Date: Wed, 3 Jun 2009 17:34:32 -0400
From: mark corlis <mcnc1966@gmail.com>
Subject: Taking Stock Chapter 4

Taking Stock

Chapter 4

Copyright 2009 by Mark Corlis

All Rights Reserved


 This is a copyrighted work and cannot be reproduced or distributed without
the express written consent of the author.


 This is the continuing story of developing love between two adult men. If
works such as these are illegal in your area, the you need to depart this
site immediately. If you have hang ups about two men loving and making love
to each other, then why are you here anyway?


 Comments are always appreciated at *mcnc1966@gmail.com*. All comments will
eventually be responded to.


 *AUTHOR'S NOTES*

Hello Dear Readers!


 My sincerest apologies for the extreme delay in posting this next chapter.
After months of being unemployed, I finally rejoined the workforce in March.
It has kept me ridiculously busy, and sapped a lot of my creative juices. A
promotion later, things seem to be settling back into a more normal rhythm.
Future updates, while not speedy, will be more predictable now.


 I've received numerous email comments (all positive I might add) about this
continuing saga. Please keep those comments coming as they are my only
encouragement to continue forward.


 I know I can be a bit anal about my story writing, but I hope this overly
long wait has produced a chapter that all of you enjoy. This is by no means
the end, only the beginning of a new era for our boys.


 I'll shut up now and look forward to reading your reactions!


 Mark



 Taylor sat up in bed, trying to shake the sense of confusion he felt. The
dream had been a disconcerting experience, more from a meaning standpoint
than that of a nightmare. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, wondering what
he was supposed to think. Dreams of this magnitude always held some
important definition, but figuring it out right then was not meant to be.


 The clock read 4:30 A.M. It was early, even for the over achieving Taylor,
but sleep was not gonna return anytime soon. He swung his feet to the floor,
found a his sweats and hoodie nearby, and quietly slipped out the door.


 "Coffee, lots of coffee should help," he thought as he moved groggily down
the hall. Upon reaching the kitchen, he got a pot of black gold going post
haste.


 As the machine gurgled away, his thoughts moved back to the dream. "Me with
a kid?" he said aloud, shaking his head the whole time. His life had never
been focused on anyone but himself. He'd never wanted it focused toward
another. Now Jordan was here, and he couldn't imagine not focusing his
positive energies on him. Wanting to share himself with anyone was foreign
territory, and it was scary as hell! The thought of bringing something so
fragile as a child into the mix only added to the terror.


 The whooshing of the nearby coffee maker ceased, breaking Taylor's focus on
a random patch of air. He found a mug in the third cabinet he looked in, and
began pouring the steaming liquid into it. Holding the pot at the wrong
angle, though, didn't help accomplish the operation favorably. The hot
liquid came out too fast, splashing out of the cup and onto Taylor's hand.


 "Mother fucker," he exclaimed, pressing his burnt finger to his mouth and
then flailing his hand through the air. When no relief was forthcoming, he
went in the freezer and grabbed a piece of ice, sighing happily as the cold
numbed the affected area.


 Leonard had watched the event with some amusement. In the time Taylor had
owned this house, the man couldn't remember ever seeing him at work in the
kitchen. The usual visits involved checking on a meal's progress or grabbing
something from the refrigerator. Observing the results of the boss's feeble
attempt reinforced the reason for this.


 "Ahem," was heard as Leonard cleared his throat. Taylor looked up in
surprise, then began to blush in embarrassment as he realized his recent
clown act had an audience.


 "Would you like some coffee now?" Leonard asked with a shit eating grin on
his face.


 "Not a god damn word," Taylor snapped, waving his finger in the butler's
face. "Just bring it to me at the table," he said as he moved out of his
self inflicted hell and out to the kitchen table. Leonard snickered softly
as he triumphantly poured a cup. After getting one for himself, he joined
his obviously bothered friend at the table.


 "So what's up with you today?" he asked.


 Taylor was silent for a short while, savoring the delicious aroma rising
into his nostrils. "Just a bad night," he muttered.


 "Oh bullshit," Leonard retorted. "As long as I've known you, I've never
seen you try to work in that kitchen. I'm shocked you even knew your way
around it."


 "I just wanted coffee, and being the intelligent soul I am, I decided to
make myself some," he shot back.


 Leonard laughed uproariously. "Well, we see how well that turned out."


 The blush returned hastily as Leonard continued belly laughing at Taylor's
expense. He could do nothing but hang his head in shame, knowing his old
friend was absolutely correct.


 "Now instead of making me beat you senseless, why don't you just tell me
what's going on in that warped brain of yours."


 "You ever see me being a parent," Taylor asked shyly.


 The question stunned Leonard into silence. For a few moments, he stared at
the man across from him in utter shock. Truthfully, he never figured Taylor
would rise out of self absorption long enough to put anyone above himself.


 "Well, I don't know. Never thought about it I guess," he replied carefully.
"What brought this on?"


 "A stupid dream," Taylor said quickly. "I've never considered it, not for a
second. Then I have this wild sleeping vision and I can't think of anything
else."


 "It's a lot to take in," Leonard counseled. "I never really took you for
the parenting type, but stranger things have happened. You aren't gonna
figure out anything now, though. Life has a way of letting everything that
supposed to happen do just that. So, I'd keep thinking about it but realize
that your life is changing by leaps and bounds right now. Just follow the
road my friend."


 Taylor smiled at Leonard's sage words. They were on the money as usual. The
curious thoughts he now had weren't going away anytime soon, but maybe they
were meant to foreshadow events to come. For now, he was satisfied to accept
that he wasn't meant to understand.


 For the next ninety minutes, Taylor and Leonard talked about his life over
the last year, culminating in the changes occurring rapidly before them. The
house had taken on a new energy since Jordan's arrival, an energy everyone
there saw as extremely positive. Leonard decided to probe further into that
situation, since he and the boss rarely spoke of it.


 "I want you to tell me what you want from Jordan," Leonard summoned.


 "I'm not sure," Taylor began. "I want him to be happy, and I want to be a
participant in that happiness. I feel so alive around him, more than I ever
have before. He could give a flying fuck about anything I have, and while
that's refreshing, the fact that giving him my heart would be enough is bone
chilling. You know my record when hearts are involved."


 Leonard nodded, recalling the string of boys going in and out of his
charge's life. Each time, the next boy was always "the one." In the end,
however, the mere mention of seriousness caused pink slips to be issued. A
large check bought peace and silence, clearing the way for the next
dalliance to arrive. Each boy was better looking than the last, and, of
course, more shallow.


 Then came Jordan. He was no super model, and no gold digger. He wanted
love, and only love. No amount of money or extravagant gifts would supplant
that desire. Leonard believed that Taylor could be working fast food and the
younger man would be no less taken. A real possibility for the future
existed here, but the poor track record threatened to derail this fragile
train at any time. Vigilance would be paramount, Leonard thought to himself.


 The time wiled away, and soon it was 7:15 A.M. Thad Barber was due to
arrive in a little over an hour. Leonard broke the conversation, encouraging
Taylor to hit the shower. The men rose and began to move from the table, but
Taylor wrapped his mentor up in a tremendous embrace.


 "Thanks again, old friend. Don't know what I'd do without you sometimes."


 "Die," Leonard offered with a wide grin.


 "Ha," Taylor scoffed as he moved toward the bedroom. He loved Leonard like
a father, and always counted on his advice and listening skills to pull him
through tough times. While thinking warm thoughts, he reached the bedroom
door and re-entered quietly. The soft, even breathing of a young man dead
asleep filled the room. Taylor grabbed a few necessities and moved quietly
into the bathing suite.


 Once in, he looked between the jacuzzi tub and the steam shower stall,
trying to choose between them. Not being one to rush, he chose the shower,
figuring it would give him ample time to make final preparations for the
lawyer's arrival. He worked the controls deftly, bringing the various water
jets scattered about to a soothing temperature. Satisfied that everything
was in order, he shed his boxers and stepped into the steamy box.


 The warm water pulsated across his skin, easing some of the tension built
up inside him. He basked in the glorious rain, turning his body so all parts
got equal time. As the jets pounded out their copious streams, Taylor's
thoughts returned to Jordan. The boy definitely had an effect on him, one so
strong it couldn't be ignored. He was the best thing to come into Taylor's
otherwise rote life. The undercurrent of fear he felt, however, wouldn't ebb
in the least. He yearned to become more intimate with Jordan, but was afraid
that any attempts to that end would only screw up a magical start.


 Even though he was afraid, the thought of making love to beautiful Jordan
took hold and a fantasy of what might happen seized his mind. His had
grasped his lengthening penis, slowly stroking up and down the hardening
shaft.



 Taylor crawled into bed, snaking his body hard against Jordan's. After
closing the gap between them, his rising cock was pressed hard against the
shapely globes of the boy's firm ass. Leaning forward, he brought his arms
around, pulling Jordan's back flat to his chest. For a few moments, the two
lay still. Jordan delighted in the warmth of the strong hug while Taylor
deeply inhaled the scent of the man before him. It was a combination of
pheromones, cologne and cucumber shampoo, the comforting smell of the man
who took his breath away.


  Starting at the base of Jordan's neck, he began to flick his tongue across
the warm skin. He flicked lightly upward toward the younger man's ear,
delighting in the cooing sounds emanating from Jordan's mouth. Upon reaching
the perfectly shaped ear, Taylor bit at it lightly, then continued the
tongue bath upward along the perfect rim.


 The sounds coming from Jordan's mouth went from light and playful to far
more heavy and guttural. Every contact the hot tongue made on his boiling
flesh sent a huge spark straight to his balls. His cock had gone from semi
excited to being fully erect in under a minute. Pre-cum began to form at the
tip as Taylor began to tweak his already painfully hard nipples. Jordan laid
back and surrendered his body to the expert handling it was receiving.


 Taylor turned Jordan's body toward him and joined their mouths. His tongue
hungrily devoured everything in its path, marking each bit as its own. He
moved atop his willing victim, beginning to grind his rock hard meat along
Jordan's steely length. The free flowing pre-cum made their dick's dance
freely together. Hips slid up then down, and Jordan's legs locked firmly
around the man of his dreams. The oral assault begun earlier continued
unabated, growing each man's lust for the other drastically.


 Taylor locked his fingers with Jordan's, and moved the younger man's hands
above his head. Wanting to explore his muse's body further, he broke the
kiss and paused to stare into the beautiful eyes below him momentarily.
Satisfied that they were glazing over, he cracked a small smile and buried
his face in the younger man's neck. Playful bites almost to the point of
leaving marks ensued, causing Jordan's whole body to tremble with pleasure.
He tightened his legs harder around Taylor, indicating he approved totally
of the sensations being applied to his overwrought body.


 Never being one to lie idly by, Jordan decided the time had arrived to take
some initiative of his own. As Taylor applied another mind dumbing bite, he
grabbed his head and reattached their mouths, aggressively exploring the
man's mouth in tremendous detail. His tongue dueled forcefully with that of
his one time attacker's. He silently delighted in the light moans he felt
escaping from Taylor's mouth into his own. The tongue war continued on, both
men angling for the superior position.


 Feeling the time had come to inflict some of his own magic, Jordan wiggled
his body from underneath Taylor's, ending up straddling his pelvis. He took
a moment to survey the landscape, his eyes gently following the curves of
the in shape body. Jordan admired every line, every freckle, and every cute
dimple while he decided where to feast first. Unable to resist his man's
supple lips, he dove at them once again, allowing his tongue to resume the
dance it had become so adept at. A few short moments later, he broke the
passionate lip lock and dragged his tongue slowly across Taylor's chin and
seductively down his wind pipe and over his adam's apple.


 Taylor lay quietly, in utter shock at how tingly his body had become. Each
time Jordan planted a playful kiss in a new place, his cock would lurch and
expel a new pearl of shiny pre-cum. Never in his life had his cock produced
more of the slippery liquid than it was at this very minute. As Jordan's
mouth continued lower, Taylor felt his heart gain momentum in anticipation
of the events to come. His skin became one large series of goose pimples,
following the trail of his beauty's assault.


 Moving below the neck, Jordan came to rest at Taylor's diamond hard
nipples. The raging purple nubs surrounded by a small smattering of hair
looked absolutely delectable. His head descended, allowing his mouth to come
to rest atop the right nipple. He briefly left his mouth motionless, the
heat of his breath causing Taylor to reach a feverish new point of ecstacy.
Satisfied at the results of his efforts, Jordan locked onto the obscenely
protruding tip with a vacuum befitting a Hoover. He teased the tip with his
teeth as his suction became even greater.


 If Taylor thought he'd reached the highest high in pleasure, he was dead
fucking wrong. He could have easily lit the whole city of Miami for months
with the electric currents streaming throughout his body. Jordan's nibbles
set his cock raring upward like never before. Pre-cum began to tumble freely
from his violently aching head, preparing for events to come. As Jordan bit
and sucked, Taylor could wait no more. He had to have this beautiful man's
essence.


 Grasping his man tightly, he rolled them over once again, slowly sliding
down the body until their rampant cocks met. He began to slowly slide his
steel hard shaft against Jordan's equally turgid hard on. The huge amount of
pre-cum both were producing allowed the men's pipes to glide against each
other effortlessly. Each pass up or down nearly drove both intensely over
stimulated men past the edge, but as Taylor sensed the coming crescendo he
suddenly stopped. He resumed his slide downward, ending up completely off
his boy's body. Jordan was a bit confused until he felt his ankles being
lifted toward his ears. Sensing a pleasurable outcome, he willingly complied
with the urgent pushing.


 With the younger man sufficiently splayed out, Taylor began this new phase
by massaging the two plump, round and firm globes of flesh before him.
Fingers dug into the plentiful muscles, squeezing to the point that finger
marks were evident. He pulled the hairless orbs apart and observed the most
sensual sight he'd ever seen. Jordan's hole twitched slightly at being
regarded as such, making Taylor grin widely. He began by releasing one the
of the wonderful cheeks, then running his pointer finger slowly over the
wrinkled pucker. The heat coming off it was incredible, and the twitching
he'd so gladly observed before only increased.


 Taylor pulled upward on Jordan's pelvis, placing the younger man in a
nearly half summersault pose. Now the pristine orifice was completely at his
beck and call, a fact that only excited both of them further. The face
dropped and his tongue glanced over the rim of each cheek. Flicks hit at
random patches of skin in an ever tighter circles, finally reaching their
intended destination. He pushed his face in hard, allowing his tongue to
give the trembling hole a full contact lick. As he pummeled it with his
tongue, the target reflexively tensed and relaxed, eliciting an animal moan
from its owner.


 Jordan's eyes rolled back in head as the scorching tongue slowly licked up
and down the length of his opening. Sounds he never knew he was capable of
making rocketed from his mouth. The feeling was so intense he willingly
surrendered his being to the control of the man below him. The attacking
tongue began to flip wildly across the overwrought crevice, causing the
young man to see the world in a shade of green he didn't know previously was
part of the color spectrum. He instinctively grabbed Taylor's hair gruffly,
trying to force his face in deeper. He slid down slightly and forced the
marauding tongue forward, willing the devilish organ to penetrate his fiery
love channel.


 Never one to dissatisfy, Taylor pulled his head back slightly and lunged
forward, giving Jordan exactly what he craved so badly. The sopping wet
tongue met with a moment of futile resistance, then slipped neatly into the
sacred zone.


 Jordan screamed out with the passion of ten thousand men crazed with
lust.....................



 Taylor's balls reached boiling point and jumped off into oblivion without
consideration. One, two, three, four, then five sticky, fire hot ropes of
thick sperm blasted out of his violently purple cock head. Stars, spots and
various abstract designs played out in an array of wild colors before his
eyes as the most intense orgasm of his young life ran its course. The
experience left him clutching the shower door's handle to keep from crashing
to the tile floor below him. The numerous shower jets made quick work of
washing the copious semen down the drain as the producer of it continued to
struggle to regain some form of equilibrium. His chest heaved up and down as
the world slowly took on some semblance of normal order.


 Five minutes later, his deflated cock lay listlessly like a defeated
warrior and his breathing reached somewhere closer to standard. He looked
around the Italian marble shower stall, deciding that his powers of focus
and discernment had returned. Prying his clenching hand off the door handle
that was so key moments ago, he returned to the business at hand.


 Starting at his hair, he applied a large dollop of shampoo and lathered
vigorously. If he was a smoker, several packs to cement the enjoyment of his
episode would be in immediate order, he mused. As was customary with his
keen mind, thoughts began to run around in his always active cranium.


 This masturbation session was unlike any he had ever experienced. Never had
the extreme pleasure of another been so important to achieve. The usual
scenarios involved some innocent surfer types yielding to his advances and
culminated in voluminous amounts of his sperm being injected into the
formerly hesitant victim. This time, however, he placed his own needs on the
back burner shortly after they appeared. As he covered his still shaking
body with generous amounts of designer bath gel, he began to talk out this
situation aloud with himself.


 "What the hell is wrong with you, Bryant? You really need to get it
together already," he admonished.


 "You've never truly given a frog's fat ass about anyone but yourself, and
this situation is NO different," he continued.


 Inside his soul, he knew that last statement was a lie for the ages. This
situation was totally different...territory he had avoided at any cost. A
thought popped into his head that made him shudder to his core.


 "Face it, man, you're falling for the kid hard," he exclaimed.


 A million reasons why this wasn't the case ricocheted around his wickedly
over taxed cerebrum. None was able to justify or overcome what he knew was
the dead truth. Jordan had so completely captured his heart that it was lost
forever. The strange thing was Taylor was perfectly happy letting someone
else own it.


 Shaking his head in frustration, he finished his bathing ritual and stepped
into a fluffy towel. Drying quickly, he completed his mission with a close
shave, a thorough brushing of his teeth, deodorant and a splash of his
favorite Ralph Lauren cologne. He then moved to the dressing area, where he
donned his most official looking Brooks Brother suit and Kenneth Cole
wingtip shoes. Stepping back into the vanity area, he considered his
countenance carefully.


 Instead of seeing the usual in control, overly confident son of a bitch he
usually saw, he observed a man with huge issues written all over his face.
His eyes betrayed his troubles flagrantly. To his warped mind, he looked
like a man that hadn't slept in days instead of someone standing on the
brink of what could become everlasting happiness. Angrily shaking his head
once again, he returned to the bedroom area.


 Upon entering, the object of his extreme desires and confusion came fully
into view. Jordan was cocooned under the covers with an almost angelic smile
on his face. The deep, rhythmic breathing indicated to Taylor that the
younger man was still in the throws of REM sleep. A smile crept across his
face as he listened to the soft, unintelligible sounds emanating from the
sleeping figure. A lock of his soft hair danced lazily over his forehead as
he conversed groggily with some imaginary person.


 Taylor took a seat in the high back chair next to the bed and stared at
Jordan intently for what seemed like hours. He knew this wonderful young man
meant more to him than anyone ever had, and it scared the living shit out of
him. In a few short days, this remarkable man had transformed him from
master of his own domain to someone resembling a love sick school girl.


 The realization of his problem with all this came to him as he observed the
oh so cute dimple in Jordan's right cheek. Could he be fair to Jordan? Would
he revert back to being the selfish, irreverent prick he'd always been in
his personal life? Jordan deserved more than that and he knew it. The man
deserved nothing less than everything he had to give and then some. Being in
uncharted waters, though, a starting point was terribly elusive.


 "Maybe the fairest action would be to cut bait now and remain strictly
business associates," he pondered silently.


 The thought held a minor appeal, but at the same time left a horrible taste
in his mouth. He couldn't stand alone forever and, truthfully, had no
burning desire to. Taking a deep breath, he lightly took the reposing man's
hand in his own and began to speak softly.


 "Jordan, I realize we haven't known each other long and need to get to know
each other a lot better, but you've hit me like a ton of bricks. I have no
clue where we begin or where we go from here, but if there's a way to fuck
it all up, then I'm sure I'll discover it quickly. I'm scared outa my wits,
so I'll apologize now for not always doing the right thing."


 Without returning from his glorious slumber, Jordan grasped Taylor's hand
tightly, like he was silently signaling his acceptance of the previous
speech. Taylor took great comfort in the action, feeling minutely better
that on some level the wondrous man before him accepted the words
unconditionally. Quickly, however, Jordan released his grip and returned to
mumbling incoherent phrases to the individual occupying his dreams. Taylor
quickly rose and quietly padded out of the bedroom, heading toward his
office and the day ahead.


 Deciding that burying himself in work was the cure he needed right now, he
entered the work space determined to accomplish a great deal. He sat down
behind the heavy oak desk and switched on the various monitors and tickers
that were the crux of his business. He read the morning's financial
headlines, noticing nothing of extreme interest. He perused the papers left
by the latest temp employee, signing where indicated. In ten minutes,
everything requiring his attention was completed, leaving his thoughts to
consume the man once again.


 He rocked impatiently back and forth in the leather chair going over
everything he found necessary. Could a self absorbed shit brain like him
actually pull this off? Could they work together and still be the lovers
fairy tales speak of? His confidence in his abilities was no greater than it
had been upstairs. Images of the sleeping Jordan, complete with the small
smile and the irresistible dimple brought a warm feeling to Taylor's heart.
Still, the feelings of horrible doubt still haunted him. He threw his arms
down on the desk and buried his face in them, shaking his head in sheer
frustration.


 About this time, Leonard entered with a tray of coffee, juices and a large
assortment of fresh fruit atop it. Taylor had requested this the previous
day in preparation for his meeting with Thad Barber. In mere seconds, the
longtime butler and confidante picked up on the turmoil boiling over in his
friend and employer. Knowing what Taylor needed and being the only person
remotely able to get away with it, he stepped quickly to him and smacked him
briskly across the head.


 "What the fuck was that for?" Taylor questioned angrily.


 "Stop it dammit! Stop this right fucking now!" the butler exclaimed loudly.
"This isn't an execution for christ's sake, it's love you moron!"


 Taylor's angry gaze continued. Even though he knew his friend was totally
right, the selfish child in him was not backing down. In a hot second,
however, his gaze turned from brazen anger to unreal fear. What he had been
horribly worried about had played out as expected. He got angry and reverted
to being the spoiled little shit he'd always been. He pounded his fists
against the desktop and screamed aloud.


 "See, that's what I'm fretting about," he said emotionally. "You did
something I didn't like and I was ready to dig in and resist you for all I
was worth. What if you'd been Jordan?"


 Leonard understood Taylor's inner conflict better than ever now. His
reaction was unexpected, however. He beamed with pride toward the man
sitting before him. It seemed that he'd taken on milleniums of maturity in a
few short days.


 "I'm terribly proud of you," Leonard began," but sometimes you're the
dumbest bastard I know."


 Taylor stared at the man in dumbfounded silence, almost hurt by the frank
remarks. He fought back the tears of confusion that had been threatening to
escape all morning.


 "The Taylor Bryant I've known and loved for years never took even a moment
to realize his shortcomings. It's obvious you've changed for the better over
the last few days and you have that amazing young man upstairs to be
grateful to. Now that you know your downfall, you've got somewhere to begin
to defeat it. That's wonderful news!" Leonard said, beaming still.


 The words soaked rapidly into his gray matter. He had it! He finally had
it! The starting place that had eluded him so handily was spread out before
him in all its glory. Working vigilantly to overcome his greatest fear was
the oh so obvious place to embark upon this journey from. By being aware of
his selfish tendencies and tackling them selflessly, the protection he
desired for Jordan would come naturally. A long contained breath from his
lungs escaped as tears of joy and relief began to stream from his eyes.


 Leonard firmly took his arms and lifted him to his feet. Wrapping his arms
around the rapidly degrading man, he hugged him as a father would hug a
child that just learned a very hard lesson. Without lifting his head from
the cradling man's shoulder, Taylor began to speak.


 "I know I don't say this enough, but I really do love you and so appreciate
all you do for me. I don't know where I would be today without you and Carl
to shepherd me or kick my ass when needed."


 Leonard grinned and tightened his hold on the man he long considered his
son. They stood like this for several minutes until Taylor's tears abated.
He cradled his adopted son's face in his hands.


 "While I would love to stay like this for hours, you have an appointment
shortly and I doubt you want a man like Thad Barber seeing you like this."


 Amazingly, Taylor had become completely blind to the events of the day at
hand. He nodded in agreement and moved to the restroom to freshen up a bit.
A cold face cloth and some eye drops improved his look by leaps and bounds.
Regarding his reflection once again, he noticed the extreme doubt in his
eyes had vanished. The fear was still there but he figured that was only
natural. What he'd seen written all over his face earlier had been replaced
by a look of steely determination. Not much had ever defeated Taylor Bryant
and he was resolved to take whatever actions were needed to continue that
course. He had to have Jordan in his life and couldn't imagine being without
him. He looked forward to the new man he was becoming moving unashamedly
forward through this exciting journey.


 He checked himself one last time and returned to his office to continue
forward with the day's plans.


			   TO BE CONTINUED.....