Domestic Bliss

Habitat

"Jennifer, we haven't seen one place that even comes close to what I want," Brian told Justin's mother. He felt his frustration growing. They had been looking at possible office space for Brian's planned new ad agency all afternoon, and nothing was even coming close.

"I'm sorry, Brian, but I don't think what you want exists," Jennifer replied. She tried to prevent her obvious frustration from creeping into her voice. She wasn't very successful though.

"What else have you got left on your list?"

"Just two places left."

"And what might those be?"

"Well, the closest one is a place that I think you have a lot of familiarity with," Jennifer stated trying not to smile or grimace. She wasn't sure which was most appropriate for the circumstances.

Brian raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

"You'll see in a few minutes," Jennifer said as she made a turn that took her down Liberty Avenue.

"I'm not sure I want to be on Liberty," Brian said looking around. "Although, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea. I could always deke out for a quick fuck." Brian scowled as he saw Jennifer purse her lips and bite her tongue. He was immediately sorry he was being such a bitch. "Jenn, forget that last statement. I'm just reaching the end of my proverbial rope. If we don't find something soon, I don't know what I'm going to do."

Jennifer didn't reply as she pulled into an alley and drove down to the end of it.

"What's this?" Brian asked. "Why are we at the old baths?"

"They closed down when Stockwell was putting the screws to the gay establishments. Never reopened."

"Yeah, I know."

"It's for sale."

"No shit!" Brian reacted.

"Want to look inside?"

"I guess. But I'm not sure I want my clients to have to come down an alley to find my business."

Jennifer shrugged. She didn't think Brian would like this location, but she was running out of places to show him.

They went inside and Jennifer followed Brian as he made his way through the maze of little rooms and corridors into what had once been the steam room.

"Ah, fond memories," Brian said looking around.

Jennifer grimaced. "So what do you think?" she asked.

"It has possibilities," Brian said. He could almost see the space redone, all clean and very modern.

"You actually like this place?" Jennifer asked.

Brian nodded. "Once we chip the cum off the walls, it might work," he smirked. "Something like this is what I'm looking for. Something different. Not your usual business setting."

"Then why not take this?"

"I just might, but I'd like to see the last place on your list. Whatever I decide, I want Justin to see it too and make his input."

Jennifer had to smile at that. "Justin told me that you've asked him to be head of your art department. He was very pleased."

"Did he tell you that he will be the art department?" Brian said.

Jennifer smiled. "He's okay with that."

"He won't be okay if we can't make a go of this." Brian was very aware of the failure rate of new businesses.

"At least you'll be together," Jennifer chuckled as they headed for the car.

"Yeah, starving to death but together."

"You won't let that happen, Brian. You're pretty tenacious when it comes to what you want."

"Like your son? He's taught me a lot."

Jennifer smiled. "You're a good man, Brian Kinney."

"Keep that to yourself. At least until we get this business going, I want to be known as a ruthless cut throat businessman. No niceness at all!"

"Will do," Jennifer stated as she saluted him before they got back in the car.

"So, where to now?"

"You're going to laugh," Jennifer said.

"Am I now?"

"It's a haunted house."

"What the fuck!"

"Just go into this with an open mind," Jennifer chuckled as they headed off Liberty and into an older part of Pittsburgh.

The street had older homes that would have once been the estates of the well to do in Pittsburgh's earlier years. Now many of them were turned into businesses with the signs prominently displayed on the front lawns.

"This part of town is in transition," Jennifer explained. "The old mansions have pretty well been sold off to businesses as the older generation has died or moved into retirement facilities."

"I can't afford something in this neighborhood," Brian said. He recognized the names of companies he was familiar with, none of them in advertising, but well established companies in other areas.

"You might be surprised."

Jennifer pulled into the driveway of a large brick building that had obviously seen better times.

"It's kind of run down," Brian observed, "but I like the shape of it. That balcony is great. And if the balustrade along the front was repaired…" He could almost see himself sitting behind his desk looking out the windows as he made deals left and right. The upper windows would be great for the art department. This was certainly a better part of town than where the baths were located. His clients would appreciate pulling into the driveway here more so than the alley at the old baths.

"Let's go inside and see what you think." Jennifer smiled to herself. She had always thought this old house was a great place in spite of its reputation.

Jennifer led Brian into the house. It was empty but showed some signs of recent renovation. The foyer was very impressive. Brian could see the receptionist for his ad agency sitting at a desk at the bottom of the stairs. The floor was marble and at one time would have been the top of the line in old Pittsburgh.

Off the foyer was a series of rooms. One would have been a library based on the shelves which now stood empty. It could make a great office.

"Picturing your advertising awards strung out along those shelves?" Jennifer asked with a smile.

"Actually, I could fill a shelf or two," Brian said sucking in his bottom lip.

"Come across the hall," Jennifer said.

On the opposite side was the large room that would have been the living room. It would make a great conference room, a place for major pitches to clients. It needed a lot of updating. The horrible wallpaper would have to go.

"This space is … not bad," Brian said liking what he saw.

Jennifer smiled. She could see the wheels turning in Brian's head.

"Behind here is the dining room which could be used as a second conference room or broken down into office spaces for your people. There's a small room that probably was a sewing room. It could also be an office. And this is the kitchen. Big enough for a break room and even some staff meetings if you wanted to."

"Impressive," Brian mused.

"Upstairs we have bedrooms and bathrooms. The master suite would make a great place for the head of your art department and his crew." Jennifer smiled and winked at Brian as they headed up the stairs.

They went into the master bedroom. It had all the windows Brian had seen from the outside of the house. This place really had possibilities.

"Is there an attic?" Brian asked thinking about the renovations Lindsay had done with the attic of her place.

"There is, but I believe it's currently sealed off."

"What the fuck for?" Brian asked. "It could add lots more space."

"You remember I said that this place was haunted. The last butler who worked here was shot and bled to death in his quarters up there. It's been sealed off ever since."

"Thanks for the visual. That's the last thing I needed to know."

"I wouldn't want you to walk into this blind."

"In what way?"

"I believe it's the ghost of that servant that people have seen … up in the attic window," Jennifer explained.

"I don't believe in ghosts."

"That's fine. But it's clear that something has scared away every person who has bought this house. They've all abandoned the place within a year."

"They must be nuts."

Jennifer shook her head. "I know that's what happened. It's part of public record. No owner in the last twenty years has lasted more than a few months."

Brian stared at her. "Okay, suppose I was willing to take a chance on this place. How much would it cost me?"

Jennifer whispered in his ear, and Brian's eyes got very wide.

"For all this, the land and everything? That's highway robbery."

Jennifer nodded. "The current owner lasted about four months before he moved out. He's been trying to dump the place for over six months. I think he'd take even less to get rid of it."

"Holy shit!" Brian reacted. "If I can line up a few clients, I could actually afford this place."

"Don't forget the renovations that you would need to do, and then there's the ghost," Jennifer told him.

"I need to think about this. Do you think you could take Justin and me to see this place and the baths tomorrow? I want his input."

"Of course, I can arrange that."

"Good, then let's go. I've seen enough. Oh, and thanks, Jennifer. I know I've been a bear about this, but I wanted just the right place. I think either the old baths or this place just might be it."

When Brian arrived back at the house, Justin braced himself for another tirade. Every time Brian had gone out to look at potential office spaces, he had come back like a bear with a sore paw. Nothing was right. Everything was wrong. The world was a fucking mess, and Brian wasn't going to put up with it anymore.

Brian walked through the door and called out, "Hey, Sunshine, you home?"

Justin frowned. This was definitely not right. He had retreated to his little studio off the bedroom hoping to remain inconspicuous and out of reach of Brian's bad mood. This didn't exactly sound like a bad mood. Taking a deep breath, he risked a reply. "I'm in the studio."

"I'll be right up," Brian said.

Brian sounded almost chipper. Justin almost giggled out loud. Maybe he had found the right space for the business. That would be great. Then Brian could tell Vance to shove his job, and the two of them could branch out into the rest of their lives and into business … together.

"Come out of there," Brian ordered as Justin could hear him coming up the stairs.

"Um … sure. Did something happen?"

"You bet your sweet ass it did," Brian said as he entered the bedroom carrying a bottle of champagne and two glasses.

"You found a place?" Justin asked feeling his heart leap in his chest. This could be the beginning.

"I found two places," Brian said with a smirk.

"Two?"

"Yep, and tomorrow I want you to come with me. Jennifer's going to take us to both and then you can help me make a decision."

"Wow!" Justin reacted. "How come you couldn't find anything for so long and today you found two?"

"Sometimes it just happens that way."

"So, tell me about them," Justin said.

"Not till you take your clothes off and share a glass of the bubbly with me in our bed."

"That's one invitation I'd never refuse," Justin laughed. He started stripping off his clothes as he heard the loud pop of the champagne cork.

Soon they were propped up against the pillows sipping champagne.

Justin repeated, "Tell me what you found."

"Well," Brian smirked. "We have two choices."

"Two. Okay, so what are they?"

"I think I'll let you see them tomorrow rather than ruin the surprise."

Justin frowned. "Tell me, please," he whispered breathily into Brian's ear. He smiled as he saw the sheet that covered the lower part of their bodies start to tent. "I'll make it worth your while." The sheet rose further as Brian's cock did the same.

"It's a surprise," Brian repeated trying to ignore the obvious craving of his body.

"I want to know now," Justin whispered in the same ear, and then he gave it a lick to punctuate his point.

Brian groaned. "You don't play fair."

"Who said I have to?"

"I want to surprise you, get your first reaction without any preconceived ideas."

"And I want to know now," Justin said nibbling on the soft spot where Brian's neck met his shoulders.

"Little shit!" Brian reacted.

"Your little shit," Justin grinned.

"You're going to have to pay the consequences of your actions. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course, I always enjoy consequences … when they come from you."

Brian laughed. "I really want you to go into this property selection with an open mind. I know if I describe the properties, you'll be influenced by what I say or don't say about them."

Justin sighed. "How can I argue with that?"

"Hopefully you can't."

Justin flopped onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. "Okay, I'll wait."

"Hey … consequences here," Brian said nodding in the direction of the lump in the sheet that indicated his rather impatient dick.

"What good are consequences if I don't get what I want?" Justin smirked trying to keep his face straight when he wanted to laugh at Brian's predicament.

"Why you…!"

Justin giggled destroying the impression that he was serious. "Need a little help with that?" he asked with an angelic smile as he took a sip of champagne.

"It's been a long time since I had to take care of it myself," Brian noted.

"You sure your right hand remembers how?"

"How do you know I'm not ambidextrous?"

"Only your tongue is ambidextrous," Justin declared.

Brian laughed. "Yeah, right!"

"I'll tell you what. If you use your ambidextrous tongue first, then I'll fuck you into next week." Justin smiled a wicked smile at his partner.

"We'll miss our appointment with your mother tomorrow."

"Picky, picky, picky."

Brian grabbed Justin's glass and set it and his own on the night table. "Enough chatter," Brian declared as he grabbed Justin and flipped him onto his stomach. He straddled Justin's legs effectively pinning the younger man to their bed. "So you want to see what my tongue can do?"

"Um, yeah," Justin said looking over his shoulder.

"Okay then."

Brian started with Justin's neck licking and nipping and kissing. He ran his tongue down the length of Justin's spine and into the crack of his ass. The tongue swept across Justin's hole and Brian felt his partner shiver and jump.

"Calm yourself, I'm just getting started."

Justin took in a few raspy breaths. He loved it when Brian ate him out.

Brian's tongue continued its journey down to Justin's perineum. Brian buried his face between Justin's legs and licked the tender skin. Justin whimpered and grabbed the sheets in a viselike grip. Brian looked up noting Justin's actions. He smiled as he hoisted Justin's hips up and stuffed a pillow underneath them. Now he could get to Justin's balls and that's exactly what he wanted to do. He bent his head to nip at each buttock making little red marks that he kissed and licked to soothe the porcelain skin.

He went back to the perineum licking along it until he reached Justin's balls. Brian sucked one into his mouth rolling it around and coating it with saliva before he spit it out and did the same with the other. Back along the soft skin to Justin's hole came the ambidextrous tongue. Brian licked across the hole and watched the muscles clench in anticipation. He blew on the rosy opening making Justin shiver again. His tongue probed gently and Brian felt Justin push back wanting him inside.

He chewed gently at the muscles, covering them with spit and edging his tongue in a little bit only to withdraw it.

"Oh, fuck!" Justin gasped. "Pleeease."

Brian chuckled to himself. He loved to have Justin beg for his tongue, his finger, his dick. He stiffened his tongue and drove in.

Justin rose up with a mighty moan. "Oh God, Brian!"

Brian proceeded to eat out Justin's ass until the young man was a whimpering, pleading pile of goo. Only then did he take his achingly hard dick and ease it into the panting body. Justin groaned as Brian entered him but it was what he wanted more than anything on earth at that moment.

"Yes!" he hissed as he felt Brian fill him almost beyond capacity.

"Hang on, Sunshine," Brian whispered as he drove in and out. Justin thrust back meeting all that his partner had to give. Sweat coated their bodies and their breath came as labored gasps. Brian reached over and linked his fingers through Justin's. This was the way they showed their togetherness, the oneness that they shared. It had been too long since he had used that little intimate gesture, Brian realized, as he continued to thrust.

Feeling the tinglings in his nerve endings and his balls rising up, Brian knew he was almost there. "Ready?" he gasped.

"Fuck, yes," Justin panted and they both exploded.

Brian lay atop his partner trying to get things to come back into focus. When he could see the back of Justin's head after a few minutes, he gently pulled out and rolled to the side. Justin let out a moan and then turned over onto his back.

"Awesome!" was all he could manage to say.

"One of our best," Brian grinned as he studied Justin's flushed face.

"I love you, you know."

"I know, and I think we're almost back to where we used to be before…" Brian didn't finish that statement. He didn't want the specter of Trip Bedford in their bed.

"Yeah, I'm … good," he said and smiled at Brian.

"Then I'm good too."

"So, you don't want to tell me about these places for the new business, huh?"

"No, I want you to be unbiased when you see them. They both have pros and cons. I want your honest opinion."

"You think I know about office space?" Justin asked in surprise.

"It's not just about office space. It's about the image I want my company to have."

"And what image is that?" Justin asked suddenly taking this very seriously.

"Young, innovative, cutting edge, brash, in your face."

"Don't you think you should temper that with things like caring, concerned, welcoming…?"

"See, that's why I need you. I'd never think of those things on my own."

Justin swatted Brian on the arm. "Yes, you would."

"No, seriously, I need you to temper, as you said, some of my wilder ideas."

"Have you got a name for this company yet?"

"I've been toying with a few, but none of them really fits," Brian said with a sigh. "I really want to stick it to Vangard. Steal their thunder and show them how to do advertising properly."

"That's what I love about you. You're so modest," Justin chuckled.

"Yeah, I really should speak up for myself," Brian laughed.

"So, it will be you and me, and Cynthia, right?"

Brian nodded. "She's ready to jump ship with me. And…" Brian hesitated to put his next thoughts into words. "I'm thinking of asking Ted to come aboard to deal with the finances and contracts and all that shit."

"Ted? Wow!"

"You don't think that's a good idea?"

"Well, since his trouble with Stockwell, he hasn't been doing so great," Justin said.

"Then maybe this is just what he needs."

"You're a good man, Brian Kinney."

Brian leaned over and kissed Justin's lips. It was a soft and gentle kiss that conveyed his thanks for Justin thinking highly of him. It still amazed him that Justin could always see such wonderful things in him, even after all the shit they'd been through … like Trip.

"Brian, there would be just the four of us if Ted agrees. Right?"

"Initially, yeah, why?"

"I just thought of a great name for the company."

"Well, are you going to tell me or is it a secret?"

"What about 4Front using the number four instead of the word. You know, there's four of us, and it kind of means the same as Vangard, but out in front of them."

Brian started to laugh. "Oh, Sunshine, that is priceless. I like it. 4Front it is! You'll have to work up a logo around that name," Brian instructed.

"Tomorrow. Today I have other things to do," Justin said with a grin as he rolled on top of Brian and captured those full red lips that he loved. The ambidextrous tongue was about to get another workout.

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