The Boy Next Door

By Smittenkitten27

Summary - Will Brian fall in love with the boy next door?

Prologue

Brian Kinney was fucking…again.

Justin peered at the illuminated red numbers on his alarm clock. Christ! The man just fucked some guy less than an
hour ago. Justin could tell from the breathless cries of ‘yes, fuck, harder’ and Brian’s own howl of satisfaction. Now
they were doing it again? No. That wasn’t right. Brian Kinney never did the same guy twice. Justin had found that
out very quickly.

Who was this new trick? He couldn’t help but wonder. A lucky trick, that’s for sure. A tall broad shouldered
muscular man, no doubt, as Justin had seen plenty of Brian’s ‘dates’ to know his type. Meanwhile Justin, a younger,
shorter, and slighter man who hadn’t had sex –fucking or otherwise-since he’d moved to the Pitts last year, was
forced to listen to the steady humping through the wall that separated their lofts.

Well it wasn’t like he was being forced to listen with a gun to his head. He could go into his living area, turn up the
stereo and drown out the noise of their fucking, which he’d done earlier –at least at first. Towards the end of Brian’s
last encounter, Justin had snuck back into his bedroom to catch the end; it was pathetic, he knew. Judging from the
way the other guy had screamed his pleasure as he came during the earlier two hour long session, Brian was an
expert at mind-blowing orgasms.

Justin had to get his kicks where he could find them. After all, there was nothing happening in his bed.

Apparently Brian was about to create another grand finale for trick number two. He knew because the loud,
breathless moaning had started. No man had ever made Justin moan like that. Unless he counted the time that Ethan
had continually slammed his head up against the headboard, repeatedly, and nearly given him a concussion before
he realized Justin was crying for him to stop and not begging him to thrust into his ass harder.

That would never have happened with Brian. It was obvious from what Justin had overheard on an almost nightly
basis that Brian was an excellent lover. If the cries of satisfaction weren’t proof enough, anybody could tell Brian

understood men from the way he’d photographed them for his ad campaigns. Justin was pretty sure his current trick
was the one modeling for the new underwear ad, but that was pure speculation on his part.

Yeah. Brian liked men and sex. The grunts and moans of pleasure from the other side of the wall escalating in pitch
and reaching a stirring crescendo testified to that. Justin’s cock was hard and throbbing. He waited to hear Brian's
deep groans, but instead the trick started gasping once again, running his words together –
‘fuckyeafuckyheafuckyea’-in a clear indication that he was going to come.

Feeling extremely horny, but more than a little pathetic, Justin flung his comforter aside and hopped out of bed.
Banging his fist on the wall, shouting over their cries of passion, and calling the building super were all out of the
question. He’d been listening to this activity five or six nights a week for months now, and banging on the wall at
this point would let Brian know he’d been listening and spying on him.

He should just go to Babylon and pick up a trick himself and be done with it, but doing that was admitting he wasn’t
going to meet the perfect man; it was giving up. As an eternal optimist, Justin wouldn’t give up. Just because he was
gay didn't mean he didn't deserve to be in a loving and committed relationship.

Padding into the living room, he flipped on his CD player and turned up the volume, using the light from a street
lamp outside the window to see his way around. He absently reached for a lollipop lying on his coffee table –what
was it Freud said about oral fixation? Justin wasn’t sure. Psychology wasn’t his field. Shaking his shaggy blond
head, Justin muttered, 'Damn, I need a boyfriend. Hell, I need a fucking date.’

Unfortunately, last year’s decision to stop falling for the false lines guys at clubs used to pick him up had seriously
narrowed the playing field. His best friend Daphne said that his Mr. Right was out there –just not at Babylon or
necessarily on Liberty Avenue. Wherever his perfect lover was, Justin had a real knack for attracting men who just
wanted a fuck. Then, afterwards the assholes left and never called.

Trying to think of something other than the sex going on next door, Justin sucked the candy into his mouth. It did
nothing to curb his craving to suck something else in his mouth. Justin thought for a few minutes and decided that
men were divided into two categories: the committed and the sluts.

It was his own private torture living next door to a sex god with hazel bedroom eyes and a body built for sex, but
Brian had been part of the ‘sluts’ category when Justin had moved in, and he was still in that category, as much as
Justin hated to admit it.

Justin couldn’t imagine Brian in a relationship. He was an alluring combination of animal magnetism, good guy
charm, and sex appeal, but completely and utterly shut off emotionally.

Justin had observed the animal magnetism from afar, and he’d experienced the sex appeal every time he got a look
at the man, but he’d also been lucky enough to see the good-guy charm up close, in the building’s laundry room.
After meeting there by chance one Saturday morning, he and Brian had discovered they had so much fun talking and
joking while the clothes washed that they’d made a habit of it ever since. Therefore, he could never, ever let him
know that he could hear him having sex through their shared loft wall. That would be way too embarrassing.

And Christ, did he have sex. Even over loud music pulsing and thumping through the speakers, Justin could hear the
wild cries as Brian and his trick of the hour shared their climactic moment. No doubt about it, Justin had to find a
boyfriend…or go back to the ready and extremely willing tricks at Babylon several nights a week.

Chapter 1

As he did after work every night, Brian drove his Jeep from the Ryder Agency in downtown Pittsburgh to his loft on
Tremont. Stuck in traffic, he tried to keep cool, but it wasn’t easy. It was hot as an oven outside, and he felt like he
was baking; plus, as usual, he was thinking about Justin Taylor, which alone was enough to cause his temperature to
spike.

He wondered if Justin would be home from the gallery where he worked, wondered if this was the night he should
make a move on the blond. Normally when he was at Babylon the only move he made was towards the backroom,
but his usual pick-up techniques weren’t going to work with Justin. He hadn’t found the right opening yet, but he
had to think of something soon; he was practically burning up with need for his sexy neighbor.

His intense craving for the blond had started when they’d fortuitously met in the laundry room. He said fortuitously
because normally he sent his clothes out to be cleaned. Actually, it had been the first time he ever used the
building’s laundry facilities. It just so happened that his son Gus had slept over the previous night and had dropped
his sippy cup of juice on the bed sheets. Rather than waiting, Brian decided to wash the sheets himself. Now he was
glad he did.

They’d hit it off so well that they decided to wash clothes together on Saturdays from then on, and ever since then,
Brian had been having erotic dreams about Justin. He’d shrugged off the first dream because he’d worked too late to
go out and fell asleep without having had sex.

But then the next night, he went to Babylon as usual and led a sexy stud to the backroom, relieving some of his
sexual frustration. Yet the dreams about Justin hadn’t stopped. In fact, they’d become more graphic. In his dream,
Justin would walk into the laundry room in his normal Saturday style, his blond hair falling slightly in his face, eyes
twinkling, loose cargoes and a tight t-shirt.

He’d see Brian there and stop. His blue eyes would darken with lust. He’d fall to his knees and take Brian into his
mouth for a spectacular blow job. Then Brian would take him against the washing machine.

Thoughts of Justin had started invading his waking hours too. He found his mind wandering during meetings and
photo shoots. But it was the night he’d fantasized about Justin while fucking some trick that he’d known he had to
do something. He had to get the blond off his mind, and the easiest way to do that was to fuck him. Brian had a
feeling once wouldn’t be enough, though. There was just something about Justin Taylor.

Brian’s reputation preceded him. It was obvious to everyone that Brian Kinney would never be anyone’s partner. He
was with a different guy every night and even the hottest sex didn’t involve the same guy twice. Still he had to find
out where this obsession with Justin would take him. He had never felt this way about anyone before. Unfortunately,
Justin was also aware of his reputation. And although Brian hadn’t been tricking as much, he couldn’t show up at
Justin’s door and say, “Hi. Wanna’ fuck?”

The time just wasn’t right for him to be so desperate as to ask Justin out. He didn’t do dates. Not yet at any rate. And
he couldn’t use their time together on Saturdays to make his move. No, he’d leave the laundry set-up alone. In the
basement laundry room, Brian was just a normal guy; if he tried anything sexual, Justin would quickly be reminded
of Brian’s reputation and whatever it was between them would be over before it even started. He’d actually
considered going to the gallery just so he’d have an excuse to visit Justin. But Brian Kinney didn’t make excuses: he
didn’t need them.

The smartest thing to do was find some reason to knock on Justin’s door in the evening, and see how he reacted to
that. Sooner or later Brian would seduce the blond. He was sure of it. But he’d have to take it slow. Eventually he’d
work into their conversation that he’d been too busy working to hook up with anyone, but the reference would be
casual.

If Brian played this wrong, Justin might think he was some asshole who discarded one man and moved quickly onto
the next. Well, yeah, he was that kind of asshole; at least in the past, he seemed to act that way. He’d just have to
take things with Justin slowly to prove he could be in a relationship. And surprisingly it was a relationship Brian was
contemplating. Rather than shuddering at the thought, Brian thought it might be alright. He’d been doing his own
laundry for Christ’s sakes just to spend time with the beautiful boy. It was safe to say he’d pretty much do anything
to fuck him.

The walk from the Jeep to his building was filled with the same kind of heat and humidity that filled the Baths; it
made him wonder why he would willingly put himself through that. Then he remembered the hot set of twins he’d
fucked on his last visit, and he couldn’t stop the smile spreading across his face.

Thank god for central air! It amazed him that he’d spent all those summers with the Novotny’s without it. They
owned a brick house not too far away. Back then Brian hadn’t noticed the sizzling temperatures during the summers,
probably because he’d spent his time being sprayed with the garden hose or sucking on a popsicle.

He was still feeling hot and sweaty when he started down the hall toward his fifth floor loft. He planned on turning
the thermostat down to arctic freeze. And a shower was definitely in order. He wondered if Justin liked popsicles.

Then he noticed the object of his lust standing in the hallway, and suddenly the heat was the last thing on his mind.
Justin was talking with a good-looking delivery guy. After a quick scan of the label on the large box setting outside
Justin’s door, Brian discovered it was an unassembled entertainment center. This could work to his advantage.

“Hey, Justin,” he called out as he passed. Christ did Justin look fucking hot in that black wife-beater! Maybe Brian
should go shopping for some new art, no matter how obvious that was. He did need something to fill one empty wall
of his loft. With an artist like Justin it was a wonder every gay male in Pittsburgh wasn’t lined up on Liberty Avenue
outside the gallery ready to purchase his latest piece.

Justin looked up from the clipboard he was holding. “Hey, Brian.” His smile lit up the darkened hallway like
sunshine.

“Looks like a project.”

“Yeah, I decided it was time to grow up and buy something to hold my stuff besides the old crates I’ve had since
college.” He laughed and ran a hand lightly through his soft blond locks, which were mussed as if he just woke from
a nap, an enticing change from his normal silky smooth style.

“Good luck with that.” Brian didn’t remark on it, but he thought Justin looked very much like a grown-up with the
nice sized bulge in the front of his jeans.

“Thanks, Brian.”

Despite wanting to hang around a bit more, Brian continued walking toward his loft door. Then he turned, as if a
brilliant idea just struck him. “Hey, those things are sometimes a bitch to put together. If you need help, I’d be glad
to lend a hand or two.” To get a hand or two on that bubble butt, he added silently. No matter how he tried, he
couldn’t beat his lust-filled brain into submission.

The delivery guy winked at the blond as he wheeled the box into the loft, but Justin didn’t notice and poked his head
around the door to meet Brian’s hazel eyes. “That’s cool. I might take you up on it. Do you have a screwdriver?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Somewhere. He hoped he hadn’t made a mistake. He was a pro with a camera, but only barely
adequate with hand tools. He normally just called the super.

Well, the type of furniture Justin purchased came with directions, even if they were usually written in secret code
and absolutely no help. He’d manage somehow.

“Thanks. I’ll probably need it,” Justin said.

“Anytime.” Brian waited until he was inside his loft with the door shut before sagging against it and smiling like a
Cheshire cat. This was just the opening he’d been waiting for.

Chapter 2

An hour or two later, Justin sat on his living room floor surrounded by plastic baggies of nuts and screws in different
sizes, various lengths and widths of pressed wood laminated to look like walnut, an Allen wrench, his Swiss Army
knife and a completely useless set of instructions. He thought the knife was supposed to have screwdrivers built in,
but he hadn't screwed anything yet.

Ok. He’d never assembled furniture before. He’d foolishly thought his above-average intelligence would get him
through it. He did get 1500 on his SATs. How hard could it be to put together really? Harder than it looked that’s for
sure.

The entertainment center had been a last minute purchase. He chose a larger model to hold his extensive collection
of CDs and DVDs in addition to the new state-of-the-art television set that he ordered. His feelings, though, about
his purchases were mixed. Spending so much money and committing himself to such a substantial piece of furniture
meant that he was settling down and giving up the night life, at least for a while. For the past couple of months,
Justin had focused his attention on going out and trying to meet someone. And now he was just fed-up of the whole
scene.

OK, part of the reason he’d avoided his loft most nights was so he wouldn’t have to listen to Brian’s symphony of
sex. But he’d also tried, really tried, to find a guy of his own. Daphne had insisted on setting him up with blind
dates. His friends at the gallery had all given him names and numbers of men who would be perfect for him. Even
the owners of the gallery had tried to fix him up. But their efforts, while appreciated, were in vain.

Not one of the men he’d met compared to Brian. This was the realization he’d come to: it was better to just stay
home and eavesdrop on his sexy neighbor than waste his time looking for a carbon copy. After acknowledging the

truth, he ordered a new TV and DVD player; then shopped around for an entertainment center, which was much
easier than shopping for a man. There was only one man Justin wanted, and he was off limits. Justin wished he
could change that, but there was no changing Brian Kinney.

Frustrated with his pathetic life and his inability to put a simple entertainment center together, he hurled the
directions across the room, watching as the papers spilled haphazardly to the floor. Justin ran a hand through his
shaggy hair and wondered what to do next. If he’d thought Brian was serious about his offer to help, he might
consider going over there and taking him up on his offer.

Why not ask him? He’d said ‘anytime’ and maybe he’d taken wood shop in high school. It wasn’t like Justin was
pretending to need help to entice Brian over to his loft. Speaking of enticement, Justin jumped to his feet, checking
the fridge for beer.

Perfect. He had a six pack. That should help lure Brian over. Opening his front door, Justin took a deep breath,
trying to calm his nerves.

But instead of stepping into the hallway, he suddenly stumbled back into his loft sliding the door shut harshly once
he was safely inside. One of Brian’s tricks was heading his way. Justin’s heart about stopped when he realized he’d
seen that man before. What was he doing back? Did Brian Kinney finally have a boyfriend?

With a sigh of resignation, Justin walked into his tiny kitchen space, opened the refrigerator and pulled out a beer.
He needed something a lot stronger; he needed something to block out the noises he was sure were going to start any
moment. He didn’t think he could handle it tonight.

Music wouldn’t work to drown out the noise this time. The stereo wouldn’t help cover up the sounds of sex because
he’d disconnected the speaker wires.

At least he’d learned one thing –Brian was just being polite saying he’d help him ‘anytime.’ He should have added
‘anytime I’m not having sex.’ Going by what he’d seen and heard, Justin wondered if there was such a time.

As Justin sat at his small kitchen table, he debated going back to working on the project from hell or starting
something for dinner. Maybe pasta. Suddenly he heard loud shouting from next door. Only this shouting sounded a
lot more like fighting than fucking.

Fighting? Smile lighting up his face, Justin jumped up from his chair, slip sliding on his socks as he hurried to the
bedroom. The building’s ventilation system easily carried sound, and the best place to hear anything was in the
bedroom. So, it was childish and highly rude to put his ear closer to the vent to hear the two men better, but who
would know? No one ever found out that he’d sat in the same spot many times when he first moved in, pretending to
be the man writhing in passion beneath the handsome brunette. Timing his orgasms with those of the couple he
listened to –imagining it was him Brian was making love to. But he knew Brian Kinney didn't do love.

What Justin was listening to tonight wasn’t sexual. Tonight the trick and Brian argued furiously. Justin sat still as
stone, pressed his ear against the vent and sipped his beer while he listened in.

“This is bullshit!” A voice bellowed. He had good lungs, whoever he was. “You aren’t going to get away with this.”

Brian was harder to hear because he wasn’t shouting as loudly as the trick. Justin thought he said something like
‘away with what...’ Justin was relieved that the guy was obviously not Brian’s boyfriend. He hoped for whoever the
guy was that Brian let him walk away without tearing his guts out and leaving his broken heart lying on the ground.

Then Justin had to admit the chances of that weren’t good. But if the trick ended up with a broken heart, there was
nothing Justin could do about it. Brian never pretended to be anyone he wasn’t.

“Well fuck you,” proclaimed the stranger. “You’re going to regret this.”

“Oh.” Justin worried briefly at the angry words. Brian was sure to be a little unsettled by that last statement.

“You haven’t seen the last of me” yelled the trick as he stormed out of the loft.

When Brian’s door slammed shut, Justin jumped. He couldn’t imagine why the trick was so upset. Brian never made
any promises. Maybe Ryder decided against using this model for their next ad campaign and he’d thought it was
Brian’s fault. Or maybe Justin just needed to get a life.

But poor Brian. The loft next door was silent now, and he pictured Brian slumped in a chair, staring at the wall as he
considered the trick’s parting words. Justin had listened to Daphne swear revenge on her exes many times, but she
had never sounded so vicious.

Justin couldn’t stand it. He needed to see how Brian was. He would pretend he hadn’t heard them fighting and ask
him to come over and help with the entertainment center. Brian needed a friend, and Justin would be that friend. It
wouldn’t go beyond friendship, though. Justin had made a resolution to not be a casual fuck, and he was sticking to
it.

Chapter 3

Brian sighed and ran a hand through his still dripping hair. Matt or Mark? Maybe it was Mel? Whatever his name
was had caught him in the shower and he’d answered the door wearing nothing but a towel. He confessed that a
small part of him was hoping it might be Justin asking him to help with the entertainment center. He was guilty of
thinking that the caught-in-the-shower routine might make an impression that he could take advantage of later.

He’d probably had a smile on his face when he’d come to the door, too. That’s what he got for not checking the
peephole first. The guy’s opening move had been to smile back and reach for the knot holding the towel around
Brian’s hips. When Brian had stopped him, all hell had broken loose.

Fuck. He’d hoped the guy would just go away, but apparently he hadn’t believed that Brian didn’t want to see him
again. He doubted very many men, if any, had turned down sex with the model. Brian was a little surprised that he
had. Fully clothed, Mike? Yeah –that was it –Mike had the kind of body that made you forget about everything else.
Naked he was a walking wet dream.

But Mike was even more self-absorbed than Brian was. Apparently he thought Brian couldn’t refuse him. The poor
guy was oblivious. Sure Brian had been turned on by Mike’s hard body, and he had to admit the sex was amazing.
But one night of sexual pleasure was all it was; then it was over.

So maybe Brian was getting tired of his ‘one-time-only’ rule and that was the source of his obsession with Justin. He
longed to show Justin his extensive knowledge of sex, and one time wouldn’t be enough to teach him everything he
knew. At least he had wanted to do that before Mike had barged in yelling out obscenities and insults. Brian hoped
Justin hadn’t overheard the angry shouts.

Well, standing around wasn’t accomplishing anything, so he might as well get dressed and call the guys. Maybe go
to Woody’s for a drink. Justin probably had his entertainment center put together by now, so even that supposedly
golden opportunity had likely fizzled. With another long sigh, Brian started back to his bedroom, his hand loosening
the knot on the towel.

The doorbell rang before he could reach the bedroom. As he retraced his steps, he reminded himself of the lesson
he’d learned earlier in the afternoon, and how from now on, he was never, ever opening the door without looking
through the peephole.

Surprisingly, it was Justin standing on the other side in a black tank and those cargoes he liked to wear. Immediately
Brian noticed Justin wasn’t wearing his usual sneakers. The boy’s feet were bare and incredibly sexy- making Brian
anxious to see Justin’s other naked body parts.

Brian opened the door, feeling slightly ridiculous since his hair was now too dry for him to look as if he’d just
stepped out of the shower. Actually, he probably looked as if he was some crazy nudist who couldn’t wait to get
home and drop his pants.

Just as Brian thought, Justin’s smile faltered as his gaze swept downward. “Uh, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“You didn’t. I was in the shower, and then…then I was checking out the Pirates game.” Weak, extremely weak.
Brian didn’t even watch baseball.

For some reason Justin seemed to buy it, even though the TV screen was black. “Oh. Did you, um, want to watch the
game?”

“Nah. They’re losing.” It was as good an excuse as any.

“Ah. Ok then.” Justin’s smile returned. “Um…did you mean it when you said you’d help me with the entertainment
center? Because I’m in desperate need of help over there. I can’t make any sense of the instructions.

Bad mood or not, Brian would be a fool to turn down a chance like this. “Sure. Let me get dressed, and I’ll be over.”

“Great. I have beer.”

“Beer?”

Justin paused, looking flustered. “You know to drink after you help me.” He peered at Brian from beneath long
lashes. “Maybe you don’t drink beer.”

“No. I drink beer.” Brian thought the opportunity was expanding exponentially. “Maybe we can order some food
too, once we get the entertainment center built.”

“Perfect!” Justin beamed at Brian. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Five minutes.”

“Great.” Justin started back to his apartment. He abruptly stopped before his door and turned back to look at Brian.
“And bring your screwdriver. That’s where I’m really having trouble. The head is either too big to fit in the hole or
it’s too small. I don’t know how you’ll feel about helping once you find out how hard it is to screw.”

Brian struggled to keep a straight face. “I think I can handle it.”

Apparently what he’d said finally registered because Justin turned bright red. “I mean it looks pretty complicated.”

“I knew that’s what you meant.” Brian bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.

“Bye.” Turning, Justin dashed back inside his loft.

Brian closed his door and grinned. Things seemed to be falling into place. Now if he actually managed to help Justin
with the entertainment center, he’d be making progress. And someday, someday soon he hoped, maybe he’d
discover what it was like to fuck Justin Taylor…well maybe, as long as he could keep angry tricks from banging
down his door.

Chapter 4

Justin leaned against his closed door, eyes glazed. He’d just seen Brian Kinney almost completely naked. And damn,
what a body he had! Images of Brian’s tan chest, defined pecs, and the light trail of hair disappearing under the
towel were forever burned in his memory. He couldn’t stop thinking about his coffee colored nipples and the small
freckle to the left of his rippling abs.

And under his white towel, Brian had been wearing…absolutely nothing. How Justin had ever held a normal
conversation without drooling right onto his bare feet was a miracle. But, he reminded himself, he hadn’t held a
normal conversation. No. He’d invited Brian to bring his tool over so they could screw. Smooth. Very smooth.

Justin put his shaking hands to his still hot cheeks. How could he have said that? He never was one for sexual
innuendo. But then he’d never been confronted with the sight of Brian Kinney wrapped in a tiny towel either. And
the big question was how in the world had he been able to resist jumping Brian right there in the hallway?

No man in their right mind could stand there looking at Brian in a towel and just walk away. Even though Justin
hadn’t actually seen what was under that towel, he knew it wasn’t possible for a sex god like Brian to have a tiny
‘tool’. There was just no way. Justin scrubbed at his face with the palms of his hands trying to get control of his
wayward thoughts.

Size didn’t matter to Justin, of course. Because small, medium, or large, he wouldn’t be having anything to do with
that part of Brian’s anatomy. He only wanted to get Brian’s mind off things for a while. Even if Brian wasn’t well
endowed –which Justin doubted, and it made no difference anyway - he was still fun to hang out with.

Ethan, now there was a guy with a small tool. He had also been very boring. Justin was sure there was no way Brian,
with a body like his and a smile like his and big hazel eyes like his, could be in the same category as Ethan. Justin
trusted his instinct there.

He was still leaning against the door when Brian knocked lightly, which made his heart stop and his stomach drop.
He glanced at his watch and, sure enough, he’d been sagging against the door recovering, for five minutes. Brian
was here.

Opening the door, Justin held the doorknob and smiled, trying to look relaxed, as if he hadn’t just been fantasizing
about Brian’s naked body. “Hey.” Oh. You put clothes on. What a shame!

“Hey.”

As Justin stared at Brian’s white tank and worn jeans, he seemed to develop X-ray vision like a superhero. He saw
through Brian’s clothes and imagined he spied Brian’s briefs, or boxers or whatever he wore to cover his package.
Justin didn’t have an accurate mental picture for that area. And he never would. Nope. Not ever.

“I found it.” Brian raised his hand, holding up a fourteen inch long screwdriver.

“Damn!” Justin stood back and let him into the apartment. “Now that’s a screwdriver.” He wondered if Brian bought
big screwdrivers as some kind of compensation for having a small penis. Not that it mattered, of course. Not to
Justin. Not at all. He wasn’t interested in a quick fuck, whether the guy was packing a big screwdriver or a small
screwdriver.

“It’s probably too big for this job, though,” Brian said. “It was the only one I could find. I think I borrowed this one
from Mel one time and never returned it –lucky for us.”

Mel? Who was Mel? Justin felt a little bit jealous, even though he had no reason to be. After all, he wasn’t interested
in Brian -so he kept telling himself.

“Well looks better than my little army knife, and…” Justin gestured toward the scattered mess on the floor,
“obviously, I couldn’t even figure out how the pieces fit together. I don’t even know what screw goes in what hole.”
Again with the sexual innuendo. He hadn’t meant to. Really, he hadn’t. Okay. He would not look at Brian’s crotch.
Would not. His eyes, deliberately defying his will, zeroed in on their target, and Justin blushed as he realized he’d
been staring at the fly of Brian’s jeans for some time.

Brian glanced at the scattered pieces and tapped the blade of the screwdriver against his palm. “Did it come with
directions?”

Yes and I’ll bet I could come too –over and over. Justin had to stop this. Everything reminded him of sex. “You
mean the ones I threw against the wall over there –behind my sofa bed?” Now why had he told him it was a sofa
bed? Why didn’t he just say sofa? Did he need to bring the word bed into the conversation? No. But he was obsessed
with the topic of sex right now –not a strange obsession since Brian was with the sexiest man Justin had ever seen.
He stepped around the mess and picked up the instruction papers lying on the floor.

Brian cleared his throat. “Sofa beds are great for company.”

And Brian qualified as company, so what were they waiting for?

“I got it for when my mom visits.” That was better. Talking about his very conservative mom ought to straighten
him up. Well nothing would ever ‘straighten’ him, but at least the conversation could go in another, non-sexual
direction. “But I let her have my bed and I sleep out here. It’s amazingly comfortable. Nice and firm.” Or maybe the
conversation could take no other turn, not with a man like Brian around.

Brian eyed the plump cushions. “Looks comfortable.”

“Yeah. Almost like a real bed.” Want to test it out?

“And when you get this entertainment center put together,” Brian motioned toward the scattered pieces of plywood
with his large screwdriver, “you can watch movies or listen to music in bed.”

“Yeah. It’ll be great.” Oh fuck. Justin wanted to pull that bed out right now, and forget about the entertainment
center. He knew Brian would be more entertaining than anything he put on the shelves. And Justin was convinced
Brian’s big tool could handle the job perfectly.

“Well, let’s get started.” Brian put out his hand. “Let me take a look at those directions.”

As Justin gave him the mess of papers, he reminded himself that his goal was to distract Brian by letting him help
put together the entertainment center. It was not his intention to make Brian feel better by having sex with him on
the sofa bed and telling him what a fabulous lover he was.

But as he watched Brian studiously pouring over the directions, Justin thought about the firm mattress folded right
underneath them. This was the different side to Brian that he only saw in the laundry room. He seemed like such a
good guy, such a sweet guy. But he knew that Brian wasn’t that sweet or that good. This wasn’t his normal behavior.
Tomorrow night, Justin was sure he’d bring home some other guy and fuck his brains out; in fact, he might still do
that tonight. But Justin had to admit he didn’t want Brian to be anywhere but here. He hoped that putting the
entertainment center together wouldn’t get too boring for Brian.

An hour later, Brian stared at the un-sturdy structure, leaning against the wall so it wouldn’t fall over. Several boards
were haphazardly lying on the floor beside it. They lay accusingly on the carpet, looking important and necessary.
He studied the directions again, wondering where he’d gone wrong.

“Beer?” Justin walked out of the kitchen with a bottle in each hand.

He hadn’t been much help with the assembly, but Brian had enjoyed every minute of Justin hovering over him while
he tried to figure it out. “I thought that was for after we finished putting this thing together?”

Justin grinned at him as he handed him an open beer. “It’s not finished?”

“Does it look finished to you?” Brian took a long swallow of the cold beer.

“Well…” Justin squinted at the stand, which was leaning to the left. “It’s still a little unstable I guess.” Then he
brightened. “Maybe once we put the TV on it, it will make it stand better.”

“You put the TV on it and you can kiss the TV goodbye. This thing needs more work before we even think about
putting something on it.”

“Okay. But I think now is a good time for a break.” Justin flopped down on the sofa bed taking a swig of beer.

“Yeah. I could use a break.” Brian joined him on the sofa bed, careful not to get too close. Justin was so damn hot.
All Brian wanted to do was rip his clothes off and fuck Justin senseless on the oh-so-comfortable sofa bed; instead,
they sat there for a while, just drinking their beer, looking at what was supposed to be the entertainment center.

“You know, it really doesn’t look that bad,” Justin said after a while.

“Yeah.” Brian snorted. “Just like a potential trick. The more you drink, the better it looks.” Brian gave Justin a quick
wink. “And I have to point out that you are looking at it through the eyes of an artist and not of a carpenter.”

“Yeah.” Justin took another gulp of beer. Again with the references to sex. He needed to get a grip. “You hungry?”

“Yeah, I could eat.” Brian was actually having a good time. Everything was exactly the way he’d imagined spending
time with Justin would be. No pressure. Comfortable –just like Saturdays in the laundry room. They’d managed to
put together a piece of furniture without fighting and killing each other. Best of all, Justin didn’t seem the least upset
that Brian wasn’t very handy with tools.

“Then let’s have a pizza delivered,” he said. “Is pepperoni okay?”

“I can go with the pepperoni. I’ll just pick them off.”

Justin looked confused so Brian smirked, “I have to watch my figure.”

“What? I’m watching it and it looks great to me.” Justin blushed before scurrying off to grab the cordless phone
from the wall next to the kitchen and dialed the pizza parlor down the street.

While he did that, Brian slid off the sofa and sat on the floor next to the ‘leftovers’. Then he picked up the directions
again. Brian never gave up. He’d figure this out if it took all night.

“I don’t care if we have spare parts.” Justin sat down next to Brian in front of the sofa bed, stretching his legs in
front of him while he continued to sip his beer. “I could use the boards for shelves or something.”

“But there’s not supposed to be anything left over. All the parts should fit together. That’s why it’s unstable.” Brian
leaned next to Justin so their shoulders touched, just barely. Subtle. Not too subtle. Man, did Justin have a great
body. He smelled good too –soapy and sexy. That got Brian to thinking about Justin naked in the shower and that
got his cock stirring. They continued to sit in easy silence, sipping their beer.

“It needs more support,” Brian said at last. He needed to do something to take his mind off the temptation sitting
next to him.

“Let’s just nail it to the wall and call it done,” Justin said.

Instantly, Brian’s cock hardened. He now had a picture of Justin up against the wall, his cargoes down around his
ankles. He tried to put the image out of his mind. “The building Super wouldn’t like that at all. Besides, what about
when you move? It’d be impossible to take with you.” Not that Brian was looking forward to Justin moving. Just the
thought left an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“I’m not moving.” Justin’s shoulder nudged Brian’s and his thigh brushed his leg. “Come on! Let’s screw it to the
wall.”

Brian enjoyed the subtle body contact, but he wished Justin would quit saying ‘screw’. He was having a tough time
not picturing Justin’s naked ass up against the plaster, his legs wrapped around Brian’s hips and his chest glistening
with sweat. “And to do that we’d have to find the studs first.”

“I know where a stud is.” Justin grinned mischievously at Brian.

Brian glanced at Justin, wondering if he meant what he thought he did. “Yeah?” His voice was a little hoarse.

“Yeah.” Justin stood up and smiled at Brian.

This was it. If Justin wanted to go into the bedroom, Brian wasn’t going to resist.

But that wasn’t where Justin was going. Holding his beer, Justin walked over to the wall and knocked on a section of
it. “Here it is. I used to have a painting hanging there but I took it down yesterday.”

“Oh.” Brian didn’t know whether to be relieved Justin wasn’t coming on to him or disappointed. Although Brian
supposed that it was possible Justin already had a boyfriend. Brian hadn’t seen any men leaving or entering Justin’s
apartment aside from Justin himself, but that didn’t mean anything. And of course if Justin did have a boyfriend, he
wouldn’t be coming on to Brian. No. Justin wasn’t the kind of person to cheat.

“So let’s try this.” Justin stood in front of the crooked entertainment center and pushed it into position with both
hands, which made his cute little bubble butt stick out. “We nail a board to the back, and use those long screws we
have left over to secure this thing right up against the wall. What do you think?”

What did Brian think? Well, for one he thought Justin was way too sexy, and his erection was proof of that. “No. I
think we need to take off the top board and put in another shelf. That’s what we’re missing, is that extra shelf.”

“That sounds like too much work. Let’s use the stud and a nice long screw.” He gazed at Brian, a challenge in his
blue eyes.

That did it. Brian couldn’t shake the idea that Justin was flirting with him. He was debating whether to ask him
straight out whether he was or not when the doorbell rang.

“Pizza’s here.” Justin abruptly let go of the entertainment center, which leaned even more to the left.

Saved by the bell, so to speak. He didn’t really want to confront this issue, did he? If Justin said no, he wasn’t
flirting with him, then Brian would feel like an idiot. If he said yes, well, Brian couldn’t believe Justin was capable
of having an affair. Then again, it worked both ways. Justin might think Brian had a boyfriend. Well yeah, Brian
never had a boyfriend – never wanted one either, but Justin didn’t know that. Did he?

Setting down his empty bottle of beer on Justin’s coffee table, Brian got to his feet and reached in his pocket for
some money. “I’ll get it.”

“No way. You’re over here helping me out, so this is my treat.” Justin grabbed his wallet from the table by the door.

“Considering that the entertainment center is about to fall apart, I should be buying. I mean –I haven’t really earned
dinner. Just look at the thing.”

“Well, I have looked at it and I say you deserve dinner on me.” Justin blushed and hurried to open the door, took the
pizza box from the kid in a red shirt, and thrust a couple of bills at him. “Thanks. Keep the change.”

“Fine,” Brian said as Justin closed the door. “But next time, I’m buying.”

“Okay.” That sounded great to Justin. He walked back to the sofa with the pizza box, some paper napkins tucked
into the side flap. “We could sit in the kitchen, but I’d rather stay out here and study our little project.”

“Want me to get us each another beer?”

Justin frowned. “Oh. Well, that’d be great, but we just finished all I had.” Great. Without beer, there was nothing for
Brian to stick around for.

“No problem. I have some in my fridge. I’ll run and get it.”

“Okay. I’ll just leave the door open.” Justin was too relieved Brian wasn’t calling an end to their night.

“I feel like we’re in some TV sitcom,” Brian said with a grin.

“I know! Like Friends or Seinfeld. They never locked their doors –or knocked, really.” Justin enjoyed Brian’s sense
of humor. He would never have discovered how funny Brian could be if they hadn’t started doing laundry together.

“Want me to knock?”

“No.” Justin laughed. “I’ll know it’s you. Just go get us some more beer. This project definitely requires more beer.”

“I agree.” Smiling to himself, Brian hurried down the short stretch of hall to his door, unlocked it and walked
quickly into his kitchen. He was having more fun than he thought possible, cruising back and forth between their
apartments, ordering pizza, sharing beer.

Brian still had to wonder about that ‘use a stud and a nice long screw remark,’ but maybe that was the beer talking.
Justin wasn’t a big guy. The alcohol could have affected him more, especially if he hadn’t had much to eat today.

Grabbing a six-pack from the bottom shelf of his refrigerator, Brian closed the door. For one brief moment he
wondered if he should take all six cans over there. If a couple of beers encouraged Justin to make suggestive
remarks, he wondered what more would do.

He shouldn’t want to find out. After all, Justin was different, and Brian was trying to take things slowly. But that
didn't stop him from getting hard at the thought of screwing Justin's ass to the wall. Still, getting Justin plowed
wasn’t part of the plan, at least not yet anyway.

Fuck it. Brian doubted they’d drink more than one more beer apiece, but it was simpler to take the whole thing than
to pry a couple out. Then again, if he took the whole six-pack, and things got out of control, sexually
speaking…would he really turn down an opportunity to sleep with Justin?

That would be a definite no. It wouldn't take much convincing on Justin's part to get Brian into bed, and with Justin
throwing out comments about studs and long screws, Brian thought it might be a good idea to put some condoms in
his pocket –just in case. He didn’t expect to use them. Come to think of it, taking them along might jinx the
possibility of sex, just like carrying an umbrella always kept it from raining.

Well, that settled it. Brian would take two condoms as a sure way to keep from having sex with Justin. Brian paused
and shuddered slightly after his last thought. Did he just enter The Twilight Zone? He, Brian Kinney –The Stud of
Liberty Avenue –was actually trying to avoid having sex? It was strange and unnatural, but at the same time, it felt
right.

Back at Justin’s, Brian pulled two cans from the pack and stuck the rest in the fridge before sitting down next to
Justin to eat.

Chapter 5

The pizza soaked up some of the beer in Justin’s system, which was a good thing. After the half bottle he’d had
before inviting Brian over and the two full bottles he’d had before the pizza arrived, he was feeling way too loose
and way too willing to bend his rule about not getting involved with Brian. Earlier, he couldn’t stop himself from
teasing and flirting with Brian, but after a couple of warm, cheesy slices of pizza, he vowed to get control of his
unruly tongue.

“So you’re happy with this apartment, then?” Brian asked, finishing his second slice of pizza –sans pepperoni.

“Uh, sure.” Justin realized he’d been watching Brian eat with a little too much concentration, but he had such a nice
mouth, and watching those even, white teeth bite into the pizza gave Justin a thrill. “On good days I can walk to
work, and on hot days like today, or in the winter, I take the bus.” And he lived next door to Brian, which was really
the only perk Justin cared about.

“I like it, too. It’s a good place. Close to everything, but quiet.” Brian drained his beer.

“Pretty quiet.” Shit. Justin should have just agreed with him. “I mean, yes, it’s quiet.” Mostly.

Brian glanced at Justin. “What do you mean by pretty quiet? Am I making too much-“

“You look like you could use another beer.” Justin jumped up and grabbed the empty can from Brian’s hand.

“Well, I-“

“I’m going to have one, too.” Justin quickly swallowed the last of his. Shit! The last thing he needed to think about
was the loud moaning and groaning he’d overheard coming from Brian’s bedroom on more than several occasions.

“Are you sure you want another beer?” Brian called after Justin.

“Absolutely.” Not. Justin took their empties and escaped into the kitchen. Once there he banged his forehead softly
against the front of the refrigerator. He shouldn’t be allowed to drink and talk.

His tongue was getting looser and looser. He would not drink this beer he was getting out. Nope. Only pretend to
drink it. One more beer and there was no telling what he’d say. Or do.

As he walked back into the room, Justin decided to change the subject. After handing Brian his beer, he remained
standing, his attention on the entertainment center. “I have a new idea. I can prop my armchair up against the side
that’s leaning. In fact, if you’ll hold my beer, I’ll move the chair right now.”

Brian snorted in protest. “Don’t go moving the chair over there yet. That will look stupid.” He patted the floor next
to him. “Come and sit down; we’ll figure something else out.”

“I think the chair’s a great idea.” But Justin sat down next to Brian, anyway, because he really didn’t want to drag it
over there right this minute. It was a very heavy chair.

“Propping the chair against the entertainment center is not a great idea, even if it looked good, which it won’t,”
Brian said. “Because then you won’t be able to see the TV from the chair. Sometime you are going to have people
over and need that chair for watching TV.”

“Maybe.” Justin wasn’t about to inform Brian of his less than busy social life.

“After we finish this beer, we’ll take the top shelf off and put in the middle one. I think that will fix the problem.”

“Okay.” Now Justin had done it. Brian expected him to finish the whole can of beer because he’d made a big deal
about wanting it.

“Listen, Justin, I’ve been thinking about the design of the building. My loft’s on the end, and you’re the only
neighbor I could hear, but I never hear any noise from your place. From the way you bolted when we started
discussing this, well, am I making too much noise?”

Justin took a gulp of his beer and thought about what a terrible liar he was. “Oh, not really.”

“Have I been too…loud?”

“Nope, not at all.”

“You sure? Your face is really red, like you’re embarrassed about something.”

Justin wondered if there was some medication he could take to keep from blushing; then figured it wouldn’t do any
good because more than likely, he’d be allergic anyway. “Listen, you really haven’t bothered me. The thing is - I’m
usually in bed by myself so naturally you wouldn’t hear me.” Damn it! After jamming one foot in his mouth, Justin
had to go and stick the other in right beside it. “What I meant to say is –“

“Hold on. I…” Brian scanned the room. “Your apartment floor plan is flip-flopped from mine, which means that
your bedroom…oh.”

Justin couldn’t look at Brian. Instead he took another healthy swallow of his beer and stared at the sagging
entertainment center.

Brian cleared his throat. “Justin, can you hear everything that goes on in my bedroom?”

“Not…really clearly.” Except when I sit below the air vent.

Brian sighed and sank back against the sofa bed. “Has anyone told you what a bad liar you are?” Well at least one of
Brian’s questions had been answered. Of course Justin was going to assume Brian had a boyfriend if he overheard
him having sex –a lot. Now Brian wondered if it was better for Justin to think he had one boyfriend or if it was
better to tell Justin the truth. Brian wasn't anxious to admit his sexual habits to Justin. If Justin knew the truth, would
he think badly of Brian, and if he did, why would that matter to Brian? Deciding to take the easy way out and avoid
the entire issue, Brian asked Justin “Is there anyway you can just forget everything you’ve heard?”

Not a snowball’s chance in hell. Justin pressed the cool aluminum beer can to his hot cheek and started to ramble.
“It’s no big deal. I think we’re too uptight about sex, anyway. I mean, back in frontier days, families had to live in
one big room, and now, you’ve got to suppose –“

“Justin.” Brian put down his beer, caught Justin’s chin, and turned his face to him. “Shut up.”

Justin looked into Brian’s hazel eyes filled with want and felt his resolve crumbling. He knew he should never have
had that last can of beer.

“It’s okay. Everyone has sex. I…” Justin started again.

Brian’s mouth covered Justin’s gently, his tongue flicking across Justin’s full lower lip, effectively putting an end to
whatever Justin was going to say.

Considering how Brian was helping him out with his new furniture, Justin thought he’d better put down his beer and
kiss him back. After all, it was the neighborly thing to do.

Chapter 6

If Justin had kept his eyes open while rattling off his apology, Brian wouldn’t have kissed him. But when Justin
squeezed his eyes shut, Brian couldn’t resist. And the minute he kissed Justin, the condoms started burning a hole in
his pocket.

Justin tasted like pizza and beer –never a bad combination. Add in the plumpness of Justin’s lips, the warm slide of
tongue against tongue, Justin’s little whimper that made him immediately hard, and Brian was ready to unwrap a
Trojan.

Brian knew this shouldn’t be happening, but Justin was winding his arms around his neck and opening his mouth for
a deeper kiss. Brian couldn’t keep from getting closer, just a little bit closer. Mouth-to-mouth was good, but he
wanted more body contact. He rationalized that body contact was okay as long as they kept their clothes on.

Brian moved his legs while Justin adjusted his position in response. Following Brian’s lead, Justin shifted his weight
so that their torsos were aligned. With only their tank tops in the way, Brian could feel Justin’s nipples against his
chest. He could tell Justin was as much into the kiss as he was because his nipples weren’t all that was hard.

Brian moaned without meaning to. Justin wiggled closer. That little wriggle caused Justin’s ass to rub teasingly
against Brian’s groin. Brian moaned again, one hand trailing down to Justin’s hipbone. From there it moved lower,
sliding around to cup Justin’s bottom, squeezing gently. God, Justin had a great ass.

Fuck. He hadn’t meant to go this far, but Justin whimpered again, so Brian took that as a sign –an encouraging sign.
They both were breathing heavily, and the kiss was getting hotter and wetter by the minute. Damn, it felt great to
finally touch Justin like this.

Before he could control the impulse, Brian had slid one hand under Justin’s cargoes and briefs to stroke bare skin.
Brian worried it might have been too soon to take this step, but Justin broke their intense kiss long enough to
murmur “yes.” That word was enough to make Brian abandon all thoughts of backtracking. He would take all Justin
wanted to give.

Actually, Brian didn’t think he could have moved his hand even if Justin wanted him too. He couldn’t get enough.
Brian broke their lip-lock as his hunger soon shifted from Justin’s lips to his neck; then down to one prominent
shoulder blade.

Brian lifted his mouth from Justin’s skin and dragged in some air. “J-Justin…” Shit, he was so worked up, he was
stuttering. “I want-“

“Me, too, oh, me, too.” And with that Justin shifted his body yet again, pulling Brian down with him. In the process,
they knocked over both beer cans.

Brian didn’t care, but it was Justin’s carpet. “Justin –“

“Fuck it.” Justin was panting, which made his chest heave. “Just –“

“Okay.” The beer forgotten, all Brian’s attention was focused on removing Justin’s shirt. Once Justin’s chest was
bare, Brian immediately bent to lick one small nipple. Brian was thrilled to discover that Justin was incredibly
responsive. Every flick of Brian’s tongue made Justin gasp. When Brian switched his attention to his other nipple,
Justin dug his fingers into Brian’s scalp and arched right up off the floor, moaning Brian’s name.

Good thing Justin did that, because for a moment there even Brian couldn’t remember his name. Justin’s cry broke
through Brian’s sexual fog, and he remembered he shouldn’t be doing this. But his penis didn’t agree, and through
no conscious decision of his own, Brian found himself wedged between Justin’s thighs.

Justin began rocking his hips against Brian. If Justin continued to move that way…well, if Brian was going to come,
he damn sure wasn’t going to come in his pants. With a groan Brian forced himself to relinquish a perk nipple and
rise to his hands and knees. He wobbled there, breathing hard, and looked down upon the object of many recent
fantasies.

They weren’t pressed against the washing machine, but otherwise all the elements of his dream were in place.
Justin’s blue eyes had darkened with lust, exactly as Brian had imagined they would. His cheeks were flushed, and
his skin glistened from all the contact with Brian’s mouth.

All that was left to be removed were Justin’s cargo pants. Brian tried to remember why taking off Justin’s pants was
a bad idea. Funny, but right now it seemed like a very good idea. Justin looked ready. Brian was definitely ready.

Justin struggled for breath. “Why…why did you stop? Is something wrong …” He ducked his head in the first self-
conscious gesture he’d made since Brian had kissed him.

“No.” Brian sank back on his heels so he could grasp Justin’s chin and gently eased his head up. “Everything’s
perfect.”

Justin searched his expression, as if he didn’t believe him.

Brian sensed Justin’s sudden uncertainty. “I stopped because I thought things might be going too fast.”

“I don’t think so.” The anxiety cleared from Justin’s eyes and the lust came back in a rush. He reached down and
unfastened the button at the waistband of his cargoes. “We have to finish this or I’ll go crazy.”

Brian swallowed. “Justin, are you sure?”

“Yes.” He pulled down the zipper. “You’ll have to run back to your place for some condoms. I’m sure you have
some over there.”

“I, um, don’t have to go next door.”

Justin’s eyebrows lifted.

“I thought…” Fuck, did this sound stupid, but at the time it had made perfect sense. “When I went to get the beer, I-
“

“You planned this?” Some of the light went out of Justin’s eyes.

“No! I didn’t. Look, I thought by putting a couple of condoms in my pocket, I’d guarantee that we wouldn’t have
sex. You know, like whenever you take an umbrella, it never rains. I know that sounds really stupid, but…”

The light returned to Justin’s eyes and the corners of his mouth tilted up. “Well guess what?”

Brian’s chest was so tight with anticipation that he could barely breathe. “What?”

“It’s raining.”

~~~~~~~

Justin had tried to behave himself. He’d really tried. But the minute Brian had kissed him, he’d become desperate.
Brian felt so good; Justin could think of nothing but touching more of him.

Not to mention that Brian was a great kisser and his hands were causing amazing sensations in Justin’s body. Justin
wasn’t lying about needing to continue this.

Then there was another reason, too. Once Brian had worked himself in between Justin’s thighs, once Justin had felt
the impressive bulge of Brian’s package, Justin was more than ready to continue.

Justin had had a moment of angst when Brian had stopped, though. After all, what if he couldn’t compare with the
other guys Brian had been with? But the look in Brian’s hazel eyes when he’d reassured Justin had been more than
convincing. Brian was still looking at Justin that way, not taking his eyes off him except for the split second required
to yank his tank top over his head.

Justin started to remove his pants, but the view of Brian getting naked sidetracked him. He’d been afraid he’d never
see that magnificent chest again, and here it was, available for touching, kissing – for full body contact. His mouth
began to water.

Then Brian took the condom packets and a small tube of lube out of his pocket, which reminded Justin that this was
really going to happen. He lifted his hips from the floor and was about to shove his briefs and cargoes down when
Brian stood, unzipped his jeans and got rid of both jeans and underwear in one smooth move.

The sight of Brian’s very large, very erect penis paralyzed Justin completely for several seconds. Slowly he sank
back to the carpet, his gaze riveted to Brian’s very impressive ‘tool.’ Of course, Justin hadn’t doubted it for a
second.

“Is something wrong?” Brian’s voice was thick, a perfect complement to the part of him that had totally captured
Justin’s attention.

“Everything’s right,” Justin murmured, his cock straining against his briefs. “Extremely right.”

“Justin, we don’t have to...”

“I want to do this.” Blue eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Brian’s smile was a little crooked. “Size isn’t everything. And I-“

“Oh, but it’s a good start!” Spurred into action, Justin wiggled out of his briefs and cargoes.

Brian caught his breath as he sank back down to his knees and positioned himself exactly where he’d been before.
Only this time, it was bare skin against bare skin; there was nothing between them…nothing at all.

Making no move to pick up a condom, Brian stayed right where he was and looked his fill, his gaze hungry. That
surprised Justin. This was a man used to sexy guys in his bed, after all. The way Brian was looking at him, Justin
would have thought he hadn’t had sex in a year, instead of just last night. It should be just the opposite; Justin was
the one who hadn’t had sex in a year.

Bracing his hands on either side of Justin’s shoulders, Brian leaned down and kissed him. The restrained passion in
that gentle kiss made Justin tremble. Brian’s whole body was taut with sexual energy, and yet he kissed Justin
lightly, brushing his lips over Justin’s as if the main event was hours away instead of seconds. At least, he hoped it
was seconds.

“I want you to…” Justin whispered. “I really, really want you to fuck me.”

“Good.” Brian’s warm breath tickled Justin’s skin as he kissed his jaw and the hollow of his throat. “Because I
really, really want to fuck you too.”

Justin had no trouble believing him because Brian was always wanted to fuck, and he knew Brian just wanted a
willing partner for tonight. But Justin didn’t dare delude himself that Brian wanted him in particular. He’d made that
mistake before, only to have his pride trampled after discovering he’d been a convenient fuck and nothing more.

Having sex with Brian tonight wasn’t a good idea; in fact, it was a very bad idea, but Justin couldn’t resist Brian, not
when he was so close or when his scent flooded Justin’s senses. And certainly not when Brian kissed him and his
slightly bristly cheeks rubbed against Justin’s skin, a sensation that was extremely arousing.

Brian started making little swirls with his tongue as he moved lower on Justin’s body. Justin read the signal, and the
thought of what Brian was intending to do nearly made him come. Then Justin had a moment of doubt. Maybe they
were moving too fast, considering this was the first time they’d been naked in front of each other.

“Brian?” Justin’s voice sounded as if he’d recently run a marathon.

Brian paused, his tongue dipping lightly into Justin’s navel. “Yes, Justin?”

“Are you planning to, um, keep going in that direction?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I’m…I’m not sure we know each other well enough yet.” Shit. Why had he said that? He sounded ridiculous.

Laughter rumbled in Brian’s voice. “We will in a minute.” Brian placed a few small kisses on Justin’s flat stomach.

Justin’s heart beat so fast he felt dizzy. “You don’t think we should start…with something more basic?”

“This is about as basic as it gets.” With that Brian closed in and took Justin’s cock in his mouth.

At that moment any reservations Justin had were immediately forgotten. Brian had a very talented mouth, and he
used it skillfully without hesitation. Justin had never had a blow job so encompassing, as if Brian was stimulating
every single one of his pleasure points simultaneously.

Justin moaned loudly as Brian sucked and licked the tip of his cock. When Justin looked down, his eyes locked on
Brian’s and he came.

While Justin was still gasping from his orgasm, Brian slid back up his damp body, and they shared a come-flavored
kiss. Justin savored the erotic taste with long, lazy swipes of his tongue over Brian’s.

“You’re very hot,” Brian murmured against Justin’s mouth.

“And you…” Justin kept his eyes closed as he nibbled Brian’s full lower lip. “You have a very talented tongue. I’d
have to rate this as one of the best blow jobs I’ve ever had.”

Brian smirked. “Just one of? Why not ‘the’ best?”

“Wouldn’t want you to get a big head.” Justin felt the press of Brian’s erection against his stomach and reached
down to wrap his fingers around it. “I see that one part of you is already swelling out of control.”

“Careful.” Brian nuzzled Justin’s ear, his breath warm. “I’m right on the edge.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Justin smiled. Then exploring Brian with a light touch, he found himself getting
excited all over again. “I want you.”

“You can have me.” Brian shifted his weight and reached for one of the shiny packets lying beside them on the rug.

Justin opened his eyes and watched as Brian grinned while kneeling and tearing open the foil packet with his teeth.
“Put it on me.” Brian’s voice was barely a whisper as he passed the condom to Justin’s quivering fingers.

As he shakily rolled the condom on Brian, Justin asked, “Tell me, have you ever banged a man’s head against the
headboard accidentally when you were thrusting?”

Brian looked at Justin like he’d started speaking another language. “No.”

“Didn’t think so.” Justin spread his thighs and looked at Brian. “Fuck me.”

Despite the red haze of lust clouding his brain, Brian took a moment to savor the moment. If he wasn’t careful, he
could ruin everything by rushing the next step. Poised between Justin’s thighs, eager to bury his cock deep inside
that perfect ass, Brian forced himself to slow down. That wasn’t easy with Justin clutching his ass with both hands
and pressing him forward.

Resisting, Brian smiled at him and shook his head. “Not so fast. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Hurry, please,” Justin whimpered.

Brian groaned at Justin’s soft plea and flicked the cap on the lube, squeezing some on his fingers; then his fingers
gently stroked around Justin’s hole; he eased one, then two fingers inside.

Brian was having a tough time keeping control, but he had to go slow so that Justin could adjust to him.

“Brian,” Justin pleaded after several moments.

Deciding Justin had been sufficiently prepared, Brian eased the latex-covered tip of his cock just inside Justin’s ass
and moaned softly. Justin was extremely tight. Brian clenched his jaw and fought the desire to plunge deep.

Justin’s eyes widened. “You are big.”

Brian struggled for breath. Not coming immediately was going to be a major challenge. He’d thought about this,
dreamed about this, and the reality was threatening to overwhelm him. “That’s why we’re…not rushing.”

“Rushing?” Justin’s breathing quickened as he gripped Brian’s arms. “You’ve practically stopped.”

“I’m letting you adjust.”

“I’m adjusted. I want more.”

“Okay.” Brian slid in another inch and almost lost it. Looking into Justin’s eyes, all he could think about was the
laundry room scene he’d replayed a million times in his head. Justin’s expression in his fantasy had been exactly
like this –intense, focused and so hot for Brian he looked ready to explode.

Justin’s chest trembled with his rapid breath. “I didn’t think…I’d come again this soon…”

“I did.” Brian levered himself forward a little more and angled his hips, hitting Justin’s prostate, making Justin arch
and moan.

Brian hoped he could manage to finish this without losing complete control. Instead of pushing any deeper, he began
to stroke back and forth over the sensitive bundle of nerves. It was torture for Brian as he tried to hold back, but
judging from Justin’s panting, it was heaven for him.

“Ah, god, Brian!” Justin arched upwards just as Brian sunk deep.

As Brian fully buried himself in Justin, Justin’s orgasm ripped through him causing his muscles to contract and grip
Brian’s cock. Brian came quickly, loudly, explosively. For the next moment he was blind, deaf and dumb to
everything but the incredible pleasure centered in his groin, the exquisiteness of each spasm seemed perfectly
matched to Justin’s.

Gradually the room stopped spinning and the ringing in Brian’s ears let up. He found himself still balanced on his
outstretched arms. In his semiconscious state, he could easily have collapsed onto Justin, but Justin wasn’t strong
enough to take Brian’s full weight. He opened his eyes and discovered Justin’s were squeezed shut as he gasped for
air.

Then Brian glanced down to where they were still locked together. He should pull out, but this felt so good. “Are
you…okay?” Brian prayed he’d say yes and let him stay inside a little while longer.

Justin kept his eyes closed tight. “I…am…fabulous –the most fabulous fag in Pittsburgh.”

“Is it possible to be fabulous in Pittsburgh?” Brian grinned and then sighed in relief that Justin hadn’t pushed him
away.

“I’m waiting for the room to stop spinning,” Justin said.

“Can I do anything?”

Yes, you can do that again.

Brian would do anything, anything Justin asked, especially if he’d let him do that again soon. Very soon. He could
already feel the urge returning. And not just an urge for more sex. No. Brian’s urge was only for Justin Taylor.

Being inside Justin was incredible, but Brian needed to pull out. He levered himself away from Justin. “I need to use
your bathroom.”

“Sure.”

When Brian returned, Justin was sitting up, his back braced against the sofa, but he hadn’t put on any clothes. Brian
appreciated the gorgeous view before sitting down next to Justin and handing him a damp towel. Although he wasn’t
ready to call it a night, Justin might be. “This has turned into quite an evening,” he said.

Justin smiled at him and scooted closer. “You can say that again.”

Justin’s warmth reached out to Brian, teasing his cock back to life in record time. “But we haven’t finished the
entertainment center.”

“No. But who needs it? I think we do a great job entertaining ourselves.”

“Yeah, we do, don’t we?” Brian hesitated. Justin could certainly see that he wasn’t ready to call an end to the night,
but he should give Justin a chance to do that if he was tired. “You, um, might be ready to have me go home though.”

“Funny, but you don’t look ready to go home.”

“But maybe I should anyway.”

“Why, so you can stock up on condoms?” Justin was kidding, well half kidding, trying to ignore the tightness in his
chest at the thought of Brian leaving.

Brian grinned at Justin. “Ah, that’s not a bad idea.”

“Listen, I know you probably want to go home, get some sleep, whatever, that’s fine with me. It’s-“

“Actually, I had a different idea.”

Blue eyes took on an interested gleam. “Such as?”

“I was thinking we might do some laundry.”

Chapter 7

“Laundry?” Justin tried to hide his disappointment, but he couldn’t imagine a more boring interlude to follow what
had been such a mind-blowing experience. Well, it obviously wasn’t so mind-blowing for Brian if he was now
thinking about laundry. It occurred to Justin that maybe it really was him, and not Ethan, who was bad in bed.
“Why? Are you out of socks?”

Brian smiled. “It’s not about the laundry.”

“But you just said—“

“It’s about this fantasy I haven’t been able to get out of my head. But, hey, it’s probably pretty stupid, and there’s a
chance we could get arrested if anybody caught us.”

Justin stared at Brian as heat flooded through him. Whatever Brian was thinking about, it was getting him hard. The
evidence was right there within Justin’s reach. Maybe laundry wasn’t so boring, after all. “You’ve had a fantasy
about the laundry room?”

“The laundry room…and you.”

Him? Why would Brian be fantasizing about him? “What sort of fantasy?”

Brian’s hazel eyes began to smolder. “You come into the laundry room, dressed in your cargoes and t-shirt; I strip
them off you, and we fuck on top of the washing machine.”

“You’ve actually imagined this happening?” Justin was having a hard time believing Brian thought of him as more
than just a neighbor.

“Yeah. Are you surprised?”

“Yeah, a little.” Justin’s cock was once again rock hard. “Um…in this fantasy, is the machine running?”

“I don’t know. Is it?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s vibrating.”

“Okay.” Brian’s very erect penis twitched. “The washer’s on.”

“I know just the spot. The two older washing machines in the corner of the basement do the most shaking.” Justin
felt like a diver on the edge of a steep cliff. Was he really going to do this? “Let’s do this, Brian. Let’s actually do
this.” Apparently, he was going to do this.

“You don’t have to try and convince me.” Brian stood and pulled Justin up with him. “Assuming I can zip my jeans
up over my hard-on, I’ll meet you down there in five minutes.” Brian let go of Justin and started putting on his
clothes. “Whoever gets there first can start those machines.”

Justin grabbed his clothes, too, but he was still trembling a little and decided to wait until Brian left before getting
dressed. Or maybe he’d change into something else, to make the fantasy more interesting. After all, Brian had
already removed these particular cargoes.

Then Justin had another thought. “What if someone else is in the laundry room?”

“At this hour on a Friday night? I don’t think so.” Brian somehow got his jeans fastened over the considerable bulge
in his briefs.

“Is there a lock on the door down there?”

Brian pulled his shirt over his head before meeting Justin’s gaze. “No.”

“So we are just going to take our chances that somebody won’t pop in?”

Brian paused in the act of putting on his shoes. “Justin, you don’t have to do this.”

“Are you kidding? I absolutely want to do this. Now go.”

“All right, but if you change your mind—“

“I won’t.”

“Then I’ll see you soon.” Brian shoved his feet into his shoes and started for the door.

“Oh, one more thing. Are we going to actually wash clothes?”

Brian turned back to Justin. “We might as well.”

“Okay then. Better bring extra condoms. No telling how long we'll be down there.”

Brian groaned. “At this rate, I’ll be so hard I won’t be able to walk down the stairs.”

“Ah, but I think you’ll make it.” Justin laughed.

Brian’s gaze was hotter than the heating element of the dryer. “Yeah. I’ll manage it.” Brian gave Justin a quick peck
on the lips. “Later.”

“Later.”

~~~~~~

Once Brian was out the door, Justin dashed into his bedroom, his heart racing as he yanked open drawers and
rummaged around for his favorite pants and a new shirt. He hurried getting dressed so he wouldn’t have time to
think of what he was doing. If he stopped to think, he’d talk himself out of meeting Brian.

After he was dressed, Justin quickly brushed his teeth and ran a comb through his hair. He just needed to grab his
keys and a roll of quarters; then he’d be ready to go.

As Justin was headed for his door, a plastic basketful of clothes propped against his hip, the phone rang. Thinking it
might be Brian with some last minute fantasy preparations, Justin snatched up the receiver with a breathless hello.

“I’ll bet you’re struggling with that entertainment center,” Daphne said. “I should have volunteered Jim to come
over and put it together. Why don’t you leave it until tomorrow when he can help you out, and come have a drink
with us?”

“Um, thanks, but I’m…on my way to do some laundry.”

“Laundry? At this hour? I thought you always did laundry on Saturday morning with your neighbor.”

Justin was so bad at making stuff up. “We, uh, decided to do it now.”

“Oh, you did? On a Friday night? That’s a major date night. Is this a laundry date? I thought Brian didn’t go on
dates?”

“Well, maybe he does.”

“Really? When did he change?”

Justin knew what was coming, and he rushed to stop it before it started. “I know what you’re going to say, but you
don’t have to worry, because I’m totally in control of this situation.” Okay, so that was an outright lie.

“Oh, Justin, tell me you are not going to have sex with Brian. Tell me you’re not going down that road, after all
you’ve been through. I know we haven’t come up with anyone decent yet, but sooner or later we will. In the
meantime, please don’t do anything with this guy. Please.”

“I won’t.” One night of crazed lust didn’t make for a relationship, Justin told himself. He’d swear off Brian
tomorrow. After they’d fulfilled Brian’s fantasy.

“Well, I suppose it can’t be too romantic between you guys, if you’re spending your Friday night washing clothes
together. I can see the two of you sitting around during the spin cycle talking; I’m sure he’ll tell you all about how
he doesn’t do love or relationships.” Daphne sighed. “Promise me you won’t get involved, okay?”

“I won’t get involved. I’m not that dumb. I realize he only wants me for tonight.” Hell, for all Justin knew, Brian
might have already moved on to someone else; although this wouldn’t surprise Justin, it would still hurt.

“That’s exactly right. And don’t you forget it.”

“I won’t. Bye, Daphne.”

“Wait! Before you hang up, tell me if you need Jim to come over tomorrow and finish up your entertainment center.
He’ll be glad to do it.”

Justin glanced at the sorry excuse for an entertainment center that he and Brian had labored over. He really didn’t
want Jim to see it and start laughing at their efforts. “That’s okay. It’s about done. But thanks, anyway.”

“Call if you change your mind. Bye.”

Justin put down the phone and stood still for a moment debating whether he should go down without his laundry and
tell Brian this fantasy wouldn’t be happening tonight. Maybe he shouldn’t get in any deeper with him, knowing that
he was only filling a temporary need. Daphne was right; he should not do anything else to get further involved.

But, damn it, then, he’d be cutting short his one night of abandoned sex with Brian. Surely he could allow himself
this one night. The mistake would be in letting things progress beyond that. But Justin absolutely would not fall in
love with his neighbor. End of story.

Just for tonight, he would enjoy the thrill of sex with Brian Kinney. After listening to Brian through the air vent for
months, Justin felt entitled to that much of a reward.

~~~~~

Brian hadn’t worn a watch, but he was pretty sure more than ten minutes had gone by already. He had his whites in
one washer and his darks in the other. Both were shaking like crazy. Still Justin hadn’t shown up. Well, Brian was
afraid this night was too good to be true. Fuck!

The laundry room had been deserted when Brian had arrived, as he’d expected for a Friday night. On the way down
here he’d tamed his erection, but once he’d put money into the two machines, added soap and clothes and closed
them up, he’d started imagining what was about to happen on top of those beat-up, white enameled lids. Now his
penis strained against his briefs once again.

But Justin wasn’t here. He’d probably had a chance to think of what Brian had suggested and come to his senses. A
year ago Brian never would have thought about enacting a fantasy like this, but Justin had put all kinds of wild ideas
into his head.

Unfortunately, Justin probably now saw him as some kind of freak. Even if Justin had seemed excited about the idea
while Brian was there, it was probably only because he had still been pumped up with adrenaline from sex. When
that faded, Justin probably decided against taking this kind of risk. That would mean Brian had screwed things up
between them, which was extremely depressing to think about.

Then Brian heard footsteps coming toward the laundry room, and his heartbeat kicked up a notch. But wait, Justin
didn’t walk with a loud ‘clump,’ ‘clump,’ ‘clump.’ His footsteps were quick and light. These sounded like they were
being made by a much larger person.

Sure enough, a tall brunette who looked as if he spent hours in the gym came through the doorway carrying a
laundry bag over his shoulder. A very big laundry bag. “Hey, man!” He grinned at Brian. “Looks like neither one of
us got lucky tonight, uh?”

“Well I—“

“Hey, it’s no big deal, man.” The guy swung his bag to the floor with a thud. “I had plans, but his mother's sick.” He
snorted. “Like I haven’t heard that one before. You know? Anyway, once the Pirates game was over, I wasn’t tired
so I decided to get this done.” He opened the bag and started throwing clothes in the nearest washer. Then he moved
to the next, and the next, filling up all of the remaining three.

Brian watched him with a sense of doom. Even if Justin showed up, which he might not, the laundry-room fantasy
would have to be scrapped unless Brian could think of some way to get rid of this loser. Maybe the guy would put
his clothes in and leave. That would provide at least twenty minutes of privacy.

The other guy glanced up. “You don’t look like you brought anything to do, man.”

If he only knew.

“Me, I always bring my games.” He reached into the depths of his laundry bag and pulled out a Gameboy. “We can
both play if you want.”

“Thanks.” Brian didn’t want to play any games, at least not the kind this guy was talking about, so he grasped at the
first thing that came to him. “But you know what? It seems dumb for both of us to stay down here. Why don’t you—
“

“Hey, want me to watch your clothes for you? I’d be glad to do that. I don’t really have anything else to occupy my
time tonight. Come on back in an hour or so, and I’ll bet most of it will be dry. Just leave me some money for the
dryer.”

“I was thinking the other way around,” Brian said. “That if you want me to take care of yours, I could do that.”

The guy shrugged. “Like I said, I’m not tired, and I don’t have anything else going on right now.” He brightened. “I
just bought this new game. We could both play while we wait for the clothes to finish.”

Brian couldn’t believe the excitement this loser was showing for some silly video game, but he still wondered if he
should agree to play the game; it was probably the only action he’d see for the rest of the night. Of course, Brian had
noticed that while the guy was a loser; he was still hot, so maybe Brian could still have some fun, even if it wasn’t
with the right man. Justin didn’t seem to be coming, after all, and Brian’s clothes were churning away in the
washing machine for who knows how much longer. Funny how an evening could go from perfect to disastrous in no
time.

Brian decided to play the game since it was something to occupy the time until his clothes finished and had just
sidled up to the guy when Justin walked into the laundry room. He’d changed into a different pair of cargoes and a
new tank top, which explained his delay in getting down here. Brian wondered if he’d changed underwear. Or just
left them off completely. Fuck! He wanted to bang his fists on the washing machine in frustration.

Justin paused in the doorway, his expression hurt and confused.

“Hi, Justin.” Brian saw the look on Justin’s face, but he couldn’t let on that this meeting was more than coincidence.
He didn’t want the other guy getting any ideas that the rendezvous had been planned. “Guess you decided to wash
clothes tonight, too.”

“I thought about it.” He glanced at Brian before sweeping his gaze around the laundry room at all the machines
humming away. “But it looks like all the machines are taken. I…I’ll come back.”

“No, wait!” The stranger said. “This guy’s machines were already going when I got here. Look, they’re almost to the
rinse cycle. Those two machines will be freed up soon.” He seemed desperate not to let Justin get away. “So you
two know each other?”

“We’re neighbors,” Brian said, narrowing his eyes. If this guy was thinking about making a move on Justin, then he
better think again.

“Oh, that’s cool. I’m James. From the second floor.” James smiled. “Listen, Justin, put your clothes right over there
on the folding counter, and you can play with Brian and me until his clothes are done.”

Justin backed up a step and threw another glance at Brian. “That’s okay. Thanks for the offer, but I have tons of stuff
to do upstairs.” Justin hated himself so much at that moment. He knew how Brian was, but it still hurt seeing him
with another guy –especially seeing them together only a half hour after he had had sex with Brian.

Brian felt like howling in agony. The opportunity to start something with Justin had been right in his grasp. Now it
was gone, and he wasn’t sure where he stood with Justin. He’d moved way to fast. If they’d been able to enact this
fantasy, they might have taken off from there, but this roadblock would probably change everything.

Brian didn’t know what to say, what could he say, with Loser James hanging on their every word? “Sorry about
that,” he murmured.

Justin gave him a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Maybe it’s just as well.”

Brian didn’t need an interpreter to figure out what that meant. Justin was relieved to have the fun and games
canceled. Brian had made the exact mistake he’d vowed not to make with Justin—moving so quickly Justin doubted
Brian’s sincerity. It was ironic; Brian had never been more sincere in his life.

After Justin walked out of the laundry room, James cleared his throat. “Your neighbor, huh?”

“Yeah.” Brian continued to stare at the empty doorway.

“Ever date him?”

“No. I don’t do dates.” He eliminated that part and headed straight for the sex.

“Boy, I would have by now, that’s for sure. I would have asked for his phone number, except with you two knowing
each other, I wasn’t sure if I’d be trespassing on your territory.”

Brian glanced up at James, who had to be at least seven feet tall. “Actually, I’m not dating him, but I hope to.” The
warning was clear in Brian’s voice.

James just smiled. “I thought so, from the way you were looking at him. He’s a little skittish, though, huh?”

“I can handle it.” Brian hoped he could handle it. He was very afraid that he’d blown any chance to create something
with Justin.

“Well, good luck. Just because I’m not getting any doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Wanna play the game?”

Brian sighed. Sometimes life just sucked. “Okay.”

~~~~~~

Justin carried his laundry basket back upstairs and tried to tell himself that he’d dodged a bullet. Having James show
up to spoil the fantasy had been divine intervention. Eventually, like maybe in about fifty years, Justin might forget
the sex he’d had with Brian in his living room. But Justin could never have forgotten laundry-room sex, not in a
million years. For Brian, though, it was different. He had sex all the time, so laundry-room sex for him would have
been just another encounter.

Well, Justin was already way too desperate for more of Brian. So that proved that laundry-room sex, combined with
living-room-floor sex, would have made his life one big ball of misery when Brian decided he’d had enough of
Justin and was ready for another trick. Yeah, James had done him a gigantic favor by getting the urge to wash his
clothes tonight. Really.

After letting himself back in the apartment, Justin plopped the laundry basket on the floor. No sense in putting it
away because he still had to do laundry this weekend. He wouldn’t be doing it tomorrow though. Saturday-morning
laundry engagements with Brian were over, so he’d have to find another time slot. It was time to shake up his
routine anyway.

Unsure what to do next, Justin sat down on the floor beside the laundry basket. For the moment, he couldn’t make
himself go into the living room, where the overturned beer cans and partly assembled entertainment center would
remind him of what would never be again.

Right now Brian was enacting his laundry-room fantasy with big, beefy James and not Justin. He should have
known that Brian wouldn’t have sex with him again anyway, but he’d foolishly believed for a small second that
maybe Brian did want him and only him.

A soft knock sounded at his door. “Justin?” Brian called quietly. “Are you still awake?”

The urge to leap up and fling open the door nearly overpowered Justin. No, he must not. He wouldn’t respect
himself in the morning. Hell, he didn’t respect himself now.

Brian tapped again. “Justin?”

Justin’s resolve was slipping. He couldn’t get up and move away from the door because Brian might hear him. But
listening to his voice was torture. Justin grabbed some laundry in each hand and held the bunched clothing against
his ears, blocking out the sound of Brian’s voice. Then he closed his eyes and pictured all the guys who had paraded
in and out of Brian’s apartment on a nightly basis.

After many long moments, he took the wad of laundry away from one ear. Silence. Brian had left.

With a deep sigh, Justin tossed the laundry back in the basket and stood. Considering how gorgeous Brian was, and
considering his reputation, he would give Brian two days before he completely forgot Justin’s existence. Although
that thought gave Justin physical pain, he had to face reality. Once Brian started fucking someone else, Justin had no
choice but to end whatever it was they had shared. Well, at least Daphne would be proud of him.

Funny, but Justin didn’t find this comforting at all.

Chapter 8

As the days passed, Brian tried to forget about Justin, but the harder he tried to forget, the more obsessed he became.
He found himself constantly looking for some sign, any sign, that Justin was interested in hooking up again. But if
they happened to pass in the hall, Justin’s smile was automatic and fake, the kind of polite smile that you gave to
strangers on the street. There was no warmth in his eyes whatsoever.

Brian was sure that Justin thought he was an asshole. He didn’t know how to correct this impression because, well,
he was an asshole. Instead of following his good intentions and asking Justin out, Brian had jumped straight to the
fucking like he always did. He had the restraint of a bunny rabbit. Maybe he was genetically unable to form a
relationship. Considering his family tree, the theory wasn’t too far-fetched.

Then, as if it wasn’t bad enough, he had to go and make things worse by suggesting they act out his laundry-room
fantasy. They could have stayed right up there in Justin’s apartment and enjoyed themselves some more, but no,
he’d had to suggest sex in the laundry-room. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

After Justin had left the laundry-room that night, Brian had thought maybe if he talked to Justin before he cooled off
completely, he’d be able to explain himself. But Justin hadn’t answered his door. He’d already cooled off by that
time, apparently. Yep, Brian felt like an ass.

Further aggravating the situation was Brian’s overwhelming desire for Justin. Brian didn’t understand where these
intense feelings were coming from. Brian had always believed the concept of ‘a soul-mate’ was some ridiculous
notion straight people fabricated to get laid, but after meeting Justin, Brian wasn’t sure about anything, except his
undeniable craving for Justin Taylor, and only Justin Taylor. Brian couldn’t help but wonder if Justin was maybe the
one person for him. There he was living right next door, and Brian had messed up his chance to create a relationship
by suggesting kinky sex. And he had no idea how to repair the damage.

Justin had changed his laundry time. Brian found that out right away because the morning after they’d had sex,
Brian had gone down to the basement on the off chance that Justin would be washing his clothes at ten, the way he
always had. But the room was empty.

Desperate and pathetic man that he had become, all thanks to Justin, Brian started checking the laundry room at
various times on Saturday and Sunday –of course, he’d never tell anyone what he was doing or admit to behaving

like a stalker. The first weekend after that disastrous night he’d had no luck. Brian even wondered if Justin had gone
so far as to hauling his clothes to the Laundromat three blocks away.

The second weekend, though, Brian got lucky. He poked his head in on Sunday afternoon and, sure enough, there
Justin was, sitting on the laundry-room’s only folding chair, drawing in his sketch book while his clothes tumbled in
the dryer.

Brian walked in. “Hi.”

Justin glanced up, and for a second, there was a spark in his eyes. Then it quickly died. “Hi, Brian. How have you
been?”

Brian wondered what Justin would say if he told him the truth, that because of him, Brian had been unable to
concentrate at work and had screwed up a couple of projects in the past week alone –or that every sexual encounter
he’d had in the backroom of Babylon since that night with Justin left him feeling empty and unfulfilled. Justin
would probably think it was just some line to get him back in bed. Hell, even Brian had trouble believing it.

So instead, Brian told Justin he’d been fine. “How about you? How’ve you been?”

“Just great.” Justin smiled that phony smile again. “Couldn’t be better.”

“Good.” Brian nodded, wondering what the hell to say next. “That’s good.” He glanced at Justin’s clothes whirling
in the dryer. The awkward silence was broken only by the thumps and clicks Justin’s stuff made as it hit the metal
drum.

“Entertainment center working out okay?” Brian asked. After he said it, Brian realized it probably wasn’t the best
topic of conversation.

“Sure is.”

Brian sincerely doubted that, unless Justin had called in a carpenter to fix the thing up. “It holds everything?”

“Yep.”

“Good.” Somehow Brian had to prolong this conversation because just being this close to Justin again was making
him hard.

Justin looked incredible in a new t-shirt, but his cargoes might have been the same ones he’d stripped off for Brian
that night, or else the second pair he’d worn down to the laundry room. Brian was pretty sure they were the original
pair that had got left in a heap on Justin’s living-room floor.

“You don’t have a laundry basket.” Apparently Justin was tired of Brian’s dumb questions. “What brings you down
to the basement?”

“You.” Brian had no better answer, and there was no point in lying. “I can understand if you’d want to avoid me,
but—“

“Brian, we can hardly pretend nothing happened and go on like before.”

Brian studied Justin’s hard, cold expression and wondered if it was the one Justin gave his art critics. “I know,” he
admitted. “But I miss the talks we used to have every week while the clothes were washing.” Not really. He just
missed Justin.

“And the fantasies you were having at the same time?”

Brian groaned. “I should never have suggested we follow up on that. It was a stupid idea, and all the problems
started because I suggested it.”

“As I said at the time, it was probably for the best.” Justin’s expression didn’t soften.

“Look, is there any chance that we can be friends?” Brian couldn’t believe those words had come out of his mouth.
What the hell was he thinking? Friends? He had enough of those already.

Justin’s gaze flickered slightly. “So that we can do what?”

Fuck. “Well, we can—“

“Sharing laundry day is not happening. And that was pretty much the extent of our friendship. Unless you want to
shop for groceries together, or we both adopt dogs that we need to walk, I’m not sure what activities we can do as
friends.”

Brian rubbed the back of his neck while he gazed down at the blond. Justin was tougher than Brian had thought.
When they’d fucked, Brian could have sworn that Justin had been carried away by the moment the same way he
had. But if that was true, there certainly was no getting carried away now.

The more Brian thought about how Justin had reacted the night they were together, the more he wondered if Justin
shouldn’t take some of the blame for moving too fast. He’d tempted him, hadn’t he? Yes, come to think of it, Justin
definitely had tempted him with all his innuendos about screwing and nailing.

If Justin thought Brian was an asshole for fucking him so quickly, why hadn’t he said so in the beginning? Why get
all high and mighty now that it was too late? Brian was already extremely frustrated with himself, and Justin’s
attitude pushed him over the edge.

“I guess you’re right.” Brian let his irritation show. “I’ve had you. What happened was fun. You wanted me and I
wanted you. That’s all it was.”

“Just a fuck?” Justin looked a little less sure of himself, now.

“What did you think it was? Look. I don’t believe in love; I believe in fucking. It’s honest; it’s efficient; you get in
and out with a maximum of pleasure and a minimum of bullshit. Love is something that straight people tell
themselves they’re in so they can get laid. And then they end up hurting each other because it was all based on lies
to begin with.” Justin didn’t have to know Brian was re-thinking his philosophy.

“I guess so.” If Brian wasn’t so angry, he might have noticed the tears welling in Justin’s eyes.

“Then I’ll see you around, Justin.” Brian stormed out of the laundry-room, wishing the entire time Justin would call
him back. But he didn’t. From all indications, Justin was glad to get rid of him.

~~~~~~~~~~

Four days after the confrontation with Brian in the laundry-room, Justin met Daphne in front of the entrance doors to
Gala Events. They were using their lunch hours to choose favors for Daphne’s wedding reception. Justin wasn’t
thrilled to be helping with wedding preparations, but he was glad they’d set up the appointment because he needed
to talk to Daphne.

Justin had ended up having to ask Daphne’s fiancé, Jim, to redo his entertainment center, after all. That had been the
Sunday right after that fateful Friday night, and while Jim had been hard at work in the living room, Daphne had
dragged Justin into the kitchen and pried most of the story out of him, even the near miss with laundry-room sex.

Daphne had praised Justin for ending the affair before it could go any further. She’d been just as certain as Justin
that Brian only wanted him for the night, and then he’d move on to another guy. They both knew Justin couldn’t
handle that.

Justin had barely managed to hang onto his resolution to keep far away from Brian, but this past Sunday’s encounter
had shaken his resolve. He needed to find out what Daphne thought about this latest turn of events. Justin felt
terrible about the way he treated Brian.

But Daphne’s job had kept her very busy so far this week, and between that and spending her evenings with Jim, she
hadn’t had available friend-time. Although this noon meeting would be short and rushed, Justin hoped they’d have a
moment to talk.

Daphne’s dark hair was twisted into a casual arrangement on top of her head, and she’d taken off the short jacket
that matched her pants. “Whew, can you believe the temperature?” She tucked her sunglasses in her shoulder bag.
“I’m melting.”

“It’s hot.” Justin agreed. The continued heat wave hadn’t helped Justin’s mood. Sexual frustration, indecision and
humid heat made for a miserable existence. He grabbed the brass door handle. “Let’s get inside and bask in the AC.”

The blissfully cool lobby scented with a gigantic vase of flowers should have soothed Justin’s frayed nerves. The
flower vase sat on a large round table in the center of the room, and the multicolored arrangement was spectacular.

“Hi Daphne, Justin,” called Emmett Honeycutt, who was one of Gala Events’ owners, from the top of a wrought-
iron spiral staircase. The offices and consultation rooms were located on the second floor of Gala Events. “Give me
a sec to straighten out a pesky detail, and I’ll be right with you.”

“Okay, but don’t forget we’re both on our lunch break,” Daphne called back.

“I won’t. In fact, I have some hors d’oeuvres for you to munch on while we talk. I’ll have you taste them and make a
decision on those today, too. I only need a couple of minutes to deal with a tiny crisis involving some mismatched
tablecloths.” With that, he hurried back into his office.

Justin admired how well their two friends who ran Gala Events interwove their capabilities. Emmett handled all
visuals, from decorations to clothing. He also handled the catering, while his partner, Ted, took care of the financial
aspects. If Justin was having a commitment ceremony, which at this point was highly unlikely, he would definitely
plan it through Gala Events.

“I sure hope he makes it quick.” Daphne walked over to a love seat and sat down. “Work is crazy, and I probably
shouldn’t even be taking lunch.” She opened her purse and started searching through it. “I hope I remembered to
bring the list of things I wanted to ask Emmett.”

Justin sat beside her. “Yeah, I know you’ve been busy, which is why I haven’t called you.”

Daphne must have picked up something from Justin’s tone because she stopped searching for her list and met
Justin’s gaze. “What’s up?”

“I haven’t heard a peep from next door.”

Daphne didn’t have to ask Justin what he was talking about. “So what? It hasn’t been that long.”

“More than two weeks. From what I’ve heard about Brian, he should have been tricking again within two hours.”

Daphne considered that. “He could be. You don’t know that he’s not tricking.”

“Yes, I do. He’s not tricking.”

“How do you know that for sure?” Daphne laughed. “Did you sneak over there and install spy cameras in his
apartment?”

“I live right next door. If he was up to his old ways, I’d catch a glimpse of him or one of his tricks sooner or later.”
Although Daphne was his best friend, Justin hadn’t told her about the nights he’d eavesdropped on Brian’s nighttime
activities. And he would never admit to sitting under the air vent, not even under extreme torture. “But that’s not all.
He’s been trying to find out when I do laundry. And Sunday he came down to the basement while I was there to talk
to me.”

Daphne’s eyebrows lifted. “And? What did he say?”

“That he missed our laundry-room chats, and he shouldn’t have asked me to help him enact his fantasy.” Justin
purposely left out Brian's devasting speech about how their night together was only about sex and nothing more. The
words had cut Justin like a knife, but it wasn't something he hadn't heard before from different people at Babylon.
Besides, Justin had acted like a complete brat, so he didn't blame Brian for being angry.

Daphne nodded. “And you said…?”

“That we couldn’t go back to the way things had been before.”

“Excellent. Keep away from him. He’ll just break your heart.”

Justin stared at the huge bouquet of flowers, a riot of reds, purples, pinks, and whites. He’d expected that response
from Daphne. “But don’t you think if he hasn’t started tricking again, and he’s wishing we could be friends, and he
followed me to the laundry-room, that—“

“No, I do not. Look at me, Justin.” Daphne caught Justin’s chin and forced him to meet her gaze. “I’m the one who’s
been around to pick up the pieces when you’ve gotten your heart broken, remember?”

“Yes, but this time maybe it’s diff—“

“Justin, please. Brian might want you now, but once he’s tired of you, you know what he’ll do. We’ve talked about
this a gazillion times. I mean, everyone knows he only cares about one thing, and that’s fucking.”

Justin sighed. “I guess you’re right.” Justin was having trouble accepting what Daphne said. After all, the Brian he
had come to know didn’t seem at all like the selfish prick everyone made him out to be.

“I am right. I’m only thinking of you. Once I get through this rough patch at work, we’ll go out trolling again. Your
guy is out there. We just haven’t found him yet.”

‘Yes, I have!’ Justin wanted to shout.

At that moment, Emmett appeared at the top of the wrought iron stairs. “Come on up, you guys. Let’s pig out on
these delicious concoctions while we choose some wedding favors!”

Thirty minutes later, chock full of pate, minced olives, smoked salmon and various kinds of cheese, Justin
descended the spiral staircase with Daphne. Although he’d tried to keep his attention on wedding favors and hors d-
oeuvres, he’d spent most of the time in Emmett’s office thinking about Brian. Brian had come looking for him on
Sunday. Knowing Brian’s reputation, Justin never even thought Brian would talk to him again. And what did Justin
do when Brian did approach him again? Rejected him. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

And of course, Brian had reacted with anger, as any man with an ounce of pride would have. Justin didn’t expect
Brian to want anything to do with him ever again. According to Daphne that was a good thing, but Justin couldn’t
accept the finality of it. He’d dreamed of Brian for months, and then he’d experienced the most amazing sex of his
life with him.

If that night had been nothing but a fuck, then why hadn’t Brian been bringing guys home? Two weeks later, which
had to be unheard of for Brian Kinney, he still wanted to spend time with Justin. He’d actually suggested they even
be friends. Nobody would believe Justin if he told them.

Maybe Brian wasn’t as shallow as Justin had thought. If so, then Justin had blown the chance of a lifetime by
brushing Brian off on Sunday. Making up for that would require something spectacular. So he decided to do
something for Brian to show him he was sorry; he just had to figure out what that something was.

On the sidewalk outside Gala Events, Daphne gave him a hug. “Next week we’ll have a night out –just the two of
us,” she said. “I feel terrible for ignoring you when you’re going through this Brian thing.” She looked into Justin’s
eyes before she put on her sunglasses. “Be strong. If you find yourself weakening, call me on my cell and I’ll talk
you down.”

Justin smiled. “You make it sound like I’m addicted to drugs or something.”

“Sex can be a drug.”

“Right.” Justin looked down, so Daphne couldn’t read the doubts in his eyes. “See you next week.”

“Tuesday night,” Daphne said. “Let’s make it then. We’ll start with the usual spot and branch out from there.”

“Okay, Tuesday night.” The thought of hitting the clubs looking for available men next Tuesday night sounded like
hell. Justin simply wasn’t interested. He didn’t need to go clubbing to find a man; the only man he wanted lived
right next door.

With a wave, Daphne headed down the street toward the office where she worked, Justin’s bus stop was in the
opposite direction. He had exactly enough time to make the next bus, which would get him back to the gallery
before his lunch break was over, but he hesitated, battling his indecision. He was really too preoccupied to work and
considered going back in and talking to Emmett about the situation with Brian. Justin was sure Emmett had heard all
the stories about the Stud of Liberty Avenue, but maybe he’d be more impartial than Daphne had been. Justin loved
Daphne, but she tended to judge people without getting to know them.

Instead of heading towards the bus stop, Justin grabbed the brass door handle and walked back inside. No one was in
the reception area, so he wandered over to the large vase of flowers and noticed a red, leather-bound book lying on
the table. He ran two fingers over the supple leather. There was no title embossed on it.

When he opened the book, he discovered it was actually a large paperback the size and thickness of a heavy school
book. Apparently, the leather cover was there for propriety’s sake, to disguise the racy title from causal observers:
Naughty and Nice: Sexual Games for Uninhibited Lovers.

Brian would love this. If Justin had the courage to act out one of the suggestions in this book, Brian would…what?
Be his love-slave forever? Uh, okay, maybe not. That was a lot to ask for. But after hearing about Brian’s laundry-
room fantasy, Justin knew that sexual games would definitely get Brian’s attention. Did he want that? Yes. Justin
desperately wanted that.

Justin heard a sound from upstairs. Without thinking, Justin hurriedly flipped open the book, grabbed one of the
perforated pages and ripped it out. The sound echoed in the reception area, and he stuffed the page quickly into his
pocket and headed for the door. Although he had torn out a page, that didn’t mean he had to follow through. He
could throw it away when he got home.

“Justin? Hey, sweetie, did you need to talk to me?” Emmett called out to him from the second floor.

Justin turned and glanced up the stairs, feeling like the kid with his hand in the cookie jar, certain he was blushing as
red as the book on the table. “I, um, forgot something.”

Emmett smiled. “Really?”

“I took a page out of the book,” Justin confessed in one breath. Damn, he was a horrible liar. He’d never make a
decent crook.

“That’s what it’s for. We leave it on the table so that people can help themselves. When it gets too thin, we bring out
a new one.”

“Still, it’s supposed to be for Gala Events’ clients, and technically I’m not a client.”

Emmett’s smile widened. “Yes. But, maybe the page you took out of the book can change that.”

Justin snorted. “Doubtful.”

Emmett frowned. “Is something wrong?”

“No. I mean, it’s no big deal.” Justin decided against discussing Brian with Emmett; he just wanted to catch the bus
and read the page he took from the book. “Hey, let’s get together soon. Maybe a drink at Woody’s sometime next
week?”

“Sure. Call me?”

“Yeah.” Justin walked to the door, calling over his shoulder, “See you later, Em.”

“See ya, sweetie.” Emmett smiled slyly. Something was up with Justin, and Emmett was dying to find out what it
was.

When Justin got on the crowed city bus, he took an aisle seat close to the front, anxious to see what fantasy he’d torn
out of the red book at Gala Events. Unfortunately, he never got a chance to look because at the next stop, he’d
quickly given up his seat to an older woman with a cane in one hand and a canvas tote in the other.

Even being on a loud, diesel bus in the middle of summer, crammed between people reeking of cheap perfume and
sweat, Justin kept thinking about all the fantasy possibilities; the page was burning a hole in his pocket. But the short
trip on the packed bus felt like it took forever, and by the time he reached his stop, his excitement level had dropped
and his anxiety level had increased. Maybe he should have torn out several pages from the book so that he’d have a
choice of fantasies. Just in case. The one in his pocket might be way beyond his comfort zone.

Wait a minute –had he really decided to tempt Brian with a sexual fantasy? Had he gone from merely considering it
as a far-fetched possibility to actually planning the seduction? He’d better find out what sort of adventure he’d
chosen before he made that decision. A lot of the concepts in the book were probably over the top.

Justin was so caught up in thinking about his Naughty or Nice page that he almost missed seeing Brian standing in
front of the gallery’s front door. Justin had never seen Brian in the area before, so there could only be one reason
why he was here –to see Justin. That became crystal clear after he discretely followed behind Brian into the cool
building and overheard him ask if Justin Taylor was in.

Brian looked wonderful standing in front of the gallery owner’s desk –cool and crisp in a maroon button down and
gray slacks, day lit through plate glass and framed by a couple of dark, surrealist paintings. How he managed to
maintain the look in such unbearable heat was a mystery, but Brian always looked poised and confident. And Justin
had actually held this beautiful man in his arms. Then he’d turned away the chance to do it again. He had to be
crazy.

Or maybe not. Seeing Brian ignited a sexual response in Justin, but that wasn’t the only thing going on. His heart
ached with the kind of longing that suggested he’d moved beyond mere lust. Maybe he’d gone beyond mere lust
weeks ago. Daphne had told him that she suspected Justin was falling in love with Brian, thus Daphne’s fiercely
protective stance.

Brian posed a danger, no doubt about it. And yet he didn’t look dangerous standing there. He looked confident,
sweet and sexier than should be legal. Most important of all, he had gone out of his way to see Justin. Maybe Brian
wasn't as dangerous as Justin thought.

“Yes, Justin…” An older woman in modish black glasses, her gray-streaked hair pulled back with a wide, colorful
scarf, started to tell Brian that Justin was right behind him, but Justin’s wildly flailing arms and fervent head shaking
caught her attention and she paused. “Isn’t back from lunch yet?” If Brian noticed the uncertainty in the woman’s
voice, he didn’t show it.

Sneaking along the opposite wall, behind Brian’s back, Justin made his way past a fanciful oil painting of a frog
grasping a cocktail and reclining in a striped lounge chair, down a narrow hallway –walls covered in a collection of
paintings featuring subtly erotic teapots –and into the rear room where he hurriedly shoved the fantasy page he’d
taken from Gala Events in his messenger bag.

Before he could exit the back office, Mrs. Talkington, the gallery owner, stopped him and asked if he was alright.
When he nodded and said he was fine, she’d looked at him curiously, but dropped the subject and asked if he would
run a deposit to the bank. It was a tedious errand, but Justin jumped at the chance to escape running into Brian.

Poor Mrs. Talkington must have thought Justin was on drugs. Making out a simple deposit of a few checks turned
into a three-act play as Justin added the amounts up wrong, dropped the deposit slip on the floor and tore it in half
when he pulled it out from under a corner of the desk.

“This isn’t like you, Justin,” Mrs. Talkington said. “You’re behaving strangely, and you look flushed, too. You’d
better go for a checkup.”

“I’m fine, Mrs. Talkington.” Justin finally managed to properly complete a new deposit slip while he tried to ignore
the fact that Brian Kinney was right down the hall. “It’s been one of those days.”

“All the same, it wouldn’t hurt to see a doctor. Riding the bus all the time, you could have picked up anything,
anything at all.”

“I guess you’re right.” Justin exited the backroom, followed closely by Mrs. Talkington. Entering the main room,
Justin once again marveled at what a fine specimen Brian was.

“Young people today don’t take care of themselves. You don’t get enough sleep, for one thing.”

Justin certainly fit in that category. He found it tough to sleep while yearning for Brian.

“So will you promise to make an appointment for yourself?” Mrs. Talkington asked, sounding so much like Justin’s
mother.

“Maybe. I’ll think about it, Mrs. Talkington.” When Justin turned around and forced himself to smile, his face felt
stiffer than cardboard. Despite that, he wanted to appear as calm and collected as Brian looked standing there gazing
at a wall practically papered with drawings and photographs. Instead a fire raged inside him and sweat trickled down
his back.

“Well, I suppose that will have to be good enough, but don’t make me say I told you so. Now, take this to the bank.”
Grinning, Mrs. Talkington tucked the deposit slip and checks into a bag and handed it to Justin.

Justin had hoped to make it out of the gallery and to the bank without Brian noticing, but, just his luck, Brian was
already walking towards him. Justin swallowed. “Hey.”

“Hello.” Brian replied coolly. “I was hoping you’d be here.”

Justin’s heart pounded in anticipation.

“I’d like to buy that painting.” He pointed to a colorful abstract piece on the far right wall.

Justin’s hopes dimmed. “Oh, sure.”

Well, Justin’s day had taken a turn for the worse, but at least the gallery was having a very profitable day. Brian’s
purchase would be the third one today over five thousand dollars. Justin’s pulse racing, his response on autopilot, he
lead Brian to a long, granite counter. “We’re asking $5,500.00 for that particular piece.”

Brian pulled out his checkbook filled in the amount and tore it out; then he slid the check over the counter towards
Justin. Justin took the check, which was actually from The Ryder Agency. When Justin looked it over, he noticed

that Brian had forgotten to sign it. Maybe he wasn’t as composed as he looked. “You need to sign this.” Justin
pushed a pen toward him along with the check, willing his hands not to shake.

“Oh, right.” Brian scribbled his name across the bottom of the check. “There’s this shoot, I’m working on, and this
painting will be a perfect backdrop. I won’t be able to start on it until I get back in town, but I wanted to have
everything in place. I, um, I’m going out of town on an assignment.”

“Out of town?” The question came out in a squeak of protest. Damn. Justin cleared his throat. “I, uh, mean…I didn’t
know you were going somewhere.” That could have an impact on several things, including the fantasy Justin had
hidden in his messenger bag in the backroom.

Justin glanced at the address on the front of Brian’s check and noticed the Ryder Agency offices were on Michigan
Avenue, not far from Gala Events. Luckily Justin hadn’t run into Brian after tearing out the page. No telling how
Justin might have reacted.

“My boss just told me yesterday. We landed an account with Penn Sports Equipment, and there’s a women’s tennis
program down in Florida that’s supposed to be turning out some awesome players. I’ll take a day to shoot some of
the stars for a new ad campaign, and then I’m flying down to Nassau to meet with a new client.”

“Sounds like a fairly extensive trip.”

“Ten days.”

Ten days. If Justin had to spend ten days stewing in his knowledge of how he felt about Brian and debating whether
to use the fantasy, he’d be ready for the funny farm by the time Brian got back. Justin pulled out a sheet of paper
from under the counter where he set the bank bag. “Did you want this framed?”

“No. That won’t be necessary.”

“What about gift wrapping?”

“You guy’s do gift wrapping?”

“Yeah, among other things.”

“What else do you do?”

Justin thought it was strange that Brian was so interested in what he did all of the sudden, but shrugged it off. “Well,
we do custom framing, gift wrapping, and we offer art cleaning and restoration services. If you ever need an oil
painting or photograph restored, we can take care of it for you.”

“You clean art?”

Justin grinned. “Not me personally. I guess you could say I’m a consultant. I help out with opening and closing
receptions, but I’m also a regular, featured artist. I actually just sold one of my best pieces. That’s how I was able to
afford the new entertainment center and stuff.”

“Congratulations.”

Justin blushed and looked down, studying the order-form intently. “Thank you.”

“Well, I won’t need it gift wrapped either, but I’ll need it delivered. Can someone bring it to the office sometime this
week between 8 and 5? No, better make that between 9 and 4.”

Justin nodded and concentrated on the page as he wrote down delivery instructions. If he’d screwed up writing out
the deposit, he was certainly capable of taking down the wrong information from Brian.

When Justin finished filling out the delivery order, he peeled off the top copy and slid it towards Brian. Brian picked
it up, carefully folded it in half and placed it in his wallet. “Thanks.”

“When are you leaving?” Justin tried his best to make the question sound like idle curiosity.

From the way Brian’s head came up and the intensity of his expression, he’d failed. “I’m taking the red-eye out
tomorrow night. Why?” Brian waited expectantly.

Justin had no idea what to say. “I…wondered if you…wanted me to…water your plants.” Or give you a blow-job
you’ll never forget?

“Thanks, but I don’t have any plants. Although now that you mention it, I could use a favor.” Brian fished in his
pocket and came up with a small key. “I’d appreciate it if you’d take in my mail.”

Justin’s hopes, raised by Brian visiting the gallery, died. Brian needed someone to take in his mail and he’d thought
of a way to tie up loose ends at work and get the mail question out of the way in one trip.

“I can do that.” Justin took the mailbox key and tucked it in his pocket.

“Thanks. I’ll see you when I get back, then.”

“Have a safe trip.” Now wasn’t that a boring exchange? Brian would never guess from this conversation that earlier
today Justin had ripped a page out of a book full of wild sexual adventures and that he’d been planning to use the
page to seduce Brian. Obviously Brian had put his laundry-room fantasies behind him and now he only saw Justin as
a convenient neighbor who’d take in his mail. Meanwhile Justin had fallen hard for his next-door neighbor. What a
depressing turn of events.

~~~~~~

Brian left the gallery and headed for a nearby corner bar and an early dinner. He ordered a beer and a sandwich.
Then he ordered another beer, and another. Watching sports he didn’t care about, and talking with people he barely
knew, Brian proceeded to get thoroughly smashed.

If Brian had had some idea that Justin would be sorry to see him leave on this trip, or that Justin would suggest they
might have dinner together before he went, he’d been dreaming. Shit. The mail thing had been his feeble excuse to
see Justin again and tell him he was going out of town. He didn’t need Justin to take in his mail. For years he’d had
an arrangement with the post office and they held his mail any time he went out of town. All he had to do was notify
them.

Now Brian had roped Justin into collecting his mail, and he knew Justin would, too, because he was polite and
considerate. He was also sexy as hell, even wearing a dress shirt and slacks, which didn’t do his ass near as much
justice as the cargoes did. Of course, Justin would look good wearing a green garbage bag. He was perfect. And
Brian was a sex-crazed asshole who had ruined whatever chance he might have had at a relationship with him.

Finally Brian grew tired of the bar and poured himself into a cab. Back in his loft, he stumbled around getting ready
for bed. Then he tried to be a little quieter. Now that he knew how easily Justin could hear him, he didn’t want to
further annoy him by waking him up.

Fuck that. Yes, he did. Brian wanted to pound on that wall and beg Justin to let him come over and fuck him into the
mattress until tomorrow night when he had to fly out. Brian could only imagine how Justin would react if he started
banging on the wall and shouting Justin’s name; he’d probably call the cops, and Brian wouldn’t blame him.

With a heavy sigh, Brian lay on the bed under the cooling breeze of the AC. It didn’t help cool his blood a damn bit.
The bed began to revolve, and he grimaced. He’d have a hell of a hangover at work tomorrow. Fortunately all he
had to do was handle a backlog of paperwork he’d been putting off for weeks. He always liked to tie up loose ends
before he went out of town.

But there was one loose end he wouldn’t be able to do anything about. When he got back, Justin would be even
farther away, even though he continued to live right next door. Brian turned over and pounded his pillow in despair.

Justin was sitting up in bed, back propped against some pillows, with the fantasy sheet on his lap. He’d been
studying the sheet for hours, and his thoughts were all over the place when he heard Brian come home. Justin
couldn’t help but listen to find out whether he had brought any tricks home. Brian seemed to be alone, but he was
obviously upset, drunk, or both because Justin heard a lot of stumbling around.

If Brian was banging around his apartment because he was upset, Justin might be the reason. Justin had had some
time to think after Brian had left the gallery. He realized that Brian had never asked him to take in his mail in all the
time they’d been neighbors, and he knew for a fact that Brian had gone out of town on assignments before because
he used to tell Justin when he wouldn’t be showing up on Saturdays to do laundry.

Because of all the traveling Brian did, Justin figured he would have set up a system with the post office a long time
ago. It was only logical. That meant the visit to the gallery and the mail request had been another attempt by Brian to
make contact, to break through the barrier Justin had built between them.

Justin didn’t know if it was just sex or something more that was driving Brian. Daphne would say that he was only
pursuing Justin because Justin was playing hard to get. Maybe so, but Justin couldn’t shake the feeling that
something else was going on, and he knew it was more than wishful thinking on his part.

Daphne would kill him for even considering that Brian’s attraction to him might be the real thing and not his
reaction to a challenge. But Daphne didn’t know the whole story, and because of Justin’s history, she had reason to
be skeptical. But after talking to Emmett earlier, Justin realized he didn’t want that history to cause him to make a
different kind of mistake than what Daphne feared, mainly missing an opportunity to be with Brian Kinney.

Brian had approached him again, and that was a big deal. Justin wondered if such a thing had ever happened before.
He highly doubted Brian ever chased after guys; for one thing, he didn’t need to and for another, well, he just didn’t
need to. Then, even after Justin was rude to Brian the last time they spoke, Brian had come to the gallery today. Of
course, once again, Justin had offered him no encouragement whatsoever. Could it be possible Brian was upset over
him?

Justin could go over there, knock on his door and find out. But if Brian had spent the night getting wasted, the
encounter probably wouldn’t go very well. Besides, that wouldn’t have even the slightest touch of fantasy, and if he
wanted to get Brian’s attention, he wanted to do it right.

Glancing at the page from Naughty or Nice lying in his lap, Justin took a deep breath. Attempting this would take
guts even if Justin were completely sure of Brian’s feelings. With Brian, Justin was sure of nothing. By making his
fantasy real, Justin risked totally humiliating himself.

But then again, he might not. Justin had very few hours in which to make a decision. Ignoring Daphne’s warnings
that echoed in his head, Justin read the fantasy one more time.

~~~~~~

Brian dragged himself through the next morning at work with the help of coffee and aspirin. Fortunately nobody at
the office needed him for anything, or maybe they sensed he was in one of his pissed off moods. In any case,
thankfully the rest of the staff left him alone in his office to work in peace. By lunchtime his headache had subsided,
so he accepted an invitation from some co-workers to go to a nearby deli.

Brian’s outlook improved considerably after that, and when four o’clock rolled around, he felt almost back to
normal. As he clicked through some digital photos on his computer, he thought about the approaching trip. He’d get
some sleep on the plane that night, and by tomorrow he should be in shape to shoot the tennis stars.

The tennis pro running the program had specifically requested him, and Brian had a good idea why. The pro wanted
the best, and Brian was the best. But Brian was also known for his extraordinary good looks and interest in casual
sex. After one telephone conversation, Brian could tell that it was the latter the pro was interested in.

It was normal for Brian to hook up with someone on his out-of-town trips, but this time was different. After his one
night with Justin, sex with anyone else just wasn’t as appealing. Justin had somehow managed to break through his
walls, bringing feelings up to a conscious level that he’d buried all along.

When Justin didn’t freak over the laundry-room fantasy, Brian had known Justin could be wild and daring when it
came to sex. But Brian had realized Justin was so much more than that. He was his laundry-buddy. He was his
quirky neighbor who thought he could put together an entertainment center with a Swiss Army knife. And he was
also the caring man who always helped Mrs. Flannigan, their elderly downstairs neighbor, carry her groceries into
her apartment.

No doubt about it, Brian wanted Justin Taylor. But he couldn’t do a damned thing about it. He’d fucked everything
up in one night.

Maybe while he was on this assignment he’d come up with a way around the obstacles to a future relationship.
Maybe ten days without seeing Brian would make Justin miss him enough that they could patch things up. Maybe—

“Brian?”

He glanced up from the computer screen and blinked. Justin stood in his office wearing baggy cargoes that hung low
on his hips and a navy blue tank top. The thin fabric clung to his body, so tightly Brian could see Justin’s nipples
harden in the artificial chill created by the air-conditioning.

Brian cleared his throat. “Hi. Aren’t you…supposed to be at the gallery?”

“I left a little early.” Justin’s cheeks were flushed, either from the heat outside or the cold inside, Brian didn’t know
which.

A possibility whispered through Brian’s mind, but he dismissed it. There was no way Justin was here for the reasons
Brian wanted. “So what brings you down here?”

Justin cleared his throat. “I, uh, thought that after all that work helping me put the entertainment center together, I
owe you. How about I make you dinner?”

Brian leaned back in his chair. Justin was issuing an invitation, but he couldn’t figure out exactly what kind. And,
hell, he was leaving town at midnight. “You mean when I get back from this assignment?”

“I mean before you leave.”

Oh, shit. Justin wanted to make up. But Brian couldn’t figure out why Justin had come all the way down to his
office, unless… surely Justin wouldn’t have something planned –not after turning him down twice already.

Yet Brian couldn’t imagine why he’d come to his office. As his eyes roamed over Justin’s body, Brian cursed the
agency for sending him on assignment and wondered how much it would cost him to delay his flight until tomorrow.
“I don’t have a lot of time.”

Uncertainty, and what looked to Brian like disappointment, flickered in Justin’s eyes. “Then maybe it’s not a good
idea. You probably have to pack, and—“

“I’m a fast packer.” Brian would get on the plane without a suitcase and buy all new clothes when he arrived if it
meant another chance with Justin. “I didn’t say I couldn’t have dinner tonight. I was only reminding you that I have
to catch a plane.”

“So you would like to do the dinner thing?”

Brian looked directly into Justin’s eyes. “Sure.”

“I just have to pick up a few things first. You want to come with me? There’s a grocery not far from here, and then
we could ride the bus home together.”

Something was going on. Brian wasn’t sure what, but he had a feeling he was going to like it –a lot. “Sure. Let me
finish up here and we can go.”

“Take your time.” Justin stretched his arms over his head, giving Brian a glimpse of his taut stomach.

Brian stared at Justin’s bare skin, wondering…No –his imagination was getting the best of him. Justin probably just
wanted to be friends. Damn. He should have kept his mouth shut about that. “Have a seat, if you want.”

“I’d rather look around your office. You’re really talented, Brian.” Justin studied the pictures along the wall. He
stopped in front of one photograph to examine it more intently. Brian had captured the vibrant, gorgeous colors of
the Pittsburgh skyline at night. Justin turned slightly towards Brian and smiled.

Brian sucked in a breath. Justin’s loose cargoes had slid down one hip, revealing smooth, naked skin.

“Whoops.” Justin pulled his cargoes up. He was way out of his comfort zone. His heart pounded and his palms were
slippery with sweat, but Brian’s expression was worth it.

Brian looked stunned. “Wh-what…are…you…” His voice trailed off, as if he’d forgotten how to string words
together.

Justin smiled and wandered over to the pictures lining the wall near Brian’s desk. “This is awesome. I like the way
you shot it.” Justin pointed to a framed photo of an old warehouse. It was beautiful in its bleakness, proving Brian’s
talent. Justin’s pants slipped off his hips again.

“Let’s get the hell out of here.” Brian’s voice was like gravel.

Justin glanced over his shoulder. “To the grocery store?”

Brian’s breathing was labored. “Fuck groceries. I’ll call a cab.”

“Oh, no, Brian.” Justin turned and walked back to Brian’s desk. He was loving this, absolutely loving it. Excitement
rushed through him, making him hard. One look at Brian’s lap told him of his similar condition.

Justin perched on the edge of the desk. “You wouldn’t want to ruin my fantasy, now would you?”

A muscle in Brian’s jaw twitched as he stared at Justin’s lap. When he glanced up, his eyes were nearly all pupils,
no iris. “Justin, you’re acting…different.”

“You want me to stop?”

“Fuck, no, but I’m –“

“Going crazy, I hope.” Justin leaned toward him. “I want to drive you crazy.”

“Well, that’s great, but how am I supposed to hide my…you know?”

Justin laughed and gazed deliberately at Brian’s crotch. “I don’t know. It won’t be easy hiding something that big.”

Brian growled. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

“Believe it.” Justin slid off the desk and walked deliberately toward the door of Brian’s office. “Next stop, the
grocery store.”

“Wait!”

“Sorry, I have to hurry. I thought you had a plane to catch?” As he left Brian’s office, Justin heard Brian’s soft curse
and the sound of rapidly clicking keys on his computer.

Then suddenly Brian was beside him, shielding his lower half with his briefcase. “Okay, let’s go.”

Justin smiled at Brian’s curious co-workers as he and Brian headed down the hall and through the Ryder Agency
reception area. Justin was prepared to stroll, but Brian placed his hand on Justin’s lower back and propelled him as
fast as could. “Now you’re in a hurry?” Justin asked.

“You have no idea.” Brian called out a few quick goodbyes along the way before shoving Justin into the first
available elevator.

When the elevator turned out to be empty, Justin pressed close against Brian, kissing him hard.

Brian groaned when he pulled away.

“It’s all part of the fantasy.” Justin stepped back as the elevator stopped to take on more passengers. Teasing Brian
was even more fun than he’d imagined. Desire was so thick in the small enclosure Justin wondered if the two
women who got on would sense it.

They both eyed the couple with interest, glanced at the grip Brian had on Justin’s elbow, sighed and looked away, as
if understanding a territorial signal.

Out on the street, people were too busy with their own concerns to pay much attention to the couple. The sun had
disappeared behind the tall buildings, but the heat lingered.

With Brian striding along beside him in a state of sexual arousal, Justin didn’t care what anyone else was doing. All
he could think about was Brian; Justin hoped he would not easily forget this day, and that the memory would linger
the ten days he’d be gone.

“So what changed?” Brian asked as they dodged pedestrians on their rapid course toward the corner grocers’. He
concentrated on keeping them moving and didn’t look at Justin.

“What do you mean?”

“Yesterday you wouldn’t give me the time of day. Today you seem determined to have me beg.” Brian steered
Justin around a pair of teenagers wearing earphones. “What changed?”

“I had a chance to think about you asking me to get your mail. Did you really have to do that?”

“No.”

Warmth flooded through Justin. What a great feeling knowing he’d been right. “That’s what I thought.” Or at least
what he’d hoped.

“But why—oh, never mind why. I’m not going to fuck this up with questions. We’re here.” He held the door open
for Justin. “What do you need?”

Justin paused to smile at him. “Follow me.”

“Don’t worry. I’m right behind you. You’re going to make this quick aren’t you?”

Justin didn’t answer; instead, he located the produce aisle and sauntered toward it. He could almost feel Brian’s hot
breath on his neck as he followed him. At four-thirty in the afternoon the store was almost empty of customers. The
faint hum of refrigerators and muzak were the only sounds. Slowly Justin scanned the rows of fruits and vegetables.

“I suppose this is going to take a while.” Although Brian was obviously trying to appear indifferent, the tremor in
his voice betrayed him.

“Maybe.” Justin started in the vegetable section where he picked up a thick cucumber, stroking it lightly while
holding it up for Brian to see. “What do you think of this one?”

“Uh?” Brian stared dumbly at Justin.

Justin looked curiously at Brian for a second and smirked. “For the salad? Remember, I’m making dinner?”

“I don’t want salad.”

“You don’t?”

“No, I don’t. I want you to get that cute little bubble butt of yours into a cab –right now.”

“But we have to have something to eat. Okay, so, no salad. How about fruit?” Justin moved away from the
vegetables. “Oh, how about these?” Justin held up two dark, wrinkled sacs for Brian to see. “Figs are an interesting
fruit don’t you think? They are surprisingly good although you wouldn’t know it from the way they look. But
they’re quite tasty.” Looking Brian in the eye, Justin ran his tongue over his lips.

“You’re being a very bad boy.”

“I…am?”

“Uh-huh.”

Justin swallowed and paused at the thought of Brian punishing him, but pushed it away before handing Brian a small
bag he’d filled with figs. “Hold this.” He couldn’t get distracted now.

“We’re going to buy these and leave.”

“No.” Justin glanced around to make sure they were still alone. “I’m not finished.” Justin had picked up a ripe
kiwifruit and was fondling it gently in the palm of his hand.

“Justin!”

Justin stopped, put the fruit back and looked up at Brian. “Jeez, you’re jumpy.”

Brian lowered his voice. “I’m about to jump you, right here in the aisle. How would you like that, if I backed you up
against a shelf and did you, right here and now? I could be inside you in three seconds.”

A shiver, part excitement, part apprehension, ran from the base of Justin’s spine to his neck, making the tiny hairs
stand on end. “You wouldn’t do that.”

“An hour ago I would have agreed with you.” Brian’s eyes glittered. “But you’re pushing me. No telling what I
might do if you push me far enough.”

“That sounds like a threat.” Justin bit his lower lip. The Naughty or Nice book hadn’t anticipated a man out of
control –wait, make that a Brian Kinney out of control. As the seducer, Justin was supposed to have Brian at his
mercy, ready to obey his command, following him around like a puppy. At the moment, Brian looked ready to swing
him over his shoulder and haul his ass out of the store like some caveman.

“I don’t make threats.” Brian held up the bag of figs. “You might want to get these now.”

Justin backed up a step. “This part was supposed to take longer.”

“Who says?” Brian advanced -the figs in his hand. “Did somebody write this fantasy?”

Justin wasn’t prepared to tell Brian the truth, at least not yet. “Uh, well—“

“Never mind. I don’t care where you got the idea, but I strongly suggest you pay for these while I go outside and
hail us a cab.”

“But the bus would take longer and build the excitement.”

“Do you feel like putting on a show for the passengers?”

“But it’s cheaper than a cab.”

“As if I care at a moment like this.” Brian handed Justin the figs. “See you outside in five minutes.”

~~~~~~

Brian charged for the front door of the store, afraid if he stood in that aisle another second he would grab Justin and
shove his pants down. No man, not one of his many tricks, had ever driven him past reason. But as he’d watched
Justin tease him with the kiwi fruit, he’d felt reason slipping away and animal instinct taking over.

Next –Part 2 of Justin’s fantasy

Out on the bustling city sidewalk, Brian took a big gulp of sultry, summer air. His blood was pumping frantically
throughout his body and flowing straight to the area currently hidden behind his briefcase. Brian couldn’t have
predicted the power Justin had over him. But this stunt proved it. If Justin had suggested dinner yesterday, Brian
would have been perfectly happy. Instead Justin had appeared today in his office with his pants falling down. If
Justin had wanted to get his attention, he definitely got it.

An oblivious teenager bumped into Brian and interrupted his thoughts. Trying to shove the picture of Justin’s pants
slipping off smooth hips out of his fevered brain, Brian whistled for a taxi. Fortunately one swerved to the curb
exactly as Justin came out of the store, a small bag in one hand. Fucking figs. As if they were going to eat them.

Brian was careful getting Justin into the cab because he didn’t want anyone else catching a glimpse of Justin’s
perfectly round butt. Just the idea made Brian frown. Brian had never been jealous of anyone before, but then,
maybe, that’s because he never had anyone worth getting jealous over before.

Brian climbed in after Justin and gave the cabbie the address. As the taxi merged back into traffic, Brian gripped his
briefcase with both hands. Now he just had to make it through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh, at rush hour, with
a horny Justin next to him.

Justin lifted the bag of figs. “You really haven’t eaten these before?”

Brian gritted his teeth. “No.”

“You’re in for a big treat. It’ll be quite an experience; I promise.” Justin spoke as if discussing the weather with a
stranger, but Brian could read between the lines. He might not know what Justin was planning, but by now Brian
knew that Justin was usually up to something –something Brian always enjoyed.

Condoms. He wondered if Justin was prepared because he wouldn’t get beyond the front door before Brian was all
over him, and Brian wasn’t packing any. Hadn’t thought there was a reason to. Hadn’t counted on Justin barging
into his office this afternoon with his pants half off. Definitely hadn’t counted on being teased mercilessly in the
produce aisle of the grocery store.

Brian cleared his throat. “Do you, uh, have the necessary, uh…” He didn’t want the cabbie to overhear. “I mean, I’m
not prepared for…”

Justin lowered his voice to a silky, seductive level. “I’m prepared. Extremely prepared.”

Brian didn’t dare look at Justin. Instead he faced forward, his back straight and his fingers clutching the handle of
his briefcase, his knuckles turning white. “Good.”

Justin leaned close and whispered in Brian’s ear. “It will be . Very.”

“Careful.” Brian’s cock strained against his briefs. “We’re only halfway home.”

“I’m surprised Brian,” Justin said softly. “You’ve had so much experience, that I thought you’d be more calm about
this.”

“Experience?” Nothing had prepared Brian for an event like this.

“I’m only judging from what I’ve overheard, and from what I’ve heard, I would assume you’ve had lots of—“

“Justin.”

“What?”

“Don’t talk.”

“Why?” Justin sounded pleased with himself.

“Just don’t.” Everything the boy said seemed to be making Brian’s condition worse. He prayed for an opening in
traffic as their journey turned into an endless taxi ride. Every sway of the cab and every jolt when the driver hit the
brakes tortured his aching hard-on. All he could do was ignore Justin and stare blindly out the window, counting up
his frequent flyer miles and silently reciting the Pledge of Allegiance a dozen times.

Finally. The cab pulled up in front of their building and Brian just barely remembered to pay the guy before rushing
through the front entry and stumbling up the four flights of stairs. Amazingly, he was able to climb the stairs without
grabbing Justin and fucking him senseless on one of the landings. Justin seemed to be having a great time, laughing
at Brian’s anxiousness. Yeah, well, Justin would see how it felt in a few minutes, when Brian ripped off those pants
and… No, he’d better not think of that until they were inside Justin’s apartment. Brian didn’t feel like putting on a
show for Mrs. Flannigan.

Happy that Justin was fast with his key, Brian nearly pushed him through the door once it was opened.

“Okay.” Brian set his briefcase on the floor. “Forget dinner.” He turned to Justin. “I want…” Brian halted. Justin
had put the bag of figs down, but now he was carrying his laundry basket.

Justin’s eyes burned with blue fire and his chest heaved with labored breaths. His calmness seemed to have
disappeared. “Before I start dinner, I need to um…put a few things in the wash. Do you mind?”

And Brian had thought this couldn’t get more intense. He took a deep breath. “You’re gonna kill me, you know
that?”

“Um, but what a way to go.” Justin reached in the basket and tossed Brian a condom and a small tube of lube.

Surprisingly Brian’s reflexes were in fine working order, because he caught both with no trouble and put them in his
pocket.

“Come on, Brian.” Justin gave him a long once-over. “Let’s do laundry.”

Brian nodded, his brain spinning, his body straining with almost unbearable tension. Once again, he followed Justin,
this time down to the basement. If somebody was in there washing clothes, he’d throw them out. He didn’t care what
the consequences would be.

Instead, the door to the laundry room was closed, and a sign was tacked on it that read Laundry Room Temporarily
Closed Due to Electrical Problems.

“Fuck!” Brian’s frustration reached the boiling point. No way could he make it back up those stairs without some
kind of relief. No way.

Justin laughed, turned the knob and walked inside. “Like my sign?” His eyes sparkled with mischief.

His sign. Brian dashed inside the laundry room and slammed the door shut. “I love your sign. Justin, we don’t have
to start the washers. We can just do it right here, against the door. On the folding table. On the floor. Anywhere. Let
me take off those damned cargoes.” He reached for Justin, desperate to touch him, kiss him, fuck him –all of the
above.

“Nope.” Justin moved out of reach. “I’ve got to put these clothes in those two old washers.”

“I don’t care about the fantasy! I need—“

“Patience.” Justin laughed again, the sound bubbling with excitement as he threw clothes into the washers. “We’re
doing this, Brian. Don’t panic.”

Brian wasn’t panicking; he was horny –extremely horny. But he wasn’t about to rush things now just because Justin
happened to have the most irresistible ass he’d ever seen. No, he’d prove he was up to any challenge Justin might
throw at him.

So Brian stood impatiently, his fists clenched, all of him clenched, while Justin put in soap, fabric softner, for fuck’s
sake, and money to start the machine.

After an eternity had passed, Justin glanced at Brian over his shoulder. “Oh no. My pants are falling down again.”

Oh, yes, they most certainly were. Now it was Brian’s turn to take control. His strong hands reached for the
waistband of Justin’s cargoes and slowly pulled them down, down, down, until they formed a puddle at his feet.
Then Brian tossed them aside while Justin discarded his tank top.

Naked, Justin stood uncertainly while Brian’s eyes roamed his body.

Brian took his time burning this picture into his mind –Justin standing before him, his gaze hot, his cock hard. He
couldn’t remember wanting anyone so much. This was way better than any fantasy.

“You’re beautiful,” Brian said, his voice a low growl of appreciation.

“Just call me Laundry Boy.” Justin teased nervously.

“I call you amazing.” Brian couldn’t wait any longer. He helped Justin get on top of the nearest machine, putting
Justin in the perfect position for Brian to drive him crazy for a change. Before Justin could react, Brian was on his
knees, his mouth hovering over Justin’s erection.

Justin’s gasp as Brian zeroed in on his target was more than enough reward, but Brian had more rewards in mind.
Pleasing Justin this way tested his endurance even more, but finally he had a chance to level the playing field.

“Oh, Brian…the vibration is…oh… better than I imagined.”

This is more like it, Brian thought. Justin had been in control way too long. Brian focused all his attention on
making Justin come. He wanted to make sure Justin didn’t forget this. He wanted Justin to always remember him, no
matter who he might be with in the future.

Gasping and crying out Brian’s name, Justin came in a rush that made Brian dizzy with victory. Brian eased slowly
away from Justin, stood and reached for the zipper of his fly. Then he took out the condom and lube. He could
barely manage the necessary movements as he trembled with the need to be inside Justin, sliding back and forth
inside his tight ass.

Brian gazed at Justin’s flushed, responsive body. His voice was thick with unreleased tension. “Lie down.”

With a moan of surrender, Justin lay back, bending his knees. His upper body rested on one washer and his hips on
the other. Brian had just enough room to climb up between his thighs. “Move…move up.”

Heavy breathing echoed off the concrete walls. “My head will be off the edge.”

Brian grinned at Justin, feeling wilder and more reckless than at any other time in his life. “This is insane.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Brian grabbed the control panel at the back of the washer and slipped his other hand under Justin’s head. “Here.
Scoot up. I’ll hold your head.”

Justin did, which put him in perfect position.

“Now lift your hips.”

Clutching the control panel in imitation of Brian’s move, Justin lifted his hips. “Like that?”

“Like that.” And Brian pushed deep inside him. He closed his eyes, his head swimming with pleasure, and waited
for Justin to adjust.

“Good?” Justin groaned as Brian filled him.

“You have no idea.” Brian opened his eyes and gazed down at Justin.

Justin smiled at him. “Better make this quick before I collapse.”

“I don’t think this will take long.” Brian began a rapid, yet controlled rhythm, while the agitating machines beneath
him sent vibrations up through his knees to his groin, creating an unreal sensation that would bring him to climax in
no time at all. Justin was right. The feeling was incredible.

“Mmmm.” Justin gripped Brian’s ass with his free hand and pulled him closer.

Brian slowed, forced his body back a few notches, and looked into Justin’s eyes. “Wanna’ come again, Laundry
Boy?”

“Oh, yeah.” Justin rocked his hips. “Maybe this position isn’t as uncomfortable as I thought.”

“Ummm...” Definitely not uncomfortable.

“Brian.” Justin moaned.

Brian shifted and thrust deep, once, twice, three times.

“So good.” Justin began to pant as Brian maintained a steady pace. “Oh, god, so fucking good.”

Brian’s defenses crumbled a little bit more each time he pushed into Justin.

“Brian!” Justin arched against Brian as spasms rippled through him.

That tipped Brian over the edge and, with a groan of pure satisfaction, he let go, erupting in a burst that took his
breath away. As he shuddered against Justin, he felt his remaining barriers collapse.

Justin was in heaven. His fantasy had worked even better than he’d imagined it would, and Brian seemed totally
blown away by his sexual daring and seduction techniques. But they both agreed that they’d had enough risky
business for one night and decided to continue what was left of the evening upstairs, in an actual bed. They took out
Justin’s soggy clothes –jeans and some old t-shirts –and tossed them in the dryer.

Then they crept upstairs and into Justin’s apartment, where they searched for something to eat. After they ate, they
took a shower together before Brian needed to leave.

~~~~~~

“I could not go,” Brian said as he pulled on his clothes so he could go back to his apartment and pack. “I could
cancel the whole thing.”

“You can’t do that.” Justin dressed quickly in cargoes and a t-shirt. “Your company is counting on you. The time
will go by fast.” Justin didn’t believe that, but it was the sort of thing lovers said to each other on television when
they had to part.

“Like you believe that.” Brian paused to gaze at Justin. “Justin we need to talk. About us, about—“

Justin’s stomach fluttered in apprehension. “We will. When you get back. Tonight has been pretty wild. Let it all
settle in your mind a bit. Then we’ll talk.”

“You do realize this is serious, what we have going on.”

Justin nodded, stunned, but happier than he’d ever been in his life. Brian Kinney was serious about him? Holy Shit!
“Okay.” But Justin wanted Brian to go away for ten days and come back just as sure as he was now. So soon after
sex, Justin couldn’t truly trust what Brian was saying.

“Just so you realize I’m not through with you, yet.” Brian kissed Justin quickly. “My flight home leaves Nassau in
the morning, so I’ll be back here at a normal time –before you get off work. Then we’ll talk.”

“Okay.” Justin was already imagining what he could do for a welcome-home present.

“Come over and hang out while I throw a few things in my suitcase?”

“Okay. Sure.” Justin followed Brian out of the bedroom.

As Brian and Justin reached the front door, Justin’s phone rang. With an apologetic look, Justin told Brian, “I’ll be
over in a few minutes. You go get started on your packing.”

“Okay.” Brian kissed him again; he couldn’t get enough of the blond. How was he going to manage ten days without
him? “See you in a minute. I’ll leave the door open.”

Justin grinned. “Like on TV.”

“Yeah. Like that.” With a smile, Brian returned to his own apartment

“I’m so glad I decided to come with you, Brian.” A salty wind blew through Justin’s hair, tangling the silken strands
as he stood on a balcony overlooking deep blue ocean water. At the last minute, Brian had invited Justin to go with
him on his business trip. Without a second thought, Justin had hurriedly packed a bag and they were off, arriving at
the hotel only a little while ago.

“Ummm…you haven’t come yet.” Brian smirked and wrapped his arms around Justin, resting his chin on top of
Justin’s blond head and enjoying the peaceful calm of the ocean. It felt good after traveling along palm lined

avenues dotted with stalls and push carts loaded with food and merchandise at every corner. The parade of goats,
speeding minibuses and loud motorcycles with masses of people added to the confusion. The quiet noise of the
waves was a soothing balm to his nerves.

Allowing himself to relax in Brian’s arms, Justin was secure in the knowledge that Brian wanted him. If Daphne
knew he’d just taken off on the spur of the moment with Brian Kinney, she’d have a fit, but luckily, he’d forgotten
all about her until the plane was in the air and the ground below looked like nothing more than a model train set. By
then it was too late. He’d call her tomorrow so she didn’t worry, but until then, Justin was going to concentrate on
Brian, and only Brian.

Turning in Brian’s arms, Justin leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met gently; their tongues danced playfully until the
heat rose and the kiss deepened. Brian’s hands grasped Justin’s face, and he thrust his tongue into Justin’s mouth
with a restrained violence that thrilled them both. Justin answered back forcefully, hotly, drowning in the wet heat of
Brian’s kisses, his body burning with increasing excitement.

Justin reached his arms around Brian and grabbed his ass, pulling their groins together tightly. Brian broke off the
kiss. While looking deep in Justin’s eyes, Brian lifted the hem of Justin’s t-shirt, sliding his hands up smooth,
creamy skin and circling Justin’s nipples. Justin gasped in delight and mimicked Brian’s movements, returning the
pleasure.

In only seconds, shirts were off and pants were undone. Brian stopped kissing Justin long enough to take a condom
and lube out of his pocket. “I’m going to fuck you right here, right now.”

Justin thought he’d explode at Brian’s words. He wanted Brian to fuck him on the balcony. He wanted other people
to see –to see Brian take him, claim him, mark him and own him. He’d never dreamed fucking in public would be
such a thrill.

Brian felt Justin shiver and smiled as he pushed Justin’s baggy shorts off his slim hips until Justin was fully naked.
“Turn around.”

“Wait,” Justin whispered as he gently fell to his knees and licked Brian’s cock. He slowly tortured Brian as he
pressed his lips gently against the tip, ever so slightly flicking his slit. Then Justin sucked kisses along the length of
Brian’s cock while fondling his balls. His touch was light, too light and it wasn’t enough for Brian.

“Enough.” Brian grasped Justin by his upper arms, pulled him up and turned him around, pressing his hands against
the balcony railings. “Hold on.”

Brian’s tone was hard and demanding, like the thickness pressing against Justin’s back. Justin shivered again in
anticipation. He felt Brian’s legs against his own, Brian’s hands down his back, stroking his thighs, his buttocks, his
crease; he felt them moving, inch, by tiny inch towards their target.

Justin was aching with need, hard from Brian’s kisses and touches, aroused by the idea of strangers watching them.
But Brian continued at a slow pace. Slowly sliding his hand down Justin’s bottom and between his cheeks, Brian
smoothed his slippery fingers over Justin’s entrance, taunting, and teasing him as Justin teased and taunted him only
seconds before. Brian relished the low incoherent growling noises Justin made at each caress and the light blush
staining his upper back and shoulders.

“Are you ready for me?”

Justin could only moan in answer, wriggling his butt invitingly, positioning his body to let Brian have his way, and
Brian slowly guided himself to Justin’s hole, pushing the head of his cock inside. Justin gasped at the welcome
intrusion, his back arching at the sensation. Ahhh…better than he remembered.

Slowly sinking deep, Brian groaned at Justin’s silky tightness. Slipping deeper and deeper, Brian only stopped when
his lean strong hips rested against the pillow of Justin’s buttocks and he was fully and finally there. When Brian
thrust forward, Justin pushed back, his hips writhing and seeking more of Brian’s hard cock. They moved
beautifully together, their bodies joined hip to hip in a slow rhythm cadence that left Justin breathless and Brian on
the edge.

In the distance the spinnaker of a sailboat billowed in the wind, creating a kaleidoscope of color against the crystal-
clear blue sky. Above them, pelicans and seagulls glided on the wind; below them, waves lapped at the shore and
people strolled obliviously along the white-sand beach.

Justin hung onto the wrought iron rails of the balcony as Brian pumped into him. Then there was nothing else as
Brian thrust into Justin and Justin’s butt writhed and wriggled against Brian’s crotch, seeking the utmost sensation.
It was a wet slide of feeling. Wet, hot, hard, potent, and forceful. Relentless. Justin had to give into it: Brian was so
hard, so hot, driving deep in his ass, hitting just the right spot. Justin reached for his own cock and began stroking
furiously, desperate to get off. He tilted his head awkwardly and met Brian’s mouth with his own. Their kiss was
endless, wet, lush, and deep. Justin’s body responded, straining for release.

“So hot for me, aren’t you?” Brian’s rhythm quickened into short driving thrusts, like a piston pumping, pumping,
claiming Justin, pleasuring him, feeding on Justin’s rhythmic moaning and driving them both to completion. Justin’s
orgasm unfurled slowly before finally exploding into a thousand spangling drops of heat that sizzled all over his

body. As Justin’s body melted into Brian’s, Brian pushed one more time and climaxed in a release that left his body
limp.

~~~~~~

“Oops, I did it again.

I played with your heart.

Got lost in the game.

Oooh, baby, baby…”

Justin’s radio alarm clock blared right at 7am, rudely waking him from his dream. After slamming his hand on the
off button, Justin groaned and pulled the comforter over his head. His cock was hard, and since Brian was hundreds
of miles away, without him, he’d have to take care of it himself.

After jerking off in the shower, Justin pulled on a pair of cargoes and padded barefoot to the kitchen where he pulled
a carton of milk from the fridge. Setting the milk on the counter, Justin got down a bowl and pulled a spoon from the
silverware drawer. His everyday routine seemed even duller after the dream he had. How he wished he were with
Brian now.

After waking up and making love, they’d have had room service send up a variety of delicious breakfast foods:
sausage, pancakes with real maple syrup, orange juice and other tasty delights. Instead, Justin was stuck in the Pitts
with nothing but a box of Cheerios. Fuck. Reality was so far from his dream it wasn’t even funny.

After Brian had left his apartment the night before, Justin had gone to the kitchen to answer the phone. When he
picked up, he heard an automatic voice message asking him to remain on the line. Like he was going to stay on the
phone for some sales-person when Brian Kinney was right down the hall waiting on him. Right. He’d hung up and
headed over to Brian’s apartment.

Opening the door without knocking felt very good, as if they definitely had something real going on. Justin wanted
to believe that so badly.

The minute he stepped inside the door, he heard Brian’s voice coming from the bedroom. Apparently Brian had
gotten a phone call as well.

“Oh, so you’ll be down there, too?” Brian asked.

Justin’s instincts went on alert. He paused, shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation. It wasn’t like he hadn’t
done that for months with Brian.

“Of course we’re still on speaking terms, Ken. I don’t hold grudges. You should know that. Yeah, it’ll be good to
see you, too. Well, I gotta finish packing. See you in Nassau. Later.”

Brian would be seeing someone in the Bahamas, photographing him for some exotic photo layout, no doubt. He’d
said he was looking forward to it. They’d be together in a place known for romance, the perfect place to get
together. Justin’s dream would be coming true, only it wasn’t Justin Brian would be fucking on the balcony.

Justin had been a fool. He never should have believed Brian.

Ice water running through his veins, he’d backed quietly toward the door of Brian’s loft. Then he’d opened it silently
and slid it closed with a bang. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he called out to Brian. “Anybody home?”

“Hey!” Brian came out of the bedroom, his suitcase in one hand. “I wondered what had happened to you. Who was
on the phone?”

Justin shook his head. “No one. Just a telemarketer.”

“What?” Brian put down the suitcase and came over to pull Justin into his arms. “You need to get caller ID.”

Justin wondered how he could continue to smile and talk when his heart had been through the shredder. Somehow
he managed it. “Yeah. I guess so.”

Brian framed Justin’s face in both hands. “Of course, you should. How else will you know it’s me calling?”

“And why would you be calling me?”

“Are you serious? Why wouldn’t I call you?” He leaned down and feathered a kiss over Justin’s lips.

Justin fought the tears, but a couple dribbled out and slipped over Brian’s fingers.

“Aw, Justin, don’t cry.” Brian kissed Justin’s closed eyelids. “I’ll call you while I’m gone. I promise.”

“That’s okay.” Justin sounded choked up, but Brian probably thought it was because he was leaving. Justin blinked
away the tears. Time to be a man and to quit crying like some sissy faggot. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”

“I’ll bet you don’t even know my number.”

Brian looked surprised. “That’s true. Tell it to me.”

Justin recited his phone number, never believing for a minute that Brian would remember it.

“Got it.” Brian gazed into Justin’s eyes. “I’m going to miss you, Laundry Boy.”

Justin didn’t think so, but Brian might think he would miss him, at least until he met up with Ken.

“I’ll miss you, too,” Justin said.

“I have to go.”

“I know.”

“Take care of yourself while I’m gone. When I get back, we’ll talk.”

Justin nodded. Yes, they probably would. Brian would have to tell him that he wasn’t looking for a serious
relationship, but that they could still fuck. Justin had heard it before.

Brian kissed him again, and then, too quickly, they were walking out the door of his loft. Brian had dropped one last
kiss on Justin’s lips, squeezed his hand and walked down the hall. At the stairwell he’d turned and waved. Justin had
waved back. And then Brian was gone.

If this had been the first time he’d ever fallen for a guy that didn’t want him, Justin might have been able to
convince himself that Brian wouldn’t be with any other guys during his stay in the Bahamas. Justin might have been
able to explain Brian’s conversation on the phone as Brian merely being polite to someone he still had to work with.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time. But, fuck it, it would be the last. Justin would make sure of that.

Ten days later, Brian took a cab from the airport to his loft. He was going crazy from lack of contact with Justin.
The trip to Nassau had been a disaster, with tropical storms screwing up most of his plans. Worse yet, the storms had
made communication with Pittsburgh nearly impossible. Between the weather and the way it had messed with his
schedule, Brian had either been without a phone connection or out of time to make the call.

Twice he’d had a brief moment to call when Justin was at the gallery, but he didn’t have that number. He hoped
Justin had figured out that the storms had created problems with the phones because he hated promising to call and
not following through. If he made a promise, he always kept it, no matter what.

Justin was at work right now, and Brian considered asking the cab driver to drop him off there. But when he saw
Justin again, Brian didn’t want other people around. He wanted to be able to kiss Justin senseless, take off every
stitch of clothing and fuck him until dawn.

The trip had been such a nightmare. The storms had delayed his flight, interfered with meeting his new client, and
Brian had virtually nothing to show for all the time spent. On top of that, his client had been coming on to him the
entire time.

While his client, Tom, had been hot, in that distinguished older gentleman way, Brian had no desire to fuck him; he
wanted Justin, and he’d told Tom that in so many words, to get him to back off. When Tom finally realized Brian
was serious, he hadn’t been very eager to talk business or anything else after that.

The whole terrible ordeal was behind Brian now, though. He had about thirty minutes before Justin got home from
work, time enough to shower and decide how to celebrate their reunion. Brian had picked up something small for
Justin in one of the airport shops. On the ride home, Brian debated the best way to present his little gift.

The perfect plan didn’t come to him until he was standing under the shower in his loft. After drying off and dressing
in jeans and a black wife-beater, he emptied the contents of his suitcase into a laundry basket, put the gift on top of
it, and placed the basket in front of Justin’s door. That should send the message he had in mind.

Then Brian left his door slightly open and paced the length of the apartment, too wired to sit down. He hoped Justin
remembered when he was coming back. If Justin didn’t remember, that was a bad sign. If he’d gone out with friends
after work, or stopped to run any errands, Brian didn’t know how he’d stand the wait. He’d thought about Justin
constantly for ten days, and at last the long wait was about to be over.

~~~~~~

Justin had considered going to a movie after work in order to delay getting back to the apartment. Brian was due
home this afternoon and, coward that he was, Justin wanted to put off the inevitable conversation. But Justin needed
to show a little backbone to keep his self-respect, so he climbed aboard the bus and headed home, prepared to face
the music.

Brian hadn’t called, and although Justin could blame that on the tropical storms in the Caribbean, he didn’t think that
was the real reason. It couldn’t have ruined every single opportunity. No, the explanation was clear enough. Brian
had been too busy going out and fucking; after all, that’s what Brian did, right?

Justin had started looking for another apartment, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to stay next door to Brian while
he continued tricking. Brian might be more careful now that he knew how easily sound penetrated the ventilation
system, but he couldn’t possibly be that careful. The walls were too thin, and so were Justin’s defenses.

For ten days he’d suffered in private, unwilling to hear what Daphne would say if she found out. Daphne had been
through enough with Justin on this score, anyway. So close to her wedding, she didn’t need to deal with another
stupid sob story, one that was all Justin’s fault. He didn’t want to hear her say ‘I told you so’ either. He was already
beating himself up enough.

With a sense of doom, Justin climbed the stairs to the fourth floor. Brian was a lot of things, but he was a decent
guy, so he’d want to get this over with fast. Justin had a funny feeling in his bones that Brian would be waiting for
him.

Justin spotted the laundry basket the minute he started down the hall, and his stomach lurched. Maybe Brian was
trying to be lighthearted so they could laugh about this. But Justin didn’t feel lighthearted. He felt as if he’d
swallowed a ton of bricks.

Justin paused to look down at the laundry basket. A screwdriver? Maybe that was Brian’s idea of a sympathy gift?
Justin’s stomach churned.

“Hi.”

Justin glanced up to see Brian leaning in the doorway of his loft. He looked so damned good, tall and lean, this man
who would never belong to him. He was smiling tenderly at Justin, probably because he knew that he was about to
deliver the bad news.

Gulping, Justin forced himself to say something friendly. “Nice trip?”

Brian’s smile faded. “Oh, hell. You’re pissed because I didn’t call.” He pushed away from the doorframe and started
toward Justin. “It was crazy down there, and I—“

“Don’t, Brian.” Justin had thought he could hold up under the speech, but it turned out he couldn’t. “Don’t make
excuses.”

“You’re right. I should have found some way. I should have sent a damned email. I’m sorry, Justin.”

“Me, too.” Justin stared at Brian, his heart like lead. “But that’s the way it goes, right? Thanks for the screwdriver.
Guess I won’t have to bother you again for help with any furniture assembly.” Justin turned away and fumbled with
his key.

“Wait!” Brian grabbed Justin’s arm. “Are you serious? Are you going to let the fact that I couldn’t get to a phone
ruin everything between us?”

Justin glanced up at Brian, determined not to cry. “You mean ruin our friendship? Because I can’t do the friendship
thing anymore, Brian. Not after –“

“Friendship?” Brian grasped Justin’s other arm, knocking his messenger bag to the floor as he spun him around so
that they were face to face. “Yeah, that’s part of it, but I had some other words in mind. Like lover."

Oh…had he been wrong? Justin’s icy heart began to thaw. Could he possibly have been wrong? His chest tightened
as he looked into Brian’s eyes, and he had to swallow before he could speak. “You didn’t sleep with Ken?”

Brian’s jaw dropped.

“I heard you talking with him on the phone before you left.” Oh, dear God. Maybe, maybe, he’d been wrong. Please
let him have been wrong. “So I thought, when you didn’t call, that –“

With a groan Brian pulled Justin close, his mouth seeking Justin’s, the kiss hungry and insistent. Hope bloomed in
Justin. This wasn’t the kiss of a man who’d been having hot and wild sex every day for the past week. Brian was
kissing him like he’d missed him as desperately as Justin had missed Brian. He had been wrong. Totally wrong!
Justin had never been so happy about being wrong in his life.

Eventually Brian lifted his lips from Justin’s, but not before he’d erased every doubt Justin had had. “Does that
answer your question?”

Tears of joy welled in Justin’s eyes as he held Brian tight and looked into his warm gaze. “I’m so sorry for doubting
you.” Justin cleared the huskiness from his voice.

“You should be.” Brian’s grin was slow and sexy. “And you can apologize for the rest of the night, in all sorts of
interesting ways. It’ll probably take many creative fantasies before I’ll forgive you.”

“Okay.” Desire curled in Justin’s tummy. He had no problem making it up to Brian.

Brian shook his head. “I still can’t believe you would think I’d be interested in anyone else after what went on
between us before I left.”

“I know, but you have no idea how many times I’ve been hurt by someone who isn’t ready for a relationship, so
when I heard you talking to some guy, I just assumed –“

“Not ready for a relationship?” Brian blinked. “Why would you say that?”

“I’ve heard all about you, Brian Kinney. I knew you wanted me as just a one night thing. Okay, now, I can see that
I’m more than that, but in the beginning, I thought you were just being you –you know, never the same guy twice
and all that.”

“Really, now?” Brian started laughing as he maneuvered Justin toward the open door of his loft. “This is what you
get for eavesdropping, Laundry Boy. A relationship is exactly what I’ve been thinking about. Ken was just some guy
I worked with before. His work is second-rate and he looks like a boring old accountant. There’s no way I’d be
interested in fucking him.”

Justin’s head buzzed. “You didn’t fuck him?”

“No.” Brian slid the door shut. “Want to know who the only guy I want to fuck is?”

Justin stared at him, completely dazzled. “Me?"

“You. Now let’s get naked. Your boyfriend is in a highly aroused state, here.” Brian lead Justin up the few steps to
his bedroom.

“Boyfriend?” Justin didn’t think his heart could hold any more happiness, but here came another bucketful.

“Right.” Brian undid the buttons of Justin’s pants. “Because the other words I’d like to use in connection with you
are…my lover…and –“ He hesitated, looking unsure. “And my partner,” he murmured.

“Oh, Brian.” Justin started quivering, a mixture of emotion and lust.

“But let’s do this first.” He shoved Justin’s pants and briefs to the floor. “Then later on we can talk, I promise. We
can even go out on a date, assuming you’d want to do that, which you might not want to. But don’t think about that
now. Think about getting out of your clothes.”

The quivering became worse. Brian was reducing Justin to jelly, both mentally and physically. He could barely
breathe. “Yes.”

“Good.” Brian unfastened the top button of his jeans. “I’m glad you’re going along with the getting naked program,
because otherwise I’d –“

“I mean yes, I want to go on a date with you.”

Brian went completely still as he looked into Justin’s eyes. Hope battled uncertainty in his expression. “Really?”

“Really. I love you, Brian Kinney.” There was no point hiding his feelings. Justin had wasted so much time being
insecure and not telling Brian how he felt; he wasn’t going to waste anymore time.

Brian swallowed. “I’d hoped…but wasn’t…we haven’t been involved for very…”

“Oh, I’ve been involved with you for months.” Justin smiled, tears blurring his vision. “You just didn’t know it.”

“Same here.” Brian sighed and cupped Justin’s face in both hands. “Justin Taylor, I…think…I love you more with
every minute.”

Justin had never heard more beautiful words. His throat closed as happiness swept through him. It was like a dream
come true. God, he hoped this wasn’t another fucking dream!

Brian stroked his thumbs over Justin’s cheeks, assuring him that this was real. “Can you imagine being together in
fifty years?”

“It seems like forever.” Fifty years with Brian? Justin would have to buy his own copy of Naughty or Nice, that was
for sure. “Do you think they’ll have washing machines in fifty years?”

Brian laughed. “I don’t know, but whatever they invent, as long as it vibrates I’m sure we’ll be able to adapt.” Brian
tugged Justin toward his huge bed. “But right now, I plan on making you come the old-fashioned way.”

A shiver raced up Justin’s spine. Impatient, he reached for the waistband of Brian’s jeans and control vanished from
the language.

Justin had Brian’s jeans unzipped and slipped free in seconds. He was fast, but Brian was just as fast. It was amazing
how deft his large fingers were. He slipped the button-down shirt off Justin’s arms at the same time Justin slid
Brian’s jeans off his hips.

Brian’s jeans fell to the floor; he stepped out of them and kicked them aside without looking, his attention fixed on
Justin’s smooth skin. Tossing Justin’s shirt aside, Brian whispered, “Beautiful,” lightly touching Justin’s small, pink
nipples.

“Brian,” Justin whimpered. “I want you.”

“I want you, too.” Brian pulled his tank over his head and Justin hooked his fingers in the waistband of Brian’s
briefs, sliding them down.

Then Brian eased Justin back against the bed, lifting him onto the crisp blue coverlet. Justin pulled him down –not
that Brian needed persuasion. Supporting his weight on his arms, he settled between Justin’s thighs with a delicacy
that belied his strength.

When Justin looked up and smiled, Brian’s hazel eyes –half-lidded, long-lashed –were only inches away and smiling
back.

“I’ve been waiting for this for ten long days,” Brian murmured, his voice husky and low, teasing, well, maybe not
teasing at all. Reaching over, he pulled open the bedside table drawer. Rising to his knees, he quickly put on a
condom with the speed of considerable practice. And a second after that, his slippery fingers were nudging against
Justin’s hole.

Justin moved his hips back and forth, lightly upward, and two of Brian’s fingers slid inside him the smallest
distance. Justin caught his breath and moaned. Tensing, Brian cautioned himself to slow down even though it was
the last thing he wanted to do.

“More…more…” A breathy, heated sound escaped Justin’s kiss-swollen lips.

And Brian obliged as much as he dared, lining up and pushing the head of his cock inside Justin’s ass.

“Oh, God…oh, God…”

Brian felt like praying too, but for patience; his brain was in ramming speed, his cock was so hard it was aching and
he was only halfway home.

Justin lifted his hips and Brian eased in another degree. Justin was tight, so tight and panting with need.

Brian inhaled deeply and began counting to ten.

Grabbing the back of Brian’s head with both hands, Justin wrenched his face to within inches of his so Brian could
see the extent of his need. “I’ve been waiting for this…to feel you…to feel all of you.”

“Justin,” Brian whispered, his erection swelling at Justin’s words and the heat smoldering in his blue eyes. “I...” And
then Brian gave Justin want he wanted, what they both wanted, what his throbbing cock and ramming-speed
mentality wanted. He flexed his legs and drove in, burying himself to the hilt.

Justin screamed.

Brian began to withdraw.

“No!” Justin cried, wrapping his legs around Brian’s waist, clutching at his shoulders. “Don’t you dare leave me!”

Brian stopped, pleasure washing over him in waves, his cock completely imbedded in Justin’s tight ass, paradise no
longer an abstract concept. Lengthy moments later, when the clamoring in his brain had marginally subsided, when
Justin was uttering soft little sighs, Brian murmured, “I’m going to fuck you so hard.”

“Ummm…ummmm…ummmmm…” Distinct intonations of sexual gratification as Justin met Brian’s rhythm.
Arching his back, Justin pushed his pelvis upward and twisted his hips slightly, an unbridled shock of pleasure
jolting through his entire body. It took Justin a second to come back to earth.

Brian gripped Justin’s hips lightly, his fingers splayed wide to hold him in place. “Does it feel good? My cock in
your ass?” The words starkly carnal, provocative.

Justin moaned and strained against Brian.

Brian felt Justin’s body adjusting to him, his sleekness yielding slightly and it gave him more pleasure than he
thought possible. His fingers tightened on Justin’s hips and he deliberately plunged deeper.

Justin gasped.

Brian held his breath against the raw, acute feeling. Exhaling a moment later, he tried to get control over his raging
desire. “This might get out of control…”

“I don’t care.” Justin was shaking, every nerve in his body screaming for release, desire burning through his brain. “I
don’t care –just hurry.”

It was a license, an excuse, wicked temptation when Justin said it like that in a velvet voice. Although Brian didn’t
need reasons for what he was about to do.

“Please,” Justin whispered.

Brian suddenly lost it, plunging into Justin with barely suppressed violence. Justin met him with equal ferocity, his
blunt nails digging into Brian’s back, and they moved against each other with feverish abandon, each in their own
way driven…Brian, by what seemed like years, but was only days of deprivation, Justin, by intense want, impelled
by indescribable cravings.

Justin came quickly, his wild scream rising through the air vents and dispersing into the building. Brian continued
thrusting until he reached his own climax.

Gasping for breath, Brian rolled away, sitting up to pull off his condom and throw it in a nearby wastebasket.

Flushed and breathing heavy, Justin apologized. “I’m sorry. Guess I got a little loud, there.”

Brian grinned. “Fortunately, I have it on good authority that my next-door neighbor isn’t home to hear us.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Brian stopped and gazed at Justin. “Actually, he is home,” he said softly as he pulled Justin into his arms. “Home at
last.”

The End