There were times in life when it felt like you were at the plate with bases loaded, two strikes, two outs, down by one run in the seventh inning, and the only thing you could do with the game on the line was take the swing. That was what this felt like for me, and when the first thing Mark said to me was “What happened to your car?” I swear I could hear the umpire say, “Strike three and you’re out.” But his reaction when I told him why I’d traded in the car told me that I had not only connected with the ball, I’d hit a home run.

We got on the road, and I was so ready to get there so we could get the talking out of the way and get on with what was next. We stopped about halfway there at a little diner that had the best breakfast ever. I got French toast, of course, because if there was French toast I was getting it. Mark got the huevos rancheros because he said it was his favorite breakfast; I didn’t know that so I saved that little tidbit for later. I guess Mark was also thinking we should hurry up and get the hard part over because as we were drinking our coffee and waiting for the food, he said, “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, go for it.” I wasn’t sure this was the place to hash everything out, but if he was ready so was I.

“I guess I just want to make sure I’m not reading the situation wrong, and I guess I’d rather know if I need a ride home or not now instead of two hours down the road.”

“A ride home? What? Why would you need a ride home?” I was really confused and wasn’t sure what he was talking about.

“Sorry, I’m sure that made no sense to you.” He chuckled. “I had this whole speech all thought out. I knew exactly what I was going to say. I even told Suzie to be ready to come and get me if I needed a ride home. But anyway, so I had this whole speech and then you showed up in the truck, and now I’m not sure what to think.”

“Okay,” I said. “Lay this well thought out speech on me.”

“That’s just the thing; I’m not sure the speech really fits the situation now. So instead I’m just going to ask you what I want to know…” And, of course, that was when our food arrived. I had no idea where this was going, and I was ready for him to just get it out there. We sat there patiently while the slowest waitress in history handed out our food.

“Can I get you boys anything else?”

“No, ma’am,” I said, trying for charming not impatient. “This looks perfect, thanks”

And of all things, Mark actually started eating. Just left me there with the question just hanging out there unfinished while he dug into his huevos rancheros. In his defense, they did look really good, but come on man, out with it.

“Umm, I believe you were asking me something before you started shoving eggs in your mouth.”

Mark moaned like those eggs were the second-best thing he had ever had in his mouth. “I’m getting there. I just wanted to take a bite to see if it was as good as it looked. And just in case you wanted to know… It is. So anyway, what I want to know is where you want this thing between us to go. Or do you even want it to go anywhere at all? I don’t know if we’re on the same page here or if we’re thinking the same thing. I mean I don’t want to freak you out, and I know we said…”

“Mark,” I said, interrupting him. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but the longer he talked, the more anxious he got. I just couldn’t stand to see him so unsure of himself. “Just stop for a minute.” I reached across the table and took his hand and made sure he was looking at me. “Have you ever been absolutely sure of what you wanted and, even more importantly, what you didn’t want. I mean like there was no doubt in your mind that there was a line you wouldn’t cross, a rule you wouldn’t break.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I said I would never get divorced.”

I nodded because I had known he felt that way. “Exactly, well, I’ve said my whole adult life that I’d never, under any circumstances, get involved with a man who had kids because I’d never be a stepparent. That was my one unbreakable rule.”

“Why?” Mark asked. “I’ve wondered, but I didn’t want to push.”

“We’ll get to why later. I’m not saying it isn’t important, but it isn’t as important as what I want you to know.” I looked down at our intertwined hands. I couldn’t make eye contact because what if I was wrong. What if he didn’t want more? On one hand, I was sure he did, but on the other hand, this was me swinging that bat again and praying for another home run.

“I was wrong, Mark. I was so wrong. The one thing I want more than anything in this world is way more important than any stupid rule I created for myself ten years ago. What I want is you. Well, you and Emma. Both of you in my life for as long as you’ll have me.”

He squeezed my hand, and I looked up at him. His eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, and he was looking at me like I had just given him a gift. He let out the breath he was holding and smiled.

“Justin. I don’t want to scare you here, but I think you should know that I love you, and if you want to be in our lives as long as I’ll have you, then I’m never letting you go.”

“Okay. Yeah, okay.” I really hadn’t expected that. I mean, I hoped, but I didn’t expect him to just say it like that. I sat there for a second, letting my brain catch up with my heart, and then I smiled. “Well, that is good because I love you too. And I have never done this before, so I’m really glad I’m not doing it alone ‘cause that’d suck.”

“So,” he said, “We’re really going to do this?”

“Yep. We are,” I agreed.

He laughed and went to take a bite of his food. “Crap. Our food got cold. Shit, it was really good too.”

“Well, luckily, we got an early start, and we have hours before we can check in to the hotel, so let’s reorder our breakfast and actually eat it this time.” I waved the waitress over and asked her to take away the cold food and replace the order.

“I thought you guys were letting things get cold, but you looked like you didn’t want to be interrupted so figured I’d stay away. I’ll get you fresh plates. It won’t take but a minute, and I’ll bring you some fresh coffee.”

I smiled as she headed back to place our new order. “That girl is getting a big tip.” I laughed.

“Damn straight,” Mark agreed.

We finished up our second breakfast and got ready to head out. We walked hand in hand out to the truck. When we got there, Mark stopped and just stared at it for a minute. He brushed his hand across the hood so reverently it gave me goosebumps. I couldn’t wait to get him to the hotel so he could touch me the same way.

“I can’t believe you traded in your car,” he said, shaking his head. “I mean you loved that car.”

“I did. But I love you more, and there was no way I would feel safe putting Emma in that front seat. Besides, driving this truck is no hardship.” I laughed. Man, it felt good to say that out loud. I couldn’t help but wonder why it had taken me so long.

“I would let you drive it the rest of the way but since you don’t know where we are going, you can’t,” I teased.

“But I can drive it on the way home, right?” I had never seen him look so much like a little kid. I had no idea he was so truck crazy, but now that I knew, I was really glad I’d gone with the truck and not an SUV.

“Yes, baby, you can drive it home,” I answered, and he just grinned.

* * *

I seriously didn’t think the day could get any better. I mean honestly. Justin loved me. He was ready to give this a real shot and, good lord, that truck. Plus, those were the best huevos rancheros I had ever eaten. It couldn’t get any better, right?

Wrong.

When we got to San Antonio, I figured we’d be staying in one of the hotels that overlooked the river walk but never expected him to book us at the Hotel Emma. I wasn’t sure why he chose it, and I was pretty sure I had never mentioned the fact that staying here was one of my bucket list items, but here we were.

“We’re staying here?” I was staring at the hotel, not quite able to believe it.

“Well yeah, is that not okay?” he asked. I pulled my eyes away from the amazing historic building to look at him. He looked really worried.

“Are you kidding? It’s perfect. I’ve always wanted to stay here, but I just never had a reason. I mean it is bit much for a business trip, and it isn’t really the kind of place you come to by yourself, you know?”

“Really? You’ve always wanted to stay here?” Now he sounded hopeful, and I had to admit I found the fact that he wanted this weekend to be special incredibly cute. “I mean I don’t really know much about the place. I mentioned that I was bringing my boyfriend to San Antonio for the weekend to a friend of mine, and this was on the list of places he gave that were good to stay at. I looked it up online, and it looked amazing. I figured since you worked at an architecture firm, it would be interesting. Plus, I mean it’s Emma’s name.”

“We’ll have to take some pictures for her. She’ll get a kick out of that,” I said. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Well, I thought we could check into our room. Maybe tour the hotel, eat some great food, use the complimentary bicycles the hotel offers to see the river walk. Whatever you want to do.”

“Well, I know what I want to do first,” I said innocently.

“Oh, and what’s that?”

“You,” I said with a wink. “So let’s get checked in and get started.”

Justin quickly checked us in, and we headed up to the room. “Elevator or stairs?” I asked.

“Stairs, they’re faster and our room is only a couple floors up.”

We hurried up the stairs and down the hall to our room. As soon as the door closed behind us, I turned to him. “Clothes off and on the bed.”

He stopped and looked at me. I could tell he was trying to decide if I was serious, so I guessed he needed more direction.

“I said clothes off and on the bed. Now,” I ordered.

He raised one eyebrow at me, so I said, “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

And he didn’t. He went to the bed, stripped off his clothes, pulled down the bedspread, and laid down in the middle. “Is this how you want me?” he asked sweetly as he slowly let his legs drop apart, giving me a great view of his perfect hole.

“Mmmm. Just like that.” I reached into the side pocket of my bag and took out the lube and a condom and tossed them on the bed.

“You are so beautiful like that. Laying there, waiting for me.” I crawled up on the bed, sitting between his spread legs. I slowly rubbed my hands up and down his thighs. He reached out to touch me, and I moved back. “Nuh-uh. Put your hands up over your head and don’t move them.” He hesitated, but he did it. He was used to being in charge, so the few times he stepped back from that and let me take over were sexy as hell.

I moved slowly up his body, kissing and licking every inch of him. He shivered and moaned, but he didn’t move his hands. “Oh fuck,” he groaned as I licked and then bit one of his nipples. I laughed and moved farther up, taking his mouth with mine.

I kissed him softly at first nipping and sucking on his lower lip then I deepened the kiss. I swear I could kiss this man forever.

“Please, Mark, let me touch you,” he pleaded.

“What’ll you give me if I do?” I teased.

He locked eyes with me and whispered, “Forever, Mark. I will give you forever.”

“God, I love you. Yes, Justin. Touch me.”

He lowered his hands from over his head and slowly ran them up my stomach, over my chest, and down my arms. He locked his hands with mine, and then he brought first one hand and then the other to his lips and kissed the back of my hand. He let go and trailed his fingers back up my arms and back down my side. Then he gripped my waist and grinned at me.

He quickly flipped me over so he was on top and smiled a wicked smile. “Thanks for getting the condom and lube for me, babe.” He winked and then he rolled the condom on his hard cock.

“You’re welcome,” I laughed. I had enjoyed being in charge, but this is what I really needed right now. Him on top of me. Touching me. Kissing me. Loving me.

He poured lube on his hands and rubbed them together to warm it. He reached down and slowly stroked, coating his dick with lube. Then he took his finger and circled my hole, teasing the nerves around it, every so often trailing his finger up my taint to just beneath my balls. I was shaking with need and was just about the start begging when he slid first one finger then two inside, making sure to touch me in just the right spot.

“I want to be inside you so bad right now, Mark. Are you ready for me?”

“Oh god yes. You inside me now. I want you inside me, please, Justin, now.”

“Really? And what are you going to give me,” he teased, and I figured if he wanted to use my words I would do the same.

“Forever, Justin. I’ll give you forever.”

He leaned down, kissed me, and whispered, “I’ll take it.” Then he lined up his dick and slid home, deep inside me. He stilled for a moment, allowing me to adjust. I felt so full; it was perfect.

Once my body relaxed around him, he began to move. In and out, pegging my prostate with every stroke. Everything about this was different. Today, he wasn’t just the guy I was fucking. Today, he was the man I loved who loved me back. Today, he was the man making love to me, and that made it so much better.

“Mark, I’m not going to last long.”

“Me either. I’m so close.”

He started to pound into me hard and deep. I reached down and grabbed my cock, stroking it in time with his thrusts.

His movements became erratic. “Oh fuck,” he groaned as he pulled out of me, jerked off the condom, and started stroking his cock. “I’m going to come.”

I sped up my stroking. “Me too.” I gasped as we both came.

He grabbed one of the sheets and wiped us both off and then collapsed beside me. “Nap time?”

“Definitely nap time.” I sighed.