Love Is Everything - 13. Chapter 13

The Christmas party at the community center was a huge success. Joey was ecstatic when he got asked to fill in as Santa for the kids because the original Santa, Thomas Wilkinson, the city's ME, had to leave unexpectedly.

As Christmas Eve and the wedding got closer, it was all hands on deck for the family. There were still some decorations to put up, clothing needed to be tailored for that perfect fit, and no one forgot about all the food that needed to be prepared for the festivities. One last-minute change everyone was thankful for and eagerly agreed to was the suggestion that the wedding be performed as part of the community's New Year's Eve party. That way, no one would be overly tired from attending both events. Keith and James coordinated with Paul and asked their friend if he could possibly time them being announced husband and husband with the stroke of midnight. They were in stitches when Keith mentioned how cool it'd be for the countdown for the New Year to be in sync with their first kiss as husbands.

Not only was Joey busy with his duties as best man, but he was also negotiating the sale of his property in California. He was surprised when Emily and her family offered to help in the house hunt. It took about five seconds to accept their assistance. He'd just finished getting dressed when his phone alerted him to a new message. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he grabbed the device, and a boyish smile graced his chiseled facial features as he saw what Emily wrote. Joey giggled, quickly typed out a response, put the address from the message into the GPS, and then finished getting ready after receiving a kissy smiley emoticon.

James looked up when he heard the familiar sound of his kid brother's sock-clad feet as he excitedly bounded down the stairs. "Good mornin', little brother," he greeted the slightly younger man with a smile, a loving hug, and a kiss on the cheek, which all got reciprocated. "Are ya hungry? There's sausage patties in the warmer, fresh biscuits, and I can have a couple of fried eggs ready in a couple minutes."

Joey excitedly nodded his head and asked, "With cheese?" The twenty-two-year-old jumped and squealed when he was trapped in a headlock, then treated to a noogie and received tickles to the left side of his rib cage. "C'mon, nohohot the hair, James," he childishly whined.

James chuckled and kissed his brother before releasing him. "Of course, with cheese, you dufus. I'm not a caveman, ya know."

"You're soo gonna get it, bro," Joey threatened. The pair giggled and continued their playful banter while the eggs cooked.

James couldn't stop smiling as he beheld the beautiful man he'd known almost all his life. Pride and love coursed through him as he watched the memories in his head.

Joey finally noticed his brother's vacant stare and embraced him. "What's in my big bro's head," he asked as he laid his head on James' shoulder. The familiar feeling of being protected and loved flowed between them as the pair silently soaked up the joy of being in each other's presence.

"I was just thinking of how proud of you I am and how much I love you, Joey." James paused and wiped the stray teardrops from his cheeks. "I'll be overjoyed if Tyler grows up to be half the man you are."

Joey's cheeks turned bright pink from the praise. He gently kissed James' cheek and gazed unflinchingly into the slightly older man's sparkling eyes. "With parents like you, Keith, Brandi, and Travis, there's no way Tyler's not gonna be an amazing man when he grows up," he paused, softly chuckled, and continued, "hell, he's already an amazingly loving kid."

James cocked his head to the side. "Wow! Not that I disagree, but I'm surprised you included Trav and Brandi in your statement," he exclaimed.

Joey sipped his juice. He bit into the egg and cheese biscuit, and after wiping his mouth, he said, "Why? From what I've heard about them, they're awesome people. You and Keith have never said anything bad about either one. Other than they decided to get involved in some shady dealings."

James sat back and silently appraised the statement Joey just made.

Joey continued, "I'm proud to call them my brother and sister, and I look forward to getting to know them when they get out in February. I've got nothing but respect for Brandi and Travis. They could've played dumb and used every trick in the book to avoid prosecution, but they didn't. That takes guts."

"Damn, Joey, I'm touched by your feelings about our big brother and sister-in-law," Keith said as he entered the room. He softly chuckled when the two brothers jumped from surprise as he kissed each man's forehead and hugged them.

Earlier in the month, the family learned Travis and Brandi were to be released early because their sentence was deemed excessive when an in-depth background into the judge's family ties uncovered that he was the couple's boss' second cousin by the cousin's first marriage. During the conversation, Brandi and Travis told their brothers that despite being released early, they didn't want to regain custody of Tyler. They loved him and agreed that Keith and James were the perfect parents for their birth son. Keith made them promise they'd be an active part of the family. That was something the husband and wife said they looked forward to doing.

"I can tell you're happy, and it's a beautiful sight, Joey," Keith said after getting some coffee and food and sitting at the table.

Joey dipped his head, blushed, and couldn't help displaying a boyish grin. "How'd you know that?"

James and Keith threw their heads back and laughed at the adorable reaction. "You've got the Joey glow that you always get when you're immensely happy or excited," James replied.

Joey apologized for having to eat and run, then kissed his brothers, put his boots on, and walked out the door. The twenty-two-year-old shivered as he quickly closed the door of his Mustang. He watched his breath as he blew on his hands while waiting for the heater and the muscle car's engine to warm up. The address Emily gave him was only a couple streets away. After greeting his girl and voicing his initial interest, the pair went inside to meet the owners and take a full tour of the two-story Cape Cod. The couple who owned the house were friends of Emily's family. They were charmed by the energy that flowed around the younger pair. Joey's excitement and thoughts of where he'd put certain pieces of furniture filled the elderly couple's heart with joy, knowing the prospective buyer would thoroughly enjoy the product of their labor of love. At the end of the tour, while sipping hot chocolate and enjoying the wife's famous homemade peanut butter fudge squares, Joey told them he wanted to pay their listing price, provided everything checked out after a home inspection. He ended the offer with the addition that if anything minor came up, he'd still give them the listing price for the property. Joey called the inspector Emily recommended and made an appointment for the inspection during the second week in January. Everyone agreed to the terms and sealed the deal with a handshake and a toast to everyone's prosperity. As a sign of good faith, Joey surprised the homeowners by writing a check for a quarter of the entire amount.

Back at the house, Keith and James were almost done cleaning. James leaned against the counter and put the last dish back in the cabinet. Keith's tongue slowly grazed across his smooth lips as he pressed his stiffening dick against his man's slightly extended ass.

James' breath hitched while shivers ran the length of his spine when he felt the tip of Keith's tongue lightly stroke along the edge of his ear. His body wriggled left to right as his penis hardened, and soft, airy giggles floated from behind his slightly parted lips the second he felt gentle nibbles along the side of his neck.

"I've got a word problem for ya," Keith whispered into his lover's ear.

"Really? You've got me all worked up, and then tell me about a word problem?" James retorted. He gasped when the redhead's hand gently massaged his bare stomach firmly so he wouldn't be tickled.

"If Keith and James have the house all to themselves and are horny as fuck, how long will it take for them to reach their bed for some much-needed physical therapy?"

The second he stopped speaking, Keith was over James' shoulder. His laughter echoed through the house as his mate rushed them upstairs and into the bedroom. The smell of male hormones filled the room as the masculine bodies writhed and pressed together. Raspy moans and primal grunts were the only sounds heard as fingers massaged hot flesh. The man's lips were puffy and pink from constantly mashing into each other. Beads of sweat glistened on their foreheads as Keith entered James' hungry hole. The rock-hard veined cock slid back and forth as the men worked towards their common goal. Finally, after a gut-busting moan, Keith's seed coated the inside of his soon-to-be-husband's ass. James' climax happened a minute or two later. The pair lay in each other's arms while they rode out the lasting effects of another orgasm.

Keith turned his head as tears filled his eyes, and he lovingly stroked the side of James' face. "I love you so much and can't wait to be married next week," he said.

James lightly brushed the damp bangs on Keith's forehead and kissed him. "I love you more today than I did yesterday. You complete me, Keith."