Justin's eyes widened as he heard the ice in Brian's voice. He wasn't sure he would ever get used to this side of his husband. Justin got that Brian had massive responsibilities, holdings all over the world that he would never begin to fully understand, but this cold place that he so effortlessly could go to with his most trusted employee and friend was at times unconscionable to him. The man was a virtual paradox. Hot and cold in an instant. Of course, according to Brian's most trusted friends, ones that had now included him into their inner circle, they adamantly professed things were much better now. They assured him there was a time when it was all coldness, and that his love for Justin brought out the more humane side of Brian. One that they hadn't known existed previously.

Listening to Brian berate Ted now, Justin wondered if there wasn't something he could do to make things better. Not only for himself but all those that had to deal with the beast that was Brian Kinney. He walked out onto the terrace, deciding he had heard enough of Brian's explosions for the time being. He should have known that their time together would be fraught with interruptions. A man like Brian could not escape from the real world. Delay it at times, yes. Escape, never. Justin knew it didn't really matter. Brian had become a completely different man with him. He had learned to treat him as an equal, a man that genuinely valued his thoughts. Good or bad, Justin was head over heels in love with Brian Kinney. He would stick by him until the end of time. Nothing was more certain than that.

He picked up his sketchpad and walked along the beach, knowing he probably should have told Brian where he was going, but as it was, he figured Brian would be tied up with Ted for a while yet. Furthermore, he didn't expect it would take a very large deduction to determine where he had wandered off to. Sitting down on the sandy beach, Justin curled his legs underneath him as he looked out into the endless horizon and began to lose himself in his art, his second greatest love, a love that could only be surpassed by one other - the unshakable one for his husband.

Justin didn't know he was being studiously watched and admired. Had he known, he would have probably moved further along or returned to his bungalow. Being in the middle of a jealous display with his volatile and possessive husband, was not a coveted position with a Brian that was already displaying signs of looking for a fight. That his mood was directed back to his homeland and incompetent managers in various businesses didn't really matter. All that mattered was Brian was currently in a disgruntled frame of mind, and that would transfer onto anyone that came afoul of him. Justin knew it would rest with him to bring his husband back to a much happier and peaceful state.

Brian paced back and forth in the opulent bungalow, his teeth set on edge that he was having to do this now when he should be enjoying what little remained of his holiday and honeymoon with Justin. His voice lowering and sharpening, similar to the most precise of razors, Brian spat out, "Theodore, let me make this perfectly clear to you again. I don't give a fuck about labor disputes, plant shutdowns, or picketers. Now, was there something in that statement that you failed to understand?"

Ted tapped his fingers impatiently on the desk, knowing he should have adhered to Cynthia's advice and not made this call. She warned him Brian would not receive it well. The game, set, and the match was awarded to Brian's personal assistant. "You told me in the event of an emergency to contact you via email. Well, I did that. You didn't respond."

"Right. I didn't respond. What the fuck should that have told you?" Brian barked out in response.

"Well, it could have meant you didn't receive it, or that you hadn't bothered to even look." Ted grimaced as the long stream of expletives came across the line. If there had ever been a moment when he could take back his words, it had never been more the case as it was in this particular moment. He knew as soon as he spoke the words. He held the phone away from his ear, waiting for the tirade to cease.

Brian stopped his cursing, looking around absently, quickly noticing that his husband wasn't in the room. He was thankful for that, at least. He was well aware of how his tender partner felt about his outbursts, how he would probably never understand this side of him, but it was a part of the package in his world. He sat down at the desk where his laptop lay open, with all his urgent email messages flagged and attended to in the order of importance. "Not that I feel the need to answer you, Mr. Schmidt, but have you even contacted the plant manager at the Indianapolis branch of Welton Pharmaceuticals?"

"No, Brian. I had just ascertained that you hadn't responded to the email notices," Ted responded in a beleaguered voice, knowing this was when the proverbial ax would fall.

"Imagine my surprise," Brian scoffed. "You were too busy panicking, and contacting me on the LAST day of my honeymoon to do what you should have done initially. You do remember this, right? I am on my honeymoon, due to return tomorrow..."

"Yes, I remember, Brian." Ted sighed deeply, realizing he had made more than one mistake today. The first one had been coming into the office. "So, I assume you are on top of this, then?"

Brian laughed harshly. "I don't believe this shit. Each day of a plant shutdown costs me millions of dollars, not to mention how it affects the pharmacies and patients relying on those medications. Do you really think I'm going to allow that to escalate?"

"No, Brian. But if you'd only answered my messages, this call could have been avoided," Ted answered in defense of himself, knowing he was in an extremely precarious position, yet trying to come out of it in one piece.

"This call could have been avoided if you'd handled your job properly. That plant was shut down for three days before I received a notification from you. Do you know how much that cost me? Any idea, Theodore?" Brian continued to rage.

"I've seen the reports, Brian." Fuck, Ted thought as he ran a nervous hand through his hair. He'd be lucky to survive this call with his job still intact. He had screwed up. Big time. "I did everything I could from my end at that point. The things they wanted, only you could supply. Surely, you know that."

"Fortunately for you, I do know that. If not, you would be unemployed with a dark cloud hanging over your head so large that no company would take you on. That doesn't change the facts, though. One, you waited too long to contact me. And two, you didn't bother to check in at the Indianapolis plant before you called me today. This escapade cost me nearly ten million dollars. Even though the plant is back in operation as of this afternoon, still ten million dollars!" Brian growled ferociously, standing to walk toward the terrace, looking to find his errant husband.

Ted groaned, uncaring that he did so aloud. "I'm sorry, Brian. I don't know what else to say." A long pause followed. "If you want my resignation, I will have it ready on your desk before the end of the day."

"Shut the fuck up and quit being such a Drama Queen. You fucked up. It cost me a fortune, but we will move on from it. I'll be home tomorrow. Try not to have any other disasters in the meantime," Brian told him, his eyes narrowing on a tall, muscular man sitting on the beach next to Justin.

"I'll do my best, Brian," Ted answered, knowing he had dodged a major bullet here. "Enjoy the rest of your honeymoon. And thank Justin for me."

Brian began walking down the beach, his husband clearly in his sights. "Thank him for what?"

"Well, if he hadn't begun the process of mellowing your ass, I would be in the unemployment line..." Ted told him, both of them knowing his words to be nothing short of the truth.

"Get back to work, Theodore," Brian growled, before ending the call, and immediately pocketing the phone. He moved leisurely ahead, watching as Justin worked on his sketch, obviously ignoring the man that foolishly was angling for his attention.

"What have we here, Sunshine?" Brian drawled, stopping to run his hand lightly along the blond tendrils that fell across Justin's forehead.

Justin looked up with a beaming smile, throwing his sketchpad down in one uncaring toss, standing to throw his arms around his much-adored husband. "Brian, you're done with your business?"

"Indeed, I am." His arms reached out to enclose Justin's waist, as his eyes moved to throw daggers at the beach Lothario who looked to move in on his exclusive territory. "It seems you were conducting some business of your own."

"Huh?" Justin asked in confusion, before following the direction of his husband's gaze. "Oh, you mean Keenan. He is on staff over at the hotel. I think he thought I was lonely and wanted to keep me company." Justin lowered his voice. "He doesn't speak very good English. I think he was just trying to be nice."

Brian pulled Justin closer, swooping down to capture his lips, smiling in satisfaction against them when Justin immediately parted them in response, along with Justin's admirer silently scampering away. He slid his tongue deep inside, running it atop Justin's tongue, groaning at the delicious taste that could only be attributed to Justin. Rubbing his hands, up and down Justin's back, Brian pulled back to growl, "I know exactly what he was trying to do. Is it always going to be like this, Mr. Taylor-Kinney?"

"Hmph. You're one to talk. We can't go anywhere without some guy hitting on you," Justin rallied back, his eyes alive with jealousy.

"Jealous much, little twat?" Brian murmured, his eyes fastened on Justin's plump and moist lips.

"You know your tight little ass has spoiled me for all others."

Justin smirked, reaching down to pick up his sketchpad, uncaring that his harmless admirer had fled the scene. He really couldn't blame him. Facing the ire of Brian Kinney wasn't anything one should strive to do. "Well, let's keep it that way." He scrunched up his nose as he looked at his husband. "I assume you came looking for me for a reason..."

"I did," Brian agreed. "It's been four hours since we've fucked."

Chuckling, Justin allowed Brian to lead them back toward their bungalow. "Four whole hours? I can't believe you survived it."

Brian reached out, swatting Justin playfully across his ass. "Careful there, little fucker."

Once they crossed the deck and were safely ensconced inside, Justin threw his arms around Brian's neck, wiggling his body against him, brazenly teasing the sexual beast before him. "Or you'll do what, Mr. Kinney?" Justin whispered, blatantly thrusting his hips forward.

"Let's move to the bedroom, and I'll show you..." Brian rasped, pushing Justin in the direction of their bed. In no time at all, Brian had them both stripped and stretched out on the bed, lube already thrown on the far side of the bedding. "I'm going to fuck you into the mattress, and once I'm finished; I'll do it again..."

"Promises promises, Mr. Kinney..." Justin purred, as he pulled his husband's lips down for an evocative kiss, mouths grinding together in the same rhythm their bodies yearned to follow suit.

Brian felt the perspiration sliding down his spine, as he popped open the bottle of lube to squirt into Justin's hole before he slathered it onto his bare cock. "Look into my eyes, Justin." Brian waited for Justin's fevered gaze to meet his own before he began the slow entry that would join them. "Fuck," he growled as he steadily moved forward, feeling that familiar squeeze upon his uncovered dick. "I love the feel of you clenching around my bare cock." Thrusting forward fiercely, seating himself fully at a frenzied pace, Brian demanded, "Tell me how good it feels, Justin. How much you love the feel of my bare cock fucking you."

"Ahhh, Brian, you know - fuck, it feels so good..." Justin gasped, as his hips rose and fell to meet Brian's demanding thrusts.

Grunting in response, Brian's eyes continued to bore into him. "And why does it feel so good, Sunshine?"

"Why? Fuck, I can't th-think now," Justin moaned, his head tossing back and forth on the pillow as Brian pounded into him.

Brian smiled, his lips twisting into a feral expression that always drove his husband crazy with desire. He leaned down to sensuously kiss his blond, his tongue stabbing into his mouth, mimicking his thrusting cock, possessing him in every way imaginable. His voice, deep and raspy, he asked, "Why do I feel so good?"

Justin grabbed onto Brian's shoulders, pulling him tighter against him, his words escaping in shallow pants. "Because I fucking love you, you unbelievable control freak!"

Arching his head back, laughing at Justin's admission, and more than a founded accusation, Brian increased his relentless pace, hitting his husband's pleasure spot - over and over, growling his pleasure as he felt them beginning the climb into unparalleled bliss. He thrust forward several more times until he felt that euphoric tremble lessening in them both. Pulling out, he laid on his side, lowering his lips to gently caress Justin's, knowing whether it be at home or here in this paradise, he would never have enough of this man. A lifetime wouldn't be long enough with him.

"That was hot," Brian told him, allowing Justin to relax for a moment, knowing he meant his earlier words of repeated rounds, with the next to commence soon.

"It was," Justin agreed with a dreamy smile. "You were out of control, though."

"I plead guilty." Brian arched his brow, before telling him, "You can't blame me for being in a case of perpetual lust for your adorable blond boy ass."

Justin went through the pretense of looking back at his ass. "It is adorable, isn't it?"

Brian curled his lips under, looking at Justin attentively. "Much the same as the rest of you."

Looking pensive, Justin told him, "I love you, Brian. With all my heart, and always, but..."

"That should all be a given. There should be no but in that equation," Brian said, his eyes narrowing.

"I heard you talking to Ted earlier," Justin admitted, a bit uncomfortable, insomuch that he never interfered in Brian's business or how he handled it.

Brian sat up in the bed, staring ahead stormily. "And?"

"Well, can't you be a bit nicer? He quite literally adores you, although he'd never admit it. I think it really hurts him when you're so hard on him." Justin sat up to look at Brian closely. "Everyone makes mistakes. Look at some of the ones you made when we first got together."

"Point taken," Brian said, looking at Justin in amazement. "I love you doesn't even begin to define all that I feel for you, Mr. Taylor-Kinney. On all counts, you make me a better man. I'm still learning much about this more human aspect, but with you as my guide, I know I will. Just don't give up on me in the meantime. Okay?"

Justin smiled, love glowing all through him. "Never. I will always love you and strive to be the man you need. For better or worse, right? From where I stand, it is definitely for the better."

Brian smiled at the blond that he loved with all his heart, knowing he didn't deserve such a special man, but one that he intended to hold onto, nonetheless. "No, on the contrary, Justin. I am the one that found the best, and I intend on spending the rest of our lives reaffirming the choice you made."

They fell into each other's arms, once again becoming reacquainted with the body they knew as intimately as their own, both of them nourishing the love they would cherish and protect. Not only for today, but for now and forever.

THE END