Chapter 58

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Chapter 58: Own Me Just For the Night

I woke to the ring of the bedside phone. I was disoriented for a moment, confused by the fact that I wasn't on my preferred side of the bed or alone. A dreadful thought that I'd done the unforgivable and got drunk enough to bring back one of the catering staff or a random trick back for the night was quickly extinguished when I noticed that the body next to me was not that of a stranger. I rolled over to grab the phone, immensely grateful to have a reason to do so. An automated voice on the other end wished me good morning and told me the current time. Now fully awake and remembering everything that happened the previous night, I let out a quiet groan.

"Is everything okay?" Cliff asked.

"Yeah, just the wake-up call," I replied, still facing away from him and desperately willing my morning wood would disappear. Even two pairs of underwear were not going to hide that.

"Oh, guess we'd better get going then. Do you want to shower first, or should I?"

"Why don't you go ahead," I said, looking at him over my shoulder. I saw that he was actually smirking a little.

"I'm hard too, Edward. You don't have to try to hide it. It happens every morning."

"Yeah, but," I stopped, not really wanting to go into explanations of how the two of us being hard in the morning together was a little different than most. If he wasn't making a big deal out of it, I wasn't going to either. "You're right. Sorry. I didn't mean to freak out. I was just a little out of it when the phone rang."

"It's OK," he rolled towards me and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "Just look away while I jump in the shower, and by the time I'm done the coast should be clear for both of us."

"It's a deal," I agreed. "And good morning. You seem better today."

"Good morning to you, and I am better," he gave me the familiar broad smile. "Thanks to our talk last night, I finally had a good night's sleep. That hasn't happened in a while. Now I just want to get to the brunch, say goodbye to everyone and get back to Derek. You're a great friend, Edward," he kissed my cheek again and slid away from me to get out of bed. Per his suggestion, I turned away, listening to the sounds of him retrieving a change of clothes and closing the bathroom door behind him. Only when I was sure he was out of the room did I lay back on my back, unconcerned about my morning erection. I reached for my phone and saw that Jasper had texted me while I was still sleeping.

Woke up to a beautiful day

the kind I'd love to spend with you

I can't believe I have to wait

three weeks to see you again

I'll keep busy to distract myself

hospital this morning, then

dinner with my dad

Can't wait to tell him all about you

All my love

your J

I smiled at the phone, though the thought of Jasper telling his family about me made me nervous. I quickly typed a text of my own.

Just woke up

Getting ready for brunch

with the grooms

Missing you like crazy

Three weeks is way too long

I'll be thinking of you every minute

Let's talk this afternoon/evening

always yours

E

I waited for a little while, but when no text or call came in reply I figured Jasper was at the hospital and set the phone aside. My morning wood gone, I got up and dug out the polo I planned to wear to the brunch along with the jeans I briefly had on the previous night. There was no need to bother with fresh underwear.

Cliff and I changed places and in short order we were both showered and ready to go. We agreed that no one needed to know about the previous night's sleeping arrangements, so we packed up and called for a bellman to help us carry my things and his down to store in the luggage room. I then checked out of the suite before we went back up to knock on Zack and Troy's suite door. Our story was that we had both checked out early so I could take Cliff to the airport directly after brunch. The boys were finishing packing and were too frazzled themselves to bother with the details of our night. They both looked a little worn out, but the smiles on their faces told us that they'd had a good time after we dropped them off.

"I probably should have let Zacky sleep more instead of being such a bossy bottom, but I wouldn't have traded last night for anything," Troy confessed.

"I can nap in the car. I wouldn't have traded last night for anything either," Zack concurred, kissing Troy's temple. "I like it when you're bossy," he added, with a playful slap to Troy's rump.

"Cap, Gem, why don't you go ahead to the brunch. Zacky and I may be a little late," Troy teased.

"You'll have time for that when you get back to California, Leo," I told him, playing the part of the responsible, older brother. "Now, come on, I know you boys have a long drive ahead and need to get on the road soon. If we don't get you to the grooms' suite pronto, you'll have to leave right after saying hello."

"Call the front desk to send a bellman to take your bags to the luggage room so you can hit the road without having to come back here," Cliff suggested. "We did that with our bags already."

"Good idea, Cliff," Zack said and reached for hotel phone.

"We checked out early and I'll be taking Cliff to the airport, since it's on my way home," I explained to Troy while Zack spoke with the front desk. "If you give me your keys, I'll check you out on our way out."

"Oh, yeah, the room's on your card," Troy remembered. "Thanks again for that. It was quite a treat!"

We were the first to arrive at Nasir and Emmett's suite. The grooms weren't quite ready yet, so Emmett put me in charge of overseeing the set-up crew. Almost as soon as they left, Emmett's family appeared. Fortunately, by that time Nasir and Emmett were presentable, so we left them to exchange greetings while I let in the hotel staff to set up the bar. Seth and Garrett, who had been to the suite earlier but left to wait for Garrett's family in the lobby, finally showed up with the rest of the Thompsons plus Leah and Roberto who, much like most of us, looked like they didn't spend a lot of the previous night sleeping. Brunch was set up on the terrace, with a large canopy protecting us from the typical Seattle drizzle. Food was served buffet style and everyone was casual as we helped ourselves to the food and sat around the large table talking. It was nice seeing everyone one last time before they left town, but by far the best thing about the brunch was seeing Emmett and Nasir, obviously worn out and exhausted but extremely happy together.

Although we all would have preferred to have more time together, everyone pretty much had to leave as soon as we were done eating. Before we could go, Roberto and I set up a date for me to do a ride-along with him while he was on duty on a day his partner was scheduled to be out and Seth pulled me inside the suite and quickly counted up the money Nasir and Emmett received as wedding gifts. By the grooms' request, all the checks were made out to Rainbow Beginnings. When Seth was done and handing over the checks to me, there was nearly ten thousand dollars in new donations.

"It was really great of you guys to do this," I told Emmett and Nasir, who had joined us inside.

"We are glad to do it. It is a very worthy cause." Nasir said. Considering how much of his own money he had donated to Rainbow Beginnings since the day I met him, I knew he meant what he said.

"Absolutely it is," I heartily agreed.

Knowing that our counselors, together with some survivors we'd aided in the past, just helped put away one of the worst abusers in Seattle was gratifying, but the work was never done. All I needed to remember that, was to know that James Visser was back from China and living with another young kid, one I hadn't been able to get to in time to extricate him before James sunk in his hooks.

"Besides," I heard Emmett say, pulling me out of my dark thoughts, "it's not like we need anything. We have our home, or two, actually. We have you guys. We want for nothing. Use this to save a guy who needs it."

"That's just what this will do, and more," I confirmed, reaching to pull Nasir into a hug. "I love you guys," I told them again, moving to hug Emmett.

"We love you too, Eddie," Emmett said.

"Okay, I hate to eat, grab the money and run, but I have to get Cliff to the airport," I told him and pulled back.

"I think everyone is ready to go," Emmett stated. "Let's see everyone off."

Everyone filed out of the Grooms' suite in one big group, so that it took a few elevator loads to get us downstairs. Once there, we gave the tickets for Troy and Zack's, and my car to the valet. I then went to check Troy and Zack out of their suite while they and Cliff supervised the bellmen, who sorted out our luggage.

Zack and Troy exchanged hugs with everyone, but saved the longest embraces for me and Cliff before they got into the car and started their long drive back to Berkeley. As he promised earlier, Troy took the first shift so his partner could nap to recover from the previous night.

"I don't like them driving all the way back in one day," Cliff confessed to me quietly, "especially since Troy has to go to work tomorrow. The lack of rest isn't good for him."

"I know. I feel the same way," I replied, equally softly. "But they wouldn't hear of me or anyone else paying for plane tickets. They'll be fine. You know Zack keeps a close watch. He won't nap long before he takes over to let Leo sleep the rest of the way."

"I love those kids," Emmett commented, watching the departing car.

"So do we," Cliff smiled as I went to load my trunk with our bags and Jasper's box.

"Okay, Sunshine, ready to go," I told him as soon as I was done. We said our goodbyes, and I was very pleased to see a touching moment pass between Cliff and Seth. Glad as I was to be there for him this time, I knew that wouldn't necessarily always be the case, and it pleased me that he had Seth to turn to as well.

We made small talk on the way to the airport, but didn't address the topics from the previous night. There were times when Cliff fell silent, staring out the window for a while before realizing that he was in the car with me and turning back with some comment. I didn't mind. I knew he had a lot to think about and the silences let my thoughts drift to Jasper. Once we got to the airport, Cliff insisted that he didn't have a lot of time, and that I should drop him off at departures instead of parking and waiting with him. Even though that may have been a slight exaggeration, I let it go too. I pulled up at departures as instructed and hugged him goodbye after retrieving his bag. He promised to call me to let me know how things went with Derek, and then disappeared into the terminal.

Driving away from the airport, I realized this was the first time I'd been alone for any extended period of time since the last time I drove away from the airport after dropping off Jasper. Only about 55 hours had passed since then, yet with the jam packed wedding schedule, it felt more like a week. That was probably a good thing. Staying busy helped to distract me during the worst of it and helped me gain some perspective. Three weeks was a long time, but it was nothing compared to how long I wanted for us to be together. All I had to do was keep busy and talk and text with him as often as possible during my free time.

It sounded too simple to work, but sometimes there really wasn't a need to build a better mousetrap. I followed my prescription as best as I could. When I got home on Sunday I picked up Remmy from Diane's, unpacked, and did laundry. I left a couple of Jasper's shirts, which I intended to keep and bring to New York myself, unwashed. I put them both into the chest drawer I had emptied out before our trip in anticipation of him staying at my house. With his shirts in there, it felt like he'd become part of the house as well as a part of my life. As promised, I stuffed a couple of my unwashed shirts into ziplock bags and included them in the box I was shipping out to Jasper. I felt good knowing he wanted my things and my scent around as much as I wanted his.

Jasper sent a text letting me know that he would call after he finished dinner at his dad's, so I used the time to fix a quick dinner and call Tyrone to fill him in on what had happened. As usual, talking with him helped calm what nerves and unease I still felt at being separated from Jasper, especially when he reminded me how long Zack and Troy lived in different cities, only able to see each other every few months for short visits.

"Distance is never ideal, but it alone cannot defeat a strong relationship. In fact, it may help you get to know each other even better than you would if you lived next door to each other. If he were right there you might not have as much time to talk," he chuckled and I did as well. He was absolutely right. It wasn't that Jasper and I didn't talk when we were together, but we sure didn't spend as much time talking as we did when the telephone was our only option.

"Thanks, Ty. I know you're right. It's hard, but I know I'm not alone. Nasir's going back to New York tonight as well, and Cliff and Derek may soon have distance issues."

"Yes, Cliff mentioned that the last time we spoke."

"He was here for the wedding and he wasn't in the best of shape. We talked for a long time and I think he's OK now, but you and Bruce may want to give him a call this week. I'm not as good at the advice stuff as you guys are."

"I'm sure you did just fine, Son."

I closed my eyes and let his words sink in. I knew that for Tyrone this wasn't just a figure of speech. We may not have been biologically or even legally related, but over the years he'd become so much like a father to me. It seemed completely right to be speaking with him at the same time Jasper was talking to his dad.

Jasper called about a half hour after I hung up with Tyrone. He sounded happy, but tired.

"It's been a long weekend," he confessed when I asked about it. "I've been trying to get enough sleep, but it hasn't been easy. And I've had no down time during the day. I'm not complaining, but it hasn't exactly been relaxing. Still, nothing but good news today. Dimi is probably going to be released Tuesday. He's doing a lot better. And I had a good talk with my dad tonight."

"Yeah?" I was curious what they had talked about, but didn't want to pry.

"Yup. I hadn't exactly told him the reason I went to Seattle for vacation, though he pretty much guessed. I was worried about what he would think. Worried that he might try to dissuade me from giving us a second chance."

"But he hasn't?" I asked hopefully. Jasper had just articulated all of my fears, not just about his dad, but his mom too. I imagined he'd kept our reunion a secret from her as well, and knew it would probably take a lot to convince her that I had changed, but I had no idea what to expect from Jasper's father, whom I barely met.

"No, he hasn't. He's always treated me like an adult and let me make my own decisions. Sometimes he'll ask questions, but apparently he's usually satisfied with my answers enough not to try to interfere. I think he would tell me if he thought I was making a huge mistake, but it hasn't happened yet."

"That's good," I breathed out in relief. "I know it might be different with your mom."

"Yeah," he sighed. "She may be a challenge. She's always been over protective. But don't worry about it, I'll deal with it."

"What about your friends? Have you told any of them yet?" It was a spontaneous question, but I became concerned when he didn't immediately answer.

"I told some of my friends," he said, slightly subdued. "But you know, with everything that happened, I just thought it might not be so appropriate to go on and on. Dimi's much better, but he's not completely out of the woods yet. Plus there is his catering business. Dimi's parents helped over the weekend, but it's still the busy season so Ross has to think about that too, in addition to worrying about Dimi and his own injuries. He has a lot on his mind and I didn't want to add to it. In fact..." he hesitated.

"What?" I asked, suddenly concerned.

"Well, Dimi's mother has been pushing really hard for Dimi and Ross to stay with them when he leaves the hospital, but that would mean Ross would have to go back and forth between their house and Manhattan. Plus their place is far from the hospital. So we all talked about it and decided that Dimi and Ross should stay here. The apartment is close to the hospital so Lance can stop in to check on him and it's easier to get Dimi there for appointments and tests and for his surgery. And this way I or any of our other friends can be with Dimi when Ross has to work. It'll be more peaceful for Dimi too. His mom can be a little much. I mean, she's great, but you know how Greek mothers are. Dimi's mom isn't happy about it, but she relented in the end. I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot of her in the coming weeks anyway, but this will give both Ross and Dimi a break."

"Oh," I was slightly taken aback. "Is your place big enough? I thought all Manhattan apartments were glorified closets."

"There are two bedrooms here, so there's room," he said. "It's not the Taj Mahal by any stretch, but it'll work."

"Well, I guess your days of running around your apartment naked are over for a while," for some reason my laugh sounded really nervous. Although I knew I shouldn't be bothered by the idea of a gay couple staying with Jasper, I was nevertheless uneasy. Thoughts of Mitch and Teddy flashed through my mind. Just because a couple was committed to each other didn't always mean they didn't play with other guys. I didn't find Jasper's response of, "It's nothing these two haven't seen before," all that reassuring.

"Does that bother you?" he asked when I didn't reply, clearly somewhat puzzled. "I mean, I don't make a habit of it anyway, but three guys sharing a flat with one bathroom, well, privacy isn't all that important. Don't tell me no one saw you naked during your spa day."

I wanted to protest that the spa had been a special occasion, but he had a point. It's not as though I was ever worried about nudity with my friends before. And I wouldn't have worried if the people he was living with were Seth and Emmett. I didn't know Dimi and Ross at all. Still, they were Jasper's friends. I had to trust him. Plus they were both recovering from injuries, so threesomes would probably be the last things on their minds, even if they normally played that way.

"I wish I could tell you it didn't bother me, because I know it shouldn't bother me, but if I'm completely honest I have to admit the thought of gay men I don't know living with you and seeing you naked is disturbing. I know it's my hang-up, and I'll get over it. I'm already mostly over it. I'm sure after I meet them it won't even be an issue. Hell, in three weeks we can all have a nudist weekend in your apartment, as far as I'm concerned."

Jasper giggled. "That may be going too far."

"We'll play it by ear, then," I conceded.

"So tell me everything about the wedding. I saw the pictures from the ceremony, but how did the reception go?"

"It was good. Pretty normal, I guess, except when we did this Arabic dance with camel sticks."

"Camel sticks?" he snickered.

"Yeah, they were the men's souvenir from the wedding. I'll bring yours with me to New York."

"Oh, thanks, just what I was missing," he laughed. "What did the camel stick dance look like?"

"Pretty silly. Let's put it this way, Arabic men would not make great choreographers. On the plus side, even I could do it."

"Oh, good. I wouldn't want to think of anyone else having to give you dance lessons," he said suggestively, and we both knew he was alluding to our night out in Boystown.

"No worries, it wasn't that kind of a dance. Though Cliff did manage to get me out onto the dance floor for a couple of songs."

The silence on his end was a bit too long. The reason for the delayed response hit me just before I heard him say, "Cliff? As in your ex, Cliff? He was there?" I could tell he was trying to sound normal, but I heard the strain in his voice. I instantly wondered if telling him about Cliff had been a mistake, but the cat was already out of the bag.

"Yeah. At the last minute he found time to fly out. He was really sorry he couldn't meet you," I said, trying to reassure him.

"He found time to fly out? What about his partner?" The agitation in his voice was becoming more obvious. I hated that I couldn't see his face or take him in my arms to make him see he had nothing to worry about.

"Derek had something going on that weekend and couldn't make it," I said, weighing whether I should address his unspoken concern. "Jasper, I love you. Cliff and I are just friends now."

"Right. I remember you said that. And also that you hadn't seen him in years. So how was it, seeing him after all that time?" I could hear that he wasn't convinced.

"It was fine," I didn't know what to say to make this better, so I figured the less the better.

"And everything is well between him and Derek?" Jasper probed. It was like he had a crystal ball or was reading my mind. I sighed. I knew immediately that I could not tell him about the sleeping arrangements over the phone. I would tell him, but it would have to wait until we could be face to face. Until then, I had to be very careful about how to phrase things. I didn't want to lie to him, but I couldn't lose him just when we found each other again.

"Everything will be well between them," I replied cautiously. "They're having some problems right now. Derek is in line for a promotion, which would mean he'd have to move to another part of the state, and Cliff just got a promotion himself in Wilmington. He'll be anchoring the late, late and weekend news. The distance would be a challenge for them."

"Distances can be challenging," he agreed coolly. I ground my fist into the couch in frustration at this turn to the conversation. It had been a long time since he sounded so cool and detached, going back to when we first started talking after Seth's wedding.

"I spoke with Tyrone earlier tonight and he said something very wise. He said distance alone cannot defeat a strong relationship. He said being forced to talk can even make the relationship stronger. I hate that we live so far apart, but talking has helped us grow closer despite the miles between us. And we can use these calls to grow closer still. The most important thing is that we love each other. I swear, Jas, I'm not going to do anything to mess that up. If you want me to end my friendship with Cliff, I will."

I forced myself to stay calm when he didn't reply right away. I didn't want to abandon Cliff now, when he still might need me, but I would do anything to keep Jasper in my life. If he needed for Cliff to be completely out of my life to feel secure, that's what would happen.

"I don't want you to give up your friends for me," he finally said. "I'll be as honest with you as you were earlier with me and admit that it's difficult for me to think of you spending time with your ex, without either me or his partner there. But you're not Rick. And Cliff isn't H. Like you said before, it's my hang-up. I'll deal with it."

"Just please remember that I love you. I always have, Jas. It's why things between me and Cliff fell apart even when you weren't in the picture."

"I know that, Edward, and I love you too. I'm sorry if I'm making a big deal out of nothing. I didn't even realize I could be this jealous. You must think I'm really insecure."

"Um, you forget I just asked you to cover up in front of friends. I think we're pretty even on the insecurity/jealousy front."

"Okay, I guess you're right. Let's both keep working on that, huh?" I finally heard a smile in his voice. I closed my eyes and smiled myself.

"Deal," I agreed.

We talked for a while longer before it became obvious that we were both too tired to keep going. It was the first of many such conversations, which became a habit over the several weeks between Emmett and Nasir's wedding, and my trip to New York. Between his work and helping to take care of his friend, Jasper didn't have a lot of time to talk, so we usually called while he walked home from work or right before he went to sleep. The rest of the time I tried to keep as busy as possible. Since things were slowing down on the Mountain and I had fewer hikes to guide, I jumped into researching new programs for the following spring. I put in more hours at Rainbow Beginnings, which I had neglected over the summer, and even did a ride-along with Roberto on a night his partner Al had another assignment. Now that Jasper was back in my life, my work at Rainbow Beginnings seemed more important than ever. I couldn't wait to share this with him, though it was yet another thing that I thought would be better explained in person than over the phone.

There were many reasons to hate the fact that Jasper and I lived on opposite coasts, but one of the worst was the lack of time for face to face conversations. Tyrone had been right when he pointed out that it was easier to get to know one another when we weren't otherwise distracted, but there were some things that simply did not lend themselves to long-distance disclosure. And in our lives, we seemed to have more of those than most. It was exhausting always having to remember to leave Maggie and the boys out of the conversation, and to keep from mentioning Rainbow Beginnings, and now to minimize references to Cliff, never mind the myriad of other guys I'd been with after Cliff and I broke up. I didn't want to keep any of these things from him, but hearing his reaction to the fact that Cliff had been at the wedding was enough to convince me that controversial subjects were better left for times when Jasper and I had more than just sounds to help us assess each other's reactions. And since I damn well knew that there was no way we were ever going to spend all of our rare time together talking, I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to dispense information slowly, and some things would have to remain unsaid for quite a while.

I couldn't talk to Jasper in person for three weeks, but there was no reason I had to wait that long to speak with my mom. I called her the Monday after the wedding to tell her a little about the road trip and how Jasper's visit was cut short, but I saved most details for a visit I planned for my days off the following week. Maggie and Rosalie were gracious enough to let me take the boys up to Port Townsend with me, even though it would cause Liam to miss one day of pre-school. They both assured me that at his level the kids played more than studied, but just in case I brought a bunch of educational toys and coloring books with us and played what I hoped were educational games with the boys on the drive. Fortunately that's what Maggie always did as well, so they were used to it, and it made the trip go by faster.

Mom was expecting us, so she had the boys’ favorite food ready when we arrived, as well as more new toys and games for them. The three of them hadn't seen each other since I brought the boys out in July, so at first I just let them play and spend time together, doing my best not to interfere. The boys were brimming with excitement over the big event they had been allowed to attend, and told mom all about the wedding, from their perspective. This meant that Liam talked mostly about spending the whole day with Ren and Stephanie, while Owen similarly fixated on "the baby, Kano." Mom and I listened with indulgence and amusement as Owen listed everything "Kano" liked to do and eat, and every room they had been in together, going through the day almost in real time. I only interrupted once, in the beginning, to let mom know that "Kano" was Emmett's brother's son. After that it was the Liam and Owen talk show for most of the afternoon.

Both Mom and I noticed one big change from the last visit. While Owen still let her cuddle him for a long time, giggling happily when she rubbed their cheeks and noses together and planted dozens of little kisses all over his face, he no longer seemed to need her constant attention. I suspected it was his time with Connor that changed his mindset, showing him that he was no longer the "baby." Mom took it in stride, commenting on how much he'd grown up, but I could see she was a little sad as well. "There's still no one other than his moms that he loves as much as you," I told her quietly when the boys stopped their story briefly to catch a breath. "Not even me." She looked over at me and grabbed my hand, squeezing it in silent communication of her thanks and understanding.

Worn out by the excitement of the trip and seeing their Auntie Esme, the boys actually consented with minimal protests to take a nap before dinner, giving Mom and me time alone in the kitchen as we prepared the meal. I filled in the details of the wedding that the boys omitted and also told her more about my time with Jasper before he had to leave.

"I can see how happy you are," she said when I finished, "and I'm very happy for you, Edward." She pulled me into a close hug, but she didn't exactly look me in the eye when she spoke, and that troubled me.

"Are you really happy, Mom?" I asked, even though it would hurt to hear anything but a confirmation.

"I really am," she confirmed as she stepped back and resumed cooking, but there was hesitation in her voice. "It's just difficult to ignore the fact that he lives on the east coast and you live here, and both of you have careers, friends and family. I know it's early, perhaps too early for the two of you to think or talk about this, but it's not a problem that will solve itself."

"I know," I admitted, "And we have talked about it, a little, though only generally. We both hate the distance, but have no answers."

"New York is so far away from Maggie and the boys," she pointed out, as if reading my thoughts. "And obviously nowhere near mountains. Jasper lives in Manhattan, right? Do you think you could be happy in the center of the biggest city in the United States?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "I've never even been there. I don't love cities, but..." I didn't finish my thought, but I was pretty sure she could fill in the blank. There wasn't much I wouldn't do to be with Jasper.

"Maybe he'd want to move back to Seattle?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "His family moved away and this isn't exactly a hot TV production market. It's one of the reasons Cliff moved away," I pointed out. It was the truth, even if there was more to Cliff's departure than better career prospects in North Carolina.

"What about a compromise?" she suggested. "Somewhere new for the both of you."

I thought back to our time in Chicago. It was a viable option for him, but there were no national parks nearby. Other than being closer to Seattle, moving there was less than ideal.

"Much as I hate to say it, I think we'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'm hoping a solution will become obvious as time goes on."

She stopped stirring the pasta sauce and stepped away from the stove to finally look me right in the eyes. "If you're meant to be together, you'll be together, no matter what. You've overcome a lot of odds already, and you'll get through this too. I just hope you can be patient," she smiled. "It hasn't always been one of your virtues."

I grinned back at her and tilted my head guiltily. "I know that was my weakness once, but now I will be as patient as I need to be. There's just too much at stake."

We woke the boys and had dinner, then settled in front of the TV and watched Cars and Cars 2, Liam and Owen's favorite movies. When the boys got too tired we put them to bed in my Mom's room, since that had the bigger bed than the one in her office and this time the boys both wanted to sleep with me. Mom and I stayed up to talk a while longer. Eager to stay away from any discussion about Jasper, I asked about the business. Occupancy rates were lower due to the recession, but there was still enough tourist traffic to keep the bed & breakfast in the black.

"As long as we're not losing money, I'll keep Esmeralda’s going," Mom said when I asked her if she was still happy with her choice of occupation. "I like it here in Port Townsend and I like being my own boss."

"And how about your social life, Mom? I worry sometimes about you spending too much time alone."

She raised an eyebrow at me and I laughed, realizing I'd just articulated the same concern she'd been having about me for years. "I'm hardly alone, Edward. I have friends here. In fact, I just joined the local chapter of the embroidery guild, and met some new ladies there. And I still date, on occasion, but I also enjoy being single and not beholden to anyone. I'm just fine, Edward. You don't have to worry about me."

I spent my night with the two squirmy monkeys who didn't hesitate to wake me up as soon as daylight streamed into the room. When the boys slept with me they usually insisted on wearing just boxer shorts, the same way I did, and Maggie managed to somehow find two mini versions of my Mr. Lickey boxers for them, so we looked like one big happy family as we went to the bathroom together. Mom provided a step stool for Owen, who learned what to do from his big brother, though he still wore pull ups to bed in case of an accident. I let the boys go first and was at once proud and amused to watch as they emptied their bladders standing side by side. I quickly followed and then all three of us piled into mom's double shower stall. I washed myself as I gave Liam and Owen the tasks of washing each other's hair with the tear-free shampoo Maggie sent with us. When I was done, I lifted each boy under the shower spray to rinse his hair and then knelt down to help them with washing, reminding them to wash the places they usually forgot. The whole exercise took a lot longer than it normally would, but the boys were having fun and we weren't in a rush. I had set out our terry cloth robes the night before, so we each put those on first to absorb most of the water and then I finished towel drying each boy off so they could put on their pajamas for breakfast. Because I was at my mom's place of business, and there was a possibility that a curious guest could make his or her way into the kitchen, I too put on sleep pants and a tee shirt for the morning meal. With all of us now fully awake and scrubbed clean, I shepherded my little charges down into the kitchen, where Mom was already up and ready with breakfast. We settled the boys in at the table and while she left to take care of the inn guests, I served the boys and cut up their pancakes and sausages to make them easier to eat.

"I just love it when you're all here," Mom said from the doorway, wearing a bright, broad smile, before joining us at the table. Seeing her this happy made me glad that I had time to drive out for this visit. I knew that once Liam started kindergarten mid-week visits would be impossible, so getting these last few trips in while we could was exactly the right thing for all of us.

It wasn't always easy, but somehow I made it through the three weeks until it was time to pack for New York. I was really pushing things at work, where I was taking a lot of time off during our busiest off-season days, but Roger understood and accommodated my need. I dropped Remmy off at Diane's, which I believe he was starting to think of as his second home, Thursday evening, so I didn't have to bother her the morning of my departure as she was getting ready for work. I could have gone in to work a half-day on Friday, but the drive in both directions didn't make sense just for a few hours and I wanted to minimize the chances of something delaying me and interfering with my flight out, so I chose to spend a lazy morning at home instead. I left for the airport with plenty of time to spare, armed with my netbook to occupy my while I waited at the gate. I was there for nearly an hour before I saw someone lift the jacket I had placed on the seat next to me and sink down with a relieved sigh.

"Hey, Eddie, you got here early. How long have you been waiting already?" Emmett asked, turning towards me with his big dimpled smile.

I shrugged and gave him a crooked grin, not at all embarrassed by my over-eagerness.

"I had nothing better to do today and was too excited to wait at home. You made it with a few minutes to spare," I noted.

"Yeah. Seth took a long lunch and dropped me off. I told him I could take a cab, but he insisted. He's gonna get tired of it real soon if I keep flying out every other weekend."

"I'm guessing he won't," I told him. "He misses you when you're gone. He won't easily give up the chance to say good bye. And I know he won't ever give up a chance to pick you up!"

Emmett laughed. "No, that's a tradition," he agreed. "And I do love that. It makes coming home without Nasi a little easier."

The ticket counter attendant reached for the PA and announced First Class boarding.

"That's us," I said, turning off my netbook and slipping it into the carry-on bag that held everything I would need for the weekend. Emmett was already up and digging for his boarding pass. I withdrew mine at the same time he found his and together we walked up to the gate agent, who scanned us in and directed us down the jet bridge to our aircraft. We settled in and tried to wait patiently as the rest of the passengers boarded, neither of us fully succeeding.

"You know, Em, seeing you like this even after you've seen Nasir the last four weekends in a row is a little bit scary. Does it never get better? I mean, Jasper and I will never be able to travel that often."

"You know what, Eddie?" Emmett began. We both sat with our arms on the wide armrest between us and he took my hand as we spoke. "It only gets worse."

"Jesus. That's nice to know," my tone made it clear what I really thought.

"What I mean is," he paused to consider a moment.

"Would you boys like a glass of champagne before we take off?" a smiling flight attendant asked as she leaned into Emmett's seat.

"Sure. Thank you," Emmett answered for us both.

"You boys make a cute couple by the way," she gave us an extra sweet smile before she headed off to fill our drink order.

"Thank you," Emmett gave her his dimples. "I love him, Eddie," he returned to the topic. "I love him with all I am. He is the man I was waiting for all my life. And when you are in love like that, I know you know what I'm talking about."

"I absolutely do," I nodded.

"I know you do," he squeezed my hand. "My point is, when you build a life with him, you hold him in your arms every night, because, you can't imagine not doing that, in the home that's both of yours, in the bed that's both of yours. You know? Then, to have him uprooted and based across the country, fuck," Emmett leaned his head back on the seat and raised his free hand to rub his forehead. "It's like my heart and, one of my lungs, a big chunk of my soul is missing and I only get to breathe and have the sun shine on me on the weekends now. I mean, no offense to you or Seth or Garrett," he squeezed my hand again. "You guys are what get me through. I would be lost without you guys. You know, especially Seth. He's always been my rock. My little diva rock," Emmett made himself chuckle. "But in all seriousness, what makes it almost bearable, is that I know this is temporary. He will get to the point where, when he is established, that he will be able to work from home a great deal of the time. It will be like when he worked for his father, for the most part. He will have to take trips, to New York and abroad, wherever he's building a hotel, but, rather than those being the norm, they will be the exceptions. So in the meantime, I suck it up. And when I can't, I cry in Seth's lap."

"Here we go, boys," the flight attendant saw an opening between boarding passengers and presented two smallish flutes with the airline logo on them on a tiny little tray that would not have held much more.

"Thank you. Keep 'em comin'," Emmett finally let go of my hand to take both glasses and passed one to me.

"Here's to us, Em," I offered my toast. "And more importantly, to the guys waiting for us at the other end of this flight."

"Amen to that, Eddie," Emmett touched his glass to mine and we both took a hearty gulp. "I just wish this damn flight wasn't as long as it is. At least this time we'll be getting there in time to spend the night with our guys."

I couldn't keep the grin off my face at the thought of spending the night with Jasper. I was glad Emmett didn't mention sleeping, because I wasn't sure any sleep would actually take place. I wanted to savor every moment with Jasper, even if it meant getting no rest at all. As if he read my mind, Emmett turned to me and said, "I hope you don't think I'm rude, but once we take off I'm gonna try to get some shut-eye. Gotta rest up for my weekend with my man," he concluded with a wink. I laughed and confessed I'd been thinking the same thing.

Emmett was lucky enough to fall asleep even as we were taking off, but slumber eluded me. I kept thinking about Emmett's confession that dealing with the distance became more difficult as time went on instead of easier. Granted, it was different for him and Nasir. They had eighteen months together before they were separated, more than long enough to know what they were missing. Jasper and I never had that, and our relationship was theoretically still very new, even though in my heart and soul it felt more like a reunion than a beginning. Still, the three weeks I had to wait to see him again were difficult, and I could easily imagine the wait getting worse and worse each time. The last thing I wanted was to rush Jasper into what would certainly be a life-altering decision for one or both of us, but I felt in my bones that we would have solve the distance problem sooner rather than later.

I must have dozed off sometime during my musings because I woke up just as the first class flight attendant was asking other passengers whether they wanted the afternoon snack offered by the airline. "Are you eating?" I asked Emmett, who was also awake in the seat next to me.

"Sure," he shrugged. "We're getting in late and food will be the last thing on my mind when we get there," he said with a wink. He had a good point, so we both requested and ate the club sandwich, side of pasta salad, fruit salad and chocolate cake. "It's just enough to keep me from starving until breakfast tomorrow," Emmett observed.

"Enriched with some protein, maybe?" I only half teased, since I was, in fact, planning to swallow down some Jasper just as soon as I was able. I wasn't sure, however, exactly when that would be, and the thought made me frown.

"What's up, Eddie?" Emmett inquired. "That's not an expression of a guy thinking about a cum shake."

"Yeah, I know. I'm just nervous. Jasper has his friends staying with him, so we won't be able to just do whatever we feel like whenever we feel like it, you know? And it'll be weird making love, knowing these guys can hear us."

"Huh, if it was Seth and Garrett, it wouldn't bother me one bit, but people I don't know would be different," he agreed.

"Plus there's the whole meeting them thing. What if they don't like me? What if I don't like them? I never really had to go through something like this before."

Emmett put his large, warm hand over mine on the wide arm rest between us. "Relax, Eddie. It's gonna be fine. They're just guys and they're friends of Jasper's. If he likes them, why wouldn't you like them too? And vice versa?"

"I suppose," I said, still uncertain. "It's just spending the whole weekend together in close quarters that's scary. It's been a while since I've had to impress anyone, especially for that long."

"So don't try to impress them. Just be yourself, Eddie. You're there for Jasper, not his friends."

I nodded, but I wasn't completely reassured. For whatever reason I had managed to block this whole aspect of the trip the entire three weeks. Jasper had made it easier by not mentioning any weekend arrangements beyond letting me know that he and Nasir would meet Emmett and me at the airport. One time he asked if there was anything in particular in New York that I wanted to see, but I told him as long as I saw him, nothing else mattered, and left the entire itinerary in his hands. After that, we only spoke of the weekend in terms of being together again, everything else fading into the background. Now, however, as we sped towards New York, the background reappeared and began to loom as large as the New York skyline.

"You know, I can't wait to get there to get my mouth on this," Emmett's voice forced me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen of his smart phone which he was holding in a way only I could see.

"Jesus, Em, is that Nasir?" I was looking at a close up photo of an impressive, hard, leaking cock.

"Who else?" Emmett pressed a button to pull up another picture of his nude husband, then another, and another. "I took these on our wedding night. They're what keep me going when we're apart. You and Jasper should have a little photo session too. It would give you something to distract you when you start thinking crazy things, like you were just now." He continued to enjoy his photos. "Oh, here's us sword fighting," he showed me a picture of the two of them.

"Cute, Em, and good thinking. Jasper and I never even thought to take pictures, and God knows I definitely could find use for pictures like that. Not that my mind doesn't supply visuals as soon as I close my eyes," I grinned.

"Imagination is a good thing, but not as good as the real thing. Pictures fall somewhere in between, I think. I love looking at these. I'd print them out, but they'd be all stained," he gave me a smirk.

"Nice, Em. Thanks for that visual," I teased. He merely shrugged.

"Just telling it like it is. Don't tell me your hand doesn't get a workout during those phone calls with Jasper."

I chuckled, letting Emmett draw his own conclusion, but the truth was Jasper and I hadn't had many of those kinds of calls since his friends moved into his place. We didn't discuss it, but I didn't feel comfortable with the possibility of them overhearing what Jasper was doing, and I sensed he was uneasy as well. I missed the phone sex. Hearing his dirty talk and the way his breathing grew heavier as he listened to mine had been the highlight of many a call before Emmett's wedding. I knew, though, that he was worth the wait.

Emmett and I talked for the rest of the flight, with him showing me some pictures that he took on his first trip, two weeks earlier, of his and Nasir's penthouse. He explained that they had spent that weekend looking through magazines trying to pick out new furniture and decor items, and that they were going to shop for some of those this time. It sounded domestic and permanent, and I couldn't wait to be able to do the same with Jasper, wherever we ended up settling down together.

Eventually the pilot announced that we were beginning our descent.

"This is it," Emmett said excitedly, grabbing my hand. "Only a few more minutes and we'll see our guys."

We got up and used the plane toilet to eliminate any need to stop when we landed. When I returned to my seat I took a deep breath and smiled. I glanced out the window at the sea of lights twinkling below us. Seattle was a big city, but it couldn't compare with the vast expanse of Manhattan and the surrounding metropolitan area. Somewhere below, in the mass of buildings and cars and humanity was Jasper. Every moment brought me closer to him. It was difficult to stay still in my seat. If it had been possible, I might have taken a leap from the plane to get to him sooner. As it was, I could only watch the lights and buildings on the ground appear larger and larger in the plane window as the plane flew lower and lower. Then there was nothing but blackness and runway lights until we finally felt the wheels touch ground.

Emmett and I exchanged a look and reached for our seat belts just as the flight attendant came on the intercom and reminded everyone to stay seated with the seat belts fastened. I curled my fist in frustration, but then heard that we could start using our cell phones again and instantly reached to take mine out of my pocket. From the corner of my eye I saw Emmett doing the same. I dialed Jasper as soon as the phone connected with the network.

"You're here!" he immediately answered.

"I am, Love, finally," I grinned wide and closed my eyes to shut out everything but the sound of his voice. "We're still taxying to the gate, but it won't be long now."

"Nasir and I are waiting just outside the security doors at baggage claim. I can't wait to see you and hold you."

"I know, Jas. Me too."

"How was the flight?"

We talked as the plane pulled up to the gate and didn't hang up even as we were finally allowed to stand, take our luggage out of the overhead bins and deplane. Both Emmett and I stayed on the phone as we walked through the terminal until we finally reached the doors that led out to the luggage carousels. We hung up when we saw our guys on the other side of the glass. As soon as we cleared the doors I was pulling Jasper against me. His tall, lean, warm frame felt so good wrapped in my arms. I felt a thundering heartbeat and couldn't tell if it was his or mine or a combination of both. We stared into each other's eyes for a moment, and then he leaned in and pressed his soft lips against mine. My eyelids fell shut and my arms automatically tightened around him as I savored the sensation of the chaste but romantic kiss. After a few seconds Jasper pulled back. I wanted to go on kissing, but I remembered too well our exchange with the security officer the last time we got carried away at an airport. I was just glad that Jasper had enough presence of mind to keep this reunion less passionate, at least while there were other people around.

"I've missed you," I told him, staring at him and still holding him tight. "It's so good to see you again."

"I've missed you too. It's been a long three weeks."

"You look tired," I whispered, moving my hand to his face and brushing my thumb across a shadow beneath his eye.

"I am, but it's okay now you're here. I think it may be time for bed," he winked and smiled a knowing smile.

"Sounds exactly right, as long as I can join you."

"Of course!" he chuckled. "I might even let you sleep, eventually."

"Let's not waste any time, then," I said, pulling away from him and looking toward Nasir and Emmett who were embracing and speaking quietly between themselves. "Hate to interrupt, guys, but are you ready to go? Hi, Nasir, by the way," I said, belatedly remembering to greet my friend.

"Hello, Edward. Welcome to New York City," Nasir smiled, and then let Emmett go to give me a warm hug just as Emmett pulled Jasper into his embrace.

"It's good to see you again, Jasper. And especially great to see you and Eddie together!" Emmett enthused.

"I'm happy about that too," Jasper replied, slightly breathless from Emmett's exuberant hold. "You have no idea," he smiled, moving back to my side.

"And now, I think we are very ready to leave the airport," Nasir announced with a look to Emmett, who nodded his agreement. "The car is waiting right outside."

He grabbed Emmett's hand and pulled him towards the exit. Jasper and I followed, holding hands as well. As soon as the driver saw Nasir, he jumped out of the car and jogged to the passenger side of the black limo, pulling the door open for us. I handed my bag to the driver before Jasper and I climbed in and sat on the rear facing seat. Emmett and Nasir followed and made themselves comfortable on the front facing seat. The driver shut the door and placed the luggage in the trunk before returning to the front. Jasper turned and gave him an address that didn't sound familiar and asked him to raise the privacy window. Figuring we were going to drop Nasir and Emmett off first, I didn't bother asking questions.

"So, Edward, this is your first time in New York City?" Nasir asked.

"Yeah. I've never been out here before. The city looks huge from above. Just like in the movies."

"It's not so bad once you start to walk around," Emmett said. "Not that we did much of that the last time I was here," his dimples showed as he looked at his husband lovingly.

"There will be plenty of weekends when we can walk around," Nasir threw in. "Two weeks ago I needed my husband in bed with me."

"Funny, we were just talking about that," I quipped, sending Jasper a suggestive look.

"I wouldn't object to staying in bed all weekend," Jasper threw in. "But I would also love to show you some of the city and introduce you to my friends and my dad."

"I do want to meet your friends and your father," I nodded. "And since we have to leave the bed to do that, I guess we can throw some sightseeing in too."

"You have to stop by our penthouse too," Nasir insisted. "We could have dinner together, or drinks."

I turned to Jasper. "I guess that's up to you. I don't know what you have planned for us. I'm in your hands this weekend."

"Mm," Jasper smiled and closed his eyes for a moment. "I like the sound of that," he commented, and we all laughed. "I was hoping to take Edward to Tao for dinner Saturday night and then meet up with some friends at a club. We could stop at your place for drinks in between. And you're welcome to join us at the club."

"Are you going to the absinthe bar again?" Nasir asked with a frown.

"No, I'm taking Edward to Industry. It's where my friends like to hang out."

"Oh," Nasir's face brightened. "That's good. What do you think, Habibi? Would you like to go to the club tomorrow night?"

"Sure," Emmett was game. "We may not stay long, but it would be nice to meet your friends, Jasper."

"And Seth would kill you if you didn't take this opportunity and report back," Jasper teased. Emmett smiled sheepishly.

"How is it that after all this time, you know Seth so well?" I asked.

"Seth is Seth," Jasper shrugged with a smile, and we all nodded our agreement.

In the moment of silence that followed, Jasper and I watched as Emmett turned to Nasir and placed a loving kiss on his lips. He might have pulled back, but Nasir brought one hand to his face and the other to the back of his neck and kept it in place, deepening the kiss. I looked over at Jasper and we both smiled knowingly and shrugged. Then, by mutual unspoken accord, we leaned towards each other and met in the middle for a deeper and more passionate kiss than the one we exchanged at the airport. Jasper's lips moved over mine, both of us equally hungry for each other. Our mouths opened in unison and our tongues reached out confidently, seeking to taste that which we had been denied for far too long. I reached to pull him closer, but he was one step ahead of me, already moving to straddle me, kneeling on the seat outside my thighs. Encouraged by his boldness, I slipped my hands beneath the hem of his thin V-neck sweater and ran them over the smooth, warm expanse of his back. He purred, the low sound reverberating within our still joined mouths.

"I've missed you so fucking much," he broke our kiss and leaned forward to whisper the words hotly into my ear. "All I've been thinking about all day was finally feeling you inside me again. I can't wait for you to fuck me, to fill me with your hot, hard cock." He moved one of his hands between us and groped my erection through my jeans as he spoke. I let out a hiss of air, wishing we could remove the cloth barriers between us. But even though Nasir and Emmett probably wouldn't mind, I had no idea how long we had before we reached our destination, and I didn't want the driver getting a free show. So instead I moved my hands lower to cup his ass and pull him against me even as I slid on the seat towards him, trapping his hand between our groins.

"It's all I've been thinking about for weeks," I admitted, "so if you keep talking like this, I may not make it all the way to your place."

"You mean I could make you come just by talking dirty and doing this?" he removed his hand and ground his erection against mine. "Hmm. That's so tempting. Especially since I know you could go again tonight."

I closed my eyes, focusing on feeling him grind against me. "You certainly have the power to make me exit this limo in cum stained jeans, but I wish you wouldn't."

"No," his laugh was mischievous, "that would be too much of a waste. I have another destination in mind for that load."

I was surprised by his boldness, but pleased as well. I liked this horny, aggressive side to my boy. I'd seen glimpses of him like this during our week together, but it was good to know that the behavior was permanent, instead of a product of time and place.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw that Emmett and Nasir had stopped kissing and were observing us with wide grins.

"Enjoying the show, guys?" I teased, but kept my hands cupped around Jasper's firm ass with no intention of letting go. Jasper stayed in place, but turned his head to look at them. He too was grinning widely.

"Sorry. I may have gotten a little carried away. It's been three weeks, though..."

"Don't mind us, Jasper," Emmett said with a dismissive wave. "You two go right ahead."

I could feel Jasper's indecision, and I loved that a part of him actually wanted to turn around and resume what we had been doing, but I didn't want even a part of him to be uncomfortable or embarrassed, so I was glad when he looked at me and whispered "We'll pick this up where we left off later, okay?" I nodded and released my hold, letting him slide back to sit beside me. I didn't bother trying to hide my arousal, especially as I noted that Nasir's shirt was wide open and, without bothering to confirm visually, figured he and Emmett were likely in the same state.

We spent the rest of the drive talking and time passed quickly. Before I knew it, we stopped and the driver exited the limo.

"I guess this is where we part ways. We'll see you guys back here tomorrow night," I said to Emmett and Nasir, expecting them to exit the car.

Nasir frowned. "I thought you were going to come by our place for drinks," he said, clearly confused.

"We are, Nasir. This stop is for us, Edward," Jasper explained.

"But the address you gave the driver wasn't yours," I protested. I had memorized his address from when I had to ship back his things.

"No. Since Ross and Dimi are at my place, I thought it would be more comfortable for both us and them if we stayed at a hotel this weekend. I hope that's okay. I probably should have told you earlier, but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"Oh," I said, taken aback. "I was assuming we'd be staying at your place, but this is fine." I remembered worrying about our behavior being constrained by the presence of Jasper's friends, and was happy that he and I were on the same page without ever discussing it.

"You will enjoy this, Edward," Nasir assured me. "Jasper gave his selection a lot of thought and picked this hotel with you in mind."

"Okay," I said slowly, not understanding his meaning.

"Don't set his expectations too high, Nasir," Jasper chastised. "I hope you'll like it, Edward,” he said to me. "Come on." He slipped past me and exchanged slightly awkward hugs with the guys before exiting the limo. I followed. Once I stood on the sidewalk I saw the bellman already had our bags on his cart.

"Thank you very much," Jasper told the driver and slipped him a bill as they shook hands. The driver shut the door of the limo and returned to the wheel. Jasper and I watched as the limo pulled away, taking Nasir and Emmett with them.

"Let's go check in," Jasper suggested, turning towards the door of the Park Lane Hotel. The bellman led us in and directed us to the check-in desk. Jasper explained who he was and pulled out his wallet.

"Jas, let me," I said, automatically reaching for my wallet.

"No," he put out a hand to stop me. "I got it. You treated me to a whole vacation. It's my turn."

Reluctantly, I brought my hand to my side. I knew I could better afford this kind of an expense, but I could see paying was important to Jasper.

"Mr. Whitlock, I have your registration right here for the Executive Park View King?"

"That's right," Jasper confirmed. He completed the check in process and then we were quickly whisked away and led to our room, where the bellman unloaded our bags and left with a tip from Jasper.

"This is very nice, Jas," I said, looking around the large room. I walked to the huge picture window, larger than the love seat that was centered in front of it. I stood on one side of the love seat, directly in front of the window, and looked out on the lit buildings that seemed to surround a large, sparsely lit area.

"The best view is during the day," Jasper said as he came up behind me and slipped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. "That's Central Park down there. It's no Mount Rainier or even the Northern Cascades, but it's as close to nature as I could get us in Manhattan. The leaves have started to turn and the park is gorgeous this time of year, especially from up here. You're gonna love it!"

"I'm sure the view will be fabulous," I said, turning in his arms, "but I wouldn't care if the room had no window, as long as I could be with and look at you. I love you, Jas. It's so good to be able to hold you again."

Our kiss started off sweet, but soon the lust that we had been storing up for weeks took over and we began kissing each other with almost bruising intensity. I couldn't get enough of his lips and mouth and tongue and skin. Tasting the familiar flavor that was uniquely him at once contented me and made me want more. I reached for the hem of his sweater at the same time as he reached for the hem of the thermal Henley that I had layered over a long sleeved tee. Finding the tee-shirt underneath, Jasper impatiently grabbed its hem too and began tugging both shirts up at the same time, just as I was pushing up his sweater. We were forced to stop kissing in order to pull our tops over our heads, but they were immediately tossed aside and we were once again joined at the lips, this time with our chests pressed close together and our hands free to slide over each other's naked backs.

I relished the feel of his skin against mine, relished his scent. It wasn't the same as when we came together like this in Washington. This time there was less of a sense of wonder and more familiarity, which was so much better. The uncertainty I felt before was gone. As my fingers traced his spine and shoulder blades, then reached up to comb gently over his scalp through his soft hair, I felt the same unsated desire, but also a sense of belonging. I knew my touch was welcomed, wanted, and needed. I knew it by the way it was mirrored with his hands on my body, moving in sure, knowing strokes, stoking the fire between us. There was no sign of the hesitant Jasper, no sign of the wariness he showed at Seth's wedding and, to some extent, in Chicago. There was only the heat of his hands kneading the muscles of my back, shoulders and neck, and the wetness of his lips and tongue dragging over the day-long scruff on my face. Sensing his determination and conviction was how I knew we were both exactly where we belonged.

Jasper's mouth was moving lower, over my neck and down to my chest. He pressed his body forward, causing me to lean back against the cold pane of the hotel room window, my butt hitting the ledge beneath the window that enclosed the room heating unit. The coolness shocked me out of my thoughts. I looked down to see Jasper's lips drift over my stomach as he slipped to his knees, his hands reaching for my fly. I glanced around the brightly lit room, and then into the darkness outside.

"Jas," I said urgently, tugging at his hair for attention.

"Hmm?" he looked up without stopping what he was doing. He had the button of my jeans opened and the zipper down already, and was tugging my jeans downward.

"Don't you think we should draw the curtains closed or something?"

"We're too high up. No one can see us," he dismissed my concern.

"I know we're high up, but we're really backlit against this huge window," I pointed out. It's not that I was a prude or cared about anyone seeing me naked. I didn't particularly want anyone seeing him naked, but even more I didn't want to get thrown out of the hotel or worse for reported indecent exposure. And having had Liam and Owen in my life for so long, I couldn't help but think of some kid having a sleepless night and looking out of his room window, seeing us being intimate. It didn't feel right.

Jasper pressed his lips against the now exposed base of my hard cock and grinned up at me wickedly. "I never thought I'd see the day Edward Cullen turned shy. That's so cute, Tiger."

"I'm not shy," I scoffed. "But..."

"Okay, hold that thought. And close your eyes." he said, kissing my stomach again and rising to stand.

"Why?" I asked suspiciously.

"Just trust me," he said and leaned his full body against me to kiss me, his tongue sweeping between my parted lips and thoroughly exploring as much of my mouth as was within his reach.

"Okay," I said agreeably when he pulled back, reeling from the intensity of the kiss and thrilled that he could make me feel that way. Even with my eyes closed I could hear him walking through the room and unzipping his bag. I was curious what he was up to, but at the same time I had no problems keeping my eyes closed. The wait and mystery were only amping up my excitement and anticipation.

"Oh," I gasped in surprise when I felt his tongue gliding over my nipple. He had been very stealthy. I hadn't heard him return even though I was listening for him. "Can I open my eyes now?"

"Not yet. Turn around," he requested. I pushed myself off the glass and turned around. Standing behind me, he pulled me back a step. Then he took my right hand in his and, using the other hand on my back to push me slightly forward and down, rested my right hand against the glass. He then pulled my left hand to the glass as well, so that I was roughly in the position a suspect would be in right before the police frisked and cuffed him. I nearly stopped breathing, at a total loss of what would happen next.

"You have no idea how hot you look right now," he said in a low, husky voice, moving his hands over my back and shoulders then slipping them around to my chest. I took shallow breaths as I felt him lean over me, his lips ghosting across my skin, barely touching me, yet setting every nerve ending on fire. I shivered, and this time it had nothing to do with the temperature of the glass against my hands.

I felt him reach for my right shoe and remove it from my foot, followed by my sock. He repeated his action with the other foot, and then ran his hands up the backs of my legs and over my butt, squeezing my cheeks through the jeans. He moved higher, grasping the waist of the jeans again. I was acutely aware that my fly remained undone, and that I was now facing the city, on full display for anyone caring to look at our window. I shivered again, but didn't protest or open my eyes as he pulled the jeans down, exposing me completely. He lifted my feet one by one to remove the jeans, leaving me completely nude and as hard as I ever remembered being.

"So damn hot!" He exclaimed with admiration as he stood behind me again. I felt both of his hands rest on my hips, his thumbs moving back and forth over my lower back. Then he lifted his hands and I heard the sound of a zipper being pulled open. I swallowed audibly and shivered again, suddenly feeling more vulnerable than I ever had before. During our week together I offered him the opportunity to top. He turned it down then, but I never withdrew the offer and I never would. I couldn't help but wonder if he had changed his mind. Now that we were in his city, where he felt more in control, would he want to try something neither of us had done before? The possibility filled me with trepidation, but also excitement. I waited in the position he had placed me in, my eyes still closed, listening to him removing his shoes and socks and jeans. I didn't know what would happen next, but I loved and trusted him enough to keep fear and panic from taking over.

He moved up behind me and couldn't help tensing a little, bracing myself against the window. He didn't press into me, however, as I expected him to. Instead, he slid to his knees and moved to the space between me and the window. I relaxed, having a better idea now of what was likely to follow. Moments later I felt his lips close around the head of my cock, his tongue tracing the length of my slit. We both let out a moan and he pulled me in deeper. He leaned back and then forward, over and over, taking more of my length every time until I was all the way inside his mouth and down his throat. He held me there, his arms wrapped around the backs of my thighs as if he was afraid I'd try to pull out. Such a silly thing to fear, when all I wanted was to stay exactly where I was for as long as I possibly could. Finally, when I was beginning to worry about his oxygen deprivation, he relaxed his arms and pulled back, releasing me completely.

"I love sucking you, Edward," he said in the same low, sexy throaty voice he'd used earlier. "You taste so good."

"You feel so good. You have the perfect mouth..." I sighed, unable to find more words.

"Yeah?" he teased, lapping at my balls. "Just my mouth?"

"Oh, fuck, Jas!" I tried to still the shudder that ripped through me. In the process I squeezed my eyes shut even more than before.

"You can open your eyes now, if you want to," he said. I definitely wanted to, yet I hesitated, remembering my position in front of the window. As long as my eyes remained closed, I could block out the world and forget about our potential audience. I worried that once I opened them, I would be too intimidated to keep going.

"It's okay, trust me," he assured, stroking my cock with his hand.

I opened my right eye just a sliver to avoid the assault of bright light that never materialized. Confused, I opened both eyes wider and gasped. Jasper had turned off the room lights so it was now bathed in near darkness with only the lights from buildings surrounding Central Park providing illumination.

"Wow!" I exclaimed in wonder just as he pulled me back deep into his throat. I let out another gasp and a moan, lowering my head to look at him, his light skin standing out against the darkness. It was difficult to stop looking at the city, but the view in the room before me was even better, so I ignored the world outside and focused on the sight and sound and feel of him masterfully working my cock until I was ready to explode.

"Jas, I'm so close," I warned, taking one of my hands off the glass and combing it through his hair. I didn't necessarily want him to stop. He said in the limo and made obvious when we got to the room that he had a plan, and I didn't want to interfere with that. If his plan involved making me come this way first, I'd be more than satisfied, knowing we'd have the opportunity to make love later. If he wanted to stop and do something else that was fine too. I was in his hands.

He stilled in front of me and just held me deep in his mouth, his tongue massaging my cock. The intensity of sensation was less than when he was sucking, but with time this too would drive me to orgasm. I waited for him to decide what he wanted to do next. When the constant movement had gotten me close again I merely hissed and tightened my hand in his hair. I didn't know if I should be relieved or disappointed when he recognized my sign and pulled off.

"I wish I could suck you off and then have you fuck me immediately after," he confessed.

"That's too tall of an order for me," I admitted regretfully. "I probably won't need long, but I need some time to recover."

"I know, and I need to feel you inside me too much, so as much as I want to taste you again, this'll have to wait."

He grasped my hips for leverage and hoisted himself up, immediately pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss. I stepped forward, pulling him flush against me. I felt his erection pressing against mine, the head of his long, hard cock sliding through the fine hair on my belly, leaving behind a slick trail of precum. I knew I was doing the same to him and I loved knowing that we were marking each other like that, even if the marks were only temporary.

I had no idea how long we kissed, our hands and lips exploring each other's bodies. Eventually he pulled back and turned in my arms, so that his back was to my chest. I wrapped my arms around his chest from behind and hugged him close, never wanting to let him go. I was still plastered to him when he put out his arms and leaned forward against the glass, mimicking my pose from earlier. He turned his head to look at me and said, his voice husky, "Take me, Tiger. Just like this."

It was physically impossible for me to get any harder, but reflexively I flexed my hips and pushed my erection deeper into the length of his crack. Then practicality struck.

"I need lube, and a condom," I looked back to try to see my bag in the darkness.

"Everything's right here on the love seat," Jasper said. A glance at the love seat revealed not just a bottle of lube and a strip of condoms, but also a couple of towels. He'd anticipated everything and silently brought it all over earlier. I tightened my grip around his chest, pressing myself harder into his back and moving my hips subtly so that my hardness slid up and down the convenient channel between his cheeks.

"I love you, Jas. So much!"

"I love you too, Edward," his voice matched mine in intensity. "But now I need you to really love me. And judging by that rod I feel against my ass, I'm not the only needy one here," he turned to look at me with a smirk "Fuck me for the whole city to see, or at least for the people with night vision binoculars."

I laughed and let him go, slapping his ass playfully. I reached for a towel and draped from the window ledge to cover the wall and carpet in front of him. I picked up the lube, but instead of opening the bottle I set it on the floor next to the love seat, sinking to my knees behind Jasper. His feet were planted about shoulder width apart, making it easy for me to reach between his legs and pull his erection down and back. I knew this wouldn't be the most comfortable for him, which meant that even though contact would feel good, I wouldn't have to worry about him coming. I stroked him with one hand while fondling his balls with the other. His sac was perfectly smooth, which made me a little sad. I was looking forward to a time where we could help each other manscape. In the meantime, though, I knew I could use that smoothness to my advantage. I leaned in and pulled one of his balls into my mouth, sucking on it ever so gently, even as I continued to pump his cock. With it angled down and to the back, I could see precum beading at the tip, ready to spill over. It would have been easier to smear it over his head with my thumb or simply let it drip slowly to the towel beneath, but I couldn't let that happen, not when I still hadn't even had a taste. Just as the bead of moisture, glistening in the light from outside, began to separate from his skin, I released his nut and moved my head forward with lightning speed and precision to catch it with my tongue. Instead of immediately swallowing, I ran the flat of my tongue over his head, spreading the precum around all the taste buds, before running the tip back and forth through his slit. He moaned my name, which only encouraged me to pull as much of him into my mouth as I could in this awkward position. I sucked him a few times, my mouth and hand working in tandem, then left him to my hand as I returned my mouth to give his neglected ball equal attention.

"Edward please, please fuck me," he whimpered. "Fuck me before I come."

I knew he was exaggerating, trying to speed things up, but although I was certainly physically ready to be inside him, I wanted him at a full fever pitch when I finally took him. Plus, with his hot ass right before me, there was no way I could resist a taste. I moved my mouth off his testicle and licked his tightening sac. I let my tongue travel up over his perineum, using my free hand to spread his cheeks to lick broadly between them. His resulting moan was music to my ears. I ran my tongue through the length of his crack a few more times before focusing on that special place that I know would bring both of us the greatest pleasure. I circled his opening several times and when I heard him softly moaning my name I curled up my tongue and thrust it inside him.

I knew he enjoyed everything I was doing, so I ignored his pleas for me to fuck him and continued to worship him intimately with my hands, lips and tongue. I relented and released him only when I was ready to, and knew he was as close to orgasm as he could get in this position. I gave my own neglected, weeping, achingly hard cock a couple of strokes before reaching for the lube. I coated a couple of fingers and parted his cheeks with one hand as I slipped the slick fingertips against his opening. I spread the lubricant over the tender, puckered flesh, already wet with my spit, then pressed one fingertip against the his relaxed opening. I listened for sounds of discomfort. Hearing nothing but a soft sigh, I pressed my finger deeper.

"That's it, get me ready," he encouraged. "Slick me up so you can really fuck me."

I withdrew my finger and poured a little more lube onto it and its neighbor. At the same time Jasper lifted his leg and rested it on the window ledge, making his entrance even more accessible. I looked up and gasped at the sheer beauty of his form. With just one leg anchoring him to the floor, his hands on the window and his leg on the ledge, he looked like he was in motion. His long, lean body seemed almost to have been captured in the transition from walking to flying. He was simply breathtaking. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to commit the image to memory forever, wishing I had a camera. Then I remembered my phone and looked around frantically, trying to locate the jeans he'd taken off me earlier. I found them within reach of my unlubed hand, and quickly retrieved my phone. Jasper looked back at me and in the illumination from the street I could see a frown cross his face.

"Now?" he asked simply.

"I'm sorry," I told him sincerely. "It's just that you look so beautiful right now, so amazing. I don't trust myself to remember. Okay?"

He breathed out through his nose, the sound similar to that of a bull preparing for a fight with the matador. I readied myself for his objection, intending to immediately set the camera aside if that's what he wanted. Instead the side of his mouth turned up with his sexy smirk and said "Okay."

I would have loved to have taken the photo without flash, capturing the way lights and shadows played across his skin, but there was no way I could hold the camera steady enough to capture a good image. Instead I compromised, the flash ripping through the near darkness of the room like lightning. One glance at the screen told me that although the image was different, it was still stunning. I knew I had delayed us, but the delay had been worth it.

With my photographic mission accomplished, I slid the phone across the carpet away from us and returned to the task I'd abandoned minutes earlier. I returned my re-lubricated fingers to his hole, pressing the gel inside him and then following to make sure his tunnel was thoroughly coated. I couldn't give him the actual gift of flight, but I would sure try to make him feel like he was flying.

I found his prostate and massaged it with my fingertips as I stood up. Jasper was responding, pressing back against my hand for deeper penetration. I knew he was ready, so I pulled my hand out and reached to rip off a condom. He was breathing heavily, but waited patiently as I took the condom out and put it on, reaching down for more lube. When I was done I moved up behind him and lined up my cock with his hole, pressing against him so he could feel me, but not enough to penetrate.

"Are you ready?" I asked, just to confirm what my other senses had already observed.

"I am so beyond ready," he panted, turning his head back. I leaned forward over him, my chest plastered to him, but still keeping my hips back. I captured his lips with mine and pressed my hands over his, interlocking our fingers against the glass.

"Look forward," I commanded, breaking the kiss. He turned his head forward and I rested my cheek against his as we looked out onto the city. "This is perfect," I told him. "I want us both to always remember this moment. The first time we made love in your city." I thrust forward and felt my head breach his opening, then easily slide deeper, aided by my earlier preparations.

"Yes!" he cried out, arching his back to push his ass against me. "Deeper!"

I paused, drew back a little, and then thrust forward again, pushing myself almost all the way inside him, causing him to cry out again. I didn't have to guess. He was letting me know loud and clear exactly what he wanted, and it wasn't a slow, languid pace. One more pull back and plunge forward and I was completely sheathed in his heat, my balls brushing against his. Jasper urged me on, and I began to pump into him steadily, my hands tightening even more around his as the pleasure of being inside him began to overwhelm my senses. He made a sound each time I entered him that started as a soft moan then grew louder and gradually formed into a "yes," sounding almost like a mantra. I push-pulled over and over, feeling his tight heat envelop me completely time and time again.

I became overheated from the exertion, moisture from my face and chest slowly dripping onto his back, where it mixed with his sweat. He started trembling, his now moist hands slipping down the glass of the window a bit. I let go of his hands and grasped his shoulders, using leverage to keep him upright as I continued to thrust, dipping my head to his spine to lick our mingled perspiration. The slight change in our position must have made a difference, because his vocalization changed again, sounding more urgent and tense.

"Oh, God! I need... please...so close," he chanted. I was nearly as incoherent, but I felt his reaction each time I hit a certain spot, so I focused on repeating the one motion that seemed to propel him to greatest heights. The muscles in my legs began to cramp, but I ignored the pain and pushed through it, knowing it wouldn't be long. I took one hand off his shoulder and wrapped my arm around his chest, pulling him up just slightly while at the same time finding and tweaking his nipple with my sweat-moistened hand. He cried out, tensed momentarily, then shuddered as cum sprayed from his flailing cock onto the towel covered ledge, wall and carpet, but also onto the window pane. His internal contractions were so strong I had no hope of holding back my own orgasm, and shuddered along with him, unloading my release inside him. He threw his head back onto my shoulder and turned his face, giving me a moment to kiss him before he pitched forward again, his hands sliding all the way down to the ledge so that he was bent in hand, pulling me along with him. I felt his knees buckle first, and then my own, but I retained enough control to lower us to the carpet gently. We fell onto our knees and then our sides, and lay curled up together, with me spooning him, my pulsing cock still inside him. Our combined heaving breaths made us sound as though we just ran a marathon. I wanted to speak, to ask him if the earth had just shook for him as it did for me, but I was at once too high and too exhausted to formulate coherent words. Instead I kept holding him close to me with my one arm, his own hand holding onto it possessively, and only had the presence of mind to nuzzle the back of his neck, relishing in the mildly salty flavor of his skin.

It was a good fifteen or twenty minutes before either of us spoke. In fact, it was the sensation of my softening cock slipping from his ass and his resultant low, regretful moan that finally pulled us out of the recovery haze. I reached down to pull off the condom before it slipped and spilled its contents. I reached back to where I knew I had thrown my jeans and set the condom on top of them, resolving to deal with it later. At the same time Jasper was turning and laying his body over my chest, pressing his lips over mine before tracing them with his tongue.

"That was..." he paused to consider, kissing me to fill in the silence. "I don't have the words," he finally concluded. "I've never felt anything like it."

"I know. Me too," I admitted. "I think it can only be like this with a man you truly love. With your soul mate."

"Yes," he agreed, resting his cheek on my chest. "I think that's it."

We lay together for a few minutes more before he suggested we move to the more comfortable bed. We rose slowly and used the second towel he so thoughtfully brought out earlier to wipe off the remnants of our lovemaking between slipping between the sheets.

"So, was this the plan you were alluding to in the limo?" I teased as we lay facing each other.

"More or less. There's no way I could have planned that!" he chuckled. "But yeah, this was how I wanted to welcome you to New York."

"If that's a typical welcome, I'll fly in every weekend," I quipped.

"What about your job? I thought weekends were your busiest days," he challenged.

"Roger still owes me for that time I put in at Stehekin," I replied confidently. "I can work it out."

Of course, while my words may have held a kernel of truth, there was no way I would ever put Roger in that position. As a full time ranger, I had an obligation to work a certain amount of weekends, regardless of what assignments I might have volunteered for in the past. But then, I didn't have to be a ranger. I loved my job and it was personally fulfilling, but I didn't need the money and could easily quit and revert to volunteer status, which would allow me to work on the mountain and still fly out nearly every weekend.

"Every weekend isn't reasonable, and you shouldn't impose on your friendship with your boss like that," Jasper said, echoing my thoughts. "Plus it's only fair that I fly out to Washington too. I'm looking forward to those Washington welcomes," he poked my ribs, though gently enough for it not to hurt.

"Between you, me, Emmett and Nasir flying back and forth between here and Washington, we should buy a private jet."

"Ugh," Jasper shuddered against me. "No thanks. I'll take the frequent flier miles over one of those toy planes any day. The big jets are scary enough," he pointed out, reminding me of how much he disliked flying. And yet he was willing to keep traveling back and forth, just for me. All I could do in response was gather him to me and kiss him.

"I love you, Jasper, and I wish I could figure this distance thing out so that neither one of us had to go across the country to see the other. But I think the state of Washington would object to being shifted to the east coast."

He giggled. "New York isn't nearly laid back enough to move out west, either. But I have been thinking about this," he said, more seriously. "I've looked at a couple Seattle stations and there are shows that could maybe use someone like me," I heard the hesitation in his voice and knew his investigation revealed what Cliff had known years ago. Seattle could work as a starting point to a TV career, but it wasn't a place to move to unless one started in a tiny market in the middle of nowhere. For Jasper, moving to Seattle would definitely be a career set-back.

"Maybe instead of you moving back to Seattle, we could move somewhere together, like, I don't know, Denver, or Chicago?" I posited, using my mom's suggestion. "Or maybe I should just move here."

He glanced at me and I could see a faint hope in his eyes, which he did his best to cover up.

"I've lived in Seattle so I know what life there is like. New York is so different," he said noncommittally. "You should spend a little more time here to see how you like it before offering to uproot your life and move here."

"Why do you think I'm here? I mean, seeing you is a nice bonus, but mostly I've just always wanted to see this city," I tried to stay serious, but as I saw his eyes widen in surprise I couldn't help laughing, letting him in on the joke. "I'm kidding!" I said, kissing him. "Of course I'm kidding. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't care if I never stepped foot here. In fact, I'd be perfectly happy to spend the entire weekend with you in bed, here or anywhere. But I know you love this city, and I would love it if you shared that with me, the way I shared the Northern Cascades with you. Did you know your face actually brightens when you say New York?" It was true. He'd never had a good poker face, and his love for his home was very clearly visible, even to someone who didn't study him as carefully as I always did.

"Yeah?" he seemed surprised. "I bet not as much as when I say Edward," he pointed out, and I couldn't deny it. He did light up when he said my name, and knowing that made me feel warm and loved.

"Be that as it may," I said, punctuating my words with a quick kiss, "I already know myself, so now I want to get to know my competition. What are you going to show me tomorrow?"

We stayed up a while longer, cuddling and discussing the plans he'd made for us. He assured me that they were mostly flexible, and that if there was something else I was interested in seeing we could easily fit it in, but I was content to follow his plan. He was, after all, far more knowledgeable about his home than I could ever be, and I trusted him implicitly. We talked past the time when we should have been sleeping, both of us seemingly reluctant to give up any of our time together. Eventually, though, exhaustion took over and we drifted off mid-conversation.