Most of Wednesday and Thursday was spent worrying about Toby and how he felt. Damn it, Sam thought, I can't let this get to me. But you will, said a little voice in the back of his head. You've really done it this time, Sam Davis. You've gone and fallen in love- something you said you'd never do again after Joel.

"Damn it," Sam said aloud. "What the hell am I doing?" There was no answer, even from the little voice in his head.

Toby called Thursday evening to let Sam know he was home. "We still on for tomorrow?"

"Oh, yeah. We have seven-thirty reservations at Shame on the Moon. Come by here for a drink first if you like. Okay?"

It was.

Toby called again Friday afternoon. He said all was well, but he'd have to beg off on the pre-dinner drink. "I hope to get to there by seven," he said, as he hung up.

He made it by seven-fifteen, a very long fifteen minutes for Sam.

At the restaurant they were welcomed by Ginger, the hostess, with hugs and a "Welcome back, Sam and Toby. Good to see you." There was a card on their table, again welcoming them by name.

"A class operation," Toby affirmed, passing the card to Sam.

Dennis was their waiter again. He took their order for Beefeater martinis.

"You haven't told me. How was Denver?"

"Cool, I thought, for May. I didn't get around much, except for some walks in the park across from the hotel." He looked up and smiled. "The paper was well received, though. I got lots of compliments on it."

The drinks were served. Toby touched his glass to Sam's and said simply, "To us."

Sam had a sudden catch in his throat. "Really? There's going to be an us?"

"If you still want to give it a shot, Sam."

Sam let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Yes, Toby. I still want to give it a shot." He slipped his hand under the table and rested it on Toby's thigh. Toby covered it with his own and grinned.

They talked trivia until dinner was served, and Sam finally trusted himself enough to say, "So the thinking went as well as the paper, huh?"

Toby laid down his fork and looked Sam in the eye. "Better. I realized two things, Sam." He held up a finger. "First of all, I guess I was confusing you with Jack. Not that you're anything alike, but somehow I was seeing you as trying to do the same things he did. Thinking it through, I know that's not true. You're you and Jack was... different."

He held up a second finger. "Second, I realized I have fallen in love with you and I want to be with you."

Under the table Sam squeezed Toby's thigh. "Eat you dinner, Toby. It's the first of so many wonderful dinners we're going to share."

Toby smiled. "Not to mention, I'm probably going to need my strength."

They skipped dessert and asked for the check. When Sam paid, he added a nice tip, and as they were leaving, he slipped Dennis a hundred dollars, saying, "Thank you. It's been the best dinner of my life."

When they got home-Odd, Sam thought, I've never really thought of this as home-Sam dug out the Baccarat snifters and poured them each a small Rémy Martin VSOP. "For you," Sam said, holding the drink out to Toby. "The snifter, too. I bought them for you."

"That's pretty confident, isn't it, Sam?" Toby said with a laugh. "And here I thought I was a mystery to you."

"You are. Always will be, probably. But I bought the glasses a few weeks ago and then put them away because I thought you might think... Well, I don't know what you might have thought, but I put them away."

Toby held his glass up and studied it. "It's beautiful, Sam. Thank you."

By unspoken agreement they took the brandy upstairs to the bedroom. Standing at the foot of the bed, Sam felt an uncharacteristic shyness, which he tried to cover by asking Toby which side of the bed he slept on.

"I guess over there," he said, pointing, "on the left. But I'm probably flexible if that's your side."

Sam went over to the right side and carefully set his brandy on the bedside table. Then he went back to the foot of the bed and took Toby in his arms. "See," he said, kissing him, "see how compatible we are? I've always slept on the right side."

They stood at the end of the bed, both of them feeling just a little awkward until Toby finally said it: "Let's go to bed, Sam."

They went to their chosen sides of the bed and pulled down the spread. Then they began to disrobe; when they were both down to their underwear, Sam laughed and turned, facing Toby. "Well," he said, "here it is, the whole package," and he pushed his briefs down and stepped out of them. "And in case you're wondering," he added, flexing his erection, "this was brought on by you." He climbed into bed and pulled the sheet over him.

Toby grinned, pulled down his boxers and took his hard dick in hand. "Funny the effect we seem to have on each other." Then he slipped under the sheet.

They met in the middle.

"You are so beautiful," Sam said, pulling Toby on top of him. "Stubble and all." He kissed Toby on the cheek and pulled back, looking at him. "Hey, stubble. Don't you always shave for those meetings?"

Toby kissed him. "I used to. But you know what, Sam? I decided to be me, and if anyone really cares, then the hell with them. I like me this way."

"So do I. You are so sexy that way. Handsome, just like what's-his-name on that police thing." They kissed for a long time. "Only sexier."

They went back to kissing, and Toby began to gently hump Sam, rubbing his dick against Sam's. They quickly lost themselves in the pleasure of it, and each other. There was no subtlety or artifice about it. The pleasure, and pressure, built, and when they were ready... well, they were ready. They exploded, almost at the same time, and went to the heights together.

Later, cleaned up, they were lying on their sides, facing each other, and Sam was gently petting Toby's buns. Toby kissed him and very quietly asked, "Sam? When's the last time you were tested?"

Sam pulled back and looked in Toby's eyes. "Monday."

"And?"

"Negative. You?"

"Tuesday." He kissed Sam briefly. "Negative, like you."

Sam lifted himself up on his elbow. "Who's going to be first?"

Toby leaned up and kissed him. "Me. I want you inside me. Now."

They spent the rest of the night at it, first Sam inside Toby, taking him to places he didn't know existed and then Toby, returning the favor, making Sam see lights behind his eyes. They fell asleep around six, Sam spooned against Toby's back, holding him close.

They woke at nine-thirty, used the toilet together, one standing on each side, each frankly watching the other. Their bladders drained, they got in the shower together. "See, Toby? This is why we need a big shower at the house. Give us more room to move around. And some grab bars to help me get down on my knees."

He managed it, though, even without the grab bars. So did Toby, but with a little more grace.

They went to The Rock Garden for breakfast and had champagne with their scrambled eggs. After breakfast they went to Toby's place to get a couple of changes of clothes. Then they went back to the condo, changed the bed and had a long nap. They even managed to get a little sleep.

Toby wanted to cook dinner, so they went to see what Jensen's had to offer. While they were checking out, Sam asked if the store ran accounts. The checker smiled and handed him an application. He filled it out, using Alistair and the manager of his local bank as references, and then had Toby sign it also.

"What was that for?" Toby asked when they got in the car.

"They have really good-quality stuff in there, things you can't find anywhere else, and you like to shop there. An account will just make it easier, that's all."

Sunday went about as Saturday did, except that they didn't have to go to Toby's for clothes. The biggest adjustment came on Monday morning when the alarm went off at six-thirty. Sam wasn't at all used to an alarm waking him; he normally woke up when he'd had enough sleep. Now that he was sleeping with Toby, neither one of them were getting enough sleep.

"Call in sick," Sam said, shutting off the alarm.

"No, Sam. I have to get up," Toby answered, kissing him. "You go back to sleep, and I'll let myself out." He rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom. When he had showered and come back into the bedroom looking for his clothes, Sam was nowhere to be seen.

When Sam appeared, Toby was standing dressed in front of the mirror, knotting his tie; Sam was carrying a small tray with two steaming cups of coffee on it. He placed one on the dresser in front of Toby and sipped from the other.

"Good morning."

Toby looked at him in the mirror. "You didn't have to do this," he said, lifting his coffee cup. "We have coffee at the hotel."

Sam, who hadn't bothered with clothes, sat on the bed, leaning against the pillows "I couldn't send you out into the cold, cruel world without a caffeine fix, could I?" He sipped his coffee. "Do you know how handsome you are in that suit and tie?"

Toby finished with the tie and turned to Sam. "Do you know how handsome you are, sitting there, naked, on that bed?" His eyes twinkled. "I don't think you should ever wear clothes."

"You want me naked, you'll get me naked." He put his coffee on the bedside table. "Of course, there'll be talk, especially in the grocery store and at the gas station."

Toby laughed. "Well, maybe sometimes." He took a mouthful of coffee and held it for a moment. Then, all in one fluid motion, he swallowed and took Sam's dick in his mouth. Sam groaned and instantly became hard as his dick was heated by Toby's mouth. "There," Toby said when he came up for air, "that'll give you something to think about while I'm slaving over a hot hotel." He picked up his wallet and keys and started to leave.

"Hey, you aren't going to leave me like this, are you?" Sam whined.

Toby grinned at him. "I am. And you'd better be in the same condition when I get home." Then he was gone.

Sam thought about finishing the job with his hand but decided against it, because he wanted to save it for Toby. Instead, he got up, finished his coffee and took a shower.

During the day Sam went to a key shop and had keys to the condo and his car made for Toby. Then he drove out to Palm Desert where he bought a silver key ring at Tiffany. Late in the afternoon he went to Jensen's and bought things for dinner that needed only to be put in a hot oven for a while. Then he went home, put the food in the refrigerator, showered again and didn't dress, but he did spend a little time playing with himself.

When Toby rang the bell, Sam opened the door in all his glory. "Well," he said to Toby's surprised expression, "you said you wanted me in the same condition I was in when you left." He flexed his erection. "So here I am, just as you left me."

Toby's clothes ended up in a pile on the floor, and the couch substituted for the bed Sam had been in when Toby had left for work.

And so the week went.

They managed to calm down enough to go to the Prime Timers mixer at Sidewinders on Tuesday night, where everybody immediately noticed that they were now a couple. For the rest of the nights they stayed home, got to know each other, and made love. During the day Sam went out to the house, went to the gym-but not to the locker or steam room-and shopped for things they could have for dinner so that Toby wouldn't have to spend time cooking.

On Wednesday, Sam ran into Duane at the gym and on impulse invited Howard and him to dinner Sunday. He'd planned to take them all out, but Toby nixed that when Sam told him.

"Let's have dinner here," Toby said. "I can put something together, and besides, we really need to spend some time out of bed." He said this while he and Sam were having a dinner of seafood pasta-in bed.

On Saturday morning after a breakfast of corn pancakes and sausage, Sam and Toby went out to the house. Sam wanted Toby to look carefully at the space that would be the new kitchen and bathrooms and come up with some ideas as to how they should be arranged. Bill had said he'd need decisions in a couple of weeks for the electrical and plumbing plans.

When they were standing in the space where the kitchen would go, Sam said, "The only thing I know that I really want is space for a couch and coffee table. Maybe with a reading lamp. Kind of like Howard and Duane have."

"They have a couch in their kitchen?"

"Yeah. It's a place where Duane can sit and be with Howard when he's cooking. And often Howard sits there while Duane is cleaning up. When they have guests, or at least a guest, he can be there, too, so Howard doesn't get left out of the conversation."

Toby looked thoughtful. "Sounds like a good idea, Sam. Maybe with a TV to watch the news." He looked around and then walked over to the big window overlooking the yard. "It probably should go here. Can't put cabinets here anyway because the window's too low."

Sam liked the idea and asked, "Will it be near the gin?"

Toby laughed. "Well, if it were my kitchen I'd put the bar..."

Sam put his arms around him and said, very quietly, "It is your kitchen, Toby."

Toby pulled back so he could look at Sam. "Is it, Sam? Is this thing really going to work? I mean, after a while, after things cool off, will it still work? Will you still want me around?"

Sam leaned in to kiss Toby on the forehead. "You mean when some of the passion wears off? When we can look at each other without getting hard?" He stepped back and smiled at Toby. "You know? I think it will. I think we'll turn out to be each other's best friend. But you know what else?" The smile turned into a grin, "I don't think the passion will ever really wear off. I don't think we'll ever lose this need we have for each other."

Toby stood for a long time, looking at Sam. Then he, too, smiled. "You're right, Sam. I don't know how I know, but I know you're right." He laughed and put his hand to his crotch, outlining his erection through his shorts. "This may not always happen someday, but I'll still be in love with you."

Sam fumbled at his waist and let his shorts drop, showing off his erection. "I'll take care of yours if you'll take care of mine."

They did it right there, on the dusty concrete floor, and it was better than in a feather bed.

Afterwards, they did get much of the kitchen laid out, including a bar for Sam and a couple of TVs for Toby.

On Sunday Toby prepared pasta and a salad, things he could put together before Howard and Duane arrived. He deferred to Sam for the dessert, letting him buy some very good vanilla ice cream. He did, however, make a Grand Marnier chocolate sauce to go with it.

The two couples took to each other immediately. Once they were settled on the patio with drinks, the conversation flowed freely, without any of the tentativeness that so often happens when couples first meet. They talked about the weather, politics, and the Home Owner's Association. Toby shared some funny stories of goings-on at the hotel, and Howard quoted, from memory, some of the weird thoughts his freshmen students had managed to commit to paper.

Over dinner Toby asked Duane how he first got together with Howard. "If it's not too personal, that is."

Duane laughed. "You know, that's one of the great things about living here. When you've been naked with most of your neighbors-around the pool, in the gym, in the showers-there's very little that's too personal to talk about."

Toby smiled and glanced at Sam. "That's one aspect of living here that I haven't experienced yet. But then, I've only lived here for a week."

"You'll find out soon enough," Sam said with a grin.

"Yeah," Howard said, "a few Saturdays in the gym and a few Sundays around the pool and you'll know all about your neighbors. All about them."

Toby nodded and went back to the original question. "So how did you two get together?"

A look passed between Duane and Howard, and Howard shrugged. "Well," Duane began, "I've known, I guess, all my life that I'm gay. It was just something I knew."

"Tell them about coming out to your family," Howard said. "That will tell them about the kind of family you come from."

Duane sighed. "Okay, but I don't come off too well here." He looked at Toby. "Well, when I was thirteen and going through the worst of adolescence, I developed a stubborn streak-about anything and everything. One day my dad asked me to do something, probably clean my room or put away the dishes, and I just looked him in the eye and said no. He, rather reasonably, I think, asked why. I yelled at him, 'Because I'm gay, damn it.' He fixed me with a look that I could almost feel and quietly said, 'Being gay doesn't mean you have to be a prick.' Then he walked out."

Sam stifled a laugh. "Wise man, your father."

"Yeah, he was that. An hour or so later he came into my room and sat on my bed. He said something like, 'You okay with this? The gay thing?' I said I was, and asked if they were they going to throw me out. My dad just laughed and said only if I wanted them to, so I could hate them later."

"That's pretty understanding, don't you think?" Toby asked.

"Well, yeah. But it turned out that I wasn't the only one who'd known, or at least suspected, I was gay. Dad had done some research, read a bunch of books and was pretty much prepared."

"That's the kind of family he comes from, so you can see that any problems with us being together were on my part," Howard said. "Go on, Duane, tell them how you seduced me."

Duane laughed. "It wasn't difficult. Howard had been my English teacher for my Junior and Senior years so on the day after graduation I went over to his house on the pretext of giving him a thank-you gift. He let me in, I kicked the door shut and kissed him."

Howard held up his hands. "Honest, guys, I didn't have a clue it was coming. But when it did... Well, who was I to turn down something I'd had fantasies about for a year or more?" He shrugged. "So here we are, seven years later."

"That's pretty wonderful," Sam said. "I mean, a horny kid who had more on his mind than just getting his rocks off. And he waited; that's what gets to me." He winked at Duane. "Pretty impressive, guy."

Duane blushed. "Not really. I just went after what I wanted. But not until I thought I might actually be able to get it." He turned to Toby. "How about you? You out to your folks?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"They okay with it? I mean, they didn't throw you out or anything, did they?"

Toby shrugged. "No, nothing that dramatic. We just don't talk about it much." He shrugged again, and then stood and started to clear the table, but Sam stopped him.

"Here, now, you cooked, I'll clean up, and then we'll have dessert. Anyone want an after-dinner drink or more wine?"

"I'll give you a hand," Howard said, getting up.

Later, after Howard and Duane had left, Sam asked Toby what he thought.

"They're nice. I like Howard; he's got a great sense of humor, and Duane sure tells a good story." He smiled. "I wouldn't mind seeing more of them."

Sam laughed and made a grab for Toby's crotch. "You will. You'll see all of them."

"You know what I mean, Sam," he said, rubbing Sam's hand against his growing hardness. "But I wouldn't mind seeing all of them, either. They're both sexy guys."

"So are you," Sam said, pulling him towards the stairs. "So are you."