Chapter 47

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Chapter 47: Taking Me Where I Want to Be

Neither one of us wanted to hang up that night, and since we both had unlimited minutes on our calling plans there was no reason to, so we talked until we fell asleep and then woke up together the next morning. Fortunately, the time difference meant that even though I had to get up at an ungodly hour to go to work, it was actually a reasonable time for him to wake up, even on a weekend.

"Have a good day at work," he told me as we both realized we finally had to go.

"I'll try, but I know I'll spend the whole day thinking about you, counting minutes until the next time we talk. Should I call you tonight?"

"I'm going out to dinner with friends tonight," he said sadly. "I can call you when I get home, but we won't be able to talk long. I have an early morning tomorrow."

"I would like to talk to you, even if only for a few minutes, just to say goodnight," I confessed. "Please call me. I promise I won't keep you long."

"All right, I will. Now go. I don't want to make you late. Oh, and Edward?"

"Yeah?" I asked, suddenly apprehensive.

"I love you," he said, and I could hear his smile all the way from New York. "And it feels damn good to be able to say it out loud."

"It feels damn good to hear it. I love you too, Jas. I'll talk to you tonight," I answered, confidence restored, wearing an ear to ear grin of my own.

It was torture, but I managed to shower, shave, get dressed, eat breakfast, make and pack up my lunch and get out of the garage before I could stand it no longer. I knew it was way too damn early on a Sunday morning, but I simply couldn't wait. Crossing my fingers that he would forgive me, I called Emmett. The phone rang several times and I wondered if I would have to leave a message, but before the call went to voice mail he picked up.

"Eddie? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice still sleepy, but also full of worry.

"Nothing's wrong, Emmett. Everything is finally right. He loves me! He fucking loves me, Emmett! I love him and he loves me and we're going to try making a relationship work. I told you, you'd be the third to know, and now you are."

"Wait, what? What's going on, Eddie? You haven't been smoking any funny cigarettes, have you? What are you talking about? Where are you?"

I chortled at his sleepy confusion. Given how out of the blue this call was, it was perfectly understandable.

"I'm driving to work and I'm not on anything - you should know better than to even ask that. I was talking with Jasper last night and I just got to a point where I couldn't wait. I had to tell him. So I did. And for a moment there I thought I made a horrible mistake. But then he admitted that he feels the same way. And we said it. We said it, Em! I told him I loved him and he said he loved me too!"

"Holy crap, Eddie! You're serious! This is... This is fantastic! Wait 'till Seth hears."

"What is it, Habibi?" I heard Nasir's muffled voice in the background.

"Um," Emmett hesitated.

"It's okay," I assured him. "You can tell him."

"Edward and Jasper admitted they love each other," I heard him say. "But you can't let on that you know until Seth finds out, or he will scalp us both."

I laughed, and it was the happiest, most carefree laugh I could remember in a very long time, if not ever.

"So what does that mean, Eddie? The relationship thing?"

"I don't know. We'll figure it out. Obviously distance is a challenge, but we'll manage it somehow. We probably should go slow at first anyway. But it doesn't matter, Em, because we love each other, and this time it will work. I just know it. I can feel it in my bones. You know what I mean? This is right. He's the one. We were always meant to be together It's like Seth said, life just gave us a detour, but we're back on track now and nothing's gonna get in our way. Em, I'm so fucking happy! My cheeks are starting to fucking hurt, but I can't stop smiling."

"I hear that, Eddie. I'm happy for you too. For the both of you! I can't wait to see you together."

"Only two more weeks, Em. Whew! Do you think it's too early to call Seth?"

"Not with news like this, it's not. Go call him. You know he's probably already had one of his premonitions and is probably waiting by the phone as we speak," we both laughed, but I knew the joke wasn't far from the truth. Seth didn't answer on the first ring, but he picked up the phone a lot faster than Emmett had. Still, he did sound surprised when I told him, and very pleased as well. In fact, I'm pretty sure everyone in his building heard his excited squee.

"I'd yell at you for ignoring my advice again, but thankfully I underestimated Jasper's readiness. I'm even more excited about his visit now. We'll have to plan something, just the six of us. And you have a date for the wedding!"

At his mention of the wedding, I remembered Jasper's question about the reception seating arrangements, and gratefully received Seth's reassurance that he had placed both of us at the same table with the Grooms, him and Garrett and Emmett's brother and his wife.

"It's a celebration of bringing loved ones together," Seth assured me, "not splitting them up."

Everything was coming together perfectly!

I don't think I stopped smiling for the next two weeks. When I wasn't on the phone with Jasper or at work, I was calling all the special people in my life and sharing my good news. Not everyone was as enthusiastic as Emmett and Seth had been, but they were all happy for me. Even Cliff told me he was happy that Jasper and I had finally been honest with each other about our feelings, and that he wasn't surprised in the slightest at how Jasper felt.

"If he's got any brains, he's realized by now that he made a huge mistake, and this time he will hang onto you for all he's worth," he told me. "I know this is what you've always wanted, Eddie, and it's wonderful to hear you this happy."

I enjoyed my conversations with my friends, my mom and my sister, but I obviously enjoyed my calls with Jasper the most. It was so liberating to be able to tell him I loved him. I said it so often, I sometimes wondered if he would get tired of it. But he never seemed to, and half the time he would start, so I figured there he was as eager to say it and hear it as I was. I loved reminiscing about our Chicago weekend with him, telling him how I felt at every moment.

"Do you know how hard I got when you slid up to touch that piece of Mount Rainier?" I asked.

"Surely you know you weren't the only one?" he retorted. "That was quite an experience. You nearly left me speechless."

"Ha!" I countered. "You did plenty of talking in the restaurant afterwards, and plenty of touching too. You're lucky I had enough self-restraint not to jump over the table, with what you were suggesting to that waitress. A planned workout indeed!"

He laughed easily. "That really was innocent on my part. I was just trying to get rid of the waitress, at first. You just seemed so uncomfortable with her attention. But then I felt something between us, and I would have given my left arm to know what you were thinking."

"I was thinking how much I loved you touching me and how much I wanted what you were saying to be true. And when you were feeding me that bread stick, I was thinking about something else I wanted in my mouth."

"Edward," he said with what I recognized as mock outrage. "Stop!"

"What? Did I go too far? You wanted to know what I was thinking."

"Ha! Stop it some more, then. And what about when we were in your hotel room and you were all hard wearing only your nearly invisible briefs. Do you know what you did to me that night? Do you know what remembering it is doing to me right now?"

"I don't have to tell you how I felt that night - it was plenty obvious. And I'm having a similar reaction tonight."

"Oh yeah, Edward? Are we both hard right now?" his voice suddenly turned seductive. It was another Saturday night, a full week after our mutual declarations, and I wanted him more than anything in the world. Hearing that soft, sexy near purr was almost enough to make me come all by itself.

"I'm as hard as a rock," I admitted quietly.

"I wish I was there to help you with that," he said. "I've done that successfully once or twice."

"I wish you were here too. And I wish I could return the favor."

"You know," he said softly. "In all the years I've tried to put what happened behind me and forget everything, there were still nights when I was jerking myself off that I imagined it was your hand on my cock. I tried to block those memories out too, but I just couldn't. And thinking about you always made it more intense."

"Tell me," I requested, my voice full of need.

"Okay," he agreed, "but you have to tell me something first."

"Anything."

"What are you wearing?"

I snickered.

"Really?"

"Uh huh. I'll make it easier for you. Right now I only have on a pair of boxer briefs."

"Hmmm. I love that visual. What kind? What color?" I wanted every detail to imagine him properly.

"Calvin's. Prostretch fun trunks in harbor blue. Your turn."

"I still have my jeans and tee shirt on. But nothing underneath."

"Commando?" he asked, his breath catching.

"Yeah. I usually don't wear underwear with jeans, unless I'm anticipating trying to hide something."

"Like that night at Hydrate?"

"Exactly."

He chuckled. "We both know that strategy didn't work very well. For either of us. Out on that dance floor, pressed up against each other, it was pretty hard. To hide, I mean," he added, though we both knew damn well he fully intended the double meaning.

"It's easier to hide across the miles," I offered. "And yet it's just as hard too."

"You could make it a little easier by taking off all those constraints," he suggested slyly.

"Now there's a great idea," I agreed. The thought of what we were about to do made me even harder than before. I put the phone on speaker and set it down while I quickly pulled off my shirt and jeans. I briefly considered leaving the phone on speaker, but I didn't want to lose any nuance of his voice in the larger space of my bedroom. I needed him to speak right into my ear.

"Hey," I whispered, letting him know I was back.

"Better?"

"A little. I could be better still," I suggested.

"Should I tell you what I'd do if I were there to wrangle that longhorn?"

I would have laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the statement, if he hadn't made it sound so damn sexy.

"Yeah," my response was almost a sigh. His voice was absolutely mesmerizing.

"Use your hand and imagine it's me, all right?"

"Uh-huh," I closed my eyes to block out everything but the sound of his voice.

"If I were there, first I would touch your face. I love you face, Edward. Your cheeks, your perfect nose, that chiseled chin, covered with just the right amount of scruff. Do you feel it?"

"Yes," I followed all of his instructions with my hand and it felt otherworldly, as if he really were in the room, touching me.

"So sexy! If I were there, I'd probably kiss it, suck on your chin, move my tongue over that raspy texture."

"Please," I implored involuntarily. I was so hard my dick was hovering above my stomach and I could feel precum dripping onto my abs. I was determined to follow his instructions, though, so I wasn't going to touch myself until he told me to.

"While sucking your chin I'd move my thumb over your lips. I'd run it back and forth until they parted, then I'd slide it in, feeling your teeth graze my thumbnail and pad as you'd suck it in, swirling your tongue around it," he continued in a low, sensual drawl. I whimpered as I sucked on my thumb, pretending it was his, then imagining that it was more than his thumb.

"I'd put my index finger in your mouth too, and you'd get it nice and wet for me before I'd move my hand to your nipple, already hard, ready for me to tweak it."

"Fuck!" Pinching my nipple had never felt so good.

"I'd slide my hand to the other one, just to be fair. And then I'd move it lower. I'd run my fingers through your chest hair, tug on it a little, and then glide my fingers over your stomach. How does that feel?"

"Good," I whispered. "Wet."

"Oh God," he groaned. "You're leaking?"

"Uh-huh," I confirmed.

"Jesus, Edward," he groaned again.

"Are you touching yourself right now?" I asked

"My hand is doing everything I'm describing."

"And are you leaking?"

"Quite."

It was my turn to groan. "Please, Jas, keep going. Or do you want me to take over?"

"Just when I'm getting to the good part? Nuh-uh. You know if I were there I'd gather up as much of that precum as I could. I would spread it around my hand and then I'd reach down and wrap my hand around your beautiful, hard cock."

My breath caught as I followed his directions and took myself in hand.

"At first I would just hold it loosely, gently stroke it along the entire length. It's such a gorgeous cock, Edward. The skin is so soft and sensitive, but it's hard as steel beneath, all hot and throbbing. Does stroking it feel good?"

I replied with a moan.

"I'd put my thumb over the head and spread the precum around, especially down towards the frenulum. Is your entire head exposed now? Foreskin out of the way?"

"Yes," I breathed.

"Good. That would let me brush my thumb over the frenulum a few times."

I hissed and bucked into my own hand as I did what he said.

"Then I'd give you another couple of long strokes," his voice fluttered seductively against my ear, even as I continued to act out his words.

"More," I pleaded.

"Not yet," he denied. "I'd want this to be really good for you, Edward. Really intense. So I would move my hand to your balls. I'd heft them, feeling their solid weight. Is your sac getting tighter?"

"Yes," I choked out, cupping my balls as directed.

"I'd massage it delicately, fingertips ghosting over the smooth skin. It is smooth, isn't it, Edward?"

"Just. Shaved. This morning," I informed haltingly as my fingers ran over the skin that was rapidly becoming grooved and taut as my balls pulled up closer to the base of my shaft.

"Shit, Edward," he breathed.

"You asked."

"So I did. And if I were there I'd definitely run my hand over that soft, smooth skin, and my tongue too. I'd lick every square inch and take your balls into my mouth, one by one, sucking them gently."

I reached the point where I couldn't follow his instructions directly, so I did the best I could with my hand, rolling my balls one by one between my fingers, my task growing more difficult as my excitement increased.

"Jasper, please," I begged. I needed to come. Needed to touch myself. But I also needed to have him talk me through it, to be a part of it. Fortunately, he decided to take mercy on me.

"I'd lick my palm to make it nice and wet and slick and I'd move my hand up, slowly, fingertips pressed firmly against the underside of your dick, then curling around, my grip tightening. Not too much, just enough to feel good. I'd start moving my hand up and down over the whole length. Long, smooth strokes. Is that good?"

"God, yes. Faster!"

"I'd go faster, keeping closer to the head, right beneath, twisting my wrist on occasion, just the way you like it. You still like it like that, don't you?"

"Yeah," I could barely respond as my hand moved over my cock. "I'm getting close."

"I'd move my hand faster still, and find that spot that makes you gasp."

Following his lead, I found the spot and inhaled sharply.

"That's the one! I'd concentrate on that spot. I'd watch your muscles tense as you'd buck up into my hand over and over, feeling the pressure build inside you. I'd listen to your rapid breathing, the little moans, the air catching in the back of your throat."

"Oh shit! Oh shit!" I felt my orgasm building and desperately tried to delay the release.

"I'd watch you try to hold off a little longer, but it would be too late. It's too late to stop it, Edward. Let go. Come for me. Come all over my hand. I want to feel you flowing over my fingers. I want to feel your hot jizz on my skin."

"Gah!" I shouted as my cock exploded, cum fountaining out onto my chest, stomach and down my hand. I kept stroking even though he stopped talking. All I heard now on the other end was his irregular heavy breathing and the sound of his slicked skin rapidly sliding over skin. I imagined him lying back on the bed, eyes closed, head thrown back, thrusting up into the hand that gripped his erection. "I can hear you're right on the edge, Jas," I whispered. "Don't fight it. Pretend it's my hand around you. Or imagine it's my mouth. Imagine you're fucking my mouth, your cock sliding in and out as my lips close around you and my tongue teases your head before you slide in deeper. . ." I heard the strangled cry as his orgasm conquered his resistance. "That's it, Jas. God, I love the sound of you coming. I can't wait to hear it in person, and to see it, and to taste..." his background whine interrupted me. I stopped talking, giving him time to calm down, taking time to calm down myself.

"Holy shit," he finally said. "That was unbelievable."

"Yeah. I'd say."

"I suppose as far apart as we live, it's a good thing we seem to be good at this," he gave a low chuckle.

"At least you are. I still haven't done that much," I pointed out.

"Oh, I'm not worried," he reassured. "That bit at the end was, um, white hot."

I smiled, pleased that we had the same effect on each other.

"I meant it, you know. I can't wait 'till you're here in person. Though we don't have to... I mean we can take our time, do whatever feels comfortable, at first." Suddenly I was afraid that he might think I was only interested in sex, which couldn't be further from the truth. "Or we can do nothing. I'm not expecting... I mean, you can set the pace, even if you don't want to do anything right away, that's fine," I kept babbling. The last time I had rushed into things, pushed him too fast. I didn't want him to think I was doing it again.

"Edward," the way he said my name stopped me. "We're both adults. We're both experienced. I'm not the kid who could be manipulated into doing things he didn't want to do to please the man he was with. Not anymore. I worked really hard to put that behind me."

"Okay," I said cautiously, swallowing hard.

"What I'm trying to say is, you don't need to worry. Yes, it's true, I do feel more vulnerable with you, because of all our history. But I wouldn't have made the decision to try a relationship if I didn't truly believe you changed. I know you don't need to import men from New York for sex, for crying out loud. I know that's not why you want to spend time with me. If it was, it would have already happened in Chicago."

"Really?" I was incredulous.

"Yeah. I mean, I wanted you. If you had taken things further, it's likely that we would have ended up in bed together. But you didn't, so I know you want more than just sex."

"I do, Jas. I want so much more. I want the whole package, the happily ever after."

He sighed.

"What?" I asked softly.

"I used to say that when I was younger. I used to say I wanted my gay prince charming and a happily ever after. Not out loud, of course. I thought I sounded like such a girl. Ridiculous."

"Do you still think that?"

He thought for a moment.

"No. Why should girls have a monopoly on happy endings? Or princes, for that matter."

"They shouldn't. And don't. Just look at Seth and Garrett. Or Emmett and Nasir."

"Or Greg and Viktor. Or Dré and Vince," he added. "My British friends," he explained.

"Right. There you go. We could be just like them."

"Yes, yes we could. Which brings me back to my original point. We're both attracted to each other, strongly attracted. And that's perfectly normal for two guys in love. So when we're together, let's just do what feels right at the time, okay? You don't have to worry about me and I don't have to be the one who exclusively sets the pace. We want to be couple, right? So let's do what couples do and figure it out together."

"Together," I said the word as if it had some magic power.

"Together. Just you and me," he echoed.

My thoughts drifted to the week he would spend in Seattle. Now that I've told everyone about our decision, they all wanted to see us. There were plans in the works for dinner with Seth, Garrett, Emmett and Nasir, and another with Maggie, Rosalie and the kids. Roger and Yvonne wanted to meet Jasper, as did Diane. Even my mom wanted to drive up during the week to get re-acquainted. And of course Zack and Troy were flying in for the wedding. Between all the introductions and dinners and outings, we'd hardly have any time alone, which was what I wanted more than anything. Just him and me. Together. Alone. Suddenly asking him to spend a week in Seattle seemed like a horrible idea. We needed time to be romantic, to focus on each other. Instead, almost as soon as he landed Jasper would be overwhelmed. What if it was too much, too soon? It would be so much better if we could go somewhere more private, where we could take our time, figure things out for ourselves before we had to interact with others. That's when the idea hit me.

"Jas?" I asked quietly.

"Hmmm," he sounded like he might have been falling asleep.

"Would you mind if for the first part of your week here, instead of staying in Seattle, we took a little trip together. Just you and me?"

"A trip? Why?"

"Well, now that we're a couple, people here really want to do stuff with us. Not just Seth and Emmett, but also other friends. They all want to meet you. And I really want you to meet them all, but I also want you to myself for a little while. Just for the first few days. We could drive to the park where I worked last summer. It's really gorgeous, Jas, and I'd love to share it with you. We might even run into that river otter family I told you about," I tempted.

"You'd rather go there than Mount Rainier?"

"Mount Rainier is close, so we don't need to plan a special trip to go there. And it's too close to everyone else - we wouldn't have a good excuse not to see them. If we drive out to Chelan, we won't even need to make excuses. We'll be back in plenty of time for the rehearsal dinner and the wedding, where we'll see everyone anyway, and you'll have a chance to meet them all. But for those first few days, I was thinking it would be nice to spend time alone."

"Okay," he said simply. I was a bit taken aback.

"Okay?" I asked to confirm.

"Sure, that sounds good. We already know from Chicago we have no problem spending time together by ourselves, but we've never done it as a true couple, and I would like that. I'd like that very much. And as you said, there'll be plenty of time to socialize when we return."

"Great! All right. I'll put an itinerary together and make bookings and we'll leave right from the airport. Do you want to ship some of your stuff to my place so you don't have to check luggage? I can just bring the box with me to pick you up. That way we don't have to waste time at the airport waiting."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. Brilliant idea. I will do that."

"Good," I smiled. "This is really happening, right? A little more than a week and you will be here?"

"Nine days. What kind of clothes will I need? Obviously a suit for the wedding, but what about this trip? Anything special?"

"Just comfortable clothes - we will be outdoors some of the time, but I promise nothing too extreme or challenging. And I guess maybe some stuff to go out in when we're back in town?"

He laughed softly. "I'll send enough stuff so I'm prepared for anything," the end of his sentence was drowned out by a yawn.

"Sleep together again?" I requested.

"Yeah," he agreed.

I was a little apprehensive about telling Emmett and Seth about the trip, worried that they'd be disappointed and disapproving, but once again they all surprised me by taking my plans in stride.

"As long as you come back for the wedding," Emmett said that Monday night as we gathered for dinner on Seth and Garrett's terrace, "it sounds like a good idea to me. We'll still get to see the two of you, and you'll get the time you need alone, too."

"You just damn better make sure you are back in time, not just for the wedding but the dinner the night before too! In fact, you should be back Thursday, just in case," Seth ordered. "Where are you going, anyway?"

I debated whether I should tell them, but in the end decided that there was no harm in it.

"I'm gonna take him on the Cascades Loop Tour. We'll drive over to Chelan first and I'll take him to Stehekin, then we'll keep going and come back through Winthrop, which even I haven't seen yet, and then maybe go whale watching in the San Juan Islands on the way back to Seattle."

"You're gonna do all that in four days?" Seth asked incredulously. I shrugged.

"It's mostly driving and watching the scenery. Jasper is not really into hiking, so we won't be making a lot of stops. This trip is all about being together without any interruptions."

"I think it's an excellent idea, Edward," Garrett gave his endorsement. "He can see things that are important to you without being too overwhelmed or feeling too out of his element. I am certain it will be a great success."

"Now for the most important question," Emmett paused suspensefully, lifting his beer bottle in my direction. "Three nights together on the road and you have to sleep somewhere. It will be just one hotel room this time, right?"

I was enormously irritated at the flush that I felt creeping up my neck. Nasir wasn't helpful.

"Look, Habibi. You made him blush!" he laughed.

"I'll take that as a yes?" Emmett sought confirmation. Seth, of course, took it a step further.

"You can take that as a yes. But what I want to know is what Edward's been up to already? He wouldn't blush at the mere idea of spending a night in a hotel with Jasper."

"Seth!" I growled in warning, which of course he blatantly ignored.

"We know they haven't seen each other since Chicago and we know nothing happened there, so that can only mean one thing..." he left off the obvious conclusions, allowing others to catch up with his train of thought.

"Phone sex!" Emmett nearly shouted. "Eddie, baby, have you and Jasper been heavy breathing at each other?"

I could feel my blush deepen around the angry scowl I was sending Seth.

"Or have you maybe made use of that web cam, like you used to..."

"Sweetness," Garrett interjected calmly. "I think the topic is making our guest uncomfortable."

"I don't see why. It's not like there's anything wrong with mutually jerking off across the miles. We've all done it," he looked around the table.

"Agreed, but we haven't all shared the details," Garrett pointed out.

"Maybe we should," Nasir chimed in. "With this new job I will be traveling more often and I could use some new tips."

Seth and Emmett both giggled. Emmett patted Nasir's hand.

"You're doing just fine, Babe."

Seth giggled again. "But seriously, Emmett brings up a good point. What are you planning for the big night?"

My gaze shifted nervously towards the skyline as all of them, including Garrett, looked at me with curiosity and anticipation.

"I haven't planned anything yet," I muttered. "I still have some time. Any suggestions?"

I looked to Garrett, because of all of them he seemed to best understand me and because he always came up with such thoughtful plans for Seth.

"Tell us more about how you envision the trip," he encouraged.

"He's catching an early morning flight and arrives here just before eleven on labor day. I'm going to pick him up and we'll drive out to Chelan. I guess I thought we'd spend the first night there, then take the boat out to Stehekin in the morning."

"Where are you going to stay? Somewhere romantic?" Nasir asked with genuine curiosity. "And what about dinner? Is there a nice restaurant you're taking him to?"

"I really haven't thought about it, guys. Is that what I should do? I'm not sure what's available in Chelan as far as fine dining is concerned - I didn't spend that much time there."

"You need to find out," Nasir nodded. "A romantic dinner is always a good thing, but especially in the beginning," he took Emmett's hand with a smile and Emmett beamed right back at him.

"You need to impress him," Seth added. "Make a big effort."

"Actually," Garrett said thoughtfully, "I think all Edward needs to do is to be himself. Anything else will just come off as artificial. Jasper doesn't strike me as a man who's impressed by money. I'm sure he's used to fine dining and staying at luxury hotels, but I don't know that he needs those things to be happy. I think you need to find a way to be intimate with him, Edward. And I don't mean in the sexual sense. If you can find a nice restaurant and hotel to do that, all the better, but it's the closeness you really need."

I nodded. "You're right, Garrett. That's exactly it. We've always been happiest when it was just the two of us, no matter where we were. I'll find the best restaurant and hotel too," I assured Seth. "But what I'm really looking forward to is just holding his hand as we walk down the street together or while I'm driving. And I'm really looking forward to kissing him."

Seth raised his eyebrow in disbelief and I flushed again.

"Yes, of course I'm looking forward to everything else too, so stop looking at me like I'm lying. But really, I just need his kiss. Until I have that, I'm not sure I'll believe all this is really happening."

"Then you'd better grab him right there in the terminal," Seth giggled. "You've seen me do it often enough, so you should know how."

I grimaced, remembering the first time I'd seen Seth's little airport act. I eventually grew to appreciate it, but couldn't imagine myself accosting Jasper like that.

"Or you could just follow your instincts, Edward," Garrett suggested. "They seem to have worked for you just fine over the last few weeks."

In the end, it turned out I didn't have many choices as far as planning our first night together went. Labor day weekend, as it turned out, including the week after, was a popular time to be in Chelan, so my lodging choices were limited. I did book us the nicest room I could find, and made dinner reservations, but I knew the arrangements would never meet with Seth and Nasir's complete approval. Instead of dwelling on that, though, I chose to focus on Garrett's advice, and in my gut I knew that this trip, even with less than five star hotels, was going to be good for us. Besides, the alternative was staying at my house which, while nice enough, also wasn't quite up to Ritz Carlton standards. And I was lucky enough to find a great place to stay for our second night, so that would hopefully make everything a little better.

As days passed and Labor Day weekend neared, I grew even more nervous and excited. Fortunately things were very busy on the Mountain, so I had something to distract me during the days. In the evenings I made plans and finished up the itinerary. And then there was Maggie's birthday, which we celebrated on the actual day, the Thursday before Labor day. Since it was a quarter century mark, Rosalie rented out a large private room at one of Maggie's favorite restaurants and invited seemingly all of Seattle's lesbian population along with other friends and family. I was the first guy to show up and I finally understood how Justin felt at all of Seth & Garrett's parties, except that he, at least, was always with Melinda. I busied myself with Liam and Owen, keeping them occupied while Rosalie and Maggie greeted their arriving guests. Soon enough, I was joined by the straight couples and my gay friends, and other than wishing that Jasper could have been by my side, I started to really enjoy myself. After dinner and cake, Maggie opened her presents, Liam and Owen enthusiastically helping her dig through tissue paper in bags and tearing up wrapping paper.

"This one is from my brother," she announced to everyone as she reached into the bag from me. Her eyes lit up with pleasure at the Italian silk scarf, printed with a musical motif, and the gold charm bracelet with various music related charms, including quarter notes featuring her birthstone as well as those of Rosalie and the boys.

"Oh, Edward, these are both gorgeous," she said, wrapping the scarf about her and looking to Rose to help her put on the bracelet. "Thank you!" she beamed a huge smile in my direction before moving on to another present. I looked at Rosalie, who was watching over her shoulder, and winked.

It amused me to no end that Maggie believed all I got her for her 25th birthday was a couple of trinkets, however nice. She had no clue that the reason her parents were one of the last arrivals at the restaurant was not that they got stuck in traffic on the way in from Forks, but that they had been at her house, supervising the delivery of her real gift, a special edition Bosedorfer grand piano. I got the idea when I saw Maggie playing Garrett's piano at the Oscar party in the spring, and Rosalie and I worked together to find out exactly what Maggie wanted without letting on that she might actually get it. We stopped all piano talk after Seth's wedding, except between ourselves.

Rose found a spot in their living room where the piano would go and drew up a floor plan which she shared with me and Maggie's parents. I ordered the piano to make sure it arrived in plenty of time and paid to have it stored while we waited for the day of the party. Then we coordinated with Liam and Siobhan, who drove in earlier in the day and hung out at my house until we knew for sure Rosalie and Maggie left for the party. Only then did they go to the girls' house to await the delivery, complete with a piano tuner who would ensure the instrument was properly set up, tuned and ready for Maggie to play when she got home. When Liam and Siobhan arrived at the restaurant they showed me a photo they snapped after the delivery people left. The instrument was beautiful and perfect for the occasion, decorated with a giant red bow I special ordered from a local florist. Knowing she was completely oblivious to the surprise, I couldn't wait to see Maggie's face when she got home.

"Edward, it's sweet of you to come help with the presents, but it's not like we have so much that we couldn't have brought them in ourselves," Maggie teased when she got out of the car to greet me after I made sure, with Rose's help, that I reached their house before them. "And my parents are right behind us, anyway."

"It's no trouble, Mags. You know your house is on my way. And I wanted to have a few moments with you today away from your admiring crowds."

"Edward!" she swatted at my shoulder playfully.

"Here, Edward," Rosalie said, handing me some gifts. "Why don't you take these and let's go inside. It's past the boys' bedtime."

We walked into the house together, the boys running ahead, then pausing dramatically at the entrance to the living room which was still blocked from Maggie's sight.

"Wow!" Owen exclaimed, while at the same time Liam shouted "Mommy, Mommy, come see!"

It was clear from their voices that there was no real cause for alarm, so Maggie, catching on, turned back to look at me and Rosalie with suspicion as she asked "What is it?" before turning back and walking to the living room. Rosalie and I followed closely on her heels and heard her gasp.

"Oh my God! What did you do?" She looked back at us again, confusion in her eyes. I could tell she wasn't certain who to thank.

"Go on," I encouraged. "Take a closer look."

"Oh my God," she repeated, walking up to the piano and running her fingers over the smooth shiny surface. The boys ran ahead of her and chased each other around the legs. "It's amazing. It's what I always wanted. How did you?" The doorbell announcing Liam and Siobhan's arrival interrupted her train of thought. For a second she looked confused.

"It was all Edward's idea, Freckles. I only facilitated, and your parents supervised the delivery today," Rosalie said as she headed to open the door.

"Edward?" she turned to me and I could see her eyes were glistening. I was at her side in moments pulling her into a tight hug.

"I saw how much you always enjoyed playing Garrett's piano, especially now that you've cut back on work, and I thought it was high time you had one of these in your home."

"Oh my God, Edward," she repeated again. "You are the best brother ever! You really didn't have to do this. And the scarf. And the bracelet. It's too much!" she said hugging me tightly. I pulled back and looked into the eyes that so mirrored my own.

"I know I didn't have to. I wanted to. And come on. What else am I going to do with all of my grandfather's dough? The least I can do is make my favorite sister happy on her 25th birthday."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "I'm your only sister," she gave me her standard response before smiling again. "Thank you. There aren't enough words, really. You are such a beautiful human being."

I pulled her tight against me again and then let her go just as Liam ran into her legs from behind, trying not to let his little brother catch him. Maggie frowned.

"Boys, there will be absolutely no running around this piano!" she said sternly, much more sternly than she normally did, making them stop and look at her with worry. "This is a very special, very expensive and very heavy instrument. And it's off limits to you unless Mommy or I are here with you, and then only to play, not to run around. Understood?"

"Yes, Mommy," Liam said quietly, obviously not used to getting such chastisement from the parent who was usually the pushover.

"Yes, Mommy," Owen echoed.

"The upright is in the den," I told her, hearing her reference to the boys' playing, remembering that she'd started giving them both lessons.

"I figured you'd be more comfortable with them practicing on that for a while, until they get older and better," Rosalie said from the open entryway, where she stood with Maggie's parents.

"So you guys were here for the delivery?" Maggie asked Siobhan and Liam. "I can't believe you did all this without me knowing a thing!" We all smiled triumphantly, happy to be part of the surprise.

"Edward and Rosalie had everything worked out to a tee. We just had to let the delivery people in," Siobhan said. Maggie lifted the cover and ran her finger along the keys.

"It's been tuned," I told her. "You can go ahead and play."

"How about something quick, Freckles, so the boys can hear it too. And then it'll be time for them to get ready for bed," Rosalie gave Liam and Owen a meaningful look that made it clear the subject was not open to discussion, even as their little faces turned to start a whining plea.

"All right," Maggie adjusted the bench for her comfort and sat down. "I still can't believe this is mine," she said, shaking her head. She played a scale, experimentally, and then turned to the boys. "What would you like to hear?"

"Old McDonald," Owen cried out.

We all started laughing, as Owen looked at us, confused.

"I like it," he said quietly. Liam took his hand and pulled him down to sit on the floor by the piano bench.

"I like it too," he reassured his little brother.

"We all like it, Owen," I added. Maggie shook her head with a smile.

"All right then, here we go. Everybody sing along."

We launched into a happy rendition of the song, complete with the appropriate animal sounds, for a few verses, until Rosalie announced that it was time for bed. Siobhan offered to help Rosalie and Liam said he needed to use the restroom, but I suspected he just wanted to give me and Maggie time alone to talk.

"There's room on here for two," she pointed to the bench, smiling. I stood up and joined her.

"I'm really not sure someone who plays as little as I do deserves to sit here," I said.

"Of course you do," she assured me. "Heart & Soul?"

"This piano was really meant for more sophisticated tunes," I laughed.

"The piano doesn't care. Come on," she began to play the background chords and I joined with the melody. We went through the short song a couple of times before I stopped.

"You really are great, Edward," Maggie said, leaning on me and placing her head on my shoulder. "I'm so glad things are finally starting to work out for you."

"Yeah. My 25th birthday present was a couple of months late, but he's all I've always wanted too. And I can't wait to get my hands and mouth on his fine instrument."

"Edward!" Maggie chastised, but then giggled. "It's good that you two are taking this trip together. As much as I want to see him again and for him to meet Rosalie and the boys, there will be plenty of time to do that when you come back for the wedding. Every new couple needs time by themselves in the beginning. You need to figure out how things work. It's different than just being friends. And you two especially have so much lost time to cover."

"I really can't wait, Mags. And when we talk on the phone I can tell he feels the same way. There's so much anticipation, and a lot of pressure too. But hearing him say he loves me? That's everything. And in just a few days he'll be here!" I sounded almost giddy.

"I know, Edward. I know," she turned to me and kissed my cheek. "Just do me a favor and don't worry so much anymore. The hard part is over. You both want this. Now it's time for the both of you to just relax and let love grow."

I thought about what Maggie said that night as I fell asleep, and the next three nights as well. On some level, I didn't think my love for Jasper could grow any more than what I already felt, but then I remembered that there were parts of him that I didn't know and that left room for more love. I was excited at this prospect. Growth was such a beautiful, natural, organic concept. It was like we planted something exquisite together, and now we just had to nourish it and let it develop and turn bigger and stronger and even more beautiful.

I worked that Friday, Saturday and Sunday and didn't get to speak with Jasper much because, in addition to work, he had some stuff to do over the weekend as well. On Friday night he went out with his friends, as usual, something I was a lot calmer about now that he was officially off the market. Saturday he was doing a creative arts career day, sponsored by an organization helping lower income kids. Jasper's dad was going to speak about how he got started writing and Jasper would speak about his experience in television. There would be other people there too: actors, dancers, musicians, artists, chefs, interior designers, florists and people who worked behind the scenes at a variety of creative venues. The whole thing was designed to encourage kids to use and develop their creative talents, showing them that there were possibilities for them beyond retail, office and blue collar jobs. I thought it was a fantastic idea and I was proud of Jasper for participating, even if he said he was doing it mostly because his father talked him into it. Having heard him talk passionately about his work, I could imagine how captivating he would be to a bunch of young kids, and it wouldn't surprise me to hear that he'd inspire many of them to pursue careers in television or film production.

Sunday Jasper had to attend a co-worker's wedding. He complained about how selfish it was for people to schedule a wedding in the middle of a long holiday weekend, but office politics meant that he really couldn't skip it, especially since the co-worker hired Jasper's friend to cater the reception. "If I could have gotten out of it I would have, Edward," he told me and I believed him. Any extra time I could have with him would have been welcome, but I knew he had a life in New York and couldn't just drop everything to fly out to Seattle whenever he wanted. He'd already done a lot by taking the whole week off, and for now that would have to be enough.

Because I had to work every day, the holiday weekend wasn't much of a holiday for me, but I did host a party Saturday after work for all my friends. Actually, I hired caterers too and asked Seth and Emmett to watch over the set up and greet the guests, so by the time I got there the party was already in full swing. We had a great time, goofing around by the lake and in the hot-tub, playing volleyball and then, after sunset, gathering around the fire pit. Once again I wished Jasper could have been there, but I understood that we couldn't have everything we wanted all at once. Mostly I was just glad for the distraction. I knew left to my own devices I would have spent hours imagining different scenarios for the trip, so hanging out with friends was exactly what I needed.

Sunday I cleaned up, though with the caterers taking care of the messiest stuff, there really wasn't much to clean up. Still, since this would be Jasper's first visit to my home, I went around and made sure that everything was neat and in place, inside and out. My home was very much a reflection of me, and now that he was finally going to see it in person, I wanted and needed for him to like it as much as I did and to be as comfortable in it as I was. I wanted him to want to come back, often, and to share this space with me. I wanted to eat in the dining room, cuddle on the couch, relax in the hot tub, wash each other in the shower, dream in the bedroom, and make love everywhere, all with him. Even if it wasn't day to day, and I knew it certainly couldn't be at the start, I hoped he would imagine the same possibilities that I did, and that pieces of him could be incorporated into the home to remind me of him when he wasn't here. It was something I'd been thinking about a lot, and I planned to discuss with him when we were finally home after returning from our trip. Home. It had been that for me since the moment I first saw it, but it would be even more so when he was a part of it. And I couldn't wait.

Considering my nerves, I expected to have a restless night Sunday, so I was pleasantly surprised to have slept all the way through without any interruptions or tossing and turning, and woke up Monday morning fairly refreshed. I deliberately woke up with just enough time to get everything done that I needed to, giving me less time to dwell and obsess. I went through my typical morning routine and loaded up the car with my stuff and the box that Jasper had shipped from New York. I also packed up the box of his stuff that had been sitting in the back of my closet all this time, figuring it was high time to return them. Knowing I'd be away for a few days, I washed up and put away the dishes and did a final check to make sure the house was presentable before driving Remmy over to Diane's for yet another stay with Samson and Delilah. Diane gave me a good luck hug and then I was back behind the wheel and heading for the airport. As I parked the car, I couldn't believe that this was it. In less than a half hour Jasper would be in Seattle and in my arms. The thought made me want to leap into the air.

The wait at arrivals seemed interminable. As much as I tried to calm myself down, I couldn't help jumping up every few minutes to check the arrivals board, looking for the status of his flight to change to "landed". In between I called the airline's automated flight checking system, just in case they had more recent information. It took 25 long minutes for the board to change, and then another 10 minutes of pacing near the security door before finally, finally!, I saw him walking through. For a moment I stopped in my tracks, paralyzed, just drinking him in. He stood out in the crowd of passengers who emerged with him, his blond waves like a bright beacon. I saw him looking around before he finally saw me, his lips breaking out into a huge smile. He started walking towards me and I towards him, our quick long strides almost matching.

As if met with some invisible barrier, we each stopped within a few inches of each other and just looked at each other silently. He let go of the handle of the carry-on he'd been pulling behind him, letting it rest upright at his side. I reached out my hand to tentatively touch his face, almost fearing that he might be a dream, an illusion, a hallucination.

"You're here," I breathed quietly and with awe as my fingertips trailed down his cheek to his chin. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but his smile never wavered.

"I'm here," he confirmed as he opened his eyes again, the pale blue irises vivid at that close range. "And so are you. We're here."

By silent accord we closed the gap between us and wrapped our arms around each other, pulling our bodies together so tightly, Sophie wouldn't have been able to pass a string of floss between us. Our freshly shaved cheeks rested against each other and his hair tickled my nose as I inhaled his scent.

"You don't know," I near-whispered in his ear. "You can't know how long I've waited for this day, and how I feared it would never get here."

"Edward," my name, sliding gently from his lips directly into my ear, sounded and felt like a caress. I started to pull back to look at him again when I was bumped from behind by someone passing. I heard a muttered "fucking faggots," and fury flared up inside me that some random bigoted bastard interfered and contaminated such a perfect, beautiful moment. My whole body tensed and I began to pull away, ready to follow the idiot to teach him how to show some respect, or at least keep his opinions to himself. Jasper tightened his hold and refused to let me go.

"Don't," he implored. "It's not worth it. Let's just get out of here and start our trip, all right? One stupid comment can't ruin what we have, right?"

I leaned back to look at him. His eyes were concerned, pleading with me to listen to his voice of reason. My anger drained away almost instantly. I wanted to kiss him so badly, but fear of another opinionated asshole interrupting kept me from following through.

"You're right," I told him. "Let's just get out of here. Find some place more private."

He smiled with relief and I answered with a smile of my own as we let go of each other. I grabbed his hand with one of mine and the handle of his carry on with the other, pulling both in the direction of the garage.

"How was the flight?" I asked.

"Not bad. A little rough at takeoff, but pretty smooth otherwise," he replied. "I actually managed to get some sleep."

"Good," I told him. "I wouldn't want you to fall asleep in the car and miss the scenery."

He laughed. "The only time I'll be sleeping on this trip is if you're sleeping beside me. And I sure don't want you to do that behind the wheel."

We crossed into the garage and I headed for the elevators that would take us to the level where I'd parked the car. I felt a huge sense of relief and elation. He was really here and I was holding his hand and he was still saying all the right things. Despite what I told Seth, it didn't even matter that we hadn't kissed. It still felt real and absolutely perfect.

"I have your stuff in the back already, and an extra bag for you so you can take out the stuff you'll need for now and keep the wedding gear in the box for later in the week," I made conversation as we got off the elevator and walked to my car. I stopped at the back hatch and was about to withdraw my hand to reach for my keys when he tightened his grip. I looked over at him, surprised. He didn't say anything and he didn't have to. The look that passed between us was enough. I released the handle of the carry on and used that hand to grasp the back of his neck as I pulled him close with the other.

He allowed himself to be drawn into my embrace easily, and his lips eagerly met mine. I could tell by his eager response that he wanted a passionate kiss, but I deliberately pulled back just enough to reduce the intensity. I, too, wanted the passion, but I needed the soft, sweet first kiss that we never had before. I saw the momentary confusion in his eyes change to understanding as I continued to lightly move my lips against his. He closed his eyes and I felt his body relax into the kiss. I closed my eyes too, loving the way the deprivation of sight heightened the other senses. I was finally tasting him, smelling him, touching him, and it was amazing.

Gently, carefully, my tongue slipped out, outlining his plump, full lower lip. I only barely felt his mouth fall open a little, almost imperceptibly, the whisper of his breath fluttering against my skin. We released our handhold and wrapped our arms around each other, pulling ourselves closer together, but without the sense of mad, insatiable urgency that seemed to define every other time we'd kissed. This was completely different. This was languid, sensual, like lapping honey. There was no rush, just a gradual deepening of love and desire. His hands roamed over my back and mine did the same over his. I loved finally feeling his solid flesh beneath my fingers, even through his shirt, knowing this was no figment of my imagination but the man whose return I'd been waiting for far too long. My eyes still closed and his lips thoroughly kissed, I moved on to explore the rest of his face, no clothing there to impede the direct contact.

I felt and heard him sigh, and moan, and tighten his grip as I moved down to his neck and swept my tongue over his Adam's apple before I took it into my mouth and began to suck. Inside I felt a quiver of anticipation, slight at first but growing, pressure building as my touch turned from gentle to more insistent, my fingers digging into the muscles of his back and then sliding down to cup and squeeze his ass, pulling him even closer against me. His leg slipped between mine pushing his groin into my thigh. I could feel him, long, hard and hot against my leg, and I knew he felt the same against his. With a groan muffled against his neck, I grabbed him firmly and turned him, pushing him up against the hatch of my Q5. He whined a little with the impact, and I started to pull back with alarm, only to find myself trapped in place by the cage of his arms.

"Don't you dare stop!" he rasped, his voice gravelly with need. It was all the affirmation I needed. Leaning heavily against him I kissed my way back up his neck and chin to capture his mouth with all the hunger I'd denied us before. It was then that I stopped thinking and just gave myself over to instinct and my senses, tasting him as our tongues danced, listening to our heavy breathing and racing hearts, breathing in his familiar scent, and feeling the rough texture of his jeans as I moved my hand from his ass to the front of his pants and began to grope and rub his hardness. He moaned into my mouth and it only spurred me on, deepening the kiss as much as was possible and increasing the pace of my hand. He responded with small thrusts of his hips, as much as our extremely close contact would allow, and I knew with every fiber of my being that we were both nearing the edge of our release. Oblivious to our surroundings, my only goal was to bring him pleasure the like of which he'd never felt before.

"Ahem, Gentlemen!" An exaggerated throat clear and loud words snapped me back to reality. Slightly dazed, I stopped all movements and turned to look at the speaker through bleary, lust glazed eyes.

"I can see that you must have been apart for a long time," a woman in some sort of a dark navy uniform with a CB hooked onto her belt and a badge on her chest stood next to us, speaking loudly. "I can see that you've missed each other, but as you are undoubtedly aware, this is a public garage."

Still breathing heavily, I pushed back away from Jasper, allowing both of us to stand without leaning on the car.

"Now, you have given us quite a show," she said, looking up. I followed her gaze to the tell-tale dark dome that covered a security camera mounted in the ceiling. "We all sure did appreciate it. But you need to go home to finish this performance. This is a G-rated facility and what you were doing was verging on NC-17."

"Right," I replied, finally finding my voice. I fully recognized that she wasn't like the jerk in the terminal. I was sure she would have given the same lecture to any couple doing what we'd been doing, regardless of their orientation. And in a bizarre way, realizing what I had been doing in this decidedly unromantic venue, I was almost glad she came along. Clearly the two of us had nearly no self-control, and we'd needed this bucket of cold water to cool off our urges. I only hoped it was enough to get us to the hotel in Chelan. "We'll just put away the luggage and be on our way, Ma'am," I told her, grabbing Jasper's bag and reaching into my pocket for the keys. He moved away from the car enough for me to open the hatch and lift the bag inside. I unlocked the doors remotely and we separated further by going to the front doors on the opposite sides of the car.

"Thanks!" I told her sincerely with a smile.

"No problem," she said, smiling as well. "And keep your hands on the wheel while driving, will you? There'll be time enough to do whatever it is you need to do when you get wherever it is you're going."

"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you," I said again, getting into the driver's seat. I closed the door, buckled up and started the ignition. Jasper was already buckled in, so I flung my arm behind his headrest and looked back to check for any cars and pedestrians before pulling out of the spot and heading down the ramp towards the garage exit. It was only when we were out of the security guard's line of sight that we looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Jesus!" I complained. "I feel like a high school kid caught by the cops on prom night."

"Well," he managed to say between fits of giggles. "At least we weren't indecent in the back seat."

"Thank goodness she stopped us before we were," I said, relieved, and then chortled again. "So much for going slow, huh?" I said, looking over at him.

He shook his head. "I don't remember saying anything about wanting to go slow."

I swallowed hard and, as I pulled up to the gate and paid for the parking, felt myself growing down my pant leg all over again. This was going to be a much longer drive than I'd anticipated.