If you’ve been following Jack and Ethan’s love story, thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy them as much as I do. If you are new around here, rest assured you do not have to go back to read the first 11 chapters (But you’re going to completely regret it if you don’t!!). Chapters 1-7 were written as a Part One, chapters 8-11 are Part Two, and these next chapters, 12-15 are what I consider to be Part Three, about a year and a half jump from where we left them after their wedding.
Also, if you’re following Connor and Afia, parts of Connor’s story is weaved into the next couple of chapters so you’ll see their individual HEA’s as well.
As always, it’s a love story first with erotic scenes in between. Please continue to let me know your thoughts.
–KK
~~~~~~
“School sucks!” six-year-old EJ said, slamming his homework book on the table, pouting in frustration.
Jack raised his eyebrow. “Don’t let your dad hear you talk like that. What do you need help with?”
EJ’s words came tumbling out, “I keep miscounting the dots, and then I have to start all over because it’s not neat but it’s not my fault it’s the eraser fault making all these stupid lines and why do I have to do homework can’t I just use my homework pass from last week?”
Jack sighed. “Let’s start from the beginning, why are you miscounting the dots?” He walked over to the table to see what EJ was doing. As he was helping his son with his homework, his phone rang and it was Mina.
“Soooo…I have a situation here. Can you come down to the hospital?” she said evasively.
“You want me to drive to Providence right now?” Jack asked. “I’m here at the Inn with EJ and Ethan is at The Residence.”
Mina puffed out air exasperatedly. “OK, can you just tell me one thing. Do you have a couple there, a Mr and Mrs. Byers staying there with their 16 year old daughter?”
“Ummm…why? Because you know technically I can’t give out that information, Sis.”
Mina exhaled again. “We have a pregnant female here claiming to be 16 years old, who says that she is staying at the B&B in Rockville with her parents. And she described it inside and out so she’s been there before, I’m sure of it. I just don’t think she is here with her parents at all, although she keeps insisting she is.”
Jack chuckled. “We aren’t harboring any 16-year-old pregnant runaways here if that’s what you are asking. What’s her name?”
Mina said smugly, “Well technically I can’t give out that information.” Jack laughed. “That’s why I need you to come down here! Because if she recognizes you from the B&B then I know she’s not lying. But if she doesn’t, then I’m calling social services.”
“Well, can it wait? Is she admitted or just being seen?”
“She is going to be admitted under observation for the night. She came in complaining of stomach cramping that turned out to be Braxton Hicks. Because she’s 16, anything relating to her pregnancy is within her right to privacy and we don’t need any parental consent.
“But when I asked her where her parents were, she immediately said the B&B on Montour Street in Rockville. That she is staying with her parents and they were passing through on their way back to Massachusetts.”
“Braxton Hicks? How far along is she?”
Mina sighed again. “By her size, 34-35 weeks at least is my guess. She’s about ready to pop any moment now.”
Jack was thoughtful. “Well I’ll come by to help you solve a mystery later on. How long are you there?”
“I’m off at 8pm. Can you get here before then?”
“Yea, let me text Ethan and let him know.”
“Thanks, little bro.” She hung up.
EJ asked, “Papa, what are boxing hiccups?”
“Dude, focus on your dots, ok?”
~~~~~~
Ethan walked through the second story hallway of The Residence. The A through E side was completely finished and the F through J side was nearly done. He opened apartment 2B with his key and looked around. It was a standard one bedroom apartment, open floor plan with the island kitchen separating it from the living room area, and a small balcony that overlooked the courtyard. He looked around at the craftsmanship from the crown moldings, the sleekness of the paint job and was thoroughly impressed. Hiring Jones Maintenance and Construction- JMC, LLC, to do the work was the best decision he could have ever made.
He went to the balcony doors and looked out. It was the first week of February and snow was falling lightly on the ground so he did not dare open it. Before the winter hit, Jack and EJ planted two apple trees in the grassy areas on each side. The trees will grow large and eventually give some level of privacy which some residents will appreciate. He still had not decided on whether he was keeping the pool or not, but that decision will come later. Getting the place open by St. Patty’s Day, or Move-In Day as he calls it, was the goal and further construction would certainly push it back.
Everything in his life was falling into place, he thought contently. He remembered just four years ago coming to Rockville with his then two-year-old son EJ and all he wanted at the time was a quiet place to raise his son. He remembered his life being so filled with worry: worried about making such a big move, worried about finances, worried about being a single parent, worried about his son being okay after all he had been through.
He also remembered arguing with the garbage kid almost weekly. He smiled at that. If someone would have told him that the person he despised the most at that time would end up being the love of his life, he would have laughed in their face. Not that guy. Not that arrogant, silly, rude asshole whose only endearing quality was that his toddler found him amusing.
But somehow they became friends. And then they became lovers. Then marriage. And now he could not imagine his life without him.
Sure, he was attractive. No, not just attractive. Jack is gorgeous. Hot. Sexy. From that thick black hair that has never managed to just lay flat to those heart stopping green eyes; that dimpled smile and that perfect runner’s body of his. Ethan lucked out that the hottest guy in town also happened to be very gay. People have literally told him that. But Jack was also kind and empathetic, trustworthy and dependable, loyal and loving.
He’s also kind of a killer, but that was neither here nor there in Ethan’s mind. For Jack it was justified and he couldn’t argue with the circumstances around it. As far as Ethan was concerned that was all behind them now, but he knew deep down that Jack would defend and protect his family from anyone that would try to do them harm to the fullest extent.
Maybe a part of him liked the idea that Jack has played loose with his morals. He’s even joked with him that Jack was his own personal Dexter, a mild mannered respectable member of the community by day, murderer by night. But the other part of him was afraid. Not afraid of him, but afraid for him. Jack was calm, cool and collected in all situations, until he wasn’t calm at all and Ethan had to physically restrain him. Even though it had only happened once or twice over the years, those were the moments that scared him the most.
Where Ethan may have a short fuse and flips out easily, Jack’s fuse is long and attached to dynamite. It takes a lot to bring him there but when it does Ethan ends up screaming at him that Red Jackie, what he calls that angry and violent part of Jack, needs to die before his alter ego gets Jack Frazier killed. They never come to a resolution about it and end up having rough, angry sex and all is forgiven by morning.
Despite those moments, coming to Rockville changed his life and falling in love with Jack, marrying Jack and building his life with Jack has been a major part of that. They officially started their company, RedStar Corp, with the bed and breakfast, Inn Love at the B&B, under it and now this new building, The Starling Residence, as well. Maybe they’ll stop there or maybe he and Jack will buy another property and manage it, but that may come later on down the road. For now his life and his heart is full, his businesses are thriving and his son is happy. He couldn’t ask for anything else.
His phone buzzed pulling him out of his thoughts and it was his husband.
Jack: Hey E, what time are you heading back?
Ethan: Late tonight, no earlier than 9pm. You guys will have dinner again without me. Why?
Jack: Well could you make it earlier? Mina asked me to meet her in Providence. Apparently a 16-year-old runaway is claiming she is staying here at the Inn and I’m being used to catch her in a lie.
Ethan: Haha! Good luck with that. Yea, let me check in with Mel, let him know I’m leaving at 6pm instead of 9pm.
Jack: Good. It would be nice to see your face at the table for dinner. For once.
Ethan: Don’t be like that babe. It’s been a busy week for me.
Jack: Yea, busy for my right hand too. *hand emoji* *eggplant emoji* *crying face emoji*
[Ethan laughed out loud. He loved how crass his husband can be.] Ethan: Jesus Jackie Bear, it hasn’t been that long.
Jack: Yes it has. But we’ll talk about it later. Family Meeting tonight?
Ethan: Sure, Family Meeting tonight.
Ethan went to go find Jamel. He left him doing electrical work in the space that will eventually be the building manager’s office, whom he has yet to hire. Stacy Ferguson, who has been managing the Inn since its inception, was promoted to Supervising Manager of RedStar Corp and will oversee the operations for both, but he needs someone available full time at this property. He asked Liam Ferguson, her twin brother, but Liam is engaged to Jack’s sister June, and they are waiting for a couple of employment offers that will take her out of state, and of course, he will follow.
Ethan opened the door and could hear shuffling around before the door opened fully. Jamel was facing the tinted floor to ceiling glass windows and Connor was next to him, hands in his pockets and face flushed as they both turned to see who was coming in. Ethan smiled at them.
“At ease, soldiers. It’s just me,” he said knowingly as he closed the door behind him.
They both smiled at him, then at each other. Jamel Jones, an Army veteran, was a tall, muscular, dark skinned African American man. He had a deep but soft voice and kind gray eyes. JMC,LLC was his family owned company run by his father, and he was the foreman for this particular site.
Connor McIntyre was one of Jack’s childhood best friends, a tall, blond haired, blue eyed Marine Corp veteran. As they have been together a little over two years, they were Ethan and Jack’s favorite couple to hang out with ever since Connor came out to his friends, and introduced Jamel to them last April on Jack’s birthday.
Ethan said, “Hey Mel, I just wanted to tell you I’m heading out early. Jack has an emergency of some sort and has to head into Providence.”
“That’s cool. Tyrell and the crew will be finished with the second floor in two days, then I’ll run through an inspection for the whole second floor while they complete downstairs. We’re on track,” Jamel told him. Ethan nodded.
Then Connor said, “I came here to give you this, E.” He handed Ethan a manila envelope which he opened and began to read as Connor explained.
“It’s the contract through Xfinity that my old boss put together, for internet and cable services here. Truthfully I negotiated him down a bit and got him to throw in a discount for phone services for anyone that wants a landline phone. Have your lawyer look over it, but it’s a solid deal, I promise you.”
“Connor, that’s incredible. Thank you,” Ethan said, scanning over the documents.
Connor shrugged. “Sure. They kept trying to get me to take my resignation back but I told them no. I got other things I’m focused on right now, like Vinnie’s Vet Buddies.”
A lightbulb went off in Ethan’s head and he instantly kicked himself for not thinking about it earlier. “Connor! Connor you’re not working after March 1st, why don’t you take the job as building manager?”
Connor’s eyebrow went up. “I will be working. Didn’t I just say I’m focused on my organization?”
Jamel gave Ethan a warning look which Ethan graciously received. He said apologetically, “Of course Con, I didn’t mean to belittle what you’re doing there at all. It’s important work, giving vets a lifeline when they need it most.”
He paused a bit, then said, “I just meant, if there is something you could do that would bring in more income for you and still give you the flexibility to run your organization, this would be it. I just need someone to run the leasing office a couple times a week, monitor the weekly janitorial and cleaning services and troubleshoot resident issues.”
Connor appeared to be thoughtful. He glanced over at Jamel who gave a look of approval, nodding his head. Ethan threw in, “It comes with health benefits if you work at least 32 hours a week. That’s six and a half hours a day that you can flex any way you want. And I’m working on getting a 401k plan for my employees. Nothing major but it’s something.”
“Can I think about it?” Connor asked. “Write up a job description and I’ll look over it.”
“Sure, I can do that,” Ethan said happily.
Connor turned to Jamel and said, “I’ll see you at home.” He looked like he wanted to lean in and changed his mind. But as he began to walk away Jamel gently grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. He kissed him softly on the lips, then rubbed their nostrils together.
“It’s just Ethan,” he said softly.
They looked at each other and then Connor reached out to touch his head and leaned in to kiss him back. “I’ll see you at home,” he said again.
Ethan smiled as Connor bumped his shoulder playfully and said, “Shut up” as he walked out. Ethan looked at Jamel who watched Connor leave, then turned back to the tinted glass and sighed, deep in thought.
Ethan came over and leaned on it. “How are you guys doing?”
“We’re great. It’s just… hard sometimes,” Jamel said.
“He still hasn’t told his family he’s gay?”
“No,” Jamel said. “I don’t think he has any intention to. Which, honestly I get. They aren’t good people at all. I’m just trying to figure out how to build a life with him under these conditions. I mean, we’re already doing it. But now that I’m in Rockville a lot, I feel like… I don’t know… like I can’t tell people who I am, in case it gets back to any of them.”
“Nah, you can’t be the one in the closest just because he is,” Ethan said.
“It’s not that simple. And he’s not really in the closet. His friends and those close to him know, like you two. And when we’re home in West Warwick or in Providence with my family, we don’t hide anything. He’s his normal happy, funny self. So it’s really just his parents and siblings, and the people here in this small town that don’t know.
“But it’s like the moment we cross the border into Hopkinton County, he immediately changes into this… timid, shy, quiet person. And I know that’s because of them. And I don’t know how to help him.”
“You can’t. He has to figure it out on his own. You can either gently push him to come all the way out or maybe give him a little ultimatum.”
Jamel gave him a look. “You know I can’t push him on this. It has to be on his terms. And I can’t give him an ultimatum because he will call my bluff and try to walk away. I know it because he’s stubborn like that. And I can’t lose him. I can’t. He’s my whole world right now.” He sighed again.
Ethan understood, remembering his thoughts about Jack just a few moments ago. “Maybe I can get Jack to talk to him, find out where his head is at with this whole thing.”
Jamel shook his head. “He’s going to know I said something and it’s going to piss him off.”
“Well let him get pissed off,” Ethan said. “Maybe it will light a fire under him to want to do something about it, so he won’t lose you. He has to want this life with you just as much as you want it with him.”
“He does want it. I have no doubt about that. I think he’s just been living under his father’s thumb for so long, he doesn’t know how to get from under it.” Jamel sighed a third time. “I just want him to know that he deserves to be loved out in the open too, just like everyone else.”
Ethan touched his shoulder and patted it. “Hang in there. If it’s worth fighting for, it will all work itself out. Trust me, that much I know.”
“It’s worth it. He’s worth it.” Jamel said. He turned to Ethan. “And how are you and Jack?”
Ethan smiled. “We’re good. We’re great actually. No complaints at all, it’s pretty perfect.”
Jamel looked at him skeptically. “Pretty perfect? No problems at all?”
Ethan laughed. “Well other than the normal living together marital stuff. Like, Jack doesn’t know how to fold clothes. He does laundry and literally just rolls his shit up and puts it in the drawer. Every weekend I’m like dude, fold your shirts and he’s all like, ‘Dude they are folded’ and he shows me this sorry excuse for a fold. I’m like, you’re almost 27 years old and don’t know how to fold your clothes, what the fuck?
“I realized because while he’s always done his own laundry, his mother has been folding his clothes his whole life. So he moved from his parents’ house to my apartment and can’t fucking fold clothes. Then he starts yelling at me how I’m trying to control him and how he’s not my other son, but shit it feels like that sometimes.”
Jamel laughed out loud as Ethan continued, “That and the showers. Like fuck, why do you need to take three showers a day, you’re not that dirty, dude! Ok, shower in the morning after your run, cool. Shower at night, sure, why not? But midday showers just because? Like, are you jacking off in there or what?
“I told him last week he’s wasting water and running the bill up and the asshole says, ‘You can afford it.’ All smug. That’s his running joke, ever since we started sharing finances and I make a comment about him being frivolous with money or absentminded about the bills we pay, that’s what he says. If I was a violent man Jamel I would have slapped the shit out of him. I swear to God I married a teenager.”
Jamel, still laughing, said, “So pretty perfect, huh?” They both laughed. “Connor does that too, take random midday showers. He says that’s where he does his best thinking but I think he’s jacking off in there too. So if I’m home, I just go in there with him.”
“How is that helping the water bill?” Ethan asked, incredulously.
“It’s not, but it may save your marriage,” Jamel said.
“Fuck outta here.” Ethan rolled his eyes and they both laughed again. “How did we end up with these two?”
“Best friends, peas of the same pod that we accidentally plucked?” Jamel said.
Ethan laughed. “We should be best friends too. Just so they can’t get mad when we talk shit about them.”
Jamel looked at him feigning surprise. “Why Ethan, are you asking me to be your best friend? I’m honored.”
Ethan laughed. “Well seeing how my last best friend tried to break me and Jack up, then kissed me in front of him and Jack tried to knock his head off, I figured you were a safe bet.”
Jamel’s mouth dropped. “What the fuck? I need to hear that story. Like, right now.” Jamel leaned on the window waiting. Ethan shook his head and told him about Carlos.
~~~~~~
Jack headed to the hospital around 7pm, and left Ethan to do the nighttime routine with EJ alone. He texted Mina when he got there: Hey I’m here. What room is she in?
Mina: Room 502. I’m in here with her. I want you to just poke your head in, say a few words to me, then leave. If she doesn’t recognize you then I know for sure she is lying. And I’m going to threaten her with social services if she doesn’t tell me the truth.
Jack: Ok, omw. But take it easy on her Sis. If she is lying it’s for a reason.
Mina texted back a “Meh” emoji as Jack got on the elevator. At room 502, he knocked first, then opened the door. Mina and the girl in the bed both turned to look at him. She was small, barely looked 16, had strawberry blonde hair and lots of freckles.
Jack said, “Hey Mina, I was looking for you. Henrietta wants you to-”
But he was cut off when the girl exclaimed, “Jack!”
He paused and looked at her, trying to figure out who she is and what game she was playing. He walked into the room and said, “Hi,” with a straight face.
Mina asked the question they all wanted to know, “How do you know Jack?”
The girl said, “He works at the B&B. I told you that’s where I’m staying. Tell her Jack. Tell her that’s where I’m staying with my parents.” Her eyes welled up with tears and they practically begged him to lie for her.
He took a moment, then turned to Mina. “Yea, she is staying there with her parents. The Byers, right?”
The girl’s eyes went wide at first, then she closed them and exhaled. She looked relieved. Mina’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Jaaack….” she said warningly.
“It’s ok Mina, let me talk to…”
“Claire, remember? I’m Claire and my sister is Nicole.” She turned to Mina. “He always gets our names mixed up.” She smiled widely at her.
Mina glared at her. “Riiiiiight.” She turned back to her brother. “What are you doing, Jack?”
“I’m going to sit for a minute with Claire, that’s what I’m doing. If that’s ok with you. It’s still visiting hours, right?” Jack asked.
Mina sighed, “Yes. You can sit with Claire, but only for the next hour. I’m off at 8 o’clock and I’m taking you with me.”
“Yes ma’am.” He saluted her, making Claire laugh. She rolled her eyes and left the room, closing the door behind her.
Jack turned to Claire in the bed. “Soooooo…. how do you really know me?”
Claire said, “You don’t remember me, do you? It was a long time ago so I wouldn’t expect you too. But I remember you. And EJ, and his dad Mr. Ethan.”
“So you stayed at the Inn? How long ago?” Jack asked.
“Four years ago. I was twelve, my sister was eight. You really don’t remember anything? We played soccer in the backyard and then you asked my mom if you could take us out because we were bored and she let us go with you and EJ to your family orchard and we climbed apple trees and Nicole ate so many apples she threw up but then we played softball too.”
She rushed through her words trying to get Jack to remember, which he did. “Ooooooh wow! Yes! I called you Claire Bear and you told me never to call you that again, but your sister said to call her-”
They said at the same time, “Beary Nikki” and laughed.
“Wow,” Jack said. “That was a long time ago. EJ was still two.”
“Yea, he was such a cute little kid. I thought he was your son, but then we met Mr. Ethan, the owner-”
Jack finished for her, “-and we made smores together at the firepit: You and Nicole, me, Ethan and EJ. Even your mom finally came out and joined us. Yea, that was fun.”
Her eyes started welling up again. “I remember thinking, this was the best place on earth. It was the first time I felt like a kid. I just wanted to be a kid.” The tears started falling from her eyes.
Jack sat down in the chair next to the bed. “Claire, where are your parents?”
“Millbury. Massachusetts. But I can’t go back there, I can’t go back there, don’t make me go back there. Not with this baby. They don’t know I’m pregnant.”
Jack looked at this skinny kid with the protruding belly and said, “There’s no way they don’t know you’re pregnant.”
Claire sniffed. “They don’t. My dad didn’t even know I was pregnant and my mom thinks I got the abortion. They don’t know. I’ve been hiding it all fall and winter. But it’s time now and I had to get away so I could have the baby and they would never know.”
Jack was stunned. “So you hid a pregnancy for eight months? Why? Who’s the father?”
Claire looked down at her hands and they were shaking. She said, “I can’t tell you.”
Jack asked softly, “Why not?”
“It doesn’t matter, you won’t believe me. No one believes me.” Then she put her hands in her face and started crying.
Jack leaned back in his chair. He could already feel himself getting upset as he had a feeling what had happened to her. He texted Ethan: It’s going to be a while. Don’t wait up. I’ll be back in the morning.
Then Jack texted Mina: I’m staying here with Claire overnight. Can you arrange it for me?
Ethan: Ummm ok, sure. You ok?
Mina: Jack! WTF are you doing?
Jack to Ethan: Yes. I am ok. She is not. I’m going to try to help her.
Jack to Mina: I will tell you everything I find out. But you have to let me talk to her without distraction. I think she was raped by someone she knows.
Mina: *shocked face emoji* Got you.
Ethan: It’s what you do best. 🙂
Jack turned his phone off and stood up. He said to a crying Claire, “I’m going to hug you now. If you don’t want me to touch you, just say so and I won’t. But I would like to hug you. Can I?”
She removed her hands and looked up at him, nodded. He moved close to the bed with open arms and she fell into his chest and cried uncontrollably while he held and comforted her for as long as she needed. Jack let her tell him her story. She had never told anyone the whole story, he could tell and he would not interrupt her, but let her continue on her own time.
“I kept thinking of this place. The last time I felt like a little girl. Climbing trees and playing hide and seek. I thought about how happy EJ seemed here. And I want that for this baby. I want the baby to be happy here. With you.”
Jack’s eyes went wide. “What do you mean, with me?”
Claire finally looked at him. “Will you take the baby, Jack? When it’s born, can you take it and take care of it like you take care of EJ?”
Nothing stunned Jack like hearing her real reason for being in his town. “Claire. I….I..I can’t just….it doesn’t work….like that.”
“Yes it does,” Claire said factually. “I read about it online. I’m the birth mom and I get to choose the adoptive parent. I choose you. I can get a lawyer and everything. My parents have money, lots of it. I can’t go home with this baby, Jack. I don’t know what I was thinking, having a baby that’s going to come out looking just like him. I can’t do it. You have to take this baby!” Claire was getting louder and hysterical.
“Ok, lets slow down, how about-”
But he was cut off as Mina and another nurse came into the room. “Everything ok in here?” she asked.
“Yea. We’re just talking,” said Jack.
Mina gave Jack a knowing look, then said, “Claire, this is Joanna. She is taking over my shift for you, and will be your night nurse. I’ll be back in the morning by 8am. Jack, Joanna said you can stay as long as you need to, as long as you stay quiet.” Joanna went to check Claire and the baby’s vitals.
Jack nodded. “Thanks, Sis.”
Claire said, “Oooooh she’s your sister! That’s why she knew…” her voice trailed off.
“Yes. That’s how I knew all about the Inn where you are supposedly staying,” Mina said. “You’re getting discharged tomorrow so unless you can produce some parents to pick you up, I’m calling social services.”
Claire looked horrified. Jack said with an innocent face, “Oh I didn’t tell you, that’s why they sent me here. To pick Claire up and bring her back to the Inn when she gets discharged.”
Mina scowled at him. “Seriously Jack, this is going too far.”
He came over and wrapped his arms around her. “It will be fine. Trust me.” He kissed her cheek. She was unconvinced but relented.
When they left, Jack sat back down in the chair. “Ok. First, let me tell you that I believe everything you’ve told me.” Jack patted her arm. “You did the right thing. What happened to you was very very very wrong. You are not to blame. You are not at fault. You were not wrong.” She nodded again.
“Secondly…” he let a few moments pass, then said, “Can you tell me who it was that you, Claire?”
Claire didn’t speak for a few moments. Then whispered, “Uncle David.”
Jack let her confession linger in the air. Then he asked softly, “Is Uncle David your real uncle or a friend of the family?”
She didn’t speak for a full minute and Jack waited. Then she said softly, “He’s my dad’s best friend. And business partner.”
Jack nodded. Inside his blood was boiling. “Okay,” he said calmly. “Then she started crying uncontrollably again. Jack stood up again and held her.
Jack stayed awake all night and watched Claire sleep, her monitor and the baby’s monitor beeping along. Eventually turned back on his phone. First he went to the B&B’s website and scrolled down to the Employee Intranet section and entered his credentials. He went to “guest” and searched “Byers”. It came up immediately” Craig Byers, 4 guests, two rooms, 3 nights, a Thursday to Sunday.
He looked at the dates. It was toward the end of July when was working at the Inn and taking care of EJ but before he and Ethan got together romantically. He tried to remember the dad but realized he was never there. He remembered the mother whose hair was a deep auburn, and rarely came out of the room, and her two strawberry blonde little girls, who seemed so sad, especially the oldest one.
They seemed like they wanted to have some fun, so Jack got permission from their mother to take them to the orchard and they spent the whole Saturday there, went back to the Inn and he put up a tent in the backyard where they slept under the stars. On Sunday they just seemed so sad to leave again, the oldest was in tears. Claire. Yes, he remembered Claire’s sad tears as they were driving away.
Jack googled his name. Craig Byers of Worcester, Massachusetts, was the co-CEO of Vital Coalition Corp LLC, a conglomerate that buys up smaller companies and either sells them for parts or takes them under their wings to improve. The other CEO was David Vitalis. According to their bio, they were college roommates and started this company together. On the personal side, Craig had a wife and two female children, David had a wife and three boys. They looked like normal, average, very rich business men. Not a rapist and his denier best friend.
Jack tasted blood and realized he was biting the inside of his cheek. He put his phone down and closed his eyes, took a couple of deep breaths. Two things were certain: One, he was going to make sure no one ever hurt Claire again. And two, he was going to make sure Uncle David paid for what he did, if it’s the last thing he did.
~~~~~
In the morning Joanna came to take her vitals again and they did an ultrasound. “Baby is doing fine. Do you know the sex?” she asked.
“No and I don’t want to. It’s not my baby,” Claire said.
Joanna was startled by her remark but said, “Ok.”
When she left, Jack pulled up a chair closer and sat down. He asked her, “Did you come all this way to have someone adopt your baby, Claire?”
“I came all this way to leave my baby with you,” Claire said definitively. “I just didn’t know how to get to Rockville from the bus station in Providence. Then I started feeling cramps so I took a cab to the hospital first.”
“You can’t leave your baby with me, Claire,” Jack said. “But if you want my help to find it a good home, here in Providence or Rockville, I can do that.”
Claire shook her head. “It has to be you. I saw how you took care of EJ. You’re the perfect dad. And if you have a girlfriend or wife now, I know she is perfect too because you choose her. And the baby will live this perfect life, far away from me or him.”
“Claire, I am married. But not to a woman. I married Ethan. The owner of the Inn. I own it now too,” Jack told her.
Claire’s mouth dropped. “You’re gay!?”
Jack said, “Yes.”
Claire closed her mouth, then said matter of factly, “Well that explains it. How nurturing you were with EJ. It’s because you’re gay that makes you a good dad.”
Jack laughed despite himself. “Well, I would like to think that it’s more of my personality than my sexuality, but ok.”
“So EJ is your son now?” she asked.
“Yea. Who should be on his way to school shortly.” He looked at his watch. Jack is typically the one who walks him to the school bus.
Claire smiled. “That is so cool. I feel like he was yours already anyway.”
Jack smiled too. “You know Claire, I did too.”
“Wow. Mr. Ethan was hot. Good job nailing that down.” She gave him a thumbs up.
Jack blushed and chuckled. “Ok now we’re getting way off topic…”
“I think you both are great dads. This baby is going to be happy with you,” Claire said.
Jack started again, “Claire, we can’t-”
Claire cut him off. “Can I be in Room 4 again when I get discharged? I really liked that room, it had the view of the pond and the hills behind it. So pretty. I have money!” She reached over to her purse and pulled out a wad of $100 bills.
Jack was shocked. “Did you rob a bank before you got here?”
Claire was equally shocked. “No! I used my savings from my job at Forever 21. And well…I kind of took my mother’s bank card and pulled out $3000 but I’m going to pay her back, I promise!”
Jack groaned. “Claire…”
“I needed the cash, and my $800 wasn’t going to get me here,” she whined.
“Where do they think you are?” he asked.
“At my Aunt Isabel’s house in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They left me at a bus station, but I got off in Boston and took another couple of buses here. I’m sure they know by now I never made it.”
“So tell me what your plan was?” Jack asked.
She let out an exasperated sigh as if she was tired of repeating herself. “I was going to come here, deliver the baby, leave it with you and EJ at the B&B, then go to Pennsylvania to live forever and pretend like I was never pregnant.”
Jack nodded. “Ok, can we modify that plan just a bit?” Claire glared at him. “Stay at the Inn until you give birth. Then you can make a decision about whether to put the baby up for adoption. Or you might surprise yourself and want to be the baby’s mom. Either way, we’ll get you to your aunt’s house in Pennsylvania, with or without the baby.
“Regardless of what you decide, I will support you. But I cannot take your baby, Claire. I will help you find a good home for your baby, I promise you that. There are a lot of good families here and the baby will still have a good life. A great one. But it won’t be with me.”
Claire sighed. “Okay,” she said softly. Jack looked at her thinking she looked so small and helpless, younger than 16 but so much older in so many ways. His heart was breaking for her.
Mina came in with papers in her hand. “Ok Claire, you are free to go. You are fine and the baby is fine. She is measuring at 34.5 weeks so you have about five more weeks to go before you meet her. Due date is March 10th. In the meantime, plenty of fluids, stay off your feet and take your prenatal vitamins daily. Schedule your appointment downstairs in the lobby.”
Claire didn’t hear anything after “she.” She said softly, “It’s a girl?”
Mina said, “Oh! You didn’t know! I’m sorry if I ruined the surprise.”
But Claire was crying again. “It’s a girl, Jack. You see, I can’t take her back with me. You know why, right? He’ll hurt her too. You have to take her!” He patted her back.
Mina was confused. “Wha…what? What’s happening here?”
Jack shook his head. “Nothing Mina, Claire is just trying to figure out what she’s going to do next.” He turned to her. “Let’s get your stuff, I will make you some breakfast at the Inn, then you’ll get some rest, in room 4.”
~~~~~
Ethan was changing bulbs in the front hallway when Jack came in with a very pregnant redheaded teenage girl. Ethan cocked his head and said, “Something you want to tell me, babe?”
Claire exclaimed, “Mr. Ethan! Wow you haven’t changed a bit. Still hot!”
Ethan found himself speechless, not wanting to accept a compliment from an obvious child. Jack chuckled and said, “I’m going to check Claire in. Room 4 still available?”
Stacy was at the desk training a new front desk clerk. She said, “I was just about to reserve it for someone else.”
“Well put them somewhere else. Claire needs a place to rest up for the next five weeks. And she is requesting Room 4.”
Stacy looked confused. “Okaaaay. And how will Claire be paying for this?”
“Comp the room, it’s fine,” he said to her.
“Jack, it’s Valentine’s Day weekend coming up next week. We need all the rooms we have,” Ethan said.
Jack turned to Ethan and said, “It’s fine. Comp the room.”
They stared at each other as Stacy looked to Ethan to confirm. Although Jack technically owns it too, Ethan still very much manages the day to day of the Inn, although less so that he’s been focused on the other opening of the residential apartments. Much to Stacy’s disappointment of having to take orders from her old high school friend.
Ethan turned to Stacy and said, “You heard him. Comp the room.” She looked skeptical but did it and gave Claire a key.
“Is there still breakfast?” Jack asked.
“Yes, I haven’t cleared any trays yet,” said Stacy.
Jack turned to Claire. “Do you want to eat in your room or downstairs?”
Claire looked giddy. “I want to eat downstairs. Like a real guest!”
Jack laughed. “You are a real guest, kid. Go freshen up and I will have a plate waiting for you downstairs.” She smiled widely and hugged him. It was the first time since he laid eyes on her that he saw her truly happy. She bounced up the east wing.
Ethan came off the ladder and raised both eyebrows. “So we are harboring 16-year-old runaways now?”
“I will tell you everything. But she needs a safe place right now and to her, this is the safest place on earth,” Jack said.
“Do we know her?” Ethan asked.
“She was here a few years ago with her family, she was only 12 at the time,” Jack said. “Her dad was on business and left his wife and two redhead kids here.”
Stacy chimed in. “I remember them! That mom was a flake, I think she was on pills. She used to send the kids down for breakfast by themselves and they had to bring an extra plate up to the room with her. I honestly think I saw her twice, when they checked in and when the husband came to check them out.”
Jack nodded. “That’s the one. Remember I took the kids to the farm for a day?”
“Oooooh ok. Yea I think I remember that,” Ethan said, thoughtful. “Vaguely though. So why is she here now?”
“Long story. Right now I need to make her a plate, and take a shower. Probably a nap too.”
~~~
Jack woke up from his strange dream about being chased by two little girls through Frazier Orchards, one with long red hair and one with long jet black hair. He couldn’t see their faces, but he could tell it was all in good fun as they were laughing and trying to keep up with him.
He opened his eyes and found himself laying on his stomach holding onto the pillow he was laying on, and Ethan was sitting in the bed next to him on his laptop working. “What time is it?” he asked groggily.
“Almost 2:30pm,” Ethan said, without looking at him.
Jack sniffed, watched Ethan for a bit. “What are you doing?”
“Inventory for The Starling Residence. Trying to see what we need for the open house and Move-In Day. Then I have to write up a job description for the building manager position.”
Jack continued to watch him as their cat, Catty, hopped on the bed. He turned all the way over on his back and motioned for the cat to come to him, which she promptly did. She purred her way to his chest and sat there waiting to be petted by Jack.
He stroked her fur and asked, “Where’s Claire?”
“In her room the last time I checked on her. Probably asleep by now.”
“Ok.”
“So you gonna tell me what’s going on?” Ethan asked.
Jack started, “Mina called me yesterday to say-” But Ethan interrupted him by reaching over and touching his groin area, then pulled his hand back and went back to typing. Jack looked at him amused. “Um…what was that?”
Ethan kept a straight face and eyes on his computer. “Nothing, you looked…”
Jack answered for him, “Hard?” He smiled.
“Yes. But it was the sweatpants, the way it was folded. Anyway, go on.”
“Well now that you touched it, I am.”
Ethan laughed. “Stop it.”
“I’m serious. Look.”
Ethan glanced down and Jack was starting to sprout a tent in his pants. He smiled, then looked back at the laptop and continued typing. “Could you tell me what’s going on please?”
“Well no, now I can’t concentrate. I’m going to need you to handle that for me first,” Jack said smugly.
Ethan laughed again. “Keep it in your pants for now.”
Jack gently moved Catty off him and laid on his side. He slid his hands underneath the pillow on Ethan’s lap that was holding up his laptop and said, “How long has it been?”
Ethan tried to ignore Jack’s creeping hand and kept typing. “About a week I think. Maybe closer to two.”
Jack asked softly, “Why?” His hand had reached Ethan’s soft groin and he started rubbing around.
“Because I’ve been working late over there with Liam, Jamel, Tyrell and Connor, and you’ve been here with EJ or babysitting your niece at night.” Jack had been giving Henrietta and Brayden some much needed breaks from nine month old baby Brienna, so they could have date nights and reconnect.
“We suck at this. We’ve always sucked at finding time to connect with each other.” Jack sighed. “But we have time right now.” He felt Ethan’s penis begin to mold in his fingers. He kept rubbing.
“We don’t. EJ’s school bus will be here by 3:10pm.”
“Sounds like a good 40 minutes to me.” Jack said. “And we only need about 20. Maybe 25.” He smiled.
Ethan laughed and didn’t respond verbally but his body was starting to. Jack was able to rub the length of his cock, now semi-hard. He said in a whiny voice, “C’mon babe. You know you can’t just leave me like this. Don’t you want me too?”
Ethan laughed again. “You sound like a horny teenage boy trying to get his boyfriend to give it up.”
“That’s exactly what I am right now. And I’m trying to get you to give it up!”
Ethan smiled and finally looked at him. “You are not bending me over right now.”
Jack looked surprised. “Oh you thought I was going to bend you over? Oh no babe, you woke the sleeping dragon, you’re the one that has to put in the work. I’m just going to lay here and take it.” He laid back and put one hand behind his head, his penis standing at full attention.
They looked at each other smiling, Jack still rubbing on Ethan’s dick with his other hand which was also now at full attention. Ethan raised his arm and looked at the time again. “Fuck it. You better cum in 20 minutes.” He closed his laptop as Jack grinned widely.
Jack said, “No, you better make me cum in 20 minutes.” He started taking off his sweatpants and long sleeved t-shirt as Ethan began to do the same. Jack stretched out on the bed on his stomach, naked.
Ethan, also naked, opened the lube and massaged Jack’s tight round runner’s butt, then put his two fingers in his hole, moved it around a bit. Jack started instantly moaning and talking, “hhhoooooo… no foreplay shit…. hhhooooooo… you know what… hooooooooo… you know what I want… hhhooooooo…. hhhoooooooo….”
Ethan removed his fingers, put lube on his own cock and straddled Jack’s right leg, angled himself to the left of Jack and slowly inserted himself, moaning all the way down to Jack’s most erogenous zone. He began to move back and forth, in and out, slowly at first, steady picking up the pace. Jack was already feeling the first gentle waves of his climax within minutes as Ethan was hitting his spot dead center, creating a spark and jolts of electricity traveling through every nerve of his body.
Ethan took his time getting there, but the faster Ethan moved, the stronger the waves until Ethan started pounding Jack’s prostate with short quick strokes, and Jack’s orgasm crashed landed on him with fury.
“Haaaaaaaaa!” He felt white hot cum shoot out between his chest and the bed, and hollered over and over again, grabbed the sheets as his orgasm rose and fell, rose and fell, rose and fell right behind each other, with Ethan grunting, talking shit and slapping his ass.
“ugh ugh ugh ugh -slap- take this dick ugh ugh ugh -slap- that’s what you want babe -slap- ugh ugh ugh want this dick in your ass -slap- ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh -slap- tight ass -slap- ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh I’m gonna cum I’m gonna cum I’m gonna fucking nut all in this tight aaaaaaaahhhhhh….”
Ethan couldn’t stop pounding as he emptied out and filled Jack up with his Irish cream, so much of it that it coated his dick and started leaking out as he was still thrusting in and out. It really had been too long and his cock ached with satisfaction of being used like this.
“Fuuuuuuuuuck,” Ethan exclaimed as he slowed down, Jack still whimpering and moaning.
When he finally stopped moving Jack said breathlessly, “Fucking yea.”
Ethan laughed and rolled off Jack onto his own back. He raised his arm and looked at the time. “17 minutes. Good timing.”
Jack looked over and said, “I lied. I’m going to fuck you.” He crawled on top of him, making Ethan laugh.
“Sonofabitch I knew it!”
Jack smiled and licked Ethan’s nipples and kissed his way down to his groin smelling his own sex on him. Holding up his thighs he sucked his balls gently, then moved them out the way to put his tongue in Ethan’s ass, darting in and out, circling the rim, darting in and out again. Ethan helped to hold his own legs up and moaned loudly as Jack continued to eat his ass like it was his first meal of the day.
After a few minutes and Jack dick being so hard it was starting to throb, he rose up and grabbed the lube, stroked himself and lubed Ethan’s anus quickly, positioned himself kneeling between Ethan’s already risen legs and pushed himself all the way inside until he was practically balls deep. They both moaned.
“Fuck I missed you,” Ethan said as his eyes fluttered, and Jack smiled again.
Jack held onto Ethan’s legs and skipped the long deep strokes, went straight to fucking Ethan hard and fast, pounding Ethan without mercy. Ethan’s “ugh ugu ugh’ quickly became “aaah aaah aaah”‘s as translucent cum began to leak out of the front of him.
Jack closed his eyes and thought of nothing but fucking the fuck out of his lover. He spent the next 15 minutes alternating Ethan’s legs, from both on his shoulder, to both bent back toward Ethan, to one on each shoulder at a time, to both on the side of him and he pounding him sideways, to back to holding them up and wide again.
When Jack felt the build up and needed to release, he cried, “I’m cumming babe!”
He leaned over to reach down to Ethan’s ass and buried his dick as far in Ethan’s as it would go and moaned. Ethan felt every pulse and pump of Jack’s dick ejaculating, warming him up from the inside and came again as well, hands free, ropes of cum painting his chest.
Jack crashed on top of him, sweaty and exhausted. Ethan instinctively ran his hands up and down his back as Jack was catching his breath. When he returned to normal breathing, he looked up at Ethan smiling down at him. He exited his hole and crawled all the way up so that their faces met, and they kissed for the first time that day, softly at first, then passionately.
Ethan moved Jack to lay on their sides without breaking their lip apart. They entangled their legs together, moved closer and held each other, touched each other from their hair to their bottoms, sucked each other’s tongue and pulled each other’s lips, gasping and moaning until they heard the school bus in the distance.
Ethan came up for air first. “I’m sorry it’s been a while. I love you, Jackie Bear.”
Jack smiled. “I love you too.” They kissed gently, then got up to wipe down and put on clothes.
~~~
They didn’t get a chance to talk again until after EJ went to bed. Ethan met Jack on the couch with two glasses of whiskey for the both of them. They sat on opposite ends of the couch laying their legs across each other while Jack told Ethan all what Claire told him.
“I want to help her, I’m just not completely sure how. Obviously she can’t stay here at the Inn forever. But she can’t go back to someplace unsafe for her.” He sighed. “Man, I know I promised everyone no more killing sprees but shit if I don’t feel like making just one more,” he said darkly.
“Easy there, Red Jackie, we can do this the proper and legal way too,” Ethan reminded him.
“I know. I’m just… saying… But for now I just want to keep her close. For some reason she trusts me. And I want to honor that. I just want them both to be ok, her and the baby.”
Jack looked thoughtful and Ethan was quietly watching him. Then he said, “Jack. You know we can’t take the baby, right?”
Jack looked over at him. “I know.”
Ethan smiled at him. “I know you know. But I also know you are considering it.”
Jack sighed. “I know it’s not practical for us to have a baby right now, yes.”
“Because we have a lot going on,” Ethan said. “Two businesses to keep a float. And we are still in this apartment and we don’t even have a space to put a baby right now.”
Jack shrugged. “A baby can sleep in a crib in our room,” he murmured and looked away.
“Jaaaackieeeeee…” Ethan groaned.
“I know, I know! It’s not practical. I know….” he trailed off.
“I know you want us to adopt at some point,” Ethan said. “A house full of kids is what we’ve always talked about and I want that too. But we’ve only been married a little over a year now. Can we give it some time until we are a bit more stable?”
“We’ve been together for almost four years. Married for almost two. We’re…not stable?” Jack’s eyebrows went up.
“Financially I mean.”
Jack let a moment pass. “Why do I think that’s not all you meant?”
Ethan sighed. “Having kids changes the dynamics of any relationship. Babies are tough, they don’t sleep, all they want to do is eat, be held and cry. It will take a toll on us and I just want us to be completely ready.”
“Dude, I used to work in a daycare. And I’ve literally been Brienna’s third parent since she was born. Not to mention I’ve been taking care of EJ since he was a toddler. I know how babies operate.” He paused. “And I’m not Trish,” he said quietly. They stared at each other.
“I know that,” Ethan said quietly.
Jack continued, “Also, I came into this relationship with you and EJ, so having another child isn’t going to change the dynamics about the way we’ve been as a couple because we’ve been co-parenting before we were a couple, remember? Adding another kid will stretch us a bit, but not change how we are with each other or how we communicate around raising them. And yes we have two businesses to keep a float but this one is doing just fine and the other one will be as well, soon as we launch in a month, because it already had financial gains in its accounts when you took over to keep us going for at least the next year.
“So bringing a baby into our family right now just means a little less time for me because let’s be real, it’s going to be me doing the Mr. Mom thing while you are working back and forth between the two places like you are doing now. I’m halfway through my freshman second semester of school and I can ask for some extra curricular work like they give student moms so that I stay on track, or take online classes in the summer to catch up if they don’t.
“By the time I start in the fall for my sophomore year, the baby will be about six months and we can alternate, when I’m in class or doing school work, you’re here playing Mr. Mom instead. And my mom is obviously a childcare option.”
Ethan gave him a look of amusement. “So I was right. You’ve been giving this a lot of thought. Even though you told her no, you’re actively considering it.”
Jack was quiet for the moment. Then said, “The ideal thing would be for her to stay here in Rockville with her baby, and we help her be the mom that she doesn’t think she could be. But if at the end of the day she decides to put the baby up for adoption…. I don’t see why we shouldn’t consider it.”
Ethan looked at him for a moment, then sighed. “Well could you give me some time to catch up to you and wrap my head around the possibility? And if…huge if, it comes down to it being an option, EJ has to be a part of this decision.”
Jack said, “Of course! I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
“And if he says he’s not ready?”
“Then we’re not ready as a family,” Jack said definitively.
Ethan nodded. “Ok.”
“Ok,” Jack agreed. They smiled at each other. Love you, Jack mouthed to Ethan. He shrugged, then grinned, making Jack grin as well.
Ethan then said, “Another thing I wanted to bring up to you. I’ve asked Connor if he wanted to come aboard and be the building manager at The Residence, officially.”
“Yea? What did he say?”
“He said he would think about it.”
Jack shook his head. “I’m not sure he’s going to do it. He moved out of Rockville for a reason, to get away from his family.”
“You mean to hide from his family.”
“That’s not fair,” Jack said. “You don’t know how terrible they can be. Let me rephrase that: They are fucking awful people. I’ve been in the room with them when they’ve said the most God awful shit and I’ve had to keep him grounded. They know I’m gay so they stay away from the homophobic shit if I’m there but everything else is fair game. That’s why he takes Afia with him to dinner sometimes. You won’t understand until you’ve experienced it.”
“I know he said he wanted to come out to them and it’s over a year later and he still hasn’t.”
“That’s a lot of judgment coming from someone who asked me to ‘define out’ when we first met,” Jack reminded him.
Ethan laughed. “Ok, fair enough. But being private and hiding who you are, are two different things. He and Jamel bought a house together, raising dogs together, sharing their lives together and his family thinks they are just military buddies and roommates. That’s not being private. That’s being in the closet. And Jamel who has never been in the closet has now been forced in there with him. We talked about it a bit. It’s taking a toll on him.”
Jack scoffed playfully. “What are you, their marriage counselor now?”
“No,” he chuckled. “But Jamel really loves him and wants forever with him. I just don’t want to see this tear them apart eventually. Something has got to give.” He looked at Jack.
Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh, I get it now. You want me to be their marriage counselor.”
“Isn’t that what you’re in school for?” he winked at Jack who rolled his eyes again. “Not theirs, just Connor’s. He listens to you, respects your opinion. Just try to see where his head is at, what he wants to do. Before he loses the love of his life over his family who won’t accept him anyway.”
Jack nodded. “Ok. I’ll talk to him, and see where his head is at.”
“Cool. Anything else on the agenda for this family meeting?” Ethan asked.
“Yes, I would like to bring the topic of sex to the table,” Jack said.
Ethan laughed. “Ok, I’m listening.”
“We aren’t having nearly enough of it.”
“And we’ve always never had nearly enough of it.”
“That’s not entirely accurate. When I came back from Ireland it was like…we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”
“That’s because I thought you had died and you thought you lost me forever,” Ethan pointed out.
“Okay fair point. But also, right after we got married, we couldn’t keep our hands off each other for months. Like two to three times a day type shit.”
“That’s because we were in a love bubble. Then the storm hit and it blew a hole in the roof of the Inn bringing us out of the bubble and back to focusing on work.”
“Marriage is work,” Jack reminded him.
“Thanks, Dr. Phil,” Ethan said sarcastically.
“I’m being serious here.”
“I know you are. We need to make more time to be intimate. I got you,” Ethan said.
“Well you don’t, and that’s part of the problem.” Jack looked away.
“Wait, when did this become all my fault?” Ethan did not like where this conversation was going.
“I never said it was. But I do feel like I’m typically the one that initiates it.”
“That’s not true.”
“Today?”
Ethan laughed. “Today was…I was just focused on work.”
“How long were you sitting next to me as I was sleeping?” Jack asked.
“I don’t know…an hour or so?”
“And you didn’t bother to wake me up?”
“Because you needed the rest. You were out all night.”
“But I needed you too, E.”
“And I’m right here. Anytime you need me I’m right here.”
Jack paused. “Are we losing some of our passion for each other?”
“No,” Ethan said automatically. “I still desire you.”
“But?”
“No buts. I still desire you.”
Jack paused again. “You hold yourself back from me sometimes. Emotionally. Intimately.”
Ethan was stunned. “I. Do. Not.”
“It may not be consciously. But touch is how we communicate and sometimes I feel like I have to beg you to touch me.”
Ethan was still shocked. “Where the fuck is this coming from?”
Jack sighed. “Just forget it.”
“Oh no you don’t. You don’t drop a bombshell like that on me and then say forget it. What the fuck, Jack? When have I ever held back how I feel about you or from touching you?”
Jack paused. “Sometimes. Not all the time. Not even most of the time. But sometimes, I feel like….I’m competing with the ghosts of your ex’s. Like the closer we get you find reasons to pull away, to bury yourself in work like you did with your first marriage.”
Ethan’s eyebrows went way up at that statement but he let Jack continue. “I don’t know, maybe because…maybe you’re afraid that something will happen and we’ll be pulled apart or you’ll get hurt.”
Ethan stared at him for a moment. “Something like you leaving me again?”
Jack shook his head and pursed his lips together, looking up and resisting the strong urge to roll his eyes. He blew out air and said, “Ok, E. I got it. I fucked up. You gonna keep punishing me for that?”
Ethan threw his hands up in surrender. “I mean you brought it up, my fears and shit. My worst nightmare coming true and it already did, soooo….”
“Ok and I’m sorry,” Jack said exasperated. “I’ve been so fucking sorry every single day since then. And I thought that us being married and wanting to have kids together was to show you that I’m not going anywhere, that I’ll never leave you again.”
Ethan gave him a thoughtful look. Then said, “How come you never asked me how I managed those few weeks without you? Not knowing if you were alive or dead, if you were ever coming back. You never asked me how I coped.”
Jack didn’t know what to say at first. “Because…I…. figured you were just cursing my name, hating me the whole time.”
“I didn’t. Well I did that first night. Then Liam showed up with the letter from June-”
“What letter?” he interjected with a question.
“-and the newspaper clippings you left with her, about what had happened to your parents. And I understood why you left. It didn’t hurt an ounce less. But at least I got it.”
“I didn’t know anything about a letter.”
Ethan continued to ignore him. “So I prayed for you every night, that you would return safely. Prayed for all of you, of course. I didn’t even care if you came back to me, just that you were alive. And when you did, I was so happy, but I was also…fucked up. All these conflicting feelings of wanting to pick up where we left off, but also walk away just in case you weren’t going to stay. Of course I took you back, you’re my whole fucking heart. My. Whole. Heart. And you know me, I follow my heart.
“But it doesn’t mean it still didn’t fuck with me, the way you left. Even for weeks after you came back it still fucked with me. But you were different when you came back. Freer, like a whole weight had been lifted off your shoulders. Happier. Honest with me about everything and you continued to be. Able to love me, open your heart fully to me. So if you had to go to come back to me in the way which I’ve always needed you to be, then it’s ok. You’re forgiven. But does it ever fuck with me time to time? Sure.”
“So is that why you hold back sometimes?” Jack asked. “Because there is still a tiny part of you that thinks I will leave you?”
Ethan put his glass down on the floor and held his hands in his lap. “I think….that if you think…I hold myself back from you emotionally and intimately…then that’s your guilt and your baggage for the way you left me. Not mine. I’m clear.”
They stared at each other in silence. Then Jack said, “I think… that it’s about my guilt, yes…but it is also your baggage of feeling like everyone leaves you eventually. Your baggage, not mine. So we both have baggage around this.”
Then Jack, who long finished his drink, set his glass on the floor as well and moved over to Ethan’s side of the couch crawling over him. He leaned on his chest and grabbed his face gently as Ethan instinctively palmed his bottom.
“Ethan, I am so deep into you that even if you wanted to get rid of me, you could never. Do you know I told Carlos on the day of our wedding, that you could fuck 100 men, suck 100 dicks, and I would forgive you and take you back every single time?”
Ethan despite the seriousness of the moment busted out laughing, making Jack smile. “I meant that shit too. I’m all in, babe. I’m never leaving you. I’m going to keep saying it, and I’m going to keep showing you. This right here, what we have, is for life.”
Ethan wrapped his arms around him saying, “And I’m not holding myself back from you. If I’m negligent in our sex life it has nothing to do with my past relationships or our baggage. I just get busy. Life gets busy. But I’m all in too. You have me babe, all of me. For life.”
Jack leaned in for a gentle kiss but as soon as his lips touched Ethan’s, Ethan stuck his tongue in his mouth and grabbed his ass with both hands. Jack moaned with Ethan’s tongue in his mouth and sucked it. Ethan’s cock immediately sprang up against Jack’s hard dick. He put his hands down the back of Jack’s pajama bottoms and discovered he was wearing no underwear at all, so he pulled them as far down as they could go.
He said to Jack with a straight face, “Get the fuck on this dick and ride it until you black out from climaxing and cum on me. How’s that for passion?”
Jack smiled, stood up and dropped the rest of his pants and started stroking himself, then walked over to the kitchen. He called out. “Olive or coconut oil?”
Ethan, who had started taking off the bottom half of his clothes said, “I don’t give a shit if you came out here with vegetable oil. Just bring your tight ass over here.”
Jack chuckled and pulled down the olive oil to bring over to Ethan, who was naked from the waist down and sitting in the middle of the couch slouched down, already stroking himself. Ethan fingered and oiled Jack first, then Jack knelt down in front of Ethan and took him in his mouth and circled the head with his tongue a few times, then went lower and lower.
Ethan moaned as quietly as he could. The last thing he wanted was for EJ to wake up and see his parents in an unflattering position, to say the least. Jack made it all the way down so that Ethan’s cock head sat in the back of his throat and Ethan held his head there, tightly and twisted it in a circular motion.
“Fuuuuuuck I could come down your throat right now,” he said as he pulled Jack’s head up slightly, then slammed it back down his throat a little rougher than intended, making him gag a bit and his eyes watered but he allowed it.
Ethan kept his head there with both hands and twisted his head again, pulled it up slightly again and slammed it back down his throat. Jack moaned with Ethan’s dick down his throat, then Ethan slowly let him up as a gush of warm saliva poured out of his mouth and coated his dick.
“Hmmmm…” Ethan moaned. “C’mere.”
Jack stood up and straddled Ethan, sitting in his abdomen letting his hard dick sit in the crack of his ass, while they kissed and sucked tongues again. Ethan put a bit of olive oil on his hand and reached behind Jack to stroke himself. Jack lifted himself up in a kneeling position and Ethan positioned his penis straight up and Jack sat where the head was underneath his puckered hole. He held onto Ethan’s shoulder and Ethan held his waist as he slowly lowered himself into his husband’s lap.
When he was all the way down, Ethan leaned him over for a kiss and said, “Next time, just say you want to make love again, rather than start a fight so we can make up and fuck.”
Jack laughed. “Do you really think that’s what I was doing?”
“I don’t know. But either way, I heard you. And I got you. We’re going to be more intimate. I’m going to do more to show you that you are more important than work, and how much I still desire you. I love you, Jackie Bear.”
“I really really love you too.”
He started moving back and forth, grinding Ethan’s cock against his sweet spot, moaning as quietly as he could. Ethan put his fingers in Jack’s mouth to quiet him and held his waist with his other hand, and guided him as they moved intentionally together, much slower than earlier until neither of them could take the slow grind anymore, and Ethan started meeting Jack on the downshift, thrusting upwards into his hole at a faster pace.
Jack started moaning louder with his lips wrapped tightly around Ethan’s fingers and his hand tightly around his member as Ethan pounded him, making him cum all over Ethan’s shirt, neck and chin, and Ethan came inside of him.
When they caught their breaths, Jack lifted up to remove Ethan from inside of him but stayed in Ethan’s lap straddling and held him. He rested his head on his shoulder, as Ethan held him tight, both of them thinking about having babies with the one they love the most.