Cartography for Beginners (40 page)

"And you, you think you're the right one for him?"

Leo watched Stuart further down the table, patting Gabriel's head and looking down at the boy's sleeping face. "I think I am," he said softly.

"Well, good luck," Joelle said. "You'll need it."

Leo smiled at her sweetly. "Thank you."

Amelie put Gabriel to bed soon after he fell asleep, and not long after Margot said the bride and bridesmaids needed to get a full night's sleep. Everyone complimented Stuart on the wine and the view, and when Noel shook Stuart's hand, he gave him a significant look and what looked to Leo like his phone number on a slip of paper. Stuart raised his eyebrows at this but only tucked the paper away in his pocket.

The same staff that had set up the tables came to take them down, and after a moment Ben jumped in to help, too, and the other boys followed suit. "You don't have to," Stuart said, "I am paying them."

Ben said, "I don't mind," and the boys echoed him.

After both Micah and Jamie told him to leave it, they'd take care of it, Leo wandered into the kitchen where the catering staff was cleaning up after the evening, too. The kitchen was nearly spotless, the fridge packed with what leftovers there were. The head caterer offered him a plum tart from the box she was packing to put away, but Leo shook his head. "
Vin?
" he said, and she smiled and handed him an open bottle and a glass. "Two," he said, holding up two fingers, and she gave him another, what appeared to be the last of the clean glasses.

He went outside again. The boys had made quick work of cleaning up, and all that was left now were the fairy lights in the hedges and trees. "I think we should leave them," Leo said to Ben. "They're magical."

"It reminds me of a place in the city that does this in their outdoor patio," Ben said. "I'm glad we're going home after this. I think I'm homesick."

"There's no place like the city," Leo said softly. He looked at Ben. "You and Jamie, you'll keep an eye on Dune if I'm not able to, won't you?"

"Always. Why wouldn't you-- oh," he said and smiled. "You're going to do it."

"I'm going to do something," Leo said.

"Good luck," Ben said. "Go get what you deserve."

"Thank you," Leo said and went to find Stuart. He was at the bottom terrace of the garden, straightening the lounge chairs, and he stopped when he saw Leo.

Leo held up the bottle. "One more tipple?"

"Yes, please," Stuart said fervently and flopped onto one of the chairs. Leo chuckled and sat beside him, poured him a glass and handed it over. He poured his own and lay back in the chair.

"You're barefoot," he said after he'd had a sip.

"I didn't have time to put my shoes back on after you made me walk on grass," Stuart said. "To be honest I think it improved the evening. Gave it a far more casual air. You may have noticed everyone had their shoes off eventually, except for Hugo and Joelle and you."

"I didn't," Leo said and wiggled his toes. He put down his glass and took off his shoes and socks, and tucked them under the chair. "That's better." He wiggled his toes again, enjoying the freedom.

"Did you have a good time tonight?"

"I did," Leo said. "I think Jean-Claude's never going to be completely comfortable with you, but he didn't look at you like you're the devil all night, so that's an improvement."

"I'll take that," Stuart said. "I told Nicole there's a room for her here if she wants it, but she said she's staying with Tallis tonight to help her get ready first thing in the morning. There's the civil ceremony first thing," he explained, "then the church ceremony, then a cocktail hour, then a supper, and then the rest of the night will be made up of cake and champagne and dancing. That's the part that will likely go on until the small hours of the morning."

"You do it right in the Old World," Leo said.

"We've figured out a few things," Stuart said.

Leo took a deep breath. "That kid, Noel. He gave you his number, didn't he?"

"He did."

"Are you going to call him?"

Stuart looked at him, brows furrowing. "Why would I?"

"Isn't he exactly what you want? Young and fascinated with you?"

Stuart chuckled dryly. "Right. All I want is another meaningless one-night stand with someone who doesn't matter."

"I mean--"

"I know what you mean. This is a test, isn't it? A boy like a hundred other boys before him was handed to me on a platter and you want to see what I do with him." He leaned closer, the wine glass clutched in his hand. "I'm not that man anymore, Leo. I haven't been for months."

"It's not a test," Leo said. "If you wanted him I wouldn't blame you."

Stuart put his glass down and got up from the chair. He paced a moment or two, shoving his hands through his hair, and then turned to Leo. "If you weren't here maybe I would sleep with him. Why not? He's convenient and interested and he'd help me forget you. But you are here and I can't-- I can't forget you, Leo -- why did you have to come? God!"

Leo said softly, "Because I love you," and Stuart stood still, lips parted, eyes wide as if he'd had a shock. "I'm sorry it took me so long to understand it. The last time I fell in love it was like a car crash, and I thought it was always like that. But it isn't, is it? Sometimes you fall gently and don't even notice until you're already there." Stuart still didn't speak or even move, so Leo said, "Forgive me?" and hoped he hadn't screwed things up irrevocably already.

Stuart drew in his breath. "What exactly am I forgiving you for?"

"For being slow. For not saying 'I love you too' when I should have. For not seeing what you're offering me until now."

"And what," Stuart whispered, "am I offering you?"

Leo smiled. "A lifetime of happiness with a truly wonderful man."

Stuart pressed his lips together, then said hoarsely, "Of course I forgive you, of course," and got into the lounge chair with Leo. It creaked under their combined weights, but Leo didn't worry about it holding them. Nothing mattered except that Stuart was kissing him.

Chapter Twenty-three

"I thought you were waiting for Adam," Stuart said. "Until Micah told me about you turning him down, anyway. Then I didn't know what to think."

Leo held Stuart closer. "I was," he said. "And then I realized I don't love him anymore. That changed a few things for me."

"I'm glad," Stuart said, kissing him. He tasted like the wine they'd been drinking, but more importantly he tasted like Leo always tasted, warm and earthy and perfect. "And then Dune telling me that he's all right with us being family -- I thought, Good God, what's going on here that I don't know about?"

"He said that?" Leo looked impressed. "Good boy."

"He didn't tell you?"

"No. It was between you and him, I suppose. But now I know why he was talking to the girls so much and playing with Gabriel. He's getting to know his family." He stroked Stuart's cheek with his knuckles. "Stuart. I know this isn't going to be easy. You've got so much here and I've got so much in California. I'm sure we can find a way to make it work, no matter how hard it may be for a while."

"Phone sex," Stuart said with a shudder.

"Hey, if it works, don't knock it. And if we do it over Skype or something, where we can see each other? That's hot."

"We'll see," Stuart said and kissed Leo's neck since he could, no technology required. Leo made a pleased-sounding purr.

"I've already come to Europe twice in one summer," Leo murmured, combing his fingers slowly through Stuart's hair. "Traveling is a piece of cake. Oh!" He sat up and Stuart pulled back to look at him. "You know what we should do? We should go someplace neither of us has been, together. There are a lot more places I haven't been than you haven't, but I'm sure there's somewhere we'd both like to discover."

"I've never been to New Zealand," Stuart said and Leo laughed in delight.

"Neither have I! Let's go. Next summer, maybe, and we could do a Hobbit tour."

"Oh, Lord," Stuart said. "Hobbits."

"I'll get you to read
The Hobbit
, too."

"I've read
The Hobbit
," Stuart said, "and if you want to see New Zealand because of hobbits, then we'll see New Zealand." He paused, pressing his lips together. Leo touched his hand.

"What?"

"We're making plans. It's a bit terrifying."

Leo pulled Stuart close and kissed him. "We're going to make a lot of plans," he said, resting his chin on the top of Stuart's head. "We'll need to figure out things like holidays and when we see our grandchildren, and when we can see each other." He paused, rubbing Stuart's back with a comforting hand. "Until we figure out where we want to live together, anyway. I think it would be simpler for me to come to you than you to come to California."

Stuart inhaled, his heart clutching. "You've been thinking about this."

"I know what I want," said Leo and gazed at him, mild as ever, but Stuart could see the determination in his eyes. This was what people tended to forget about Leo -- that beneath all the gentleness and stories and cooking there was a spine of steel and willpower to match. There was a reason why Leo took care of everyone -- he was strong enough to do it.

He cleared his throat. "I'll have my lawyer look into immigration law."

"Okay. Wow," Leo said with a faint laugh, "I'm going to be an expat. How about that?"

"I think it's wonderful." Stuart pushed himself up to kiss Leo again. "But what about Dune?"

"He's got Micah, his mothers, a great support system, and I'll only be a phone call away. He'll be fine. So he assures me, anyway."

"We really do have his blessing, don't we?" Stuart murmured.

"We really do." He smiled at Stuart, his eyes soft and fond. He hadn't stopped touching Stuart since the first desperate kiss, and Stuart thought he didn't want to go long without these little caresses to his ear, his cheek, his hand. "So, what do you say, Huntsman? You in this with me?"

"I'm in, Bellamy," Stuart said and kissed Leo again, putting his heart and soul into it. Leo groaned, hands raking through his hair, and Stuart turned his head to kiss Leo's palm. "Want to go inside?"

Leo looked at him with lust-dazzled eyes, dark green in the moonlight. "What's inside?"

"A bed," Stuart said as he got up from the lounge chair. "Come on. Neither of us is up for sex outdoors."

"Speak for yourself," said Leo, but took the hand Stuart offered nonetheless and held it all the way up the steps to the grange. The fairy lights were still on, while every other light was off, even in the new house. It made Stuart feel that they were alone here, lovers in their secret world, and he paused to pull Leo to him again beneath the olive tree.

"I want to kiss you everywhere," he whispered, but kept his mouth to Leo's for now. Leo clutched at him, returning his kisses with equal fervor, and then took his hands to pull him inside.

"You promised me a bed."

"You shall have a bed," Stuart said. "You'll have anything you want, Leo, my love."

Leo stopped hustling him along to smile at him. "You called me your love."

"Yes, yes," Stuart said. "Try not to let it go to your head."

Leo kissed him. "I love you," he said softly and that made Stuart melt again, made him want to keep kissing Leo on the stairs and never move from this place.

That desire lasted until Leo whispered, "Come on," and climbed the stairs. Stuart followed him, watching the way his trousers fit his lean body and the muscles in his back moved beneath his dark green dress shirt.

"You wore a color," Stuart said, astonished that he hadn't noticed it before now.

Leo turned and walked up the last few steps backwards. "Dune's idea. He said no one wears all black to a wedding unless they're making a statement. I have another one for tomorrow."

"Of course you have two," Stuart said and kissed him at the top of the stairs - his body strong yet yielding, the way Stuart liked it. "I love that about you," he whispered and kissed Leo as Leo's hands shoved into his hair and their tongues met.

"You love that my son has to dress me?"

"I love that you have no dress sense." He guided Leo into his bedroom and pulled off his tie as Leo perched on the edge of the bed, bare toes wiggling. "I love that you made me take off my shoes to relax. I love that you tell me stories to make me happy. I love that you tell me when I'm being a wanker and that you love me even when I am." Leo was smiling now, eyes darting between Stuart's face and the body he was slowly revealing. Stuart said, "I just love you, Leo," and kissed him, pushing him flat slowly as Leo wrapped his arms around Stuart's chest and kissed him.

Loving Leo came easily. His body was delicious, his mouth hot and open, his hands gentle and knowing. It wasn't like sex with a stranger, not at all -- it was sex with a friend, his best friend, the one person who always treated him like someone worthwhile.

And now it was even better than ever before, because Leo was whispering that he loved Stuart, loved him completely, as Stuart unbuttoned his shirt and kissed his body and Leo fumbled with his trouser zip. He arched up his hips to meet Stuart's, hot flesh to hot flesh, making Stuart groan against his neck.

Stuart rolled onto his back and pulled Leo on top of him. He pushed off the shirt impatiently and yanked at his trousers, while Leo rocked above him, his head tipped back and his eyes closed. Stuart wrapped a hand around Leo's cock and Leo groaned, his entire body shivering. "Leo," Stuart breathed as he stroked, "Leo, I want you to fuck me."

"Yes," Leo said, focusing on Stuart's face with difficulty. "Yes, always, anything you want." He bent over Stuart and kissed him, hips still moving, trousers rucked down to his thighs.

Leo touched Stuart with gentle hands, kissed him with tiny wet smacks, tasted the length of Stuart's spine and the ridges of his abdomen. It was like being teased, exquisitely teased, his fingertips leaving trails of heat and his mouth ratcheting Stuart's arousal up another notch with each kiss. When he finally pushed slick fingers into Stuart's body, Stuart nearly sobbed with relief, it felt so good.