Chapter 44

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Chapter 44: I Want You To Be Gold

We walked out of the aquarium and re-traced our steps along the lakefront to a water taxi stop we'd spotted earlier. I was excited when I found the water taxi would take us right to Navy Pier - exactly where we needed to go. The wait wasn't long, and soon we were boarding the boat along with the other passengers.

"You know what this reminds me of?" Jasper asked as we took our seats.

"What?"

"That spring break we spent in Seattle. We played tourist then too, remember?"

I certainly did remember that spring break, though for me our evenings and nights together were a lot more memorable than the days.

"We even did a lot of similar things. That first night we had pizza, and then we went to the aquarium and took a harbor boat tour," he continued.

"I suppose there are some similarities," I admitted. There were a lot of differences too, like the fact that this time his ribs were fine, so he could walk around easily and free of pain. That, however, definitely wasn't something I wanted him to think about. "But we didn't have a Millennium Park, or a Heaven on Seven. And we didn't have the other excursion I have planned for us next."

"Another excursion," he said, turning to me with a half-smile and a raised brow. "You didn't say anything about that earlier."

"It's a surprise," I shrugged. He tried to get me to tell him, but I held firm, telling him he'd just have to be patient and wait until we got to the pier.

"Oh fine," he finally gave up. "It's just ironic to hear you lecturing me about patience. It's not like it was ever one of your virtues."

I shrugged again in acknowledgement of his assessment, and I may have smirked a little too, but I kept my mouth shut.

The ride to Navy pier did not take long. When we go there I checked my watch to discover we still had time before we were due to meet the boat for our thrill ride, so we took a walk along the pier to see the other attractions, even managing to walk through the compact stained glass museum. As we walked, I found the location of the Sea Dog company, so I knew exactly where we had to be at the appointed hour. I saw Jasper's eyes widen slightly when I led him to where the red speed boat was moored.

"This is the secret excursion?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah! The concierge said it was a lot of fun. I thought we'd take the river architectural cruise tomorrow morning, but today we can take a speed ride on the lake."

"A speed ride, huh?" He looked over at me with a smile. "I should have known."

I went up and introduced myself to the attendant who was waiting for our arrival and motioned for us to board the boat. I led Jasper to a seat in the front row.

"Looks like we'll have to wait a bit for everyone else to arrive. I'm surprised there aren't other people waiting already," he commented, looking at the rows of empty seats behind us.

"We don't have to wait for anyone," I explained. "We're the only passengers for this ride."

"What?" Jasper looked at me, shocked. "Are you telling me you chartered this just for the two of us? Edward, that's... " he seemed at a loss for words. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Gentlemen, welcome aboard the Seadog Extreme," the captain's voice over the speaker came on before I had a chance to respond. "The Seadog Extreme has two 1400 horsepower engines and can reach speeds of 45 miles per hour in open water. That makes her the most horse powered commercial vessel currently cruising the great lakes. And she does tricks too! Take a good look at the Chicago skyline now, as we're pulling away from the pier, and take any pictures you might want, then put the cameras away. The view is spectacular, but once we get the boat moving it may get a little blurry and you will get wet. This ride is gonna blow you away!"

"Oh boy," Jasper said tentatively. "I've never been in a speed boat before."

"Me neither, at least not one this fast. But there's a first time for everything right? This is gonna be fun! It's a nice warm day, so getting a little wet won't be a problem, will it?"

"Not at all," he said quickly, but I saw a faint flush color his cheeks and I was suddenly reminded of the conversation we had just before we left the aquarium. Was he thinking again about seeing me in my wet trunks? If so, and if he was remembering how he felt about me back then, before I managed to ruin everything between us, that could only be a good thing. Suddenly the speed boat idea seemed even more perfect and inspired.

The captain turned on a narration tape that gave us an overview of the history of Navy pier and Chicago as he navigated the boat out in to less congested waters. "All right," he said when he reached an area that he was happy with. "This is where the fun really starts. Are you ready?"

Jasper and I looked at each other and smiled, then looked back and each gave the captain a thumbs up sign. The calm narration was replaced with loud rock and roll music as the jet engines revved up and, just like that, we were blasted forward. I looked over at Jasper, the wind blowing his hair back away from his smiling face.

"Pretty cool, huh?" I had to yell to be heard over the noise of the engines and the wind.

"Very cool," he shouted back, "Sure is different from the water taxi."

I laughed and looked towards the shore, where the buildings did seem a bit blurry as we sped past. Suddenly we hit a wave and the front of the boat flew out of the water, only to dip back down in a the lake a few second later. The physical forces actually lifted us slightly out of our seats.

"Wahooo!" I screamed and raised my hands, as I would on a roller coaster. We hit another wave, and another, and another, bobbing up and down on the water like a skipped stone. The rush was absolutely incredible. I knew it was just my imagination, but I thought I could actually feel adrenaline rushing through my veins. I turned to Jasper again, expecting to see the same exhilaration reflected on his face, but what I saw instead was an incredibly tense and serious look, his lips pressed together in a thin line. One glance down showed his hands tightly gripping the arm rests of his seat. It was absolutely clear that, unlike me, he wasn't enjoying the ride at all. We hit another wave that lifted us out of our seats and I saw Jasper close his eyes and tighten his grip on the arm rest even more. My concern for his discomfort took all the excitement out of me. I was about to ask him if he wanted me to tell the captain to slow down and just take us back to the pier when the captain's voice told us to hold on tight. Jasper squeezed his eyes shut, but his grip on the seat could not get any tighter than it already was. I ignored the captain's instructions and threw my arms around Jasper, clasping them tightly, pressing my body closely against his just as the captain spun the boat in to a 360 turn.

"Oh, fuck!" He exclaimed as the centrifugal forces pushed his body even closer into mine. "Jesus!"

"It's all right, Jas," I yelled over the noise. "I've got you. Everything's gonna be fine. I won't let anything happen to you!" It was nonsense, of course. I couldn't control what happened to us and we both knew it. I also knew that the boat operator knew what he was doing and would never take unnecessary risks. But in the moment, I figured words of comfort were more important than logic.

"That was awesome!" The captain yelled over the loud speaker. "Let's do it again!"

I rotated my body in my seat so that Jasper's face and shoulder were pressed into my chest. He could not have been tenser as the boat sped up again and we launched into a series of slalom turns, lake water spray covering our bodies with each sharp twist and turn.

"Do you want me to tell him to stop, Jas? I'll have to let you go to signal, all right?" I shouted above his ear. He shook his head vigorously. His lips were moving, but I couldn't hear what he was saying above the noise. I leaned my head down so that my ear was right against his lips.

"I'm okay," he said. "I'm fine. Just enjoy yourself. Don't worry about me."

His body language totally belied his words, but I knew the thrill part of the ride would be over soon anyway, and I was reluctant to let him go for the amount of time it would take me to signal to get the captain's attention. So I kept holding him tight as the captain spun a boat into another turn, a 180 degrees this time, and started heading back. We bobbed around a few more times, but even Jasper seemed to get used to it and gradually relaxed a little in my arms and against my chest. Eventually the boat slowed to a more normal rate of speed, and Jasper raised his head to look up at me.

"I think it's pretty much over," he said loudly, since there was no longer any need to shout. "I'll be okay for the rest of the trip."

Reluctantly, I let him go and we both settled into our seats. I moved my hand to cover his, which was still gripping his armrest.

"I'm so sorry, Jasper. I thought this would be fun. I had no idea..."

"That I'd be this terrified?" he asked, clearly embarrassed. "How could you have? I didn't know either. I've never done anything like this before. I suppose I might have guessed from the way I hate plane turbulence, but I didn't know that bouncing on these waves would create the same sensation."

"You hate plane turbulence? But you fly all the time!" I couldn't believe in all the years I'd known him I never knew something so basic. "Have you always felt this way?"

Jasper nodded, unable to look me in the eye. "Yeah, turbulence has always made me nervous. But it's not exactly something I tell everyone. And I don't let it stop me from flying. Mind over matter, you know. It's just, some flights are more white knuckled than others."

It figured. It was just my dumb luck that in trying to find something unique and fun for us to do, I'd chosen the one thing that Jasper hated and feared. I closed my eyes and shook my head. Just when I thought I was getting ahead, I did something that probably put me back to square one, if not even more behind.

"I'm so sorry, Jasper. I should have asked before I booked this."

"And if you did I probably would have told you to go ahead. Edward," I could feel him shifting to look at me so I looked up at him too, just in time to gaze into his earnest eyes. "These thrill seeking adventure things are not what I normally gravitate towards, but having never done this, I would have never expected that I'd react the way I did. I really thought I'd be fine, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten on the boat in the first place. It's OK. I'm just sorry I took away from your enjoyment of the ride."

I snorted and started laughing.

"What did I say?" he asked, clearly taken aback but also breaking out into a smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Took away my enjoyment of the ride? 'Cause it was such a chore to spend the ride with a really hot guy in my arms? Do you know how many men would have paid double for that kind of thrill?"

Terror struck me as soon as I heard the words that left my mouth. It was as if we were right back in our first year of college, back when I had no fucking filter and said the first thing that came into my brain. I thought that over the six years he was gone I'd learned to think before I spoke, but clearly I was mistaken. I did my best to keep my fear of his reaction off my face, but my stomach felt heavy and suddenly my throat seemed to swell so I had trouble swallowing. Jasper, however, just exhaled deeply and laughed.

"I suppose when you put it like that," he chortled. "I am kind of hot, aren't I?" he asked flirtatiously with a wink.

"Scorching!" I pretended to exaggerate, bumping him with my shoulder and hiding my relief inside.

"Well, maybe I wasn't really scared after all, did you think of that? Maybe it was all just a ploy on my part to get my very hot friend to pull me into his arms?"

"That would have been pretty sneaky of you," I played along.

"Yeah, well. I do have a sneaky side."

We joked for the rest of the ride back to the pier and by the time we docked, everything was back to normal. Though our clothes had dried off some on the calmer part of the ride back, we were both still slightly damp, though sadly not nearly enough to give me the eyeful I would have gotten at a beach. I suggested that we go to the beer garden to continue drying in the sun as we cooled off with a beer, and Jasper readily agreed. We sat at a table, each holding a cold bottle of Goose Island Honker's Ale, a local brew, and talked about our plans for the rest of the weekend. After the speed boat fiasco I figured it made sense to run any plans I'd made by him first, just in case. He was fine with the architectural cruise I wanted to take the next morning, as well as the dinner reservations I made for later that evening.

"But, my God, Edward, please tell me you didn't book that morning cruise just for the two of us or that you haven't bought out the restaurant for tonight. I mean, it was crazy enough for you to charter that speed boat."

"The regular schedule for the speed boat would have messed up our other plans," I shrugged as I spoke. "As it turned out, maybe that was a sign, but I guess I didn't get the message. Don't worry, though, I didn't do anything like that at any of the other places. And this wasn't that big of a deal. I have that trust fund, remember? I just wish I had thought to ask..."

"Well, I guess the good thing about you chartering that boat was that no one else saw my freak out. That would have been really embarrassing on a boat full of other people. I didn't exactly want you to see me like that either, but it was easier just being with a friend who understood. Thanks!" he bumped the neck of my beer bottle with the neck of his.

"You would have done the same for me," I mumbled.

"Yup," he nodded. "The next time you freak out at a TV studio, I'll be all over it!" he smiled and winked, making me feel so much warmer than the already warm ambient temperature.

We finished our beer and started heading back. Towards the end of the pier I saw the large Ferris wheel, and briefly considered how great it would be to ride it with him, but after the speed boat fiasco I was not about to ask him if he wanted to go on another ride. So when he asked me, it came as a real surprise. I arched my brow at him but he just nodded and reached for my hand. "Yeah, come on. This is hardly an extreme ride. This I can handle."

We bought tickets, waited in line and then finally stepped into our car as the wheel continued its perpetual rotation. At first we sat on opposite sides, but we quickly realized that this resulted in both of us looking at different things, so Jasper asked if he could sit on the same side as me, "Your side on the way up, and then mine on the way down." Of course I agreed and moved over to make room. He moved to my side of the car, leaving a few inches of space between us. I looked down at the space, wishing there was some way I could bridge the gap. As we approached the top, I suddenly got much too brave.

"Come on," I told him, lifting my arm and placing it on the back of the seat, motioning with my head for him to slide closer. "Let's really give all the other riders something to talk about."

For a moment he looked surprised and I thought he was going to refuse. Then he got a mischievous glint in his eye and slid over right next to me, his hip and thigh pressing into mine. Jasper smirked and leaned over until his head rested on my shoulder.

"I don't think the folks in that car in front of us ever saw two guys sharing a Ferris wheel ride quite this closely before," he murmured, clearly enjoying the impression we were making on the people who were now a little distracted from the Chicago skyline and looked back at us.

"Well it's a high time they did," I commented. "Should we give them more of a show?"

"Why Edward, you scoundrel, whatever did you have in mind?" he drawled at me with that thickened Texas accent, blinking at me furiously from beneath his bangs in what I assumed was supposed to imitate a southern belle's flirtatious manner.

"Nothing too earth shattering," I replied, giving him a wide smile and a wink.

"Just remember, I'm a gentleman, and I expect you to be as well. There are just some things that are not done in public."

"But of course, my dear," I went along with the game. "I would never even think to disrespect you by suggesting something improper. Only this," I grabbed his right hand in mine and brought it to my mouth, brushing my lips over his knuckles. "May I say, Jasper, you look absolutely ravishing today."

"Oh , you," he laughed and slapped my chest gently with his free hand. "You know just what to say. And you look rather handsome today as well."

We saw the people in the next car look at us with shock on their faces. I held on to his right hand, not willing to let go, wondering what he'd do If I pulled him to me and kissed him. My eyes met his and for a moment I could have sworn he was thinking the very same thing. He even leaned towards me a bit more, before suddenly looking away.

"This is a great view," he said. "You don't want to miss it."

I didn't give a damn about the view, which I saw perfectly earlier from the boat and the ground. But I knew whatever flash of desire or temptation had been there for him before, if any, was gone, and it wouldn't do me any good to try to gain entry when the door was firmly shut. Less than a minute later we were on our way back down in the rotation and it was time to switch sides, which we did. Unfortunately, with our audience now unable to see us, there was no longer any need to perform, and Jasper quite deliberately left some room on the seat between us. I wasn't exactly surprised, but I sure was disappointed.

When the ride was over we walked back to our hotel. The restaurant was supposedly casual, but we both decided we wanted to take a quick shower after getting drenched with the lake water and dress a little better for an evening out. I didn't have a whole lot of options as far as clothing went, but I did bring a pair of slim-fit chinos which I paired up with a light olive, short-sleeved, safari button down shirt, layered over an off-white tee shirt. I was fairly pleased with the outfit, until I saw Jasper. Once again, he put me to shame. He wore a pair of light-weight cotton slacks made of light gray fabric with a subtle striped pattern and a matching six button vest over a casual white button down shirt with the long sleeves rolled up and buttoned in place with the sewn-in tabs. He left the vest open, creating a smart, summery look. For a moment we both just stood in the hallway and looked at each other before we both snapped out of it and headed to the elevator.

We were running late, but luckily the walk to the restaurant took only a few minutes, which meant that we were only fashionably late for our reservation. Our table by the windows was waiting and we were seated immediately. Intrigued by the rooftop beehive idea, I ordered a Rooftop Honey Wheat beer and Jasper ordered a bottle of Two Brothers Domaine DuPage, brewed in the adjoining DuPage county. We ordered Michigan Cheddar tater tots and Lake Superior fish stick appetizers and market salads to start. For dinner I had the grilled strip steak and Jasper chose the heirloom pork medallions. Our food was great and the restaurant was the perfect choice for a casual evening out.

"This is really good beer," I commented as I finished my second glass of the Honey Wheat. "It would be really interesting to get up on that roof and see the bee hives."

"I bet that would take a lot of flirting," Jasper commented. "I'm sure the management frowns at letting restaurant guests have access to the rooftop."

"I'm sure you're right," I gave him a mock grimace. "Besides, I don't have an epi-pen on me and I wouldn't relish rushing you to the hospital."

"Shit," he shook his head. "How do you remember this stuff?"

"Seeing you nearly die when you got stung made an impact," I deliberately kept my tone light and shrugged, trying not to let the memory overwhelm me. I had been terrified that day. Almost immediately after Jasper was stung by a bee while watching my after school football practice in seventh grade, he began to cough and wheeze. Then he started itching and complaining about being unable to breathe, holding his chest and gasping for oxygen. Fortunately the coach recognized the symptoms immediately and didn't bother calling 911, but instead picked Jasper up and carried him to his car to drive him to the hospital. He yelled for one of the older kids to get the janitor to watch over the rest of the team and put Jasper in the back seat. I got in the car with him, cradling Jasper's head in my lap. Coach looked like he was going to tell me to leave, but I just yelled at him to drive and he obeyed. The hospital was close, but even so, by the time we got there Jasper could barely breathe and was nearly unconscious. A nurse held me back as others transferred Jasper onto a gurney and injected him with epinephrine and antihistamines. I watched him being wheeled away, terrified that he was going to die. I didn't feel better until they let me into his room an hour later to see him. By that time he was pretty much back to normal, and even laughed about being a drama queen, a bit of irony we were too young and ignorant to appreciate. After that incident, Jasper was told to carry an epi-pen, just in case he was stung again. Half the time he'd forget to bring it, though, so I started carrying them around for him. I had one in my book bag, another one in my locker, and another one in my car, after I started driving. My father never could understand why I did it, but he got me new ones whenever the unused pens expired. Jasper wasn't as careful about that stuff as he should have been, so I was careful for him. Now I wondered what happened after he left. Hopefully he just stayed away from places where bees were prevalent.

"Have you been stung since?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Nope," he shook his head. "To be honest, I don't think about it much, unless I see or hear a bee nearby. But I've gotten better about remembering to carry the epi-pen. See," he demonstrated by pulling one out of his shirt pocket. "I have managed to grow up a little over the past six years," he teased.

"That's good," I said with a nod, enormously relieved. "It's important for you to be careful."

We ordered dessert and coffee and talked about the Museum of Broadcast Communications which, unfortunately, was closed to the public while its new building was under construction. Jasper raved about the museum's extensive collections. I was more excited about the new building, which was being built using the latest green products and technologies. The one thing we were both interested in was coming back when the museum doors opened to see the finished product.

We finished, paid the bill and made our way to the brightly colored lobby bar, where we paused for an after-dinner cocktail before making our way back to our hotel. Once again, I hugged him goodnight and left him at his door while I walked down the hall to my room. I felt great about how our day turned out, but as I got ready for bed I reflected on my confusion as well. There was no doubt that Jasper and I were getting along very well, and that our friendship was definitely growing stronger, possibly even stronger than it had been before he left. Although there were still major differences between us and we didn't share all interests, we had more in common now than we ever had before, and we seemed to have reached a comfort level that rivaled that of the days before our sexuality became an issue. The problem was that I wanted more, and sometimes he acted like he wanted more as well, and those mixed signals made it so difficult for me to hold back and be as patient as I knew I needed to be. I thought back to every touch, every contact. He had no problem throwing his arm around me or hugging me or holding my hand. He expressed no discomfort at the way I held him on the boat and was perfectly willing to tease and flirt afterwards and on the Ferris wheel. And yet the one moment when I really thought we might move forward, when I nearly leaned in to kiss him, he had pulled back, and afterwards deliberately kept a distance. Were the casual touches and flirtyness just the way he acted with his friends? I knew Seth and Emmett were extremely touchy feely with one another and when Jasper was still in Seattle he had been the same way. I too behaved around Seth and Emmett in a way that could raise eyebrows, and probably would annoy Garrett and Nasir if they were less secure and did not know their partners as well as they did. So was this all it was for him? Just two close friends interacting physically on a completely platonic level? My stomach clenched painfully at the thought, because it certainly wasn't all it was for me.

All my speculation made for a restless night, and I was actually happy to wake up Saturday, if for no other reason than to experience new things with Jasper instead of rehashing old ones. As we discussed the previous evening, we met at the hotel cafe for a quick breakfast before heading over to catch the architectural river cruise. This kind of cruise was much more to Jasper's liking, and we both relaxed in our seats on the outdoor deck and looked up as the docent regaled us with facts and stories about the city and the buildings on either side of the river.

"This is nice, more like that harbor tour we took back in Seattle, yeah?" Jasper noted.

"It is," I agreed, "and we won't need to dry off or change after this, so even though it might be slower, it will still save time."

The cruise was interesting and educational, and a pleasant way to spend the morning. Given our relatively light breakfast, by the time the boat docked near the Michigan Avenue bridge we were just about ready for lunch. We initially planned to eat somewhere nearby, but just that morning Jasper spoke with his friend Greg, who told him we could not visit Chicago without going to one of the Julius Meinl cafes. Unfortunately, all of them were located well out of the city center.

"He claims it's the best coffee on earth," Jasper explained sheepishly. "It might be worth the trip."

I arched a brow.

"Does he know we're from Seattle?" I asked.

Jasper shrugged.

"I checked out the menu on their website and it looks really good. It got great user reviews too. And I did tell him I'd go, so if it's at all possible..." he trailed off and I knew that the ultimate decision was up to me, but his preference would be to follow his friend's advice. Given that I'd made plans the previous plans without consulting him at all, the least I could do was to agree to one of his suggestions.

"Sure," I agreed. "What the heck, right? This way we get out of downtown and see more of the rest of the city."

Before we left the hotel I went on the Chicago Transit Authority web site to plan out our route. I was willing to travel far for a cup of good coffee, but I wanted to use public transportation. Fortunately, from where we were, we had a couple of options. We decided to take two buses on the way there, which would put us nearly at the door of the cafe, and then to take the L trains back. With a settled plan, after our morning cruise was over, it was just a matter of walking a few blocks down Michigan Avenue to catch the first bus.

Though public transportation wasn't luxurious or geared towards tourism, we nevertheless enjoyed the ride, especially the first portion along Lake Shore Drive. We made comments as we rode past interesting buildings and parks, and otherwise talked about the differences between Chicago, Seattle and New York until we reached our destination. The Julius Meinl cafe was obviously popular and busy enough so that we had to wait a few minutes to get seated, but that only gave us time to peruse the various types of coffees and tea available for sale in the front of the store. Once we were at our table, service was quick and pleasant. The food was absolutely delicious and the coffee, I had to admit, was outstanding, especially presented as it was on a silver tray with a glass of mineral water and a cookie, which apparently was the way it was done in Vienna.

"Greg will be pleased," Jasper commented as we were settling the bill. "I'm really glad we listened to him."

On the way out we both stocked up on tea and coffee, exiting the store armed with distinctive red bags decorated with the Julius Meinl logo. We looked around as we exited, just to get the flavor of the neighborhood. As I looked south down Lincoln Avenue, I spotted a diner style pancake house, nudging Jasper to look over as well.

"Too bad this isn't closer to our hotel," I commented. "I bet they make a great breakfast."

"Yeah," he sighed with regret, then added, "I miss our diner."

I must have levitated off the sidewalk a little at hearing those words. I missed our diner as well, and I wondered if we would ever make it back to eat there again. I glanced at the pancake house with longing and another thought struck me as I absorbed the name: The Golden Angel Pancake House. It was like a sign. Here I was, steps away from the Golden Angel Pancake House with a real life golden angel. Because, I realized at that moment, that's exactly what he was. A gorgeous, wonderful golden angel. Even as I was thinking it, I knew I was being corny and downright girly, but I really didn't care. I suddenly understood the mindset of every misguided soul who saw faces of saints in slices of burnt toast or who stopped at leaking bridges and equated rust with blood. It really didn't matter if everyone on earth thought I was crazy - Jasper was a golden angel, and that was that. Now the only thing I had to do was to convince him to become my golden angel.

Our train ride back to the hotel took us through entirely different neighborhoods and was, as a result, equally entertaining. Although we could have elected to spend the afternoon visiting a museum or two, knowing that we planned to head out to Boystown in the evening, we decided to take it easy and spend the afternoon shopping. We dropped off our tea and coffee purchases and headed back to Michigan Avenue to check out some of the stores we looked at on our way to dinner Thursday night. We stopped in at Burberry's, where we each purchased a T-shirt and found a new cool tie for Jasper, which he promised to wear to Emmett's wedding. We went on to Ermenegildo Zegna, where Jasper found a pair of slacks and a black and white striped shirt with a scroll pattern flocked over the fabric for himself, and a merlot button down tone-on-tone polka dotted shirt, that he claimed was perfect for me.

"It looks great on you, Edward," he insisted in the fitting room, where he came out of his stall wearing only his pants and stood close behind me to examine my reflection, giving me the perfect view of the two of us together in the process. "It really goes great with your hair and your eyes."

I was still unsure, polka dots not being exactly my thing, but Jasper sealed the deal when he suggested that we could wear our new shirts out during his September trip to Seattle. If he liked it and wanted me to wear it when we were out together, of course I was going to buy it.

We stopped in at Kenneth Cole, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom, finding things to buy at each store. As much as I normally disliked shopping, Jasper actually made it fun. He had a great eye for fashion, but unlike Seth, he wasn't a clothes tyrant. He merely suggested things that he thought looked good on me, and he never made me try them on alone, always accompanying me to the fitting room with his own selections. Oddly, my favorite thing about all the different stops was not thinking about Jasper dressing and undressing over and over again, sometimes just across a fairly thin fitting room divider, but rather the moments when we each came out to model the different outfits, standing side by side in front of the various mirrors. Between all the different clothes, I could almost imagine this was a clip show of our lives together, getting ready for work or to go out, day after day. It not only felt right, it looked right too. I just needed to make it happen.

As evening approached we were both laden with purchases for ourselves and souvenirs for friends and we decided it was time to return to the hotel and get ready for our evening out. We stopped in the lobby to ask the concierge to organize a couple of boxes for us so we could ship back our new purchases. Like the professional that he was, he didn't even blink, assuring us that our boxes would be waiting for us in our rooms when we returned for the night.

Back in my room, I dropped off all the bags in the corner, stripped and jumped into the shower. Knowing where we were going and the likelihood that, despite my best efforts, I would be unlikely to completely control my reaction to Jasper, I quickly jerked off to thoughts of him, shirtless, following me into one of my fitting rooms, the two of us dispensing of all our clothes and making use of the provided bench seating for purposes other than the store intended. I managed to get in a rather satisfying orgasm, a shampoo and a wash in under 20 minutes, stepping out to towel off with plenty of time left to finish getting ready.

After I dried off and styled my hair, I sighed heavily and stared into the mirror. This evening would be a challenge for me, there was little doubt of that. It was hard enough keeping my jealousy in check Thursday night, when the person flirting with Jasper was a girl. How the hell was I going to be able to control my emotions in a bar full of gay men? It would require the restraint of a saint for me to stand back if some would be Romeo cruised Jasper. But the last thing I could afford was to get possessive and controlling when I had no right to feel that way. For the seemingly hundredth time I wondered if agreeing to go to Boystown tonight had been a mistake and if it was too late to change my mind. Deep inside, however, I knew the answer was the same as before. This was something he really wanted to do, and the only thing worse than being there with him would be knowing that he was out there by himself. I needed to get my feelings under control and man up. This was happening whether I liked it or not, so I had to do my best and pray it worked.

With a sigh, I pulled on the underwear Seth had talked me into buying expressly for this occasion. His reasoning made sense. If I wore nothing beneath my jeans, as was my usual habit, there would be no way for anyone to miss my inevitable hard-on. At least the underwear would bind me a little and help to obfuscate the obvious.

The ultra-tight black distressed jeans came next, and as tightly as they pressed my already contained balls to the rest of my body, I was glad I wasn't actually expected to sire any children. Still, as I turned this way and that to admire myself in the mirror, I had to admit Seth had chosen well. No that I'd had many complaints before, but the combination of the jeans and underwear really showcased all of my assets.

The shirt Seth selected was the final piece of the puzzle, and the one that made me most uncomfortable, because it was so unlike what I would normally wear. It was a deep forest green and made of a fabric that molded itself to my body like nothing else I'd ever owned. The fabric had a texture to it, like a giant honeycomb or dragon scales, almost begging for men to touch it. It had tight, quarter length sleeves that circled my arms well above my biceps. It also had a deep V neck that revealed much of my chest. Seth said I should wear something flashy, and while this shirt may not have sparkled like some of the shit he wore, it was definitely going to get attention. I just hoped it was the right kind of attention from the right person. I pulled the shirt on and made sure it laid right everywhere, before smirking at myself in the mirror and giving myself a pep-talk designed to boost my self-confidence. Finally, with the time ticking away and nothing left to do, I grabbed my wallet, keys and phone and set off for Jasper's room.

He answered my knock almost immediately and, as we did the previous night, for a while we simply stared. I was surprised to see that he'd elected a far more casual outfit for the night, consisting of a long-sleeved white tee shirt with a notched collar and another fleur-de-lis design printed over his left shoulder, outlined in small metal studs, tight faded light gray jeans held up with a thick black studded belt and black slip on sneakers, also studded and embroidered with an orthodox cross. He looked great, his loose blond waves falling to his shoulders like a beautiful halo, his blue eyes wide and bright, his lips full, moist and parted with an intake of breath. Standing in front of him in my too tight textured shirt I felt like a cool kid wannabe who had hopelessly misjudged the dress code, and I seriously considered heading back to my room to change. Until he opened his mouth and breathed, "Damn, Edward, you look so hot!"

His voice was filled with such honest admiration and laced with so much lust, it momentarily rendered me both speechless and breathless. I watched his tongue sneak out and slide over his lips as his eyes slowly raked over my body head to toe and back. All the attention definitely had my cock stirring and I was more grateful than ever for Seth's underwear suggestion.

"You look great too," I choked out, my voice low and slightly hoarse. I cleared my throat and tried again. "I really like the shirt."

"Yeah?" he asked, though he was still so focused on me, I wasn't sure if he really knew what I'd said. Then I saw an almost imperceptible shake of his head and his eyes returned to mine. "It's comfortable. Not my usual club wear, but then I wasn't sure what to expect. Had I known you were gonna go all out I might have brought something different. I feel a little like the country mouse."

"Well, you shouldn't. I mean, you're plenty hot regardless what you wear. And this," I pointed to my shirt "was Seth's idea. He insisted I get it when I made the mistake of telling him we were going to Boystown. You know once he gets something in his head, it's impossible to tell him no."

Jasper laughed. "I know, but I'm glad. Seth has a great eye. You'll have your pick of guys at the club tonight, not that you wouldn't anyway."

I shifted uncomfortably. We were rapidly heading for dangerous waters. I definitely did not want to talk about other guys. There was no good way to tell him the only guy I was interested in was him or that I planned to do my best to discourage any other guy who might want to hook up with him. All I knew was that I was glad he hadn't brought his regular club wear, which I was sure would make him look even more tempting than he already did. It would already be a challenge keeping other men away from him, I didn't need anything to make my job harder.

"That's not what this evening is about," I tried to sidestep around the subject. "I just want to hang out with you. We can even stay here if you want."

"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed. "That outfit needs to be seen. Let's go," he commanded, turning to close his door. That's when, for the first time, I saw the back of his tee shirt, printed with a large pair of gray angel's wings. I was breathless again. It was like another sign. Here was my golden angel, standing right in front of me, wings and all. I had to believe he was meant to be mine.

We got a few curious looks from passersby and even one catcall as we made our way to the L stop. Convinced that they were intended for me, Jasper giggled and elbowed me teasingly. "I told you, you looked hot," he whispered suggestively. I shot him a murderous look, for once uncomfortable with all the attention. I was glad he appreciated the way I looked, but I didn't want him to think I dressed this way to attract others.

"Come on, don't look so glum," he chortled. "I'll protect you as best I can from your admiring hordes." He put his arm around my shoulder and, dressed as we were, I knew to others it now very much looked like we were together. Suddenly much more comfortable, I slipped my arm around him and, feeling particularly daring, put my hand into his back pocket.

"Oh," he nearly yelped in surprise, but didn't try to pull away. "I guess that will make both of us look less available."

I frowned, hoping that wasn't a complaint. He didn't say anything else, though, so I kept my hand exactly where it was. It fit so perfectly there, resting against the curve of his butt cheek. It made walking somewhat difficult, as my already fitted jeans became even tighter to accommodate my growing cock, but that was a small price to pay for being this close to him, with his consent. We walked that way together, until we reached the train stop and had to separate to climb up to the platform.

The train ride was only a few stops and then we were getting off on the outskirts of Boystown. Jasper seemed to have memorized the map so he led the way to Halsted street. It was still relatively early but on a Saturday night the sidewalks were filled with men and boys all looking to have a good time. Caught up in a throng, we began to make our way down the main Boystown thoroughfare, checking out the stores, bars and restaurants and finding a lot of amusement at the neighborhood guide signs with blocks designated by the different colors of the rainbow and the maps themselves mounted on phallic pillars that also resembled torches.

"You know someone had a lot of fun coming up with that design," Jasper commented.

"Yes, and I'd say they covered just about all the bases," I agreed. He just rolled his eyes.

"What?" I asked defensively, not knowing what I'd done wrong.

"A baseball analogy? Really, Edward?"

I laughed good naturedly. "Just because I'm gay doesn't mean I can't enjoy sports every now and then. There are such things as gay baseball leagues, you know."

"Now that's downright unnatural," Jasper teased, shaking his head. I just laughed and bumped him with my shoulder as we continued our stroll, ignoring the interested looks from passing single guys.

"We should grab something to eat first, yeah?" Jasper suggested. It had been a while since our lunch at the cafe and it made sense to put something in our stomachs before we started drinking, so I readily agreed. As if on cue, we found ourselves in front of Minibar Ultra Lounge & Cafe. The menu looked interesting as did the wine bar portion of the establishment, so we stopped in and were led to a table for two, where we had a slow and casual start to our evening. After dinner we continued down Halsted Avenue, trying to decide which club looked most promising for the evening. Jasper spotted one and nudged me to look at a club called Hydrate.

"I think that's a place a friend was telling me about. Good for boy watching. Wanna check it out?" As long as all he wanted to do was watch, I was game. We made our way to the bar and since it was still relatively early, had no problem getting in without a long wait. We walked past the wall fountain to the first bar, where we found two unoccupied stools on one end of the U shape.

"This place is interesting," Jasper observed as we waited for the bartender to notice us. "I like the light fixture," he said pointing to the hanging chandelier.

"Really?" I looked at him with amusement. "I'm sure that's the club's big draw."

Jasper bumped me with his shoulder and giggled. We'd had a couple of glasses of wine each with dinner, one before we ate anything, and I wondered if the alcohol on an empty stomach made him a little tipsy. Not that I minded. A relaxed, giggling Jasper was real easy to get used to.

"Hey, check out the bartender," he said conspiratorially as he bumped me again. I frowned a little, because I preferred for him not to be checking out anyone, but I dutifully turned my attention to the shirtless man who was serving drinks to patrons on the other side of the bar. He was tall and well-built with a nice, smooth back and brown curly hair.

"He could be Emmett's cousin or younger brother," Jasper said, giggling again. I glanced at the bartender just as he turned and I realized that Jasper's statement was even truer than he probably thought when he made it. The guy had blue eyes and dimples, just like our friend, and he was hot all over. "Oh, my God. I have to snap a picture," Jasper announced as he pulled out his phone. I breathed a sigh of relief, because while I knew at one point Jasper and Emmett dated, I also knew Jasper was much more attracted to Emmett's personality than looks, so I didn't think this guy posed a threat, even after he sauntered and winked in our general direction.

"Hey, guys. I'm Brady. What's your poison?"

We ordered a couple of beers and watched him pop off the caps and slide them over. Since it wasn't horrendously busy yet, he took a couple of minutes to chat us up, working for his tip. I could have told him not to bother, that he'd get a big tip anyway, as long as he kept bringing the drinks, but he was harmless and funny and easy on the eyes. Once I realized that Jasper wasn't interested in him at all, I figured it was better to have Brady flirting with us than other guys who'd be hoping for more than a tip.

As the evening wore on, more and more people crowded into the club. Brady and his co-bartender became too busy to pay anyone much individual attention. The temperature rose, and Jasper pushed up the sleeves of his tee shirt. We drank our beers, talked and people watched, occasionally making snarky comments about someone's pathetic pick up attempts, or a truly unfortunate choice of outfit. The music from the room beyond that held the dance floor became progressively louder as the DJ arrived and started to spin. Jasper's body unconsciously reacted to the pulsating beat and he moved in his seat. It was very subtle, but I knew he would have liked to dance. I stared at the surface of the bar, wishing so hard I had let Seth or Simon teach me something, anything, that wouldn't make me feel like a living stripper pole when I stepped out there among the boys. The few times that I'd consented to dance with Cliff or Simon or some other guy I basically stood there and let them do all the work. I knew Cliff didn't mind and I didn't give a shit if the others did or didn't. Jasper, though, was different. I imagined having lived in New York and London, he'd be used to good dance partners, and I'd never measure up. Knowing I couldn't handle seeing disappointment in his face or, worse, watching him turn away to find someone better suited for him, I figured it was better to glue my ass to the bar stool for the night. I could admit to not being a good dancer, but I didn't have to illustrate the point.

Jasper's movements, subtle thought they were, and my lack of response, attracted sharks who started circling, closer and closer. We'd already been approached earlier, each of us refusing drink offers and dance requests. I was annoyed at the interruptions, but I knew we weren't behaving like a couple, so the braver boys had no reason not to try to stake their claim. It was later in the evening now, however, and the alcohol along with the hour brought out the more dangerous predators, ones who might not be discouraged with just a "no, thanks." I began to wonder if it might be time to head back to the hotel. Then the song playing in the background changed and Jasper became visibly excited.

"Oh, this is one of my favorites. Come on, Edward, dance with me. Just one song?" He reached over and placed a hand on my forearm, his eyes wide and his lower lip out in a pout. It was so hard to resist his request, but the fear of him seeing me out there, awkward and unable to keep up in a sea of guys who could and undoubtedly would dance circles around me, kept me in place.

"I really don't dance, Jas," I said regretfully.

"I'll dance with you, beautiful," the voice belonged to a dark haired man who seemed to materialize out of thin air. I watched Jasper look from him to me uncertainly, drawing his lower lip between his teeth.

"No, thanks," he said after a moment of consideration. "I think I'll just keep my friend company here."

"Come on, I heard you say you liked this song. Let's get out there before it's over. I'm sure your friend can handle your absence for a while. You want him to have some fun, don't you?"

The last question was directed at me and was definitely a challenge. I looked him over. He was shorter than we were, definitely not over six feet, and built enough to make him look slightly stocky. He had the dark wavy hair, dark brown eyes and olive complexion of an Italian. He wore jeans and a tight black tank top, cut low enough to reveal his trimmed chest hair. He smirked at my examination and his expression held no fear against my scowl. I watched his hand move to Jasper's shoulder, and tightened my hand around the beer bottle in anger and frustration, but there was nothing I could do. If I tried to stop Jasper I'd just look like the controlling, possessive asshole I'd been before, and at this point I had no right or reason to do it.

"Sure. If you want to dance, Jasper, go ahead. I'll wait here," I mumbled, unable to look at him.

"That's OK," I heard him say. "Thanks, but I'm fine right..."

"Oh, come on, don't be like that. I've been watching you and I know you want to get out there. Your friend said he'd be right here waiting. Just a few songs? What do you say?"

I held my breath, desperately wanting to deck the fucker who wouldn't take no for an answer. I threw a quick glance at Jasper and was surprised to see him really torn. Then he threw me a regretful look and slid off the bar stool.

"Come join us if you change your mind," he said. "If I don't see you after a couple of songs, I'll be back."

He gave my arm a squeeze and followed the waiting man. I heard them introduce themselves as they made their way to the opening that led to the dance floor in the other room, completely out of view of where I was sitting. I tilted back my head and drained my entire beer bottle, only to see Brady standing in front of me with another when I looked back down.

"You sure that was the right thing to do?" he asked. I shrugged in response, not trusting myself to speak.

"He wanted to dance with you," Brady noted. For a busy bartender he sure was an observant little fuck. "Why didn't you just go with him? Why let Vito swoop him up from right under your nose?"

"Vito?" I asked, not quite able to believe that the guy could be this much of a walking cliché. It was Brady's turn to shrug and smirk.

"I know, right? He's a regular. But you didn't answer my question."

"I don't dance," I grumbled, then drained half of my new bottle.

"I don't think Jasper would care," Brady commented. "Let me take a wild guess, though. You're too afraid to look incapable in front of him. You think if he sees that you're not perfect at something, he won't want to get with you." The trouble with introducing yourself to staff at these places is it made them feel like they fucking knew you and could psychoanalyze you in less than five minutes. And, sad to say, in most cases they were right. I wasn't about to admit that to Brady, though.

"Take my word for it, it wouldn't matter to him one bit. You can go out there and stand next to him while he dances and he'll be perfectly happy. You won't have room to do much more anyway. But he strikes me as a guy who was already out of his comfort zone asking you, and he won't go further than that. If you want anything to happen, it's time for you to make your move, before Vito does. And word to the wise, he doesn't waste time."

I slammed my bottle on the bar hard enough for the men sitting nearby to look over with surprise. Brady didn't flinch. "Temper tantrums are not gonna help you wrestle Jasper away from Vito," he commented calmly. "Get your ass over to the other room and get your boy back."

I scowled in his direction, but I knew he was right. I reached for my wallet and took out a large bill that I pushed towards him in silence. It was more than enough to cover our drinks and the tip, but I instructed him to keep the tab that we'd started on my credit card open. He winked and pocketed the bill, then motioned me to the other room with his head. I stepped off the bar stool and headed towards the dance floor.

Unlike the front of Hydrate, which had large windows on either side of the corner the bar sat on, the room with the dance floor was completely closed off from the outside, with just the multi-color dance lights providing illumination. It was late enough now that the floor was packed with dancing bodies, and it took me a while to scan the crowd in an attempt to find Jasper. Finally I spotted him or, rather, spotted the pair of angel wings printed on the back of his shirt. He and Vito were dancing together, very closely, much too closely for my comfort, though given the number of people around them they would have been hard pressed to keep much of a distance between them. Like many of the other dancers, Vito had taken off his shirt, and the thought the fabric of Jasper's tee shirt serving as the only barrier between them as the Italian pressed his chest into Jasper nearly sent me into a frenzy. And then I saw Vito raise his hand to stroke Jasper's cheek with his knuckles. Livid, I began to push my way into the crowd, forcing a path to my angel through the gyrating bodies. As I got closer, I saw Vito's arm snake around Jasper's back in an attempt to press them closer together, even as Jasper visibly tried to pull back. Vito's free hand found the bottom of Jasper's shirt and pulled it up. I saw his lips moving and imagined the bold stranger trying to convince Jasper to remove the garment. To my relief, Jasper reached for Vito's wrist to stop him. In a couple more strides I made my way to them and stepped up behind Jasper, pressing my chest into his back while simultaneously removing Vito's hand. Jasper looked back in surprise, then visibly relaxed when he recognized me and leaned back into my chest.

"Hey," he spoke loudly, but it was still hard to hear him over the music. "I'm so glad you're here."

"You're like an angel performing miracles tonight," I spoke right into his ear. "But I still don't know how to dance."

"I'll teach you," He said, turning around and pressing his hands over my pecs. I looked down, flush with pleasure and excitement, thinking how this felt exactly right, especially as he moved his hands down over my stomach and then around to my back. "I've wanted to do that all night," he said, his lips so close to my ear his breath actually tickled me a bit. "The texture of this fabric is amazing."

His last words gave me a moment's pause. I had hoped he'd been touching me to feel me, not the shirt I was wearing. Then I gave myself a mental slap. His hands were all over me, who the fuck gave a crap why?

"Hey, beautiful, did you forget about me?" Vito pressed up behind Jasper, sandwiching him between us. I bit back my sharp retort, wondering how Jasper would handle the situation. It didn't seem like he'd been enjoying the fucking olive-picker's attentions, but I couldn't afford to be presumptuous. My chest nearly puffed up with pride when Jasper threw a quick glance back and said casually, "Yup."

Vito recoiled and opened his mouth to say something, but an icy warning look from me forced it shut again. Giving me one last defiant glare, he stepped back and disappeared into the crowd. Jasper leaned into me and I wrapped my arm around him to hold him even closer. Ignoring the fast beat of the music, we stood together, barely moving. It occurred to me that I would have been happy doing this for hours.

"Thanks, Edward," Jasper finally said. "Back home there's usually a bunch of us dancing together. I haven't had to deal with overeager guys like him in a long time. Not that I couldn't have, but he was a little pushy, and it was nice to have you here to back me up."

"I'll always have your back, Jas. Always," I said quietly, maybe too quietly for him to hear it, but in that moment I was fairly sure he knew that even without hearing it. He wanted me there at his side, he preferred me to other guys! That was so far beyond my expectations, I didn't know how the night could possibly get any better.

"And now for the dance lesson," he said, pulling back with a smile. I swallowed my groan, hoping his expectations were sufficiently low. At least the boner that had started to emerge as I'd held him treated the dance lesson like a cold shower and went back into hiding. Every cloud did have a silver lining.

"Do you mind if I take off my shirt?" he asked. "It's beastly hot in here, but I didn't feel comfortable enough while I was with Guido."

I smirked, unsure if he intended to be insulting or if he genuinely forgot or misheard Vito's name. It hardly mattered either way, especially since I was far more astounded by what I felt was his ludicrous question. Did I look crazy enough that he felt the need to ask? Because I could think of no reason any sane gay man would protest Jasper's decision to strip. Looking at him, though, I could see a complete and total lack of guile, and fortunately, before I could say something stupid, he just pulled the tee shirt over his head and tucked it into the waistband of his jeans.

"And I love that shirt on you," he added, "but you must be pretty warm too."

I swallowed and nodded, following his lead to take off my shirt and tuck it into my jeans. Now we were standing mere inches apart, both naked from the waist up, a light sheen of sweat covering our skin, and my dick went from disinterested to rock hard in three seconds flat. This dance lesson was going to kill me. Dead.

Thankfully Jasper wasn't standing close enough to actually feel my hard on, and in my dark jeans, with the club's dim lighting, it was impossible to see what was going on between my legs. Besides, Jasper was looking above my waist, and his hands rested no lower than my hips. He seemed intent on actually teaching me, telling me to relax and bend my knees, showing me how to move my hips, placing my hands on him so that I could feel him moving to the rhythm. I never thought I'd actually enjoy dancing, but with him teaching and encouraging, I was actually getting into it a little, and found it impossible to keep the smile off my face.

"You're doing great," he leaned in and yelled into my ear. "Now turn around!"

I did as he directed and felt him step in closer. "I think the DJ is going to slow it down in a sec. I wanna show you something," he said.

Sure enough, the beat changed in a few moments to something much slower and less loud. Pressing himself even closer into me, Jasper told me to put my right arm up and wrap it around his neck while I wrapped my left arm around his waist, with my palm out and the back of my hand pressing into his lower back. He put his left arm back as well, intertwining our fingers as he held my arm in place. With his right hand he began to rub ovals over my hip and down the front of my right thigh, all the while pressing himself against my ass and using his hips to direct our slow swaying motions. I leaned back against him, closing my eyes and resting my head on his shoulder. Then I felt him grow hard behind me, and my own engorged cock began to throb painfully with need.

"And that's how you slow dance," he stated the obvious, his hand still rubbing my hip and thigh, but frustratingly ignoring my needy erection. Then, in a whisper, he continued, "If you want to make the guy you're dancing with yours." My heart slipped a beat. I heard what he said, but he'd whispered it so softly I wasn't sure that's what he intended. More to the point, was he talking about us in the moment, or was he merely stating a general fact, as a teacher would for the benefit of a student. Asking him to repeat it was out of the question. If he said nothing else, I would be left to wonder. Unless I took matters in my own hands.

"My turn," I told him and unwrapped the arm from around his neck, turning around. Without protest, he released my left hand, turned around as well and allowed me to reverse our positions. I was now pressed up against him, grinding my groin into his ass in a way that would have made it impossible to miss my hard on, though he didn't comment or react. I moved my hips and my right hand to mimic his earlier movements, though I deliberately widened the area of massage enough to brush my fingers against his denim-encased stiff cock, and could have sworn I heard his responsive soft moan.

"How am I doing?" I asked, speaking suggestively into his ear. "Am I making you want to be mine?"

I felt his whole body tense as he stopped moving. We stood there, seconds ticking by like hours. Despite the ambient temperature, I felt the sweat on my body turning cold. What the fuck had I done?

He started to turn his head and I knew he was going to answer. Every nerve in my body felt raw with anticipation. I watched his lips part and felt him taking a breath. And then the beat of the music changed again and the volume rose correspondingly, and Jasper closed his mouth in surprise. He'd have to shout now in order to be heard over the din, and this was not the kind of conversation I wanted to have at the maximum decibel level. I stepped back and waited until he turned to face me, noting his eyes were still a bit wide.

"Let's get out of here," I yelled, motioning with my head in case he couldn't hear my voice. He nodded, so I grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "Should we go back to the hotel?" I asked once we reached the first room, where it was marginally quieter. He nodded again, still looking a little shell-shocked. "I just have to close out the bar tab," I said. "Come on," unwilling to leave him on the side of the room where some other troll might bother him, I pulled him along to the bar. Our seats had been claimed by others, but it hardly mattered, since we weren't staying. I waited impatiently for Brady to look our way as he served the numerous other patrons. I signaled to him when I finally caught his eye, indicating that I needed the check. I saw his gaze drift back to Jasper and a knowing smile appeared on his face as he flashed me the OK sign. He reached behind the register and did his thing, returning quickly with my card and receipt. I left him another tip on the card and was about to say thank you when Brady's face lit up with a huge smile and he leaned over past me to a man who was reaching over the bar to pull him onto a kiss.

"Hey, Baby, I'm so glad you made it! It's busy as hell and I'm beat, but I waited to take my break so I could spend it with you!"

"I was hoping you'd say that. Sorry I'm so late. You know my sister," I frowned as the man spoke in a voice that was strangely familiar. Then Brady pulled back and I got a good look at his lover.

"Oh my God," I said, not quite believing my eyes. "Christopher?"