I peered, open-mouthed, at the expansive mansion that my old college friend now occupied.  Mansion was the only word that I could conjure up to adequately describe it.  It was huge, with an extremely high ceiling, a polished, wooden staircase that would rival the one from Gone with the Wind, and rooms - lots and lots of rooms; at least as far as I could tell from my vantage point in the foyer.  I heard Brian snicker as my eyes settled back on him and I smiled over at him sheepishly, realizing that I had been caught gawking.  "Brian...fuck, this place could be a hotel!  This is a far cry from our dorm room back at Carnegie," I commented dryly.  "But you never did do anything small, did you?"


I received an all-too familiar smirk, and I rolled my eyes, realizing what I had said as he replied, "You DO know me well, don't you?"


I grinned at the double entendre as I asked him, "How in the hell did you wind up with this? Did you fuck some old, loaded geezer so hard he had a heart attack and left you his house in the will?" I teased.   That would be the only explanation in my opinion.  "This is the last sort of place I would have imagined you living in." Oddly enough, I noticed he seemed a little uncomfortable in reaction to my inquiry; that was something I was normally not used to with my former roommate.  From the moment we had met at school, Brian had always projected a confident, self-assured, if not cocky air, whether it pertained to his studies, sports - or fucking the hottest guys from class. We had hit it off instantly from the first moment we had met in Economics class while we commiserated over our mutual dislike of the professor, both of us trading insults about him under our breaths as he droned on and on about global marketing trends and gross national products.  To us, the only gross thing had been Professor Wilkins.


It hadn't taken us long, either, to decide that we wanted to room together - and for our own roommates, both of whom were hetero - to readily decide to switch places with us.  Once we had accomplished that, we had spent a great deal of time developing our own, personal fuck scale to use on campus and at the bars when we scouted out prospects.  Unfortunately, however, even though both of us were alpha males and I certainly wasn't a loser in the looks department, I normally wound up with Brian's leftovers. We always observed the ‘don't fuck your friends' rule, too, although I admit I had certainly been tempted from time to time, especially after seeing Brian's ample ‘attributes' as he casually walked around our dorm room after taking a shower, wearing nothing but a smirk; I think it was just to get me hot and bothered (and he succeeded, too, to my chagrin).  But at least I was rewarded with the wisdom of Brian's experience - and his commentary on whether a certain trick would be a waste of time or not - and I got some good fucks out of it, so it wasn't all bad. In fact, we had had a blast until I was awarded a scholarship to attend school in London through an internship program, and we had to part in my sophomore year. We had kept in touch over the years, however, Brian winding up in advertising while I eventually used some seed money from my parents to create an exercise sportswear company a few years ago, one that quickly became an internet success.  Whenever I needed some advertising expertise to promote a new product line, I invariably turned to my former roommate, who I had found to be quite perceptive when it came to my likes and dislikes.


When I had contacted Brian on his cell this morning to ask for his help with my newest product, he had asked me to meet him here instead of at Kinnetik, since he was working from his home office today. I had made him repeat the address, though, when he told me it was in West Virginia.  West Virginia? My friend - who had always loved the thrill of the hunt in the big city, and adored the faster pace and the clubs that urban life provided - was living in West Virginia? That alone was enough for me to visit him here.  Now, as he led me down the hallway, I couldn't help ogling all the opulence and elegance surrounding the space as I waited for him to answer my question.


He seemed to hesitate for a few moments before he finally answered somewhat cryptically, "I had my reasons." That was all he said, making me even more curious as to his motivation. As we reached his office - which doubled as a study with floor-to-ceiling bookcases, sculptures, and some amazing paintings hanging on the wall - I pushed that thought aside, choosing instead to temporarily concentrate on business.

Two Hours Later...


"So we go with this one?" Brian asked me, as he leaned back in his leather desk chair while I studied the latest idea he had presently displayed on his computer.  I nodded as I peered over his shoulder, pleased.  Fucker.  I just knew somehow that he had saved the best idea for last.  But I had to admit that it was ingenious.


"Yeah," I told him with a smile.  "That's a keeper. I think it's perfect. It's just what I had in mind," I assured him.


Brian nodded.  "Good. I'll have my Art Department get to work on the boards first thing tomorrow, then. Shouldn't take too long," he advised me confidently.  "I'll give you a call as soon as the prototypes are ready for your review."


I shook my head in amazement.  "How do you do that, Kinney?"  He twisted his head to raise one eyebrow questioningly as I explained, "Read my mind."  I continued to admire the promotion he had composed.  His drawings were crude - Brian always had been a terrible artist - but they were good enough for me to get the gist of what he was suggesting - and it was the perfect angle for my advertising.


Brian smirked at me.  "I'm a genius," he told me simply as I snorted.  "I knew you would like it."  Stretching his back to remove some of the stiffness, he glanced over at an antique grandfather clock situated in the corner.  "Looks like we worked straight through lunch," he observed.  "Hungry?  I can fix us something."  He flipped his laptop shut before rising from his seat to face me.


I laughed.  "You?  Fix a meal?  Now that alone is worth staying for," I snickered.


He huffed.  "I'm not promising a gourmet meal," he explained.  "But even I can fix a sandwich and open up a can of soup.  And I can operate a microwave, too," he told me, almost as if it were a major achievement.  "I think there's some leftover stew in the fridge if you would prefer that. So what do you say?"


I grinned.  "Okay, as long as you promise not to poison me."


He rolled his eyes.  "I have a strict policy against poisoning clients - at least until I get paid."


I laughed, clapping a hand on his shoulder.  "I'm relieved to know that."  My eyes almost involuntarily swept down Brian's body, and I couldn't help admiring the way he had kept himself so fit.  The casual but expensive jeans and dark-blue, long-sleeved cashmere sweater he was wearing were quite flattering on his lean body.   "Brian...You know...we're not roommates any longer," I murmured quietly, my meaning crystal clear.  I had always been attracted to this man, but up until now I had never ventured to think that I could pursue any hope of actually finding out if he was as good a lover as all the rumors had proclaimed back in college.  I had always harbored a craving, though, to find out for myself. I had certainly had my share of men over the years - some very attractive men - but Brian had always been the elusive one that I could never capture.  Now, however, I realized that former barrier was no longer an issue. So why not imbibe a little?  I slowly trailed my index finger down the middle of Brian's chest as I leaned in a little closer, my eyes drifting down to gaze at his lips - lips that I longed to taste.


To my enormous surprise, however, I watched as Brian pulled back from my overture, brushing his right hand through his hair.  "Uh...let's go see what I can scrape up in the kitchen," he told me as he turned around to exit the room.  I stood there in shock, just a little hurt at being turned down and stunned over his rejection of me. I had always known that Brian found me attractive, just as I had found HIM attractive.  One day when we were totally smashed and lying around our dorm room, sharing a joint, it had loosened up both of us enough to be more open about our feelings toward each other, and we had both decided we were the ‘hottest' men on campus.  "I would fuck you," Brian had told me as we sat companionably on the floor with our backs against the bottom of our ratty couch, his long legs crossed at the ankles.  "If I weren't friends with you," he explained as I nodded sadly in understanding. That unspoken rule about never fucking your friends prevented us from ever taking it a step further, even on that day. Now, however, there was no reason not to discover just what might happen between us. Or was there? I was soon to find out.


Before Brian could take another step, I heard the front door unexpectedly open and then someone closing it with a bang, followed by what sounded like something being dropped onto the floor.  Then I heard a male voice calling out, breaking the relative silence.  "Brian?  You home?"


I watched in amazement then as a big smile broke out on my former roommate's face as he replied, "In here, Sunshine."


I frowned, not sure whether I was more astonished by the warm smile I had just seen on Brian's face, or the name he had just used.  Sunshine? It sounded like some sort of name you would have used during Woodstock back in the sixties, instead of some man's name.  I listened as I heard footsteps coming down the hall and getting closer to our location before a slender young man with tousled blond hair stopped in the doorway, his face tinged with pink from being out in the cold.  The smile he bestowed on my college friend was almost blinding in its intensity, leaving no doubt in my mind as to where the nickname had originated, before the two of them practically jumped into each other's arms, their hands sliding around each other to embrace tightly as they began to kiss passionately.  My face flushed over the erotic display as they groped each other while they continued to kiss deeply, Brian's hands sliding downward to possessively grip the other man's ass.  I heard Brian let out a soft moan as they stood there plastered to each other, totally oblivious to me.


Finally, I watched as they broke off their kiss but remained in each other's arms as they pulled back enough to lock gazes.  "You're back early," I heard Brian say as his left hand moved up to lightly stroke the blond's cheek. "And your face is cold," he added softly as his thumb caressed the other man's skin. It was a simple gesture, but extremely tender.


The other man nodded with a smile.  "I decided to take an earlier flight last night as soon as the show was over."


"How did it go?" Brian asked him.


The blond smiled.  "Sold all of them," he announced, a touch of pride in his voice.


"That's great!" Brian complimented him warmly. "But I'm not surprised at all."  Brian finally seemed to recall he had company when I noticed the other man peering over at me in curiosity, appearing embarrassed as he stated, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were busy."


"Never too busy for you," I heard Brian whisper before he turned around to face me.  "Justin, this is a client of Kinnetik's, and an old college friend of mine, Cam Matthews.  Cam, this is my partner, Justin Taylor."


There was no hesitation in Brian's voice whatsoever as he announced who this other man was, but I was stunned.  Partner?  Brian had always been known to be a ‘fuck ‘em once and leave ‘em' sort of guy, even after college. Whenever we had gotten together for drinks to discuss old times - or to talk about some advertising I needed over dinner - he had always been eager to share his latest conquests with me.  He had never seemed to be interested in any sort of long-term relationship with anyone, always telling me that it was all just a bunch of bullshit.  But this much younger man - albeit a beautiful man - seemed to have somehow reversed his way of thinking.  I had never seen that look of...what? Adoration. That was the only way I could describe it.  I had never seen that look of adoration on Brian's face before.  Whoever this blond was, then, must be someone special. Feeling a little envious, I pasted a smile on my face as the other man walked toward me and extended his hand.


"Nice to meet you," Justin responded politely as we shook hands.


I nodded.  "You, too," I replied.  I looked over at Brian questioningly.  "This is a surprise," I admitted.  "You never mentioned a partner before."


Brian shrugged.  "I try to keep my business and personal lives separate," he explained.  "Justin's an artist - and a damn good one, too. He painted all this artwork in here, in fact."


My estimation of this other man rose even more as I realized the talent he must have and heard the obvious pride in Brian's voice; I had commented earlier on how much I had been impressed with the paintings in this room. As I stood there, I wondered briefly when I had been transformed from a former friend into more of a business acquaintance. And I did feel a bit hurt that Brian hadn't disclosed such an important piece of information to me before.  But at that moment, I realized somehow that I was never going to have my curiosity over Brian's status as a great lover satisfied, because it was clear that I had been firmly usurped by someone else. Someone who, I suspected, was going to be around for a long time.  After all, Brian had bought this immense mansion. That was way out of character for him. But so was having a partner, too, and a relationship. Were they connected somehow? I surmised that I would probably never find out.


"Cam and I were just going to scrounge up some lunch," Brian told Justin as his partner walked back over to him and Brian slid his arm around his waist.  He chuckled.  "I guess I don't have to ask if you're hungry."  He received a light smack on his arm in reaction, and I had the impression this was some sort of running joke between them.


I cleared my throat to get their attention then, suddenly feeling like an intruder.  "Actually, Brian, I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll take a rain check instead.  I really need to get back to the city and pack. My flight leaves really early tomorrow."  It was all a bold-faced lie; I had little with me that I needed to pack, and my flight didn't leave until almost noon.  But I sensed my presence - while accepted and tolerated - was suddenly not exactly welcome.  "I'll be in touch," I added as I collected my jacket that I had slung over the back of a chair to shrug into it.  "And call me when the artwork is ready, okay?"


"Are you sure?" Brian asked me as I walked over to him and Justin.  "It wouldn't take very long to heat something up."


"Thanks, but no, I think I'd better get going."  He nodded as I turned toward his partner.  "Nice meeting you, Justin," I told him as the other man nodded back at me with a slight smile.  I shook hands with Brian as I told him, "Take care, Brian.  I'll let myself out.  I'll look forward to your call."


"Safe flight, Cam," he told me as I turned to leave. I stopped after a few steps in the hallway to zip up my jacket, just long enough to clearly hear what Brian was saying.


"Fuck, I'm so glad you came home early; I've missed you, Sunshine."


"I missed you, too, Brian," was Justin's answer.


"How much?"


"Well, didn't you say something about it not taking long to heat something up?" Justin responded, the suggestiveness in his voice making it obvious that he was not talking about soup or stew.


I heard Brian chuckle then, but I didn't wait to hear any more as I quickly headed down the hall toward the front door and closed it firmly behind me.  After all, I didn't have to hear any more.  The answer had been written all over Brian's face.  It was the face of a man in love.