Chapter Three
Mario Garza was the consummate host: his prior life with his husband Mason Taylor in this beautiful sprawling home on the beach in Malibu had fostered in him a respect for the feelings and needs of others in his universe. Together with his new husband Peter Schilling, Mario provided a completely welcoming venue for Terry and Alex.
Mario was also well-schooled in his experience as a lawyer at getting clients to divulge their needs and concerns without being direct. Terry was as well, but the nervous energy bundling his concerns of the moment made him blind to how Mario was manipulating the conversation.
As Mario led Terry through the initial relationship between Terry and Alex as attorney/client, and then cautiously to the magic night in which they fell into each other's arms, Mario was aware that while he had a hunch what was going to be said, he was convinced that the two men in front of him needed to see it and say what it was, for themselves.
Within an hour, Terry had chronicled the steps to kissing, and then having sex with, Alex. He also confessed his concerns about the violations of attorney/client relationships and ethics involved, but those concerns were waved away by Alex.
"My concerns" Alex broke in, "were around the validity of this thing, the longevity of this thing, this relationship, this moment, what did this guy think of me, what did this guy want from me, and what could I give him, and what did I want from him."
Mario and Peter were calm and quiet; they had heard this story a few times with friends and family, notably Peter's nephew Sam Stephenson and his husband Mickey Clarke, who had been the law firm's managing partner before Terry.
Peter interjected "What do each of you think now of those things that Alex has mentioned?"
Terry volunteered to go first: "I have never felt anything like this before, and I want to have this guy around me as much as possible, I want to see if what this is turns into love, if that is possible."
"Gay love?" Mario asked.
"Well, yeah, maybe, if that is what we have to call it, then Hell yeah, gay love." Alex took hold of Terry's hand; they turned and looked at each other.
Mario joked "And do you, Terry, take this man..."
Peter interrupted again: "So does it matter what you call it, gay love, or whatever, as long as you have each other to love?"
Terry and Alex were gazing seriously into each other's eyes: they slowly smiled, and Alex turned toward Peter and replied "No."
Mario, smiling, said "Hold that thought" and jogged toward the kitchen, returning with a chilled bottle of champagne and four flutes.
Mario began a new line of questioning after the toast of champagne; he wanted to know about Alex's business, Alex's family, future plans, and goals.
Alex told them about his father, Tony Cipriani, the newly elected city council member in Los Angeles, and the construction company they owned. Alex talked about working for his father in the construction company, about how his father had insisted that Alex learn everything he could from the ground up in the construction company. When Alex completed his dual degrees in engineering and architecture at Cal-Poly in Pomona, he was allowed to buy-in to his father's firm as a partner.
Peter asked them both if they had given any thoughts to how their relationship would affect Alex's business: Alex sighed and said it would be very difficult to explain all of this to his father. Mario reminded them both that they always had him and Peter and their many friends in the community to rely upon for support.
Finally, Mario wanted to summarize the afternoon's discussion: "So do you think this is love, or is it lust?"
Alex and Terry both laughed. "It is both, I think" Alex said, and then continued "I have never been in love, but if this feeling is anything like love, then I never want it to go away."
Terry responded "I have never been in love either, but this guy makes me crazy. I fell in love with him sometime between that first kiss and breakfast, and then tried to talk myself out of it for the next two weeks until he called me and said he was coming home from Europe early, and right then I knew I only wanted one thing for the rest of my life."
Late that night, holding each other in bed, Terry asked the inevitable question: "What's next for us, Love?"
"I honestly do not know. But I do know this: I never want to have to leave you. I feel something with you I have never felt before, and I do not want that to end. I would like us to be able to be friends as much as we are lovers, so that will take some time, of course, if you can be patient with me. Can you see what I am trying to say?"
Terry turned in the bed to snuggle in closer to Alex's body, lying with his head on Alex's chest. "Yes, I do, and we cannot just give up our former lives because of one night of sex- incredible and mind-blowing sex by the way- but there are other people in our lives who must remain part of us as well. Yes, I see what you are trying to say, and I am not naïve, we need to be patient with each other."
"Do you love me?"
Terry was shocked by the question; he slowly responded, "Do you know what a lesbian couple brings on the second date?"
Alex was totally confused; "No; what do they bring?"
"A U-Haul truck." Terry laughed; Alex smiled and pushed him off his chest. Sitting up, he said "I am serious; do you love me?"
"I love you right now, in a way, for all of the things I know about you right now, and for what you are trying to do with me and for me. Does that mean that I love you fully, deeply, and as richly as my parents loved each other? No, it cannot mean that as yet, because we do not have that depth of experience with each other, but I want to have that chance with you, if you will give me the opportunity to learn how to love you."
Alex, sitting in the bed, grabbed Terry and kissed him; and as with the first kiss, one thing led to another, and within minutes, hard cocks were being sucked and warm ass-holes were being rimmed and lubed and cocks were penetrating those warm ass-holes until they fell asleep, exhausted, satiated, covered in cum.
Early Monday morning, Terry was in the shower as Alex was dressing for work; Alex could hear Terry humming some catchy Broadway show tune. He smiled; Alex suddenly realized the song was "I whistle a happy tune" from "The King and I". After a quick cup of coffee, they agreed to have dinner together that night; Alex said he would drive by the law firm to pick up Terry and take them to dinner.
Terry was the first one in the office that Monday morning. Normally, Melody Anne would have been there at least a half hour and have coffee ready together with Terry's daily agenda on his desk. Today, she was a half hour later than him and in a foul mood.
"Good morning Miss Smythe" he chirped when she came into his office.
"And a very good morning to you too, sir, what brings you to life this early in the day?"
Terry chuckled; "I got some very good direction over the weekend from some dear friends, and now things seem to be coming into focus for me."
Melody Anne smiled, and sat on the edge of one of the client chairs; "Then I do not have to sharpen my claws, and I can get some sleep tonight instead of worrying about you?"
"Correct. And by the way, thank you for worrying about me. I will be able to explain everything to you in due time. Please just trust me for now, things are going well, and I think they are just going to be getting better every day." Terry smiled at his growing confidence. He would have to remind himself to wear dark suits frequently to hide the inevitable erection every time he thought about Alex.
Poulet du Jour sits along PCH near Hermosa Beach; Alex wanted to take Terry out for Greek food. Their dinner together was fun and funny: both admitted to being nervous, since it was their actual first date. Terry tried to break the ice by asking Alex about his family, as they clicked their wine goblets in a toast to their first date.
"Cipriani is a Greek family name, is that right?"
"Yes, it actually means `from Cyprus', which by the way is where my great-grandfather was born. He was the first to come to the United States and so all of the family have been born here since then."
"When did he come from Cyprus?"
"About 1889 or so; they aren't really sure. He came to New York City first, then came west a little at a time, stopping in St Louis for a couple years to work as a brick-layer to make enough money to send for his sweetheart. By the time she came, and they got married and finally made it to Los Angeles, it was during the first World War."
"So, then your grandfather and your father and you, all were born in California?"
"Yes sir. What is this interrogation all about?" Alex was not angry, just curious.
Terry replied "I want to know everything about you. I want to know your history, your likes and dislikes, what ice cream is your favorite, what music is your favorite, what is your favorite food, do you like fish, do you like camping, do you like movies, have you been to Hawaii, do you like sports, what do you like to do for Christmas, I want to know it all." Terry took a deep breath; he was sure he had just scared Alex away.
"Pistachio."
"What?"
"My favorite ice-cream. Pistachio." Alex grinned, then laughed.
Terry smiled. "OK, funny guy, that's cool, and yes, I deserved that."
Still smiling, Alex asked, "So what about your list? All of those things you just said you are dying to find out, what is on your list that I need to know? In fact, there are some things I do not know about you that I want to get settled right now, this minute, before the after-dinner drinks."
Terry suddenly looked shy; having the tables turned on him was not what was supposed to happen to a successful attorney.
"Cookies and cream. Jazz. Italian. I love fish, I hate camping, I love movies, I have not been to Hawaii, I watch NFL, and cutting down a fresh tree." Then Terry smiled. "OK?"
"Beautiful. I love jazz, I prefer Greek food over Italian, naturally, I like some kinds of fish, I do not like going fishing, I have been to Hawaii, but I want to take you there, I played soccer in high school and college, and candle-light church service with family for Christmas Eve." Alex was not done yet; he had more surprises for the attorney.
"Also, what is your full name, where were you born, where were you raised, did you have any pets, when is your birthday, and then tell me about your siblings." Alex sat back, feeling he had become the master of Terry's game.
"Terrance Morgan Baylor; born at Providence St Mary's, raised in Pacific Palisades, actually went to high school there at Palisades Charter, one dog, a cocker spaniel, my birthday is July 24th, and I have one sister, Theresa."
"OK, Terrance Morgan, I am Alexander Cipriani, born in Long Beach, raised there as well, three cats, my birthday is August 21st, and I have two sisters, Sophi and Chloe."
"No middle name?"
"No, thank God, my Dad probably would have named me Socrates or Aristotle or something über-Greek like that, but my Mom would not let him; she is Italian."
They both laughed; it felt good, really good, Terry thought. This was the first time he had felt this way in many years.
"Where is Theresa now, and what is she doing?"
"Theresa is a nurse, works for the Providence hospital chain, traveling all over southern California visiting elderly shut-in patients. She is married and has two kids, both still in elementary school." Terry smiled at the thought of his nieces, whom he always saw on their birthdays and the holidays.
Alex looked contemplative, and contented as well; he had not felt this relaxed in many years. "My sisters are still at home, that is kind of a Greek tradition, the girls do not leave home until they get married, no matter how old they are."
"How old are they?" Terry asked; he had an image in his mind of old black and white photos of war refugees with their heads covered in black scarves.
"Twenty and twenty-four. And by the way, how old are you?" Alex smiled slyly.
"Thirty-two. And holding." Terry laughed at his own joke.
"OK, I will volunteer, it is only fair, I am twenty-nine." Alex reached across the table and took Terry's hand; they looked at each other as the candle on the table sputtered with a soft on-shore breeze from the beach.
"So, is the Greek tradition the same for the sons of the family?" Terry was trying to be cautious in his question; they still had a million questions for each other, not the least of which was how to design this fragile new relationship.
Alex suddenly looked serious; "Yes," he replied, "but it usually gets pretty flexible when the son is engaged."
Terry stared intently at Alex; he wondered if he had just been proposed to by this gorgeous man.