Heading Down The Long Road chapter 6

An inexplicably nervous Dave glanced at his watch. Five-twenty-five. I’m early. I hope he won’t mind. God I’m so nervous, but then it’s not every day I ask someone to move in with me and spend the rest of their life with me. What if he says no? What will I do then? I can’t lose him. I love him too much, but what if he doesn’t feel the same way about me? I know he loves me, but does he love me enough that he will spend the rest of his life with me? Should I ask him or should I wait? I wish I knew for sure how he truly felt about me. I guess I’ll just have to play it by ear.

“Good evening sir. Welcome to the Thompson building. How may I help you?”

“Hi. I’m Dave Barton, here to see Greg Peters, please. He’s expecting me.”

“One moment, please.” The doorman picked up the phone. “Mister Peters, there is a Dave Barton here to see you. Of course. Thank you.” He turned to Dave. “Go right on up, sir. Third floor, apartment 302. Take a left out of the elevator then another left.” He pressed the button to unlock the inside door and allow Dave to enter the building’s lobby.

“Thank you.” Moments later he knocked on Greg’s door.

A few seconds later the door was opened by a half-naked Greg, fresh from a shower drying his hair. “Hi, baby. I’m running a little behind. I was a little late getting out of work. He gave Dave a wet, sloppy kiss.

Dave whistled appreciatively as he took in the sight of his boyfriend standing there in jeans that were tight in all the right places and nothing else, his muscular torso glistening. He wanted to dry Greg off with his tongue, but knew they’d never make the vet appointment if he did. Instead, to distract himself from the incredible hunk standing before him, he decided to look around the room “This is a great place you have here. I love the way you’ve decorated it, and it smells heavenly.”

“Thanks. Make yourself at home. I’ll just be a minute.” He rushed into the bedroom to finish getting dressed.

As soon as he sat down on the couch a beautiful marmalade-colored cat jumped into his lap, demanding attention. “You must be Chiara”. He held out his hand to the cat so she could sniff it, receiving a head-butt in response. “I take it you want some attention?” Slowly he reached up to pet her. He didn’t want to startle the animal. However, she decided he was taking too long. She rose up on her hind legs, putting her front paws on his chest and touched her nose to his before proceeding to rub the side of her face against his cheek. “Okay, okay, I get the message.” He said, laughing as he started petting her. She immediately settled down on his lap and started purring.

“I see you’ve made a friend.” Dave looked up to see Greg leaning against the bedroom door frame watching them intently, grinning from ear to ear.

“She’s a beautiful cat.”

“Spoiled rotten pain-in-the-ass cat. That’s what she is.” He said as he sat down next to Dave and began petting her along with him. “Well, what do you think, Chiara? Do we keep him?” The cat meowed in response.  “Okay, then it’s unanimous. Her royal highness has put her seal of approval on you. I’ll leave the two of you alone to get better acquainted while I finish dinner. She really loves to have the back and inside of her ears rubbed, like this.” Greg reached down and showed Dave. Chiara eagerly leaned into the caresses.

“Before you go, I have something for you.” Being careful not to dislodge the cat, he reached behind the couch and brought out a huge bouquet of flowers and presented them to Greg.

“They’re beautiful, baby. Thank you. They’re just what this place needs. I hope you realized how lucky you are going to get tonight.” He said with an evil grin on his face as he went to put them into water. Coming back out of the kitchen with the flowers in a crystal vase when he set on a small table, he said “You have two choices. You are more than welcome to stay here or you can come with us to the vet. It’s just around the corner. I’ve turned the stove off so nothing will burn. I’ll only be ten minutes.”

“I’d like to go with you, if you don’t mind.”

“Good, because I want to talk with you about something.”

Uh-oh! I’m not sure I want to hear this.

“Okay, what did you want to talk to me about?” He asked as Greg got the cat carrier and put Chiara into it.

“While I’m at the vet, I’d like to register you as co-owner of her.”

“Why’s that?”

“Dave, I’m a cop. I could get shot at any time and possibly even killed. If that were to happen, I’d like for you to take Chiara. I’d hate for her to end up in an animal shelter. By registering you as co-owner, should God forbid anything happen to me you’d be able to take her to get her shots and stuff. You’re the only person I trust with her and she already loves you. She normally runs and hides whenever anyone else comes here. She took to you right away. She’s never done that before.”

“Baby, I’m honored and most certainly will take care of her, but nothing is going to happen to you.”

“You don’t know that one-hundred percent for sure.”

“No, I don’t.” Dave admitted reluctantly. “But I do know this. You’re safer with the task force that with your old precinct, especially with those two dickheads. I wouldn’t have put it past Kenson to look the other way if someone should attack you.”

“He’d probably hold me down so the other person could beat the shit out of me. You’re right about me being safer where I am now, but I’m still not one-hundred percent safe out there.”

“Who is?”

“Good point.” They walked into the vet’s office. “Hi, Julia.”

“Hi Greg. Hi Chiara.” The cat meowed in greeting.

“Does she always do that?” Dave asked.

“Yep. Julia, this is Dave Barton. I’d like him to be entered into Chiara’s record as co-owner, please.”

“No problem. Let me just let the doctor know you’re here. Dave, fill this out for me please with your contact information.” She handed him a card.

True to Greg’s word, within ten minutes they were back at his apartment building. “Jimmy, this is Dave Barton.” Dave shook hands with the doorman and exchanged brief pleasantries. ”Please put him on the permanent access list. With my new position in the PPD, I’m going to be working strange hours maybe even a few day stretches. I’m giving him a key to my apartment so he can take care of my cat and my fish.”

“No problem, Mister Peters.”

“Thanks.” As they rode the elevator Dave gave Greg a questioning look. “I doubt I’ll need to have you take care of her, but I just like to be prepared.”

If you agree to what I plan on asking you, I won’t need a key. “It never hurts to be prepared.” Dave agreed.

Greg handed Dave the remote to the TV as he released the cat from her carrier. “This will only take about five minutes. Relax and watch TV or you’re more than welcome to look around. I want you to consider this your home-away-from-home.” He returned to the kitchen to finish dinner as Dave wandered around the room, noticing for the first time the huge fish tank set along a side wall.

“Honey, these fish are beautiful. I’ve never seen such colorful fish. I really love this blue one with the yellow.

“They’re salt-water fish. A tad more difficult to take care of than fresh water fish and the initial setup of the tank is a real bitch, but it’s worth it.” He called from the dining room. “Dinner’s ready. Come and sit down.”

As soon as Dave walked into the dining room his mouth started watering. “It looks and smells absolutely wonderful.” He said as he looked over the spread that Greg had prepared. Cube steaks smothered in mushrooms and onions with some kind of sauce, mashed potatoes, corn and freshly-baked dinner rolls. “This should go nicely.” He handed Greg an expensive bottle of wine.

“Thank you, baby. Let me get a cork screw and some wine glasses.

Conversation over dinner was light-hearted and carefree with a lot of laughter.

“Baby, these are absolutely the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten. What’s your secret?”

“It’s no real secret. I just used ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’ instead of regular butter and I added grated parmesan cheese.”

“They’re great, but I have to admit, not as great as these cube steaks. They’re to die for.”

“They’re easy to make. First I sautéed the mushrooms and onions in ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’. I used extra-virgin olive oil to cook the cube steaks in. Then while the cube steaks were cooking, I mixed up the sauce which is half a bottle of Heinz-57 or A-1 steak sauce, half a bottle of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder and ground black pepper. As soon as the cube steaks were almost done, I threw in the sauce, mushrooms and onions and let everything finish cooking. The trick is to make sure to only use the leanest possible cube steaks. They’re a little more expensive, but definitely worth it. The same with the Worcestershire sauce. I’ve tried it with other brands, but it just doesn’t come out as good. Either steak sauce works. I usually use whichever is on sale.”

“You can make them anytime you want for me, and as often as you want. They’re fabulous. The corn is really good too. What did you do to it?”

“I simply added bacon bits and chives to frozen niblets corn. No canned crap.”

“Dinner was out of this world. I can’t thank you enough.”

“It’s not over yet. I figured we’d wait a bit to let it settle before we have dessert.”

“Let me guess what’s on the dessert menu. You.”

Greg giggled a little. “Well, perhaps that’s the second dessert course. I have a special dessert, but I’m not going to tell you what it is. Why don’t you go make yourself comfortable while I clean up?”

“Nothing doing. You did the cooking, I’ll do the cleaning.”

“We’ll both do the cleaning then.” They made short work of loading the dishwasher then snuggled on the couch and talked about the rest of their day at their respective jobs. “I have a new DVD I think you might like. It’s called Eating Out 3 All You Can Eat. I’ve seen the first two and they’re pretty good, but this one is supposed to be the best. Why don’t you put it on while I get dessert?”

Dave put the DVD Greg handed him into the DVD player as Greg left the room and came back a few minutes later with two large bowls.

“What is this?”

“Try it and see.”

Dave took a tentative bite, then a much bigger bite. “Oh, my God this is beyond incredible. Where did you get it?” He took another bite. “Whoa. It’s got gummy worms in it.”

“I made it. It’s called dirt cake. I got the recipe from Kyle. Basically you crush two bags of Oreo cookies, mix half a stick of butter, a package of cream cheese and a cup of powdered sugar. Set that aside and mix three-and-a-half cups of milk, a container of cool whip and two packages of vanilla pudding, then mix in the other mixture.  Starting with the pudding mixture, alternate layers of the mixture and the cookies, with a layer of cookies on top. And refrigerate it overnight. The gummy worms are optional. However, being the card-carrying hardcore chocoholic that I am, I substituted chocolate pudding for the vanilla pudding. All-in-all, it’s really easy to make.”

“You  know, there’s a twelve-step program for chocoholics.” Dave chided.

“Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.” Greg countered.

“I don’t know about the horse, but I definitely plan on you fucking me later.”

“You have to play your cards right. Wait a minute. Let me back that up a bit. I don’t think I heard her correctly.” Greg wound the movie back a bit. Suddenly both men howled with laughter. “I don’t believe she just said ‘If he’s gay I’ll eat my own twat.’ That’s hysterical.”

After thoroughly enjoying the movie and dessert, of which they both had seconds. Greg took Dave by the hand and led him into the bedroom where they had amazing, mind-blowing sex, each taking turns being inside the other. Greg snuggled up to Dave afterwards. “Baby, what’s on your mind? You’re like a million miles away.”

“Greg, how long is the lease on this apartment?”

“It’s a yearly lease, up for renewal next month.”

“Turn in your notice and don’t renew the lease.”

“Why?”

“Greg, I know we’ve only known each other for a short time, but I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else but you. I want you to move in with me. I want to share my life completely with you, good times and bad. It just feels so right. I’ve never felt like this with anyone before. I’ve never had anyone I felt so completely comfortable with, or felt that I could tell them anything. I’ve never loved anyone so completely like I do you. I don’t know if you feel the same way about me as I do about you, but I’m hoping you do and that you’re willing to spend the rest of your life with me. Nothing would make me happier.” His words came out in a rush.

“Are you asking me to marry you?”

Dave was silent for a moment. “Yeah, I guess in a round-about way, I am.”

“Well, in that case, I guess I don’t need to get you a key to this apartment since I’m not going to have it much longer.”

“Then your answer is…” Dave turned pleading eyes on Greg.

“Absolutely, unequivocally, indubitably, undeniably, yes!” was Greg’s immediate, vehement response, which of course, led to another round of lovemaking.

The next day after Dave went to work, Greg walked through his apartment taking notes on what he wanted to keep and what he wanted to donate to Good Will. The list of what he wanted to keep was surprisingly small, mainly consisting of his TV, DVD player, stereo, CDs, DVDs, guitar, games, books, clothing, and a few odds and ends. He stopped in front of his most prized possession next to his cat, his aquarium. Sadly he gently touched the glass as he said “Sorry, guys, but I’m going to have to find you a new home. I’m moving and I can’t take you with me.” Chiara, sensing his mood, started rubbing up against his legs and purring. He got out his phone and dialed. “Greg Peters for Dave Barton, please.”

A few seconds later, Dave came on the phone. “Hi, baby, what’s up?”

“Hi, honey. I was just going through my apartment making a list of what I wanted to keep and what I’m going to get rid of. Do you know anyone who would like a free salt-water fish tank?”

“Why do you want to get rid of it? I thought you loved it. I know I do.”

“There’s no room at your house.”

“Our house; and I already know where it’s going to go. Your entertainment center is smaller, but much nicer than that God-awful thing I have which takes up the whole wall. I figured I’d give it to Good Will and we can use yours.”

“Everything you must have in yours won’t fit mine. Mine’s half the size of yours.”

“Sure it will. Most of mine is empty. I used to have a home theater system, which I ended up giving to my foster brother since I hardly ever used it, so like I said; it’s mostly empty. The aquarium is your pride and joy. I’d rather sell everything I have to completely clear out the room than see you get rid of it. Trust me on this. There will be plenty of room for it.”

“What about my furniture and TV?

“Well, believe it or not, before we got together I had just finished getting the financing and stuff to finish off the basement and put a rec room down there. We can put your TV, stereo, couch, end tables, and dartboard in the rec room. The contractor is supposed to start in two weeks and it will take about a month for the work to be done. The papa-san chair I’d like to see in the living room. That is awesomely comfortable. The living room will be a little crowded while the rec room is being built, but we can live with that for the time being, I’m sure.”

“That all works for me.” Greg paused, not really wanting to ask the next question, but it needed to be asked. “What about Chiara?”

“What about her?”

“What am I going to do with her?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I need to find her a good home. I can’t take her to an animal shelter. I couldn’t live with myself if I did, and I most certainly can’t leave her out in the streets.”

“She has a home. Here, with us. I love that little fur ball.”

“There’re some things you need to know. She sleeps with me every night.”

“You mean she sleeps with us every night. If you recall, she curled up at our feet last night I’m fine with that.”

“Okay, what about this. Sometimes when she takes a shit it really stinks.”

“Whose doesn’t, at one point in time or another? We can put her litter box in the hall bathroom under the sink and put a curtain around it. There’s a wall socket there so we can use one of those plug-in air fresheners. She’s a part of you, and therefore a part of me. She’s moving in as well. You know how much I love cats. I want her here. How else can I take care of her when you’re working nights, or on long stretches? After all, isn’t that why you made me co-owner?”

“True. I just wanted to be sure. What about the rest of my furniture, dishes, and stuff?”

“We don’t really need the dishes, pots and pans and stuff. We could box it up and put it up in the attic if you wanted to keep it. You’re bedroom furniture we can put in the spare bedroom and get rid of the crappy furniture that’s in there now. The dining room furniture I’m not sure what to do about. My dining room furniture has been in my family for several generations, but I suppose we could get rid of it and keep yours.”

“No. We’re keeping your dining room stuff. I have no attachment to any of my furniture, so I’m going to have a moving sale to get rid of everything that we don’t keep. What I can’t sell, I’ll donate. I have a lot of clothes I haven’t worn in years that I can get rid of as well.

“Don’t get rid of anything you might need or want later. If we have to rent a storage unit, we will.”

“Thank you baby, but I don’t think we’ll need it. Outside of what we’ve already talked about, the only thing I want to keep is my guitar, CDs, DVDs, laptop, books and games.”

“You know, we never talked about that. What type of games do you like to play? I saw you had a lot of games, most of which I’ve never heard of.”

“I have a couple of favorites. Quoridor[1] is perhaps my favorite board game. Several years ago I was channel surfing and came across this reality show where they were playing a live action version of it. A friend of mine tapes every episode so I borrowed the tape and watched it. I became hooked on it. It took me several years to find it because I was looking for it using ‘c-o-r-r-i-d-o-r’ for the spelling. I finally looked on the show’s website and found the correct spelling, which is ‘q-u-o-r-i-d-o-r’. Once I had that I was able to find it on amazon.com. My all-time favorite game is Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot[2].”

“Kyle and Jay are really into that game. They keep asking me to play, but I always have something else going on.”

“It’s an outrageously fun and addicting game. Do you have any plans for tonight?”

“Other than spending it with you nothing.”

“Cool. We’re going to throw a Killer Bunnies party.”

“Sounds like fun. What time would you want me there?”

“Yesterday.”

“Seriously.”

“Seriously; as soon as you can possibly get here. I have a lot to do and could use your help.”

“Can I bring anything?”

“Munchies. I’ll get some pizzas and sodas and some beer.”

“Cool. See you soon.”

“When you get here I’ll show you how to play.”

“Okay. Bye baby.”

He hung up and dialed another number.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Kyle? It’s Greg Peters.”

“Hi, Greg, how are you?”

“Fine thank you for asking, and you?”

“I’m well thanks. To what do I owe the honor of your call?”

“I understand you’re a fan of Killer Bunnies.”

“It’s my all-time favorite game.”

“Mine too, and that’s the reason why I’m calling. I’m having a Killer Bunnies party at my place tonight at seven and I’d like to invite you and your friends.”

“Awesome. Jay and I will be there. Would you mind if I brought a few friends over?”

“It’s Bunnies. The more the merrier.”

“Can I bring anything?”

“Just yourself and your significant other. We’ll have pizza, soda, beer and munchies.”

“Okay, I’ll bring something for dessert. Will Dave be there?”

“Yeah, he’s out getting the munchies now.”

“Cool. We’ve been trying to get him to play for a long time, but he’s always had something else going on. Okay. We’ll see you around seven with Tommy and Andy. I believe you met them at the hospital. I’ll also call my cousin Karin and her girlfriend Denise, if it’s okay. We all usually play as a group, along with my sister and her husband.”

“Awesome. Bring ‘em all.” Dave walked in with several grocery bags full as Greg hung up.  “Kyle and Jay will be here and they’re bringing Tommy and Andy with them along with his cousin Karin and her girlfriend Denise, and I’m hoping he’ll invite his sister and brother-in-law.

“Have you met any of them?”

“I haven’t met Denise, Karin, his sister or brother-in-law yet. I met Tommy at Kyle’s house when he was raped and Andy later at the hospital”. He replied as he helped Dave organized the sheer volume of munchies he bought and put the sodas into the freezer to get cold. “So, are you ready to learn how to play?”

“Let’s do it.” For the next hour Greg taught Dave how to play. “You’re right about this game. It’s evil. I’m totally addicted to it. Do we have time to play again?”

Greg looked at his watch. “No. Everyone will be here soon. I need to get everything ready.”

“What can I do to help, baby?”

“Up in that cupboard” he pointed to the cupboard he was talking about “there are some serving bowls. Can you get them for me, please?” Dave handed him the bowls as Greg served up the munchies. “We need small plates and glasses.” They scurried around the kitchen and got everything ready. Greg went to a closet and pulled out a folding six-foot banquet table. “We can put all the food on this table.” He pulled out a bunch of chairs and started placing them around the dining room table. Just as he was resetting the game, the doorman buzzed. “Hi, Jimmy.”

“Mister Peters, there’s a group of people here to see you. Kyle Matthews, Jayson Williams, Tommy Adams, Andy Martin, Karin Simmons, Denise Davis, Kim and Bryan Garrett.”

“Awesome. Send them on up, please. Thanks, Jimmy.” He shifted into high gear, pulling the sodas out of the freezer, making sure there was plenty of ice, putting out the munchies and checking on the pizzas. “Dave, everyone is here. Can you greet them for me while I finish getting everything set up?”

“Of course, baby.” He went and stood in the open doorway, greeting everyone as they entered with hugs as Greg finished putting out the plates, napkins, cups and pizza.

When introductions were made, Greg was warmed by the fact that no one would shake his hand. Instead, everyone insisted on giving him a hug and thanking him for all that he had done for Kyle, not only when he was raped but also when he was assaulted in the hospital cafeteria. He tried to pass it off. “Hey, I was only doing my job.”

Dave would have none of his self-effacement. “You went above and beyond the call of duty, which is one of the things I love about you.” He gave Greg a long, a passionate kiss.

“Awesome, a live gay sex show.” Karin cried. “Anyone have any popcorn?” Greg and Dave both blushed furiously as they broke apart.

Dave, keeping his arm around Greg’s waist, deadpanned. “The live sex show starts later, after Killer Bunnies.” Everyone assumed a mock look of disappointment. “Seriously, everyone, get yourselves something to drink.” After everyone had drinks and were gathered around the table, Dave stood up. “Everyone, I have something important to say.” They all looked at him curiously. “As most of you know, I am no longer the Deputy Mayor of this city. I am now the Director of Public Policy at the LGBT Center.” Everyone expressed sentiments of congratulations and well wishes. “It is indeed an important change in my life. However, there is something even more important that I wish to share with you. Something that is stupendous beyond words.” He went and stood behind Greg and placed his hands on his shoulders. “I’ve asked Greg to marry me and he said yes.” A couple of tears escaped his eyes. Complete and utter chaos broke out as everyone tried to hug Greg and Dave simultaneously.

Kyle managed to pull Dave aside. “I’m so happy for you, Dave. You’ve been so lonely since Glenn…” He could bring himself to say the word ‘died’. A moment of sorrow passed over Dave’s face, which was quickly replaced with a look of complete and utter happiness. His lover was on a business trip to New York and was on one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Center. Kyle dragged him back over to the group and raised his glass. “To Dave and Greg, may you together have years of happiness that knows no bounds.” Everyone responded “to Dave and Greg”.

“As long as we’re making speeches” Greg began, “there’s someone here I owe a huge debt of thanks to, one that can never be repaid.” He related the story of how he had met Dave at Kyle’s. He raised his glass towards Kyle. “Here’s to you, Kyle. If it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I have a fantastic new job, and more than that, I have the man of my dreams, who I will be moving in with next week. Thank you….” He broke off, sobbing. Everyone silently raised their glasses to Kyle.

Kyle pulled him into a tight hug. “Debt paid in full, and then some.” He motioned Dave over. “This is your place.”

They swapped places and as Dave gently rocked the crying man, he mouthed ‘thank you’ to Kyle. After a few moments, they separated. “Hey, this is a party. Everyone load up a few plates with food and let’s let the bunny carnage begin!”

As they gathered around the table, Kyle looked at the setup. “We’re only playing with the starter set?”

“It’s all I have. I wanted to get the expansions, but after all of the problems I had getting the starter set, I refuse to order the rest online. I wasn’t able to find them anywhere locally, so I had to settle for just the starter set.”

“Have you played with the full set?”

“No, unfortunately, I haven’t. From what I’ve heard it can get pretty wild and crazy.”

“That’s the understatement of the millennium. Next Friday night, be at my house for our weekly game. You’ll get to see the full set in all its wacky glory.” And get the rest of the expansions as a wedding present if I can find them all in time. Hopefully Alternate Universe Family Game Center has them in stock. I should call them tomorrow in case they need to order them. Kyle said to himself. “We play every Friday night then go out to the club afterwards.”

Greg and Dave both looked at each other. “Providing neither of us have to work, we’ll be there.”

Loud, raucous laughter and good-natured yelling could be heard for the next four hours from the apartment as the evening wore on. After the game, which Dave won, everyone helped with the cleanup and said their goodnights. Shortly thereafter, the two men cuddled on the couch, enjoying the afterglow of their first successful party as a couple. “Baby,” Greg began. “I can’t tell you when the last time I was really able to enjoy myself like I did tonight was. I had such a wonderful time, made even more wonderful because you were there.”

“It was a wonderful evening, the first of many to come. Isn’t that right, Chiara?” He said to the cat that was sprawled across both their laps.

“Mrrrooowww.” She said in response, eliciting a giggle from both men.

“And you were worried that you would have to get rid of her when you moved in with me. Not in this lifetime or the next. Like I said before, she’s a part of you and you’re a part of me. Therefore she’s also a part of me.”

Greg leaned over and kissed him deeply. “God I love you. How’d I get so lucky?”

“Believe me, I’m asking myself that very same question since day one. We’re together and that’s all that matters.”

“There’s something I’d like to do for you. Hang on a second.” As he got up, the cat hissed and swatted him, having been disturbed. “Oh, get over it.” He scolded her, causing Dave to roar with laughter. A few moments later he returned with his twelve-string guitar and noticed that his cat had curled up and was purring in Dave’s lap. “Traitor!” He accused her, which caused Dave to erupt into another round of laughter. He sat, took it out of its case and checked the tuning. Finding it in tune he started playing a soft introduction. Dave looked at him in stunned silence as he started singing in a soft, sweet, soulful voice the song ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers. As he sang, tears slowly fell from Dave’s eyes. After finishing the song he played the introduction again and repeated the song, this time in a different language softly at first, then building into a huge crescendo at the end. He slowly put the guitar back in its case as he looked at Dave, the love he felt for him very much in evidence by the look in his eyes.

Dave just sat there in complete awe. He had heard Kyle sing numerous times and thought that he was about the best there was, but Greg just totally blew him out of the water. Eventually his voice started working again. “Wow. That was hands down the most incredible thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Thank you baby.”

“You’re welcome. You told me the other night when we watched ‘Ghost’ how much you love that song.”

“I do, very much. What language were you singing it in the second time, and where did you learn it?”

“It was Italian, and I learned it by listening to a group called Il Divo.”

“Il Divo. I’ve heard of them, but I never actually heard any of their music.”

“They’re a multi-national quartet. One guy is Swiss, one is Spanish, one is French and one is American. They take pop songs and give them an operatic twist. I have all of their CDs and DVDs. Remind me and I’ll play some for you. They sing in English, Spanish, Italian and French, I believe.”

“Really? Sounds interesting.”

“I’ve packed all my CDs and DVDs away or I’d play you some. Wait a minute. I have an idea.” He grabbed his laptop and fired it up. Shortly there was music coming from it, a tune that was hauntingly familiar, but because the words were in a different language, Dave couldn’t figure out what it was until the instrumental bridge.

“Wait a minute. That’s ‘Nights in White Satin’, isn’t it?”

“Yep. In Italian it’s ‘Notte Di Luce’. Let me play you another one.”

Partway through the song Dave turned a puzzled look towards Greg. “Wait a minute. Is that Celine Dion singing with them?”

“Yes it is. The song was written as a duet between her and Il Divo and is sung in both English and French.”

“This group is fantastic. I definitely want to hear more.”

“You will, baby, once I get everything moved in and unpacked.

“Moved in and unpacked.” Dave repeated as his eyes became moist. “Oh how I love the sound of that. You don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that.”

“Believe me, baby it means more to me than you can possibly imagine. I never thought I’d ever find myself in love, let alone moving in with the man I plan on spending the rest of my life with.”

Dave looked at him stunned with tear-filled eyes. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

Greg placed his hands on each side of his face and stroked his cheeks gently with his thumbs. He looked deep into Dave’s eyes and said “Dave, I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. There is nothing in this world or the next I want more than to spend the rest of my life with you.” Following up his words with action, he kissed Dave gently then deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him down on top of him. “I want you inside me, right here, right now!” He moaned.

After a night of intense lovemaking they spent the next day moving Greg's belongings into their house, the most problematic being the fish tank. Moving the fish themselves was easy, the tank not so much as it was a fifty-five gallon. Eventually they got everything moved and set up. Chiara settled on the couch as if she had lived there her entire life. That evening Greg re-created the same meal that he had prepared for Dave that first night. After dinner while cuddling on the couch Dave decided he was still hungry - hungry, but not for food. Laying his head on Greg's shoulder, whispered in his ear, "I'm still hungry."

"What would you like? I totally forgot to get anything to make for dessert."

"You want to know what I would like? It's already pre-made. All I have to do is unwrap it and chow down."

Greg wracked his brain trying to figure out what he was talking about. They had gone grocery shopping earlier and he couldn't remember getting any ready-to-eat desserts. "I have no clue what you're talking about. We didn't pick up any ready-made desserts, ice cream or anything like that."

"Okay." Dave responded with a cheeky grin. "I'll give you a clue. It's long, thick and filled with a delicious white cream."

Greg looked thoughtful for a minute. "We didn't pick up any Twinkies, Zingers or anything like that."

Dave nibbled on Greg's earlobe for a moment before whispering "Do you want me to tell you?"

"Yeah."

"How 'bout I show you instead."

"Okay." Greg sat up on the couch so Dave could get up. Much to his surprise, Dave didn't get up. Instead he leaned over and grabbed Greg's crotch.

"You're what I want for dessert." Greg's face turned all kinds of red as he leaned back giving Dave better access to what he wanted. In a matter of moments Dave was sucking on Greg's dick like a child with a giant lollipop. It didn't take too long before Greg shot a huge load down Dave's throat.

After coming down from his intense climax, Greg gave Dave a shit-eating grin. "You know, this was an even better dessert idea than the dirt cake I had originally planned. Time for me to get my dessert." He attacked Dave's dick with suction that would rival a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Thus began a new chapter in their lives.

---

[1] Quoridor is copyright © by Gigamic Games, all rights reserved

[2] Killer Bunnies and the Quest for the Magic Carrot is copyright © by Jeffrey Neil Bellinger, all rights reserved.

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