Chapter 21

"There you two are!" Justin exclaimed as Joan and Bree came into the studio. They had been gone for most of the afternoon and Justin was beginning to get concerned. "Where did you go today?"

"We went to the liberry, Daddy!"

"That's library, sweetheart. And what did you do there?" Justin saw the look on Joan's face just as he asked his last question.

"Story time! Oooo, pretty, Daddy. Can I paint?" Briana was momentarily distracted by another 'old master' on Justin's easel. Justin watched as Joan let out the breath she was holding.

"Sure, baby. Let me set you up." Justin quickly set Bree up at her own easel with her pots of non-toxic poster paints. He poured Joan a cup of coffee from the small coffee maker Brian had gotten for Justin then sat next to Joan on the futon.

"What happened?" Justin whispered to Joan.

"The librarian read a story about a little girl whose mommy helped her to find her lost bunny. Briana wanted to know why she didn't have a mommy. I didn't know what to tell her so we caught a cab to come here."

Justin groaned softly, he knew this question was going to come up sooner or later but he was hoping for later.

"Justin, have you and Brian thought about that question?"

"Of course we have, but we thought Bree was going to be a little older when she asked it."

They both looked over at Briana who appeared to be happily painting away, a big grey blob was forming on her pad that suspiciously looked like a bunny.

"I think she's forgotten all about it, for now. But you will have to come up with an answer." Justin nodded. He'd have to discuss it with Brian but not tonight. Brian had enough on his plate to worry about. With any luck, Miss Briana would forget all about her lack of mommy.

*****

Joan, Justin and Bree caught a cab to the hotel. They were getting out just as another taxi carrying Brian, Ted, Drew and Emmett pulled up. The doorman hurried to help the whole group. Brian handed his briefcase to Ted so he could scoop up his daughter.

"And how was your day, Squirt?"

"Good, Dada! I went to the liberry. How was your day?"

"We all had a very good day," Brian admitted and his cohorts all laughed.

"Why do I sense a story?" Justin asked as they made their way into the lobby of the hotel.

"I'll fill you in later, over dinner," Brian stated. The group moved to the elevator banks.

"Gentlemen," Brian started as they entered the first available car. He looked at Emmett, Drew and Ted. "I know I have teased, snarked, and bellowed but I just want you all to know that I appreciate everything you did for Stacey and me today. You all made her feel welcome and I thank you for it. Now if you think you can stand my company for a little longer today, I'd like to treat you all to dinner. This hotel has a passable restaurant."

Ted, Emmett and Drew stood speechless at Brian's sincerity.

"I'll take that as a yes. Give me thirty minutes to make reservations and shower. I'll call in a few minutes with the time. Later, boys." Brian, still carrying Bree, Justin and Joan disembarked the elevator leaving their still speechless friends behind.

"Um, Bri?"

"Yes, Sunshine?"

"You know you shocked them."

"I know," Brian smirked as he opened the door to their suite.

"You like doing that, don't you?"

"Yup!"

"You're evil," Justin said with a grin.



"I'm sweet!" Brian grinned right back then went to the phone to make the reservations for dinner with their friends.

*****

Later, they were all well fed. Briana was fast asleep in her room. Joan was also in her room, enjoying a book she had picked up in the hotel's gift shop. Brian and Justin were cuddling together.

"Bri?" Justin whispered as he nibbled an earlobe.

"Yes, Sunshine," Brian softly moaned.

"When do you think we can go back home?"

"Honestly, I don't see us going back until after Thanksgiving." Justin groaned. "I know, Justin, but Stacey starts in two weeks. I can't leave just yet." Justin nodded. Brian kissed Justin's nose then his lips, nibbling Justin's lower lip then sucking it into his mouth as he deepened their kiss.

"Brian..." Justin was growing harder by the second.

"Let me, Sunshine." Justin gave himself over to Brian knowing the older man wanted to make up for Justin's disappointment by making love to him.

"Brian, I..."

"Shh, Justin, let me show you how much I love you and how grateful I am that you're here with me."

As Brian 'showed' Justin, the weeks of tension all melted away. What was left was their renewed devotion.

Brian gently kissed a path down Justin's neck, nibbling the sweet skin. As Brian savored the taste of his mate, he began to hum. Justin was enthralled and so distracted by Brian's ministrations that he couldn't place the refrain that Brian appeared to be humming over and over.

Brian nibbled and sucked his way to Justin's nipples, worrying the dusky pink peaks into hard nubs then licking and kissing away the sting. Brian followed a path to Justin's navel, rimming it, all the while humming softly as Justin fisted the sheets, arching his back. Brian stopped to lick a small drop of pre-cum off the tip of Justin's penis then nuzzled his soft sack, licking the sensitive skin underneath and inhaling his lover's musk.

Brian hummed as he spread Justin's legs wider to get at his lover's entrance. He gently swiped at it with his tongue, kissing and gently biting Justin's inner thighs. Brian shimmied down to pick up one of Justin's feet. Brian massaged the sole for a moment, only breaking the tempo of his little tune as he sucked on a couple of toes. Justin writhed on the bed, a thin sheen of sweat appeared on his brow, his hard cock standing proud.

Brian hovered over Justin's body, drinking in the sight of his lover completely taken over by lust. He then swooped down on Justin's cock, sucking in the whole member making it slick with spit. Releasing Justin's cock, Brian raised himself up, aligning their cocks then gently gnashed their hard organs as he kissed Justin. Brian then gently urged his lover over onto his belly. Brian parted the firm round globes of Justin's ass to rim the tight bud. Justin's moans grew louder, begging Brian to make love to him. Brian stopped humming but murmured the words of his commitment to Justin as he laid himself over his lover, wedging his erection into Justin's crevice.

"You are MY Sunshine;

MY only Sunshine;

You make me so very happy when my skies are grey;

You'll never know, dear, how much I love you;

Please don't ever take my Sunshine away."

Brian quickly reached for the tube of lube on the bedside table, slicking himself up then driving himself into his lover. As he began to thrust into Justin's heat, he leaned down, entwining their fingers.

"You're mine, Justin, only mine."

"Yours, Brian, only yours."

Justin met each of Brian's thrusts with one of his own, driving himself back and deeper onto Brian's length. After a while Brian, gathered up Justin so that Justin was almost sitting in his lap. He held Justin with one arm then reached around to pull on Justin's cock. Justin tightened his hold on his lover's dick then they exploded to completion together, collapsing onto the bed in a heap. They lay locked together until Brian's softened dick slipped out of his lover. Both men were exhausted emotionally as well as physically.

A few minutes later when their breathing calmed, Justin maneuvered himself so that he lay just under Brian. Reaching up, Justin grabbed a fistful of brunet hair bringing Brian's face directly in front of his own. Brian scowled angrily as he glared into the most determined blue eyes he had ever seen.

"Mine!" Justin said, undeterred by Brian's glare. Brian's face immediately softened.

"Yours, Sunshine, forever yours," Brian whispered, feeling the blond loosen the grip on his hair then gently massaging the offended area. The lovers twisted and turned so that Justin could take up his spot on Brian's chest, close to his heart, Justin's arm firmly hugging his mate's torso. Justin threw his leg possessively over Brian's thighs. Brian smiled at his spouse's declaration.

"That's good, Brian, because I don't share," Justin murmured before sleep captured them both.

*****

A couple of days later Brian was sitting at the desk at N'rgy when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID.

"Hey, Mikey, what's up?"

"How's New York?"

"Same old, same old."

"Yeah, like life in the Big Apple is so ordinary," Michael laughed.

"It gets to be when you've been here long enough," Brian said. He really was missing the cottage and all the peace and quiet that he loved so much. And the gardens should be readied for winter and he wasn't there.

"Brian?" Michael said. "Brian, are you there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Oh, nothing important," Brian said trying to sound more cheerful. "How are you and Ben?"

"We're okay, but it's kind of lonely in Pittsburgh with you and Emmett and Ted all in New York."

Brian smiled. He hadn't realized how much of his family had come to support him in New York. "It's been good having them here."

"I bet," Michael replied trying not to let the jealousy creep into his voice. Brian had invited their whole group except for him. He didn't want to feel slighted but he did. How could he not when his best friend had left him out, and apparently didn't even notice that he had.

Brian heard something in Michael's voice, but he wasn't sure what it was. "Emmett's going back to Pittsburgh in a couple of days. He has been a big help with Stacey, the young woman I hired for N'rgy."

"Great," Michael said sarcastically.

That was when Brian got it. "How would you and Ben like to come to New York for Thanksgiving weekend? We're going to be here at least till then."

"I wouldn't want to impose," Michael said but he couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

"I'll arrange for you to stay here at the same hotel we're at. And … why don't you bring JR with you?"

"JR?"

"She could bunk with Bree and we could do the big parade or something," Brian suggested.

"You mean it?"

"Would I kid about something like my best friend coming to spend the holidays with me?"

"I … I need to talk to Ben about it, but that sounds great."

"Good, then I'll see you in a little over a week."

"Sounds great, and thanks, Brian."

Brian hung up and stared at his phone. He didn't think Justin was going to be too happy about this. He hit the speed dial for Justin's cell.

"Hey."

"Another masterpiece under way, Sunshine?" Brian asked.

"Of course."

"Are Joan and Bree there with you?"

"No, they're down at the park. Bree was getting a little rambunctious so Joan decided to take her for a walk and let her run off some of that energy."

"You don't think she's too much for Joan to handle, do you?"

Justin smiled. It was nice to hear his husband concerned about his mother, and not complaining about her the way Brian used to. "Joan has never looked more alive. I think she relishes every moment she spends with Bree."

"I'm glad. It's good she had the opportunity to do that."

"Yeah," Justin agreed. "So what's up with you?"

Brian sighed. "I just got off the phone with Michael."

"I see. Was he checking on his best friend?"

Brian could almost see Justin making air quotes around "best friend". "Something like that. He was feeling kind of left out."

"Left out of what?"

"Ted, Emmett and I are all here in New York and he's stuck in the Pitts."

"Oh," Justin said with a chuckle. "I never even thought about that. Must have put his nose out of joint." Justin waited for Brian to reply. When he didn't hear a response, his eyes got very big. "What have you done?"

"I invited Michael and Ben to come for Thanksgiving here in New York."

"I see," Justin said non-committally.

"Are you mad?"

"Why would you think that? We've had all your other friends here."

"If it's too much I can call him back…"

"Don't you dare! You want him here, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess I do. I kind of miss the cottage and the way things were before."

"That makes two of us," Justin admitted.

"But you've got a lot of painting done here in New York. It's been good that way, hasn't it?"

"It has been fabulous for my art, but I like our life back home. I miss the cottage and the gardens and … our bed, and the sun porch, and our brass bed and sleeping under the stars."

"Stop! You're making me more homesick than I was before. I miss all those things too."

"Maybe Michael will bring a little bit of that with him when he comes here."

"Yeah," Brian smiled. "Oh, and he's bringing JR too, if he can arrange it."

"JR?"

"Yeah, I think that kid needs to be exposed to the big world that's out there."

"We could do some fun stuff with her and Bree while she's here."

"I think you're more excited about JR coming than about Michael and Ben," Brian chuckled.

"Ya think?"

"I'm sure Michael will be on his best behavior and Ben can keep him in line."

"It's fine, Brian, really it is. I'll let Joan know when she comes back with Bree."

"Oh, and the next week Debbie and Carl are coming."

"What?" Justin yelled.

"Gotcha, Sunshine," Brian laughed as he cut the connection.

*****

Finally Stacey's two week notice ran out at Kennedy and Collins. She was ready to take up residence at the brownstone and then gradually assume control of the New York office of Kinnetik N'rgy.

"Hey, Brian," Stacey said as she carried a box into the N'rgy office.

"Can I help you?" Brian asked.

She handed him the box. "One other box and a couple of suitcases are by the front door. The sum total of my existence pre-N'rgy," she said with a sigh.

"That's all about to change," Brian smiled at her.

"Yeah, I can hardly wait. I'll get the box. Emmett should be here any minute to help me. The furniture that we bought is supposed to arrive today. And then I'll be in business."

"You better be," Brian said with a straight face and a knowing nod. "Someone has to pay for all this opulence."

"Oh shit," she reacted. "Have I put my foot in it again?"

"Relax, Stacey, you'll get used to me picking on you."

"Will I?"

Before Brian could answer, a familiar voice called, "Hi, hi, hi." Emmett came in dragging one of Stacey's suitcases while Drew had the other suitcase plus the box holding her meager belongings. "Emmett and Drew's Moving Company at your service," he crowed.

"Honeycutt, are you back again?" Brian demanded in his best growl.

"Only one more day and then you'll miss me like crazy, big bad Brian Kinney. And don't call me Honeycutt!"

"Is that what you meant about me getting used to you … like Emmett has?" Stacey asked.

"Bite your tongue. Hell no!" Brian said.

"Don't let him frighten you, girlie," Emmett laughed. "Why the bad man couldn't even hurt a little frog, if the truth be known." Emmett winked at Stacey.

Brian scowled at his friend. "Honeycutt!" Brian said ominously. "Don't mention frogs."

Emmett gave his best toothy grin and headed for the apartment. "The furniture truck was pulling up behind us as we got out of the cab. Let's go make this dump fabulous."

Brian shook his head as Emmett and Stacey waltzed into the apartment.

"You're getting rid of him day after tomorrow," Drew laughed. "I live with that every day."

"And you wouldn't have it any other way."

"No, I wouldn't," Drew admitted with a smile as he followed the other two into the back.

By the end of the day Stacey had not only a livable apartment but a very fashionable one too. Just before five o'clock she called to Brian to join her in her apartment. Brian locked the door of N'rgy and headed to the back. Stacey had made coffee with Brian's special blend, and Drew had managed to get some of the famous cupcakes when they had let him stop moving furniture for a few minutes.

Ken and Simon soon joined them and they did a tour of the apartment before sitting down in the living room with coffee and cupcakes.

"I have to hand it to you, Honeycutt. This place looks not bad, not bad at all," Brian smirked.

"I have to hand it to you too, Kinney, for being smart enough to seek my expertise when you couldn't handle all this on your own." Emmett waved his hand about for emphasis.

Everyone held their breath waiting for Brian's reaction to such an outrageous statement. "We're a couple of smart fuckers, aren't we?" Brian laughed.

Emmett laughed at Brian's reaction and then winked at him.

Everyone else laughed too and settled in for cupcake heaven. Stacey was ecstatic with the apartment and even had time to get all her clothes arranged just so in her closet, with Emmett's excellent guidance of course.

When the group left some time later she stood for a long time in the middle of her living room turning slowly, looking at everything. She couldn't believe how lucky and smart she had been the day she accompanied her cousin, Owen, to meet the owner of Kinnetik. Asking Owen to introduce her to Brian Kinney had been a life changing moment in her career and her life. And here she was in her own beautiful apartment about to take over as the head of Kinnetik N'rgy New York. She hugged herself as she thought about how bright the future looked and how lucky she was.