[All the usual disclaimers apply. All rights reserved to the author.]
A Brief Recap: Harrison set Reid up with a coworker, Phil. The two of them hit it off, leading to Reid revealing his innermost securities to the handsome Frenchman. Eventually the two decided to date. But all is not well with Josh and Harrison, the latter having latched onto Josh's unwillingness to let Reid go.
LOVE IS ALL THAT MATTERS
~ Chapter 27 ~
From the Narrative of Harrison Ridgeway IV:
The party was over and we cleared up the cafe. With the volunteers helping out Liz and Josh, the job was easily done. Mom, of course, wanted to help, but we didn't let her. Reid had not returned, but I wasn't too concerned. I took it as a sign that things were working out as I'd hoped.
It was well past midnight when we returned home. Josh was unusually quiet, and I knew why. He went into our bedroom immediately, while I stayed behind to explain to Mom, who was concerned about Reid's taking off.
"You're sure he's okay?"
"He told Josh before he left. And he can take care of himself."
"This boy he went with ..."
"Phil is hardly a boy, Mom. I know he doesn't look it, but he's almost 30. But I've worked with him for a month now and I know he's reliable. Mr. Fernley thinks so too," I added with a sly grin.
Mom glared at me. "Harrison, your imagination is running riot. Adrian -"
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh, on first name terms already, are we?"
I was amazed to see Mom blush. I smiled. "You know, it's okay, Mom. After a very long time, you're actually having the chance to meet some men other than Dad."
She looked disbelievingly at me. "You really don't mind?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "It's not really my place to say anything, Mom."
"Don't be silly. Of course I'm not going into anything without my children's approval. For the better part of the last three decades, my life has revolved around Phoebe and you." She looked sternly at me. "That said, there is nothing going on between me and Ad -" She caught herself and quickly ended the sentence with "Mr. Fernley."
I laughed. "Okay, Mom. I'll take you at your word. Goodnight." I gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Josh stuck his head and bare shoulders around the bedroom door. "Goodnight, Aunt Marcia."
"Goodnight, my dears." Mom retired to her room. I turned to Josh, but he had disappeared back into the room. I sighed, recognizing an evasion tactic when I saw one.
I wasn't surprised when I went into our room to find him already undressed and in bed. He was pretending to read a book - not realizing that he was holding it upside down. He looked up when I came in. "I'm kind of worn out after the party, Harry. I think I'll turn in for the night, okay?" He gave me a tentative smile.
I didn't say anything; I just nodded. As I turned my back on him to take off my clothes, I saw the stunned look on his face. Once I'd finished undressing, I got into bed with my back with him. I could feel his puzzled stare on my back and couldn't help smiling to myself.
"Goodnight," I called out.
He couldn't stand it any more. "Wait!" he blurted out. "What about the talk we were going to have?"
I rolled over to face him and raised my eyebrows. "I thought you were very tired."
"Yes, but ..." I could hear the confusion in his voice. "You're going to let me get off just like that?"
"Okay, if you really want to talk about it ..." I left my sentence hanging.
"I don't!" He glared at me. "I can't believe you tricked me into actually wanting to talk about it."
I tried to wipe the smirk off my face but failed.
He looked at me uncertainly. "You're grinning. Does this mean you're not mad at me?"
I sighed. "Why would I be mad at you? I know how you've lived together with Reid for the past year. You might have been in love with me but you did feel something for him. Otherwise you wouldn't have let your relationship go as far as it did. And now you have me, but Reid doesn't have anyone."
"He still has me," Josh protested hotly.
"You're not his boyfriend," I pointed out. "He needs someone to love him. Don't you agree that he deserves that?"
"Of course I do! But it's just that ... I can't think of life without Reid." He looked helplessly at me. "I've gotten so used to having him around."
I understood. "You're finding it hard to accept that he might one day move out to be with a new boyfriend."
"You do see that, don't you?" I could see how much Josh wanted me to agree with him. "It's like this baby bird you've raised and when the day comes that you've got to let it go -"
"Josh, I have to be brutal here. You broke his heart." Josh flinched, but I carried on. "God knows how he pulls himself together because if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't be able to. That's why he needs this distraction. Please, if not for his sake, do it for me."
"You're really fond of him, aren't you?" Josh looked curiously at me.
"I feel like I'm partly to blame for what's happened to him. I really want him to be happy."
Unexpectedly, Josh smiled and pulled me close to him. "Do you know I fall a bit more in love with you when you're so earnest about helping people?" He kissed my forehead. "Of course I want Reid to be happy, too. If you feel guilty, imagine how much worse I feel." I saw a shadow pass across his face. "There was some stuff - this one time - I can't talk about it, I'm so ashamed, Harry. I don't know if he could ever forgive me for that. I'd do anything to make it up to him, to make him happy."
"And if he's happier living with Phil or any other guy?" I asked.
Josh swallowed. "Well, it would be hard for me but I'll accept it. For Reid, it's the least I could do."
I snuggled closer to Josh. "You're a good guy, Josh. I'm so happy to have you in my life."
"Me too, baby - me too."
Oh, he was happy alright: I could feel his hard-on rubbing against my bare butt.
"Still tired and wanna sleep?" I asked with a wicked grin.
"You little -" He jumped on top of me. As I felt him smother me with wet kisses, I felt truly content. I wondered how Reid was getting on.
From the Narrative of Reid Scott:
"So, tell me about yourself," I asked, some time later, as we moved ourselves to more comfortable settings, in Phil's bedroom. "How does a cute French guy like you end up in a Californian beach town?"
He blushed. "There isn't much to tell really. My parents worked in the French diplomatic service. We traveled around quite a bit before my father got a permanent posting to the embassy in Washington. I spent my teen years there, studying at a private school with other diplomats' children and got accepted to Stanford. When my father retired, I was still at university, so he and my mother and sisters went back to France, while I stayed on here to finish my studies. Then I got a job with Fernley & Ashmore and the rest, as they say, is history."
"How many sisters do you have?"
"Three. One of them is older than me; she's married and has two little boys. My second sister is also married but doesn't have any kids yet. The youngest one is currently engaged."
"Ah ... so you're the only son. How did your family react when you came out to them? I mean, you are out to them, right?"
"Yes," he laughed. "They're aware of it, ever since my eldest sister burst in on me and my high school boyfriend making out. My very first serious relationship, now that I come to think of it. It wasn't my family who couldn't deal, it was James - my boyfriend. He was terrified of coming out. So we broke up, but my relationship with my family didn't change. My younger sisters actually thought it was cool to have a gay brother when I came out to them." He smiled until he noticed the look on my face. His features clouded. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't very considerate of me," he apologized.
"You didn't bring it up; I did," I pointed out. I added, wistfully, "It's nice that they accept you. Not all parents do."
Phil tried to console me. "Hey, it's their loss. They don't know what they've given up."
I've already mentioned how much I liked to hear him speak in that sexy accent of his. I loved it even more when he was trying to comfort me. "You know, you are just so cute." I kissed his hair and hugged him tightly around the waist.
He gasped for breath. "A bit less pressure, please. You're squeezing the life out of me."
I grinned and loosened my grip.
He turned over and smiled. "But don't get me wrong - I like being in your strong arms." He lightly kissed my right bicep. "These muscles are just ... phwoar."
"Is phwoar a French word? Because it sure doesn't exist in the English language."
He punched me playfully in the arm. "Don't make fun of me. I'm complimenting you."
"Say monosyllable," I said suddenly.
He looked at me, confused. "Huh?"
"Just say it."
He shook his head in bewilderment. "You sure have some weird kinks," he said. "But okay. Monosyllable."
I rewarded him with a passionate kiss on the lips. The fact that he couldn't fathom why it delighted me so only served to heighten the pleasure.
As my lips moved lower down his body, he giggled. "Well, if it gets me that kind of response every time, I don't mind reciting it nonstop, like some kind of chant."
"I'll hold you to that," I warned.
"I hope you do! Now it's your turn."
"My turn?" I asked as though I didn't know what he was referring. My cock, however, had a mind of its own and stood rampant, eager to explore the nether regions of the handsome Frenchman lying by my side.
In reply he delved into his bedside drawer for a fresh condom, and we embarked on a long, but supremely gratifying, night of lovemaking.
"Okay, guys, wake up!"
I burst into Josh and Harrison's bedroom without bothering to knock. They both stirred from their sleep at the sound of
my voice. Harrison's bright blue eyes were the first to
focus on me. They widened as he realized he was, for the
first time, naked in front of me. With a yelp, he grabbed
the duvet to cover himself up, in the process exposing Josh
fully. Josh let him have it, knowing as well as I did that
I'd seen him naked and in far more explicit detail many
times previously.
"Didn't you ever learn to knock?" snapped Harrison.
"I was too excited, okay?" I retorted.
The sour look on Harrison's face was replaced by a gleeful
one. Josh looked on in interest.
"So it worked out? Between you and Phil?" asked Harrison
excitedly.
"If you're asking whether we hooked up last night, the
answer is, quite obviously, yes. If you're asking whether
we'll be seeing more of each other -" I paused for dramatic
effect.
"Yes?" Harrison said impatiently. Josh grinned in amusement,
knowing that I was pulling his boyfriend's leg.
"- the answer is yes as well," I finished.
Harrison whooped in delight. Josh said, "Good for you, man."
I smiled at Josh, glad that he seemed truly happy for me. I had been just the tiniest bit worried he might not have been
too pleased. I suspected Harrison's hand in all this; the
little bugger was turning out to be quite crafty.
"I realize what you did back there, Harrison." His grin froze on his face. "And really, after I expressly told you I
would find someone on my own ..."
"But you did," said Harrison, but his guilt was plain to see
in the pink blush that spread across his cheeks.
I arched one eyebrow and he looked down. Then I added, "But I'm grateful that you were your usual, meddlesome self. I probably wouldn't have met Phil otherwise."
He raised his head and grinned. "Wow ... well ..." He seemed to be at a loss for words.
Josh spoke instead, with a smile on his face. "I take it that it was good then?"
"Let me just say, what they say about the French people's aptitude in sex - it's all true." I fancied the briefest shadow flit across Josh's face, but it was gone before I could be sure I even saw it.
Harrison gazed at me with a stupid grin on his face. I gave his bare shoulder a squeeze and then stretched, yawning.
"And now, I think I need some sleep. Unlike you two, I've been up all night."
Harrison looked indignant. "Well, I like that. Who had to organize everything last night and -"
I ignored him and strode to the door. I called back over my shoulder. "By the way, Harrison - you have a very cute cock there."
I didn't have to look to see him blush bright pink. I grinned to myself and shut the door behind me.
To be continued ...
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