The Light in Your Eyes

By Tinnean

Chapter 22

The feel of a hot, wet mouth on my cock roused me up through layers of consciousness. I hovered there, unsure if this was a dream or reality, but wallowing in each sensation. The mouth withdrew, and I moaned and arched up, trying to follow it. "No!"

"I'm not going anywhere, babe." My lover's voice was still husky from sleep. Skilled fingers rolled a condom onto my cock, and I came fully awake at the feel of it being engulfed by his body.

I opened my eyes. Wills was crouched above me, his ass nestled against my groin. His inner muscles clenched and relaxed, caressing the length of my cock within him.

"Jesus!"

"No, William." He grinned, his teeth a flash of white in the dim bedroom, and he began to move. He rose up until just the crown of my cock remained inside him, and then he slowly sank down. The rhythm was slow and easy.

"Oh, god, Wills! Are you trying to kill me?"

He gave a huff of laughter. "That would be a waste of a very fine body."

I petted his thighs. The muscles bunched as he raised and lowered himself, impaling himself on my cock again and again. "Such fine muscles." I reached between us and ran a fingertip over the spot where we were joined. It was slick from the lube he'd used to prepare himself.

I pressed harder, my finger sliding a little way in, and he gasped and bowed his head. His cock was like a brand of fire across my abdomen. He leaned forward and licked and nipped my neck.

I arched up, driving my cock deeper into him, and he shivered.

"I love how it feels with you inside me, babe."

"Tell me."

He raised his head and met my eyes. "You're so hot and hard. You fill me up. And when you nail my hot spot… " He shuddered and whimpered as I arched up again and did just that.

I brought my other hand up and caressed his face. "I love how it feels with you surrounding me, Wills. You're so hot and tight. I wish I could feel you without this barrier between us. I'd fuck you so deep and so hard, you'd be able to taste my come on your tongue."

I wrapped my fingers around his cock and just held it. Wills squeezed his eyes shut. "Oh, jesus!"

"No. Theo." I tried to laugh as I gave his own words back to him, but I was too close to coming. And then a single stroke to his cock, and thick, hot streamers of come splashed onto my chest. That was all it took, and I was exploding into the condom that sheathed my cock.

Wills sank down on me and hummed in satisfaction.

"Happy Valentine's Day, babe," I murmured as I nuzzled his ear.

"It is Valentine's Day, isn't it?" He kissed the side of my neck.

"Yeah. We're gonna get stuck together."

"I don't mind if you don't." I could feel him going boneless.

"No, Wills. I don't mind."

"Don't let me oversleep, okay?"

"Okay, babe." My cock softened, and I gripped the base as it slid free so the contents of the condom wouldn't spill out. Wills was out cold, and he stayed that way even as I tied off the condom and tossed it aside.

****

I mumbled a protest when something started tugging on my torso.

"Sorry, babe. We did get kind of stuck together." A kiss was pressed between my pecs. "Try to go back to sleep, okay?"

"'Kay." My subconscious registered the toilet flushing, the shower running, and then silence broken by my lover humming.

"I'm gonna make some breakfast, and then I'll have to go, Theo. Thanks for a great start to Valentine's Day."

"Hmmm? Oh, welcome."

"I've left your present on the dresser."

"'Kay."

He laughed softly. "I'll see you later, gorgeous." He fondled my ass, kissed the corner of my mouth, and then I heard the bedroom door close behind him.

Just as I was sinking more deeply into slumber, his words broke through my sleepy fog. Valentine's Day!

Our first Valentine's Day together, and I'd let him go off without giving him his present!

"Shit!" I sat up in bed, wondering if he was still in the apartment. "Wills!"

The door opened and he poked his head in. "What's up, babe? I thought you were going back to sleep."

"It's Valentine's Day!"

"Well, yeah."

"You can't go without your gift!"

"You already gave it to me. Earlier this morning." He looked relaxed and so happy.

"No." It was the first time I was spending Valentine's Day with someone who actually cared more about me than a hot fuck. "I have something for you." I was relaxed and happy too, but I was nervous and excited as well. It was the first time I was giving Wills a piece of jewelry. I wasn't sure how it would go over with him. He'd liked the books and clothes and DVDs I'd given him for his birthday. He'd loved the fireplace I'd had reopened and finished with a granite surround and an oak mantle for Christmas, and we'd both enjoyed making love in front of it.

He came back into the room. As usual, he was wearing one of those nothing special suits.

I glanced at the clock. It was 6:55. He'd have plenty of time to get to work, even with rush hour traffic. I got out of bed, took the present from where I had hidden it in my underwear drawer, and gave it to him, suddenly wondering if the wrapping paper with its hearts and cupids, plump little cherubs with pristine white wings, was too over-the-top for guys.

Wills and his delayed gratification. He took his time, carefully removing the ribbon and then the wrapping paper. Finally he pressed the latch of the maroon velvet jeweler's box. His eyes widened, and he sucked in a breath. "Babe, this is beautiful!" He stroked the 24 karat chain and pendant before taking it out.

"Um… " I worried my lip. "… there's something on the back."

He turned it over, and his breath hitched. "Theo!" He rubbed his thumb over the words engraved on the back.

"Do you like it?"

"Are you nuts? I love it! Thank you!" He wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight. "But… all I got you is a box of Godiva chocolates."

"I'm a sucker for Godiva chocolates, babe." I glanced at the box on the dresser. I had an idea what a box that size cost, but even if it had been a $5 box of Russell Stover bought at the drugstore, it would have meant the world to me, because he was the one who was giving it to me. "You're gonna get lucky tonight."

"I've been lucky every night since I met you." His face flushed. "Would you… would you put this on me?"

I felt my own face flush. I took it from him and unfastened the clasp, then put it around his neck and refastened it. As I'd hoped, the length of chain was perfect; the pendant hung directly over his heart.

He brought my mouth to his and kissed me. He had the most amazing mouth. Not only did he give great blowjobs, but his kisses… Well, as the song went, they were sweeter than wine.

"What do you say tonight we go out and celebrate Valentine's Day in style? I can make reservations for us at Raphael's, for around 7?"

"Cool. I'll try to make sure I get home early." He loosened his tie, unbuttoned his top button, and dropped the pendant inside his shirt, then touched the spot above his heart. "I'll… " His smile became rueful, and I wondered what he'd been about to say. "I love it," he repeated, and buttoned his shirt and fixed his tie. "And I'd better get going before I'm late."

"Won't Vince cut you a little slack?"

"I don't know. I've never pushed it. I'll see you later, babe." Another quick kiss, and he was out the door.

Miss Su came in and sat down, her bobtail tucked neatly against her hind leg. "Mrrow?"

"Didn't Daddy feed you?"

"Mrrow."

"Okay, give me a minute."

"Mrrow." She didn't have a large vocabulary, but she got a lot of mileage out of what she did have.

I pulled on a pair of sweatpants and went into the kitchen. An empty Fancy Feast can was in the sink, soaking so it could be recycled. "Tira Miss Su!"

She became busy grooming her whiskers, and I laughed and went back to bed.

****

It was about a quarter after six. The door opened, and Wills barreled in. "Hi, babe. Sorry I'm late. Traffic."

"You're not that late."

He leaned forward to snatch a kiss, then drew back and whistled. "You look gorgeous!"

"Flattery will get you everywhere." I wanted to kiss him, but we were going to be pressed for time. Then I thought, Fuck it! and kissed him anyway. "Now, give me your coat, and go shower and change. I have your Hugo Boss hanging from the closet door." I'd finally talked him into getting a new suit. He'd winced at the price, then sucked it up to please me. He still refused to wear it to work, though.

"You don't care for my Bill Blass?" His tone was injured, but his eyes were laughing.

"You bought it right after college, right? It's more than five years old, babe. And even if I'm the only one who can tell it's out of style… "

"You're the only one who matters, Theo."

"God, I… " I touched his chest. Beneath my fingers I could feel the pendant that hung over his heart. I hoped he knew what I meant. Saying those three words was still one of the most difficult things for me to do.

He covered my hand with his. "I know, babe."

For a second I lost myself in the dark chocolate of his eyes. He squeezed my hand and released it, and I reached down and patted his hip. "Get going, Wills. Giovanni will only hold our reservation for so long."

"In that case, I won't ask you to join me."

"Later, okay?"

"Oh, yeah."

"Y'know, you really don't need to shave." I couldn't resist caressing his cheek with its five o'clock shadow.

"I thought the Miami Vice look was out."

"Everything old is new again. You could start your own trend: how the computer troubleshooter of the twenty-first century is appearing."

"My Dad would have a fit. He was always big on being clean-shaven."

"Trust me, babe. If he was gay, he'd go wild over it."

"Now that's something I don't want to picture."

"Your Dad being gay?" I raised an eyebrow and he chuckled.

"Ass." He blinked. "Actually, the thought of my Dad doing what we do… Uh… no."

"You think he never had sex?"

"Well, of course he had sex. At least three times." He was trying to look innocent and wasn't very successful. We both started laughing. "I'll shave in the shower and be done in ten minutes. Do you want me to drive?" If he did, he wouldn't drink. He'd told me when we first started seeing each other that he never drank and drove, not even a single beer or glass of wine.

"Nah. I managed to get one of my clients a hefty tax return from Uncle Sugar, and she was so pleased she gave me a nice bonus. I think we can afford a cab for tonight."

"I'm proud of you, babe." He brushed his lips over mine. "And a cab sounds good."

"Get a move on, hotshot."

"Yes, master."

I swatted his butt, and he laughed and disappeared into the bedroom, stripping as he went. I called a cab to pick us up in twenty minutes, then followed his trail of clothes, picking them up along the way.

****

Giovanni, the maitre'd at Raphael's, smiled as we entered. "Signore Bascopolis. Signore Matheson. It is good to see you again."

"Thanks, Giovanni. How are you?"

"Eh. Come si, come sa."

Wills murmured something in Italian, and Giovanni's face lit up

"Grazie! Grazie!"

I cleared my throat, and Wills smiled and slid his arm into mine. "It looks like you've got quite a crowd." There was a line of people waiting to be seated.

"This is true. I cannot leave my post tonight, not even to… " He rolled his eyes toward the archway that led to the restrooms. "Nino will take you to your table." He checked off our names and snapped his fingers.

"You would want to come here," an overweight man growled at the plainly-dressed woman beside him. He glared at me, sneered at Wills. "It's a crying shame when god-fearing, church-going men… and women… " An obvious afterthought. "… are passed over in favor of these goddammed fags!"

"Dear. Please." The woman flushed and looked uncomfortable. The man was an asshole. He'd probably forgotten to get her anything, and so this was his way of making up for it.

"Ignore him, please." Giovanni's lip was curled in disdain. "He is upset because he thought his name alone would get him a table."

"Who is he?"

"No one. His party will have to wait."

I shrugged. I'd learned a long time ago to ignore slurs.

Wills, on the other hand, had never had to deal with homophobia. He stared at the man, that flat expression in his eyes. The man turned pale, and his wife clutched his arm.

"Babe… " I wasn't sure what Wills might do.

The flat expression was replaced by a smile that might have been sweet if it hadn't been for the hint of steel in it. "That may be so, but the 'goddammed fags' have reservations."

I blinked.

Giovanni bit his lip, smothering a laugh, and turned away. "Nino! If you will seat the signori?"

****

We were able to get that table in the alcove, and dinner was fabulous, as was usual at Raphael's. My filet mignon had a wine and mushroom sauce I found intriguing. I fed Wills a bite, and when he agreed, I wondered if I could duplicate it.

He ordered the snow crab legs, and industriously cracked the shells and removed the white flesh. "Open wide, babe."

I closed my lips over his fork and slowly drew back. He touched my lip and caught a drop of butter, and licked it off his finger.

"Wills!"

He grinned and reached for his wine glass.

For dessert we had orange angel food cake with fresh raspberries and blueberries and whipped cream, and Amaretto.

"It's a good thing we're cabbing it tonight."

"Don't tell me you've already got a buzz on!"

"No, but I'm feeling pretty good."

Nino brought the check, and I handed him my credit card.

"I'll get the tip, babe." Wills left two twenties under his coffee cup.

As we were leaving, we bumped into the asshole and his wife, who were also leaving. They'd been seated after us, and if they had finished when we did, they must have bolted down their food, which wouldn't have done justice to the talents of Raphael's chef. The woman rubbed her sternum and looked miserable. The man scowled at us until Wills noticed and returned his look, and then he grabbed his wife's arm and scurried out.

At the curb, I stuck two fingers into my mouth and let out a shrill whistle.

"I didn't know you could do that."

"I'm a man of vast, unknown capabilities."

"You sure are." A cab pulled up. "Nice work." Wills grinned at me and got in, and I took the opportunity to admire his ass. Then I climbed in after him.

"The Bee's Knees," I told the driver. "Do you know where it is?"

"Sure thing. I been drivin' a lot of guys there tonight, when I ain't been drivin' 'em to the Garfield. You look familiar. Do I know you?"

"No." It was possible he'd driven me somewhere with a john, but the last thing I wanted was my past brought up in front of the man who was my future.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure."

"Say, if you guys feel like making out in the back seat, I ain't got no beef with that."

"Thanks, but I think we can restrain ourselves."

"Okay. I just wanted you to know I wasn't one of them anti-gay jerks. Live and let live, I always say."

"That's a good philosophy."

"Well… uh… Nice weather for Valentine's Day."

"Yes."

Finally he gave up his attempts at conversation. "You mind if I play some music?"

"Not at all."

Surprisingly, he turned on a station that played classical music, and he began humming along to it.

"Didn't you tell me the Valentine's Day Ball was at the Garfield this year?" Wills asked in a soft voice.

"Yeah. It's in an okay part of town, but the ballroom is small, and their food isn't anything to write home about. It's gonna be interesting to hear what the buzz is tomorrow. I don't think there'll be any joy in Muddville. This Le Roi is going cheap, and the boys have gotten used to Charlemagne's way of doing things … Do you feel all right, babe?"

"Sure. Why?"

"You've been rubbing your chest since we got in the cab. You're too young to have a heart attack." I gave him a look. "You'd better be too young to have a heart attack. If you die on me, Matheson, I'll kill you."

"I'm not having a heart attack, Theo." He gave that half grin that made me want to jump his bones.

"That's good. So what's with your chest? Indigestion?"

"Oh." He smiled. "Is that what your anxiety is about? No. Actually, I wasn't rubbing my chest. It was the pendant you gave me, Theo. I've been touching it all day to remind myself of how lucky I am to have found you."

"You like it?"

"I love it, babe. And I love what you had engraved on the back of it. "

I breathed a sigh of relief and squeezed his hand.

"We're here, Mac."

Wills paid the driver, and we got out.

The Bee's Knees was already crowded. Not only was it Valentine's Day and they had a live band dressed in loincloths, wings and quivers, but it was a Friday night as well.

"I see a table over there. I'll get it, and you get the drinks."

"Good idea. I think I'll have a White Russian tonight. Strawberry daiquiri, babe?"

"Sure." Again I watched my lover's ass as he made his way to the bar. Choice. Very choice. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw me watching him. A smile curled his lips, and he touched his chest.

God, I was so lucky.

And so happy I could have done back flips across the room to the empty table. Before I could turn and head for it, I noticed a couple who appeared to be on their way out approaching him. One of the men said something and extended his hand. He looked familiar, but as much as I searched my mind, I couldn't think where I'd seen him.

With him was another man who wore tinted, wire-rimmed glasses. The ultimate preppy, he was cute, in a geeky kind of way, and he looked at his companion as if the sun rose and set on him.

Wills grinned at the first man and shook his hand. His expression when he turned to the second man was cool.

I'd ask Wills about it when he got to the table. I turned and bumped into someone who was passing by. "Whoops. Sorry."

"Sweetcheeks?"

"John?"

"My god, it is you! You're looking fabulous! How have you been?"

"Good, thanks. And you?"

"Marvelous!"

"You know this man, John?"

John turned pale and swallowed. "Yes. He's a… a business acquaintance."

"You must be… " I started.

"Bradford! This is Bradford." I cut a glance at John, and he gave a weak smile.

"… a friend of John's." I switched my words smoothly. "Bradford. It's nice to meet you. I'm Theo." I held out my hand.

"He called you 'sweetcheeks.'" He barely shook my hand and released it as soon as he could.

"An old nickname." I studied Bradford carefully. A couple of inches shorter than John, he had strawberry blond hair and pale blue eyes.

His brows beetled. "And how do you know John?"

John's eyes were panicked. He was average-looking, but his partner was breathtaking. Bradford couldn't be that insecure in his relationship, could he?

I remembered John telling me that Bradford hadn't believed in paying for sex. I also knew that Bradford was the first relationship he'd ever had with a non-professional. It made sense that he'd want to keep that aspect of his past securely in his past.

"He was my real estate agent."

"Yes, I was his… uh… I helped him find his house. Years ago. A lot of years ago."

"You never told me."

"It was before we met. A long time before we met. There was no need to mention him." John's expression couldn't have been more guilty if he'd tried.

"I was under the impression that John hadn't come out until after his father passed away a number of years ago, yet you don't seem surprised to see him with a man."

"Bradford, this is a gay bar. It might be stereotyping, but I'd expect anyone I saw in here to be gay, or at least bi. And besides, I have very good gaydar."

"Then you and John never… "

"No. We were never lovers," I said.

John cleared his throat. "So, er… how did things turn out with the house… uh… Theo? Are you happy with it?"

"Very much so. I wound up having one of the fireplaces opened."

"Really?" For the first time he grinned. "That must have made Charles very happy."

"Yeah. Chuckles got to say, 'I told you so.'" I turned to my former client's lover. "The house had fireplaces up the yin yang, but they had all been sealed off, and my architect thought it would be a good idea to open every one of them."

"That sounds expensive."

"That's what I said."

He glanced around. "Are you here alone?"

"No, I'm here with my… " I looked toward the bar, but guys were two and three deep, and I couldn't spot Wills. "… my boyfriend. He's getting our drinks."

"You've got a boyfriend, Theo?" John didn't seem to notice that abruptly Bradford was much more relaxed.

"Yes. We've been together since last spring."

"That's marvelous! I'm so happy for you!"

"John and I have been together for almost five years now." Bradford slid an arm around his lover's waist, and a smile brightened John's face.

"Good for you. Would you like to join us?"

"Thank you for asking… "

"… but we were just on our way home. I have an open house tomorrow." John sighed. "Although I don't know why I'm bothering. That Dashwood bitch will only steal the sale from under me anyway."

"But that doesn't mean you have to make it easy for her, Johnny." Bradford stroked his arm. "Sooner or later she'll do something that will guarantee her license is pulled."

"I live in hope. She's already been barred from a community in Alexandria."

Wills arrived just then. His eyebrow rose when he saw I wasn't alone. "Friends, babe?" He handed me my drink.

"John is an old acquaintance of mine. He's the one who found the house for us. And this is Bradford, his partner."

"John." Wills offered his hand. "Bradford. I'm William."

"It's so nice to meet you." John looked from me to Wills. "Theo says you've been together since last spring."

"Yes. The best eleven months of my life."

"What a sweet thing to say! And you're celebrating Valentine's Day on the town."

"Any excuse I can get to show him off," I murmured. Wills blushed and took my hand.

"We'd better go, John. You'll need to be fresh for tomorrow."

"Well, it was nice meeting you, William. Theo, it was a pleasure seeing you again."

We shook hands all around, and with promises to stay in touch – which I had a strong feeling would not be kept – they left.

I followed Wills to the table, which, miraculously, no one had taken, and sat down heavily. "Phew."

Wills removed his suit jacket and hung it on the back of his chair. The vest he wore contrasted nicely with his white shirt and emphasized his narrow waist, and eyes were drawn to him. He didn't seem to notice though. He just stood there, looking serious.

"Okay." I sighed. "Ask me."

He sat down across from me and took a sip of his White Russian. "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, he had to turn up here?"

"Kind of. I know it was against the odds, never running into anyone I'd… you know… "

"I know." The drink left a moustache of cream on his upper lip. He licked it off, and I lost my train of thought. "I thought things looked a little tense for a time."

"Huh?" I blinked. "You mean you could see that from the bar?"

"I've got excellent vision."

I sighed again. "The last time I saw John, which was about five years ago, he told me Bradford didn't approve of paying for sex."

"Ah. So you're that little smile John will occasionally have on his face that Bradford will always wonder about."

I blushed and shrugged. "Are you… are you upset, babe?"

"Did he ever ask you to leave the business?"

"Keep me, you mean? He wanted to set me up in an apartment."

"But what about the house?"

"It was before then."