Billion Dollar Love: Manlove Edition

by 6 Author Anthology

  Ben and Jeremy both nodded vigorously and moved to the door. As they went downstairs, Ben reached over and squeezed Adam’s hand. “I’ll help, too. Anything,” Ben said to him.

  Adam lifted Ben’s hand and kissed the back of it. “You already are.”

  ****

  Friday Evening

  Ben sat in his cubicle and let the silence sink in. The week had been insane but also amazing. Monday morning, he and Adam had walked into work holding hands after arriving together in Ben’s car and parking in the deck next to the building. Everyone had stared, but no one had said anything as they marched straight to HR. Adam had gone directly to the head of the department and announced they were dating before asking what they needed to do. Everyone had been immediately flustered, but they’d somehow managed to print out the necessary forms for the two of them to sign. Adam had walked him to his cubicle and squeezed his hand before going to his own office.

  They’d slept at Ben’s every night, and despite their best efforts, Adam always had cat fur on him. He claimed not to mind, and Ben realized he actually believed him. Each night they fell into bed together, but they hadn’t had sex since Sunday. Ben loved waking up with Adam’s arm thrown over him and Latte curled up between their feet.

  Footsteps brought him out of his thoughts, and he rose to see Adam finally heading his way. Adam smiled and drew him close for a soft kiss. “Amazed everyone left. Folks have been lingering this week to see us leaving together.”

  Ben shrugged one shoulder. “It’s Friday, plus we’re old news now.”

  Adam’s hand slid down over his ass. “Perhaps we should stop being so well-behaved then.” He grabbed Ben by the tie and dragged him back down the long hallway to his office.

  Ben felt breathless before their lips even met, and he met Adam’s hunger with plenty of his own. Adam didn’t even bother to lock the door, pulling Ben to the desk and bending him over it, face down.

  “Tell me about those fantasies,” Adam said as he reached around to undo Ben’s belt. “Am I rough with you? Do I tease you first?”

  “You’re better than any fantasy. Do whatever you want with me,” Ben said as Adam freed his cock and then lowered his pants. Ben reached to the other side of the desk and gripped the edge as the cool air hit his skin.

  “Don’t move,” Adam said, teasing one finger down Ben’s crack.

  Ben craned his neck as Adam stepped back to shed his coat and loosen his tie. He also drew a small bottle out of his coat pocket. Ben smiled at him. “You planned this?”

  Adam nodded. “Need this.”

  Ben sighed as Adam prepared him. “So do I.”

  Adam set the bottle aside, leaning over and kissing Ben’s cheek and neck. “You’ve been so perfect this week. I’d be climbing the walls otherwise.” He rubbed his cock along Ben’s crack, teasing his hole.

  Ben arched a little bit. “Fill me, Adam. Please.”

  Adam paused a moment, leaning down again. He ran his teeth over Ben’s earlobe. “My pleasure,” Adam said as he entered Ben.

  Ben tightened his grip on the desk as Adam took him slowly. He trembled and sighed through his orgasm, the feel of Adam pressed close so perfect. Adam withdrew from him and feathered kisses over his cheek and neck again. “It was never that sweet in my fantasies. So tender.”

  Adam helped him straighten up and then cupped his face in both hands. “I’m falling for you. But not because this week has been rough. Because you’ve been at my side, being so perfect, through this week. I want you and Latte to move in with me.”

  Ben bit his lip. The fact he’d even mentioned Latte made Ben want to say yes, but he shook his head. “It’s too soon. I love being together every day, but it’s only been a week since we got together.”

  Adam let his hands drop to Ben’s biceps. “But two weeks since we first kissed.”

  “Still, it’s a big step.” He slid his arms around Adam to reassure him when he saw the hurt in his eyes. “And I do still work for you.”

  “I don’t care. I know what I want. What I need.”

  “And you have it. We’re almost never apart.”

  “So what’s the difference?”

  “What’s the difference? We still have our own space. Giving up my apartment … it’s too soon.”

  “Do you think you could love me?”

  Ben struggled to answer that question, afraid to say what was truly in his heart. “I care for you. Very much. And I ache for what you’re going through. For how lonely you’ve obviously been for even longer than you told me. Just seeing you makes my chest ache.”

  Adam drew him into a kiss and slid his hands up under Ben’s shirt. Ben had to fight to get free a few minutes later. “Adam, your phone is ringing.”

  Adam let him go and fumbled for his coat, hitching his pants around his hips as he found and answered the phone. “Jeremy? Hey.”

  Ben righted his clothes and smoothed his hair as Adam talked to his brother. When Adam hung up, he looked a little stunned. Ben went to him and took his hand. “What is it?”

  “My mom woke up. And she wants to see me.”

  “That’s wonderful.”

  “It’s been years. I’m not sure I know what to say.”

  “You’ll know.” Ben reached over to straighten Adam’s pants and tuck his cock away. Adam watched him closely as Ben zipped him up and refastened his belt. He straightened Adam’s tie as well. “It’ll all be fine.” He grabbed Adam’s coat and held it for him to slip into.

  Adam shrugged into it. “See how much I need you? I’d probably still being standing here with my dick out if not for you.”

  Ben arched a brow at him. “And why would it be hanging out if I wasn’t here?”

  A little laugh burst from Adam. He drew Ben close and said, “Be ready, baby. I’m going to be in love with you soon.”

  Good, because I think I’m already in love with you. Part of him wanted to take back what he’d said and accept the offer to live with Adam, but he held it in somehow. “I’m ready for anything,” Ben said before kissing him and taking him by the arm.

  Chapter Five

  Adam rose when the nurse opened the doors to the ICU patient rooms and began pointing at a sign, repeating instructions about how long visits were and what wasn’t allowed. Adam had already read the sign ten times, but he listened anyway, needing something to focus on. He glanced back at Ben and Jeremy, trying to smile at them.

  Ben turned to Jeremy. “I don’t mind waiting here alone. You can go if you want.”

  Jeremy shook his head. “No. They need to talk.” He lifted his gaze to Adam. “Unless you want me with you.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Adam said quickly, even though he didn’t believe it. He joined the herd of other visitors and propelled himself forward somehow. He kept walking down the hallway, the crowd thinning around him as others found their loved ones’ rooms. Jeremy had said she was the last on the left, and Adam stopped when he saw her name scribbled on a piece of paper and clipped to the tray on the door. A clipboard with some records sat in the tray, and Adam fought the urge to look at it. He paused, trying to remember exactly how long it had been since they’d spoken.

  Seven years. That’s when the diagnosis came. When Uncle Reg said I needed to tell them.

  Adam took a deep breath, but when he let it out, he felt a little shaky.

  “You okay, sweetie?” a woman to his right asked.

  Adam looked over to see a nurse at his side eyeing him. “Yes. Just nervous.”

  She looked to the door. “She looks a lot better than when they brought her in. You’re the other son?”

  Adam nodded.

  She gave him a little shove. “Then get in there, sweetie. You only get thirty minutes.”

  Adam looked back to the door and made himself start walking again. He pushed it open and looked in, and his chest constricted as the beeping of machines reached his ears. His mother looked small and overwhelmed in the huge hospital bed. She raised her head, and he saw cuts and b
ruises on her face.

  “Hi,” he said, pushing the door closed behind him and moving forward.

  “Hello, Adam.”

  He made his way to the bed and stood at her side. “How are you feeling?”

  “Drained. I’ve been sleeping for days, but it sure doesn’t feel like it.” Her hands clenched the sheet spread over her legs.

  “Can I get you anything? Do anything for you?”

  She looked into his face, a helpless look in her eyes. “I don’t know how to say I’m sorry. Just saying it … it’s not enough.”

  “If you mean it, then it’s more than enough.” He sat down, feeling shaky again. “I’m gay. I was born gay. It’s part of who I am. And I’ve met someone I could see myself ending up with. Marrying.”

  “What’s he like?”

  “Younger than me. Handsome. Strong and opinionated. He’s gotten me through this week.”

  “It’s serious then?”

  “For me, yes. But it’s early days.”

  She reached over for his hand, hers trembling a bit until he steadied it in its grip. “I am sorry, Adam. I know I have so much to make up for. Your father will be difficult, but Jeremy will help me. He was so happy when I asked for you.” Tears filled her eyes. “It was some time ago … I was looking through albums, remembering … and I realized that if you weren’t really gay, you’d have given it up by now. To be part of the family again, I mean. It makes no sense to fake something that makes your life harder.” She pressed her lips together. “Does that make sense?”

  “Yes. And it’s exactly right. If it was just a phase or affectation or whatever, I wouldn’t have lasted a month.”

  She wiped at her eyes. “You’ve done so much over the years. The money in our account and everything.”

  One of the machines began to beep faster, and Adam squeezed her hand. “All is forgiven. We can talk about that kind of stuff later. Much later. You should rest. Tell me what you’ve been up to. I hear you have a couple of dogs now.”

  “I do. They’re a bit excitable, but they’re great company to me while your father is at work.”

  Adam scooted his chair closer, letting the questions flow out of him.

  ****

  Ben flipped through a magazine while Jeremy texted away on his phone. When he was done, Jeremy put his phone in his jacket pocket and smiled apologetically. “Sorry. I made the mistake of telling my friends Mom wanted to see Adam, and everyone’s bugging me about it.”

  “It’s fine.” Ben closed the magazine and set it down. “Do they know him? Or just what you’ve told them?”

  “Some of them have met him. They’re curious about you. I said I didn’t know much.”

  “We haven’t been together very long.”

  “What, a few months? I’d have guessed much longer. He doesn’t tell me about his love life much anymore.”

  Ben hesitated but decided for honestly, though not full disclosure. “A week, really. Two weeks if you go by his reckoning.” He bit his lip, wishing he hadn’t said that second part.

  “Two weeks?” Jeremy’s mouth fell open. “He seems so devoted. I mean, he’s that kind of guy, but…” He trailed off. “Huh.”

  “He certainly is that kind of guy. I completely misjudged him.”

  “You work at the firm, he said.”

  Ben nodded. “I do. Had a crush on him, actually. But I didn’t know he was gay. Not until a couple of weeks ago.”

  “He’s been at your place all week. Is it going that well, or is he too nervous to be alone?”

  “Both, I think. If you’d said yes to staying at his place, I don’t know if he’d be having me stay the night.” He cleared his throat. “He’s a very good man. Means a lot to me.”

  “Glad to hear that. He’s had a hard time. He lied to himself through high school and college, just denying the truth. Then I think he was too unsure of himself. Didn’t know how to meet men, how to date them. And still closeted at home.” Then Jeremy smiled. “I can see how you probably misjudged him. Good-looking guy like him—and yes, I’m biased about our good looks—with power and money and everything going for him … yet so insecure and hesitant underneath. I’ve always wanted to see him happy.”

  “I think whatever is going on in there will help ten times more.”

  “Don’t sell yourself short. I know him. The way he looks at you tells me all I need to know, no matter how long you’ve been together.”

  Ben smiled as he looked down at the floor. “I wish I had your confidence. I can be pretty infuriating.”

  Jeremy’s phone vibrated, and he drew it out again. “Trust me. He doesn’t care.”

  Ben turned his eyes back to the door as Jeremy focused on his phone. He willed everything to be all right, and he sighed with relief when Adam came back out. With a big smile on his face.

  ****

  Adam slipped into bed and reached down to pet Latte. She nipped at his finger affectionately and then cleaned her paw before jumping down and stretching. Ben rolled over and watched her leaving the room. He reached out and stroked Adam’s arm.

  “You haven’t said much about how it went,” Ben said.

  “Still decompressing,” Adam said, inching closer. “We talked. She apologized. But we didn’t delve too deep. She doesn’t need to get too worked up now. There’ll be a lot to talk about. Maybe even some arguments. But it’s a start.”

  “And your dad?”

  “Hard to say. I’ll forgive him if he asks me to. But I don’t have much hope there.”

  Ben pressed his forehead to Adam’s. “I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing I can do about it. Pushing will only make it worse.”

  Ben repositioned his pillow and pulled the blanket up higher. “You tell her you’re seeing someone?”

  “Yes.” He reached under the covers to slip his arm around Ben’s waist. “I said I’d like for you two to meet. That seemed to make her nervous, but she said she’d like to.”

  “You looked happy when we left the hospital. But you’ve been so quiet.”

  “It’s strange. Spending this past week worrying and then suddenly I’m just in there talking to her. She didn’t know what to say. Neither did I. I’m not sure how I didn’t start blubbering. We muddled through it. I held her hand.”

  “I’m amazed you’re not angrier.”

  Adam sighed. “I let go of my anger years ago. It was killing me.”

  “I’d have a hard time doing that. I’m not good at forgiving.”

  Adam traced the contours of Ben’s lower back with his finger. “You seem to have forgiven me.”

  “Eh, guess so,” Ben said.

  “You guess so, huh?”

  Ben chuckled and moved in to kiss him. “You know I have,” Ben said against his lips.

  “I’m glad. I couldn’t do this without you.”

  “You could.” Ben reached over and turned the lamp off before pulling Adam close. “We need to head to your place in the morning. You’re out of clothes.”

  “Then I say we stay here and I just don’t wear any.” They kissed again, and Adam took a chance and said, “I do want you to think about us living together. Just say the word when you’re ready.”

  Ben eyed him, a faint smile on his face. “An open invitation to come live in a mansion. Hmmm. Never thought I’d get one of those.”

  “If it’s too big, we’ll move. I’ll sell it. Donate it to a charity. Whatever you want.”

  “You. I just want you. And I have you, so let’s enjoy these moments without worrying about that stuff.”

  Adam pressed his lips together. “I’m used to arranging things. Getting everything in order.”

  “Well, I’m a person. You can’t do that with us.”

  At that moment, Latte jumped back up on the bed and climbed onto Ben, balancing on his hip as she cleaned her face.

  “Or with cats, it seems,” Adam said.

  Ben wiggled his ass and rolled to the side, which made Latte hop off and settle in her usual place on
the bed. His expression serious, Ben said, “I will think about it. Crazy as all this has been, I’ve been pretty happy this past week.”

  “That’s what I want.”

  Ben smiled and kissed him before rolling over to spoon against Adam, who wrapped his arm around Ben and rested his cheek against his shoulder.

  “Night,” Ben said, brushing his fingers over Adam’s arm before putting one of the spare pillows between his knees and settling down.

  “Night,” Adam said. Sleep didn’t come right away, and he simply enjoyed holding Ben and listening to his soft breathing as it blended with a gentle purr, and occasional nose whistle, coming from the foot of the bed.

  Chapter Six

  One Month Later

  Ben stood under one of the larger trees in the park and watched Adam move around the crowd. Planning a company picnic had been Adam’s idea, and it had come to him at three in the morning a few weeks earlier. Ben hadn’t been happy about being woken up so abruptly, but he had liked the idea. And Adam had made it up to him by waking him, several hours later, in a very pleasant way.

  Ben smiled and leaned against the tree as he observed Adam slowly loosening up. Most of the employees who had shown up seemed open to Adam’s efforts, though some still looked a little unsure. Ben hadn’t imagined Adam would really put so much thought into changing his image within the company, but again, Ben found he had been too quick to judge. He’d given Adam such a hard time about earning forgiveness, but maybe that was something he needed to work on doing himself.

  Chloe came over to him and followed his gaze to Adam. “I knew you had a thing for him.” She held up the paper plate in her hand. “Chip?”

  “Thanks,” Ben said, snagging a couple.

  “How did you find out he was gay? I had no idea. And everyone I’ve asked said the same thing. I thought he was just like his uncle. Married to work and just no time. Or interest.”

  “Saw him in Club Status. Big coincidence we both happened to be there. He said he rarely goes out. I recognized him first, though.” He gazed over at Adam then, overwhelmed by how glad he was the other man hadn’t given up, hadn’t allowed Ben to dismiss him and his apology. Watching Adam reconcile with his mother over the past weeks, painful as it was some days, proved to Ben that forgiveness was something worth working on in his own life.