Nico woke up with Tanner snuggled against him. He knew he was in love with him — he was in love with a kid nearly six years his junior. Nico sighed and rolled over. Tanner’s arms came around him, and he pulled him closer.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.” Tanner wrapped his arms around Nico more tightly.

“What do you want to do today?” Nico rolled back over, facing him.

“I wanna go swimming.”

“Again?”

“Yep.” Tanner’s stomach growled and he chuckled. “I’m hungry.”

“Me too.”

“Nico?”

“Yes.”

“How come you’re so much taller than me?”

“I’m a lot older.” Nico pulled his sweats on.

“You still love me, though, right?” Tanner sat up in bed.

Nico sat on the edge and traced his finger down Tanner’s cheek. “I will always love you.”

“Good.” Tanner hid under the covers.

“Oh my God, where did you go?” Nico tried not to laugh.

“I’m here!” Tanner threw the blankets back and jumped into Nico’s arms.

 “Come on, goofball, let’s get you some food.” Nico took his hand.

Stefan looked down the long hallway in both directions, he tiptoed down the hall until he came to Phoebe’s room. His hand was almost on the knob when he heard a short cough. He swallowed hard and turned around to find his dads standing there.

“Good morning, fathers.” Stefan smiled wide.

“Uh huh. What are you doing?” Heath cocked an eyebrow.

“Um, going to say good morning to Phoebe.”

“Stefan.” Caleb looked sternly at him.

“Oh, come on! It’s not like I’m going in there to ravish her.”

“The fact that you know what that word means scares me.” Caleb shook his head.

“Dad.” Stefan let out a loud sigh.

“Say good morning, but keep your clothes on.” Heath chuckled.

“Dad!” Stefan blushed crimson.

“And be glad it was us and not your Uncle Paul who happened along.” Caleb winked.

Stefan thought about that and winced. He smiled at his dads and went into Phoebe’s room. The sun was filtering through the curtains. Phoebe was on her stomach, her long, blonde hair spread out around her head, and she was sleeping peacefully. Stefan smiled and crawled into bed with her, pulling her into his arms.

“Good morning, Princess Phoebe,” Stefan whispered.

“Stefan!” Phoebe rolled over and put the sheet over her face. “You can’t see me like this!”

“Like what?” Stefan frowned.

“Morning me, with my hair all messed up and morning breath!”

“I don’t care.” Stefan grabbed her and pinned her down, pulling the sheet off. Phoebe looked beautiful, as always. “You look perfect.”

Phoebe closed her eyes as Stefan’s lips touched hers. She felt that warm familiar feeling again and opened her eyes when Stefan pulled away.

“Do you get that tingling feeling?” Phoebe asked.

“Yeah, mine’s more than a tingle, Phoebs.” Stefan rolled over on his back and sighed; his cock was rock-hard, dammit.

Phoebe smiled, they had talked about his erections before. She had been curious and Stefan had told her sometimes when she touched him it hurt for hours. She smiled and crawled on top of him, pinning his hands to the bed. Stefan was so beautiful.

“You are gorgeous, Stefan Santorno.” Phoebe kissed his neck softly.

“Oh, God! Phoebs, you have to get off of me.” Stefan tried to contain his erection.

Phoebe rolled off of him and smiled. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I just need to learn how to control myself.”

“Phoebe?”

Phoebe’s eyes went wide and Stefan panicked.

“Under the bed!” Phoebe hissed.

Mark and Paul walked in and Phoebe sat up in bed, smiling.

“Good morning, breakfast in five minutes.” Paul kissed her forehead.

“ ’K, Daddy.”

Mark watched her as Paul left; he smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

“I’ll see you soon. You, too, Stefan.” Mark chuckled and walked out the door.

Stefan came out from under the bed and Phoebe told him, “You are so lucky my dad loves you.”

Stefan fell back and sighed. “I know.”

Tomas woke up slowly and realized Leo had him in his arms. He smiled and kissed his neck softly, loving Leo’s small moan.

“Morning.”

“Hey.”

“I guess we should talk, huh?” Tomas asked.

There was sudden knocking on the door and Tomas called out, “Who is it?”

“It’s Dante, man. Open up!”

“Shit!” Tomas whispered frantically. He looked around the room in a panic and got out of bed, throwing Leo his clothes. “Get out on the balcony!”

“Seriously? We’re in a Shakespearean comedy now? Maybe a Neil Simon play?”

“Just go!” Tomas pushed him out on the balcony and closed the door and shades. He fixed his pants and opened the door. “Hey.”

Dante walked in and looked around. “Jake talked to me.”

Tomas sat on the bed and sighed. “Don’t give me a lecture, please? This is why I didn’t tell Mom yet.”

“You have to, Tomas! She thinks you and James are going to get married and give her grandkids.”

“I will, I promise. Okay?”

“Are you okay?” Dante hugged him.

“I’m fine. James and I will always love each other. We just want different things.”

“All right. I’ll see you downstairs?”

As soon as he left, Tomas opened the door to the balcony and Leo came back in and glared at him.

“You put me on the balcony in my boxers.”

“I gave you your clothes,” Tomas pointed out.

“Yes, and the people within a mile could see me in my boxers.” Leo cocked an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you tell him?”

“Look, I don’t even know what this is right now, do you?”

Leo leaned in and kissed him. “I wanted you. I still do.”

Leo’s hand moved into his hair and then his lips were on his again. Tomas heard himself whimper as Leo pulled him into his arms. They broke from the kiss slowly and Leo said, “Tell me that didn’t do anything for you.”

“I can’t,” Tomas whispered.

Leo pulled him in and Tomas’ legs nearly went out. Leo knew just how to kiss him. Leo picked him up and was suddenly on top of him on the bed. The way Leo kissed him? He couldn’t get enough, and Tomas tunneled a hand into his hair forcing him closer. Leo pulled back, brushing Tomas’ lips lightly with his.

“I don’t know what this is, either, but I know I want more.”

“I do too. But —”

“You want to keep it a secret.”

“Just for now.”

Leo sighed. “I don’t know, Tomas.”

“Please?”

“Just for now?” Leo just couldn’t say no to that face.

“I promise.”

Theo’s hands slid down James’ stomach and his breaths came out faster. His tongue was sliding across his lips and James opened his mouth to let him in. The kiss was soft and exploratory and James’ fingers played in Theo’s hair.

The loud knock on his door startled James into sitting straight up and he realized he had been dreaming. He got out of bed and opened to the door to find the subject of his dream staring at him.

“Hi.” Lord, James was even more beautiful at the crack of dawn.

“Hey.” James blushed as the dream came back to him. Theo’s broad chest glistened with sweat. “What were you doing?”

“Running. Can I come in?”

“Sure.” James stepped aside and let Theo in; he checked out his ass as he walked by and almost sighed. It was so perfect.

Theo turned. “I don’t want to play games, James. I want you.”

“I don’t either but this — it can’t happen, Theo.”

“Why? Because of Leo and Tomas?”

“Yes. I mean when we first started out it was you and me. And then it was me and Tomas, and you and Leo. It’s too close to home for me.”

Theo grabbed him and pushed him into the door, taking his mouth with force. James whimpered and pulled him in, crushing their bodies together. Theo broke the kiss and James’ eyes were still closed.

“I hope you change your mind, James. I can tell from the way you kissed me right now that you care about me too.”

“I do. That’s not the problem.”

Theo kissed him again and traced his tongue along James’ bottom lip. “When you change your mind, I’ll be waiting.”

James watched him leave and fell on the bed. His cock was suddenly made of steel and he sighed as he looked at the ceiling.

“Shit.”

Stefan rolled over to find Jordan smiling at him. He kissed him and got a small chuckle from his husband.

“What?”

“I love how your dad puts us in rooms with the most memories.”

Stefan looked around the room and it hit him — it was the room he had been in when he first came to Malta after someone hired a hit man to kill him and Jordan. Stefan got out of bed to look out the window. He could see it as if was yesterday: Jordan was standing by the pool with Antonio hugging him. Of course he hadn’t known who Antonio was at the time, he just saw another man touching his —

Jordan wrapped his arms around Stefan, kissing his neck.

“And right there is where you pushed Antonio into the pool.” Jordan pointed.

“Yeah, I remember that, smartass.”

Stefan leaned into Jordan and sighed as long fingers played between his legs. He let out a low moan when Jordan slid his fingers inside him. His arms went around Jordan’s neck and they kissed as Jordan twisted his fingers, stretching and probing.

“Jordan!” Stefan moaned.

Jordan slipped a hand around Stefan’s waist and gripped him, stroking slowly as he entered Stefan. There was a soft gasp and then Stefan was biting Jordan’s lip, sliding his tongue anywhere it would reach.

“You’re the only man for me, Stefan.” Jordan sucked on his tongue as he slid further inside his ass.

Stefan held onto the wall with one hand as Jordan thrust upward into him; his other arm was securely around Jordan’s neck as they kissed. Jordan was the master of the multi-task — kissing him, thrusting into him and jacking him off.

“God, I love you.”

“I love you.” Jordan bit his bottom lip, pushing in harder.

“Faster!” Stefan tightened his grip as Jordan slammed up harder, stroking him faster.

“Shit, Stefan!” Jordan’s orgasm was ready to launch, so he stroked faster to entice Stefan to come first.

Stefan let out a loud moan and came hard hanging onto Jordan. Jordan exploded inside him seconds later. They kissed as Jordan pulled out and took Stefan into his arms. They moved back to the bed and Jordan admired Stefan’s body, stroking his hands up his stomach.

“You just get more beautiful each year.” Jordan leaned down and kissed his stomach.

Stefan’s stomach growled and he laughed. “I guess I’m hungry.”

“I’m full.” Jordan licked the tip of Stefan’s now-flaccid penis.

“You’d better stop that. You know how happy he gets when you lick him.”

Jordan waggled his eyebrows. “Yeah?”

Stefan laughed and pushed Jordan onto his back, kissing him hard. “I’m hungry. Let’s grab breakfast.”

Breakfast had gone on without incident. Mark winked at his daughter, causing her to blush and smile at Stefan. The two of them held hands under the table and Jordan linked his fingers with Viktoriya’s. She smiled at him and squeezed their hands together. They went for a walk after breakfast and Jordan watched her out of the corner of his eye. If anything, Viktoriya had gotten even more beautiful.

“Vikki?”

“Yes?”

“Remember what I said on the plane, that someday you wouldn’t want to wait for me?”

“Yes, and I don’t understand that. Don’t you care about me anymore?”

“It’s because I do care that I don’t want you sitting around for months at a time, waiting on the off chance I’ll get to come home and spend time with you.” Jordan pulled her in and caressed her cheek.

“Kiss me,” Viktoriya demanded.

Jordan pulled her in and kissed her gently. Viktoriya’s arms went around his neck and he pulled her in closer.

“I’m going to miss you.” Jordan held her close.

Everyone spent the entire day in the pool. Landon had Katiana in his arms with her face buried in his neck. Katarina was on Josh’s back, laughing as he took her around the pool. Colin sat with Nikolai in the shallow end; Nikolai was in his lap and running his hands on Colin’s face.

“You’re pretty,” Nikolai said.

“So are you.”

Jensen was coming down the slide and Hunter was waiting for him at the bottom. He flew into him and they both came up laughing. Jensen pulled Hunter to him and hugged him hard.

“Love you.”

“I love you.” Hunter held him close.

 

Chris and Dylan watched their sons splashing each other and then Evan tackled Ryan, taking him under. They both came up laughing and Ryan took Evan in his arms.

“God, they are so adorable!” Chris smiled.

“Juliet, you’re burning.” Conner ran his hand over her shoulder.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“It will.” Conner took her hand and they went to the table where Conner put the sunblock on her shoulders. Juliet’s gray eyes looked into his green ones.

“Conner?”

“Yup.” Conner was spreading it over her shoulders, arms, and upper back.

“Do you love me?” Juliet blushed.

“Yes, of course I do, silly.”

“I love you too.”

“Oh Lord, Paul.” Reece groaned.

“Young Conner has been very respectful.” Lorenzo seemed satisfied, for the moment. He had told Reece that when the kids got well into their teens, he’d make very sure Conner stayed respectful.

“He’d better be.” Paul narrowed his eyes at his son.

Stefan had taken Phoebe out on a walk of the grounds. As they got to some trees, Phoebe pulled Stefan around to face her.

“I know I’ve been a pain —” Phoebe started.

“No, you haven’t. It’s okay. Really, it is.” Stefan pulled her into his arms. “I always said I would be patient and I meant it.”

“Believe me when I say there are times I want your hands on me, Stefan.”

“I know what you mean.”

Phoebe ran her hands up Stefan’s chest. “Your skin is so soft.”

Stefan closed his eyes as Phoebe put her arms around him, pulling him close. His wrapped his arms around her, and smoothed one hand slowly up her back. The feel of her in his arms drove him nuts; he wanted to kiss her and touch her. Phoebe was looking into his eyes and she leaned in and kissed him. The kisses were light and Stefan pulled her in closer.

“Stefan!”

Stefan pulled away fast and tried to contain himself. “Yes?”

“Where are you?” Heath came through the trees.

“Here!” Stefan called out.

Heath smiled as he spotted Stefan and Phoebe. “Your dad is looking for you, Phoebe.”

“Thanks, Uncle Heath.” Phoebe left quickly.

Heath laughed as his son tried to fix his raging hard-on.

“This is not funny, Dad,” Stefan complained.

“I think it is.” Heath chuckled. “Come on.”

Lorenzo was talking with James and Tomas. They were going on a mission with Theo and Leo backing them up, along with Dominic and Mason. James had finally agreed to go to work for them after his split with Tomas, and Jake had had a coronary.

The group was saying their goodbyes and Jake hugged his brother.

“I love you.” Jake turned and frowned at Theo. “You’d better make sure nothing happens to him.”

“I’m his partner,” Theo told Jake.

“You are?” James seemed surprised.

“Yes, Lorenzo just put us together.”

Tomas was having the same discussion with his own brother and Leo had assured him that he would take good care of Tomas.

“You guard him with your life, Leo,” Dante ordered.

“I always have.”

Kyle cocked an eyebrow and took Tomas aside. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” Tomas played innocent.

“Please.” Kyle rolled his eyes. “I can tell when someone got banged — and hard.”

“Kyle!” Tomas looked around.

“Ah ha!” Kyle smiled. “So it’s true!”

Tomas looked to make sure no one was listening. “Please don’t say anything. I don’t know what this is yet.”

Kyle eyed Leo. “Hot damn.”

“Stop it!” Tomas hit his brother-in-law.

“Be careful out there.” Kyle hugged him hard.

 

Parker was watching James, who could not stop looking at Theo. He took James’ hand.

“Thinking about the old days?”

“Huh?” James snapped his head around.

Parker watched Theo; every time he thought James wasn’t looking he watched him. “I think Theo likes you.”

James looked shocked. “No, um, we’re just partners.”

Parker narrowed his eyes. “James Greco, are you lying to me?”

James caved under Parker’s stare and took him off to the side.

“He wants to be with me,” James said quietly.

“What do you want?” Parker took James’ hand.

“I want him but it’s weird.”

“Why?”

“Because I was with Theo first, then I broke it off with him for Tomas. This just feels like a merry-go-round.”

“Well, it’s obvious to me that Theo has feelings for you. You do what makes you happy.”