Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2015 16:55:31 +0000 From: David Lee <dlee169@hotmail.com> Subject: Family Matters, Chapter 16 Family Matters, Chapter 16 -------------------------- Michael was a very busy man in his role as a full partner in the firm. His father was gradually taking on fewer cases and going on more vacations which increased Michael's responsibilities exponentially. He would have felt not only overwhelmed, but a bit depressed, without his understanding lover. Unlike Samantha had done, Landon never whined about the long hours he was at the office. Landon occasionally brought dinner to share with him on nights before an important court appearance. Once, they even made love on the large table in the conference room. Michael had been brilliant in court the next day! Michael wasn't the only one feeling the pressure. Brandon Gladbrook was equally stressed out. His father, Richard, was also increasingly turning the reins over to him, and there was no one to take up the slack. The two young men were now, for all intents and purposes, the principal partners of Gladbrook and Day, but their fathers were still considered to be the ones in charge. "Brandon, how would you feel about taking on a couple of hires to help with our workload?" Michael asked in one of their weekly conferences. "I'm glad you brought that up. I've been thinking along the same lines. Our fathers seem to be riding off into the sunset and leaving us with the whole herd, if I may use that cowboy analogy." "So, let's hire a couple of cowpokes to help with the roping and branding," Michael joked. "Do you have anyone in mind?" "Maybe; my major professor at the university contacted me today about a recent graduate that he'd like to see have a chance. The guy's name is, Carl Nunez, and he would evidently be willing to come on board in the role of a paralegal, or work on contract in order to get his feet wet in a firm like ours. If he worked out, we could upgrade him to a junior partner. His credentials look fine, and he's eager to get more experience. He had been promised a place where he did an internship, but the lawyer who made the offer died suddenly of a heart attack and his widow sold the firm. The new partners didn't honor the verbal contract." "Let's interview him to see if he'd be a good fit. Both of us could use some time off. Perhaps we should hire two people so we don't overwork him." "That sounds good to me. I'd like to take Landon away for a long weekend, and I'll bet Julie would enjoy seeing you more often too." "You know it. She wants to have another kid and she's been complaining that she'll have to bed me down in the office in order to make time in my schedule," Brandon joked. Michael laughed heartily, hoping that his exuberance would disguise his blush. ---------- Later in the week, Carl Nunez met with Michael and Brandon for lunch. He interviewed well, and appeared to be someone who would pull his own weight. The men continued their conversation back at the firm when lunch was over. There they gave him the grand tour. "I certainly like what I've heard and seen. I hope that you'll consider me," Carl said toward the end of the interview. "There is one disclosure that I need to make before I leave. I'm romantically involved with someone, and I hope our situation won't be a problem." "Be assured that your love life is none of our business." Brandon said. "We'd love to meet your girlfriend or boyfriend sometime," Michael stated. "Your answers give me hope. Marc always worries that our relationship will be a roadblock for me." "I'll have to ask my boyfriend what he thinks," Michael grinned. "Seriously, you have a boyfriend?" "It's really deeper than that. I should have said fiancé, but you wouldn't have been able to tell the gender without seeing the word in print. We hope to wed in the summer, if we can get enough help in this place to free up time for a honeymoon." "That's so cool!" Carl enthused. "Congratulations. I can't wait to tell Marc. He'll be over the moon knowing that we wouldn't have to hide anymore." ---------- After interviewing three other people for entry-level positions, Michael and Brandon decided to hire Carl and a young woman named Karen Forester who was a paralegal and would be continuing her studies for her law degree. It wasn't a case of trying to fill a quota of women and minorities, but these two towered over the others in their credentials and their ease at meeting people. Once the new hires got the hang of things at the office, and both the elder partners came home to roost for a few weeks, Brandon and Michael each took several days of vacation. Despite its being only the end of January, winter had already seemed interminable, so Michael wanted to take Landon on a four-day weekend somewhere warm. Southern Florida seemed like the most practical destination. They didn't want to be off in the Caribbean in case some emergency arose at home. With Marian willing to live in while they were gone, they felt comfortable about leaving Corbin and Rory for that length of time, especially since one or both of them could catch a plane home quickly if it became necessary. Actually, it was Rory's presence in the household that was one of the determining factors about being gone several days. He had bonded with Corbin to the extent that his dads would hardly be missed as long as the teenager was there to help with Corbin's dinner and bath in the evening. As partial compensation for Rory's extra duties, the men asked Jennifer if she would allow Austin to sleep over for the time they were gone. She agreed to their plan, which put a smile on her son's face every minute leading up to it. ---------- Landon and Michael had considered going to a gay resort in Key West, but decided against it. After all, their objective wasn't to be naked with a bunch of other men, nice as that might be, but it was to spend a leisurely time as a couple, free of the stress of work and winter. Having to fend off horny males who might hit on them didn't seem as if it would be much of a vacation. Sunset Key Cottages appeared to be the answer to their needs. They booked a two-bedroom place in order to get an ocean view. They didn't need the extra space, but the smaller units all faced a golf course instead of the beach. The extra expense was worth it to them for the scenery. They arrived late on Wednesday afternoon, taking a taxi directly to the resort area. After an excellent dinner, they changed into swim trunks and strolled along the beach as the sun set. Michael took a selfie of them with the beautiful sky behind them. A lady walking nearby offered to take a full length one of them, and Michael happily handed her his iPhone to do it. It looked great, so he decided to email it to Rory. As darkness began to close in, they walked back to their cottage, stopping to kiss occasionally along the way. When they reached their accommodations, they could scarcely get the door closed before stripping one another of the little clothing they had on. After a quick shower, the men enjoyed hot, noisy sex for an hour or so before finally taking another shower and tumbling naked into the king sized bed for the purpose of sleeping. Relaxed from their coupling, and spent from their travels, they didn't awaken until about 9:00 the next morning. ---------- Back home, Rory and Austin enjoyed being able to cuddle naked too, but they didn't have the leisure that the men enjoyed. There was homework, helping with Corbin, and an important district swim meet on Saturday to prepare for. Besides a small stipend, one of the extra benefits that Rory received for holding down the fort at home was the use of Landon's convertible. It meant that Marian wouldn't have to bundle up Corbin to take them to early morning swimming practice and Jennifer wouldn't have to get up early either. The boys felt rather grown up and self-sufficient not having to depend on anyone else for transportation. They began talking about pooling their money and buying a car together. Being considered responsible probably helped them to BE more responsible. Their class attendance was perfect and they kept up their assignments without being reminded,despite having more freedom than they'd ever experienced before. ---------- Districts were held at the pool in a high school a few miles away. Rory was relieved that they would be taking a bus with the rest of the team because bad weather was predicted to move in toward the end of the day. He didn't like the idea of driving Landon's car too far in nasty conditions. Marian wanted to be there to support her grandson, especially since Landon and Michael would be gone. She debated whether to chance going, given the weather forecast. When Jennifer offered to do the driving, she decided that she could go. Both Rory and Austin did well in their events and, like several others on their team, they would be going on to compete at the state level. Winning pumped them up despite the dreary weather. They were elated by how well they placed, and also by how many of their classmates turned out to support them. Swimming never was as popular as football or basketball, so this was a big plus. Coach Morgan had organized a pep bus to take any interested students along to cheer for them. Thad and several other football players were quite visible in their letter jackets and caps in school colors. Their presence likely had a positive effect on the swimmers, helping to compensate for not being in their home environment. The boys were also pleased that Jennifer and Grandma had made the effort to come out, despite the threatening weather. Having family members who cared made a lot of difference too. Corbin seemed excited by the whole atmosphere of the meet. Eventually, he fell asleep in his car seat/carrier, but not before joining Jennifer and Grandma in making noise when they were cheering the boys on. ---------- Conditions were becoming dicey by the time the buses pulled into the Washington parking lot at the end of the day. Thad and Paul jumped off the pep bus to help Rory and Austin clear the snow from the convertible. "Thanks guys!" Rory said. "Can we give you a ride? The back seat is small, but we'd be happy to spare you're moms a trip, unless you have wheels." "That would be great," Thad smiled. "My car is gone, and we could use a ride to Paul's house." "Paul and I can climb in back," Austin offered. "You wouldn't fit there as easily." "Thanks, I don't want to take you away from Rory." "We get to be together all night," Austin smirked. "Hey Thad, I thought you had a car of your own," Rory said. "It got demolished, and that's good news and bad news." "I can't imagine how there could be good news." Rory shook his head. "Didn't you hear about the police chase and the wreck on the interstate last night?" "Yeah, I heard something on the radio this morning. Was that your car? Was it stolen?" "Yes, and yes." "I heard the driver was killed, but the police weren't releasing his name until they notified next of kin." "The driver was my father," Thad said, quietly. "Oh, sorry!" Rory told him. "Don't be. The car wasn't that great and the insurance will replace it since it was stolen. As far as my father is concerned, I'm not exactly broken up over him either." "How is your mother taking it?" Austin asked, steering the conversation away from Thad's apparent feelings of bitterness. "She's about the same as Teddy and me. It's going to be a lot easier without having to go through divorce proceedings, and without being afraid that he might do us all harm. A no-contact order is only a piece of paper. It's not a lot of protection from a fist or a bullet. I know Teddy is gonna sleep better. He's been crawling into my bed if a noise wakes him up in the night." Rory drove very carefully, thankful for the extra lessons Landon had given him in the stadium parking lot during the last snowstorm. He had a feel for the road and how the snow affected traction for starting and stopping. After they let the other two out at Paul's house, Austin got into the front seat where he usually rode. During the last few blocks, they discussed what Thad had said. "Wow, can you believe he doesn't feel anything but relief over his father's death?" Rory mused. "Yes I can. He's never had a dad who loved him like you and I've had. Think about how you would feel if your stepfather died." "Good point," Rory nodded. "I wouldn't feel anything but relief either." ---------- The aroma of Greek cuisine wafted toward Rory and Austin when they came in from the garage through the mudroom. Marian and Jennifer had the kitchen table set already and were dishing up the food. "We stopped for carryout after we went to the apartment for me to grab a few clothes," Jennifer told them. "Marian insisted that I stay over in case the power went out. She says that Rory knows how to run the generator." "I do!" Rory said proudly. "It's in its own little well-ventilated spot to keep us from breathing carbon monoxide, and there's enough gas to run it for days if necessary." "Cool! We need to have one when we move back into our house," Austin suggested. "How long before we can do that?" "The family occupying it will be headed back to their mission overseas in another month, about the time our lease is up on the apartment. We'll begin to move back as soon as they're out." Jennifer announced. "I want it to be all ready when Dad comes home." ---------- By the time their tummies were full, Rory and Austin were feeling sleepy. They really wanted to fall into bed and pass out for the next 12 hours straight, but they didn't want to shirk their responsibilities. Fortunately, the ladies excused them from those duties. Jennifer said she could bathe Corbin and Marian volunteered to let Charlie out before she went to bed. With grateful hearts, they headed for Rory's bed. They were so sleepy that they didn't do more than get naked and cuddle. Sexual satisfaction would have to wait for another time. Right now, they were exhausted. ---------- Landon and Michael had loved their time away from their responsibilities, but they were very content to be back in their own house with their "family" surrounding them. While on their "honeymoon," Michael had broached the subject of adopting another child. He vowed to depend more on his staff so that he could spend more time at home. He never wanted to be as enslaved by his workload as he had been in the past few weeks leading up to hiring more people. Corbin hadn't cried or carried on while his dads had been gone, but he was certainly happy to have them back. He was kind of clingy for a couple of days, especially with Landon. Once he figured out that he wasn't being "abandoned" again, he chilled out and went back to being quite happy to hang out with Marian and Charlie when Rory was gone at school. ---------- The new hires turned out to be very capable. When Michael returned to the firm on Tuesday, he found everything ship-shape. The senior partners of Gladbrook and Day were happy to have their sons back on the job. They gave a glowing report about how Carl Nunez and Karen Forester had held up their end. Then, they declared that they were officially retiring and would formally turn the business over to Michael and Brandon at the end of the week. They would still be available in an emergency, but didn't want to be tied down any longer. Later, Brandon and Michael joked that the senior partners hadn't let anything tie them down for the past six months at the very least. Since the two younger men had been unofficially in charge, it was high time that they BE in charge. Michael found that his relaxing vacation in Florida was followed by a more laid-back atmosphere at work as well. He and Brandon had a somewhat different philosophy from their fathers, and now that they were the senior partners, they wanted that to affect the staff. The long-time secretaries, who stayed on, were pleased with the new feeling-tone. It seemed to boost morale, actually leading to a more productive workday. ---------- At home, Landon could feel the difference too. Michael was a lot less tense than he'd been before. He probably didn't need massages as much as he had in the past, but he still got them. Landon loved any excuse to touch his lover's body, and Michael loved it too. He decided to learn to give Landon the same treatment. After reading two books on the subject, he asked Landon if it would be okay to hire a pair of professional masseurs to give them a couple's session. Landon agreed, as long as it didn't end up with the masseurs giving them a "happy ending." On www.massageM4M.com, they found two young men in their area who were partners, and who would perform two-hand or four-hand massages ranging from therapeutic to tantric. They called to explain what they were interested in and received a warm response. Their appointment was scheduled a few days later. In the mean time, Ethan and Maurice sent them a couple of very explicit videos on tantric techniques. They promised to guide them through the experience, but not to touch them intimately, if that was how they wanted to proceed. Landon and Michael were very pleased at the prospect of learning without feeling like they would be cheating on each other. They planned the event for a night when Rory would be sleeping over with Austin so that they wouldn't have to explain what was going on. They didn't want to lie to Rory, but they weren't sure how he would react to the situation. He might not have a problem, but he might think of it as an orgy, and they didn't want set a bad example. Ethan and Maurice looked as good as their photos. Both were lean and fit. Maurice was ebony and Ethan, ivory. They said that they would leave on their thongs for the time being, but would remove them later when the demonstrated the tantric part. They asked Landon and Michael to lie face-down on the king sized bed, far enough apart to be straddled. They began with a deep tissue massage to their shoulders and backs which brought a great feeling of relaxation. Before proceeding, they switched places and asked Landon and Michael to do the same thing to them, their teachers. With a few verbal cues, Michael and Landon were able to pretty well duplicate the techniques. The masseurs took over again, working on arms and legs, moving up closely to the crotch in the latter instance. When the men changed places, it was obvious that all had been stimulated by the experience. About half an hour into the lessons, Maurice announced that they were shifting gears. "If you're already naked, you can move pretty seamlessly into tantric. When your partner is on his back, you should work on his nipples and inside his thighs, teasing his `nads by `accidentally' brushing them with your finger tips while lightly massaging his groin muscle. The pointer on his lust-meter should let you know that he's ready to proceed further. Ethan will strip and lie on the towel while I demonstrate some of the ways to please him. One of you should lie down like Ethan and the other should try to copy my moves. After a bit, Ethan will do me and you guys will switch. Our aim, as masseurs, is to keep our clients on edge as long as possible. We can switch back and forth, but I doubt any of us will hold out too long with all the visual and auditory stimulation as well as the physical touch." Soon the verbal stimulation kicked in. The low moans of satisfaction grew in volume and intensity. "We'd better switch or I'm gonna blow," Michael gasped. "That was just in time for me too," Ethan panted. "Another 30 seconds and it would have been all over, literally all over!" "He's not joking," Maurice confirmed. "He comes like Old Faithful!" About 10 minutes after they'd switched, Landon announced that he was about to go over the edge. "Work on Michael so he can come with you," Ethan advised. "just like Maurice is doing to me." It was only a moment or two before the four men let out a collective gasp. Cum flew everywhere! It was a good thing that the bed was covered in beach towels so that it didn't get drenched. Both couples kissed and licked their partner's body as they came down from their sexual high. Other than the squirts that overshot their bodies, little of the nectar was wasted. "Feel free to use the shower. We'll take the one down the hall," Michael told their guests. After everyone was clean and dressed in underwear, Michael and Landon served cheese and crackers along with small glasses of wine at the breakfast bar. Maurice and Ethan seemed very pleased to take part. They talked about their dreams of getting married and raising a family. They found that they all had a lot in common. Landon led them to the nursery to take a peek at Corbin as he slept. "Usually clients toss some money at us and show us to the door when we do outcalls. It's nice not to be treated like ho's." "You're great guys. Why should we treat you any different than we'd want to be treated?" "I guess because of what we do. We're going into a legitimate business when we finish our degrees. We always work as a couple so we don't feel like we're cheating on each other, but still; we don't want our kids be ashamed of us." Ethan said. When everyone's appetite had been sated, Michael got out his billfold to pay. "I think we agreed on $200 plus tip," he said. "Nope, we won't accept that," Maurice grinned. "We enjoyed it as much as you did. This one is on us." "That's not fair. You have provided a service and you have tuition bills and all that." Landon objected. "We insist!" Ethan exclaimed. "Okay then," Michael laughed, "The charge was $200. We all got a very happy ending. Let's split the bill. We'll pay you $120 and you can pay yourself $100. We'll be insulted if you don't take something!" So, that's how it ended up. The men exchanged email addresses and promised to stay in touch. When they were alone again, Landon and Michael reviewed the tantric part of their lesson. This time they drank the nectar straight from the source. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Author's notes: Thanks to Mike D, Paul F, Rick B, Wayne, Shawn W, Chandra B, Tony W, Dick M, Thomas A, Geoff, Bill K, Bill T, Tony F, Bill B, Jim W, Patrick F, Jim L, James H, Walt S, Mendy D, Zero, Tom A, Trish R, Bryce W, Askel T, J-P C, and Jeremy R Who emailed this week. I'd better include Ott H in case he sends one after I've sent this to Nifty! Since Thad recently came out, along with Rory and Austin, I thought I'd include a couple of links about guys in sports who came out and found acceptance. The first one is a high school student in Michigan and the second is a former college standout who tried to go pro named Wade Davis. You have to scroll down a ways to read about him and see the video if you wish. http://www.outsports.com/2015/7/21/9007971/matt-dils-high-school-gay-coming-out https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9945/GHist/Jul/28.html Next week's installment may be a day or so late as I will be out of town. However, I'm trying to keep a pretty close schedule. David