Author's note: There is not much of the story left now (like in only one chapter and the epilogue), so thank you for sticking with me and these characters!
Now my special thanks go to...
BlowPopJ - you guessed right about Jared! Only I couldn't tell you for fear of spoilers! Still, credit should be given when due!
Anon - I'm sure you're not the only one in love with Shane!
Jrankcold - I'm happy that you're happy for them! And they are, too, lol!
1moeannie - I know that my stories can get frustrating sometimes, but without conflicts, trials, and tribulations, they won't be as exciting (for me, of course) as I want them to be. However, everyone should rest assured that with me, there will always be happy-ends. They're guaranteed, and that's a promise! As for your guess... you'll know about it at just the right moment!
And now, I hope you'll have a fun read!
Chapter Twenty-Seven - Can You Tell Me A Secret?
"So, your brother is laying it pretty thick. Kids, huh?" Jared tried to sound casual.
"Yeah," Shane admitted but added nothing.
Jared continued to walk, without saying another word. They had left Coleman at Shane's place, and now Shane was just walking him home. "I would have no idea what to to do with a kid." He exhaled, happy to have said at least that.
"Sure you would," Shane said with conviction.
Jared stopped. It was late in the evening, and only a few people were still out. The velvety warmth of the first days of fall was all around them, and the time was perfect for confessions. "How can you be so sure?"
Shane hooked one arm over his shoulders and began walking, making him move, too. "You're an awesome guy, Jared. You take care of one million little things every day that I don't how you do it. You'd be a great dad."
For a few moments, Jared chose silence. "I would?"
Shane pulled him close. "Yeah, you totally would."
It was great that one of them had such great confidence. "What about you?"
"I'd be a great dad, too," Shane said matter-of-factly.
"No, what I meant to say is: have you thought about it? Before?"
"Not in particular. But I grew up in a happy family, so I guess it comes with the territory." Shane was the one to stop now. He faced Jared and searched his eyes. "Is this too much for you? Nothing's pressuring us anyway. Don't mind Coleman -"
"I want to know what you think," Jared said directly. "What you really think."
Shane's face became solemn, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes deeper. "It's you I want to make happy. We'll see about other things later." He must have read something in Jared's face because he sighed. "I knew Coleman would ruin something, even if not everything, with his big mouth. That's why I wanted to wait some more."
Jared smiled and kissed him quickly. "I'm so lucky you weren't already taken when we met."
Shane thanked him for the kiss with a hug. "What's that supposed to mean?" Some of the usual teasing returned to his voice.
"Ah, nothing. But you know what, Shane? I want to make you happy, too."
Details could wait. And even though Jared hadn't thought before of children and whatnot, he couldn't see what would stop them from having a big happy family. He began walking fast, Shane barely keeping up with him.
"Babe, where's the fire?" Shane drawled.
"I would say something pretty vulgar, but people might overhear us. We don't have much time."
"For what?"
"For a little practice according to Coleman's recommendation," Jared replied.
"Recommendation? About ... ah, I see."
Great. Now it was hard for him to keep up with Shane and his long legs.
***
"Coffee?"
Adrian blinked away the last bit of sleep hanging from his eyelids and nodded.
Edward offered him a cup and drank from his while leaning against the kitchen counter. He looked good enough to eat, and Adrian didn't mind skipping breakfast and opt for a more exciting alternative.
A small warning from a cocked eyebrow made him take a seat and sip his coffee. It was interesting how fast they had come to understand each other only from glances. Edward was a professional through and through, and he didn't indulge in playing before going to work. Otherwise, as soon as he was free of any duties, he didn't mind jumping Adrian at any moment of the day.
Also, he made great coffee. He had expected Edward to be a little less accustomed with tending for himself, but he was soon chastised and warned that his soon to be husband wasn't helpless.
"You want to tell me something," Adrian said, noticing the silence stretching between them.
"We've been summoned," Edward said in a somewhat clipped manner. That could only mean that he wasn't happy with whatever that summoning meant.
"By your father?"
Edward nodded.
"I'll be with you. There's nothing for you to worry about. Also, I secured you as my future husband. He won't be able to do anything about that."
"That's, actually, the least of my problems. He won't do anything, indeed, because he agreed."
"Wow," Adrian expressed his surprise. "I thought he would be the kind to hire hitmen to make sure the Hastings line remains pure."
Edward offered him a crooked smile. "No, the issue is not with him opposing in any way."
"Then what's the problem? There is one, right?"
"It's about the wedding."
They had been living together for a couple of weeks now, and Adrian had announced his parents over the phone that an impending wedding had to be arranged. While the date wasn't yet set in stone, his mother was up in arms about what had to be done.
Therefore, when the unspoken words finally reached his brain, his face fell. "They want to organize it? Is that the issue?"
Edward nodded and sighed. "I am yet to meet your mother, but I have a feeling she won't take it well."
"You can bet," Adrian said with a grimace. "She's planning something grandiose as we speak. If I tell her 'no', she might strangle me. And cry. I don't know the exact order. Ever since I told her I'm marrying a doctor -"
"Good thing you didn't tell her about my family," Edward added. "And it should be something for us to take care of, right?"
"Well, yeah, but good luck with telling that to my mom. And, apparently, to your dad, too."
"What are we going to do?"
Adrian scratched his head. "Um, talking about being between a rock and a hard place. When are we supposed to go meet your folks?"
"Dad wants us over as soon as possible. It is a bit unusual for him to drop formalities, but it might be that he just wants to talk to us, face to face, minus all the relatives."
"Will your mom be present? To think that I didn't meet her although I was there."
"She must be behind all this," Edward replied after he pondered for a bit. "She might make most people think she's invisible, but only she knows how to bring dad around."
"How come she didn't intervene when the other guys courted you?"
Edward chuckled and shook his head in mirth. "I believe her words were something like: 'Dear, if they don't have the guts to stand up to your father, they don't deserve the Hastings name'."
"Wow, your mom is savage," Adrian said with a snicker. "I wonder what she thinks of me."
"Oh, don't worry. You'll have your chance to find out. Once she gets you alone in the room with her, she's tell you what she thinks of you."
"Now I'm getting worried. I thought your dad was the only challenge I had to overcome."
Edward laughed, seemingly a bit smug over seeing Adrian fret over the upcoming meeting with the Hastings family.
"Ha, ha, funny. I'll have to call my mom and make her promise that she'll scare you, too. And that might be a bit difficult since she's already smitten although she hasn't met you yet." Adrian's eyes narrowed as some of Edward had said finally caught up with him. "The Hastings name? Are you trying to tell me that I'm going to take your name?"
Edward shrugged, but his smile said everything. He was having fun. "Adrian, you chose to marry into royalty," he declared in a funny voice. "It's only natural that you get to enjoy the perks."
"What perks? Changing my name to Hastings?" All right, so that thought was a bit unnerving.
Edward gave him an odd look. Yet, his lips were twisting, fighting a smile, and Adrian knew he had been played. "Once you take the name," Edward said in a willingly formal manner, "all doors will be open to you. My father wouldn't allow anyone to take our name in vain, and you'll be one of ours."
"You're laughing at me," Adrian concluded. He cocked his head and examined Edward head to toes. Okay, so if he were to be pressed hard enough, he would give in. The alternative didn't exist.
"A little. It's a bit entertaining to throw you off once in a while. Exciting even."
"Exciting, huh?" Adrian moved slowly toward Edward. He caught him in a tight embrace and crushed his lips with his. Naughty boys, regardless of age and station in the world, needed to be taught a lesson once in a while.
Edward was breathless by the time they broke the kiss. The look in his eyes was dreamy, and Adrian knew what it meant. Without bothering with formalities, he pushed Edward to his knees and took out his cock, ready for action. He enjoyed slapping that gorgeous mouth with it, as well as the heat growing in the deep pools of green staring at him and never breaking contact.
"Suck it," he said thickly and licked his lips as a reaction to seeing Edward engulf his cock in one fell swoop into his mouth like it was the best dessert in the universe.
Edward's fingers were steel as they dug into his thighs, but Adrian didn't complain. Morning blowjobs; if he were to think about his life before Edward, those hadn't been on the menu much. His beautiful and kinky lover could run his mouth about perks all he wanted; Adrian had a different way of counting.
Still, the work ethics didn't leave Edward even now. He was efficient on purpose, but there was no one to complain about that. Adrian placed both hands on the kitchen counter and pressed down as if the piece of furniture had suddenly become sentient and wanted to float toward the ceiling. It took all his willpower not to thrust his hips forward and maybe make Edward hit the counter with the back of his head.
