Cartography for Beginners (27 page)

Stuart laughed, startled. "I see. I don't even know what to say."

"You don't have to. It's a passing fancy, I suppose."

"You're not joking when you say you don't have any game, but I must give you points on originality." Stuart put the book aside. "All right. Suppose I put on my kilt like a true Scotsman, then what?"

Leo smiled at him. "And then we'll see, won't we?"

Their gazes held, and then Stuart laughed again, this time in resignation. "Very well. I want to indulge you more than is sensible."

"But you do want to indulge me."

"God help me, I do." Stuart pointed at him. "Don't move."

"Yes, sir!" Leo beamed with anticipation as Stuart went upstairs.

Chapter Sixteen

Leo opened a window, letting in cool night air and the scent and sound of rain, and he turned off the reading lamp so they were entirely in the dark except for the lights of houses across the river or whatever boats passed in the late-night lanes.

They were quiet, too, Leo's gasps soft and steady as he rode Stuart's cock. Leo had whispered, "Leave the kilt on," when he'd climbed onto Stuart's lap, and in the dark Stuart's senses felt so heightened he could feel every thread of the scratchy wool against his thighs and under his ass, every whisper of rain through the open windows, every light against his eyelids.

Mostly he could feel Leo, strong legs and tight body, long slender bones under lovely skin, his warm mouth on Stuart's again and again -- not just for kisses, which Stuart gladly gave, but breathing against his lips, Stuart's name a soundless whisper that Stuart could feel in the shape of his mouth.

He buried his face in Leo's chest, his fists pressed against Leo's back. Leo had taken off all of his clothes but his black button-down -- again black, why always black? -- and the back of his shirt was now soaked with sweat. It felt decadent, not just to be in his lounge with its tall uncurtained windows, not just to be in his armchair -- the legs creaking under their movement, the leather slick -- not just to be half-dressed, but all of it together seemed like something out of a whispered fantasy meant to titillate and spur a lover on.

Leo reached over Stuart's head to hold the back of the chair and give himself more leverage. He moved faster, his moans louder than he'd ever dared when they knew they weren't alone, and Stuart looked up at his face to see the look of wonder that he loved as Leo finally cried out his name and came, hot and messy on Stuart's stomach. Stuart grasped his hips as Leo sagged against him, teeth worrying the ridge of Stuart's ear as his arms went loosely around Stuart's neck, and Stuart held nothing back as he thrust into Leo. His body arched and Leo chanted, "Yes, yes," until Stuart finally groaned and sagged himself, trembling all over.

They gasped against each other, Leo's breath brushing against Stuart's face, and Stuart murmured, "I'll have to get this dry-cleaned now."

Leo dropped his head against Stuart's shoulder and laughed. "I'd apologize but I'm not sorry." He kissed Stuart's ear. "Thank you for indulging me."

"I'd say we indulged each other." He stroked Leo's sides, following the line from ribs to hips to the delicious handfuls of his ass. Leo kissed him, holding Stuart's face in his hands, and Stuart opened his eyes to watch him. Leo didn't see the beauty he possessed -- he liked to say Dune got his looks entirely from Frances -- but Stuart could, that gentle face, those kind eyes, the jaw that begged to be kissed and the skin that invited nuzzles. He indulged himself with brushing his nose up Leo's throat and kissed his face, smiling when Leo sighed with contentment. "We should move upstairs."

"Why?" Leo said. "I like it here. It's comfy."

"The boys could be back any second."

Leo sighed heavily and moved off Stuart's lap. He stretched his arms over his head and then twisted from the waist, and raised an eyebrow at Stuart. "Enjoying the show?"

"Immensely." Stuart leaned his head on his hand. "Pray continue."

Leo smiled and stooped to pick up his trousers. "I thought you were worried about being discovered."

"Only because I don't want to deal with their reactions. Micah might cheer us on, but the others wouldn't be so accepting, since they're all determined that I'm wrong for you."

That stopped Leo cold as he pulled on his trousers. "They are?"

"I've been lectured by Ben, Dune and Jamie on three separate occasions that I'm not to touch you."

"Too late," Leo said. "Though if you're sincere about not wanting to get caught, you need to clean yourself up a bit. Nothing says 'debauched' like a half-naked guy in a kilt with come on his stomach and a used condom on his dick."

Stuart looked down, then shrugged and wiped the mess with the kilt. "Since I'm having it cleaned anyway."

Laughing, Leo dropped onto the sofa. "Oh, Stuart," he sighed as he calmed down, and then gazed at Stuart with something like tenderness.

"What?" Stuart said as he pulled off the used condom.

"Sleep with me tonight."

Stuart looked away, unnerved at how much this moved him, but before he could think of a response the front door opened and the hallway light flicked on.

"Where is everybody?" Jamie called and came into the lounge. Leo yanked up his trousers and Stuart shoved down the kilt. "Oh," Jamie said after silently taking them in for a moment. "Hey."

"Hello," Stuart said. "Make a lot of progress on the mural?"

"Yeah, lots. Why are you wearing nothing but a kilt?"

Stuart crossed his legs. "It's comfortable."

Jamie looked as if he wanted to press the issue further, but only said, "Right. Where's Ben?"

"The three of them went dancing."

"Okay. HOi, Leo, how was your night out with David?"

"It was great," Leo said. "He's a lot of fun. I'm excited to see the mural."

"Ta," Jamie said. "Right. I'm going to bed. Good night." He started for the stairs, then added, "Look, I suppose in the end it's none of my business, but if you don't want us thinking you're having sex, you've got to be a lot less obvious about it."

"Duly noted," Stuart said. "Sleep well, Jamie."

"Right," Jamie said again and went upstairs.

Stuart looked at Leo and they both burst into giggles. Leo climbed into the armchair with Stuart again, still laughing, and kissed him. "That went well," Stuart said and that set Leo off again.

"His
face
," Leo gasped against his neck. "Like he'd caught his parents having sex."

"Poor Jamie," Stuart said, patting Leo's back.

"The jig's up." Leo hiccupped. "I guess we need to tell them."

Stuart inhaled the scent of them still lurking in the curve of Leo's neck and pressed a kiss there. "Tell them what, exactly?"

"That we're-- something. Together." He pulled back and looked into Stuart's eyes. "Are we together?"

Stuart sighed and played with the button hanging by a thread on Leo's shirt.

"Don't do that," Leo said and Stuart looked up at him. "Don't ignore a direct question because you don't want to answer it. Are we together or aren't we?"

"I don't know how we could be. I don't know how we'd ever work."

"We work fine!" Leo said, like he couldn't believe he had to point it out. "Or were you not there just now?"

"We're good together in bed," Stuart admitted.

"And in chairs."

"Stop it. I'm trying to be serious."

"You stop it," Leo said and kissed him. "Come to bed with me. I don't want to be serious -- I want to be with you."

"Fine, all right," Stuart said.

In the morning he had to admit that kissing and teasing until they fell asleep was much better than trying to sleep alone.

There was no time to dwell on it. Glenys had the cleaning service in first thing to scrub the house from top to bottom, Jamie left early to work on the mural but promised to be back in time for lunch, Ben offered to cook and commandeered Micah and Dune as his assistants, Leo took it upon himself to pull out Stuart's photo albums, and somehow Stuart had to keep the chaos in his house under control while directing the gallery over the phone. Deborah was capable of attending to even the smallest details on her own, but still Stuart called her every few minutes to make sure he hadn't forgotten one request or another.

The rain from the previous night left the air crisp and sparkling, and Stuart had the boys move his biggest outdoor table to the garden and set up chairs down both sides. Glenys brought out white linens and glass tableware, and a florist delivered bunches of bright, multi-colored daisies that Glenys cut short to gather in twos and threes in tiny white bud vases.

Stuart was surveying the layout, trying to decide if he wanted to put up a canopy in case the sun was too bright, when he felt Leo's arms slide around his waist. "Relax," Leo whispered and kissed his neck. "You don't need to impress them. They're your children."

"I want to impress them." He leaned back against Leo, but still said, "The boys will see us."

"Let them see us." Still, after a moment he stepped away, and Stuart tried not to sigh at the loss of his warm embrace. "It's going to be fine."

"I hope so."

The back door opened and Glenys said, "Your guests are here."

"Oh, God," Stuart whispered, and then straightened up as Leo placed a hand on his back.

"Once more into the breach," Leo said.

"Or we close the walls with our English dead," Stuart replied and went to greet the girls.

The next few minutes were a whirlwind of kisses and introductions. Stuart called the boys and Leo "my friends," as it seemed simpler than going into all the tangled threads of their relationships. Before long they were all clustered around the kitchen island, eating appetizers, while Ben finished preparing the main meal and Leo made everyone drinks.

Nicole and Dune settled into what seemed to be a rather serious conversation, while Tallis and Micah looked at pictures from his trip to Paris the year before. Amelie offered to help Ben and they chatted, his culinary French enough to talk with her without too much confusion. Leo handed Stuart a tall, minty-smelling glass and murmured, "Family integration successful."

"It's only lunch." He sipped, fortified by the rum in his drink. "The big test is yet to come."

"But think of how much Jean-Claude's heart will be softened when Tallis tells him how wonderful your friends are and how much they love you." He leaned his hip against Stuart's, and Stuart had to resist the urge to turn closer.

"Everybody grab a plate," Ben said. "Let's eat."

"But where is Jamie?" said Nicole as they gathered around the table outside. "I so want to meet him."

"He's working," Stuart said. "Preparing a mural for the gallery. It's tradition with his opening nights."

"Oh, marvelous," said Tallis. "An original James Makepeace, new to everyone! What a treat!"

Stuart smiled at her. "I hope so."

"I'll see where he is," said Ben and got out his mobile phone. He pressed a speed dial button. "Babe, where you at?" He listened a moment, then said, "Okay. Hurry. The ladies are here and we're about to start eating. I can't promise I can save anything for you." He laughed at Jamie's reply. "Love you too. Bye." He hung up. "He's on his way. He'll be ten more minutes, and says to start without him."

"Good, because this looks delicious," Leo said and picked up a platter to start serving people.

"So," said Amelie as people filled their plates, "you and Jamie are together." She pointed to Ben. "And Micah and Dune are together."

"That's right," said Dune and Micah leaned his head on Dune's shoulder.

"Stuart, you and Leo are together?"

"No," Stuart said as Leo inhaled to answer. "We're friends."

"I recently ended a long-term relationship," Leo said and the girls made sympathetic sounds. "It's not so bad. I've enjoyed playing the field for the first time since this one," he nudged Dune, "was a tiny thing."

"Yeah, Dad, you were such a player in your day," Dune said, and the conversation moved on. Still, Leo gave Stuart an unreadable look, and then turned to Nicole, to talk with her about being in a dance company and his own experiences with the theater.

Jamie arrived not long afterward and came out to the patio. He slipped an arm around Ben's neck and kissed the top of his head, and greeted the girls in French as Ben gave their names. "I am such a big admirer of yours," Tallis said, and Jamie murmured his thanks, blushing faintly, as Ben beamed with pride.

"I need to clean up and I'll be right back." Jamie held up his paint-stained hands. "Won't be a tic." He went back inside.

"How honored you must be," Tallis said to Ben, "to have inspired so much of his art."

"It's overwhelming sometimes," Ben said. "Everybody wants to be admired by the person they love, but to cause them to create -- and to create such beautiful things -- I don't know where he gets it, sometimes."

"Out of love," said Nicole. "Artists have painted their lovers since time began. Even Mother made some lovely pictures of Stuart when they were together."

"You've seen those?" Stuart said. "I thought Joelle destroyed them."

"Etienne put several pictures into storage when we were young," said Amelie. "To keep Mother from doing something rash, is what he said. But we have seen them. She painted you beautifully, Stuart."

"I'm sure the portraits were somewhat idealized." He paused, remembering one Joelle had made early in their relationship, of him sprawled in the tousled bedding, his body still glistening with sweat and a look of seduction in his eyes. He hoped that one was still in storage.

"She painted you with love," Nicole said. "Just as Jamie paints Ben."

"Nicole," Amelie murmured, laying a hand on Nicole arm, but Nicole shook her off.

"No, Amelie, I will not pretend all is well when all is not well." She said to Stuart, "I called Mother and told her that we have spoken with you. She said you have given up the name of Father and do not deserve it back. She doesn't want you to attend the wedding and does not want you around Gabriel."

Silence fell around the table. Stuart looked down at the plate.