all. Now all Justin wanted was to tell Brian what had happened.

Once Justin got to the hotel that Dan had booked for him, he hurriedly packed his suitcase for the flight to his next destination. While he waited for the shuttle to pick him up to take him to the airport he called his mom to let her know what had happened. She couldn't stop apologizing for telling Craig about the book. Justin finally convinced her that he was fine with it. They said their goodbyes and Justin then put in a call to Brian. The man answered on the first ring as if he had been holding the phone to his ear and waiting for the call. 

"Hey Sunshine! So tell me all about your first book-signing. Did everyone fawn all over the cute, young writer with the romantic heart? Bet you got a few numbers pressed into your hand while signing those books too."

Justin then filled Brian in on the whole scene...the good, the bad, and the truly ugly. He could hear the fury in Brian's voice after he related some of the more hateful remarks from his father, especially concerning Brian's devotion and trustworthiness. He only snorted when Justin repeated Craig's threat to sue over the book.

"Let him," Brian laughed bitterly. "Free publicity for you and a public airing of the kind of man and father he truly is." Brian paused, not sure how Justin would react to what he wanted to say next. "Justin, how do you feel honestly? I hope you didn't let that bag of hot air get to you."

"Don't worry about me Brian. He did me a favor tonight. Any lingering feelings I had for him that were hopeful of a relationship were killed by him once and for all. I don't want to ever talk about the man again. I love you Brian. I miss you so badly."

"I love you too, Justin. I miss you too, but it won't be for long. I'll be here when you get back home. Then we'll have to work on some new angles for a second book. Who knows, maybe your lovers can seriously consider getting married and starting a family of their own."

Just the word 'home' coming from Brian's mouth made Justin feel secure and ready to face the world. He hated being away from Brian even for a few weeks, but he knew he had someone to come home to who wanted him there no matter what. That was enough to shore up Justin's faith in the two of them and what he was doing with his life. Craig Taylor simply wasn't strong enough to tear down that wall of protection that Brian had built around the young writer. No one would be strong enough to do that.

The lovers kissed goodbye and felt the love through the distance that separated them. As they hung up, Brian allowed himself to feel the anger inside again that he had controlled for Justin's sake. Then and there he made up his mind to again shuffle appointments with clients. He had a task to perform that was far too important to wait for a break from work. After all, what good did it do him to own his own business if he couldn't delegate when needed? Brian Kinney began making plans for a quick trip to New York City, followed by a trip to San Francisco, the stop on Justin's book tour for the day after tomorrow. Brian had two men he had to see...one for pleasure and one for pain.

To be continued..........

Craig Taylor walked out of his lawyer's office and the scowl on his face left little doubt as to how his meeting had gone. Barry Leeson had been a fellow club member, as well as his lawyer, and Craig knew the man would have done his best to impart good news to him if he could have. Whether he liked it or not, Craig was well aware that he wasn't being given any options he could live with. It galled him that he couldn't pay his son back for humiliating him like he had with that cursed book. Craig knew that his old friends and business associates, not to mention his own employees, were talking about him behind his back. He could just imagine the things they were saying. They probably thought it was all his fault that his son turned out to be a pansy. 

Well, Barry had made it clear enough that a suit for defamation of character, or anything else that would draw even more attention to his relationship with Justin, would not be in his best interest. Barry emphasized how drawn out such a suit would be, and how expensive, and that the chances of him winning a suit like that against Justin were practically nil, especially in the more tolerant times they were living in now. The truth was that Justin had never even named Craig once in his novel and didn't claim it as an autobiography anyway. He called it a work of fiction but Craig had no doubt who he had based the character of the young gay man, who was an artist, on as well as the father who was considerably less than loving to him. Just changing the young man's profession didn't disguise those facts. 

Even his own ex-wife admitted that she saw Justin throughout the book. She actually sounded proud when she made that announcement. The woman was twisted, just like her son. There was no doubt that Justin was like he was because of his mother. The blame lay squarely on Jennifer's shoulders. That thought led him to consider whether he ought to sue Jenn for custody of Molly. Given enough time, maybe she would warp her too. But that would have to wait. First he had to decide how to deal with Justin. If he couldn't sue him, he'd have to think of something else. He wasn't at all sure how he could punish Justin for this outrage, but he'd think of something. He would mess up that young man's career or future in the same way he was trying to do to his own father. Maybe, Craig thought to himself, he would also go after that bastard that his son was having an affair with. 

Craig waited for the young man who worked in the garage at his lawyer's office to bring up his car from the underground parking. He had things to do and his patience had worn thin while talking to Barry. He decided that he wasn't in the mood to return to work. He needed time alone to think about his options.   Now that he had shed himself of his second wife, after discovering she only married him for his money, he at least had a place of his own where he could contemplate his next move without interruption.

His latest girlfriend was still working so he knew he would have his new apartment all to himself. A few drinks might help to ease the tension he had been under after hearing Barry's advice. Then he could really concentrate on how to get even with his son. The car finally showed as it was driven up the ramp and parked in front of its owner. Craig slipped in behind the wheel, barely waiting for the young man to exit his seat and without handing over a single penny for a tip. The young man muttered 'pompous ass' to the retreating car as it pealed out onto the street. Craig was in too big a hurry to notice that a car parked on the street pulled in right behind him.

Craig pulled up and parked his car in the allotted parking space of the high class apartment building he had moved into recently. It was close enough to his flagship store but far enough away from his bothersome ex, who was constantly nagging him about past due child support for Molly. He did his best for the girl but Jenn acted like he was made of money. He had a life of his own, for fucks sake. She was making good money now as a real estate agent. She didn't need to bleed him dry. As Craig got out of his car, he shook his head. He hadn't come home in the middle of the day to fret about Jenn. He had bigger fish to fry. He dismissed his ex from his mind and moved off to the elevator that would take him up to his tenth floor apartment. 

The doors were just about to close when he heard a man's voice shouting for him to hold the elevator. Craig stuck his hand in between the doors and they opened back up. A tall stranger, dressed quite nattily in a high end business suit, stepped in and quickly thanked him. Craig mumbled a response, barely looking at the guy. It registered that he had never seen the man before. He was either a new tenant or most likely a visitor to the building. Craig stepped forward and pushed a button for his floor. The stranger didn't press a different one so Craig was now certain he was visiting one of the other three tenants on his floor. The elevator moved quietly and quickly up the shaft until it came to a stop on number ten. 

Both men left the elevator. Craig turned to the right hallway where he and his neighbor lived. He felt the other man close behind him. He thought nothing of it and noticed that the stranger stopped at the other door across from his own as he fished out his key. He placed the key in the lock and turned it. As the door opened, Craig walked in. He was about to close the door when he felt a sudden force pushing him all the way inside. He fell against the side table in his entryway and almost lost his footing. The shock wore off quickly, and he turned to confront the intruder.

Craig was surprised to see that the well dressed stranger was standing inside his now closed door, and he had no weapon in his hand. Craig had expected to see a gun at least, figuring this to be a bold daytime robbery. He thought about rushing the man, although the guy was slightly bigger and stronger looking than himself. Before he could make a move, the stranger stopped him with his pronouncement.

"If you're thinking about fighting me, I'd think again Taylor. I'm highly trained in Tae Kwon Do and Judo, and I'm pretty sure I can take you with little trouble," Brian lied. "My name is Brian Kinney. I think you will recognize the name, and we have some business to discuss."

Craig sputtered, his face turning crimson red with anger. How dare this piece of shit invade his home like this and then threaten him. It took a moment for the flustered man to calm down enough to talk, but then he became emboldened.

"I don't usually talk business at home, Mr. Kinney. You could have made an appointment with my secretary...not that we have anything to discuss, you and I. So my son sent you here to convince me not to sue him...am I right? Well it won't do any good. My lawyer tells me I have a good case after the way he tried to defame me, the ungrateful little shit."

Brian struggled to contain his anger. It wasn't time to lose it yet.

"Justin didn't send me. He's man enough to handle his own shit, but I'm here to clear up some things with you personally. I suggest you sit down and listen, if you know what's good for you."

The tone Brian used was intimidating but Craig saw no reason to be on the defensive. After all, this fool had challenged him on his own turf. Craig figured he had the upper hand. He casually walked over to the side table where a phone sat waiting. He picked it up and turned back to Brian, only a few feet away.

"If anyone should know what's good for them, it's you Mr. Kinney. All I have to do is dial 911 and report an intruder in my home. Chances are you'll be cooling your heels in jail before you could hop a plane back to where ever you came from."

Brian let a sneer spread across his face. 

"Be my guest, Taylor." Brian reached his hand out. "Here, let me dial the number for you. You do remember that I'm a top notch ad man...right? I'm sure I can spin this little meeting into a number of ways that the media will find interesting, not to mention the police. It's only fair that I warn you that I have plenty of big name connections in the media world here in your lovely city. It wouldn't be that difficult to...oh say, let the word get out that you have a down low rivalry with your son and decided to seduce his boyfriend by inviting him to your apartment for 'a chat'. And when he wasn't willing to 'chat'...I mean cheat on Justin, you then called the police in order to punish him...ah, I mean me," Brian smirked.

"Bullshit," shouted Craig. "No one would believe a sick joke like that. Folks know me too well for that."

"Are you willing to take that chance? You've lived long enough to know that anything can take a spinning and come out looking entirely different once the tabloids get a hold of a story. Not everyone would believe a wild tale like that, true, but how many of your customers or country club cronies do you think will wonder, if not believe, what the tabloids are saying. Pictures don't lie. I'm quite sure I can arrange for some interesting pictures of you and I to be printed with the stories." Brian rubbed his chin. "Hmmm, you know they are doing the most amazing things with photos using computers nowadays."

Brian said no more. He was waiting for Craig's next outburst. The man's face was slowly changing from angry red to fuming purple. Craig didn't know a whole hell of a lot about this man who had invaded his life, but there was something very believable in the man's threats. Craig felt a cold chill run down his spine. He couldn't afford to have a hint of scandal that might destroy his business and lifestyle. The book was bad enough. What Kinney was suggesting would be a hundred times worse. Craig suddenly deflated like a balloon pricked by a pin. He seemed to shrink into himself. Brian could see the defeat in his eyes. It was a satisfying sight.

"So what the fuck do you want from me anyway?"

"Simple, Taylor. I want you to stop threatening Justin. I want you to leave your son alone and let him have the good life he has earned, and so richly deserves. He's made a success of his life despite having no support from the one man who should have cared the most, but isn't capable of it. I don't want to see you trying to take it away from him ever again. I can promise you that if I hear even a whisper of a threat from you again, I'll do whatever it takes to make your life a living hell. I'll see to it you lose everything that matters to you if it's the last thing I do. Ask around Taylor. I keep my promises...always. Do we understand each other?"

It galled Craig to admit that he didn't have much choice. He sensed that Kinney wasn't bluffing one tiny bit. In any case, he couldn't take the chance that the man was bluffing. He had too much to lose. He knew he had to swallow his frustrations with how his son had turned out and simply live with it. 

"Alright Kinney. You win. That little faggot isn't worth my losing my reputation. You can have your plaything, and you can both go to hell for all I care. Chances are you will anyway. Just make sure he knows I never want to see his face again. I no longer have a son."

Brian nodded his head. He had gotten what he came for. He turned on his heel and reached for the doorknob. Before he could turn it, Craig just had to add one more zinger.

"With any luck, you two will give each other AIDS and die."

Craig never saw it coming. Brian turned back around and reached Craig in four long steps. His hand cocked back, then rushed forward like a bullet from a gun. His fist connected with a satisfying crunch into Craig's jaw. The startled man let out a loud yelp of pain as he felt his jawbone crack. He stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. He looked up to see the tall figure of an angry man above him. 

"Now you have proof I assaulted you. Call the police if you want. I'll be happy to relay how I was forced to punch you when you wouldn't take no for an answer."

Brian turned back and this time he left the apartment. Once the door closed behind him, he shook his hand. His knuckles were sore, but it felt so good. He smiled to himself. He took a look at his watch. Good, he thought, he had plenty of time to return his rental car and get to the airport before his next flight. Next stop...San Francisco.

***********************************************************

Justin was exhausted. His book was selling like hotcakes in this City by the Bay, and he must have signed a million autographs since early this morning. He was relieved that his work was done. He was looking forward to getting back to the hotel room Dan had reserved for him at one of the nicest hotels in the city. Of course it would have been far more enjoyable if Brian had been with him, but he fully understood the demands of Brian's job. That didn't make missing him any easier. 

It was particularly irritating that he hadn't been able to connect with Brian for almost two days now. Every time he called Brian's office he was given one excuse after another for why he couldn't be called to the phone. He had tried Brian's cell several times today alone, but the man never picked up. It always went to voice mail. When he had gotten worried he had called Brian's office again, but they had reassured him that the boss was fine, just super busy. Justin had all but made up his mind that he was taking the next flight back to Pittsburgh if he didn't get ahold of Brian tonight. It wasn't that he didn't trust Brian, because he did one hundred percent. He simply was worried because it wasn't like Brian to be unavailable to him for so long. 

Justin was finally dropped off at his hotel. He hurried up to the fourteenth floor where his room was. He slipped the card in the lock and entered the darkened suite. He immediately got the sense that something wasn't quite right. The living room didn't look any different as he flipped the switch to flood the room with light. It was then that he heard a sound coming from the bedroom off to the side. He stepped carefully through the bedroom door. That was when he saw the extra suitcase sitting on the end of his bed. He recognized it immediately. The sound was repeated, and he now realized it was coming from the bathroom. 

Justin walked gingerly to the bathroom door. He had a huge grin on his face. He knew who that suitcase belonged to. He opened the door quietly. The room was dark except for a couple of dozen candles that lined the floor, sink, and vanity table. He couldn't believe his eyes. He had never seen Brian in a bubble bath before, but there he was covered from shoulder to toe with millions of soapy bubbles. 

"Care to join me," was all his lover said.

Justin set a speed record for disrobing. He approached the tub, his body naked and glistening from the candlelight that played off it. He bent down to give Brian a grateful kiss. The long arms of his lover pulled him down and into the water, which splashed out to soak the thick rug in front of it. Justin quickly adjusted his body so that he was lying in Brian's lap with his back against his lover's chest. The warm water and soapy bubbles enveloped the couple as they settled into place. Brian began to massage Justin's chest with his arms draped over the smaller man's shoulders.

"Mmmmm," Justin hummed. "That's feels soooo good."

"I heard that you were in need of some tender loving care after a busy trip promoting your book. I didn't think anyone else could provide quite the standard of care you deserved, so I had to drop everything and rush to your side as quickly as possible."

"Well Dan did offer to hire a masseuse for me, but I do believe you can do the job better."

"Shall we see?" Brian proposed.

With that, Justin turned in Brian's lap just enough for their mouths to connect in a satisfying union that left them both breathless. The kiss lingered as they tasted the nectar of love they felt for each other. Brian's hands continued to massage Justin's chest, sending gentle ripples of pleasure throughout Justin's body. When their lips finally parted, Justin settled back into place between Brian's long legs, his buttocks resting comfortably up against Brian's crotch. He could feel the desire in Brian through the solid cock pressed along his crack and up against the small of his back. His own cock was already responding in kind. 

Soon Brian leaned Justin forward and began to massage the young man's back and shoulders. Justin let out a contented sigh and ran his hands up and down his lover's legs as they lay alongside his own. Thankfully the tub was extra large and there was plenty of room. Justin's body was soon totally relaxed from the expert fingering and kneading practiced by Brian's talented hands. Justin waited for his chance to move. 

When Brian stopped for a moment, Justin pulled forward and turned around in the tub. He watched the bubbles part as he pulled Brian closer to him. The two men were now in the center of the tub with Justin's legs laying over Brian's. They got even closer and were finally chest to chest. They began kissing again, this time with more fervor. The passion started to rise until their bodies were warmer than the sudsy water. Justin began licking along Brian's jawline until he reached Brian's ear. His tongue swirled gently around the ear lobe and poked a time or two into the shell of his ear. Brian felt himself shudder. Then Justin whispered into his ear.

"I want you inside me," he requested lustfully. "Please tell me you came prepared."

Brian grinned. "Always." 

He reached for the soap dish. He had wisely placed a few condoms there knowing they would be needed. He picked one up and ripped it open. He handed it to his partner. Justin scooted back enough to reach and make quick work of sheathing Brian's hungry manhood. He scooted back into place. They continued to kiss as Brian reached around Justin and used his fingers to tease and excite his lover's entrance. He poked a single and then double finger up into Justin and wriggled around as Justin's muscles contracted and relaxed repeatedly. Justin's longing increased with each movement. 

Finally Brian felt his lover was ready. He lifted Justin up from his lap and lowered him back down slowly into place....Justin helping by reaching back to steady Brian's rock hard tool. Once he had Justin where he needed to be, he let the younger man do the rest of the work. Justin felt the piercing into his inner sanctum as he held onto Brian and lowered himself down a few inches. It felt so satisfying, despite a moment of discomfort. That faded quickly as he lowered himself a bit more. Inch by inch he engulfed his lovers magnificent cock. Once he was seated fully, he relaxed for a moment while they shared more loving kisses and touches. 

Justin then began to move his lower body. He started to roll and sway his bottom, occasionally rising and falling in place again. This went on for some time as they kissed, licked, and sucked each other's skin. Their hands never stopped enjoying the feel of one another under their finger tips. Eventually Brian felt his orgasm rising as his balls tightened up. He reached between them and grabbed a handful of Justin's hard cock. He used the soapy water to provide the necessary comfort as he began working the excited member in earnest. Soon both men had reached the pinnacle of their bodies endurance. Brian thrust his hips forward one last time as he filled the condom buried deep in Justin's body. At the same time Justin spilled his juices into the soapy water. Justin settled against Brian's chest and the two hearts beat in perfect time with each other.

An hour later they lay on their bed with their arms wrapped tightly around each other. Their hearts were still beating in a matching rhythm as they lay snuggled close together. They could feel the beats and it comforted them both. Brian didn't bother going into details about his visit with Taylor, Sr. He sufficed it to say that they came to an understanding and the old man wouldn't be bothering them anymore. Justin was grateful. He had tried to ignore his father's threats but they had been a nagging worry. Leave it to Brian to know what to say to make the man leave them both alone. Justin in turn gave Brian a picture of how exciting it was to see how well received his book had become in such a short time. 

"I owe it all to you Brian," the young writer declared.

"Bullshit! You're the one with the talent. You paint pictures with your words and make people see the beauty you see with your own eyes. You've always had that talent. I just gave you the incentive to believe in yourself as much as I do. You're going to be a big fat fucking success, and I couldn't be prouder. No one will ever take that away from you. I'm happy to share this with you Justin. You said in your dedication that I taught you how to love, but the truth is I didn't believe in love myself until you came into my life."

A slow smile spread over Justin's face. It lit up the darkened room. 

"Let's just say that we taught each other what love is. And I do, Brian. I love you with everything in me."

"Do you love me enough to marry me?"

"Whether it's legal or not?" Justin queried.

"Whether it's legal or not," came Brian's answer.

Justin answered without saying a word.

**************************************************************

The sun shone brightly a month later, as the tall brown haired ad man stood next to the blue eyed blond writer in front of the Canadian minister who had agreed to marry them. There were rows of faces watching, many in disbelief but most with huge smiles covering their faces. Dan handed over the rings when the minister requested them. Jennifer Taylor, Debbie Novotny, and Daphne Chanders could be heard sniffling back tears in the background. A couple of sniffles came from the direction of a couple of the men too, but they would never admit that to anyone. Gus clapped his hands in glee. He wasn't losing a Daddy, he was gaining another Daddy. His mothers did their best to calm him down, but it was hopeless. 

As the minister pronounced the men husband and husband, a loud cheer erupted from the audience. No one said it out loud but they all knew that real life was imitating fiction right before their eyes. In Justin's best seller, the lovers were married and faced a bright future together at the end of the book. The story teller was now living his fantasy fully. As the duo shared their first kiss as married men, they knew that their own story was not at an end. This was just the beginning....the beginning of happily ever after.

The End