Bittersweet Irish Cream Ch. 11

"And it might not be a motel or an Inn, it has potential for actual residency, and that's steady revenue. So right now I'm figuring out how to financially manage two businesses. I've already started working on the business plan and financial portfolio. I've been asking your dad for advice, he's good at business development."

"Wow, why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked.

Ethan shrugged. "You and I talk about practical matters about the B&B, our hopes and dreams for it, not logistics. Now I'm bringing you into logistics."

"So do you want me to quit my jobs and work full time at the Inn? Or the motel when you buy it?" Jack asked.

"We. When we buy it. And no, I want you to do what you've always wanted to do. Go to school and get your degree. I'll pay for it outright."

Jack joked, "Daaaaamn I landed me a suga daddy didn't I?" He winked.

"Keep sucking my dick the way you do, and I'll pay for anything you want." He winked back.

Jack laughed. "So I am a hooker? I feel like Pretty Woman." Ethan punched his arm playfully and they laughed. Then he asked, "So you made 8 million in 5 years?"

Ethan said, "Six and a half years. I started working for the medical device company my senior year in college as a financial analyst and they paid for my MBA and CPA. They don't give a 401k they gave me stock in their company. Between salary, bonuses every year I made them money, stocks and bonds, and not to mention being a financial advisor and consultant for other CEO's and companies, my net worth was close to 12. I knew how to manage my own money and spent as little of it as possible."

"So you were like, a financial genius at your job?" Jack asked, fascinated with the things he was learning about his new husband.

"Yes, but I also was just inquisitive and paid attention to detail. I'm good at helping people and businesses figure out where their money is going and finding money in places people didn't even know they had. I've given BJ some financial advice that he brought back to his dad and it's panned out so far. And I have a meeting with your dad and Brian next month, but just a courtesy financial check up. I made it clear I wasn't going to be involved in the business in any way, shape or form."

Jack asked, "Why? You don't want to do that again, full time?"

"That life did not make me happy," Ethan said. "This...This quiet life, being a husband and father, working with my hands, painting when I want...this makes me happy. You make me happy."

~~~~

Reception began at 6pm at a small two-story art studio in Providence called Just Art Gallery, where more of their family and friends joined them in celebrating, catered by the Red Rock Bar and Grill. Ethan and Jack joined them by 7:15pm and were separated most of the night entertaining everyone else. The curator said they had a special admission to the Gallery that would be revealed at 10pm, but until then they were to eat, drink and be merry.

Jack's friend Connor asked to speak to Jack privately so they made their way to the 2nd story balcony.

"What's up?" Jack asked him when they were alone.

Connor said, "So I'm seeing someone."

"And when you say seeing someone...." Jack said knowingly.

Connor smiled, "It's a man. Actually we've been seeing each other for almost a year now. Someone Afia introduced me to.... He asked me to move in with him."

Jack's eyes went wide. "Connor. That's huge. What are you going to do?"

"At first I told him no, it wasn't the right time. But fuck it, Jack. You and Ethan made me realize that I can't live my life in the closet anymore. Being here today witnessing your marriage, I want that. All of that. And I can't do that while hiding my truth from everyone. I need to come out. Fuck my prejudice family. They will just have to deal with it." Connor's family was very religious and conservative, and pretty much racist and homophobic.

Jack put his head on Connor's shoulder. "It's not going to be easy. But you know you always have me in your corner."

"I know. That's what I wanted to ask...will you go with me? When I'm ready?"

"Of course," Jack said. "Tell me where and when and I will be there."

Connor said, "Thanks. Truly."

They stood side by side in silence for a bit staring out into Providence. Jack said, "Your family is going to freak the fuck out. But it will be ok. Because you are an adult and it's your life."

"It doesn't matter if they do. I just want to be me. I'm 26 years old and my family has no idea who I am." He sniffed and held back tears.

Jack looped arms with him. He said, "Tell me about him."

"His name is Jamel." Connor smiled, knowing they don't know any white guys named Jamel, and Jack quickly understood. Jack's eyes went wide and he turned to smile at Connor.

"Ja...mel?"

Connor laughed. "Yea, he's black. Like Morris Chestnut black. And built like Morris Chestnut too."

Jack was amused. "Wow your family is really going to freak the fuck out now."

Connor laughed again. "They already think I'm fucking Afia like everyone else does, so they got used to the idea of me in an interracial relationship. Well, they at least learned to keep their racist ass comments to themselves when I'm there." They laughed. Afia had been Connor's best friend since high school and beard since he was discharged from the military three years ago.

"Ok, tell me about this sexy mother fucker named Jamel," Jack said.

Connor told him. "He's 29 years old, a contractor, a certified electrician, and works with his father in Providence in their family owned business. He also served in Afghanistan, so we had that in common. He's sweet, smart and beautiful inside and out. I love him. And he loves me."

"You should have brought him tonight," said Jack.

"I considered it, him being one of the many faces in the crowd. But I wouldn't have been able to keep my hands off him, I know it."

Jack smiled. "I'm so happy for you Connor. You deserve to live your truth and be happy."

He was quiet for a moment. "Thank you for always being there for me," Connor said.

"And I always will be," Jack said.

They hugged as Carlos came up the stairs. "Hey Jack, I was looking for you, can we talk?" Carlos showed up with Jorge and Jack had made it a point to not be in the same space as him, but now he was cornered.

Connor started to move away, saying, "We'll talk later."

But Jack said, "No Connor, stay a minute. I want to introduce you to Carlos, Ethan's best friend. Carlos, this is Connor, one of my best friends." They shook hands. Then Jack said, "I was Connor's first fuck, and he was my first top."

Connor was horrified and yelled, "Jesus fucking Christ, Jack!" He turned around to face the railing in embarrassment.

Jack said, "Don't worry, Carlos is gay too, he doesn't give a shit about your sexuality, Con." He patted his back and turned back to Carlos.

"You see that reaction my best friend just gave? That's because we have literally never talked about it, not since Connor left to join the Marines at 18 and I just turned 17. And we did a lot of fucking and experimenting in the year and a half we were together, but then we decided to just be friends and that was that. We've never mentioned our previous relationship, ever, in almost 10 years. In fact I've never told Ethan, but I guess I should now, now that you know, right?" Jack smiled.

Carlos smiled too. He started again, "I just want to apologize again, man to man, for how I acted."

Jack ignored him and said to Connor, "Carlos was Ethan's first too. First fuck, first love, first everything. And now like us, they are best friends. But see the difference is, Carlos likes to touch and flirt with Ethan, bring up all the fucking they used to do, and on rare occasions, likes to try to kiss and stick his tongue down Ethan's throat. You know, to try to break up any relationship he might have outside of him."

Jack smiled and took a sip of whiskey that he was holding while Connor looked at Jack alarmed and turned back around to Carlos, face hardened. "I think I heard about that, Jack," he said. "That's a real fucked up friend. A selfish prick if you ask me." He glared at Carlos.

"Right? I thought so too but..." Jack took another sip of his whiskey and looked at Carlos.

Carlos gave another small smile. "I'm really trying here. Can I talk to you in private, please?"

Connor turned to Jack and said, "No fucking way I'm leaving you alone with him."

"That's because you are a good best friend," Jack said, patting him on the back again. "I'll be fine, don't worry. You can hang at the other end of the balcony if it would make you feel better. But nothing is going to happen, trust me."

Connor glared at Carlos as he walked past him, went to stand on the other side of the railing and crossed his arms, watching.

Carlos chuckled, then turned to Jack. "Listen man, I know you are still upset and you have every right to be. Ethan said you are ok with our friendship as long as we don't touch. So you have nothing to worry about, I'm not going to touch Ethan in that way anymore. He's a married man now, and I'm going to respect that. And I have respect for you too."

Carlos smiled and reached his hand out to shake Jack's, who didn't take it. He put his glass on the railing and said, "I'm going to talk now and I want you to listen. And I need you to hear me because this is the most important and the only conversation you and I will ever have about Ethan. It's a little long, I've been practicing it in my head for months, but you need to hear it, all of it.

"Ethan is amazing, intelligent, beautiful, loving, loyal, and he's the strongest person I know in all areas. Except his heart. My husband is a fucking idiot when it comes to the people he loves. You already know this. And I know this because I hurt him when I left and he took me back way too easily. I realized then how fragile his heart is, and I vowed never to hurt him again, never to leave him, never to take advantage of how much he loves me. I give all of myself to him as freely as he gives it to me.

"Today I realize he's also a financial genius and I asked him if he wanted to do more with that. He told me no, he wants this quiet life he has here with me and EJ. He's happy here and he's happy with me and it's all he's ever wanted. We have a great life here. But Ethan still loves you. Maybe not as deep as he loves me right now, but it's just under the surface. And you know that too. That's why you fuck with him, to see if it's still there.

"And you and I both know if you push him hard enough, he will break. And I'm telling you now Carlos, I don't care if it's a year, 10 years, 20 or 30 years from now, if you push my husband and he breaks and ends up sleeping with you, I'm leaving him. And I'm not looking back. And I will leave you to pick up the pieces, because we both know it will destroy him."

Carlos laughed a little. "Ethan would never cheat on you. He told me how in love he is with you, and I believe him."

"Oh no, not right now, or any time soon," Jack said. "I have his whole heart right now. But people eventually start having problems in their relationships. And there will be a time or two when we'll be at a weak point and he'll be vulnerable, and you'll probably sense it. And in your weakness, you'll be tempted to move in and make him fall for you all over again. I'm not competing with you Carlos. I'm-"

June came upstairs interrupted, "Jack! I've been lookin-"

Jack cut her off abruptly, "June go back downstairs, I'm talking."

Her eyes narrowed looking from him to Carlos. She knew what had happened between them in February. "Jack..." she said warningly.

Jack snapped at her, "June! I need you to go downstairs, I'm talking right now. I will find you in a minute."

June glanced at Connor who was leaning against the railing on the other side of the balcony, arms crossed. He motioned with his head for her to leave. She glared at him, then at Carlos and said to her brother, "OK Jack. I'm going." But with her eyes she said to him, Don't do anything stupid.

Jack continued. "Ethan could cheat on me with anybody else and I wouldn't leave him. He could fuck 100 men and I will forgive him and still be here. He could suck 100 dicks and I would take him back every time. But not your dick, Carlos. Not you. If you push him and he touches your dick in any way, I'm gone."

Carlos scoffed, "If you and Ethan start having problems and he cheats on you with me or whoever, that's your problem, cabron. That doesn't mean I made it happen."

Jack took a step closer and said, "You and I both know you're the only other person on this earth besides me that Ethan would willingly sleep with. You're the one person whose love he always wanted and you refused to give it to him. I don't know why and frankly I don't give a shit. I just know that if he turns to you, I'm not staying around for it. I don't care if we have a house, kids, retirement plans, I'm walking away from it all.

"So unless you're planning on stepping into my shoes, being the faithful husband to him, dutiful father to EJ, live in this podunk town and take my place, don't ruin his life. Don't fuck with his heart anymore. If you really love him, if you really care about him like a friend, you'll want him to be happy. This makes him happy. I make him happy. Let him be happy. And leave his fragile heart the fuck alone."

Carlos was thoughtful. "So if Ethan ends up with me in any way, you're gonna break your own heart and leave him? I don't buy it."

"That's because you don't understand what love is." Jack said simply. "If it's you he really wants, and it will make him happy, I'll leave so he can be happy. That's how much I love him. Ethan deserves to be happy, even if it's not with me."

Carlos smirked a little, started to say, "Jack, man-"

But Jack got in his face, nose to nose and said dangerously, "Don't say anything smart or witty or funny, I'm not fucking around here, 'Los!" He spat out Carlos's name. "My only options are to walk away or kill you. And if that time comes you better pray to God I walk away. Because that's the only thing that will save you from me."

They glared at each other, Carlos trying to figure out how serious he was while Jack was trying to impress upon him how deadly serious he was. They heard footsteps and turned to see Ethan rushing up the stairs.

Jack stepped back and smiled at Ethan. "Hey, babe."

Ethan gave him a The fuck are you doing? look and smiled as well, saying, "Hey Jack, Carlos, what are you two doing?" He glanced at Connor who still had his arms crossed watching them, then back at his friend and husband.

"Just talking," Jack said. He slid his arm around Ethan's back.

"Yea, what about?" Ethan asked, still smiling.

"You of course. How much we both love you and want you to be happy," Jack said innocently.

Carlos said, "Yea, Jack was just telling me how he would do anything to keep you happy."

Jack turned to Carlos and said seriously, "Anything. You better believe that." He glared at him then turned back to Ethan, rubbing his back.

"Yea? Well I'm glad I married you then," Ethan said, and kissed him on the lips.

"I'm gonna go find Jorge," Carlos said. He looked at Jack but Jack wouldn't look at him again and kept his eyes on Ethan, so he went downstairs.

Ethan smiled and asked sweetly, "What the fuck did you say?"

"I just told him how I felt. And I think he heard me this time," Jack said.

Connor came over and asked, "You good, Jack?"

"Yea, I'm good. Thanks for having my back. Best friend." They smiled at each other.

"Ok now I really want to know what went down," Ethan said looking between at the two of them again.

Connor changed the subject. "Ethan I want to tell you something." He took a deep breath and said in one breath. "Amgay." Then his eyes went wide and held his breath, looking terrified.

Ethan's eyes went wide as well but he hid his surprise behind a smile and said, "Well that's good to know, so am I. Have you met my husband Jack?" Connor exhaled and busted out laughing, and so did Jack.

"So you and Afia...no?" Ethan asked incredulously.

Connor said, "No. She's been my cover story for years."

"Well it's a damn good one, I believed it. You guys kiss and everything," Ethan said.

"I know. She likes kissing me, she said I'm a good kisser," Connor said.

"Wow. As much as everyone is in everyone's business, the gays in this town sure like to do their business quietly."

They laughed. Jack reached up and brushed a brown strain of hair out of his face and they both looked at each other and smiled.

"You ok if I head out?" Connor asked. "I would like to go see my boyfriend. He lives about ten minutes from here."

Ethan said, "Of course. Thanks for coming out. I mean, coming to our wedding and reception!" He went red as Jack and Connor laughed.

Connor reached over and gave Ethan a hug. "Jack is lucky to have you. Take care of him for us."

Ethan hugged him back, "No question."

Connor went downstairs and left Ethan and Jack alone. Jack asked, "So June told you to come get me didn't she?"

Ethan nodded. "She said you had murder in your eyes, and she's seen that look before."

Jack rolled his eyes. "The killer jokes are starting to get old."

Ethan laughed and kissed the side of his head. Then said, "Sooooo...one of your best friends is gay?"

Jack said, "Yup."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ethan asked.

"Because it's not my secret to tell. But he wants to come out now, so you were his test run."

Ethan smiled. "Ooooor... he's one of the someones in this town that you've fucked or that fucked you, that I look in their face every day?"

Jack looked up at the clear night sky and said, "Do you really want to know?"

"Nope," Ethan said, pulling him closer and Jack laughed.

They kissed softly, letting their tongues find each other and play together, then Jack pulled away first. He went over and closed the balcony door, then said, "Have you ever had a blow job on an outside balcony, babe?" He walked to Ethan and started unbuttoning his freshly laundered pants.

Ethan smiled. "I can't say that I've had." Then he reminded him, "You do know that door doesn't lock from the outside. So anyone can walk up here. Also, I'm pretty sure that anyone can see us up here, we're not that high up. And-"

But Ethan was cut short by Jack's warm wet mouth engulfing his entire dick in one motion. "Holy shit," he moaned.

Jack pulled back to the head of Ethan's cock, then pushed it all the way to the back of his throat again until his lips touched Ethan's groin hair. He did it again and again, slowly, repeatedly, intentionally, wanting to feel Ethan's dick that started out completely soft grow in his mouth. And it responded favorably, lengthening, tightening on top of his tongue.

Ethan closed his eyes and heard the sounds of Providence while holding onto Jack's head, not to guide him at all, but to steady himself against the railing which pressed hard against his back. Jack held the base of Ethan's cock and pulled all the way off so he could lick him. He circled Ethan's head with his tongue using the tip to trace the underside of his mushroom head. Ethan was moaning now, calling his name in between breaths, confessing his love over and over again.

"Jack... love you... love you Jack .... Jack.. Jackie... my Jackie... Love you... so much... my Jackie... Jackie Bear... love you..."

Jack traced the length of him all around before he guided Ethan into his mouth again. He reached around and held onto Ethan's ass cheeks and pushed him into his mouth with more speed. Ethan got the message and began to face fuck him, gently at first, and then faster. Ethan let his inhibitions go and started moaning louder, pushing Jack's face against his pelvic bone harder until his orgasm rose. Jack felt it and pulled back just so the head of Ethan was in his mouth and filled his cheeks up with Ethan's salty Irish cream as Ethan almost fell over.