Long Enough & Hard Enough ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ brian “There’s something I’ve always wanted,” he murmurs as I press the length of my body against him. His skin is silky and familiar. God it feels good to be home. I lift my eyebrows, silently urging him to continue. He just smiles at me, taking my breath away like always. And I understand. I roll a condom on while slipping lubed fingers inside him. When I press my cock against his hole, I lean close and look him straight in the eyes. I push deeply into him in one fluid movement as I speak quietly and clearly. “I love you.” ********************************************************************** brian He’s fallen asleep in my arms. I can’t really blame him…we fucked so long and so hard we were both exhausted. I’d be sleeping too if I wasn’t bombarded with emotions. I take a deep breath and try to let them course through me unimpeded, rather than pushing them back. When I start to get overwhelmed, I breathe in his scent and let relief wash through me. I’d been so fucking terrified that I’d never get him back, that I was one mistake too late. But he said yes. I think this unfamiliar sensation inside of me might be joy. ************************************************************************ justin Complete disorientation faces me as I awake. I have the fleeting thought that I’m still dreaming, and yet…I was dreaming a moment before, and this is not that. This is real. My left hip feels bruised, painful. I shift and realize that this is a result of the hardwood floor beneath me. At that moment, something even more significant than the merciless floor registers in my consciousness...there are strong arms around me. A leg draped over mine. Familiar warmth enveloping me from behind. And suddenly I remember everything. Reality washes over me and takes my breath away. We are engaged. ************************************************************************ justin I look up at him and he’s awake, watching me. Within my contentment is a deep fear. “You’re expecting me to tell you I didn’t mean any of it, aren’t you? That it was all a...joke? A mistake? Temporary insanity.” I feel a small smile touch my lips because he’s so fucking beautiful and he knows me so fucking well. He smiles back and traces my lips with his finger, sending electricity down my spine and straight to my cock. “I meant it. And I’ll never change my mind.” I look in his eyes and I let myself believe him. ************************************************************************** jennifer The words swim on the page as my tears threaten to spill over. There he stands before me, radiant. Beneath the beautiful shining smile of the man I can see the boy, full of hopes, dreams, and an innate joy that was there from the moment he took his first breath. I marvel at how much things change as we dance in this loft where I never would have imagined I’d feel so comfortable. I’m overwhelmed with love, not only for my son but for his fiancé, the man who turned our lives upside down with unexpected, chaotic, immeasurable blessings. ************************************************************************* theodore I’m still in a daze as I walk into Kinnetik. Cynthia is standing in the middle of the lobby as if she doesn’t remember the way to her office. Our eyes meet and I immediately know she’s in shock too. “I dropped my coffee when I read it.” “I spit mine all over myself, and the announcement.” “Do you think it’s a joke?” And despite how surprised I feel, there’s not even a moment of hesitation before I reply. After all, I know Brian pretty damn well, much better than he’d like to admit. “No. It’s definitely not a joke.” *************************************************************************** emmett “Just the queen I need to see.” It’s the first time I’ve seen him since I received the invitation, and I can’t stop staring. “I have a list of requests from a very demanding fiancé.” He holds out an envelope. I don’t reach for it because I’m trying to comprehend the words I just heard flow with such ease from his lips. “Don’t you want to plan it for us? We assumed…” I nod eagerly, mutely. “Good. Whatever he wants, he gets.” I think it’s meant as an instruction, but then again, maybe it’s just a declaration of the truth. ************************************************************************** emmett Cynthia smiles knowingly at me when I pass her on my way to Brian’s office. I’m a few minutes early and I wonder if Justin’s here yet. Brian’s door is closed, so I knock before pushing it open. He’s at his desk, leaning back in his calfskin chair, heavy-lidded eyes gazing through me. I barely have time to register how spacey he looks before he gasps, sighs, and focuses his gaze on me with a wicked grin. I snort when Justin emerges from beneath the desk. “Hi Em!” he says brightly, wiping his mouth. “I didn’t hear you come in.”