Over the next two weeks I went over my planned future conversation a billion times. It took me a full day to get past the thought of Elgin standing in front of me to actually focus on the words I needed to say, the questions I needed to ask. I knew I'd just want to touch him, but I needed to take it slow so he understood my real intentions.
I let him know when I was flying in and we agreed on a time to meet at Frost Manor. My flight landed in Manchester a little late and it took longer to get the rental car than expected. I hated running behind schedule especially with such nerve-wracking things to deal with in front of me.
It was pitch dark as I made my way up the bluff road to the house. I was still going to be on time to meet Elgin, so I was only half as nervous as I had been at the airport.
As I swung around one of the tight turns on the narrow road, my headlights lit up a pedestrian walking up the road in the dark. It was Elgin! I slammed on my brakes, hit the emergency blinkers and leapt from the car.
"Elgin! What are you doing out here in the dark?" I was panicked and nervous and confused and more and it all came out in my voice.
"Al?" He swung around to look at me. His eyes were huge and he looked so beautiful to me. He stood and stared.
"What are you doing?" I was now standing right in front of him. I felt like grabbing him and pulling him into my body but I kept my hands tight to my sides.
"I was walking up to the house to meet you."
"Why? Where's your car?"
"My mom needed it." He glanced at his feet, looking embarrassed, which felt foreign. He'd always been so open with me.
"Elgin?" It all caught up with me at that moment. He was right in front of me and my whole body was trembling with my overwhelming feelings for him. I needed to touch him, make sure he was real.
He looked right into my eyes, like he was looking for a sign or an answer to an unspoken question. I looked right into his gorgeous dark eyes and melted, my brain shutting down.
And then he was in my arms. I felt his tears on my chest, soaking through my thin shirt. I squeezed him tightly as my own tears started to fall.
Enough sense to realize we were in a dangerous place finally came back to me. "Come on, let's go home and talk." I led him to the passenger door and helped him into my rental car.
In the car he was looking at me, like he didn't believe I was real. I took his hand as I drove the rest of the way up to the house.
"You should have texted me. I could have just picked you up instead of nearly running you over in the dark." I tried to joke a little because my nerves were shot.
"I know. I wanted to figure it out myself, but I forgot how steep and narrow the road is. I've only driven up it in the last five years. I used to walk up here when I was a kid, and it was daytime." He trailed off since he was sort of babbling nervously.
I just smiled at him as I continued to hold his warm hand in mine. We drove down the driveway which was completely dark in front of the big, lonely house and I added it to my mental list of things to take care of here.
We finally made it into the dark building and turned on some lights in the grand foyer. When I turned to look back at Elgin, he looked incredible to me. He was so beautiful and he was in my house. Alone. With me.
He read the heat in my eyes and he leapt into my arms. His legs wrapped around my hips and his arms were around my neck. Our lips crashed together and I groaned into his wet, open mouth. I held him to me and kissed him with everything I had.
As I kissed him, I made my way down the hall, carrying my whole world in my arms. I finally got us into the living room and had him flip on the light switch. I sat down on the couch with Elgin in my lap.
We continued to kiss for a few more minutes, neither of us ready or willing to let go of each other. But I had to talk to him. So I finally pulled back and smiled at the sight of his glorious face.
"I missed you so much, Elgin." I ran my hands along his body, touching him, making sure he was really real.
"I missed you, too. I didn't think I'd ever get to kiss you again." He leaned forward and kissed me softly and then he snuggled into my chest, sitting on my lap where he fit so perfectly.
"Me neither. It took me a long time to get here." There were so many meanings to that statement. Today had been exhausting and long. It had been weeks and weeks since I'd held him and I finally felt happy and complete. It had taken me way too long to get here mentally and physically.
I felt myself relax as our bodies finally shared space again. Just being here with him, in the quiet house, holding him, it felt perfect. I hadn't felt this happy since before I'd left him behind. It was so easy to see now.
"I love being here with you, just like this." I whispered into his soft curls. His hair smelled like heaven to me and I caressed his soft curves without being too forward. I would talk to him first and then take my time with him later.
He nestled closer, his lips touching my neck. "I missed you, Al. I don't think I even realized how much." I understood exactly what he meant.
After another few minutes of holding each other, just soaking up each other's scents and presence, we finally pulled away from each other, enough to see each other's face.
He sat up against the arm on the couch, his legs still in my lap. I had one hand on his knees and he held the other in his hands, in his lap. It was time to talk.
"Elgin, so much has happened since I left here and I want to tell you everything. I don't even know where to start. My mind is racing." I shook my head, trying to clear the fog and get my thoughts together.
"Look at me, Al." He sounded calm and reassuring. I looked right into his eyes again. I loved those eyes so much. "That's better. I know you thought about this before now, so calm yourself and start at the beginning you planned."
"How do you know me so well? How did I ever think I could live without you?" I hadn't meant to say anything that loaded so early in this conversation, but there it was.
"I'm glad you couldn't because I don't think I can live without you either." He looked so calm when he said it. He really could be my anchor, even though he was so young.
Age didn't really matter. When you find your person, that kind of thing just doesn't matter. Elgin was my person. I was completely sure of that now.
"I guess this is the best place to start. I have so much to tell you, but first I want to ask you to be with me, as my partner. I thought we were too different and that we couldn't build a life together. It wouldn't be fair to ask you to be with me. But now I know the differences don't matter. Not when I need you so much."
I took a giant breath and blew it out, trying to gather my thoughts further. "I think we can make this work, but I need to know how you feel. How do you feel about me and being with me?"
"I love you. I have since I met you. I also didn't think it would work between us, but after you left, I thought I would die without you. I want to be with you. I really do."
"Good. Thank god." I sagged with relief. But I continued, even as I relaxed somewhat. "But before you decide to actually commit to being with me, I have a lot to tell you about."
"Like what?" He seemed like his usual, calm, collected self which did wonders to soothe my nerves.
"Christie's is coming to pick up most of the treasures tomorrow to take for the auction that's scheduled for a month from now. It's worth a fortune."
He nodded and waited for me to continue. In my mind I couldn't help but think of the difference between his reaction and what Jeffery's would have been. Elgin was the kind of man I'd always wanted and needed. I was never so sure of anything before.
"They're estimating twenty million, or more." His eyes went wide, but he still held his tongue. I smiled at his reaction and continued. "I want to use the money to start a scholarship foundation, run out of the house." I watched him as that sunk in.
After several moments, he finally spoke. "What kind of scholarships will the foundation be giving out?"
"My niece suggested I focus on aspiring doctors. But I was thinking bigger and yet more specific. Medicine, technology and the arts would be the fields I'd want to focus on, specifically for LGBTQ+ kids. But I see a lot more, beyond scholarships."
"That already sounds incredible. You could help so many kids and families. The possibilities are endless." He seemed really excited as his eyes focused on something in his mind, the wheels turning.
"It will be a lot of work. But it's the kind of work that could make a real difference. I want you by my side for all of it. I want you to be my partner in life and in the foundation, if you're willing." I ended on a questioning tone.
"Really? But I'm so young. Could I actually help you?"
"Of course you could. You're much closer to the age of our recipients, so your insight would be invaluable. Plus, you're my favorite IT guy. Oh, and I'm in love with you, so having you by my side for all the big decisions sounds perfect to me." I smiled at him, full of hope.
"I love you, too! I want to be with you, always. I'd love to do this with you." Tears streamed down his face as he smiled at me, that gorgeous smile that made my heart race.
"Oh, baby. I missed you so fucking much." I was crying now, too. Elgin wanted to be with me.
"I missed you, daddy." He mumbled the words against my lips as I pulled him back into my lap and against my body.
I kissed him like my life depended on it. Hearing him call me "daddy" had made my blood boil with desire, but I didn't want to rush anything right now.
"It's going to be really busy, but it will all be right here, so we can be together everyday. I really want you to help with everything. Every decision, everything."
He nodded in agreement and smiled at me. "I'm excited to do this with you, Al. You're the most generous person I've ever met, so it shouldn't really surprise me. I'm so proud of you."
His every word struck right to my heart. He was really as incredible as I remembered. He was real and he was mine. I was floating.
"I love you." I looked right into his eyes as I said it. I shook my head slightly, finding it hard to believe he was really mine.
