The Memoirs

Dick had done many stupid things in his life. He was the first to freely admit it. However, until last night, driving while drunk hadn't been on the list.

And had the town been any town but Smallville, Dick never would have tried it. As it was, he'd encountered no traffic, no wandering bovines, and had made it home without wrapping the Camaro around a tree trunk. That, in itself, was a miracle. It was also a miracle that Dick made it into the house under his own power. Instead of collapsing in bed beside Bruce, which is what a sane man would have done, Dick crawled into the shower, washed the smell of booze, pizza, and party from his skin, and wormed his way into fleece-lined sweatpants and a t-shirt. He looked longingly at the bed, picked up a pair of ratty tennis shoes, and carried them out the door. He put the sneakers on in the hallway, and followed the dark, shadowy maze of corridors down to the gym.

He'd only intended to work for a few hours. Instead, by the time he stopped to switch machines, the sky was starting to lighten with the colors of the approaching dawn.

He didn't stop.

The encroaching move of LuthorCorp and all its beneficiaries was taking its toll on Bruce, but he'd be damned if he'd admit it. He went about his business, phone calls, meetings, traveling to Hell Spawn City three times, and never said a word. But by the time ten o'clock had rolled around, and he'd finally put the days work aside and crawled under the sheets, he thought he'd die. He slept, thunderously hard, for hours...until Dick coming into the bedroom awoke up. He'd kept his eyes closed, but had listened to everything his beautiful lover had done, and when he'd slipped away again, Bruce thought him to come back, and fell asleep. However, when again he fluttered into consciousness, at four forty five in the morning, and Dick still wasn't back, he willed himself to his groggy feet and went searching for him.

And it was decked out like that now, in soft, deep green pajama pants that had cost more than most of the things in this house and a white cotton t-shirt, that Bruce went down the stairs, looking for his lover. He heard the stirrings in the kitchen of the lovely Ms. Bird, but didn't stop to say hello, simply picking his way through the rooms and listening for his lover.

Found.

The gym was all high tech and new, and that still couldn't keep the smell of sweaty man out of its walls. Bruce stopped at the door, peering in at his lover, and slipped his hands into his pajama pants pockets, eyeing him.

Dick didn't even hear anyone come to the door, but as soon as Bruce stopped, Dick could feel the weight of his lover's stare on his shoulders. He pushed up the bar on the reps machine, biceps screaming, and headed for the treadmill for the third time. "Mornin' Bruce."

"Good morning, Dick." He stepped in calmly, thinking wistfully of a nice cup of coffee Ms. Bird would surely have for him, and seated himself on the small rest bench, crossing his legs and leaning back against the wall. "Late night, I see."

"Yeah, kinda." He turned the treadmill on and started running, hands gripping the rails in a death grip. "And early morning."

"I see." He gazed up at his young man, watching him exert himself on the tread mill silently. His lover was acting… a bit strangely, and Bruce watched him with the practiced eye of a man who made his life on watching people. The tension in Dick muscles and back, shoulders too straight. Pride hurt, wounded heart.

Pete.

He knew Dick would tell him in his own time, as was his way, and Bruce just watched him, not saying anything.

"Missed a hell of a party; Clark decided to come out to everybody at the party. Course, they all knew. Lex was about to have a coronary, threatening everyone." Dick's feet pounded the rubber pad in a quick rhythm.

"Sounds interesting." Bruce said quietly, tipping his head. And ignoring the fact that he wasn't coifed at all at this moment, hair sticking up, bed sweat making him feel sticky, and Dick, here, being his usual self. In the years he'd known his lover, since the moment his parents died till now, Bruce had always known one thing. Dick would talk about what was weighing his heart and mind at his leisure, and not anyone else's.

"It was. It was also interesting to watch everyone else get pissed while Lex stayed sober during a fun game of Truth or Dare." Dick tossed back sweaty hair as he kept running, feet pounding the machine harder as he picked up speed.

"Lex has had a lot of experience. He can hold his drink." Tipped head, small smile quirking his lips. "He's had his fair share of drunkenness."

"From what I heard, he did one hell of a lap dance in Clark's lap. Of course, I chose that moment to take a piss. I miss all the fun."

"Of course. You always had the worst timing." Bruce said calmly, watching his lover sweat and work himself on the machine, when it was obvious, even to him, that Dick was tired. But if anything, Bruce knew about the power of physical exertion, and he stayed quiet, watching silently.

"You got that right. Still battin' a perfect fuckin' score on that." His bangs fell back into his eyes, and he swore vehemently as he tossed his head back again, to get the hair out of his face.

"Mmm. It seems to me something more is bothering you, other than missing Lex gyrate on Clark's lap." Still calm, still quiet, poised, elegant, and watching his lover, playing the game he knew would get his lover to spill the beans.

"Yeah, well, I missed the fun dance and ended up watching the one I should have missed." Dick turned off the treadmill and slid off it as he moved over to the reps machine again, changing it from leg curls to upper body before sliding his arms into either side of the panels and starting to work.

"Did Lex play pin the dildo again?" A snap. "He promised me Id get to watch next time."

The room was silent for several minutes, save for the clicking and clanking of the machine. "He might've after I left."

"Probably. Neither of us have any luck." Quietly, watching him. "Make it home alright?"

"Yeah, made it home with no problem. Didn't hit a single cow or tree. Wasn't a car on the highway, which was probably a good thing." No matter what, he wasn't stupid enough to even consider telling Bruce he'd been two sheets to the wind behind the wheel.

And he wasn't stupid enough to pick a fight over it, when he knew the truth. "Left a little early? I heard Lex coming in about an hour and a half ago."

"Yeah, so did I. I left about an hour or so before he did... maybe longer." Time was a little fuzzy, there.

"I gathered." Dick would tell him in his own time, and thank God Bruce was a patient man.

"I hope I didn't wake you up last night--this morning--whenever--coming in. I tried to be quiet, but I just didn't feel like sleep. I showered and came down here."

"I wake up a lot during the night." Non reply to a non question. "You're curling wrong, Dick. Take hold of the bar from the outside."

"Right." Dick paused to adjust his grip. "Thanks. Stupid mistake."

"We all make mistakes. You just have to fix them, before they begin to hurt."

"Somehow, I get the feelin' you're not talkin' about my curling technique any longer," Dick said, reaching back and increasing the resistance on the machine.

"I'm talking about whatever you want to be talking about." Bruce responded easily, and to his credit he didn't move a muscle as his lover put the resistance too high, simply lifting a slender brow.

Dick grunted softly as he forced tired muscles to push against the machine. He finally succeeded in one curl, and the next one was only slightly easier. "Bruce, I've known you too long," came out in grunts. "Spit it out."

"You should take your own advice."

Dick let his arms drop from the machine, and leaned forward, his elbows going to rest on his knees as he pushed sweaty hair back from his face. "Toss me that water bottle, would you?"

Bruce leaned over and took the bottle, making sure the cap was screwed on, and tossed it to his lover without a word, studying him calmly.

"Thanks." Dick unscrewed the cap with shaking hands, then lifted the blue bottle to his lips and chugged down three quarters of it, hissing as a spike of pain stabbed through his temples from the sudden ingestion of cold water.

"You seem to be a one man train wreck." Was all Bruce said, tossing him a towel as well. "Sip. And rest."

Dick caught the towel one-handed, and pulled up one leg to rest against his chest as he finished off the water bottle and threw it into the far corner, where it shattered with a surprisingly satisfactory thud. "I'm glad you're here, actually. I'm gonna need someone to spot for me." He mopped his face with the towel, and leaned his head back against the machine's frame until he could breathe without feeling his heart pounding in his head.

He was so damn beautiful. Stubborn as a one eyed mule, but beautiful. And Bruce gazed at him, without a word said, even as his heart thudded in admiration. "I'll spot for you. On a condition."

Didn't even crack open an eye. "What condition?"

"You tell me what's bothering you, and we stop playing the age old game."

"No dice, Bruce." Dick shook his head. He wasn't going to hurt the man he loved. He had meant the offer in the heat of the moment, but now? No. He'd never tell Bruce; never hurt Bruce like that. Not again.

Something about Pete. About what they'd said. About Bruce. Okay. He could handle that, and he rose to his feet, fluidly and graceful as always, and leaned down, a hairsbreadth away from Dick's nose, so that theirs were almost touching. And saw, in those deep, crystal clear eyes, the answer he wanted.

It pleased him. Immensely.

"Come to bed, Dick."

Dick reached up, touched Bruce's cheek softly, then leaned forward enough to nuzzle into the stubbly, warm skin between ear and jaw. "I love you, Bruce."

"As I love you. Stop destroying yourself over what was. Understood?" Dammit, but he found himself nuzzling back, rubbing his nose against the sweaty, wet skin of a strong jaw, and didn't mind in the least, licking softly.

"I think that's going to be a non-issue now." He wound his arms tightly around Bruce, holding on as tightly as stretched muscles would allow. He didn't let go, and didn't say anything else as he stayed close to Bruce.

When his lover didn't let go, Bruce sat himself on the bench beside him, softly slipping his arms around him and holding the smaller body close to his own. Greatly wronged, though everything felt that way at twenty one, and he just stroked back damp hair, kissing his jaw and cheek softly. "Don’t' let it be. Issues, with time, grow into real problems. And you loved him, and still do, I know." Which hurt, like a mother fucker, but he was not a stupid man. He knew what was, and he knew what he had, and it didn't really make sense to dwell on the past, when you had a treasure now. "Don't let your friendship with him end this way."

Dick breathed in his lover as Bruce sat close to him, and he knew, knew beyond anything else, that he was the only person who'd be allowed to see Bruce like this, unkempt from sleep, without being shot for it. "I don't want to love him. I'm not even sure we'd make good friends anymore. I just... want things to go away. I know it's childish of me to want it, but I wish that you could just wave your little Bat-Wand and make everything the way it's supposed to be."

"My Bat-Wand would work, you know." Bruce said softly, as he stroked the soft, wet hair away from a soft, wet forehead, and set his cheek on it. "Your friend might end up dead, and it wouldn't work the way you wanted it to, but it would." A moment, as he pressed the corner of his lips into Dicks hair. "Most love in a human beings life is either unwarranted or unwanted. You love him because you are human, and because he's worth your love. There's just history, now. You've never had to deal with history in such a way, Dick. Take your time... do it right. Sometimes, these things only happen once in a lifetime."

"I don't want to deal with it, Bruce. Every time I try to deal with anything, it only makes it worse. Like last night. I tried dealing with it calmly and I ended up torpedoing everything."

Aha. "I'm sure it wasn't all your doing, Dick."

"Yeah, it was. I made a stupid dare to Pete because I was half-pissed anyway, it just... went downhill from there."

"What type of dare?"

"Strip dance with his girlfriend. And before you say it, yes, I know it was fuckin' stupid. I just didn't think he'd do it in front of everybody else, especially Lex."

Shit. "Dick," He spoke carefully, softly. "If you chose him as a lover, he has all the same stubborn qualities you do, and wouldn't back down from a dare. You know that." He stroked his hair gently from his face, and let go enough to look at him. "It upset you because he was with her."

"Like you wouldn't believe. On one level, anyway." He sighed. "On the I've got the best lover on the face of the planet level, it didn't bother me. On the It sure as fuck took me more than half an hour to get over your ass level, yeah. I was a little bothered."

"What makes you think he's over you at all?"

"Because he's been shacked up with Shayla and sleepin' with her pretty much 24-7 since that day in the hallway of my old place, when I opened the door to you and he left."

"Dick?" Bruce's voice was soft, in his ear; gentle. "When your parents died, and you came to stay with me, how long did it take for you to be in my bed?"

"About.... thirty seconds after you looked at me in that way you're lookin' at me right now."

"Mmm." Bruce said quietly, stroking his lovers hair from his eyes and kissing the shell of his ear. "There are reasons for everything in a person's life, Dick. Its just figuring those things out that's hard."

"Yeah, well, I'm happy for him, Bruce. I really am. I just... hate him for it. If not getting over, then at least moving on so fucking fast. Like I didn't matter for shit." He squeezed Bruce again. "I couldn't even do that for you, and you're everything to me."

"You missed the point, baby." Bruce murmured, ducking his face and cupping Dicks cheek, so their eyes met. "Sometimes the only way to get over something is to move on. Sometimes moving on isn't always the best thing to get over something. He's young, Dick. You both are. The young man mistakes, and they learn from them. This is your growth."

"Yeah, well, fuck growth." His complaint was muffled in Bruce's shoulder. "I don't care about growth. I just wanna be Dick of Dick and Bruce."

At that, his lips spread softly, smiling into soft, warm hair. "Sometimes, to get to where we want to be, we have to take care of where we once were. Natural order of things."

"Have I said how much the natural order of things sucks?" He kissed Bruce's jaw softly. "I just... when the hell are we leavin' here, anyway? Just, leave the baggage here."

Another smile, though this one was a great deal tighter. What he would have given to lounge another hour or two in bed. "Unfortunately, not for a while. There's been some complications."

"Batman complications, or Mr. Wayne of Wayne Enterprises complications?"

"Bruce Wayne of the LuthorCorp endeavor he was fool enough to get involved with complications."

Dick almost whimpered. Almost. But it wouldn't have been manly. "So I don't suppose I could kidnap you for an hour or two?"

"They'd never know the difference." Came the soft reply, coupled with a tender smile. "As long as its a good two hours, I might agree."

"Oh... I promise it'll be good. Starting with... a soak in the hot tub? For about... half an hour. Then another half hour in the sauna." He coupled the murmured promises into Bruce's throat. "Then... then we have... a whole other hour... for the bedroom."

Mmm, and he liked that idea, as he lowered his face softly to catch the lips on his face, murmuring his own back. "I'll scratch your back, if you'll scratch mine." Came the soft words, kissing each cheekbone softly as he rubbed his lips against sweaty, salty skin. "I must love you, to be kissing you sweaty as you are."

"I'm good... at scratching." His hands stroked possessively over Bruce. "You're mine, you know that, Bruce? No matter what... who... I'll always love you." He nipped hard against Bruce's lips, and then angled his head to nip at his throat, sucking a little red mark onto his skin.

"I'm becoming such a bitch." Bruce muttered back, and despite himself found himself arching into the nips at his neck and skin, letting out a low, pleasured hiss when… yes. Marking. Marking was.. .definitely good. He licked at all the skin he could reach, back arching just a little as he nipped and kissed at his loves soft ear, murmuring quietly. "I'm yours, as you're mine. Nothing will ever change that."

"But you're my bitch." Dick sucked a little harder, then soothed the skin with gentle licks. "And I'm just as much your bitch as you are mine." He tugged gently at Bruce's hair. "Let's go find somewhere quiet to hide together."

"Mmm." Muttered as his eyes twinkled, climbing to his feet, taking Dick's hand in his, and looking around the room as he led him to the door and snuck into the hall. "Dick? If anyone sees me in my pajamas, you and I are going to have words."

"Don't worry; the only one crawlin' around here would be Shayla, and she's passed out drunk, if she kept drinkin' last night as hard as she did before I left." Dick tucked himself under Bruce's arm.

"Dick?" Bruce's voice was soft, carefully spoken and gentle as they slipped like shadows through the quiet, enormous house.

"Yeah, Bruce?"

"If I make a certain comment, will you think of me as less than a man?"

Dick looked back at his lover seriously. "I don't care what you say, Bruce. You can tell me you wear a pink taffeta tutu and I wouldn't think you were less than a man. Weird, yes. But less than a man, no."

His lips quirked, just a little, as they padded quietly back up the steps... one sweaty lover, one sleepy, loved one. "The thought of being your bitch isn't so bad." A small glance at him. "I never thought letting go of everything with you would be so wonderful. But it is."

Dick grinned at that, and tightened his grip on Bruce's hand. "I like it when you're my bitch. But I like it too when you're the big strong Bruce-man and pound me through the wall." His grin widened. "Maybe we can do a little of both?"

He was trying to be innocent, but his glance was just this side of sharky, one eyebrow raised carefully as he pulled on him to hurry just a little. "I think we... can arrange that."

Dick deliberately slowed. "Bruce... you can't hurry... the good things."

Eyebrows perked, lips quirking softly as he looked back at him. "Is that a challenge, Dick?"

"Oh yeah." Wicked grin as he leaned forward, pulling Bruce back by the hand to meet him as he leaned up. "Challenge of the best kind."

"I'm glad you learned something over the years." Was Bruce's soft reply, eyes twinkling as he leaned down to press tender, soft kisses to an angular, strong face, kissing him tenderly as he used the muscles God had given him, grasping his lovers firm, strong cheeks and lifting him up in one swift movement, leaning him against the wall with twinkling, dangerous eyes. "I've been told that slow isn't always good."

Dick wrapped his legs around Bruce's waist as he was lifted, and he grinned at his lover as Bruce pinned him against the wall. "Slow... has it's place. But isn't that what you tell me? Patience, Dick... good things come to those who wait?" He rocked his hips against his lover as he caught Bruce in a little kiss.

Play games? He could play games. He snagged Dick's wrists and set them carefully on the wall above his beloved lovers head, peering into his eyes for a long moment as he arched his hips, and made his heat and hardness known to his lovers already tense, lovely body. "Sometimes, the best things in life are to be taken in quick little gulps." Bruce murmured, skimming his lips across a strong, stately jaw.

Looked down the hall... both ways. And lowered to his knees, socked feet sat on as he dragged the sweat pants down just a little, moving boxers out of the way and leaning in to wrap his lips around a hardening dick, mouth stroking down.

Dick moaned just a little, very softly so as not to give their position away, and he left his hands over his head, lacing his fingers together and keeping them locked as he rocked up. "Bruce... yes, God, yes, please." He gave another little moan of pleasure as he was sucked down, hips thrusting up just a little.

Wet his lips and moved down, his lover filling him a...a beautiful sensation, moving back up over the slickened column of hardening flesh and back down, twice, before he looked up, waiting until Dicks eyes were on him to give the tip of the head a hard suck. Just one, before he slipped it away, tucking it away again and reaching up to kiss his lovers face and throat, tenderly. "Shower. Soak. Mine."

Soft whimpers slid out of Dick's throat as he looked at Bruce, then wrapped his legs tighter around Bruce's waist as he brought his interlocked hands down around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Always yours."

He brought his arms around his lover, lifting off the wall to tenderly lower him to the ground, keeping his arms around him as they walked up the second flight of steps to the third floor, where their bedroom was. Slipped an arm around Dicks waist, and he loved... loved seeing him tenting out of his pants like that, hard because of something he'd done. Personal kink, but seeing Dick like this right now was erotic as hell. And his skin goosebumped, nipples hardening.

Dick was patient. He waited until they were in the bedroom they shared before slamming Bruce up against the closed door and kissing him fiercely, desperately. His tongue stabbed deeply into his lover's mouth, hands pressing down on his chest, thumbs rubbing over clothed nipples as his hard cock thrust out and rubbed against Bruce's thigh.

Alright, yeah. Couldn't help it--his laugh of pleasure got lost in Dicks mouth as he kissed back, amused and pleasured and aroused. He stroked his tongue in and thrust it with each movement of his hips, rubbing where he was very... very interested against his own lover, fingers catching Dick's wrists to keep his hands there, as he attacked himself.

Pushed up from the wall, palms stroking down to cup a hard ass and push it up against him, shifting and almost falling on the floor as they rolled onto the side of the mattress, blankets askew and smelling like them, as he rose on his knees and smiled down at the very aroused young man beneath him.

Dick smiled back at Bruce, and in this second, nothing else mattered except how much he loved Bruce. He dragged pillows down until he was propped up, and his hands went to slide over Bruce's toned stomach, over the six-pack barely hidden by the white t-shirt before ripping it up the middle and baring Bruce's chest to his hungry mouth. His teeth caught on one nipple as his fingers rubbed the other, hair scrubbing gently against Bruce's chin.

Oh, yes, and he gasped it as he arched his chest up to the eager mouth. It lapped over him, tickled him with soft, expert touches, and his fingers dove through the short, soft hair, grasping tight to keep him close as he leaned forward for that beautiful, hungry mouth. No... not enough, and he squirmed, moving so that he lay beside him, and his palm could explore. It went down, to where they were rubbing against one another, exploring the heat and hardness he found there with the soft, gentle palm of a man used to getting what he wanted when it was offered to him, thumb stroking over the head he'd dampened. His lover had a truly beautiful cock and he muttered it into his lovers ear, whispering it softly as his fingertips moved his pants down enough to stroke over his soft pubic hairs.

Dick blushed at that comment, the heat of it warm against Bruce's skin. His mouth switched sides, treating the other nipple as he rolled partially over his lover to reach it. The movement brought his cock out entirely, and it rubbed gently against Bruce's under the shield of soft flannel.

"No." Bruce murmured softly, against tender, damp skin, as he rolled off of his panting, young lover. No... it wouldn't be like this. He was in a very, very rare good, fun mood, and he shed his white t-shirt, which had hidden rock hard abs and the slender physique of a man his age. Which, all things considering? Wasn't that old. He put on the radio... spinning the CD's until he got the number he wanted. Quirky but fun music, softly, and he walked back over, biting his lip before melodramatically straddling his lovers hips, palms splayed out on his belly...as he mouthed the words to the music. 'Everyone... everyone said we should never part. Tell me baby, why you gonna break my heart?' He leaned over, tongue lapping out over a slender, angular jaw as he smiled into warm skin. 'Ooooo, why doncha call me sometime paapaa?'

Didn't really know why he was feeling the way he was, but his blood was singing, his silent strong image shucked now with the most important person in his life. And he smiled.

Dick couldn't help laughing softly. Maybe it wasn't the Bat-Wand, but things were definitely okay when Bruce was around. He arched his neck to let Bruce have at his jaw, and his teeth caught Bruce's earlobe, sucking it between his teeth and nibbling lightly. "You... sing pretty good... for an old guy," Dick teased softly, licking and nipping over his lover's ear and cheek. "You make everything all right, Bruce." He wound his arms around Bruce's waist, scooting him up just a little closer.

His rare, beautiful smile broke out over his face, angling his hips and rubbing softly against the naked heat under him. Dick's body was young, agile, and just as tense and male as his own, but if Bruce had learned anything, it was that seduction was a game. Something to be given, so that later the rewards could be reaped.

And usually? The rewards were pleasurable for both parties.

So as the music changed to a deeper, sexier soul, Bruce's mouth hovered over soft skin, not touching as he undressed his lover with practiced hands. Shirt disappeared... pants slipping away, and he blew soft breath over his skin, traveling down the length of his body. Stopped at each pleasure point...nipples, belly button, the head of his cock, just barely skimming his lips over the skin as he let his breath do the work.

Down, softly, elegantly bringing Dick's knees up, so his feet were planted on the bed, and blew hot, soft breath over his little hole.

Dick shivered as the music changed, because Bruce changed with it. He moved his body, raising his arms and hips as Bruce dictated so that clothing could be easily removed, feeling cherished instead of vulnerably exposed, and gave soft little pleasurable cries as Bruce moved over his body.

Quiet thrills that scraped over his skin just as Bruce blew over it, hot spears that stabbed through him with the light touch of lips, and Dick threw his head back, offering his body to his lover, along with so much more. "Bruce..." he whimpered softly.

Done? No. Not by a long shot. He carefully scooted back and took hold of his lovers hips and should, gently moving him. "Turn over, Dick. Turn over."

Another soft whimper of Bruce's name, but Dick did as he was told, rolling over onto his stomach, pulling himself up on his knees and spreading his thighs open. "Please?"

"No." A soft, rumbling laugh from his chest, and he gently pulled his lovers knees from under him, laying him flat on the sheets… and spreading himself over him. "No, Dick."

His mouth skimmed, the same teasing, hot little breaths and barest skim of lips, over a soft, bare neck. Down to strong shoulders... a lick, from the center of his shoulder blades to the base of his spine. Deft little fingers slipped under slender hips and stroked gently over a hard cock, as his mouth skimmed down, tenderly over ass cheeks... bypassing where he knew his lover would want his mouth, and down each thigh, to lap at the back of each knee softly.

Unhappy whimper that turned into a choked moan as Bruce pushed him down and moved mover him gently. He loved Bruce's weight on him, and even though he couldn't feel it yet he hoped it was coming, and he arched into the licks and breaths, muffled curses and pleas slipping out as he offered his hungry body to his lover. "Damn you, Bruce... you're too fucking good at this."

"Don't know why. Haven't had a lot of practice." Whispered against the flesh part of the back of his lovers thigh where it met ass, licking softly and rubbing his lips against the soft skin. "I promise I'll practice on you." He murmured, gently lifting his lovers hips as he skimmed soft breath and tender lips over the back of his lovers balls, up to the spot between back and front, and gently kissed the little sunburst softly. "Not enough practice by far."

Dick grinned into the pillow at that. "Stupid people... should have 'em... lined up out the door to practice on... before me anyway." He rubbed back against his lover. "C'n practice on me... all you want. I'm... easy that way."

"Thankfully for me, they don't see past my money and my rubber." Bruce murmured, as his tongue lapped across the little puckered hole, relaxing it into opening for him, and he covered it with his mouth, sucking softly as his tongue dipped in past the ring of muscle. His fingers kept his lovers cheeks open and his legs spread as he sucked, looking, one hand letting go to stroke down under his lover where the hard cock hung.

"love... love the rubber." Dick thrust forward into the hand stroking his cock, rocking back and relaxing his body so Bruce's tongue could slip into him. "Feels so good... God, Bruce. Feels wonderful with you." He reached down, wrapping his hand around Bruce's and squeezing the elegant fingers gently.

He smiled, around the little hole, lapping and licking, pushing in and thrusting out, before slipping free, and went into their sheets and blankets. They always had lube in their sheets--he felt it every night scratch some body part or another, and he searched now, chuckling into the back of Dicks hip as he did. "Yes, Dick, I'm the master of seduction."

"Down... down at the foot... left side, my toe's on the tube." He knew what Bruce was searching for, and the throaty giggle coupled with the hot breath and mouth on his hip sent a shudder through his cock.

"Romantic." He murmured, leaning back for it...stroking his thumb over the arch of his lovers toes as he got the little bottle, opening it and slickening his fingers, immediately. Slick and wet, greasy but he didn't mind. Especially when he watched his lovers body begin to suck his finger in, exhaling softly as he stroked tenderly over the long back. "Dick, Christ, you're beautiful. Do you have any idea? Do you? You're beautiful."

Happy whimper as Bruce's finger slid inside him, and Dick slid down to his elbows, angling his ass higher into the air, wider open. The compliments washed over him like warm ocean waves, and he purred appreciatively. "Not as beautiful as you."

"No, Dick. No. You're so amazing." His second finger slipped in like a dream, tender and easy, and he scissored them softly, opening his lover enough for...yes. Oh, yes.

He sat back, his back against the backboard, and murmured, "Come here, baby." Offered arms, his thighs spreading as he offered pleasure to his lover, eyes soft and sweet. He slickened himself with more lube down his tense, ready cock, and all his body wanted to do was fuck as hard as possible.

He wasn't a man driven by his body. And he offered himself.

Dick turned around, crawled down the bed to his lover, straddled him gently as he reached down, lowering himself onto Bruce's hard cock. He wanted to be face to face with his lover, wanted to be able to hold Bruce as he moved, and even as he pushed himself down, he snuggled his knees on either side of Bruce's thighs and his arms around Bruce's waist.

Long, expelled breath as his crotch thrummed in steady thumps of pleasure, his foggy eyes opening so he could look at his fluid, graceful creature that someone had deemed him worthy enough to have. He was beautiful, outrageously so, and Bruce's palms came to each slender, strong hip, smiling up at him even as his body trembled and began to sweat with lust. "I'll thrust soon. Just for a little while... just want to see you."

Dick nodded. "I know, Bruce. I know." He slowly pushed himself down until Bruce was completely sheathed inside him, and then rocked once, snuggling himself closer against his lover. He pushed himself closer to his lover's body, pressing his chest tight to Bruce's and kissing the graceful neck and strong shoulders as he rocked, gently.

Breath gone, trembled out of his lungs as his eyes closed, skin breaking out into goosebumps. He took comfort in the fact that Dick would be the only one ever to see him like this, and he leaned forward to kiss. Panting around soft, warm lips, his thighs supporting the bottom of his lovers and helping him move him and down, eyes shuttering close as his mouth trembled open, groaning softly. He didn't used to make noise, but he'd found himself suddenly free to make any type of noise he liked, and he liked that. His eyes fluttered open… slitting in pleasure as he rocked his lover on him, working his hips under the position as he gently pushed in and out. "Oh, God yes."

Dick licked at the soft lips pressed to his, kissing and caressing them gently as his body moved against Bruce's. His tongue thrust into Bruce's mouth as soon as it opened, and he tasted his lover, sucking his tongue and biting it. When Bruce's eyes finally opened, Dick leaned forward, and looked into them. "I love you like this, Bruce. When you give me everything I didn't know I wanted. I love you when you take care of me and now you let me be my own man, and I love you more. I love when you let me take my own pace, but now... now I just need you."

His eyes slit as he hissed in pleasure, the squirming and squeezing around him… oh, God. He felt like he was packed in warm and tight and his, and he listened, understood, even if he didn't hear any of the words. Grasped tender hips and a strong back and pushed up, bringing his legs under him and pressing his lover back into the blankets. He covered his lover... no feeling like it, like covering the person you love and giving them pleasure, and he caught Dick's wrists, bringing them up over his head as he braced himself and thrust in, deeply, even as he nuzzled his lovers face. "You give me the courage to be me." Bruce whispered into his ear, and his hips began to move. Up and down, softly over the lovely body of his man, palm keeping their hips together as they moved.

Dick cried out softly as Bruce pushed him back, and arched up greedily into the weight he sought out. "No no no... no, Bruce, you're beautiful... you're the one... who makes it okay... to be me. To be stupid, to be great, to love you, you make it all okay and I need you." He rubbed his chest against Bruce's as he raised his legs to wrap around Bruce's hips, pulling him down with each stroke into his body. He tightened his hands into fists and didn't fight Bruce's hands on his arms, instead closing his eyes for only a moment before he offered everything to his lover with a single arch of his body, his back bowing, sheath tightening around Bruce's cock.

Any doubt he'd had since he found his lover in this hell hole of a tiny town was squashed in that moment. The arch, the surrender of body and spirit had hard, heavy joy swimming blindingly bright through Bruce's mind, and he let out a cry of pleasure, burying his face in Dicks neck as he began to move. Hard, pounding, steady strokes, sliding almost completely free before re-sheathing himself into the quaking, delicious little channel that was his lover. He let go of warm wrists to lower his mouth to a tense little nipple, sucking and lapping at it as his palm caressed a hard thigh around him, moving faster.

Dick moved his arms as soon as they were free, wrapping them tightly around Bruce's shoulders, legs around his waist, clinging to him like a burr as they made love. He lifted his body into each hard, deep stroke of his lover's cock, clamping down with his muscles every time Bruce pushed inside him. The hot mouth around his nipple caused him to cry out Bruce's name again, and he moved one hand from Bruce's shoulder to the back of his head, pushing down and holding his mouth against the nipple. "Yes... fucking hell, yes, I love you, I want you, Bruce."

He bit around the tiny nub as they moved, his skin flushing hot with pleasure as they moved against the blankets and sheets, writhing bodies warm together. He almost couldn't believe the friction Dick's body caused... the heat he gave off, and he never could really wonder for too long before his thoughts were taken to how unbelievably soft his lovers skin was... how perfect holding the small of his back while they moved felt. His tongue lapped at the tiny nub, biting it and sucking it into existence as he murmured his pleasure. He moved with purpose, with intent on giving this beautiful human being who, for some reason, had chose to call him lover, giving him all he could.

Dick reached down between them, stroking his cock with each of Bruce's surging thrusts inside him. His nails dug gently into Bruce's shoulder, anchoring him to here and now, to the slick slide of sweaty skin against sweaty skin, of the taste of Bruce's flavor on his tongue, the sweet scent of their mating bodies.

"Tell me." Bruce grit out, hard as he moved faster, his body slick and sliding against his lovers as he set his forehead on his lovers. "Tell me. Tell me you love you. Tell me." He thrust hard, punishing, hot, heavy strokes as he got close, so close, holding it off as long as he could as his fingers stroked down, over his own tense belly and the hared erection pressed against it, wrapping his fingers around it and flicking his wrist with each jack. "Tell me. Tell me."

"I love you," Dick cried out, arching up against Bruce, rubbing and twisting against him. "I love you, Bruce, I love you, only you, please, Bruce, please, I love you, I'm sorry I left, I'm sorry, I love you, please forgive me," Dick babbled, half sobbing and half in ecstasy. "Please, I love you. I love you."

"Tell me you'll n-never leave again." Bruce ground out, half sobbing with it as he pushed his lover higher, higher on that slippery slope, aching for orgasm even as he held it off and worked his lovers, stroking his cock faster and harder as he pressed their faces together. "Tell me you love me. I love you. I love you, Dick. I love you, tell me you love me."

"I promise, I promise, I won't ever leave you again. I won't ever leave you, Bruce, I couldn't, I can't. I love you." Dick threw his body into meeting every one of Bruce's thrusts with his own, his cock aching in his lover's hand as he held down on it. "I love you, Bruce, I love you. So much."

"You are mine. " Bruce ground out, letting go of his lovers cock and stroking it in earnest, hard jacks as his hips began to jerk in orgasm, eyes clamping shut as he concentrated on getting there, on getting there, on..

Oh, yes.

He erupted, quiet through his orgasm as its intense pleasure washed over his body, sending his skin to shaking and a deep, ground out, rumbling groan to slip out of his chest. He pushed in, further, deeper, letting himself come into the depths of his lovers body, and his lovers heart. It was this man, this one, that he'd spend his life with. Christ, how he adored him, how much he loved him, and he kissed him sloppily, wet and messy and beautiful, full of tongue and teeth and lips as he stroked his orgasm out, thrusting it into his lovers warm depths.

Dick nodded fiercely, cock throbbing and spurting out his orgasm even as Bruce declared his ownership. "Yours, Bruce, yours, I swear," he murmured, rocking his hips up and crying out in pleasure as Bruce's hot seed filled him. He refused to unlock his legs or his arms from Bruce's body as they kissed, his come sticky and cooling between them as Bruce's burned inside him.

The kisses were sweet and wet and everything that Dick wanted, in that moment, and he shuddered as he returned them, clean hand stroking through Bruce's hair, cradling his head carefully as he rode the short, beautiful thrusts of the last of his lover's orgasm.

He collapsed. Couldn't be helped because his arms wouldn't hold him up anymore, and he collapsed onto his lover, covering him from head to toe and not. Caring. He closed his eyes, chest rising and falling as he panted, delicious ache and pleasure coursing its way through his body. Making love this early in the morning should be a rule, not the exception to one. He felt hollowed, aching, delicious, buried so deeply within his beautiful lovers body.

And could do nothing about it but rest, and pant.

Dick didn't care. He loved feeling Bruce on top of him, didn't know why but he did, and he burrowed tightly under Bruce's warm body, absorbing the weight and rubbing Bruce's back with his fingertips, pressing warm kisses to his cheek and his ear. "I'm sorry I didn't come to bed last night," he whispered. "I missed you."

"You... are the reason I sleep. Th… the reason I wake, and eat, and work, and play. You are the reason I am. Ca..." He cleared his throat, gruffly, because he was a proud man, and he wouldn't let his lover see the emotion so hard on his face. "Can you understand that you're my missing part, Dick? You're an idiot, and you don't listen to anyone, and you're lazy to boot. And if I never met you, I'd never know the reason why I was alive."

Dick didn't have to see it any more to know it was there. "But... I'm your idiot, Bruce." He rubbed his cheek against Bruce's shoulder. "I found out a lot of things while I was gone, and the one I found out the most was, no matter who else I loved, I never stopped being reminded of you. As much as I tried to avoid you, I couldn't. Seeing you come into the Talon was killing me because I hated myself for putting all that worry on your face." He squeezed Bruce tightly. "I won't ever do it again."

"You can't, Dick. I won't survive the next time." Bruce whispered softly, kissing his shoulder tenderly, his neck and throat and ear, nibbling at him as he wound his arms around him. "I love you."

"There won't be a next time." He just... snuggled quietly against his lover. "I love you. Even when I didn't want to I did, and I'll never stop. I know that now."

"A wise man once told me that things happen for a reason, and we shouldn't stress to much over it. Take our lessons and move on. I learned mine. I swear to you… I'll never be the closed person I once was. I'll include you in everything, even if I don't want to, or I'm scared to. You deserve that. You deserve more. I could say that you don't need me in your life.. .but I need you. So, it seems you're stuck with me." But he was smiling as he got up on one elbow, and gave a little wicked thrust. "You're a beautiful individual.:"

"I don't mind being stuck with you." Dick raised a hand to stroke over Bruce's face. "Don't ever think I don't need you. You make things right for me, you make things make sense. I always need you in my life, Bruce."

"Not to take one of Clark's lines, but you're a worthy mate. I'm proud to have you." Words like that were always hard on Bruce's tongue, compliments of any nature, and he smiled a little as he stroked over Dicks sweaty hair, leaning in to kiss his chin gently. "You're the perfect person for me, Dick. You're intelligent, you're kind. You don't mind a little rubber."

"Hey... uh... don't tell anybody? But I kinda get off on the rubber." He slid his fingers through Bruce's hair, pulling his mouth away for just a minute so their eyes could meet. "Hearing you say that, Bruce? I can't tell you how much that means to me."

His eyes twinkled even as his lips curved, gazing down into blue eyes he knew he could gladly see for the rest of eternity. "I don't know how people aren't going to recognize you, Dick. How can anyone see your eyes, and not know its you?" Bruce said softly, stroking over the soft, short hair as he looked at him. "Everything is in your eyes."

"You're the only person who gets to see everything from now on," Dick promised. "The rest of the world won't ever get to see this." He smiled back up at his lover."

"Not to take another one of Clark's lines, but that's pretty awesome." He blinked as the word left his lips, working it in his mouth... and gave a deep, rumbling laugh, grabbing his lover and rolling over, snuggling him deep into the blankets.

"Bruce? Promise you'll never use that word again." But the grin crinkled around the corner of his eyes as he rolled over and snuggled against Bruce.

~ * ~ * ~

Graham looked around the house and just... sighed. Everything was packed up in boxes and crates, marked with red and yellow security tape, and stacked by the walls waiting to be packed into the vans.

Funny how twenty years could boil down into a few boxes and crates.

The only things he hadn't packed away were his bed, a set of bed sheets, a few changes of clothes, and a few things to cook with. The fridge was staying in the house, along with the rest of the appliances and most of the furniture. Lindy's things were already crated and on the way to Metropolis.

The telephone was sitting in front of him in the middle of the kitchen table, and he picked it up, dialing Toni's phone from memory and sighing as he looked around at the bare walls. He didn't feel like he was exactly leaving anything behind; more like... he was finally moving towards something.

Her goddamn leg was hurting her like a bitch in heat. It throbbed, it beat, it itched, it was sweaty. And of course, Smallville had to be having the first heat wave of the year as she left, and now all she felt was grimy, and disgusting.

The plane ride hadn't helped. In fact, it had soured her mood a great deal. Did stewards not REALIZE what a turned around foot WAS? Sons of bitches.

So, when she finally hobbled down the walkway, it took her a minute to appreciate the beauty of the house. It was old, but lush, with enormous oak trees and a wide, sprawling porch hidden under the foliage. It smelled so clean, like nature, and she knew immediately why Graham had lived here so long. If people were like their houses, Graham was a mirror image of his, and despite all of her anger at the day, she had to smile.

She'd taken to wearing a backpack as of late and had it on now... filled with everything she'd need for a day or two of rest and relaxation in Vancouver.

She just hoped Graham wouldn't mind.

And she was mulling that over, chewing on her lower lip, as she crutched her way up the porch and rang the doorbell.

Graham growled as Toni didn't pick up her telephone. He was starting to get worried when ten rings went by, then fifteen, and no answer. He'd just hung up and was getting ready to ring Lionel when someone knocked on the door.

"Isna anyone home!" he bellowed cheerfully.

"My fat ass, come open the door before I push my crutch through it." Toni bellowed back, a great deal more cheerful.

Graham shoved his chair back from the table. "TONI?" he bellowed again, this time a great deal less than cheerful as he ran through the den and the hallway to open the front door.

And there she was, backpack, crutches and all. "What in bloody hell are y'doin here?" He barely got it out before he stepped out onto the porch and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and hugged.

And lifted her in the process.

She let out an "oomph!', her crutches falling to the porch, clattering loudly as she wrapped her arms around his big, burly neck, hugging him back and sighing as he lifted her up, 200 pound cast and all. "Well, I could let you sit here and have all the fun now, could I?"

Plus? Feeling really bad for accusing him of only wanting a fling. She was so hung up on this boy it was not. Even. Funny. So she hugged him back as much as he'd let her, sniffing at his warm, masculine neck.

"Y'dinna know how happy I'm t'see you." He swung her around, careful of her cast, hugging her tight and squeezing the breath out of her. "Y've made m'day, Toni." She smelled wonderful, like perfume and vanilla and something sweetly herself, and he just hugged her tighter.

Okay. After her truly shitty day, his brogue still made her melt. She couldn't help giving him a tighter snuggle, giggling quietly as she pressed kisses to his face. Soft violins that sounded richly Celtic were coming from somewhere among the boxes, and for some reason, hearing it made her soft at the center. She smiled, quietly, squeezing him tightly for a long moment before she carefully let go, crouching down and balancing herself on one foot, for her crutches. "I thought I might. Had to come see you."

Graham reached down, holding her up with one hand as the other hand scooped up her crutches and held them out to her. "M'glad you did." He rubbed a bearded cheek against hers. "Dinna know how much I missed ye."

"I missed you." She smiled at him, shyly almost, not looking at him as she got her crutches for her, hobbling into the house. The cast... covered her leg all the way to the knee, and she heaved a sigh at it, looking up at him and wincing. It was... kind of an eye stinging bright blue, a personal joke from the guys at the ER, and she sighed. She hadn't been embarrassed, but now, with this very, very classy man… yeah.

"Doesna th'color clash wi'the orange tenni'shoes?" he asked, watching her eyes twinkle.

Oh, yeah. She winced down at her tennis, blush steeling her cheeks as she grinned at him, giggling softly. "Don't you know they're as fashion faux pas?" But yeah, heee, she smiled up at him. "You have a beautiful house, Graham."

"They're verra' fashionable," Graham nodded. Then he looked over his shoulder. "Aye, she's been a beautiful place t'live, but I'll no be sad to see her go." He offered his hand out. "Lemme carry y'bags? Bag, as it is then?"

"Just one. I can only stay a day or so, unfortunately." She nodded it, pushing a lock of hair out of her eyes with her shoulder, and her lips quirked in a smile. "I'll let you in on a secret. I always wanted to see Canada, I just didn't want to admit it."

Graham reached behind her and took the backpack and put it over his own shoulder as he held open the door. "Isna that much different from the US; we got air, we've trees and dirt and buildin's."

"And...Canada!" She spared him a grin, shaking her head as she took her bag back from him, shutting the door with her crutch as she hobbled over to a stool outside of the kitchen nook and plopped down. Ohhhhh yes. She heaved a sigh, smiling at him as she reached into her bag, and took out a small gift, wrapped in the ugliest paper she'd been able to find, to give him a laugh. She handed it over, eyes twinkling, and tipped her head.

Graham couldn't help the snicker at the ugly paper as he put her backpack down on the couch. "Aye... and its no tickin'. That's a good thin'." He pulled the other stool up across the bar, the little package swallowed in his large hands.

She winked again and lifted up her cast, setting it on the third stool... bare toes, which she'd painstakingly painted a bright red, propped cheerfully inside the cast that ITCHED LIKE A MOFO. "Open it."

Graham peeled the paper back slowly, pulling off each piece of tape and smoothing down each paper fold. It drove his family insane, the way he unwrapped packages, but it was his way. Slow and deliberate, to prolong the joy.

Soon, the paper was folded to the side, and he was staring at a little white box. "Nothin's gonna jump oot at me, is't?"

"No, but don't think I didn't wonder if I could cram the little steward who insisted I not put my cast on the airplane seats in there. Little mother f--.." Cough. "Anyway. Open it!"

Graham pulled the lid off the box, and grinned down.

Three little picture frames were nestled in the box, top to bottom.

In one of them, Toni was giving Graham bunny ears, that clashed horribly with his tuxedo. In another? Graham was returning the favor, bunny ears fitting in with Toni's brown dress. He grinned widely as he looked at the little pictures in the box. "Aye, an'this was another ten years y'took off m'life, but it was worth it."

Her eyes danced, as she propped her chin in her hand and watched the emotions go over his face. "I didn't really expect you to walk round Metropolis with me in that killer dress… but you did. You took me out, and made me feel like a lady. Plus? Such a hunk in the tux. So... I framed them, for you to remember." She giggled, softly, and if she didn't know any better she thought she could feel herself blushing.

"Did'ye think I was goin' ta let the world go by wi'out knowin' I had th'most beautiful woman in th'world on my arm? Daft ye are." He leaned across the bar and kissed her nose, then her lips softly. "These'll go on th'mantle till I move, and when I get home, they'll go up in our house."

She reached out, touching his face and kissing him, a little harder, deeper then she intended… and let go, a moment later, pressing her lips together as she looked up at him. "Get settled in. And we'll see."

He frowned softly. "Y'don't want to stay wi'me?"

"Graham..." Dammit. She caught her lip in her teeth, looking away for a moment as she thought. "Graham, your life is upheaving. You... you're making a lot of changes right now...you're still tender hearted. You can barely look at me, baby. How can we live together if you can't look at me?" And she hoped he knew, exactly, what she was talking about. "I won't hurt you, or your son."

"I dunna thawt you'd hurt me or m'boy, Toni." Graham shifted on the stool. "And aye, I know what yer sayin', but I wan't'be wi'ye for more than just physical reasons." He held out his hands for hers.

"I'm not..." She grasped his hand, hard in her own, and squeezed, looking up at him. "Graham, you can't look at me like a woman you can be with yet. I get that. I'm willing to wait, and I love you so much. But sweetie... I don't want to make mistakes. Sleeping in your bed, making breakfast, taking care of your baby? Do you honestly think you can handle that?"

Graham slid their fingers together, squeezing tightly. "I do want to be with you, darlin'. There are nights I canna think of anythin' else. I just dunna know... what I c'n ask ye for and be fair to ye."

"I think we should let God take care of it." Toni finally said, gazing up at him. God, he was a beautiful, good man, and she was so lucky to have someone care for her in such a way. Just...WHY couldn't they be ISSUELESS?!

Christ.

She kissed his cheek, softly, then his big, burly fingers, and brought his palm to her cheek.

Graham's fingers unfurled to stroke over the line of Toni's jaw, then his palm moved to cup her cheek in his hand. "He takes too long." Graham leaned forward to kiss her again, soft press of his lips against hers.

She was smiling as she kissed him, her lips turning up to gently stroke across his. Soft, loving kiss, tenderly rubbing, and she quietly closed her eyes, sighing softly. She pressed her lips against his, once, twice more, and smiled up at him, stroking the line of his cheek. "Too romantic for your own good, Mr. Senatori."

"Nah," he said softly. "No'romantic enough." He rubbed his beard against her cheek again. "Come on. You've got to be tired; I'll take y'upstairs."

Okay." She agreed softly, sighing as she swung her leg off the stool… almost toppled herself off, and straightened, grinning at him shyly as she picked up her crutches again. "Come on, knight, already. I'm only so young, here."

"An'I'm your knight in shinin' armor." He picked her up in his arms, cast weighing absolutely nothing to him, and tucked her arms around his neck. "Now, are we takin' a shower, or are we goin' to lie down?"

She snorted, pressing her cheek against his shoulder and sighing. "Lying down. Showering is just... too much of a hassle. I'll do it later, if you can handle the scent of airplane peanuts on me."

"I can handle all the scents on ye," he said, snuffling her neck.

"Bet you couldn't handle my smelly leg as soon as the cast comes off." Toni harrumphed, grumbling as she held on tighter when he started to climb the steps. This? Was the life. Her feet were up, she was being babied. Uh huh. Definitely.

"Ye'll have to lay i'my bed; t'is the only one made up. Sheets fer everythin' else are packed up a'ready."

"I don't mind." But she smiled at him, tipping his head sideways, and blushed softly. "Your house is very, very nice. Its a shame you're selling it."

Graham gave a soft laugh as he negotiated the stairs. "Aye, t'is. But I canna keep two houses, and I dunna wanna stay here." He shifted his grip on her tighter as he carried her up higher.

"Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Aye, an'll even answer it."

"Would you be coming to Smallville, if she was still with you?" Toni asked it very quietly, but very frankly, eyes flickering up to this man, who she had given her heart so completely too.

Very quiet for a long moment as he thought. "Dunna know, but aye. I thin' so. It's a nice place, and it's close to Morgan, and Meggie in her off-season, an' Riley and his lot." He got to the top of his stairs, and ducked his head to scratch his beard. "Wouldna packed up s'fast, but aye, we'd end up there."

"You know, Graham?" She asked softly, her short fingernails replacing his shoulder, gently scratching at his cheek as she turned his face towards her. "I grew up little different than you... my foster parents were sweet people, and they taught me the way of havin' a man, baby. Taught me what a man looks for, what a man wants, and what he can take from you in a heart beat. But they also taught me... that when the right man came 'long, Id know. He'd be a good man, hard workin'... he'd treat me like I was worth it." She stroked over his cheek, gazing into those big clear eyes of his, her thumb stroking under his eye. "He'd know what this woman is worth."

"Dunno if I'm all that, darlin'." He rubbed his beard against her again. "Know what I think yer worth t'me." He shouldered open the door of his bedroom, and put her in the middle of his bed before pulling up a chair beside her. "Hope that's 'nuff for ye."

"You don't give yourself enough credit." Toni sank into his thick, cozy bed, the breath slipping out of her as she gazed up at him... and turned on her side, with only a little bit of difficulty, snuggling softly against his pillows. Even his bed was mammoth sized. "I've never been worth shit to anyone. I almost don't know how to handle myself when you're around."

"Yer worth a'lot more than shite, Toni." His hand stroked over her cheek. "Yer worth more'n anythin' else in this world." He kissed her fingertips gently. "Yer everythin' t'me."

"But you don't know what you've become in my life." She snuffled then, her voice getting stuffy as she spoke, cupping his hand on her cheek. "You don't. When you left… I don't know why, but I thought you were gone, for good. And my heart... I was so heartbroken. Here, a good man, and Id let him through my fingers because all Id been offering was my body. But you're teaching me, that its okay to want more. You're... you're an amazement to me. God, I love you, Graham."

"I love ye, Toni. Aye... I want your body." He couldn't keep his eyes from sliding over her once. "I'd be a bloody fool if I didna. But I want more of ye than jus' that. Yer a beaut'ful woman, inside an'out."

"God, I want you too." She said, softly, looking up into his eyes before shyly skimming across, to his jaw, reaching out to gently stroke his cheek. "I do. So much. But I can wait, until you're ready. Knowing that nothing can take you away from me... it makes me happy." And she offered a smile, sniffling as she rubbed her eyes quietly. "I'm such a dork."

"Stay here wi'me. I'll no b'leavin' till th'end o'the week, because that's when the last o'th boxes'll be gone. But stay wi'me."

"Okay." She whispered, not leaving his face as she stroked her thumb over his cheek... his jaw line, tenderly, before bringing her hand back and softly placing it on her belly.

Graham smiled brightly at that, leaning forward in his chair, then getting out of it entirely to get on his knees beside the bed, bringing them down to the same height as he leaned his torso across the bed and kissed her. Hard and firmly this time, his hand slipping to the back of her head, rubbing over her high cheekbones with his thumb.

He tasted like dusky gold and Guinness. It was a taste she could have gladly drowned in, her full, lush lips slipping across his. She'd never kissed a man with facial hair until her mountain man came along, and she couldn't stop being helplessly aroused over how lovely it would feel like across her skin. She kissed him because she loved him, and the feeling had come so unexpectedly. She hadn't wanted to fall in love when she met him, but there was something about him that had driven her insane as soon as she met him. She kissed him, softly, lovingly, letting him control whatever he liked as her own fingers slipped through all his spiked out, crazy hair and tugged him in close.

Graham's other hand moved to brace against her shoulder, rubbing the smooth, swan-like arch of her throat with the pad of his thumb, scraping his rough skin across her smoothness with steady, repetitive motions. Down the dip of her collarbone and back up, his tongue reaching through to flicker and tease hers, sucking softly and carefully.

Her breath trembled out of her lungs in one shaky, gusty murmur, eyelids falling closed as his mouth did... very talented things on her own, his careful fingers, covered in the calluses of a mans life, feeling like sin on her skin. She had so much inside of her to give him, and she was eager under his mouth, catching his tongue when it dipped in between her teeth to bite, none to gently, and soothe with soft, loving sucks. She caught his lower lip as well, doing the same thing as she tipped her head, hardly able to breath.

He broke the kiss for barely a second, filling his huge lungs with air and then kissing Toni again, sharing the deep breath he'd taken with her as he slid his hand down her back, arching her body against his as he climbed up into the bed beside her. He was careful of her cast as he slid his arms down, wrapping around her waist and pulling her into his warmth.

Oh, God. She let out a breathy sound of feline pleasure, pushing her cast out of the way as his huge, burly arms wrapped around her, and she lost herself in him. His scent, his taste, everything about him, and her back arched in giving as she kissed him, arms wrapping tightly around his back. Her palms went flat on the long expanse, rubbing softly as she kissed... and finally reached up to grasp his hair in her hand, tightening her fingers round the grasp of locks as she gave.

"Aye, lass," he whispered softly, encouraging her to tighten her grasp on his hair. His palms slid down over her back and gripped her ass gently, pulling her against him before letting her go and rolling onto his back, tugging her partially over him and stroking her back. "I love ye, lassie."

A purr, quiet in her throat, as he pulled her a little over him, and she let go enough to relax her hand, just a little, smiling down at him as she kissed his nose...his lips, his chin. "I love you, laddie." Which she giggled at herself for, and she just was NOT the giggling type with ANYONE but this man. She nipped his lip softly, shyly, tracing it with his tongue tenderly.

"Havena been called laddie in thirty years, darlin'." He rolled her over just enough for his arms to slide around her and hold her tightly to him. "I c'n tell a'ready, yer gonna give me gray hairs."

She giggled again, all but kicked herself for the girly noise, eyes batting at him as she stroked his face softly, snuggling under his way too strong arm and closing her eyes. "Graham?"

"Aye?"

"What is it about you that makes it okay to lounge in bed at five o'clock in the afternoon?"

A hearty laugh from Graham shook the entire bed at that question. "Dinna know, lass. But yer jus' gettin' in from a trip. Ye've earned the right t'rest up."

She perked. Yeah. "You gonna take me somewhere?"

"Considerin' there's no'a bit of decent food in th' house, aye. I'm goin' t'be takin' ye out to dinner."

"I brought a dress, thinking I might be able to persuade you." Her eyes lit up, squirming from his grasp to sit up, pushing her cast to the side as she plopped half Indian style by his side, smiling down at him.

Graham just sighed and laced his fingers behind his head. "Aye. Gray hair. I can feel 'em grayin' as we speak."

"Not yet. Maybe soon, though." Toni grinned, arranging herself so that she was laying on his shoulder, the both of them facing up. She got his arm, pulling it around her flat belly, a belly which would never be able to bear children, and rubbed his fingers gently there on her flat tummy. "I do love you, you know."

"Aye, I know." His fingers stroked over her stomach gently, teasingly. "I love you too." His hand splayed possessively over her for just a moment, then went back to its calming stroking.

"Does it count if I give you a heart attack?"

He just glared. "Aye, though you'll hafta get b'hind Morgan and Shayla for that. B'tween th' two of 'em, I'll never ha'a moment's peace."

"IS she still having sex with that young man?" Toni asked softly, twining her unbroken leg around his.

The Senatori Glare deepened into full strength as he looked at her. "Yer askin' me that? I make it my business NOT t'be knowin!"

She bit her lip sweetly, big almond eyes batting sweetly as she looked at him innocently. "You're supposed to know, you're the papa bear. If you can handle your brother marrying a man, I think you can handle Shayla."

A deep, rumbling growl. "An' just who be sayin' I handle that, missy? eh? Li'nel Luthor is the biggest goat God e'er put on the face o'this earth!"

"And he's absolutely, one hundred percent perfect for your brother."

"He isna," Graham grumped.

"Oh, he is. They're beautiful together." Toni glanced up, eyes dancing. "And as Ive seen more of both of them than you ever have, I win."

"Morgan coulda done much better," Graham groused again.

"Really? With who?"

"A sea slug. The man is a thievin' rascal. He's gone already and thieved m'son right out from under me!"

Oh, Toni threw her head and laughed good and hard at that. "Are you joking? He's as taken with the baby as Shane is with him. He must have asked me fifteen times if I was going to come by and see him today before I got on the plane."

"An did ye?"

"Of course. I bought him some things you're going to kill me for, too. He gave me a big grin, and tried to eat Clark's new puppies, and was having a great old time before I left. And he kept looking at me, and saying, "Daddy? Daddy?"." Toni smiled, twisting to look up at him. "He misses you."

"Aye, he loves t'chew on the dogs, an' I still havena figured that one out." He thumped his head against the pillow. "If he thinks you're his daddy, th'boy has serious issues already. Damn Ellie and her makeup."

Toni smiled, softly, though her eyes had gone shiny and wet with a woman's heart, twisting around on her belly to prop her chin on his chest. "He was looking for you. He knew I'm around you, so I think he figured you'd be around too."

"He's a smart boy, for knowin' that much." Graham grinned, and hugged her tightly. "If I have m'way, you'll be around a lot more in th'future."

"If it helps? I'm addicted to you both, as much as you're addicted to me."

"Goes far deeper'n addiction, Toni Braxton. An addiction, ye can get over it. Dunna think I'll ever be over ye."

"You're damn right, sugar." She tossed her head back and gave him a teasingly voluptuous smile, eyebrow raising. "Its a fault of mine. I know what a catch I am... you're just lucky to have dipped into the pool at the right time."

At that, Graham snickered. Two could tease. "Aye, a catch. Yer barely a handful, Toni darlin', and a little one at that. I've hunted deer that're bigger'n ye are."

"Of course, I am. Compact little body, and a bulldozer when you least expect it. The thing is, Graham, you're not expecting, I don't think, what all I've got in store for you. Which is really sweet, you know." She teased her fingertip across the center of his chest, poking at his shirt buttons.

Graham just raised an eyebrow at that. "Since when can a bulldozer move a mountain?" He caught her hand by the wrist, and used it to nudge open the top button of his shirt.

Ooh. He was furry. Damn, she liked that, and she tickled her fingertip against his skin, flickering her fingernail over the soft hair there and murmuring softly in pleasured approval. "You'd be surprised what a little hard work can do, Graham."

"There's a lo'more where that come from," Graham nodded softly. "But hard work, aye... can gain ye the best of what ye want in th'end."

She flickered her eyes up, eyes dancing with her smile. "You're talking to the girl who put herself through med school, sweaty." A duck down, to tenderly flick the tip of her tongue across a rosy nipple, touching it softly with the pad of her thumb as she watched him. It was a tease, but one that pleased her, so she kept right on.

His nipple hardened under her touch, and it sent a hard shudder through his body. It sent a hot jolt through his cock as well, and he flushed when he felt it surging to life. He'd fought off the rising tide of it as long as he could, and he growled softly at himself as he couldn't restrain it any longer.

She glanced up at his deep growl, surprised at the pure, deep, masculine sound, and she gazed at him in understanding as she softly licked again, watching him the entire way. Her mouth wrapped around the tiny nub, and she licked softly, sucking at it twice and grazing her teeth over the hardened pebble. Let go, to blow a soft puff of air over him, rubbing her thumb all along the edge of the hard peak.

Another growl, just as deep as the first one, and he glared at her. "I dinna like t'use this kind of language in front of a lady, but yer a cocktease, Toni Braxton."

Her lips spread, shining white teeth as she beamed at him, raising a brow a moment later and asking softly, her voice just this side of husky, "Tell me you're not enjoying it, and I'll call you a liar."

"I never said that I wasna enjoyin' it," Graham pointed out. "B'cause I am. But yer still a tease, and I wouldna have ye change."

"Mmm. I'll stop, in a moment." She said softly, ducking her head to lick a strip through the open v of his shirt, where her deft, agile little fingers had unbuttoned, lapping softly a the other nipple… her fingertips rolling and pinching them softly as she lay half splayed above him.

And as she was a daring woman, and because she wanted so badly to make him feel, she gently stroked her thigh where she felt him hardening, smiling in appreciation. "Big boy."

A third growl rolled in his chest as he felt her stroking him and he blushed at the compliment even as he kept from thrusting up into her fingers. "I'd like ta think... I'm in proportion," he gritted out softly, his own fingers moving to stroke the swell of one breast through her shirt.

"You are." Toni murmured, rubbing her lips against his soft, downy chest, nibbling once more, and letting go, stopping the movement of her thigh. When it happened...it would be on both of their terms, and because they wanted it. But she gently kissed each nipple before hiding them, buttoning his shirt gently.

Soft intake of breath, inhaling the scent of her as she buttoned his shirt back up, and part of him wanted to just roll her over and pound into her with every bit of the frustration, the want, and the need she brought out in him.

But he didn't. Instead, he stroked her cheek and her hair, kissed her face softly. "I'll help ye to th'shower, if you want t'get ready for dinner."

He was the most amazing man she'd ever met. A man that needy, that ready, would never dawdle. But Graham... did. And it awoke something bright and soft in her heart, as she reached up, pressing her lips to his. "Okay."

"Wha' d'ye feel like eatin' tonight?" He didn't pause as he rolled off the bed, but swept her back up in his arms and carried her into the spacious master bathroom. "And what do y'need to keep yer cast from gettin' wet?"

She was mortified. She was going to have to bathe with a trash bag on her leg. She blinked, looking at him in near horror, biting her lip and swallowing as he swept her up close and walked right into his spacious, lovely bathroom. "Erm?"

Graham chuckled. "Did y'know Riley spent half a year o'his life in a body cast?" he asked, looking under the counter. Nearly everything had been cleaned out except for the basics, and he came up with a roll of simple white garbage liners. "We used t'wrap him up like a Christmas present t'wash the bits o'him stickin' out o'th' plaster."

"You and Dominic are horrible creatures." She huffed, giving him a glare though her heart chuckled. "Because you both had something to do with it, didn't you?"

Graham's eyes and expression were entirely too innocent to be believed. "D'ye really think that I'd string me own brother up like a fish from a hook and hang 'im in a tree t'dangle?"

"Would you like me to answer that with words, or a glare?" She took the garbage bags from him and limped to the toilet, plopping down on the closed seat as she began to wrap her leg. The entire time, she was very, very aware of the memories this house held, and the joy it had seen... and she wasn't sure she was comfortable invading that. She'd just been so eager to see him, and she had Graham taste in her mouth, and... he was the love of her life. Christ, god help her.

"I canna tell y'how crushed I am. Twasn't my idea to begin with, twas Gideon's."

"Gideon?" She looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed in question.

"Aye, Gideon Gallagher. Mama's sister's oldest boy. He and Morgan are aboot th'same age, an'th three of us tore up Dublin a few times in our day. Hauled him and Morgan outta gaol more times'n I'm willin' to admit to, and Gideon got me out a few times himself." He crossed the bathroom and knelt down by the toilet, helping her wrap the cast and tuck the bag into the top of it.

Which should have been the most mortifying moment of her life. And wasn't. She snickered at him, shaking her head and rolling her eyes as she climbed to her feet, nervous to take her clothes off as she watched him, with her bag making a rumpled noise with every step. "You need that kind of fun again, Graham."

"Wha? Showin' me bare arse to half of the United Kingdom?" He snorted loudly. "Dinna think so, lass."

She giggled at his snort, shaking her head and patting his arm. "Not streaking. But... you know. Fun. But don't you worry. Month with me and you'll wish for the quiet life again."

"Fun. Dun think I've had fun in a while." He pushed himself up to his feet and kissed her nose. "I l'reddy miss m'quiet life. But I wouldna change it." He started for the door. "I'll bring yer bag in once y'get in the shower."

"You--" She stopped...shifted, gazed at him from under thick, long lashes. "If… if you want to stay? Its okay."

"Aye, darlin'. I want to stay. But it isna okay. No'by a long shot." He turned around and kissed her again. "No if I wan'ta treat ye right."

She nodded, shifting again and allowing herself to be kissed as she nodded, biting her lip. "Okay. Well...I mean, yeah. I'll be done in a few minutes."

"Take yer time," he said softly. "I'll be bringin' yer backpack up here to ye in just a minute." He stroked over her back gently. "Jus' ye know... isna easy sayin' no to ye."

"I know. I've got to learn to stop asking." Toni reached up, hugging him gently, and rubbed her fingers through her hair with a soft sigh. "Would you call Lionel, by the way? Let him know I'm still alive, and made it in once piece?"

"Aye, I'll call th'old goat for ye. What y'see in him is b'yond me, but I dinna know what me brother or m'son sees in him either, so m'clueless!"

She smiled, again, softly, and nodded, hobbling over and shooing him out of the bathroom. She was desperate for him, but she'd be damned if she'd show it again. "Get out, will you? Give a girl some privacy. I'll be down in about ten minutes."

"If y'need me, I'll be in th'bedroom." Graham gave her one last, longing look, and a soft smile. "Yer beaut'ful, darlin'." He closed the bathroom door, and waited to hear the shower come on.

"Damn you." She whispered at the door, setting her forehead against it for just a moment as she pulled herself together.

And after she was done, she hobbled to the shower, pulled her clothes off, and got in.

Graham didn't hear the whisper on the other side of the door because he was too busy damning himself for ten kinds of fool. He headed down the stairs, running a large hand along the cool wall as he walked, remembering all the things that had happened in the house.

And a conversation that he'd had with his wife, within these very walls when she'd first gotten pregnant.

"Graham, shut up and listen to me, you big idiot." Missy was the only one who ever dared to call him that and survive it. "We both know that this is dangerous for me. But I want to do it. I want to have this baby, and I'm not going to get rid of it, so don't even suggest it, Graham Senatori." She glowered at him. "I want you to promise me that if anything happens to me or to the baby, that you're not going to stop living. Promise me."

Graham was down the stairs before he realized it, and he looked around at the bare walls. "Hope y'dinna mind, Missy... but I'm keepin' my promise to ye now." He picked up Toni's backpack, inhaling the scent of her perfume where it still smelled like her, and carried it back up the stairs."

His soap was him. That's all she could think about, as she lathered a small hand towel and stroked it over her arms, her shoulders, breasts and belly. It smelled like him... woodsy, and earthy, and like clear springs and mountains. She scrubbed over her back where she could reach, her thighs, between them, and down her uncast knee, giving the bright blue one a brief glare. His shampoo, next, which she scrubbed into her carefully done locks, scrubbing the hair products and airplane smell out of them as she ducked under the spray, closing her eyes and tilting her head upwards.

Everywhere around her was him. Intoxicating.

And the sting of it made her hurry and rinse, grabbing the towel she'd put over the side of the shower, and hobble out. He and his wife had bathed there. What kind of woman was she, having fantasies over a man here? Christ, God. She dried herself off, hooking the enormous towel twice around her, and plucked the bags off, rolling them into a ball and setting them in his trash can as she quickly left the bathroom. She wasn't one for superstitions, but she wasn't one who was going to think about a man that had been taken once upon a time, and make a house that had belonged to his wife sacrilegious. So, instead she came out, using a smaller towel to dry off her hair until she could style it, and sat at the edge of the bed.

Graham came back into his bedroom to find Toni perched at the edge of it. "M'sorry, darlin'. Didna realize I was gone s'long. Just... woolgatherin'." He sat down on the other side of the bed, and slid her backpack to her across the huge expanse. "There y'go. I'll take th'phone inta th'other room and call Li'nel while ye get dressed."

She glanced up at him...watching his movements, quietly, and finally nodded, opening her big back pack. It was a soft, petal pale but fun dress, with soft designs in bright colors that kind of matched her cast. It was short, right below the knee, so she wouldn't have to worry about trying to get into it, and she'd brought low healed shoes with her as well... mules, but cute ones that she could live with.

Best part? It was a no wrinkle dress. So she brushed it off, nodded at him, smiling a little bit. "Okay. Tell him that United Delta really isn't any good, and I should have listened to him."

Graham chuckled softly at that. "Willna hafta worry aboot that. Li'nel's sendin' his private plane t'pick up me and m'things to bring us back to Smallv'lle." He grinned. "Y'll be welcome t'fly back w'me if ye stay."

"I might." She said softly, glancing up at him again before she grabbed her bag and stood, hobbling towards the bathroom. "I'll be ready in about twenty minutes, okay?"

"Y'don't have to go back in there," Graham said, just as quietly. "Ye can stay in here; I'll call from t'other room. Mirror's right there," he pointed out needlessly, gesturing to the wall at the dresser.

"Nah, its okay. Just... on with you." She smiled again, to set his mind at ease, and shut the door behind her again.

Graham sighed, and picked up the phone. He knew Lionel's number by memory, and that was a frightening thought unto itself.

"Lut'or Res'dence." Ms. Bird was chopping carrots for dinner and balanced the phone on her shoulder as she chopped.

"Ms. Bird? It's Graham, is Li'nel 'round?"

Ms. Bird scowled. "Meester Graham, I am no'happy vith chu! Chu vere not nice to Miss Shayla's boyfriend and now Rosalyn is following chur footsteps!!"

Graham just sighed. "I'll deal with Mama when I get home. Can I please speak to Li'nel?" The old biddy was just as bad as Rosalyn.

"No. He has threat'ned me ef I deesturb him vhile he is playing vith Shane." She waved her knife at the receiver. "I like to live."

A hubbub from the other line... a moment, a mixture of German and Celtic curses, and Dominic's voice came through the receiver. "Wha' the bloodies of hell were ya thinkin' to have Shaney come home? We've go' a crumbling business and all Lionel's done is play with him!"

"I was thinkin' I dunna trust the damned FBI to keep Roddy under lock'n key, and if he come back, I dinna want Shaney in th'house to get hurt!" Graham blasted.

"What a FINE idea, you bleedin' idiot. Dunna ya hear them?!" Dominic glared into the receiver and thrust it out, towards the hall, where Lionel had plopped right with Shaney to play with him, and all the puppies. Dominic glared back into the phone, and shifted on the stool. Dressed to kill, ready for a day, and he just heaved a sigh, thudding his forehead on the counter.

"Either th'dog's barkin' in stereo, or there be more'n one f'em." Graham grimaced. "And thank ye, brother mine, for th'warnin' of Toni's visit here. Didna have anythin' prepared for her, and the 'ouse looks like a bloody tomb with everythin' packed up!"

"She wanted te surprise you, arse. Got on 'bout missin' ya, so Lionel got'er a plane ticket." Dominic rubbed his face again, heaving a hefty sigh. "Ms. Bird tol' ya bout mama? Woman's on a one way tren wreck, ya know. Turned tha house upside down, gotten Shay ta' be ignorin' her. Calls me husband "Arsehole" now, 'stead of "Little Boy". Movin' up, ya know. We need ya, Cracker. When ya g'nna be here?"

"She mentioned, but didna gi'me the d'tails. The van's gonna be packin' up on Tuesd'y, so the papers'll b'here by Thursday. I'm leavin' soon as they're signed, so I should b'home Friday or so. What'd Mama do now?"

"Tol' tha baby tha' she couldna' see her friend 'cause he's black." Dominic said, wincing at Ms. Bird as she glared at him, and turned so she wouldn't do it more so.

"SHE DID WHAT?" Graham's voice was thunderingly furious, and it rattled the window he was sitting beside.

Yeah, Dominic held the phone away from his ear, wincing hard and scrunching his brows. A rub at his ear drum, and he spoke again, sighing. "Aye, jus' like I tol' ya."

"THA'CLOSE MINDED HARRIDAN! WHAT IN HELL'S NAME D'SHE THINK SHE'S DOIN'? I'LL NO BE TOLD ABOUT TONI!" The windows still rattled.

She jumped, hard, eyes widening at the bathroom door as Graham bellowed. She was dressed, ready to go, just getting the last of her makeup on as she slipped into the small sweater, hobbling out the door and grabbing her crutches, crutching out of the room and peeking into the other one at Graham. "Sugar?"

Her mouth dropped, eyes widening.

"Being mama." Dominic said soothingly, calmly, speaking rationally. "She be of tha old country, ya' know it much as me, Graham. Shay may be a woman grown, but t' mama she's the little chic she brought home yestarday. 'nd I dunna think i's so much his color as th' fact that they're..." Another wince at Ms. Bird, and he got smacked with a dishtowel for his trouble. "Makin' love."

"I'M NO'HAPPY ABOUT IT BUT YE DINNA SEE ME CALLIN' THE BOY NAMES!!" he bellowed. "SHE'LL NO'BE CALLIN' TONI THAT AND IF SHE DINNA LIKE IT SHE CAN FIND ANOTHER PLACE TO BE LIVIN!"

Uht oh. Toni walked in, her little dress swishing around her knees, and winced. If she touched him, he might send her flying, he was so mad. So... instead she hobbled around into his line of sight, looking down at him as one eyebrow lifted under her very prettily done hair.

"Coul' ya stop the screamin', man? Lost all hearin' in tha' ear already, I did. Dunna need you helpin'." Dominic groused, glaring at the receiver. "High time ya be comin' home, eh? Cause 'm bout ta bury her under this here house."

"Y'LL NOT BURY THE WOMAN UNTIL I'VE HAD TH'CHANCE TO KILL HER M'SELF!!" Graham slammed the phone down and growled at the innocent receiver, and then looked up at Toni.

"Well fuck you too, you lame brained peanut head!" Dominic snarled at the phone, slamming it down too and stomping out of the kitchen.

Meep? Toni put on her best smile, though she was wary, eyes flickering over him. Ooo, boy, he was mad. "Lionel's giving you that much trouble, sweetie?"

 

"isna Lionel this time. Its that bitch of a mother o'mine!"

Oooh boy. She winced and plopped down next to him, the bed hardly moving as she did it, gazing at him as he seethed his fury. "What did she do?"

"Knowin' her? Called that boy of Shayla's a nigger to his face."

Oh. Shit. Her eyes widened, a hot understanding coming in them as a thousand memories clouded her brain, and she lowered her eyebrows, looking away from him for a moment. "Why the hell would she call him that?"

"B'cause she's no' an open-mind'd wom'n." Graham's accent was getting so thick he could barely speak, and he took a deep, calming breath. "'Tis okay for her to be fuckin' a Spaniard, but no'fer Shay to ha'picked a black man. Of all t'prob'ems I have wi'that boy, it's no the color of his bloody skin!"

She gazed up at him, wincing and shaking her head as she picked up his hand, and set it in her lap, covering it with her own and squeezing. "Things like that are bound to happen, sweetie. Don't let it get you upset, okay? Just explain to her that Shayla's a grown woman, and she can chose whoever she deems fit, regardless of what he looks like."

Graham just glared. "Dunna y'git it, Toni? Soon as she sees ye, she'll b'doin the same to you, and I dinna want to kill m'own mother! I willna let her do that to ye!"

"Sweetie?" Her fingers reached out and tenderly stroked his cheek. "I'm a thirty three year old black female doctor. How often do you think I get that?" A shake of her head. "I'm much more thick skinned than you think. I can hold my own. She might not like me after I'm finished, but I've got it down, sugar. You just worry about yourself."

"Ye'll not b'gettin' it on m'watch, and definitely not from m'mother."

And Toni thought, vaguely, of what her own guardian parents would think of her marrying a brute Irishman... and grinned, softly. Marrying. Well that was an altogether new concept, and her heart fluttered in her chest so that she had to press a palm against it. "Graham, forget home, and come out with me to dinner."

"Aye." He reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her forward carefully so that his cheek rested against her stomach. "Aye. That's th'best idea I've hear'yet."

God, he was beautiful. Just... amazingly, outrageously beautiful, and she lowered her head to kiss his hair softly. "I think so, too. Come on, sweetie."

"Remin' me before we come home to tell ye how beautiful you are and how much I love ye," he said against her skin, and then pulled himself back. "I'm not gonna give ye up, n'matter who rages agin it."

"Of course you aren't. Cause than Id have to drop you on your ass." Toni smiled, offering her hand as she grabbed her crutches again.

Graham got up, and looked down at himself. "Yer too beautiful for th'likes o'me, but damn glad I am that ye dinna know it." He wrapped his arm around her waist. "Ye never did say what ye wanted t'eat."

"Graham, as long as I've got you, I don't care what we eat."

 

-fin-

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