Cards on the Table - 37. Chapter 37 A Pair of Kings

Cards on the Table

Chapter 37

Michael was in love, and he loved this. Lying next to Kendall, feeling the warmth of his body, entwined as it was with his. He sighed softly as he watched the numbers flip over on the clock to 6:00am. Reaching over, he clicked off the alarm at the first beep, the same time Kendall began his waking-up stretch. The slide of his partner’s hairy leg up his own as he contorted, caused Michael’s erection to jerk with hope. ‘Down boy’, Michael thought. There would be no time for playing this morning.

“Good morning, Sunshine, did you sleep well?” Kendall had focused his eyes on Michael’s face in the dim light of dawn.

“Like a big old log, Babe.” Michael snuck in for his first good morning kiss.

“Speaking of big logs… what do we have here?” Kendall’s hand had wrapped around his lover’s cock in a gentle grip.

“Something that’s very hopeful,” Michael chuckled resignedly, knowing Kendall had to get ready for work.

“Join me in the shower, and I’ll see if I can fulfill his hope, but he has to be quick.” Kendall chuckled when Michael showed his surprise.

“Are you serious, or are you just teasing?” He was still digesting the offer when Kendall jumped out of bed, showing off an incredible physique, the light perfect in outlining his muscular form in sharp relief as he stretched one more time. Michael found himself mesmerized by the display, his cock lifting at the sight.

“You’ll have to come with me to find out.” His challenging look relayed his intentions, and Michael was out of bed in a flash.

“Never look a gift horse in the mouth, is what I always say,” Michael murmured as he reached for his partner and pulled him in for a breathtaking kiss, enjoying the feel of Kendall’s erection against his stomach.

“I’ve never heard you say that,” Kendall teased when they broke apart.

“Yeah, well it’s my new motto,” he teased back as he grabbed Kendall’s hand and led the way.

Peeing in the shower was becoming a habit for them, and they laughed like little kids as they crossed streams that had no choice but to point upward. Neither cock softened during the whole process, as the laughter stopped and their connection heightened. A quick and loving soaping followed before Kendall dropped to his knees. Gazing downward at the sight before him, Michael was again struck by how beautiful the man was. He was sure just staring in those eyes could trap any willing soul, but it was only his that Kendall wanted. He moaned as Kendall’s spongy tongue swiped his cockhead before claiming it with instant suction.

He fought the urge to close his eyes at the feelings of ecstasy coursing through him because he wanted to watch Kendall pleasure him. He wanted to see the love and devotion on that handsome face as he worked his magic with those lips, tongue, and heated mouth. They had done this a mere eight or nine hours ago, but it still felt like the first time, every time. Those same incredible emotions of love and belonging accompanied the physical sensations. The only difference was the technique. Kendall, as with everything he did, had become even more adept, and there was no need to worry about a time limit… Michael was already there. There was no deepthroating from this position, but Kendall’s hand and mouth, working in unison, were every bit as effective at causing Michael’s balls to pull upwards, and for his cum to jettison out. It was over in a handful of minutes, yet he was completely satisfied, as attested by the need to gulp for air and the trembling of his legs. At some point his hands had ended up in Kendall’s short hair, so he let go and encouraged Kendall to stand, grinning at the smug look his partner was wearing.

“Fuck, you’re good at that!”

“You think so? I was thinking I need more practice… lots and lots of practice." Kendall spoke into his mouth as he took control of it, returning some of Michael’s taste back to him.

“Now that you mention it, I think more practice is a good idea… you can never have enough practice,” he agreed as their kiss ended. “As a matter of fact, I think I need some practice too. I wouldn't want my skills to get too far behind yours.” Michael directed the shower spay out of the way, and moved to the shower bench and sat down. “Come here, Deuce.”

“Hey, I know you want to return the favor, but I really should start getting ready… I still have to shave, and brush….”

“Babe, shut up. Look at your dick. It’s hard as steel and leaking like crazy. That’s not water coming out of there,” he pointed out while licking his lips. “I guarantee it won’t take me long, and I need to taste you. Take pity on me, please,” he tried whining. “I’m stuck here all day by myself.” Michael knew the effect his pout would have, and he wasn’t disappointed as the man and his swaying cock approached him. Staying true to his word, Michael lavished attention on it right away, respecting Kendall’s urgency. There was no teasing as he got down to the rewarding business of bringing him over the edge.

He’d learned a few tricks of his own since that first time, and could handle Kendall’s size more comfortably now. It was still a challenge, but it was the best kind. The rhythm of suction and release was relentless, and like Kendall had with him, Michael used his hand to good effect. His other hand found his favorite spot, and he toyed with Kendall’s hole, exerting gentle pressure in a tapping motion. As soon as he started giving it his attention, Kendall gripped Michael’s hair, telling Michael he was almost there. Michael looked up to find Kendall watching him through narrowed eyes, his face contorting to a grimace just before he threw his head back and shoved his hips forward. What flooded Michael’s mouth would be best described as a deluge, and he savored every single drop. Even though his cock had returned to rigid hardness, Michael felt fulfilled. He had what he wanted. Kendall was grinning from ear to ear as he struggled a bit with his balance.

“Holy fuck. I’m glad you used those considerable persuasion skills of yours. I blasted one hell of a load.”

“You are telling me, Babe?” Michael questioned. “I’m the guy you almost drowned, not that I’m complaining,” he said as he got up to share the flavors in his mouth with Kendall. “Your dick is still as hard as mine,” he murmured as their mouths separated, causing Kendall to draw back quickly.

“Don’t even think about it, horn-dog. I don’t want to be late so you have to get out of this bathroom. My dick isn’t going to go down as long as you’re standing here looking like that." He looked pointedly at Michael’s erection. Michael loved the effect he had on his partner, and he was very smug as he walked out of the shower stall and grabbed a towel from the rack. It was so much easier to look sexy and tease his partner when he didn’t need a crutch or a cane. He laughed when, upon bending over to wipe down his legs, Kendall ordered him to go dry off in the bedroom.

He had coffee ready and poured when Kendall entered the kitchen area, looking like the sexiest man on earth. Those pants fit him just right, showing his ass off to best advantage. For a second, Michael thought he maybe looked too damn hot… going to work like that, but then he accepted it would be impossible for Kendall not to look good.

As he came closer, Michael caught the fresh scent of him, taking in the still-damp, dark-gold hair, and felt such a surge of love run through him, he had to grab onto the countertop. The lightheadedness that struck him wasn’t helped when Kendall turned and focused those heart-stopping eyes on him.

“Are you okay?” Kendall’s eyes surveyed Michael as he drank his coffee and waited for an answer.

“Never better. I was just thinking how I’m the luckiest man in the universe. You rock my world every single day, Kendall Dooley, and every time I think I couldn’t love you more, I do.”

“What brought this on? Is everything all right?”

“Everything is perfect… I wouldn’t change a thing. I guess I’m feeling on top of the world after yesterday. It’s all fitting into place, and it has since we finally figured us out. Don’t mind me, Babe. This is just me saying I love you to the moon and back, and always will.”

“You never cease to amaze me, and you just proved I’m the luckier guy. What other man would say what you just did, and turn my insides to mush? Last night you asked me not to change. Don’t you ever change either. I love you to Pluto and back." Kendall smiled before kissing him with such love and passion that he became completely aroused. “And that is written in stone, Ace. You rock my world too.”

Pushing his shorts-covered cock against Kendall, Michael sighed. “Now look what you’ve done. What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Sorry,” Kendall said with an unrepentant grin. “I gotta go, so you’re on your own.” He reached down and gave it a squeeze and a stroke that had Michael squirming. “Damn,” he breathed out into Michael’s face, “I’m almost tempted to go in late. But don’t forget Mom and Pop are coming here this morning." He winked at his partner as he gave him another teasing stroke. “I’ll see you later." He looked downward, and then back up. “And I’ll see you later too, big guy. I love you.”

Kendall chuckled at Michael’s deflated expression before downing the rest of his coffee, and giving his partner one last kiss.

“I love you too, you bastard… remember, payback’s a bitch,” Michael promised as he followed his moving target.

They were at the entrance by the time Michael had finished his threat. Kendall took one last look at the dejected man with the hard-on giving him a mock glare, winking before closing the door.

Michael stood there for a few seconds, resigned to the fact Kendall was gone for the day. “I love you so much, Babe,” he spoke to the closed door. Turning away, he started for the bedroom, but he only got a few feet before he heard the sound of a key in the lock. He turned back, asking Kendall what he had forgotten. Kendall dropped his coat on the floor and walked up to Michael, grabbing his still-hard dick again.

“This,” was all he said as he dropped to his knees, pulling Michael’s shorts down at the same time, sucking in his skin-covered cockhead and swirling his tongue under the skin and around the ridge.

Michael was stunned. “Kendall, are you sure you should…?”

Kendall pulled off for a second, looking up at his partner with a small smile. “Gift horse, Ace… shut up,” he ordered, and then went back to the business at hand. This time he didn’t seem as rushed as he lavished all his attention on the instrument in front of him. His mouth was everywhere, as he licked and sucked and nibbled with dedication. At one point he released one of Michael’s balls from his mouth and took a breather to give Michael a command. “Take your shirt off,” he growled. “I want to see all of you.”

Michael complied in an instant, throwing his tee-shirt down the hallway. He was fully engaged in something that was very much like a fantasy come to life. There was no denying how hot this all made him, with him stark naked, and Kendall fully clothed, perfectly dressed for work. It was a sight that stimulated him immensely, and it wasn’t long before he was ready to unload for the second time that morning. “Oh, God, I’m going to cum,” he warned, and Kendall reacted by pulling on Michael’s ass cheeks and lodging the head of his lover’s dick in his throat, keeping it there until the first spurt. After that, he milked Michael’s cock with his hand, swallowing continuosly until Michael shuddered at the intensity of the contact. Letting it slip from his mouth, Michael watched him lick across the exposed head a few more times as he fought the instinct to pull away from the exquisite torture.

When Kendall stood up, Michael went to speak, but Kendall stopped him with another one of those taste-sharing kisses that reminded Michael of how lucky he was to be able to love this guy. Pulling slowly away, he gave Michael a little smile, adjusted himself as best he could, grabbed his coat from the floor, and went back out the door.

Michael was left leaning naked against the wall, staring at the closed door once again, hardly believing what had just happened. He stayed that way for a good minute before he started chuckling, and then he started laughing. Finally able to stand unaided, he turned and walked back down the hall, muttering “Wow” over and over again.

Kendall wore a huge smile as he pulled out of the underground parking lot. He could hardly believe he’d done that. No regrets though… it was so fucking hot, and he’d enjoyed it as much as his astonished lover had. Michael’s reaction was priceless, and the thought of the look on his face turned Kendall’s amusement to full-out laughter. It was obviously the last thing he’d expected, but it took no time at all for him to get into it. Kendall was so thankful Michael was such a horn-dog. When he’d left him, his partner was in a blissful stupor, and that was certainly a good enough reason to be a little late for work. Making him happy was priority one. There was no leveling out of his love for his big guy. It was the opposite. Just like Michael had said to him… when he thought he couldn’t possibly love the man more, he did.

He was five minutes from work, and his dick was still full of blood. He was trying to stop thinking about a naked Michael and the feel of him in his mouth and hands. The addictive taste of the man was still on his tongue, but it was helping to keep his damn cock from softening. He might have taken control back there, but the fact was he would do anything for Michael, and would never take being able to love him like he did, for granted.

A little internal admonishment, and Kendall forced himself to concentrate on the day ahead. Immersing himself in his mental routine, he felt relief when his dick had finally returned to its flaccid state. A quick look down verified there was no visible wet spot on his dark blue pants. That was another relief because he could feel significant wetness in his briefs. A quick clean-up in his private washroom was in order before he started his day. He walked into Building One with a distinguishable bounce in his step. He missed Michael already.

It was an interesting morning. He had ended up being a mere fifteen minutes late, not that he even had an official schedule, but he liked to set an example for his employees. After a quick clean-up of his pre-cum-laden underwear, Kendall sat at his desk, ready to peruse the previous night’s reports. Before he could begin, he received a text.

I fucking love you, Kendall Dooley! Xoxoxoxo

The thoughtfulness of the man made Kendall smile. He responded in kind.

I fucking love you, Michael Aceto! Xoxoxoxo. P.S. I can still taste you.

The fact was, he could still taste his partner’s unique flavor… whether it was only the memory of it didn’t matter. He laughed aloud at Michael’s response.

There’s plenty more where that came from!

Kendall continued laughing as he responded.

Don’t I know it. I haven’t had breakfast, and yet I feel full. Don’t forget to make fresh coffee for Mom and Pop, and remember to give Pop your credit card.

Kendall smiled at Michael’s next message.

Yessir, Captain Dooley, sir. I am at your command. Use me as you will.

Oh, trust me, Officer Aceto… I intend to… over and over and out. Xoxoxo

Xoxoxoxo back

No doubt about it… the man was a keeper. The years of loneliness had been worth it. Kendall slowly got his mind back on his work and proceeded to work through his tasks one by one. He was fortunate in that there were no interruptions until Jeremy called with an offer to bring lunch before his two o’clock shift. Kendall eagerly took him up on it… man cannot live on cum alone. He was starving.

Jeremy arrived just before one, and they wasted no time in demolishing the delicious food. Kendall’s veal on a bun and Greek salad were excellent. Jeremy’s lunch was a carbon copy of his own. By the time they’d both finished, Jeremy still had a fair bit of time to kill before his workday began. Kendall had worked his way through the bulk of what he’d wanted to get done for the day, other than a few required phone calls, so it was the perfect time to relax.

“How are things, Jere? We haven’t really had a chance to talk for a while.”

“Things are okay, I guess. What about you and Michael? You guys doing well?” Jeremy’s change of focus for their conversation did not go unnoticed, but Kendall let it go for the time being.

“So much has been going on in the last few days… you won’t believe it.” Kendall proceeded to tell Jeremy about the house and the baby, skirting over some of the gorier details to do with Candy, but basically giving him the whole story. As Kendall talked, he could sense the emotions running through his assistant, and at times he could see the wistfulness, magnified by that same loneliness he'd sensed in him the first time they’d really talked. He couldn’t help but wonder why there was sustained sadness in a guy as handsome and genuine as Jeremy. It was a mystery he would like to solve, but he was reluctant to pry into the sometimes-pain that crossed the blonde man’s face. As he finished up his recounting, Kendall decided he would attempt to draw him out one time, and if he balked, then he would mind his own business. At least he’d try to, he thought ruefully.

“So, you can see we’ve sort of had our hands full lately, which is why we haven’t set up a time for us to work out together. Sorry about that.” Kendall wondered how to begin without being intrusive.

“Oh, heck, Captain… I mean Kendall, don’t apologize. There’s plenty of time to get together when things settle down for you guys. Besides, it’s the Christmas season and everybody’s busy this time of year.” Jeremy was trying to be his typical easygoing self, and that touched Kendall.

“Are you busy this time of year, Jeremy? Anyone new in your life since we last talked?” Kendall asked in an offhand way.

“No, nothing new there. I did have a date on the weekend, but it was a disaster,” Jeremy looked away, but not before Kendall saw the disappointment.

“A disaster? Was it a blind date?”

“Yeah, I guess you could say that. I’d met him briefly… we didn’t talk or anything, but I thought he was pretty cool, and he told a friend he liked me, so I kind of got set up. He asked my friend for my number, and called me. He sounded nice so I agreed to meet him for a drink on Saturday, at a piano bar in Toronto, and well, let’s just say it didn’t go well.”

Kendall leaned forward across his desk. “What happened?” he asked softly, seeing the dejection clearly on his friend’s face.

“Nothing really. The guy was a first-class jerk… I should be used to it by now,” he attempted to joke, but Kendall wasn’t buying it.

“I’ve never dated as a gay man. Is it tough to find a good guy?” Kendall’s mind went to Chet and Arron and the troubles they’d had before finding each other.

“Count your blessings, Kendall… you’re a lucky man. It sure as hell has been tough for me. I don’t know why, but I seem to attract assholes. You know what this last guy’s first real question was to me? Was I a top or a bottom? We hadn’t even gotten our drinks ordered yet.” Jeremy looked and sounded frustrated, and Kendall felt genuine pity for him.

“Shit, that’s pretty bad.”

“Oh, that’s nothing. When I talked to him on the phone, I’d told him I wasn’t interested in a hook-up, and he said that was good because neither was he. He was a lying bastard,” Jeremy said bitterly. “I tried to laugh his question off… I just joked and told him it was none of his business. So we got our drinks and talked for a bit, and then he leans in and asks me how big my dick was. Can you fucking believe it?” Jeremy shook his head in disgust.

“Fuck, man. That’s brutal. What did you do?” Kendall was actually mortified that there were guys out there who would be so ignorant.

Jeremy barked out a bitter laugh. “I told him the size of my dick was definitely none of his business… then I said we weren’t looking for the same thing at all, and I told him that I had to go.”

“Good for you. I’m sorry you have to go through crap like that." Kendall was still horrified, and didn't try to hide it.

“It got even worse. When I got up to go, he asked me if I was sure I wanted to leave because he had a big one and I’d be missing out… he was a fucking pig… I told him to go fuck himself with his big one, and walked out. So there you have it. That was my Saturday night. I was so pissed off, I just ended up going home. I’d only had two little sips of my drink.” Jeremy's embarrassment was obvious.

Kendall couldn’t help himself. He started to laugh, and Jeremy looked at him funny. “I’m sorry, Jere, but telling him to go fuck himself with his big one was brilliant. Talk about making an exit.” Kendall felt a little weird about laughing, as hilarious as he found Jeremy’s retort, so he got himself almost under control, until Jeremy started laughing too. Peals of laughter ended up erupting from the two of them, and it was a couple of minutes before they’d laughed themselves out.

“Really, I am sorry things haven’t worked out for you so far, but I’m sure they will. You’re a great guy, with an awesome sense of humor, and you’re really handsome, so….” Kendall really didn’t know what else to say.

“Don’t worry about me, Kendall. Please. You and Michael give me hope. I’m going to hold out for what you have. I have too much respect for myself to settle. I’ve been there and done that, and sure I get discouraged and sometimes I get lonely, but I’m only twenty-four, so I have lots of time. A few bad dates aren’t worth getting down over… they just make me more determined, and besides, I’ll have stories to tell my guy when I find him.” He grinned, and Kendall almost bought it… almost. But he knew he had to leave it alone. As sad as Jeremy was, he needed to keep his dignity in front of his boss, and even though they were developing a friendship, Kendall understood that.

“You’re right. I’ve come to count on you so much, I forget you’re years younger than me. When you least expect it, you’ll find your own Michael. He was definitely worth the wait."

“I’ll say it again, Boss, you are one lucky son-of-a-gun. And so is he.” Jeremy blushed, but Kendall had the decency to ignore it.

“You’ll be lucky one day too, Jere. I just know it.”

Kendall felt a certain sadness as he drove home from work. Normally, it was a happy time for him because it meant he’d soon be seeing Michael, but on this drive, Jeremy weighed heavily on his mind. After he'd left to start his shift, Kendall had sat at his desk contemplating what he’d learned from their talk, and he found it depressing. He thought about what he knew of Chet’s heartbreak over Ian, and the emotional abuse Arron suffered from Dwayne. While he didn’t know all the details, he knew enough to know they’d had a rough time finding the right guy. And now to have an inside peek of Jeremy’s empty life, Kendall found himself feeling not just sympathetic, but also guilty. Just the phrase ‘hook-up’ had sounded so empty when Jeremy had used it.

Maybe it wasn’t sad for everyone, but he couldn’t imagine having sex with someone he didn’t know or care for. It had never been the right thing for him. He thought about the women he'd dated in the distant past. There'd been no one night stands in that small group, but while he had cared for each one, and as hard as he had tried, they had given him little when compared to what he had now with Michael. It was love that made the difference.

A shudder went through Kendall at the thought of where he might be now if he and Michael hadn’t found their way to each other. He could be living Jeremy’s life instead, searching, and not finding. There was no disguising the unhappiness the young man carried around with him… Kendall could see it so vividly, now that he'd been given a bigger glimpse into his life. He wanted Jeremy to have what he had, what he so obviously wanted, but he was powerless to provide it for him. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep his eye open for any possibilities, though.

As he neared the apartment, he felt an overwhelming need to feel the reassurance of Michael in his arms. Jeremy was right about him being a lucky son-of-a-gun. He had to let all this go. Jeremy would be fine in the long run. He'd just make sure he was always there for him. In the meantime, he had an amazing partner at home waiting for him, and for the first time since Jeremy left his office, Kendall smiled.

Stepping out of the elevator after parking Beauty, Kendall smelled something that got him excited. Colleen’s meatloaf. There was no mistaking the aroma, and it explained Michael’s quick text to not worry about dinner. Maybe Colleen and Big Mike were here waiting for him. Kendall burst through the door, and was met with another unmistakeable odor. Pine. Taking off his boots, he saw a couple of pine needles on the entry floor. “Michael, I’m home,” was met with silence. On cue, Christmas music began to play… "White Christmas"… and Kendall followed the soft sound of it into the living room.

The first thing he noticed was a beaming Michael standing in front of the couch, holding two glasses of red wine in his hands. His eyes were drawn next to the beautiful Christmas tree, all decorated, standing proudly in the corner. It was an unexpected sight and it touched him deeply. “It’s beautiful, Michael. Did you do all this?”

Michael nodded as he walked towards his partner, handing him one of the glasses before leaning in for a kiss. When he pulled back, Kendall took Michael’s wine from him and put it and his on the counter behind him. Michael looked surprised until Kendall wrapped him in his arms and squeezed him tightly, murmuring how he needed this, and how blessed he was. They clung to each other for minutes, content to just enjoy the closeness. Kendall’s eyes slowly focused on the tree, and he sighed.

“Are you okay? Did anything happen?” The concern in Michael’s voice caused Kendall to quickly reassure him.

“I’m good now. I just needed to hold you for a while. I never want to take what we have for granted.”

“You won’t, Deuce... we won’t. We went through so much to get here. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Kendall sighed. “I was feeling a little down, but I’m fine now, I promise. You’re the cure for everything, big guy. I’m a very lucky man.”

“I’m a lucky man too, but what got you down? Huh?” he coaxed.

“Jeremy.”

“Jeremy? What about Jeremy? Is he all right?”

“Oh yeah, he’s fine. It’s just that he told me about what his life was like, how he’s had no luck finding the right guy, and it reminded me of how Chet was before he found Arron… and I almost felt guilty for being so happy… for having you. He’s not having an easy time of it out there, and I just wish I could do something to help him.”

Michael gave him a sympathetic smile. “Of course you do, but you can’t be responsible for everyone’s happiness. I know that’s who you are, and you know I love you for it, but you can’t feel guilty about being happy. That’s just wrong. It wasn’t an easy road for us and who knows… maybe that’s a good thing? It’s made us appreciate what we have. I know it’s made me so thankful for being able to love you, and I'll never fell guilty about it, Babe, not ever.” Michael’s words rang with such sincerity, it made Kendall feel a little foolish.

“Me too, Michael. You did it again. You make everything better. Maybe Jeremy is having a tough time finding love, but when he does it’ll mean that much more to him. Thank you for being so smart,” he teased.

“You’re welcome. Being smart comes easy for me,” he joked. “Now, can we get back to admiring the tree and enjoying our wine?”

“We most certainly can, Ace. You did a bang-up job on the tree. Did Colleen help you?”

“Nope. She wanted to, but I wanted to do it all myself. She did help me pick it out though. It’s a nice tree, isn’t it?” Michael asked with pride.

“It’s perfect, and the decorations are beautiful. Where did you get them?”

“Well, I found your box of decorations in the locker downstairs… we need to clean that out, by the way. The camping stuff in there made me think about all those trips we took,” he said with a grin. “Just think of the fun we could have had if we were together-together on those… just the two of us.” Michael wiggled his eyebrows and laughed.

“If you only knew how hard it was for me when we shared a tent, Michael." His mind took him back to the torture of laying so close to the man he loved. He could remember the feel of a sleeping Michael's warm breath on his skin.

“How hard was it, Babe? Michael giggled.

Kendall came back to himself, and played along. “Hard enough to break in two.”

Michael got serious. “I’m sorry, Kendall, I really am.”

“Michael, shut up… we’re not going there, remember?”

“Yeah, I remember. So, does telling me to shut up mean you’re getting frisky? Cause we could take this to the bedroom, if you want?”

“Seriously? You’ve come three times in like eighteen hours, and even more importantly, I smell meatloaf. I suppose you’re going to tell me you cooked it all by yourself too,” Kendall quipped.

“Nah, I have to give Mom credit for bringing the meatloaf, and the roast potatoes and gravy. I did make a pasta salad though.”

Kendall raised his eyebrows at that revelation… he wouldn’t have gone with pasta, but decided against further teasing. It was so sweet, what Michael had done today. “So when do we eat?”

“Soon, but first I want to snuggle with you on the couch, and just drink our wine, if that’s okay?”

“That’s not just okay… it’s perfect, just like you.” He smiled at Michael's sudden blush.

“So do you really like the tree?” he asked once they had settled in against one another.

“I do, I really, really do. Some of those decorations aren’t mine though. Where did they come from?”

“I bought some new ones, since this is our first Christmas, our first holiday as a couple. I thought we should have some that are just ours. You don’t mind me getting the tree done by myself, do you? It’s just that you are so busy, and I wanted to do this as a surprise. You do so much for us already… so….” Michael trailed off, and Kendall was reminded once again of how sweet and truly considerate he was.

“God, Michael, of course I don’t mind. What you did today was amazing. I get that you’ve been trapped here because of your knee, but you take care of so much for us too. Like today… I come home feeling down and you put it all in perspective. Yeah, of the two of us, I’m the organizer, but you are constantly doing things to make life easier for me, even with being injured. You clean and do laundry, and okay, you don’t cook as a rule, but we’re a team, and you hold up your end in every way.”

“Okay, good, I’m glad you see it that way. It’s just like it bothered you a bit because you offered to fix Candy’s car without talking to me first, even though you knew I would support it. I guess we always want to do the right thing for each other, but the fact is, we don’t need to tiptoe around each other, do we?”

“No we don’t. We know each other so well. I love that you would take it upon yourself to get a tree and decorate it, and I know that your whole motivation was to make me happy, so thank you.” He twisted and kissed Michael tenderly, and all his appreciation was in that kiss, leaving Michael with a goofy smile on his face.

“You’re welcome, Babe. There are two more ornaments I want us to hang together.” Michael got up and retrieved two small white boxes from the hall closet. “I got these done when I went to the mall this morning with Mom, after Dad took Candy’s car. It’s already getting the work done, in case you were wondering,” he teased. “We’re going to do the other ball joint as well, and both tie rods because there’s a little give to them. That must have been a helluva big pothole she hit. We’re also going to replace the muffler and tail pipe. Dad says it needs it."

“That’s good. I knew Pop would find everything it needed to have done. We want Candy’s car to be completely safe, and I don’t care how much it costs. That’s our baby’s safety we’re talking about. Michael, who drove you today?”

“Damn, I knew you were going to ask me that,” he whined. “I did, okay? Mom wanted to, but I needed the truck to pick up the tree and Mom had their car, and she’s not used to my truck.” He looked quickly at Kendall’s less-than-pleased expression and jumped back in before Kendall could complain. “I was fine, Babe, honestly. Driving isn’t a problem for me anymore, and you know I wouldn’t take Mom in the truck if I thought it was."

Kendall clearly surprised him when he said, “Okay, I was just wondering. I trust you. Worrying about you is a hard habit for me to break, though, so be patient with me, okay?”

“Wow, that was easier than I thought it would be,” Michael said with a relieved grin.

“Shut up, Michael… I’m trying.” Kendall grinned back. “And don’t say anything about the ‘shut up’. So are you going to show me what’s in these boxes?”

Michael winked, but said nothing about the ‘shut up’. “Yes, I am, but we have to stand in front of the tree first.”

Once Kendall had complied and they were standing in front of the sparkling multi-colored lights, Michael handed him one of the boxes. “Open this one first.” Michael looked like he was about to burst with excitement, and Kendall soon saw why. What he removed from the box was an ornament that looked remarkably like the front of their new house. It had a wreath on the front door, and candles displayed in the windows. The detail was incredible, but what pleased Kendall the most was the script that had been written on the front of the house, over the door. Small but discernible, it said… Kendall and Michael... and on the roof it had…2011…. Kendall was struck dumb by the meaning of it.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it. It’s so beautiful. I don’t even know what to say. Remember this morning how you said when you think you couldn’t possibly love me more, and then you do? Well, it’s that way for me too, and this is one of those times.” Kendall’s eyes welled up. Michael didn’t bring any attention to his struggle to control his emotions, and Kendall suspected he was having trouble with his own.

“We have to hang it up. Where do you want it to go? Pick a spot.” Michael gently prodded, steadying the slight tremble in his partner’s arm.

Kendall, surprised at how light it was, chose a spot dead center, and asked Michael what he thought.

“Perfect. That’s the spot.”

With Michael’s hand lightly gripping his arm, Kendall used the hook at the top of the little Christmas house to attach it safely to the chosen bough. “How’s that? We can see it from everywhere.” He was struggling to speak with a level voice.

“It looks great there. Just one more to go. Now I know I kind of jumped the gun on this one, but, well… just open it.” He passed the last box and remained silent.

Kendall carefully reached into the tissue paper, and pulled a beautiful silver and gold glass ball with elongated ends out of the little box. Etched into the glass in a way that caught the light, were three words… Our First Child… and beneath them… 2011…. "Where… where should I put this one? I’m afraid I might drop it.” He struggled to get the words out, his emotions finally winning the battle over his self-control.

“How about under the star, right in this spot.” Michael pointed while guiding Kendall’s hand up to it. “Let me hook it on while you hold it. There, that’s exactly right. Do you like it? Should I have waited till he was actually here?”

Kendall’s answer was to draw Michael against him, letting the tears fall freely down his face. “He’s already here. He’s living in our hearts while he grows inside Candy. I love it, and I love you for doing this. You’re amazing.”

“We’re amazing, and we deserve this. I feel like our lives are just beginning. We have so much to look forward to. I know it’s still early, but Merry first Christmas, Babe.”

“Merry first Christmas to you too, Sunshine. And Michael, you called the baby ‘he’ for the first time.”

“Well, you said you think it’s a boy, and you’re usually right,” he conceded with a chuckle still laced with emotion.

“Yes, I am, and before you say it, yes, I picked you, didn’t I?” The trickle of tears gave way to laughter. “So, is it time for meatloaf yet?”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“On whether you’re going to feed me some dessert later.”

Kendall kept a straight face, and sighed as if resigned to his fate. “The things I have to do to get a decent meal around here.”