Always and Forever

by Jerry Cole

  “Did you do anything?” He asked, and Micah shook his head.

  “We came and ate dinner.” He looked at me. “There was a time when I reacted to that stuff. It only got me banged up and in trouble. I also don’t want anything to happen to Keller.”

  Both moms were in tears and holding each other now, and Mallory clung to Talon with one hand and the twins with her free arm. “You’re such a good man,” Jill said as Micah went to hug her.

  “Let’s go home. We have a big day tomorrow,” he told her, and we walked to the car. We were planning a zoo trip so we could be low key.

  We got them home, and everyone hugged each other a little tighter than before as we said goodbye. We all knew that hate crimes were a true and tragic thing, particularly Jim. Had the men had weapons, this could have had an entirely different ending.

  We went home, and Mallory hugged both of us before she walked into her house with Talon. I followed Micah in, and he dropped the keys to the ground before clenching his fists. “Are you okay?” I softly asked as he took several ragged breaths.

  “I wanted to kill that mother fucker for talking to you like that. I don’t even care about me, but nobody should talk to you that way.” His voice was controlled, but I heard the emotions in it. “We were with family, so I held it in. They don’t need to see that kind of fight, even if I did kick his ass.”

  “Baby, I didn’t take it personally. Those guys would talk shit to anyone they saw. They were probably assholes in the restaurant.” Micah turned around, and I saw how stormy his eyes were. “It’s okay.”

  “I would die protecting you, Keller. I love you so much,” he said in a soft tone as if he just realized it. “I’ve never felt that way about anyone other than family.”

  I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you, too.”

  If you asked me who initiated the kiss, I’d never know. I just felt our mouths crashing together, and his hands gripping my ass. We made it to the bed in clumsy steps and several near falls, but finally, I hit the mattress. He landed above me, trying not to crush me as he claimed my mouth again.

  Our clothes landed on the floor as we stripped, and Micah wrapped his mouth around my cock. I jerked in reaction, feeling his mouth warm and tight around me. “Oh, fuck,” I moaned as I dropped my head back and gripped his hair. He knew what to do, and I shot deep in his throat as I cried out his name.

  “Get on your knees. Now.” I weakly rolled and moved into position as he gripped my hips. I heard the sound of the drawer and knew that this was going to be hard sex. I didn’t see Micah fired up too often, but when he was, like after a good show, the sex was phenomenal. There would be bruises and some lingering pain, but I welcomed every moment of it.

  He fucked me deep and fast as I groaned with him. He told me that he loved me and would die for me as his cock thrust in and out. When he came, I heard him curse while filling me. “That was rough. Are you okay?” Micah fell beside me as I dropped to the bed, spent, and thoroughly fucked.

  “You know I love that. Sometimes, I wish you got worked up more.” I kept my tone teasing and met his dark gaze.

  “I don’t like the way I felt tonight.” His words scared me, and I licked my lips.

  “What?”

  “I just felt this rage and almost lost it.” His face went blank as if he were thinking back to something.

  “Baby, you did great. Nobody knew that you were feeling that way. You hid it. He was an asshole, and even Jim was ready to go after him. Poor guy.” I knew how much Jim worked out at the gym. “We’re going to get that. We’re gay men in a world that doesn’t fully accept it. I love you, and I don’t care who approves or not.” I reached down to stroke my cock. “I think it’s my turn.”

  We ran late the following morning, apologizing to Mallory as she waited in our living room. Talon had band business to take care of. She frowned at us. “You usually yell at me for being late. What’s up?”

  “We’re fine. We’re just going to the zoo.” Micah snapped, and she jerked back. “Shit. I’m sorry. Last night was harder than I let on, Mal.”

  “You looked so calm. I didn’t understand,” Mallory said as she raced over to him for a hug.

  “I had to be that way, or I was going to kill him for talking to Keller like that. I wanted to keep control for the family.” He stroked her hair as he explained how he felt, and she cried.

  “I wanted to kill him. He doesn’t know you or what great people you are. He just judged one thing.” Her eyes flashed, and I knew that she had a temper as well.

  “He did, but there was no reason to let things get out of control. Too many people might get hurt.” Micah soothed his sister until she pulled back with tears in her eyes.

  “I love you,” she said, staring at him and then me. “Both of you.”

  “We should go, you guys. Evelyn said something about cooking breakfast.” I smiled, and they walked over for a group hug. We hopped in the car and drove to the house with an agreement not to talk about it.

  When we walked in, everyone was in the kitchen, helping to bring food to the table. We gave hugs and sat down, happy to see everyone in a good mood. Perhaps last night was forgotten. We talked about the zoo exhibits and what we were going to see, and I caught a look in Jim’s eyes.

  We cleaned up and loaded up in the car, making the hour drive to the zoo. Evelyn had her cane, and they also had assistance within the zoo if needed. We could eat there, and it would be a good day.

  Micah drove this time, and I took the passenger seat. Voices filled the car, and I smiled as I leaned my head back. I listened to my mom's laugh and told myself how lucky I was to have all this love.

  The zoo wasn’t too crowded. We decided to get a wheelchair for Evelyn and push her around since everything involved walking. The girls could interact with anything offered, and that would be enough for her to see. The twins had the week off, but Evelyn was adamant that they were back at school next week. They were keeping caught up with work, but this was a special occasion, and she was sticking to that.

  There was a lot to do. The girls got to feed several animals, and we all took pictures of them. I had my camera and snapped some good ones. Jill even went up, and I got a photo of her and Jim with a giraffe behind them. We weren’t hungry for lunch and skipped that to walk around and finish seeing everything.

  I noticed Jim and Micah ahead talking and tried not to let my curiosity get the best of me. They shook hands, and I licked my lips as Jill took my arm. “We were both impressed with him last night. Keller.”

  “Mom, he wanted to kill the guy. He just hid it for you.” I hoped that she wouldn’t hold that against him because everything was close to perfect right now.

  “Of course. He was saying horrible things to the two of you. I knew that Jim was close, as well. They stepped away, though. Jim did call this morning, and they were both arrested and taken to jail. The mean one wasn’t driving, but he got in some trouble.” I chuckled, and she leaned her head on my shoulder. “I love you.”

  “I love you, Mom. Thanks for coming.” I wrapped my arm around her.

  “I feel so tired from everything we’ve done. How am I going to survive for another week?” She laughed, and I thought about Micah’s family.

  “You know Irene, but they have a crazy house, particularly when it’s full. I love it there, though.”

  “She’s so sweet to help out with Evelyn while she’s caring for her patient at home. She took her in like family,” Mom said, and I heard the smile in her voice.

  “It’s been seamless how everyone just fit together. I went to Micah for an interview and got all of this. It’s amazing, Mom.” I took a slow breath as my heart began to pound.

  “You’re staying here.” It was an observation, not a question.

  “I am, Mom.” I had to be honest. “It’s not far, and I’ll always love home. I’ll visit you, and you can visit all of us.”

  “Jim was talking about getting something in the way of a
vacation house here. He loves all the outdoor stuff.” She chuckled, and I marveled at the irony. “Would you help us look?”

  “Of course. That would be great. He could do so much here during the nice parts of the year.”

  “I can’t leave my ocean entirely, though. I’ll have the best of both worlds.” She kissed my hair as she stood up on her toes, making me chuckle.

  We finished at the zoo and agreed on movie night at Evelyn’s. It wasn’t big, and we’d be crammed in, but that was okay with me. They would be going to Irene’s for Sunday dinner to stay there for a week in just two days.

  Evelyn made popcorn, and we watched a new movie on cable as we all gathered in the living room. When we got hungry, Jim insisted on delivery so Evelyn could rest.

  We got tacos and spent the evening laughing at the movie. We decided on just an easy day for the last full one and were ordered to sleep in and show up when we felt like it. We were still checking in with clients here and there.

  Mallory was happy to get home to see Talon and spend some time with him. The tour began in a month, and he’d be gone for six months. She could fly out and visit, and he might be able to see her, but it would be different for both. He wouldn’t even be here for the holidays apart from a couple of days.

  He did come to Sunday dinner with us and spent a lot of time with Mallory the following week. I wasn’t at all surprised when Evelyn stayed the night at Irene’s to spend more time with both of them, and the girls tagged along. They were becoming quite close to Mallory, and the week at Irene’s was more relaxed. It was also more feminine.

  The girls all went to a tea factory while we guys went to a brewery to watch a game. For Micah and me, it was for the company more than the sport. We drove them home where the women were cooking dinner in the kitchen, laughing as they worked. The twins arrived and seemed to be helping, and I smiled at Micah.

  Chapter Twenty

  Micah

  We brought up the vacation home over dinner the first night at my parent’s house. Jill was surprised and laughed as she looked at Jim.

  “I just told Keller that we were thinking of getting one here. That’s perfect.” Everyone stared at Keller, and he shrugged.

  “I wanted to let her tell the news.”

  “Where were you thinking about?” Jim asked as he leaned forward. The men were fast friends, and Rick told him about some of the homes we saw online.

  “I want it to be large enough that we could make the trip separately or all at once. The winters get cold here, so your weather sounds great. We also want a beach close by for Olivia and Evelyn. I was going to go in on it with the kids,” Rick announced with a smile.

  “Wow. That’s incredible,” Jill said as she looked at him. “A lot of people wouldn’t do that.”

  “They’re good kids, and we looked over the numbers. I’ve suggested they buy their own home here as well. They’re doing a great job with the freelance work, and I see their talent only taking them forward.” He grinned, and Mallory pressed a hand to her chest.

  “That was the nicest thing you’ve ever said, Dad.” She did look like it got to her, but why not? It got to all of us.

  “Oh, please,” Irene said as she gently wiped her eyes. “You could have it much worse.”

  “I know. I just had to give him a hard time.” Mallory grinned and looked at me, showing me her true feelings.

  “What were you thinking about for a place?” Rick asked, and Jim explained that he loved to fish and be outside. They didn’t need a huge place since it was just the two of them, and Rick suggested some areas.

  After dinner, the tablet came out. Rick, Jim, and Jill looked at homes in the area, and then he showed the places we were interested in. Jim told them the better areas since he knew through his job. He also recommended a good agent for Irene, and we suggested someone for them.

  “I never thought they’d get along this well,” Mallory said as she watched it with us from another couch. “Look at them.”

  “I know. It was an instant click,” I said as I let my eyes look over at the moms talking with the twins. “Neither of us are going to hate the in-laws, so to speak.”

  “Thank fuck,” Keller murmured, and we all laughed, drawing attention to our corner. I still felt like a kid sometimes, but here we were talking about a future involving purchasing homes.

  When did that happen?

  We enjoyed dessert, and Evelyn decided to stay the night there. Mallory offered to take the twins to her place since Talon was visiting his family for a few days in Idaho. She would get them to school and allow Mom a little rest. We had just enough room, and the sisters chattered excitedly during the ride home. Mallory promised Evelyn that they would get some sleep and be prepared for the following day.

  I told them to have fun as we separated in the driveway. “That was cool of her,” Keller said as I nodded, unlocking the door.

  “They’re tight. I think the girls worship her.” I laughed as I tossed the keys on the table. “Why didn’t you tell me about your mom and Jim and the house?”

  “I kind of forgot, and she should tell the news anyway. Right?” He asked, and I thought about it.

  “Yeah. That’s fair.” I looked at him. “Are you excited?”

  “I think it’s great. Jim will eat this place up, and Mom has friends and family here. It’s a great idea.” He smiled as I walked toward him, sliding my arms around his waist.

  “Do you wish they were moving here?” I asked after a soft kiss.

  “In a way, but she loves the ocean. They also both have happy lives there, and while they could do the same here, it wouldn’t be the same. They’ll be here a lot, and with our place, I think we’ll be there.” Keller kissed me, and I felt him moan as I deepened it. “Let’s head to bed. We have plans tomorrow.” We were going to one more national park and out to lunch, then fly home the following morning.

  “Okay,” he agreed, following me as I locked the door and shut the lights off since we were holding hands. We went back to bed and made love slowly tonight, needing to feel every second of it.

  In the morning, we dressed and headed over to the house. We left the rental there and just loaded up in the driveway. The twins were at school with activities after, but they’d be over for dinner. Today we were going to the Rocky Mountain National Park. It wouldn’t be too tough for Evelyn to get around, and we didn’t have to worry about Olivia since she was with a friend for the day.

  We could drive a good portion of the park and did that, stopping at the places we wanted to see. There was a spot in particular that Jill loved; a small lake called Chipmunk Lake. It offered a peaceful setting, and she swore she could sit there and read all day.

  Jim preferred a larger lake, assuming it would be good for fishing. They were both beautiful, and the couple bickered affectionately together before a sweet kiss.

  Beyond that, the trees and mountains were a gorgeous backdrop. I whispered to Keller that he’d need a whole section on the website for Colorado, making him laugh.

  “I haven’t been anywhere else. Hobby. Remember?” Keller snapped a shot, and I wrapped my arms around him.

  “We will. Don’t worry.” He turned his head for a kiss with a suspicious look in his eyes.

  We met back up and went to a few more places as Jim and Jill marveled about the beauty here. I could see that Keller was thinking about them leaving tomorrow and tried to keep him cheered up.

  We went to a place that featured food from Maine for dinner and enjoyed seafood. It was different, but we all loved it. It made me want to travel there to taste the real thing.

  We headed back to the house so Jim and Jill could make sure they were ready for the flight in the morning. There was a somber feel in the home as we sat around to capture that last bit of time together. Keller was taking them to the airport and returning the rental, and I planned to pick him up. He hugged Jill extra tight that night, telling her they’d have breakfast in the morning before we left with the twins.

&nb
sp; They were staying one more night with Mallory and going home to their mom tomorrow. I didn’t know what we were going to do with ourselves other than getting back to work and spend a little time outside. I saw more of my home state in the last two weeks as an adult than I had in years.

  We went home, and Keller sat in bed, reading messages from clients on his phone. He was quiet, and I kissed his shoulder. “You okay?”

  “I’m going to miss her, miss them. I’m not going back. It’s weird.” He stared forward as if in thought.

  “Any regrets?” I asked, a bit worried about the answer.

  “Never. I moved here to be with Evelyn, and I found you. It was meant to be. I’ll still miss my mom is all.”

  “I know. She’s great. I can’t wait for them to get a place here.” He set his phone on the wireless charger and turned to me, looking delicious with his muscled chest bare. “I love you. I can’t wait to settle with you, be it here or anywhere you want.”

  “I love you,” I told him, reaching out to play with his ring. I found myself doing that a lot without realizing it, and the smiles around us made me look down. I also played with mine, seeing it as much more of a commitment than just a silver ring. “I think the band is going to start back up again. Not tours or anything but just local gigs. Things are calming down.” The music community grieved the loss of Moira deeply as she was a well-liked woman. Few knew what was going on behind the scenes with her. I knew we weren’t the types to trash someone that has gone like that.

  “Good. I like watching you onstage.” His eyes locked with mine, and he smiled. “I like the mood you’re in when you get home.”

  “Do you now?” I teased, knowing that it often got rough on those nights. It wasn’t the people watching me specifically that got me aroused, but more the adrenaline rush. Knowing that I was coming home to a man like Keller heightened that. He got the good parts of me after a show.

  “I do. I’m so glad I went to interview you that night.” He leaned in to kiss me, and I knew we’d be up for a bit longer.

  Keller asked me to go to breakfast with them in the morning, driving separate cars. I assured him that I would and dressed after a quick shower. We drove together to the house and walked inside to see a lot of tears and hugs happening. Jim and Jill would be missed from this home, and this world.