Saving Smith's Mountain - 6. Christmas to Remember

October rolled into November and the weather turned seasonably colder in Pleasant View as the last of the leaves began to fall from the trees. Jack was pleased that the Federal injunction was in place to protect Smith's Mountain, at least for now. He still worried that the EPA would ultimately find in favor of the mining company though, but he was trying not to dwell on that subject.

On the second weekend of the month Brad and Jack drove up to the mountaintop in Jack's pickup. With the injunction in place for 60 days and effectively stopping any chance of prep work until spring, the mining company had removed their equipment from Smith's Mountain and Jack was again free to go to his own property whenever he felt like it.

It was a sunny day with temperatures in the mid-40s on that Saturday, November 12, 2011, but on the mountaintop the breeze that always seemed to blow up there was ice cold as the guys stood admiring the view from the rock outcropping. In spite of their appropriate attire, they both were shivering. Jack gave Brad a big bear hug and a kiss.

"Warm you up, baby?" He asked sexily.

"Mmm, in more ways than one, big guy," Brad replied with a grin, reaching around to grab a handful of Jack's nice Levi-clad bubble butt ass as he said it.

They kissed passionately, but despite their embrace and their passion, they were both still shivering.

"This is nice and all, but we don't want to catch pneumonia," Brad said with a chuckle.

"Wish it was warm enough to do what we did back in the summer," Jack said huskily with a nod over in the direction of the spring, where they had made love a few months before.

"Oh yeah, me too," Brad said with a grin.

Later back at home, the guys fixed dinner together.

"I love you, baby," Jack said tenderly as they sat down to eat.

"You too, darlin'" Brad replied softly.

Life was so good at the little three-bedroom house on Crabapple Street.

Nothing out of the ordinary was going on at the Pleasant View PD, nor at the B&B and gift shop, so work was pretty routine for both Brad and Jack the following week. They went to a movie with their friends Bubba and James the following Friday night. They were happy to hear that Bubba and James had gotten settled back into their own place, the flood damage having finally been repaired.

"I have a feeling you two enjoyed staying with Justin and Eric a LOT," Jack teased with an evil chuckle as they left the movie.

"You know it!" James shot back with a grin. "You old married folks wouldn't know anything about that, though," he teased.

"I've got all I can handle right here," Brad teased back, punctuating the statement by grabbing a generous handful of Jack's thick package through his pants, right there in the parking lot of the theater. Jack blushed crimson, and everyone laughed.

It was true, the totally monogamous state of Jack and Brad's relationship was a bit of a novelty to their friends, who routinely all seemed to be playing with a third or a forth, but for Brad and Jack, they still liked keeping the sex just between each other, at least for now – even though they had both thought about future possibilities of eventually playing together with others. Many guys wished this were already the case, as they honestly had good-natured envy for both Jack and Brad, in terms of how each got to be fucked regularly by the other!

Driving back to their place, Bubba looked over at James. "I bet those two fuck like jackrabbits all the damn time," he rumbled in his deep, sexy voice, with a soft chuckle.

"Oh, you know they do," James replied with a grin. "But then, so do we, baby!"

"Yeah, and as much fun as it was staying with Justin and Eric," Bubba paused - thinking of all the sex the four of them had traded all over the other couple's lakeside house! - "It's still always great to have you all to myself babe, so I guess I do see what those two like about the way they do their relationship."

The tall, beefy, solid, dark haired, hairy chested Bubba and the tall, goateed, furry chubby cub James were making love intensely not five minutes after they got back to their townhouse. Eric and Justin were similarly in each other's arms that Friday night as well. Justin was tall, lean and muscular, whereas Eric was a stocky cub, not unlike both James and Brad, although shorter.

At that moment, Justin had Eric bent over the arm of the big leather sofa in their den, fucking him slowly and tenderly as candlelight glowed. "Oh yeah baby, harder." Eric gasped.

"Not yet, babe," Justin teased, and continued a slow fuck that eventually ended in both of them shooting enormous loads. Yes, playtime with James and Bubba was always beyond hot, but so was the tender lovemaking they shared when they were alone.

An hour later, Brad and Jack were climbing into their own bed together. Jack reached over and turned off the light.

They always slept naked, even in the winter. They both always had, even when they were single. There was a slight chill in the house that night, as the weather had turned sharply colder in the last week. But, with the big warm comforter, and each other, Brad and Jack were both very warm and content as they settled into each other's arms there in the dark.

They loved talking about their day and just drifting off together at night like this. A lot of times there would, of course, end up being some love-making in there somewhere too. But, they did love just to cuddle naked and talk until the Sandman arrived.

The weekend passed too quickly, and on Monday morning, the beginning of the short workweek before Thanksgiving, the guys were both up and getting ready for work. With his seniority on the force, Jack got the holiday weekend off, unless something unexpected came up. Brad, meanwhile, would have a four-day weekend as well.

Miz Vivian was going home to Georgia for the holiday, and the B&B and gift shop would be closed. So, if they could get through three more workdays, the guys would have a relaxing break. Alice Albertson had finally started mending fences with her now 82-year-old mother back in Brooklyn, and was taking the Amtrak train from Eastern Kentucky up there to spend the holiday with her. So, Jack would be spending Thanksgiving weekend in Tennessee with Brad and his family.

On that Monday morning, Brad and Jack were sitting at the kitchen counter eating some cereal, with the small flat-screen TV over on the opposite counter playing the Today show. Jack glimpsed the image of the Gilbert Energy Company's corporate logo appearing over Ann Curry's shoulder as she started into a news story. "Turn that up, babe," Jack requested.

Brad grabbed the remote off the kitchen table, and turned up the small TV. He settled back onto a stool next to Jack, and they watched and listened. Ann was explaining that Federal prosecutors in New York were expected to be filing charges of insider trading and other corruption against the Chairman of the Kentucky-based energy corporation that had grown to do business in several states and had diversified beyond mining into several other facets of the energy industry over the past 20 years.

"Could Gilbert Energy become the next Enron? That is the question on the minds of Wall Street this morning. A prosecution of the company's founder and CEO, Jeremiah Gilbert, would certainly shake the fragile recovery that is continuing to..." Ann was continuing.

"HOLY SHIT!" Jack exclaimed with a big grin. "This is too fuckin' good to be true! Could that mother fucker really be about to get what is coming to him?!?"

Before Brad could even comment, Jack's cell was ringing. "Albertson," he answered.

It was a delighted Hank Anderson on the other end of Jack's cell, making sure Jack was seeing the news about the possible downfall of Gilbert and his corporation. Brad's cell had rung too, with Miz Vivian also making sure the guys had heard the news.

A lamp was being hurled, meanwhile, across the bedroom of the Smithville mansion that Randy Blankenship now shared with his partner Jeremiah Gilbert. "You damn stupid mother-fuckin' idiot!" Gilbert was raging, as the base of the lamp shattered against the wall, after having narrowly missed the head of his much-younger partner Blankenship.

"Will you calm the fuck down, Jeremiah?" Randy exclaimed. "We'll fly to New York today and I'll work with our legal team up there to straighten this whole mess up and prove that these allegations against you and the company are all false, before the holiday even gets here and..."

But, Jeremiah interrupted, still enraged. "You stupid son-of-a-bitch! Have you forgotten the little fact that IT IS ALL FUCKIN' TRUE!!! I don't know how the Feds have gotten wind of what I've been up to, but didn't I tell you I was worried about it when you came up with the whole fuckin' scheme?!?"

The day before Thanksgiving, Jeremiah Gilbert was arrested. Shares of Gilbert Energy stock plunged dramatically before the closing bell for the holiday weekend had rung at the Stock Exchange.

"Serves the bastard SO right!" Miz Vivian laughed, as she was telling Brad goodbye and getting ready to head out for Georgia, as they were preparing to close up shop at the B&B that Wednesday afternoon.

"Yes, it does," Brad agreed. "And you know, if Blankenship goes down for this too, which he is liable to, it'll be Karma catching up with his ass for how he did Bubba, too!"

Brad and Jack drove off for Tennessee that afternoon, hoping that all of this would mean a reprieve for Smith's Mountain that would be more permanent than just until springtime. They spent a delightful Thanksgiving weekend with the Carsons, overeating and enjoying pleasant company and conversation.

Betsy Carson insisted that Jack and Brad sleep in the guest bedroom of Brad's parents' home, rather than going to a local motel as they had intended. It pleasantly surprised Brad when his father affirmed this as well. His parents had really come around even more than he had ever thought they would about the fact that he was a happily partnered gay man.

Obviously though, Jack and Brad did not have sex all weekend. Just sleeping in the same bed in Brad's parents’ home was a bit uncomfortable for them both, even in the pajamas that neither of them ever otherwise wore to bed. They drove back home, arriving late on Sunday afternoon.

The guys had dinner and afterwards they walked together over to Miz Vivian's and made sure everything was secure, which it was. The outside of the big old mansion was beautiful in the chill light of the moon on that Sunday evening.

"I'm so fuckin' horny," Jack said abruptly.

Brad chuckled, "Me too, actually, but where did that come from?"

"Hey, I've got my romantic side, too, mister," Jack chuckled, "You gotta admit this old place is gorgeous in the moonlight tonight."

"And, you gotta admit that neither of us has gotten off in the last four days," Brad said, gouging Jack in the ribs through his coat playfully.

"Well, that too!" Jack laughed. "What say we head back to the house and do something about that?"

"Well, we don't have to necessarily go home," Brad said evilly. "We could get a little creative..."

"Now, I'm not about to go back in there and fuck in Miz Vivian's house and her gone to Georgia," Jack protested. He did still remember the very hot night they'd had in one of her bedrooms the night of the summer tornado, though.

Brad laughed, always a little amused by Jack's chivalrous, polite side. "Who said anything about in her house?" Brad asked.

"Well it is way too damn cold out here tonight to..." Jack started with a laugh.

Brad put a finger playfully to Jack's lips to silence him. "If you just want to go home and make love, that's more than fine with me, baby, but I know you like to sorta spice things up now and then, and so do I," Brad said.

"You know I do, babe," Jack said, his fat dick already twitching in his jeans in anticipation of whatever dirty bit of fun lovemaking his baby was cooking up in that wonderfully dirty little mind of his.

"Then follow me," Brad said with a grin, as he started down the sidewalk that led around to the back of the old mansion. Soon, Brad was unlocking the door and turning off the alarm inside of Miz Viv's Mercantile. He didn't turn on the fluorescent overhead lights, instead only turning on one of the small lamps that was for sale on a display table.

"Here?" Jack asked.

"You OK with this?" Brad asked with a grin.

Jack was so horny. Fucking inside the gift shop was a kinky little idea, and with a four day load churning in his big cop balls, Jack was all for it! "Hell yeah," he replied, grinning back at Brad.

Soon they were both buck naked right there in the gift shop, having tossed shoes, socks, coats, and clothes helter-skelter aside as they enjoyed undressing each other hurriedly. They were kissing, touching, and licking each other all over intently, as they stood there in the little store. Soon Jack was backing Brad up against the long old wooden counter. He hoisted Brad up onto it, knocking a big display of post cards off the counter to scatter all over the floor, the rack making a noisy crash. That was a mess Brad would need to clean up, but just then he so didn't care!

In a flash Brad's legs were wrapped around behind Jack, and Jack's fat spit-lubed dick was buried balls deep up Brad's tight hole. "Mmm, baby, yeah, fuck me!" Brad gasped.

Jack enjoyed just taking long, slow strokes, as he stood there by the counter fucking his baby Brad raw and deep. They both moaned and groaned softly, enjoying the hotness of making love slowly and tenderly, but yet here in this very out-of-the-ordinary setting.

"Uh! Gettin' close babe!" Jack soon grunted. After four days, he wasn't going to last anywhere near as long as usual, and neither was Brad. But, that was OK, because they both knew they'd have round two and maybe three when they got home!

Brad loved taking Jack's hot loads deep inside him, of course. But he also loved having that tasty cop spunk splatter all over him. "Pull out when you get real close, baby," Brad gasped. "I want you to cum all over me!"

Jack soon got up on the counter with Brad. He straddled Brad, and jacked their cocks together, until they were moaning, groaning, and shooting cum all over Brad. Brad swirled his fingers through their mixed jizz and ate a good portion of it, and Jack did the same thing. They then kissed. They were both still hard and horny.

They then got some paper towels and cleaned up their mess, and got dressed. They headed home, with Brad making a joke about it being a good thing that Miz Vivian did not have security cameras in the shop!

The first few days of the following week passed by, and on that Wednesday the news they had both been hoping for came. While it would remain to be seen whether or not Gilbert and Blankenship would go to prison for their scheme, the damage to Gilbert Energy was already done. It was all over the news on that last day of November that Gilbert Energy Corporation had filed for bankruptcy, and all of its assets would be liquidated. This meant that the mineral rights for the top of Smith's Mountain would soon be auctioned off!

As it turned out, the auction came, ironically enough, on December 7, Brad's birthday. Miz Vivian had convinced Jack to let her try to buy the mineral rights. "I want to do this for you, but I also have an idea that my nephew down in Georgia gave me over Thanksgiving." She would not elaborate just yet, but Jack and Brad knew they could trust their wonderful older friend completely.

Miz Vivian's attorneys succeeded in outbidding those of Tom and Avalene for the mineral rights, much to the trashy Avalene's despair. Not only did Miz Vivian become the owner of the mineral rights on Jack's property at the top of the mountain, she also bought all of the rest of the property that comprised Smith's Mountain, which had belonged to Gilbert Energy. The details of the transaction took several days to finalize. Miz Vivian then promptly deeded the ownership of the entire mountain over, jointly, to Brad and Jack.

It was just over two weeks before Christmas now, as they walked out of the courthouse after finalizing the papers making Smith's Mountain in its entirety Brad's and Jack's, with just one condition. Jack's eyes were actually misting up with tears as flurries of snow started to fall there in downtown.

"There is no way we will ever be able to thank you for this, Miz Vivian. You know you are like a second mother to us both, and we love you. That is all I know to say," Jack said, his voice breaking on the last of it. Brad added his own heartfelt thanks.

"Aww, hell, boys," Miz Vivian said with a big grin, throwing an arm around both of them. "You know I love y'all too. And at least you didn't say 'second Grandmother'!" They all laughed at that. "Besides, as you know, there is something great in this for me, too, - and for all of us." Brad and Jack nodded, then they headed back to Miz Vivian's to discuss more about their new joint business venture, which had been agreed upon in writing that day as well.

Truly, that Friday, December 9, 2011 would be a memorable day for the three of them, and not just because of Miz Vivian securing the mountain and then so generously turning it over to Jack and Brad. There was also the business venture to which she had been referring when they left the courthouse that day.

They had signed papers that day incorporating a new business, with the three of them as the only stockholders. At Miz Vivian's insistence, together Brad and Jack had a slight majority in the stock ownership. Miz Vivian was going to fund the new venture, but insisted that she was more than confident that she would make all of her money back and then some in just a matter of a few years.

The new business was to be called Uncle Joe's Mountain Spring Water, in memory of Jack's late and beloved Uncle Joe Smith, who had once owned the mountain. When the EPA was doing its investigation of the mountain (which of course had now become a moot point since Gilbert Energy was bankrupt and Jack and Brad now owned the mountain and the mineral rights) it had turned out that they had found that there would have been no way they would have ever allowed mountaintop removal mining to take place on Smith's Mountain, anyway.

This was because they had found that the spring atop Smith's Mountain was actually the source of some of the purest spring water, not just anywhere in the United States, but also anywhere in North America. This had given Miz Vivian an idea. She had discussed it with her nephew Tommy while down in Georgia for the Thanksgiving holiday a few weeks before. Tommy had done quite well for himself, and was now one of the top Vice Presidents of the Coca-Cola Corporation at its Atlanta headquarters. It seemed that Coke was interested in launching a new line of pure mountain spring water, as a "green" counterpart to its popular, but only purified, Dasani bottled water.

Tommy was certain that Coca-Cola would sign an exclusive distribution deal with their new company to distribute the Uncle Joe's water across the Southeast, and maybe even eventually beyond. "We can't lose, boys," Miz Vivian had said with excitement. "I know you think I've been way too generous to you Jack," she continued, "But, this venture could make you both either very well off, or at least comfortable, in your own right."

"Only two things concern me," Jack had said. "What if you never make all the money you invest back? And, how can we do this without jeopardizing the mountain all over again?"

Miz Vivian had thought this all through. "Well, I don't give a damn if I make my money back or not, Jack. If I do, great, if I don't, it's a write-off. My husband left me extremely well off as you already know. I do plenty for the community and for charity already, and if I can do this for you boys and maybe even end up making a profit too, then it is worth the gamble. As far as the mountain, I've already discussed that with Tommy, and I think you'll like his suggestions."

An architect was hired, and ground would probably be broken on the new project just after New Year’s, weather permitting. If the winter was not too harsh, there was a possibility the new project would be fully operational by early spring. The rough plan was to construct a receptacle for the spring water inside the large rock outcropping at the top of one side of Smith's Mountain.

To the naked eye, the source of the spring would look completely unchanged, and there would still be a full flow of water over the rocks, and down the mountainside as their had always been. Part of the water, of which there was abundance even in the driest weather, would simply be diverted into a pipeline which would carry it, using only gravity, down the mountainside.

At the base of Smith's Mountain, near the river and the highway, a bottling plant would be constructed where Uncle Joe's Mountain Spring Water would be bottled and shipped.

It sounded like a fantastic plan to Jack and Brad, and they were certain that the EPA and state would sign off on it, and that it would be something which could potentially be very profitable for them all, and yet hardly effect the natural beauty of the mountain at all, a true win-win situation.

"I don't care if we do become the great water barons of the South," Jack said with a laugh to Brad one night toward the end of the following week as they lay in bed together, "I'm not leaving the force 'til I'm old and gray."

"I'm not surprised, baby," Brad said with a grin, "And I'm like you, it is always better to never count your chickens until they're hatched, anyway. I'm sure I'll still help Miz Vivian with the B&B, too, no matter how big this water thing becomes."

Jack still had a week's vacation he had not used, and needed to take before the end of the year. Miz Vivian was going back to Georgia for an extended holiday, and had decided to give Brad two weeks off. They would reopen the B&B and gift shop just in time for a big New Year’s Eve gala in the ballroom.

Brad and Jack hastily decided upon a vacation, and Brad got everything booked online. So it was that on that Saturday morning, December 17, the guys were in Brad's big red Mercury heading towards East Tennessee.

By mid-afternoon they had arrived and gotten checked in to the cabin high on a mountain overlooking Gatlinburg, Tennessee, which Brad had been able to find online. It was extreme luck to be able to book something last minute this close to Christmas. They would be staying through the following Friday, December 23, at the cabin, and then driving about 45 minutes to Brad's parents' home to spend that night and part of Christmas Eve day with them, before heading back to Pleasant View. They would then head up to visit Jack's mother in Annandale on Christmas Day.

The view from the front deck of the cabin was gorgeous. They both noted with delight the hot tub out there. The cabin was surrounded on two sides by woods, with the driveway coming in off the main road up the mountain on the backside. The front deck was totally secluded, surrounded by woods on the sides, and overlooking a magnificent view down the mountainside in the front. They were both already imagining the fun they would be having in that hot tub!

They unpacked their stuff and looked around the inside of the cabin. The walls inside were exposed light-colored log, the same as outside. There was an eat-in kitchen where you came in the back door from the driveway. This opened into the two-story living room, with a huge stone fireplace on one wall. A stairway led up to the loft, which overlooked the living room, and contained the bedroom. Just off this was a bathroom. There was also a half-bath downstairs next to the kitchen. This was a very cozy lovers' retreat, both guys agreed!

The guys went down into town and explored some of the many shops, and eventually had dinner at a good little restaurant. They got back to the cabin and walked out onto the front deck together, admiring the beautiful view of all the lights of Gatlinburg spread out below. They kissed deeply.

"I love you so much, big guy," Brad said tenderly.

"And I love you too, Bradley," Jack replied, squeezing him closer.

They made their way out onto the deck, admiring the lights below, and it had started to softly snow as they kissed and held each other.

Jack got the cover off the hot tub and fired it up. They continued making out there in the snow, laughing and groping each other. They soon had hurriedly gotten each other naked, and were shivering cold, but not for long as they soon climbed into the hot tub together. They sat with their backs against the side toward the cabin, their legs stretched out in front of them, and still admiring the gorgeous view. It was an odd and stimulating sensation, the cold air and prickling snowflakes on their faces, while the rest of their bodies from the neck down were submerged in the heavenly swirling hot water. Jack put his arm around Brad's shoulders, and again they kissed deeply.

The hot tub had a built-in radio, and they flipped it on to find it playing the all-Christmas music station out of Knoxville. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..." came the unmistakable sound of Nat King Cole's smooth voice.

"Mmm baby, this is wonderful," Brad said sincerely.

"Yes, it sure is," Jack said with a grin, reaching over beneath the water to take Brad's rapidly hardening fat cock into his big strong fist. Brad returned the favor, and soon they were stroking each other with a building intensity as they continued to kiss.

"I need you inside me now, baby," Jack said, breathing hard.

"Mmm, yeah!" Brad gasped.

Jack straddled him then, sitting down on Brad's throbbing hard cock in the hot tub, as they both gasped in delight. Jack started to ride, the snow and cold air stinging now on his face, shoulders, and wet bare furry chest, but he didn't care.

"Mmm, Bradley!" Jack groaned. "Oh, FUCK!"

Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton were singing “Christmas to Remember” on the radio now, as the guys continued to make love there in the hot tub on that snowy night. Jack got off Brad's meat now, and knelt in the hot tub, bracing himself with his hands on the side of its casing toward the beautiful view. The hot water felt great as it swirled back over Jack's chest. "Fuck me, baby!" He urged.

It was Brad's turn now to feel the cold and stinging snowflakes, as he got up onto his knees, and plowed into Jack's tight ass, wrapping his arms around Jack as he fucked him, and they both leaned forward, Jack bracing them on the edge of the hot tub. The lights far below seemed to dance as both guys moved in unison as they made love there.

"Let's take this inside, baby," Brad suggested after a couple of more minutes. They both hopped naked out into the increasing snow, laughing and grabbing up their clothes, quickly covered the hot tub, and then dashed inside and shut the door, and tumbled down together naked on the big rug there in front of the warm fireplace.

"Take me again," Jack urged, already raising his legs.

Brad plowed into Jack's ass again hungrily and they both moaned as Brad started making love faster and deeper to Jack now, his fat dick hitting Jack's love button just right.

"Uhn, yeah! Take that - AH-UH! - Ass, Bradley!" Jack urged, nearly whimpering with the delight that getting fucked so good by his stocky thick-cocked baby was bringing him.

"Oh Jack! Jack!" Brad groaned as he pounded Jack for all he was worth now and felt himself start to slip over the edge.

"That's it - UH! - Baby! Cum in that ass!!" Jack encouraged.

Brad groaned loudly and started shooting jet after jet of hot cum deep inside of Jack, even as Jack's on thick throbbing pecker began to erupt between them. They collapsed on top of one another, kissing deeply. Brad reached over and grabbed the throw off the couch to cover them, and they drifted off to sleep right there by the fireplace, content in each other's arms.

The next morning Brad and Jack got up, showered and dressed, and headed out to the car. They were relieved to see that while a pretty light dusting of snow had indeed fallen overnight, it had not stuck to the steep, curving road up the mountain, as the ground had still been too warm from the unseasonable temperatures the area had been experiencing up until just recently. The guys went and spent the day at Dollywood, being unabashed tourists and enjoying the Christmas festivities offered by the ever-gaudy country diva's hometown theme park.

Brad and Jack had decided to spend a lazy day just at the cabin that Monday. And to spend it naked! They were still in bed at noon, in fact, having gotten up to shower and fix a quick light breakfast, then having gone right back to bed together. They were lying there cuddling and kissing, slowing making each other hornier as the sunshine slanted in across the big four-poster bed in the loft of the cabin.

Brad currently had his head under the covers, running his tongue playfully through the furry valley in the center of Jack's broad chest.

"Mmm," Jack purred sexily.

Brad popped up out from under the covers to playfully kiss him then and soon they were rolling around in each other's arms.

"This is some kind of nice way to spend a Monday!" Jack exclaimed.

"Ya think, big guy?" Brad laughed.

They explored each other's bodies with their hands and tongues for quite a while, thoroughly driving each other crazy and loving the notion of having nothing to do all day but be naked and enjoy one another. Eventually, they were making love, with Brad enthusiastically riding Jack's fat cock until they were both moaning and cumming.

They cleaned up a bit, then took the blanket from the bed and went downstairs to the couch, still totally naked. They wrapped up in the blanket and watched a movie together as the fireplace crackled. This really was heaven, they both thought. They fixed dinner in that night, finally dressing for that, but still only just in boxers and t-shirts.

After dinner was more time for relaxing in the hot tub, and the night was capped off by still more love-making back upstairs in the big bed, with them flipping and fucking each other and finally drifting off to sleep feeling fully content and loved.

The rest of the guys' vacation week went by quickly, with sightseeing and some last-minute Christmas shopping. They enjoyed a nice early Christmas celebration with Brad's folks, then drove back to Pleasant View and then on up to spend Christmas Day with Jack's mother in Annandale.

No one knew for sure what lay ahead for them all in 2012, but as Christmas 2011 ended and the last week of that year began, pretty much everyone in Brad and Jack's lives was pretty happy and content, but none more so than the two lovers themselves.