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......................