Chapter 5

“So what was it that I just saw you doing?”

Austin blushes, “Knowing a little self-defense never hurt anyone.”

Leopold claps his hands together, “Who’s hungry for breakfast?”

I had an amazing weekend with Aiden’s nephews staying over. We had doughnuts, pizza, movies and games. Austin was much more carefree-kid like for the rest of the weekend and Brody never stopped being Brody, except for about an hour on Sunday afternoon when he fell asleep next to me on the sofa in the middle of a movie. First his shoulder fell into my arm. I lifted my arm and he unconsciously snuggled into my warm side. Before it was over, his head was in my lap and I was rubbing gentle circles into his back. Aiden was grinning at me from the other side of the couch. I guess I was a hit with his nephews.

The funniest part of the weekend was when Brody asked Aiden if he and I were boyfriends. Aiden was taken by surprise, though thinking about it, the question is totally a Brody question. Aiden fumbled around with his answer saying that he and I are friends and roommates just like he was with Vivian.

Brody put his hands on his hips, “Well, not just like with Vivian. Vivian is a girl and you like boys. Leo is a boy. You obviously like him.”

Aiden was flustered, “I do. I mean of course I like him. We’re friends. But that doesn’t mean—”

Brody wouldn’t let him off the hook, “I told you about my friends at school who have two moms and two dads.”

Aiden sighed, “Yes, Brody, you told me.”

“Well, you and Leo seem just as happy as they do. I think that makes you boyfriends.”

Austin laughed, “He’s got you there Uncle Aiden. He’s gonna grow up to be a lawyer. You can’t beat him in a debate.” He leaned toward me and said, “Sometimes he drives Mom crazy.”

But only in the best possible way, I’m sure.

Because they were going to three different schools on Monday morning and Aiden’s time was tight to get into the city, I offered to do Austin’s drop off. Even though the schools were across the street from each other, the drop off lines take time to work through.

He was quiet most of the way in the car, but it was a comfortable quiet. Not the sullen brooding of Friday night, which I have since come to understand.

As we approached the head of the line he said to me, “Take good care of Uncle Aiden. Take care of each other.”

I just smiled and told him go slow and steady with the weights. Don’t try to do too much too fast. And I told him that his brother should come for another weekend again sometime. Oh, and he could tag along too. If he insisted.

He grinned at me, jumped out of the car and was gone.

When I got home that night, I came in the door and I missed the noise. I missed the sound of kids. I missed seeing the four pairs of shoes lined up along the wall in descending size. For the first time in a long time, I felt lonely. I felt the weight of what I wanted and of what Colvin would never give me.

And then Aiden walked through the door.

He scoffs, “They love their uncle. They tolerated their uncle’s friend.”

I grin at him, “No.”

He shakes his head, “Brody is something else.”

I say, “Yeah, but he’s easy. You made a real breakthrough with Austin.”

He steps closer, “I just took him to the gym. You were the one who broke through. I heard your talk in the kitchen Friday night. I didn’t mean to spy, but I heard a noise and went to check it out. You were the one who used reason, logic and love to convince that – I almost said victim, but really, he’s a hero – that there’s a right way to do things and that everything will be okay. You will make sure of it. I now know why you teach underprivileged kids. You have a gift. And a heart full of compassion and love. All I did was hold a punching bag.”

“You did a lot more than that and you know it. You are going to be a great father someday.”

“Thanks, but seriously. Your family is lucky to have you.”

“Well, my sister and I have each other anyway. When she first told us that her husband had hit her, guess what my mother said.”

“She said, ‘You made your bed, dear. Now you have to lie in it.'”

“Well,” I say, “Thanks for allowing them to invade your life for the weekend.”

I can tell he means it. I ask, “Whose night is it to cook?”

He says, “Mine. I’ll get started.”

I grab his arm and pull him in close, “Don’t. I’m in the mood for Chinese takeout. Later. Like, much later.”

He cocks an eyebrow, “Aren’t you worried about ruining our friendship and the delicate balance that is our roommate situation?” He’s teasing me.

“Those boys crashed in here and shattered anything that might have been delicate.” I start to unbutton his shirt.

He giggles, “That Brody is a wise little man.”

“Too wise sometimes.”

He leads us to his bedroom. He pauses at the door and says in a mock-serious tone, “I can come up with make shift blindfolds and ball gags, but I don’t have handcuffs and my assortment of sex toys might not be to your liking.”

My face turns crimson red, “I am never having another late night talk with you again.”

He laughs and then so do I. “Jerk.”

He throws me on the bed. He looks amazing with his shirt unbuttoned to the waist. His chiseled chest and washboard abs are picture perfect. We only roomed together for nine months and that was sixteen years ago, but I never stopped imagining this moment. The hot guy handcuffed to my bed in my fantasies was always Leopold.

I have dreamed about this moment repeatedly since the start of college. Even during my five years with Colvin, it would be a lie to not admit that I had occasional thoughts (and dirty dreams) of Aiden. I slip my hands under his shirt and explore the warm skin of his lean belly. He rewards me with shivers and giggles as my fingers dance across his sensitive places. I pull off the shirt. I can tell that he feels self-conscious, but that’s crazy. He’s perfect. And he’s mine.

I smile down at him approvingly and he relaxes. We have all night, I remind myself. Actually, we have our whole lives. No need to rush. I bend down and kiss him. And we’re happy to do just that for a long time. We roll around, trading top and bottom positions and wrapping ourselves in each other’s naked arms. After what must be an hour of hands and lips and tongues, I flip him onto his back and go to work at his belt, his button and his zipper. We have to stop kissing to get his pants, socks and underwear off, but I’m glad we do. It gives me the moment I need to take in the full glory of the guy I’ve crushed on for half of my life.

Leopold just says, “Wow.”

I have no idea how many guys he had before Colvin. I’ve had none. Ever. But he has a history to compare to and I’m not just talking about personality anymore. But Leopold is not complaining about what he is seeing. And in his eyes, I feel ten feet tall.

He grabs my throbbing cock and strokes it up and down while twisting from side to side. I am leaking precum like never before. We don’t need handcuffs. With what he’s doing to me, I’m not going anywhere.

My eyes close and I bite down on my lip as he works my dick like a sculptor. Not wanting the festivities to climax too early in the evening, he backs off and kisses my neck. I never knew my neck was so sensitive. I get goosebumps everywhere. He slowly works his way to my collarbones and spends a lot of time kissing and licking there. Eventually, he moves down to my nipples giving equal time to each one and then he trails down my sternum.

He goes lower and lower with his tongue doing the walking. When he reaches my navel, his tongue plunges right in and it makes my toes curl. His fingers find and fondle my scrotum as he cleans out my belly button for a good long time. And finally, he takes me in. My eyes are still closed and my toes are still curled. His lips and tongue work magic that I never knew existed. He showers me in sensations that I couldn’t even have imagined.

He basically has a make out session with my penis. He cups the back of it in his hand and he kisses and licks it from top to bottom. He rubs it against his cheek and then kisses it a whole lot more before diving down swallowing my entire length. He makes a swirl in just the right place at just the right time and suddenly my fuse has been lit. I entangle my fingers in his hair as his hands roam around the expanse of my body. Sensing that I’m close, he deep throats me. He grabs my ass cheeks and pulls me deep into him. This is when I finally pump rope after rope of hot cum down his waiting throat.

It’s gonna take time for me to develop skills anything like his, but for tonight, I give it that old college try.

All week long we had more late night talks. We discovered that we both want the same things – commitment and family. But we also know that we have time. In fact, the lease on this apartment isn’t up for ten more months. We’re taking those ten months to enjoy being just us. This two bedroom apartment is perfect for that, but not so perfect for growing a family. When the lease is up, the plan is to find a house and begin the adoption process.

It was my idea that we might adopt older kids. School aged kids. They tend to be less in demand than the younger kids and they fit with our life cycle. Aiden will have the same days off throughout the year and my schedule is always flexible. But we have a year to work out those details.

In the meantime, Aiden has his Sundays with his nephews. Being there for those kids during this tumultuous time is important for all of them. And no matter where we live and how our family changes, Austin, Brody and Aiden’s sister will always be a huge part of it.

It’s the next Sunday and Aiden is about to leave for his usual time with the boys. He tells me that I should go with him. He knows they’d love to have me there.

“I don’t want to intrude,” I insist.

So he leaves and I instantly miss him. Actually, I think about last weekend and I miss all three of them.

It’s only fifteen minutes before my phone chimes in a new text. Of course it’s from Aiden: Your presence has been requested. In fact, it’s been demanded. They’re mad at me for showing up without you. Meet us at the bowling alley in ten minutes or I’ll be in big trouble. Once upon a time I saved your life. Now it’s your turn to save mine.

I laugh out loud and reply: Did you save my life or did I literally sweep you off of your feet when you almost killed me?

He sends back: LOL. We can debate history another time. Right now, you have been summoned.

I send a thumbs up emoji.

When I walk into the bowling alley, I find them ready and waiting at a lane. Aiden had already rented me a pair of size twelve shoes. As I approach, Brody is the first to see me. His grin is so wide, it looks like it will crack his face. I grin back. He charges me like a little sixty pound linebacker and almost knocks us both over in a crushing hug. Aiden and Austin watch and laugh.

Brody takes my hand and drags me to our space. As I change my shoes, I line mine up with theirs, just like along the wall in the apartment last weekend. The neat row in descending size makes me smile.

When I finish tying my laces, I notice the three of them standing in a line, staring at me. Aiden counts them in, “One, two three!”

Austin and Brody shout in unison, “Hi Uncle Leopold!”

I crack up. Shit. Now there are three of them.

And I couldn’t be happier.