Justin took another sip of his sparkling apple cider and nodded along with whatever it was that Cynthia and Mel were talking about; although, truthfully he had lost track of the conversation a few minutes prior due to his distraction. Something that had happened more and more frequently of late. And he expected it to get worse before it got better.
He couldn’t seem to focus on anything for long periods these days.
Glancing around the Tropical Forest Conservatory, he couldn’t help being glad that Brian had agreed to hold Kinnetik’s Holiday party at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The garden, with its tropical plants, waterfalls and fish pond, was beautiful and a nice change from the boring hotel banquet room. Not that Brian would ever hold a party some place so mundane and predictable; he’d probably break out in hives at the mere thought.
But celebrating in a tropical garden in the middle of winter was different enough that Brian hadn’t immediately rolled his eyes; and the attached Special Events Hall was large enough to hold the entire Kinnetik Pittsburgh office, as well as the newer Kinnetik New York satellite. Not to mention their ever-growing family and friend network.
Barely.
As it was, with the near forty employees at the main office and their plus one, the seven at the satellite and their plus one, the various twenty or so ‘family’ members and the thirty account representatives they’d invited and their plus ones, they were at near capacity for the room. If the company kept growing like it was, they would need to find another venue. Or do away with the dance floor, which wasn’t even a consideration for Justin.
Signaling a passing server, Justin finished his cider and ordered another, glad that Brian had been thoughtful enough to order a case and had informed the servers to bring that to Justin in lieu of champagne. He really didn’t want to...
“Not drinking tonight?” Mel asked, garnering his attention once more.
Justin cringed internally as this is exactly what he’d hoped to avoid.
“Huh?” Justin said absently, although he’d heard exactly what she’d said; he just wanted a moment to think of a plausible reason for not joining in with the drunken revelry. “Oh, no; it’s my turn to be designated driver tonight.”
Cynthia and Mel just stared at him, their brows pinched with confusion. Justin frowned and thought back on what he said and cringed internally once more. Fuck. Now they were really going to be suspicious. After all, it was difficult to drive oneself home when you and your partner arrived to the party by car service. Looking around for a convincing way out of his predicament, Justin spotted a familiar shock of auburn hair and turned to Mel and Cynthia.
“If you ladies will excuse me,” Justin said hastily, his only thought being to extricate himself from the situation before they could question him further. “I see Brian and I need to ask him about the silent auctions tonight.”
And with that Justin walked away, but not before hearing Mel huff and seeing her turn towards Cynthia from the corner of his eyes. He slowed his steps, wanting to know what she was going to say to the other woman and how much damage control was needed.
“I thought Brian hired cars for the evening?” Mel asked, a frown on her face.
“He did,” Cynthia said with a shrug. “I placed the order myself.”
Mel hummed, and Justin could all but hear the gears in her head whirring as she started to put things together. Fuck. Brian was going to kill him. Well, at least Christmas was only a few days away and then the secrecy wouldn’t matter.
“Do you think?” Mel asked, her voice trailing off as Justin felt her gaze boring into his back.
“Noooo…” Cynthia said in a hushed tone, drawing the word out with a hint of disbelief; and then her gaze joined Mel’s and she said a shade more thoughtfully. “Maybe.”
“Fuck, remind me to bring the popcorn to that announcement,” Mel said, taking a large gulp of her champagne. “Linds and Mikey are going to shit bricks.”
At that point, Justin was out of hearing range and all he could think was it was just his luck to be surrounded by women who were far too clever for his own good. Justin entered the Special Events Hall and scanned the room, smiling when he caught sight of Brian standing at the edge of the dance floor in his favorite black Armani suit. Paired with a burgundy shirt and tie, the latter of which had been taken off after dinner, he looked good enough to eat and it had been difficult keeping his hands to himself.
Licking his lips, Justin ran his eyes over his husband’s body and then cursed being held up this afternoon when checking the set up for the gingerbread town once again. Emmett had been freaking out about something not working right with the display and had called Justin in a state of panic. And, of course, Justin, worried that one of the houses had been damaged, had rushed right over, only to find that some of the lights and mechanics weren’t working and it was a simple blown fuse.
Emmett had, admittedly, been apologetic about his overreaction, but it still meant that Justin was running late getting to the loft, where they were planning to stay that night, and he had to rush to get ready. It also meant that Justin had missed out on his and Brian’s favorite bath time activity – shower sex.
As it was, all he’d been able to do was give Brian a quick blow job in the hopes of keeping him from killing a couple of his account managers, who had royally fucked up a campaign this past week; followed by a quick hand job for himself. Not a very satisfying encounter, even if Brian had promised to make it up to him later that night.
Justin took a sip of cider to wet his suddenly parched mouth, and sighed as he watched Brian work the room. God, his husband was as sexy as the day he'd first met him and he mourned all the glorious shower sex, plus the likely quickie, (because Brian never could keep his hands to himself when Justin wore a suit), he’d missed this afternoon.
The way Brian would come up behind him, drape his body against Justin’s, his hands everywhere as they tugged and pulled at his clothes, sweet talking him out of them as he pressed hot, wet kisses along his neck. The way he would spin Justin around, pick him up and toss him on the bed, quickly following with his mouth and teeth and tongue all bent on driving Justin mad with desire. The way he’d quickly and efficiently work him open with his fingers until Justin was a keening, leaking mess all but begging to be fucked and fucked right now.
The way he would replace his fingers with his hot, hard, beautiful cock, nearly splitting Justin open no matter how well he’d stretched him. Not that Justin minded; he loved the burn of Brian filling him. The way he would slide in, one long, slow thrust that had his back arching and his hands clenching at the sheets until Brian bottomed out. The way he would pause, allowing Justin to adjust to his length and girth.
God, and the way he start with slow, even thrusts until Justin was begging for more, and then he’d fucking pound him into the mattress until…
“And just what is my Sunshine thinking about to put that expression on his face?” Brian whispered in his ear as he wrapped an arm around Justin’s waist and pulled him back against his chest, startling Justin out of his fantasy.
Justin flushed as he became aware of his surroundings once more; he looked down ruefully and then spun around in Brian’s arms to hide his obvious arousal.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he asked coyly, staring up at Brian through his lashes.
“Mmmm…that for me, Sunshine?” Brian tightened his hold around Justin’s waist and nuzzled his nose against Justin’s as he ground their dicks together.
Justin gasped, his cheeks heating as he bit back a moan. Fuck, but he was horny all the time these days - something that Brian used to his full advantage.
“And I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know, Sunshine,” Brian said as he trailed kisses over his neck and jaw, just like he’d been imagining to a moment before. Justin bit his lip to hold back a gasp as Brian murmured. “But I have a better idea; why don’t we make our way to one of the bathrooms and you can show me?”
“Brian…” Justin protested weakly, because fuck, yeah; he so wanted this and was at the point of not giving one fuck what everyone would think. Most of these people were friends and family and where quite used to their antics by now.
“You know you want to,” Brian cajoled as he began slowly shepherding Justin away from the dance floor and towards said room. “I’ll make it so good for you, Sunshine. And I do owe you for that spectacular blow job this afternoon…”
Justin opened his mouth to make a token protest once more, but was halted by the screech of the microphone. Puzzled, both he and Brian looked up at the stage as they both knew that the toasts and speeches were long over and there was nothing more planned for the night but dancing and enjoying the dessert buffet. Justin was even more puzzled to find Daphne standing there.
“Can I get our hosts in the middle of the dance floor please?” Daphne asked with a broad smile.
“What’s Daphne doing?” Brian asked as he pulled away and turned to Justin with an arched brow; but Justin had no idea what was going on.
“Fuck if I know,” Justin replied with a shrug. “She never mentioned this to me. But if we don’t comply, you know she’ll just come over here and embarrass the fuck out of us by dragging us onto the floor herself.”
“Fuck,” Brian muttered, almost pouting that their fun had been interrupted; but he wrapped an arm around Justin’s waist and led him to the dance floor as he recognized Justin’s statement for the truth that is was.
“The first time I saw Brian and Justin dance was over twelve years ago,” Daphne addressed the crowd, standing in a peach tea-length dress, similar in color to the one she wore to hers and Justin’s prom.
Justin startled at her words and then cursed under his breath as he caught the gleam in her eye. He turned to Brian in shared horror. Prom was a time they didn’t discuss by mutual agreement. They’d had a knock down, dragged out fight one night in the loft not long after the Pink Posse incident, in which a lot of ugly and hurt feelings came out regarding that time. And then they’d sat down, discussed it like the mostly mature adults they were and then shelved it; because nothing seemed to bring back Justin’s memory of the night and it was just too painful for them to rehash over and over again.
“Oh, God, please tell me she isn’t,” Justin muttered, rubbing a hand over his face.
“It was truly the most beautiful thing I had ever seen,” Daphne said wistfully, her eyes misty with remembrance.
“She is,” Brian muttered; his face an unreadable mask as he stared in Daphne’s general direction.
“Fuck my life,” Justin swore, wanting to strangle his best friend; he knew she’d likely had the best of intentions, but this was going to open up wounds best left alone.
Daphne twisted her hands nervously as she stared at them with a sad smile. “That was the night I knew without a doubt that - even if he’d never admit it himself - that Brian had fallen in love with Justin. And even more, Justin knew that he loved him.”
“I really hope she doesn’t play that song,” Brian muttered, his arm tightening around Justin’s waist to a near painful degree. “Fag hag or not, I just might kill her.”
“She’d never be that cruel, Brian; and you know it.” Justin stared at him in remonstration. Brian bit his lip and looked away uncomfortably.
“Yeah I know,” he whispered, loosening his grip to a more comfortable level, but still keeping Justin firmly tucked into his side, as if protecting him from the world.
“Sadly, due to circumstances beyond his control, Justin doesn’t remember that night. And although I know they’ve danced since then, if you call what they do at Babylon dancing.” Daphne paused for the inevitable laughs that came from friends and family. “I wanted to dedicate this song to them: L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole; because I can’t think of a couple who it suits better. And it’s time to build better memories.”
“I’m going to kill her.” Justin winced at the sappy nature of the song, just knowing how much Brian was going to hate it.
“Not if I get there first,” Brian groused, glaring at a smugly smirking Daphne. And then he blew out an explosive breath and turned to Justin, his eyes softening as he stared into Justin’s upturned face. “So, what do you say, Sunshine? May I have this dance?”
“Are you sure?” Justin asked hesitantly, knowing the can of worms that this entire incident was going to open up as soon as they made it back to the loft.
“I’d like nothing more, Sunshine,” Brian said, pressing his lips to Justin’s temple.
Justin smiled softly and turned his head, capturing his husband’s lips in a soft, slow kiss as the opening notes of the song sounded. They started moving slowly, as they had once did at prom, each gauging the way the other moved; or so he’d been told. But also like he’d been told, something magical happened and they were fully in sync as they moved across the dance floor as if they’d done it a hundred…no a thousand times before.
Smiling up at his husband, Justin laughed in delight as he caught the mischievous look in Brian’s eyes before he sent Justin into a series of dizzying spins, with him moving effortlessly around him; only to reel him back into his chest and spin with him across the floor. They pulled out of the spins into a series of fancy footwork, before Brian tucked Justin’s leg around his waist and then gripped his waist to lower him into a dip.
A scene flashed across Justin’s mind as he dipped low, of him slowly unbuttoning Brian’s jacket one button at a time and then leaning up, their lips centimeters from each other as he slowly slid the jacket from his shoulders. Their eyes met and Justin gasped at the sheer heat and love that he saw reflected in the mesmerizing hazel depths that were usually shuttered to all but those closest to him. And then he was back on the dance floor twirling in a puzzled Brian’s arms.
Justin shook his head, his eyes misty as he recalled that flash of what had to be a memory. He’d tell Brian later. But first, he was planning to repeat the move he’d just seen and hopefully Brian would get it. Meeting his husband’s eyes, he slowly removed his jacket, standing on his tiptoes until their lips hovered over each others. But this time he did kiss him, just once, lightly on the lips and whispered:
“I love you.”
Brian smiled, his eyes glassy as he stared at Justin. “Me too, Sunshine.”
Justin grinned and then walked around Brian, his eyes anchored with his husband’s as he pulled the jacket off. And then he bunched it up and tossed it to a gaping Daphne. Brian closed his eyes, a bittersweet smile on his face as he recognized the gesture.
"Sunshine…?” Brian asked, his voice hoarse as if holding back tears.
“Later,” Justin said as he continued his circuit around his husband, coming to a stop in front of him with happy tears in his eyes.
Brian nodded, but judging by the small smile on his face he realized Justin must have remembered something. Pressing his forehead to Justin’s, he took a deep breath, and then continued their foxtrot in a series of footwork and turns that left Justin breathless, culminating in a lifted spin that felt vaguely familiar. Justin felt like he was flying for a moment, and then he was on the ground again and Brian’s lips were on his, stealing his breath away as the song ended.
Justin twined his fingers into Brian’s hair as the kiss deepened, deaf to the applause and hoots and whistles surrounding them. All he could think about was that brief flash of memory and the way it made him feel; awed that even then, Brian had loved him, even if he’d never said it. Pulling back when air became necessary, Justin rested his brow against Brian’s, a small smile of contentment on his face.
“Thank you, Sunshine,” Brian said almost inaudibly.
“For what?” Justin asked in a hushed tone.
“For giving me everything I could have ever wanted,” Brian said, a sweet smile on his face. “Everything I have ever needed. And everything I never realized I wanted and needed.”
Justin just answered with a wide smile, one near blinding in its intensity, and pressed a small kiss to the corner of Brian’s mouth, whispering, “Take me home, stud; we have some catching up to do.”